Unlike our other equipment list pages, this one is more of a discussion & review of some light mountaineering / running equipment that may be of use in planning some light and fast trips into the mountains. Definitive lists are unlikely to work in this field where there is a skill in choosing the right equipment for the nature of the trip.
A couple of points to note. Mountain running is often anything but! E.g. there is lots of walking involved either due to the long sustained ascents where good steady pacing is required or the terrain is too technical to run over. There is an overlap between trail running gear and mountaineering equipment and it’s important to create the right blend for each trip that provides sufficient technical gear, warm clothing + food / water supplies and emergency equipment without unduly weighing you down, slowing you down or increasing the risk of injury in descent for example.
There is always a judgement to be made regarding how light you can go without being caught out technically, getting too cold or ‘bonking’ from lack of food or water! This is a highly personal decision based on the nature of the terrain, current conditions and how much commitment you like to have!
So the following equipment items are just for reference, and as options to add to your own modular style kit list which evolves significantly according to what type of run (or walk!) you are doing in the mountains. The weights are what we have recorded on our own scales and may not be perfectly accurate. There are sections for footwear, clothing, technical gear, packs and nutrition & hydration…
Good running and please get in touch if you have any questions or suggesting / reviews of your own to share….
Footwear
Pack
Technical Mountaineering Gear
Black Diamond Couloir – Light Alpine Harness, 265g. Good light harness, but not the lightest!
The Petzl Ultra-light ‘Fly’ Harness comes in at just 130g
Nutrition
Hydration
Light Mountain Clothing
Emergency Gear
Buying New Kit?
If you plan to make some new kit purchases for this course then we recommend a few places to look online that not only provide a good range of clothing and equipment but also some excellent advice on suitable products for your chosen sport. They are:
Needle Sports – An independent climbing gear shop that supplies mountaineering, rock, ice, alpine & expedition climbing equipment. They have a shop in Keswick in the Lake District.
Facewest – with 20 years of providing an excellent online retail experience and plenty of knowledge and enthusiasm, they stock a wide range of products for climbing, skiing, running, and hiking.
Sport Pursuit – is an online retailer, mainly of clothing who sells, at highly discount prices, end of lines, and unsold stock from shops and brands. If you look carefully through their website you can find some excellent clothing items at a really great price.
