Welcome to episode 329 of the Löw Tide Böyz - A Swimrun Podcast!

You have done a few swimruns. You have the basic kit sorted. Now you are starting to notice the fiddly bits. Episode 329 is our Swimrun 201 breakdown of all of them — the advanced topics that come up once you have done a couple of races and started asking better questions.

We go deep on tether management, kangaroo top organization, gel storage for races of every length, hydration on the move, sunscreen, eyewear, spare gear, and all the small things that separate a comfortable race from a chaotic one. A lot of this evolved from listener questions we get all the time, and all of it requires practice before race day. We share what has worked for us across 30-plus swimruns and what we are still iterating on heading into Orcas and Ötillö Worlds this year.

A few highlights from the episode: keeping the tether engaged for 90 percent of the race and why it works better than the alternatives, how to organize your kangaroo top so you always know exactly which pocket to reach for, storing 12 gels for a race like Ötillö using interior wetsuit pockets, rock tape, and a bandolier system, using a collapsible flask stuffed down your pant leg for hydration without the bulk, and why sunscreen is still the biggest unsolved problem in swimrun.

If you are new to the sport, start with our Swimrun 101 episodes — you can find them all in the LTBz Knowledge Base at lowtideboyz.com. This episode picks up where those leave off.

Enjoy!

That's it for this week's show. If you are enjoying the **Löw Tide Böyz**, be sure to subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast player and leave us a five-star rating and review since that's the best way for people to discover the show and the sport of Swimrun. You can find us on **Apple Podcasts**, **Spotify**, and on **YouTube**. Check out our **website** for Swimrun resources including gear guides, tips, how-to videos and so much more. Also make sure to check out our meme page **@thelowtideboyz** on Instagram. If you have any suggestions for the show or questions for us, send us a dm or an email at **lowtideboyz@gmail.com**. Finally, you can support our efforts on **Patreon**...if you feel so inclined. Thanks for listening and see you out there! Chip and Chris

Welcome to episode 328 of the Löw Tide Böyz - A Swimrun Podcast.

On April 6th, Max Andersson — two-time Ötillö World Champion, Otillo World Championship course record holder, and one of the most beloved people in swimrun — died tragically in an avalanche in Norway. He was in his mid-thirties.

This episode is our attempt to honor him. We talk about what Max meant to the sport, share our own memories of time spent with him, and try to put into words what so many in the swimrun community are feeling right now.

Max and Hugo Tormento of Team Ark Swimrun were the most dominant force the sport has ever produced. In 2022 they became the first team ever to win every ÖTILLÖ World Series race in a single calendar year, including the World Championship, finishing in 7 hours and 1 second — a course record that still stands. But anyone who knew Max will tell you the results were only part of the story. He was warm, generous, funny, and genuinely present with everyone he met. A fierce competitor and an even better person.

We were lucky enough to spend real time with him at Casco Bay in 2023 — lunch at our favorite spot, hours of conversation while the fog postponed the race. That time with him is something we will not forget.

He will be deeply missed. Our thoughts are with Max's family, Hugo, and the entire swimrun community.

Swimrun Shoes 101: Everything from the Knees Down | Episode 327

Welcome to episode 327 of the Löw Tide Böyz - A Swimrun Podcast!

The most popular gear question we get is about shoes. Do you need a special swimrun shoe? Are you going to get blisters running in wet socks? We are busting every myth in this one.

Episode 327 is a full Swimrun 101 breakdown of everything from the knees down — shoes, socks, laces, modifications, how to test your gear at home, when it makes sense to upgrade, and how to retire a pair with dignity. It is a callback to one of our most popular episodes ever, the Swimrun Shoedown, recast for 2026 with everything we have learned since.

The short answer on shoes: you probably already own something that works for your first swimrun. Start with a trail shoe that drains well, do a bucket test to check, lace it snug, and pair it with a thin synthetic sock. Blisters are not actually a thing in swimrun — we have done 30-plus swimruns and countless training hours and it has never happened once.

For people looking to upgrade, we break down how to think about it — course type, race distance, technical terrain vs. fire roads — and what we are actually racing in heading into 2026. Adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Trail Ultras have been our go-to for the last few years. The Hoka Tecton X3 is on our radar for Ötillö Worlds in September. We also cover lace swaps, the drilling holes debate, gaiters, dry bags for post-race travel, and the LTBz tradition of leaving your retired shoes at the race site.

Enjoy!

That's it for this week's show.

If you are enjoying the **Löw Tide Böyz**, be sure to subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast player and leave us a five-star rating and review since that's the best way for people to discover the show and the sport of Swimrun. You can find us on **Apple Podcasts**, **Spotify**, and on **YouTube**. Check out our **website** for Swimrun resources including gear guides, tips, how-to videos and so much more. Also make sure to check out our meme page **@thelowtideboyz** on Instagram. If you have any suggestions for the show or questions for us, send us a dm or an email at **lowtideboyz@gmail.com**. Finally, you can support our efforts on **Patreon**...if you feel so inclined.

Thanks for listening and see you out there!

Chip and Chris