BIKEPACKING – AN EQUIPMENT GUIDE

Here at Wheelbase in the Lake District we have recently started going Bikepacking again now that the spring is upon us and the rugged fells are more enticing they had been during the colder winter months. In an effort to share our enthusiasm for Bikepacking and to help cut through some of the mystery of the ‘perfect kit list’ we thought we’d put together a wild camping kit guide to help give you the confidence to head out on your own Bikepacking adventures. Why not spend a night or two under the stars or as we’re more than used to, under the canvas because it’s raining! Typically!

Let’s start with how I carry all my camping equipment; I’m a big fan of modern Bikepacking bags, especially from specialist brands such as Apidura, for their practical application and the way that they don’t compromise on how my bike handles in the way that traditional pannier bags can. Every feature of these bags is extremely well thought out, making them as user friendly as possible for typical UK riding conditions. Features like waterproof coatings and welded seams mean that water ingress is all but eliminated and clever attachments and sensitive shaping make these Bikepacking bags particularly versatile when swapping them from bike to bike.

Being a committed landscape photographer who can’t go on a ride without my camera the first consideration I have is how I carry it while riding. I generally carry it on my back so there’s no room for a rucksack with all my kit in and besides, carrying a rucksack for a long distance becomes particularly uncomfortable. With the option of riding with a rucksack eliminated my only option is to carry everything on my bike. My general setup consists of an 11 litre bar bag, a pouch that attaches to the front of that bag giving another 4 litres of capacity, a small top tube pack which has a little under 1 litre of capacity and finally a 6 litre saddlebag. With an approximate overall capacity of around 22 litres on the bike the packing brief is simple – only take the absolute essentials; here’s how and what I pack in them…

In my bar bag I always store any kit that I’m definitely not going to need throughout the day. First off there’s my small tent which packs down really well then there’s all of my sleeping equipment, consisting of a synthetic or down sleeping bag appropriate to whatever season I’m Bikepacking in, an inflatable sleeping mat, again appropriate to the season I’m heading out into and finally a small inflatable pillow because a little luxury is good for the soul!

In that smaller 4 litre bar bag pouch, I carry items need to be quickly accessible throughout my journey. My essentials in this bag include dehydrated meals, my water filter, a first aid kit and toiletries; when I need to grab a snack on the go or collect water everything is right there at arms reach rather then having to start unpacking everything to find what I need, I’ve learnt the hard way!

Moving on to the small top tube pack, I’m usually asking myself ‘what do I have in here?’ It’s typically all of the sorts of essentials that keep the wheels in motion – inner tubes, tyre levers, pump, allen keys and super patches for inner tube repairs; I also keep other important items such as keys, wallet and a Buff in there.

Lastly, what’s in my saddlebag?! Here are the bulkier items I like to keep accessible. My stove doubles up as a mug, so I can stop for a cup of tea as and when I like, living up to that ‘Englishman and his cup of tea’ cliché. I also keep my small camping gas cylinder in there as well as my waterproof jacket and trousers or my insulation jacket, depending on what the weather is doing at the time. Either way, I like to keep all my bases covered so that I can be warm and dry and keep the elements at bay.

I hear some of you saying “where’s the luxury in this” well, in some instances I’ll take a few items I may not essentially need, but I like to have with me. If I do happen to be camping in the depths of winter I’ll take a small hot water bottle, this makes such a difference in sub-zero temperatures. A power pack, sometimes, especially when the nights are longer; I like to take this so I can keep my devices charged whilst watching something I’ve downloaded or listened to a podcast or two. One other thing I do take is earplugs, not being woken to the tent tussling in the wind, your pal a few meters away snoring their head off or the local residents such as sheep bleating at ungodly hours. This just ensures you get a good night’s sleep.

I hope this guide helps inspire you to get outside and explore further afield; Bikepacking is liberating, encouraging you to explore new places and stretch your adventures into multiple days rather than your typical out-and-back ride. I do feel that when packing for a trip, beyond the absolute essentials it’s a personal preference and like all things worth doing, it takes a little bit of trial and error to get it right. Just think of that trial and error as an excuse to head out on more Bikepacking adventures!…

 

Written By Andrew Barlow

Photos by Andrew Barlow

 

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