Loaded Camping Gear Weight

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Eton Rifle
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Joined: 6 Mar 2017, 1:16am

Re: Loaded Camping Gear Weight

Post by Eton Rifle »

ossie wrote:Someone mentioned the Helinox chair.

A brilliant bit of kit, just find room for it and at 850g it will transform your camping experience. My luxury item.


Helinox has quite a few different ones in its range now. I took the Zero on tour recently; it worked really well and weighs only 524g.
Psamathe
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Joined: 10 Jan 2014, 8:56pm

Re: Loaded Camping Gear Weight

Post by Psamathe »

Done a short 3 day trip and ... 17.5Kg plus water. But that included a 2Kg D-lock (last minute I wanted something to be a visual deterrent and I'll be finding a better solution). I did include everything I'd need for longer term (e.g. 2 pairs of non-cycling clothes, 2 sets of cycling cloths (one worn), spare gas canister, etc.) as it was both a test as well as a chance to get away. And I loaded up my gear and weighed it - no working towards any target (none of the weighing and searching for something to remove, etc.).

It was interesting as despite only being a few days I pretty much used everything I took (except the 2 sets of clothes).

Next time I will be losing the 2Kg D-lock but adding bar bag, flip-flops, camera, solar panels, pegs and iPad, so probably a slight increase in weight.

I will plan on changing tent as the JetPacker is great but not enough space to store panniers out of rain (and get in/out "elegantly") and a tiny bit cramped. But I doubt that will make any difference to the weight.

Cycling around home my typical speed is 13.7 mph, but loaded that dropped to 12.6 mph and the hilly section end of one day did drop to 10.6 mph with some walking and completely knackered legs at times!

Many thanks for all your guidance (and I'm totally open to any further suggestions).

Ian
hamster
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Re: Loaded Camping Gear Weight

Post by hamster »

Consider swapping the solar panel for a front dyno hub?
Psamathe
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Re: Loaded Camping Gear Weight

Post by Psamathe »

hamster wrote:Consider swapping the solar panel for a front dyno hub?

That was my original plan but I can get what looks like a descent solar panel for £50 whereas a hub costs a bit more. Plus I can hang a solar panel on my tent when not on the move (I'll probably be on shorter distances than most seasoned tourers here!). Timescales as well. But I'm very open to being told solar panels are daft or anything else I'm doing wrong (I'd rather learn from other peoples' mistakes rather than repeat them myself!).

Ian
hamster
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Re: Loaded Camping Gear Weight

Post by hamster »

It depends on your panel, I found that a small panel didn't give much charge, least of all in the evening with a low sun. A lot depends on where you are riding!!!
If you are carrying lights a dyno makes more sense in the weight budget.
crazydave789
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Joined: 22 Jul 2017, 10:21pm

Re: Loaded Camping Gear Weight

Post by crazydave789 »

Psamathe wrote:
hamster wrote:Consider swapping the solar panel for a front dyno hub?

That was my original plan but I can get what looks like a descent solar panel for £50 whereas a hub costs a bit more. Plus I can hang a solar panel on my tent when not on the move (I'll probably be on shorter distances than most seasoned tourers here!). Timescales as well. But I'm very open to being told solar panels are daft or anything else I'm doing wrong (I'd rather learn from other peoples' mistakes rather than repeat them myself!).

Ian


I have a little battery pack with three panels on it so actually works. hilucky is the brand and was 24 quid or so from amazon. I'm just in the middle of sewing some better hanging loops to it and sticky velcro, I also have a tiny solar power bee to run the front light off.

I too can't justify dynohubs for a while so I did fit a rim dynamo charging solution for power packs and adapted the front light to run off usb power packs. mainly because I got the power converter for a fiver.
crazydave789
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Joined: 22 Jul 2017, 10:21pm

Re: Loaded Camping Gear Weight

Post by crazydave789 »

Psamathe wrote:Done a short 3 day trip and ... 17.5Kg plus water. But that included a 2Kg D-lock (last minute I wanted something to be a visual deterrent and I'll be finding a better solution). I did include everything I'd need for longer term (e.g. 2 pairs of non-cycling clothes, 2 sets of cycling cloths (one worn), spare gas canister, etc.) as it was both a test as well as a chance to get away. And I loaded up my gear and weighed it - no working towards any target (none of the weighing and searching for something to remove, etc.).

It was interesting as despite only being a few days I pretty much used everything I took (except the 2 sets of clothes).

Next time I will be losing the 2Kg D-lock but adding bar bag, flip-flops, camera, solar panels, pegs and iPad, so probably a slight increase in weight.

I will plan on changing tent as the JetPacker is great but not enough space to store panniers out of rain (and get in/out "elegantly") and a tiny bit cramped. But I doubt that will make any difference to the weight.

Cycling around home my typical speed is 13.7 mph, but loaded that dropped to 12.6 mph and the hilly section end of one day did drop to 10.6 mph with some walking and completely knackered legs at times!

Many thanks for all your guidance (and I'm totally open to any further suggestions).

Ian


I did that and lugged 14 days worth of food to test the logistics, once my legs went they stayed went as far as hills were concerned but I could slog along the flat bits for hours.

I took a 25 year old north face tadpole and it was perfect for one even with all the luggage in the tent with me.

I think I got to around 22kg luggage weight.
Psamathe
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Re: Loaded Camping Gear Weight

Post by Psamathe »

crazydave789 wrote:...once my legs went they stayed went as far as hills were concerned but I could slog along the flat bits for hours.
.....

I noticed the same. Any hill became a challenge but then level was a relief. I was a bit ambitious with the mileage, and then when I got to the last 10 miles realised I'd not considered the hills and that combined with the unexpected headwind (for the entire leg) ...

Ian
Barks
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Joined: 14 Oct 2016, 5:27pm

Re: Loaded Camping Gear Weight

Post by Barks »

I do a fair bit of long distance hiking and without spending silly money on specialist American gear like Z-Packs I have about 7 kg plus food (typically for 4 days) and water (min 2l to use during the day). It includes the rucksack, an inflatable mat (Thermarest Neo Air), sleeping bag, gas powered cook set, tarp sheet and mesh inner, plus other basics like small first aid, wash kit, water filter, battery pack for phone, headtorch small knife, map, compass, smartphone, and one change of clothes and a rain top and fleece. Withswapping out rucksack for panniers and adding a tool kit and spares for the bike, a total weight of under 15kg is quite easily achievable for a a weeks trip.

Note - Paramo rain gear (£150) the inflatable mat (£100) and my down sleeping bag (£200) are expensive items but perform massively better and last longer than cheaper options overall in my experience. If I paid nearly £1000 for a Z-packs rucksack and tent plus drybags - they are made from a special kevlar type fabric - i’d save about 1 to 1.5 kg. If I were to do a VERY long distance hike like the Pacific Crest Trail in the USA (circa 2500 Miles) I probably would make that investment.
Vorpal
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Re: Loaded Camping Gear Weight

Post by Vorpal »

I came across some German cyclists a couple of days ago. They had loaded touring ebikes, and each pulled a trailer. One trailer was for their little one. The other trailer had a solar panel on it. I would guestimate that it was 130 cm X 70 cm, and the trailer was approximately the same size. I spoke to one of the cyslists, and he said they had 3 batteries; one charging, and two on each bike. They also used the solar panel for power for their electronics.
“In some ways, it is easier to be a dissident, for then one is without responsibility.”
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yutkoxpo
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Re: Loaded Camping Gear Weight

Post by yutkoxpo »

Psamathe wrote:
hamster wrote:Consider swapping the solar panel for a front dyno hub?

That was my original plan but I can get what looks like a descent solar panel for £50 whereas a hub costs a bit more. Plus I can hang a solar panel on my tent when not on the move (I'll probably be on shorter distances than most seasoned tourers here!). Timescales as well. But I'm very open to being told solar panels are daft or anything else I'm doing wrong (I'd rather learn from other peoples' mistakes rather than repeat them myself!).

Ian


Hi Ian,
As for the solar/hub debate...A lot of it depends on your needs and your touring style as well as how many electronic devices you bring and use.
Short tours with stops at pubs/cafes/restaurants means that you can just bring a powerbank and charge that when you stop.

A solar panel is finnicky in that you're depending on the weather and the mounting on the bike. They work best when facing the sun directly - not always possible on a bike. Don't know about you, but in hot, sunny weather I'm looking for the shady roads!
They do have the advantage that if you stop frequently you can charge up as well as when you set up camp. That's when it comes into its own.

A Dynohub of course, is generating so long as you're moving at a reasonable pace. And that is important - a reasonable pace.
They are a lot more complicated though. You need the hub and a system for channelling the power to your device or battery pack. There's a number of options on the market some more expensive than others. The choice in this area opens up a whole new set of decisions to make! :D

In my case, I just used a battery pack when I was staying in hotels/B&Bs. All I needed was to charge a phone & tablet. Didn't use it, other than the comfort factor of having the juice if I needed it.
When I went on a 3 month tour to Spain I brought a 3 panel solar panel that I strapped on the back of the bike. It worked, but optimally when I was stopped. (I stop a lot! :D )That time I was powering a phone, tablet & kindle.

Now I've added a Dynohub because I love the sensation of being totally independent. I was upgrading my wheel, so the cost wasn't as excessive as it could have been.
It powers my front light or is charging a powerbank. I generate enough juice every day to power my gear - phone, tablet, Wahoo Elemnt as well as a reserve to top up kindle and rechargable batteries on an average speed of 18 kph and distance from 70-100 km, 26 inch wheels.

Now, for a longer tour where I want to be independent I have both options covered. Dynohub for on the move, panel for when stopped or at camp.

Something I noticed in Spain and am seeing it more often around here -NL, Belgium, Germany is that access to powerpoints in campsites are becoming less available (I stayed in a campsite near Leuven in Belgium recently and they had no working powerpoints in the public areas) or you have to pay a small charge to charge phones/powerbanks in reception (quite common in Northern Spain). You can, of course, pay for an electrical connection at your tent.

For reference, I use a Son 28 hub, Cycle2Charge usb adapter, RavPower Solar Panel (9W) and RavPower powerbanks.

Hope this helps!
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sabrutat
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Re: Loaded Camping Gear Weight

Post by sabrutat »

+1 for the folding chair. I carry an Alite Mayfly, and consider it essential comfort on long tours. I don't bother on short tours, but by the end of that week or two i'm usually wishing for it.

My heaviest touring load was around 45kg spread across two panniers and a trailer. I haven't been on a long tour for a couple of years, only short ones of less than a month. I'd guess the short tour set up is around 25 kg.
willem jongman
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Re: Loaded Camping Gear Weight

Post by willem jongman »

My choice for power generation is very simple: use as little electricity as you can. I don't take a tablet or laptop, I turn my phone off for almost the entire day, making it last for a week or so. I have a tiny light powerbank that is good for one charge of my telephone, so I don't have to risk my phone in a toilet building or by forgetting to retrieve it from the reception. I do use a gps, but I use the Garmin Etrex 30 because of its low battery drain. Just following tracks does not use much electricity, and one set of top quality rechargeables lasts me 4-5 days, so all I need to do is to pack a couple of spares. I do have a Son 28, but use it exclusively for my lights.
My normal luggage weight is in the 12-15 kg range, depending on circumstances. I only use rear panniers and a bar bag, - most recently for summer use I replaced the big and heavy Ortlieb classic rear panniers with the lighter and smaller 33 litres a set Altura Arc 15 panniers. That saved almost 1 kg.
Last edited by willem jongman on 25 Jun 2018, 12:16pm, edited 2 times in total.
Vorpal
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Re: Loaded Camping Gear Weight

Post by Vorpal »

sabrutat wrote:My heaviest touring load was around 45kg spread across two panniers and a trailer. I haven't been on a long tour for a couple of years, only short ones of less than a month. I'd guess the short tour set up is around 25 kg.

:shock: The only time I get that heavy is bringing cat litter home in the trailer.

The only time I ever weighed my bags, luggage was all up around 25 kg for a month long tour. That included some bulk dried foods.
I would guestimate my short tour weight to be around 12 kg. So roughly half sabrutat's. I haven't toured in any really remote places or developing countries.

I guess that doesn't mean anything except that we all have a different threshold for weight / comfort. :mrgreen:
“In some ways, it is easier to be a dissident, for then one is without responsibility.”
― Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom
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horizon
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Re: Loaded Camping Gear Weight

Post by horizon »

Barks wrote:With swapping out rucksack for panniers and adding a tool kit and spares for the bike, a total weight of under 15kg is quite easily achievable for a a weeks trip.



15 kg is fine for one night or a month. I find that 22 - 25 kg suits me better (I like my comforts) but this is for one night or for one month. I know the length of tour has some bearing on it but not a lot. I think the bigger determinant of weight is climate (warmer = lighter) and predictability of weather. Then a short trip with a known forecast (FWIW) would be lighter. I think the worst is hot days and cold nights. To me the key cut-offs are 10 kg (any lighter and it's not really camping) and 25 kg - any heavier and it's not really (pleasant) touring. In between, it's a matter of personal preference.
When the pestilence strikes from the East, go far and breathe the cold air deeply. Ignore the sage, stay not indoors. Ho Ri Zon 12th Century Chinese philosopher
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