BikePacking kit/build list

[libarata]

Everyone has their rig build list, so why should we not? While there may not be as many of us, as, say the Jeepers, or Taco folks, we are still present.

Include as much or little as you wish! Hopefully this gets popular enough to sticky!

 

[libarata]

Other than the cargo rack(no idea what brand) and the soft bag/pannier thing I have, mine is not much of a rig at the moment. I am limited to my disability check for gear, so it will take a while to accumulate a dedicated system.

Already have my bike, cargo rack, soft cargo back/pannier combo, and tire pump. Everything else I have to start purchasing.

I have selected what tent I will be buying, pending the 1st of next month http://www.tarptent.com/contrail.html

Does anyone have a suggestion for a decent sleeping bag(temperate climate, above 0F) suggestion? I do not have one, but it will be purchased after my tent.

 

[Flagster]

I'm no expert but I really like my:

40 degree lafuma xlite synthetic...budget construction...but super small and great for summer trips in the desert here or AMTRAK adventures...40 degree is more like 50 IMO...

30 degree mountain hardware lamina synthetic...half zips piss some people off but for a synthetic not too heavy...indestructible, roomy, and cheap...I think I paid less than 150.00 from REI...great for throwing in the car for last minute road trips...

My good backpacking bags are down bags from Western Mountaineering and Feathered Friends...I don't think you can go wrong with either company...

 

[libarata]

I'm no expert but I really like my:

40 degree lafuma xlite synthetic...budget construction...but super small and great for summer trips in the desert here or AMTRAK adventures...40 degree is more like 50 IMO...

30 degree mountain hardware lamina synthetic...half zips piss some people off but for a synthetic not too heavy...indestructible, roomy, and cheap...I think I paid less than 150.00 from REI...great for throwing in the car for last minute road trips...

My good backpacking bags are down bags from Western Mountaineering and Feathered Friends...I don't think you can go wrong with either company...

In my own experience, especially winter camping, take a manufacturers rating, and reduce it by 10(like you say, 40 is a 50). Especially as a bag gets older, and the stuffing gets skished. I WANT an American made bag... but they are way out of my range! Not sure if I have ever used a halfzip... The only bags that piss me off, are mummy bags, I hate sleeping constricted! I will check out those bags for sure though!

 

[Christophe Noel]

I have a variety of different kits for different bikepacking jaunts. Everything from uber light to semi-luxurious.

Uber-Light Kit

- Bedrock Bags Custom Frame Bag
- MSR AC Bivy Sack (one pound)
- Thermarest NeoAir 3/4 pad (8 ounces)
- Sea to Summit Spark SpI 50º bag, or Sea to Summit SpII
- Steripen for water treatment
- Clickstand for a stove when I need to go very light. I often go without. Depends on the resupply interval and how much dehydrated food I need to carry.
- Osprey Hornet 32 for my ultra-light rides. Great pack. No longer made, which is a pity.
- Light: TAD TKO Lenslight. Shares batteries with the Steripen for efficiency.


Middle Weight Kit:

- Bedrock Bags Entrada Bar Bag and Seat Bag
- Nemo Equipment GoGo LE bivy/tent (this is one of the best things to ever happen to bikepacking.
- NeoAir XLite Regular (full length, very comfy, still super light and small)
- Sea to Summit Spark SpII (My go-to for nearly anything with cool weather

Luxury, or Big Mile Kit. Also for inclement weather:

- MSR Hubba NX tent (under 3 pounds. Great for trips with crap weather. Makes for a great retreat. Fits in my bar bag easily.)
- MSR Reactor Stove. (Ideal for crap weather as it works well in high winds. Perfect for cold weather trips where warm fluids are a twice a day event.)

Navigation and Comms:

- Spot Generation II for tracking and emergency comms
- Delorme inReach Explorer (on loan from Delorme for the next few months for my bikepack trip to Iceland)
- Garmin eTrex 30 (the only real option for bikepacking in my opinion)

Other items used from time to time:

- Arcteryx GTX jacket
- Gore Cycling GTX pants
- Gore Cycling Windstopper shorts
- Gore Cycling Windstopper Knee warmers

There's actually tons more. Just depends on the trip.

 

[Two-Wheeled Explorer]

I have a variety of different kits for different bikepacking jaunts. Everything from uber light to semi-luxurious.

- Garmin eTrex 30 (the only real option for bikepacking in my opinion)

There's actually tons more. Just depends on the trip.

Just curious why you picked the e-Trex 30 over the 20? I compared the two and decided on the 20 because of features and cost. One thing about the whole e-Trex series that drives me nuts is "the line". (I still have my original e-trex as a back-up) Invariably, it draws a straight line from the point you shut it off last to where you start next and adds it to your next mileage. Tuesday I did a 7-mile singletrack ride that came out as a 40 mile ride, even though I cleared it when I finished the previous ride AND before I started the singletrack. (I was 33 miles from the other location.) Any suggestions?

My wish-list item for the type of riding I do is the new (last fall) Garmin Edge Touring. My 60th birthday is only a couple months away, and if not then, maybe Santa will think I've been good enough to find one under the tree.

 

[libarata]

Chris, beautiful post!

So, what does everyone take along for first aid? I was riding on a forest road looking for a campsite for future use, when, at about 20mph(downhill)I had to avoid a rut, and a 40oz beer bottle. Did not end well for me. Found out my pocket kit lacked alc wipes of any-kind.

 

[Christophe Noel]

Just curious why you picked the e-Trex 30 over the 20? .

For the better of 20 years I have ridden with a heart rate monitor. Even when I bikepack, I sometimes like to ride with a HR monitor as it helps me measure my efforts, especially when I'm racing. The 30 pairs to ANT+ devices like HR monitors, but the 20 does not. The Edge 750 is what I use daily, but it has a rechargeable battery....a deal breaker for deep backcountry use. With the eTrex 30 I just pop in some fresh AA batts and away I go. I can carry a week's worth of batteries into the remote backcountry without much of a weight penalty.

Libarata,

I really don't carry a first aid kit. I did for years and it became evident, the best solution is simply to use what I have on hand to treat any potential wounds. I do carry ibuprofen to quell the inflammation I usually get in my knees, but use that sparingly. I sometimes carry an antacid as prolonged riding and funky trail foods sours my stomach, especially on longer, harder rides.

 

[libarata]

My aid kit is roughly the dimensions of a notecard, but about 1 1/4 inches thick. Some anti-biotic cream, wound closure strips, standard bandages, 2x2'' bandages, and NOW some alcohol wipes. This past weekends wreck made me crack it open for the first time in months, and I was saddened to find that I was missing my motrin, and prep wipes!

I assume the lenslight is your headlight?

 

[Christophe Noel]

My aid kit is roughly the dimensions of a notecard, but about 1 1/4 inches thick. Some anti-biotic cream, wound closure strips, standard bandages, 2x2'' bandages, and NOW some alcohol wipes. This past weekends wreck made me crack it open for the first time in months, and I was saddened to find that I was missing my motrin, and prep wipes!

I assume the lenslight is your headlight?

The lenslight is a new addition and one I've only used a few times. It's expensive to buy and operate, but so far I like it. The appeal is the 440 lumen output relative to the small size and low weight. It's easy to attache to a helmet and carrying extra CR123 batteries is very, very light. I find I either need a tiny amount of light for setting up camp, cooking meals, or a good bit of light for a fast downhill, etc. It fits the bill. I know there are less expensive solutions that are close to the performance of the Lenslight, I just really like it.

 

[libarata]

Snazzy looking light! I bought, and am impressed with the Maglite XL50. I also have a Maglite XL100, which has cool functions, but ones I can live without. I use both of the strapped to my handle bars. I do tend to refrain from night riding, due to my inherent night blindness though, so the 139 lumens from the XL50 are fine.

Also, the XL50 does not drain batteries in my bag, like the XL100 does... Really angers me about the XL100!

I ride with a headlamp as well, but I forgot the brand, wherever it is...

 

[Christophe Noel]

I'll occasionally bring along a Black Diamond Storm headlamp, almost just as a backup sometimes. Like my trip next week to Iceland. Even though there's 19 hours of "light," I'm taking a headlamp just in case. Who knows, maybe I'll need to use it at 2AM to chase away elves or trolls.

 

[Two-Wheeled Explorer]

I don't race so I don't use a HRM. Always been a race medic, never a racer.

Before the "great exploit", (Great Falls, MT to Kamiah, ID on the Lewis and Clark Trail though the Lemhi and Lolo passes, hopefully next summer), I plan to put a dynamo hub on my Volcanic Vx7 so the battery shouldn't be an issue.

BTW, our Team Volcanic rider, Scott Piquet, finished the Tour Divide this evening!

 

[Co-opski]

opps my old clunker, I'll have to get a new one of my fat back up soon.
Bike Fatback 170


xt/xtr 1x10 with Wolftooth 42 GC
Avid bb7 w/ Xt levers
Easton EC70 seat post and flat bars
Selle Anatomica X
Oury grips
Winter wheels Fatback hubs and Uma 90s with Bud and Ground Control soon to be studded
Summer wheels 616 fab hubs and Velocity Dually 44mm hoops with 45nrth HuskerDu tubeless
Sram xx1 crank w/ Wolftooth spyderless chainring
KMC 10sl chain
King BB and headset
King Cage stem cap waterbottle mount
Nite Ize lite ride GT holding a Mag light LED pro
Bedrock: frame bag and Tapeats bag
Relevate Designs: Feed bag, Jerry Can, Gas Tank, and Pika seatbag
Salsa anything cages on the fork and Sea to Summit eVent 6L drybags
Mystery Ranch Trance XX backpack
Clothing
Ibex Hooded Indy
Ibex seventeen.5 or U-Sixty short sleeve
Ibex Wool Aire Hoody
Patagonia Hoodini
Sockguy socks
Patagonia boxers
ExOfficio Nio Amphi Pant
Ibex skull cap
Ibex Shak glove liners
Marmot precip pants
REI eVent rain jacket
Other gear
Dana Designs Nuktuk tipi (working on getting a smaller tent)
ThermaRest Zrest
Moonstone 20deg synthetic sleeping bag summer
Western Mountaineering Bison GWS winter
Primus Eta Lite stove
MSR Dromlite 2.5L hydration bag
Snowpeak ti spork
Black Diamond Icon headlamp
MSR mini waterpump
Bike parts
one extra tube
Topeak pump
Park I-beam mini tool
KMC missing links
Small bottle of Stans
Letherman skeletool

 

[libarata]

How do you like the Selle saddle? I am looking to grab one some day, as my bike has its original saddle, and I hate it.