Gear Guide: Moto-camping and moto-touring essentials

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“People would simply never find the places we go to visit; they ‘re not listed on any map,” says Christophe Noel, adventure tour guide, journalist and photographer, explaining the appeal of his moto-touring company, Clean Drink Adventures.

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Noel has secured exclusive permission to bring small groups of riders deep into Nepal’s most remote regions, including the Terai lowlands, near the Indian border, where elephants, rhinos and even Bengal tigers roam.

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That puts Clean Drink Adventures at the forefront of a rising trend in “reconnaissance travel” – breaking new trail into earth’s least-visited, least-mapped destinations.

And there’s an important humanitarian dimension to the tours: riders must each fundraise a minimum of $750 toward the purchase of lunchbox-sized MSR Community Chlorine Makers , co-developed with PATH , which they hand-deliver along the route. One chlorine-maker can help produce 200 litres of safe drinking water at the touch of a button. This has an immediate impact in a country where around 15,000 children die annually of sanitation- and water-related illness.

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“Basically, we use self-funded adventure travellers to deliver safe drinking water systems to Nepal,” Noel explains.

Three days maximum are taken up in touring water projects and in cultural exchanges in 500-year-old villages where no foreigners have ever been before – until Noel and his Nepali partners, Altitude Riders , received permission to bring them there. The rest of the ride is a visceral exploration of Nepal’s stunning mountain landscapes.

“Making a meaningful difference in people’s lives shouldn’t come at the expense of experiencing the ‘wow’ factor of a destination,” he adds. “Whereas a traditional ‘voluntourist’ might spend their whole trip building a toilet, we want clients to see everything that makes Nepal dynamic, diverse and special, so they return home as cultural ambassadors.”

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For this moto-camping veteran, the choice of what to bring into such an extreme and pristine environment is critical. For starters, clients of Clean Drink Adventures ride the Royal Enfield Bullet 350: an iconic Himalayan motorcycle made in India since the 1960s, which is light, and highly maneuverable off-road. Noel doesn’t allow disposable batteries or water bottles on his tours, and posts several key gear recommendations on his website for responsible moto-camping.

Here are some of our camping gear picks for trips like the ones that Clean Drink Adventures organizes:

Abel Brown Nomad 3 motorcycle tent

Motorcycle gear designer Abel Brown considerably ups the ante with a third iteration of its popular moto-touring tent, making it sturdier and more protective. The Nomad 3 switches out 50D polyester for lighter, stronger 30D ripstop nylon that’s more compact and packable. The fabric’s waterproofing is strengthened with a PU coating on the interior and a Silicon exterior, waterproof zippers, double-needle sewing construction, and tougher seam tape. A green-and-brown colour scheme was brought back by popular demand, there’s an interior stash pocket for added convenience, and the tent comes with a carry bag, stakes and tie-down cords. It’s everything you need – and nothing you don’t – to shelter in comfort by the side of a highway or trail. Buy Nomad 3 at Abel Brown’s new Canadian website .

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Abel Brown Nomad 3 motorcycle tent, $316, https://abelbrown.com/

Somewear Satellite-based Global Texting

Cheaper than any satellite phone (voice) or satellite-based Internet, Somewear turns your smartphone into a global texting device/emergency beacon via the Iridium Satellite array, perfect when travelling out of cell-service range. Off-road drivers, hikers, backcountry skiers, sailors, climbers, and moto-tourers can share their location, receive weather updates and more, anywhere on the planet. Shoot off a message to loved ones letting them know you’re okay – or activate GEOS Worldwide SOS (Search and Rescue) services if you’re in trouble. Somewear’s Iridium plans, available in CDN, are some of the cheapest around. And the device is simple to operate: just open the company app on an Android or iOS phone, and pair it with the 4-oz tear-drop-shaped Somewear. The device directly accesses the contacts in your phone; no pre-programming of telephone numbers required. Tuck it away in a saddlebag until it’s time for a hike.

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Somewear Satellite-based Global Texting, $350USD (CDN not available), www.somewearlabs.com

Kora Hima-Layer™ Bundles

Ideal for fall-winter moto-camping, Kora’s Hima-Layer™ technical fibre comes from yak wool that’s collected by the Kegawa Herders’ Cooperative of about 90 Himalayan families from the Qinghai Tibet plateau. The wool is cleaned, de-haired, spun into yarn, and knitted into underlayers. It’s apparently more wickable, warmer and breathable than merino, and as super-soft as cashmere. Kora’s deluxe bundles are comprehensive sets that come with a variety of mid-layers – the one for women, for instance, comprises a jacket, zip and crew-neck tops, leggings, socks, hat and neck gaiter. Kora’s tops have slightly off-shoulder seams to avoid rubbing pack straps, and the leggings fit longer so they won’t leave gaps even when you’re stretching and bending.

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Kora Men’s and Women’s Hima-Layer™ Bundles, $620, www.kora.net

MSR WindBurner Stove System Combo

MSR’s WindBurner Stove System Combo features a compact, nestable design for the combination of a cookstove, a ceramic-coated 2.5-L hard-anodized aluminum Sauce Pot with strainer lid and handle, and an 8-inch ceramic-coated skillet. Windproof and modular, the stove weighs just 831 grams. Its 8-oz fuel canister nests into the pot and the entire kit fits easily into your saddlebag. The radiant burner is windproof and its pressure regulator maintains consistent performance no matter the weather. When not exploring back-country trails and bi-ways, put the Combo Stove to use for a beach cookout with friends.

MSR WindBurner Stove System Combo, $299.00, www.msrgear.com

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Clean Drink Adventures’ “Ascent to Muktinath” moto-tour

Take a 14-day ride this November, 2019, on a traditional Royal Enfield Bullet 350, into the Mustang Valley surrounded by views of Dhaulagiri, earth’s seventh-highest peak. You’ll then ascend to the monastic town of Muktinath at 12,500 feet, descend to a campsite near the village of Marpha, and continue on to the tourist city of Pokhara. The adventure ends in Kathmandu, one of the world’s oldest capitals. Clean Drink Adventures has a slightly shorter moto-tour in October, plus two new driving adventures by luxury 4×4 Mahindra Scorpio SUV, another classic vehicle of the Himalaya.

Clean Drink Adventures’ “ Ascent to Muktinath ”, starting at $3250USD (+ options like a flight-sightseeing experience to Mount Everest), www.cleandrinkadventures.org