Bike Camping

Heavily packed on Idaho's Lolo Trail

Speeding on the flats past Scotts Bluff in western Nebraska

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Obviously, some extra equipment is required if you want to enjoy your bike-camping trip to its fullest. It's hard to carry a cooler and a stove in a fanny pack and a saddle pack. On the other hand, if you've packed it right, you can definitely survive a night in the woods with just a few supplies, most of which can be fit into a well-organized fanny pack. But I'm not just talking about surviving; I'm talking about having a rip-snorting good ol' time overnight in the woods with just your bike and a Lewis-and-Clark sense of adventure.

How to Pack: Trailers versus Panniers

Don't plan on using your hiking backpack for this kind of trip. Wearing a fully loaded backpack will dramatically alter your center of balance and even make pedaling on a smooth surface difficult, if not downright dangerous. However, in a pinch and lightly loaded, it would work. Still, if you have the time and resources to do it right, get yourself some good panniers or a trailer. Depending on how long you plan on staying woods-bound, you could certainly use both. But if your budget is like mine and tighter than your chin strap, I recommend starting off with a trailer.

Trailers
There are other makes and models, but I've been very happy pulling a BOB Yak Plus. It hauls around 50 pounds of gear and is amazingly stable even on technical single-track. Don't try bunny-hopping with a BOB behind unless you've put in some practice hours at home. Otherwise, you can feel confident this trailer will safely follow you almost anywhere.

Panniers
If you need more gear than what the trailer can carry, invest in some panniers. Various selections and styles are available from several fine makers, but Madden gets the nod from many tourers. A set of full-size panniers for both front and back (plus the racks required to mount them on) will cost about twice as much as the trailer. If you're interested in cutting a corner, slap on just the front panniers. Yes, they hold less, but they cost less, too.