Raidlight, specialist in desert trail equipment, develops and designs products adapted to desert races, particularly stage races such as the Marathon des Sables® or the Half Marathon des Sables®. All traile runners can equip themselves according to their race format, combining lightness, technicality and comfort. From Saharan caps to desert gaiters and trail packs, everything is designed to help runners cope with the harsh conditions of the desert environment.
In this type of race, equipment is crucial. It can be a real ally or, on the contrary, a real burden. The choice of equipment for a desert race is very important. Unsuitable equipment could get you into trouble and jeopardize the outcome of your desert adventure. Here's our selection of the best products for your next desert race.
Designed to be worn for hours in hostile environments, the Raid Legend 24L backpack is extremely comfortable. It boasts ample storage capacity, with a large 22L pocket and numerous stretch and zipped pockets for a multitude of easy-access storage options. For maximum comfort, this bag is modular and adjustable. It is compatible with the front pack, increasing its overall volume.
A little tip: the comfort of your bag also depends on how you organize and store it, so be careful.
Thanks to its vest-bag shape, it can be worn close to the body, perfectly fitting your morphology and avoiding tossing and turning during the race. Designed to be lightweight (only 325g), it's no less practical with its many pockets, including a main one with a 20L capacity.
A little tip: the comfort of your bag also depends on how you organize and store it, so be careful.
Functional and innovative, the Pack-Avant provides 4L of additional storage.
Desert gaiters are essential to keep sand out of shoes. For optimum protection and resistance, they must be sewn by a shoemaker. Glue is not resistant to sand abrasion.
NEW: Raidlight now offers a gaiter installation service. The operation consists of sewing a Velcro strip onto the boot, to which the gaiters can then be attached. This service is carried out in our Saint-Pierre-de-Chartreuse workshop by our seamstresses. Click here for more information.
A must-have for desert races, the Sahara cap. As well as providing effective protection from the sun, it's ultra-light and breathable.
The Dry Light lightknit top provides UPF40 sun protection on the sleeves and UPF20 on the bust. Everything has been designed for racing comfort, from the fabric to the zip and underarm inserts. Ultralight at 80g, it is designed to dry very quickly and let the skin breathe. Also available in a women's version with integrated modesty panel.
Unlike the Dry Light, the Sun Protect lightweight knit top protects the base of the neck as well as the arms along its entire length, offering optimum sun protection. This top has an opening on both sleeves to allow the watch to pass through. It also features 2 thumb loops to limit hand-stick friction in hot weather.
The R-LIGHT isn't just a pair of shorts, it's 2in1, as it comes with shorts underneath. So you get 2 advantages: the support of shorts and the lightness of shorts. Thanks to its belt with integrated pockets, you'll have everything you need right at hand.
With its elastic waistband and 3 pockets, the Trail Raider short is the perfect combination of comfort and practicality. Their lightweight recycled polyester fabric dries very quickly, making them all the more comfortable.
Ultra 3.0 trail shoes offer unrivalled comfort, cushioning and dynamism. Designed to take you as far as possible, this is the shoe for ultra trail and stage races. Your feet will be put to the test, so opt for comfort rather than mountain-type trail shoes with crampons over 5mm. Indeed, the desert is not a rugged terrain, so grip is not a determining factor.
When trail running, we always recommend taking an extra size on top of your usual shoe size. For desert races, don't hesitate to take 1 or 2 sizes larger. With the heat and the accumulation of kilometers, feet tend to swell a lot.
We've written a full article on the subject, which you can read by clicking here.
Ultralight, wide field of vision, available in photochromic or category 3, the new R-Light trail sunglasses will protect you from the sun as well as the sand in stormy weather.
The desert adventure is not limited to crossing the finish line of the stages, it also continues at night. The 2in1 sleeping bag, jacket and pants, both made of TYVEK material, prevent sand and wind from blowing through. In this way, trailers can stay protected from the elements and low temperatures.
Ultralight, windproof and breathable, ideal for very hot environments and perfect for transitions between stages.
The sleeping bag designed to accompany cold desert nights, it can switch from sleeping bag to down jacket in seconds thanks to its 2in1 system. It has been designed to compress as much as possible to avoid taking up too much space in the bag.
Your indispensable partner in the evening and at night on the bivouac
The 2-person Ultralight tent, a must-have for bivouacs, is ultra-compact (45cm x Ø11cm) and ultra-light (980g).
Made from our MP+ 20k/20k membrane, this tent is perfectly insulating, waterproof and breathable.
The Ultralight mattress weighs 390g for a thickness of 6cm, a length of 195cm and a width of 57cm, all you need to feel comfortable without taking up too much space. The non-return valve makes it easy to inflate by mouth, and it's strong enough to last.
