We are in a truly golden era for the best bikepacking gear. Early inventors ventured into the globe and accomplished feats on a bike that nobody thought possible. They set an example and motivated others. The early inventors made do with what they had and did whatever it took to ride their bicycles as they saw fit, but as time went on, they continued to search for ever-better tools.
Best Bikepacking Gear 2022
We have all felt the need to unwind in nature. Given restrictive regulations and limited vacation alternatives, bikepacking, which is essentially backpacking with your camping gear on the bike, has seen an understandable rise in popularity. Bikepacking allows bikers to travel farther and carry more gear than they could when walking. It also allows them to explore in a more straightforward, uncomplicated manner.
It’s all bikepacking, whether you want to travel light and stay in hotels and bunkhouses, brave the weather and sleep outside beneath a tarp and a bivvy bag, or bring everything you need for weeks at a time of travel, including a tent, sleeping bag, cooking supplies, food, and water.
A terrific experience is setting off into the wilderness on your bikepacking cycle with all your compact camping gear organized and prepared for an adventure in your frame bags.
Although each bikepacking journey is unique, the fact that you will be sleeping overnight is constant. A road bike bikepacking trip may offer the same sense of exploration and discovery as trips that are normally done off-road, either on a mountain bike or gravel bike.
The bikepacking gear you choose is very important; your bike will take you to the place you want to spend your time, but the best bikepacking gear will help you stay in the wild. Therefore, choosing the best bikepacking gear is important to make your trip fun and comfortable.
Read on to learn about the best bikepacking gear you need for your next adventure:
Bikepacking Camping Gear
A bikepacking journey can succeed or fail depending on the camping gear used. You need portable, dependable equipment that won’t disappoint you in the middle of a journey. Here are my top picks for bikepacking camping gear.
Lightweight Tent
Bikepacking-specific tents with unique features are now widely available from many manufacturers. These qualities include, among others:
- Shorter poles designed to fit in handlebar packs or frame bags
- A harness that allows you to fasten your tent to your handlebars
- Lofts for gear and helmet storage
These bikepacking-specific tents are special, but they are by no means necessary. It is a great idea to have a tent without a handlebar harness.
Another nice feature is that if you get the footprint, you can use the rainfly to build it up as a basic shelter if you want to reduce weight even further (and good weather is on the horizon).
Sleeping Bag
You should choose a lightweight sleeping bag and packs down a compact to add to your bikepacking equipment list to maximize space. Generally speaking, down sleeping bags are lighter and easier to pack than synthetic ones.
The NEMO Disco 30 Sleeping Bag is ideal for me because it has a spoon shape that allows for more arm and leg flexibility as I prefer to sleep on my side. It also has many other amazing features, such as draught collars around the neck, integrated pillow pockets, full-length zippers, and vents (or gills) to regulate temperature.
Headlamps
Every overnight trip requires a headlamp. Although several excellent headlamps are available, I like the Petzl Actic Core Headlamp since it is portable and rechargeable. If you’re in a bind, it can also run on 3 AAA batteries, and you don’t even need an adaptor to use them.
This headlight, which emits 450 lumens, is powerful enough to illuminate a campsite or, if you’re unlucky, fix a flat just as dusk is setting.
Bikepacking Cooking Gear
When I’m bikepacking, I normally rely on dehydrated meals and simple snacks. As a result, the majority of my bikepacking cooking equipment consists of a stove, utensil, coffee cup, and knife. A complete cookset (which will be heavier!) can be appropriate if you intend to prepare more complex meals.
Camp Stove & Fuel
I decided to use the JetBoil Stash Cooking System instead of the MSR PocketRocket Stove since it is significantly lighter and boils water much faster after using the MSR PocketRocket Stove for a few bikepacking excursions. It’s ideal if you only need to boil water for coffee and dried meals (which is typically what I eat on my bikepacking trips).
However, you can purchase fuel individually, as it is not included.
Utensil
Use a utensil to scrape the bottom of your pouch of dried meals. The majority of forks and spoons are excessively short; however, getting a good one prevents food pieces from getting on your fingers!
Mug
Coffee is a necessity for many people. Therefore it’s always on my list of bikepacking equipment. The Snow Peak Titanium cup is available in stunning anodized green and blue and is incredibly lightweight at only 2.4 oz.
Knife
Any list of equipment for bikepacking must include a knife. The Gerber Mini Paraframe Serrated Knife is a handy, portable, and trustworthy tool. Use it to construct improvised equipment, cut kindling, cook food or meals, or for a variety of other purposes.
Bear Canister or Bear Bag
Bears might or might not be an issue for you, depending on where you plan to bikepack. Packing all of your food in a bear-proof container is a really excellent idea if you’re biking through a grizzly country, such as in Montana or Alaska. Being safe is better than being sorry. Some locations demand bear bags.
When bikepacking, a bear bag that hangs from a tree is slightly more convenient than a large plastic bear canister. A bear bag is not as bear-proof as a canister, so keep that in mind.
Bikepacking Bags & Racks
A combination of personal preference and what will fit on your bike go into choosing the best bikepacking backpacks. There are many options (and viewpoints!) available, and to be quite honest, I’m still trying to decide on the best set of accessories for my bikepacking kit.
Since I wasn’t sure if I’d like it, I initially purchased a set of Moosetreks bikepacking backpacks from Amazon when I first started out. They aren’t the highest quality, but they do the job well. After only a few journeys, they are already beginning to show signs of wear and tear.
A brief description of the various bikepacking bag options and a few top manufacturers can be found below.
Handlebar Roll
A sleeping bag, a puffy jacket, clothes, or a tent can all be stuffed into handlebar rolls that attach to the front of your bike. Either a handlebar roll that securely fastens to your handlebars or handlebar harnesses that may be combined with a detachable dry bag are options.
Frame Bag
For storing bulkier items like food, tent poles, and equipment, frame bags are excellent. After just a few bikepacking excursions, the zipper on my Moosetreks frame bag is already wearing down. For my upcoming frame bag, I’m considering Rogue Panda. Based on the dimensions and shape of your bike frame, they may create unique frame bags.
Seat Bag
When compared to other bikepacking bags, seat bags often have the largest capacity. They attach to your seat post. Due to how difficult it is to pack and unpack, I don’t appreciate my Moosetreks seat post bag. I’m looking at the Revelate Designs Spinelock 16L Seat Bag in its place.
This seat bag is completely waterproof, has a one-way air purge valve, and has a quick release for simple on and off. It is made to reduce side-to-side sway (which the Moosetreks bag has a lot of). There is also a 10L version available.
Top Tube Bag
Snacks and other items you want easy access to while riding your bike, like a phone or multi-tool, can be kept in a top tube bag. I didn’t really recommend the Moosetreks top tube bag because one of the straps broke when I was on my Cross-Washington journey.
Bikepacking Tools & Repair Kit
Don’t ignore your tool and bike maintenance kit! The last thing you want is to break a chain or get a flat tire in a remote location and then have to trek many hours to find help. What I advise including in your tool and bike repair kit is as follows:
Chain Lube
Keep a tiny container of chain lubricant in your bag at all times (in case it leaks). Rock N Roll chain lube is my preferred choice. Any bikepacking excursion should be wonderful with a 4oz Rock N Roll Gold bottle. Remember to pack a rag so you can remove any extra.
Hand Pump
When it’s chilly, rainy, or at night, CO2 is really appreciated! A hand pump is necessary to fix a flat or to re-inflate your tyres every few days when travelling. Because the Lezyne Pressure Drive CFH can be used as both a manual pump and a CO2 hand pump, it is my preferred choice for my bikepacking equipment kit (not included).
Tire Plugs
You should include some tire plugs if you have tubeless tires, which I highly recommend for bikepacking. Instead of inserting a tube, tire plugs can be pushed into rips or even tiny cuts in the tire. The remainder of the puncture is then sealed with the sealant, and you can continue. Tire plugs allow you to continue riding for hundreds of miles after repairing a tire. 5 tire plugs, an insertion tool, spare valve cores, and a valve stem tightener are all included in this Genuine Innovations Tubeless Tackle Kit.
Tire Sealant
Bring a small bottle of tubeless tire sealant with you if your vacation will last more than three to four days in case you develop a puncture and lose the sealant. For ease of usage, an injector is included with this 4 oz bottle of Orange Seal.
Spare Tube
When a flat occurs, even with tire plugs and extra sealant, the hole may be so large that you will need to insert a tube. So, bring one along for backup. You’ll need one if you don’t bring one, I assume. Almost any tire will fit a 27.5″ tube. Purchase bicycle tubes here.
A Multi-Tool
Leave home without leaving without a multi-tool! Almost every bike repair or modification, from adjusting seat height to aligning brake calipers and everything in between, requires the use of a multi-tool. The Crank Brothers Multi-19 is my go-to multi-tool since it features all the necessary hex wrenches, a chain breaker, screwdrivers, and a T25 Torx wrench.
First Aid Kit
You won’t need a first aid kit until you actually need one, so it’s a good idea to bring one along, just in case. My Medic sells pre-made kits that include everything you could possibly need, such as antiseptic wipes, different types of bandages, a whistle, and much more.
The Cycle Medic is innovative because it was made with bikers in mind, and you can attach the bag directly to your frame. A tourniquet and chest seal are included in the Pro Kit, which has more life-saving equipment than the Standard Kit, which only contains basic first aid supplies.
The Hiker Medic also has a great selection of supplies you can throw in your pack or use their Mod Packs to assemble your first aid kit.
Final Words
To sum it up, we have mentioned the best bikepacking gear that you will surely need on your next adventure. Having good gear adds greatly to your bikepacking trip. Reading this article will surely help you to know which tools you will need on your next trip. Keep reading our blogs to learn about the best tips and tricks for bikers and reviews about the best biking products.
FAQ
Do You Need a Special Bike for Bikepacking?
In general, you can bikepack with practically any bike. But bikepacking is typically done on gravel, dirt roads, or singletrack trails. Make sure the bike you use is capable of handling the terrain you intend to explore.
What is a Good Bikepacking Pace?
With a loaded bikepack, most cyclists will travel at an average speed of 6-7 miles per hour. Six miles per hour may seem effortless, but on a road bike, that is equivalent to about 15 mph. You are fit enough to enjoy this ride if you can pedal a century on the road at an average speed of 15 mph.
How Much Weight Should I Carry for Bikepacking?
Since traveling by bike is frequently more lightweight. How much should your touring bike weigh when fully loaded? I found out that you are looking at about 49 kg or 110 pounds on average after speaking with 48 bicycle tourists. But it appears that the norm for bike traveling is somewhere between 25 and 50 kgs.
Do You Wear a Backpack While Bikepacking?
When bikepacking, campers travel into remote areas on an off-road bike with minimal camping equipment. They frequently wear a lightweight backpack and attach storage bags to the bike’s seat and frame to transport supplies and equipment.