Tom’s Cycle Touring & Bikepacking Kit List

This is a list of the varied gear and equipment I currently use on my cycle tours and bikepacking trips, together with manufacturer and retailer links. 

The collection represents 20 years of riding Earth on long-haul (months/years) and short-haul (days/weeks) trips, buying and making cycle touring and bikepacking gear, and publishing blog posts, books and occasional videos on the topic. I hope it’s interesting, but please don’t assume I’d recommend every item on the list to you. Gear choice is a personal thing.

There are a few hand-selected affiliate links to makers and retailers I believe in, which are identified with an asterisk (*). Read my affiliate policy here. I don’t link to Amazon.

Cycle Touring Equipment

All-Purpose Touring Bike

For mixed-terrain and long-haul trips I have been riding a custom-built Oxford Bike Works Expedition since 2014. If you have time, here’s a 10,000-word walkthrough of the design and build, and details of recent upgrades.

Further reading:

Cycle Touring Panniers

My rear panniers are either Extrawheel Wayfarers or Carradice Super Cs (review / buy direct / eBay), depending on whether I need full waterproofing.

When I use front panniers (rarely), I take Crosso Dry 30s (eBay).

I strap things to racks with flat bungees to avoid damage.

Further reading:

Handlebar Bag

Ortlieb Ultimate Classic in the larger 6.5‑litre size (buy direct / Cyclestore / Tredz / eBay). I also like Klickfix front baskets (eBay).

Drybags For Panniers

I have a big pile of roll-top drybags between 2l and 20l capacity, which I add to as the oldest ones wear out. I use them to organise and selectively waterproof gear inside my luggage. The longest-lasting over time have been from SealLine (buy direct) and Sea To Summit (buy direct).

Plastic carrier bags work too.

Cycle Touring Cargo Trailer

Extrawheel Voyager, now the Voyager Pro (review). I love it, but use it only when I need to carry tons of extra stuff (Arctic in winter, Outer Mongolia off-road, etc), which these days is very rarely.

Dirt-Road Bikepacking Equiment

Off-Road Bikepacking Bike

My dirt-road/gravel bikepacking bike is a 2024 custom built Oxford Bike Works Outlander, purpose-designed for shorter multi-day rallies and rides with lightweight camping gear.

Bikepacking Frame Luggage

Most of my bikepacking luggage is from UK direct retailer Alpkit: a Stingray custom frame bag, Big Papa seat pack, a Stem Cell handlebar pouch, and a Kanga handlebar harness with a 20l Airlok Dual. They don’t sponsor me. I just like their stuff. I also use a top-tube bag and handlebar pouch from Decathlon.

I often wear a Deuter 3‑litre hydration pack, and sometimes a LowePro all-weather hip pack for camera gear.

Cycle Touring Tent & Camping Equipment

Tent

If my partner is along for the ride, we’ll pack our 3‑berth MSR Mutha Hubba HP. Today’s equivalent is the MSR Hubba Hubba 3 (buy direct / REI / MEC / eBay). Ours is 16 years old and going strong.

For minimalist bikepacking I’ve been using the British-designed Terra Nova Starlite 2 (my review / buy direct and get 10% off with code TOMSBIKETRIP / eBay).

Also read:

Tent Alternative

I don’t actually like tents. So if it’s practical I’ll sleep in a British Army Paratex bivvy bag (eBay) or, better, a Hennessy Deep Jungle Hammock (review), depending on mood and likelihood of trees.

Sleeping Bag

In 3‑season conditions, I curl up in an Alpkit Pipedream 250 (discontinued; try the slightly lighter Pipedream 200 or heavier 400) plus a Scottish Silkworm liner (eBay).

For winter conditions I use a down-filled Big Agnes Storm King rated to ‑25ºC (discontinued).

Camping Mat

For regular touring and camping, an Alpkit Airo 180 (direct). In winter, an Exped DownMat 7 (my review); the closest of today’s models is the Dura 10R (buy direct / REI / MEC / eBay).

Also read:

Extras

Alpkit Drift inflatable pillow & cover (buy direct), Alpkit Qark headtorch (buy direct), McNett/Gear Aid Tenacious Tape (Go Outdoors / REI / MEC / eBay) for gear repairs (duct tape also works), bamboo toothbrush.

Camp Stove & Cookset

Cooking isn’t always essential, but if I’m away for long enough to want to cook my own food or make a brew, here’s what I use:

Stove

Riding solo: a Vango Firestorm Compact canister stove (direct / eBay) or a homemade meths/alcohol stove (how-to video).

In pairs/groups or on longer trips: Alpkit Koro (direct) for canister gas alone, or MSR WhisperLite Universal (review / buy direct / REI / MEC / eBay) for liquid fuel and long-term serviceability.

Also read:

Cookware

Riding solo: An older version of the MSR Trail Lite Solo kit (buy direct / eBay) when fully loaded, or an Alpkit MyTiMug (buy direct) to save weight. 

In pairs/groups: Alpkit AliPots (buy direct), and sometimes a GSI Outdoors Pinnacle frying pan (buy direct).

Also read:

Water Purification

If I need one (rarely), my filter of choice is the Sawyer Squeeze (REI / eBay).

Utensils & Accessories 

Spoon, Opinel No8 stainless steel folding knife (REI / MEC / eBay), a couple of tupperware containers, canister of sea salt, teabags, scouring pad, free hotel shampoo bottle filled with washing-up liquid, ziploc bag of laundry powder.

Clothing

On long trips I usually wear a combination of items from the backpacking and hiking departments, rather than cycling-specific clothing. This means bamboo or merino wool baselayers, currently a Patagonia merino ¾‑sleeved jersey (men’s/women’s); long MTB shorts with padded riding shorts underneath; and flexible, quick-drying hiking or climbing trousers for sun protection.

I then throw in whichever of the following items are relevant:

Waterproofs

Alpkit Sigma waterproof jacket (men’s/women’s), sometimes supplemented with a bin bag, and a pair of very expensive but very waterproof Patagonia overtrousers (men’s/women’s).

Sunglasses

Basic cycling sunglasses from Decathlon.

Insulated jacket

For 3‑season riding I pack a Patagonia Nano Puff recycled synthetic jacket (men’s/women’s). For serious winter camping I hide inside an Alpkit Fantom (men’s/women’s).

Shoes & Socks

My feet get on well with Salomon’s low-profile Gore-Tex hiking shoes. Your mileage may differ. I love Darn Tough socks and bring whatever thickness suits the climate. I always pack flip-flops or Crocs.

Headwear

Various Buffs, depending on circumstances – UV protective, high-vis, visor, fleece, etc. They’re really useful.

Helmet? Obviously.

Tools, Spares & Accessories

Basic toolkit
Topeak Alien II multitool, Topeak Road Morph G tyre pump with gauge, Park Tool GP‑2 self-adhesive patches, Park Tool TL-1C tyre levers, regular puncture repair kit, small bottle of Green Oil chain lube, strip of Gorilla Tape wrapped round seatpost, handful of assorted cable ties/zip ties attached to LHS seat-stay.
Extended toolkit
Cassette tool, crank extractor, bottom bracket tool, adjustable spanner, 10/12mm hex key for Shimano freehub removal, strips of inner tube rubber, hose clamp, electrical terminal block.
Basic spares
Inner-tube, chain links, brake shoes/pads, 3x spokes (rear drive-side, rear non-drive-side, front).
Extended spares
Another inner-tube, spare chain, gear cable set (inner/outer/ferrules), brake cable set, hub/headset/bottom bracket bearings, canister of grease.
Other extended trip gear
MSR stove service kit if applicable.

Further reading:

Tech

Gadgets are even more dependent on personal preferences. I currently use a Google Pixel 7 XL smartphone for navigation and communication, keep it charged with an Anker PowerCore 10K rapid-charging power bank and a 4‑way USB mains charger, and take photos with a real camera.

Further reading:

I’ve written many blog posts about choosing equipment for cycle touring and bikepacking that will help you make informed buying decisions that match your trip, preferences and budget.

This library of free content includes regularly-updated posts about commercial touring bikes and custom-built expedition bikes, cycle touring and bikepacking tents, cycle touring panniers, stoves for cycle touring and bikepacking, sleeping pads, cookware… seriously, the list goes on. 

Warning: Any blogger who tells you there’s a “best” set of equipment for cycle touring or bikepacking, or that you absolutely must have something (especially if it’s expensive), probably has a vested interest in you buying it. Just saying.

Latest blog posts about cycle touring & bikepacking gear:

  • A different kind of tour — of Taiwan’s bicycle industry

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    I’ve started to receive a steady stream of PR emails thanks to my blog’s more-or-less decent visitor numbers over the years. These emails usually go straight to the spam folder (sorry PRs!), but a recent one caught my eye: “As part of your ongoing and deliberate transition to celebrity bike tourist,” it asked (not at all ironically), “would you be interested in participating in a tour of the Taiwanese bicycle industry?” Hold on — an invitation to the centre of the bicycle-making universe? Hell yeah… Continue reading →

  • Adventure Does Not Require Any Fancy Gear. (Just Ask Rob & Maria)

    Adventure Does Not Require Any Fancy Gear. (Just Ask Rob & Maria)

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    I recently received an exasperated comment from a wound-up-sounding man called Rob on an article I published about trip sponsorship. ‘This is really annoying’, wrote Rob, referring to the fact that I’d got a 50% discount on an Extrawheel trailer five years ago. ‘Who needs celebrity bike tourers anyway?’ It’s not often that I find myself on the receiving end of an angry rant. I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve dealt a fair few of these in my younger and more obnoxious days, so it’s probably a case of “what goes around comes around”, as my mum would say. But… Continue reading →

  • Schwalbe Marathon Supreme Touring Tyre Review

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    Full disclosure: Schwalbe gave me a pair of Marathon Supremes for my 2012 U.S. West Coast trip, asking for feedback and an honest write-up of the tyre in return. From the ashes of the much loved Schwalbe Marathon XR expedition tyre arose a phoenix. Or, more correctly, a number of phoenixes. Or perhaps phoeni. Anyway. The point is that Schwalbe now make no fewer than 10 varieties of touring tyre, instead of just two or three; each specialising in a particular kind of touring. Continue reading →

  • Kona Sutra 2013 Touring Bike: First Look

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    Kona have just announced their bike line-up for the 2013 season. While I don’t usually post on product launches, Kona have supported my adventures for half a decade, and last week they reminded me why I’m glad to be working with them (aside from getting to ride their bikes for free). I wrote a detailed review of the 2012 Sutra touring bike after riding it from Vancouver to San Francisco in the spring. In the review, I pointed out a couple of big improvements I’d like to see made to this very capable long-term expedition tourer. Several other owners echoed these sentiments… Continue reading →

  • MSR Hubba 1P Solo Tent — Owner Review

    MSR Hubba 1P Solo Tent — Owner Review

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    Full disclosure: Cascade Designs sent me this tent to test during my journeys in 2012 (at my request). I’ve been using it ever since for solo camping. They were confident enough to do this in the knowledge that I would share my opinions of their products — whether positive or negative — on this blog. 2011’s Arctic Cycle finished off the Vaude Hogan 2P tent I’d been using for solo camping over the previous few years. It was a great piece of kit, enduring at a rough guess getting on for 500 pitches in temperatures from below ‑30°C (not what it… Continue reading →