We are gradually building up our touring gear and testing out functionality and practicality of various items; essentially determining what works for us (and what doesn't). Our ideas for the type of gear we might want come from reading blogs or just shopping around and seeing what we like. Sometimes we'll carefully consider an item before purchasing it, and sometimes we'll look at an item and think, "we need that", and go ahead and get it. Some things work, and some things not so much. Below is a list of items that we have grown to appreciate, making our touring more pleasurable and comfortable.
We found out about Hilleberg tents by reading some bicycle touring blogs. We had been using an old two man tent that I've had for over 25 years, but seldom used. It worked fine, but we recognized the need for something a little more substantial, particularly if it was to sometimes serve as our only shelter in adverse weather conditions. Hilleberg has several models of tents and have an excellent reputation for quality. We opted for the Kaitum model due to the balance between strength and weight (about 7 lbs). Laura convinced me to go with the Kaitum GT model which provides an extended vestibule area. This has proven very useful in rainy and/or windy conditions by providing us with extra room to protect us from the elements, allowing us to prepare food, remove wet clothing, and easily store gear before climbing into the sleeping compartment. We like that we can enter the sleeping compartment from either end, we can open both sides to allow the breeze to pass through, and that the outer shell is attached so makes it easy to set up in the rain without the inside getting wet. We have also found it to be very versatile as you can set it up in various ways, such as not using the extended vestibule (just role it up and out of the way). The only drawback would be that it is not free standing, but requires at the very minimum the two ends be attached to something. Once the poles are put in place, the tent can be moved around, but it does need to be anchored for actual use. The tentt is pricey (although we got ours on sale), but we feel it is very much worth the investment and expect to have it for years to come.
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| Tent set up without the front vestibule at a stealth camping location. |
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| Our tent (right) holding it's own in a strong wind vs. other tent (left) about to blow over. |
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| Using the front vestibule as a wind block while we eat dinner. |
Keen Newport H2 Sandals
Having ridden our previous two tours in basic sneakers, and bringing along another pair of shoes to change into if needed, we decided we wanted something a little different. I had read about some bicycle tourist wearing nothing but sandals, and I thought that seemed like a good idea. After doing some online searching, I came across the Keen Newport H2 sandals. These are multi-purpose sandals with a firm sole that can be used as water shoes or hiking shoes. Paired with the right pair of socks they proved to be exactly what we wanted. On our latest bicycle tour they were the only shoes we brought (aside from our Crocs which we use when taking showers in public bathing locations). We wore various pairs of wool socks, in addition to a pair of Sealskinz waterproof socks for rainy days. All worked great and the shoes were very comfortable. I have nothing negative to report on these sandals.
We prefer simplicity over the more complicated. These straps work great for holding your foot to the pedal and allowing you to pull up on the pedal with one foot while pushing down with the other. Any shoes can be worn, and it is a simple act of sliding your foot into the strap and easily sliding it out. The only issue you might have is with getting your foot into the strap as the minimal weight of the strap flips the pedal upside down resulting in the need to rotate the pedal up with the toe of your foot to get your foot into the strap. A little practice and it becomes second nature. The real benefit on a tandem is that neither of us lose our footing off the pedal when the other does something unexpected during pedaling, and also helps keep us in sync. I have been using these straps for over 20 years and love them. Easy in, easy out, keeps you in place. What more do you need.
To the typical recreational cyclist, a Brooks saddle would probably seem ridiculous. If you knock on it with your knuckle it feels hard, and why would anyone want to sit on a hard bicycle saddle? What they don't understand is that a harder saddle results in fewer pressure points on your backside, and when you are on a saddle for 4 to 12 hours a day, you want fewer pressure points. A softer saddle might feel more comfortable for a couple of hours, but over time it creates more friction due to more areas on your backside contacting the saddle, resulting in more areas of irritation and chafing. While the Brooks saddle does seem hard at first, it is pliable, and over time it forms to the shape of your backside. Yes, it does take a little breaking in, but once past that, it is very comfortable. On our first two bike tours we were using typical synthetic saddles, and by day three we were both liberally applying Butt Butter to our backsides to sooth the irritations. This last bike tour, with the Brooks saddles, no Butt Butter was needed and neither of our backsides ever become overly uncomfortable.
In the captain position, I use the standard Brooks B17 saddle. Laura, in the stoker position, uses the Brooks B67 saddle. Her saddle is wider and has springs to provide a more comfortable ride for her since it can get a little bumpy back there.
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| Our two Brooks saddles. |
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| Captains position, Brooks B17 saddle. |
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| Stoker position, Brooks B67 saddle. |
Schwalbe Marathon Plus HS440 Tires
We have taken three separate tours as of this writing, each over 500 miles using this specific model of tires (using different widths from 32mm - 40mm). We have passed over mostly paved roads, but also unpaved roads, and canal towpaths that are either smooth surfaced, covered with sizable gravel and stones, full of potholes, filled with mud and water, or washboard bumpity-bumps. All of these using the Schwalbe Marathon Plus HS440 tires and have yet to have a flat or any other issues with them (we have broken some spokes, but you can't blame the tires for that). There are other models of Schwalbe tires to suit specific touring needs, but until I start having regular issues with these tires, or our touring expectations change, I am happy to tour on the Schwalbe Marathon Plus HS440 tires. If or when I do change tires, it will certainly be for another model of Schwalbe.
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| Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires on both the tandem and commuter bikes. |
MSR Micro Rocket Backpacking Stove
We bought this stove due to its small size and compactness, and it has so far served as the only means for cooking our meals and boiling water. Not much more to say other than it does exactly what we anticipated. In locations where canister fuel is readily available, it is great. We do anticipate the need to get something more versatile once we head out to more foreign lands. Until then, we'll stick with this stove.
When wandering through our local REI, we came across this kitchen set and after a brief deliberation we decided to purchase it. I myself generally do not give much consideration to items related to preparing food for cooking (as long as I have something with which to cut things, in which to cook things, and which to clean things, I am content), but after looking it over, it seemed to offer some features that we could make use of. As it turns out, the set of tools and storage space proved extremely useful, so we chalk this purchase up to a good buy
This item falls under the category of being a total luxury item for the sole purpose of comfort. Imagine ending a long day in the saddle, it has recently rained, but is now a beautiful and comfortable evening, and you are at your campsite looking out over a placid lake with a few birds drifting lazily on the surface. Do you really want to plunk yourself on the wet, hard ground, or even have to get down to ground level at all to enjoy the view? Not if you don't have to. These chairs are light weight and fairly compact, go together and come apart easily, and are comfortable to sit on, especially with a slightly sore backside (a lot better than that hard ground). We have sometimes packed them in our rear panniers, but have recently switched to strapping one on each side of the bike on top of the front panniers. This option provides for easy access if we want to use them during a break, and if they get wet, it doesn't matter.
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| Enjoying the comfort of our chairs during a lunch stop. |
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