Marathon Des Sables Kit Tips: Best shoes, saving weight, preventing blisters & conquering the Sahara

The Marathon Des Sables is a race that's as much about managing kit and logistics as it is physical fitness and mental toughness. And prepping to run across the Sahara is a big undertaking that can be a tad daunting. Most runners are stepping into the unknown, running for the first time with a full pack, in the heat with that sand to contend with. The Run Testers' own resident ultra runner, Kieran, ran the race back in 2015 coming 91st overall and has since finished top Brit at the Half Marathon Des Sables in Fuerteventura. So he knows a thing or two about how to survive the desert.
In this video he shares his top Marathon des Sables kit tips, from which shoes to choose, to how you can avoid your own feet ending up like those hellish blister photos you see. He shares what worked for him, what he learnt getting ready for - and running - the 250km across the Sahara. Hit play for some Marathon des Sables finisher insights that might help you conquer the dunes.
MARATHON DES SABLES KIT TIPS: JUMP STRAIGHT IN:
0:00 - Intro
1:40 - What is the Marathon des Sables?
2:38 - Tip #1: Best shoes for the Marathon des Sables
5:24 - Tip #2: Why vaseline is your enemy
6:04 - Tip #3: How to beat the chafe
7:17 - Tip #4: How to avoid blisters
10:26 - Tip #5: How to keep sand out
12:52 - Tip #6: How to cook light
14:41 - Tip #7: How to pack your food to save space
15:56 - Tip #8: The best sleeping bag and mat - how light can I go?
18:04 - Tip #9: Why you should leave your phone at home
19:14 - Tip #10: The best backpack and how to make it better
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[@PanosAnas7]

wow! really helpful video, not just for "de sables" . Thank you!

[@m3phist0]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this race. It's on the bucket list and seems more achievable now having heard your tips on how best to prepare.

[@TheRunTesters]

Glad you found it useful Mohamed. It's definitely achievable and would recommend it. A fantastic experience.

[@michaelwalsh3464]

Thanks for this video. Really interesting to hear about kit for other types of running and races. I’d be interested in more like this.

[@TheRunTesters]

Hi Michael, glad you enjoyed it. What kind of things would you like to see?

[@michaelwalsh3464]

@@TheRunTesters I'm interested in what you guys wear/use in your training and racing. I really enjoyed Nick's video of the Endorphin Pro under race conditions. Also anything insights/tips on using gear e.g. watch data screens, chaffing tips, how to store stuff while running etc. That said, I really love all the current content too.

[@michaelb5432]

I can only imagine how incredible that experience was, excellent tips. I will do the half at some stage. I have plans to do a week long stage type run here in Ireland next year, taking the train down to the south but air bnbing rather than tenting due to weight, good practice to see if I can so a MDS half.

[@TheRunTesters]

I’d highly recommend it. The half is also a great experience. Where about in Ireland?

[@michaelb5432]

@@TheRunTesters starting in Kerry heading towards Dublin. Have it mapped out 330km in a week ranging from 44k to 67k stages. Can't accommodate it this year so it's a challenge to build towards.

[@TheRunTesters]

That sounds like an incredible run. Fantastic adventure.

[@benoithabert1212]

Hi! Thanks for your video! Love it! Any advice please for the front pack of the ultrabag? Is it to your opinion necesary or useless? And what about walking sticks? I don’t know if bring it or no… Thank you! Ben

[@markg99]

Huge respect to anyone who completes that race. Well done, Keiran! 👍🏻🏃‍♂️

[@TheRunTesters]

Thanks Mark. It’s an experience I’d recommend to anyone.

[@gregscarfe6622]

Some realy 1st class advice here, many thanks, Q - how much water carried eash day?

[@TheRunTesters]

Thanks Greg. (Kieran here) I carried only what my two bottles held out of camel each morning, so around 1300ml - 1500ml. One of those bottles was water only, the other was UCAN fuel.

[@KingLifeTale]

Fantastic video! How did your nutrition strategy go? Do you feel like you took enough carbs, fat, protein? Did you have any crazy unexpected cravings? Is the water you carry limited or do they provide a bottled litre or so at each station?

[@TheRunTesters]

Hi, (Kieran here), I was really happy with how my nutrition went. I trained relatively low-carb and so when I got to the desert I was fat adapted for sure. I had a liquid breakfast of 33fuel shakes, some meal replacement powder and used a mainly UCAN for my in-race fuelling. Post run I had a recovery shake and a meal replacement shake and then followed that a little later with an Expedition Foods hot meal. I also packed a few little snacks, like handfuls of nuts, some veg crisps, cocoa powder. No mad cravings, the most interesting thing was that I thought the hot chocolate would be a comforting treat before bed but it didn't even register. And some of the Expedition Foods tasted much better after 6 hours in the sand than back in my kitchen at home!! In terms of water, you get a ration each morning (I think maybe 2 litres or so) and then there are rationed top ups at the aid stations and another ration when you arrive at the finish of each stage. I never felt short of water in camp. The only real issue was judging whether to take all your allocation at the aid stations (so take a bottle and stick extra weight in your pack) or just fill your own bottles. Some stages were deceptively long in duration and time spent in the cooker. If in doubt carry more. During the stages, I always drained my own bottles as best I could coming into each aid station. I also had one bottle that was fuel and one that was water. So I think around 650ml in each. When I did it, the aid station water came in bottles too but at the Half MDS they filled from tanks. Worth checking how that might be in case you need a packable extra vessel to increase your overall capacity.

[@KingLifeTale]

@@TheRunTesters This is absolutely gold information! Thank you Kieran! Interesting read about the hot chocolate haha, and I can definitely see how some of those less appetising meals were actually quite wonderful after hours of slogging desert terrain! Thanks for the information on water as well, it's hard to get a sense from documentaries and vlogs on how accessible water is and feels like when performing under race conditions. Cheers, Kingsley

[@saragonmcenany6229]

Lacerine = sand plus Vaseline. Merrell MTL Long Sky also a decent shoe option for requirement of the race with folks with wider feet

[@TheRunTesters]

😂😂 well played.

[@bmd6343]

Incredibly interesting. Will there be another about clothing, sunscreen, sunglasses etc?

[@TheRunTesters]

Glad you thought so Brian. We were considering doing a live so that Kieran could answer other questions people. Sunscreen though: P45. Decant it into a smaller spray bottle that you can buy in Boots/Superdrug. Apply it once and job's a goodun. Worked for our resident fair skinned lobster boy.

[@hannesaltenfelder4302]

Never roll a feather sleeping bag! Stuff it! (I've had two yetis, too. A heavy -30° and a really small one.) Oh and if you want to wash them let it be done in a laundrey, it's worth every penny).

[@dri1811ya]

Yea second.

[@runningpancakes]

speed metal socks won't give you any blisters but they won't last long, one would be much better of with sky run for training

[@TheRunTesters]

Hi, (Kieran here), my SpeedMetal lasted 5 years. Including the MDS and the Half MDS. Admittedly I had four pairs which I rotated but they put in 1,000s of miles each pair.

[@chrismcfarlane8996]

Yea first.

[@marcelomarcelo9392]

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