What to Pack for a Vietnam Motorbike Expedition · The Gear List We Actually Use

On every expedition we provide the bike, the riding armor, the dry bags, the helmet, and the navigation. You bring your body, your boots, and the personal kit below. This list is what we send to riders four weeks before departure.

Honda CRF250L Rally (primary) or XR150L. DOT helmet with peak. MX gloves. Knee and elbow guards. Waterproof riding jacket with vents. Over-pants. Tank bag. Twin dry bags strapped to the rear rack. Tool roll. Hydration bladder. GPS tracks pre-loaded on a Garmin or your phone via offline app. On remote sections, a Garmin inReach satellite communicator.

Off-road boots — mid-calf minimum. Ankle support is non-negotiable. Sidi Crossfire, Forma Adventure, Alpinestars Tech 7 — anything in that class. Soft 'adventure touring' boots are not enough for the off-road sections.

Thermal base layer (merino or synthetic, never cotton). Two quick-dry mid layers. One light fleece for evenings. A buff/balaclava — for sun in the south, cold in the north.

Riding sunglasses. Headlamp with spare batteries. Power bank (20,000 mAh minimum — homestays sometimes lose power). Camera or GoPro. Personal medication and a small first-aid kit. Earplugs (for long days behind the engine).

1. Real off-road boots. We have spares but they will not be your size and you will be miserable for two weeks.

2. Thermals. Even in October, the Dong Van plateau drops to 8°C at night.

3. A power bank big enough to charge a phone twice without a wall. Several homestays run on solar.

4. Cash in small denominations. Card payment exists in cities and nowhere else.

Hard luggage. It does not survive the off-road. We ride with soft dry bags only.

A laptop. The wifi will betray you. Bring a Kindle.

Anything you would cry over if it got soaked, dropped, or lost.

Pick a route: our flagship

Northern Highlands expedition, the

Northwest extreme loop, or the

Ho Chi Minh Trail through the central jungle. Or

learn about the team running them.