Singletrack/MTB
Gravel/All-road
Dirt-road Touring
Fat-bike
Socotra: Bikepacking the Lost Island (Film)
Montanus visited one of Earth’s most isolated and little-known places for their latest expedition. Socotra is a small island in the Indian Ocean that harbors a breathtaking landscape full of surreal endemic flora and fauna. “Socotra” is a short film that follows their ride around this remote and extraordinary place. Find the film, a stunning photo gallery, and more about their gear here…
PUBLISHED Apr 5, 2023
Removed from the mainland, Socotra has long been shrouded in mystery. This fragment of Africa is adrift at sea island just east of the Horn of Africa and south of the Arabian Peninsula. Throughout the centuries, travelers returned from sailing expeditions across the Arabian Sea with tales of a strange world of surreal bleeding trees, forests of frankincense, and dramatic pinnacles that emerged from the mist. Nowadays, this isolated island of Yemen is considered a veritable Noah’s Ark, where an incredible number of unique species of flora and fauna have been preserved and evolved on their own.
Giorgio and Francesco from Montanus charted a 400-kilometer route around Socotra that led them into the most remote parts of the island on dusty dirt roads. Their expedition took in semi-arid limestone plateaus, breathtaking coasts, giant white-sand dunes, and magnificent cliffs. The monsoon usually hits Socotra hard during the rainy season, badly damaging roads, so they were forced to adapt and take a risky alternate when faced with an impassable road devastated by a massive rockfall.
Socotra is a new short film that recounts their trip across one of the most isolated landforms on Earth. The film reveals the majesty of this little-known place and shows why its dramatic spines, impressive gorges, and unreal dragon’s blood trees make it one of the most remarkable places we’ve ever seen. Watch it below, then scroll down to find more photos from their trip and details on their kits.
“We were attracted to this remote island by its incredible endemic flora and otherworldly landscapes, but the warmth and hospitality of Socotri people were even more astonishing.”
BIKES and BAGS
Giorgio and Francesco brought a pair KONA Unit Xs in sizes M and L to Socotra Island. Unlike the bikepacking setups they used on their last outing in Cordillera de Fuego, they opted for rear racks and panniers for increased capacity and food autonomy. Another upgrade from the bikes they used in Chile was the addition of a Cane Creek eeSilk+ seatpost paired with the Ergon SMC Core saddle for a little more comfort on the rough terrain of Socotra. Check out the complete list of upgrades, bags, and accessories they used in this expedition.
Upgrades
- HANDLEBAR: Roost Titanium Riser Handlebar (780mm/20mm rise)
- STEM: Roost Dominator Titanium stem (35mm reach)
- GRIPS: Ergon GA3
- BRAKES: Formula CURA (180/180mm)
- SADDLE: Ergon SMC Core
- SEATPOST: Cane Creek eeSilk+
- PEDALS: WAG Titanium axles
- WHEELSETS: Stan’s NoTubes Baron CF
- TIRES: Vittoria Mezcal 29×2.6 TNT
Bags
- CARGO CAGES: Topeak Versacages
- HANDLEBAR DRYBAG: Topeak Barloader
- HANDLEBAG: Topeak Frontloader (Harness + 8L waterproof bag)
- TOP TUBE BAG: Topeak Toploader
- STEM BAG: Topeak Freeloader
- HALF FRAME BAG: Topeak Midloader (4.5L on M / 6L on L size)
- PANNIER BAGS: Topeak Pannier Drybag (16L)
Accessories
- REAR RACK: Topeak Uni Super Tourist
- BOTTLES: Fidlock TWIST bottle 590 and 800 + magnetic bike base
- GPS DEVICE: Garmin eTrex 32x
- STRAPS: Voile
- HANDLEBAR EXTENDER: BarYak Ultra 2020
- ROLL-UP ORGANIZER: Topeak Burrito Pack
- DOWN TUBE BAG: Topeak Gearpack
WATER, COMMUNICATION, and SAFETY
Water must always be filtered and sterilized in Socotra, even if it’s offered by kind Socotri shepherds living in the highlands. The kit we they to filter and sterilize water comprised the MSR Trailshot Microfilter and the Katadyn Steripen Adventurer Opti UV Water Purifier. They used the HERMETIC hydration bladder 2.5L by Fidlock to carry extra water.
The Garmin InReach Mini 2 helped them stay connected with their families since there’s no cellular coverage on most of the route, and it also offered an SOS lifeline in case of emergency. A GoalZero Nomad 7 allowed them to recharge the InReach, devices, and camera batteries.
FILMING EQUIPMENT
The filming kit used on this trip consisted of a Fujifilm X-T4 camera with eight batteries and XF16mm F1.4 R WR, XF35mm F1.4 R WR, and XF55-200mm F3.5-4.8 R LM OIS lenses. They also used two iPhone 14 Pros with Fidlock Vacuum magnetic case and Vacuum mini tripod base. Additionally, they brought a DJI Mavic Air drone, a GoPro Hero 8, and a carbon SIRUI T-025SK tripod.
More photos
There were too many photos to fit on the page, so here’s a swipeable gallery with more stills of this magical place:
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