Whether or not heading out for a fast sub 24hr overnighter, a weekend bank card touring, or a week-long ultra-endurance race – the precise bikepacking gear could make or break your journey. Past the bike… luggage, racks, sleeping equipment, and quite a lot of small necessities could make bikepacking extra fulfilling. Listed below are our prime picks for the most effective presents for bikepackers together with body luggage, racks, mounts, cooking gear, and different issues we use on our personal bikepacking journeys.
Every little thing right here has been confirmed on- and off-road by our editors. And so they’ll all make nice presents to your favourite randonneur, bike tourer, or bikepacker!
Greatest Presents for Bikepackers – On-Bike Baggage
The outsized saddlebag might be the core of a real bikepacking setup, and it’s one thing virtually each bikepacker already has, however…
If you’re looking for a brand new bikepacker or somebody trying to step up their recreation, the 13L waterproof Ortlieb Seat Pack QR ($195 at Amazon) is kind of distinctive. This saddlebag solely matches on conventional-railed saddles and takes a minute to determine learn how to mount its fast launch. However as soon as you set it in your bike, you’ll surprise why extra luggage aren’t hooked up like this. It’s additionally one of the crucial steady setups whether or not half empty or stuffed full. It builds in a helpful fender. And it’s among the best to suit on a dropper seatpost. Ortlieb’s Handlebar Pack QR ($160, at REI) is one other nice solution to rapidly strap gear onto and off the opposite finish of the bike.
After a saddle bag, the most effective place for lots of stuff is a body bag. We actually just like the smaller Apidura Backcountry Body Pack ($65-108, bought direct), which is available in 1L & 2L sizes you can even match onto some mountain bikes. And so they don’t get in the best way of your common water bottle cages on moist bikes. The Backcountry packs are gentle, waterproof & sturdy, and might be had in all sizes. There are even larger 2.5-6L Full Body Packs in case you are trying to carry extra gear.
The brand new Tailfin Prime Tube Pack ($60-80, bought direct) is a smaller and extra inexpensive solution to carry gear on the bike. What it does very well, is a modular mount that both straps-on or bolts on to your toptube, creating one of the crucial steady & safe connections to the bike that we’ve examined. It is available in 2 opening kinds and three sizes. Our crew prefers the smallest ones to reduce rubbing onto your legs. (The largest model is sort of comically outsized.)
The Sea To Summit eVent Compression Dry Sack (from $27.96, at Amazon) provides an incredible stability of two of bikepacking’s core necessities: water safety & low weight. It’s a particularly gentle compression stuff sack, and it’s waterproof wanting full submersion. Plus, the eVent backside panel replaces cumbersome air launch valves, with an air-permeable base that lets out the air as you compress the bag, however received’t let it again in. Out there in 5 sizes from 6L to 30L.
Mounts & Racks
Bikepacking could also be a “rackless” philosophy to fashionable touring, however nonetheless many racks, mounts & cages assist us carry our gear extra securely.
The Tailfin AeroPack ($430, bought direct) is costly, for positive. Nevertheless it’s an all-in-one bikepacking rack & bag system that’s gentle and full of intelligent options, particularly to be used on a full-suspension mountain bike the place there are few good choices. Thanks to 2 units of bushings and pivots, the rack strikes together with your bike’s suspension, permitting for sway-free packing that received’t maintain you again on the path. The alloy model consists of accent mounts for panniers, bottles, or, yep, an Something Cage. The included 20L waterproof bag sits on prime, however the rack itself will maintain as much as 27kg and 66L of whole storage, which suggests room for all of your gear.
The Salsa Something Cage HD ($35 at REI) is just about a benchmark for carrying bikepacking gear. It even has given us the title for the 3-bolt set of triple braze-on mounts that you just’ll discover on virtually all gravel and journey bikes as of late – from fork legs to beneath the downtube. Seize two to stability left & proper on the fork, or throw one in entrance of your backside to maintain gear weight low when you have the area.
For those who aren’t but bought on a full handlebar bag setup or want the flexibility of dry luggage, the brand new Musguard Handlebar Harness ($49, bought direct) is perhaps proper up your alley. This easy & gentle recycled plastic harness can carry every thing from a sleeping bag, a tent, a stuff sack of drugs, or perhaps a bundle of tinder to your campfire. After which, you possibly can simply roll it up out of the best way when there’s nothing left to haul.
This little Restrap Bumper Bar ($60, bought direct) is a mix of a miniature rack and safety to your headtube & cables. Designed to maintain loaded-down handlebar luggage from bouncing towards your exterior cables, headtube, or rubbing your entrance tire, it merely slips in between headset spacers beneath your stem. Plus, it doubles as a mountain level for lights, equipment, or may even carry a small device bag or rain jacket by itself.
Bikepackers usually notice that handlebar luggage make it onerous to mount a biking laptop off the entrance, so we like Okay-Edge Adjustable Stem Mount ($40 at Amazon) because it locations it your GPS over the stem. The adjustable angle helps it match quick or angled stems, or simply goal it so it’s straightforward to learn.
Transitioning Off the Bike
One of many actual secrets and techniques of bikepacking is time without work the bike might be simply as essential as using. Whether or not that’s popping into a store to refuel, lounging round camp, or actually struggling up climbs too steep & tough to pedal. That’s the place specialised transition gear will save your butt.
Our favourite this yr for probably the most distinctive (and area of interest) piece of bikepacking gear is the Restrap Hike-A-Bike Harness ($80, bought direct). It’s actually only a set of padded backpack straps to your bike. As a result of typically you need to hike-a-bike. And typically it’s simply so steep and lengthy that you just want you didn’t need to push your bike anymore. So, strap it to your again. Not everybody wants this. However should you’re at all times afraid when your favourite bikepacker plans the route, you realize they’d put this factor to good use.
One other very totally different but additionally adaptable on- & off-bike answer from the UK-bagmaker is the brand new Restrap Utility Hip Pack ($143, bought direct). Strap it round your waist for 6L of waterproof roll-top storage with a few small mesh facet pockets. Or fold the waist belt behind the ingenious padded again panel and it transforms right into a small handlebar bag.
If you’re searching for one thing extra common in attraction, look no additional than the Apidura Packable Musette ($44, bought direct). Virtually each bicycle owner has a few of these frequent cotton shoulder luggage. However this feature-packed little Apidura bag is lighter and extremely waterproof. It packs down so small in its personal pocket that it’s going to at all times be there out of the best way on the bike. Then it has loads of room inside for a fast grocery/snack run. plus, it has a velcro prime flap to maintain goodies inside and a cross strap to get it steady for the experience to camp for dinner & drinks:
And while you get to camp, get away the Quoc Restrap Sandals ($130, bought direct)). In any case day in biking footwear, these light-weight packable sandals are the right solution to let your drained toes breathe. Pack them over your saddle bag with the QR hooks on the mid-foot straps. And transition from basic 3-strap sandals to slip-on slides with the artistic rear strap design.
One other huge a part of transitioning on & off the bikepacking bike is having a number of items of clothes that work in camp, whereas using, and when popping into the shop for mid-adventure provides. For cool climate, I actually like the easy light-weight Ornot Alpha Every day Vest ($186, bought direct). It options my favourite fuzzy Polartec Alpha Direct insulation on the within that’s tremendous cozy, wicks properly, and dries quick. Excellent for using in worsening climate, or as an additional layer to remain comfy after you cease pedaling for heat. Plus, the remainder of its materials are additionally bluesign-certified materials, it’s made within the USA, and weighs simply 285g.
And for a bit extra safety from chilly climate, do this distinctive Ibex Wool Aire Hoodie ($285, bought direct) light-weight hooded jacket. Most puffy jackets we encounter are both down (doesn’t do properly within the rain or while you sweat loads whereas using) or artificial stuffing mimicking down (by no means appears to be heat sufficient.) However the Ibex Hoodie fills its puffy baffles to maintain you heat with a proprietary expanded merino wool insulation. Loopy, proper… a wool puffy jacket? It is also bluesign-certified and will get a PFC-free shell that’s water and wind-resistant to maintain the climate out. And it nonetheless manages to weigh solely 322g, and pack down into its chest pocket. Excellent for when you need to carry all of it day on the bike to remain heat while you cease using, or when the clouds roll in.
Greatest Presents for Bikepackers – Cooking & Consuming Gear
There’s a superb probability your favourite bikepacker additionally loves espresso. We nonetheless love the Kuju Espresso Pocket Pourovers ($14.95 per 6-pack at REI) for his or her simplicity, and for the truth that they make wonderful espresso with out the effort of prep or cleanup. Additionally they have an extended shelf life than common espresso as a result of single-serve design (helpful in case your bikepacking adventures don’t occur that usually). They’re ethically sourced and are available gentle, medium, darkish, and single-origin varieties.
It won’t have the cachet of a titanium spork, however the HumanGear GoBites Duo ($8 at REI) is a helpful mixture of a spoon and fork. Higher but, while you mix the 2, it makes for an extra-long utensil, excellent for attending to the underside of these dehydrated meal pouches with out getting your palms soiled. While you’re performed, the BPA-, PC- and phthalate-free high-temp nylon cleans up simply and shops compactly.
For dehydrated meals and making sizzling drinks at camp, the Sea To Summit X-Pot Kettle is the most effective pot to boil water ($45 for 1.3L or $55 for 2L, bought direct). Extraordinarily gentle, and collapsing to just about flat, it takes up minimal room in your equipment and boils water extraordinarily quick due to the onerous anodized 6063-T6 aluminum base. The BPA-free, food-grade, heat-resistant silicone higher handles boiling water properly, simply don’t let the flames out of your camp range flare up the facet of the kettle.
There are tons of choices relating to camp stoves, however the MSR PocketRocket Deluxe Range ($80 at REI) is ultra-light, dependable, and highly effective. Higher but, it has an built-in push-start ignition so that you aren’t compelled to wave a lighter overtop of the range as you crank up the fuel. It weighs simply 83g and is suitable with normal 80/20 mix canisters of isobutane and propane.
Greatest Presents for Bikepackers – On a regular basis Carry & Requirements
For those who sweat or poop within the wild, Surviveware Biodegradable Wipes ($15 on Amazon) ought to just about be in each equipment, hydration pack, and so forth.
The Uncharted Provide Co. Triage Equipment ($40 on Aggressive Bike owner) is one other must-have. It’s tiny however has the necessities packed into a tricky waterproof pouch with simply sufficient room to suit a number of customized extras you would possibly want (like meds).
Earlier than you strap on a set of bikepacking luggage, stick on a Restrap Bicycle Safety Equipment ($12 from Chain Response). They’re simply vinyl stickers to maintain from scratching your bike, however they give the impression of being fairly neat too. Restrap Quick Straps ($15-20 at Chain Response) are then a safe solution to really strap gear to the bike, made from powerful non-stretch Hypalon with locking buckles.
Using all day in moist climate, an Ass Savers Win Wing Gravel ($28 at Amazon) fender does a surprisingly good job of preserving your butt dry, and you cheerful. Many bikepackers assume they don’t want a fender since their large saddlebag retains quite a lot of highway spray off their rear ends. However then, while you go to unpack your gear you discover a moist, muddy mess you need to dig by means of to get your dry garments. The Win Wing retains your luggage and physique clear whereas being one of many few options as much as the stresses of off-road bikepacking and nonetheless suitable with huge luggage.
Each bikepacker wants a camp knife they’ll depend on, and we’ve got two favorites on both finish of the worth spectrum. The straightforward & safe twist-locking Opinel No. 8 (from simply $18 at REI). It has a stainless-steel blade and beechwood deal with. There are even smaller variations for weight weenie bikepackers.
The Benchmade 535-3 Bugout ($300 from Blade HQ) on a regular basis carry folding knife is simply 57.27g due to its milled carbon fiber deal with. It sheds weight, not options, although, giving you a similar 3.24″ drop level blade made from CPM-S90V, excessive vanadium metal with extraordinarily excessive put on resistance so it’ll keep sharper, for longer. For those who’re counting grams however don’t wish to quit rugged performance, that is the EDC knife you need for each biking journey. Did we point out it’s carbon-freakin’-fiber?
The Silky Noticed Pocketboy 130 ($40 from Amazon) is a compact, light-weight noticed that’ll reduce by means of any department or log with ease. Use it to clear a path or make firewood, it’s a improbable device for any journey.
Greatest Reward for Bikepackers – Garments & Using Equipment
On the bike, many people want shorts versus bibs for multi-day adventures. The Mission Workshop Professional Quick ($205, out there direct in males’s and ladies’s) have nice help, cozy and supportive supplies, and small facet pockets over Dyneema facet panels that’ll maintain as much as a wipeout. Reflective hits preserve you safer, too.
Numerous us additionally prefer to bikepack in much less pro-cyclist-looking gear. So, usually basic biking jerseys are out. And free match technical t-shirts are in. However… meaning you lose pocket area – even with all of the cargo shorts. Enter, the Apidura Expedition Waist Belt ($50, bought direct). It’s primarily an ultra-low-profile mesh hip pack that offers you again the misplaced rear pocket space for storing from a superb old style jersey. https://bikerumor.com/tiny-apidura-expedition-waist-belt-adds-jersey-pockets-to-any-riding-kit/
House is at all times at a premium on a motorcycle journey, and Ombraz Sun shades ($150, bought direct) have nice polarized lenses, however ditch the arms so you possibly can tuck them nearly anyplace with out worrying about breaking them. And sure, they’re surprisingly comfy and keep put manner, manner higher than you’d assume.
A cap is essential, and there are three we like: The Chrome Biking Cap ($25 at Chrome Industries) is hyper-reflective, waterproof, and only a bit looser than most, so it received’t constrict your mind like so many others, making it tremendous comfy on all-day rides. In case your bikepacker is headed off to a sizzling & sunny locale, the Detour Cloud Cap ($28 from Ass Savers) provides a tail flap to maintain the solar off their neck. And for off-the-bike, the Tommy Breeze Trucker Caps ($34, bought direct) disguise that helmet hair with enjoyable, pleasant designs that at all times get a praise.
And if they’re headed out on an extended on-road journey that may stretch into the night time, strive the Apidura Packable Visibility Vest ($58, bought direct). With out limiting their motion or overly flapping within the breeze, it should be certain that they’re seen whether or not using between Paris-Brest and again, or racing the Transcontinental. Or simply a night commute residence from work.
Anything?
How about The Bikepacker’s Information ($20 at Bikepacking Roots) as a useful how-to? Now in its 2nd version, this guidebook breaks down trip-planning and on-tour abilities that may make bikepacking extra fulfilling. Plus, route pacing/experience period estimators and 4 key packing checklists will assist your journey go off with no hitch, whether or not for newbies or seasoned adventurers. An added bonus, proceeds from the sale of the information help continued route growth, upkeep, and advocacy through Bikepacking Roots. https://bikerumor.com/how-to-bikepack-2nd-edition-bikepackers-guide-available-now/
Retaining units charged up is at all times a priority, however this Ulanzi Battery Deal with Grip ($50 on Amazon) solves these issues and extra. It packs an enormous 10,000mAh battery inside, letting you cost two units (telephone, GPS, lights, and so forth.) with its USB-A and USB-C ports, however that’s just the start. It’s a digital camera grip with a tripod base and has 1/4-20 and GoPro mounts, which makes it nice for organising dawn time-lapses, selfies, or simply letting it maintain your telephone when you watch some YouTube. The slim form makes it straightforward to stuff in a body bag or handlebar bag, too!
As at all times, don’t overlook your Native Bike Store! Reward certificates from a neighborhood store might be a number of the greatest presents for bike packers since they assist to maintain it native and assist your rider get these last-minute snacks, tubes, and equipment all of us overlook till simply earlier than it’s time to roll!
