Ultrarunners, as you likely know, are a special group of people, and if you have a special ultrarunner in your life who you’d like to buy a gift for, we’ve got you covered. Luckily, ultrarunners love lots of miles and time on their feet, often in wild spaces with unpredictable weather, so their passion for the sport comes with specific gear needs.
We’ve compiled this guide to help you find the best gifts for the ultrarunner in your life. Our experienced team of testers, all of whom have an affinity for running long distances, runs in dozens of products every year, during all seasons, and on all types of terrain. We note gear’s comfort, fit, versatility, and value, among several other factors. Our favorite products from a variety of categories — from the Patagonia Men’s Strider Pro Shorts – 5″ to the Petzl Iko Core headlamp — are the ones that made it into this gift guide.
If you need more gift recommendations for the other runners in your life, be sure to check out our other gift guides, too:
The Smartwool Active Fleece Wind 1/2 Zip – Men’s and Smartwool Active Fleece Wind 1/2 Zip – Women’s will keep the ultrarunner in your life protected from the elements during the cold winter months. This pullover has a windproof front panel to block the wind, while the four-way stretch knit fabric breathes well and releases heat and moisture. A merino next-to-skin layer helps with moisture transfer so that you stay dry — which is extra important when running in the cold! A durable water repellent (DWR) finish repels light precipitation in case you get caught out in a sprinkle.
The fit is snug without being tight, and you can layer both underneath it and over it depending on the weather conditions. This jacket also has thoughtful features like reflective elements for night running, a chest pocket for storage, and thumbholes at the end of the sleeves to provide extra warmth for the hands. It comes in two colors and five sizes, so it can be a good fit for a wide variety of ultrarunners.
The three-quarter zip style makes it easy to dump heat if you start to get warm, yet it cinches up snugly under the chin for those really cold runs. With a thoughtful style, this is a garmet that is is equally as comfortable out on a run as it is in the coffee shop afterward.
Smartwool has sponsored the placement of this product.
Smartwool Active Fleece Wind 1/2 Zip – Men’sSmartwool Active Fleece Wind 1/2 Zip – Women’s
The Smartwool Active Fleece Wind 1/2 Zip is perfect for cold-weather runs. Photo: Smartwool
The Patagonia Men’s Strider Pro Shorts – 5″ are the unanimous and longtime favorite among iRunFar’s testing team, making them a mainstay in the top spot in our Best Running Shorts for Men guide. They are simply an excellent pair of shorts because of their unmatched comfort, functionality, and durability.
These shorts come in two lengths, 5 inches and 7 inches, with an eminently breathable 100% polyester brief liner on the inside. The body is composed of 90% recycled polyester and 10% spandex blend for a lightweight, airy feel. The material has a HeiQ anti-odor treatment to help with odor control. The drawstring is on the outside, eliminating chafing concerns, and the four-way stretch material has a durable water repellent (DWR) coating will keep you dry and comfortable in light precipitation. We’ve yet to find a more comfortable pair of shorts for runs measured in hours instead of minutes.
These shorts have five pockets for storage, and we’ve used them to carry gels, keys, credit cards, packable jackets, and even small cell phones in the large rear zipper pocket. It’s worth noting that large phones will have more trouble fitting. For all of these features — and considering that Patagonia remains an environmentally and socially conscious company — these shorts are a great value for the ultrarunner in your life.
Shop the Patagonia Men’s Strider Pro Shorts – 5″
When you want a pair of shorts that can carry your snacks, phone, chapstick, or keys, the Janji W’s 3″ Multi Short has a storage option to fit nearly any smaller item. These shorts feature seven pockets around the waistband of various sizes and depths, and they carry their cargo snugly and without bounce. One of the pockets even has a key clip for added security. While Janji claims that the pockets offer a full liter of storage, unless the items are incredibly light, this feels like a bit of a stretch for us. Still, for being able to carry a lot, these shorts are incredibly lightweight and ideal for warm-weather running. They’re made of a four-way stretch mesh that breathes well, and the microperforated material dries quickly. The side slit allows for a full range of motion, and these shorts feel incredibly airy and light. The liner, made of a 94% polyester and 6% spandex blend, is nearly imperceptible and didn’t ride up or cause any chafing.
It’s really the waistband with the pockets that sets these shorts apart from the rest. Made of two layers, it hugs the waist snugly without feeling overly tight, and everything can be tightened down with an external drawstring.
You can also choose a 5-inch option if you prefer more coverage, and there are a variety of color options, ranging from plain black to some fun patterns. These shorts have earned a spot in our Best Running Shorts for Women guide.
Shop the Janji W’s 3-Inch Multi Short
Considered by many to be the standard by which all other running vests are judged, the Salomon Adv Skin 12 seems to have it all. With a high and tight fit on your back to prevent bounce, quick-drying non-chafing fabric, two soft flasks included, and enough storage for an all-day adventure, this pack is one of the best currently available.
The single cord in the front makes it easy to tighten or loosen the pack; there are pockets pretty much anywhere you look; it’s easy to attach your trekking poles; and there are lots of other bells and whistles. Even with all of it’s features, at 8.7 ounces (246 grams), the vest is lightweight and cinches down flat on your back when you tug the compression cords on the main compartment, making it equally as comfortable when empty as when it’s stuffed full. Salomon upgraded the materials in this vest from the previous version by adding more perforations to the mesh material on the back to increase breathability. The inner material mesh of the shoulder straps is also softer.
We absolutely love the pass-thru pocket that extends in between stretchy mesh openings around the side ribs. You do need at least some shoulder mobility to access this pocket on the run, but it’s huge and seems to swallow up whatever we need it to, making it so efficient when you’re making relentless forward progress in your ultra. Salomon moved the key clip to the rear pocket, a safer and more convenient location.
One of the things we don’t love is that the soft flask pockets on the front of the pack are tall and thin and basically only hold Salomon’s uniquely shaped soft flask, and sometimes, even those are tough to put back in. We’re also a bit sad that they got rid of the large stuff pocket that used to be on the top of the pack and perfectly held a windbreaker.
This vest was one of our top picks in the Best Running Vests guide, and you can read more in our in-depth Salomon Adv Skin 12 review.
Shop the Salomon Adv Skin 12 Unisex Running VestShop the Salomon Adv Skin 12 Women’s Running Vest
The Salomon Adv Skin 12. Photo: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi
When it comes to battery life, the Coros Vertix 2S reigns supreme among all GPS watches. We admit that this watch might be overkill for the average ultrarunner, but we also believe that when it comes to gifts, sometimes it’s worth buying something for someone that they wouldn’t buy for themselves. This watch truly sets the industry standard for GPS watch batteries, as it can run up to 40 days in basic mode or 118 hours with full GPS recording operating. We put this watch to the test at the 126-mile, five-day Snowman Race in Bhutan, and we were truly impressed by its battery life chops.
We also love the watch’s “At a Glance” widget that lets you easily scroll through stats such as daily step count, sleep, average heart rate, recovery status, and more. Equally impressive is the watch’s durability. With a face made of sapphire and a titanium bezel, you can trust it to hold up to the elements. After more than two years of testing, we can’t detect any noticeable damage. With Coros’s advanced GPS technology, we found this watch to be more accurate when running through terrain without a clear view of the sky, such as slot canyons in Utah. We should note that for most people, especially those with smaller wrists, this watch is not for casual wear. There’s no denying that it’s large.
Yes, this is the most expensive gift suggestion we have in this guide, but it’s one that will not disappoint your special ultrarunner and will give them consistent run tracking for years to come.
This watch also appears in our Best GPS Running Watches guide, and you can read more in our Coros Vertix 2S review.
Shop the Coros Vertix 2S
The Black Diamond Distance Carbon Z Poles are considered some of the best trekking poles among many trail runners and ultrarunners due to their versatility, durability, and ease of use. They have a simple, lightweight design that is very reliable. The 100% carbon shafts are reinforced at the joints, making them incredibly durable. Like most foldable trekking poles, these fold into three sections, making it easy to store them on a running vest or running belt when not in use. The straps are moisture-wicking and easy to get in and out of, making these ideal for races or runs when you frequently have to use your hands to grab snacks or rocks if you’re scrambling on technical terrain.
We’ve had these poles survive many years under heavy use and noticed a much lower break rate than many other poles on the market.
You can read more about these poles in our in-depth Black Diamond Distance Carbon Z Poles review.
Shop the Black Diamond Distance Carbon Z Poles
iRunFar’s Meghan Hicks uses the Black Diamond Distance Carbon Z Poles on a late-season mountain run. Photo: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi
Every runner needs a windbreaker, and the Montbell Tachyon Hooded Jacket is a favorite for a reason. With lots of features, an ultralight weight of 2.3 ounces (66 grams), and an affordable price, it regularly holds a spot in our Best Windbreaker Jackets guide. It’s made out of a seven-denier ripstop nylon, which is one of the lightest fabrics currently used in windbreaker jackets. While the fabric feels like it should be delicate, we’ve had no issues with ripping or tearing throughout our testing, and one thing that we absolutely love is this nylon doesn’t have that annoying swishing sound while you’re running. The material is also treated with a DWR finish to help resist light moisture.
This jacket, while minimalist, doesn’t skimp on features like a hood, elastic hems at the cuffs and waist, two zippered hand pockets, a Velcro inner pocket, and a full-length zipper. Underarm vents help dump heat to keep you from overheating. We appreciated that the back of the jacket was a bit longer than the front, and that there were small bits of microfiber on the arm cuffs for a bit of added comfort.
Shop the Men’s Montbell Tachyon Hooded JacketShop the Women’s Montbell Tachyon Hooded Jacket
Testing the Montbell Tachyon Hooded Jacket. Photo: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi
The top choice in our Best Running Headlamps guide, the Petzl Iko Core is a lightweight headlamp that is comfortable, bright enough for most running conditions, and easy to operate.
The head harness sets this headlamp apart from the rest. Unlike many other headlamps that just use a flexible strap, the silicone band provides a bit of structure that distributes the pressure around the head and keeps the light and battery from bouncing, even if it’s not super tight. We didn’t feel any signficant pressure points even after hours of wear. While it may appear bulky at first, the band folds up easily for storage in your pack. Weighing less than 2.5 ounces, it is incredibly light.
This headlamp can emit up to 500 lumens of cool light, which we appreciated when running on more technical trails at night. We found that 100 lumen setting was sufficient for most night runs on normal trails. At 500 lumens, the headlamp will last about 2.5 hours.
While you can change out the battery, it’s a bit of a fiddly process to do so. That very minor issue was the only knock on an otherwise excellent headlamp for ultrarunners.
Read our in-depth Petzl Iko Core review for more information.
Shop the Petzl Iko Core
Call for Comments
- What other gifts are you considering for the ultrarunner in your life?
- Have you received a thoughtful gift for your ultrarunning?
