Thursday April 25, 2024

Outdoor Action
Biking Trip Personal Equipment List

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Here is all the information you need to pack for your Frosh Trip. When selecting gear for the trip, remember that you’ll be in the outdoors for six days, so you’ll want to bring only those things you need to be comfortable. Leave behind what isn’t necessary. This equipment list is based on 40 years of experience running Outdoor Action Trips. If you bring ALL the gear on the list and ONLY the gear on the list, you’ll be comfortable in virtually any situation you’ll encounter on Frosh Trip.

Checkout the OA Video on YouTube to help you pack for your trip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LbrjeQCVq0

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Fabrics: For biking you want clothing that is warm, breathable, and quick-drying. Synthetic fabrics are best because they won’t absorb water, dry quickly, and are relatively windproof. Many people already have synthetic clothing at home, so you may not need to go out and purchase clothing just for this trip. Items like running gear, athletic warm-ups, and skiing/snowboarding gear can easily be used on this trip—so check out your closet or borrow from a friend before going to the store. Lightweight synthetic/cotton (50/50 blend) shirts, underwear, and pants are fine. You should avoid bringing all-cotton clothing since it absorbs water easily and won’t keep you warm if it gets wet. Cotton also retains water so that it takes a very long time to dry. Do NOT bring all-cotton clothes such as sweatshirts, sweatpants, or jeans.

Dressing for the Weather: Weather is unpredictable, so you’ll need to bring a range of clothing for various temperatures, as well as rain. During the day, northeast temperatures at the end of summer can range from the 60s F at the low end to the 90s F. Temperatures can be considerably cooler at night, though, dropping into the 30s F and 40s F.

Layering: Dressing in layers is the most efficient way to stay comfortable in the outdoors. By bringing several different layers, you can add or remove clothing to match your activity level and the weather conditions.

• The Base/Wicking Layer keeps the skin comfortable and dry, which is essential for controlling your temperature. Polypropylene or other synthetic fabrics are ideal since they wick moisture away from your skin. Such lightweight synthetics or synthetic/cotton blends provide good ventilation for the skin to keep you dry and cool. During the day you’ll probably be biking in a T-shirt and shorts.
• The Middle Layer is made up of a long sleeve shirt and long pants, which provide insulation and some protection from the elements. You may wear these while hiking for cooler temperatures or to protect you from sun, or at camp at night and in the early morning.
• The Outer Layer—usually a fleece jacket or wool sweater—provides insulation. Synthetic fleece fabrics (such as Polartec) don’t absorb water, so they keep you warm even if they get wet. You’ll wear this layer around camp at night and in the early morning when it is cooler.
• The Shell Layer protects you from wind and rain. A waterproof rain jacket is vital in case of bad weather. A coated nylon rain jacket is lightweight, inexpensive, and works well. Waterproof-breathable fabrics like Gore-tex also work well but can be expensive. Raingear is not only essential for Frosh Trip, but also will get plenty of use on campus. All rain gear must be tested in the shower prior to arriving on campus.
• For the final layer, your Head, bring a wide-brimmed hat for sun and rain protection. At night, you’ll need a wool or synthetic fleece hat to keep you warm—it can get colder than you think at night.

          
Think Before You Buy! Although biking requires specialized gear, you may be surprised how many items you already own or can borrow from a friend or relative. For example, you likely already own the synthetic or 50/50 synthetic/cotton blend clothing that is best for backpacking. Borrowing gear not only saves you money, but also contributes to Outdoor Action’s effort to be environmentally friendly in all our activities. After all, hundreds of incoming freshmen buying hundreds of petroleum-based products for one-time use on Frosh Trip leaves a pretty serious impact on the environment. Borrow (or improvise!) first, then buy used gear if you can so that polluting/non-renewable resources are not being consumed to manufacture your new gear. Items that are most appropriate to buy new are those that require precise fitting (like boots) and those that you will use a lot around campus after Frosh Trip (like a rain jacket).). If you are buying new gear, please ask retailers to show you products made from recycled or sustainable materials, or search online for different sustainable or environmentally friendly options.

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Biking Trip: Personal Equipment List

Biking Specific: There are several key pieces of equipment for long bike treks.

• Biking Shorts with internal padding make a huge difference on long rides; both in padding your butt and because they fit skin tight, they prevent chaffing. Wearing regular underwear and shorts is much more likely to cause uncomfortable chafing.
• Biking Gloves really help reduce the pressure on your hands while biking all day. Make sure to try on the gloves
• Bike Helmet – A good fitting, comfortable helmet is extremely important.
• It is especially important to not bring extra personal gear on a biking trip as space in the panniers (the things that hold your gear on your bike while you ride) is extremely limited.

Outdoor Action can provide sleeping bags if requested by July 31. Update your application at https://oa.princeton.edu/applications/ft/frosh/applicationedit.aspx.

If you already own these items or could borrow them, PLEASE BRING YOUR OWN.

_______        1 sleeping bag with stuff sack: Any summer weight synthetic fill bag will do (fills like Polarguard Delta, CloudLoft, PrimaLoft, Thermic CF). If the bag has a temperature rating, a 35 to 45° F bag should be fine. The bag should have a nylon shell both inside and outside. Down bags are acceptable, but extra care must be taken to keep them dry. Do not bring bags with cotton shell, fill, or lining—if they get wet, you’ll never get them dry.

You MUST provide the following items. Outdoor Action cannot supply them to you.

Biking-specific items (required):
_______        1 helmet
_______        2 pair bike shorts with padding
_______        1 pair biking gloves

Feet:
_______        1 pair sneakers: These will be your biking shoes.  Make sure they are well-fitting and comfortable. Also, take into consideration that some wide base fitness shoes will not fit comfortably into the bike peddles. If you have the opportunity to test out your shoes, it might be very helpful.
_______        1 pair camp shoes (recommended): Your feet will be tired at the end of the day, and you’ll need comfortable shoes to wear around camp. Camp shoes could be: running shoes, Crocs, or strappy sandals that will stay on your feet (not flip-flops).
_______         3 pairs of socks: these should be athletic wicking socks, not just cotton socks.

Lower Body:
_______        Underwear as needed
_______        1-2 pairs non-cotton shorts, loose-fitting (athletic shorts are great)
_______        1 pair non-cotton long pants, loose-fitting: nylon, synthetic, fleece, or 50/50 synthetic/cotton blend. Athletic warm-ups are great. No blue jeans or sweatpants—they take too long to dry!
_______        1 pair lightweight polypropylene long underwear bottoms (optional but highly recommended if you get cold easily)
______          1 pair waterproof rain pants or rain chaps, coated nylon (optional)
_______        2 pair spandex shorts. These would be used for under your bike shorts. 

Upper Body:
_______        T-shirts: 1-2 synthetic OR 2-3 synthetic/cotton (must be at least 50% synthetic)
_______        1 long-sleeve shirt: synthetic (like under armour or nike drifit), athletic warm-up, 50/50 synthetic/cotton blend
_______        1 synthetic fleece jacket or wool sweater: It can get chilly at night! (no cotton in this layer)
_______        1 rain jacket or poncho: coated nylon or waterproof/breathable fabric like Gore-tex. Make sure it’s still waterproof—the waterproof coating on nylon rain jackets degrades over time!  You can easily test in the shower.  Don’t bring heavy rubberized rain jackets; they weigh a ton and you’ll end up getting very hot and sweaty.
Head:
_______        1 brimmed cap (wide-brimmed, baseball, etc) for sun and rain protection
_______        1 wool or synthetic fleece hat for warmth at night

OTHER : The following items should be available at home or can be purchased cheaply.
Personal
_______        Any medications you will need to take during the trip (allergy medications, etc.)
_______        Bring glasses, contact lenses, and contact solution as needed. Bring spare glasses if you plan on wearing only contacts. It is difficult to wash hands/lenses in the outdoors. Glasses are preferred, but many do wear disposable contacts during the trip.
_______        Women: bring any feminine sanitary products you expect you will need
_______        1 toilet kit: Only toothbrush, small tube of toothpaste, comb/brush, sunscreen, and lip balm. Do not bring “smellables” like shampoo, soap, shaving cream, deodorant, etc. Things that “smell good” to us are an attraction for insects and animals. OA will provide biodegradable soap.
_______        Insect repellent. Repellents with high concentrations of DEET are hazardous, so please do not bring products with more than 35% DEET. No aerosols please—it’s bad for the environment.

                      Gear
_______        1 closed-cell foam sleeping pad (3/8 in. foam) or inflatable camping pad (like a Thermarest—not a full-size inflatable mattress). Sleeping pads provide padding and insulation from the ground for more comfortable sleeping, and they help keep your sleeping bag dry.
_______        2 one-quart reusable biking water bottles. You must have these water bottles! We recommend plastic bottles (a non-BPA plastic or polyethylene). They should fit in a standard bike water bottle cage.
_______        1 small flashlight or LED headlamp with fresh, alkaline batteries (alkaline batteries last longer)
_______        3 heavy plastic garbage bags: one for sleeping bag, two for inside your panniers
_______        5-6 gallon size Ziploc bags or 2-3 plastic grocery bags for packing
_______        1 plastic cup with handle
_______        1 plastic bowl (Tupperware works great)
_______        1 spoon
_______        2 bandannas or handkerchiefs. They are useful for many things in the outdoors.
_______        1 individual bottle of hand sanitizer (2 oz.)

                      OPTIONAL
_______        1 camera
_______        1 small notebook and pencil
_______        1 pair sunglasses or clip-ons
_______        Travel size packets of hand wipes/towelettes (like Wet Ones)

DO NOT BRING: You’ll survive without these things, we promise!

• Electronics: cell phones, iPods, CD players, etc.
• “Smellables”: (attracts bugs) deodorant, makeup, nail polish, hair spray, etc.

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Sources for Equipment

You may have a local backpacking or biking shop in your town, or you can go to a chain store or shop online. Some sources:
EMS -- www.ems.com
Bike Nashbar -- www.nashbar.com
Performance Bike -- www.performancebike.com
REI -- www.rei.com
L.L. Bean -- www.llbean.com
Sierra Trading Post -- www.sierratradingpost.com
Campmor -- www.campmor.com