In 2015, I Ran the Marathon des Sables. You know, that race All over the Sahara where people wear weird flappy sun hats and gaiters, and carry everything they need for survival (except a tent) on their backs. A week spent battling giant dunes and icy, dry rocky river beds taught me an important lesson: It’s possible to pack your life in a 10-pound pack And Run great distances. It is also very fun.
Since then, I have embarked on many great adventures, including a 100-mile trek across Italy’s Lake Garda and a 184-mile length of the River Thames. In 2022, I become the first person to row Europe’s Danube River from sea to source, 1,830 miles across eight countries in 67 days, always taking my kit with me. I’ve spent a lot of time “kit pratting”, or obsessing over my ideal gear. I’ve worked out what’s essential (less than you might think), what’s unnecessary, and who I can trust.
For my most recent excursion, I went on the Via degli De, an 80-mile walk across the Italian Apennines from Florence to Bologna (though most people do the same on foot from Bologna to Florence). I ran about 24 miles on the first day, 26 miles on the second day, and 30 miles on the third day, for about 5-8 hours each day. Here are some of the essentials I packed to get from Point A to Point B.
running shoes
Diadora Nucleo 2 gr ($170) One of the new wave of gravel running shoes that are built to handle everything from road to mild off-road trails. In this race I encountered a lot of both, as well as more challenging trail sections. The large wedge of soft cushioning, shallow lugs and wide base worked well on hard-packed, clear and runnable terrain, while the really nice roomy toe box was excellent for blister-free comfort.
The Nucleo 2 GR is a bit heavy and struggles for accuracy, agility and stability on rockier technical slopes. But the grip worked surprisingly well (outside of some very dirty sections). Importantly, this is a protective shoe with a great fit that’s also easy to tie back on when getting ready for dinner after a run. This is important if you are only getting one pair of running shoes.
running clock
Confession time: As a running gear tester, I had three sports watches on the go. Garmin Forerunner 570, Forerunner 970, and Fenix 8 Pro 51mm AMOLED. Of these, the Fenix 8 Pro emerged as the top performer. It’s expensive, but it’s the ultimate tool for multi-day adventures where you need multi-day GPS staying power, reliable mapping, and best-in-class routing on a large, easy-to-scan screen.
Photograph: Kieran Alger
If you’re running off the grid, the Fenix 8 Pro also offers back-up satellite security tools like SOS Emergency, off-network messaging, and live tracking, though you’ll need an InReach Satellite subscription to unlock some of them. I was pleasantly surprised by the Forerunner 970 which lasted about three days. It lacks security features and rooting wasn’t as fine-tuned as the Fenix 8 Pro, but it’s a good option for short periods of time where you have access to charging.
running headphones
You can’t underestimate the morale boost you get from meaningful music or timely conversations with family (My Phone a Friend Lifeline). That’s why I always pack workout headphones. Open-ear styles like the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 ($140) bone conduction headphones, or the Shokz OpenDots ($160), are great for staying connected to the world. But I often opt for headphones I also use on flights and trains, when in transit, or when I’m not running.
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