A lot of potential Spine event participants ask about kit – it’s a huge subject. Here, I’ve listed the mandatory items that have to be carried and the specific articles I used. At the end, there’s an additional list detailing the extra kit I felt I needed to cope with the vicious Winter conditions encountered on the route, plus stuff in the drop bag to make check point life easier.
Clothing and shoes worn at the start:
Scarpa Ribelle Run Kalibra G trail shoes*
Sidas 3Feet Mid footbeds
Montane Phase Light waterproof jacket*
Rab Firewall waterproof trousers*
OMM Core Plus Hoodie
Montane Terra trousers*
Helly Hansen Lifa Stripe crew long sleeve top (base layer)*
Paramo Cambio boxer shorts (underwear)
Bridgedale Lightweight Merino Comfort Boot socks*
Bridgedale Knee Length Midweight Storm socks
Rab Filament beanie
*Mandatory (generic) item
And carrying:
Black Diamond Distance FLZ carbon running poles
Mandatory kit applying to every competitor:
Montane Trailblazer 30 pack modified to carry OMM Chest Pouch
(Exped 50 litre rolltop waterproof pack liner)*
Silva Expedition 4 compass
Harvey’s North and South maps of Pennine Way
Garmin eTrex 32X GPS
Orange Marine Safety whistle
Bolle Cobra safety goggles with strap
Fenix HM65R-T v2.0 headtorch
(SPARE Fenix 4,000 mAh battery)*
Montane Logo Beanie hat
Montane Power Stretch touch gloves
Montane Montane Respond Dry Line insulated waterproof gloves
Montane Montane Respond Dry Line insulated waterproof mitts
SPARE Bridgedale Lightweight Merino Comfort Boot socks
Buff neck warmer
Montane Dart XT long sleeve top (base layer)
Montane Dart XT long johns (base layer)
Rab Photon insulated jacket
Kahtoola Microspikes
Summit to Sea Spark II sleeping bag (superseded by the Spark Ultralight -1)
Alpkit Numo sleeping mat
Alpkit Hunka bivvy bag
Alpkit Kraku stove
Alpkit MytiMug 400ml titanium mug
MSR Piezzo stove lighter
MSR Folding Utensils Spork
iPhone SE in Ortleib waterproof pouch
Alpkit Tau rechargeable red LED light
The Tent Lab Deuce titanium trowel
Toilet kit – Dog waste bags and tissues
Medical kit/personal first aid kit with scissors as specified by Spine medics
(Various Exped rolltop waterproof bags)*
Platypus Platy 2 litre bottle
(Montane Water Ultraflask 500Ml with long straw top)*
(Salomon Soft Flask XA Filter 490ML)*
Food as specified (1,500 calories) including SIS gels
*Items in brackets not mandatory but virtually essential
Extra stuff in drop bag or carried in addition to the above mandatory kit:
Montane Phase XT waterproof jacket
Rab Sil Poncho
Rab Bergen waterproof trousers
Montane Minimus lightweight waterproof trousers
Rab Generator insulated jacket
Rab Vapour-Rise Alpine Light Jacket
Montane Slipstream thermal running tights
Scarpa Ribelle Run Kalibra G trail shoes
Scott RC running cap
Black Diamond Distance Z aluminium running poles
North Face Pamir Windstopper gloves
Montane Extreme mitts
Victorinox Alox SD knife
Apple iPod shuffle plus headphones and charging cable
Alpkit Juice Boost 5,000mAh power bank
Adaptors: USB C to Lightning, USB Micro and Garmin Fenix (from Amazon)
Rossignol face mask (otherwise in drop bag)
Paracetamol and codeine sufficient for the duration
Vaseline lip balm
Gurney Goo for rubbing areas and potential blisters
SPARE Montane Power Stretch touch gloves
SPARE Montane hooded long sleeve top (base layer)
SPARE Paramo Cambio boxer shorts (underwear)
SPARE Bridgedale Knee Length Midweight Storm socks x 3
SPARE Bridgedale Lightweight Merino Comfort Boot socks x 3
SPARE foodstuffs to top back to 1,500 calories at CP’s
SPARE SIS gels
SPARE laces (already attached to compass and whistle in pack)
SPARE Petzl Swift headtorch
SPARE Petzl Swift battery
SPARE Alpkit Blip rear LED light
Bloc Titan Photochromic glasses with reading inserts
Additional mandatory first aid supplies
Footcare kit
High Five electrolyte tablets
And for charging at check points:
Anker USB mains plug
Leads for USB C, USB Micro, Lightning and Garmin Fenix
And for sleeping in at check points:
Cumulus Quantum 450 sleeping bag
Alpkit Drift pillow
(Sleeping mat recommended as beds aren’t always available)
And for changing into and travelling home in:
SPARE OMM Core Plus Hoodie
Fleece trousers
Crocs