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2023 marked the 2nd year that Inside Enduro put together the toughest hard enduro race on the West Coast, Silver Kings. This race is held at the Silver Mountain Ski Resort in Kellogg, Idaho and is home to some of the gnarliest terrain you can dream of. Below are my favorite “oh sh*t” items that helped me during the race and some that I used to assist my fellow bronze class riders when conquering Silver Mountain.
Tugger Straps- Specifically, Comfortable Ones-
When you’re 3+ hours into a race, your forearms are numb from the downhills and you drop your bike from pure exhaustion, you will thank yourself for investing in some cozy tugger straps. These straps are a lifeline if you send your bike off the mountain or get stuck in a tire during the Silver Kings prologue. Zach and I both use front and rear tugger straps from NSX Factor and couldn’t be happier with them. The neoprene front and back strap kit sells for $56.00 but you can also buy the straps individually. Another option that Zach has used and enjoyed was the Bronco Grabber Strap ($29.99) made by Trailbound. This leather strap differs from most because it mounts from the triple clamps, facing you, making it easier to pull up on your bike while keeping the handlebars straight. Both straps are incredibly durable, comfy and made by riders.
Tusk Mini Portable Power & Jump Starter-
It’ll even jumpstart my ’95 Toyota and I’m not joking about that. I highly recommend picking one of these up, the whole set up weighs about as much as 2 protein bars and takes up less space. I rescued a Husqvarna during the main race at Silver Kings, who had his TPI fail him and couldn’t start his bike again. He took off his seat, attached the color corresponding cables to his battery, turned on the battery pack and he started his bike up without issues and kept racing. Also, perfect for situations when you can't bump-start the bike (for example, when the bike is stuck in deep mud.) You can purchase this mini starter at Rocky Mountain ATV for $59.99 and earn some rad quick cash as well.
50ft of Braided Nylon Paracord AND 3.8in Aluminum CamJam XT Rope Tightener-
At Kings, I came across a rider who really messed up, he hit a loose rock on the trail and it sent him and the bike 15ft+ down off the trail onto a cliff side. He couldn’t ride out of it and the ground kept slipping from under him as he tried pulling the bike up. It was awful. I offered my cord and rope tightener and he was so grateful to take it. After several minutes of rummaging, I then realized I had left it in my gear bag and it was not in my backpack with me… My bad. I got both of these easy to use items from Home Depot for under $30! I bought the brand Corda for paracord, because it’s rated for 550lbs. CamJam XT is the brand for a sturdy rope tightener. It has a working load of 500lb, break strength of 1500lbs and it’s made from Aluminum so it’ll be light in your backpack or (in this case) gear bag.
Finally, these items aren’t just for Hard Enduro races. These straps are vital to Zach and I when moving bikes around the garage multiple times a day. The jump starter has come to my rescue and started my relic of a vehicle more moments than I’d care to admit. Are these items “every time I ride” essentials? Probably not, except for maybe the straps, but I was stoked to put them to use at Silver Kings.
What are you thoughts on these items?
Do you own any of this gear?
What would you add to this list?
Comment Below!
Gear links!
Tugger Straps:
Tusk Jump Starter:
UPDATE: Unfortunately, Tusk has made the decision to discontinue this item. I truly hope they bring this jump starter back, it's helped me out multiple times and I'd consider it an essential item for any backcountry enduro rider. As an alternative, Scosche makes a similar product sold on Rocky Mountain for $84.88. I've never seen this particular jumper in action, but the reviews I've read have been positive.
Paracord & Rope Tightener:
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