Prepare and test your equipment
The choice of suitable equipment is a key factor in the success of your race. Ultra-endurance requires thorough preparation, including the choice of the equipment that you take with you.
The month of August in the Mont-Blanc area can be very hot (more than 30°C), but it can also be very cold (up to -10°C experienced above 2000m), with rain, hail or even snow. Your equipment must be suitable for confronting all types of conditions and enable you to spend one or two nights on the race route, according to the speed of your progression. In the case of an incident, your equipment must enable you to await help in sufficiently safe conditions.
The UTMB® imposes obligatory equipment which all runners must have with them permanently to avoid risk of penalty. Checks are carried out during the races. We can only encourage runners to also take with them the equipment which is highly recommended, as well as the equipment that we advise them to have.It is essential to be able to adapt your equipment to your reality, test it during training sessions in varying conditions and take everything that will be useful and necessary. Weight is a concern, but don't be too minimalist. Optimise your chances of success and your performance through judicious choice.
BASIC KIT
Materials
- Bag intended to carry the required equipment during the race
- Personal cup 15cl minimum ( (bottles or flasks with lids are not accepted)
- 2 torches in good working order with spare cells/batteries for each torch
Recommendation: 200 lumens or more for the main lamp - Identity document
Security
- Mobile/cell phone with international roaming allowing for its use in the three countries (load in to its memory the organisation's security numbers, keep the phone on, don't mask your number and don't forget to leave with the battery fully charged)
- Whistle
- Self adhesive elasticated bandage which can serve as a bandage or strapping (minimum 100 cm x 6 cm)
- Survival blanket of 1.40m x 2m minimum
Nutrition and hydratation
- Supply of water of 1 litre minimum
- Food reserve
Recommendation: 800kcal (2gels + 2 energy bars of 65g each)
Clothing
TOP
- Jacket with hood which will withstand bad weather in the mountains and made with a waterproof* and breathable** membrane (eg. Outdry)
*minimum recommended 10 000 Schmerber **RET recommended inferior to 13
Characteristics
- the jacket must, imperatively, be fitted with an integrated hood or one which is attached to the jacket by the original system designed for that purpose by the manufacturer,
- the seams must be sealed,
- the jacket must not have sections of fabric which are not waterproof, but air vents fitted by the manufacturer (under-arm, in the back) since they do not damage in any obvious way the impermeability, are accepted.
It is the runner's responsibility to judge, with these criteria, if their jacket fits the regulations stated and so bad weather in the mountains, but, during a check, the judgment is made by the person in charge of the check or the steward.
- Additional warm second layer : a warm second layer top with long sleeves (cotton excluded) of a weight of a minimum of 180g (men's size medium (M) )
OR the combination of a warm long sleeved underwear (first or second layer,cotton exclude) of a minimum weight of 110g (men's size medium (M) ) and a durable water repellant (DWR protection) windproof jacket*
*the wind-proof jacket does not replace the mandatory waterproof jacket, and vice versa - Warm and waterproof gloves or waterproof over-glove
- Cap
- Cap or bandana or Buff®
- Long-legged trousers or race leggings OR a combination of legging and socks which cover the legs completely
- Waterproof over trousers
KITS
The heatwave kit
- Sunglasses ***
- Saharan cap or any combination that fully covers the head and neck
- Sunscreen cream
- Minimum water supply 2 liters
The cold weather kit
- Sunglasses***
- 3rd warm layer (intermediary layer between the 2nd layer and the waterproof jacket)
Recommendation : fleece or compressible down jacket - Robust and closed trail-running shoes (minimalist or ultralight shoes excluded)
*** it is possible to use the same glasses if they are suited both to the sun and bad weather (such as glasses with photo-chromatic lenses )
Other recommended equipment
- Smartphone with the LiveRun app installed and activated + external battery
- Spare warm clothing, indispensable in the case of cold or wet weather or in the case of injury.
- Poles in the case of rain or snow for your security on slippery ground
- Vaseline or anti-heat cream
- A sum of a minimum of 20€ (for contingencies).
- Reusable bowl
- GPS watch
- Knife or scissors for cutting elasticated bandage
- Emergency sewing kit...
(non-exhaustive list)
STICKS
If you choose to take poles, it is for the duration of the race. It is forbidden to start without poles and recuperate them during the course of the race.
No poles are authorised in the drop bags.
The use of poles will be forbidden in certain zones along the route marked by specific signs, for the security or environmental reasons. For all your questions about mandatory material, consult the FAQ