Once I started bikepacking and reading online posts about what kind of gear to carry on overnight trips I soon found out that everybody had a different idea. There is no correct list of kit for bikepacking as that really depends on the places you go, how much you want to spend on purchasing items and the style of riding you do. It has taken me the best part of a year and a half to come up with a complete list of kit that works well for me, at first some of the items I purchased were not suitable and I had to replace them , either they did not work well or were just too bulky to carry etc. In this post I will outline my favorite 3 items that I always carry and why I never leave home without them.
First up is lighting - yes there are a million choices in lighting from very cheap light sets to very expensive ones. The lighting that I will mention here is not the lights you keep on your bike but a light that you can use at the campsite for setting up a tent or cooking in the dark. If you are interested in bicycle lighting check our review page for info about the American brand light & Motion , its well worth the money. But for around the campsite I use a basic Black Diamond headlamp - its not their most expensive model in fact its near the bottom of their range but the 35 lumen Gizmo head lamp is very small and the dim mode is perfect for setting up a tent and on full power you can easily cook in the dark. If you do not already have a small headlamp this is something you should keep in your bag at all times.
First up is lighting - yes there are a million choices in lighting from very cheap light sets to very expensive ones. The lighting that I will mention here is not the lights you keep on your bike but a light that you can use at the campsite for setting up a tent or cooking in the dark. If you are interested in bicycle lighting check our review page for info about the American brand light & Motion , its well worth the money. But for around the campsite I use a basic Black Diamond headlamp - its not their most expensive model in fact its near the bottom of their range but the 35 lumen Gizmo head lamp is very small and the dim mode is perfect for setting up a tent and on full power you can easily cook in the dark. If you do not already have a small headlamp this is something you should keep in your bag at all times.
Down Jackets - great for keeping you warm in the evening or on an early morning ride, like lighting the selection is endless and usually quite expensive. The great thing about a down jacket is that it packs down really small which is perfect for stashing in your saddle bag, then on arriving at camp you can put it on and stay warm. On my last trip when the weather turned bad I was able to sleep in it , so I was certainly glad to have it. In the places that bikepackers travel the weather can change rapidly so you really need to keep warm . My jacket was in fact very cheap only about US $ 50 from the Japanese brand Uniqlo , I had my doubts that a jacket this cheap would work well but its great value for money and now accompanies me on all my adventures.
Merino wool - yes that fantastic product that mostly comes from my home country of New Zealand. Wool was once super itchy and most people who were active in sports did not wear it, but all that has changed over the last few year with many companies now offering super fine merino wool sports wear. Why is it better than lycra you ask ?, for one thing wool is a natural breathable material that does not retain that lovely sweaty smell and you can wear it in warm weather and it works great in cold weather keeping you nice and warm. I have just come back from a 2 day bikepacking trip were there was a sudden change in the weather and because I had on my merino wool top I was able to stay nice and warm and dry. I managed to find a fantastic long sleeve merino cycle top online from the UK brand On One that are currently selling there old stock cheap. While it is not made by any major brand it works well and like the above jacket is great value for money.
So there you have it - the 3 items that I always take with me bikepacking. This post just goes to prove that you do not have to spend a fortune on such items and there are cheaper options like the above 3 items that work equally as well as the more expensive brands.