SPECIALIZED SEQUOIA ELITE (£1850)
As someone who lives in a one-bed flat with room for only one bike, the Sequoia makes a strong case for being that bike, given its versatility. The Kerry Way, particularly, served up some tough terrain, but the 42mm tyres easily dealt with it. At 12kg it’s not the lightest bike in its class, but when you’re so heavily laden with kit anyway, it’s hard to notice. I particularly like its geometry – it’s not significantly different to my Roubaix, so never felt like I was riding anything too alien. It’s a supremely comfortable ride – a cruise liner of a bike.
SPECIALIZED BURRA BURRA LUGGAGE
Designed specifically to fit the Sequoia, the Burra Burra range won’t suit tight budgets but is nicely designed and put together. Particularly excellent is the Stabiliser Seatpack (£125), which is clamped to the seatpost and prevents any wobble, and the Stabiliser Harness (£100) for the handlebar, which attaches in a way that allows you to still hold on to the top of the bar.
ALTURA VORTEX (£79.99 PER PAIR)
This bikepacking range includes bags for every part of the frame, but it was the panniers that proved most useful to us. They weigh just 500g per pair and have 30 litres of space combined. We experienced Kerry’s first wet day in 40 during the trip – and it was quite a downpour – and not a drop leaked through.
ALPKIT ORDOS 2 TENT (£240)
While there are lighter bikepacking tents than Alpkit’s Ordos 2 (1.3kg – its lightest tent), they tend to weigh far heavier on your wallet than this. It’s small enough to fit into the Burra Burra 10-litre seatpack, but it worked best strapped to the pannier rack. Simple to erect, it includes guy ropes for good stability in the wind, and was tested to the full in southwest Ireland. There are multiple pockets on the inside and a small porch for storage, but upgrade to the three-man Ordos 3 if you need more space.
THERMAREST NEOAIR XLITE MATTRESS (£144.99)
The king of camping mattress comfort, this is its rangetopper, a superb combination of comfort and portability. It weighs just 353g (regular size) and packs down to just 23x10cm – the mat of choice for weight-weenies.