Four years ago I found myself heading to a French enduro race. The fact that this was probably all a huge mistake is the topic of other articles, but the point here is that it introduced me to what appeared then quite a significant kit list. A full face helmet was mandatory. A back protector was mandatory. I’m pretty sure knee pads were mandatory too, and elbow pads were strongly advised.
At the time, this seemed like a whole lot of kit. The helmet felt alien, hot and heavy, the kneepads were a relief to take off at the end of the day, and the backpack was big enough for a long weekend away. That’s not to say I wasn’t glad of it –I think all items were deployed across the course of the race – but it was a far cry from the trail helmet and gloves I’d usually go pedalling in at the time. It was a special packing list of items mostly obtained specifically for the purpose of the race – these weren’t items I usually felt the need to use.