Bikepacking Gear

Designed to seamlessly hold a Wald basket thanks to integrated basket hardware, the revamped RatKing RIP Rack V3 offers improved stability and strength and more adjustment to fit a broader range of bikes. It works nicely as a cargo platform or bag support and neatly holds Wald 137 and 139 baskets. Miles has been testing a pre-production version for the last few months. Find his RatKing RIP Rack V3 review here…

Ever wonder what to wear while bikepacking? You’re in luck! In this video, Neil shares his bikepacking layering system, including what he wears on the bike, at camp, and in wet or cold conditions. Plus, he highlights key tips to help you plan a layering system for your next adventure. Watch it here…

There is no shortage of ways to make a cup of coffee outside, but what’s the best way to do so? While that answer might have more to do with personal preference than anything, Nic used his background in coffee to dissect whether Lachlan Morton’s Pretty Great Instant is the best coffee outside option available. Grab a cup of joe and dig into the caffeinated conundrum below…

For the rear bag on his Budget Bikepacking Build-Off, Logan made a DIY pants-leg stuff sack from a pair of jeans he picked up for $5 at a thrift store. In this Make Your Own Bikepacking Gear (MYOBG) tutorial, he walks through how to make a waxed denim rack-top bag from start to finish…

To complement his Budget Bikepacking Build-Off rig, Logan created this Make Your Own Bikepacking Gear (MYOBG) wood bike rack DIY tutorial, providing a step-by-step guide for making lightweight front and rear platform racks with wood or another material of choice. Find it here…

There are innumerable ways to haul stuff on a bike, but that didn’t stop Rackhackers from taking it a step further with their DIY pannier kit, which repurposes readily available hardware and discarded plastic containers for a surprisingly solid setup. We jumped on the opportunity to experiment with the Romanian brand’s kit in multiple configurations. Find our Rackhackers Cannier DIY Panniers review here…

US military sustainment pouches are tough and inexpensive, and with a couple simple hacks, they can become practical, budget-friendly mini-panniers. As part of our Budget Bikepacking Build-off, we tested this concept in the field. Check out this tutorial on how to make military sustainment pouch mini panniers…

Wrapping up our 2024 Editor’s Dozen posts, Lucas reflects on a busy year brimming with experiences and lessons and tries to pick out 12 things that made a difference. From bikes and bags to coffee, cameras, and a handful of intangible things, explore his complete collection of end-of-year favorites here…

If gear, clothing, and bikes were chosen purely for function, we’d likely have settled on a uniform list by now, varying only by climate and terrain. Instead, the market fuels our acquisitiveness with minor differences and new standards, shaping a consumerist mindset that feels self-driven. In Joe Cruz’s 2024 Editor’s Dozen, he offers a hopeful alternative: that the gear we choose can also reflect how we imagine and hope a ride will feel. Find his perspective on the topic and a list of 12 takeaways from 2024 here…

After a quiet year of going deeper around his home in Germany, Josh Meissner reflects on our vexed relationship with gear and rounds up his favorite products and practices that have helped shift his perspective in subtle and big ways in 2024. Find Josh’s time-tested and fresh highlights in his Editor’s Dozen here…

A good rain jacket is a must for those of us determined to ride through less-than-ideal conditions, but finding reliable protection against the elements that’s packable, breathable, and suited for the rigors of bikepacking is more challenging than one might think. We tested some of the highest-rated cycling-specific rain jackets from Patagonia, 7Mesh, Pearl Izumi, Maap, Rab, and others. See the results here…

Continuing our end-of-year roundups, Miles and Emily compiled a list of 12(+) standout products and thoughts from their time bikepacking around Arizona, riding mountain bikes in the Pacific Northwest, and packrafting on Vancouver Island. Dig into their second Editor’s Dozen of 2024 here…