I recently raced the Hot Taco Bikepacking Racea 200-mile adventure I completed in just two days. This womens-only race is short (for a bikepacking race that is) and takes place in August, so as the name would imply, its hot! As a result, my strategy was all about packing light and moving fast, so I took a lot less than I would have for a longer or colder race. My goal was to strike the perfect balance between utility and weight. With that in mind, lets dive into what I took along for the ride and why.ElectronicsSpot Tracker: This device tracks my location for TrackLeaders.com, allows me to send pre-set messages to my husband (Im ok or stopping here for a while.) There is also an SOS button to contact search and rescue, if needed.Cell Phone: Its not just for emergencies or photosits my navigation lifeline. For this race, I used the Gaia GPS app to navigate. The phone was attached to my handlebar with a QuadLock mount. Compared to a Garmin or dedicated GPS device, my phone didnt work quite as well BUT it did save me from having to carry two devices. NiteRider Lumina 900 Light: I ran this light mounted to my bars. When moving at slower speeds, I put it into walk mode in order to conserve battery life.Mini flashlight on my helmet. I used a cheap mini flashlight from Amazon (no longer for sale) gorilla taped to my helmet. It runs off of a AA battery and I took a spare along (although I didnt end up needing it).Anker Battery Pack: Keeps my tech charged, including my phone and NiteRider light. I was able to charge my phone while I rode, and never needed to charge my NiteRider. Comfort and HygieneStaying comfortable and clean is crucial, even during a short race. Heres what I packing for personal care:Toiletries Bag: Includes baby wipes, sunscreen, spare contacts, chamois cream, diaper cream, yeast cream, and Icy Hot.Medicines: Packed with essentials like ibuprofen, Tums, Pepto-Bismol, and Benadryl. I only ended up needed the ibuprofren this time. First Aid Kit: band-aids, alcohol wipes, Neosporin, gauze, medical tape, etc.Tools and MaintenanceWhen it comes to bike racing, being prepared for mechanical issues is just as important as the ride itself.Tool Kit: Loaded with items like a Turbolito tube, Lezyne mini bike pump, Gorilla tape, spare brake pads, spare chain link, mutli-tool, tubeless plugs, and more.Chain kit: 1 oz bottle of chain lube and a small rag for cleaning and lubing my chain. I tried to do this every 50 miles or so. Sleeping Setup and ClothingLight means right in this race. Because I knew nightime temperatures would be warm, I kept it really light. In the end, I only ended up sleeping for 3.5 hours and stayed plenty warm. On a normal bikepacking trip, Id bring a sleeping bag and pad as well.Bivy: An Alpkit Hunka XL bivy. This helped keep me out of the dirt and warm. Had it rained, the bivy is also waterproof and would have been a good place to shelter. Down coat: I brought a down coat in lieu of a sleeping bag. Had I been cold on the bike, I could have worn it then as well, but I never needed it outside of nighttime.Spare socks: I REALLY hate dirty and wet feet, so my one luxury item was a spare pair of socks. I changed them when I went to sleep. HydrationWith temperatures over 100 degrees, I knew staying hydrated was crucial. Heres how I managed it.Osprey Seral hip pack. My Osprey hip pack had a 2L bladder for water (and carried snacks). Water bottle. I had a 1L water bottle in a feedbag at my handlebars. I use the water bottle for electrolytes (and coke)!Katadyn BeFree filter. I used this 1L water filter for filtering from a couple of streams I encountered. For the most part, however, I was able to fill from spigots along the route. Electrolytes. To keep things interesting, I had a variety of electrolyte and sports drinks including Nuun tablets and Osmo drink mix. NutritionEnergy is everything on the trail. Luckily, this route had resupply points fairly often. The furthest I had to go between resupply was 50 miles. Food: I started out light but tasty with salami, instant coffee, Clif bars, Cheez-Its, mandarin oranges, and chocolate-covered almonds. Most of the rest of my food came from gas stations with some favorites being pretzels, chocolate milk, and licorice.How I Carried EverythingRevelate Egress Pocket Handlebar Bag. I used this bag up front for all of my food. Dispersed Bikepacking Custom Frame Bag. Everything heavy goes in this bag including tools, my first aid and toiletries, battery, and water filter. Po Campo feedbag. This fits my waterbottle and a few snacks.Salsa Anything cage bag. While not intended as a seatbag, I managed to rig this up as one. I didnt want to take the much bigger Revelate seatbag I normally use. I used two velcro straps and one Voile strap to secure it to my saddle rails and seatpost. My bivy, down coat, and socks fit in here.Even though I packed light, I never felt like I lacked anything essential. If youre setting out on a similar ride, minimizing your load can make all the difference in comfort and speed. As they say, dont pack your fears!About The AuthorKristen Bonkoski is the founder and owner of Femme Cyclist.An avid cyclist for a few decades now, she took to cycling during her late teen years a time when she needed something to help boost her self-esteem and confidence.Mission accomplished, the sport has become an important part of her life. Kristens favorite disciplines are mountain biking andbike commuting, although youcan also find her crankingout a century on her road bike and touring with her husband and son. If it has to do with two wheels, she enjoys doing it.Kristen is a certified USA Cycling coach, and she runsRascal Rides, a website about biking with kids.IG:@femme_cyclistThe post What I Packed For A 2 Day Bikepacking Race appeared first on Femme Cyclist.