1. The Bike. This is important, you need a bike to go cycle touring...lol. As most would know by now it is a 2016 Kona Sutra. I love it and a review of it can be found here or here. I ended up purchasing the Sutra when I decided touring was what I wanted to focus on. It is fitted with the Kona rear rack that comes with the bike and an Azur front rack that I purchased on-line.
2. Panniers & Bags. The front panniers are the first set I purchased, which I did on-line. They are a set of Deuter Uni-Pack Panniers that have a capacity of nineteen liters each. When I fist purchased them they were the only set I had and were used on the rear. The good thing about the Uni-Packs are that they are large enough to be used as a rear set, and not too big to be used on the front. They hook on over the rack and have an elastic hook system at the bottom that hold them tight in place. They are weatherproof although not completely waterproof. They, however, do well at holding steady showers at bay, but definitely not heavy rain. They don't come with rain covers so I purchased some cheap thirty liter back pack covers from K-Mart for around $8.00 each, and they work exceptional well.
On the rear I have stayed with Deuter which are the Rack-Pack II's. They are twenty-four liters in capacity and are connected to the rack via a latch system and fixed hook. Both the latches and the hook are adjustable to fit racks of various shapes, sizes and brands. Again they are weatherproof and not waterproof. But these do come with inbuilt rain covers.
A lot of people go for the bigger brand waterproof panniers. I opted for the Deuters for two reasons 1. price and 2. waterproof isn't always best in Queensland. With the humidity here, waterproof systems can sweat causing considerable condensation build up on the inside.
Plus Deuter are a world leader in packs and hiking equipment, and their panniers are living up to the name.
My handlebar bag is just a cheap Pedal Nation brand from A-Mart Sports, it's nothing flash and not waterproof. I combat water with an eight liter dry bag on the inside. One day I'll upgrade but for the moment, you know the old saying, "If it ain't broke...".
I also have a rear trunk bag. Originally I used an old back pack with the straps cut off but I wanted something with a little more capacity and preferably waterproof. So off to Aldi I went and bought a forty liter dry duffel bag. It holds shoes, an extra sleeping mat, some spares, jumper etc...light stuff that I am not readily needing throughout the day.
3. Camping Equipment. Tent - An Outdoor Expedition Falconet 1800 one man hiking tent. It's a good little tent at a fraction of the cost of big name brands. It's dry, has plenty of room and seems to be holding up to what I am dishing out and the continual setting up and packing up. As it is a cheaper generic brand from Ray's Outdoors I don't expect it to last forever, but while it continues to work, I'll continue to keep using it.
Sleeping Bags - I have a couple, of bags that I use. I originally started out with a $25.00 lightweight bag from Aldi but as it didn't open all the way up I don't like it. I ended up buying a Ronan +5 bag for the warmer months which opens all the way up and I use as a doona. It also packs down smaller and takes up less room in the pannier.
My winter bag is another Aldi Adventurer brand, a lightweight goose down hiking sleeping bag that has a range of 0C - -8C. For $99.00 I can't fault it.
Sleeping Mat - I have a Sea to Summit Ultra Light Insulated mat that is rated at R value of 3.5. Usually it is fairly sufficient but I noticed on my last trip cold can creep through, mainly in the early hours of the morning. I also have got just a cheap self inflatable mat from a department store. It is not designed for cold weather but is a great insulator under my Sea to Summit on colder nights. Although the S2S is a comfortable mat I have to admit the cheap mat under it does help in the padded department for an Old Bum's weary bones. So much so that I think I'll make it a permanent fixture on trips.
Tarp - I have a Coleman Hiking Tarp that I take with me to act as a bit of an awning in bad bad weather. The tarp along with some trekking poles work well in this situation, and even better if there are some trees near by as well. The tarp itself is light and is about 7' x 9'.
Ground Sheet - I've spared no expense on this, it's an old piece of shade clothe that was used as an awning floor when I had the camper trailer. It had a fair few holes in it so I cut it down to size and it saved me about $80.00. Being shade clothe it doesn't allow water to pool under the tent floor in heavy rain as well.
Water Filter - I use a Sawyer mini system. The kit came with the filter, a flushing syringe, straw and a one liter squeeze pouch. I purchased an extra pack of two liter pouches which come in handy, not only for filtration, but for extra lightweight water storage if needed. For just $50.00 for the kit and $16.00 for the extra pouches its great value.
4. Cooking. Stoves - I have a couple of stoves. The main one I use is a Coleman One Peak gas stove that retails for around $30.00. It serves the purpose and for a not too expensive stove it works rather well. I actually bought another one that I plan to use on eventual family biking and hiking trips.
The only issue with the stove that I have had is that after quite a bit of use the pot fins have loosened and move. So if I'm using a big pot I just need to be a little careful that the fins don't move and the pot falls off.
The second stove is a Suto multi-fuel stove, and to be quite honest I am glad I didn't pay full price. It works ok but is a bit fiddly to get started. I do use it when I am cooking separate dishes such as rice and a couple of times in sub zero temperatures it has come in handy. Other than that, I would not have paid the standard $199.00 retail.
I also purchased an adapter that allows me to use the standard longer canisters on the Coleman. This save me money and it was $25.00 well spent. For instance a 400 g flat stand up canister costs between $11.00 - $15.00 compared to the cheaper long canisters that retail for as little as $4.00 for a three pack.
The flatter canisters are also not readily available everywhere outside of major centers, whereas the standard ones are available anywhere.
The adapter works buy allowing the stove to screw on top, then the feet of the adapter stand it up. The canister screws in from the side and also adds a little base weight to help keep it stable.
Cookware - I have a set of Adventurer Aluminium pots and pan. The kit contains three pots, a large, medium and a small pot, plus a fry pan that all sits inside each other. Everyone says to go titanium, but for under $50.00 for the kit it has worked well both on the stove and on an open fire. The surface cleans well and I don't have too much trouble with food sticking. In the event it does stick, it washes off well with no need to hit it with a scourer.
Cutlery - I don't have anything fancy here, just a $1.00 plastic set from K-Mart. They don't melt when used in conjunction with cooking, easily replaceable and seem strong enough to cut through a steak. Although the kids seemed to destroy a set when we were away recently camping. So maybe they're just not kid proof.
Other stuff I carry in a kit contained withing one of the kid's old pencil case is a small sponge/scourer, small bottle of dish washing detergent, a small pair of scissors, and a small whisk...yes a whisk...lol.
Coffee - Yes coffee, I take my Aeropress everywhere I go, even if I am just going away for the day in the car. The Aeropress, coupled with my newly purchased manual burr grinder allows me to take my coffee snobbery on the bike and anywhere I choose to go.
5. Electronics. I'll start with my home made solar battery pack. I looked around and they were all too expensive for me so I headed of to my local Jaycar Store and I now have an ample supply of power. It's nothing special, just a 5 watt panel connected to a 2.2/20 am/h lead battery. It works well enough and for around $70.00 it was a much cheaper option. I will upgrade one day and improve things, but I will still make my own.
I usually take along my phone, a tablet with keyboard for blogging, and several cameras. The cameras include, of course my Samsung S7's along with a Nikon Coolpix L31 and an Action + WiFi Sports camera. I do have a Nikon D3100 DSLR as well but I find it too bulky and annoying to get out and set up when travelling. I am in the process of checking out some compact mirror-less cameras to improve video quality, but I'm in no hurry.
I also have a small 200 watt 12v to 240v converter so I can take when I eventually upgrade from the tablet to small laptop.
6. Food. My food varies but as I like to cook rather than purchase I do take basics that get me through a few days and restock as needed. It usually consists of some couscous, rice and some form of pasta.
I also like to take a little salad stuff with me, along with wraps and some fresh fruit. Also nuts, dates, muesli bars etc.
I usually take away some dehydrated peas, some fresh carrots, onions etc. With tinned food I take some tins of fish, chicken, chic peas, beans etc.
I also take some spices, you know, mixed herbs, some garlic powder, Parmesan cheese and powdered milk, along with some small packets of tomato paste, soy sauce etc. One can't slum it...lol.
Oh yeah, and some Gatorade powder and energy gels.
7. Clothes. Clothes are pretty basic, although winter time in Queensland can lead to the necessity of packing more than less. Simply because our nights and mornings can drop to well below zero and our days can be be, well, like summer. But normally I just take a couple of cycling jerseys, about four pair of lightweight gym shorts, a couple of t-shirts, some socks, undies, a couple of pairs of budgie smugglers (speedos) which I wear under my shorts that I ride in and something to sleep in. In winter I add a flanno shirt, zip up jumper, beanie, some long running tights, winter riding gloves and woolen socks and shoe covers. I don't over do it as if I need to wash I can rinse my riding stuff out easily enough and have it dry overnight. A good option if you need to wash is to use a dry bag or large zip lock bad, a little detergent/soap and water and shake what yo mamma gave you.
I also have a couple of sets of Pearl Azzumi sun sleeves that I can't ride without as I am your typical pale skinned ranga.
Along with my cycling shoes, FLR Bushmasters, I also take a pair of trail runners and my thongs. No, the're not flip flops or jandals, here in Australia they are thongs.
8. Toiletries. It's pretty simple really, a toothbrush, toothpaste, some shower gel in a small squeeze bottle, a stink stick (roll on deodorant), a Norwex body clothe and a hiking microfiber towel, along with," always some loo paper" (you just never know). I also have a small fold out shovel that I might take with me on this trip. A small shovel in toiletries??? Think about it...lol.
Some other stuff that I always make sure I have is some sunscreen and zinc cream. I was watching a video some time ago and I had to laugh. This guy from overseas, America or Canada, was saying that he didn't use sunscreen. Sunscreen is full of dangerous element so for him it was better on his trip to Australia to "condition" his skin to the elements. Yep, good one mate, Australia doesn't have one of the highest rates in skin cancer for no reason. How do you think we got there???? So sunscreen and sun protection is ESSENTIAL in our Great Land.
I always take insect repellent with me as well. My choice of weapon is Bushman 40% DEET. It will choke a chook from 20 paces, but it works. I like it simply because it works on many levels. Many repellents focus on flies and mosquitos, but Bushman works for sandflies (midgies), ticks, and leeches.
So that's pretty much it and it can vary from trip to trip. Everyone is different depending on their preferences and styles. There is no "perfect" list and you will work out what is best for you as you do more trips. Just remember, practice makes perfect...so there is you excuse to get on more trips.
Cheers guys, and as always, ride safe.
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