Hey,
I'm in the process of pulling together my kit to go bikepacking this year. Got most of the big stuff - luggage, tent, sleeping bag, mat, stove etc.
I'm now looking for the less interesting stuff such as pillow, head torch...
What are the really boring things that made a difference to your bikepacking set up?
Petzl Bindi head torch. tiny, light, UBS rechargeable. Everything electrical I have charges from a USB which makes life easier
Petzl Tikka in the spirit of recommend what you got. If you want rechargeable then buy the petzl core battery. AAA batteries still work as a backup.
Petzl torches outlast anything else I've used. Still got 25+ year old filament bulb ones working and got a replacement headband for my >15 year old Tikka+ last summer as the elastic had gone, torch still fine.
Basically choose your Petzl. I've never used a Bindi.
In no particular order;
Sea to Summit Aeros pillow
Ear plugs
Power bank
Hip flask
Aeropress Go
MSR Trailshot (depending where I’m going)
Plastic trowel (as above)
I’ll also nearly always take a synthetic down jacket (Patagonia nano puff), beanie and buff too so I can sit out a bit longer before going to sleep.
https://www.petzl.com/GB/en/Sport/Headlamps/ACTIK-CORE
for USB charging with treble A back up, with this
https://www.petzl.com/GB/en/Sport/Headlamps/NOCTILIGHT
for conversion to mini lantern with added benefit of button not being pressed while packed
Can't give up my petzl e-lite it's small enough to just live in my bag. Would be nice if they did an elite in the spirit of the bindi and made it usb chargeable.
Dynamo hub for me for multiday stuff.
Pillow makes a huge difference for me. Tried about a zillion differnt options (clothes, rucksacks, climbing ropes etc) but got an exped air pillow and it's just the one for me. A combination of the shape and the slight elasticity of the material are great.
Second Petzl headtorches. Just go to a shop that stocks a few and buy the one you like the look of - it'll be good.
Alpkit blowup pillow jobbie - not blown up too much.
Aeropress Go
This season my aeropress stays in the van. Cowboy coffee wins for ultralight hiking/bikepacking - coffee ground for filter, boil mug of water in mug, stir in grounds, wait 3, splash of cold water sinks grounds to the bottom - neck. Might not be quite so good if you have milk in your coffee.
I take a few little tubes/pots with vaseline, suncream, chamois cream.
A smidge midge net
Hip flask normally makes the cut
Flint and steel to light your stove/meths.
Great stuff.
I'm just sorting my gear for a cheeky 'trial' eve + morn in the Peaks this coming week, before a boys trip to Scotland to dodge the sycophantic english coronation ball-choocks.
Alpkit Ti mug and pot at 450ml and 900 ml respectively is in the kit - the mug nests into the pot nicely and the stove head into that.
For food, a little cunning plan is that I've got some 'sample' / 'trial' Firepot meals which are half the size of a normal one. I'm packing a couple of those in case the intended meal isn't big enough and I'm starvin-marvin still. Another half portion without having to take and eat a further full size one.
+1for my Petzl Tikka Core. The combo of a rechargeable 'core' battery pack + bsck up option of 3x AAA if needed is perfect.
Smidge head net purchased just this week.
Pack a tick remover too.
We put together our kit lists as part of the Reyt Good article, I (Tasha!) got proper geeky with my level of detail. Might help: https://singletrackmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/reyt-good-bikepacking-rider-kit-lists/
If wild camping and/or Scotland would add smidge, headnet, trowel, bags, toilet paper. Also didn’t take a stove as the weekend was cooked for.
It certainly seems that petzl is the way to go. Thanks for that.
Hip flask... Not boring. Good shout 😁
Tick tool. One of those things you don't think about until you need.thatll be going in. Which reminds me I'll need a few first aid bits n bobs.
Sea 2 Summit packable rucksack, for campout dinners from the local Spa etc
Bearbones meths stove for morning coffee (cowboy coffee, Convert is right)
paperback from a bus stop or phonebox book store along the way if it's a lower mileage per day kind of trip
One of those foam folding mini-mats to sit on, also makes a good rucksack liner or added pad under a sleeping mat in there's a rock / etc
Bivi socks, a little luxury after a long day
10-25ml bottle of chain lube
Lip balm stick for longer road tours because cracked lips are unpleasant, small Alu tins from ebay for saddle and sun cream - all kept to hand in a gas tank bag
A checklist written out and kept in the box of bike touring kit, so I don't forget something like one these items above..
I spent last year refining my kit and getting it lighter; this year I'm going to add some stuff back in to make things more comfortable!
Considering getting a very lightweight chair (Helinox Zero?) and something to make better coffee.
The suggestions above are all good. I think you only need one mug rather than mug + pot. A long handled spoon is useful if eating dehydrated meals. Midge spray. Tiny Leatherman. Small toothpaste and hand sanitizer. Small piece of cloth is useful for lots of things. Packtowel if staying on a campsite. Water bottle if using Camelbak. I take a very small electric pump for the Neoair; it's no bigger than their inflator bag.
I take a very small electric pump for the Neoair; it’s no bigger than their inflator bag.
Is that because your worried about getting damp air in the neoair ?
Lad had one on Thursday night - takes longer and involved more fannying around than just blowing it up.
It's certainly heavier and bulkier 🙂
Coffee n hot choc satchets. As a coffe snob instant is yuck but can’t be bothered with faff and space of a proper setup.
I find instant with hot choc to be perfect to get going in morning.
On the issue of coffee, I’ve also bought one of these which I’ve not trialled yet but could make some decent drip coffee. At only 6g too.
https://ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk/o-d-compact-dripper-2-4/
I've one of the ortlieb drippers that uses the tent pegs.
And a 600ml ti mug.
I fill the cup from my water bottle make my poridge - eat that then that leaves enough for a large cuppa - heat water in the mug decant to the now empty bottle - put the dripper on with the coffee - wet it . Then feed it through to the cup.
I do keep considering a water filter system - but that's borne of me being complacent because I live and mostly ride In Scotland and catching giardiaisis on the other side of the world.
Toothpaste tablets are a great idea I wish I'd discovered sooner.
https://www.weirdosonbikes.com/shop/
Worth browsing the rest of the shop for ideas too.
Drip filter coffee too often ended up being either fairly weak or cold coffee for me. Cowboy coffee made in a mug with an insulated cover is the opposite.
One luxury I do take is a thermarest chair. Basically a frame into which you insert your thermarest and gives a ground level L shaped chair.
Frame thing packs to nothing and easy strapped wherever. I find after a day in the bike a cushioned seat and some back support is worth the marginal faff of carrying.
If with mates just need the brass neck to take out while they stand or sit on the ground. I have no shame.
https://www.thermarest.com/ie/products/seats/trekker-chair/trekker-chair.html
Just to counter all the Petzl recommendations above I’ve got one of these and can’t really fault it. The red light is surprisingly useful if you ever have a book to read after dark but don’t want all the insects in the vicinity flying right into your face.
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/rechargeable-head-torch-400-lumen-hl900-usb-v2/_/R-p-330987
Seems to be out of stock at the minute but they do a hunting/fishing variant in less garish colours if you want one quickly.
Second the chair and Dechathlon rechargeable alternative to a Petzl suggestions. Much cheaper.
I’ve got an Aeros pillow that’s fine, but I think I might try using a pile lined bag from Alpkit that stores my electronics during the day reversed and filled with my padded jacket next time. Also have a 6ft long very thin foam mat that weighs about 90g to double as laying about outside and under tent protector at night.
Water2go make brilliant bike bottle shaped water filters that also remove viruses if you’re going somewhere that warrants it. I had a Trailshot fail at a crucial point once so wouldn’t trust one again.
Am seriously considering a Pedalcell dynamo to be completely self sufficient now I’m so reliant on Garmin/ phone / digital camera etc. but they’re very spendy.
I'm currently reviewing what I have from previous travelling and there's a bit to acquire as most of the old kit is a bit worn out. (Sleeping on a leaky groundsheet with porous tent walls has lost its attraction. It's my age).
I'm also averse to sleep mats that deflate over the course of a night, will have to check if Exped still do the down filled inflatable mat, as my ones done.
Taylor’s coffee bags for tasty and faff free coffee
Coffee? I have a cafetiere attachment for my jetboil. simp-le and just works to give good coffee every morning with no hassle
Chair? I have the thermarest one. Its carried for comfy camping but not bikepacking.
In addition to most of the good suggestions above I also take a small 1st aid kit. Not had to use it for myself yet but it's come in handy a few times for cleaning up and giving plasters to crashed bikers. Luckily I haven't come across anyone with more than cuts and grazes yet.
Good to see someone has already mentioned a poo trowel. Also loo paper and 2 ziploc bags; one for clean, one for used.
Also Imodium if it’s just a 24hr trip.
A spare peg is my go-to useful addition.
Is that because your worried about getting damp air in the neoair ?
Lad had one on Thursday night – takes longer and involved more fannying around than just blowing it up.
It’s certainly heavier and bulkier 🙂
Well, it's not ideal getting damp air in them. I've blown them up by lung power, by schnozel type bags and with the mini pump. The mini pump is by far the least faff and by far the quickest. Flextail iirc. One charge does several inflations too. One of my favourite luxuries!
🫡😄
Does the thermarest chair work with any sleeping mat or just thermarest?
Does the thermarest chair work with any sleeping mat or just thermarest?
I’ve not used mine in a while but it needs to be an inflatable mat (self inflating works well) and needs to be the same width or thereabouts to a Thermarest. You have to fold the mat to get it in the chair so having one the same length is probably less important.
