ULTRA RUNNING BACKPACKS, RACE VESTS AND HYDRATION PACKS
Form-fitting running backpacks, race vests and hydration packs provide stable carrying for ultra running, with accessible storage for hydration, food, clothing and mandatory race kit. Hydration can be carried in soft flasks at the front, bottles or a reservoir with a drinking hose.
Choose according to the kit you need to carry, how you prefer to access it and the fit that works for you. Smaller race vests suit compact kit lists, while packs with more storage provide room for additional clothing, food and equipment for longer, overnight or self-supported runs. All of our running packs are stocked in the UK for delivery from our Bristol warehouse.
Need help choosing? See our pack guide ›
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Pack capacity guide
Pack size depends on what you need to carry, not race distance alone. For UK ultras, mandatory kit, weather, terrain, aid station spacing, expected time on the course and your own preferences can all make a difference.
What capacity pack for a 50 mile race?
Around 3 to 8 litres can be enough for many 50 mile races where the mandatory kit is compact and aid stations are frequent. Poor weather, exposed terrain, longer gaps between support or additional clothing can move the requirement towards 8 to 12 litres or more.
Start with the race kit list, then add the food, hydration and other items you intend to carry. Packed size matters more than weight when deciding how much volume you need.
What capacity pack for a 100 mile race?
Around 8 to 12 litres is a useful starting point for many UK 100 mile races, with approximately 12 litres a common all-round choice. A well-supported summer race may require less, while mountain terrain, winter conditions, longer gaps between aid stations or a substantial mandatory kit list can make 12 to 20 litres more practical.
Pocket layout can matter as much as overall capacity. Food, bottles, phone, waterproofs and other frequently used items are much more useful if you can reach them without unpacking the rest of the pack.
What capacity pack for a 200 mile race?
Around 12 to 20 litres or more may be appropriate for a 200 mile race, but the distance itself tells you surprisingly little. Check how long you may be self-sufficient between checkpoints, what can be kept in drop bags and whether crew support is permitted.
Remote terrain, poor weather and long unsupported sections can require considerably more clothing, food and emergency equipment. A well-supported event with frequent access to drop bags may require much less. Work out what needs to go in the pack before deciding how large it should be.
Does a longer ultra always need a bigger pack?
No. A winter mountain 50 can require more carrying capacity than a supported summer 100 or even a much longer race. Terrain, weather, mandatory kit, aid station spacing, drop bags, crew access and your expected pace all affect what you need to carry.
A faster runner may also need less food and water between checkpoints than someone expecting the same section to take considerably longer. Pack volume should follow the kit rather than the distance.
What do I need to carry?
Race organisers set their own mandatory kit requirements, which can vary considerably between events and may change. Always check the current kit list for your race before choosing what to carry. The examples below show why the equipment, and therefore the pack capacity required, can vary so much between races.
What should I carry for a 50 mile ultra?
For many UK 50 mile races, mandatory kit includes some combination of a waterproof jacket, mobile phone, emergency survival blanket, whistle, cup and sufficient capacity for water between checkpoints. Depending on the event, you may also need a headtorch and spare light, warm layer, hat and gloves, waterproof trousers, first-aid equipment or navigation.
Centurion's South Downs Way 50 is a useful example of a supported trail 50 with regular aid stations. The Lakeland 50 is a different proposition, with remote Lake District terrain, greater exposure and a more substantial mountain kit requirement. The distance is similar, but what needs to go in the pack can be quite different.
Then consider what is not mandatory. Extra food, another warm layer, spare gloves, additional water or a power bank may be unnecessary on a mild summer race with frequent checkpoints, but quite sensible on exposed mountains in poor weather or if you expect to be out after dark.
That is why a 3 to 8 litre vest can work for one 50 miler while another race or runner may justify 8 to 12 litres or more. Start with the race requirements and the conditions you are preparing for, not simply the distance.
What should I carry for a 100 mile ultra?
At 100 miles, darkness and changes in weather and temperature become harder to avoid. Waterproof clothing, mobile phone, survival blanket, whistle, headtorch and backup light, cup, hydration and food are common requirements. Depending on the race, the list can extend to warm layers, hat and gloves, first-aid equipment, navigation, spare batteries and additional emergency clothing.
Centurion's 100 mile races have established checkpoints and support along the route. The Lakeland 100 takes runners through remote mountain terrain where poor weather and a slow overnight section can have much greater consequences. The Spine takes self-sufficiency and protection from prolonged exposure considerably further again. These are good examples of why distance alone is not enough to determine what to carry.
Recommended kit is a judgement rather than a second mandatory list. A spare dry base layer might be unnecessary for one race and extremely useful for another. The same applies to extra insulation, waterproof gloves, additional food, spare lighting and power. Weather, terrain, checkpoint spacing, your expected pace and how well you cope with cold all matter.
For many UK 100 milers, everything may fit comfortably into around 8 to 12 litres. More demanding mountain, winter or less-supported events can move the requirement towards 12 to 20 litres. Lay out what you intend to carry and make your decision from there.
What should I carry for a 200 mile ultra?
At 200 miles and beyond, the important question is how long you may need to look after yourself between places where food, shelter, assistance or a drop bag are available.
The basic requirements remain familiar: waterproofs, lighting, hydration, food, communication, emergency equipment and whatever navigation the event requires. Depending on the race, that can grow to include substantial insulation, spare dry clothing, waterproof trousers, additional socks and gloves, first-aid supplies, batteries or power banks and enough food and water for long sections between support.
The Spine provides an example of the more demanding end of UK requirements, where remote mountain terrain and prolonged exposure require equipment that would make little sense on many lowland ultras. GB Ultras, Pegasus and Challenge Running provide further examples of organisers setting requirements around their own courses, support arrangements and likely conditions rather than following a generic kit list based on distance.
Drop bags and crew can make a considerable difference. There is little point carrying everything for the entire race if the rules allow food, batteries or clothing to be replenished along the way. Conversely, a long remote section in deteriorating weather is not the place to discover that you chose your pack simply because the smaller one weighed a little less.
A 12 to 20 litre pack may be perfectly adequate for some 200 mile races; others can justify substantially more. Read the rules, study the route, look at the checkpoint gaps and consider the likely conditions.
What should I carry beyond the mandatory kit?
Mandatory kit is the minimum specified by the organiser. It is not necessarily everything that you personally should carry.
A warm layer, spare gloves, additional food, more water, spare socks, another light or a power bank all add weight and take up space. Whether any of them are worthwhile depends on the race. Crossing exposed mountains through a winter night is very different from following a supported lowland route in summer.
Canalrace C.I.C.'s 145-mile Grand Union Canal Race illustrates the point well. Runners need mandatory safety equipment, lighting, food and fluid, but it follows a supported canal route rather than exposed mountain terrain. Despite being considerably longer than 100 miles, the equipment problem is very different from Lakeland or the Spine.
Your own pace matters as well. Someone expecting three hours between checkpoints has a different requirement from someone who may take six. Experience, tolerance of cold, nutrition strategy and how much contingency you want to carry are personal decisions.
Put the mandatory kit on the floor. Add your food, water and whatever else the route, weather and your experience justify. Consider whether the things you will use regularly are actually accessible when the pack is full. Then choose a capacity that carries it comfortably. You are the one who has to carry it, and what you take beyond the mandatory kit is ultimately your decision.
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