My Bikepacking Gear List
What I bring and how I pack varies based on what I'm doing, but here's the core list of important items for nearly every adventure.
There are a million and one bikepacking gear checklists on the internet.
You know why?
Because everyone is a little different.
Gear lists are personal. They reflect your style, the things that make you comfortable, the things that you value.
But I also read or watch just about every list I can, because bikepackers are an ingenious bunch. People come up with clever solutions to problems that are common and uncommon. Bikepackers like to tinker, and crowd-sourcing options is a good way to consider new ideas and update your own setup.
So here’s another entry into the genre, both for my own reflection and your benefit.
Intro: Comfort, Race, Rando
Since this is a general gear list, and not one that’s specific to one event, we need to set some parameters. My gear list for a one-day ultra obviously looks a lot different from my gear list for a week of comfort camping. Riding in the summer looks different than braving high alpine passes in March.
I can’t try to account for all those considerations here, so instead I’ll list out the items that are basically my starting point for any adventure, and trust that you understand that cold weather requires amendments, comfort camping might look different from racing, and the like. The idea here is to give you a starting point.
I will do a gear list specific to the Mishigami Challenge before that race starts, and if you want to know exactly what I brought on my recent Bikepack the Ten Thousand or 110% ACOL adventures (which looked meaningfully different from one another), let me know in the comments. I’d be happy to pull those together if there’s enough interest.
I’m going to take this category by category, so here’s what this list will cover:
Clothing
Sleep System
Other Camp Items
Electronics
Bike Maintenance
Personal Maintenance
Miscellaneous
Clothing
The main consideration with clothing is to keep yourself comfortable in all likely situations. For multi-day adventures, this usually means bringing two of nearly all the on-bike stuff (since this is where you’ll spend most of your time).
Oh, and in the case of this particular list, the exact products I use aren’t important, so I haven’t noted them. Wear the bibs that are comfortable for you, etc.
Core list:
Bibs x2
Base layer (sometimes x2)
Jersey (sometimes x2)
Socks x2
For me, fresh socks and bibs are a must. Your feet and bum bear a lot of abuse over the course of riding multiple days, and keeping them (and the clothing on them) as fresh as possible is essential. A second jersey or base layer is an optional luxury since these are 1) more comfortable than bibs to ride in when dirty, and 2) easier to rinse on the go in a sink, shower, or stream and still wear when wet.
Gloves/mitts (for hand comfort, not warmth)
Reflective gear (vest, ankle straps)
Knee warmers
Rain jacket
Shorts
Long-sleeve tee
Small shower towel
For hygiene and comfort reasons, I almost always carry clothes to change into at camp, regardless of how well I’m able to clean myself at the end of the day. (Even if your camp doesn’t have showers, wiping yourself down with water and/or wet wipes can be a huge help.) I’ve included a towel in “clothing” because if a shower, or stream, or any other fresh water supply is available to me at the end of the day, I’m going to use it. A super-absorbent small towel takes almost no space and will get you 90% dry or better. (I wrote about this in more detail here.)
I try to choose clothing options that will support me across a range of temperatures - my current go-to long sleeve tee is a polyester/merino blend, for example. Knee warmers and a rain jacket can also double as warm layers at camp or overnight.
Bike shoes
Helmet
Minimalist camp shoes
Some sort of minimalist camp shoes or sandals are definitely a luxury item, but it feels very nice not to have to step into your bike shoes at the end of the day whenever you need to walk around camp.
Sleep System
Most of the time, I prefer a tent. Hammocks can be nice, but in my experience they don’t end up saving any pack space, and then you’re dependent on trees. I use a bivvy for race or other fast-packing situations, but a tent has so much more utility. If you have to wait out a rainstorm in a tent, it may be boring but at least you have some space for yourself and (depending no the size of the vestibule) your stuff.
Core list:
Tent - REI Quarter Dome SL2
This tent has been discontinued by REI, but there are a number of similar tents on the market. I got the 2-person version for flexibility - if I’m camping with someone, we don’t both have to take a tent if we don’t want to - but it also gives me a little extra interior space when rolling solo, and it doesn’t take up much more volume in my bags.
Sleeping Pad - Nemo Tensor Ultralight Insulated
Also discontinued, but replaced in Nemo’s line by the nearly identical Tensor All-Season Ultralight, which actually has a higher R-value than my pad.
Sleeping Bag - REI Helio Sack 50
This is soon to be replaced by a much fancier bag (a Cumulus X-Lite 300), but has served me well for warm-weather camping since it packs down so small. Pack volume is, in my opinion, by far the single greatest limiting factor for bringing a sleeping bag bikepacking. For that reason, this is the first place I’d spend a little extra money.
Pillow - Nemo Fillo Elite
Not the smallest pillow on the market, but it has a little bit of fabric around the air sac that makes it more comfortable. (And it still packs down smaller than my fist.)
Ear Plugs
Ear plugs - and a sleep mask - will be a matter of personal preference, but cutting a little bit of noise can really help.
Other Camp Items
None of these items are actually in my core list, but they’re all nice-to-haves when the space on my bike and the pace of my ride allow.
Camp Chair - REI Flexlite Air
This is always the first luxury item I’ll add, especially if I know I’m going to have some time at camp. Bonus use: it makes for an excellent bellows to get a fire going.
Cook Kit - Homemade Alcohol Stove
To be honest, I rarely bikepack with a stove. Hot meals at the start or end of a day are a luxury I don’t need, and if it’s really important, I could grab something at a resupply before reaching camp.
That said, bringing your own meals can be both fun and more economical. It generally requires a lot more space to bring a stove, fuel, utensils, cup or bowl, and food, but I can’t deny that it’s nice to make a cup of coffee and hot oatmeal on a chilly morning.
Book
Journal
Books and journals are heavy and take up a lot of space, so again, they rarely make it into my setup. But I always want to have these things with me. In 2020 I did a hotel packing trip over 10 days from Salzburg, Austria, to Berlin, Germany, and I was so happy to have my journal. At rest stops during the day and especially at dinners in the evenings, it was such a delight to have a way to record my thoughts, both about the ride and unrelated things I’d thought about along the way.
Electronics
Electronics may be small compared to your tent, clothing, or other items, but you want to have this setup absolutely dialed. Knowing how, when, and where you plan to recharge important devices is essential to avoiding frustration.
Bike Computer - Wahoo Elemnt Bolt v2
I’m tempted by both the Coros Dura and the newest Bolt 3, but my head unit is still going strong. 90% of what I use it for is navigation, and it does a great job of that. In a sweaty application like cycling, physical buttons (over a touchscreen) are still the superior control method.
Phone
Front Light - Outbound Lighting Detour
Get a good headlight, even if you’re rarely out after dark. You don’t know what you’re missing. I had $60 Serfas lights for years that did a great job until the waterproofing started to leak. My Outbound Lighting light, though more expensive, has been even better. Pass-through charging, meaning that I can run the light off an external battery if I need longer than the ~6hrs of use the internal battery will get me, is a great feature.
Headlamp - Black Diamond Storm-R
This is mostly an at-camp light, but can double as a backup headlight or on-bike headlamp when necessary.
Rear Lights - Blackburn Dayblazer 65, Amphipod Versa-Light Max, Bontrager Flare RT
I have an assortment of rear lights, and I appreciate each of them for some different reasons. The combination of them gives me lots of redundancy and lots of visibility for different conditions. The Blackburn light has very long runtime on a low-lumen flash mode that’s still reasonably visible. The Amphipod light clips on about anywhere I want and has bright steady or flashing modes (and a white light mode, so it can be an emergency front light). The Bontrager light, meanwhile, is attached to my helmet and makes me visible at a high angle for cities and other areas where sight lines might be obstructed.
Battery Banks - Nitecore NB 10000 x2
I’ve made the switch this year from a single larger battery to two smaller ones. The primary reason here is redundancy. If something happens to one, I still have the other, and with the Nitecore batteries I still have the same total capacity as my old battery in a smaller package with more ports.
Wall Plug - Anker 67w 3-Port Plug
Two features led me to choosing this plug. One, the prongs fold into the body of the plug, so there’s less risk of bending or breaking. Two, it’s a high-wattage charger, meaning it can power devices to full more quickly.
Cables
This is pretty straightforward - bring a cable for everything you need. I always bring an extra long USB-C cable so that I can reach from a power source to my batteries more easily. This is especially useful when camping, as campsite power is usually elevated, and this will let you keep your electronics in your tent.
Headphones
I go for cheap wired headphones with as much of an open-eared design as I can get these days. If I’m wearing headphones while riding (which I rarely do), it’s essential to be able to hear your surroundings. I choose wired headphones because I don’t want an extra device I have to charge, especially on longer trips.
Bike Maintenance
There’s less to say about each item here, but be sure you know how to work with the tools you have. For example, I only take one tyre lever because I’ve found that’s all I need (and there’s one on my multitool if I really get in a jam).
Multitool
Look for one with a chain breaker to ensure you can make all the necessary stopgap repairs you might need. If your bike has a lot of torx bolts, make sure your multitool has the relevant drivers.
Tyre Lever
Pump
Tube x2
C02 x2
CO2 Stinger
Presta/Schraeder Adapter
Don’t sleep on this. It’s tiny and weighs nothing, but it could save you.
Tubeless plugs
Spare valve core
Chain Lube
Duct Tape
Fabric Patch Kit
Chances are your tent or sleeping pad will have come with one. Otherwise they can be had for cheap at places like REI.
Superglue
Zip Ties
Pocket Knife
Derailleur Hanger
Spare Cleats w/bolts
These last two are optional, but good additions if you’ll be the least bit remote. A bent derailleur hanger can ruin your ride, and a spare is small and easy to keep in your bag. Likewise, if you run 2-bolt/SPD-style cleats, you might not notice a loose cleat bolt until it’s already gone. A spare set of cleats and bolts is cheap insurance.
Personal Maintenance
Do not neglect the rider. It’s easy to not bother to stop, to not bother to take the time to apply sunscreen or brush your teeth. But take the time. Do it anyway. Sunburn or saddle sores will make even a long weekend feel like a year.
Chamois Cream
Sunscreen
Hand Sanitizer
Toothbrush/Toothpaste
Toilet Paper or Wet Wipes
In case you need to dig a hole in the woods, or you encounter a port-a-potty without TP, bring a pack of wet wipes or fold up some spare TP in a ziplock bag. You’ll almost never need it, but you’ll be happy to have it when you do.
First Aid Kit
Consider throwing some extra bandages, liquid bandage, or moleskin patches in here to help deal with skin irritation if something crops up.
Miscellaneous
Aside from other everyday necessities like phone, wallet, and keys, here’s a few things to consider adding.
Drawstring Backpack
You can buy a packable ultraight backpack that compresses to almost nothing, but your run-of-the-mill drawstring backpack/shoe bag probably won’t take up enough more space for the fancy version to be worth the money. These are great when you need to do a large resupply and either need extra carrying space for a few kilometers, or just need a bag to carry things out of the store.
Microfiber Towel
An extra towel (or two) can be incredibly useful. One, they can clean screens and sweaty hands so that touchscreens become usable again. Two, they can clean glasses, if you don’t have a separate glasses case or cloth. And three, a separate towel for wiping down your chain each evening on a multi-day adventure will help you drivetrain keep running smoothly.
Bike Lock
It might be peace of mind as much as anything else, but I always bring a (very) light bike lock on bikepacking trips. It’s not the kind of lock I would trust in other circumstances, but as a deterrent while you’re out of sight in a store, it’s worthwhile.
Voile Strap(s)
You never know when you might need to strap something somewhere onto your bike. Voile straps weigh almost nothing, take up almost no space, and can be stored almost anywhere on your bike.
What’s essential on your list that I’ve somehow left out? Let me know in the comments! Maybe it’s something I’ll add to my kit.