Minimalism beyond bikepacking?

[pistonbroke]

You lot are sooo hardcore
When I worked at Planet X the bike build manager once put a notice in the bogs stating anyone using more than 9 sheets would receive a warning. I'm sure having 2 stalls for over 100 employees contravened some rules but that was the least of our worries, I could write a book.

[whitestone]

You lot are sooo hardcore
When I worked at Planet X the bike build manager once put a notice in the bogs stating anyone using more than 9 sheets would receive a warning. I'm sure having 2 stalls for over 100 employees contravened some rules but that was the least of our worries, I could write a book.

Slightly worrying that he'd know

[HaYWiRe]

We all know wet wipes are the greatest luxury and worth their weight in gold, c'mon now.

However I do decant almost everything!
I've got chain lube in a tiny eye drop bottle, 50ml dry shower, 50ml body wash, 20ml sanitizer, and tiny pellets of dried toothpaste counted out per trip. Airport liquid limits got nothing on me!

[ctznsmith]

Like Haywire I live in set of Craghoppers 'trousers', well actually the zip off kind because I don't really like trousers. I carry the bottom parts around and then use them very rairly (which I guess isn't that minimalist).

Shirts wise Patagonia buckshot do me for being a nice 'mid-weight', not to big a pack size and dry fairly quickly if required (also don't require ironing). They're on sale at various places at the moment too.

I go everywhere by bike and train, so the only difference between 'work' and bikepacking is that I stay in B&B's not a bivy bag. ;-)

[Templogin]

I must admit that I am absolutely the reverse of this. I carry too much, and have had to move from carrying a messenger bag to a small rucksack as the bag was too heavy on one shoulder. The rucksack being smaller means that I have been forced to carry less, but on a normal day I carry the following: -

HPG Tarahumara rucksack
Kifaru small Pod (fits onto the bottom of the rucksack if I need to expand the space)
Goretex trousers
Down (or synthetic) jacket
Meds
iPad Pro
Compact camera
Reading glasses
Varifocal glasses
Power pack
Snugpak 1 litre Pakbox (hangs inside rucksack) to carry small items: -
Leatherman Style
Leatherman Mini
Micro USB cable
Mini USB cable
USB SD reader
Multi-headed USB cable
SD to Micro SD adaptor
Lightning to SD adaptor
Magsafe V1 to V2 adaptor
Apple Pencil adaptor
Earplugs x 2 sets
Sweeteners
Paper clip
Small bulldog clip
Sharpie
Meter box key
Digital voice recorder

Every day something, at least one thing, often more, is used from the Pakbox. Most of the stuff in the main section of the rucksack is used daily with the exception of the power pack and waterproof trousers. I think that I have reached the minimum that I would want to carry, although what I carry, especially the small items, tend to be for the benefit of others. An example would be that the girls at work have lost the micro USB cable for the DVR and no-one has the wit to go out and buy one, so each time they need to download meeting recordings to a PC they come to me.

[johnnystorm]

I had to Google EDC after Stu mentioned it. Looks like a webpage dedicated to what swmbo has tipped out of the various items I've put in the washing basket. Very odd.

[whitestone]

TempLogin: That's a ridiculous amount of kit to be carrying!

Why two Leathermen?
Spare cables for when someone else (consistently) loses the item - don't carry it and force them to take responsibility for looking after stuff.
Digital voice recorder? Surely there's an app that you can run on your iPad
Why the camera? Again there's a camera on the iPad
And speaking of the iPad, why the pro and not the mini?

Fair enough for the adaptors - Apple seem determined to avoid using standard USB connectors.

[Templogin]

Two Leathermans - I tend to lend the small one out to those that need it. I don't trust them with the bigger (Mini).
Spare cables - you are absolutely right
DVR - I would feel a bit of a twonk talking into my iPad Pro. It seems much more acceptable to talk into my hand
Camera - It's a really good compact camera, far more capable than the iPad camera.
iPad - the spectacles are the clue here. I need a biggish screen even with the bins on.

Shhh - I am just glad that I didn't mention the cheese board and selection of cheeses - shhh!

[DoctorRad]

I've been ridiculed a fair amount for carrying too much stuff, but people don't tend to complain when their using my spare cables, valve cores, chain links, inner tubes, patches etc... I'm trying to cut down, really I am!

[Templogin]

Funny you should say that, I carry a knife in a leather pouch on my belt, hidden by my microfleece. When people can't get into the reams of paper that we buy, which now come in a plastic wrapping so tight that even scissors are impractical against them, I whip out the knife (Spyderco UKPK - UK legal to carry without reason) and they are happy that I get the pack open for them, but sometimes look shocked and ask me why I carry a knife, "usually to open reams of copier paper" is often my answer!

So, yes, if you have ever got a spare tube from another rider, that's why we carry spares!

[HaYWiRe]

HPG Tarahumara rucksack

You lost me after this, I've been wanting to get my hands on a Tarahumara for months, hard to justify the cost after spending too much gathering an osprey collection....ironic given that when biking I try to go pack free

Though even still its incredibly liberating not having to take a backpack somewhere, most people with a medical condition seem to carry huge bags full of emergency kit. I find with careful selection it is possible to be minimal and bagless and still be prepared for most things

I've found my tiny dime multitool can do 90% of the jobs my full size can, but weighs nowt and is always on hand, after all a tool you have on you is always better than the bigger fancier tool you left at home

And its a shame nowadays that for those of us that do carry "tools" for a perfectly good reason still get asked why...

[voodoo_simon]

Such a good packer on holiday, that I have to take the little ones clothing and some of the wife's stuff too

She's packing now for a few days in the alps and I've just taken out two scarves that resemble (in feel, looks AND size) a small family dog

[Templogin]

@Haywire -- Funnily enough I have a spare!! No really. I bought one in Coyote, thought that it looked too military so go a black one. They work out hideously costly by the time you have them shipped over from the US, but the shoulder harness makes it more comfortable than either of my Ospreys, and I thought that they were good. The only criticism is that they smell odd inside from the stuff that the material is treated with. Absolutely bulletproof otherwise, not literaly, obviously!

[Alpinum]

I must admit that I am absolutely the reverse of this. I carry too much, and have had to move from carrying a messenger bag to a small rucksack as the bag was too heavy on one shoulder. The rucksack being smaller means that I have been forced to carry less, but on a normal day I carry the following: -

HPG Tarahumara rucksack
Kifaru small Pod (fits onto the bottom of the rucksack if I need to expand the space)
Goretex trousers
Down (or synthetic) jacket
Meds
iPad Pro
Compact camera
Reading glasses
Varifocal glasses
Power pack
Snugpak 1 litre Pakbox (hangs inside rucksack) to carry small items: -
Leatherman Style
Leatherman Mini
Micro USB cable
Mini USB cable
USB SD reader
Multi-headed USB cable
SD to Micro SD adaptor
Lightning to SD adaptor
Magsafe V1 to V2 adaptor
Apple Pencil adaptor
Earplugs x 2 sets
Sweeteners
Paper clip
Small bulldog clip
Sharpie
Meter box key
Digital voice recorder

Every day something, at least one thing, often more, is used from the Pakbox. Most of the stuff in the main section of the rucksack is used daily with the exception of the power pack and waterproof trousers. I think that I have reached the minimum that I would want to carry, although what I carry, especially the small items, tend to be for the benefit of others. An example would be that the girls at work have lost the micro USB cable for the DVR and no-one has the wit to go out and buy one, so each time they need to download meeting recordings to a PC they come to me.

I bet that's more in weight than what I carried to hike divide of the Canadian Rockies which took me 45 days...
Nothing beats taking nothing... I made the experience that you engage more with nature if you take less gear. Obvious... actually

[Teetosugars]

Does only using 9 sheets when bottom wiping wherever I am count as minimalism or OCD?

9?

That's pure luxury, you only need 3.
1 up, 1down, 1 shine...

Or so they told us when I joined up..

[Farawayvisions]

Tiniest handbag when out and about. Capsule wardrobe when travelling without a bike, Wildcat frame bag doubles as handbag on day rides to the village for coffee. Ashamed to say I don't always carry a puncture repair kit, figure I can push the bike home if I'm within 3 miles.

[FLV]

Funny you should say that, I carry a knife in a leather pouch on my belt, hidden by my microfleece.

So you carry 3 knives on day to day basis?

I'm not focusing on the knives but surely to carry 3 of anything at any point is a bit overkill.?

[Templogin]

No, I carry one knife and two Leathermans that happen to have blades ;-)

Multi tools usually do many jobs badly and no one job well. That's why mechanics don't have smaller toolboxes with a handful of multi tools!

Andy
Shetland

[HaYWiRe]

I see that argument alot, and used to carry a full Gerber AND folding knife (when legally justified outdoors)

I've since switched to compact multitools and no dedicated knife and don't feel any worse off, infact the little 2" blade on the dime gets more use than any of my folders or fixed did.

Although technically i carry 3 blades 24/7, but the redundancy is a coincidence.
The dime has a 2" knife and a tiny 1/4" plastic cutter, and my wallet carries a sterile 2" blade in my swisscard I keep for first aid, still sealed.

I've learnt a sharp blade doesn't need size to be useful, and is alot less scary for those that dont like seeing knives.
All my tools now fit in a jeans fifth pocket, unnoticed, a far cry from carrying a bulky sheath for a ton of dead weight.

[FLV]

No, I carry one knife and two Leathermans that happen to have blades ;-)

Multi tools usually do many jobs badly and no one job well. That's why mechanics don't have smaller toolboxes with a handful of multi tools!

Andy
Shetland

So not one multi tool could do the job of the three ?

Just seemed overkill to me, but then what do I know. I open tough parcel tape with my car keys as I dont carry tools day to day.

I'd love to know what 'just in case' kit you have in the boot of your car, or carry on a long bike trip if thats what you take to the office though. Must be loads

(again, not having a go at you. Just find it interesting as I just dont think that much into things day to day)

[benp1]

I have loads of kit in the back of my car (I also have a monster size keyring with loads of tools and things attached)

In the back of my car - XL and S Primaloft jackets, 2 waterproofs jackets (one budget one for lending and a berghaus paclite), hat, gloves, US army poncho liner (like a synthetic fill quilt), bothy bag, jetboil, food (like boil in the bag meals and porridge), torch, tow rope, jump leads, battery pack, water, bungees, plus quite a lot more

Sounds like loads, but I have run flats so it's all tucked away in the spare wheel well. The main emergency planning is for if I have to stop the car by the side of the road when I have the kids with me (3&4), and it's raining. We can all get in the bothy bag and have some food while we wait for the AA to turn up, goes from being a nightmare to an adventure. I seem to carry all sorts of stuff in and around the back seats too - fleece blankets, wellies, drinks etc. I've independently used all of it apart from the poncho liner and the bothy bag. The jetboil has been handy for having a cup of coffee/hot choc if we stop for a picnic

[I used to subscribe to the school of EDC, but when I leave the house only carry my keys, wallet and phone]

[Zippy]

but I have run flats

I'm sorry that you have to endure those.

[benp1]

but I have run flats

I'm sorry that you have to endure those.

True, I was going to go to normal tyres but I've never replaced more than 2 at a time, so it's a big one off cost to get them done

To be honest, I don't find the ride to be that bad in them, better than I've heard many talk about. I went to the effort of getting above average ones though (Bridgestone RE050s). To be fair it's a family wagon that gets used as a workhorse more than anything else, and being big and heavy is only good on flowing A roads, it's a bit lumbering on B roads or anything tights and twist, I have a motorbike for that though

[Cheeky Monkey]

This thread is conjuring images of this lot in my mind:



No offence like

[Bearbonesnorm]

Mike and me met them ^ the other week ... amongst the Landrovers, Discoveries, etc was a very serious looking 4x4 VW van