I am of the travel light fraternity. But I seem to have built up a wide array of stuff carrying bags for the bike, and am worried that I will always fill the available space...

I have a pair of stem cells, a fuel pod, a seat pack, frame bag, bar harness, bar harness additional bag, camelbacks, and could easily add more. What's your philosophy? Do you have little bags and pack them tight, or lots of bags and fill them with kitchen sinks, microwaves, frame tents etc?

I prefer to leave a bit of slack to aid packaging alterations on the fly and ease of getting stuff. And you don't always pack as effectively in the morning after a bivvy compared to when you're vat home, especially as it's raining. I think I used to fill all available space, but that was so 5 years ago and now I try to bring only what I need (sometimes a creature comfort gets sneaked in!)

Travel light & Freeze at night! At 60kg, I feel every extra gram!

Like the look of a Wildcat frame bag, to match my front & rear harnesses, but my small size frame has barely enough room for 1 piss bottle, and it would make HAB even more difficult!

I try to travel light...but I'm always amazed at the folks that travel even lighter than me. Here's the setup...

Front harness, fuel tank, feed bag, gas tank and saddle bag. Leaves the triangle open for 2 bottles and easy carrying on the shoulder. Batpack6 for additional easy-access storage.
Only the front harness is packed tight - the rest is probably 80% capacity in each. I need to refine things further...I'm not totally happy with what is in the saddle bag and fuel tank and have considered going down from a Viscacha to a Pika to force the situation at the back.

Greetz

S.

Steve, just because you have a vast array of bags, it doesn't mean you have to take each and every one on every ride

My packing options are 8 or 13 litre bar bag, 13 litre seatpack, frame bag, 2 stem cells and a bum bag. I take what I think is appropriate for the trip - summer overnight, very little, winter multi day, considerably more.

Stu, I know, I haven't actually used the stem cells or fuel pod yet, and the frame bag only ever got used on the HTR, but I do keep thinking that you pack according to the space available. The more space, the more stuff to take, and with my ever increasing array of bags the temptation to pack even more stuff is growing.

I look at some others kit and they seem to carry a vast array of stuff. So just wondering how other people select what to take.

I look at some others kit and they seem to carry a vast array of stuff. So just wondering how other people select what to take.

I start with the mindset that I want to carry as little as possible, then I look at the likely weather conditions and select sleeping bag, mat and shelter to suit. If it's going to be cold I'll pack a down jacket and a hat.

Tools and spares go regardless, tiny brew kit usually.

Anything else is a luxury that can generally be left at home

s8tannorm wrote:

then I look at the likely weather conditions and select sleeping bag, mat and shelter to suit.

I only have one of each so don't have the problem of selecting but I do have a fleece liner so sometimes ponder on whether to pack that .

I'm in the "got one of each" camp...so there's no internal arguments on which one to take. I either pack it or I don't. When I don't, I often find I should've packed the offending item/s left behind. Seems it's something that just comes with practice.

Greetz

S.

As you might expect in this household, there's no shortage of kit to take out. But, what I take is driven much more by kit lists for different occasions (based on experience and desired comfort level), so I'm not inclined to fill bags for the sake of it.

When packing light, the main problem I find is not having anywhere to stow a waterproof or spare layer mid-ride. This problem was largely solved when the Lioness came out, and I'd sometimes take this extra bag but keep it very minimally packed so I have some overflow space for kit I might be wearing at the start of a trip, but not later on, or for putting food in and so on.