Glampacking

[jameso]

I liked this article - https://bikepacking.com/gear/gear-for-glampacking/

The things we take along when it's not all about the time on the clock? I started out with everything as minimal as possible but now enjoying a mix of low pack weight and comfortable stops, making the most of the time at camp as part of the ride as well as travelling light and as far as I can.

My #1 has been something to read. I've enjoyed picking up random books from phoneboxes or bus stop libraries before, or taking one of the Penguin series of small books that I pick up whenever I see them (gotta stay lightweight after all, and some of those little books are heavy on thinking needed ).

Mini speaker, check - my OS Buckshot's been great on rides in the past. Really enjoyed the wide open roads of France with some good music on.

Camp lighting - generally use a headtorch but recent trips I've had a back up USB LED front and rear and used the front for lighting the general area, if I'm somewhere very rural and not bothered about keeping a lower profile.

Folding foam sit pads are a must-have too. They double up as insulators for a packable rucsack, to keep the heat of the sun and/or your back off the food or cool beer (wrapped in a down jacket oc). I've wondered about cutting up a foam mat to make a sit and back rest but the material's bulky.

TBH my greatest luxury for a bivi spot is a view of the sunset, I've spent a few evenings just watching the colours in the sky change over a slow dinner. Lightweight and free.

[Lazarus]

Not done for a while but have done trips more about the camping than the riding.

Some form if seating is essential as is after dark lighting

[rudedog]

None of my trips are ever about time on the clock, unless it’s to get somewhere before they stop serving food

I’d imagine some essential items I take would be considered ‘luxury’ items by others

- foam sit pad
- eye mask
- separate clothes to change into for sleeping
- earbuds to listen to podcasts to at night (really helps with my tinnitus)
- GoPro and spare battery

[Boab]

- eye mask
- separate clothes to change into for sleeping

Essentials, not luxuries...

[Lazarus]

Definetly luxuries for me ( and eye mask utterly unnecessary for me ) though i tend to take the clothes for all but an overnighter.

I really enjoy how personal / different the list of camping/ bikepacking kit is.

[JackT]

Sit mat, absolutely. Recently discovered the WWAGO ones which fold very small indeed and so no reason not to pack one. Or two, because sharing is caring.

A stove you can easily vary the heat on for actual cooking rather than just boiling water. And a frying pan for frying food. Currently using a little Trangia duossal one. Tiny Nalgene bottle of cooking oil.

A *white* paper or plastic bag, drop your bike light or torch into it for some ambient, non dazzling lighting. If staying in a bothy, I'll pack some candles.

Book, audiobook, podcasts - yes.

I've sometimes taken a monocular for wildlife spotting.

A small pillow. Or at very least a cotton pillowcase into which I'll stuff any spare clothes.

In summer, swimming trunks + small microfibre towel.

[faustus]

Interesting to see how people are straying from the ascetic norms of this forum!

I found a sit mat handy on my last camp out, so that's a keeper, and useful on longer rides when a longer sit down is required. I've also been taking a alpkit pillow for a while, to help with comfy sleep - but it's not that comfy and i'm a fussy sleeper it seems.

Would definitely carry book/kindle, and we bought one of those Vango Lightbeam lanterns for family camping, and it was excellent, so i'd take that for an evening in a tent or bothy; nice diffuse light, lasts ages, and packs down fairly small.

Food - I can very much see the appeal in going posher. As a veggie, i'm not sure what my equivalent of quality bit of meat sizzling on a skillet is...not sure veggie lasagne or veggie sausage and chips is logistically possible on a stove...

I think the 'comfort' or glam options are plenty, but where's the boundary? Watching downloaded TV on your phone? I have to say i'd never want to have music playing from my bike, i'd feel too self-conscious - and whenever I encounter it (usually teenagers locally) it makes me cringe a bit - but fair play to you Jameso! It works for Cass Gilbert and he's pretty much the coolest bikepacker (I've followed his travels for a long time, and really like what he does btw).

[jameso]

Interesting to see how people are straying from the ascetic norms of this forum!

Age, sense, experience, maybe all three .. : )

Both approaches are good, ime generally best on different rides though. (edit to add, there's plenty of scope for minimalism in comfort-adding items too, and being comfortable means going further or riding better overall)

The white plastic bag for lighting tip is a good one Jack, with double-duty as a packing bag.

I have to say i'd never want to have music playing from my bike, i'd feel too self-conscious - and whenever I encounter it (usually teenagers locally) it makes me cringe a bit - but fair play to you Jameso!

Mainly on the open roads, a bit of epic dad-rock or something like that is a lift on a long ride. I like how it sometimes attaches ride memories to an album. Not a fan of it off-road though.

[Dave Barter]

Sit mat, absolutely. Recently discovered the WWAGO ones which fold very small indeed and so no reason not to pack one. Or two, because sharing is caring.

These?

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005080719466.html

[PaulB2]

A kindle, sit mat, merino long johns and a spare pair of pants are my ‘luxury’ items. I didn’t take a sit mat on my last trip which was a mistake since it’s so much more useful than just sitting on it

[JackT]

Sit mat, absolutely. Recently discovered the WWAGO ones which fold very small indeed and so no reason not to pack one. Or two, because sharing is caring.

These?

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005080719466.html

Yes. Very compact. Not as thick as the others (I also have a Forclaz one from Decathlon, which is larger and thicker). But imo the main benefit of a foam sit mat is the insulation, not the padding.

[JackT]

it’s so much more useful than just sitting on it

Details please!

[yourguitarhero]

For me it is:

Kindle. Waterproof one with backlight.

Flextail gear mini pump/lantern. Much nicer light than a head torch,, I like to hang it from the roof of the tent.
Also use it to do my airbed

[rudedog]

it’s so much more useful than just sitting on it

Details please!

Useful in the doorway of a tent as something to kneel/sit before you put your shoes on/off

A couple of years ago, my exped mat sprung a slow leak that I couldn’t locate so I used 3 foam sit mats as an emergency sleeping pad (luckily my two riding buddies also had brought theirs). Can’t say it was the comfiest night sleep but it was still a big improvement to none at all.

[PaulB2]

it’s so much more useful than just sitting on it

Details please!

I normally leave my shoes in the vestibule of my tent so It's most common use is while putting my shoes on or off when getting in or out of the tent to stop my socks getting wet. It's been knelt on while pumping up a tyre with a small pump and when changing a brake pad to save my back. It's been used as a rest for a rucksack to stop water soaking into the bottom of the back overnight under a tarp. Occasionally, I'll even sit on it.

[Dave Barter]

My luxury items are; the jetboil, proper coffee bags, a pee bottle, lardy cake and deodorant

[fatbikephil]

I tend towards the light as possible camp still, but throw in additional pub / cafe / Co-op stops to fulfill glampacking needs. conversely, I don't take a stove for trips where I'm going for a luxury approach as this forces you to plan your riding around food stops and places to get breakfast. I guess I always appreciate a minimal load for maximum cycling fun.
That said, I've used a full length mat and a pillow for the last 5 years and I quite like my wee mat inflator widget. Camp chairs are a step to far though

[Sajama]

We don't care about weight , never really understood the strap a bag culture. We are away for weeks or months so it's keeping stuff dry . 2 small panniers for inner and other bits ,other for outer and waterproofs/ stuff thst can be wet.
.Rear small panniers sleeping gear and other a change of clothes and stove / food.. A tent you can spend time in when weather is the Pitt's.
Ortlieb accessorie bag for phone ,battery etc .tools and repair ,sealant etc have little bit of weight, but saves you if away off the beaten track.
Lots of hike a bike last 3 weeks but we knew that was part of the tour. The only real luxury is a Helinox chair.

[rudedog]

We don't care about weight , never really understood the strap a bag culture

Lots of people do care about weight though. It also really depends on the type of terrain you are riding

My mate took panniers on a Cairngorms trip, they were an absolute nightmare - his panniers were too wide for some of the narrow trails through thick heather. His bike was also a two man lift over styles etc.

[godivatrailrider]

We don't care about weight , never really understood the strap a bag culture

Lots of people do care about weight though. It also really depends on the type of terrain you are riding

My mate took panniers on a Cairngorms trip, they were an absolute nightmare - his panniers were too wide for some of the narrow trails through thick heather. His bike was also a two man lift over styles etc.

This. And having so much weight at the back makes wheeling the bike on it rear wheel a mare. But obvs you can carry much more, should you really want to...
Different riding I guess

[RIP]

My mate took panniers on a Cairngorms trip, they were an absolute nightmare - his panniers were too wide for some of the narrow trails through thick heather. His bike was also a two man lift over styles etc.

I regularly bikepack using trains. My soft slimline gear stays on the bike. Much easier than trying to lift potentially four panniers on and off. Four panniers that are probably very heavy because their capacious volume also allows me to take 'whatever I want' rather than 'whatever I need'.

Panniers can also be very easy to steal. If still on the bike, lift and away. If off the bike, more bags to worry about and keep an eye on. My 'bikepacking' bags less easy.

And 'glampacking'? Erm. Well very occasionally I might take darjeeling teabags instead of builders.

[faustus]

I get the impression that a posh night for Reg is when the ditch is dry!

[RIP]

I get the impression that a posh night for Reg is when the ditch is dry!

Oh, you've reminded me, luxury: a little cup to bail the ditch out

[jameso]

Random thought about camping out earlier, that though my bike trips are about riding and seeing places at the perfect pace that bike touring offers, there is also that opportunity to have a really nice spot to call your own for one night. I don't plan my bivi spots and often pitch up in the dark but I do love finding those great bivi spots and stopping a bit earlier to make the most of them. Places where there's a tree that makes a great back rest, a tendency to be dry / well-drained, a great view, out of sight etc. Places where you think "If I could have a little cabin here I'd live quite happily..".
So a project of sorts for next year might be to find a great spot that's only a few hours away and come back to it a few times with a perfected minimal:luxury ratio camp kit. Maybe build a bit of bushcraft style furniture over time. Take some fairy lights even

[Blackhound]

I take a Kindle as I usually ride alone. Since a night out with Bearlegged ( and Reg) in the spring I noticed his sit mat and picked one up for £2 or £3 and carried one since. I take an mp3 player and headphones for the night, not during the ride itself.
Sometimes I take an Aeropress Go if a local overnighter. For longer trips I usually don't have the space but then I may take a little mesh filter for proper coffee. Mint tea bags for a post bed drink are a regular addition.