“Never mistake activity for achievement. “
— John Wooden

Gear & Food Recommendations

Gear

• Insulating Layer
  Any of the “puff” style jackets are great. Patagonia (Nano, Nano Air, Micro Puff), REI, and all the big brands make them. Get the lightest possible and get poly, not down. Poly will stay warm even if wet. If it’s warm enough, you can sometimes skip these or bring a second, long-sleeve baselayer. Google Search
  

• Waterproof Shell
  Get the lightest possible item that is waterproof but still breathes. Patagonia’s Alpine Houdini (not the standard Houdini), Patagonia’s Dirt Roamer Storm Bike Jacket, or Outdoor Research Helium are great.  Shoot for something that weighs 6 oz or less.  Google Search
  

• Footwear
  You just need a pair of trail running shoes that fit you well and grip variable terrain and don’t give you blisters. Do not wear boots - all you need are trail runners. All the top brands have good options. Get them a full size bigger and make sure you have at least a thumb’s width between your biggest toe and the top of the shoe or else you will lose your toenails! (You may still if you feet slide forward.) Get wool socks, not cotton!
  

• Backpacks
  For most of our one-day events, we only carry VERY small packs.  For day trips that means under 15L. Even for overnight trips (that require tiny sleeping bags and minimalist tents) we would not carry anything over ~30L.
  
  For the small packs, we seek to optimize size/weight (try for under 2 lbs), comfort (needs to fit you right and feel good while hiking fast/hard) and features (easy to access pockets, good spot for water bottles, etc). We all love Ultimate Directions and running “vests” made by Salomon or Patagonia. Google Search
  

• Water System
  Bladders or bottles can work but be sure you’ve practiced with your system. We strongly prefer bottles because they are easier to fill, easier to treat, and easier to track how much water you have left (and have consumed). The system is obviously affected by the amount and kind of water on each course, but we strongly recommend you try to figure out a good bottle system whenever possible. Soft, bike-style bottles tend to be best.  Ideally you have a great way to carry them in your pack. A Katadyn BeFree bottle with a bladder system or secondary bottle will work great, too. Google Search
  

• Water Purification
  Spend the money on a Katadyn BeFree filter and water bottle set. Highly recommended as it allows you to drink your filtered water immediately. We have tried it all and generally we prefer iodine tablets if you don’t get a filtered bottle. They are easy and lightweight and pretty foolproof. The only downside is you have to wait ~30 mins after treating to drink your water. We’ve tried the UV pens and they work great but they require more infrastructure (batteries, maintenance) and they don’t fit all bottles and they don’t fit bladders and they slow the group down as guys line up to use them. You could have everyone bring their own pen, but that would cost extra weight. Google Search
  

• Gaiters
  Keeping scree and dirt and general crap out of your shoes limits blisters, saves time (no stopping to empty your shoes) and spares tons of mental distraction. (A small pebble in your shoe for miles and miles…) Lots of products exist but we strongly recommend Dirty Girl Gaiters. Super light, easy, fun, well made.  
  

• Headlamps & Trekking Poles
  Many (nearly all) of our Sufferfests start in the dark of early morning, and many end after sundown. You’ll need a good headlamp. We’ve also adopted trekking poles for many of our hikes despite the challenges of taking them as carry on items when flying. (The TSA wants them checked, some airports are strict on this, some are not.) Black Diamond has a great offering for each of these items.
  

• Safety Stuff
  We have an app for guidance on the trail, but you do need a smart phone to use it. The newer iPhones have emergency sat phone capabilities, and some of us have Garmin InReach devices. Everyone should have foot care and/or first aid and a space blanket. There is risk in everything we do — the drive to and from the airport being perhaps one of the greatest. Being sure to bring the right equipment and tools and training for the events will reduce the risks considerably.
  

• Stove / pots / etc
  We never bring them, even for overnights. Not worth it. Really. Don’t even think about it.

Food

Plan on eating at least 200 calories per hour and doing it while you’re moving - we don’t stop to eat. You will want real food and not just sports bars or liquids/goo.

Try your food out on a long hike before the Sufferfest event so you know how well you tolerate it.

Many people like to bring at least one bit of “real” food, like a sandwich, along with nutrition bars that are dense with calories and taste good. Dried fruit is light and dense in calories. Chocolate tends to melt, but lots of people also like to bring jelly beans, Jolly Ranchers, or other sugar items for variety.

Some samples -

Made with Local - Canadian, “real food” bars
Clif Bar - Bars, shot blocks, goos.
Trail Butter
GU Energy