ADVENTURE RACING 6 INSTANT UPGRADES
10.14 | PROJECTS BEST EVENTS FOR RACING
6 INSTANT UPGRADES ADVENTURE RACING City triathlons? Glorified commuting. Go off-grid for a race through the wilds with nothing but a map, your wits and this essential kit to help you
1 SILVA RACE S JET Most races frown upon the use of GPS watches, so your navigation needs to be of the retro variety. In theory, you would keep your map perfectly orientated and your thumb on the location. But as this is tricky to do in the maelstrom of a race, use this handy thumb compass to check your bearings. The design means you don’t have to fumble about to find it while you orientate the map. It’s also much harder to drop than a standard compass, and the super-fast needle won’t jump around as you run either. £70 / silva.se
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4 WHAT’S AN ADVENTURE RACE?
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OPEN ADVENTURE COAST TO COAST 28-31 Aug 2015 Making Indiana Jones look like a couch potato, you will mountain-bike, run, kayak and swim, racing from St Bees Head to Robin Hood’s Bay. from £270 / openadventure.com
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[ Words Tobias Mews Illustration Jamie Sneddon ]
4 HAGLOFS GRAM COMP 12
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3 INOV 8 RACE ULTRA Choosing footwear for an adventure race is quite personal. Some races can last up to a week, others only a few hours – so you need a shoe that’s light, comfortable and durable, and offers decent grip. This award-winner from trail running specialists Inov 8 has been designed for off-road ultra-distance athletes. That means it’s good for the mountains or trails and, thanks to an 8mm heel drop, allows for heel striking when you’re tired – something that’s guaranteed to happen in an adventure race. £120 / inov-8.com
Most adventure races are self-supported, so you have to carry a list of mandatory kit: water, food, foil blanket, climbing harness, waterproof jacket, warm top, torch and helmet, among other things. At 275g, this water-resistant 12-litre pack will swallow all your kit without adding too much extra weight. It’s also very comfortable thanks to padded shoulder straps, while the attachment loops and large hip belt pockets make it easy to grab snacks and accessories without breaking your stride. £70 / haglofs.co.uk
5 LASER PHOTON 2 TWO-PERSON TENT Expedition-style adventure races often demand an overnight camp. As you’ll be carrying your tent for longer than you’ll be sleeping in it, you need one that’s minimal and spine-friendly. This is the world’s first sub-900g two-person tent, so it ticks the weight box. But it’s also designed specifically for adventure racing, mountain marathons and light backpacking, taking only five minutes to pitch and offering compatibility with Terra Nova’s ‘FastPack’ system for the option of using just the flysheet. £450 / terra-nova.co.uk
6 LED LENSER H7R.2 Some races demand that you keep going through the night, so you’ll need a decent head-torch – especially if you’re careering around on a bike. This is a popular torch with trail runners and adventure racers thanks to its 300 lumens output, long battery life and low weight. It can be recharged via USB but you can also use standard AAA batteries. For the safety-conscious, there’s also a red rear light attached to the ergonomically designed battery compartment to make sure the speedsters behind don’t plough into you. £80 / ledlenser.com
ORIGINAL MOUNTAIN MARATHON 25-26 Oct 2014 Known as ‘the OMM’, this 36-hour navigation event for pairs started in 1968. With courses for all abilities, it’s a fine way to explore the UK. £75 per person / theomm.com
QUESTARS ADVENTURE RACE SERIES Mar – Sep 2015 Great for beginners and experienced adventurers, these are five events from the New Forest to the Brecon Beacons. from £37 per person / questars.co.uk
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[ Pictures James Kirby, marklucylockett]
Think an Easter egg hunt, but for sporty grown-ups. Teams of two to three combine endurance disciplines (usually trekking, biking and kayaking) with tech-free navigation.
2 GIANT ANTHEM 27.5 1 A trusty, versatile mountain bike is the most important bit of equipment in an adventure racer’s collection. Because you never know what type of terrain you’ll be riding on, you need one that’s light and manoeuvrable, has decent suspension and will give you the confidence to tackle the most technical of single tracks. This Giant has the CV to do just that. It’s a great all-round cross-country bike, with a super-lightweight full-sus alloy frame, 100mm of travel and 27.5in wheels for a grippy, responsive ride. £2250 / giant-bicycles.com
HAGLOFS OPEN 5 ADVENTURE RACE SERIES Nov 2014 – Apr 2015 This series is the perfect introduction to the sport. You have five hours to rack up points on foot and mountain bike. £28 per person / openadventure.com
6 INSTANT UPGRADES ADVENTURE RACING City triathlons? Glorified commuting. Go off-grid for a race through the wilds with nothing but a map, your wits and this essential kit to help you
1 SILVA RACE S JET Most races frown upon the use of GPS watches, so your navigation needs to be of the retro variety. In theory, you would keep your map perfectly orientated and your thumb on the location. But as this is tricky to do in the maelstrom of a race, use this handy thumb compass to check your bearings. The design means you don’t have to fumble about to find it while you orientate the map. It’s also much harder to drop than a standard compass, and the super-fast needle won’t jump around as you run either. £70 / silva.se
5
4 WHAT’S AN ADVENTURE RACE?
2
OPEN ADVENTURE COAST TO COAST 28-31 Aug 2015 Making Indiana Jones look like a couch potato, you will mountain-bike, run, kayak and swim, racing from St Bees Head to Robin Hood’s Bay. from £270 / openadventure.com
3
[ Words Tobias Mews Illustration Jamie Sneddon ]
4 HAGLOFS GRAM COMP 12
[[1C]]
3 INOV 8 RACE ULTRA Choosing footwear for an adventure race is quite personal. Some races can last up to a week, others only a few hours – so you need a shoe that’s light, comfortable and durable, and offers decent grip. This award-winner from trail running specialists Inov 8 has been designed for off-road ultra-distance athletes. That means it’s good for the mountains or trails and, thanks to an 8mm heel drop, allows for heel striking when you’re tired – something that’s guaranteed to happen in an adventure race. £120 / inov-8.com
Most adventure races are self-supported, so you have to carry a list of mandatory kit: water, food, foil blanket, climbing harness, waterproof jacket, warm top, torch and helmet, among other things. At 275g, this water-resistant 12-litre pack will swallow all your kit without adding too much extra weight. It’s also very comfortable thanks to padded shoulder straps, while the attachment loops and large hip belt pockets make it easy to grab snacks and accessories without breaking your stride. £70 / haglofs.co.uk
5 LASER PHOTON 2 TWO-PERSON TENT Expedition-style adventure races often demand an overnight camp. As you’ll be carrying your tent for longer than you’ll be sleeping in it, you need one that’s minimal and spine-friendly. This is the world’s first sub-900g two-person tent, so it ticks the weight box. But it’s also designed specifically for adventure racing, mountain marathons and light backpacking, taking only five minutes to pitch and offering compatibility with Terra Nova’s ‘FastPack’ system for the option of using just the flysheet. £450 / terra-nova.co.uk
6 LED LENSER H7R.2 Some races demand that you keep going through the night, so you’ll need a decent head-torch – especially if you’re careering around on a bike. This is a popular torch with trail runners and adventure racers thanks to its 300 lumens output, long battery life and low weight. It can be recharged via USB but you can also use standard AAA batteries. For the safety-conscious, there’s also a red rear light attached to the ergonomically designed battery compartment to make sure the speedsters behind don’t plough into you. £80 / ledlenser.com
ORIGINAL MOUNTAIN MARATHON 25-26 Oct 2014 Known as ‘the OMM’, this 36-hour navigation event for pairs started in 1968. With courses for all abilities, it’s a fine way to explore the UK. £75 per person / theomm.com
QUESTARS ADVENTURE RACE SERIES Mar – Sep 2015 Great for beginners and experienced adventurers, these are five events from the New Forest to the Brecon Beacons. from £37 per person / questars.co.uk
[[2C]]
[ Pictures James Kirby, marklucylockett]
Think an Easter egg hunt, but for sporty grown-ups. Teams of two to three combine endurance disciplines (usually trekking, biking and kayaking) with tech-free navigation.
2 GIANT ANTHEM 27.5 1 A trusty, versatile mountain bike is the most important bit of equipment in an adventure racer’s collection. Because you never know what type of terrain you’ll be riding on, you need one that’s light and manoeuvrable, has decent suspension and will give you the confidence to tackle the most technical of single tracks. This Giant has the CV to do just that. It’s a great all-round cross-country bike, with a super-lightweight full-sus alloy frame, 100mm of travel and 27.5in wheels for a grippy, responsive ride. £2250 / giant-bicycles.com
HAGLOFS OPEN 5 ADVENTURE RACE SERIES Nov 2014 – Apr 2015 This series is the perfect introduction to the sport. You have five hours to rack up points on foot and mountain bike. £28 per person / openadventure.com
