Bikepacking Essentials: On Finding Goldilocks

[John Rinker]

Moving this over from Johnny's 'Fitting the Hunqapillar' thread and in response to Jay's inquiry about my essential packing list for touring. 

Of course, some of it depends on the nature of the tour itself: climate, remoteness, and goals for the trip. For example, on the Great Divide, I packed my tenkara rod and for the Cabo loop, I swapped it out for a mask and snorkel. When I rode the Annapurna Circuit I didn't pack shelter or kitchen as I stayed in tea houses and ate dahl bat. 

As examples, here are packing lists from the two very different trips mentioned above. 

The Great Divide (2018)

The Cabo Loo (2023)

Sadly, the photos are the same, but the Cabo Loop list is more representative of what I've learned that I'd rather not be without on any journey. 

The clothing in the Great Divide list was basically cut in half before I left- where there are 2s, I kept 1. I did retain both pairs of sandals- a small luxury after a long day in the saddle. Neither did I end up carrying so many water bottles, and I have since swapped out the MSR gravity filter for a Steri-Pen UV filter. 

Didn't take my full spice kit on the Baja Divide because I'd planned to live on fish tacos the whole time (very tricky in the mountains!). I no longer take the Nikon as my iPhone 8 takes fine snaps, I leave the Garmin GPS as I use GaiaGPS on my device, and I've swapped out my tripod stool for a lighter Japanese folding stool. 

I love my Big Agnes CopperSpur tent but wanted to spend some time getting good at setting up my Mountain Laurel Designs Trailstar tarp in the deep sand of Cabo where tent stakes are useless. 

As far as essentials, hmm? My Marmot sleeping bag, a water bottle, my tool roll, down jacket, wool undies, bandanas, rain gear, and camp slops.

Anyways, that's my thinking on packing on wilderness-focused tours. 

I'd love to hear what you've gleaned from your experience and what you consider your essentials when heading into the mountains.

Cheers, John

[DamonLee]

Hi John, thanks for the lists. I was going to ask in the other thread but seems better to do it here: What rack do you use for the 139 Wald? Do you know roughly how much weight goes in there?

Thanks,

Damo

[John Rinker]

Hey Damon,

I've mostly used the Nitto mini-front 32F sold by Riv and (please don't tell anyone) even though it's rated to 4.4lbs (I seem to remember 7lbs when I got it) I've carried way more than that on occasion. Typically, I would say- tent, stool, slops, frisbee, some food, cool trail finds- I carry probably 5-7lbs. 

I also have a Nitto basket rack RBW52F which I've been using when I don't carry panniers on my hub-area rack (which doesn't work with the basket rack).

When I carry panniers, my basket load is less because all food items are in those.

Cheers,

John

[ascpgh]

Lots of nice intellectual exercises for the problem of tent line anchors when in deep sand once you reach the conclusion that regular ones don't and won't work.

Climbers in the snow use flukes as do recovery specialists, often in gangs to distribute force from the primary line. I've seen a crew moving a Land Rover mired in a peat bog doing this with five or six. 

Considering the brevity of mass necessary for bike camping something like a wide rectangle of cloth, short ends connected by a loop, that you fill with sand, in a pit you've dug in the sand, then buried in its filled shape with a rope making a yoke between the two ends loops. 

These could be bandanas with shoelace (holds temporary knots better than accessory cord) and actually be less weight and bulk than regular stakes yet alone the screw and fluke gizmos the internet will sell you. 

If surprised and unprepared in the setting of sand otherwise, I've found that a branch, buried in the sand works pretty dang well. The more convoluted and leafy, the better it interacts with the sand and holds both steady and surge loading.

Andy Cheatham

Pittsburgh

[Ryan Frahm]

These might not be super pack able but they aren’t bad. They work extremely well if you know conditions will be soft. Completely worth it for some areas.  

https://www.orangescrew.com/collections/all-products/products/small-ground-anchor-4-pack

[John Rinker]

Andy,

I like the idea of some very lightweight nylon/cotton bags filled with sand used as anchors. Easily made, easily carried, and lighter than a bag of tent stakes, as you say. I had also thought of making a set of wooden slats, maybe 2" x 6" x 1/4", to bring along when sticks are hard to come by. Small bags now seem a better idea.

On my trip to Cabo, I really enjoyed wandering around the beach/arroyo at the end of the day looking for sticks that I could wrap the tarp guylines around and then bury in the sand. Sometimes (as in the photo below) a big rock on top of the buried sticks added a little extra strenght. Other times, just a big rock sitting on the line with a stick opposite the tarp anchor worked a charm. 

Creatively solving such problems and the many others that arise while adventuring around on a bike are a big part of what make it so satisfying.

Cheers, John

On Thursday, March 2, 2023 at 4:39:38 AM UTC-8 ascpgh wrote:

[Jeffrey Arita]

@John Rinker:

For your GD loadout, it amazes me how much bikepackers have in common: our list matches almost verbatim - down to the Sea to Summit eVent drybags (and no, I'm pretty sure we didn't memo each other before heading out).  The make and model of other items might be different, but you get the idea.  The 'essentials' are remarkably the same.  We, too are huge believers in wool!!  A couple of things stood out, at least for us: we did not bring dedicated cameras/equipment (used smartphones) or fishing gear (we should have, in retrospect).  But, 99% the same.  

We did the GD in 2017 NoBo (depart from Puerto Palomas/Columbus).  We left in July and ran out of season upon getting to Butte, MT (snow).  Hit pause and restarted from Butte in July 2018.  Life-changing, to say the least.  That is, so far, the only route I would do again in a heartbeat.  So gorgeous.

We too had a Big Agnes CopperSpur tent (loved it) but we actually wore it out (it was used extensively until late last year - zippers failing).  I love wearing out stuff.  We liked to call it a big mosquito net ;).  We just got a  Durston X-Mid Pro 2 tent a few days ago.  Goodness gracious!  Talk about light!  We'll see how durable that tent is....  Heading to the UK, France (PBP-bound) and Spain this summer.  Then South America (Santiago to Ushuaia) in November.  Back home by early April?

Like you said, the variables change, so the Goldilocks list can be elusive!

Best regards,

Jeff

Claremont, CA

[John Rinker]

Hey Jeff,

If you resumed your ride in Montana in July 2018, we must have passed each other along the way. I started in Banff in July 2018.

Your trip this summer sounds wonderful, and South America in the Fall? Very cool! Enjoy!

Cheers, John

[Jeffrey Arita]

Hey John,

That is pretty cool.  If you are up for it, please post a photo of yourself.  Whenever we came across others on the GD, we tried to take selfies of our wonderful encounters.  The chill vibe of the folks was also such a great experience.  Here's a picture of the two of us at Banff.

All the Best,

Jeff & Lori