New to the UK next year will be RaidLight, a French brand
aimed at all things adventure race and ultra-lightweight with a whole
range of packs, clothing and accessories devoted to doing things fast
and light and characterised by some very ingenious designs.
Typical of the neat ideas on offer from the company is a full
balanced lightweight back system made specifically for marathon
endurance racing to be balanced and accessible. The system was
developed in conjunction with the Ahansal brothers, seven-times
winners of the gruelling Marathon des Sables and features neat
touches like special mini-bottles for pre-measured electrolyte and
energy drinks, which can be added to water at refreshment stops.
Designed along similar lines is a universal front clip-on pack
that can be used with any pack featuring daisy-chain type attachments
on its harness straps. Again the idea is a combination of balance and
easy accessibility on the go, so no stopping to wrestle with badly
designed mesh pockets or scrabbling in the inners of your pack...
There's lots more besides including very light and very thin
trekking poles, universal running gaiters to keep the grit and gravel
out of your shoes and cycling-style race tops that include neat
little energy bar pockets carefully sited to be well away from pack
harnesses, so you can feed easily on the go.
Should be interesting for anyone with a weight-saving /
not-stopping fetish. More details from www.raidlight.com
Andy Simpson
