Updated: July 25, 2020.

Note: some small changes might occur.

Mandatory equipment

The team together is responsible entirely for carrying suitable and appropriate equipment, clothing and sustenance for the climate, conditions and activities in the event.

This Mandatory Equipment List is NOT a list of the only items you should take. It contains the mandatory items that you and your team must carry with you, at specified times, to meet minimum safety requirements by law, prevent and/or treat SOME potential injuries, and short term survival purposes. It assumes your team members will NOT separate during the race and that you may share between members the mandatory equipment that must be carried. You will certainly need additional equipment, clothing, food and drink for your participation in the event.

The mandatory equipment must be carried at all times. All other equipment must be carried from start to finnish (ie. you can make temporary stash in terrain and hide some of your equipment there but you can’t leave anything in terrain for good). 

Checks of mandatory equipment will occur during the race and missing equipment will result in penalties or disqualification as per the race rules. 

Team

Every team must have at least one

  • mobile phone (off)
    • waterproof bag for phone
    • phone & bag will be sealed in a (non-waterproof) bag provided by organizers
  • GPS tracker (provided by organizers)
  • map set (provided by organizers)
  • map cover
  • first aid kit
    • waterproof bag for first aid kit
    • pressure bandage (elastic/crepe), total length of bandage is minimum of 2 metres and minimum width is 7,5 cm un-stretched
    • wound dressing (sterile, at least 2 pieces), dressing minimum dimensions 7,5 cm × 7,5 cm each. Applied to wound to prevent further harm and promote healing. Self adhesive or used in conjunction with a bandage. Gauze dressing with nonstick film recommended.
    • strapping tape (adhesive/surgical tape), one roll of strapping tape. Can be used to secure bandages or dressings and in improvised splints.
  • shelter (tent/tarp/bivy)
  • fire starting device
  • video camera
    • stand-alone action camera or still camera with video recording capability (not a mobile phone)
    • video resolution at least 1920×1080 (FullHD)
    • waterproof device of waterproof case
    • suitable memory card & battery (for recording at least 30 second footage)
    • some examples of cheap action cams: iON SnapCam LE 1065, Rollei Actioncam 410, Rollei 525, GoXtreme Rebel FullHD
  • knife
  • 2 permanent marker pens

Competitor

Every competitor must have

  • race bib (provided by organizers)
    • bib must be visible at all times
    • at least one team member must carry the bib in front (if team size is 2 or 3)
      at least two team members must carry the bib in front (if team size is 3 or 4 or 5)
    • at least three team members must carry the bib in front (if team size 5)
    • organizers do not provide safety pins or other fasteners, so prepare to attach the bib by yourself e.g. with race number belt
  • sleeping bag
  • sleeping pad
  • magnetic compass
  • whistle
  • light source (headlamp), waterproof with the required batteries

Other equipment

The following items, categories of equipment or related items, are either strongly recommended by organisers, or assumed to be an inferred requirement as competitors must have an understanding of racing in the wilderness, the activities they will be participating in, and general outdoor adventure knowledge and experience.

  • 2 big waste bags etc. (for each competitor, to keep backpack dry if you have to cross a river by swimming)
  • water carrying containers/ bladders/ bottles
  • foods and sustenance, sufficient for 5 days, including emergency quantities
  • personal race clothing and footwear suitable for extreme conditions (including accessories such as hats/gloves, eye protection, watch (no GPS))
  • waterproofing/dry bags to keep equipment as dry as necessary
  • water purification device or chemicals (some find it unnecessary in Lapland)
  • personal medications (for example EpiPen/epinephrine, bronchodilator/Ventolin) permitted analgesics, therapeutic medicines, medical insurance certificates, allergy or illness identification tags, sun protection, mosquito repellent, adhesive plaster
  • money/credit card

Prohibited equipment

  • most GPS devices (satellite communicators, handheld GPS devices, GPS watches, tablets and smartphones
    • GPS devices without screen (GPS recievers/data loggers) and cameras with GPS are allowed, but you are not allowed to use the location information any way during the race
  • mobile phones and other devices with radio (unless off and sealed in bag provided by organizers)
  • maps other than provided by organizers