Roads · Trails · Muddy start lines
Running kit that makes getting out the door easier
Finding a comfortable way to carry your phone, enough water for the route or a dry layer for later can make a run feel much simpler. I’m James Thompson, and The Runners Backpack is where I work through those choices with you, drawing on the gear I’ve used and the details that matter once you start moving.
Whether you’re heading out for half an hour, packing for a race or fitting a run around work, start with the thing you’re trying to solve.
What do you need to carry?
My phone and keys
A good belt should hold the essentials close without becoming another thing to adjust. I’ll help you choose a pocket layout that works with your phone—and show you what to try if it bounces.
Water and a few extras
The best arrangement depends on where you’ll refill, what you want within reach and whether you’re taking a layer. Start with that load before choosing the size of the vest.
Everything for race day
Pack for the start, the run and the trip home. The useful details are often the small ones: what stays with you after bag drop, and where the dry clothes will be when you finish.
Kit for a muddy finish
OCR adds another challenge: keeping the things you need clean separate from the things that very definitely aren’t. Plan the change bag as carefully as the kit you wear.
A few small details can change the choice
A phone fitting inside a belt doesn’t always mean it’s easy to get through the opening. A vest with more room still needs useful pockets. And the towel that packs smallest when dry may be rather less convenient after a shower at work.
Those are the sorts of details you’ll find in the guides here, alongside straightforward recommendations and observations from using the kit.
