OK, so my buddy and I decided to take on this challenge mainly due to the fact that as someone who's never been really overweight I was recently diagnosed with diabetes (I guess I'm just lucky). The doc thinks I can be off the meds and good to go in six months and while that's a great goal in and of itself completing this challenge would be a good ol' kick in the face to that diabetes as well. 

I noted that there were some posts on this topic here and I've read them but I have a couple of questions that are gear related and directed at people who have done this challenge or something similar to it. 

First, I'm curious what sort of packs are recommended these days. I haven't really looked at packs in a few years and I don't really feel the need to rip up my Arc'Teryx climbing pack on such an adventure. Quite frankly I don't think it would be a good pack for this job. I'm thinking that a frame pack is probably the best place to start and I'm curious how other people feel about that. I'm currently playing with a Mardingtop Tactical Backpack because I fully expect to destroy my practice pack (or two) and this thing is pretty modular but above all it's cheap ($45). To give you an idea of my thought process here I know what gear I'll be bringing and I've WAY over weighted myself for practice. In reality I'll probably be carrying around 35-45lbs of gear, water, food and ammo (dependent really on how much ammo I feel I need to carry) to start out with while currently my pack currently weighs in at 77.3 fully loaded (Thanks GoRuck plates!)

I'm not really looking to get a tacticool pack for this adventure but I'm not opposed to it either since a proper one will help ensure compliance with the firearms rules as well as my personal rules. I hate people who slap a rifle horizontally under the flap of their ruck and walk around muzzling everyone. Personally I couldn't care less what people think of the rig as long as it works and is comfortable.

Second, I'm curious what sort of rifles people are generally using for the long distance shooting portion of this challenge. I know that in some other challenges people use some crazy expensive tricked out rifles. I won't be doing that. I'm going to either be rocking a Remington 700 SPS or a Mossberg 100ATR. Both are in .243 Winchester. I might drop the coin on a Vortex scope but more likely I'll stick with my 3-9x50 Redfield Revolution.  This question is more my curiosity as to what people are actually using at these competitions. 

Just to be clear, we have no illusions that we're going to win anything. We just want to finish. 

\Thanks guys!

Background: I did the 2015 SAC, unfortunately wasn't available to do this years, but should be at next years.

Pack:

 I would say that 40#'s ish is close. The packing list seems pretty standard throughout the years. So, you can gather everything then add gun, ammo, food, and water to see exactly what you are looking at weight wise. The only real variable we saw was how much water we carried- sometimes there was water ivo where we were going other times we carried more,  

Wearing a 45# pack for 32-36 hours isn't exactly comfortable regardless of what pack you are wearing. So, if you can suck it up, whatever you have will work. That being said, the people who have put time into using and developing their products to carry loads comfortably over extended periods of time are going to have a product that is better suited. The weight needed to be carried is right on the limit of most civilian backpacking and "military" style daypacks/ extended daypacks. I used a MR NICE frame with a smaller bag- it was what I had. I haven't used a UTE, but it seems like the Hill Bros pack that I would choose for this. Being able to put pouches and a holster on the hip belt is nice too.

Rifle:

I'm not familiar with either of the rifles you mentioned taking. Since you will be firing 10-15 rds in a couple minutes, I would take the gun that the barrel handles the heat the best. More importantly, I would make sure you and your partner are able to identify a tgt, get the range, and call wind under a time constraint and a position other than easy prone shooting.

Based off what I saw: equipment plays a really small role in who finishes or not. You need to put in the miles in training, understand and apply some basic long range shooting skills, and be mentally prepared to keep on pushing through some physical discomfort.

I hope that helps. It is a one of a kind event.

Nick, Scott, and all the other people associated with HPG,

Thank you for supporting this event. As a competitor, having the necessary manpower and backside support for the challenges to run smoothly and efficiently is nice. The particular flavors and knowledge of those individuals are what makes this event special.

A couple of my observations for this year:

- This years format change changed up the dynamic of land nav points and time vs challenge scores. After thinking about it for a few days, I think I like it because it fundamentally requires a mix of skill on the challenges and speed on the land nav portion to do well. Although, from my perspective, the allotted time needs to be decreased or the number of points/challenges increased so that there is more than just challenge scores that separate teams. 

- This event provides basic challenges that apply fundamental skills. If we trained solely on the tasks required to be successful this year, we would be competent in a wide array of pertinent skills. I believe that this event provides great opportunities to apply land nav, general shooting fundamentals, some peripheral skills (knots, climbing, communication etc...), and overall drive and grit. The extreme range of experience and knowledge base between teams is a concern. When talking nutrition and water, I don't think that you can apply the same set of instructions and assumptions to all. I believe this event is a great opportunity to really test what one's basic long range shooting, land navigation, and extended foot movement skills are. From that perspective, I would like to see a division that encourages less experienced involvement while still challenging more experienced competitors.

- Regardless of talent or skill, this event is challenging and requires focus and commitment towards a goal over a period of time. It is a tough event, but I feel that given the right amount of effort, a lot of people would find it beneficial and fulfilling. As a military person, this event provides a great opportunity to really appreciate the necessity of fundamentals. Technology, talent, and excessive gear don't mean a lot in this competition.

  After all that, my final comment is that it is good to see the diversity in people participating in the event. I saw young, old, fat, skinny, long hair, and short hair. If you like land nav, shooting, and walking with a pack; you will be ok in this event. 

If anyone has questions or concerns about participating in this event please hit me up. I have no affiliation with the Sniper Adventure Challenge or HPG, but I will give you my take on what will make it a beneficial experience. 

Thanks again to HPG,  who once again provided significant contributions to making this event successful.