2270km gravel trough sweden - full packing list

Written By kajsa larsson

Riding unmapped unsupported gravel routes from the North to the south of Sweden with a limit of 12 days with a distance of 2270km might seem a bit crazy.

Well its because it is.

I am fully aware that I’m not a professional cyclist. I’ve never been and will probably never become one. Sure, I spend a lot of time on the roads nowadays, but I have minimal experience if I would compare myself to the cyclist surrounding me. But I do have experience when it comes to being outdoors for days to an end. What It’s like to fall asleep under the sky, wake up humid, cook food in the woods, and be slightly uncomfortable in remote locations. I know my body can endure a lot, and my mindset often takes me further than anyone would expect from this 166cm - 56kg body.

So I said YES to this opportunity to join this over-the-roof crazy goal of finishing unmapping Sweden.

But what did I bring, and what were my thoughts on packing?

Well, I quickly realized minimal packing would be essential for me to make it to the finish line. With my XS frame and foremost, my weight would be a considerable disadvantage in this race. The low weight would still be heavy for me in comparison to the other riders. Every gram would matter here, but as the race would last for 12 days, we had to bring everything that could come across as we rode down the long uneven, soft, terrible, roads of Sweden. And damn those mosquitos would love to eat us alive.

Here is my full packing list. EVERY SINGLE THING.

  • First aid kit

  • Sleeves

  • Rainjacket - POC W'S SIGNAL ALL-WEATHER JACKET

  • Down jacket - Black Crows Ora Micro Down Jacket

  • 2 x Jersey

  • Vest

  • Baselayer - BlackCrows Merino Long Sleeve Chevron Tee

  • Bike pants

  • Yoga pants - lululemon align pant

  • 2 x Underwear

  • 2 x Sportsbra - lululemon like a cloud

  • 2 x socks - poc merino

  • Running shorts

  • Bikini

  • Lightweight towel - Sea-to-Summit Airlite Towel

  • Gravel shoes - Fizik MTB Vento Ferox Carbon

  • Helmet - POC OMNE AIR MIPS

  • Glasses - POC ASPIRE

  • Sleepingbag - Mythic 200 Down Sleeping Bag (1C)

  • Sleepingpad - Ionosphere 5 Sleeping Mat (550g)

  • Camping pillow - Cocoon Air-Core Pillow Ultralight Small

  • Tarp - Siltarp 2

  • Birkenstock - Arizona Essentials EVA

  • Heartrate monitor - wahoo TICKR

  • Bike computer - wahoo ELEMNT ROAM V2 GPS

  • T-shirt

  • 2x tubes - Continental tube for Gravel

  • Multitool - Leatherman

  • Chain lube - Muck-Off 50 ml

  • Multispoke Wrench

  • Back & front lamp detachable

  • Accessory cord - Sea-to-Summit reflective accessory cord 10m

  • Mosquito net - Sea-to-Summit Mosquito Net Nano 1 Person

  • Toothbrush

  • Toothpaste

  • Contact lenses - Miru 1day Flat Pack

  • Hair tie big

  • 5 hair tie small plastic

  • Tire pump

  • 2 x washing soap - Re:claim Travel Pack 25 ml

  • 5 x Nuitritients - AG1 travel pack

  • Freeze-dried food - Real Turmat

  • Asthma medication

  • Intime wipes

  • Food bag - Silva

  • Sunscreen - Biotherm Urban UV Defense Protective Hydrating Fluid SPF50+

  • Shampoo - Davines SU Hair & Body Wash

  • Conditioner - Davines SU Hair Mask

  • Mosquito repellent - Mygga

  • Chamois Cream - Medevi Chamoiscreme, RumpRäddaren 50 ml

  • Deoderant

  • Earplugs

  • Spork - Light My Fire Spork Titanium

  • Powerbank 20,000 - NITECORE CARBO 20000

  • Fast charger

  • Usc c cord

  • Iphone cord USB C

  • Headlamp

  • Headphones cord

  • 3 battery - AAA

  • 2 Bottle - 750ml

  • 1 Bottle - 500ml

  • Derailleur hanger

  • Spokes

  • Co2 gas

  • 2 x Tire levers

  • GoPro Hero 11 black

  • GoPro Mount Gumby flex

  • Gas stove - Lite Plus Stove System Primus - in Majas bag

  • Gas 100g - In Majas bag

  • Mosquito gas adapter - Thermacell Backpacker 2.0 

  • Energy - Maurten

  • Food bag to keep extra energy in

  • Saddle bag - Apidura 14L

  • Frame bag small - Apidura

  • Handlebar pack - 9L Apridura

    What did I think about when packing for this trip?

    The usage of each garment had to be multipuropsed. My yoga tights would work as a second layer if it got too cold ( which, it did), but also great for where we slept during the night. The same thing goes for my baselayer, I could use it after biking to keep hot or put it under my bike gear to keep the warmth in the morning. I didn't bring the leg-warmers nor the fleece jacket, and the base layer and tights would fill these layering gaps with lover weight and multipurpose.

    The down jacket is something I loved so much. Being low on energy on pauses, I would just put it on to keep my heat up. In the morning and night and in my sleeping bag, I used it as an extra pillow or extra layer of warmth.

    The sleeping situation was very off-grid style at most places, but as we traveled further south, we knew there were camping cabins to sleep in. We picked a tarp setup for weight reasons, but a lightweight tent would be great, too, to keep warmth and rain out.

    I hope this helps you out. If not, I’m just a dm away!

kajsa larsson
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