The art of packing light

make sure you take a dump at the servo while fuelling.

Dutch waregear in the US... well us Dutch and European people can go to http://www.extremtextil.de/ for stuff like that.

I ordered two ribstop nylons, webbings, elastic, and velcro’s to make and design a lightweight tool roll as nothing I like seems to be available.

The fabrics are being shipped as we speak, so haven’t made anything yet.

My plan is to copy the Enduristan tool roll a bit. So larger folding pieces of fabric that allow for a working/organization space and a single pouch for small bits. I have one, it’s wonderful but made of bombproof and heavy fabrics. Really if it was half its weight I wouldn’t bother with any diy.

I've been squeezing all my tools into tight bundles with "ranger bands" - big rubber bands cut from either bicycle or motorcycle inner tubes. Not as nice to look at but virtually weightless, secure, and rattle-free. Tool rolls are appeal to my desire to organize but I honestly don't do many field repairs and prefer to minimize volume and weight.

I bought a leather pencil case to hold my tools. It fits everything I need. I don't carry much. I've found that the tools needed to adjust the chain can also be used to do almost anything else I'd find myself doing on the road side. I've added a couple other small things to supplement. All of my travel so far has been paved and in the US/Canada so I'm never too far from a store.

I learned a long time ago that I can't carry enough tools for every situation. It's important to be realistic in what you'll actually need. It all comes down to the balance of frequency/magnitude/availability. I see no need to carry a tool I'll likely never use, especially if I can readily buy one if needed (low frequency/high availability).

Although, the the two biggest factor for me is that I have a very reliable bike and I'm rarely too far from civilization

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01BF6T6W0/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

I don't stress too much about tool weight. I carry what I need to do roadside/parking lot maintenance like changing air filter, oil change, wheel removal, flat repair and general diagnostic work, I.E. panel removal, etc. Your adventure may vary, as will your tool needs. (I don't camp, but have in the past.) My recent adventure was riding a 150cc scooter from ME to CA via mostly back roads. 4500 miles or so in 10 days, followed by several more days of travel on the scooter heading back East. I hoteled, and didn't prepare my own food unless you count the hotel microwave.

I did research before hand and chose tires that lasted the entire trip and more. But I hadn't actually worn a set of that brand out, so couldn't be sure if they would last. It's a LOT easier to get a new tire installed, or do it yourself in the parking lot, if you're able to remove your wheels yourself. I did end up changing air filter and spark plug during the trip. I could have easily done an oil change and had the oil with me, but let it go until the end of the trip.

(1) 'nice' T-shirt, one synthetic to wear while riding, one long sleeve that I could have left home. One pair of walking around shorts and one pair of jogging type shorts for lounging. Could have left the walking around shorts home, but it was nice to look a tad more presentable. Two pairs of underwear, three pairs of socks. A pair of Teva sandles for off the bike wear. Toiletries.

Things I could have left home because I didn't use them on the trip: Long sleeve base layer shirt, one of the pair of shorts, some of the standard items I take on any trip, but really were not needed for this one like eye mask for sleeping on planes, etc. My full size laptop could have been replaced with the tiny tablet w/keyboard. It was really nice to have at the end of the day, but I could have lived w/o it and it's weight.

Packing light is indeed an art, but also somewhat of an act of accepting to go w/o some of the pleasantries and not being prepared for every possible need on your ride/trip. I did do laundry a couple of times at hotels. I did carry things like a half cover for the scooter and rain gear and was wearing full riding gear/boots/gloves with extra gloves for rain/cold.

This my anticipated packout for my upcoming NEBDR trip. This is without food. I would appreciate any comment or suggestions. Anything that is superfluous, or lacking. I'll be riding a 2014 Honda CRF250L, so I'm trying to get this as light and efficient as possible. Thanks!

I just got back from the TAT and have some thoughts. Looks like a great list overall.

Most people these days say hanging your food won’t stop the bears. I got a bear bag and it worked fine but nothing ever tried to get into it. It’s a lot easier than trying to hang a bag in any case.

I got a fresh plastic bag from the gas station every day for trash and didn’t carry spares.

I didn’t carry a water filter and didn’t need one. I carried 3L on my back and just refilled when I got gas. I threw a few water purification tablets in my backpack in case things went truly wrong.

You list a Garmin but not which type. If you aren’t carrying a GPS beacon / satellite messenger, I would really strongly recommend one.

Not sure what fire restrictions look like out east, but you might not need that saw. I typically burn downed wood and just break it, but I never even had the chance to build a fire anywhere.

A front tube can serve as a rear tube if needed. I just carry a small patch kit and one tube, personally.

I always, always carry some Imodium. I learned this one the hard way.

I like carrying Leukotape. It can cover blisters, tape sprained fingers or toes together, be used for splints, hold bandages in place, etc. Neosporin takes up almost no room and infection can be a big risk out there.

Changing out of my boots into my camp shoes was the best moment of every day. Highly recommend the camp shoes.

If you aren’t staying in hotels, the baby wipes are great for your pits and junk but won’t stop foot funk. Hand sanitizer does though. I’m told it’s also good for sanitizing hands. Do NOT attempt to fight ball stank with it. If I can save even one curious soul from this then my terrible mistake will have some meaning.

Depending on heat, humidity, and saddle time, you might want some Desitin or Body Glide to grease the cheeks.

I would bring heated gear and leave the puffy coat. If your riding gear is warm enough on the bike, it should be plenty warm when you’re off it.

I didn’t carry a chair. I know this one is contentious, do what makes you happy. I usually just lean against the front wheel. What actually happened on the TAT was that I was so tired every day that I didn’t even cook, I just rolled into my tent and fell asleep around a mouthful of beef jerky. I mailed all my cooking gear home halfway through in fact and never regretted it. Camp cooking can be awesome but it’s messy, bulky, heavy, and time consuming, and I could get 1 or 2 good meals in town when gassing up then just snack. Totally personal preference though.

Stuff like your comms and maybe your beacon, if you wear it on your body, can’t be easily charged from the bike, so I carried a small battery pack that supported pass through charging. Then I could charge 2 things off it during the day while it charged, and use it to juice up anything left over at night. I was very happy I had it. 6000mAh was exactly the right size for my needs.

I carried a tiny can of WD40 and never used it. Usually I just clean my chain with it, but I could also have just stopped at an auto parts store, bought a can, used what I needed, and tossed the rest. Anyway the weather was nice to me and my chain stayed clean enough.

Should be an awesome trip - have fun out there!

Good points @smackyface

I would go the other way around on the heated gear vs puffy. Puffy is warm all the time, also when the bike has broken down and you’re in a miserable cold place. Puffy jackets, at least the down ones, are also the lightest option in most cases.

The clothing list could be smaller btw. Using an anti bacterial base layer and regular baby wipe hygiëne maintenance makes the riding underwear go for two day easily, sometimes three days before the smells are coming. Plenty of time to wash in between. So I would say 2 pieces of underwear. These can be synthetic or merino wool, depending on preference.

And ballcap/hat, I would lose those. Unless tremendous cold is expected, then I would bring the fleece hat.

I'd leave out one of the undershirts, one of the hats and the chair. If you are using baby wipes make damn sure they are flushable - The others are indestructible and persist in the environment/sewage works/landfill for ever.

I'd lose the chair, cat shovel, saw, and consider cutting your clothing in half. Do you really need 3 shirts? You could probably be fine with 2... or even 1 + 1 long underwear top. Consider merino wool for these, super easy to wash in the creek, dries quickly, and won't hold odors. Like others said, you also probably don't need 3 hats. Unless you'll be consistently riding in 30s to low 40s, do you really need a heated jacket? That is a very bulky piece of kit.

We're also headed out for the NEBDR in September... our assessment is the route isn't nearly remote enough to need stuff like water filters, etc.

I’ll be one of the people traveling with @cb200t , so interested in the feedback as well.

So for the bear bag, you are saying you had a bear proof bag, but didn’t hang it? I’ve done a lot of camping but never had to rig for bears, so any tips related to this would be good. Also, it will be bear season in the area when we are riding, it sure if that will matter.

We were also trying to figure out whether to bring a tarp, and if we need some kind of tow rope, as I have the Mosko cinch straps you could use for a tow rope if necessary.

I have an Inreach so we have that covered.

oh and I am riding a Yamaha Tenere 700 and was planning on carrying more tools and such since I had the bigger bike, to keep the weight off the Honda.

Mike

People are raising good points on clothing. I can get 3 days out of a merino shirt but by the end of day 3 I’m definitely not feeling fit for red carpet appearances. Personally I want fresh underwear every single day. Having dealt with saddle sores once, I’m not taking any chances again. Creeks and gas station sinks work for doing laundry, kind of, but not nearly as well as real laundry facilities. I find I can get stuff about as clean as if I’d only worn it once and only if I have time to let it soak.

Yeah, I carried this - https://www.rei.com/product/124165/ursack-allmitey-bear-and-critter-sack-10-liters

No need to hang it. You just use the drawstrings to lash it to a sturdy tree trunk as far away from camp as you want bears to be. Hikers on the Appalachian Trail seem to know the most about this because the bears on the common stops have gotten used to humans, and I found people online talking about bears sending cubs up after hung food, or just climbing and doing a kamikaze leap. Apparently bear hunters lure them in by hanging something fragrant from a tree so the wind spreads the scent. I personally bag food, trash, cooking gear, and toiletries every night.

Please keep the weight down, even if your bike is heavier. You’ll hate the tools and the weight after picking the bike up again and again. Plus you’ll have to keep up with a nice and nimble crf250, you’ll be struggling.

Tow rope is a nice back-up. Never had to use one in the past 10 years. A piece of para cord will do the job as well as long you’re careful with driving away. The same cord could be used for a tarp.

And I think a hammock setup needs a tarp. In case of rain you’ll want a piece kit to keep you and your sleeping system dry. So that is a tent, bivibag, or tarp.

I think you mean I should keep the weight down so my fellow riders have an easier time picking my bike up again and again

my top duffle, a Mosko 40l backcountry duffle, with my tent, poles, sleep system stove pots and pans, basically all my camping stuff except food, was 28 pounds including the duffle itself. I need to pack my food and clothes in the side bags, then I’ll see about moving the weight lower in the panniers out of the duffle.

I have a recovery kit and have only ever used it my backyard. Having an extra body or two along seems to be enough for most of the times I have been stuck.
Only time I didn’t carry tools was ironically the only time I really, really needed them. Hydro locked the motor, did not have the tools on hand to remove the tank and plugs so was stuck waiting for a truck and trailer.

other thing we debated was, do I take chain lube or cleaner? I saw a vid where Brett tkacks used leftover drips in the diesel pump to clean his chain. I think for a ride like this, cleaning the chain is probably going to be a waste of time, I’ll clean it in the evening, half hour into the next days ride it will be dirty all over again, so seems a losing battle to bother. Is that the wrong attitude?

Mike

Having done the TAT and many other off road camping adventures, I'll chime in (and probably get flamed for my opinions from the gram counting nazis). For me, camping is part of the adventure so the following is based on that.

Bring the hats-It can get downright cold at night and having a beanie will be worth it.

Buy the best/lightest gear you can afford, think backpacking UL gear. I can squeeze almost all my comforts into a Mosko R-40.

Bring the chair-as long as it's a backpacking type, it's worth the comfort.

Bring a water filter-a water filter is much lighter than packing water for camping.

As far as tools-split a good setup that covers what you might need between you and your buddy.

Lose the rear tube (or one guy carries a front and the other a rear)-a front will stuff in a rear if needed, but also bring a patch kit.

Call me crazy, but I'm in the camp of the whole point of an O/X ring chain is that they are lubed internally and don't really need external lube so I don't bring chain lube. I usually try to start long rides with a new chain and sprockets. On that topic-start with new wheel bearings and any other wear items you can think of (i.e. brake pads, tires, bleed everything, etc...).

I wouldn’t bother cleaning the chain on a week-long, 1,400 mile trip. Personally I’d put some kind of lube on the chain at the end of most days (the days I don’t forget) but would look for the most compact, non-aerosol lube option I can find. On recent rides that has been a small squeeze bottle refilled with gear oil in it. DuPont also makes a nice squeeze bottle of chain lube too. I recently got a tube of Motul chain paste. It comes in a tube like a toothpaste tube with a brush on the end and packs easily. I’m saving it for an upcoming trip, so no real experience to report yet.

Have a great trip.