Our Gear

Clothes

Update: 24.06.2018

Clothes are an ongoing thing and can be easily bought anywhere we travel. One of our best purchases was our Quechua jackets and while not down they pack ok and are super warm.

Merino T shirts, bike socks and thermal wear – perfect as they keep you nice and warm and don’t smell after wearing them for extended periods of time….. plus they dry super quick which is important when your on the road and cheap from Aldi at around $12 AUD each

Quick Dry long sleeve shirt – perfect for going out and quick to dry if wet

The other issue we have realised is that being a “not so common” brand if we ever needed parts we simply couldnt get them while OS. To this we should of bought an MSR which we have seen is available in most countries Also I had to make up some “extensions” to raise the height of pot from the heating unit as even on the lowest setting it was still to hot and we couldnt simmer; by raising the height of the pot this reduces the heat.

We had  a Primus multi fuel stove for the last 20 years and it has done us proud with the only real issue having to replace the fuel bottle O-ring. In saying that I felt it was time to upgrade to a newer model so we purchased a Soto Muka Stove which doesn’t require priming and runs off Unleaded petrol. With the Primus we simply had a clear thin plastic tube with some washers secured to one end, I would simply “dunk” the tube into the fuel tank, suck up some fuel, keeping an eye on it through the clear tube, trying not to swallow any, and siphoning some into the  fuel canister……

At the time of writing this 25.02.2017 we still haven’t used the stove so we will report as we go.

Camping Equipment

Update: 24.06.2018

The Soto has been OK……just.

First issue we found was that (and this is our best guess), as the fuel quality in South America may not be 100% there is a fine “mesh filter” which sits under the “jet” and this would continually keep gett

ing blocked. We could only assume it was contamination in the fuel resulting in the blockages. It was a pain trying to remove the small filter using a needle, cleaning it and replacing it. I have now lost the piece and so far it keeps working…..so far. The pump unit has worked well, albeit it had a plastic guide which fell to pieces; I contacted SOTO who have posted a new unit to home in Australia……. there is no use posting stuff to South America…… it never turns up!

The tent we purchased was the Redvez Atacama Expedition Motorcycle tent for a number of reasons. Em wanted a tent where she could stand up in as she had enough of trying to live out of small 2 person tents where trying to get dressed was a chore. I would be happy living in a small tent but I can understand Em’s thoughts. We have purchased the protective layers for the tent and garage so while a great addition they also add extra weight; as well as the waterproof bag. We also purchased the green color as others had reported trying to “sleep in” with the Yellow version was nigh on impossible once the sun came up and how bright it became.

Advantages: Can park the bike inside offering security, can be stood up in making life just that little bit more comfortable, Provide sufficient room for 2 people, For times when its raining outside we can set up the chairs inside and keep dry and easy to set up and erect.

Disadvantages: Weight, I believe we will find the overall weight and size of the tent too cumbersome for our travels, but we will need to learn this lesson as we go along.

Sleeping Liners

Update: 24.06.2018

These are great and have held together really well…… we would definitely buy these again if we had to.

We settled on the Sea to Summit Coolmax Liner which while designed for Hot and Humid conditions in wicking away moisture will also increase the  temp range of the Sleeping bags. They can also be used on their own if it’s a really hot night as we regularly experience in Australia. We have found them great and of excellent quality, as with all Sea to Summit gear. http://www.seatosummit.com.au/

Pillows

Update: 24.06.2018

The Sea to Summit pillows are still going great and have been a great purchase.

We met a couple at a Horizons Unlimited meeting who used memory foam pillows and we thought we’d give it a try and so far they have worked out well. We bought a pillow and cut it in half and then had two Pillow cases made to suit. They fit into the lid of our panniers and tend to pack down the contents and keep them secured. Do they take up more space than a “blow up” type, yes they do but for us a good nights sleep is important and they work well.

We did end up sending our original pillows home and we bought a blow up Sea to Summit pillow each. They are the same size as the memory foam ones and just as comfortable. Plus they take up half the room.

Cooking Utensils

Update: 24.06.2018

The Sea to Summit stuff is excellent and is one of our best purchases. The pot we had to replace purely through normal usage and it split on one of the collapsible seams. This is just normal wear and tear and to be expected after a year. The photo shows the Pot lid with tape on as it cracked.

We have also added a Frying pan; while Sea to Summit also do one we couldnt find this in South America. We bought a “Non Stick” pan and took the handle off. We then bought an MSR pot lifter which fits the frying pan just fine and packs away well

We use the Sea to Summit Kitchen X-Set31 which is made up of collapsible cups, bowls and cooking pot. So far they have been great and pack down and take up little space. We also use Alpha Light knife and fork and use the luggage plate on the bike as our cutting board and preparation area when cooking.  We will update our thoughts on these as we go along.

Hard Drives

We purchased a Samsung T3 Portable SSD 500GB to be used in conjunction with the computer to store info. We are uploading the majority of info up to the cloud and have been looking at services such as Drop Box and Google Drive. At the time of writing we still haven’t worked through this and will advise how it all goes as we go along.