Simplicity Reigns in the World of Bikepacking

Minimal bikepacking gear
Bikepacking with minimal gear

Those Bags Cost How Much?

When I first discovered bikepacking I wanted to jump in head first buying gear so I could get out there and have some adventure. I remember thinking I need: a sleeping bag; bivy; sleeping pad; bike bags; camelback; stove; pot; water purifier; a spot messenger and a half dozen other cool items. I spent endless hours pouring over tour divide bikepacking setup pictures looking for info on brands. At the time there were very few resources on the net for bikepacking. The most active community I could find was dominated by racers guarding their secret gear lists or touting gear that was way out of my price range. I would get stuck thinking that I was never going to get to experience the backcountry if I didn’t get all this stuff and the price of entry for me starting with only a bike was steep. It took me a year to get the gear that at the time I thought was the essentials. Thats right a whole year of selling things and collecting things before I even did my first overnight. Its kind of sad really cause I now know that it was the biggest case of gear lust I ever had that kept me from getting out and experiencing the world on my bike.

 

Years Will Refine Your Bikepacking Kit

Fast forward to today, I have most of the things on my original list and the funny thing is… The vast majority of the items I now deem as essential are not even on that original list and are not all that expensive. The list of gear I take gets smaller every time I go out on a trip. Now I get one or two upgrades to my gear list a year and the needs come before the wants. The quest for better newer bikepacking kit is a fun part of the journey and I’m still a gear junkie, but the gear will ware out long before the memories of adventure do. If you don’t have it all yet just gather what you do have, stuff some extra layers in a stuff sack strap (or duck tape) it to the bike and head out “GO” only when you come back do you know what you truly need to bring.

Minimal bikepacking gear

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