How to pack up

[Dee Duble Yuh]

As far as I can recall all bikers I've seen who take cooking equipment have all used panniers. It's difficult to pack burners, pans, plates, washing up liquid, blah blah into an flexi-bag or top box. Cafes and pub meals get my vote. Sometimes I take breakfast cereal and a little bread. Also if the campsite has barbecues then I might take some charcoal and a burger etc.

I've always considered myself a "light traveller"; even so I use two (small) panniers, a flexi-bag and tent (in the canvas bag). The top box I keep empty so I can lock away my crash helmet when parked up.

[royster]

I have been away twice without panniers, and god i wish i had them

when you pack make sure the things you will need first or through the day are on top easy to get to, tent strapped infront of top box

If taking cooking stuff no need for a kettle just use a pan and lid, saves space and wieght, if only going for one night you can buy self heating meals from camping shops (not the tins) these are in foil bags which get placed into a plastic bag with water which through a chemical reaction heats it up, (too hot to handle) all stuff is included for about £7 ish

if buying dry bags gelert do some of various sizes that have a valve on that when rolled up you can get all the air out and then shut the valve, it reduces their size quite a bit

if going for longer than a few days take washing powder instead of extra clothes, weather permitting they dry overnight

get a tent with a biggish porch area so if it is raining you have an area for panniers and bike kit and the sleeping area is not sodden
wild country by terra nova are good depending on what you can afford - iainnic has duolite tourer 2 person large porch and i have trispace 3 person large porch

what ever you go for, practice makes perfect and after several trips you will get your list down to what you require

enjoy and if the first time you fook it up dont worry learn and try again its cracking touring on the bike

[digitalcaptive]

Buy two long ratchet straps, chuck everything on the bike then ratchet everything down until there's enough room for you to sit

sorry not much help really am I?

[StumpyFingers]

A pair of mess tins are ideal for boiling water washing / shaving and for cooking and eating your food out of.
A few days worth of clothes , you can wash them as you go.
If needed a Tent strapped on the rear, with a sleeping mat and bag.
Add a couple of tins of soup and you are set for emergencies, as you can buy food as and when you need it.

[Dee Duble Yuh]

A pair of mess tins are ideal for boiling water washing / shaving and for cooking and eating your food out of...

Do wash the tins in between shaving and cooking though.

[davsato]

Thanks guy's on the reply's ...

I will be rideing solo for sure and like the looks of them pop up tents but the trouble is they dont fold up so small and from what ive seen compact down to a large disc which might be a bit awkward to pack ..(A one or two man tent recomendation would be cool)...

I take it the roll up dry bags are for packing up you sleeping bag/ ground sheet e.t.c.

Just trying to get my head round all the basics you need to take including kettle, small gas cooker, plates and all the other basics...(including a few clothing items, toiletry's e.t.c)

I would only be camping a night or two.....

this is my usual set up for solo camping. it looks a lot but i have a big tent, a very big sleeping bag, and the top box, apart from paperwork, is empty to store my jacket helmet and gloves in when i stop anywhere, for a bit of security.
one pannier takes cooking equipment, trainers, the clothes and dobie kit, the other pannier takes the sleeping bag with spare socks and keks squeezed into the gaps. clothes are just a pair of thin hiking zip-off cargo trousers and a few rolled up t-shirts usually, and if its cool weather an EDZ windcheater fleece for round the tent at night (to save space i sometimes take out the thermal liner in the jacket and wear the fleece underneath instead).
the large ortleib bungeed to the pillion has a 3man tent, a khyam biker, an air matress and a folding armchair in it. i absolutely dont agree that camping should in any way be confused with "roughing it", although for only a night or two you can dispense with most of the comforts and make do with the chair and a bottle of tequila.

i carried a quechuo popup for a while, it was ok, looked a bit odd but worked fine strapped to the back of the bike, if i kept using it i would sacrifice a pannier and rig up a sort of cradle for it on the rack but i find the khyam is far more practical. now you can get a smaller one man version that packs much smaller, might be worth a look?

cooking wise, youre a bloke on your own, so you only want a pan, a mug and a spoon

[StumpyFingers]

Do wash the tins in between shaving and cooking though.

Actually if you cook your food and eat it then boil water for washing shaving it also washes the tin so only one lot of washing up.

[Austin]

What's all this shaving malarky???? Camping trip equals several days of not shaving gaining that rugged adventurer look.

Anyway on a camp site use the facilities - you have paid for them. If camping wild don't shave.

[Jackdaw]

Sorry to go off subject but was interested by Dee Duble Yuh's bike photo. Particularly the cut down screen. Not a bad idea for warmer climates where a bit of wind helps with the cooling down.
Is it cut down or bought like that?

[1965paulh]

I do about 6 - 8 camping weekends per year in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, always riding solo. My regime is, in the topbox - trangia (never be tempted by cheeper versions), meths, 2 x plates, 2 x knives and forks, mug, corkscrew, multitool, hat, 6 x magners, 2 x small plastic pill bottles - one for cooking oil one for washing up liquid, couple of brillo pads, wash bag / shaving kit, large 3D cloth.
Medium sized drybag containing sleeping bag ( expensive but can be compressed down to the size of a large tin of beans),1 change of clothes wrapped around 2 bottles of cheep red!!
Large drybag containing VANGO EQUINOX tent and THERMAREST sleeping mat - both expensive but have lasted over 10 years and still do exactly as it says on the tin.
Both drybags along with a folding chair are tied to the rear seat / topbox plate with Gelert nylon trident connector straps, far better than bungies.
Once you have a system you are happy with, print off and laminate a credit card size list and keep it in your wallet. This might seem OTT, but its better than arriving, getting the tent up and finding you forgot the wine
I completely agree that camping doesnt have to mean roughing it - if you put in a bit of thought and buy the best you can aford you should never get wet and when everyone else are forced to eat the swill out of a dodgy burger van you can eat like a king