Trailwalker 100km kit

Enzo

Thru Hiker
I'm booked in to do the south downs 100k walk again, not trekking as such but be interested to hear any thoughts on kit.
I've started the event twice before, both times without any training and both times got to 45 mile mark, first time I got horrendous shin splints second time my legs were fine but I walked in new shoes and although I got no blisters I did have a fair bit of foot pain specifically going down hill. Annoyingly once I'd had a good feed at checkpoint 7 I felt right as rain and feel I could have done the next 17 miles had I not signed out of the event.
So unfinished business.
Anyhow I plan to prepare for this year's event, last summer I did lots of walking mainly 25-30 mile days without any problems so touch wood my legs have it in them. Sorry for the ramblings, on to the kit list.

There are some mandatory items which I hope I've covered.

Pack: modified terra nova ultra 5l 126g (2x 600ml smartwater bottles hang from clips on shoulder straps)
Chest pack for grub /first aid: tread lite gear dyneema hip pocket 27g
Wp jacket: berghaus hyper 93g
Thermal top : berghaus hypertherm 169g
Dwr/windproof trousers: naturehike ul pants 91g
Or
wp trousers: if bad weather expected alpkit 195g
Head torch : e-lite 26g
Spare socks : darn tough 64g
Hat : cascade merino 50g (lighter options to look at here)
Gloves : extremities liner 45g (I have the thin warm lite gloves in the post 30g)
First aid/ foot care/electrolytes etc 70g
769g total pack weight




Planning to use my Brooks cascadia 10s, but might try to do some of it in the inov-8 talon 212 that I got in the post yesterday, fit like a glove and 130g lighter each.
Alpkit carbon trekking poles 268g for both.
Thoughts?

Enzo
 
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gixer

Thru Hiker
second time my legs were fine but I walked in new shoes

but might try to do some of it in the inov-8 talon 212 that I got in the post yesterday

:whistling:

Can't imagine walking far in Talons, 22mm stack height at the rear :eek:

Can't imagine a scenario where i'd walk that far in one go, so please take that into consideration.
I do trail run around 100km a week though, i know my knees and ankles take a right pounding with normal shoes, so i swap and change from minimalist to maximalist type shoes.

IF you have stops with someone there it might be worth swapping socks and shoes every 20km or so
 

Enzo

Thru Hiker
I'm not sure what the support is going to be like this time, minimal I think. It's organised at work and I think the logistics got a bit much in previous years.
I usually run two pairs of socks and swap them over every checkpoint (7 ish miles) and give my feet a wash dry and talc. Hang the spares on my pack to dry. I walk 10-15 miles a day at work during the summer so my feet are pretty tough.
I'll definitely put some miles on the 212's before considering using them. Last time I swapped into my steel toecap boots for the last 20 miles and they were a lot more comfortable than the merrel trail shoes I was wearing!
 

Shewie

Chief Slackpacker
Staff member
Last time I swapped into my steel toecap boots for the last 20 miles and they were a lot more comfortable than the merrel trail shoes I was wearing!

Eek! Reminds me of a pair of Merrel Chameleons that ended up in a bin outside Needlesports in Keswick

Sounds like an interesting event, it clashes with our usual holiday dates but I might see if there's interest at work on on here sometime, maybe next year

I've walked a few hundred miles at a time in Salomons and Roclites on longer trips, but not 100km in 30 hours, 25 miles is a big day for me

I've never done anything like a timed event or race, but could you just bin all the waterproof gear and tough it out until the end?
 

Enzo

Thru Hiker
Waterproofs are mandatory, but I get the impression that you can leave them with your support if it's dry.
It's a fun event but pain is I think inevitably a big part of it for everyone. For me a highlight is seeing glow worms during the night stages, only place I've seen them in the UK.
I may also be using it as an excuse to geek out over kit.... lol
 

WilliamC

Thru Hiker
:whistling:

Can't imagine walking far in Talons, 22mm stack height at the rear :eek:
I wore X-Talon 212s on our last walk, slightly over 50km (not in one day). It was their second circa 50km outing. I have no problem with them. They wouldn't be my choice if you're going to have a lot of walking over rock or very hard trail (I've never walked in the Downs so can't comment on that) but they've been fine for me on snow and soft ground.
They look damn ugly, though.
 

Enzo

Thru Hiker
Downs are pretty stony, so maybe best stick to my Brooks, they look useful in mud, cascadias have zero traction in mud
 

Enzo

Thru Hiker
I'd not heard of those, look interesting. I'll see how I get on with what I have.
I have bought some spacer mesh and stretch mesh so may play at making a very minimalist pack. I'd normally use my tn laser 20, 285g I think, and bigger than I need if I can resupply with food on the way.
Planning on nuts m&m's cranberries and firestick pepperami for food ☺
 

cathyjc

Thru Hiker
Lighter pack (making).
There is a line of thought /opinion that once a pack gets below a comfortable/"don't notice on my back weight" that further reductions are 'chasing after moonbeams' and don't really give much benefit. IMHO your pack (TN ultra 5l - 126g) is already a good low weight and I'm not sure there is much to gain, for disproportionate effort.
 

Enzo

Thru Hiker
Agreed , I was thinking of making a pack that comes further down my back and had integral hip pockets for grub etc perhaps with just a layer of spacer mesh against my back and stretch fabric against that to keep stuff tight against your back.
 

Enzo

Thru Hiker
Inov-8 talons proving really comfy so far. A quick 7-8 mile walk probably not the greatest challenge but definitely fit well. ☺
Conditions were 'mixed' lol
 

Shewie

Chief Slackpacker
Staff member
Agreed , I was thinking of making a pack that comes further down my back and had integral hip pockets for grub etc perhaps with just a layer of spacer mesh against my back and stretch fabric against that to keep stuff tight against your back.

I like the Pa'Lante idea of a stretch mesh pocket on the pack bottom for food on the go
 

Enzo

Thru Hiker
Me too, not sure I'd get on with a chest pack and there is only so much you can fit in hip pockets.
 

shetland_breeder

Ultralighter
Planning to use my Brooks cascadia 10s, but might try to do some of it in the inov-8 talon 212 that I got in the post yesterday, fit like a glove and 130g lighter each.

Thoughts?

Enzo

X-Talon 212 should be fine so long as you are used to walking in them. My preference is X-Talon 200 because the 212 are slightly narrow for me, but you do need to get used to the 3mm drop. There is actually a surprising amount of cushioning in both, especially when new, and plenty of feel for the ground. Just don't land on your instep on a sharp rock!

i've bought a pair of the new Roclite 290 thinking they might be better for longer walks, but for me they have too much cushioning unless I replace the 6mm foam insole with a 3mm EVA one, and even then you still feel as though you are floating some indeterminate distance off the ground. You can be a lazy walker though since even the stoniest ground can't be felt through the sole.

Pete
 

WilliamC

Thru Hiker
X-Talon 212 should be fine so long as you are used to walking in them. My preference is X-Talon 200 because the 212 are slightly narrow for me, but you do need to get used to the 3mm drop.
The 212s come in both Precision and Standard fit. Did you have the Precision?
 

WilliamC

Thru Hiker
X-Talon 212 should be fine so long as you are used to walking in them. My preference is X-Talon 200 because the 212 are slightly narrow for me, but you do need to get used to the 3mm drop. There is actually a surprising amount of cushioning in both, especially when new, and plenty of feel for the ground. Just don't land on your instep on a sharp rock!

Pete
I haven't walked extensively in the X-Talons on hard surfaces so I don't actually know how wearying it would be on the soles (though I suspect it could be). But when I have had them on rock I've found that the narrow studs have a lot of movement in them, which isn't ideal.
 

shetland_breeder

Ultralighter
The 212s come in both Precision and Standard fit. Did you have the Precision?

Not any more they don't - Precision only, and no more Women's fit either. My 212s are precision. I started wearing the 200s because I had a persistent corn under the head of my left 5th metatarsal and the extra width of the 200s (Standard fit) made all the difference. But now I like them better than the 212s.

Pete
 

shetland_breeder

Ultralighter
I haven't walked extensively in the X-Talons on hard surfaces so I don't actually know how wearying it would be on the soles (though I suspect it could be). But when I have had them on rock I've found that the narrow studs have a lot of movement in them, which isn't ideal.

They are surprisingly comfortable on roads (better than Mudclaws certainly), at least for 2 or 3Km (the most I've done). The soft studs are probably the reason. I can't say I've noticed any problem with the studs moving on rock either.

Pete
 

Enzo

Thru Hiker
I have the precision fit, sucker for a sale. My cascadias do feel like your walking in slippers on a shag pile carpet. The studs on the inov8 can be felt through the sole but do seem to provide some cushioning, the grip is mud is an order of magnitude better than my Brooks. I'll have a go at a 20 + mile day and see how they feel. Considering I got them mail order I can't believe they fit so well, assumed I'd have to send back a few before I got the fit right, even signed up to amazon prime for the free returns.
 

WilliamC

Thru Hiker
Not any more they don't - Precision only, and no more Women's fit either. My 212s are precision. I
I didn't realise they'd been discontinued. I'll have to look to the 200s.
They are surprisingly comfortable on roads (better than Mudclaws certainly), at least for 2 or 3Km (the most I've done). The soft studs are probably the reason. I can't say I've noticed any problem with the studs moving on rock either.
I don't know how much difference the moving studs would make in terms of effort required, but I found they could be a little unnerving on sloping rock. It might be more a psychological effect than anything of significance. And I do like them (except the colour) but I choose Roclites or Wildcats if I know I'm going to be on a lot of hard stuff.
 

shetland_breeder

Ultralighter
TBH I can't say I've ever noticed the studs 'squirming' on sloping rock. They are not something you would choose to wear if there was a lot of road or smooth rock though.

Be aware that there are currently two varieties of the 200s. The new all-red ones have a different shaped toe to the orange/grey and yellow/black ones - not quite as tall over the big toe and a very slightly more pointy shape. A better shape for me. There are two versions of the yellow/black ones too - the first version had a mesh forefoot, the later ones an all-ballistic nylon upper. Apparently the mesh would tear if you ran through heather a lot.

And in spite of what the Inov-8 website says both my red pairs came with 6mm insoles.

You may find you need to go up half a size in the 200s - it depends a bit how 'large' your feet are in the size you currently wear. I'm at the large end of a size 11 so i have size 11 for summer (with thin socks) and 11.5 for winter (with Sealskinz). Having said that I can still wear the 11.5s with thin socks, the 11s are just a better fit for running in.

They are my favourite shoe at the moment - like slippers.

Pete
 

Enzo

Thru Hiker
I know this is a bit ridiculous but gram counting gives me an excuse to buy stuff :)

15g saved on gloves and 18g on hat.
Although I'm not taking a tent, these small savings I put in the context of what saving 33g would cost with a shelter, I saved 300g on my cook kit for very little money, to do that on my shelter would have cost hundreds for example.
 
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Enzo

Thru Hiker
I just need a nice little cuben shelter then that'll be me.....lol
Did get a ks50 this month so should be happy with that.
And my little tn cuben pack
And some inov8 212
And a load of myog materials
Turning into a low rent emelda marcos of outdoor gear!
 
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