Questars Races
Wondering what kit to bring for your next Adventure Race? This page lists what you need together with other items that you may find useful to bring if you have them.
Please note, the mandatory kit should be seen as the minimum required kit only. It is not the recommended kit as each event takes place under different weather conditions. You should check the weather forecast and use your previous experience and sound judgement to decide the kit you should be wearing and carrying.
Click on the information icon by each item listed below to read the full details.
MANDATORY KIT (per person)
Big enough to carry everything you need for the whole race with you.
You will need sufficient capacity to carry all the water you need for 2-3 hours of running / biking. A bottle or vessel where you don’t need to touch the mouth piece (i.e. with dirty hands) is advisable.
Drinking water will be available at the transition points for you to top up during the race.
You will need to bring sufficient food with you to consume during the race. Eating a little and often is the best approach for many. Energy bars and gels are great for carrying with you and doing this. Items that you can eat from the packaging without touching the food itself are a good idea, as your hands may not always be that clean. In addition you’ll want to have something a little more substantial for when you transition – five/six hours is a long time!
Dropping / leaving of litter is not acceptable under any circumstance. Please make sure all wrappers and packaging are disposed of in the bins provided at transition or taken home with you.
Large parts of the course are in open areas that are susceptible to the wind. If you get wet, the wind-chill effect will be considerable, especially at this time of year. It is therefore mandatory that you carry a windproof top with you as a minimum.
A versatile piece of cloth that can be worn around the neck or head for many purposes. It can protect you from the elements. A hat is also OK. Available to purchase on the day, if required.
To summon help in an emergency. Should be easily accessible e.g. worn around your neck or attached to your rucksack (and not buried inside it). Many rucksacks have a whistle on the chest clip. Available to purchase on the day, if required.
Or survival bag, to keep you (or a casualty) warm in an emergency. Available to purchase on the day, if required.
A certified helmet for riding a bicycle, that is in good condition and fits your head.
Mountain bikes (with front suspension) are recommended. Other types of bikes (e.g. cyclocross bikes) may not be as suitable and may restrict your progress depending on the conditions. But you may use other bikes that are designed for off-road riding if you wish to do so. They must have appropriate tyres for off road use (slick tyres are not allowed). Any participant using an e-bike must declare this before they start and will be non-competitive (i.e. not eligible for a race winners prize). Check your bike beforehand to make sure it’s in a good condition!
If you wish to hire a mountain bike for this event, and haven’t already booked one, you need to book it now. Do not leave it until the last minute as there might be none available!
MANDATORY KIT (PER TEAM/SOLO)
Sufficient to deal with all your medical needs and any minor injuries both during and after the race. You need to bring one small first aid kit to carry with you at all times during the race. In addition, we recommend you bring a larger more comprehensive first aid kit (with plentiful supplies in) and leave this in your transition box/bag or vehicle for use post-race if required.
The mobile phone – the number of which is specified as your Team Mobile Number on your entry – to carry with you in case of an emergency.
It’s a good idea to download and install the what3words app on any phones that you will be carrying with you during the race. This app can be used to let us / the emergency services know your exact location in an emergency.
Thin permanent marker pen to write information down on your map (which is printed on waterproof paper). Available to purchase on the day, if required.
In addition, you may wish to bring a highlighter pen to highlight certain routes on your map before you start.
A watch or other timing device that you can record your race time on so you know how long you have been going for (and hence how long you have left).
A watch worn on your wrist that you can start/stop and view easily is preferable to using a smart phone.
Sufficient tools to keep your bike on the road. As a minimum you should carry enough to fix multiple punctures e.g. pump, tyre levers, spare inner tubes and a puncture repair kit. If you have a mechanical problem you will need to fix it yourself and/or make your own way back to the event base. We will only pick you up in exceptional circumstances, which will result in the end of your race.
WHAT WE ADVISE YOU TO BRING
We recommend you bring your water bottle(s) full to the event (so you don’t have to fill up before you start), and bring some for after you finish too. Drinking water will be available at the transition points for you to top up your water bottle during the race as and when you need to.
Most people wear gloves (either fingerless or full finger) when mountain biking. And you may wish to wear gloves when kayaking. These could be the same gloves you wear mountain biking or different ones.
Some of the trails are narrow with vegetation encroaching from both sides. You may therefore wish to cover your arms to protect them from the odd stray nettle / bramble.
Whilst nearly all the trails are clear of vegetation, you may come across one or two short sections where the vegetation scratches your lower legs. You may therefore wish to wear long calf-length socks or wear/carry with you full leg cover just in case.
A small bottle (50-100 ml) of anti bacterial hand gel (with 50% minimum alcohol content) to carry with you during the race, so you can regularly sanitise your hands. We recommend that you sanitise your hands before eating (and drinking if necessary), and after kayaking as a minimum.
You will find a compass handy if you know how to use it. It’s easy to become disorientated in the woods!
To let others know that you are approaching them.
A lock to slip round your bike at the event base when you are not using it (i.e. before you start and/or after you finish).
Or pouch / case for your mobile phone (especially when kayaking)
