Sustainable Bikepacking Kit List
How can we get out into nature and have a nice time without kicking the ecosystems we ride through in the face?
I am proud to be working with Zero Carbon Adventures trying to make bikepacking trips more sustainable. We take groups of all skill levels across Dartmoor, Scotland, with some European trips coming up, starting and finishing with train stations and the Struggle Bus providing support in between. Beyond the logistics, there's a huge number of decisions riders can make to help or hinder the environment, and that includes every item on the packlist.
Let's go through my kit list and see what decisions can be made to avoid plastics, horrendous chemicals, and damaging wildlife as we get out into nature for a nice time.
I'm not getting paid for any of these or using any referral links so if you want to support me there's a paid membership link at the bottom so I can keep working on Protect Earth, Zero Carbon Adventures, green software, and general planet saving in between.
Self Care
Natural Soap - Wild swims are a perfect chance for a cleanup after camping, but lots of soap is made from petroleum and other nasty chemicals which harm fish and other aquatic life. Grab a natural soap from any farm shop, zero waste shop, or any of these online.
Natural Sun Screen - Most popular sun screen brands also contain loads of chemicals harmful to aquatic life as well as the obvious plastic bottles that have a habit of leaking in your bag and gunking everything you own up. Any of these will do a much better job of not polluting wild swim spots.
Jenna Stenderup
Natural Deodorant - You’re getting the idea by now I know. Wild deodorant comes in amazing reusable aluminium applicators and you can get refills in cardboard packaging at most major supermarkets.
gq
Emergency Trowel - Every now and then nature might call when you’re a long way from plumbing, and whilst some problems can be solved with a hedge some cannot. A trowel can help make a hole you can fill and cover up, letting your deposit break down naturally in the soil.
Chamois cream - Applied to your short pads before putting on, or applied to yourself if you’re in a pinch. If you can find something that works for you in a tin it can be recycled, but women have a smaller selection of products.
- Men: https://veloskin.cc/products/chamois-cream
- Women: https://alpkit.com/products/chamois-creme-buttr-her-ladies
Midge/Tick Spray - Midges and ticks are both potential problems in Scotland, and Smidge can keep both of them off you. I honestly don't know the sustainability of this product but after getting eight ticks and a bout of lyme disease I was unable to continue working on Protect Earth for a while, so I am going to skip thinking about this one too much.
Bike Bits
Multitool for anything you might need to adjust on your bike. Everything Silca make is amazing but they can be pricey. Any “bike multitool” will do but if you have the money I absolutely love the T-tool.
Spare chain link - Sometimes called a quick link, or magic link. This will help join your chain back up should it snap. This saves you throwing out a whole-ass chain at the first problem. Count how many “sprockets” are on the “cassette” (how many metal rings are on your gears on the back wheel). Many modern road/gravel bikes will be 10 or 11 speed, but brilliant entry level bikes running Shimano Sora are probably 7 speed.
Spare inner tube - (Ideally two) These need to match your tyre. On your tyre sidewall somewhere it will say something like "700x28". 700 is the circumference (kinda) and inner tubes are flexible enough to support a range of diameters. You could buy a 700c innertube which says something like 25-30mm on it, as 28 is in that range. Make sure you look at the diagrams to make sure you get a schrader or presta. The diagram will match what's on your innertube.
Puncture repair kit - This usually comes with 2x levers, glue, sandpaper, and a patch. Smaller instant patch kits can work (just stick on little patches) but you still need levers.
Lights - Just in case the sun goes down, or you need to wander around camp at night, a USB rechargeable bike light (or head torch) can help you find your way to safety.
Rechargeable battery + Mains charger - If you can get a USB-C based charger that mentions “USB-PD” it will be very quick. GAN chargers are very small and light. I really like this travel charger from Ugreen as I travel between Europe and UK alot, but any will do.
UGREEN UK
Tubeless Sealant - If you happen to use tubeless tyres instead of running inner tubes, grab some Peatys Biofibre sealant, a small 120m pouch will do. Instead of using microplastic fibres they use a mixture of biodegradable fibres, so you’re not spraying nonsense all over the trails every time you hit something sharp.
Peaty’s
Nutrition
Rehydration tablets - These replace lost sweat and you can buy packs of them so you don’t need to buy and carry loads of Powerade or other plastic rubbish.
Jack Evans
Snack bars - Any sort of “Cliff Bar” type thing, but there are packaging free ones which will help avoid accidental wrapper drops when you’re tired.
- Steven Warnett
Biomass stove - Toaks and Kelly kettle both make amazing stoves that run on a few twigs and pinecones, to save you needing to carry, burn, or attempt to dispose of awkward fossil fuel canisters. Strongly recommend avoiding alcohol stoves in summer because the flames burn invisibly and they are a major source of wildfires.
USA
Ready to Eat Meals - Sometimes you really need a quick meal, and those plastic wrapped MREs are a messy chunk of plastic that can be hard to dispose of. Firepot make amazing meals and the packaging is just paper, that can go right in the stove when you’re done.
Alpkit
Clothing
Padded shorts/bibs - Two pairs of shorts are recommended, so you can swim in one and change to another whilst it dries in the sun. Wet cycling leads to chaffing and it’s a nice way to keep the clean sweat out of them which also keeps chaffing at bay. It’s almost impossible to find alternatives to plastic for cycling shorts, some merino are ok for mountian biking or shorter rides, but recycled plastic is about the best you can do.
Weavabel
Anything else - Preloved Sports CIC has a whole range of cycling shoes, shorts, jerseys, whatever you feel like you might want. Get it second hand, look after it, sell it on.
What else should I be writing about here? I'll keep this list up to date and if I spot any of these jerks greenwashing I'll find an alternative. Comment below to help me out.
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