Required and Recommended Gear

Fall BEAST (November 23, 2008)

Racers are required to have certain gear to participate. The required items may change a little from race to race.

Each participant, required:

• Needed during biking part of course only: a mountain bike (suitable for riding on sometimes rocky or rutted gravel roads and single track trails) and bike helmet
• trekking (running/hiking) shoes suitable for trail/road and off-trail travel
• light (in case of emergency)
• capacity to carry at least 1 liter (33 oz) of water or sports drink at all times (bottles, bladders). You may want to carry more than this, since you could be traveling for a few hours between water sources.
• warm hat (e.g. wool or fleece stocking cap). (A skull cap or Buff does not qualify.)
• waterproof coat or shell
• mylar emergency blanket (also called, "space blanket")
• whistle for use in emergency (three short blasts in a row means, "come help me")
• personal identification (driver's license or Road ID, for example)
• emergency contact person (ideally reachable during race) and phone number for race staff
• card or paper with emergency and medical information, to be carried on course:
  • emergency contact person (ideally reachable during race) and phone number
  • any allergies (for example, peanuts or bee stings)
  • any drug allergies
  • important medical conditions that could affect emergency treatment
  • HMO information

Each participant, recommended:

• extra clothing appropriate to the weather (probably around freezing and wet): for example, a rain suit, multiple insulating underlayers, booties or extra socks
• adequate food and drink for energy and hydration, such as Clif Bars, nuun, gels, drinks, trail mix, etc.
• reflective or light colored clothing to make you more visible to other area users
• a change of clothes and warm layers for the finish
• cleated trekking shoes, such as orienteering or soccer shoes, for traction in snow.

Each team, required:

• a plastic bin for staging team equipment at the transition area (TA may be at start/finish or remote). 3- or 4-person teams may have two bins at the TA.
• one folding blade knife or scissors
• tire pump, tire levers, and an extra tube or patch kit (biking part only)
• time piece
• compass
• writing implement (pencil or waterproof pen)
• plastic bag or map case to protect course map (each participant who wants a map will receive one, so multiple bags/cases are recommended)

Each team, recommended:

• map holder for bike handlebars
• towing gear for use on foot (e.g. WeGo Team Link) and on bike