Tent, air mattress, sleeping bag, pillow and small stove cookset. One spare set of clothes, a puncture repair kit and my luxury item - a small transistor radio. I also carry a tiny first aid kit, a sit mat, one or two other items, but basically my entire kit list for a week or two away on the bike will fit in a medium sized carrier bag. I love your kit list but it is light years away from mine. Always interesting to see how we all do it differently - thank you for sharing! 🤗
Good video! I'm thinking of going for my first multi-day trip and comparing this list to what I had in mind, this looks like a month expedition 😀 I will reconsider.
Really useful review of your kit Stephen and interesting to hear how little of it you didn't actually use. I'm just back from a 10 day Flamping (fly-camping) trip to France by Microlight (aircraft) - took loads of dry food and hardly used any of it! Also bought a Thermacell Backpacker and completely forgot to take it, but in view of your report, probably the best decision I didn't actually make. Not sure I'd have survived to make the trip at all though if my wife noticed 'manky boots' on her dining table😐 🤣
Good essential kit list. I wear thin running or cycling leggings under my shorts around the campsite at night - keeps the bugs off and stops my little legs feeling the chill, then wear them to bed if its going to be cold in the night. I find cycling underwear's a better idea and more comfortable than the nappy feeling 'proper' Lycra padded cycling shorts - has 'some' padding, but doesn't feel like you've filled your pants. I enjoyed watching the mini series about the trip, looked like you both had a fun time 🙏🏽
I find MTB cycling clothes more comfortable. Also I wear a pair of MTB cycling over shorts, which come down to the knee and are waterproof, over normal leggings, and are far better than traditional waterproof leggings because you don't not over heat in them.
First I want to say I like your cycle touring content more than your old stuff. It’s more relatable to me. Probably doesn’t matter much but wanted to say it. Secondly, I highly recommend padded cycling bibs over the shorts. Bibs don’t slip down so they are way more comfortable when walking around.
I’m not a fan of cycling gear, as a female I’m happy to tour in ordinary leggings and even long cotton skirts (superb in heatwave weather). I’m not really a cyclist, just a walker who prefers to put all the camping gear on a bike rather than my back! 😁
Alternatively, if you wanted to forego the padded shorts altogether, I’ve heard that a leather Brooks saddle would allow you to do that and still be comfortable all day.
It's a discontinued Mango AR, started life as a road bike but the frame and forks were designed to be used as either. Not the best gearing for a gravel bike though, bad for really steep hills.
