Whatcha Packin' – A.J's On-Ride Carry Essentials
"I clearly needed something for my everyday rides. It was irresponsible not to be prepared for at least minor fixes so I began with a tube strapped to my frame and shortly after, added an O2 cartridge and dispenser. You read that right, I carried a tube but no way of pumping it up; young and dumb. One close riding mate always had an O2 setup for us but we didn’t always ride together, ha! Eventually, I matured to the level of carrying a multi-tool, usually in my pocket, and that’s how I rolled until a few years ago. I'm not a fan of riding with a pack and the same goes for an [insert whatever you call a bum bag]. I wanted to be rid of the tool in my pocket and hearing the injury horror stories sustained from friends choosing this storage location made it a must."
NSMB contributor, A.J. Barlas is from the brigade of riders who prefer not to ride with a pack, almost at all costs. But after a bunch of years carrying little to nothing, he got wise and began packing some tools to get him out of several potential issues he'd encounter riding his local trails in Squamish, B.C. Check out his minimalist setup and let us know what you think in the comments below.