Many kilometres, pure wilderness, no towns, no mobile phone network: if you want to ride the legendary Kokopelli Trail, you need good equipment. Reporter Henri Lesewitz introduces the items you should have with you on a mountain bike adventure. You can find the entire travel report in the BIKE app or in BIKE 7/2014.
SOS system
A rescue system like the one from "GPSafety" can be essential for survival on expeditions in a dead zone. The handy GPS iridium-based device works worldwide. Simply register on the homepage at home, put the device in your rucksack and press the SOS button in an emergency. Then rescue will come. The highlight: the SMS/mail function, with which you can communicate with the rescue centre. Rescue insurance is of course recommended. The system itself can be rented for 29 euros per month. www.gpsafety.eu
Sleeping bag
Spending the night in the open air is like a game of poker: How warm or how cold will it be at night? Will it rain or stay dry? Clearly, small pack size and low weight are the trump cards. However, the larger the sleeping bag, the less comfortable it usually is. The outdoor manufacturer Yeti near Görlitz/Saxony produces exclusive, perfect handmade sleeping bags. The "Passion", filled with high-quality down, is the flagship product. It is tiny and the "One" version weighs a record-breaking 320 grams, although it is more suitable for warm summer nights. Tip: The "Passion Three". It weighs a light 465 grams and offers a comfort range of up to 7 degrees. The extreme range is specified as minus 10 degrees. At Globetrotter for 490 euros. www.yetiworld.com
Bivouac sack
Just a wafer-thin PU film, but an effective reflector of body heat. The Mountain Equipment bivouac sack is not even the size of a fist when packed. But when you pull the "bag" over the ultralight sleeping bag, it provides noticeable warmth. You should always have it with you. 108 grams, 19 euros. www.mountain-equipment.de
Down jacket
Indispensable for the night: The high-quality down jacket from Mountain Equipment impresses with its fit, small pack size and high cosiness factor. The "Arete" can be easily crumpled up and fits into any rucksack. 380 grams, 199 euros. www.mountain-equipment.de
Extra bottle holder
Drinking is the be-all and end-all on an expedition, but many fullies only have one bottle cage. With the adapters from Additive, up to two bottles can be attached to the stem. The freedom of movement when pedalling is somewhat restricted by the drinks buffet, but when your lungs are dry in your mouth, you'll be glad of every extra sip. Although made of plastic, the adapters are surprisingly robust. Even the Kokopelli trail couldn't shake them off the bike. 19 euros/each. www.additive-bikes.com
Water steriliser
Adventurers rarely pass supermarkets and pubs. But anyone who draws water from streams, lakes or rivers quickly catches nasty diseases, or at least nasty stomach ailments. Micropure turns even murky water into drinkable water. One tablet is enough for one litre. Simply let it dissolve, wait half an hour (two hours is better!) - and then drink it. The water made bacteria and virus-free in this way will keep for up to six months! A pack of 100 tablets costs around 18 euros. For example, Katadyn Micropure Forte MF 1T. For sale in pharmacies or outdoor shops. www.katadyn.com
Mobile battery
If you need to plug your mobile phone, GPS device or torch into a power socket but there isn't one nearby, you need a so-called power bank. These portable power banks are available in different sizes. The Power Bank from BIKE is light (80 grams) and tiny, and is available as a bonus when you take out a Kennlern subscription. Its 2200 mAh is enough to charge a mobile phone or top up a lamp battery. For long-term adventurers, there are also variants with many times this capacity available from electronics retailers - which are of course correspondingly larger and heavier.
Survival package
Everything you need to survive in the event of an accident: Gerber has put together a compact, cleverly compiled survival pack called the "Bear Grylls Ultimate Kit". Hand saw, fishing hook, sewing kit, shears, matches, everything is included. 16 useful items for 98 euros. The weight: only 119 grams. www.gerbergear.de
You can read Henri Lesewitz's latest adventure report in the BIKE app (iTunes and Google Play) or buy the issue in the DK shop reorder:
