Personal Equipment List

When you sign up for a race you will receive a copy of the rules which will include a mandatory or compulsory equipment list. The one day races will be less intensive with equipment. You may only need a camelback and some running shoes. Here is a general list of things you will most likely need for any race. Practice with all your gear before you get to a race. This list is not all inclusive. It is here to give you an idea of what to expect.

• Be prepared to supply your own food and drink for the entire race.
• a compass, an altimeter
• strobe lamp, distress flares, or glow sticks, smoke bombs
• a whistle, signal mirror, locking blade knife
• First Aid kit- usually defined by the organizer
• climbing harness and helmet
• leather gloves, descending device (figure eight or ATC), sometimes ascenders (jumars)
• personal flotation device (lifejacket for paddlesports), sometimes paddles
• wetsuit, if the water and weather are cold
• mountain bike, and helmet ( usually with lights)
• headlamp
• assorted ropes ranging from 6mm to 10mm
• bivy gear - emergency blanket, bivy bag, sleeping bag, tent
• backpacks- you may need a couple of different sizes for different disciplines
• water purification- tablets or filter

Team Equipment List

Teams are also required to have collective gear. Some of it is actually carried by the team, and some of it is for the support crew.

• First Aid Kits. Support crew first aid kit.
• Tents, tarps, sleeping bags
• Cooking stove, pots, utensils
• Water containers
• Gas lamps, flashlights
• Roof rack for mountain bikes
• Food containers
• Support vehicle, a van or sometimes a 4x4

What To Wear

What you wear can be as important as how you train. There is the best case scenario, and the worst case scenario. It is a good idea to take what you need for worst case scenario in the vehicle to the race. The best case scenario will be lighter in weight, and less bulky in the pack. You need to measure your personal warmth needs with what the weather is doing. One enemy of the adventure racer is hypothermia. The clothing you wear is mainly to prevent hypothermia. The first rule to remember is NO COTTON. Cotton absorbs water and retains it. It doesn't have very good insulating qualities once it is wet. Materials such as polypropylene and wool are much better. Polypro and other similar synthetics dry fast. Wool has insulating properties even when it is wet.

A short one day race, may only necessitate running shorts and a T-shirt. For the two day races, and on up, you need to be more concerned with what you wear. The weather in remote places can change very quickly. Your clothing needs to be flexible, so that you can change layers in accordance with the weather. A sample ward robe is as follows:

• long sleeve cool max shirt, or biking jersey
• nylon running shorts
• polypro running tights
• wool or synthetic socks
• lightweight fleece w/ pitzips
• breathable, water proof jacket w/ pitzips
• breathable, waterproof pants
• fleece hat and gloves
• biking shorts, for the bike sections