Let's Talk Gear

 With Salomon gear, I’d usually let the gear do the talking. Unfortunately, it can be risky trying new gear with running the risk of, dare I say, the chance of not liking it *gasp*. Truth be told, I am a creature of habit and find myself going back to the same pieces run after run. This isn’t abad thing, but I wouldn’t have come to love the gear I love now had it not been for me trying new things and listening to the experiences my friends have had with said gear.

Without further adieu, I give you my favorite things in no particular order.

   I will always swear by anything bonatti when it comes to Salomon gear. I own both the jacket and the pants and these two pieces resist wind, water, snow, and I’m sure some sort of evil. I love this jacket so much I own two, for when the other one smells a little too much like adventure. This jacket got me through my first winter season of running. It’s lightweight, fits into its own pocket (super packable), lightweight, and will keep you warm, block out the wind, and will repel snow and water. The hood is also fitted, so it doesn’t slip down or shift. It also has pretty good coverage where it will come down a little bit farther, like a small visor.

I believe this is the predecessor to the bonatti, as the bonatti (I think) does not exist anymore, however the mens does!

 I would like to make a disclaimer about running shoes, I am very, very finicky about shoes. Having worked at a running store for 2+ years and even beforehand, I have very high shoe standards. In fact, I would consider myself a shoe snob. I have high standards now that my feet have graced the delicious feel of s/lab shoes. I ran my first 100 miler without any shoe issues and pretty comfortably in the newer addition to the s/lab family: the sense ultra. You think I’d write a post solely about that shoe right? As much as I like the shoe, there are two others that I started grabbing more than those. I mean, what could be better than a cushioned, high-end shoe? How about the s/lab sense soft ground? You know, the shoes that were designed by and for Killian Jornet? These red and black beauties are the best of both worlds. They have amazing tread, a sturdy underfoot, just enough cushioning, lightweight (but not too light) and have a 4mm drop, to give more of a natural, grounded feel while hitting the trails. These quickly became a new go-to. They are perfect for a variety of trail conditions.

 Remember what I said about being a shoe snob? Let’s try s/lab shoe snob. I want the best of the best on my feet. If the Salomon athletes are wearing them, I want them on my feet so I can parade around acting like I too broke the tape at Western States or put my arm back in my s/lab best after having it be dislocated and still take home first place… okay maybe not that extreme. I digress. The Salomon Sense Rides were debuting mid summer and they were the talk of the trail running community. The athletes and others who were getting time in them were raving about this shoe, saying it was the shoe many were waiting for from Salomon. What!? I thought that was the s/lab sense ultra. Now people were saying the ride was the ‘it’ shoe?! Now I really had to try these for myself. When they arrived in the summer, I was ready to take them for a spin. Initially, I didn’t give them a fair shot. I thought they couldn’t measure up to the s/lab, ever. I have them a week and shelved them. Not sure when it was exactly that I took them back out for a spin, and realized how amazing they were. I find myself grabbing them above all my other Salomon shoes. They are delightful to have underfoot as they provide a lot of cushioning, but not too much to lose proprioception.  The toe box gives me ample room without feeling too big or sloppy. The tread is light but has held its own out on the trails.

The search for the perfect pair of shorts, skirts, and skorts is endless. Again, I like my clothes to fit a certain way: flatter, form, and function all matter to me. My legs chafe if its too short or the inseam is too short, and I need to have a drawstring. Everything about the agile skort, for three seasons running, is perfection. It has spandex shorts underneath a light fabric skirt that is a bit longer in the back (genius). It has draw cords as well as a zippered pocket. If Salomon made 50+ designs and colors of these I’d unashamedly own all of them. Truth be told I used to see running skorts and roll my eyes a bit, but now I am a believer in the power of the running skort. Guys, I won’t leave you out of this one, there is a shorts version of this too!

  Last but surely not least is my ultra essential: the s/lab sense ultra 8 set. Long had purchased one before he set off to do his first 100 mile of the year, and the more I saw it and that he talked about it, I wanted in on a comfy, lightweight vest. When I wore mine for my first long training run in Grand Marais, I loved everything about it. Pockets are aplenty on this vest both zippered and stretchy. Material is soft and flexible, lightweight and breathable. This vest also fits like a glove with minimal bounce and sits close to you like a hug, but not too constricting as the straps give you a customizable fit. Salomon also upped their bottle and hydration game by reshaping the bottles to be weighted on the bottom, as well as adding straps to the vest to go around the cap of the bottles to secure them in place to prevent any sliding down- one of my favorite features.