Trail Running Apparel: Jacket, Shorts, Hydration Pack
These three key pieces will keep you comfortable on the trail.
trail running mountain hardwear ghost whisperer 200×170
CamelBak Octane LR (Courtesy Photo)
Salomon Exo Motion Shorts (Courtesy Photo)
[shell]
Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer Anorak
“This slim-cut, wind- and water-resistant shell fits in the smallest pockets, yet it kept me warm and dry on a quick five-miler on a 35°F morning with snow flurries and light wind, and just a baselayer underneath,” says one Colorado tester. “And the DWR-coated, 7- and 10-denier ripstop nylon held its own during brushes with scrub oak and chokecherry bushes.” Reflective details make it good for road use, too. $135; 1.4 oz. (w’s M); mountainhardwear.com
[pack]
CamelBak Octane LR
When your pace jumps from saunter to gallop, full hydration packs tend to flop and bounce, which is distracting and annoying. Solution: this minimalist, runner-centric pack, which snugs a wing-shaped 70-ounce reservoir (included) into your lower back, and extends the wings into the hipbelt. By lowering your water’s center of gravity—and spreading it around your hips—the Octane radically reduces sloshing. Nitpick: A small shove-it pocket (too small for a bike helmet) limits versatility. $120; 14 oz.; camelbak.com
[shorts]
Salomon Exo Motion Shorts
Run chafe-free in these light compression-liner tights with over shorts. “The tights are long enough to hit below the largest part of my quad, and they stay put with no rubbing,” says one tester. The honeycomb-knit liner (for maximum structure and compression at minimum weight) kept his legs feeling fresher on long runs, and the relaxed polyester overshorts let him enjoy the benefit without the Lycra look. $80; 6 oz. (m’s L); salomon.com