Catriona's Kit
Written by Catriona Adams. Published 12 August 2026
This isn't a curated "best of" list — it's what I actually race in. My own background is marathon and Alpine trail running (France, Italy, Switzerland, Lavaredo, UTMB), so this reflects that kind of racing and the British fells I train on, not a UK Round or winter event I haven't done myself. Specs below are checked against the manufacturer's current listing, not quoted from memory.
What's in the bag
| Category | What I use | Spec |
|---|---|---|
| Jacket (thermal mid-layer) | Cimalp Blizzard 5 | Women's thermal trail jacket, CimaFlex® with CimaTherm® Stretch, 290g (size S), reflective prints, thumb loops, zipped chest pocket. |
| Shorts | Cimalp Restonica 2 | 2-in-1 shorts with a lightweight built-in liner, multi-pocket 360° carry belt in stretch mesh, quick-dry fabric, repairable under Cimalp's lifetime repair programme. |
| Waterproof shell | Cimalp Storm Pro 3 | 3-layer Nano Ripstop fabric (100g/m²) with Ultrashell® membrane, 20,000mm hydrostatic head, 80,000 g/m²/24h breathability, 260g, PFC-free DWR treatment. |
| Shoes — rock and technical alpine terrain | Salomon S/Lab Genesis | Matryx® woven upper with aramid (Kevlar®) yarn, Contagrip® All Terrain outsole, Profeel Film underfoot protection. |
| Shoes — wet, soft ground | Inov-8 Mudtalon Speed | 8mm lugs in STICKYGRIP rubber, precision-fit last. |
| Hydration vest | Salomon ADV Skin 12 | 12-litre capacity, SensiFit stretch-mesh construction, Quick Link drawcord, roughly 250–335g depending on configuration. |
| Headtorch | Petzl NAO RL | 1,500 lumens maximum, 145g, Reactive Lighting auto-adjust, 3,200mAh Li-Ion battery. |
| GPS watch | Coros Apex 2 Pro | Titanium bezel, sapphire glass, dual-frequency GPS, up to 75 hours of continuous GPS tracking, physical rotating dial. |
| Poles | LEKI Ultratrail FX.One Superlite | Full carbon construction, 137g per pole (120cm), folds to 3 sections, removable Trail Shark strap system. |
| Water filter | Katadyn BeFree 0.6L | Hollow-fibre membrane, 0.1 micron, 2 litres/minute flow rate, 59g empty. |
Why each piece earns its place
Cimalp Blizzard 5. My invisible mid-layer on cold climbs and descents where I don't want to stop to add or remove a shell.
Cimalp Restonica 2. The liner stops thigh chafe past the 20-hour mark, and the belt keeps two 250ml flasks, my phone and food pinned against my centre of gravity — no bounce, no separate belt needed.
Cimalp Storm Pro 3. The breathability keeps condensation from building up on long climbs in the rain, and the chest press-stud lets me vent the main zip without the jacket flapping in wind.
Salomon S/Lab Genesis. What I wear on abrasive limestone trails like Lavaredo and the Italian side of UTMB — the Matryx upper resists cuts and the Profeel Film protects toes on technical descents.
Inov-8 Mudtalon Speed. Essential on British fells — Lake District, Snowdonia. The 8mm lugs give the mechanical grip deep mud and soaked grass actually need.
Salomon ADV Skin 12. It moves with my ribcage without restricting breathing, and the volume carries a full mandatory kit list without over-compressing the contents.
Petzl NAO RL. The photocell adjusts beam power to ambient light automatically, which stretches battery life across a full night of racing without me touching a dial.
Coros Apex 2 Pro. 75 hours means no mid-race charging on anything but the longest events, and the physical dial scrolls maps in wet gloves where a touchscreen won't.
LEKI Ultratrail FX.One Superlite. The Trail Shark strap clips straight onto the grip, so I get full power transfer on steep pushes and can release my hand instantly at aid stations.
Katadyn BeFree 0.6L. Lets me refill straight from streams in Wales or the Alps rather than carrying full capacity between official water points.
Why this page isn't a kit recommendation
See mandatory kit for UK ultra races for what organisers actually require — that's sourced from race rules, not personal taste. This page is the opposite: one runner's real gear, not a recommendation for anyone else's race or conditions.
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