What to Wear for Hill, Trail and Fell Running

Expert Advice on Running Clothing,Trail & Fell Training Advice
What to Wear for Hill, Trail and Fell Running

In recent years rules in the UK have tightened for safety reasons around the compulsory kit that should be carried with you. Since kit checks began, the term 'full body cover' was the general rule for hill races. This was then applied with common sense by race organisers, depending on the length/height of the hill and the weather conditions on that day.

However, now this has now changed with the rules stating full WATERPROOF cover. This means your jacket and trousers must be a waterproof fabric, with taped seams, and your jacket must have a hood. You don't have to wear it, but if it's not in your bag when a kit check takes place then you won't be allowed to race :-(

Best advice if it's a very short summer hill race is to check with the race organiser, as you may be let off with less. But if you are regularly racing in the hills or trails, then it's time to invest in waterproofs, so you can carry on enjoying your amazing sport :-) This isn't driven by running shops trying to sell expensive kit (honest!) it's for everyone's safety and enjoyment.

This article covers clothing. You can find advice on what to carry here, and choosing fell shoes here.

Tops / Jackets / Trousers & Leggings / Shorts / Hats & Other Essentials


Combining Clothing Layers

Choosing how to combine these layers will vary for different runners, and also can be dependent on how far you are going and at what pace. It's also crucial to remember that the higher you go the colder it gets! If you're going for a longer slower run you will want to dress warmer than if you're racing or doing a faster run.

If you are going into the hills it is generally advisable to take a jacket with you, even if you don't wear it. With a jacket as part of your kit you can then choose your base layer according to the temperature. In summer that would be a T-shirt, the rest of the year you could go for a lightweight long-sleeve or a thermal.

If it's down under 5°C or so, or is very windy, then a warmer thermal top and fleecy tights would be best, as well as carrying waterproof trousers. If you're going for a longer run to higher hills or mountains then it's wise to pack an extra layer – more than you think you'll need – for safety.


Clothing for Hill and Trail Racing

Most hill and trail races in the calendar will now require you to carry / wear fully waterproof kit. This is getting stricter for safety reasons, so although you don’t need to toe the line fully waterproofed, you generally do need to carry it with you somehow.

For some trail races and short summer hill races you may not be required to carry it, so please check with the organisers what is on their kit list. Weather on the day could also play a part in some races decisions, so it can be wise to take options with you.

Running Tops

Moving towards long sleeved and thermal baselayers, the longest standing favourite has to be Icebreaker. Renowned brand that specialises in outdoor apparel made primarily from Merino wool. And the great thing about that is, it's well suited for temperature regulation, keeping you warm enough and great at wicking away sweat if you're hot. If you want a little more warmth these other brands have become the most popular choice of recent seasons; Helly Hansen, Icebreaker and Ronhill all offering options. The running brands will blend merino with a polyester of some variety to improve the wicking and drying capacity of the fabric.

An extra wonderful touch with any merino layers is they're odour-free! I tend to favour cleanliness and have a fairly large washing pile at home, but if you're away on a trip and need to wear a baselayer back-to-back days then with a wool or polygiene top you can hang it up overnight, wear it next day, and not smell like you are doing so ;-) Odlo Janji, and Pressio make wonderful non-merino tops if you don't want to spend as much on something you can wear day after day.

Shop All Running Tops

Men's Ronhill Tech Tee

Men's Ronhill Tech Tee
Men's Running T-Shirt
£37.00

Men's Brooks Atmosphere Top

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Men's Brooks Atmosphere Top
Men's Long-Sleeve Running Top
£45.00 £38.00

Men's Icebreaker 200 Oasis Half Zip Top

Men's Icebreaker 200 Oasis Half Zip Top

£95.00

Men's Janji Waffleloft Long Sleeve

Men's Janji Waffleloft Long Sleeve
Men's Running Base Layer
£75.00

Women's 2XU Aero Tee

Women's 2XU Aero Tee
Women's Running T-Shirt
£35.00

Women's Ronhill Tech Winter Crew Top

Women's Ronhill Tech Winter Crew Top

£55.00

Women's Icebreaker 200 Oasis Baselayer

Women's Icebreaker 200 Oasis Baselayer

£85.00

Women's Janji Waffleloft Long Sleeve

Women's Janji Waffleloft Long Sleeve

£75.00

Running Jackets

Montane, OMM and Ronhill and Janjiall offer great lightweight waterproof jackets that will pass a kit check, plus windproof options that you can use for training.

If you want to go super light, have a little more breathability and protect yourself from the wind and only light rain then a windproof jacket will do the job. It won't keep you completely dry, so it doesn't suit everyone's comfort levels for the rain.

All of our fully waterproof jackets now include a hood and the majority of them offer 20,000 hyd head of waterproofing (10,000 is min requirement for a kit check) They also have taped seams and are very lightweight and packable – all boxes ticked in a jacket to wear / carry in the hills!

Shop All Running Jackets

Men's Montane Minimus Lite Jacket

Men's Montane Minimus Lite Jacket
Men's Waterproof Running Jacket
£185.00

Women's Janji Rainrunner Pack Jacket 2.0

Women's Janji Rainrunner Pack Jacket 2.0

£170.00

Men's Ronhill Tech Reflect Jacket

Men's Ronhill Tech Reflect Jacket

£80.00

Men's Janji Zephyrunner Wind Shell Jacket

Men's Janji Zephyrunner Wind Shell Jacket
Men's Windproof Running Jacket
£105.00

Women's Montane Minimus Lite Jacket

Women's Montane Minimus Lite Jacket
Women's Waterproof Running Jacket
£185.00

Women's Ronhill Tech Reflect Jacket

Women's Ronhill Tech Reflect Jacket

£80.00

Women's Janji Zephyrunner Wind Shell Jacket

Women's Janji Zephyrunner Wind Shell Jacket
Women's Windproof Running Jacket
£105.00

Running Bottoms

Most hill races will insist on a waterproof trousers as mandatory part of your kit bag. Hopefully they can spend most of their life in your bag, but for wild and wet days you will be glad of them. Montane and Janji make great options that pack small.

When you buy a pair of waterproof trousers, think about trying a larger size as well. You don't want them to flap about in the wind obviously, but consider that they will usually be over-trousers and you might need to fit them on in a hurry. They also don't have the stretch of lycra, so make sure you can lift your knees comfortably in them (as you would when you're running uphill!) and nothing is feeling too tight.

Shop Running Bottoms

Men's Janji Trail Tights

Men's Janji Trail Tights

£80.00

Men's Odlo Zeroweight Pants

Men's Odlo Zeroweight Pants
Men's Running Trousers
£75.00

Men's Janji Atlas Multi Pants

Men's Janji Atlas Multi Pants

£105.00

Men's On Weather Pants

Men's On Weather Pants

£140.00

Women's Janji 7/8 Trail Tights

Women's Janji 7/8 Trail Tights

£80.00

Women's Ronhill Tech Winter Tights

Women's Ronhill Tech Winter Tights
Women's Running Leggings & Tights
£70.00

Men's Janji Transit Tech Pants

Men's Janji Transit Tech Pants
Men's Running Trousers
£80.00

Women's Ronhill Tech Paragon Tights

Women's Ronhill Tech Paragon Tights

£65.00

Running Shorts

As with any running shorts, comfort is key here! But there are considerations for using off-road, such as pockets to carry things, or a longer length for a little more coverage on more exposed ground. 2-in-1 shorts have also become very popular with longer distance runners as the inner lycra shorts offer a little more support over the longer miles, plus limits chaffing. A number of brands now make some well designed 'trail shorts' that are popular due to their number of pockets to carry all manner of items.

Choice on shorts is rather large, so we categorise them by loose shorts which are 5 or longer and have an inner brief. Twin shorts which start at 5” and have an inner lycra short. Racing shorts which are the short split ones offering a real feeling of freedom! Then lycra shorts. This is usually the first decision to make, then thinking about how many pockets (if any) you might like on your shorts.

Have a browse of our selection within your chosen category to see what might work, but if you're within striking distance of our shop we'd suggest coming in to try a selection on. All the brands fit a little differently and though it's not lifes biggest drama, it's not so pleasant to run in shorts that don't fit ‘right’. If you can't visit one of our shops we do offer free returns so ordering a couple for choice is an option.

Shop Running Shorts

Men's Brooks Sherpa 7in Twin Shorts

Men's Brooks Sherpa 7in Twin Shorts
Men's 2-in-1 Running Shorts
£55.00

Men's Ronhill Tech 5IN Twin Shorts

Men's Ronhill Tech 5IN Twin Shorts
Men's 2-in-1 Running Shorts
£55.00

Men's Pressio Elite 6.5in Shorts

Men's Pressio Elite 6.5in Shorts
Men's Loose Running Shorts
£50.00

Men's 2XU Aero 2-in-1 Shorts

Men's 2XU Aero 2-in-1 Shorts
Men's 2-in-1 Running Shorts
£65.00

Women's 2XU Aero Twin Shorts

Women's 2XU Aero Twin Shorts
Women's 2-in-1 Running Shorts
£60.00

Women's 2XU Aero 4 Inch Shorts

Women's 2XU Aero 4 Inch Shorts
Women's Loose Running Shorts
£38.00

Women's Pressio Elite 3in Shorts

Women's Pressio Elite 3in Shorts
Women's Loose Running Shorts
£45.00

Running Caps & Other Essentials

In winter, hats and gloves are a general must, while neckwear is popular too. Again there are varying weights, so how thick to choose will depend on how much you feel the cold.

Gloves are like clothing and come in various thickness of fabric depending on how cold your hands get! Even if you don't get cold that easily, trust me you're likely to feel it in your hands first once the temperature drops. Next step up is for a windproof glove, which is a combination of being windproof on the back of your hand and a thicker (often fleece) over the palms.

Headgear comes in all manner of choices from beanies; caps, headbands and buffs! Waterproof caps are a wonderful alternative to a hood in a downpour, as they shield your eyes and you can still see where you’re going and even more useful if you wear glasses! Buffs or other neck scarves can be used to keep the chill off your neck, but can also be wrapped in various ways to make a hat / headband / sweatband / arm warmer/ ...their versatility makes them excellent to have a spare stuffed in your bag somewhere.

Shop Running Caps, Gloves & More

Vaga Club Headband

Vaga Club Headband

£14.00

Montane Minimus Lite Cap

Montane Minimus Lite Cap
Running Caps
£30.00

OMM Kamleika Cap

OMM Kamleika Cap
Running Caps
£30.00

Ronhill Classic Beanie

Ronhill Classic Beanie
Running Hats
£15.00

Compressport Arm Force Ultralight Sleeve

Compressport Arm Force Ultralight Sleeve
Running Arm Sleeves
£30.00

Ronhill Reflect Gloves

Ronhill Reflect Gloves
Running Gloves
£26.00

Odlo Active Warm gloves

Odlo Active Warm gloves
Running Gloves
£20.00

Happy running, and don't forget to enjoy the views!

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