Waterproof clothing required for the race
In order to establish the list of clothing to take for the UTMB, the category of waterproof clothing is essential and must meet the requirements of the race regulations and your protection needs.
What do the race regulations say?
The UTMB regulations state that each runner must have at least one jacket with a hood to withstand bad weather in the mountains and made of a waterproof and breathable membrane in their race clothing. A minimum of 10,000 Schmerber is recommended for waterproofness and a RET of less than 13 is recommended for breathability. The hood must be integrated or attached to the jacket with a system originally provided by the manufacturer and the seams must be welded. In addition, the jacket must not have any parts made of non-waterproof fabric, but vents provided by the manufacturer (under the arms, in the back), as long as they do not obviously impair waterproofing, are accepted. For the lower part of the body, the regulations stipulate the need for long-legged racing trousers or tights or a combination of tights and socks covering the whole leg and waterproof overtrousers. Of course, fully waterproof long-legged trousers will also be fine.
Which top to choose?
For the waterproof jacket, it is important to choose a technical garment specific to ultra trail running. It is not only a question of meeting the specifications of breathability and waterproofing but also of ensuring excellent comfort with a jacket of this type and perfect ease of movement. At Cimalp, you can opt for optimal protection with the STORM 2 jacket! It is fully ultra-trail approved, and features Ultrashell® Slim 2.5 layer technology that offers protection against 10,000mm of water. Practical and very light (215g in M), it can be folded into its chest pocket when not needed and when the weather is good. This jacket has been specially designed for trail running, and its performance makes it compatible with all trails and ultra-trails, UTMB and others. With its 2.5-layer Ultrashell® Slim membrane, it is waterproof to 10,000mm of water and offers a breathability of 12,500 MVP. Its structure with even finer pores that allow more air to pass through while being more resistant is really perfect to offer real comfort to the runner and look very light. It also has a new design and new colours that make it very attractive and its chest pocket with zip under flap and a headphone passage should finish seducing you. Its ergonomic hood with internal binding for a perfect fit during the race is fully compatible with the UTMB regulations and you also have the possibility to wear the jacket half-open for more comfort. Note that it has reflective markings for greater safety in the dark and at night. You can also find the STORM PRO 3 jacket, a more upmarket model with 3 layers (260g in M) which is both more breathable 80,000MVP and waterproof 20,000mm.
Which garment should I choose for my stocking?
For the bottom, the choice of waterproof trousers should be made with caution: the comfort of your legs is indeed essential for all ultra-trail runners and the running stride should not be modified with a specific garment. For this reason, Cimalp has developed the STORM PRO waterproof and breathable men's trousers, which have been designed to accompany demanding athletes in the most extreme conditions. They have a 3-layer ULTRASHELL® membrane that will protect you from wind and rain (20,000 Schmerber), while guaranteeing optimal breathability on the field (80,000MVP). This latest generation Ultrashell® waterproof-breathable membrane, one of the best performing in the world, allows these waterproof trousers to be approved for ultra-trails, and should become your indispensable ally for your mountain outings. They can be worn on their own or over thermal shorts in winter, and have an original feature: a clever knee opening that offers real ventilation to keep you dry even when you're exerting yourself, and also great freedom of movement with the knee totally free to bend.