My Favorite Bikepacking Gear
By Edwin / April 4, 2026
My favorite setup for cycling tours is different from my bikepacking setup or one daytrips. Touring is about riding at an easy pace, covering shorter daily distances, and enjoying maximum comfort along the way even if that means carrying a bit more gear. Bikepacking, on the other hand, is a completely different, slightly crazy category of its own.
Bike camping is, for me, the ultimate form of freedom: setting your own pace, discovering new routes every day, and finding your own campsite under the stars each night. After several long-distance trips, I’ve put together a setup that’s light, reliable, and comfortable perfect for long days in the saddle and relaxed evenings at the campsite.
My Touring Bike: Santos Travelmaster 2.6
The foundation of everything is my Santos Travelmaster 2.6 touring bike. This rugged Dutch touring bike is built to carry heavy loads, yet rides surprisingly light. With sturdy front and rear racks, multiple bottle cage mounts, and a reliable, low-maintenance drivetrain, it’s ideal for bike touring anywhere in Europe. The Santos feels stable and planted once the panniers are loaded, giving a great sense of balance on long, loaded rides.
Tent: Decathlon Simond MT900 3 Person
I’ve used several Decathlon tents over the years, and my current one is the Decathlon Simond MT900 3-person tent. This freestanding dome tent weighs around 2.7 kg and packs down small (approximately 39 x 16 x 15 cm). It’s quick to pitch, offers plenty of room for one person plus gear or two people when I’m touring with someone else and its waterproofing is excellent, keeping wind and rain out reliably. For bike camping, the compact pack size and low weight are a huge advantage, and it fits neatly into an Ortlieb rear pannier.
Sleeping System: Big Agnes Sleeping Pad SL Tour
I sleep on the Big Agnes Sleeping Pad SL Tour. This lightweight air mattress rolls up small and offers excellent thickness and insulation. Paired with my down sleeping bag, it makes for an ideal 3-season sleep system on multi day tours.
Cooking: MSR Gas Stove
For cooking, I bring a gas stove, since gas canisters are easy to find throughout Europe. My MSR stove is compact, fast, and reliable, with a built-in igniter, and it boils water for coffee or tea in just a couple of minutes.
Bags and Small Essentials
For everything else, I go for lightweight gear wherever possible: a full Ortlieb bag setup, including a top tube bag for my phone and power bank, a small first-aid kit, a basic tool set, and quick-drying clothing. Together, this keeps my base pack weight low. For extra comfort on some trips, I’ll bring a lightweight camp chair. One of the great things about touring within Europe is that you’re never really far from help shops and clean drinking water are almost always available, even on more remote routes though I still carry a water filter for peace of mind.
More articles on my full bikepacking and touring setup will follow. For now, this is the gear I trust most to launch HikeBikeAndDrive.com as a place to share routes and stories from the road.