Hype This! 8 cool products for your next bikepacking adventure
Let’s face it, bikepacking and sleeping in the great outdoors is a lot more fun in warm summer temperatures than in the cold and dark winter season. And because now’s the perfect time for it, we’ve made a list of 8 hot products that you didn’t know you need for your next bikepacking adventure.
CLR Outdoor VIK 3.8 folding kayak
A fully-fledged 3.8 metre kayak that folds up and can be transported like a backpack or put on the rack of your bike? It’s difficult to imagine. And yet the young company CLR Outdoor from Berlin have succeeded in designing just such a kayak, capable of folding down to 70 x 55 x 16 cm and weighing just 10.2 kg. Among other things, this is possible because several of the individual parts perform multiple functions, all of which are made in Germany from recycled raw materials. For example, the backpack carrying system doubles as a kayak seat with a back and footrest. According to the manufacturer, you should be able to assemble and disassemble the whole thing in just two minutes after some practice. If you’re looking to mix things up a bit and exploring water-rich areas on your next bikepacking tour, we recommend taking a closer look at this folding kayak!
Price: € 1,589
Info: clr-outdoor.com
Rab Alpine Bivi
What could be better than arriving at your chosen camping spot for the night after a long day on the bike, preparing a delicious meal and curling up in your bivy bag? Just as there was nothing between you, nature, the sky and the sun during the day, there’s no roof between you, the stars and the moon during the night. You can hear, see and feel everything, unfiltered and unadulterated. There is no better way to relax and unwind. The Rab Alpine Bivi bag is the perfect partner for these very special moments, as it’s completely waterproof despite weighing as little as 440 g, and packs down to a compact size of just 25 x 12 cm. You can leave the tent at home, though you should take a sleeping pad for added comfort. And that’s a smooth transition into the next must-have bikepacking item on our list.
Price: € 300
Info: rab.equipment
Nemo Tensor
It’s smaller than a water bottle and weighs just 470 g – the Nemo Tensor sleeping pad is the ultimate space saver, small enough to be stowed away in even the smallest nook or cranny. Anyone who has experience with ultralight mattresses will have come across those rustling specimens that shatter the soothing peace and quiet that you’ve come to seek in the mountains. Nemo promise to remedy this situation, as the recycled 20D ripstop upper is said to be particularly quiet. The Tensor sleeping pad should be very comfortable, too, thanks to both the large number of individual air chambers and the generous pad thickness of 8 cm. With the enclosed pump bag, you’ll have it inflated in no time and the double valve lets the air escape just as quickly when you’re packing up. Are you still looking for a comfortable sleeping pad for this summer’s trip? In that case, add the Nemo Tensor to your list!
Price: € 179,99
Info: nemoequipment.eu
Allygn Diamond Rack and Gramm Diamond Bag
Loyal readers of our magazine will already have stumbled across the bikes, components and bags from Kristin and Flo from Berlin. We can’t deny it: We love their work! We’re always amazed at how their products offer the perfect combination of form and function. This here is all based on the Allygn Diamond Rack, a front luggage rack made of 0.8 mm gauge steel tubing that’s elaborately welded together. It tips the scales at just 370 g, including all mounting hardware. The gorgeous Gramm Diamond Bag is the perfect partner for the rack, which isn’t a coincidence. The bag is available in the colours of your choice, either made from robust Cordura or light X-Pac material and offering a volume of 7.5 litres. The best part is that the bag gets attached to the rack without any straps, making use of the FIDLOCK fasteners instead. Whether it’s on your next bikepacking trip or your daily post-work ride, the Diamond rack and bag are the perfect combination to carry small items on the front of your bike!
Price: € 200 (rack) and € 249 (bag)
Info: gramm-tourpacking.com and allygn.de
Tailfin V-Mount Pack
You might be familiar with this problem: you have a lot of things that you want to take along on your next bikepacking trip, but the space on your bike and the mounting options are scarce. This is where Tailfin from the UK come into play, offering a clever way to store small items on the frame or fork with their new V-Mount Packs. The bags are available in two sizes, offering a volume of 1.7 l or 3 l, weighing 210 and 277 g, respectively, and can be easily attached to the frame or the fork with the help of two straps. The bigger version of the two bags is big enough to comfortably hold a Nalgene water bottle, a gas cartridge, a small cooker and a couple of other small items. The small bag is suitable for things like a rain jacket, spare tube, multi-tool and pump. From now on, lack of storage space is longer an excuse to be caught on tour without all your essential items!
Price: from € 75
Info: tailfin.cc
We Hang HÄNG
Imagine the following scenario: you’re cruising along a coastal bike path aboard your bikepacking bike. The sun is blazing, and your skin is covered in a layer of sweat and salt from the ocean breeze. You manage to get one of the last cold drinks at a small kiosk on the beach and 2 minutes later you find it – hidden amongst some palm trees – the perfect spot to end the day as the sun sets to the sound of waves crashing on the pristine white sand. In your bag you’ve got a hammock, which weighs just 850 g and takes less than 60 seconds to hang between two trees. You lie down, crack open the drink, and feel all the muscles in your body relax instantly. After this magical moment, you will make a promise to yourself to never leave home without your Häng hammock!
Price: 89,99 €
Info: we-hang.com
Lupine Piko
Whether at dusk on the gravel trail, when setting up camp for the night or brushing your teeth, a light is an absolute must have for any bikepacking adventure. If you’ve been looking for a lightweight headlight, which cuts a fine figure both on your helmet and your head, there’s no avoiding this light from Lupine. The little Piko looks inconspicuous at first glance, but according to the manufacturer it promises to turn night into day and reliably light up the road ahead with its 2,100 lumen output and 215 m range – and all that in a package that weighs just 60 g! There’s a range of different variants to choose from depending on your preferences, letting you decide how big the battery should be and whether you need a Bluetooth remote for the handlebar. The machined aluminium body is available in black, red or green. It can be further customised and configured via the associated app. And finally, the Piko has a gentle reading and camping light function, which should be a lot easier on the eyes during close quarter activities. What else could you ask for?
Price: from € 312
Info: lupine.de
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Words: Photos: manufacturers
