Preparing Your Backpack and Tool Kit for Baja

By Michael Hannas and Doug Byers

If you are taking a multi-day trip on your dirt bike in Baja, you will need to carry a lot of stuff with you.  In the words of the great Sal Fish, “Baja Isn’t For Sissies.”  If you have a chase truck or are going back to your pits every day, then all this isn’t really necessary.  We were getting on our bikes and riding for four days with no chase truck or ability to get back to the truck, so I had to make sure and bring everything that I would need with me.  It is harder than you think to figure out what you will actually need for four days, and what you can live without since you will be carrying it the whole time on your back.

First off, you will need to bring your passport as well as the registration for your bike in order to cross the border.  Your drivers license is probably a good idea.  Mexican insurance is not mandatory but highly recommended.  This doesn’t protect your bike or truck from getting stolen or damaged but rather protects you from liability in case you get in an accident with a Mexican resident.  If you don’t have it and a Mexican hits you with their car, you may end up in jail yourself, so for around $15 per day it is worth it for many.  You can usually purchase it on the Mexican side of most border crossings.  A credit card is a good idea if you will be staying at any hotels since it usually saves you a little cash on the exchange rate, but make sure you bring enough cash to last you the trip as well.  US Dollars are accepted throughout Baja so don’t worry about exchanging for Pesos, although you may want to be familiar with the current exchange rate since apparently the Mexicans have their own special way of math that doesn’t always seem to add up right.

When selecting a backpack, make sure it is something that you will be comfortable riding with for days at a time.  You really want something with a padded back and straps, and a strap or two that wrap around your waist to keep the pack from flopping around.  Something with a compartment for a drink bladder is also desirable, but comfort should be your first priority; you can carry a water bottle inside it if you need to.  I went with a sweet backpack from AXO with multiple compartments and tons of padding along with the sweet waist straps.

As for what to bring in your pack, that will vary depending on the person, but try to pack as light as you can.  I brought one pair of super-light slip-on shoes, a pair of light pants, and a t-shirt for hanging out at night off the bike.  I also brought an extra set of thin thermal pants and shirt to change out under my riding gear, and a few pair of underwear.  I threw in a couple pair of riding socks, as well as a couple pair of normal socks for when off the bike.  Some guys bring what they call “donations” for their clothes, stuff that they simply leave in Mexico once they are done with it to lighten their load as the trip goes on.  This is a good idea if you have clothes you can afford to give away.

You will also need personal items like soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, etc…  I picked up a small travel toothbrush and toothpaste kit, and a small bottle of Campsoap that is good for washing your smelly body and hair, as well as safe to wash dishes with.  I also made sure to pack a small bottle of Motrin for sore muscles or injuries, as well a small pack of Wet Naps, which feel like heaven on your face after sucking dust for 60 miles.  A few tablets of Pepto Bismol went in the pack as well, just in case I got stupid and drank the water.  Mountain money, aka toilet paper, is a must; Butt Butter is recommended for those who need it for those long hours on the saddle.  A small first aid kit is a must, as well as waterproof matches in case you get stranded and need to start a fire to keep warm.  A small flashlight is a good idea; it gets really dark at nighttime in Mexico.

As far as rain gear goes, you need to make sure if it rains that you can stay dry.  Yes, it rains in Baja, sometimes a lot!  Whether staying dry means you wear a waterproof jacket the whole time or pack some rain gear in your backpack, you need to be able to not get soaked if you have to ride in the rain.  You don’t want to have to ride in wet gear for four days!  I packed a lightweight rain jacket and pair of cheap rain pants so I could wear my comfy moto gear the whole time.  Read on to find out if this ended up being the hot set-up or not, and make your choice accordingly.

        

Some type of survival food is a good idea too, since you never know what may happen.  You may just end up eating a Powerbar for dinner in Baja, you just never know.  I packed some energy bars and some beef jerky just in case.  I had planned on just bringing my 70-ounce drink bladder for water but somehow pierced a hole in it before I poured the water in and soaked my backpack right before we took off on Day One, so I ended up throwing a couple water bottles in where the bladder went.  I also crammed two stainless water bottles in the slots on the outside of the bag at the last minute, so I was able to carry 72 ounces of water, which was plenty.

I rolled up all my clothes and crammed them and my personal items in a couple of gallon-size Zip-Loc bags, not only to keep everything dry and organized, but to also help me fit it all in my backpack.  You’d be amazed how much more you can pack when you bag everything and then squeeze all the air out of the bags; there is no way I could’ve got everything in my bag without doing this.  Growing up as an Army brat does have its advantages; I remember my Dad having to stuff his ruck-sack the same way!  Since I had a little extra room, I brought an extra pair of goggles and two extra pair of gloves, one for cold weather.  A small camera is also a good idea, as you will see a ton of things you will want to take a picture of.

Best Tools Ever:

Of course, you will also need to carry tools and parts to repair your bike if need be.  I went with the trusty Motion Pro T-6 Tool Pack stuffed with all the little Motion Pro goodies I would need to do any trail maintenance.  You need to make sure you have what you will need to take off both your wheels and change a flat tube if you need to.  Motion Pro’s trick lightweight tire iron/32mm combo killed two birds with one stone for me when combined with their tire iron/12-13mm combo.  I packed a spare heavy-duty front tube in the pack since it will work with the front or rear wheel, as well as a patch kit in the case of multiple flats.  You also need to have wrenches and/or sockets in the typical sizes you need for your bike, which is most likely 8, 10, 12, 14, 17 mm; unless you ride one of those orange bikes, in which case you will need to add a 6, 11, and 13mm.  Small t-handles like the Motion Pro Trail T-Handle tool work well and are small and lightweight, and I also threw in their Multi-Purpose Trail Tool which still amazes me with the multiple functions it can perform.

I also packed some duct tape, zip-ties, and safety wire- whatever I can’t fix with that combo just can’t be fixed!  Some epoxy putty came along just in case, along with some random nuts and bolts.  The AAA map of Baja is another good thing to bring.  A spare Ready Filter went in the pack along with Filterskins, and I also brought a couple of extra master links and even a small section of chain.  We used the buddy system, where you partner up with a guy and make sure that together you have everything you’ll need instead of double-packing things.  My buddy took care of the chain breaker, quart of oil, and small air pump along with weird tools for his orange bike, so between the two of us we had everything covered. 

Log on to Day One of our Baja Adventure Ride...