cheap option to give Bikepacking a go..
First time post I think. HI!!
I’ve got a few mates who are going to come on my next ride and it will be their first time bikepacking. We’ll be doing a 2 night ride into the area south of Tooma dam in Kosi Nat. I’ve been trying to find some kit for them that will get them going but will not cost a fortune and have an interesting option that maybe of interest to anyone looking to give it a go for first time.
Gear Carrying:
13 litre Alpkit heavy duty drybag strapped under seat.
8 litre version strapped to bars.
Use 2 mini shock cord tie downs to attach the bags each end.
Bags are 8.50 and 7.00 quid respectively and postage is 10 quid from the UK. Order from the ALPKIT site. Share postage with a mate and landed cost for both about $25. Pretty cheap option. You see these used a fair bit in the UK web sites strapped to bikes so they seem pretty tried and proven option.
I haven’t used the system in anger but I did fill the bags up and strapped them to my bike and took it for a ride. Seemed pretty solid once I’d played around with it a bit. The only potential downside to strapping a dry bag under your seat is leg rub. The solution is to taper the end of the bag by packing something relatively narrow down the end. I packed my exped rolled up mattress in the end, rolled the closure down on it to lock it all in, (actually used a small Velcro cinch strap to hold it all in place but not really needed), and this solved any leg rub issue. Both bags were rock solid when I attached them nice and tight. Pics below
The small shock cord tie downs I used I made up from shock cord you buy from Whitworth or BIAS boating and a small plastic “clasp” that the shock cord locks into. I used 60cm of shock cord per strap for the front bag and 80cm per strap for the back one. Pic below:
Straps cost about $3.50 each to make so all up the system costs about $40 and will give you close to 20 litres capacity strapped nicely to your bike. Weight for bags is 118gr for the 13 and 96 for the 8l. The cords are about 25gr each. So full kit is about 314gr. I’m currently using an Old Man Mountain rack with a 20l eVent dry sack strapped to it and the kit above is of course way under the kit using the rack, plus you spread the load a bit more and pull it in from the back a fair bit. No rattling rack either, (not that the OMM rack rattles much as it’s been a brilliant rack over the years!!).
The other thing I was looking for them was a relatively cheap and lightweight day pack. The packs on the ALPKIT web site look like a good very light weight option but are out stock. I stumbled across a clearance web site in OZ selling out a BlackWolf Ultralight 35 pack for $35 plus $10 delivered. Took the risk and bought one. It actually was delivered from the BlackWolf distributor so is genuine clearance stock. It’s an interesting pack and for someone who wants to give Bikepacking a go could be a cheap way in. The specs say the pack weighs 970gr. A bit on the high side for a 35 litre, (I use a Salomon 30 Raid Revo that is 680 grs). But for the extra weight it comes with a nice integrated rain jacket that zips away underneath and a pretty elaborate harness system with heaps of adjustment and support. So on balance for $45 delivered to door not a bad option.
When I got it, (2 days), I was pleasantly surprised. Seems comfortable, (I haven’t ridden with it just carried some stuff home from work to give it a try). It has a roll top closure but instead of closing back on itself like a normal roll down dry bag, each side clips to the side. A flap on the top front then either clips down to hold everything in place, but also has the clever option of flipping up and clipping up over the top. This is a clever option and would work well if you wanted to carry a sleep mat on top horizontally. Good compression straps at the side if you wanted to carry a sleep mat vertically though. Mesh pocket either side to carry water bottle or other small things. Hydration bladder should slip in the back OK, (without having to access pack).
I weighed it and was surprised that although the spec says 970, it weighed 866gr. The pack also came in a 55l version as well so maybe the 970gr was for the larger one. The rain cover also comes off easily and it weighed 66gr. It has a pretty big and beefy waist strap which maybe overkill, (depending how much you carry I suppose), but this also comes off easily and weighed 137g. That gets the pack down to a very respectable 663gr. Add back in a very basic alternative waist band, (say a small luggage strap cut in two 30gr) and you’re at 693gr. For $45 pretty good.
http://www.ishoptoday.com.au/products/BlackWolf-Ultralite-35-litre-Daypack.html
So in summary $40 and 314gr for the Dry Bags strapped to the bike and $45 and 693gr for the 35l day pack. If you can’t fit what you need in this you’re taking way too much. I reckon a pretty good and relatively cheap option for anyone looking to give it a go. The other challenge for my first time mates is a tent and sleeping bag. Their lucky that I can lend them a spare tent, but haven’t been able to solve the sleeping bag one for them. That maybe one area where you just need to bite the bullet and spend some cash. Though if your “carry” system is only costing $85 you may have some spare cash to spare, (keep an eye on the Campsaver Outlet !!)
Hope this helps.
Richard.
op2:
