Racelite.com - Gear List MdS

After the gear list for the Yukon Arctic Ultra we now proudly present the equivalent for the Marathon des Sables (MdS). Of course the below listed products are also interesting for any other desert ultras.

Many of our customers have already participated in the MdS and we would like to use this occasion to thany you all for your trust! We appreciate your feedback and any additional advise you want to pass on to others. Please send your messages to info@racelite.de.

In the right colum you will find 6 start ****** if the product was used at the MdS and we have received positive feedback. That does not mean that products without stars are bad. It just means that noboday emailed or called us about these items. If you click on the image you will get to the page on Racelite.com where you find a detailed description and can buy the product.

Gear List Marathon des Sables

T.ESS MEGALIGHT Men's Boxer	extremely light 3D-seamless construction with Silverfresh (stops bacteria and thus avoids bad smell very comfortable, very stretchy, tight fit, flat seams gets moisture quickly away from your skin	35 g (size M)	19.95 €	******
T.ESS MEGALIGHT Men's Slip	see above	26 g (size M)	15.95 €
T.ESS MEGALIGHT Women's Boxer	see above	33 g (size M)	16.95 €
T.ESS MEGALIGHT Women's Slip	see above	20 g (size M)	15.95 €
T.ESS MEGALIGHT Women's Top	see above	43 g (size M)	17.95 €

RaidLight STRETCH RAIDER Short	two mesh pockets on the sides flat seams comfort waistline unisex	95 g	49.00 €	******
RaidLight 3 QUART RAIDER	like the STRETCH RAIDER just 3/4 length, i.e. more protection from the sun unisex	160 g	59.00 €
RaidLight TRAIL RAIDER	like 3 QUART RAIDER just full length	230 g	65.00 €
RailRiders Eco-Mesh Pants	very light and robust great ventilation through full length zip on the side (with mesh panel behind it) dries very quickly for maximum protection from the sun for men and women (no women's specific cut)	284 g	85.00 €	******
RaidLight PERFORMER Shirt	great ventilation and functionality through multi-fabric concept 4 pockets for gels, bars, etc. flat seams unisex	155 g	49.00 €	******
RaidLight PERFORMER Shirt Long Sleeve	like above PERFORMER Shirt just long sleeve	190 g	69.00 €
RailRiders Men's Eco-Mesh Shirt	goes with the pants, i.e. also has the same fabric features Ventilation through mesh on the sides Long sleeves for maximum protection from the sun	142 g	65.00 €	******
RailRiders Women's Eco-Mesh Shirt	as above	142 g	65.00 €	******

Montane Jetstream Jacket	the lightest windproof and water resistant jacket in the world minimum weight AND minimum pack size	70 g (size M)	79.95 €	******
RaidLight Tyvek Jacket	you are not going to win a beauty contest with this but the price is hard to beat and the weight is little, too not great for running at all but an interesting option for the bivouac	100 g	10.00 €	******
Montane Featherlite Pants	extremely light and small pack size	120 g (size M)	60.00 €
RaidLight Tyvek Pants	like the Tyvek Jacket	100 g	10.00 €	******
RaidLight Micropolaire	very light and functional fleece for cold desert nights	200 g	65.00 €

Advise on 3rd Layer and Bivouac:

The right choice here depends on how easy you get cold. As you know at night the desert cools down considerably. Also keep in mind that when you are exhausted you will feel cold faster. I recommend talking to athletes who have been there to get a better idea on what it is like in the bivouac at night.

Clothing - Other

RaidLight Sahara Cap	light, white, breathable and with removable neck part	65 g	18.00 €	******
RaidLight Desert Gaiters	developed for desert ultras are attached via velcro (velcro should be attached by a cobbler)	115 g	25.00 €	******
injinji Socks	prevents skin friction and thus blisters	60 g (size M)	15.00 €	******
cep Running O2max Socks	run faster with less effort faster recovery less blisters	57 g (size 42-44)	46.90 €

Advise on Clothing - Others:

Protection form the sun in the desert is very important. For your head you will find interesting products from various companies. Consider that you will also want to protect your neck. The good thing about the Sahara Cap from RaidLight is that you can take off the neck protection any time. Also, the cap should be breathable and allow for some ventilation.
Apart from the heat and the distance as such blisters are likely one of the major problems at desert races. Injinjis and other toe socks (RaidLight makes them now, too) are a great innovation that already have helped many athletes. A different approach are the cep compression socks. No matter what you go for test it first.
The best socks don't help much if you get sand in your shoes. RaidLight has developed Gaiters which are especially for the desert. However, you need a cobbler to attach the velcro to your shoe (the velcro then allows you to take off the gaiters any time). Important: the gaiters won't work with every type of shoe. There needs to be enough space to attach the velcro (e.g. it does not stay fixed on mesh very well).

Sleeping/Bivy

Mountain Equipment XERO 150	Very light down sleeping bag Tiny packing size Size: 200 cm long, shoulder 74 cm Comfort range to +8 ° C	450 g	229.90 €	******
Mountain Equipment XERO 250	For those who find the XERO 150 not warm enough Size: 203 cm long, shoulder 74 cm Comfort range to +3° C	600 g	259.95 €
OMM PA1	Radical design approach - down bag that is only filled in the lower half, i.e. when it gets cold you need a jacket or fleece Size: 220 cm long No official temperature rating	360 g	179.00 €
OMM Mummery 0.5SSL	OMM down sleeping bag (also filled at top) Size: 205 cm	460 g	259.00 €
RaidLight Combi-Sleeping Bag	Down bag that can also be used as a vest Comfort range to +5 ° C Interesting as you economise on weight for clothes for the bivy	546 g	199.00 €	******
RaidLight ALU R-LIGHT	Synthetic sleeping bag with aluminum layer Comfort range to +5° C Size: to body height of 193 cm Not so light but affordable	920 g	85.00 €	******
Therm-a-Rest PROLITE 3 - regular	2.5 cm thick Size: 51 x 180 cm Packing size: 28 x 10 cm	570 g	99.95 €
Therm-a-Rest PROLITE 3 - short	2.5 cm thick Size: 51 x 119 cm Packing size: 28 x 9 cm	370 g	89,95 €	******
Therm-A-Rest Z-LITE	2 cm thick Size: 51 x 183 cm Size folded: 51 x 13 x 14 cm In order to reduce size and packing size you can cut it	440 g	39.95 €	******

Advise on Sleeping/Bivy:

You need to consider if your focus is on comfort or on cutting weight. Maybe a compromise works best for you. Certainly, in the case of sleeping, the lightest is not necessary the best. If you are cold at night and can't sleep well, it will affect your recovery and ultimatively slow you down.
Also, keep in mind that you will get cold more easily when you are exhausted.

Backpacks

RaidLight Aventure	for athletes who take along more weight/volume	820 g and 40 litres	96,00 €	******
RaidLight Runner R-Light	THE MdS classic Ideally 30 litres do the job many great features Very light and comfortable	690 g and 30 litres	84.00 €	******
RaidLight Evolution 2	If the Evolution 2 is enough for you consider yourself lucky (or very experienced ...) The front bag is already included	690 g (incl. front bag) and 20 + 4 litres	119.00€	******
RaidLight Equilibre R-Light	the optional front bag for RaidLight Aventure, Runner R-Light balance of weight between front and back more volume and quick access to important gear/food/water	200 g and 5 litres	34.00 €	******
Aarn Marathon Magic 33	very interesting alternative to the Runner R-Light Balance Pockets (front bags) with 3 litres volume have a perfect fit fabric more robust than what RaidLight uses Winner at the Atacama Desert Crossing Ultra 2007	785 g (incl. Balance Pockets) and 30 + 3 litres	119.90 €	******

Advise on Backpacks:

As with the clothing you should test your backpack intensively.
Pack it right, i.e. heavy items in the bottom.
With the RaidLight backpacks the fabric is very thin and not so robust (because the focus is on light weight). Therefore, be carefull with pointed items and don't throw your backpack to the ground or sit on it.
The Equilibre R-Light is an interesting piece of kit. However, I do have customers who need to impove the fit by improvising, e.g. with duck tape, sewing, etc. as it can happen that it bounces too much when you run.

Drinking Systems

RaidLight Never Dry	Advantage: the bladder has an opening for drainage. Thus all the fluid finds a way out after usage. Also, the RaidLight backpacks have velcros that fit the bladder. Disadantage: the overall quality of the materials is not as good as others. The opening to put the water in is small. A hand does not fit through.	185 g and 2.5 litres	30.00 €	******
CamelBak OMEGA Hydrotanium	the popular bladder from CamelBak	2 or 3 litres - 2 litre bladder weighs 200 g	2 litres = 29.95 € 3 litres = 34.95 €	******
SmarTube	an intereesting alternative and/or addition to your drinking system (fits on standard water bottles)	175 g	14.95 €	******
RaidLight Bottle Holder	very stable bottle holder for RaidLight backpacks may also be attached to shoulder straps of other backpacks (elastic loops are approx. 8 cm wide) there are 600 and 800 ml bottles with a tube to go with it	40 g (without bottle)	600 ml = 20.00 € 800 ml = 22.00 €	******

I personally like drinking system with easy access as is the case with the outside bladder compartement in the RaidLight backpacks. Disadvantag is that the weight is away from you body.
It makes sense to have several options to transport liquids. That way you can transport water and isotonic drinks at the same time and help distribute the weight better.
The bottle holders from RaidLight have been used by many MdS athletes. However, we do have clients who are not happy with the set-up. "The bottle is too far up ..." is one of the comments we have had a couple of times. So, try it out if it works for you.

First Aid

Care PLUS First Aid Kit Waterproof	the bag is light and keeps out water and	241 g	24.95 €
Care PLUS Blister Kit	everything you need to treat blisters	150 g	12.50 €	******
Signaling Mirror	mandatory for the desert	17 g	5.00 €	******
Rescue Blanket	2 sides: one against the cold and one against the heat	70 g	5.00 €	******
Care PLUS Venimex	part of the mandatory gear in most desert races the quality of the Venimex is superior to the Aspivenin but it also weighs more	134 g	16.95 €
Aspivenin	simple and very light	36 g	25.00 €	******
Signaling Whistle	does not weigh much but can save lifes - should be part of every Adenture Runner's kit	30 g	5.00 €	******

First Aid is good. Prevention is better. This goes especially for the issue of blisters (see also "Skin Care" below). If you are new to desert running get in touch with experienced athletes and get their advise on how to deal with the sand and bilsters. Keep in mind a small blister very quickly can turn into something that makes you drop out of the race.
Experts don't all agree on the use of venom extractors. I am not sure how often runners in the desert acually come across snakes. Google a bit on the subject and make yourself familiar with the desert fauna as not everything that crawls is necessary dangerous.
Important bits and pieces of your kit you can buy in any good pharmacy. And most ready to use kits need complementing. Especially when you have had them in use for a while.
In a ready to use kit there may also be things you do NOT need or that do not function in extreme heat (fluids and cremes). If in doubt ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Bodyglide Anti-Friction and Sun Formula	great protection for your skin, e.g. shoulders, backside, inside of legs (very easy to apply - like a deodorant stick, i.e. you don't get your hands messy) in addition this stick protects you from the sun with an SPF of 25	66 g	14.98 €
Bodyglide Anti-Friction Skin Formula	as above just without the sun protection	66 g	12.98 €	******
Care PLUS Skin Saver Lipstick SPF 30	in the heat your lips suffer. This stick helps	14 g	3.50 €	******
Care PLUS Foot Powder	Powder to keep feet dry	66 g	3.95 €	******
Spenco Blister Kit 2nd Skin	a great way to prevent blisters on your feet	75 g incl. packaging	9.95 €	******
Care PLUS Skin Saver Sunblock	very water resistant great for sports as it immediately is absorbed by your skin	76 g (75 ml)	13.95 €

Esbit Foldable Stove	small, light and compact available in small and large	small = 90 g large = 175 g (without esbit)	small = 5.95 € large = 12.95	******
Esbit Star-Shaped Cooker	the smallest stove made by Esbit	15 g	2.95 €
Trail Designs Gram Cracker	made from Titan smaller and lighter is impossible	7 g	10.45 €
MSR Titan-Kettle	0.85 litres	118 g	62.95 €	******
MSR Titan Fork & Spoon	light but expensive	28 g	20.95 €	******
Primus Cutlery Kit PC	light and cheap (and even includes a knife)	25 g	3.95 €
Light my Fire Spork	even lighter and cheaper	6 g	1.99 €

Obviously the most important things is that the shoes fit you perfectly and that you already put some distance on them.
Remember when you choose your size that your feet will swell up.
The shoe should have enough space without mesh where you can attach the velcro of desert gaiters. Buy first the gaiters and then the shoe if you are not sure. Ask a cobbler if you are in doubt.
If you hike more than you run, don't forget to train that. Maybe your shoe is great for running but causes you problems when you hike.
Your shoe will suffer. So, be prepared to make simple repairs yourself (wire, tape, needle, etc.).

RaidLight TRAIL POLE	extremely light foldable to only 30 cm! very fast folding and putting together disadvantage: only two sizes (123 cm und 110 cm)	120 g (123 cm)	110.00 €	******
PACERPOLE Carbon	ergonomic design gentle on your wrists way better posture while hiking less blisters on your hands	224 g	129.95 €
Komperdell Carbon Duolock Men	very light and still robust (more so than the RaidLight TRAIL POLES) also available as women's model (thinner grip and shorter)	182 g	109.95 €
Komperdell Contour Titanial Men	heavier but still okay - and less costly also available as women's model	223 g	79.95 €

Trekking Mahlzeiten	freeze dried expediton food with a maximum of natural ingredients we have the entire range (if you don't find something online, you can order it anyway)	from 125 g	from 4.45 €	******
travellunch	freeze dried expedition food by Simpert Reither all products available	from 100 g	from 2.75 €	******
Energy OatSnacks	very tasty bars! Easy on your stomach. However, not all of them are great for the heat due to icings	65 g	1.60 €	******
PowerBar Harvest Bars	the classic	60 g	1.99 €	******
PowerBar C2Max Performance Bars	great during sports	65 g	1.99 €	******
PowerBar C2Max Power Gels	fast energy	41 g	1.79 €	******
K1000 Compact-Ration	compact energy source for emergencies	250 g	5.40 €	******
Peronin	innovative liquid food - developed for expeditons in the Arctic and Antarctic available in vanilla and coca	100 g	4.10 €	******

Energizer Lithium-Batteries AAA	they are light and last up to 7x longer than regular batteries great for GPS and cameras	tbc.	7.95 €	******
Energizer Lithium-Batterien AA	see above	tbc.	7.95 €	******
Suunto MC2-Global	state of the art compass for the MdS and other adventures	74 g	69.90 €
Gerber Magnum LST Jr	very light knife (which also means it is small, i.e. you