Self-Supported Bikepacking - A Sample Packing List

This is just one of many examples of a packing list that one might bring for a self-supported bike trip. In this case this was for a mid-August Chilcotin self-supported trip taking 5 days and 4 nights. This is an area of linked subalpine and alpine trails and singletrack just north of Whistler/Pemberton in British Columbia (introductory article here). Unlike in the Alps there are no huts, roads or reasonably easy ways to self-extract. The entire trip was approximately 130kms crossing three alpine passes but we never measured so that is but a guesstimate.

Because we (three of us) were traversing mainly in the sub-alpine we planned for poor weather; some of us more so than others. We packed for rain and temperatures of approximately 5 degrees Celsius. In my experience, packing for freezing temperatures would substantially increase pack weight



Pack and bike weight

All my gear fit into a 37l Alpine Threadworks Selkirk pack. This is a ski-touring pack but I used it for this trip because it is minimalist; most bike packs have too much fancy useless crap that will break or snag when you are hike-a-biking or bushwhacking. It has a top compartment that doesn't interfere with your helmet when you're biking. It's fairly waterproof. It also carries weight well. It's also a pimp red colour. Finally, it's hand-made in Canada and in this day and age of robots making equipment, I find that to be a pretty cool thing.

My final weights were:

- Pack weight - 26.91lbs
- Bike weight - 30lbs (bike 25.9lbs + 4.1lbs (saddlebag + handlebar bag)



Bike and tools

1. Santa Cruz Tallboy Carbon
2. Water bottle (2x) - I didn't want to use a camelback on this trip and drank out of streams
3. Handlebar bag (maps, sat phone, bear spray, bangers).
4. Seat saddle bag (multi tool, patch kit, spare tube)
5. Spare shifter cable
6. I set spare brake pads (Magura)
7. Odd spare allen head bolts
8. Knife
9. Multi tool
10. Pump
11. Shockpump (wind gorilla tape around it)
12. Long zapstraps
13. Enduro collar for Reverb
14. Wet lube




Food

I packed enough food for 5 days to take care of unforeseen circumstances but this is a list for 4 nights 4 days providing about 3800 calories a day. Generally the freeze dried "feeds 2" packages are expensive (get them on sale) and even one "feeds 2" package isn't enough for me for dinner. Supplement with butter and ramen at night. I ate a lot for breakfast choking down lots of oatmeal with melted butter.

Note that butter is the densest food calorie for weight you can get. 1 pound for 5 days is plenty. Ramen is the cheapest caloric-dense food you can buy (500 cal a packet).

1. Kung Pao Chicken (feeds 2)
2. Vegetable curry/rice (feeds 2)
3. Three Bean Chili (feeds 2)
4. Curry stir fry (feeds 2)
5. Big Superstore chocolate bar
6. Hot Chocolate (8 portions)
7. Peanut butter (4 breakfasts - 3 wraps each)
8. 12 wraps for peanut butter
9. Oatmeal (4 breakfasts)
10. Bars for 5 days
11. Trail mix for 5 days
12. Butter 1 pound
13. Ramen noodles 5 packets




Cooking stuff

1. Spork
2. Small and large pot (one fits in another)
3. Squishy bowl
4. Waterproof matches; lighter
5. Plastic bags
6. Garbage bag (big)



Clothing

1. One short sleeve merino; merino dries quick
2. One long sleeve merino
3. One pair outer bike shorts
4. Two pairs merino underwear (one long, one short)
5. One pair warm pants
6. Down
7. Billed sun hat
8. Hat with mesh thing for bugs
9. Ski socks for riding. Long so they can be pulled up to protect shins when bushwhacking
10. Socks for camp
11. Light waterproof jacket
12. Toque
13. Riding gloves (large fit so I can put inner gloves under them when it gets cold
14. Two pairs inner gloves
15. Camp flip flops
16. Light hiking boots

I slept in all my clothing and slept very warm



Overnight and misc

1. Medium size pack 37l
2. Sunscreen
3. Headlamp
4. MEC Overbag Sleeping bag w/ silk liner (rated to 12 degs)
5. Ridge Rest
6. Small camp towel
7. Toilet paper (half roll)
8. Folding saw
9. Camera
10. Toothbrush
11. Contact lens solution
12. Sunglasses
13. Soft glass cases
14. Sat phone (Iridium)
15. 3x 5m accessory cord
16. Inflatable pillow
17. OR Stuff sack
18. Carried by Bryce I shared a tent (MSR Hubba Hubba 2 person tent fly and tent poles only; no inner tent)




Note that there are many ways to pack for bikepacking. Some heavier, many more lighter. I find that my own packing allows me to have some margin of safety yet cuts off enough weight that I can ride reasonably technical terrain with some comfort. For more ideas please look at the Bikepacking website where you can find some incredible creativity and weight-weenieness

Finally, to bore you all, here is the epic radness of the trip. No footage of drifting into corners or soulful stares.

Taseko to Tyax Lakes Aug 15 - 19, 2013 from Lee Lau on Vimeo.

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