A marathon is 42.195 km, but a smooth race day often starts the night before, when you lay your kit out and spot what is missing. Forgetting your anti-chafe balm or leaving a watch uncharged are small things that can take the shine off a big day.

A good packing list helps prevent that. Get the gear you have trained in, the fuel you have practised with, the race documents you need and the charging gear that keeps your devices ready, and race morning becomes calmer instead of a scramble.

Here is the full marathon packing list for 2026, from clothing and shoes to nutrition, tech and a checklist you can work through the night before.

Key Takeaways

• The golden rule is “nothing new on race day”: wear and use clothing, shoes and nutrition that you have already tested in training.
• Choose moisture-wicking running clothing that you have trained in, and adjust your layers to the latest weather forecast rather than following a fixed temperature rule.
• Fuel and hydration matter: plan both around your expected race duration, the weather and what you have successfully practised in training.
• Sort your race documents in advance: bring your Start Card and photo ID to collect your race material in person at the MARATHON EXPO by BRITA. Your timing transponder is attached to the back of your bib.
• Charge your devices the night before and keep a power bank available for travel, pre-race time and the hours after the finish.

What is the essential marathon gear?

Your marathon gear falls into four main areas: clothing you have trained in, shoes you have already tested, race-day nutrition and the tech that helps you track, navigate and stay connected. The same rule applies across all four: nothing new on race day.

That principle matters more than any single piece of equipment. Race day is not the time for brand-new shoes, an untested gel or a top you have never run in. Use training runs to test what you plan to wear, eat and carry.

The four buckets are simple: what you wear, what is on your feet, what you eat and drink, and the tech you bring. Because this is a full marathon packing list, it ends with a checklist you can work through the night before so fewer things get left behind.

Fuel deserves the same testing as everything else. Recommended carbohydrate intake varies with exercise duration, individual tolerance and the strategy you have trained with, so avoid treating one grams-per-hour figure as a target for every runner.

Decide in advance whether you will carry your own fuel or use the on-course stations. Whatever you plan to eat and drink during the race should ideally be familiar from training.

Clothing and running equipment for marathons

Wear running clothing you have tested in training, shoes you already know are comfortable and layers suited to the actual weather forecast.

Start with fabric. Moisture-wicking technical materials can move sweat away from the skin, while cotton can retain moisture and may become uncomfortable over a long race. Choose clothing that has already proved comfortable on your longer training runs.

Chafing and blisters can become increasingly uncomfortable over marathon distance. Use an anti-chafe product you have already tested where needed, protect sensitive friction points in your usual way and wear running socks that have worked for you over longer distances.

For shoes, race in a pair you have already used in training and that is neither brand-new nor noticeably worn out. A fixed mileage rule does not apply equally to every shoe or runner.

Dress for the current forecast and remember that you will warm up considerably once you start running. Wind, rain, sunshine, pace and your own temperature tolerance can all affect which layers make sense.

For a cool start, bring an old warm layer that you are happy to donate. At the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON, pre-start clothing can be left at the designated collection points for donation after you no longer need it.

Check the latest Berlin weather forecast in the days before the race and adjust your marathon gear accordingly.

Tech essentials: smartphone, watch and headphones

For many runners, the useful tech is straightforward: a GPS sports watch, a phone and optional open-ear headphones. The important part is making sure each device is charged, configured and suitable for the race.

For a deeper look at each device, see our marathon tech essentials guide.

• GPS watch: records pace and distance. Many current GPS sports watches offer enough stated GPS battery life for a marathon, but actual runtime depends on the model, GPS mode and enabled features. Charge it fully the night before.
• Phone: handles apps, navigation, photos and communication. GPS tracking, screen use, messaging and photos can increase battery use across a long race day.
• Headphones: optional, but only open-ear headphones are permitted for use on the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON course. Runners must remain alert to their surroundings.

That is the short version. What all three devices share is the need to arrive ready, which brings us to charging.

Power banks and charging accessories

Charging gear deserves a place on the packing list too. A multi-port charger can simplify overnight charging when several devices need power, while a power bank provides additional battery reserve when you are away from a socket.

The night before can be a multi-device charging job, particularly in a hotel room with limited free sockets.

The UGREEN Nexode Air Slim Charger (65W, 3-Port, Foldable Plug) provides three charging ports for compatible devices and has a foldable plug for travel. Available output depends on the active port combination, so check the charging requirements of the devices and cables you plan to use.

If you are deciding whether one multi-port charger or several smaller chargers make more sense for your trip, our guide to single-port vs multi-port chargers for travel explains the trade-offs. You can also compare options in the UGREEN travel charger and USB charger ranges.

For travel, pre-race time and the hours after the finish, a power bank can provide useful backup for your phone when a socket is not nearby.

The UGREEN MagFlow Air Magnetic Slim Power Bank (10000mAh, Qi2 15W) provides magnetic wireless charging for compatible phones in a slim format, while the UGREEN Nexode Power Bank 20000mAh 100W offers more stored capacity for longer journeys or other compatible devices.

How much capacity you need depends on how long you expect to be away from a socket and what you plan to charge. Our guide to choosing a power bank size for travelling covers that decision in more detail.

In this guide, the power bank is mainly intended for the journey to the race, the time before the start and the hours after the finish rather than being presented as a requirement for the race itself.

UGREEN is the official charging partner of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON, supporting the practical charging needs around race weekend.

Race-day packing checklist

Lay your marathon gear out the night before and work through it in groups so fewer things are left behind.

• On your body: tested race clothing, trained-in shoes, comfortable running socks, your usual anti-chafe protection, any nipple protection you normally use, and weather-dependent items such as a hat or sunglasses.
• Warm layer for the start: an old hoodie, training jacket or similar layer that you are happy to donate at the designated collection points before the race.
• For the MARATHON EXPO by BRITA: your Start Card and photo ID. Race material must be collected in person.
• For race day: your bib with its timing transponder on the back and your athlete wristband. Do not remove the athlete wristband after race-material collection because it is required for access to the start area.
• Fuel and hydration: nutrition you have already tested and a hydration strategy practised in training. Take your expected race duration, weather conditions, individual needs and the available aid stations into account, while avoiding excessive fluid intake.
• Hydration equipment: if you plan to use a hydration pack, vest or belt, check that it meets the current BMW BERLIN-MARATHON size requirements.
• Tech and power: fully charged GPS watch, phone and optional open-ear headphones, plus the charger and cables your devices require. A suitable short cable can be useful for the journey and the hours after the finish; compare compatible options in the UGREEN USB cable range.
• Post-race clothing: if you booked the clothing-bag option during registration, use the transparent event clothing bag provided with your race material. Clothing and valuables must be packed loosely in that bag, and other bags or luggage cannot be placed inside it. If you selected the poncho option instead, clothing drop-off is not available on race day.
• Extras: sunscreen, lip balm, blister plasters, tissues, a payment card or small amount of cash, spare socks and any permitted dry clothing for after the race.
• Night before: prepare your bib, lay out your gear, charge every device and set your alarm.

Work through the marathon packing list and race morning should feel more organised. After the finish, your medal, refreshments and other finisher services will be waiting.

The wrap-up

A good marathon packing list comes down to gear you have tested, nutrition you have practised, race information you have organised and the charging accessories that keep your devices ready.

Lay everything out the night before, check the current event and weather information, and make sure your Expo documents, athlete wristband, bib and baggage-drop arrangement are understood before race morning.

For charging, a multi-port option such as the UGREEN Nexode Air Slim Charger can simplify a hotel setup with several compatible devices, while the UGREEN MagFlow Air Magnetic Slim Power Bank provides additional mobile power for travel and the hours around the race.

Those practical charging needs are also part of UGREEN's role as the official charging partner of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON.