Kit · · 1 min read · Fredrik Kaada
Why every long day starts with the checklist
Packing for a mountain race is a decision about safety, not weight. Here's how I use a mandatory-kit checklist before every long run.
I used to pack by feel. Years of guiding taught me that feel is good until the weather turns. Now every long day starts the same way: the checklist, ticked item by item, the night before.
Kit is a safety decision
It's tempting to treat mandatory kit as a weight problem. I treat it as the list of things I'll be glad to have when something goes wrong far from a road. A jacket that really keeps rain out matters more than a few grams saved.
Train with what you'll race with
I carry the full race kit on long training days. The vest should feel familiar long before the start line, and I want to know where each item sits without looking.
Always check the race's own list
Each race publishes its own required kit, and it can change. My checklist is a starting point; the race organiser's page has the final word.
Not sure where you stand?
The readiness quiz walks through mountain experience, long days and kit, then points you to the planner. It isn't a test you can fail; it's a way to see what to work on next.