Desert Bikepacking Load Out - Salsa Spearfish
This is just a quick post on what a high desert packing kit can be. For this trip, we carried up to two full days of water and food and planned for zero precipitation. For me, this was one of my lighter loads with minimal extra kit. Water was carried in a camelback Mule, a spare water pack that could be lashed wherever was practical and a feedbag on the handlebars which always held 24 ounces of water. The trip was on a FS Spearfish thus minimizing any 'frame' bag space, an obvious location to store mucho water.... Since this is a quick post, fire questions and I will attempt to expand where needed:
Front Roll Bag
- Bivy (UL Cuben)
- Pad - Neo Air
- Small Food Bag
- Clothes
- Cap 4 top
- Wool knickers
- Spare socks
- Rain Jacket/Wind Break
Rear Bag
- Sleep bag
- Down sweater
Frame
- Pump
- Tool bag
- Lube
- Co2 kit
- Light headlamp **
- Fuel (Alcohol)
- Stove (Trangia)
Handlebars
- V1 in feed bag
- Snacks on top tube
- Snacks, water in feed bag, makeshift
- Light **
Eszter admires my shiny new Fish ;-)
Back
- Camera
- Cam batteries and filters
- Electronic ditty (Batteries, cables, etc)
- Warm Hat
- Warm Gloves
- Arm Warmers
- First aid
- Knife
- Shock pump
- Chemicals
- Wallet
- Snow peak pot
On Me:
- Bib Shorts
- Jersey
- Over Shorts
- Sidi Shoes
- Socks
- Vest
Food was stuffed wherever. The Camelback Mule did not provide the flexibility to carry food. I would not choose that pack again. Also, as noted, this was on a Spearfish. With a Frame Bag, spare water would go there and lighter, bulkier items would go in the backpack where applicable. Carrying 1 or 2 platypus bags as backup water storage along with your choice of straps for lashing them in different spots is critical.
Logistically or philosophically, I carry only what will be used. Therefore my on bike clothing is my camp clothing with the obvious exception of my bibs. Get to camp, take off bibs, add puffy, gloves, hat and I am set.
Below is an image of a similar load out on the Oregon Outback. With the addition of a full size frame bag I was able to ditch the backpack. Camera gear was carried on handlebars using a makeshift camera bag lashed to the bars.
Salsa Fargo, Porcelain Rocket frame bags - SUL setup