Can anyone point me in the direction of a kit list/ kit requirements for the tour demont blanc?
:confused: Many thanks
Printable View
Can anyone point me in the direction of a kit list/ kit requirements for the tour demont blanc?
:confused: Many thanks
From here
EQUIPMENT
Obligatory (imperative control before the start and on the course):
- Minimum reserve of water 1 litre,
- two torches in good working order with replacement batteries,
- survival blanket,
- whistle,
- adhesive elastic bank enabling one to make a bandage or a strap (mini 80cm x 3 cm),
- alimentary reserve,
- rainproof jacket capable of supporting poor mountain weather,
- trousers or leggings (minimum a corsair covering below above the knees),
- cap or bandana.
Required by the customs administrations :
- identity card
Very strongly recommended
- mobile phone with option enabling its use in the three countries
(put in one’s repertoire the security numbers of the organisation, do not hide one’s number and do not
forget to set off with recharged batteries)
- gloves, warm clothes indispensable in the case of cold weather forecasts.
Advised (list not definitive):
telescopic sticks, change of clothes, compass, knife, string, sun cream, Vaseline or anti-overheating cream, route map.
A runner wishing to use sticks must have them with him throughout the whole of the race…No stick will be admitted into the runner’s sacks.
Can someone enlighten me on what an alimentary reserve is?
emergency foodQuote:
Originally Posted by MOUNTAIN MAN
Thanks for the translation - never was any good at French.
The reserve water, so you should always have 1 L that you don't use? Or do you just have to start with 1L and have a bottle with you, but can you be drinking that?Quote:
Originally Posted by Feet in the Cowclaps
I think the one litre water rule just means that you need to carry containers that can carry 1 litre of water. I don't know of anyone who actually ran with 1 litre of reserve water and then their normal use water on top of that.
the two times I have started it has been with a 500ml bottle and no water, they seemed to think that was ok
The kit list had some odd English translations when I did this race:
- Casquette was translated into 'helmet' (it should be 'cap')
- Collants became 'stickers' (should have been 'tights/leggings')
- Auto bandes adhesives turned into 'elastic bands' (actually it's 'sticking plasters')
Quote:
Originally Posted by MOUNTAIN MAN
Quote:
Originally Posted by Feet in the Cowclaps
I prefer the more literal translation:
Spare gut,
which may prove far more useful ...?
What's everyone wearing? Don't want to clash..
I was thinking of the Sportiva Crosslites, they role a bit but are great in that they can cope with all terrain from fell to road.
Also what size rucksack?
I was considering the Soloman Raid lite, I think it's a small 20L, it's comfy and has waist pockets.
Still undecided on the poles, change my mind every day. I'm thinking of re-doing the 'Gelert Bounds' with poles and seeing what the difference is.
Cheers
Iain
unless it's been wet - IMO you don't really need much grip. I'm sure marco olmo won it in a pair of road shoes last year. I go for a good combination of cushioning and support - montrail hardrocks or contintental divides. I remember thinking last year that the majority of the route is really hard so I was glad with the extra cushioning. Neutral runners seem to be going with Inov-8 roclites.
Rucksac - I'm taking the omm last drop that I used last year - if the weather is fine you don't need to carry much - I'm think al powell ran round with a bumbag.
Poles - big question for me also. I'm off for a reccie in a couple of weeks and I might use them - although I've never used them before therefore it might be too late to start. Maybe I'll get some of those raidlight fold up ones and only use them on the last third of the race. Not long now!
I am going to try it in road shoes. Last time (2005) the trails were hard up until GC Ferret, and then they would have been slippy no matter what foot wear you had on, maybe apart from Fell racing shoes. It was thick mud in parts due to a few hours of rain.
I am going to put in some Montrail Hardrocks for the stop at Cormayeur just in case I feel that I need to change. I worry a little about the lack of toe protection on road shoes! If you do have a change of shoes make them a size bigger than normal. This will allow for any swelling/expansion of your feet.
I agree with the rucsack choice. I will be using a Soloman Raid Revo 20.
I never used poles last time, and I wont this time. I'm sure that if you are good at using them you would be more efficient and probably faster. But I have never like them. On the run you will get a bit annoyed by there mass appeal, and the fact that people with them are at times hard to pass. They seem to be much more widely used in Europe. If I could use them (like you Iain) I may start thinking along the lines of, if you can't beat them, might as well join them.
I'll be using some out and out trail running shoes: my Vasque Velocity VSTs. I did the Old County Tops in these this year and they were fine for Lake District paths (and the odd grassy slope), so they should be no problem on UTMB.
I'll have my OMM 20L rucksack (I find the 10L last drop one uncomfortable for longer distances and would rather pad out a bigger rucksack than take a smaller uncomfortable one).
My opinion is that if you haven't used poles before, it's a bit late to start (in time for UTMB). I think that the people who are using them effectively have a refined method to their use of the poles. If you aren't using them effectively, then I think you're just carrying extra weight and I doubt they have much effect. But at the end of the day, anything goes.
I used montrail hardrocks last year which are very comfy but I find them too heavy. will probably go for something lighter this year and put the hardrocks in the champex bag. I used poles and if you have the right technique they can propel you up the hills but they do require much more use of energy and this year I'm going to forget them until champex, when I'll have them in case my knees give up on me or I get shin splints again. I bought a 20l raidlight sack last time which is excellent but its hard to get anything out of the pockets without stopping as I find it rests very high up on me and the pockets are not far enough forward.
I thought it said poles weren't allowed in any of the bags? If you use them you have to carry them all the way?Quote:
I'm going to forget them until champex, when I'll have them in case my knees give up on me
ah - but I have my dear wife to bring them along :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Britta
Great plan :D
I used Inov8 315s last year and they were great - no blisters at all.
The race is mostly over good tracks so grip is not a big issue. Comfort and cushioning are much more of a priority than traction.
I took poles last year - I'd never tried them before the race, nor have I ever used them since but I got them out after around 25 miles and never put them away again - I thought they were fantastic and if I do it again I'd definitely take them.
I used a 15 litre Karrimor pack which was perfect - whatever you take must be comfy over a long distance / time.
Inov8 315s for me too. I have gone up a size to allow for feet swelling. I also wear two pairs of thin socks and found this to be a recipe to sweet feet success - no blisters in any of my big runs so far. The are so comfy in fact I may have to get another pair as this pair may be a bit worn to start the race with.
I will take a little Deuter 10l rucksac if the conditions are reasonable.
I have poles but not realy crafted the technique of using them, but like FMA says they could be your helpful friend later on, when the knees/quads are burning up on the descents....
Will try on some Inov8 roclite's tommorrow. Not sure. Wore asics 1110's for the WHW (had bad blisters) and my walshes for the Paddy Buckley, never had blisters in my Walsh PB's but not sure they will be suitable on hard surfaces..
Last year I wore Inovates but i found they didnt have enough cushioning. by mile 80 my lower legs had turned to mush .this year i will wear assics cumulus ,the ones with gel in the front and back.also compression socks, to keep the lower legs from swelling. Poles which i will use from the start(ive been practicing) I finnished last year with sticks from the forrest., get to the start early so you dont get stuck behind the man dressed as a hamburger. and an old karrimor day sack with all the flaps and pockets cut off .Last year i wore a pb bum bag which was fine but very full.
Here's a photo of Marco Olmo winning in 2006:
http://chris-upson.com/gallery/UTMB2006/target14.html
You can see he's just wearing road shoes.
And the guy who finished 2nd was wearing Nike Pegasus:
http://chris-upson.com/gallery/UTMB2006/target15.html
I wonder if they did a quick swap at Champex Lac. Or even at Courmayeur knowing the weather was good. Or if they comitted to the whole route in them no matter what.
I think I will set off in my usual road shoes and have the option of Montrail Hardrocks at Cormayuer just in case I don't get on with them. I agree they are a bit on the heavy side but they are comfortable.
This isn't necessarily good advice. I got there reasonably early in 2007, got near-ish the front (maybe 200 back) and then the organisers were letting people come in at the front of the queue and pushing everyone back. So if you get there earlier, you might end up at the back behind the hamburger man who got there 10 minutes before the start.Quote:
Originally Posted by stonewaller
I ended up way back last year which was very tedious inching across the starting line. I guess it doesn't really make a lot of difference and it may be better to roll up not long before the start as the hanging around goes on a bit if you are early.Quote:
Originally Posted by Zlod
I'm a big fan of Asics Trabuco. But then I'm not doing the TMB :) :D :)
Good luck to all of you who are.
Hey Stonewaller - are you the guy I passed in the last k of the race staggering back with branches for poles??
I think I finished 282nd
I then saw you at the finish and said to you that I'd never do it again - you said that by Wednesday I'd think differently and you know what you were right. Your heriocs with the branches and your wise words made it in to my write up of the event.
I'm not doing it this year but will be there to cheer you all on.
Thinking about doing it again in 09.
Good luck guys n gals!!
Hi,I think that must be me .I came in around 300 just as the sun was coming up.Not so sure about the wise words though, After 40 hours without sleep everything seemed a bit of a blur . Glad to hear you will be doing it again at some point. I thought it was worth it just for the hallucinations. See you out there,Ill be the one in stripy shorts.
I've just bought some mizuno wave harriers, ran 30 miles in the lakes in them yesterday, in the rain, wet feet, and suffered no blisters, not too much cushioning though, tempted to try some sorbothane insoles? good idea?
it means more spending money, but I would be tempted to look at the mizuno trail shoe, can't rememeber their name but the womens version is pinkish, they are on my list of possibles if I get in for next yr.
Currently out in St Gervais, lost of people training on the course - saw Dawa Sherpa (aoplogies for the spelling) seemingly jogging with ease all the way up the col du Bonnhomle - impressive
Unless France is getting the same weather we are; the ground was rock hard last week. I'm going for loads of cushioning and I'm even tempted to stick in some road shoes if it's still really dry.
I have become very attached to my Salomon Speedcross 2s, the black ones.
Comfort factor is impressive when compared with a Walsh or an Innov8 and they are also noticeably more comfortable than my Wave Harriers.
The sole is the same as on the old Speedcross (the dayglo yellow ones) but doesn't bite back on the road or hard trail.
The new model I find is closer fitting and doesn't roll as alarmingly as the old version.
I used them a lot on hols in Cham this year (the weather was good, temps into the 30s and the trails were bone hard) when running and walking, as well as in the Cross du Mont Blanc and they were excellent; good even on snow patches.
They are also helpful in that you can remove the insole and substitute with a full length orthotic if (like me) you need that facility.
I used them at this year's Wasdale and found them fine on that type of ground also. OK, I wasn't going at Pete Vale's speed, but I did do a PB by 55 minutes.
Good shoe!
Best of luck to all you nutcases doing the UTMB. Enjoy and I look forward to hearing the gory details in due course.
Morgan
the ground this week is not rock hard but has been softened nicely by some serious rain
If it's the Wave Ascend, then they're the best pair of trail shoes I've tried - mine have outlasted several other assorted pairs that were never quite as good anyway.Quote:
Originally Posted by saz
What am I doing here reading these ridiculous threads! :eek:
yup those are the ones, a great shoe for me and a good colour...
Now swung back to terrocs.
I wore them for a 100 miler (GL3D) in the Lakes and they were great, but when I wore them on the 'Gelert Bounds I got sore toe nails, but reckon that was from very steep descents off the snowdonia hills.
I'm going to pack wave harriers, road shoes and terrocs, start in one pair and leave each other pair for each of the two bag drops.
ANy ideas where to get raidlight poles from? Everywhere is out of stock, anyone want to sell me a pair? :-)
Don't buy raidlight Buy CAMP Xenon - half the price and seem stronger! I didn't know if to go with poles and was tempted with the raidlight ones but in Snell Sports I spotted these Camp ones in snell for 56 euros minus your 10% discount. I used them on the recce and was really pleased with them.
http://www.activasport.fr/cgi-bin/pg...id_category=20
Last year all the shops in cham stocked up on products that TMBers would need - if it's the same this year Snell Sports should have plenty of them.
I bought some raidlight but ended up sending two pairs back because the knot holding the shock cord tight was in the wrong place so they collapsed. As indicated above you can pay a lot less for something nearly as light but probably a lot more robust and adjustable in length.
I have been using the RaidLight poles and found them really good; no problems with the knots thus far.
I am pretty sure that I saw some RL's in Ravenal's in July (under the Hotel Alpina, just before the road bridge over the Arve) for around 85 Euros, but that mat have been a temporary special offer.
Seen the Camps but not used them.
Every chance of special offers just before the UTMB I would have thought.
Morgan