OpenRun by Shokz — I've been using these bone-conducting headphones since early 2026 and have been very impressed by their quality. My husband has a different brand and the differences have been stark: the Shokz battery lasts a long time (I charge mine about once a month), there is no bleeding of sound as these are truly bone-conducting (vs lookalikes that are merely speakers), and the materials used are comfortable and smooth. I chose the mini variation because of my smaller head size, and I absolutely love it. The sound itself is more than good enough to enjoy (it'll never be the same as true studio headphones, but that's not the point). Lightweight, easy to use, and worth the investment.
COROS HR Monitor by COROS — I'm so glad I got myself this heart rate armband. It pairs easily with my watches, and as far as I can tell, the HR data is accurate. It is definitely far more accurate than just using my watch to read HR via the wrist (I have small wrists, and watches don't sit very flush). Using this armband ensures my watch doesn't "cadence-lock," which is a phenomenon that occurs when a watch interprets the impact of your running cadence as HR, skewing the workout data with incorrect values. Cadence lock can happen if a watch isn't flat against the skin or if your skin temperature drops too much due to cold weather. The COROS armband has avoided these issues altogether in my experience. The battery life is decently long, and the Bluetooth tech makes it easy to pair. I've enjoyed the orange color, as dirt and sweat won't show up as easily. I definitely recommend colors that won't highlight the grime of training! Plus, it's easy to detach the band for washing. I also like how relatively small/lightweight the HR monitor is.
SPF30 Tinted Mineral Sunscreen by All Good Body Care — I use this sunscreen on my face for any outdoor activity. I love that it's zinc, easy to apply, reef safe, and I use the tinted version because then it won't leave a white residue. Plus, the tint actually matches my olive-brown skin tone. No matter how sweaty I get, I've never had issues with skin or eye irritation. They also make portable tins as well, and I carry those for backpacking or for long runs in the mountains.
Fenix HL32R-T Rechargeable Headlamp by Fenix — The best headlamp I've ever owned! During my Lowest to Highest FKT. I was running into the night with my headlamp. The first night, I was only out for about 6 hours of darkness, but the second night, I unintentionally ended up pulling an all-nighter, spending nearly 10 hours in the dark, navigating off-trail and with temperatures dropping into the low 40s. The battery life is absolutely phenomenal. I topped off the headlamp battery during the day, but during actual use at night, I hardly drained the battery at all. I kept the lumens about mid-range, so not too bright and not too low (medium), and more often in the floodlight mode, which, according to the packaging, would've lasted me 20 hours. I love the BOA dial for a quick and easy fit. The reflective branding is also a perk. And while the light apparatus itself is a tad on the bulky side, I'm able to run with it comfortably and with 0 bounce. Best of all, the price is shockingly affordable.
SkyFlask™ Speed IT 500ml by HydraPak — I use this handheld soft flask for all of my running that is an hour or less. It's easy to hold, easy to fill, and doesn't slosh around in an annoying manner due to the nature of the flask suction as you drink from it. I like the insulated version because if you place ice in it on hot days, the ice doesn't melt quickly! Plus, the warmth from your hand against the flask won't warm the water up as would happen with the non-insulated version. The pop-top design of the lid is also unique and makes it easy to add electrolyte tabs. My one pro tip is that when you've finished a flask (and it's all crumpled up sans water and air), if you pinch the bite piece to let air back in, it'll be much easier to pop the lid open to refill or wash.
Suunto Vertical Titanium Solar Canyon by Suunto — I have been very impressed with this watch. From battery life to the qualities of the maps to the ease of navigating routes. I used this watch notably during my Lowest to Highest FKT. With how much off-trail there was (and how much of the off-trail I had to navigate at night), having the route and maps already downloaded was crucial for my success. This is my first watch where the maps actually show topography and any known trails, roads, etc. It even shows you where there might be steep cliffs nearby. Recording activities is as easy as ever (I also have the Suunto 9 Peak), and one feature that really saved me during the above-mentioned FKT is the ability to delete an activity before it fully writes over its own memory. For example, I had forgotten to turn off the wrist HR during the FKT, and thus I ran out of memory during night 2 of the effort (I was also using trail running mode, and thus a ton of data was being collected). The watch shut down in the middle of the night while I was navigating off-trail, yet since I knew the watch battery was fine, I started a new activity without much thought, then quickly realized the issue must've had to do with running out of memory. I ended the new activity I'd started, and when you end activities on the Vertical, there is immediately an option to save or delete it. I hit delete because if I'd kept going or saved that new activity, it would've started writing over the FKT data I'd collected thus far! That would have been a major gut punch. Thus, I synced the watch with my phone to save the FKT data thus far. Once that was complete, I was able to start a new activity and continue on. Dealing with this was a 10-minute mistake, but worth it to not lose all the data thus far. My Suunto 9 Peak doesn't let you choose to delete an activity before saving it, so the upgrade was a literal FKT-saver. While the watch itself is not as small and light as the Suunto 9 Peak (I have small wrists!), the Vertical is still relatively comfortable. I also really enjoy the solar charging capability of this watch! It really works!
MTN Racer 4 by Topo Athletic — As someone who has experienced chronic foot pain and discomfort (and who was ultimately a late bloomer in realizing that my feet are wide), I became a Topo Athletic fan in 2025. It's been pretty eye-opening to realize and learn about how much shoe fit and shape can impact you as an athlete. My toes now have ample room to spread out for greater stability. I no longer experience the chronic pain I used to. As for this particular model, the MTN Racer 3 and 4's have been my main training shoe for shorter and technical distances for almost 2 years now. The Vibram + Topo partnership is a must in my mind -- as Vibram is a well-trusted brand that, even before Topo, I made sure to always choose shoes with their rubber. I'm able to scramble on rocky surfaces or along ridge traverses without any doubt about the grip. Overall, I'd say the MTN Racer is best for mountainous and rugged terrain where you want to be light on your feet. These are more minimalistic in nature, so if you want something with more cushion, check out my rec for the Topo Vista.
Vista by Topo Athletic — There is a lot more cushion with the Vista. I use this model for all of my longer-distance efforts, and it doesn't matter if it's dirt road or technical single-track. I even use them for all my hiking and backpacking adventures. Having the extra cushion helps keep my feet happy for the long haul and provides more underfoot protection from roots and rocks. I actually like the tongue design of the Vista more than the MTN Racer (kinda wish all Topo shoes had this unique split tongue design!). It took me a while to realize that my foot issues had to do with the fact that I have wide feet and most brands don't actually fit well. Moving on to Topo Athletic has been a wonderful eye-opener for me. If you read my note about the MTN Racer 4 model, you'll see how those are best for mountainous and rugged terrain (I especially like to use them on shorter efforts due to their more minimal nature).
