Last updated on April 14th, 2021 at 04:49 pm
If you are a dedicated trail runner (or an aspiring trail runner) mud will become a part of your life. This becomes even more true for the year-round trail runners. Braving the cold rainy seasons all but ensures you will be covered in mud for the majority of runs. Have no fear though, in this post, we cover exactly what to wear for your next muddy trail run.
For muddy trail runs, wear lightweight and waterproof trail running shoes, socks that dry quickly, and gaiters to keep mud out of your shoes. The rest of your gear should wick away moisture, be dark in color, and no prone to staining.
Now that we’ve covered the general type of gear you should wear on a muddy trail run, lets go into a little more detail.
You Are Going To Get Muddy | So Plan Accordingly
We’ve already noted that all trail runners get dirty. More specifically, you are going to run right through large muddy patches of trail, and spray mud all over your back. It’s just a part of the sport.
RELATED: The Best Running Shoes for Muddy Trail Runs
If you’re at all worried about the mud affecting your gait or want to be better prepared, you should consider reading 10 Tips and Techniques for Running in Mud. If you already have a plan of attack for your muddy run, and you are just here to get ideas on what to wear keep reading.
Socks, Shoes, and Gaitors Can Handle Mud
Muddy runs don’t necessarily impact your entire run, but they will certainly impact your feet. After all, this is the part of your body that needs to deal with the mud, the puddles, and possible discomfort that mud causes.
Having the appropriate footwear for muddy runs isn’t just a way to maintain comfort it is a way to avoid blisters. This will increase the potential that you have an awesome run.
Socks | Moisture Wicking and Durable
I used to go barefoot in my trail running shoes, and a few of my friends still go this route. Sounds like a decent idea, until the moisture and humidity in your shoe becomes a perfect recipe for friction… or as I call it… blisters.
I got a bad set of blisters one time, and I converted to a sock wearer for good.
There are plenty of socks that will work for muddy trail runs, but I tend to lean toward higher-profile socks. They keep some of the mud off my upper ankle, and they don’t get sucked into my shoe.
The Feetures Elite Crew Sock have iWick fibers, and dry out pretty quickly, and I like how they extend above my ankle.
Trail Running Shoes That Can Handle Mud - Can Your Shoes Cut it?
If you are running in mud you’re going to want a pair of trail running shoes.
Moreso, you are going to want trail running shoes that can handle the mud.
I feel a little bad continuing to use my New Balance Hierro 5’s as an example of this, but I bought them, and while they are great trail runners, I would not recommend them for muddy runs.
We have an entire post dedicated to the best trail running shoes for muddy runs, but if you want a quick run-down on what qualities to look for, all running shoes built for mud should:
- Be waterproof, or be able to drain
- Should be lightweight
- Should have durable laces
- Should have aggressive, well-designed treads
My two favorite trail shoes that tackle the issue of running in mud are the Salomon GTX Speedcross 5 GTX, and the La Sportiva Ultra Raptor GTX. Both of these are available in men’s and women’s and they have awesome tread, are waterproof, and are lightweight runners.
Gaiters Designed To Keep Mud Out of Your Shoes
I was unaware of gaiters before trail running, and to be honest the wrong pair can almost be more trouble than their worth. That said, if you can find a pair that fits comfortably over the top of your shoe, they are invaluable on a muddy run.
We have an entire post dedicated specifically to the best gaiters for trail running, which covers some of the best options out there. If you don’t have time to read an entire post on gaiters, below is an example of one of the most popular out there.
Gaiters wrap around the back of your shoe and hug your ankle snug enough to keep small rocks, excess water, and mud out of your shoe. The Salomon High Gaiters do the trick, are easy to put on and take off, and are generally comfortable. Check out our post on other options if you’re interested in seeing other trail running gaiters.
Leg Cover - Compression Sleeves, Pants, and Tights
If you take care of your feet during a muddy run you can pretty much get away with anything else. That is to say, it won’t be the end of the world if your legs and butt get some mud on them. I tend to just wear a good pair of running shorts, and embrace the muddy spray shooting up the back of my legs.
While it doesn’t really impact your performance if mud sprays up the back of your legs you may want to keep your hammy’s clean. If this is you, consider wearing a pair of athletic tights or running pants.
Compression sleeves would also be a good way to keep the mud off your calves, if you’re into that. There are other benefits to compression as well, which we cover in detail in our post on the benefits of compression boots. These benefits might act as a good excuse to wear compression sleeves even when it isn’t muddy.
Top-Wear in Mud | Skins vs Shirts
The further we get from our feet, the less you should worry about what you wear on a muddy run. For your top-wear, it is about as far from your feet as you can get. That said, you will still experience some spray from your stride. The back of your shirt may get pretty muddy after all.
For this reason, the main goal for the shirts you’re going to wear on a muddy run should be:
- They aren’t going to stain
- They are dark in color
- They can wick moisture
Luckily, there are many awesome running tops that would work perfectly in the mud. We are going to dedicate a post specifically to this in the future, so check back if you are looking for suggestions. If you are looking for something that also does well in the rain you might want to take a look at our post on the best waterproof jackets for running; these types of tops tend to do awesome in mud.
Going Shirtless On Your Muddy Trail Run
For me, if the weather is warm, I am going to take on the muddy trails shirtless. What better way to feel in touch with nature that ripping around its curves and hills wearing as little as possible. If you go this route, you just have to be okay getting splashed with mud from time to time… Which I am!
This isn’t just for guys either. Plenty of women take on the trails wearing just a well-suited sports bra on top. As a dude, I won’t advise on this one way or another, but am just speaking from observation here.
Contain Your Hair During a Mud Run
For all you short-haired trail runners out there, you may never even think about your head unless putting a hat on it. For those of us with long hair, however, we need to think just a little more about avoiding ticks during runs, and keeping the mud from splashing our locks.
There isn’t really anything complicated about keeping the mud out of your hair on a run. Just follow these guidelines:
- Keep your hair as contained as possible
- Wear a hat to help keep hair covered
- Tie it up or tie it back
- Put the hair INSIDE the back of your shirt
If you are a trail runner that has just recently started getting to the “long hair stage” you can check out our post on running with long hair for guys.
Be Prepared for Muddy Trails So You Can Focus on Performance
Having the right gear for a muddy trail run should be about feeling comfortable enough to focus on your run. Running in the mud is going to slow you down a little, that is unavoidable. What you can avoid, is getting a blister in the third mile of your run.
Mud is a part of trail running, and getting dirty is generally a part of life. Do your best to prepare for the inevitable so you can get what you ultimately want from your runs: Enjoyment.
Image Credit: Weldon Kennedy | (https://www.flickr.com/photos/99123936@N00/) | Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)
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