Review of my bikepacking gear I brought on a 5-day trip around northern Germany. Starting at the end of March, temps were still kind of low (from 7 to 15 degrees Celsius during the day), no prediction for rain. Weight of the bike was around 10 kg, with gear I hit a total of 23 kg - so 13 kg worth of gear.

Handlebar bag

• Naturehike 2-person tent

The space it gave me was worth the extra size/weight. Especially with it being kind of cold, I rested in the tent quite a bit. Never used any other light tents, so no clear reference there. I was happy with my choice: It’s kind of stealthy, has some decent ventilation (which I didn’t need), and I can take it down from the inside out (which is nice with rainy days).

Fork bag 1

• Sponge and soap bar
• Air pump (never had to use it)
• Lights
• MSR Fuel bottle

Not much to say here, soap might be replaced with something smaller next time. Never used the lights or the pump, but would always bring them. The fuel bottle was transported with the pump installed; the normal lit stayed at home.

Fork bag 2

• Sea to Summit ultralight sleeping pad

Had to get it for the trip and loved it! Due to space issues, I had to leave my foam sleeping pad at home, which had me concerned about the cold and comfort, but these were no issue whatsoever. Would still like to bring the foam pad next time, to just throw it somewhere on the ground and lay down for a minute.

Frame bag

• MSR whisperlite burner
• Repair stuff (for: tube, cooker, sleeping pad. Some rope)
• E-reader
• Zip-ties
• Folding lock
• Socks
• Toiletries
• First aid kit

The MSR whisperlite multifuel is totally overkill (for where I was at least) - I could save quite some space and weight here, but I love it! It just works; I don’t have to buy tanks that get trashed after they are empty; it’s cheap to run, and I love the thought that it will last me a lifetime (hopefully). Repair stuff speaks for itself, wish I had brought some tape though. E-reader instead of carrying 2 books. The folding lock might be replaced by something lighter later on. It’s a fine lock, but it never gave me a feeling of safety when I left my bike and all my stuff somewhere. Something that really allows the bike to be locked around a pole might be better. I don’t expect people to cut a lock in broad daylight here, and if they want my stuff or carry the bike away, a beefier lock is not stopping them. Thin socks were never used due to the cold. I wore some merino socks all the time and loved it. Had two pairs and might have gotten away with one. Toiletries and first aid kit.

Top tube and phone

• Phone for navigation
• Cables and charger
• Powerbank
• Cash

Photo of the top tube pack is missing, it’s some random waterproof with a zipper. I don’t love the access the zipper gives, but perfect for the price. For navigation, I only used my phone mounted with a Nite Ize squeeze. Great holder, no extra case or stuff you have to add; I never feared that my phone could come off. OSMand was the navigation software of my choice and it worked very well. Awesome because I could use what I had and did not have to buy some new tech that gets outdated in 2 years. Trip recording also worked fine. Some voice instructions got confusing, but I turned the screen on in cities, which helped a lot. Never used Google Maps or a bike computer for navigation, so no reference here. I made the conscious decision to not bring headphones, and it was fine with the speakers just turned up. Don’t forget your coins when you end up on a German camping ground ;)

Seat pack

(filthy clothes not shown)

• Rain pants
• Rain jacket
• Shoe covers
• Sleeping bag (not compressed on the photo ;))
• 3 Shirts
• 2 pairs of socks
• Sweatpants
• Merino long sleeve

No rain on the trip, but the rain gear was used on the cold last day. The sleeping bag is a Cumulus 350 quilt. First time quilt and I had no issues with it whatsoever. One shirt for sleeping, two for riding. I could’ve gotten away with my one Merino shirt for riding maybe. Too much underwear as well. Was always riding with my bike shorts and showered before changing clothes, one or two pairs of underwear would be sufficient. Always wore shorts above the bike shorts as well, which I prefer when getting off the bike and walking around places. There was a hoodie I was wearing most of the time, as well as two buffs. Very important for comfort, even while sleeping.

Backpack / on top of seat pack

• Dry bag
• Adiletten
• Fork and spoon
• Toaks 1100 ml pot with bail handle
• Dishwashing detergent
• Spices
• Swiss army knife
• Tea
• Instant coffee
• Rain jacket

Due to space issues, all of this ended up in a backpack and later on in a dry bag strapped to the seat pack. Not fun, make sure everything fits before you take off! Some shoes to use while showering/the day is over. Bulky but a must have for me. Foldable fork and spoon, the SAK was the only knife I brought but never needed it. The Toaks titanium pot was something I had to buy and I am very happy with it. Perfect for some pasta, also used it as a cup multiple times a day. The instant coffee is something that might make me bring a mocka pot on the next trip. If you need coffee: bring it along. If you enjoy coffee: don’t. Grab coffee somewhere or bring a dedicated setup. Tea became the warm beverage of my choice and it was very nice to sit on some bench in the forest and enjoy a nice warm cup of tea.

Bags

The bags were rented, which was an awesome opportunity to check it out without spending hundreds of euros on bags. And I am happy I did it that way! I guess it was a combination of my gear selection, packing skills and the weather, but space got super tight. And I know you are meant to squeeze the seat pack, but I just didn’t like the packing and unpacking process and trying to get everything to fit. Panniers seem much more to my liking. Still, all the Apidura bags felt very well-made, sturdy, the zippers were good, and I am sure they could deal with some rain!

Final thoughts

For the gear, I tried to go with what I had and add as needed. Very happy with my selection all around and I don’t see the need for any drastic changes (apart from the panniers!). Even without washing I could cut down on some clothing. On my next (warmer) trip, I will just bring some soap. Stove situation is also kind of bulky, but like I said: I just love it. Before departing on the trip, I made sure to take a long ride with cleats and decided against them. They caused me some knee pain, so I just went with normal shoes, which worked out perfect. Before the next trip I will get some bike fitting done, but even then I might just do my bikepacking with normal shoes!

That’s about it, maybe this helps someone with their setup. It felt great to stop thinking and start riding!