Touring - Don't leave home without it...

Okay, you have 5 and a half weeks you have a bunch of stuff, and don't want to take too much but you also don't want to forget anything.
Other than yourself your bike, what in the vast experience of touring did you find was the most essential item you haul with you? I'm paring down my pile of stuff for the panniers. It may be over kill but I have already packed one pannier with 3 bike shorts, socks, t-shirts, 2 long sleave shirts. I have a wool sweater, tights, and a pair of shorts for modesty and a pair of wind pants. That's about it for clothing. I have the tent, sleeping bag, cook stove, fuel bottles, cookset, cup, sleeping mat, poncho, wind shirt. Then I"m looking at stuff like camera/cameras, maps and some tools. What am I missing?

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Okay, you have 5 and a half weeks you have a bunch of stuff, and don't want to take too much but you also don't want to forget anything.
Other than yourself your bike, what in the vast experience of touring did you find was the most essential item you haul with you? I'm paring down my pile of stuff for the panniers. It may be over kill but I have already packed one pannier with 3 bike shorts, socks, t-shirts, 2 long sleave shirts. I have a wool sweater, tights, and a pair of shorts for modesty and a pair of wind pants. That's about it for clothing. I have the tent, sleeping bag, cook stove, fuel bottles, cookset, cup, sleeping mat, poncho, wind shirt. Then I"m looking at stuff like camera/cameras, maps and some tools. What am I missing?

Leave the sweater and one of your long sleeve shirts. A good wind jacket over a long sleeve shirt and your poncho over that will do double duty. I'm not a fan of ponchos since I'd rather have a rain coat and pants. If you are doing mountain riding, ditch the t-shirts or anything else that is cotton. It's not that important for plains riding but riding in wet cold weather in the Rockies in cotton clothing is a recipe for disaster.

Other than that, everything else looks good. Make sure you have enough room left over for 1 to 3 days of food. I like to carry a couple of freeze-dry meals for emergencies. I'd rather eat my left leg first but I still carry them. (Don't get any of them with zuchinni. It's really bad!) One trick that I use is to send maps and film (if you use film) home by mail on a regular basis. No sense carrying stuff you don't need.

One of my biggest luxuries is a bum pad: a bum-sized piece of closed cell foam that I use for sitting on anytime it's wet or cold or uncomfortable. Plus it does double duty for about 400 other things (fanning the fire, extra padding for sleeping, kneeling pad for stuffing my sleeping bag, stability for the stove (careful not to melt it), frisbee (mine is round), abrasion protection for putting the bike places, etc.)

cook stove, fuel bottleshow much fuel do you need at one time? I have a coleman duel fuel stove with a built in tank.its heavy but I got it cheap.it holds enough for at least 5 nights real meals and alot more of just outmeal and hot choclate. I also have a 20 oz bottle but have yet to be gone long enough to need it.
if its still cold at night,I would keep the wool sweater and ditch all but one t-shirt,but I get cold easy and the wool would be warmer then the cotton. I agree on the poncho as well.I have a lightweight set of nylon(?) windbreaker/pants that I use for rain,wind and cold weather,and modesty
I seem to always find or think of stuff I should have brought along or left behind. dont worry about the small stuff and have fun. dont forget stuff like toothbrush,paste,extra contacts.solution(if you need them)deoderant,comb,bar soap,etc. nail clipers are something I didnt think I would need ,but wished I had.

Pocket knife with can opener; spoon; tyre pump and tube/patches/glue. I think I could tour lightweight in good weather for days with those items plus a card for getting cash out of ATMs. :)

As to clothes, take as many as you feel comfortable with taking at this point. You're going for quite a while. Changing into a new set of clean gear is a luxury you will soon start to appreciate, particularly knicks. If you start minimal, you also can top up with Goodwill (Salvos/Red Cross in Australia) recycled clothing shops.

I usually take three pairs of knicks, plus a pair of unpadded bike shorts for later-on, three pairs of socks*, and three jerseys, plus a pair or two of overshorts. Might seem a lot, but it does compact down in a light dry bag or two. Clothing when it's cold is something you don't compromise on in Tasmania.

* There is a theory you can get by with just three socks -- two on, one on standby; next day, move the order across -- left for washing, right to left, standby to right. Repeat every day. I've never tried it. I like *both* my feet clean and comfortable, too.

Missing:
Lighting - red blinky for the back, LED headlamp for your helmet that can also be used in the tent/at camp.
Towel.
Spare tire.
Entertainment - Music/book/cards.
I use an accessory that turns my thermarest into a chair.
Iodine Tablets for cleaning water.
sunscreen, toiletries
address book / info you need about your money (account #'s, passwords)
warm hat/headband
rain gear (unless that's the poncho)
lock

Extra:
only one fuel bottle
only 2 pairs of shorts
only one tshirt

If you are not sure, and you have room, take it. If you don't use it in a week or two, send it home or donate it to someone.

Make sure your bike clothes are fast drying, wash them out every night in the sink/river and fly them off your rack the next day. do real laundry once a week or so.

We haven't toured with a cookset in decades. Leave the stove, pots and fuel behind. Breads, cereals, PB&J, fresh foods that don't need cooking. You can eat VERY well out of grocery stores without having to cook. If you don't cook, you can leave a LOT of stuff behind.

I divide the stuff I carry up into 7 categories to help me remember it all"

1. Bicycle: this includes my bicycle itself (making sure it is in good repair and set up correctly), my waterbottles, racks, lights, computer, etc.

2. Tools: tire changing stuff (pump, tubes, folding tire, levers, patches, and boots), a multitool, black electrical tape, zip ties, etc.

3. Medical: pain killers, bandages, sunscreen, anti-bacterial soap, baby wipes, space blanket, cream, etc.

4. Clothing: rain gear, reflective gear, shorts, tights, long-sleeved wool top, etc.

5. Personal: ID, camera, money, etc.

6. Nutrition: energy bars, gels, gatorade powder etc.

7. Camping: tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, cooking gear, etc.


Incidentally, you only need 2 pair of cycling shorts, not 3. I'd also lose the long-sleeved shirts (but keep the wool) and the wind pants. On my recent tour, for clothing, I brought:

2 pair of cycling shorts
1 leg warmers
1 arm warmers
1 sleeveless jersey
1 short sleeved jersey
1 long sleeved wool top (not a jersey)
1 short sleeved, quick-drying top (but not a jersey)
1 sleeveless, quick-drying top (again, not a jersey)
2 pair of zip-off casual pants
1 pair of light surfer shorts (I bought those along the way)
1 sarong
undies (2 or 3 pair)
socks (2 or 3 pair, I think)
2 bras
1 waterproof breathable jacket
1 vest
1 light cardigan
1 pair of full finger gloves
1 balaclava
1 headband
1 pair of nylon booties

And I think that was it.

If you are not sure, and you have room, take it. If you don't use it in a week or two, send it home or donate it to someone.


That's one of the best bits of advice of the lot. We've all done it. It doesn't take long to look at a pile and think: "Why the hell did I bring that... it's useless weight". More so if you're doing some climbing. Postage is quite cheap and it doesn't matter when it arrives to wherever you send it. Sometimes it's a pleasant surprise when you get back home. "Oh, I'd forgotten I had taken that" shows more than you didn't need it in the first place.

It takes a while, but we all pare down to our needs and comforts. For some that's not much. For others it may be a lot. The key word is comfort if you are touring for pleasure and sightseeing, not to break records.

Incidentally, you only need 2 pair of cycling shorts, not 3. I'd also lose the long-sleeved shirts (but keep the wool) and the wind pants. On my recent tour, for clothing, I brought:


I'd almost agree with you, except when camping without services. Let's see -- one on the body, one in the dirty clothes drybag, one to put on clean and fresh tomorrow. And tomorrow may present (or not) an opportunity for laundry to start the cycle again!

get a pair of synthetic travel pants (lightweight) with zip off legs. The can double as camp pants/ foul weather pants, and if theyr'e still clean enough, dinner wear.

dump the tshirts, carry two or three jerseys and a long sleeve capaleine. The capaleine (or other synthetic) is good camp wear and okay for emergency bike wear.
Dump the sweater and get a wind-fleece jacket. With the layers you have you can ride in the snow. (Definate overkill)
Tent, sleeping pad and bag are fixed. (not much to reduce unless you buy new.)

unless you're unsupported for days or riding in the winter you should only need two panniers. Okay to use 4 small ones with room for food and water.

most people carry WAY too much. (I carry too little)

don't forget...
electrical tape. (wrap about 3 feet around a piece of gear (film cannister, mug etc)
duct tape (just get a flat roll from the hardware store, tiny but enough)
dental floss (crack open the box, just carry the roll. It's not much but i've tied tarps with it, done small repairs, tied cables in place, made tripwires in the jungle (oh, that's actually not when i was cycling, (or a civillian)
Meds, (the blister pack variety are best, two of most anything is still tiny)
TP. Like matches i carry two sources seperately. Camping stores sell tiny rolls.
Band aids, steri-strips, a few betadine swabs. In case of a bad rash out in the middle of nowhere wash with high pressure water then drop a few betadines in water for 5-10 minutes and irrigate again. Steri strips will keep a laceration in place (just clean it first) until you get stitched. (total size a book of matches)
a book of matches.
a presta to schraeder adapter (ask at the bike shoppe, if your pump fails you can use a gas station or a motorists auto pump.)
a tire boot (you can always use the duct tape but these are better)
kevlar spoke (tough to use but tiny and can get you out of a tough bind.

(By the way the whole list above fit in one squished sandwich bag on my last trip)

hope i didn't miss anything.

oh yeah, in the same bag, spare credit card, $100 cash and a photocopy of your drivers license. If you get ripped off your toiletries bag can save your butt.

Do a trial run, carrying all your stuff. You can come back home to camp-out in the garden.
Everyone has their own clothing system depending on their situation. I run cold and tour in Sept so a warm fleece sweater is essential. I use 1 cycling shirt and 2 synthetic T shirts plus one long sleeved jersey. 2 cycling shorts and one padded cycling underwear. How much depends on how effective your drying is.

What kind of cold do you expect. In the montains I take very lightweight rainpants, full-length gloves and a neck-warmer for cold, wet days. I use a windshirt + a gortex and can wear them both in extreme conditions.
Footware is the big space-hog in your panniers: Cycling shoes, trainers, trail shoes, hiking boots, sandals, flip flops.

Footware is the big space-hog in your panniers: Cycling shoes, trainers, trail shoes, hiking boots, sandals, flip flops.

Michael's new nickname: Imelda. :eek: :D

Light weight hammock (half the weight of a sweat shirt or less). It's soooooooo nice. Nothing like a hammock to make you feel like Cool King Idle on a hot afternoon or after a long ride, drinking beer, and swinging in the breeze. In hot climates, I leave the tent at home and stick with the hammock. Oh, but don't forget the mosquito head net.

Leave the tent, pad and pillow. Take a Hennessy Hammock instead.

Cable ties, good in emergencies, once my rack broke and with enough cable ties I managed to rig up something which carried me for miles. In the UK sure in the US also, its called solar shower, fill it up & strap on the back of the bike to heat it up, 3 hrs , nice Hot shower when you pull up for the night, Peak cap to wear under the helmet when it rains. Take your biggest cooking pot, buy another one, cheapest, mine is made from aluminium, and buy it just about big enough to sit all your other pot into it. Then drill holes in the bottom and sides all around. For £2.50 I bought a grill with a handel. When i have a little fire with BBq tongs I pick up the embers and load it into the pot. Raise the pot with 2 branches cut off. As far as cookers go its better than my trangia, I have total control for the heat, and it cooks the food quicker and reloading the embers is less than refilling the trangia. This also makes the best toast ever, essential for your breakfast with Bacon eggs and beans. Plus I never have to worry about running out of fuel. I will always carry trangia 1 ltr bottel and cooker as this way I have 2 rings and having the combination, you are sorted.

good luck keep us posted

Leave the tent, pad and pillow. Take a Hennessy Hammock instead.

Only if you are touring where there are trees. A hammock looks pretty dumb in the middle of North Dakota ;) I guess you could take a few miles of extra rope.

Personally I disagree with those who say not to bring long sleeve shirts. My tour in May last year I wore mostly the long sleeve shirts. I was also very grateful to have an even warmer thing to pull on in the campground in the evening. I had a fleecy thing, but wool would be better. I also think you are right on with the shirts over jersey's, if they are good for riding they'll also be good for off the bike. I don't own a single jersey any more. I went with convertible pants last year (the only synthetic in my kit) and they are good if you need extra warmth, regular looking pants or shorts and could work as a form of rain gear. Bandana's were a good multipurpose item that I brought, and I second the zip-ties recommendation.

Oh and another thing, I use regular cargo shorts and wear Andiamos under them. Thus I get the advantage of padded shorts but don't have to bring both cycling shorts and normal.

Check out www.whiteblaze.net

its a backpacker website but you can get some really good tips on what to bring.

having a fleeze to put on at night saved me from freezing on the AT...its a must.

If you read touring journals on crazyguyonabike.com, you will find that few, if any, people wish they had brought more stuff. Almost everyone seems to send home a box of extra stuff after about a week. The problem is that no matter how big or small your bags are, you will fill them up before you leave. The obvious solution is to get smaller bags, not larger!

Here's what to do. Gather up all the things that you think you need to take on the tour. Weigh each and every item on a kitchen scale (or bathroom scale if really heavy). Add up the weight. Then start getting rid of stuff until you get the weight down at least 25%. Trust me, unless you are a seasoned hiker/tourer and have a tested gear list, you can do it. Be vicious. For each and every item, ask yourself how often you really will use it. What will happen to me if I don't bring it? What alternatives are available if I don't take it?

A couple examples:

If your trip is during the late spring through early fall, check the weather norms along your route. You probably don't need a 15 degF sleeping bag. Look into getting a 45 degF down bag that weighs much less and packs very small.

If you are bringing cooking gear, ask yourself first how much you really plan to cook versus eat in restaurants. Unless you are planning a very low budget trip, chances are you will buy meals whenever possible. Ditch the stove, fuel, and pots. For those times when you will have to prepare your own meals, get food that does not require heating up. Stroll through the grocery store and you'll find lots of things you can chow down on without any preparation. If you really want to cook, look into light weight alcohol stove and a single pot. Much lighter weight than most hiking stoves.

You can easily get by with two pair of shorts and two short sleeve jerseys (weather permitting), and two pair of socks. Take baggy bike shorts and simple solid color jerseys and you won't stand out too much in restaurants. Each evening, change clothes and wash the dirty set in a sink with a little Woolite. Hang up to dry.

If you expect to need cold weather gear at some point in the trip (like going over the Rockies), package what you will need and arrange to have a spouse or friend mail them out ahead of you so you pick them up just before you ned them. When you are through with the gear, box it up and send it home.

Don't try to take all the tools and parts needed to rebuild your bike. Take only what you need for common repairs. If you have a major problem, you can always have parts and tools sent to you overnight by your spouse/friend or direct from any of the major mail order houses or favorite LBS.

I toured 11 days last summer self supported (no cooking) with 20 lbs total gear and bags. I had a Carradice Camper saddlebag and a Topeak handlebar bag. It was warm weather of course, but it shows how light you can go with a little planning. I may try to go even lighter this year.

Just thinking, if you are going to be at campgrounds with open fireplaces, it might be useful to take two film cannisters, one stuffed with cotton balls, the other with petroleum jelly. If you need a firelighter, use to PJ to impregnate a cotton ball or two. I've never tried it, but seems to work for others. Could be particularly useful in wet weather.

Footware is the big space-hog in your panniers: Cycling shoes, trainers, trail shoes, hiking boots, sandals, flip flops.

You don't honestly carry ALL those items of footware on a tour do you?

A pair of Lake mtn bike shoes can take you from cycling to hiking to going up to the grocery store for supplies, and a small pair of sandals will get you in and out of the shower and onto the beach. That's all you need.

...TP. Like matches i carry two sources seperately...


LOL! Excellent advice!

Fire lighter is what I carry, once i got to my camp , all the matches were soaked and my lighter filnt went. Had to cycle another 10 miles to buy new matches. Now a fire lighter and a 2 sticks of tampons. Very compressed cotton wool inside. Just tear off the amount of cotton needed, shave of wood with a knife. With a fire lighter the cotton goes up in now time. A good trick is also to take a lump of charcoal form the fire from the night before. This will staright away give you a glowing heat bed to light up your fire and oh I always put a strip of kitchen foil down then build a fire on top. Try this you will be amazed how easily the fire will light up. Learnt all this from some Army friends, in fact the gave me a knife which has all this in it, including the foil & the tampons. infact this knife has 25 or so different uses. I travell with this every where, when touring.

-Mosquito repellent

I also like a lot of 'non-essentials' to keep me occupied during rainy days; otherwise, everything's already been mentioned that I bring, and then some:

-Books (not novels, but books that you can work with, that take longer to get through, and that will improve you somehow: Foreign language books, chess books, bicycle repair books, books on nature/field guides, outdoor survival manuals, etc...)
-a small pair of binoculars for birdwatching, along with a camera & zoom lens.
-A small musical instrument and some blank staff paper.
-Mini sketchpad/notebook and pencil.
-I also like the ThermaRest chair/pad combo, and will frequently turn away park picnic tables in favor of it.
-LED headlamp (instead of a flashlight; attaches like a sweat band and can be used for everything from a night light for reading to a headlight for your bike)

Wow, a lot of cool ideas. I forgot to mention that the t-shirts weren't cotton, all the clothing is going to be synthetic with the exception of the wool sweater. I was looking at the spread today, I could get by with two Panniers, I have four. I keep rereading this book that says leave room for the stuff you'll purchase on the road. So I think of using the front panniers for such items, but this morning I was like thinking this is daft.
What about carrying extra water? I have an MSR water bag it's the 2 liter, and I have several Nalgene bottles. I stumbled on an idea this morning about frozen OJ with a little salt mixed up as a "sports drink." The thought of not having to cook is a cool idea. Maybe it is this romantic notion of setting up a tent and getting to cooking a pot of noodles for a meal at the end of a ride, it just sounds cool. Of course after a hot long afternoon of riding who'd want to eat a hot meal?
My other concerns are just keeping the cost down.

Stick with cooking if you want to keep costs down. And you'd be surprised how often you want a hot meal after riding in the hot sun all day. I enjoyed it every time and when I did go out to eat, well that was usually hot as well. Being able to make oatmeal and coffee in the morning is of course priceless. The alcohol stove/titanium cookset I used is so light and small that I can't image not bringing it along.

Take the four panniers, you'll appreciate the distributed weight.

Two or three pairs of bicycle pants?

I take one pair. I wash them every night, along with my only jersey. The jersey always dries by morning; the chamois crotch pad may be a bit damp, but body heat dries it out quickly.

I carry a tube of crazy glue and a foot of Velcro. On my first big trip, my plastic map case, which attaches to the aero-bars, was flapping around. To secure it in place, I attached two squares of Velcro to the bottom of the map case, and their matching pieces to the top of my aerobars.

I also carry dental floss, and not just in the interest of oral hygiene! When my rear rack broke, I wrapped it with floss and sealed it with crazy glue.

Two or three pairs of bicycle pants?

I take one pair. I wash them every night, along with my only jersey. The jersey always dries by morning; the chamois crotch pad may be a bit damp, but body heat dries it out quickly.

I carry a tube of crazy glue and a foot of Velcro. On my first big trip, my plastic map case, which attaches to the aero-bars, was flapping around. To secure it in place, I attached two squares of Velcro to the bottom of the map case, and their matching pieces to the top of my aerobars.

I also carry dental floss, and not just in the interest of oral hygiene! When my rear rack broke, I wrapped it with floss and sealed it with crazy glue.

I'm pretty much the same on all counts. I tend to skimp on clothes before most everything else, and I also only bring one pair of shorts. And crazy glue is indeed useful! I had to repair my glasses once on the road with it, and duct tape would have been wrong for that particular job, since they were really done in. Floss, I bring for oral hygiene. I haven't really used it creatively yet. :)

Oh, and naisme, for water, I tend to fill up in towns, but I also have an MSR filtration pump that attaches to my nalgene bottles, with which you can collect and clean stream water to drinkable grade, assuming there's no DuPont plant right nearby or anything. Tablets work too, and take less space.

I take $200 - $300 in travelers checks, put them in a small size baggie and roll it tight. I then take the cap off of the handlebar end, put the checks in the bar and replace the cap. This gives me emergency money, and can be replaced if the bike happens to be stollen (receipts stay in a different location). Never leave home without it!

A friend had a spare spoke taped to the rear triangle, for years. He finally had a chance to use it but it was too short and ended up buying a new wheel. I carried a piece of leather--tongue of an old shoe--if you slash a tire, you are supposed to put it inside to keep the tube from poking out; I never needed it.

My suggestions: trashbag liners to put the sleeping bag in when it rains (and maybe for inside your panniers if they might leak); two pair of riding shorts; mosquito repellant?; flashlight; corkschrew; some way to lock up your bike; and, depending on with whom and where you are riding, think of what you might wear--e.g., black windbreaker pants, T-shirt and atheletic shoes--for something you could wear in a restaurant without looking like a geek. You'll probably want a full-size frame pump too.

:)

Fire lighter is what I carry, once i got to my camp , all the matches were soaked and my lighter filnt went. Had to cycle another 10 miles to buy new matches. Now a fire lighter and a 2 sticks of tampons. Very compressed cotton wool inside. Just tear off the amount of cotton needed, shave of wood with a knife. With a fire lighter the cotton goes up in now time.

I've also added a very small jar of vaseline to my fire kit - a tiny bit of vaseline in the cotton does wonders in wet condition!

Bungee cords and duct tape (or electrical tape).

Koffee

P.S., Also, the towel . . . the size and type take some thought but not white (it gets dirty-looking real fast and looks funky hanging off the back of your bike to dry): a light-weight brown that will dry fast. And, the small individually wrapped soaps are perfect--just 1/2 per shower and leave it behind for the next guy who isn't prepared. Cheers!

Wow, a lot of cool ideas. I forgot to mention that the t-shirts weren't cotton, all the clothing is going to be synthetic with the exception of the wool sweater. I was looking at the spread today, I could get by with two Panniers, I have four. I keep rereading this book that says leave room for the stuff you'll purchase on the road. So I think of using the front panniers for such items, but this morning I was like thinking this is daft.
What about carrying extra water? I have an MSR water bag it's the 2 liter, and I have several Nalgene bottles. I stumbled on an idea this morning about frozen OJ with a little salt mixed up as a "sports drink." The thought of not having to cook is a cool idea. Maybe it is this romantic notion of setting up a tent and getting to cooking a pot of noodles for a meal at the end of a ride, it just sounds cool. Of course after a hot long afternoon of riding who'd want to eat a hot meal?
My other concerns are just keeping the cost down.

There are times when you may need to carry extra water. Cycling across West Texas it's a must. It's also good to take if you expect to be stealth camping awayt from a water source. But wait until you go through the last town before where you plan to camp before filling up unless you don't mind the extra weight. An MSR water bag is probably a great way to be prepared as it should take up little volume when empty. I would avoid the nalgene bottles. They usually don't fit in a bottle cages and unless you store something in them when not used for water, they occupy a lot of pannier volume for nothing.

BTW, empty 1L soda (not water) bottles are very strong and light weight.

And, the small individually wrapped soaps are perfect--just 1/2 per shower and leave it behind for the next guy who isn't prepared.

I carry Dr Bronner's Pure Castile soap - because it's pure soap, and liquid, it goes a long way - and it can be used for sink laundry and dishes as well as showers. Plus it's completely biodegradable - no guilt about using it outdoors and at campsites. It's the only soap you should use for bathing in natural water...

Bungee cords and duct tape (or electrical tape).

Koffee

I've taken to use helmet straps. I've had a few old helmets lying around, and the straps are one long length with buckles on the ends. You do need to remove one (preferable the male clip-in end) to unthread the strap, but it's a simple matter of using needle and thread to turn one end over on itself a couple of time, and to create a loop for the female buckle-end. The straps are long enough for a single one to wrap over my tent back on top of the rear rack and keep it securely in place.

I've also used very thin bungee cord usually available from ships chandlers, plus stainless steel hooks on the ends. They have proved very effective and durable.

I wear glasses. On my last two outings I took a tiny screwdriver for tightening my glasses. I used it several times!

On my next tour, I will bring a Swiss Army knife; some models have this kind of screwdriver. It is tiny -- it fits into the threads of the corkscrew!

naisme,
amazing amount of help everyone offers here, I always have a destination, purpose, goal in mind when I go on out...when hiking or out in the bush (west coast) we always share our 'rough' plan with others when we go out. Like how long, where approx., and possible route - I know this is not always practical or useful, but it has been very good for saving someone stuck in a bad situation. Also, depending on your location and route, hikers regularily send 'care packages' to themselves via general delivery...If near phones, I personally like to have a long-distance calling card with me.

...I would avoid the nalgene bottles. They usually don't fit in a bottle cages and unless you store something in them when not used for water, they occupy a lot of pannier volume for nothing...

I take a small Nalgene (~500mL size) touring, the larger sizes I use hiking+backpacking. The small size works great for me, just rite for carrying while off bike doing touristy stuff. I also made a "cozy" for it out of Reflectex (http://www.reflectixinc.com/) insulation. The "cozy" keeps my coffee, tea, or cocoa piping hot for a long time when I want it to be, and juice/eletrolite drinks/water chilled for a bit. This size fits perfect in my cages (sans cozy), particularly in my third cage-where 1L bottles don't fit (under the downtube).

I've also made a "cozy" for my cook/food bowl. I simply use those Gladware brand disposable bowls with lids. One of the round sizes, with the "cozy" nests inside my cook pot (an Isobutane canister nests in that). I just add boiling water to oatmeal, ramen, instant soups, rice & such. Foods that may need a few minutes of simmer time continue to cook when I close the bowl lid (with an insulated top). Easy&sanitary food prep&clean up.

The "cozies" are simple to make, cut strips of the insulation (found at any Home Depot/hardware type store), tape+all done. I use aluminum foil tape, but good old duct tape would work as well. They hardly weigh anything. I use the remaining Reflectex as intended, for insulation.

...What about carrying extra water? I have an MSR water bag it's the 2 liter...

I have a 1.8 or ?2L Playtypus (http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?storeId=8000&catalogId=40000008000&productId=595844&parent_category_rn=4501138) bag with hose+bite valve. Rolled up it takes up minimal space. I melted two holes through the extra plastic at the base, and ran some utility cord through them. I can then hang it up (at camp say), and use the hose/valve for a mini shower, clean stuff, fill stuff etc. I've rarely needed to ride far with it filled, but it seats nicely strapped across my rear rack under my tent. Has held up for me for ?3-4 years so far.

I only put water in it, and I give the whole system a good cleaning/soak in dilute bleach at home when it gets "funky". For cleaning on the road/trail, I add double water treatment tabs (non iodine-teeny Silver ion ones), let sit+rinse.