It's a membership for people who want to be more than just an audience. The Trail Club is how SALTY stays independent: no corporate parent, no brand dictating what we can or can't say, no sponsored content dressed up as editorial. Members get early Journals, guaranteed race spots, exclusive merch, and the quiet satisfaction of knowing they're part of something that runs on its own terms. In practical terms: you pay once a year, we send you things, you get access to things. In less practical but more accurate terms: you become part of the thing itself.

Free: you want to be part of the community and race at SALTY events without committing further. Perfectly reasonable. Journal Member (€49): you love the print product and want it in your hands before anyone else, with your name inside. Trail Head (€99): you run SALTY races, you want guaranteed entry, and you've accepted that SALTY has become a non-negotiable part of your running calendar. If you're reading this question for the third time, you're a Trail Head. You already know it.

Journal Members receive each issue before the general release. Typically one to two weeks ahead of public availability. There are three issues per year. They arrive by post. They are printed on paper. This is intentional. We remain committed to the physical object for reasons that will become obvious the moment you hold one. Digital versions are not currently available, which we consider a feature.

Klassenfahrt is German for school trip, which is either entirely self-explanatory or requires context depending on where you grew up. Once a year, Trail Head Members are invited to a collective trip: somewhere in the mountains, involving trails, probably some elevation, definitely some food, and the kind of conversations that happen when you put a group of people together who share an unreasonable relationship with running. Details announced per year.
Attendance is not mandatory. Not attending is, however, something you will regret.

Yes. You can cancel your membership at any time. The cancellation takes effect at the end of your current billing period. You keep all benefits until then. We won't send passive-aggressive emails. We won't make it difficult to find the button. If you decide to come back, the door is open, though Founding Member pricing will no longer be available once that window closes.

Memberships are billed annually, upfront, at the start of each membership year. You'll receive a renewal reminder 30 days before your anniversary date. Auto-renewal is active by default. You can turn it off at any time in your account settings. We don't do monthly billing. Annual felt more honest: you're either in for the year or you're not. Most people, it turns out, are in for the year.

Yes. You can upgrade at any time. The cost difference is prorated based on your remaining membership period, so you only pay for what you haven't yet received. Downgrading mid-year is also possible, though we'd gently point out that the Klassenfahrt alone is worth the difference.

Race cancellations are handled under the separate terms and conditions of each event. SALTY races have their own entry agreements, and force majeure clauses apply. Weather, permits, and circumstances beyond our control are, unfortunately, beyond our control. What we can say:
if a race is cancelled, we handle it like adults, communicate clearly, and don't make it harder than it needs to be. Your Trail Club membership is separate from your race entry and remains active regardless.

Email us at hello@saltytrailrunning.com. We read every email. We answer most of them. The ones we don't answer are usually the ones where the person already knew what they wanted to do and just needed to write it down.

Possibly by accident. Free membership isn't something you apply for. It's what happens when you get involved with SALTY in any form. Sign up for a race, grab something from the shop, join a community run, register for one of our upcoming special events: if we have your email, you're already in. There's no form, no vetting process, no waiting list. The only requirement is showing up for something, which, given that you've made it to question eleven of a membership FAQ, you are clearly very capable of doing. Hello.