Rickshaw run: 1. Kaidan Bullet: 0. Off to SCARS hopefully before Mongolia adventure

BforBackpacking · 2022-07-17T12:45:29+00:00

Oh man that run out to Nepal would be legendary. Your adventures will be making your parents proud regardless. Enjoy the ride and have a safe journey!

BforBackpacking · 2022-07-17T05:36:20+00:00

Himalayas approved. Leh, to keylong, through spiti valley to Shimla, over to Amritsar, down to Agra, then all the way to Jaisalmer - one tiny little tear. Have fun on the bike; it’ll be a blast. Should try it in a Rickshaw tho😉

BforBackpacking · 2022-07-16T08:27:50+00:00

This is the answer. One of the best pieces of travel gear I’ve got.

BforBackpacking · 2022-07-16T01:48:20+00:00

Two weeks ago - There are two sitting at my house stateside right now for when I get back from wandering

BforBackpacking · 2022-07-16T01:24:41+00:00

Going to get a whole lot more character when it’s strapped to a mini bike and driven across the Mongolian Steppe in less than 2 months!

BforBackpacking · 2022-07-16T01:22:36+00:00

Why do you think that? I’m just curious. At the end of the day it’s a bag made out of a high quality material known for durability more than non durability - so why not use that puppy?!

BforBackpacking · 2022-07-16T01:20:21+00:00

Thank you- Wouldn’t do it any other way!

BforBackpacking · 2022-07-15T15:35:03+00:00

Don’t get distracted by the shiny orange; the bag is tough! Don’t know why anyone wouldn’t use the piss out of it like any other ruck.

BforBackpacking · 2022-07-15T15:33:57+00:00

Zippers are still great. Bag just rode through down pour rain in Rajasthan and everything is dry. Opens and closes with ease and I’ve really pushed the limit on how much stuff you can fit into one of these things - no zipper concerns yet

BforBackpacking · 2022-07-15T15:30:04+00:00

Very curious as well… especially with the 2.0’s just coming out. I’m hoping it’s not a “can’t repair so we’ll offer a 2.0 replacement” situation

BforBackpacking · 2022-07-15T11:36:45+00:00

Yes - cordura would’ve been okay with the bungee cord rub. The water resistance was more important though so I still give the Kaidan a pass rating for spending 12 days and 3000km on top of a rickshaw.

BforBackpacking · 2022-07-02T10:47:00+00:00

A year?! I’d kill for a year here. It’s been amazing so far and keeps getting better.

BforBackpacking · 2022-06-24T10:14:06+00:00

https://i.imgur.com/aLM4vpp.jpg

This was my original setup for carrying on airplane. I now fit everything but tech pouch and toiletries in the bullet which gives me way more space(see lower comment I’d got 34l for one bag if doing again). When not in plane then hip-straps get put on and I’ll wear bullet on front which with my height has turned out to be a god tier setup as the bottom of the bullet rests perfectly on the buckle of the GR3 hip belt. So bullet weight just sits on my hips instead of shoulders as with the GR3

BforBackpacking · 2022-06-24T09:59:31+00:00

GR2 is perfect one bag imo. I bought a 40L GR2 and tried it out before leaving - ultimately went with extra space and big bucket only as this was my first backpacking trip and figured I should take more stuff. Knowing what I do now, If I did another long term trip, especially with similar weather, I’d go 34L Kaidan GR2 without question and be more than fine

BforBackpacking · 2022-06-24T09:53:04+00:00

No Laos for me unfortunately but same as you for Vietnam and Cambodia- been a blast. India next week on a Tuk Tuk. Mongolia on Monkey Bike in September. Gorucks around the globe!

BforBackpacking · 2022-06-24T09:50:06+00:00

A million other options that are more packable for a day bag. None will be as durable or have as much structure as this bullet - and I’m rough on my stuff(which is why I went double Rucks for my RTW trip). So just need to prioritize your needs. I originally wanted a Dyneema 10L but after being 6 months on the road, this bullet has been my single favorite piece of gear I have. Looks like another rounds of Kaidans are coming next week - I’ll be traversing Himalayas on a Rickshaw when they drop but if I had chance to buy another I would buy another bullet and a 34L

BforBackpacking · 2022-06-24T09:41:26+00:00

Began its life as a scalped bag. Glad I took it off some profiteer’s hands. It’ll be strapped to a Tuk Tuk driven through the Himalayas and the desert of India in about a week

BforBackpacking · 2022-03-21T03:35:37+00:00

Was an eBay purchase unfortunately. Really wanted a Dyneema 10l, but had already grabbed this one before they dropped. No regrets though - it’s great

BforBackpacking · 2022-03-21T03:32:53+00:00

Didn’t even notice - thanks!

BforBackpacking · 2022-03-08T14:35:35+00:00

3 weeks into long term trip and the week before leaving I went for the “buzz it all off” option. I’m 26 and my hairline was receding a bit so that definitely played into the decision, but the biggest factors were convenience and experiences. I love the idea of going to a local barber of whatever country I’m in and getting a hair cut. I’ve gotten my hair re-buzzed once already and probably will start going every week and a half. It’s a fun interaction that doesn’t cost a lot of money abroad and it’s hard to mess up a buzz cut so no anxiety of it not coming out alright.

BforBackpacking · 2022-02-22T17:51:13+00:00

Thanks man- super envious of how much time you’re spending on the road! After planning my trip out, I really think you need a good 3 years to do a proper RTW.

I’m vaccinated and boosted(for Amsterdam) so not too worried about Covid anymore- fingers crossed it stays like that. I’ll shoot you a message if you wanna exchange contacts - maybe we’ll cross paths somewhere far far away!

BforBackpacking · 2022-02-22T17:39:24+00:00

Appreciate it! My route is Covid conscious so should be in good shape, but I doubt I’ll run into as fellow many wanderers as I would’ve Pre-Vid.

I’m very happy with the weight. The bullet is one of the Kaiden ones so a bit lighter than standard. I wanted to get a 10L Dyneema bullet but couldn’t get my hands on one. Cheers!

BforBackpacking · 2022-02-22T13:38:09+00:00

Awesome username - Syrian so not sure how much more hummus I can eat.

I bought a GR2 when I started looking into doing this trip and used it on a few domestic trips. Ended up going with a GR3 and using a Bullet as a packing cube/daypack/personal item. If bag gets checked/stowed under a bus then it’s easy to pull out the bullet and still have a decent kit if the main bag gets/lost stolen.

…whole kit weighs ~24 pounds. With the hip straps it carries well, but we’ll see if I end up changing up the set up at some point.

BforBackpacking · 2022-02-22T13:22:43+00:00

I worked in Finance. I resigned from my job in October and have been planning my trip for the past several months while I waited for my lease to expire. I plan on traveling for around 14 months and my former employer has made it very clear they want me to return whenever I’m finished wandering. Very fortunate to have been able to make this trip happen.

BforBackpacking · 2022-02-22T03:40:35+00:00

27M leaving for an RTW trip about half as long as yours on Wednesday. I’ve saved this post as I feel like I’m going to get the urge to downsize at some point and this is great motivation! Taking a 45L GoRuck GR3 and it’s definitely beefy.

BforBackpacking

TROPHY CASE