In my experience, one of the major differences between ultra running and your average marathon is the kit. For a standard 26.2 marathon you need to make sure you’ve got the right shoes, some clothes that won’t chafe and a handful of the right gels to power you through but that’s about it. However, the moment you start thinking about distances 40 miles or more, that could take involve more hours on your feet than you can count on both hands, this changes. Ultra running requires attention to detail in the kit department that adds a whole new challenge to every race.

I’ve spent a long time testing out different packs, bottles, pouches, socks, bottles and head torches, not to mention base layers, jackets, anti-chafe solutions and sun screen and I think I’ve finally got my ultra kit refined to a point where it works for me. Obviously things change depending on the duration, distance, terrain and what the race organisers list as compulsory carry, but I think I’ve solved most of the big problems in a way that works well for me.

With that in mind, here’s my five-minute whistle stop tour of all the kit I used for The North Face Lavaredo Ultra Trail 2017.