No tent survives 600 nights without developing opinions about your life. I asked almost five years of road and 47,000 kilometres from this kit. This is the full list: what we carried, what I swapped along the way, and — if I were starting today — what I'd buy in every category.
Nothing here was gifted or sponsored: it's here because it survived. The things that didn't survive, I tell you about too.
Every buy-button sends you to your nearest Amazon.
Two steel bikes built to carry weight and take whatever the world throws at them. This is the build that did 47,000 km — and what I changed along the way.
4 punctures in 5 years; one of Ilze's lasted 26,000 km.
We started on SPD clips; swapped them after weeks of knee pain.
Replaced the flat bar after 26,000 km — more hand positions.
I dropped the E-Werk; if I bought the bike again, I'd skip the dynamo.
Front and rear panniers. Huge, genuinely waterproof, with pockets to organise. Highly recommended.
Handlebar bag — home for whatever you want within reach.
Replaced the rear dry bag after 26,000 km — lets me head off on foot and up mountains.
4-season tent. We started the trip with it: our home for years — nearly 600 nights inside.
In Malaysia we swapped the Hilleberg for this one: lighter and much cheaper, but less robust and nowhere near winter-proof. It wasn't any cooler in summer, was colder in winter and less roomy; in exchange, quicker to pitch. For most pockets, my recommendation.
Down sleeping bags, good to -10 °C.
Indestructible mat; under the inflatable one in winter.
Keep the bag clean; an extra layer when cold, the only layer when warm.
Multi-fuel stove — runs on whatever you find on the road.
Inline water filter: we drank from rivers, springs and dodgy taps.
6- and 10-litre water bladders for the dry stretches.
So you don't invite bears (and friends) into the tent.
The camera of the trip, with a few prime lenses. Most of the blog's photos came from it.
Power far from civilisation, alongside the dynamo.
Power banks I charge off the dynamo and feed to everything else.
Free, rudimentary internet almost everywhere — got me out of a few scrapes.
We picked one up before Iran to shoot more video.
Merino wool: warm, breathable, and it doesn't reek when there's no shower in sight.
The only truly waterproof-and-breathable kit; everything else feels like wearing a bin bag.
Neck warmer, hat, makeshift filter… a thousand uses.
Waterproof and bombproof.
Everything above is what we actually rode, over a decade ago. For this list I dug deep into what's on the market today, and this is my current pick: what I'd ride if I set off now, chosen by the same rules the road taught me. I'll be honest — I haven't tested most of these myself; they're well-researched recommendations, not first-hand experience.
Widest size range (11 frame/wheel combos), 26" or 700c, world-repairable steel, Rohloff-ready.
Pros: Widest size range (11 frame/wheel combos), 26" or 700c, world-repairable steel, Rohloff-ready.
Cons: Sold as a basic build — you spec the rest; mechanical discs stock.
Pros: Best value out of the box — comes with a rack and Brooks saddle.
Cons: Sizing stops at 46 cm; fewer wheel options.
Pros: Decades of refinement, low climbing gears, fits 29×2.0" tyres.
Cons: Patchy availability; smaller spares cult than Surly.
The benchmark: 100% waterproof, welded seams, tool-free mount, near-indestructible.
Pros: The benchmark: 100% waterproof, welded seams, tool-free mount, near-indestructible.
Cons: One big compartment, no organisation.
Pros: 1000D Cordura, metal hooks, pockets and organisation.
Cons: Heavier and pricier; not always fully waterproof.
Pros: Hand-made in the UK, lifetime warranty, very abrasion-resistant.
Cons: Small ecosystem; premium price.
Solid walls that handle wind and weather; expedition-tough yet still light.
Pros: Solid walls that handle wind and weather; expedition-tough yet still light.
Cons: A bit heavier than pure ultralights.
Pros: Lightest freestanding (~1.4 kg), roomy, with two doors and vestibules.
Cons: Lots of mesh: weaker in wind and cold; thin fabrics.
Pros: 4-season, survives storms, a decade-plus lifespan (what we rode).
Cons: Heavy and very expensive.
Excellent warmth-to-weight, roomy shoulders (fits a down jacket), tiny packed size.
Pros: Excellent warmth-to-weight, roomy shoulders (fits a down jacket), tiny packed size.
Cons: Narrow at the waist and hips; premium down price.
Pros: Best pure ultralight, with 900-fill hydrophobic down.
Cons: Tight fit, best for smaller bodies.
Pros: The benchmark: 950+ untreated down, ~20-year lifespan, lifetime warranty.
Cons: Most expensive, often made to order.
Warmer (R 5.4) and comfier (3.5"), quiet, with a great pump sack.
Pros: Warmer (R 5.4) and comfier (3.5"), quiet, with a great pump sack.
Cons: About 1 oz heavier than the XLite.
Pros: Lightest insulated pad, now much quieter.
Cons: Some slide off it; average comfort.
Pros: Nearly 4 inches thick: plushest for side sleepers.
Cons: Heavier and bulkier; more to inflate.
Burns gas AND liquid (petrol, kerosene): unbeatable when you can't count on fuel; quiet.
Pros: Burns gas AND liquid (petrol, kerosene): unbeatable when you can't count on fuel; quiet.
Cons: Heavier than a canister stove; needs priming on liquid.
Pros: More powerful, with real flame control for proper cooking.
Cons: Loud (jet-engine); liquid-only.
Pros: Boils in a flash, efficient, tiny and dead simple.
Cons: Canister-only (scarce in remote areas); poor for real cooking.
Most versatile (inline, bottle, gravity), back-flushable (lasts years) and cheap.
Pros: Most versatile (inline, bottle, gravity), back-flushable (lasts years) and cheap.
Cons: Included bags are flimsy (use CNOC or Smartwater).
Pros: Fastest flow, easiest to use, great taste.
Cons: Fragile flask, shorter life, not back-flushable.
Pros: Durable, fast, better reservoir, back-flushable.
Cons: Slightly heavier; 0.2 micron (vs 0.1).
20,000 mAh for camera, GPS and phone over days, still light; USB-C.
Pros: 20,000 mAh for camera, GPS and phone over days, still light; USB-C.
Cons: Bigger than the 10,000; slower to recharge.
Pros: Best watt-hours-per-gram (lightest), dual USB-C, IPX7.
Cons: Only ~a day of phone and GPS.
Pros: Cheap, reliable, 18-month warranty, widely available.
Cons: Heavier, slower (15–18 W), fewer features.
Deepest maps, best re-routing and POI search, long battery.
Pros: Deepest maps, best re-routing and POI search, long battery.
Cons: Busier interface; touchscreen fiddly with gloves or rain.
Pros: Dead simple, robust physical buttons (work wet or gloved), light.
Cons: Less mapping depth and slower re-routing than Garmin.
Pros: Runs weeks on AA or solar; unbeatable off-grid (or use your phone on komoot with a dynamo).
Cons: Clunky, small screen; the phone drains battery and hates weather.
We sometimes took out travel insurance, not always. When we did, we used True Traveller, and AVI Marco Polo before that. The brand matters less than the cover: if you want one, look for long stays, adventure sports and cycle touring, renewable from the road, with a zero excess.
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It's not a shop: it's the list of gear I actually used, with a button to buy each item on Amazon if you're interested. There's no ready-made basket, because everyone has their own preferences; pick what suits you.
The solar charger turned out more practical, cheaper and more functional, but I use both. The solar panel charges two devices at once at full power; the dynamo with the eWerk converter only charges one, and slowly.
We stopped in England to work as waiters and save up. It's a big initial investment, but it pays off over years: cooking your own food, sleeping free in the tent and filtering your own water, the cost of travelling afterwards is minimal.
Hello. Thank you for sharing this kit list. I have bookmarked the site and would use this list for future references. Really helpful!
You are welcome!
Great blog! Do you have any hints for aspiring writers? I'm hoping to start my own website soon but I'm a little lost on everything. Would you recommend starting with a free platform like Wordpress or go for a paid option? There are so many choices out there that I'm totally overwhelmed .. Any ideas? Bless you!
Hey guys,great blog.if you come to Canada I'll be sure to contact you. We are warm shower hosts in western province of Alberta. Our Rocky mountains are a must see as well as the coast of British Columbia. Ride safe
Thank you very much! See you in 2 or 3 years! ;-)
Do you think it would be just as easy to travel this way using cheaper gear? I'd hate to have a £2000 bike and wake up one morning to find it gone!
It would be as easy as long as you have a waterproof tent and something to cook with, it would just be more uncomfortable (specially when the weather is bad). I am not worried at all about my bicycle being stolen, I always take the necessary measures to reduce the risk to levels I am comfortable with.
Just found your vid of pics on youtube - am planning a trip myself and will be trawling thru your site for more useful info. Have added the water filter to my wishlist - it looks fabulous. Thanks and good luck on your journey. Note you're just about to go to Iran and am DEEPLY disappointed that UK citizens are banned from independent travel in Iran now :-( Still I can travel vicariously with your blog.
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