Team OrionHealth Adventure

All team members of Orionhealth.com use Legend paddles while competing in both expedition-style adventure races internationally and multisport races in New Zealand. There are many types of Legend paddles to suit races of different lengths and people of all shapes. Being considerably shorter than my male teammates I use a Fusion Small which has a small enough blade to allow me to paddle for long distances in adventure races but is also suitable for shorter races such as the Coast to Coast. Legend Paddles are all beautifully made and are of the highest quality; check out www.legendpaddles.co.nz for more info. If only my ancestors used Legends, I could have been enjoying N.Z much earlier!

I was introduced to adventure racing at the world championships in Scotland. The weather conditions in this race were generally freezing with strong winds and rain experienced on most days. Other teams suffered hypothermia and one of the reasons this did not happen to us is due to our amazing Berghaus hats which we wore for most of the five and a half days it took us to complete the course.

We found these hats extremely useful and wore them in every discipline including trekking, kayaking and mountain biking. One exception was the naked jump into freezing water at night before which I had to reluctantly remove it from my head but put it straight back on afterwards to warm up. Special features of these hats include ear flaps, waterproof outer covering, warm fleece inner lining, small cap and an elastic chin strap.

Thank you Berghaus and look forward to wearing more of your quality products in future races.

I have been using Day Two multisport kayak spray skirts and paddle jackets for the last 6 years competing in both multisport and adventure races. I have always found these purpose built light weight items to be hard wearing, reliable and user friendly in pretty much all the conditions I have encountered, which at times have been reasonably extreme! I would recommend them without hesitation, with the added advice, always buy the equipment designed for your specific use!

After spending thousands of dollars buying and making lights over the last 5 or so years I think I’m finally content with the Edison 5. This is a fantastic light from Lupine. The Edison system consists of a 13W Metal-Halide lamp powered by lithium-ion batteries. That basically means a brilliantly bright light (equivalent to about 60 watts from a halogen light) and very lightweight batteries. The light has a high and a low setting. The high is all the light you’d ever need and great for Cateye Moonride etc, while the low gives longer run-time and is more than enough light for adventure racing.

What really sets this light apart from the others is the attention to detail. The build quality of all the components (light, attachments, charger etc) is faultless. The mounting systems for helmet, handle-bars and head are easy to set up and work very well. You can quickly swap the light from bike to head-strap (supplied) and we often take the light on a trek leg as it can be a huge help spotting features that our normal trekking lights will not reach.

The Lupine charger is a nice little unit with a digital readout that leaves you in no doubt that your batteries are fully charged (A problem I’ve had with other chargers) and also has a discharge feature and ability to charge other battery types.

So finally I’ve found the perfect light and can stop looking.

Although the Lupine Wilma X Pro looks pretty good…

We have used Insomniac Racing Kayaks in all of our adventure races since 2005, when they first hit the market.

Their sharp entry lines and long waterline length make the Insomniac kayaks a match for any other AR double for flatwater speed. The sleek nose has proved very effective for surf beach launches, allowing us to punch through breaking waves and maintain our momentum. In open water the Insomniac has proven to have very good stability and has handled large ocean swells and choppy water easily, catching lifts well in trailing seas.

The Insomniac kayaks have proven to be excellent adventure racing doubles with easy storage for compulsory equipment. They are competitive in all conditions and stable enough for every level of paddler. A good choice for teams looking for a competitive edge as well as those wanting something with a bit more speed than the “old barge” that won’t tip them into the drink!

Replace is a great Isotonic Sports Drink.

It is one of the best sports drinks on the market due to its balance of electrolytes being the closest match to requirements before, during and after exercise. Replace also provides carbohydrates for refueling you! Replace comes in two flavours - Lemon and lime, and orange and mango, both of which taste great.

It definitely appeals due to its quality - it has even been recommended to me by one of New Zealands top dietitians because of this. And what makes it even cooler is that you can get it from the supermarket at a very affordable price! Another great feature is that you can buy it in a 600g container, 3kg bucket, or easy to use sachets. One sachet makes up one standard sized drink bottle (750ml). This is extremely handy when travelling, and also during races in transitions for a quick refuel.

In February 2006 team OrionAdventure.com competed in the XPD (an expedition length adventure race lasting 5 days).

This was my first ever expedition length race. One of the most important pieces of advice that was given to me before the race was to look after your feet, and choose your shoes carefully.

The shoes our team choose to use for is race was the New Balance 907's and needless to say I was pretty nervous about how they would perform, or more importantly how my feet would perform in them.

During the XPD we traveled along massive sand dunes, up steep rocky climbs, river crossings, long treks off trail and Kilometers running on seal roads, gravel roads and technical trails with roots and rocks.

I was stoked with how the 907's performed in such a variety of terrain. I found that they drained water quickly, protected the foot from roots and rocks, had the ability to run fast when the trail opened up and had enough comfort and support for the long haul. I also found the sole to have excellent grip.

But the best thing about the New Balance 907's was that I finished the race injury and blister free (apart from a knock to the knee, but I can't blame that on the shoes). Also my toenails are in perfect condition (not many people can say that after racing for 5 days straight).

I will be using the New Balance 907's again and genuinely recommend them as a great adventure racing shoe.

The New Balance 907's are available from all good shoe stores.

The Trek Stretch Tight is fantastic, 10 / 10!

It's light weight, warm, comfortable and I've never worn anything better.

I used them a lot while I was filming in China, they kept me warm during the long hours of standing around in freezing cold conditions waiting for film crews to set up for the perfect shot.

They stretch to the degree that they don't restrict movement and aren't loose in any areas, something I've found as an issue with many other brands of this type of pants.

Big thumbs up to Berghaus for these! I can't think of any improvements.

This cookie is the bomb for Adventure Racing!

It's hard to explain the pleasure I get out of finding a Em's cookie in my race pack ... mmmmmmmmm! It hits the spot just right when riding or trekking. It's a bit hard to paddle while eating a cookie, but trust me, it can be done when you're really craving for one. If you've got a dry throat it's probably a bad idea to tuck into one of these disk shaped morsels, so take a little water first just to help them along. It's kind of like a treasure hunt in those cookies ... how many chocolate bits can you get in one bite? I've been told the nutritional value is good too :) What can I say ... mmmmmmm!

The Gore-tex Paclite pant is also great! an incredible 11/10!

It's possibly the lightest overtrouser I've had, even with the 3/4 length zips. These zips allow us to put the pants on or off without taking shoes off, saving valuable time in races, and double as vents on the thighs which is great in changeable conditions, saving us from overheating. Having a simple draw cord on the waste is all that's needed. Having the draw string on the ankle enables us to ride without getting the pants caught in chain or cluster. There really is nothing I can fault or think of that can add to the functionality of these pants. Simply BRILLIANT!