You spend the whole week just waiting to head out trail running at the weekend. You’ve got your kit and your trail running backpack ready to go, but what happens if you get out there and discover you’ve forgotten something vital? I’ve done it and it’s no fun. Not being properly prepared can ruin your trail run, and your long awaited weekend.

Always do a full gear check before you leave your house. There’s nothing worse than arriving at the trail head and realizing that you drove 4 hours+ just to arrive with a critical item missing from your running backpack.

So here’s my gear checklist for your trail running backpack:

[insert id=”312″]

And I always use an Ultimate Direction AK Running Vest. It’s minimal, can carry two bottles of water up front, has plenty of little fuel and storage pockets, and has room in the back to pack all the extra stuff you might need along your run.

If you make sure you have all this kit you’ll be more than prepared for the obstacles trails throw up that get in the way of having a good time. Preparation is key to having a fun trail day.