Frequently Asked Questions

Fair question. On the surface, it's a multi-day comprehensive set of surprise challenges that give you the opportunity to go beyond yourselves. A bit of warning, these challenges are not normal. They cover a wide array of aptitudes — physical, mental, courage, psychological, gastrointestinal, teamwork, cognitive, and do some in some pretty out of the box ways.

But just as importantly, MADs are chance to bond through shared struggle—the kind of trial that sharpens iron and builds respect. True masculinity isn’t about posturing or bravado; it’s about showing up for yourself and those counting on you, giving your all, and finding humor even in the discomfort. It brings men together, testing our grit, problem-solving, and ability to rely on one another, but always closing the day around a campfire a . That’s where the magic happens — swapping laughs, stories, and moments of pride in what you’ve endured together.

Not telling. You’ll arrive at a MAD Decathlon knowing only that you’re in for a wild ride, armed solely with who you are and the men you’re paired with. Every MAD Decathlon brings new challenges, some wildly different, others slightly tweaked.

It’s not that we can’t, we won’t. The “not knowing” is a big part of it. You don't know the challenge or the rules. You don’t know if you’ll be solo or in large team, or if the rules will change. And while we fully recognize that may make it a difficult experience to sell, trust us, the “not knowing” is worth it. (Check the testimonials of past MAD participants.)

In a world where nearly everything is predictable, MAD reintroduces you to the unknown. It’s a test of how you adapt, innovate, and lead at a moment. It’s about how you quickly build trust, camaraderie, and strategy on the fly—qualities that can’t be rehearsed.

It’s a fair question. Every guy’s “why” is different, but here are the ones we hear most:

1. The Brotherhood: The events are epic—no doubt about it. But ask anyone who’s done it, and they’ll tell you the best part is the guys. The bonds you build with the men beside you, pushing through challenges and sharing raw, unfiltered moments, leave the biggest impact. And of course, nothing beats BBQ and beers around the campfire, laughing about the day’s events.

2. Pushing Limits: “A ship is safest in harbor, but that’s not what it’s built for.” Every man has his limits—his comfort zone. MAD Decathlon is designed to push you to (and possibly past) them. Whether it’s a grueling physical feat, a mental curveball, or rallying your team through chaos, you’ll learn a lot about what you’re made of.

3. The Stories: Let me be clear: you’re going to walk away with stories. Stories so wild you’ll barely believe they’re yours. The kind of tales that get better with each telling — and they’ll be worth telling again and again.

So…  prepping for a MAD Decathlon isn’t really the point. Sure, fitness helps, and so does quick thinking, teamwork, and problem-solving. A bit of pain tolerance and grit won’t hurt either. But, if you want the truth? You can’t truly prepare, and that’s intentional.

Maybe …  just stretch a little.

First off, safety is baked into every event—even if it doesn’t look like it. We carefully design each challenge to find that perfect line between fun, tough, and safe. That said, expect to get pushed.

In almost every way.  Taking nothing away from those events, MAD Decathlon is a unique experience

• First, it’s multi-day. You’re not in and out in 4 hours.  For 3+ days, you go through challenges, relax with other guys, camp, eat and drink together.  It’s a whole thing. 

• A big difference: you don’t know what you’re in for.  All the challenges are unknown until the moment you begin.  

• Also, this isn’t just a physical aptitude, where the “toughest” or “fittest” win out.  We test a collection of abilities and often at the same time. And then we change the rules.  

• The challenges won’t be “fair”, so don’t expect them to be.  Life isn’t fair; we figured we design with that in mind. 

• Most importantly, there’s an intentional effort to build camaraderie, bonds between guys that won’t end when the decathlon does. Who you go through these challenges will be as memorable as what you do.  We’re focused on that as much as anything.

We’re all about equitable pricing. Check our pricing page.  Those who can pay more, do; those who can’t, pay less. We want MAD to be accessible to a wider range of guys, so we’ve secured some sponsorships to keep it fair. Ultimately, your level of payment is on the honor system, and we hope no matter what you pay, we’re banking you’ll feel it’s worth every penny.

• Compete hard but be respectful. MAD is about building connections, so keep the competition in perspective.

• Expect unfairness. Just like life, MAD events aren’t always fair, and that’s part of the experience.

• Teamwork is essential. Each challenge brings new teammates, and team scores contribute to each member’s individual score.

Our participants are men from all walks of life, aged 25-75, looking for a unique challenge. You’ll find everyone from sports buddies to college friends, bachelor parties, and even solo guys looking to connect with a like-minded crew.

Solid question. We hear it all the time from past participants. First off: the people. Despite what you might think, there are a ton of genuinely good guys out there, and MAD Decathlon somehow brings them all together. You’ll find yourself side-by-side with guys who, just like you, want to test their limits, connect, and make memories that last.

Then, of course, there are the stories. Trust us, we wouldn’t run these events if they didn’t make for wild, legendary tales. You’ll leave with stories that people actually want to hear—and maybe a few they won’t believe.

Finally, the experiences? Unforgettable. We’ve been known to check off items on your bucket list that you didn’t even know were there.

Either! We’ve had groups of guys and others rolling solo. Either way, you’ll be teamed up for different challenges, which is a great way to meet new good men and realize new skills you didn’t know you had.

Nope! All essential gear is provided on-site. Just bring yourself, some clothes you’re not too fond of, and an open mind. We’ll handle the rest.

Yeah, nope.  We mix it up on purpose. Some events are solo.  Some you’ll all working as one group.  Each event combines different guys so you get to experience the full range of teamwork dynamics. Also, this way, there’s no tribalism.  One day you’re facing off against a guy to win. ; the next you’re both teammates and he’s counting on you.   

Your fee covers everything: most gear, meals, accommodations, and events. We keep it all-inclusive so you can focus on the experience.

Nope, no experience required. You’ll camp, but we provide all the essentials, and there’s always access to running water, bathrooms, and hearty meals, snacks, and drinks.

We’ll answer that question with a question. How intense is your life? At MADs, intensity varies, but this isn’t a walk in the park. You’ll be tested physically, mentally, and emotionally—but that’s the beauty of it. Expect to be pushed beyond yourselves, your limits, and be prepared to be surprised by what you find.

Each MAD is unique, with fresh challenges and new dynamics. Returning participants often find it’s a whole new experience each time.

Sure, why not? For larger groups (10+ guys), we’ll offer a discount. Contact us for details and we’ll help get your crew set up.

The real questions are: Who are you when put through a series of testing events? How do you fare when you can’t plan or prepare? How do you handle rapidly building teams with a bunch of random people? Who do you become when you know you’re going to fail? How well can you adjust when the rules change, everything goes sideways, and you’ve got to pivot hard?

It’s a different kind of adventure. It’s about competition, but not about winning. It’s a brief moment to suss out what skills you’ve got and which ones you don’t. Where does your mind go when things get tough? And how willing are you to dive headfirst into something you know will be difficult?