REQUIRED RACE GEAR/SUGGESTIONS/QUESTIONS

This is a question that most racers face when deciding to enter their first Adventure Race, alot of the gear you will need is defined by the mandatory gear list. Be sure to check this out before deciding to enter. Some races require alot of gear which can easily double the already high race entry fees. Obviously, races with night legs, climbing legs and such require more gear. Most races will at a minimum have Trekking, Mountain Biking and Boating which are all interlaced with navigation. When it is all said and done, you will have amassed a pile of gear, most from trial and error. That being said a good base besides the obvious:

Headlamp- (buy a decent one), check-out gear reviews. LED with long run times and multiple settings are the standard.
Rappell or climbing seat/harness- doesnt have to be fancy, and these dont particularly cost much.
Compass- again buy a quality one, I prefer one with a sighting mirror due to my military background.
Map Case- Ask around, but again buy a good waterproof map case, clear on both sides, so larger views of the map are available. Even in shorter races and Orienteering meets these are handy to fend off sweat or a rain shower.
Dry Bag- along the lines of waterproofing, buy one with a similar capacity to your backpack. Always a good investment to keep gear dry on paddling legs or in case of bad weather.
Small first aid kit- with Emergency blanket and iodine tabs, these come already pre-assembled or just go to a race site and build one based on the gear list. The Medical gear lists don't vary that much from race to race. Some can be as picky as requiring 4 safety pins!
Biking- as a minimum add on to your Mountain bike, you will be required to have a rear red safety light (sometimes even during day races) A front LED light like a cateye is also a good start, these likewise can be removed from the bike for use as a flashlight for map reading...digging through the gear box etc. (Read the lights thread for more on this) and last a bike computer to track mileage to turns etc.

There are many other items that are often required such as a rescue throw bag and life vest for the paddling legs. Sometimes vests are provided sometimes they aren't. Small folding knifes are another common item required.

I can say this and I'm sure others feel the same, buy decent gear from the start, bite the bullet and pay the bit extra for good lighting and other gear. You will without a doubt do this down the road after you first couple races. ANYTHING ELSE YOU GUYS CAN ADD?

Here is a typical gear list from OAR Events 24HR. http://www.oarevents.... and click on gear list.

Great topic, Bruce!

When I first started adventure racing, I found that I already had most of what I needed in the pile of gear I had accumulated over the years of dabbling in the various activities. I did upgrade and replace items as I got into it more, but I would have done the same just by getting more serious about any one of the activities. It's easy to get carried away with buying new gear, especially if you have a reason, like an upcoming race, that you can use as an excuse!

For beginners, my suggestion would be to pick a race you want to do, use their mandatory gear list as a guide, and pull together what you already have. Load it all up in your pack (assuming you have one of these) and go out and train. Once you work up to longer training sessions, 2-3 hours or more, it will start to be very obvious what gear is working for you and what isn't. You can then decide to upgrade those things that aren't working. By this time, you'll know better why you don't like what you have and what you need to look for.

[Personal note: I realize I tend to buy less expensive items and maximize their usefulness. Most of the time this works for me. Only when I know exactly what I want and why I like/need it will I consider moving more toward the top end products. Plenty of other people would disagree. Make your own call.]

You can usually find races that don't have an excessive amount of mandatory gear. A number of them only require you to have basic safety gear and the gear needed to participate in the various activities.

To me, what sets adventure racing apart is the navigation and the team concept. For the navigation part, you do need a compass and a map case, at least one of each per team. Specific races may require more. I prefer to carry a compass with a sighting mirror too, although I find that I don't use it most of the time (I like to navigate by topo instead). If you have teammates identified, you can work out sharing a compass to begin with. Map cases can be as simple as gallon ziploc bags for your first few races. Or you can put clear contact paper or packing tape over your maps to protect them. I now use a SealLine map case that's roughly 10" x 14".

I mention the team concept because the idea of towing your teammates isn't seen in many other sports. In adventure racing, the goal is to work together as a team and cross the finish line as a team. Having a stronger biker tow your slowest biker speeds the whole team up. Towing can also work on runs and swims. The idea is to let each member of the team share their strengths when they can. Everyone will be stronger at something. The gear needed to facilitate towing varies, but it's usually not expensive. A 6' length of rubber tubing can be used for many towing situations.

More later,

Don C

Here is the Petzl Myo XP considered one of the best AR headlamps on the market. The website AR GEAR.com is one of the best for carrying tried and tested race and training gear.

http://www.argear.com...

Quite a few question arise regarding backpacks...though some have their chosen favorites...Salomon seems to be very popular right now...several companies like Go-lite, Ultimate direction and Gregory have designed Adventure racing specific packs....of course a regular decent Camelback or other daypack can get you through most races. The link below is to give you some idea of what's out there....surf around for pricing comparisons. I'm using Salomon Raid series packs...one larger one for weekends and a smaller version for Mountain Bike enduros...8 hour races etc.

http://www.argear.com...

The race gear list requires a "throw bag" what is that? Throw bag is a nice piece of equipment to buy and put in the gear box. Sooner or later you will need to have one. A throw bag is just, that a small nylon bag usually with a wrist lanyard on one end and coiled rope inside. In water rescues the user holds the lanyard and throws the bag toward the person needing assistance...the weight of the bag carries it with the rope uncoiling as it moves toward the target.....it's then simply a matter of towing the person back to the boat. Example below:


http://nrsweb.results...

Been awhile since I posted any updates to this ongoing thread....so let's talk about trekking poles..there are those who prefer to not carry trekking poles and others who swear by them...when I first started racing I was among those who thought they were reserved for the elderly....after using a pair of Leki poles for the multiday PHEAR a couple years ago, I was sold on them and have stuck with them since. Other than simply used for hiking purposes to reduce leg and knee strain..they can act as balancing aids for stream crossing...pulling teammates up ledges..inclines etc and more.

Though not as essential for shorter races..they can pay big dividends over the long haul and weigh very little in exchange. Poles are available at many differant outlets...REI, Great Outdoor provision etc. I would suggest buying a good pair right off the bat that collapse for packing away when not needed. Here's a great link with more details....LEKI makes a good product as well.

http://www.leki.com/h...

Waterproof Jacket- another often required race item..even in the middle of August! One specific thing you will see is a "taped seam" requirement. Meaning when you turn the jacket inside out, you will see what appears to be tape along the stiching seams inside the arms...cuffs etc. This just means it's truly waterproofed. I have been to races where they actually checked for the taped seams!. My personal choice is a golite jacket I bought on sale about 4 years ago around 60.00...it packs down to a softball size saving lots of space and weighs 8oz with a hood.

There are just so many varieties to choose from with a expansive price range. I have seen the REI brand jackets recieve very good ratings at a much lower cost than some of the big names such as NorthFace, Mountain Hardwear, LoweAlpine etc.....

www.argear.com has a good selection with some discussion as well. Pick one out and google for best prices.

Been seeing alot of these packs in the race pics etc on the internet...so far pretty good feedback on them. They do seem a bit hard to find in stock at the differant internet outlets, one big draw is the water bottle holders on the shoulder straps.........


http://www.moosejaw.c...

I really like the Marmot precip jacket. It is lightweight, breathable, has a hood, and unzips under the arm pits. Whatever you get ...I highly recomend a shell (lightweight , windproof, water resistant, brethable jacket. If you need warmth then use fleece or layers underneath it.

Also if anyone needs a light I have a used (2 times) Petzl Myo 5 belt headlap I will sell for cheap ($35). http://www.backcountr...

Check out these packs....saw alot of them at the Pisgah MTB Adventure Race last weekend...I ride with the Hyper 3.0 but just recieved the Adventure Pack as part of a company introduction to the Adventure Racing community....

Plenty of room, built in whistle buckle, easy to access wing pockets on the fly, sits low on the back to reduce strain.

www.wingnutgear.com