A group of mountain bikers riding a gravel forest road between tall conifers

What a race actually looks like

Trek, ride, paddle, punch the checkpoint

You and one to three teammates arrive at a park, pick up maps marked with checkpoints, and plot a route before the start. The course then rotates between legs: trekking or trail running, mountain biking on dirt roads and singletrack, and paddling a canoe or kayak, with transition areas where you swap gear. At each checkpoint you punch a card or tap an electronic tag to prove you were there. Teams stay within shouting distance at all times and finish together. Most beginner races are ranked by checkpoints found, then by time, so a team that skips a few hard ones and finishes on time still gets a result.

Race lengths to work through

Sprint races (3 to 8 hours)Daylight courses and the right first race. Everything you need is in the base kit.

Start here

Pick a sprint race 6 to 10 weeks out on the race calendar, sign up a team of two, and start one weekly run, ride and map session.

USARA Race Calendar

Overnight Races (12 to 36 hours)Longer legs, navigation at dusk and dawn, and a gear bin waiting at transitions. They add lighting and comfort gear for racing through the night.

Start here

After one or two sprints, enter a 12 to 24 hour race with the same team and do one practice outing that runs past dark so you can test lights and night navigation.

Expedition races (36 hours to several days)Sleep becomes a tactical choice and teams often need ropes or whitewater skills. Plan to do several overnight races first; the same overnight gear carries over.

Start here

Read how expedition races differ, then crew or volunteer at one before you race it, so you see sleep planning and gear transitions up close.

USARA Race Shapes and Sizes

Open a card for the first thing to do. The longer formats end in a button that adds the Overnight Races gear to the kit.

How race formats differ

USARA Race Shapes and Sizes How sprint, one-day and expedition races differ

From signup to start line

Close-up of hands holding a topographic map and a clear baseplate compass — Taking a bearing off the map

Find a race and a club

An orange-and-white checkpoint flag beside a compass and an orienteering map on a rock

Skills that decide your result

Map, compass, transitions, fuel and pace

Map reading

Matching contour lines to the hills, valleys and streams around you, and always knowing roughly where you are on the map.

Compass bearings

Setting a bearing from the map and walking it through woods without drifting, using catching features like a trail or stream as a backstop.

Fast transitions

Laying out your bike gear and paddle gear in the order you will use it, so changing disciplines takes minutes rather than a quarter hour.

Fueling on the move

Eating small amounts constantly and drinking before you feel thirsty, because a team stalls when one person bonks.

Team pacing

Moving at the speed of the slowest member, sharing pack weight, and calling out when you are struggling early instead of late.

Practice navigation on your own

Orienteering USA Permanent and DIY Courses Year-round courses you can walk on your own with a printed map

Mandatory gear and staying safe

Every race publishes a mandatory gear list and many check it at the start or at random checkpoints. Missing an item can mean time penalties or disqualification, so check yours against the list rather than this page.
Most races require a whistle, a headlamp, an emergency blanket and a helmet per racer, plus a compass, first aid kit, small locking knife and a charged phone per team.
A GPS watch can usually record your track if the race director approves it first. Using any GPS to navigate gets a team disqualified.
Paddle legs require a life jacket worn and buckled; races usually supply them, so confirm before buying one.
Wet clothing plus wind is how racers get hypothermic, even in summer. Pack a rain shell and avoid cotton layers.
Stay together. If a teammate gets hurt, use the emergency number on your race map and the whistle to signal, and do not split up to look for help unless instructed.

What trips beginners up

Expect to get lost at least once. Even experienced teams overshoot checkpoints; the skill is noticing quickly and relocating.
Expect the bike leg to take longer than you think, because hike-a-bike sections and route choices slow everyone down.
Expect sore hands, shoulders and feet you did not train, especially from paddling and the pack.
Do not start too fast. Teams that sprint the first leg often walk the last one.
Do not let one person navigate alone. Have a second teammate track the map so mistakes get caught early.
Do not race in brand-new shoes or with an untested pack. Rubbing that seems minor at hour one becomes blisters by hour four.
Do not skip eating because you are busy navigating. Set a timer if you need to.

A trail runner mid-leap over a rocky ridge against a blue sky — A trail runner mid-leap on a rocky ridge

How much training it takes

Weekly split

Expect four to six hours of training a week for a sprint if you already exercise: two hour-long sessions, one weekend outing of two to three hours that mixes biking and running, and a short map session. Overnight races call for back-to-back long weekend days and at least one practice outing in the dark. Train with your teammates when you can, since learning each other's pace matters as much as fitness.

Where to learn

The national governing body's beginner section covers each discipline, the race vocabulary and how to prepare, all free. For navigation, nothing beats a local orienteering club: most hold inexpensive meets with a beginner course and volunteers who will teach you to take a bearing. Many race organizers also run free or cheap navigation clinics the day before a race, so check the event page.

An orange-and-white checkpoint flag hung in bare winter woods — A checkpoint flag in bare winter woods

Free guides from the governing body

Why the kit looks like this

The list mirrors a typical sprint-race mandatory gear list, so most lines are small, cheap items you buy once and reuse every race. The big costs are things you may already own: a mountain bike (any hardtail with working brakes is fine, and some races or shops rent them; gravel and cyclocross bikes are usually not allowed) and running shoes. Team items (compass, first aid kit, knife, phone pouch) are needed once per team, so split them with your partner. The Overnight Races add-on covers what changes once you race through the night.

Two red canoes paddling a green river, seen low from the lead boat

Pack the mandatory gear

Every line, with its options side by side

The first line is not something you buy online: it is your race entry. The rest follows a typical sprint gear check, and the last three lines join the kit only when you switch on Overnight Races. Clicking a card selects it, and clicking the selected card again takes that line out.

CP 01

Sprint adventure race entry

Essential · Race entry

The race is the hobby: it provides the course, the maps, the boats and the safety cover you cannot easily set up yourself.

Not sold on Amazon

Not sold on Amazon. Find events on the USARA race calendar; sprint entries usually run $60 to $150 per racer, and USARA-sanctioned races may add a one-day membership fee for insurance. Check that boats and life jackets are included.

CP 02

Hydration pack with water bladder

Essential · Core equipment

You carry water, food and the mandatory gear for every leg, and a pack with a drinking tube lets you sip without stopping.

budget

Water Buffalo Hydration Backpack - Lightweight Hydration Pack with 2L Water Bladder - Water Backpack for Hiking, Running, Biking, and Raves - Road Runner 12L Hydropack Backpack

4.5(13K)

$34.99

Adventure Racing

What a race actually looks like

Race lengths to work through

From signup to start line

Skills that decide your result

Mandatory gear and staying safe

What trips beginners up

How much training it takes

Where to learn

Why the kit looks like this

Pack the mandatory gear

Sprint adventure race entry

Hydration pack with water bladder

Baseplate compass

Headlamp

Mountain bike helmet

Rear bike tail light

Mini bike pump

Mountain bike spare inner tube

Bike tire levers

Safety whistle

Emergency space blanket

Compact first aid kit

Small locking folding knife

Waterproof phone pouch

Trail running shoes

Waterproof map case

Packable rain jacket

Energy chews

Water purification tablets

Rechargeable bike headlight

Gear bin storage tote

Blister care kit