Checklist of mandatory equipment for the different UTMB races

12 min reading

03 juillet 2026 / Redac , Author

Tackling the UTMB is not exactly the little Sunday hike to digest the family meal. Doing the tour of Mont-Blanc means running (or walking, we don’t judge) day and night, under blazing sun or in a blizzard worthy of the North Pole. That’s why the organization is serious about mandatory equipment. Forget your waterproof jacket, and you’ll stay in Chamonix eating tartiflette.

Here is the breakdown of the required basic kit, with our best recommendations to avoid turning your backpack into an anchor.

Safety Equipment

Yet / How beautiful the mountain is / How can one imagine / When seeing a flight of swallows /
... the danger that could come.

During high mountain races, the mandatory equipment isn’t there to weigh down your pack but to ensure you come back down in one piece. The survival blanket and whistle weigh almost nothing but could well save your skin if you decide to go hug a rock a bit too closely. And don’t forget to charge that smartphone: it would be a shame not to be able to warn your crew that you’ll have a “slight delay” of six hours on schedule (or not be able to capture a sunset).

Equipment	UTMB	TDS	CCC	OCC	MCC	ETC	YCC
Identity document	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅
Smartphone (LiveTrail app + plan)	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅
Container(s) for liquid (min. 1L)	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅
Survival blanket (min. 1.40m x 2m)	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅
Whistle	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅
Waterproof and breathable jacket with hood	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	❌	❌
2 headlamps with spare batteries	✅	✅	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌
Preventive red light (Nature reserve zone)	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌

(✅ : Mandatory / 🟡 : Adapted requirement or recommended / ❌ : Not mandatory)

In detail, here is what controllers will scrutinize in your bag:

Identity document: Essential to prove you really are the dazed trail runner who just crossed the Swiss border, and not a lost Beaufort smuggler.
Smartphone: It must remain on throughout the race with the LiveTrail app installed and a plan allowing use in all three countries (France, Italy, Switzerland). A little tip: check your international options before departure, Switzerland is expert at blowing up unsuitable plans.
Containers for liquid: The organization requires a minimum capacity of one liter. Whether you’re on the “soft flasks” team or the “hydration bladder” team, the key is to face long sections without ending up as dry as an old raisin.
Survival blanket: Watch the dimensions! It must be at least 1.40 m x 2 m. The “stamp-sized” models bought in a hurry won’t pass control. It’s not there for your bucolic picnics but to wrap you like a roast and keep your body heat in case of a forced stop.
Whistle: Fortunately, it’s already integrated into the chest strap of 99% of trail packs on the market. But test it before D-day to make sure it makes more noise than an asthmatic mouse if you have to alert rescue services.
Waterproof jacket with hood: This is the key piece of the check. The hood must be integrated or attached to the jacket by the original system. Seams must be waterproof and the jacket must have no permeable parts (mesh vents under the arms are strictly forbidden). A waterproof rating of 10,000 Schmerber is recommended to avoid ending up soaked to the bone.
Two headlamps: Because a lamp dying at 2 a.m. on a technical descent full of roots is a guaranteed lonely moment. The organization requires spare batteries (or external batteries with cord) for each of the two lamps.
Preventive red light: A little subtlety reserved exclusively for UTMB runners. It is mandatory to cross the nature reserve zone (Les Contamines-Montjoie) at night, to signal your presence without dazzling or disturbing the local wildlife. You can attach it to the back of your pack.

Clothing and carrying

Layering is an art. The idea is to be able to trot lightly at the bottom of the valley when the sun is beating down, and not end up turning into a snowman at the summit of the Grand Col Ferret at three in the morning. Special mention goes to the waterproof overpants: this magnificent piece sometimes gives you the grace of a plastic astronaut, but it saves your life when the sky falls on your head. The hardest part is still fitting this entire wardrobe into your trail running backpack. It’s time to review your best Tetris techniques.

Equipment	UTMB	TDS	CCC	OCC	MCC	ETC	YCC
Trail backpack (or belt for short formats)	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	❌	❌
Elastic adhesive band (strapping 100x6cm)	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	❌	❌
Cap, bandana or neck gaiter	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	❌	❌
Waterproof overpants	✅	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌
Additional warm second layer	✅	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌
Beanie (or thermal neck gaiter)	✅	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌
Warm and waterproof gloves	✅	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌

Food and hydration

The fresh mountain air does not feed you (nor your woman), so you’ll have to bring fuel. The organization requires a calorie reserve to avoid the infamous "hanger," the one that makes you hallucinate and mistake a simple tree stump for a bear. As for the personal cup, it’s your precious pass to enjoy soup or cola at aid stations without ruining the ecosystem with disposable plastic. In short: no cup, no soup!

Equipment	UTMB	TDS	CCC	OCC	MCC	ETC	YCC
Personal cup (minimum 15cl)	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅
Food reserve (rec: 800 kcal)	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	🟡	🟡

Additional List (Weather Kits)

This is where the Russian roulette of alpine weather comes into play. The organization can activate these kits at the last minute depending on the whims of the sky. If it’s hot enough to fry an egg on the asphalt, get ready for the full desert explorer kit: sunscreen, trail running glasses, and Saharan cap. If on the contrary temperatures decide to plunge below zero, bring out the extreme cold kit. This is no longer a summer trail, it’s a polar expedition.

Equipment	UTMB	TDS	CCC	OCC	MCC	ETC	YCC
Long pants or tights (Cold Kit)	❄️	❄️	❄️	❄️	❄️	❄️	❄️
Additional warm clothing (Cold Kit)	❄️	❄️	❄️	❄️	❄️	❄️	❄️
3rd warm layer (Extreme Cold Kit)	❄️	❄️	❄️	❌	❌	❌	❌
Sunglasses (Heatwave Kit)	☀️	☀️	☀️	☀️	☀️	☀️	☀️
Saharan cap (Heatwave Kit)	☀️	☀️	☀️	☀️	☀️	☀️	☀️
SPF 50 sunscreen (Heatwave Kit)	☀️	☀️	☀️	☀️	☀️	☀️	☀️

(❄️ : Activated if Cold Kit / ☀️ : Activated if Heatwave Kit)

A few picky (but crucial) clarifications about these kits: Be careful not to try to outsmart the controllers when picking up your bib. For the long pants or tights, the UTMB rule is strict: no skin should be visible! If you try the avant-garde combo "cropped tights + high recovery socks," make sure they generously overlap. On the optics side, good news for the gram hunters: if your sunglasses have photochromic lenses, they count double and also validate the "protective glasses" line required in some conditions. For sunscreen, the organization requires an original container of at least 15 ml: so leave the family bottle at the hotel, but bring more than just a pharmacy sample. Finally, when we talk about the "3rd warm layer", we’re not talking about your 2018 finisher cotton t-shirt. The organization expects real thermal protection: a down jacket (like Primaloft or compressible down) or a thick fleece. The goal is to survive a forced bivouac while waiting for rescue, not to parade at winter Fashion Week.

Other Recommended Equipment

It’s not on the punished list if controlled, but your body will warmly thank you for bringing it along.

Vaseline or anti-chafing cream: Because after 50 km, every rub of clothing can turn into torture. Apply generously, elegance can wait until after the finish line.
External battery (power bank): To be sure you have enough juice to light the trails at night, reassure your family, and post your achievement.
Bowl and cutlery: To eat your hot pasta at aid stations without looking like a caveman eating with his fingers.
Poles: The famous four-wheel drive system for trail runners. Your quads will very quickly become religious about trail poles on climbs.
20€ in cash: Always useful if you decide to buy a bit of local cheese on the way, or just to buy a comfort round at the finish.

Redac

Author

The Alltricks editorial team: passionate experts sharing blog tests and advice on running (10k to marathon), trail, outdoor activities, and of course, all types of cycling.