Here is a nearly complete packing list serves
as an example of sensible lightweight kit, and doing more with less:
Camping and clothing:
- Big Agnes Seedhouse SL2 tent
- Mont-Bell 30deg down sleeping bag
- Thermarest Pro-Lite 1” sleeping pad, full length
- Gore-Tex Paclite waterproof shell
- several t-shirts, thin wool socks (one warm pair for sleeping), underwear, nylon shorts, thin wool long underwear and wool long-sleeve shirt, zippered Capilene overshirt
- Salomon Gore-Tex mid-height hiking shoes
- assorted drybags for packing
As summer turns to fall:
- Thin wool hat and rag wool gloves
- Lightweight down jacket
- Sil-nylon VBL inside sleeping bag
At the end of the season, and at
elevation:
- Packable rain pants and thin waterproof mitten shells
- Merino wool neck gaiter
- Gore-Tex gaiters in snow and mud to keep feet dry and warm
Tools:
- Crank Brothers multi tool
- tire levers
- patches, tube
- needle and thread
- one brake cable (works as der. cable)
- Presta valve adaptor
- Lezyne Pressure Drive mini-pump
- Pro-Link or T9 chain lube
- 6” adjustable crescent wrench
- cone wrench
- diagonal cutters
- spare spokes
- spare bolts and nipples
- Phil Wood bearing grease
- Stan's sealant in tubes in SW states
Kitchen:
- 0.8L aluminum cookpot, beer can stove, pot stand made from stainless steel spokes, windscreen from aluminum dryer vent
- cheap steel spoon, Swiss Army knife
- fuel (alcohol) in plastic drink bottle
- enameled steel mug
- 64 oz. Klean Kanteen, and several plastic bottles for water
Extended wilderness travel:
- water filter
Personal items:
Maps, wallet,
passport, small notebook, headlamp, toothbrush and paste
Electronics:
11” MacBook Air, Olympus E-PM1
digital camera, external hard drive, iPod touch, cell phone, chargers
and cables
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3 comments:
Great suggestions. I've been searching for "thin waterproof mitten shells" for a while. Can you recommend a particular brand or model and link where to order them?
My preferred cold weather hand ware on a bike is wool gloves and an oversized pair of fingerless padded bike gloves.
The mitten would take that down to well below freezing and of course keep me comfy in wet weather.
I'm surprised at the amount of electronics here, since a smart phone handles communication, music, and photos. I highly recommend an external battery for recharging, though, and on my next trip I'm going to experiment with charging from a solr panel.
Mitten shells are awesome--I have some from Black Diamond (http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/mountain/gloves/access-mitt) that come with a shell and an internal fleece glove. I replace the internal glove with a super light liner, a wool glove, or a thick wool mitten depending on the temperature.
Mike- I bought a pair of MEC Cloudraker mitts in Calgary last year, constructed like an inexpensive packable rain jacket with taped seams. They aren't as rugged as proper Gore-Tex shells such as those by OR and Black Diamond, but they are extremely packable. I used them the other day for the first time this fall and noted that they were less waterproof than last year. It may be time for a round of waterproofing. I have tried rubber gardening or dishwashing gloves, riding gloves, etc. A wool liner and a waterproof shell is best.
My cycling partner Lael has used a pair of OR shells through some winter riding. They are more durable and more consistently waterproof than my thin MEC shells. They also cost twice as much. For a once in a while item, the MEC mitts are good for me. I only carry them later in the season and at elevation when things can get cold very quickly.
bec- I toured for several years without any electronics. It was great. I toured last year with an iPod touch, and stumbled into a successful blog. The iPod is a powerful tool. Over the winter, I purchased a real camera, which also requires the commitment of a real computer. I left Anchorage this spring with an old Acer netbook. WIthin the week, I was back in town to purchase the MacBook. These electronics allow me to manage and edit photographs, and develop more advanced articles. For the average cycle tourist, I recommend a smartphone or an iPod touch. I wanted to include my electronics in the packing list to justify all the stuff on my bike.
I had a USB charger from my dynamo hub on my last bike, but eventually the capacitor failed. It's an ongoing project of mine to develop something simple and reliable.
In general, cheap rag wool gloves are my favorite.
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