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The first rule to remember is NO COTTON |
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What you wear can be as important as how you train. There is the best
case scenario, and the worst case scenario. It is a good idea to take
what you need for worst case scenario in the vehicle to the race. The
best case scenario will be lighter in weight, and less bulky in the
pack. You need to measure your personal warmth needs with what the
weather is doing. One enemy of the adventure racer is hypothermia. The
clothing you wear is mainly to prevent hypothermia.
 The first rule to remember is NO COTTON.
Cotton absorbs water and retains it. It doesn't have very good
insulating qualities once it is wet. Materials such as polypropylene
and wool are much better. Polypro and other similar synthetics dry
fast. Wool has insulating properties even when it is wet.
A short one day race, may only necessitate running shorts and a
T-shirt. For the two day races, and on up, you need to be more
concerned with what you wear. The weather in remote places can change
very quickly. Your clothing needs to be flexible, so that you can
change layers in accordance with the weather. A sample ward robe is as
follows:
- long sleeve cool max shirt, or biking jersey
- nylon running shorts
- polypro running tights
- wool or synthetic socks
- lightweight fleece w/ pitzips
- breathable, water proof jacket w/ pitzips
- breathable, waterproof pants
- fleece hat and gloves
- biking shorts, for the bike sections
Contributed By: Jack Crawford
Beyond Adventure Sports: The ultimate e-zine for adventure and expedition racing enthusiasts.A wealth of free information right at your fingertips.
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