Your gear pile, get shot / rainy day?

[Richard G]

I've realised that pretty much every trip I take now uses the same gear over and over. I might take a different sleeping bag, I might take a different jacket, I may even pack a spare jersey, but all in all it doesn't really matter if I'm doing one night or five, I've basically got the same stuff (usually in one of two bags).

Except... I bought so much crap when I didn't really know what I was doing that now I'm loathe to throw any of it out. I've got a whole bunch of different dry bags, different cooking setups, different tarps, guys, pegs etc etc etc etc. Plus all of the crap that I never should have bought in the first place, like the OTT flint striker and the sort of chain on two keyrings for cutting wood (wtf was I thinking?).

I know I can't be the only one here with a stash of stuff they'll never use... but can you bring yourself to get rid of it? Even to a friendly home? I'm not sure I can. I might need it one day!

Fake edit - I also refuse to be one of those riders that adds assorted extra packs (especially those fork leg things!) to carry all the crap that they should never have bought in the first place.

[Bearbonesnorm]

I've realised that pretty much every trip I take now uses the same gear over and over

I think that's just the natural way of things. As with much in life, there's often sound advice on hand which can help lessen the gear pile but we all know that advice is for giving, not taking

I tend to have a small clear out once in a while but there are times when I've regretted selling something a while later. I've plenty of shelters I hardly ever use preferring a basic tarp but they owe me nothing anymore, so they can sit and wait for the day.

[In Reverse]

I've got a few mates who chip in from time to time with "oh I'd love to come on one of your bikepacking trips sometime" so tend to keep the spare shelters/bags etc for when the inevitable excuses come out about not wanting to buy all the gear.

I've got one of those big plastic boxes you can get for a fiver from Asda full of stuff I've bought and never used.

Bothy slippers I never even sleep in bothies ffs.

[sean_iow]

Bothy slippers I never even sleep in bothies ffs.

But you could sleep in one as you have the correct footwear, imagine how embarrassing it would be to arrive at a bothy wearing the wrong shoes

I've got a pile of stuff I no longer use but I made quite a lot of it so as well as the time invested in it I wouldn't want to sell it on as if it fails I'd feel responsible.

I've tried offering it on loan to mates to try bikepacking but they're not keen. I think the geographical limitations of where I live and never being more than an hours ride from your own bed don't help

[PaulB2]

I've got boxes of gear from when me and the missus geared up for a few back packing holidays 15 years ago or so. Titanium pots, pans, bowls, mugs, a really nice snow peak lantern and a light (though not by modern standards) two man tent just gathering dust. The only things that get any use are the 'spare' one man tent, the thermarest mat, a snowpeak stove and the titanium pegs that were bought on a whim.

I dragged a mate of mine on the C2C last year which broke him so in return I said I'd go on a walking trip with him so if he ever gets his arse in gear and decides where he wants to go then some of that stuff might get some use in the future but in the spirit of TLS, it probably won't.

[benp1]

ummm, I might have a few spare bits here and there

Might be better not to put it down in writing. I move stuff on every now and then but still have a lot of kit for just in case use, lending out to people, or maybe for when my son wants to come

Also used to be a 'bushcrafter' and have lots of stuff linked to that, but when I have more time I'll spend a bit of family time on my mates farm doing more of that so don't want to get rid of too much

Things seem to go in circles

[redefined_cycles]

I had a few odds and ends (apidura saddle bag and bar bag and a few other bits). Still trying to complete my clearout as Im not the most organised person in the world and less seems more sensible to me...

Got rid a few things for the WRT charity event thingy and feel all the better for it.

I say: get rid

[ScotRoutes]

Andy at backcountry.scot has started a "consignment store" in order to give folk a way of moving on kit they don't use. He takes a small %age of the cost in exchange for storing/displaying/selling it. It's as much a way of encouraging the reduce/reuse/recycle ethos as it is of making any money. I certainly have kit I rarely use. Stuff I've bought, then replaced with something better/lighter or some bit I just didn't get on with (like a Paramo jacket I let myself be persuaded into). I've just given away a pair of Enduro trousers because I realised I didn't like the cold flappiness when they got wet. There are other bits like that I've been happy to pass on to folk as long as they are going to use it.

I really do need to have a cull of my "bikewear" cupboard though. All sorts of jerseys in there I don't use, though some of them do have a sentimental value.

[sean_iow]

....apidura saddle bag and bar bag....

Which now means that my unused pile has got bigger

I'm quite impressed with them, I sewed on extra straps to the bar bag for Jones bar mounting and I like it so much now I'm using it on the HT550 at the weekend

[redefined_cycles]

....apidura saddle bag and bar bag....

Which now means that my unused pile has got bigger

I'm quite impressed with them, I sewed on extra straps to the bar bag for Jones bar mounting and I like it so much now I'm using it on the HT550 at the weekend

You my friend. Have just made my day. I may never do the HT550 (though you never know and if I survive a few hairy 200s (in km) then nwver know) but at least some gear thats been in my possession and use will make it there

[whitestone]

Well there's a big pile of climbing kit in the loft, actually several piles and boxes, the result of 30 years worth of "ooh shiny things" And on the basis I'd use at least one new rope a year it's a good job I've not kept all those as well.

There's an "overflow" pile of bikepacking bags and harnesses on a bedroom floor - we got some plastic stackable drawers for all this stuff but there wasn't enough room in them!

Be interested to look at that Apidura bar bag Sean, I've the Alpkit Gnaro but it's just 3L and not quite big enough for all my bivy kit - will no doubt see you Friday or Saturday AM

[RIP]

What a great post Rich! I am you. But, I'd love to give/sell things to a better home as per R_C etc; but can't quiiiite bring myself to part with old friends just yet. Still, ain't no rush so allow yerself the luxury of considering the situation slowly? Similar thing as when you move house (minimum every 30 years in my case!) taking all the crap in the loft with you vowing you'll ditch it before the next move but repeating it again 30 years later with all the loft crap from both previous moves. We're hoarders and stuck with the affliction .

[RIP]

Seems I chose the same '30 years' as Bob . Maybe that's the 'unit of hoarding'.

[sean_iow]

Be interested to look at that Apidura bar bag Sean, I've the Alpkit Gnaro but it's just 3L and not quite big enough for all my bivy kit - will no doubt see you Friday or Saturday AM

I'm up from Thursday afternoon and staying at Pinetrees, I'm sure I'll catch up with you at some point

[whitestone]

Not a patch on my old man ...

Me looking at a 50 gallon barrel full of bits of metal: "Father*! What's in this barrel?"

"Nuts, bolts, things that might be useful"

Lift one of said nuts and bolts out of barrel: "What do we need a 1 5/16" Whitworth thread bolt for? Everything on the farm is metric!"

"Don't throw it away, we might need it one day"!

Albert Steptoe had nowt on him

* pronounced Favver not farther

Sean - we're driving up Friday morning, got one of the glamping pods at By The Way (posh I know)

[wriggles]

Get rid

I am a terrible hoarder. Until recently I had about 12 bikes and a huge mountain of spares. Boxes and boxes of spares. I also had tons of old kit. Multiple stoves, tents and frame bags. All just in case I might use them. Am now down (ahem) to six bikes which is still too many and just the kit that I use all the time (mostly). All the surplus has gone to be used whilst it still has life left in it. Think there is nothing worse than stuff that sits and is never used. Move it on

[RIP]

That 'non hoarder' defence was going really well there until you mentioned the six bikes .

[wriggles]

Yeah I know its daft. Like I said, I am a terrible hoarder. At least they all get used

[Richard G]

I could and should get rid of the road bike to be honest... but I do like smushing super serious roadies once a year.

But yeah, I might actually decant some of the stuff I'm relatively sure I'll never use into a new box and throw it in the rafters in the garage. If I find myself needing anything then I'll still know where it is at least. I'll probably put a "give away if not opened by X" date on it.

[Lazarus]

if you do not have too much kit and to many bikes then can you really call yourself a cyclist/bokepacker?

I can justify it all and explain why i have it [including the 4 camelbaks] but I am sure i could get by if half of it disappeared *- it would be sub optimal at least some of the time


* DO i really need an apidura bar bag, an alpkit harness and some confusious bars to choose from?Again I can justify bit do I really need them?

Not really but you they are all useful for different things [ and the bars are worth nothing or i probably would sell them ]
However if you have multiple things for bikepacking [ tents ,tarps,cook sets etc] then you are ahead of me.My set is pretty limited[winter not winter] but only because I heard your sage like words and TLS

[Lazarus]

should get rid of the road bike to be honest

Me too but like you when it does get used it is for over 100 miles so I still need a decent one- see how easy it is too justify

[Richard G]

But you'd be getting more exercise if you did it on a mountain bike. :D

[jameso]

(wtf was I thinking?).

"Ray Mears..."

(I have one of those flint strikers too)

[jameso]

... A few of us locally are hoping to get a gear swap 'n' sale day together at the local pub. Idea is you sell stuff for tokens and the tokens go behind the bar for future beer credits so the pub benefits too. Cash for larger items, but the idea is to get rid of those 680mm bars or odd tyres for a pint or 2 's worth etc. I reckon I have a year's beer fund in the shed

[PaulB2]

I seem to collect tyres in different sizes and various states of wear. They're all wire bead so it'll be a ballache to sell them on so they just sit there.