Summary
the famous “ruckings” .These are races with passages in the water, where you crawl, which requires great resistance to abrasion.
Perfect pants for crawling everywhere.
They therefore launched a series of pants in this direction, with their proprietary fabric (which I suspect comes from the American supplier Tweave ), the "Tough Fabric", literally "resistant fabric".
And I have the version with the light fabric , which I find very good. These are pants that actually dry very quickly, light, breathable, stretchy and durable. The promise is kept!
Goruck is not the only one on this type of item, Triple Aught Design and, to a certain extent, Prometheus Design Werx also offers this type of clothing.
But I would be very hesitant with the Sitka long-sleeved t-shirt which has a small hood that can cover the face. Perfect for protecting yourself from insects at night! It also dries very quickly, but I have doubts about the abrasion resistance. It's a piece of clothing that may not last longer than a season of Koh-Lanta if it's a little mistreated due to branches or other things...
Vollebak base layer, reinforced with carbon!
And otherwise, Vollebak offers base layers, with long sleeves and short sleeves, with carbon fibers to improve the durability of the garment.
Goruck also offers this beautiful comparative table , it makes me dream:
Little tip: the "AC" at Triple Aught Design refers to one of their proven fabrics, the "Amphibious Cloth", which is a nylon (non-stretch) that is quite strong and dries really quickly. Triton AC that ticks all the boxes. The Nautilus AC is in the same fabric, but with mesh briefs, like a swimsuit. Now, here it is clearly shorts that we are looking for, and not a swimsuit, hence the need for the Triton, and not the Nautilus. These are shorts that will be comfortable in "amphibious" events, but which would be reliable against friction and other branches of a tropical environment.
At Kuiu, there are the tactical shorts from Ten Thousand that I like, but they don't deliver to Europe... One hope remains: the brand has started a partnership with Mr Porter , but the products don't seem to be available for the moment.
Goruck shorts here, right in his element!
And finally, Goruck also offers the Ten Thousand Set Short . But like I said, shipping outside North America is a bit exotic…
So I turned to Vollebak and their Tilak jacket, Femund model, "military" version with a little reinforcement on the shoulders and the addition of a few pockets. Its hood is very enveloping, therefore perfect against insects...
As a second choice, there are the Shadow Amphibians , expressly for soldiers who sometimes have to walk with their feet in the water.
So they created a pair of shoes with an internal drainage system that allows water to quickly drain from the inside.
Only problem: the price… and availability in Europe, as usual with this type of brand.
2. MORE REASONABLE OPTION: EVERYTHING ELSE
I believe that many candidates are in Solomon, and I would do the same thing if I were in their place. Salomon offers very ventilated trail and hiking shoes, with very breathable mesh, and a confident sole.
But be careful, there are TWO pairs allowed! So I'll take a second pair that's even more airy, almost like sandals.
For this, I remind you that Salomon has an “amphibious” range . I think I'll turn to the Tech Amphib 4 ... or a good old pair of Decathlon sandals.
PS: taking Gucci moccasins for Koh-Lanta is an idea to forget as quickly as possible.
The worst idea in the world!
SOCKS
In such a climate, I won't take merino socks: although they are odor-resistant, they would be too hot and take too long to dry compared to synthetic socks.
But then what to take? I think any 100% synthetic (not cotton) running sock would do. As proof, among my socks that dry the fastest, my Decathlon have no reason to be ashamed of socks from other, more expensive brands.
That said, if you like sturdy gear brands, I see two possibilities.
However, there is a niche brand specializing in socks for mud races, these famous obstacle courses in the mud. This brand is Mudgear. It offers socks entirely designed for physical activity in a very humid environment .
And finally, for the more "naggy" among you, there is the Legend Compression Tactical brand, a brand made in the USA specializing in sports socks, which has a sock model entirely designed for tropical environments .
To take it a step further, I think I wouldn't hesitate to buy several pairs, put them in the washing machine and feel which pair is the least damp right after a wash cycle.
So that’s it for my special Koh-Lanta “gear list”! And you, what clothes would you bring? I am very curious to read your suggestions!
