Sun Protection

SPF 50+ sport sunscreen, SPF lip balm and sweat-resistant creams for mountain races.

In trail running you spend hours exposed to the sun at altitude, where ultraviolet radiation is significantly more intense than at sea level. At 2,500 metres, UV radiation is 30% higher; at 3,500 metres it exceeds 40%. Factor in the constant sweat that dilutes any sunscreen, reflective surfaces like snow or light rock, and the long hours of racing, and sun protection stops being an extra and becomes mandatory gear.

Altitude and UV radiation: why the mountains burn more

+10–12% UV radiation per 1,000 m of altitude. The atmosphere is thinner at height and filters less ultraviolet radiation. In a race above 2,000 m, your skin receives 20–25% more UV than at the coast. Above 3,000 m — like Ultra Sierra Nevada or Gran Trail Aneto-Posets — UV intensity can exceed 35–40% above sea level.

Snow and reflection: Fresh snow reflects up to 80% of UV radiation. If you run at high altitude with snowfields or in early spring, you receive direct radiation from the sun and reflected radiation from below — a double hit that multiplies the risk of sunburn even on cloudy days.

Thin air, less filter: The ozone layer and atmospheric particles offer less protection the higher you go. On top of that, the solar angle is more direct during the middle of the day in the mountains. Races that start at dawn and finish at midday expose runners to peak UV hours (10:00–16:00).

Sweat resistance and reapplication

Water-resistant vs very water-resistant: A "water-resistant" sunscreen maintains its SPF for 40 minutes of intense water or sweat activity. One labelled "very water-resistant" lasts 80 minutes. In trail running, where you sweat for hours, the difference is crucial. Always look for the "very water-resistant" or "sport" category.

When to reapply: Every 2 hours at most, or sooner if you're sweating heavily, get wet crossing a stream, or wipe your face with a buff. On an ultra of 10+ hours, carry a small tube (50 ml) in your pack and reapply at every aid station. It's the perfect moment: you stop, eat, drink, and apply sunscreen.

Race-day formats: Stick: ideal for face, ears and nose — no dripping, precise and quick application. Fluid cream: better overall coverage for arms and legs. Spray: convenient but wastes product and covers irregular areas poorly. For trail, the winning combo is a facial stick + body fluid cream.

Lip protection: the zone everyone forgets

Why do lips burn so easily? Lips don't produce melanin — the pigment that protects skin from the sun. Their skin is extremely thin and constantly exposed. At altitude, with wind and dry air, lips dehydrate and become even more vulnerable to UV radiation. Lip sunburn is painful and takes days to heal.

What to use: A lip balm with SPF 30+ in stick format. It should be moisturising (with shea butter, beeswax or vitamin E) as well as protective. Avoid balms with menthol or eucalyptus, which dry lips out further. The stick format fits in any vest pocket and applies in seconds without getting your hands dirty.

When to apply: Before setting off and every hour during the race — lips lose protection faster than the rest of your face because you constantly wet them when drinking, eating gels, or simply breathing through your mouth. An SPF balm weighs under 5 grams: there's no excuse not to carry one.

Snow and reflective surfaces

Snow: Reflects up to 80% of UV radiation. If you run through snowfields in spring or early summer (Pyrenees, Sierra Nevada), you're getting direct + reflected radiation. This is the highest solar risk situation in trail running. Use SPF 50+, category 3–4 sunglasses, and cover your neck with a buff.

Sand and light rock: Sand reflects 15–25% of UV. Coastal races (Trail Menorca, Ibiza Trail Maratón) or those on light volcanic terrain also increase total exposure. The effect is less than snow, but it adds up over the many hours of an ultra.

Essential extras: Sunscreen alone isn't enough in high mountains. Combine it with polarised sunglasses (category 3 minimum), a buff or cap with neck protection, and technical sleeves with UPF 50+ on races with prolonged exposure. UV-protective clothing is the most reliable barrier because it doesn't degrade with sweat.

Sun exposure per race

Indicative classification based on latitude, month, maximum altitude and terrain type for each race.

Race	Month	Max altitude	Latitude	Exposure
Marathon du Mont-Blanc	Jun	5,500 m	45.9° N	High
101 Kilometres in 24 Hours - La Legión	May	2,819 m	36.7° N	High
Sierra Cazorla Trails	Oct	3,750 m	37.8° N	High
Trail Loja - Abades Stone Race	Apr	4,038 m	37.2° N	High
Ultra Sierra Nevada	Apr	6,200 m	37.1° N	High
Gran Trail Trangoworld Aneto-Posets	Jul	6,760 m	42.6° N	High
Ultra Trail Torla-Ordesa	Jun	4,100 m	42.6° N	High
EDP DesafiOSOmiedo	Jul	8,000 m	43.1° N	High
GTPE Picos de Europa	Jun	5,300 m	43.3° N	High
Amer Mallorca 5000 Skyrunning	Oct	5,000 m	39.8° N	High
Mallorca by UTMB	Oct	5,350 m	39.8° N	High
Trail Menorca Camí de Cavalls	May	3,500 m	40.0° N	High
Anaga Maratón	Dec	2,055 m	28.5° N	High
Gomera Paradise Trail	Sep	2,536 m	28.1° N	High
Mazucator Sky	Jun	1,700 m	28.6° N	High
Santa Cruz Extreme	Oct	1,460 m	28.5° N	High
Subida a Tágara	Feb	2,029 m	28.2° N	High
Tenerife by UTMB	Apr	6,250 m	28.4° N	High
Transgrancanaria	Feb	7,500 m	28.1° N	High
Transvulcania	May	4,350 m	28.7° N	High
Peña Prieta SkyRace	Oct	2,600 m	43.1° N	High
Riaño Trail Run	Jun	5,500 m	43.0° N	High
Festival Cavalls del Vent	Jun	5,600 m	42.3° N	High
Garmin Epic Trail Vall de Boí	Jun	2,800 m	42.5° N	High
Trail Vielha-Molières 3010	Jul	4,200 m	42.7° N	High
HOKA Val d'Aran by UTMB	Jul	10,000 m	42.7° N	High
Penyagolosa Trails	Apr	5,600 m	40.0° N	High
Siyasa Gran Trail	Oct	3,100 m	38.2° N	High
Mañaritik Atxetara	Sep	3,900 m	43.1° N	High
Zegama-Aizkorri	May	2,736 m	43.0° N	High
RunThrough Trails Berchtesgaden	Oct	2,200 m	47.6° N	Medium
Maxi-Race Annecy	May	5,400 m	45.9° N	Medium
Festival des Templiers	Oct	4,309 m	44.1° N	Medium
Almijara Trail	Nov	2,000 m	36.7° N	Medium
Calamorro Skyrace	Apr	2,200 m	36.6° N	Medium
CxM El Fuerte de Frigiliana	Jun	1,200 m	36.8° N	Medium
X CxM Sierro	May	1,100 m	37.3° N	Medium
Tiñosa Trail	Nov	2,400 m	37.4° N	Medium
Trail Las Palomas	Dec	2,300 m	36.8° N	Medium
Ultra Trail Bosques del Sur	May	3,700 m	37.9° N	Medium
Ultra Trail Gran Vuelta al Valle del Genal	Nov	7,500 m	36.6° N	Medium
Canfranc-Canfranc	Sep	8,848 m	42.8° N	Medium
Trail 2 Heaven	Sep	2,950 m	42.6° N	Medium
Trail Valle de Tena	Sep	6,820 m	42.7° N	Medium
Ultra-Trail Guara Somontano	Oct	4,700 m	42.2° N	Medium
Carreña Trail	Sep	1,800 m	43.3° N	Medium
Desafío Las Reliquias	Sep	1,590 m	43.3° N	Medium
Kangas Mountain	Feb	3,500 m	43.3° N	Medium
Peón Trail	Aug	900 m	43.5° N	Medium
Quebrapates Peñamea	Oct	2,225 m	43.2° N	Medium
Sobrescobio Redes Trail	Oct	2,100 m	43.2° N	Medium
Trail de Ubiña	Aug	1,300 m	43.0° N	Medium
Trail Minero Santa Bárbara	Nov	5,650 m	43.2° N	Medium
Trail Tierras Pésicas	Nov	2,800 m	43.2° N	Medium
3 Días Trail Ibiza	Nov	3,200 m	39.0° N	Medium
Ibiza Trail Maratón Festival	Oct	1,600 m	39.0° N	Medium
Entremontañas Paralelo 28	Nov	1,185 m	28.0° N	Medium
Reventón Trail	Mar	4,079 m	28.7° N	Medium
KM Vertical Fuente Dé	Jun	972 m	43.2° N	Medium
Travesera Picos de Europa	Sep	5,800 m	43.2° N	Medium
Alto Rey Trail	Jun	1,082 m	41.1° N	Medium
La Osera	May	2,300 m	38.6° N	Medium
Ultra Trail Anillo Minero	Dec	3,000 m	38.7° N	Medium
Arganza Trail — Cañón del Río Lobos	Apr	1,900 m	41.8° N	Medium
Desafío Ultra El Cainejo	May	5,500 m	43.0° N	Medium
Desafío Galayos 2026	Jun	1,200 m	40.2° N	Medium
Desafío Urbión	Sep	2,600 m	41.9° N	Medium
Ultra Montaña Palentina	Sep	4,500 m	42.9° N	Medium
Ultra Trail Gredos	Sep	2,322 m	40.4° N	Medium
Costa Brava Stage Run	Apr	4,820 m	41.7° N	Medium
Pedraforca Xtrail	Sep	2,600 m	42.2° N	Medium
RunThrough Ultra Trail Girona	Apr	2,881 m	42.0° N	Medium
Ultra Montseny	Apr	4,868 m	41.9° N	Medium
Ultra Pirineu	Oct	6,400 m	42.3° N	Medium
Ultra Trail Muntanyes Costa Daurada	Apr	3,000 m	41.3° N	Medium
Volta Peramola	Apr	1,613 m	42.1° N	Medium
VIII Anfibios Trail Anna	Jul	160 m	39.0° N	Medium
Costa Blanca Trails	Nov	6,020 m	38.6° N	Medium
Marató dels Dements	Nov	3,808 m	39.9° N	Medium
XXVI Pujada al Montcabrer	Sep	977 m	38.7° N	Medium
Trail Solidari Ciutat d'Alcoi	Oct	2,200 m	38.7° N	Medium
UltraMediterrània	Jan	8,050 m	38.7° N	Medium
I Trail Desfiladero del Ruecas	Oct	1,050 m	39.4° N	Medium
Trail Heróica Sacra	Jun	1,800 m	42.6° N	Medium
Trail Ribeira Sacra	Oct	3,450 m	42.4° N	Medium
Arnedillo Trail	Oct	1,584 m	42.2° N	Medium
Trail Picos de la Demanda	Sep	2,300 m	42.3° N	Medium
V Trail Nieva de Cameros	May	2,350 m	42.2° N	Medium
Cross de la Pedriza	May	1,600 m	40.7° N	Medium
Cross de Las Dehesas	Sep	1,900 m	40.7° N	Medium
Gran Trail de Peñalara	Oct	5,100 m	40.7° N	Medium
Madrid Alpine Marathon	Jun	2,500 m	40.7° N	Medium
90K Camino de la Cruz	Oct	2,500 m	38.1° N	Medium
El Valle Trail	Mar	1,600 m	37.9° N	Medium
Falcotrail	Nov	3,600 m	38.1° N	Medium
B2H Trail	Jul	1,000 m	42.6° N	Medium
Basajaun Trail Race	Oct	2,550 m	42.7° N	Medium
Camille Extreme	Jun	2,044 m	42.9° N	Medium
Haritzen Mendi Lasterketa	May	1,650 m	42.7° N	Medium
Irati Trail	Jun	2,000 m	42.9° N	Medium
GR 322 Nafarroa Xtrem	Apr	1,800 m	42.9° N	Medium
Aloñako Igoera	Apr	1,868 m	43.0° N	Medium
Axari Trail	Sep	1,550 m	43.0° N	Medium
Gorbeia Suzien	Sep	2,400 m	43.1° N	Medium
Mitxarro Bira	May	1,775 m	42.9° N	Medium
Sorginen Lasterketa	Oct	1,700 m	43.1° N	Medium
Schwarzwald-Marathon	Oct	620 m	47.9° N	Low
Harz-Gebirgslauf (Brocken-Marathon)	Oct	1,200 m	51.8° N	Low
XI Carrera del Espárrago 51	Apr	0 m	36.9° N	Low
CxM Alfarnat Trail	Mar	1,450 m	37.0° N	Low
IV CxM Silvia Lara	Apr	1,291 m	37.9° N	Low
CxM Trabuco Trail	May	1,500 m	37.1° N	Low
CxM Villa de Casares	Apr	1,094 m	36.4° N	Low
Kilómetro Vertical Media Legua Gruesa	Mar	900 m	37.4° N	Low
La Pretoriana	Nov	300 m	37.4° N	Low
Subbética Trail	Mar	1,400 m	37.5° N	Low
VIII Trail El Calvario del Dragón	Apr	1,100 m	37.2° N	Low
Trail Montañas del Aranda – Brea de Aragón	Nov	1,175 m	41.5° N	Low
Abeduriu Trail Nocturna	Oct	450 m	43.2° N	Low
Ardisana Trail	Sep	1,000 m	43.4° N	Low
Cross Trail La Triásica	Sep	400 m	43.5° N	Low
Mansolea Trail	Oct	900 m	43.4° N	Low
Pico Cueto Relevos Trail	Oct	750 m	43.5° N	Low
Carrera de Montaña Picu Turbina	Sep	1,100 m	43.3° N	Low
Trail del Infiernu	Sep	700 m	43.5° N	Low
Trail Indiano	Sep	900 m	43.5° N	Low
Trail La Cangrexa	Oct	650 m	43.5° N	Low
Trail Siero	Nov	1,050 m	43.4° N	Low
Trail Tierra de Ibias	Apr	1,300 m	43.0° N	Low
Trail Buciero Escal	Oct	1,028 m	43.4° N	Low
Trail Cabo de Ajo	Apr	800 m	43.5° N	Low
Trail La Grajera	Sep	1,400 m	43.0° N	Low
Desafío Cucón - Montes de Fuencaliente	Oct	1,400 m	38.4° N	Low
Petaca Trail	Mar	1,200 m	38.6° N	Low
Subida a las Antenas	Nov	700 m	40.2° N	Low
Trail Santuario de Consolación	Apr	370 m	39.4° N	Low
Zenagas Trail	Nov	1,300 m	38.7° N	Low
Cross Internacional de Atapuerca	Nov	150 m	42.4° N	Low
CxM Miranda de Ebro	Oct	1,477 m	42.7° N	Low
Desafío Trail Templario	Mar	0 m	40.6° N	Low
Granuja Xtreme	Oct	1,500 m	42.3° N	Low
Neveros Vertical	May	1,000 m	41.8° N	Low
Trail de la Castaña	Oct	1,000 m	42.8° N	Low
Burriac ATAC!	Sep	851 m	41.5° N	Low
Cursa de l'Alba	Nov	1,200 m	41.6° N	Low
La Pota Roja Cervelló	Nov	1,900 m	41.4° N	Low
Muntanyes de Prades Epic Trail	Nov	2,500 m	41.3° N	Low
Tap Trail Cassà de la Selva	Nov	1,200 m	41.9° N	Low
Xtrail Series Run Òrrius	Apr	800 m	41.6° N	Low
Cursa Ibérica Figueroles	Sep	800 m	40.1° N	Low
Montanejos Trail	Nov	2,434 m	40.1° N	Low
Trail Covatelles	Mar	1,000 m	38.9° N	Low
X Trail de Jalance	Sep	1,183 m	39.2° N	Low
XVII CxM Carrera Pencona	May	1,200 m	40.1° N	Low
Crono Asperillas	Sep	740 m	40.1° N	Low
X CxM Deportes Parra Hervás	Apr	1,205 m	40.3° N	Low
Garganta de los Infiernos Mountain Race	Apr	1,500 m	40.2° N	Low
Valcorchero Extreme Trail	Nov	1,100 m	40.0° N	Low
Trail Cova da Bruxa	Mar	1,600 m	42.8° N	Low
Trail Laxe dos Bolos	Mar	2,300 m	42.6° N	Low
VII Trail e Andaina Ribeiras do Tambre	Mar	400 m	42.9° N	Low
Trail Trans Serra da Groba	Oct	1,000 m	42.1° N	Low
Trail Vila de Cuntis	May	1,100 m	42.6° N	Low
Anguiano Trail	Oct	1,500 m	42.3° N	Low
CxM Alhama Trail	Oct	1,350 m	42.0° N	Low
Foncea Trail	Mar	820 m	42.7° N	Low
Haro Wine Trail	Nov	1,100 m	42.6° N	Low
Isasa Trail Xtrem	Mar	2,600 m	42.2° N	Low
Cross de Cuerda Larga	May	1,500 m	40.8° N	Low
Cross de los 3 Refugios	Nov	1,700 m	40.7° N	Low
Kilómetro Vertical de la Barranca	Jun	1,010 m	40.7° N	Low
Trail Mina de la Plata de Bustarviejo	Apr	1,150 m	40.9° N	Low
Berroeta Mendi Maratoi Erdia	May	1,274 m	43.1° N	Low
Betagarri Trail	Oct	1,050 m	42.7° N	Low
Aoiz Mountain Race	Apr	800 m	42.8° N	Low
Jurramendi 360	Mar	2,400 m	42.7° N	Low
La Cizur Gares I Trail	Dec	480 m	42.8° N	Low
Lakuntza-Aralar Mendi Lasterketa	May	1,200 m	42.9° N	Low
Bera Mountain Half Marathon	Apr	1,376 m	43.3° N	Low
Roncesvalles-Zubiri Half Marathon	Oct	314 m	43.0° N	Low
Mendira Joan-Etorria	Oct	570 m	42.9° N	Low
Rebecos Trail	May	614 m	42.8° N	Low
Trail Arróniz	Nov	1,300 m	42.6° N	Low
Trail Virgen del Yugo	Apr	493 m	42.2° N	Low
Triku Trail	Jun	1,300 m	42.9° N	Low
Uharte-Arakil Beriain Km Bertikala	Sep	1,023 m	42.9° N	Low
Xtreme Higa de Monreal	May	1,145 m	42.7° N	Low
Anboto KB	Oct	1,092 m	43.1° N	Low
Etxebarri Xtreme	Dec	1,494 m	43.2° N	Low
Izki Trail	Sep	750 m	42.7° N	Low
Vitoria-Gasteiz Trail	Sep	1,300 m	42.8° N	Low

* Indicative classification combining latitude (more UV the further south), month (higher intensity in summer), maximum altitude (+10–12% UV per 1,000 m) and terrain type (skyrunning and ridges = no shade). Each race includes specific sun protection recommendations in its Pack 360.

Is your sun protection up to your race?

Every race has a different sun exposure profile. Explore the Pack 360 for any event to see specific recommendations, or use the planner to organise your entire season with the right protection.

Find races Season planner

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