Gear List - 2023 Tor des Geants 330

The 2023 Tor des Geants 330 was the second massive adventure of the year and my biggest challenge ever. After completing the Spine Race a couple of months earlier and both the Moab 240 and Tahoe 200 the previous year, I had already accumulated all of the year I would need. It was jsut a matter of deciding which pieces to take along for the adventure, both as part of my mandatory kit in my pack as well as in my drop bag. The drop bag would follow us runners along and meet us at each life base. It was a vital part of the race as it would be the only source of gear and any special nutritional supplies we would have access to during the event.

Below is a list of my gear choices for the event and where and how I chose to carry it. My order of priority and importance remained unchanged from previous events: Functionality > Comfort > Lightweight. Cost wasn't a factor as I did not need to purchase any new gear this time around.

Gear List - 2023 Montane Spine Race

A race of the sheer scale of the 268 mile Spine Race in the UK requires meticulous planning long before the actual race takes place. One might say that the training for an event linke this as well as the running of the race is actually easier than the logistics associated with the gear requirements. In fact, I started planning, testing and selecting various gear pieces as soon as I had signed up for the 2023 event. This included not only the extensive list of mandatory equipment, but also recommended and various optional year one might need or want during a race that may take up to a week to complete. To add to the challenge, the Spine Race is considered a self-sufficient. That means runners must be able to take care of themselves for the entire duration of the event. To drive this point home, checkpoints or aid stations are generally about 50 miles to 60 miles apart.

The list below details my gear choices for the 2023 Spine Race. While I may have made some last minute changes to a piece of gear here and there, it is largely accurate. I also list the weight of each pieve of gear that had to be carried in my pack as that was also a major consideration for my gear choices. I prioritized gear selections as follows: First, it must be absolutely functional. Next, it had to be comfortable. Finally, it had to be light. After all, I had to carry all of it on my back for an entire week while trying to run. Obviously, cost of gear was also a big factor, so I mostly relied on gear I already owned.

If you have any questions about my gear choices, please feel free to comment below this post and I will respond as quickly as possible.

Gear Check - 2017 Everest Trail Race

All gear laid out, mandatory gear on left, "optional' gear on right. Actual running kit w/ trekking poles not included.

Ever since my company Haufe agreed to sponsor my participation in this amazing once in a lifetime adventure nearly 10 months ago, I started the logistical planning process. The Everest Trail Race in the Himalayas of Nepal in the Solukhumbu region. The altitude generally ranges between 6,600ft and 13,500ft. The race course is broken up into 6 individual stages, covering a total distance of just over 100 miles with a change in elevation of nearly 100,000ft. Temperatures can range from the upper 70s during the day to well below freezing during the night, which requires a wide range of available clothing options. Since this race is largely self-sufficient, runners must carry all the gear necessary (except for water, food and tents) to run and survive 6 days in the Himalayas.

Mandatory gear list for Everest Trail Race.

The weather conditions and duration of the event require participants to not only carry mandatory gear, but also other gear that while not mandatory really should be considered required gear. Of course, opinions and needs vary widely, which explains why I have spent the better part of the last 9 months in buying gear, exchanging gear, adding and removing gear from the lists and why I am still not done. Is my sleeping bag warm enough? Is it to heavy? What kind of clothes will I need/want in camp? How will I keep essential ear dry inside my back? Will the pack work? Do I choose wool over synthetic? You get the idea, questions upon questions upon questions, and I'm still changing things.

Mandatory gear laid out prior to test packing.

As I enter the final days of race prep, it was time to actually lay out all gear and try to fit it all inside a 20l running pack. While I had some of the gear in my closet already, the special nature of the event required some purchases to allow the best possible outcome during this stage race. While regular tech shirts certainly work great during a single day race, wearing the same shirt for 6 days straight raises some concerns that may be better addressed by clothing that consists mostly of merino wool fibers. In addition, the weight of gear plays a major role when having to carry all of your gear during a 6 day race.

Optional gear list for Everest Trail Race.

The lists and images in this post reflect the logistical planning of the last 9 months. I plan to test out some if not all of this gear during some acclimation training as well as a last training cycle to try to replicate the conditions on race day, both in regards to weather and terrain. Hopefully, meticulous gear planning coupled with altitude acclimation and terrain specific training will put me in a position to complete this event with as little problems as possible. My goal is to have the experience of a lifetime with as few mid-race disasters as possible. I do plan to push my own pace within my limits (after all, I am quite competitive by nature), but my main goal is to stop and smell the roses and to take some pictures and videos to last  lifetime while moving through what will be the most memorable terrain I will ever encounter.

Option gear laid out prior to test packing.

There actually is a minimum weight requirement for gear of 3.5kg or 7.7lbs and a maximum gear weight of 7kg or 15.5lbs. I was able to keep total gear and pack weight to just 3.8kg or 8.5lbs. Hopefully, my gear planning phase is in its final stages and I can focus on a bit more training in the last weeks leading up to race day.

Mandatory and optional gear packed.

UPDATE: After arriving in Kathmandu, Nepal and before the actual gear check through the race organizers, I had made some final adjustments to my gear list. First, I upgraded my sleeping bag the Zpacks 900 Fill Power Down Sleeping Bag 5F Standard Long (700g) after receiving a last minute report from the race organization that temperatures were exceptionally low, potentially dipping as low as -10 Celsius (15 Fahrenheit). Warmth and comfort at night easily outweighted the weight savings of a smaller/lighter bag. Either way, this sleeping bag was still extremely lightweight. I has also made some other small changes related to toilet paper (I took a combination of tissue and wet wipes). I also replaces individual anti chafing wipes with a stick for weight savings. Finally, i swapped the mandatory compass for a much smaller version.

My pack ended up weighing in at 9.2 lbs (4.2 kg) during the mandatory gear check and that included everything listed above. I did ue almost everything I packed, but I could have saved a little bit more weight by only taking one pair of tights (either compression or long underwear), removing the pair of boxers and the extra short sleeve shirt. The pillow was not a necessity and I had also removed the EPIpen prior to gear check. All in all, I could have come in just above the minimum required weight of 3.5 kg, but either way, I am very happy with my overall gear choices. I may not have used my windbreaker, but I was sure glad I had it just in case.