Equipment lists

[Slowroad]

Prompted by a couple of posts in the main touring forum, I thought it might be useful to post lists of what we take with us and how much it all weighs. The following is from a recent short trip to Devon/Somerset. I could have taken a bit less if if hadn't been visiting friends/rellies as well as camping. Though under 20k isn't bad, I'd quite like to get it lower. I've looked at newer kits and I'd have to replace most of the main stuff to get a noticeable saving! Will be interested to hear what others take!

Item Weight Comments
Panniers fully loaded, 6.15k each (total 12.3k). This was at end of trip.
Panniers empty, 1.8k (Ancient Agu Sport)
Bar Bag, 2k inc contents (Altura)
Tent, 1.9k dry 2k wet (Vaude Taurus Ultralite)
Sleeping bag 1.9k (Vango Voyager 300 Lite)
Thermarest 1.1k Brings total weight on bike to 19.3k + 9 stone
Tent Footprint 200g
Cooker (Wilko)
Gas (Wilko - 1 canister easily enough for week)
Windshield (Wilko)
2 tiny pans, wooden stirrer (butter knife!), spork, plastic cutlery set, Opinel knife, pan grip, shallow plastic bowl, Platypus water bottle, plastic mug, plastic ‘glass’, mini tin-opener, salt & pepper, lighter, matches, cinnamon for porridge. All in freebie Heineken cool-bag!
Food: oatbran porridge, quick pasta, couscous, tea, dried milk, brown sugar. Adds at least a kilo to weight at start of trip. Supplemented by single portions of pasta sauce, beans, fish, etc from supermarkets.
Vango camping pillow Don’t bother
Puffa-type jacket (Decathlon) with cotton bag to make into pillow
Shorts
Ron Hill Tracksters
T-shirts
Thermals (M&S)
Underwear/socks
T-shirt for sleeping in
Woolly socks
Crocs/flipflops
Shoes
Waterproof cycling jacket
Waterproof trousers
Gloves
Camping towel
Washbag: shampoo, shower gel, deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, skin protection etc. Only need little bottle of shampoo & ditto shower gel, little pot toothpaste, moisturiser
1st Aid Kit: plasters, headache pills
Phone
MP3 player(s)
Radio 300g
Spare batteries
Camera
Book
Maps
Bike 1st Aid: mini-pump, toolkit, multitool, spare tube, lights, cloth
Could have done with:Hand wipes, J-cloths, earplugs, hot chocolate…

[andrew_s]

In the interests of usefulness...

What do you carry that isn't included in the pannier/bar bag weights (eg the tent/footprint)?
Do you include what you are wearing in the list (eg shoes)

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
For two day camping tour Summer, I take packed food (up to 5 kgs )- 1.5 litres of water, some dried food, solid fuel cooker-pan-cup-cutlery, no plate, only cycle clothing and shoes helmet gloves,Windstopper and waterproof jacket gaiters (overshoes), spare socks and pants, long sleeved jersey 340 grams, 1.5 kg tent, 800 - 1200 gram sleeping bag. 75 gram pillow case (fleece home made), 100 gram foam mat, (fleece home made) iPhone (radio mp3 phone camera) No multi tools but dedicated tools that work. 3 inner tubes no patches. Several lights. 1 map and case with compass.

Plastic mudgaurds and rear rack with double panniers.
Money cards tablets , water purification tabs.
Buy food when I run out.

Total weight is approx 20 kgs for above, including panniers too. Bike extra 15 kgs. (not included in weight, what I wear)Take off food and water and down to 13.5 kgs.
Some make do with 7 kgs........... thats trim
If the weather turns you need to camp and go to sleeping bag at a minimum.

[pjclinch]

"It depends..."

[jamesgilbert]

"It depends..."

I agree, too many variables: where, what weather conditions, what time of year, on-road/off-road/both, how many people in the group, what type of accommodation, what type of bike, are there plenty of shops / bike shops. That's before you add in everyone's personal preferences. For example, my must-have luxury item is a very comfortable Decathlon inflatable pillow (260g).

[al_yrpal]

Here is my current list. I have been working on cutting down weight as much as possible. The best weight reduction was the recent 3 stone of fat from me over the last 8 months. But... I have also recently purchased a new Zephyros 1 tent, Lamina 35 sleeping bag, Multimat Superlite Inflatable Mattress and Thermal barrier a piece of Thermal insulation material to go under the mattress. This lot saved nearly 2 1/2 Kilos. I think a very good weight saving can be made from the clothes you carry. I spent a bit of time weighing some of mine to make sure my 'pub clothes' weighed the minimum. There were considerable differences. My pub trousers are very light Millets 'action trousers' and the shirt is very light cotton. I was looking at silk sleeping bag liners yesterday. Decathlon do one for £30. I could get another kilo off I suppose by leaving out things like my lantern, painting stuff and some food, and also buying lighter gear at massive expense here and there, but I think I have now reached a sensible compromise on weight.
I do put almost all the weight on the back because I just don't like the idea of front panniers and that does lead to a decrease in bike stability, but I think I can live with it.

Al

Weight ist by Alyrpal, on Flickr

[Slowroad]

In the interests of usefulness...

What do you carry that isn't included in the pannier/bar bag weights (eg the tent/footprint)?
Do you include what you are wearing in the list (eg shoes)

Everything is included except my shoes which I have just weighed - 720g. However I did take a couple more t-shirts and a pair of light trousers which aren't on the list as I was visiting rellies too.

Natural Ankling, you've drawn some red lines on my list, are these suggestions of things I could do without? Do explain more, you've obviously put some thought into it!

Ay_yrpal - that's an impressively lightweight list! I'd be interested in how the tent and air bed do, I've been looking at lightweight tents and mattresses. Was put off the very light and expensive Neoair Xlite by someone in the camping shop!

Finally, yes, of course it does depend, and my luxury has to be some sort of pillow too! No point in not sleeping...

[al_yrpal]

I don't get on with Thermarests. I replaced my 850g backpacker Halfords one with this 300g one:-
http://www.outdoorgear.co.uk/Multimat-S ... 116901.asp

I made an under mat with Thermal Guard silver bubble mat for Spring and Autumn.

Al

[Sweep]

Has that mattress been used yet Al?

I'd be interested in how you find it.

[al_yrpal]

Has that mattress been used yet Al?

I'd be interested in how you find it.

Just one night, and its ok, as good as the Halfords one. Bit of a pain to deflate though.

Al

[simonineaston]

I could get another kilo off I suppose by leaving out things like my lantern, painting stuff and some food, and also buying lighter gear at massive expense here and there, but I think I have now reached a sensible compromise on weight.

I've just come back from a quick trip to St Malo and its environs, and was thinking about the weight issue while there... I took a Kindle (210g) and binoculars (810g). I spent a lot of time on the ferry happily ploughing through The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, (having put off reading it for months, waiting for just such an opportunity), and used the bins for a few seconds only... am also eying up an Exped product, the largest of the SynMat range, which measures a very tempting 197x77x12 cm and weighs in @ 1365g, and will virtually guarantee me a Good Night's Sleep (with occasional help from them little foamy ear-plug thingies, I imagine).
So all I have to do know is launch Excel and try to come up with a formula that helps me decide on the VALUE of a Good Night's Sleep @ a cost of over a thousand grammes, versus the Pleasure of a fleeting close-up of a fast-sailing Bristol Pilot cutter, @ over eight hundred grammes, versus the hours spent immersed in Mr Larsson's 'Oo Dunnit, at a mere half-a-pound... Hmmmm, Anyone any good at maths???

[al_yrpal]

Simon, must agree about the Binocs. As for the other things:- I find my Android phone (now out of contract) fulfils many functions. Phone, MP3 player, Kindle, map guidance, FM radio, Email, Texts, 8mp camera. video recorder, News, weather and time. I now have it on Three 321 tariff so I reckon a tenner add on will probably do me for a quick trip to France like yours. Some people say they cant do the Kindle on a phone, but I find the 4" screen on mine perfectly adequate I like the fact that you can hold it in one hand.
As for the sleep mat, the one I point out above is 6 foot long and only 300g, much lighter than any Exped, so its OK for this time of year and you can take a very light thermal barrier with you quite easily if you go in colder conditions.

Where did you get to?

Al

[foxyrider]

I can do a full kit weight list but i've just done two and a half weeks camping with a total weight of 24kg (i know because i flew and had to weigh it all! )- that includes what i was wearing, bike, tent - well everything. Camping kit totals a bit under 3kg, but other stuff like tools, locks etc can soon add up to quite a bit.

[Aikon]

My touring list for hotel/b&b based tours, weighs 4.5kg including the bags and brackets, used for a 600 mile ride home from Germany last week in 5.5 days & JOGLE last year in a slightly different form:

On me:
Jersey
Base layer
Bibshorts
Socks
Shoes
Gloves
Arm warmers
Helium jacket
Helium waterproof shorts

Lock Abus Bordo Iite combo
Lights

Ortlieb 4L seatpost bag containing:
Wash kit:
Travel wash
Wash liquid
Lipsyl
Toothpaste
Travel Toothbrush
Shower Gel
Deodorant
Earplugs
Sudocrem

Repair kit:
Tubes x2
Multi tool
Cables
Glueless Patches
Tyre boot

Evening clothes:
Tshirt
Shorts
Underwear
Socks
Teva Mush shoes in dry bag on top

Thule Barbag contents:
Maps
Ferry & train tickets
Pen
Passport & E111
Topeak backup battery
Dual usb charger, Garmin & phone leads with Euro adapter
Phone
Kindle
Sun Cream
Anthisan cream
Wipes

And the bike with equipment on

[Vantage]

I did weigh all this but I've lost the list and can't be bothered doing it again till I've got it all finalised, again. Some bits have been replaced, some bits added and some taken away but this was my lot for a weeks touring and expecting the worst weather when I first tried getting away...EDITED for weights...

Bar Bag 360g
First aid kit 35g
Emergency blanket 45g
2 spare AA batteries 51g
Insulin pens 92g
Insulin cooler 47g dry (needs to be wet to work)
Bag of crisps 25g
2 cereal bars 80g
Bag of jelly babies 193g
2 Mars bars 100g
2 inner tubes 250g
3 tyre levers 30g
Puncture kit 25g
Spare brake and gear inner cables 38g
6" adjustable spanner 137g
Multi-tool 170g

Front left pannier 670g
Dry bag 81g
Microfibre towel 80g
Bigger microfiber towel 144g
2 tent lights 189g
Inflatable pillow 244g
Sleeping bag 1503g
Spare spokes and nipples 44g

Front right pannier 670g
Dry bag 81g
Glucose testing kit 128g
Maps & compass 262g
Charging battery and cables 412g
4 AA batteries 57g
4 AAA batteries 42g
Bike alarm 32g
Fire steel 26g
Sharp knife 10g
Cam strap 75g
Roll of insulating tape 37g
Various meds that prevent me from droppin dead ?g no idea
Gloves 118g
Long sleeve top 316g
Short sleeve top 183g
2 prs shorts 214g
1 pr tights 231g
Waterproof 322g
Overshoes 202g
Buff & fleece helmet hat 64g
2 prs socks 46g

Rear left pannier 1169g
Walking shoes 822g
Zip-off trousers 334g
T-shirt 153g
Microfleece jumper 313g
Socks 25g
Undies 47g
Walking stick 312g
Bike lock 2485g
Multi-purpose travel soap 239g
Bug repellent 147g
Bike lube 100g
Biodegradable wipes 322g
Chamois cream 256g
Book 388g

Rear right pannier 1169g
plate 45g
2 sporks 14g
Mini chopping board 228g
Mug 57g
Can opener 8g
Gas bottle 290g
Stove 112g
Windshield 143g
Pots 236g
Fry pan 103g
Spatula 13g
All-in-one cutlery tool thingy 156g
Dish cloth 21g
Foods and snacks and wotnot 5818g

On the rack...
Tent 2432g
Mallet 106g
Footprint 279g
Inflatable sleeping mat 813g
Tarp for the bike and waterproofing the sleep mat 296g

3 full water bottles 2082g
Pump 162g
Gps 152g

All up weight including the bike according to my posh new Asda bathroom scales......43.3kg/95.4lbs and another 63/64kg / 141lbs for muggins here.

I'm sure I caught the bike sinking into the road at one point...