This is my first draft for a packing list for my Dempster Highway tour that is fast approaching. I'm a bit torn between going minimalist and adding a few comfort items. As is my usual practice I won't know exactly what I am taking until I lay out all the trip gear on my living room floor and start to pack it. Depending on how it all comes together I may make some drastic decsions to keep the load in check.
Thorn Sherpa
- Fenders
- Marathon XR 26 x 2.0"
- Bike computer
- BMX pedals
- ESGE kickstand
- Tubus Cargo rear rack
- Surly Nice front rack
- Ortlieb Bike Packer front & rear panniers
- Ortlieb handlebar bag
- Mirror
- Bell
- Water bottle cages + bottles x 2
- 2l water bottle cage x 1
- bike lock
- Marathon XR 26 x 1.75 folding tire [existing]
- Spare brake cable x 1
- Spare shift cable x 1
- Patch kit x 3
- Tire levers x 3
- Tire boot x 2
- Spare tubes x 4
- Bike multi-tool [w/ chain tool]
- Leatherman
- 8mm box wrench
- Fibre-fix spokes x 2
- Spare spokes x 6
- Mini-cassette tool
- Chain lube
- Rags
- Zip ties
- Mini-duct tape
Clothing
- TNF Rain Jacket
- Rain Pants
- Gore-tex socks
- Baseball cap
- Toque & fleece gloves
- Shell gloves
- Ferrata Jacket
- MEC fleece sweater
- Long underwear top & bottom
- Sickle 3/4 pants
- TNF black long pants
- REI shorts
- Ex-Offico boxers x 4
- MEC Wicking Ts x 4
- LS – Mtn Hardware shirt
- Salomon Tech Amphibians
- Source Sandals
- Bike gloves
- Buff [neck gaiter]
- Bug shirt
Camping
- Tent [Big Agnes Seedhouse SL2]
- Body & fly
- Pegs & guylines
- Waterproof stuff sack
- MEC Down Sleeping bag
- Thermarest
Cooking
- MSR DragonflyStove
- Fuel bottles
- Pot set
- Spork
- Spoon
- Lighter
- Scrub pad & soap
- Bowl
- Mug
- MSR Water filter
- MSR Water bag
- Ortlieb Collapsible basin
Toiletries
- Toothbrush & paste
- Floss
- Tweezers
- Bio-soap
- Hand sanitizer
- TP
- Bag balm
- Vitamins
Misc
- Headlamp
- Sunglasses & cleaning cloth
- Credit card & bank cards
- Copy of documents
- Health insurance card
- important phone numbers
- Digi-cam x 1
- Charger
- Extra Batteries
- Extra memory cards
- Lens Cleaning pen
- Reflective Safety sash & red blinkie
- Notebook & pen
- Accessory cord
- Ear plugs
- Bear spray
- Bear bangers
- F/A kit
- Maps
- Repair kit
- Ziplock bags
- Reading books x 2
- Bug Spray
Food [each way - ship one set to Inuvik]
- Chocolate bars x 7
- Oatmeal x 10
- Granola bars
- fresh fruit
- Dried fruit
- Nuts
- Freeze dried dinners x 7
- tea
- sugar
9 comments:
Thanks for this post Vik. I'm getting ready to leave on a 3 - 4 day trip next week and I see some things on there that I should likely have "just in case. I'm curious on your spare brake and shifter cables, do you just take the metal part of the cable, with the proper end, or do you take the housing as well??
Hey Steve,
I just take the cable. I've never seen a housing wear out on a normal length tour.
Where are you headed?
Better take some cash too. Also, see if you can find Mary Jane's Farm freeze dried meals. They are organic and freakin' delicious!
At first glance, waaay too much stuff. Four pairs of boxers?
I've never broken a spoke touring, even when I stuffed my front wheel into a hole big enough to bend my frame and fork slightly...IMO cables are definitely overkill.
I've also never had problems with water, and water-filters are heavy. Soap is a baaaaad idea: even the "biodegradable" stuff doesn't really break down, and scrubbing a pot out with sand/gravel works better than a scrubber anyway.
Those are some interesting choices to lighten the load:
- I could get away with less boxers, but since I'm not using any bike shorts and these boxers are very light/thin they don't add up to much. Perhaps I'll wear 1 pair and pack 2 others?
- the fact you haven't broken a spoke or a cable doesn't make it a smart idea to head onto one of the more remote roads in Canada without spares. Really how big/heavy are 1 brake and 1 shifter cable???? That doesn't make any sense at all.
- if you don't like soap no worries, but I use it to keep my non-stick pots and myself clean. I've tried the gravel/sand scrubbing technique with stainless steel pots on a kayak trip - even with those pots soap and water was far kinder to the pots. If you are not going to carry enough clothing for a fresh pair of boxers everyday you better be cleaning yourself and the boxers you do have regularly if you want to avoid saddle sores and other issues.
Anyways everyone is certainly entitled to their own choices, but I can't really agree with the ones you suggest - other than perhaps not taking so many clothes.
I wouldn't skimp on boxers, nothing worse than wearing "swassy" underwear.
Vik, I'm taking it easy on this first tour. Headed from central Iowa to the east central part of Illinois. Looking at 3 - 4 days of riding and camping. Flooding has meant that I have had to make a lot of last minute changes to my route. I'm staying in parks or campgrounds near towns, so I won't be bringing along anything cooking utensils and supplies.
I would agree with you on taking extra stuff. A few spokes and some spare cable are small, and they don't add a lot of weight in comparison to everything else. Better safe than sorry, especially if you are far away from anyone that can come and get you if you break down.
Sounds silly, but touring cyclists are vulnerable to no goodniks. I do not suggest conceal and carry but rather a small stun gun that will not injure anyone. It delivers a ton of voltage and will disable an attacker for > 5 minutes while authorities are notified and can be discharged repeatedly. Now available to the public and used by US Marine MPs.
http://shocknawestunguns.com/
Not too expensive and about the size and weight of a small cell phone.
Btw -- just bought a new Volae Exp Pro ES and getting it set up. Tis a bit quicker than the old Exp but nothing like the Challenge you have. I also have a GRR and several DF Tis (tho I ride them less now at 58 yoa. Speed matters less than comfort now!
Kudos to a great site and many thoughts that resonant with this old road warrior. Btw, the "Killshot" is from my other passion--handball. Best,
Congrats on the new bent. Volae's are fine machines!
I wouldn't really want to carry a weapon and in all my many travels I haven't had any bad encounters at all.
I did have bear spray with me which would incapacitate anyone within 10' if it really came down to it.
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