Packing the essentials for an off-road trip – a simple guide
Is there anything better than a riding trip away with your mates? From mid-week rides on a day off work to weekend ride-outs, and even weeks away on the trails and back roads, it’s good to get away and twist the throttle.
But if you are anything like the guys we ride with, packing is a disorganised and haphazard time when things get thrown into kit bags and vans, filthy kit lies on top of clean, seeping oil cans ooze onto riding gear and it’s an all-out mess.
And what’s worse, when you get there, you’ve always forgotten the vital bits, so you are left with a gas cooker with no gas, a torch with no batteries and not a single toilet roll between ten of you.
So in an effort to save our loyal readers from that pain, we thought we’d put together some handy lists to make sure when you arrive you can focus on the riding, not what you’ve left at home.
We’ve mainly listed kit for an off-road jaunt, so that’s the reason for the dirt-focus, but the things you need will off course vary depending on whether you are going on a trail riding trip, adventure bike caper or road bike road trip.
Either way, it’s better to have and not want, then want and not have …
BIKE STUFF
So lets assume you are going with a bunch of mates. There’s no need for you all to take a toolbox, but be sure the one that does is the boy with all the tools and gizmos, rather than your dopey mate who’s got some gas station sockets and a wooden screwdriver. You need a comprehensive set of tools in case it all goes wrong, and if they do then you’ve got the chance of mending things and riding the next day. This blog list is not going to cover what’s in the toolbox, that’s for another day, nor is it going to cover your riding toolkit, which you can read about here.
Oh and while we have your attention, makes sure your bike is up to the trip. Don’t take a bike with known faults and hope it will be OK – if it goes wrong you are wrecking your day and your mates’ too. If it’s a long trip you are going on, you might want to think about fresh tyres – or at least a new rear, and maybe look at the condition of the chain and sprockets. Make your bike the best it can be so that way you are not the one at the side of the trail while everybody else is waiting for you to clean a year’s mud out of your carb ….
As for the things that you need for your bike, do make sure you take the essentials, rather than relying on pinching everyone else’s.
Here’s the basics, you can supplement as appropriate for your scoot. We’ve shown large cans here, but you can scale down the sizes to cover an oil change if required, enough premix oil to cover the distances plus a bit more, and a full coolant replacement.
- Spare Air filter & oil
- Spare Air filter & oil
- Two-stroke oil
- Chain lube
- Chain and lock
- Fork seal cleaner
- WD40
- Nitrile / latex gloves
- Engine oil
- Coolant
- Fuel – if riding in remote areas
- Exhaust bung – if bike left outside overnight
- Brake fluid
- Clean Rags
- Hand cleaner
RIDING STUFF
We’ve all got a garage full of kit in various states of repair, but if you are going on an trip away, try to choose the kit that is in good condition and you’ve worn at least once before. Old manky kit is just nasty to wear for long periods of time and with box fresh stuff, you’ve no idea if it’s going to rub in places you never expected. Choose the favourite kit that you’ve had for a while but still washes up nice.
Oh and while we are on the subject of washing up nice, always make sure you take clean kit, not stuff still caked in mud from the last time you rode – it’s not big, it’s not clever and your mates don’t want a bag of kit smelling like a damp flannel next to them in the van – do they Dave? Wise up and learn how to use the washing machine fella..
So let’s list the essentials. We’re going to include body armour because we think it is a must on all rides, and if you’ve booked a week off work, then picking up an injury on day one because you are too cool to protect yourself is not smart. Again – wise up and wrap up. We’re reckoning on two sets of kit as a minimum to allow one to dry out while you are wearing the other.
- Riding shirts x 2
- Leggings x 2
- Knee pads / braces
- Gloves x 2 pairs
- Waterproof trousers
- Helmet
- Safety glasses
- Neck brace – if high-speed or desert riding
- Riding trousers x 2
- Under shirt x 2
- Under-armour
- Neck tube – if cold
- Waterproof jacket
- Goggles x 2
- Camelback
- Boots
- Body armour
- Riding jacket
- Helmet liner – if hot
- Waterproof socks
- Kidney belt
- Isotonic drink mix
And while you are at it, invest in a decent kit bag to keep it all together, rather than using three ripped bin liners
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EVENING WEAR
When you’ve finished riding, you are going to want to get out of that kit. Don’t think you want to remain in something you’ve sweated in for eight hours, and even if you do, your mates wont be so impressed. What you need to take will depend on where you are staying, so let’s do the basics first as if you’ve got a ‘Bed and Breakfast’ booked, then a separate camping list.
- Jeans / joggers
- Socks – 1 pair per day
- Warm jumper
- Beanie hat /gloves – if cold
- Painkillers
- Shoes – lightweight
- Flip flops / thongs – ideal after showers and after removing riding boots
- Boxers / Kecks – at least 1 pair per day
- T Shirts
- Wash bag with toothpaste / razor etc.
- Sun cream / sunnies – if hot
- Antiseptic cream
- Shorts
CAMPING IT UP
OK so for the camping kit, a lot will depend on where you are camping and in what. Wild camping miles from anywhere will need different kit compared to sleeping in your van on a proper campsite. But here’s a start of things you may need. Let’s assume if you are camping under canvas, you’ve remembered the tent..
- Head torch
- Air bed & pump
- Blanket
- Toilet roll
- Bin bags
- Water bottle
- Rubber mallet for pegs
- Leatherman / utility knife
- Sleeping bag
- Wet wipes
- Camping stove
- Small washing line to dry kit
- Gaffer tape & cable ties – essential for all life
- Lamp
- Pillow
- Anti bacterial hand gel
- Mug
- Small umbrella
- Lighter
So there’s a bit of a starter for you if you intend to extend your riding beyond your doorstep and take on the great outdoors. Go on – plan a trip right now
We’ve also listed some of the things you need if you are going on a proper adventure into unknown territory, so have a read here
Of course if you come on one of our tours, you just need to look pack pretty much what you need to ride in and what you need in the bar afterwards – we sort everything else.
So what do you always take? Did we miss something vital? Get in touch and join the discussion.
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