This is by no means a minimalist list of camping requirements when I am cycling, there is a trade-off between lightweight and comfort. My preference is for a slightly heavier and roomier 3-man dome tent so that I don’t have to contort myself getting into a hiking tent.

Comfort is also the excuse behind the three-legged camp stool and air mattress being included. My head may well keep telling me that I am still twenty-something, but the body disagrees and vocally reminds me at times that I am actually in my mid-sixties.

My advice is to pack for a low level of comfort but be prepared to “donate” some of this extra weight along the way if it turns out that the bike is too heavy regardless of what you convinced yourself.

Camping gear

  • 1 x Tent – Blackwolf Grasshopper 3
  • 1 x Roman Palm IV +5c Compact Hooded Sleeping Bag
  • 1 x Air mattress
  • 1 x Thermarest Compressible Pillow (Small)
  • 1 x Camp stool (folding)
  • 1 x Head Torch
    1 x Tea towel
  • 1 x Detergent
  • 1 x Scrubbing pad
  • 3 x Large plastic garbage bags

Cooking gear

  • 1 x Sea To Summit Delta Bowl
  • 1 x Plastic plate
  • 1 x Knife, fork, spoon
  • 1 x Plastic drinking cup
  • 1 x Wild Country 14cm saucepan, stainless steel with lockdown handle
  • 1 x Soto OD-1NP Muka liquid fuel stove and fuel bottle
  • 1 x Methylated Spirit (1 litre, stove fuel)
  • 1 x Matches
  • 1 x Thermos

Food and water

  • 1 x Rolled Oats 1kg
  • 1 x Box Nutragrain Large
  • 1 x Large bag pasta spirals
  • 2 x Pizza Sauce sachets (Pack 4)
  • 1 x Full cream powdered milk
  • 1 x Condensed milk tube
  • 1 x Small peanut paste
  • 1 x Small bottle olive oil
  • 6 x Small bags of mixed spices
  • 6 x Empty zip lock bags
  • 1 x Wholemeal bread
  • 6 x Bananas
  • 1 x Cashews unsalted 1kg
  • 1 x Cheese
  • Assorted fresh vegetables: carrots, cauliflower, cabbage, beans etc
  • Various dehydrated meals (homemade dehydrated / vacuum sealed fruit or vegetable packs)
  • 6-7 litres of water for each day between watering holes
  • Micropur Forte water purification tablets (100 tablet pack)

But, having scaled your list of gear down, sometimes the reverse is required.

A big factor for my Desert, Dust and Dingoes ride in 2016 is that I will be hundreds of kilometres from the nearest corner shop most of the time. The list above will by necessity, have to be stretched to provide food and water for 5-6 days while in-between restocking options.