You are an individual and a study of one. What worked for me might not work for you, and equally the reverse may be true.
Ignore those that say that you must have a certain piece of kit, equipment or a certain brand. It’s nonsense.
You’ll also get the advice to test, test, test. Yes, you have to, but be very aware that what works for you in 15C on the trails in the UK may not work in 45C over the sand dunes of the Sahara.
There to complete, not compete.
I used the Ultimate Direction Fastpack 25 litre, which they don’t make anymore, although the 20 litre and 30 litre versions are still available. I did get some rubbing to the base of my back early on, but that was not unusual among competitors because of pack weight and body position and I think I would have got this with any pack that I used.
I don’t know what other versions are like, but there are two small zip pockets in the front waist area – ideal for storing electrolyte, snacks, Cliff bloks etc. However the position is just below the base of the front flasks, so not ideal to access on the go. Also, I couldn’t reach the side pockets while the pack was on my back which seems to defeat the object a little.
The zips crusted up with salty sweat, but that was going to happen with any pack…
In summary, it was ok. The backpack is one item you’ll end up spending a lot of money on, so it would be expensive to try every option – and trying on in the shop is not the same as 100km into the race while still carrying 8kg.
25 litre was perfect size for me……
Price: £140
Weight: 555g
The nights were generally warm, but I did use my sleeping bag most nights. The bag is comfy, but I didn’t get a chance to try it out in chillier temperatures, so can’t vouch for how warm it would be if it got down to single figures.
Price: £220
Weight: 450g
I bought half a size up. I have wide feet, so went for my standard 2E wide fitting. I use these for trail runs in the UK and I know they work for me. They’re not perfect (nothing will replace the early versions of the New Balance Hieros!), but they’re as close as I can get.
The gaiters can alter the shape of the front of the shoe, and although I didn’t have any issues I know others did. I had run a couple of marathons in these before going to the MdS so knew they were ok…at least in UK conditions anyway! I did have a few small blisters, but nothing major.
Price: £140
Weight: 276g
I took two pairs of Injinji Ultra run crew socks. One pair for the first three days and the other pair for the long stage and the marathon. Again, I use these in the UK, so I know they work for me and they were great for the MdS. Normally I would have the shorter length, but I think you need something a bit higher up your ankle/calf as this provides a layer between the top of your gaiter and your leg.
Price: £17.96
Weight: 109g
I wore the Raidlight long sleeved desert top, as did around half the competitors! It is now held together by sweat, snot, blood and more than a few tears. I only had the one shirt that I was only able to rinse out the once, but it worked perfectly, although pulling on the crusty thing at the beginning of each day on the later stages was a very unpleasant experience.
Price: £69
Weight: 105g
Perfect for me and I had no issues. I had one pair for the week, which was pretty grim, but they held up really well.
Price: £34.49
Weight: 142g
These fit nicely in the front of my Ultimate Direction pack. I was disappointed when one of the valves that leaked after a few days (and you don’t want to be losing precious fluid!), as did other peoples. The plastic bite valve had split and I had had similar problems while in the UK. Raidlight don’t offer replacements/spares which I would have like to have taken just in case.
Also I ended up hating drinking from these flasks! I knew hydration was a real issue for me (in the heat chamber before the race I was losing 2 litres and hour), so was very conscious that I had to take on as much fluid as I was given. I was constantly sipping from the flasks and got so bored of it. Drinking from a proper bottle at a check point was wonderful (even if it had been in the sun at 45C!).
Price: £13.84
Weight: 100g
I can burn under a 40 watt light bulb, so this was a concern. For the rare occasions when running on a sunny day in the UK I usually use Banana Boat as it doesn’t sting when it mixes with sweat and gets into your eyes. However Lifesystems came in a handy 100ml tube which was ideal. A bit of a risk considering I’d not used it before, but it was excellent – no sunburn and the amount was pretty perfect for me for the week.
Price: £9
Weight: 120g
Body Glide stick. Worked perfectly and I had no issues. I’ve used Body Glide and Squirrels Nut butter before, but the later had melted when it got hot in the UK, so I made the decision not to use that.
Price: £12.99
Weight: 22g
I bought the MyRaceKit branded Raidlight desert gaiters and had them fitted by the brilliant Kevin at Alex Shoe Repairs on Lavender Hill in Clapham. He knows what he’s doing and what he’s talking about. I had a bit of fine sand in my shoes at the end of the long day, but hey, I had been going through sand dunes for over 18 hours, so not entirely unexpected. £60 well spent.
Price: £38
Weight: 30g
If I had limitless budget I would have had a solar powered, but lacking that I used my trusty Fenix 5. It was great, but needed a couple of booster charges and I put it onto UltraTrak on the long stage.
Price: £479.99
Weight: 85g