kit list - advice wanted!

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gairym
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kit list - advice wanted!

Post by gairym »

evening folks,

as some of you may have read i'm planning on doing a 10 day unsupported solo off-road transalp trip this summer and have spent the last few weeks sorting out my kit.

here, for you to peruse, critique, laugh-at, is my (current) kit-list.....

i've yet to try it all out at once but am fairly happy with my individual choices at this point.

what i'm interested in is your opinion(s) on any potential problem areas i may have overlooked (as i'm well-seasoned at 1-2 night bikepacking but an utter novice at a scaling things up to a high-altitude multi-day epic).

ok, here goes.....

luggage:

- frame bag - Wildcat 'Leopard'
- bar bag - Alpkit 'Airlok XTra' (8L)
- seat bag - Ortileb (large)
- backpack - Osprey 'Talon 33'

clothing:

- shorts - my usual Gore biking shorts
- tights - Gore windproof bib-tights
- Base-layer - Icebreaker merino
- Top - a regular cycling top
- waterproof - Northface 'Muddy Tracks'
- vest - Northface down gillet thingy
- socks - 2 x pair small socks and 1 pair Sealskins
- shoes - a pair of Inov8 'Roclite 295' fell-running shoes (i ride flat pedals due to knackered knees and these are amazing for mountain biking in!)
- gloves - yet to be decided!

accommodation:

- sleeping bag - Vango 'Venon 300' (800g - without stuff-sack as it'll live in the seat bag)
- bivi bag - Alpkit 'Hunka XL' (540g)
- tarp - 3m x 3m tarp from DD Hammocks (700g)

other kit:

gps - Garmin 'eTrex Legend HCx'
camera - a little Fuji for stills and a Kodak' 'Playsport Zx3' for video
stove - gelert solid fuel stove
pans - some cheap but very light alu mess-tins
cutlery - left-over cellulose spoon/fork from a big party
knife - a little swiss army knife and an Opinel No.8.

i may well have forgotten some bits off my list but that's about the size of it.

well.....what do you think....?

any/all comments and advice welcome!

cheers, gairy.
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Bearbonesnorm
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Re: kit list - advice wanted!

Post by Bearbonesnorm »

stove - gelert solid fuel stove
There's yer problem ... obviously if you enjoy cold tea and raw food you'll be fine ;)
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gairym
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Re: kit list - advice wanted!

Post by gairym »

s8tannorm wrote:There's yer problem ... obviously if you enjoy cold tea and raw food you'll be fine
hmmmm.....i've not tried out my new stove yet but i did use the same style stove (successfully) years ago when camping with my dad (we're talking 1985) and it weighs nothing!

i don't drink tea/coffee and so that's no problem but i was hoping that it'll warm some pasta/couscous/rice and sauce each evening.

will give it a go tonight indoors and see how it goes.

the reason i liked the idea was because of the super low weight/cost.

all the other possibilities involve carrying liquid fuel (i've got a Mountain Equipment Multi-fuel stove thing somewhere but it's a little bulky/weighty).

any ideas for solutions....?
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Bearbonesnorm
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Re: kit list - advice wanted!

Post by Bearbonesnorm »

Well if you don't actually require boiling water you should be okay. * If it were me going I'd be tempted by a meths stove that can double up as a solid fuel burner ... just to cover my back.

* Please be aware that I can't go ten minutes without tea let alone ten days ;)
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gairym
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Re: kit list - advice wanted!

Post by gairym »

s8tannorm wrote:If it were me going I'd be tempted by a meths stove that can double up as a solid fuel burner ... just to cover my back.
any links to specific products you could offer-up so that i can see exactly what you're talking about???

cheers buddy - appreciate the help, gairy.
thomthumb
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Re: kit list - advice wanted!

Post by thomthumb »

you say " high altitude" doesn't look like a massive amount of clothes if it might be cold. you never know hat the weather will do in the mountains. I'd be tempted to pack a down coat and some trousers...

where you going? sounds fun...
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gairym
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Re: kit list - advice wanted!

Post by gairym »

thomthumb wrote:you say " high altitude" doesn't look like a massive amount of clothes if it might be cold. you never know hat the weather will do in the mountains. I'd be tempted to pack a down coat and some trousers...

where you going? sounds fun...
i'm going from Füssen, Germany to Lake Garda, Italy via Austria and Switzerland on a route I got off a nice German fella on bikepacking.net - see the video of his 2010 trip here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cn2uLTUDwVY

it goes up to around 3000m but i'm not planning on sleeping that high.

i was hoping that the down gillet paired with the Northface waterproof will be warm enough for most cold evenings but you're right in that i haven't got anything warm for my legs (other than the tights which could well be wet).

i've got a pair of lightweight 'Activity Pants' from Northface (their wording - not mine) which might fit into my bags or the evenings???

i'm thinking of heading out for a few test nights while the weather is still cold here (in the Ardeche mountains we get some pretty low temperatures) to see how the kit holds-up (whilst having back-up stuff with me or nearby).
Anthony
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Re: kit list - advice wanted!

Post by Anthony »

An indoor test won't really show anything, as soon as you add a little breeze into the equation things change dramatically. Personally I would recommend the Caldera Cone set-up that is for sale in the classifieds. Super reliable, nice and lightweight and very simple to use.

I'd be very suprised if the solid fuel actually works out any lighter than meths.

Is that a definitive list or just the main bits? No tent pegs, bike spares, tools, soap, first aid......2 knives?

If it is of any use I can email you my offroad C2C kit-list which was broken down into every last g of couscous :D
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Bearbonesnorm
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Re: kit list - advice wanted!

Post by Bearbonesnorm »

Stove + windshield / pot stand = 37g

Image
This way up for meths


Image
This way up for solid fuel
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gairym
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Re: kit list - advice wanted!

Post by gairym »

Anthony wrote:Personally I would recommend the Caldera Cone set-up that is for sale in the classifieds. Super reliable, nice and lightweight and very simple to use.
thanks - i'll take a look.
Anthony wrote:I'd be very suprised if the solid fuel actually works out any lighter than meths.
hmmm.....maybe i do need to have another look at the cooking situation.
Anthony wrote:Is that a definitive list or just the main bits? No tent pegs, bike spares, tools, soap, first aid......2 knives?
yeah, it's just an outline. i've got my usual pegs, spares, tools, 1st aid kit etc... which i'll take.

and.....hell yeah two knives! i've seen too much ray mears to underestimate the importance of carrying a knife. the swiss army knife is mutli-use and the Opinel weighs nothing - it's all good.
Anthony wrote:If it is of any use I can email you my offroad C2C kit-list which was broken down into every last g of couscous
absolutely! send her on over - it'd be really helpful,

thanks.
s8tannorm wrote:Stove + windshield / pot stand = 37g
cool, is that homemade or bought???

i've seen that people have posted instructions on ways to make these from coke cans but i wasn't convinced they'd work.

cheers, gairy.
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Nick
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Re: kit list - advice wanted!

Post by Nick »

I'd be taking something to sleep on if it were me :)
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gairym
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Re: kit list - advice wanted!

Post by gairym »

Nick wrote:I'd be taking something to sleep on if it were me
oh yeah.....i'll have a little foam roll-mat with me too (knew i'd forget loads of bits).
Anthony
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Re: kit list - advice wanted!

Post by Anthony »

On a longer trip here's a few tips-

Its important to pack things sensibly. If your chilly riding at 11am, the last thing you want to do is pull out your sleeping bag, down vest etc just to get to a spare jersey.

A down sleeping bag in a bivvybag is likely to need airing whenever you can so the condensation build up doesnt affect the down's performance. When you have your lunch lay it over your bike for half an hour to let the breeze pass through it. Similarly at night once you have struck camp, lay it out in plenty of time to allow the loft to restore and air. The bivvybag may also need airing if it's been a hot/damp night.

Babywipes will be your friend.

There will be times where it gets miserable. But then over 10 days you'd expect to have the odd crap moment at home too, so just ride through it it will pass.

Don't pack wet things with dry things. If your tarp is soaking, don't roll it with your bivvy bag as it'll just soak that too. Strap it to your rucksac until it's dry.

Practice 2 or 3 times sorting your fully packed bike/bag. Once everything has found it's natural home you'll get used to where everything goes and it makes it much easier to spot if something is missing/mislaid.
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gairym
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Re: kit list - advice wanted!

Post by gairym »

Anthony,

Thanks for that buddy - sure, it all sounds like simple common sense but it's that kind of stuff that you really only learn by making those mistakes and so it's helpful to know in advance what mistakes of would likely have made so i can avoid making them!

I'll be starting 'practice' trips as soon as the risk of really severe weather passes (most likely in mid-march).

I've also got a 4 day (300 mile/8000m alt gain) road race (more of an event than a race) and also a 3 day mountain biking thing (4 stages - 2 on the middle day!) a month before my trip during which i'll have a final test of all the kit/routine/packing etc....

Here's a link to those events if anyone is interested:

http://blog.ardechoise.com/en/parcours/gorges/ - scroll down for route profiles etc...

http://www.raidvtt-ardeche.com/index.ph ... scriptions - scroll down for route profiles etc...

Cheers all for your help so far - mucho appreciated.

Gairy.
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Bearbonesnorm
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Re: kit list - advice wanted!

Post by Bearbonesnorm »

The bivvybag may also need airing if it's been a hot/damp night.
I always turn mine inside out to air it ... nearly always wetter on the inside.

gairym email me your address and I'll send you a stove over ;)
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gairym
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Re: kit list - advice wanted!

Post by gairym »

s8tannorm wrote:gairym email me your address and I'll send you a stove over
really....?

that'd be vaguely exciting but you should let me give you some money for it.

if not (if you've got one laying around that you're happy to give away) then at least let me cover the postage?

also.....i can't seem to find an email address to send you my postal address???

let me know and i'll send it on over.

my email address is:

simplegairy (at) gmail (dot) com

thanks for the offer fella - very much appreciated!

gairy.
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Blackhound
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Re: kit list - advice wanted!

Post by Blackhound »

I like to have a sheet sleeping bag to keep my sleeping bag clean, especially if just get in it in my cycling kit!
I also use Patagonia Capilene long-johns for sleeping in. Beanie/buff's are useful as well.
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gairym
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Re: kit list - advice wanted!

Post by gairym »

Anthony,

I forgot to add my email address for you to send your C2C kit-list but it's listed in one of the above responses and so if you find a minute to get that to me then it'd be really helpful.

All,

Tonight (admittedly after fat dinner and a session on the turbo-trainer) i'll be spending the night outside to test the warmth of a bunch of this new kit.

The weather forecast for tonight is 2°C (feeling like -1°C) and so we'll see how I fare.

I'll only be a few hundred meters from the house (we live in the forest) and so I won't have far to trek if it gets too cold.

Will let you know how it goes.....
slarge
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Re: kit list - advice wanted!

Post by slarge »

Have you a plan to recharge the batteries on your GPS?
How much fuel for 10 days cooking?
How are you carrying water?
Take some paper maps and a compass - just in case your GPS stops being reliable.

Good luck with it - sounds a fantastic trip.
Anthony
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Re: kit list - advice wanted!

Post by Anthony »

Did you survive :?: :!:
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gairym
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Re: kit list - advice wanted!

Post by gairym »

Anthony wrote:Did you survive?
oh yeah, it was plenty warm enough but i think i'll be investing in a better mat as my piece of crap cheap foam mat may well be cheap and light (and it did keep the heat in) but it did nothing for my aching limbs.
slarge wrote:Have you a plan to recharge the batteries on your GPS?
the plan is to carry a spare set which should give me about 36-48 hours of life and so if i use it for 8 hours per day then somewhere between every 3-5 days i'll need to get new batteries.
slarge wrote:How much fuel for 10 days cooking?
i'm not sure yet - when i receive the newer stove from stuart i'll experiment with fuel consumption etc... but it should be possible to find meths in a little alpine village somewhere i'm sure.
slarge wrote:How are you carrying water?
i'll just fill my 3l bladder everytime i come to a hamlet, village or clean looking spring (and will have water purification tablets and can boil what's needed).
slarge wrote:Take some paper maps and a compass - just in case your GPS stops being reliable.
oh yeah, for sure!
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