Here's everything we're carrying with us on our bikes.
We've chosen items that are a good balance of lightweight, compact, durable, affordable, and (multi-)functional. We're packing simple and kinda-sorta light, but not obsessively so and not at the expense of minor comforts. Some things have been replaced, added, sent home, or given away since we started traveling—this list is updated occasionally with what we're currently carrying (last updated May 2018). Excluding food and water, we're each hauling about 15 kilograms of stuff in our panniers and handlebar baskets.
Bicycle: Salsa Marrakesh Flatbar Deore. With a sturdy steel (4130) frame, clearance for 50mm tires (sans fenders), a triple crankset (48/38/26t), disc brakes, down-tube shifters, a kickstand plate, and tons of braze-ons for bottle cages, the Marrakesh is built for world expeditions like ours. Jay's bike has had a bunch of modifications, including swapping the flatbar out for dropbars and moving the shifters to the downtube. [INITIAL GEAR REVIEW]
Tires: 50mm Schwalbe Marathon Mondials. The folding version. Not as puncture-proof as our old Marathon Pluses (we've gotten quite a few flats), but they offer better grip for more technical terrain.
Saddle: Brooks Cambium C17 Carved Saddle. Vegan-friendly, rain-friendly, and perineum-friendly. No break-in period and still super-comfortable after thousands of kilometers.
Panniers: Ortlieb Classic Back Rollers (2; 1,936g total). 20L capacity each. Bomb-proof and super-durable for the rough conditions of travel.
Front basket: KLICKfix Mini (900g) + Permanent Basket Holder (100g). A little heavier than a traditional handlebar bag, but way more versatile. It's paired with a water-resistant backpack (the Patagonia 22L Travel Tote) in the basket, which can be quickly removed and comfortably worn in just a few seconds (the basket can also hold snacks, a sweater, or rocks to ward off wild dogs).
Rear rack: Tubus Logo (750g). Tubus racks are top-of-the-line for bike touring. The rack is rated to hold up to 40kg, and it's steel, so it can be repaired by a welder anywhere in the world. This one has gone over ten thousand kilometers without a single issue.
Kickstand: Greenfield Kickstand (266g). Truthfully, the preferred choice would be a Pletscher Double-Leg Center-Mount Kickstand (666g) if it fit with the bike's 50mm tires. But the one-legged Greenfield does the job, holding a (well-balanced) bike steady for short breaks. A kickstand, of course, is far from essential, but there are plenty of parts of the world without trees or buildings to lean a bike against, and picking a bike off the ground ten times per day can grow a little tiring.
Pedals: MKS Sylvan Touring 9/16" Pedals + MKS Half Clip Mini Steel toe clips. Hefty and reliable. The clips only stabilize the front of the foot, so it's easy to slide out safely during sudden stops. On more technical terrain, the clips can be removed altogether.
Front light: Cateye 300 (132g). USB-rechargeable, with high, low, and strobe functions. Bright enough for decent visibility during night riding, but not built for racing down dark mountain tracks at midnight. We don't do much night riding and don't really use our lights, but they're still pretty important to have.
Bottle cages: Blackburn Outpost Cargo Cage (2; 328g total) + Planet Bike Sideload Cage (40g) + Planet Bike Bottle Cage (60g) + Arundel Looney Bin Adjustable Cage (54g). The Outposts hold a pair of large plastic jugs (in Africa, they carried two two-liter water bottles) on the fork. The Planet Bike cages hold water (one liter in each), and the adjustable Looney Bin cage accommodates a 750 milliliter thermos on the seattube.
Bungee cords: Pantel Tactical 36" (22g). Unobtrusive and simple, yet super-useful.
Rear light: B'Twin V100 Clip. After Jay's beloved Knog Blinder (definitely a better light) got nicked in Malawi, this cheap little blinky one replaced it. It does the job and is USB-rechargeable (a must-have feature).
Bicycle lock: Kryptonite Kryptoflex 815 Combo Cable (322g). For low-security situations. More to stop an opportunist than a dedicated bicycle thief.
Cycling gloves: Giro Bravo (52g). Jay toured Morocco without cycling gloves and ended up with a bad case of ulnar neuropathy. These gloves are light and well-padded and sure to help one's palms during many hours in the saddle (they also provide marginal warmth as fingerless gloves, or hand protection when hiking, scrambling, or climbing).
Leg strap: Decathlon plastic band. For keeping pant legs out of the drivetrain.
Daypack: Patagonia 22L Travel Tote (365g). The pack sits in the handlebar basket while riding. Lightweight, with a few mesh bottle holders, some external pockets, and removable waist and chest straps.
Bicycle: Salsa Marrakesh Dropbar Deore.
Tires: 50mm Schwalbe Marathon Mondials.
Saddle: Brooks Cambium C17 Carved Saddle.
Panniers: Ortlieb Classic Back Rollers (2; 1,936g total).
Front basket: KLICKfix Mini (900g) + Permanent Basket Holder (100g). A little heavier than a traditional handlebar bag, but more versatile. The basket can hold a small backpack, snacks, a sweater, or rocks to ward off wild dogs.
Rear rack: Tubus Logo (750g).
Kickstand: Greenfield Kickstand (266g).
Pedals: MKS Sylvan Touring 9/16" Pedals + MKS Half Clip Mini Steel toe clips. Hefty and reliable.. The clips only stabilize the front of the foot, so it's easy to slide out safely during sudden stops. On more technical terrain, the clips can be easily removed altogether.
Front light: Cygolite Metro 400 USB (138g).
Bottle cages: Salsa Anything Cage HD (2) + Arundel Looney Bin Adjustable Cage (1) + Velo Orange Moderniste Bottle Cage (1) + Generic Bottle Cage (1).
Bungee cords: Pantel Tactical 36" (22g) + Pro Grip 24" Adjustable (25g).
Rear light: B'Twin V100 Clip. After Lauren's NiteRider Solas (definitely a better light) got nicked in Malawi, this cheap little blinky one replaced it. It does the job and is USB-rechargeable (a must-have feature).
Bicycle lock: Kryptonite Standard U-lock.
Helmet: Giro Savant MIPS.
Cycling gloves: Giro Tessa (39g).
Leg straps: Generic Velcro Straps and Decathlon Plastic Band.
Daypack: Patagonia Lightweight Black Hole Cinch Backpack 20L (463g) with a CamelBak Rain Cover (61g). The pack sits in the handlebar basket while riding. Also traveling with the Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Daypack (65g) for days when we want (or need) to carry a little extra.
Cycling vest: FREEMOVE Reflective Vest. For greater visibility on the road. Also has a convenient and useful front pocket.
Spare brake pads: Avid BB7 pads (4 pairs; 90g total). To replace well-worn rim and disc brakes while on the road. We're riding with (and carrying) organic/steel pads, which have a little less stopping power and durability than the sintered version, but tend to be a bit quieter and offer better feathering abilities. Four pairs of pads are enough to swap out worn brakes twice (each pair is just for one wheel).
Security keys: Pinhead key and Hella key (47g total). To remove Pinhead locking wheel skewers and Hella security bolts (used to secure seatposts).
Rags: Packtowl Ultralite Soft Texture Towel strips (3g). For lubing chain.
Toothbrush: Liberty Mountain (12g). For cleaning chain and hard-to-reach bike parts.
Chain lube: Rock 'N Roll Gold, 4 ounces (107g). For keeping chains well-oiled. On the road, chain lube can be mixed up with a 3:1, mineral spirits:motor oil solution.
Pump: Pro Bike Tool Mini (127g). Mini-pump with integrated pressure gauge and attachments for both Presta and Schrader valves.
Multitool: Topeak Hexus II (161g) + Specialized EMT tire levers (38g). Includes all the hex wrenches and drivers one would need, plus a chain breaker and tire levers. Schwalbe tires can be a little too tough for the small levers, so a dedicated second pair helps.
Spoke wrench: B'Twin Bike Spoke Wrench. We started the trip with just the spoke wrenches built into our Topeak Hexus II multitool, but after Jay's rim cracked in France, we needed something a little heftier to perform repairs and have used this quite a few times since. It's heavy for what it is, but works with any size spoke nipple and does a good job.
Spoke repair kit: Fiber Fix (2; 30g total). For splinting a broken spoke in a pinch
Spare spokes and nipples: Pillar 285mm straight spokes (10; 60g total). For more lasting spoke repairs. Our bikes have a spot for two spokes each on the left rear chainstay. Extra spokes can be taped up and stuffed in the seatpost or tube until they're needed. The wheels we're riding use 285mm spokes for everything, but some bikes can take different lengths for the front wheel and rear wheel (driveside and non-driveside). Though we've yet to have a broken spoke a year into our trip, we've had three busted spoke nipples that have needed replacing.
Tweezers: Satin Edge Needle-Nose Tweezers. For removing thorns from tires and helping with other hard-to-reach repairs.
Spare cables: 5' shifter cable (22g) + 5' brake cable. A bicycle has two brake systems and two shifting systems, so there's already a backup onboard, but one spare length of each cable doesn't take up much room and can be helpful if something snaps. Within the first ten thousand kilometers of our journey, we've had to replace two shifter cables.
Cassette remover: Stein Mini Cassette Lockring Driver (35g). Spare drive-side spokes aren't much use if one can't remove the cassette. This tiny tool does away with the need for some heavier ones (like a chain whip and adjustable wrench), taking up almost no room at the very bottom of a pannier. We haven't used this (ever), but hear good things.
Spare chain links: KMC Missing Link 9-speed (12; 24g total). Makes it easy to repair a broken chain, or just to snap the chain off for a thorough cleaning. We've ridden thousands of kilometers with a few of these links installed without any issues.
Patch kit: Rema Tip Top. So light, compact, and useful that it makes sense to carry a whole bunch, in case other travelers are in need or we get really, really unlucky. The Rema kit comes with a tube of adhesive. We also started our tour with a few dozen Park Tool GP-2 Super peel-and-stick patches, but they became useless within the first few months and wouldn't stick to anything.
Superglue: Gorilla Glue Gel (28g). Helpful if patch adhesive wears out, for tire trouble, or a hole host of other things.
Inner tubes: 700c x 50mm Presta (2; 476g total). Cycling the world on 700c wheels is a dangerous game, so we use these sparingly—patching whenever possible—and stock up again whenever we can. Our Schwalbe Marathon Mondial tires offer pretty good puncture protection, but we still get the occasional flat (easy to patch) and have inadvertently torn a tube or two with tire levers (not so easy to patch).
Spare nuts and bolts: M4 bolts (6) + M5 bolts (4) + M4 nuts (4) + spacers (6). For when a few bolts get loose and inevitably get lost. All stainless steel to avoid rust and, at least at the start of the trip, secured with Loctite to prevent them from coming loose.
Tape: Duct tape (10'; 39g) + electrical tape (5'; 6g). Can be re-rolled around itself to take up less room and weight. Useful for ripped panniers, peeling handlebar tape, ad-hoc water bottle holders, or just about anything else.
Cable ties: Long ties (10). For securing a rack or broken bottle cage.
Shirts: Ibex Indie Hoody (248g) + Icebreaker Anatomica V-Neck + Under Armour SuperVent Tank + athletic sleeveless shirt + athletic tanktop + Patagonia Capilene Daily Graphic T-Shirt + lightweight long-sleeved v-neck + cotton t-shirt + lightweight cotton v-neck. Jay's wardrobe has grown a little since setting off. The first five items are mostly on-the-bike shirts and the second four are mostly for sleeping and relaxing off the bike. The Ibex and Icebreaker shirts are made of merino wool (which regulates temperature amazingly well and can be worn for weeks with hardly any smell). The Patagonia and Underarmour shirts are technical fabrics that breathe well. The rest is mostly junk from fast-fashion stores we've passed on our route.
Shoes: Vasque Grand Traverse (740g). They're not SPD-compatible, but plenty versatile for on and off the bike. Approach shoes are meant for scrambling up rough surfaces, and thus tend to be more durable than traditional hiking shoes.
Sandals: Rainbow Hemp Sandals. For hanging around camp, fording rivers, or cycling on hot days. The Rainbows are pretty simple flip-flops, but well-made and plenty durable (still going strong after three years). When they wear out, Jay will probably replace them with a pair of Xero Shoes Z-Trails, which are a little more functional for hiking.
Socks: Woolrich Superior Hiker Low-Cut Socks (40g) + Icebreaker Lifestyle Ultralight Low-Cut Socks (38g) + PureAthlete No-Show Wool Running Socks (32g) +.Icebreaker Snow Over-The-Calf Socks (87g). For hot, temperate, and cold temperatures. It's important to always have a dry pair of socks at night, so generally the warmest pair doesn't get any daytime use.
Underwear: Exist Boxer Briefs + Ergee Boxer Briefs (2). After a few failed, chafed attempts with pricier options, these basic seamless boxer briefs are working out okay.
Pants (and shorts): Under Armour Launch 7" Shorts + Decathlon Kalenji tights + Ibex Woolies 3 Bottom + Jeans. Shorts for warmer days on the bike, tights are for colder days on the bike, and Ibex bottoms for the really frigid days days—or, mostly, for sleep. The jeans are perhaps a little unpractical, but get a lot of off-bike use and are plenty more stylish than the technical zip-off pants Jay began the trip with.
Multifunctional scarf: VANCROWN Headbands (3). Can be worn as a neck gaiter, bandana, headband, face mask, sleep mask, balaclava, hood, hairband, wristband, sweatband, and more. Provides a bit of warmth and wind protection, but can also be soaked in cool water and worn around the neck when it's hot out. Provides a touch of style when looking otherwise slovenly after days in the wilderness, too.
Hat: REI Co-Op Trucker Hat. Just a basic, quick-drying cap.
Sunglasses: Suncloud Causeway (31g) + EZESO Aluminum Glasses Shell (53g). Polarized. For protecting eyes on long stretches of bright, reflective road.
Jacket: Patagonia Nano Air Hoody (364g) + Patagonia Nano Puff (387g). May not cut it in Arctic temperatures, but both provide great warmth-for-weight, pack down small, and fit in nicely between a mid-layer and a wind/rain shell or layered together. The Nano Air is super-breathable and has a helmet-compatible hood, so it's much more pleasant to bike in.
Beanie: The North Face Wicked Beanie + Buff Merino Wool Thermal Beanie (53g). Warm enough for well below 0C, and either (or both) can be worn under the Nano Air hood for even more insulation.
Gloves: Wed'ze Slide 300 Mittens + H&M wool fingerless gloves with removable hand covering. We began the trip with Outdoor Research Versaliner gloves, which we cannot recommend avoiding enough (they are fine for cold but useless in rain). We each picked up a pair of these Wed'ze mittens in Spain and they've been great (though they're mittens, so finger functionality suffers a little). Jay's fingerless gloves (which become mittens when wearing the floppy pouch attached to the back of the glove) have been really good for a wide temperature range of (dry) cycling.
Waterproof socks: DexShell Hytherm Pro (122g). Super-useful for warmth, wind-resistance, trudging through puddles, or hiking and biking in the rain. The merino wool lining inside keeps odors at bay (because, of course, these aren't breathable), while the waterproof outside really does keep feet dry. Works fine even when shoes are soaked.
Overshoes: Showers Pass Club (123g). A tad redundant given the waterproof socks, but these slide on over the shoe and keep things a little warmer and drier. While the waterproof socks are fine to wear off-bike, the overshoes can't really be walked in for too long without tearing them up. They also aren't terribly effective—water still gets in.
Rain pants: Marmot Minimalist Pant (257g). Easy to slip on over a shoe or boot, and the zippered pockets are nice. Provides decent wind coverage. They're Gore-Tex, and so supposedly breathable (but only marginally more than other rain pants).
Rain shell: Marmot Minimalist Jacket. Durable Gore-Tex, with a few pockets and a hood.
Shirts: Icebreaker Siren Sweetheart Top + Ibex OD Heather T (110g) + Smartwool 150 Pattern Tank Top + Ibex Woolies 1 Zip T-Neck (154g) + Icebreaker Zone Long Sleeve Half Zip (222g) + Smartwool NTS Mid 250 Zip T (227g). Merino wool regulates temperature well and can be worn for long stretches of time with hardly any smell. The short-sleeved shirts are great for warmer weather. The lightweight, Iong-sleeved Woolies 1 comes in handy for UV protection (another great property of merino wool!) on hot, sunny days or as a good base layer on cooler days. The warmer Zone Long Sleeve Half Zip and NTS Mid 250 are great for activity in colder weather. Lauren initially traveled with the Smartwool NTS Micro 150 T-Shirt (and wore it almost every day on the bike in Africa) until it became threadbare.
Shoes: Scarpa Crux Approach Shoes (646g). They're not SPD-compatible, but versatile for on and off the bike. Approach shoes are durable, meant for scrambling up rough surfaces. Lauren is on her second pair, although the first pair still had some life in them and held up well.
Sandals: Keen Whisper Sandals (444g).
Socks: Darn Tough Hiker Micro Crew Socks (2; 132g total) + Smartwool Expedition Trekking Socks. Lauren formerly traveled with Carhartt Men's Extremes Cold Weather Boot Socks, which were always a tad big. The Carhartt Women's Extremes All-Season Boot Socks look like a good Carhartt alternative.
Underwear: Patagonia Active Hipster Briefs (4; 132g total).
Bras: Smartwool PhD Seamless Racerback Bra (104g) + Smartwool PhD Seamless Double Strappy Bra (89g). Comfortable and merino wool!
Bathing Suit: Lauren was traveling with a generic bathing suit for a while, but ultimately decided to send it home (it wasn't getting much use relative to the precious space it occupied in the pannier).
Shorts: Smartwool PhD Run shorts (1; 102g total) + Patagonia Stretch Planing Micro Shorts-2" (99g). The Smartwool shorts have an inner merino wool liner and are Lauren's "on the bike" shorts. The Patagonia shorts are great for "off the bike" days and can also be worn in the water! Paired with a sports bra, they also serve as Lauren's makeshift bathing suit for the time being.
Skirt: Toad&Co Chaka Skirt (157g). When biking around Iceland, Lauren met a fellow female cyclist who shared that she always brings a skirt on bike tours because of their versatility (great for walking around town, concealing a wardrobe change and more). The Chaka is loose-fitting and falls just above the knee.
Pants: Icebreaker Oasis Diamond Line Leggings + Icebreaker Zone Leggings (163g) + Ibex Woolies 3 Bottom + prAna Halle Pant (short). The Oasis Diamond Line Leggings and Zone Leggings serve as great merino wool base layers under the PhD Run shorts when it's getting a little cooler or under the Halle pants for colder weather. The Woolies 3 Bottom are mostly for sleep (especially in colder weather!), but can also be used for layering. The Halle have a great stretch to them. Lauren initially traveled with the Smartwool NTS Micro 150 Bottom until they became threadbare.
Multifunctional scarf: Merino wool Buff (47g) + Original Buff + VANCROWN Headbands. Can be worn as a neck gaiter, bandana, headband, sleep mask, balaclava, hood, hairband, wristband, sweatband, and more. Provides wind and sun protection. Can also be soaked in cold water and worn around the neck for cooling when it's hot out. The merino wool version is great for added warmth. Available in different colors, patterns and styles! They take up little space, are very versatile, and can "dress up" our otherwise limited clothing options.
Hat: Columbia Bora Bora Booney II Hat (79g). Just a basic, wide brimmed hat offering sun protection.
Sunglasses: Warby Parker Laurel Sunglasses + EZESO Aluminum Glasses Shell (53g) . These are prescription lenses for protecting eyes on long stretches of bright, reflective road (and a backup for Lauren's everyday glasses).
Jacket: Patagonia Nano Air Hoody + Patagonia Nano Puff. May not cut it in Arctic temperatures, but both provide great warmth-for-weight, pack down small, and fit in nicely between a mid-layer and a wind/rain shell or layered together. The Nano Air is super-breathable and has a helmet-compatible hood, so it's much more pleasant to bike in.
Beanie: Icebreaker Skyline Hat + The North Face Wool Beanie.
Gloves: Wed'ze Slide 300 Mittens. We began the trip with Outdoor Research Versaliner gloves, which we cannot recommend avoiding enough (they are fine for cold but useless in rain). We each picked up a pair of these Wed'ze mittens in Spain and they've been great (though they're mittens, so finger functionality suffers a little).
Waterproof socks: DexShell Hytherm Pro (107g). Super-useful for warmth, wind-resistance, trudging through puddles, or hiking and biking in the rain. The merino wool lining inside keeps odors at bay, while the waterproof outside keeps feet dry.
Overshoes: Showers Pass Club (114g). A tad redundant given the waterproof socks, but these slide on over the shoe and keep things a little warmer and drier. While the waterproof socks are fine to wear off-bike, the overshoes can't really be walked in for too long without tearing them up. They also aren't terribly effective—water still gets in.
Rain pants: Columbia Sportswear Storm Surge Pant (269g).
Rain shell: Marmot Precip (269g). Lighweight and keeps the torso dry. Comes in many colors.
Photography: Sony RX100MIII (315g) + Lensmate Filter Adapter + Altura 52mm UV, CPL, and ND Filter Kit + OP/TECH strap + SUNPAK mini-tripod (68g) + extra Sony NP-BX1 batteries (2; 46g total) + SanDisk MicroSDXC cards (3, totaling 256GB of storage; 3g total) + Vastar Cell Phone Tripod Mount (25g) + DJI Spark + extra DJI Intelligent Battery + DJI Spark Propeller Guards. Super-compact yet highly functional camera kit. The Sony shoots about as well as Jay's fancy DSLR (with less range, of course), and has a pop-up electronic viewfinder that's really fun to use. The tiny strap and tiny tripod make it just about the smallest film studio one could travel with. The Vastar mount is for shooting time-lapses with a cell phone. [10 REASONS TO LEAVE THE DSLR AT HOME WHEN BIKE TOURING] The DJI drone is a new (and pretty unnecessary) addition that really hasn't been used yet.
E-reader: Kindle Paperwhite, with Ayuto case (297g). Carries thousands and thousands of books at less the weight of a single paperback. Holds a charge for weeks and offers an adjustable backlight for nighttime reading. A must-have for those rainy afternoons and long nights and off-days. [GEAR REVIEW]
Headlamp: Black Diamond Revolt (99g), with extra Black Diamond AAA Rechargeable Batteries (36g). It's slim-pickings for an affordable USB-rechargeable headlamp with a red light function (useful for seeing around without blinding fellow travelers and yourself) and decent battery life, so this seems the best option by far. A particularly nice feature is that the USB-rechargeable batteries can be swapped out for standard AAA batteries (or another pair of rechargeable ones), in case a little more juice is needed before the next charging stop.
Phone: Huawei Mate SE, with KuGi case. Map, camera, blogging platform, podcast player, music machine, and sometimes-unnecessary portal to the outside world. Jay's phone runs on Google's Project Fi [GEAR REVIEW], which means unlimited texting, dirt-cheap calls, and data that's the same price anywhere in the world. Purchased to replace a Nexus 5X that broke due to a latent manufacturing defect eight months into the trip.
Headphones: Vodafone earbuds. For podcasts and music while cycling. In-line volume and play/pause/skip features are nice for easy adjustments, and it's a good idea to bring earbuds without those little rubbery pieces that can (and will) fall off. Our earbuds tend to last about six months apiece before wires start fraying.
Bluetooth keyboard: Moko Foldable Bluetooth Keyboard (287g). Great for blogging and keeping this site up-to-date. It's a full-size keyboard that pairs to a phone, holds a charge an incredibly long time, offers a backlight, and is comfortable to write at length with. The first keyboard broke about six months in, but it's so useful we had a replacement (covered under warranty) brought out.
USB battery bank: Anker Astro E7 26,800mAh (483g). There's nothing worse than always looking for an outlet or wasting away days in a cafe just to charge some devices. Power banks can hold a ton of juice and can charge nearly every electronic we're carrying—bike lights, phones, camera, e-readers—while pedaling down the road.
Travel adapter, USB brick, and cords: USB-B cords (3) + Flexzion Power Plug Adapter (83g) + Generic brick (25g). To charge up the battery banks once every week or two.
E-reader: Kindle Paperwhite, with Fintie Case (333g). Carries thousands and thousands of books at less the weight of a single paperback. Holds a charge for weeks and offers an adjustable backlight for nighttime reading. A must-have for those rainy afternoons and long nights and off-days.
Headlamp: Black Diamond Revolt (97g). It's slim-pickings for an affordable USB-rechargeable headlamp with a red light function (useful for seeing around without blinding fellow travelers and yourself) and decent battery life, so this seems the best option by far. A particularly nice feature is that the USB-rechargeable batteries can be swapped out for standard AAA batteries, in case a little more juice is needed before the next charging stop.
Phone: Samsung Galaxy S6 with OtterBox Defender Series case (210g).
Headphones: Generic Headphones.
USB battery bank: EC Technology 22,400mAh (470g). Power banks can hold a ton of juice and can charge every electronic we're carrying—bike lights, phones, camera, e-readers—while pedaling down the road.
Travel adapter, USB brick, and cords: REI USB Multination Travel Adapter Plug + Yubi Power 3 in 1 Universal Travel Adapter-Type M + Generic Brick + Generic Cords.
Spork: Sea to Summit Titanium Spork. A fork and spoon in one. What will they think of next?
Knife: Kershaw Knockout folding knife (109g). Small(ish), sharp, safe, effective. Fine for cutting vegetables, rope, or strips of tape.
Bowl: Sea to Summit XL Bowl (121g). Large enough for a hearty meal, yet folds down flat in the pannier.
Bottles: 1L soda bottle + 1L Ultralite Nalgene + 750mL Carrefour thermos + 6.5L plastic jugs (2). Don't believe the hype: reusing plastic bottles aren't actually bad for you. For anything that's not water (including hot beverages), the Nalgene can handle hot beverages (like tea), and its wide mouth allows for cleaning up stickier drinks. The thermos was a wintertime-cycling-across-Europe decision that hasn't been regretted (both the Nalgene and thermos can be filled with hot water right before bed and tossed into a sleeping bag for a toasty night). Finally, the plastic jugs, which sit up on Jay's fork, hold most of our food (or sometimes an extra 13L of water).
Spork: Snow Peak Titanium Spork (14g). A fork and spoon in one!
Knife: Kershaw Leek Folding Knife (69g). Small, sharp, safe, effective. Fine for cutting vegetables, rope, or strips of tape.
Bowl: Sea to Summit XL Bowl (121g). Large enough for a hearty meal, yet folds down flat in the pannier.
Bottles: 1L Ultralite Nalgene (1; 99g) + Generic 2L Soda Bottles (2) + Generic 1L Soda Bottles (2).
Cookset: GSI Outdoors Pinnacle Backpacker Nested Cookset. We started out with a Snow Peak 1.4L titanium pot and titanium pan/pot lid (which was more compact and lightweight) but doing anything but boiling water in a small titanium pot is a recipe for disaster (ending with a burned pot, burned food, spilled food, or all of the above). Our new cookset, which we really, really love, is still pretty compact and lightweight, but way more functional, and the non-stick surface is great for pancakes, sitr-frys, and more. We sent home the nesting bowls it came with.
Stove: MSR Dragonfly, with QuietStove damper cap (548g). After a lot of research on the best multifuel stove, the MSR Dragonfly won out on its decades-strong reputation and simmering ability. It's loud, but the after-market QuietStove cap keeps it very quiet. We've needed to disassemble and clean out the stove a few times (mostly because we're using petrol instead of white gas), but otherwise it's still burning great.
Fuel bottle: MSR fuel bottle, 30oz (219g). Though smaller and lighter locking bottles exist, this one can hold a whole lot of fuel. Not running out of gas mid-meal in the middle of the wilderness—or having to search for fuel once per week—has been worth the extra grams and size.
Fuel: Variable (100g to 887g). A multifuel stove can accept a lot of different types of fuel. We tried finding white gas in the very beginning, but now we just fill up with unleaded petrol every few weeks. It's dirtier and leaves our pots sooty, but so much easier to find.
Water filter: Platypus GravityWorks 4L Filter System (322g). A great gravity filter that makes questionable water potable without labor- and time-intensive pumping, ultraviolet radiation, or chemical treatment. You simply fill the 4L bladder with dirty water, raise it above the container you're filling (it comes with a second 4L bladder, or can filter directly into bottles), and within a few minutes gravity pulls the water through the filter, cleaning it in the process. Freezing temperatures can break the filter, so keeping it dry and/or cuddling up with it on really cold nights—and carrying backup iodine tablets (which we're doing)—are all good ideas. Can also be capped, strapped to a rear rack, and transported, for an eight liters (four in the dirty bladder and four in the clean bladder) of water storage on remote stretches.
Cutting board: Target Farberware Flex Poly Cutting Boards (2). Super-thin and light-weight.
Corkscrew/bottle opener: Carrefour corkscrew/bottle opener tool. For off-bike happy hours.
Can-opener: Basic can-opener. We don't really open cans too often, but we've been caught with a non-pop-top can of food enough times to keep a can-opener handy.
Peeler: Basic vegetable peeler. For getting fancy.
Firestarter: Basic push-button lighter (2). One for using and one for backup. The push-button kind are much easier on the skin then the manual kind.
Sponge: Basic sponge. For cleaning dishes. We're each carrying soap, too, but that's listed in the toiletries section.
Storage bags: Ziploc Double Zipper (6 quart, 8 gallon, 105g total) + rubber bands. For repackaging groceries, storing leftovers, hydrating dried food, and more. The slider variety worked terribly for us in the past; these seem to be the least likely to leak. Of course, plastic bags are not single-use, so they can last a while if carefully handled. Oddly enough, good Ziploc bags are one of the most difficult things to find outside of the States.
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Of course, the food and water itself is highly variable from day-to-day. This is what we're usually carrying.
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Water: H20 (1,000g per liter). In France we'd carry about one liter of water each. In Namibia we'd carry about twenty each. It all depends on heat, hills, road surface, and how far we're going to the next sink. Typically, we drink about four liters of water each per day, plus a little more for cooking and cleaning.
Groceries: Peanut butter, bread, beans, potatoes, onions, produce, spaghetti, nuts, tea bags, sugar, oil, spices, etc. It all depends on what's available. Nowadays we carry quite a few spices (something red, something yellow, something green, plus salt and pepper flakes).
Sleeping bag: Katabatic Alsek 22F 850fp, 6' (680g). Super-minimalist bags that use some clever engineering (basically missing the back side) to save on space and weight. Rated for 22F/-6C and have kept us plenty warm to date (things start getting a little cold around 0C or so).
Sleeping pad: Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm, R (496g). Easily inflatable and comfortable. Provides decent insulation from the cold ground. Jay's began to delaminate about eight months into the trip, but Therm-a-Rest provided great service arranging a warranty replacement.
Pillow: Exped Large Air Pillow.Sleeping on a lump of clothes is okay for a shorter trip, but when it's cold and those clothes are all being worn (or when they're just really, really dirty), a pillow is nice. This one inflates in just a few breaths, weighs virtually nothing, and takes up less room than a stick of deodorant. Jay started with the smaller Exped Ultralight Medium Air Pillow but it wasn't so comfortable. When that delaminated and Exped offered to send out a replacement, he switched to the regular Exped Large.
Sleeping bag: Katabatic Alsek 22F 850fp, 5'6" (649g).
Sleeping pad: Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm, S (436g).
Pillow: Exped Large Air Pillow.
Tent: Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL4 (2,526g) + spare stakes (2; 22g total) + Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Compression 14L/Medium Dry Sack (91g). Two vestibules provide shelter for the bikes or muddy panniers, and two tent openings make getting out of the tent in the middle of the night much easier. As a four-person tent, it's absolutely palatial compared to the two-person Copper Spur we were intending to bring, but that extra room is much appreciated during rainy days stuck inside. Squeezed into a compression sack, it still packs down fairly small. Big Agnes has absolutely amazing customer service, and we've used their tents extensively in the past.
Groundcloth: Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL4 Footprint (325g). Pricey on its own, but came with the deal we found on the tent.
Sleeping pad pump: Therm-a-Rest AirTap Pump Kit (48g). Our sleeping pads take between ten and twenty deep breaths to inflate, but the AirTap kit makes things a bit easier after long days at high altitudes. It's a simple, tiny valve that can be attached to any bag. When the bag is closed and then compressed, the air is forced into the sleeping pad. When not being used as a pump, the bag stores the pad itself.
Our toiletries get used and replaced every few months, but here's what we started the journey with.
Toothbrush: GUM Travel Folding Toothbrush (19g). Folds into itself for easy storage.
Toothpaste: Tom's 5.5oz Flouride-Free (156g).
Hand sanitizer: Purell 1oz (70g).
Sunscreen: Alba Botanica Hawaiian Suncreen (87g).
Moisturizer: Amara Organics (87g).
Deodorant: Ban Unscented Roll-On (97g).
Soap: Campsuds. Highly concentrated and biodegradable.
Squeeze tubes: Silicone squeeze tubes, 3.3oz (3; 141g total). For holding soap, lotion, and sunblock.
Towel and washrag: Packtowl Ultralite Soft Texture Towel (35g). Highly absorbent and wrings out tons of water. A little too small to wear around the waist, but large enough to dry someone off.
Hair/beard trimmer: AVANTEK Hair Clippers (248g). For keeping hair short and manageable. One of very few cordless and USB-rechargeable trimmers available.
Nail clippers: Mini nail clippers.
Toilet paper: Tissue-on-the-Go coreless roll (2; 130g total). Having long since used up our coreless rolls, we now buy the smallest packs of toilet paper we can find and sometimes re-roll it ourselves to save a little space.
Trowel: Tentlab Deuce of Spades Trowel (16g). To dig holes and fill them back in.
Toothbrush: GUM Travel Folding Toothbrush (19g). Folds into itself for easy storage.
Toothpaste: Tom's 5.5oz Flouride-Free (156g).
Hand sanitizer: Purell 1oz (70g).
Sunblock: Generic Sunblock.
Moisturizer: Generic Moisturizer.
Deodorant: Ban Unscented Roll-On (97g).
Soap: Campsuds. Highly concentrated and biodegradable.
Squeeze tubes: Silicone squeeze tubes, 3.3oz (3; 141g total). For holding soap, lotion, and sunblock.
Towel and washrag: REI Multi Towel Lite X-Large.
Hair/beard trimmer: Gillette Venus Razor.
Tweezers/nail clippers: Generic Travel Tweezers + Generic Nail Clippers.
Toilet paper: Tissue-on-the-Go coreless roll (2; 130g total). Having long since used up our coreless rolls, we now buy the smallest packs of toilet paper we can find and sometimes re-roll it ourselves to save a little space.
Trowel: Tentlab Deuce of Spades Trowel (16g). To properly dispose of waste when in nature.
Mosquito headnet: Sea to Summit cinching headnet (34g). For preventing malaria, dengue fever, zika, and other mosquito-borne illnesses by looking so ridiculous that mosquitoes will stay away (that's how these work, right?). So far we've used these very rarely, and Jay's is presently doubling as a mesh stuff sack for his clothes.
First aid guide: NOLS Wilderness Medicine, 5th Edition (Kindle Version) (0g). The textbook that teaches Wilderness First Responders how to become Wilderness First Responders. Obviously, this should be read in full before something goes wrong. We each have the e-book version on our Kindles and phones for offline access, and the chapters are well-organized for quick consultation.
Mosquito headnet: Sea to Summit cinching headnet (34g).
Whistle and compass: Silva Specialty compass-thermometer-whistle.
First aid guide: NOLS Wilderness Medicine, 5th Edition (Kindle Version) (0g). The textbook that teaches Wilderness First Responders how to become Wilderness First Responders. Obviously, this should be read in full before something goes wrong. We each have the e-book version on our Kindles and phones for offline access, and the chapters are well-organized for quick consultation.
Insect repellent: Repel DEET 40% (201g). DEET is obviously not great for anyone, but pretty necessary in some parts of the world. Note that DEET will melt plastics (including synthetic clothing, and in our case, the cap to its own bottle) and thus should be handled carefully and kept inside a few bags.
Bandages: Band-Aid assorted set (19g) + 3M Steri-Strips (15g). Band-Aid's greatest hits, including the big patches for knee scrapes and the little ones for paper cuts. The strips are for closing skin on deeper cuts.
Wrap tape: Prairie Horse Supply, 2" x 15' (18g). Coming in so many fun colors—our roll is a blindingly hot pink—it'd almost be a disappointment not to need it at some point. Self-adhering for wrapping arms, wrists, legs, etc. with an antibiotic cream.
Antibiotic cream: GoodSense Maximum Strength Triple Antibiotic Ointment, 1oz (33g). For preventing infections around scrape and cuts.
Hydrocortisone: Cortizone 10 cream, 2oz (67g). For itchy or painful insect stings or bites.
Surgical gloves. Latex-free pair (2; ≈10g total). For administering first-aid without inadvertently dirtying up the wound site or coming in contact with bodily fluids.
Cotton swabs: Q-tips (20; ≈10g total). Likewise, for cleaning a wound and applying an antibiotic cream.
Water purification pills: Potable Aqua Iodine tablets (31g). We're gravity-filtering all of our non-potable water, but these are good to have as a backup (in case the filter breaks, or for water that may have viruses, which can't be filtered out).
Oral rehydration salts: RecoverORS (10; ≈ 55g total). For staying hydrated while an intestinal infection runs its course. If we need more on the road, these can whipped up with a 1tsp:8tsp salt:sugar ratio, mixed into a liter of water.
Ibuprofen: GoodSense Ibuprofen 200mg tablets, 100 doses (45g). For general inflammation, soreness, fever, headaches, and cycling-related pain.
Motion sickness preventative: Bonine, 32 doses (10g). For motion sickness on the occasional ride by bus, ferry, boat, or train.
Antidiarrheal: Kirkland Signature Anti-Diarrheal, 100-count (33g). For the inevitable stomach bugs and bacteria that will plague our digestive systems as we eat and drink our way around the world.
Antibiotic: Ciprofloxacin (≈20g). A harsher yet more effective general-purpose antibiotic to kill off infections almost anywhere in the body.
Malaria treatment: Malarone (≈90g) + Coartem. A 90-day supply each. Lauren took these daily in Africa and Jay was initially a little more lax (it was the dry season with very low malaria risk). Jay subsequently got malaria, and the Coartem worked as a super-effective treatment. If Malarone isn't taken as a prophylactic, it can also be used as a malaria treatment.
Passport/yellow card: US Passport (34g) + International Certificate of Immunization (8g). Strange vestiges of a feudal age, these little booklets grant us the privilege to enter most countries on the planet. We set off with brand new (non-standard) 52-page passports and they've since begun filling up pretty quickly.The yellow card is required for entry into one country when coming from another with endemic yellow fever. So far we haven't had to show it to anyone.
Money/license: Credit card (9g) + debit card (5g) + US driver's license (5g). The driver's license is just in case we need to rent a car at any point (which we ended up doing once in Montenegro). We, of course, carry cash, too, and mostly use that to pay for things.
Eyeglasses: Warby Parker Clarks (37g) + aluminum case (68g) + microfiber cloth (3g). The aluminum case is much lighter and more compact than standard eyeglass cases.
Stuff sacks: Basic stuff sacks (3) + Sea to Summit Mesh Stuff Sacks (3). For keeping things organized (or at least trying to). The mesh stuff sacks are really good for letting clothing air out a little, drying stuff on the rear rack, and making it clear what's inside where so finding things isn't so frustrating.
Pen: Sharpie Twin-Tip. For big and small writing.
Ear plugs: MyTravelUp Earplugs (4g). For noisy campsites and hostels.
Rubik's cube: CuberSpeed Mini. Just for fun.
Passport/yellow card: US Passport (34g) + International Certificate of Immunization (8g). We set off with brand new (non-standard) 52-page passports and they've since begun filling up pretty quickly.The yellow card is required for entry into one country when coming from another with endemic yellow fever. So far we haven't had to show it to anyone.
Money/license: Credit Card + Debit Card + US Driver's License.
Eyeglasses: BCBG Max Azria Esmee Eyeglasses + EZESO Aluminum Case (68g) + Microfiber Cloth.
Stuff sacks: REI Ditty Sack-Package of 3 (2) + Sea to Summit Ultra Sil Compression Sacks (3) + Sea to Summit Ultra Sil Dry Sack (2) + Outdoor Products Pack Ultimate Dry Sack.
Pen and notebook: Generic Pen + Sharpie Twin-Tip + Traveler's Notebook Insert, Grid (83g). For jotting things down. A capped pen, versus the push-to-engage variety, is less likely to accidentally open and scrawl itself all over stuff.
Ear plugs: MyTravelUp Earplugs (4g). For noisy campsites or hostels.
Playing cards and travel chess set: Loftus Mini Playing Cards (39g) + WE Games Magnetic Travel Chess Set. We play a lot of cards when traveling (Lost Cities is a two-player favorite), and these mini-cards weigh less than (and take up a quarter of the room of) a full deck. They look foolishly small, but they're actually easier to handle—going back to a full-size deck can be jarring. The travel chess set is the size of a checkbook.
Paracord: Paracord Planet Type III 7-Strand 550 Paracord, 50' (96g). For fixes and plenty of camping hacks: securing something to a bike, building an emergency shelter, tying together a raft, or making a canopy. Also useful to know a few knots: boline, figure-8, taut-line, slipknot, square knot.
Sewing supplies: Kedudes Upholstery Repair Kit + regular thread + dental floss. For basic repairs on clothing or camping gear. The regular thread is for clothes and the upholstery thread is for just about everything else. Floss is tougher, and can help stitch together a torn pannier or blown tire sidewall.
Papers: Extra passport photos, thank-you cards, maps, etc. Extra passport photos in a few different sizes can speed up getting visas en route, and thank-you cards are nice to give to those who provide some help along the way. Maps are maps, and can range from mildly helpful to a life-saving backup.