How many times have I heard it: “Adventure racing sounds fun, but don’t you need heaps of gear!? It’s so expensive!” Outdoor gear prices can be daylight robbery but you don’t need to fork out for a lot of gear up front. I’ve been trekking in India at over 5000m in sleet and snow while the locals wore only cotton hoodies and disposable ponchos. They were tough as nails but it can be done!
Here’s what you need to get started with ‘sprint’ (single day) races. Worst case if you have to buy all of this, it’s still just $70 and you’ll use them for any outdoor trip:
- Southern hemisphere compass ($10 upwards – $35 for a decent one)
- Pealess whistle (pealess still works in all conditions) = $4
- 1st aid kit: race organisers specify but generally a crepe bandage, wound dressing, sterile dressing(s) and a space blanket. You may have this at home or in your car first aid kit, otherwise ~$30
- Contact for covering maps if they aren’t already waterproof = $2
Stuff you already have:
- Race clothes: t-shirt and shorts, hat, sunnies and a jumper if it’s cold. Wool or synthetic t-shirt and a fleece are ideal but for a day event in Australia it’s not that cold so it’s not a huge deal.
- Shoes: any sports shoes will do. Trail runners last longer but aren’t always comfortable and don’t give you the same ‘feel’ for the track as thinner soled shoes. One team does XPD (10 day expedition race) in old Dunlop Volleys, so whatever runners you own will do just fine.
- Water bottle: a Camelback or equivalent makes drinking on the go easier but you can easily stow a regular water bottle in your backpack.
- Highlighters and a thin permanent marker for map marking
Other stuff:
- Bike and helmet: If you don’t have a bike, never fear – try to borrow from a friend or neighbour (you’d be surprised how many people have bikes in their garage waiting for a run) and if not, hire a bike from somewhere like http://sydneymtbhire.com.au/.
- Raincoat: Not always on the essential gear list but highly recommended. Any raincoat will do, but if you only invest in one piece of outdoor gear, a good raincoat should be it, they last for years. When you’re cold and wet you would pay almost any price for that decent raincoat!
- Kayak: Almost all shorter events and most longer ones provide kayaks so you don’t need one unless you’re really serious. You can borrow a friend’s for training or rent one now and again.
Anything to avoid?
- Cotton! You’ve probably heard it before but when cotton gets wet, it’s cold, takes ages to dry and chafes. Not fun at all!
- New gear in a race: You only make this mistake once, but try to avoid it altogether. Break in those new shoes and test out those riding shorts beforehand or your fun adventure might have the unpleasant extra challenge of blisters and a raw backside.
Sure, there’s bonus gear that would help and you can get carried away very easily (don’t leave me alone in Mountain Designs with a credit card). But for years I just used what I had, hand-me-downs or borrowed gear. Most memorable was cycling through my first winter while I was a student and being so desperate to keep my hands and feet warm (without spending money) that I tried plastic bags in my shoes and washing up gloves under my summer cycling gloves. I don’t suggest you go that extreme unless you are ok copping a lot of flack from your mates, but there are ways and means without spending heaps of cash.
So don’t let gear stop you. You can do sprint races spending less than $70 up front on gear and using what you have. The main expense will be bike rental for the day if you can’t borrow one. More gear can make life easier and more comfortable but you don’t have to be a gear freak to give it a go.