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ADVENTURE RACING GEAR: BASIC
LIST
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Note: This is only a BASIC listing of gear you will need for
Adventure Racing. You will need to consult your race gear lists, since most
races have slight variations in the required gear. This gear list is based more
for a 24 hour race or shorter. We have also added some extra items, at the bottom
of the page, that you may want to add to your list.
For
a printable list click here.
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BASIC GEAR LIST
INDIVIDUAL GEAR
- Backpack
Large and Small
- Shoes
- Whistle
- Compass
- Knife (1.5
" blade or longer)
- Headlamp
- Emergency
blanket
- Wool cap or
synthetic warm hat
- Synthetic
long sleeve underwear top
- Synthetic
long leg underwear bottom
- Waterproof
jacket
- Waterproof
Pants
- Water
Bladders (Camelbak, Platypus)
- Glow Stick
- Duct tape
- Gloves
- Extra
batteries
CANOEING/ KAYAKING/ RAFTING
- Paddling PFD's
- Drybag with
backpack straps
- Paddles
(Optional)
MOUNTAIN BIKING
- Bike helmet
- Mountain
Bike
(Something more than a "Wal-Mart Special")
- White front
light
- Red rear
light mounted on bike
- Spare tube
per person
- Bike repair
- Tire
pump/C02 cartridge inflator
TEAM FIRST AID KIT
- 3 - 4x4
Gauze pads
- 1 Roll
1" waterproof medical tape or equivalent amount of duct tape
- 2 Ounces
antibacterial ointment
- 3" Ace
bandage
- Moleskin
(enough for all three competitors)
- 2 Safety
pins
- 3 Doses of
painkiller (Tylenol, aspirin, etc)
- 3 Doses of
anti-inflammatory (ibuprofen, etc)
- Tweezers
- Sunscreen
- Lip balm
EXTRA ITEMS
- Change of clothes
- Extra socks (synthetic or wool)
- Towel
- Waterproof Box (Rubbermaid type)
GEAR RECOMMENDATIONS
PERSONAL
GEAR
Shoes: Your shoes are your MOST
important item you can buy. They will make the difference between you finishing
and not. A good and comfortable trail running shoe is great. For the shoes Salomon and Montrail dominate the Adventure Racing Industry. Since so many teams from World Champions Eco-Internet and National Champions Go-Lite use these brands, how can they be wrong? They can be found at: Rei.com, Moosejaw.com, and ARGear.com for the best prices.
Backpacks: As for packs, lighter is
always better. Packs should always include a hydration sleeve in the pack.
Salomon and Go-lite make the best and lightest in the industry. The Salomon Raid
Race 200 and its larger brother the Salomon Raid Race 300 are great packs. They range
from $60.00 to $80.00. They can be found at: ARGear.com, Arequip.com and
Moosejaw.com.
Whistle: Any is okay.
A plastic whistle with a bottom drain is recommended. Fox makes an
excellent whistle called the Fox 40. They can be bought just about anywhere.
Compass: A good compass with a
clear bottom and a sighting mirror is recommended. Silva and Suunto lead the
industry. The Suunto MC-2 with the global needle is a great compass, with lots of extra features. The drawback to
this is its cost, so don’t go nuts buying one. A good compass with the features
you need from either company will be great.
You can find these at any of the local outdoor shops or at: Rei.com,
Moosejaw.com, Campmor.com, and ARGear.com.
Knife
(1.5 " blade or longer): Most races require each person to have a
knife. We suggest you find a light, durable knife for this purpose. You may be
the type that wants to have a multi-tool like the Gerber or Leatherman. It is
a good idea that at least one member of each team has one of these, but the trade off is the weight. One of the lightest and durable knives out there is the Gerber LST Ultralight knife (.6 ounces). The LST is simply a folding knife this is a great option when ounces count. Make
sure the multi-tool has a knife blade on it. You can find these knives at most of your outdoor retailers, ARgear.com or Moosejaw.com.
Headlamp: Headlamps light your way
through a race and it is important to get a good one. A combo light with an LED and Halogen
or Xenon lights are great, but you give up weight. The LED only are
usually lighter. Due to the fact the LED or the LED/ Xenon lights have a drastically longer burn life, some up to 150 hours on one set of
batteries. With the dual lights you can switch between the LED and the Xenon lights to make your batteries last
longer, plus it gives you a lot more visual range when looking for checkpoints
at night. It is important to research your gear to see if it works best for
you. Petzl, Princeton Tec., and Black Diamond make excellent lights. Black Diamond has the Ion,
Moonlight, Nightray, Xenix, their hybrids are the Spaceshot 2, Polar Star,
Solaris, Helion and Vectra IQ . Petzl has seven models: The MYO, MYO 3 and 5,The Tikka and Tikka Plus, Zipka, and the Duo LED. Princeton Tec has
two, the Aurora
and Matrix. You
can find all of these at REI.com, Moosejaw.com, or ARGear.com.
Emergency blanket: This is the
silver “space blanket” and any will do. These can be found at just about all of your local outdoor retailers or Wall-Mart.
Wool or synthetic warm hat : This
will be the “watch cap” or “beanie” type of hat. The Smart Wool beanie
is a great buy. Another option you may want to try is a Buff. A Buff can be worn in many configurations and it is ultra light. A Buff may be a great idea if you want to limit the amount of gear you are carrying. You can read about the Buff at BuffUSA.com or Both can be found at REI.com and ARGear.com.
Synthetic long sleeve underwear top
Synthetic long leg underwear bottom: It is your choice on these. It is
a great idea that you buy some that are light, durable, and warm in all
conditions. The Smart Wool line is great, but costly and heavy. Check with Marmot,
Go-Lite, and some other retailers. Use what is best for
you and allows the maximum mobility. Most can be found at REI.com, Campmor.com, and ARGear.com.
Waterproof jacket and Waterproof pants:
Remember the term “Breathable” this is important when buying your
waterproof items. Again this is a personal choice on what you want to go with.
Look for some that collapse down for easy packing and are light in weight. Marmot and GO Light make some ultra light rainwear, but the drawback is the cost.
You can find these at any of the local outdoor shops or at: Rei.com,
Moosejaw.com, Campmor.com, and ARGear.com.
Water Bladder: You
will need at least 2 water bladders. There are many brands Camelbak has become
the leader the industry. Remember to make sure your choices include a good seal
on the refill hole. It is important to get what you like in the bladders, some brands have interchangeable parts. Remember that you get what you pay for
in these items. You can find these at any of the local outdoor shops or at:
Rei.com, Moosejaw.com, Campmor.com, and Backcountrystore.com.
Glow Stick: You
can find these just about anywhere. Get a minimum of a 6 hour stick.
Duct tape: There is always a use
for duct tape…enough said!!
Gloves:
Good gloves are important in cold weather. Find some light and well
fitting gloves. Your dexterity in working a compass or fixing a broken item is
important. A good pair of leather gloves is also a must, since most Adventure Races
have some
rappelling, traversing, or climbing in them. If you can find a pair of gloves that will work for all of your tasks, go with them.
Extra batteries: Just
in case.
Headlamps and bike lights need batteries.
CANOEING/ KAYAKING/ RAFTING
Paddling PFD's:
Personal Flotation Devices (PFD) are recommended because most races seem
to have less than desirable loaner PFD. You want to find an PFD that won’t
restrict your upper body movement and allow you full range of motion in your
arms. You can find good deals on PFD at Rei.com in their REI Outlet section. Retailers like NRSWeb.com,
REI.com, ARGear.com, and Moosejaw.com are great places to start your online search.
Drybag (with backpack straps): Because
you will be in the water at some time, you may need a Drybag. This bag seals
water out and protects your gear and dry clothes. One with pack straps can be a good
idea since you may have to carry it a short distance to the canoes or when
portaging. You may opt to put your gear in a drybag that fits in your pack. Your
pack may get wet, but your gear will remain dry. Drybags can be found at NRSWeb.com, REI.com, ARGear.com, and Moosejaw.com
Paddles (Optional) : There
are ultra light weight paddles on the market and all are great. If you are going
to buy a paddle research it before you buy.
Kayak paddles are also used widely in AR for canoeing. ARGear.com and NRSWeb.com offer some great paddles.
MOUNTAIN BIKING
Mountain Bike: Mountain bikes come
in all sizes and shapes. You will need a durable bike that is good enough to take
a considerable amount of abuse. Along with this comes a medium to pricey cost for the bike. You should find one that you are comfortable with. The suggestion that you
"ride before you buy" is important. Talk to your fellow adventure
racers, you can get the best input from them. Look closely at the features and
geometry. Bikes are found at all price ranges for a quality, warranted
bike. We have acquired our bikes from Arkansas Cycling and Fitness at Bowman
Curve (Little Rock, Arkansas) and in Sherwood. Other local bikes shops include
Bikeseller.com and Chainwheel. It is best to buy your bike from a dealer, rather
than online. Unless you know exactly what you are getting, you should "put
your hands on your bike" before you buy. You can read more about the bikes
we ride at Fisherbikes.com.
Bike helmet: Good helmets can be
found anywhere. You want to find a light and comfortable helmet for you.
Sometimes this requires you to spend a little more than you usually would. Gyro
dominates the biking helmet industry and has the widest range. Other brands you
may find are Louis Garneau,
Specialized, Bell
and Shimano just to name a few. You can find these at
any of your local bike shops or at Rei.com, Moosejaw.com, Nashbar.com, and
Performancecycling.com.
Bike Light: We can guarantee that
you will be riding at night some time. A good light for your bike is
important. This is totally up to you what you want but ask around before you
buy. There are lots of lights on the market some are by Cateye, Cyclolite, Light
& Motion, Jet Lights, Lume Lighting, NiteRider, ViewPoint, Planet Bike, and Nite Hawk.
We have only mentioned a few of the light manufacturers, when you research your
lights check on warranties, burn times, and things like extra batteries. Some of
these lights can be found at any of the local cycle shops and online at
Nashbar.com and Performancecycling.com.
Red rear light mounted on bike: A
good blinking/ steady red LED light will be needed. Preferably one with a steady setting is a good idea,
since you are sure to have a teammate following you and the blinking gets
annoying in the woods. Cateye makes a good and
cheap light for this purpose. These can be found at any of the local cycle shops
and online at Performancecycling.com or Nashbar.com.
Spare tube per person: Get a spare
bike tube for your MTB. These are lifesavers in AR. Be sure to check your valve
type and rim size before buying the tubes.
Bike repair Kit: A bike repair
multi-tool is recommended. It is only not needed when you are riding with
someone who has one. Alien makes a pricey but great tool. These can be found at any of the local cycle shops and
online at Performancecycling.com.
Tire pump/CO2 cartridge inflator: Good
tire pumps are a great idea and a must as a backup. The Mountain Morph is a
great pump and easy to use. A CO2 inflator is also a great idea. This is a small portable
compressed air tank. Great for quick inflates. Try to avoid "combo
items" , most don't work as well as a good pump and will only slow you
down. These can be found at any of the
local cycle shops and online at Nashbar.com and Performancecycling.com.
EXTRA
ITEMS
Below is a list of extra items
that you may want to consider adding to your equipment inventory:
Change of clothes: Always
take a change of clothes with you. It is easier to change into dry, clean
clothes than it is to fight being wet, cold, and miserable.
Extra pair of socks: You
may save your feet allot of pain by simply changing your socks.
Towel: Your wet...dry off.
Waterproof storage box:
Rubbermaid makes quite a few choices for gear boxes. Be sure to find one that
will fit all of your gear. Remember, your box needs to keep your gear dry if it
is raining and it will need to survive abuse from a large gorilla...just in case
your race has a gear drop. (See AR Lingo)
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