Salomon’s S/LAB Ultra Spark vest and teeth-cleaning kit features a carbon toothbrush, nutritional toothpaste, a rinsing flask and a retractable BOA-floss—and it was co-designed with trail-running legend Courtney Dauwalter.
In 2023, Courtney Dauwalter became the first person to win what ultra-running fans have termed the “Triple Crown” when she was victorious at the Western States 100, the Hardrock 100 and UTMB® in Chamonix, all in the span of just 70 days. This achievement further cemented her status as trail running legend. A vibrant, happy person, Dauwalter’s personality has been described as “fun fueled.” Whether she is on a training run in the Colorado Rockies near her home base in Leadville or during the most grueling moments of the incredibly challenging races she takes on, Dauwalter is quick to flash a smile to fans, showing off her bright white teeth to the world.
But why are those teeth so pearly white, even after running miles and miles on dusty trails? Because Dauwalter is as disciplined about mental hygiene as she is about her training, even taking the time to brush her teeth during ultra-trail races. She says this helps her feel fresh and gives her a much-needed energy boost after hours of running.
My legs are important when I run an ultra, but the real key is in the teeth! Brushing my teeth during an ultra feels almost like taking a whole shower!
Courtney Dauwalter
Ultra sparkly trail runner
“Of course, my legs are important when I run an ultra, but the real key is in the teeth,” Dauwalter explained. “Brushing my teeth during an ultra feels almost like taking a whole shower or a bubble bath. I feel like a new person, and I have this surge of energy rushing through my body! We always say that details can win or lose a race; for me, cleaning my teeth and feeling fresh is definitely a detail that helps me feel better. And, let’s be honest, it’s never a bad thing to have a pearly white smile when the photographers catch me at a bad moment in the race.”
Salomon is always looking to innovate and push the boundaries of mountain sports, so when Courtney asked for a specific tooth-brushing kit, the company’s prototyping teams in its Annecy headquarters got to work on a minimalistic solution that makes brushing one’s teeth on-the-go easy.
The main ingredients in most toothpastes have no real nutritional value, so we explored how to create a toothpaste that contains carbohydrates and electrolytes, to give Courtney this extra little energy boost when brushing her teeth.
Serge Chapuis
Research & Development Manager
“Our goal was to find a way for Courtney to feel good when running ultras, and we know clean teeth and fresh breath is a big part of that,” explained Serge Chapuis, a now-retired prototypist for Salomon who came back to work specifically on this critical innovation. “We built a quiver that contains everything she needs to clean her mouth, so she can feel fresh and ready to go. Of course, her shoes are important and her Shortneys running outfit, but let’s be honest, clean teeth are the engine that makes her go!”
The team looked into reducing the weight of the gear, as well as adding some nutritional value to the toothpaste.
“The main ingredients in most toothpastes only help in removing plaque and stains from the teeth, they have no real nutritional value,” Chapuis added “So we explored how to create a toothpaste that contains carbohydrates and electrolytes, to give Courtney this extra little energy boost when brushing her teeth.”
S/LAB ULTRA SPARK, THE NEXT LEVEL IN ULTRA-TRAIL RUNNING WITH BRIGHT TEETH
The S/LAB Ultra Spark trail running vest, the S/LAB Ultra Spark Carbon Trailbrush and S/LAB Ultra Spark “Triple Crown” Trailpaste are the result of months of collaboration between Salomon’s product, service-to-athletes and research teams, who came up with a unique trail running vest and quiver to hold all the necessary gear required for on-the-go teeth-brushing.
The S/LAB Ultra Spark trail running vest is made with breathable and lightweight Payen fabric sourced in France and woven with titanium reflective string, to make Courtney even more visible and sparkly. The vest weighs 152 grams and includes a custom BOA system that can be extended and retracted in seconds to floss your teeth on-the-go.
The vest comes with and minimalistic bag that weighs 47 grams (132 grams when full), which can hold a toothbrush, toothpaste and a rinsing flask.
The S/LAB Ultra Spark Carbon Trailbrush is a minimalistic telescopic toothbrush that weighs only 11 grams. It is made from an upcycled carbon bike spoke and can extend into a normal-sized toothbrush in a second, for optimal teeth-brushing comfort. The carbon helps reduce unwanted vibrations when brushing one’s teeth. The head of the brush can be changed from nylon to boar-hair for deeper cleaning.
Every improvement in nutrition can create an advantage during endurance races. The S/LAB Ultra Spark “Triple Crown” Trailpaste not only keeps your teeth clean and your breath fresh, but it’s also filled with energy-boosting elements.
- It contains sodium and calcium to improve energy and water absorption by replacing the minerals lost when sweating, which greatly reduces your risk of cramps.
- It also packs carbohydrates (sucrose and dextrose) which are easy for your body to absorb to avoid stomach problems and facilitate energy intake.
The toothpaste comes in 3 flavors: Snowy Mont-Blanc, Dusty West and Rocky Hardrock, paying homage to Courtney’s 2023 Triple Crown.
This kit also includes a small rinsing flask to avoid any leftover taste.
