Fire and Ice Ultra Iceland: Compulsory Kit List
Most backpacks/rucksacks for the Fire + Ice Ultra weigh between 6.5kg and 12kg ( excluding water ) depending on kit choices made, excluding the weight of Drop Bag contents
Your Kit must be presented at registration, the compulsory kit list is ........... compulsory.
The list is compiled for your safety and is the minimum you MUST have, you can take any extra items (camera, smartphone etc) or any other luxuries that you wish, such as a hardback copy of War and Peace etc, but you can not start without ALL items on the compulsory kit list in the required minimum specification.
The contents of this are based on the experience of many multi-day events like the Fire + Ice Ultra, coupled with knowledge of potential conditions that may occur during the Fire + Ice Ultra.
Check on https://contestants.extremeadventureraces.net/race-kit-lists/18/contestant
for kit updates nearer the event you can download a printable page with check boxes there.
We sell many of the items on the kit list and you can see those here
Backpack / Rucksack
capable of carrying all compulsory equipment, food and other items you wish to carry, cameras etc. Normally 25 to 35-litre backpacks/rucksacks are required. A larger size is acceptable, but less is difficult but not impossible to cater for minimum kit requirements. Kit checks are compulsory, we check ALL bags, we look closely at large bags in case we can assist in safely reducing the size, and we look very, very closely at small bags to ensure that ALL compulsory items and kit specifications are met. Random kit checks during the event are possible in some circumstances. For your safety, you can not start without passing the kit check.
Sleeping bag
capable of keeping you warm at night time temperatures of 2 degrees centigrade. A liner is optional, but will add to the warmth, and will help you keep your sleeping bag in good condition for much longer. It is also compulsory that your sleeping bag is in a waterproof stuff/compression sack, down is the lightest and most compact option, but when wet it is useless, synthetic materials tend to be bulkier, and although unpleasant can still help (a little) to keep you warm when they are wet. If nighttime temperatures are predicted to go below 2 degrees, or other conditions require, we will issue Drop bags to everyone. NO SLEEP MEANS NO ENERGY the next day.
Sleeping Mat
With extra thermal properties recommended but not compulsory.
Head torch AND emergency light
Normal conditions for this time of year suggest they will not get much use, however bad weather conditions, extend the short period of darkness, mainly expected to be used for the long stage and going to the bathroom etc
12 x Safety Pins for the number
(plus spares for other use). Your numbers MUST NOT BE FOLDED, TRIMMED OR ALTERED IN SIZE, and the whole number secured plainly visible on the front of your chest, time penalties apply for numbers not fully visible, .
Small knife or multitool
Survival BAG
IT MUST NOT BE A SHEET. It MUST be a bag you can get inside, with your clothes on if necessary,
Small flashing " RED " light
to fit on the back of the backpack in darkness (mostly expected for the long stage).
Sunscreen
waterproof type suggested
Lip balm
lots of choices
Medical kit
with special provision for Blisters, see the separate list for Medical kit AND Blister kit contents
Tissues / Wet wipes
Hand cleaner, alcohol gel
keep those stomach upsets and many other problems that can ruin your event at bay
Base layer
should be Long sleeve T-shirt style, Merino wool or lightweight fleece, with wicking properties, and lots of choices, many have a half zip which is a good idea for ventilation flexibility.
Waterproof jacket (or smock) and trousers
with taped seams, waterproof AND breathable, minimum material specification applies, unfortunately, there are different and sometimes misleading figures quoted on waterproof materials, in an attempt to make sure you are dry in the worst weather.
A MINIMUM MATERIAL SPECIFICATION APPLIES.
For materials with a 10-metre Hydrostatic Head, it must be a 2.5 or 3 layer fabric. If it's a single layer Fabric it must be at least a 20-metre Hydrostatic head.
Some products offer better specifications, the more rain you keep out, and the more breathable the material, the more comfortable you will be in poor conditions.
All of the seams must be sealed.
The jacket should have an adjustable and peaked permanently attached hood. For your comfort Velcro tabbed cuffs are strongly recommended, so gloves can be fitted and located more securely in bad weather. If the jacket and trousers manufacturer can not supply you with these statistics, it is very likely they do not meet minimum requirements, all brands I know of would be quick to boast they meet these important specifications.
Warm mid-layer,
Lightweight down or synthetic sweater or similar, for use on a cold day, and/or at the camp in the evening.
Shorts and tights
anyone using shorts during the day, must also bring long tights or leggings, for cold days or for evenings
Buff
and must be suitable for protecting the head and neck against the sun, and also cover the mouth during windy conditions against dust and volcanic ash.
Hat
For warmth during the day and cold evenings, (separate to a cap you might wear, which is not compulsory).
Shoes
Trail running shoes, for events of this type, it is normal to use shoes at least 1 size bigger than normal, to allow for swelling, blisters etc, remember your feet swell sideways not just length ways, so consider a shoe with a slightly wider fitting.
Socks
Your feet will get wet from time to time, a minimum of 2 pairs of socks is required, more if you wish to. Many socks are designed to help reduce friction and blisters, they are worth considering.
Lightweight, warm gloves,
water-resistant as a minimum specification, must be long enough to tuck under jacket sleeves, combined with a jacket with velcro cuffs offers the best protection, and remove the skin gap between glove and jacket in bad weather.
Sunglasses with UV protection
Food and nutrition for the complete event
Including the Night before and the morning of the Race day before the start. Extreme Adventure Food is the lightest weight with the highest energy, large choice and great tasting. Use this LINK to go to the Adventure Nutrition website for all your high-energy food, energy bars, gels, recovery drinks and other nutritional and sporting products, remember your electrolytes!! You must carry a minimum of 2300Kcal per full day, the last day does not require evening meals or afternoon snacks. You must also have food for Sunday evening and Monday morning before the start, but it does not have to be lightweight specialist meals as you will not have to carry them in your pack.
Hydration system,
Water bottles, Platypus etc, you must have the capacity to carry a minimum of 2 litres, and you must leave each CP with a minimum of 1.5 litres. Some stages are a little longer, on those you must start with 2 litres.
Plus whatever you wish to carry, camera, extra food, gaiters, kitchen sink, smartphone etc
Charging iPods, phones etc,
a solar charger or similar is recommended, and many options are available.
Dry bags or waterproof compression sacks
for your kit inside your rucksack/backpack are strongly advised, despite the common belief, backpacks are not usually fully waterproof, an optional backpack cover is also worth considering.
Once your kit check is complete, you will get your event Top.
You cannot start without successfully passing a kit check
Mobile phones
are not compulsory, but a signal is usually available on around 70% of the course, we recommend you carry your phone in a waterproof bag and let us have the number, emergency contact numbers will be given to all competitors, for use during the event by competitors only.
In Addition, EACH COMPETITOR MUST HAND IN A DROP BAG, which will be available during the event at the discretion of the organisers.
The drop bag is not an excuse to take lighter choices in your backpack, your backpack contents will be checked before the event starts.
The Drop bag must be a waterproof Dry Bag, with a maximum volume of 20 litres, with your name and number clearly indicated, many drop bag materials allow you to write on them with a waterproof Marker pen.
All compulsory items must be present and suitable for event conditions, your choice of the suitable kit may make the difference between finishing or not.
In the event that the medical team decide that an individual needs his or her drop bag, then a time penalty will be added to that individual's time. if requested more The time Penalty for issuing the Drop Bag for medical reasons then 3 hours applies, if medics permit further participation.
When the drop bag is being issued by the organisers to all participants, then no time penalties apply.
In certain unusual conditions, this drop bag will be handed to all the competitors.
Drop bag Contents must include :
Thick warm socks
Long warm trousers or leggings - Fleece leggings or better
Underwear
Long-sleeved warm base layer - Merino wool
Long-sleeved warm top layer - Down or Synthetic jacket
Warm hat, that covers ears, Woolen bobble hat etc
Warm pair of Gloves
ALSO: Include a towel and swimming costume in your drop bag !!
Must NOT include extra food, nutritional products or any other spare kit
Your Kit must be presented at registration, the compulsory kit list is ........... compulsory.
The list is compiled for your safety and is the minimum you MUST have, you can take any extra items (camera, smartphone etc) or any other luxuries that you wish, such as a hardback copy of War and Peace etc, but you can not start without ALL items on the compulsory kit list in the required minimum specification.
The contents of this are based on the experience of many multi-day events like the Fire + Ice Ultra, coupled with knowledge of potential conditions that may occur during the Fire + Ice Ultra.
Check on https://contestants.extremeadventureraces.net/race-kit-lists/18/contestant
for kit updates nearer the event you can download a printable page with check boxes there.
We sell many of the items on the kit list and you can see those here
Backpack / Rucksack
capable of carrying all compulsory equipment, food and other items you wish to carry, cameras etc. Normally 25 to 35-litre backpacks/rucksacks are required. A larger size is acceptable, but less is difficult but not impossible to cater for minimum kit requirements. Kit checks are compulsory, we check ALL bags, we look closely at large bags in case we can assist in safely reducing the size, and we look very, very closely at small bags to ensure that ALL compulsory items and kit specifications are met. Random kit checks during the event are possible in some circumstances. For your safety, you can not start without passing the kit check.
Sleeping bag
capable of keeping you warm at night time temperatures of 2 degrees centigrade. A liner is optional, but will add to the warmth, and will help you keep your sleeping bag in good condition for much longer. It is also compulsory that your sleeping bag is in a waterproof stuff/compression sack, down is the lightest and most compact option, but when wet it is useless, synthetic materials tend to be bulkier, and although unpleasant can still help (a little) to keep you warm when they are wet. If nighttime temperatures are predicted to go below 2 degrees, or other conditions require, we will issue Drop bags to everyone. NO SLEEP MEANS NO ENERGY the next day.
Sleeping Mat
With extra thermal properties recommended but not compulsory.
Head torch AND emergency light
Normal conditions for this time of year suggest they will not get much use, however bad weather conditions, extend the short period of darkness, mainly expected to be used for the long stage and going to the bathroom etc
12 x Safety Pins for the number
(plus spares for other use). Your numbers MUST NOT BE FOLDED, TRIMMED OR ALTERED IN SIZE, and the whole number secured plainly visible on the front of your chest, time penalties apply for numbers not fully visible, .
Small knife or multitool
Survival BAG
IT MUST NOT BE A SHEET. It MUST be a bag you can get inside, with your clothes on if necessary,
Small flashing " RED " light
to fit on the back of the backpack in darkness (mostly expected for the long stage).
Sunscreen
waterproof type suggested
Lip balm
lots of choices
Medical kit
with special provision for Blisters, see the separate list for Medical kit AND Blister kit contents
Tissues / Wet wipes
Hand cleaner, alcohol gel
keep those stomach upsets and many other problems that can ruin your event at bay
Base layer
should be Long sleeve T-shirt style, Merino wool or lightweight fleece, with wicking properties, and lots of choices, many have a half zip which is a good idea for ventilation flexibility.
Waterproof jacket (or smock) and trousers
with taped seams, waterproof AND breathable, minimum material specification applies, unfortunately, there are different and sometimes misleading figures quoted on waterproof materials, in an attempt to make sure you are dry in the worst weather.
A MINIMUM MATERIAL SPECIFICATION APPLIES.
For materials with a 10-metre Hydrostatic Head, it must be a 2.5 or 3 layer fabric. If it's a single layer Fabric it must be at least a 20-metre Hydrostatic head.
Some products offer better specifications, the more rain you keep out, and the more breathable the material, the more comfortable you will be in poor conditions.
All of the seams must be sealed.
The jacket should have an adjustable and peaked permanently attached hood. For your comfort Velcro tabbed cuffs are strongly recommended, so gloves can be fitted and located more securely in bad weather. If the jacket and trousers manufacturer can not supply you with these statistics, it is very likely they do not meet minimum requirements, all brands I know of would be quick to boast they meet these important specifications.
Warm mid-layer,
Lightweight down or synthetic sweater or similar, for use on a cold day, and/or at the camp in the evening.
Shorts and tights
anyone using shorts during the day, must also bring long tights or leggings, for cold days or for evenings
Buff
and must be suitable for protecting the head and neck against the sun, and also cover the mouth during windy conditions against dust and volcanic ash.
Hat
For warmth during the day and cold evenings, (separate to a cap you might wear, which is not compulsory).
Shoes
Trail running shoes, for events of this type, it is normal to use shoes at least 1 size bigger than normal, to allow for swelling, blisters etc, remember your feet swell sideways not just length ways, so consider a shoe with a slightly wider fitting.
Socks
Your feet will get wet from time to time, a minimum of 2 pairs of socks is required, more if you wish to. Many socks are designed to help reduce friction and blisters, they are worth considering.
Lightweight, warm gloves,
water-resistant as a minimum specification, must be long enough to tuck under jacket sleeves, combined with a jacket with velcro cuffs offers the best protection, and remove the skin gap between glove and jacket in bad weather.
Sunglasses with UV protection
Food and nutrition for the complete event
Including the Night before and the morning of the Race day before the start. Extreme Adventure Food is the lightest weight with the highest energy, large choice and great tasting. Use this LINK to go to the Adventure Nutrition website for all your high-energy food, energy bars, gels, recovery drinks and other nutritional and sporting products, remember your electrolytes!! You must carry a minimum of 2300Kcal per full day, the last day does not require evening meals or afternoon snacks. You must also have food for Sunday evening and Monday morning before the start, but it does not have to be lightweight specialist meals as you will not have to carry them in your pack.
Hydration system,
Water bottles, Platypus etc, you must have the capacity to carry a minimum of 2 litres, and you must leave each CP with a minimum of 1.5 litres. Some stages are a little longer, on those you must start with 2 litres.
Plus whatever you wish to carry, camera, extra food, gaiters, kitchen sink, smartphone etc
Charging iPods, phones etc,
a solar charger or similar is recommended, and many options are available.
Dry bags or waterproof compression sacks
for your kit inside your rucksack/backpack are strongly advised, despite the common belief, backpacks are not usually fully waterproof, an optional backpack cover is also worth considering.
Once your kit check is complete, you will get your event Top.
You cannot start without successfully passing a kit check
Mobile phones
are not compulsory, but a signal is usually available on around 70% of the course, we recommend you carry your phone in a waterproof bag and let us have the number, emergency contact numbers will be given to all competitors, for use during the event by competitors only.
In Addition, EACH COMPETITOR MUST HAND IN A DROP BAG, which will be available during the event at the discretion of the organisers.
The drop bag is not an excuse to take lighter choices in your backpack, your backpack contents will be checked before the event starts.
The Drop bag must be a waterproof Dry Bag, with a maximum volume of 20 litres, with your name and number clearly indicated, many drop bag materials allow you to write on them with a waterproof Marker pen.
All compulsory items must be present and suitable for event conditions, your choice of the suitable kit may make the difference between finishing or not.
In the event that the medical team decide that an individual needs his or her drop bag, then a time penalty will be added to that individual's time. if requested more The time Penalty for issuing the Drop Bag for medical reasons then 3 hours applies, if medics permit further participation.
When the drop bag is being issued by the organisers to all participants, then no time penalties apply.
In certain unusual conditions, this drop bag will be handed to all the competitors.
Drop bag Contents must include :
Thick warm socks
Long warm trousers or leggings - Fleece leggings or better
Underwear
Long-sleeved warm base layer - Merino wool
Long-sleeved warm top layer - Down or Synthetic jacket
Warm hat, that covers ears, Woolen bobble hat etc
Warm pair of Gloves
ALSO: Include a towel and swimming costume in your drop bag !!
Must NOT include extra food, nutritional products or any other spare kit