Apr 26, 2026 6 min read

The Nike ACG Trail Running Kit That's Built for All Conditions

Nike ACG has rebuilt its trail running lineup from the ground up for SS26. Here's how to wear it, and why each piece earns its place in your kit.

There's a particular kind of trail runner that Nike ACG is building gear for, and it's not the one who runs the same groomed loop on Saturday mornings.

They're building for the ones who checks the weather, decides it doesn't matter, and goes anyway. Those who start before sunrise, run through the heat of the day, and finish in the cold, and those who don't have a "trail running outfit" so much as a kit that works in all of it.

ACG (All Conditions Gear), has spent four decades building for that athlete. The SS26 trail running collection is the clearest version of that mission yet; a complete, cohesive system from shoes to cap, designed to move between conditions without asking you to go home and change first.

This guide shares how to build your kit from it.

If you purchase through links in this article, we may earn a small affiliate commission.

This trail running gear guide Sponsored by Nike ACG. Shop the full SS26 ACG trail running collection at here.

Start with the shoes

Every trail kit starts here, and the choice defines what kind of running the rest of your gear needs to support.

For most trail runners, the answer is the Nike ACG Pegasus Trail ($155). It's the most versatile shoe in the ACG lineup, built on the trusted Pegasus platform with trail-specific upgrades that make it a genuine performer off-road.

The new All Terrain Compound 2.0 outsole grips confidently on wet dirt, gravel, and loose trail while rolling efficiently on the road sections that connect most real routes. ReactX foam keeps the ride cushioned and responsive over long mixed-surface efforts. A wider toe box, rubber toe wrap, and quick-draining mesh upper take care of the details.

Shop Men's & Women's

It's the shoe that makes the rest of this kit possible because when your footwear handles everything, your routes stop being limited by what your shoes can manage.

The base layer question

The base layer question on trail is always the same: how do you stay cool when you're working hard, but not freeze the moment you stop moving?

For most conditions, the ACG Solar Chase Dri-FIT ADV Trail Running Top ($70 men's) is the answer. Nike's Dri-FIT ADV fabric is their most advanced moisture management, built to move sweat away fast enough to keep up with the output of a hard trail effort. It runs close to the body without restricting movement, and in five colours it works as the foundation of any kit combination.

For warmer days and harder efforts, the women's ACG Solar Chase Tank Top ($80) strips it back further with maximum ventilation for days when even a short sleeve is too much.

When you're heading into exposed terrain; open ridgelines, high-elevation routes, long days above the treeline where the sun is relentless, the ACG Solar Chase UV Hooded Top ($100, available in men's and women's) earns its place.

The built-in hood and UV protection fabric do real work up there, more so than sunscreen that sweats off within the first mile. It's a specific tool for specific conditions, but once you've cooked on an exposed ridge without one, you understand why it exists.

Shorts or tights, and when each one makes sense

The answer depends on the temperature, the terrain, and how long you're out.

For most summer trail running, the ACG Second Sunrise 6" Brief-Lined Shorts ($75 men's) are the default, and among my favorite trail running shorts right now.

The name tells you exactly who they're for, the runner whose alarm goes off before light and who's still out when the second sun of the day is doing its thing.

Women's equivalent: the Mid-Rise Brief-Lined Shorts ($80) in five colours, or the High-Waisted 4" Shorts ($90) for a more locked-in, compression-style fit on technical terrain.

When the temperature drops or the terrain gets rougher, the ACG Lava Loops Dri-FIT ADV 1/2-Length Tights ($95) sit in the useful gap between shorts and full tights.

Just above the knee, enough coverage for cooler mornings and high-elevation days where the wind picks up, without the full thermal commitment of long tights on a climb. If you run early mornings, shoulder-season trails, or anything above 8,000 feet, you'll find yourself reaching for these more than you expect.

Carrying your stuff

The question of how to carry things on a trail run is essentially a question of how long you're going and how self-sufficient you need to be.

For anything under an hour, a phone, a gel, your keys, the ACG GOAT Trail Running Belt ($50) is the low-friction answer. Minimal, secure, stays put at pace.

It pairs cleanly with the ACG Pegasus Trail for everyday training runs where a vest is overkill.

Once you're pushing past an hour, into longer efforts or more remote terrain, you need more capacity.

The ACG GOAT Pack Vest 5L ($130) covers it. Five litres is the right size for two to four hours of self-sufficient trail running, soft flasks, nutrition, a packable layer, the essentials. The fit is built specifically for running rather than hiking, so it stays snug without bouncing on technical terrain.

If you're starting to push into longer trail efforts and feeling the limitations of a belt or handheld, this is the natural progression.

The finishing touches

A cap on trail isn't an accessory, it's sun management, sweat management, and keeping your hair out of your face on a windy ridge.

The ACG Club Unstructured Cap ($37) works because it's unstructured: it packs flat, fits under a hood without pressure points, and doesn't dig in on long efforts the way a stiff brim does.

Three colourways including the orange ACG accent that runs through the whole SS26 range.

Build your kit

Not sure where to start? Here's how the pieces fit together based on what kind of running you're doing.

Daily training, mixed terrain: ACG Pegasus Trail + Dri-FIT T-Shirt ($37) + Second Sunrise Shorts ($75M) or Mid-Rise Shorts ($80W) + GOAT Belt ($50)

Longer trail efforts, carrying more: ACG Pegasus Trail + Solar Chase ADV Top ($70M) or Solar Chase Tank ($80W) + Lava Loops Tights ($95M) or High-Waisted Shorts ($90W) + GOAT Pack Vest ($130)

Exposed mountain days: ACG Pegasus Trail + Solar Chase UV Hooded Top ($100) + Club Cap ($37)

Race day: ACG Ultrafly Trail ($280) + Solar Chase ADV Top ($70M) or Solar Chase Tank ($80W) + Second Sunrise Shorts ($75M) or Mid-Rise Shorts ($80W) + GOAT Pack Vest ($130)

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