Post #1 – The How and Why of the Kit List
As many of you know my role at the Montane Spine Races is one of Equipment Manager.
It’s my job to review the kit list each year and update and adjust it after each event. I work with the Race Directors and various teams on the event to ensure we have the best kit list for the event and any updates take into account previous issues and incidents.
I also write the policy and procedures around penalties for missing or lost items and how those are applied fairly to those who choose to or accidentally leave something behind. There needs to be a deterrent to not carrying the kit but that needs to be applied and managed fairly and compassionately.
During the race I set up, along with a small team of volunteers, the kit checks and supervise them as well as making decisions about suitability of kit if there are any concerns. This may mean refusing a bit of kit and asking for it to be replaced with something more suitable that passes the kit list.
I then wander around the race setting up the kit checks at Checkpoint locations and being on call to support those locations with advice, decision making or to acquire spare kit to bring to a location to try and ensure someone can continue if possible and thankfully very rarely to make the difficult decision to stop someone’s race due to missing kit.
The How
How did we get to the current kit list format from what existed previously on the race?
In 2017 the kit list looked like this
These items must be worn or carried at all times during the 2018 MONTANE® Spine® Race and
Spine® Challenger. For your safety event staff may spot check your equipment, to ensure you are
carrying all of the items listed below.
- Backpack
- Compass and Maps (examples below)
a. Harvey Maps 3x Pennine Way
b. A-Z Adventure Map Series Pennine Way
c. UK OS Maps - GPS
a. GPS Watches and Smartphones are NOT PERMISSIBLE - Whistle
- Goggles
a. You may also wish to carry a pair of sunglasses - Knife
- Head Torch with 1 set of spare batteries
a. A set of spare batteries must be carried at all times - Waterproof Jacket with a hood and taped seams
- Waterproof Trousers with taped seams
- Hat
- Gloves
- Spare Socks (1 pair)
- Neck Gaiter
- Base Layer Top
- Base Layer Bottoms
- Appropriate layering for Mountain/ Fell Running
- Appropriate footwear for Mountain/ Fell Running
- Kahtoola Microspikes/ Yaktrax/ Similar ice spikes
- Sleeping Bag – Please check that your sleeping bag meets the following:
a. RECOMMENDED – COMFORT RATING
i. SUB ZERO/ 0C = PASS
ii. 1C TO 3C = PASS (WE RECOMMEND AN ADDITIONAL LINER, NO COTTON)
b. ACCEPTABLE – COMFORT LIMIT RATING
i. 0C = PASS
ii. 1C TO 3C = PASS WITH ADDITIONAL LINER. SILK OR FLEECE (NO COTTON).
c. If your sleeping bag has no indication of its thermal performance provided by the
manufacturer, or has no rating, the bag will not be considered and you will need to
use an alternative.
d. EXAMPLE: Montane Prism Sleeping Bag, 5c Comfort/ 0c Comfort Limit Rating. This
would pass as Acceptable with no additional liner. - Roll Mat
- Shelter, choose one of the options:
a. Option 1: Tent + Bivvy Bag
i. Tent users must also carry a Bivvy Bag
b. Option 2: Bivvy Bag - Gas or liquid fuel stove with one pan to produce hot water
a. Jet Boil, Mini Trangia etc
b. 100g Gas Canister, Full Trangia Stove etc
c. Solid Fuel stoves are not acceptable - Waterproof matches/ and or lighter
- Spork or similar
- 2l Water carrying capacity
- 3000kcal of food (inclusive of the food you consume racing)
a. SPINE RACE: 3000kcal of food carried from the start with a full resupply at CP3 &
CP5.
b. SPINE CHALLENGER: 3000kcal carried from the start. - Mobile phone
a. Charger in your drop bag - GPS Tracker
a. Provided by the Event Organisers/ Tracking Company to be returned
As you can see the list has not changed that much in 5 years, this was at the point that I started to be involved in the kit checks but it was not yet a dedicated role. That would not happen till 2020.
A few factors have meant the kit list has evolved over the years to be more specific and detailed. Mostly to help participants make good decisions and give them a platform to start from and build on. But also to protect participants from poor decision making and judgement or lack of experience and ensure they have the bare minimum to sit on the hill with a broken ankle waiting for help in a storm or have the best chance of completing the race they paid a substantial amount of money for.
Race Growth
What has changed dramatically over the last 10 years and especially the last 4-5 years is the growth of the race. In 2017 it barely filled up with two distances in winter and no summer races. Those who entered had heard about the race from others rather than social media and were usually already very experienced at this type of event. They mostly had very good experience of UK bad weather and already knew the type of kit suitable for events of this type.
As the race has grown over the years it has attracted a much more varied field to the challenges, with the addition of summer races and two more distances that has further increased the variation in the background and experience of the participants.
With more participants from Europe and further afield this increases the variation in sills and experience.
On the whole that’s a good thing for everyone, the race, participants and the sport but it does bring challenges. The old kit list above being very vague and a little lacking in specific detail meant many of the items where more open to personal interpretation.
Experience, Skills and Confidence
Based on your personal experience, abilities and confidence or even risk acceptance you may interpret a specific item’s need or requirement differently than someone with different skills or pace for example. You may simply not have experience of bad UK hill weather and may choose to carry kit that is lighter and less durable because you do not expect to need it or have never needed it in the past..
A good example is that in 2017 we added the minimum requirement of 3,000kcal at the start and leaving CP3 and CP5. We did this because we had participants who had underestimated their calorie needs in the race and were having to go off route to shops or taking loads of food away from checkpoints. Some were carrying very little to save weight and bulk expecting that they could buy much more on the way. Experience and time on the route would have told them that there is not much open in winter but not everyone had that experience.
Responding to incidents
A good example is the sleeping bag requirement, many chose to carry much lighter 3 degree rated bags with a very light silk liner, but after several rescues where participants were found huddled in sleeping bags it was clear people were not using the liners and therefore were colder than they should have been. We then changed this rule to stop that happening.
The Goggles requirement is another good example, there was no detail so people came with any type of goggles from work safety goggles to fully reflective Ski goggles. We had 26 eye injuries in 2018 and a couple of quite serious ones. I was asked why this was happening. After I spoke to many runners and from my own observations I concluded that may were wearing heavily tinted goggles. This meant in the dark they were removing them and the rain, hail and wind was causing injuries from debris and ice being blown around. We banned all tinted lenses and added the requirement to seal properly around the eyes. We rarely get eye injuries now unless someone forgets to put their goggles on early.
Complaints
Sometimes people do silly things and the race needs to react to ensure we are addressing concerns from the public or landowners.
This years addition of a Poo Kit is a great example
Last January (2022), we had several places where participants had decided to visit the bathroom in a highly inappropriate spot.
1st was the car park at Edale, then at Snakes Pass by a gate and then a farmers barn proved a very popular place! This resulted in complaints, then the final one where someone left a deposit outside a woman’s kitchen window in Dufton while she watched really was the straw that broke the camels back! The race team discussed this and the decision was taken that although it’s hard to control the people who would do this we can ensure that the kit they carry allows for the proper handling and disposal of waste. It’s a bit of kit that should never have needed to be on the list but here we are.
The kit list has become more detailed and specific in part to help combat all these factors.
The Why
Why is the kit list so prescriptive and detailed with little flexibility?
Fairness
Everyone should carry the same kit and be held to the same standard regardless of ability. It’s fair for all to carry the same amount of kit. Yes some will be able to fund lighter kit or be sponsored but everyone carries the same items and that at least is fair and equitable. You are not racing someone with half the kit you have because you followed the rules. It happens elsewhere but not on the Spine Races.
Minimum Standards
If you all carry the same kit with the same performance standards it shows we setting out minimum kit standards and taking responsibility for your care throughout the race.
Safety
The kit we make you carry is there to give you the minimum required kit to see you through the race and average expected conditions. It’s also to ensure you have the ability to get in your sleeping bag and bivvy on your roll mat and sit out a storm until help gets there should you pick up an injury and not be able to get yourself of the hill. Every participant and safety team knows what you have in your bag and can help you into your stuff without having to use any of their own vital kit to help you. We know you have it because we made you take it and check it’s still there along the course.
Easily checked at Kit Check and along the course
If kit is clearly defined on the kit list then it’s easy to check at kit check and along the course, there is less interpretation needed by an individual along the course as there is a black and white standard to apply. e.g. Your cup must be a minimum of 400ml, Plastic or metal and have a handle. If it does not fit that description then it fails. Checkers dont have to have decide if it looks good enough. It’s a pass or fail.
To stop people bending the rules
People love to get one over on rules, we all want to bend the rules at times.
They generally fall into 2 categories:
Weight weenies – who will push the rules to the limit to ensure they can carry the lightest, smallest least functional bit of kit they can get away with. These are usually the fast guys and girls who are aiming for records and have a high skill level. But if we let them carry lighter stuff then everyone wants to and our standards and safety levels fall. Fairness is always important too as we have to be seen to be applying the same standards to back of the field runner as the leaders.
Contrary people – who don’t agree with a bit of kit being a requirement and want to ditch something or carry their own version that they think is better suited. Whether it is or not may be debateable but we have to apply the same standards for all for the reasons already stated.
Both types will push the limits at times and find ways to bend the rules slightly, from carrying kids socks or children’s size base layers to reduce weight to those wanting to use zip lock bags as soft flasks. The more ways people find to bend the rules the more prescriptive the list gets to shut those loopholes.
It makes my job fun
Post #2 will be about what to expect at kit check.