I know everyone likes a good kit list, and it’s fair to say there is no right or wrong with this, you have to take what is comfortable for you. I spent 18 months refining my kit and making sure I had all the clothes I needed to keep myself warm and dry for all the weather the TD could throw at me. I did some week and two week trips to make sure I had everything I needed. I wore every single piece of clothing at one time or another and all the kit I took was correct for getting me out of any mechanical situation.

At the eleventh hour we decided to go for Tailfin seat packs, they were expensive, but stable, waterproof, and gave to option for extra water carrying capacity.

We’d made the decision not to take cooking equipment, working on the basis we’d be too knackered to cook, and if we kept to our schedule there would not be two days between resupply. So that reduced some weight, and left the frame bag completely free to just put food in. That and there was space for extra food in the Tailfin and also a collapsible backpack for extra capacity when required.

The Tailfin allowed for two water bottles and we also had a bladder in the fanny packs and also an empty one to put in the backpack for the really dry stretches. That would take our water carrying up to 5.1 litres which should have been enough for any situation in the drier parts of the route.

The most important thing for us was to not put ourselves in any dangerous situations from our kit choices. We saw quite a few riders on the first day who were packed crazy light and all the mad weather we encountered told us that the extra clothing was the right choice, especially when we later learned that 13 people had been helicoptered out of the Canadian section for various reasons.

Feel free to ask any questions in the comments…….

Jimbo