Packing for Touring

[pjclinch]

Sealskinz and similar do work, but like all Miracle Waterproof/Breathable kit one does have to be wary of its limitations: while marketing departments are good for breaking the laws of physics the technical folk seem to have more problems with that... (there's a pretty good article on Bike Radar just landed, in fact, see https://www.bikeradar.com/features/tech ... proof-myth)

So the elasticated top will keep water out to some degree but if you wade through a river up to your knees don't assume your feet will stay dry.

I find the main issue is when the outer gets soaked they're pretty chilly inside (as I understand it we don't sense "wet" but associate it with the cold that typically accompanies it, I've been convinced they're let water in but on removing them have had dry feet), because water just the other side of a thin barrier conducts heat almost as well as water in direct contact, so a waterproof shoe (assuming stuff hasn't leaked down in to it from above) will usually be warmer.

A couple of weeks ago my missus and I had a terrible bit of hike-a-bike that had us up to our shins in muddy water for about a 50m push. Dry feet were not on the agenda, but thanks to shoes with water resistance of tea bags they got rid of most of the water pretty quickly and our wool-rich socks soon warmed up and were significantly drier by the end of the ride a couple of hours later. But it was a nice day, had it been that terrible damp and a few degrees I think our feet would have been pretty numb.

Exec summary: waterproof socks have their uses but they're not The Answer to cold, wet feet on all occasions and in all conditions.

Pete.

[mattheus]

A couple of weeks ago my missus and I had a terrible bit of hike-a-bike that had us up to our shins in muddy water for about a 50m push. Dry feet were not on the agenda, but thanks to shoes with water resistance of tea bags they got rid of most of the water pretty quickly and our wool-rich socks soon warmed up and were significantly drier by the end of the ride a couple of hours later. But it was a nice day, had it been that terrible damp and a few degrees I think our feet would have been pretty numb.

I'm now convinced the answer to those situations is SHOES OFF and wade through!
(helps to have a suitable container - emergency soft gym-bag or mini-rucksack will do)

I feel a lot more stable pushing the bike than riding through. If it gets deep you can either
- carry the bike, or
- tip up onto back wheel (thus saving 2/3rds of your bearings)

I'm not enough of a Bear Ghryllls for such shenanigans, but I can pretend on the internet!

I'm moving towards needing to several times a year just on my road commute.

[pjclinch]

A couple of weeks ago my missus and I had a terrible bit of hike-a-bike that had us up to our shins in muddy water for about a 50m push. Dry feet were not on the agenda, but thanks to shoes with water resistance of tea bags they got rid of most of the water pretty quickly and our wool-rich socks soon warmed up and were significantly drier by the end of the ride a couple of hours later. But it was a nice day, had it been that terrible damp and a few degrees I think our feet would have been pretty numb.

I'm now convinced the answer to those situations is SHOES OFF and wade through!

A pair of light sandals is handy for this, particularly in fast flows with rocky ground.

I feel a lot more stable pushing the bike than riding through. If it gets deep you can either
- carry the bike, or
- tip up onto back wheel (thus saving 2/3rds of your bearings)

On this occasion it was notionally a farm track but having started riding we bailed when the water was getting deeper and browner. Eventually we were on soft mud where riding would have been quite impossible and even pushing was damn hard work, one step, stop, push, stop, another step, stop, push etc. And so carrying and one-wheel up would have been no-go too, but luckily the hubs and bottom brackets were just about out as the bikes weren't sinking as much as we were.

What larks!

Pete.

[mattheus]

(which Sustrans route was it?)

[plancashire]

...
I'm now convinced the answer to those situations is SHOES OFF and wade through!
(helps to have a suitable container - emergency soft gym-bag or mini-rucksack will do)
...

The advice I remember from mountaineering books about river crossings was to remove your socks and put the boots back on. You need the boots to protect your feet from whatever might be under the water. At the other side you drain them as well as you can, dry your feet, then put the dry socks back on. I never had the occasion to do this, but it sounds sensible.

Some walking boots, Berghaus I think, had a special slit all the way round the sole in which would fit the rubber end of a gaiter, making something almost as waterproof as a rubber boot.

[Nearholmer]

Some walking boots, Berghaus I think, had a special slit all the way round the sole in which would fit the rubber end of a gaiter, making something almost as waterproof as a rubber boot.

Yes, my other half had those, for use when dog-walking in the really muddy season, but the gaiters were quite a faff for only an hour walk, so they got abandoned, and I think are still hanging-up somewhere in the gloom at the back of the shed!

[simonineaston]

Always remember to plan carefully - then take half of the belongings and twice the money!

[Ron]

I also like to take a book, though it's easy to pick one up along the way.

Not so easy when in foreign parts
On one tour after not seeing or hearing the English language for a few weeks I developed a craving, but couldn't find any English language publications and was left with the choice of reading the instructions for my camping stove or puncture repair kit.
On reading over, I now realise that was in the days before internet cafes

[pjclinch]

Some walking boots, Berghaus I think, had a special slit all the way round the sole in which would fit the rubber end of a gaiter, making something almost as waterproof as a rubber boot.

Yeti Gaiters, made by Berghaus originally to fit Scarpa "Trionic" boots. They're still available and work very well and will fit fine without the slit, but are really best suited to fairly stiff winter boots. I use them on my winter mountain boots.

In action here, with Microspikes (not icy enough for full crampons that day).

Winter Munro bagging in Yeti Gaiters

Pete.

[gregoryoftours]

I always take an absolute ton of stuff, feels like way too much but there is rarely much that I'm not glad I've had in hindsight. 2 person tent for 1 person because 1 person is really cramped with stuff. Charger plus a power Bank because I always run out of juice before I reach a charging point, and the power Bank won't last the trip. I spend too much time grinding up hills at very low speed for a charger running off hub dynamo to be a good solution. (I use phone for navigation and take loads of photos with a dedicated camera). Small d-lock, mostly I don't lock the bike but then you get to a city and a small cable lock won't cut it. Tools, waterproofs including mitts and socks, warm clothes, sleeping bag, spare tubes, inflatable pillow is an important item because it's so much better than a stuff sack with clothes in it or whatever. I'm not sure that I'm capable of lightweight touring to be honest. The only thing that I could do less of is I usually could have got away with one less rack of t-shirt, pants socks etc.

[Navrig]

I also like to take a book, though it's easy to pick one up along the way.

Not so easy when in foreign parts
On one tour after not seeing or hearing the English language for a few weeks I developed a craving, but couldn't find any English language publications and was left with the choice of reading the instructions for my camping stove or puncture repair kit.
On reading over, I now realise that was in the days before internet cafes

As a younger man I spent a month Interailing across Europe - 1986 IIRC. I think I read more books in that month than any other month. Everywhere I went I met other English speakers and we readily swapped books. Some hostels had book exchanges and some tourist shops sold English novels at inflated prices.

I suspect that the internet has made this less likely to happen.

[Mtb tourer]

Lots of free books in sheds at side of road in Northern Europe and in campsites.
Not many English language books. Often see people leaving books and taking some away. Usually it's an English language magazine left in a hotel if you want to kill some time before eating.

[Blondie]

If packing light for a tour using bed and breakfast etc then a single change of clothes for the evening. My fleece usually doubles up for cycling and evening duty. Thus spare clothing is just one set of underwear, shirt, socks, long trousers or more often leggings. My shaving kit is a razor and some shaving oil. A folding toothbrush and paste. Plus my wallet with cash and cards.

The clothing kind of reflects my backpacking setup from 40 years ago. One set for day and a dry set for when settled in the evening. At accommodation, soak riding clothing in hot bath or sink water with some of the provided conditioner or shampoo and hang to dry after wringing out will deal with any stink on extended tours beyond a week.

The above is what I’d call my essentials.

Convenience will add a smartphone and power bank. A kindle to read some books if I don’t find someone to talk with in the evening. Everything else on the bike is what I carry any ride and thus not touring specific.