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It’s backpacking, but with a bike.
Bikepacking, a combination of cycling andbackpacking, has taken off in popularity in recent years, thanks in part to social media and the proliferation of popular routes and races.
This pursuit requires specialized gear to ensure a comfortable and efficient journey, but if you have what it takes to backpack, you are 90% of the way there—basically, all you have to do is add a bike and some bags for it.
The pros at Durango Outdoor Exchange have been bikepacking for years on everything from demanding backcountry routes to leisurely frontcountry dirt roads, and know what is needed for a successful adventure.
Here’s a detailed list of essential gear for bikepacking:
As you may have noticed, bikepacking requires not only carrying a decent amount of gear, but also means you need to figure out where to put it all. While frame bags and bags that attach to a bike’s handlebars and seat posts are most popular among dedicated bike packers and racers, casual bikers may prefer a trailer.
Trailers come in several varieties, with the most popular being the BOB, a single-wheel trailer suitable for light mountain biking that attaches to each end of your bike’s rear axle. Others may repurpose a double-wheel child-carrying trailer by removing the seat and seat belts. Double-wheel trailers are easier to park, unhook, and unpack, though will limit your rides to pavement and dirt roads. Other two-wheel trailers include flatbed trailers made for hauling gear and even home-made contraptions that look like mini teardrop campers.
Yes, used gear is perfect for bikepacking. Fromused mountain bikes to used tents, using pre-loved gear can save you money while allowing you to get high-quality gear. Buying some used gear can be particularly smart when it comes to bikepacking. Why? Many people only go bikepacking once or twice a year, meaning even gear that is years old may only have been used a dozen or so times.
The areas around Durango are laden with backpacking opportunities ranging from a simple overnight to a week-long adventure. If you are a pro bikepacker, you probably already know where to go, but if you are a first timer, it can be tricky to find the right combination of length and difficulty. When looking at routes, keep in mind that your bike is going to easily have 20 pounds of gear on it, so even minor hills can be daunting.
Here are some places to go bikepacking around Durango that may be suitable for novices. Don’t be afraid to spend a few evenings on Google Maps looking at potential routes:
Not sure how to get started bikepacking in Durango? Stop byDurango Outdoor Exchange, where our enthusiastic outdoor pros can tell you more about what you need to go bikepacking and where you should head.
When the days get longer and the snowpack stabilizes, many skiers turn their attention to climbing bigger peaks and skiing bigger lines. While weather, snowpack, and daylight often conspire to limit big mountain activities through the winter, spring’s longer and warmer days help give skiers a better chance at getting high in the mountains and ticking off some more impressive lines.
The mighty San Juan Mountains fill your windshield every time you turn north on Main. These fearsome, jagged peaks have some of the best and most accessible backcountry in America. That said, if you are a beginner backcountry skier or are new to the area, it may not always be obvious where to go. This guide gives you a quick overview on mostly gentle, mostly safe places to backcountry ski in theDurango area.
When it comes to outdoor sports, a quality jacket can make all the difference between comfort and misery. Whether you’re hiking, skiing, climbing, running, climbing, or simply out and about nature, a jacket serves as your first line of defense against the elements.
That said, there are a LOT of jackets out there, in different styles, materials, weights, and weather proofness. How do you know which is best for you? We put together this guide to help you sort out what jacket you need and when you should whip it out.
Keep in mind that these jackets can be ridiculously expensive, and buying a ski jacket, rain jacket, puffy, light puffy, and a wind jacket new can easily mean you run up a tab of $2,000 or more. What’s the solution? Qualityused gear in Durango from Durango Outdoor Exchange.