Welcome to Project #1 of For The Trail, DirtBags, where we aim to reduce single-use plastic use that ends up in landfills with a reusable alternative so that runners, events and brands can all ask less of the planet.
Every year, millions of single-use energy gel packets, powder sachets, and plastic zip bags are torn open on trails and mountains, only to end up in landfill or littered in nature.
A gel packet is used for seconds. It's designed to last centuries. The irony is painful especially for those of us who care deeply about the trails we run through.
The waste adds up fast: a single 100km race generates hundreds, if not thousands of single-use packets that all end up in landfill Multiply that by thousands of events globally, every year. We're talking about millions of pieces of single-use plastic created from fossil fuels, used once, and put in the bin.
All of our quick links to learn more about DirtBags and our business model with For The Trail can be found below:
The story of DirtBags - An in-depth look in to how DirtBags came to be.
DirtBgs FAQ - Our compiled list of frequently asked questions.
Asking less with our business model - We're trying to run our business differently, for the trail.
How to fuel cheaply using DirtBags - A fuel guide to save money with bulk bought or home-made fuel options that you can put in your DirtBags
The Plan
The plan is multi-faceted as For The Trail aims to question what we trail runners can do for the planet, what brands can do and what events can do.
Runners
- Order DirtBags - https://shop.forthetrail.com and you can portion fuel and organise your gear for big adventures.
- Head to the sustainable fuelling guide to get inspiration on how you can fuel cheaper and reduce waste
- Share with others what works for you in our trail running community and help others make the switch https://circle.forthetrail.com
Brands
Get nutritional brands to offer bulk offerings, we have added an open letter to them in our sustainable fuelling guide.
We're keeping track of nutritional brands that offer bulk and refill options in the guide linked above.
Events
Get trail and ultra events to reduce their single-use plastic packaging at aid stations and checkpoints.
We're keeping track and celebrating trail and ultra-marathon events here that are reducing their impact on the planet.
Helping Bring DirtBags and It's Project Mission to Life
Here we list all the amazing individuals, brands and events who have helped bring DirtBags to life! You too can be a part of this resource, just get in contact.
- Runners who have helped bring DirtBags to life
- Brands who have helped bring DirtBags and it's project mission to life
- Events who have helped bring DirtBags and it's project mission to life
What Are DirtBags
They're a reusable and home compostable fuel and gear carry system that are environmentally friendlier alternatives to single-use gels, energy powder sachets, energy chew and bar packets and even plastic ziploc bags. Instead of putting them in to landfill, they can be reused over and over again and then eventually put back in to the earth.
They ask less of the planet in their production (smaller climate impact) and have a circular life cycle (can be reused and eventually composted) whilst reducing our demand of fossil fuels.
You can buy DirtBags here.
What To Put In DirtBags
We're writing a complete guide to what to put in your DirtBags here.
The Story Behind DirtBags
You can read more about my story, creating the prototypes in late 2024 and how I stopped using single use plastic packaging in my nutrition plan when racing ultra-marathons.
Read the story behind DirtBags here: https://forthetrail.com/projects/dirtbags/story
For The Trail and Doing Things Differently
We have created For The Trail to show what we can that asks less of the planet and natural world, for the trail, it's that simple.
DirtBags are just the very first project of For The Trail and it's how we try and show how runners, events and business in the trail running industry can do things differently.
You can see how we're doing business differently with our seasonal pre-orders of DirtBags here https://shop.forthetrail.com/pages/business
This is community-built. The more we share, the easier it gets for everyone to move away from single-use.
Join The Trail Running Community
We've set up the trail running community called the circle https://circle.forthetrail.com
A place where we discuss and celebrate nature and what we can do for it.
Get Nutritional Brands to Supply Bulk and Refill Options
To all nutritional brands who sell single-use and single serving fuel options, your single-use packaging is not helping the planet or the natural world of which our sport and hobby is based on.
Stop pretending single-serve packets are the only option, we ask you to offer bulk refill pouches and tubs as standard, not as an afterthought, not as a "limited edition," but as the default.
And make the packaging actually recyclable.
The technology exists, brands like High5, Open Fuel, and FTP Endurance have already proven it works. Runners are ready, we're literally making our own fuel at home because you won't give us a better option and the demand is there.
Here we celebrate all those trying to do better and we want to celebrate you too.
Got More Questions About DirtBags
Head to our specific frequently asked questions section for DirtBags here https://forthetrail.com/projects/dirtbags/faq
Thank You For Supporting DirtBags
In this section I want to thank all those that have gone out of their way to help support DirtBags. There will be a section coming soon, thanking all those that supported the original pre-order to help bring DirtBags to life.
For this section, this covers entities, brands, individuals, event companies and more who helped get the ball rolling for For The Trail and DirtBags and their help means the actual world and i'll be forever grateful!
UK Ultra Ltd are a trail and ultra-marathon event company based in Southern England, they have ultra-marathon races on the South Downs Way covering various distances and were one of the very first entities to go out of their way to support us. Make sure to check them out if you're looking for a trail race in Southern England, they cover many distances from 10km through to 200 miles.
GB Ultras are another UK based ultra marathon event company with races all over the UK, covering England, Scotland and Wales. They helped DirtBags get off the ground and I am eternally grateful for their support, make sure to check out their races in you're looking for something in the north of the UK.
Trash Free Trails, their name says it all, they're here to tackle the issue of trash, on the trails and our project with DirtBags and theirs align perfectly as we aim to reduce the use of single-use plastic packaging and trash that ends up on the trail and in the landfill. Give them a look and if you ever do a litter pick whilst out on a hike or trail run, make sure to complete a litter survey too as the data you share helps them out.
the5krunner, a big thank you to 5k runner and their online resource where they talk about endurance gear and running tech, eternally grateful for their support and sharing an article about DirtBags here.
The Green Runners, thanks for sharing DirtBags! We're now a recommended resource on their website. Really means a lot to be shared and recommended by a like minded organisation. If you're interested in running without the footprint, give them a look!
Each entity above have all helped in different ways and I am forever grateful for their support.
