Trail Running

The new T.Q. (Thirst Quencher) Hydration EDC Pack from Grey Ghost Gear

Grey Ghost Gear has released a hydration-capable EDC pack, as suitable for the needs of gym-goers, runners, and Crossfitters as it is for professional door kickers.

An aesthetically appealing and ruggedly durable solution for EDC and exercise, the T.Q. “Thirst Quencher” Hydration Pack holds a 3L hydration pack in its main compartment, with room left over for compressed/rolled snivel kit, daily necessities, and even concealed carry accessories – including the firearm itself. Total cargo capacity: 594 cubic inches.

The next pocket is a suitable admin billet, perfect for a handheld EDC flashlight, note-taking material, and any additional necessaries or other compartmentalized items. Adjustable side straps eliminate overstuffing concerns, as they easily compress both of these compartments.

The front enclosure is intended for items you need the most immediate access to, whether a mobile device, IFAK/blowout kit, or some pogie bait. Double loops on the face of the pouch allow for speedy use.

Each zipper on the TQ has a generous plastic finger loop for quick access (so even great big sausage-fingered types should be able to manipulate it). Like our other bags, there is a hidden pocket on the bottom that stows a rain cover for the unexpected inclement weather. The back panel has concealed padding that is completely covered in breathable mesh, allowing air to circulate down your spine.

Available in Black Diamond/Orange Heather, Black Diamond/Black Heather, Black Diamond/Grey Heather, or Coyote Brown, the T.Q. measures 17.5h x 8.5w x 5d. It is manufactured with Ripstop LiteLok material, which is approximately 30% lighter than 500D Cordura Nylon with superior abrasion resistance, decreased visibility in low light conditions, and water resistance up to 127cm.

Grey Ghost Gear TQ Hydration Pack

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Learn more about the T.Q. pack

My PACE Lid Loadout: Water Bottle Survival Kit

PACE stands for (Primary, Alternate, Contingent and Emergency). For those of you military guys that will sound very familiar. In the Marine Corps, they constantly drilled into us being prepared and having multiple contingency plans. The theory behind the PACE lid is to have a place to keep those needed items in the event something unexpected happens and you need to deviate from the original plan.

I originally wrote up a short article on the PACE Lid when they were getting it off the ground with their Kickstarter campaign. Since then I have purchased one for personal use to see how I would run it. Depending on the time of year and activities I’m involved in will dictate the contents. Right now I only have 1 PACE Lid, so the contents will have to be rotated out as my needs change. Maybe in the future, I’ll purchase a few more to have them pre-loaded and ready to go depending on what I’m doing.

For the sake of this quick article, I have my PACE Lid setup for my trail running or minimalist hiking. I know all the trails I run and hike on, so for this specific loadout, I don’t need a bunch of survival items for signaling, fire starting and trap making. I’m more concerned with the condition of my feet and hydration.

The contents of my PACE Lid are as follows:

- GORUCK Foot Blister Kit
- Potable Aqua Water Purification Tabs

- Prometheus Design Werx Button Compass
- Compact Roll of Duct Tape

- Spare set of shoelaces

- Acme Tornado Whistle

Head on over to the PACE Lid website today and get yours for only $19.99

Garmin Fenix 5 | Worldclass Multi-Sport Watch

Summer is in full swing and it’s time to hit the trails, both for hiking and running. For the past two years, I’ve been using the Garmin Forerunner 10 as my GPS watch. This year it’s time to upgrade. After doing some research and asking questions, I’ve settled on the Garmin Fenix 5. Yes, it’s a significantly more expensive watch, but the technology under the hood and its durability make it worth the purchase. I’ve used the watch on several trail runs as well as a few bike rides and so far I’ve been pretty damn impressed.

Under the hood, there was some specific technology that really piqued my interest with this watch, whether I used them or not. First, the Fenix 5 supports the American GPS, Russian GLONASS and European Galileo navigation systems. This truly is a watch for world travel and adventure.

The Fenix 5 sports two built-in altimeters; One via GPS and the other via barometric pressure. The combination of these two will give any athlete the most accurate data possible. Although I wouldn’t trust it as my primary altimeter in sports such as skydiving, it could certainly ride on your other wrist as a backup.

Today only comes once. The fēnix® 5 is for those who take that as a threat and crush it. Do more with the premium multisport GPS watch with wrist-based heart rate1, advanced fitness features, and interchangeable bands. – Garmin

Sebastian Camus is a successful trail runner, who crossed the island of New Caledonia near New Zealand in three days without sleeping and competes in Ultra Marathon and trail running events. Find out here how the two altimeters of fēnix (GPS altimeter and barometric altimeter) provide him with the most accurate training data. – Garmin

Learn More

Altra Lone Peak Trail Running Shoes | Quick Look

In my quest for ultralight hiking, fastpacking and trail running gear I’ve comes across the Altra Lone Peak running shoes. These shoes were designed from the ground up for trail running and the ultra runner. With a weight of only 9.7 ounces you could wear this shoe all day long on the trail without much fatigue.

From the Altra website:

The Altra Lone Peak 3.5 is updated and improved to make a best-seller even better. With drainage holes to keep your feet dry, a 4-point GaiterTrap to keep dirt and rocks out, and an upgraded mesh upper for enhanced durability, this shoe is ready to tackle the trail. Run with confidence and conquer the gnarliest terrain with the Trail-Volution of Altra.

The feature that really intrigued me was the toe box design. It’s what they call a foot shaped toe box allowing natural Toe Splay and stability. So what does that mean? I’ll let the following picture show you what natural toe splay looks like.

As you can see the foot shaped toe box on the Altra shoes is a more natural fit for your feet which will translate into less overall fatigue.

From the Altra website:

Embrace The Space

Traditional running shoes feature pointy toe boxes that squeeze the toes out of their natural position –increasing risk of bunions, hammertoes and plantar fasciitis. Altra’s FootShape™ toe box allows the toes to relax and spread out naturally and the big toe to remain in a straight position. This enhances stability and creates a powerful toe-off to maximize running performance. We wish we could call it some scientific breakthrough, but we’re simply giving your foot the working space it needs.

Benefits:

Keeps big toe straight for greater stability and a more powerful toe-off
Allows toes to relax and spread out naturally
Allows foot to naturally stabilize excess pronation

Combine that with a pair of Injinji trail socks and you’ve got a solid base for your long trail runs.

The Altra Lone Peak 3.0 shoes can be found on Amazon for around $73!

*Photos courtesy of Altra

Black Diamond Alpine Start Hoody | Minimalist Rain Shell

Black Diamond is a proven name in the outdoor and climbing community. Although I’m not into all the climbing and repelling activities I do really enjoy the jackets and shells the Black Diamond offers for outdoor excursions. Back in the fall and winter we reviewed several Black Diamond cold weather products and were more than impressed.

Now that we are into the summer months I figured it was perfect timing to take a look at their lighter weight rain shells. The product we are taking a quick look at today is the men’s Alpine Start Hoody.

Here is how Black Diamond describes the jacket on their website.

Ultralight and incredibly versatile, the Alpine Start Hoody uses Schoeller stretch-woven softshell fabric to provide highly breathable, weather resistant protection for alpinists and other weight-conscious climbers. Gusseted construction allows complete freedom of movement, and the hood fits over your climbing helmet for added weather protection when the wind picks up in the afternoon. This highly packable jacket stows in its own chest pocket when not in use, and a carabiner loop lets you clip it to your harness and take it up a route.

I plan on getting this jacket out into the elements soon to put it to the true test. I live in northeastern Ohio, so that shouldn’t be a problem. Stay tuned…

My trail running gear and clothing UPDATE

Editors note: This is an update to my original article on my trail running gear. Some has remained the same, while a few other pieces of gear have been changed out/upgraded.

I’ve been a pretty avid runner for the past several years. I’ve completed half marathon’s, full marathon’s, the Tough Mudder and several smaller 5k runs. I’ve used a lot of different running gear and clothing; some of it worked great while others were total crap. I’m going to highlight what works for me, so I hope you get something out of it.

The most popular thing people think of when looking for running gear is the shoes, so we’ll start there.

Salomon Trail Running Shoes

I’ve always been a huge advocate for Salomon footwear. I’ve been through two a few pairs of their shoes and still use a pair of the GTX mid hiking boots. These specific running shoes are the Salomon Sense Marin. They are true to their sizing and fit my foot like a glove. The trail shoes drain water quick and dry quick, which is a huge benefit when running trails.

Once you have settled on a pair of shoes the next most important thing is socks . Again I’ve been through most major brands of socks over the years, but the company I put my trust in is Fits.

Fits Light Hiker Quarter

These specific socks that I use are marketed for hiking, but they perform equally as well for trail running and adventure races such as the Tough Mudder or Spartan. The Fits socks are extremely comfortable, durable, they wick sweat away and prevent foot odor. Oh, and they stay on my feet when I kick my shoes off (a pet peeve of mine).

Now that we have our shoes and socks squared away we can move to shorts. This is a very broad subject as there are so many options that are great, so you have to find what works for you through trial and error. This is what works for me.

SEALFIT Submersible WOD Shorts

These have been hands down my favorite shorts to run in. The two pockets that are sewn into these shorts are perfect for my car key and a wallet or phone. Although these are great for running in, they also make great board shorts and swimming shorts. That’s a bonus because now when I travel I only need to take 1 pair of shorts for both running and swimming.

That pretty much takes care of the clothing I use for running. As far as shirts go, I usually just grab a normal t-shirt to run in. I don’t much care for the fancy ‘tech’ shirts specially made for running; just don’t like the feel of the material.

Garmin Fenix 5S Multi-Sport GPS Watch

The next piece of gear I like to use for all my runs is a GPS Watch . In the past, I’ve used the Garmin Forerunner 10. This year I decided to upgrade to the Garmin Fenix 5. The Garmin Fenix 5 has quite a bit of technology under the hood and is very durable. The user interface is pretty easy to navigate for the number of features built into this watch. For more information on what makes the Fenix 5 so bad-ass Garmin Fenix 5S Multi-Sport GPS Watch

If I’m running in the late morning or afternoon hours I may choose to wear sunglasses if the sun is beating down on me. I can’t stand squinting for the whole run. The sunglasses I have chosen to run with are from Gatorz Eyewear .

Gatorz Eyewear

Gatorz Eyewear is where it’s at for multi-sport sunglasses. I can wear these for an entire run and never have to adjust them or take them off to wipe the lens clean. Due to the materials used and the design, you can customize the fit to your head making them as loose or tight as you want. They are super lightweight as well which is a huge advantage when running. Nothing more frustrating than a loose pair of heavier sunglasses. I own several pairs of Gatorz, but my favorite pair that gets the most use are the Gatorz Eyewear sunnies they make.

Spyderco Delica

I always run with a blade. Yeah, I know this is not for most and some may think it’s stupid or I’m crazy for doing so. I choose to carry because it gives me an advantage if I’m out running in a remote area and come across someone who is intent on harming me or the person I’m running with. It also provides me with an option if wild dogs attempt to attack and bite. It may sound far-fetched and extreme to some, but I choose to be prepared and live to see the next day, especially if I’ve got my daughter with me. In the past, I’ve carried the Blade Rigs Guppy knife, but it’s too obvious to other runners when the shirt comes off. I now run with Spyderco Delica clipped to the waistband of my SEALFIT shorts. I also wear it when working out.

I don’t run with hydration packs or a water bottle. I typically will keep my CamelBak Eddy Drinking Bottle in my car and hydrate after my run. The key is to be hydrated before the run so you’re not relying on carrying water with you.

That’s my loadout for trail running these days. For those of you that run I’d like to hear your opinions and what you choose to use.