It takes a lot of guts and grit to run 100 miles. But more than that, it also takes a lot of stuff. While we’d all like to believe that running is a simple sport, that mentality has to go right out the window when it comes to ultra distances. You need more than just the basics to endure through such long endeavors. Anything can happen over the course of those long, grueling hours. There’s a lot you might expect to unfold … and even more that you don’t.

With that in mind, runners need to carry an assortment of gear with them to prepare for whatever obstacles arise — anticipated or not. It’s not just running performance on the line. Your safety depends on a smart packing strategy. The right things in the right places can mean the difference between staying warm through a torrential downpour versus catching hypothermia, keeping your fuel down versus vomiting your way to a DNF, or supporting your quaking knees versus taking a treacherous tumble. The choice is yours.

My own gear selection took me to the podium at the Leadville 100 in summer 2023. For a little inspiration ahead of your next ultra, here’s everything that kept me safe and successful along the way.

Scarpa Spin Infinity Shoes

OK, so these don’t exactly fit the “in my vest” parameter here. But there’s no skipping over the most important piece of gear in any running situation: shoes! The same pair of Spin Infinitys from SCARPA lasted me the entire race with nary a blister or hot spot in sight. Given that the course includes two knee-deep river crossings, that’s saying a lot. The lugs still barely look touched in the aftermath.

Breathable enough to air out fast from their multiple soakings, sturdy enough to absorb intense impact coming down from the notoriously steep Hope Pass (in both directions), and light enough to keep each step from feeling like a complete slog, these shoes would take Buzz Lightyear himself to infinity and beyond.

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Salomon Sense Pro 10 Vest

I’ll admit that aesthetics first attracted me to Salomon vests. That zig-zag bungee attachment system? I mean, dang, that looks good. When I found the Sense Pro in a chic black and white, there was no stopping the instantaneous “add to cart.”

Luckily, my decision turned out to not be entirely rooted in vanity. The Sense Pro boasts the softest fabric I’ve ever felt on a vest. That matters because of chafing. Need I say more? Three pockets right up front on each side made ample room for two soft flasks, enough fuel to last me the roughly 25 miles between crew stops, phone, gloves, beanie, cap, and sunglasses. The back kangaroo pocket held my rain jacket, while the larger back pocket contained emergency gels and my headlamp. Mini zippered pockets on the shoulders kept my blister and nausea kits accessible in case of either crisis. Finally, bungees held my poles horizontally across my low back. It took some practice to store them this way without removing the pack, but if my T-Rex arms can make it happen, then anything is possible.

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TSL Outdoor Trail Carbon 4 Poles

Speaking of pole storage, it helps to have poles so streamlined that they glide in and out of those bungees like butter. There’s no beating these French wonders when it comes to sleek design. The Trail Carbon 4 poles from TSL Outdoor are light as a feather, but that’s not even the main perk. Ultrarunners know all too well that the smallest of hassles become huge grievances after a few dozen miles. The simplicity of these poles comes in clutch. Detachable hand straps connect to the poles via magnets to make transitions as easy as the literal push of a button. And without snaggable straps hanging off of them, it’s that much easier to maneuver these poles and stow them away when not in use.

The Carbon 4s fold down into thirds (after another easy-peasy button press) for compact storage so you can still bob and weave around conga lines of runners without cutting anyone off—literally. A quick shake and tug expands them back to full length in seconds. When everything else threatened to send me into a state of existential crisis toward the end of the race, these poles never triggered an ounce of frustration. The Carbon 4s became just as much of an emotional crutch as a physical one along the final stretch because they had supported my aching hips so well for so long without a fuss.

They even helped me walk down the hall to the bathroom the next morning!

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Petzl Iko Core and Black Diamond Distance Headlamps

Yes, you read that correctly: I used two separate headlamps. That might seem a little extra, and maybe it was. But they each served different purposes that I appreciated in the moment.

I began with the ultralight Petzl Iko Core for the 4 a.m. start, because this small-but-mighty headlamp isn’t quite as powerful but packs down well and keeps a low profile on the forehead. I knew I wouldn’t need a huge swath of light throughout these early morning hours since I would be surrounded by other runners at least until the sun came up. I’d also have to carry it for the miles between sunrise and my first crew stop at the 25 mile mark, so I opted for packability over power.

As the sun began to set on the day, however, I switched to the Black Diamond Distance headlamp for a stronger beam to light my way. The extra lumens made a significant difference for those final 25 miles in the dark when my legs (and brain) were liable to give out at any point. I wanted to be able to see every obstacle that could possibly trip me up, with enough forewarning for my equally exhausted mind to process it and change course. The Distance also offers an additional dose of convenience for said exhausted mind: a magnetically-attached battery pack that you can swap out for a freshie without removing the headlamp from your noggin.

Just like with the poles, ease is the biggest benefit a piece of gear can offer runners toward the end of such long efforts.

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Ultimate Direction Ultra Jacket

The Leadville 100 tops out at 12,500 feet. Altitude always carries the risk of freak storms, so anyone venturing up that high needs to carry a reliable rain jacket. Now, the 2023 race happened to take place on an unseasonably warm day—so warm that runners dropped like flies from dehydration and GI distress as temps creeped up throughout the day—without a hint of rain to cool things off. So the Ultra Jacket stayed in my vest the entire race. I’d say that’s even more of a testament to how valuable this jacket is for ultrarunners. It takes up such little space and weight that I never considered handing it off with my crew. That’s the best decision that I could have made, because there’s no predicting what exactly the weather will do over the course of 100 miles at such a height. A heavier, bulkier jacket might have led me to consider leaving it behind and risk putting myself in potential danger. After all, that’s exactly what happened at last year’s race; runners took early morning warmth for granted and found themselves suffering from hypothermia by the afternoon. The jacket you bring is better than the one you don’t.

That being said, the Ultra Jacket from Ultimate Direction has perks beyond packability. Had the sky broken open, it would have kept me 100% dry from both rain and sweat thanks to a 30,000g/m2/24hr moisture vapor transmission rate and 30,000mm water entry pressure. In layman’s terms, the Ultra Jacket is equal parts waterproof and breathable. But my favorite features are the stashable hand mitts (because everyone knows cold, exposed hands are the worst part of running through downpours) and the structured visor on the hood that shields your entire face.

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Goodr Wrap G Sunglasses

I bought these flashy sunnies right after my first exploratory training run up Hope Pass, during which I discovered how difficult it is to run down steep technical terrain with the sun peeking through the sides of traditional sunglasses and blocking your peripheral vision. The cool-kid wraparound style was just a bonus (or so I’m telling myself). I like to think the Wrap Gs make me so fast you can barely tell what they look like, anyway. These emanate speed.

They’re also unmatched when it comes to protection against all-around sun rays. Two birds, one good lookin’ stone.

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GU Energy Gels

This is the race that converted me to GU. I’m not sure why I waited so long. The rebel in me hesitated to try the most popular gel among endurance athletes worldwide. Maybe the rave reviews and huge array of flavors seemed too good to be true. But it’s a shame I never gave them a chance to prove me wrong before.

The elitist in me stubbornly stuck to my “real food” and “sugar-free” options until mile 50, when I suddenly lost the ability to digest anything remotely solid. The GU’s on course became my only fueling choice — and now I’m never going back. When nothing else went down, GU came to my rescue. The Chocolate Coconut and Cherry Lime flavors alone saved me from the dreaded bonk. And when my pacer pulled out a rogue Vanilla Bean? Better than Christmas dinner. I’ve since replaced my entire gel collection with all things GU … and I highly suggest you do the same.

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Quantum Energy Squares

But besides gels, Quantum Energy Squares pulled me through. For miles one through 50 (when my stomach was still somewhat happy with me) these bars gave me the sense that I was still more human than robot on the run. Something about chewing does that for me.

Though I’m grateful for GU for saving my ass when chewing went out the window, I’m also appreciative of the actual textures I got to enjoy in these bars up until then. The 100mg of caffeine per bar didn’t hurt either, nor the kick of salt at the end of each bite. The Dark Chocolate Pink Himalayan Sea Salt and Caramel Almond Sea Salt flavors especially will wake your taste buds right up.

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Skratch Labs Hydration Mix

Remember the dehydration rampage I mentioned? Not an issue for me. I credit Skratch for that. A flavorful packet in each bottle made me actually want to drink my water (and provided 380 mg of sodium per serving to boot).

And when the flavor fatigue came on strong toward the end, I patted my past self on the back for picking up a few packets of the milder “Clear” mix to ease up the potency. Just a hint of lemon kept the electrolytes flowing when the mere idea of fruit juice made me want to gag. Anything to stay thirsty, my friends.

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Lucie Hanes is an avid writer and adventurer on rock and trail with a passion for sharing her outdoor enthusiasms through journalism and mental strength consultation.