Click on the following links for details -
NAVIGATION
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Gone are the days when you need a GPS-dedicated device that is not a phone. Nowadays, we just use apps on our phones such as Google Maps, Maps.me, or OsmAnd+. The only problem is how do you protect your phone from frying in the searing sun or getting drenched in the pouring rain?
Instead of subjecting my nice phone to the elements, I bought a cheap phone that I put in a waterproof case. I've downloaded offline Google Maps for the places I'll be headed to, and voilà, a perfect GPS. Plus, my phone charges on the bike as we ride. If you'd like more information on how I've managed that, check out my Electronic Upgrades for the Bike section. |
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The Best Phone Holder - Of course, you'll need something to keep your phone securely on your motorcycle. I've heard horror stories from fellow riders who have lost their phones due to a crappy phone holder.
So after a bit of trial and error with other products, I bought the Perfect Squeeze, and it has kept my phone sturdily in place over potholes, river crossings, and every Latin American speed bump and Namibian corrugated road we've been down. |
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BLUETOOTH HEADSET
Being able to talk to each other while on the road is essential. And having music has become an added luxury that we just can't live without anymore! I don't think I could ever travel again without our bluetooth headsets.
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What We Use Now - We are using the Cardo PACKTALK Edge Duo set, (here is the link to the Single Set), and the sound quality of its JBL speakers is out of this world! Paired with a set of good Earplugs, I can hear notes from Jack Johnson's guitar that I never knew were there before, and Marisa can listen to audiobooks or podcasts while zooming down the highway, and she still understands everything.
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There was a bit of a learning curve when it came to all the settings and capabilities of this super smart product. But once we discovered how to adjust them to our needs, we realized that in many ways they are more versatile that what we'd previously been used to. An example of this is the ability to use voice commands instead of always trying to hit buttons. The Cardo PACKTALK Edges have great long-range bluetooth capabilities as well, One thing we've learned is to use the boom mic as opposed to the puck mic in our helmets in order to get the clearest sound from our voices.
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Oldies But Goodies - We started off with the Sena Bluetooth Headsets (SMH10 to be precise), and we loved them. They were simple and not fussy, but there were some drawbacks. We had to replace the speakers and the microphone since the wires leading to them frayed easily. The other problem was that the sound quality was only decent. But they served us well for years.
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The following video is a tutorial of how Tim installed our first Cardo communication system seamlessly into our helmets.
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S.O.S. SATELLITE MESSENGER
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Having some form of satellite device can be life saving, but if that's not enough to get you excited about it, they also have a lot of other great uses. GPS messengers can be used to record your GPS position, send messages to friends and family from anywhere in the world (even from places without cell reception), get weather updates, and most importantly, to send for emergency rescue when needed.
Still Our Favorite - We have the Garmin inReach Explorer+, and we love it. This device has never faltered even in the rain, heat, and cold. And after 5 years of use, it still has a long battery life! We use it every single day we're on the road to track our location (it sends a ping every 10 minutes), and our plan includes 40 custom messages a month, and unlimited preset messages. The preset messages are perfect for telling our parents each evening that we're safe and settled down for the night. The message also sends out a map detailing our exact location. Needless to say, Marisa's mother loves this device, as it gives her peace of mind. |
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The Garmin inReach also has an S.O.S. button that you can hit at any time, from any place, and it will send a search and rescue team to you (really just a rescue team since they'll already know your location). They will then bring you to a hospital of your choosing. Now, that's not going to be cheap by any means, but it might save your life. Just knowing that button is there makes the journey a little less stressful for us.
One of my favorite things about our Garmin inReach is that it tracks where we go on a digital Google Map. Sometimes I don't even know where we've been that day, so it's great to look back and see all the incredible places we've traveled to, and to draw that line across the map. Also Good (So We've Heard) - Another popular satellite brand is SPOT, which offers cheaper devices that maybe don't do it all, but it'll have the features that you want it to do. For example, if you just want to track your bike, you can get a little GPS device only for that. |
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CAMERA / VIDEO
Photo Camera (and Video too)
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As a middleweight camera, not a DSLR, but not a standard point-and-shoot, the Panasonic Lumix G7 4k Mirrorless Camera has been an amazing piece of hardware that has captured all of the great images that we have taken along the way. I love this camera.
The camera does take video as well (even 4k), and we use it precisely for this when shooting high-quality footage for our YouTube Channel. Paired with a Plug-in Shotgun Microphone, it can professionally capture even the faintest sounds. We also carry a tripod with us, which has been great, and is absolutely necessary for night shots. |
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Lapel / Lavalier Mics - Finally, if shooting video is what you're interested in, we have found a pair of Lapel Mics that are cheap and wonderful. They connect right into the camera, and so even if there are airplanes, or traffic, or lawn mowers in the background, the mics will only pick up the lovely sound of our voices, and will sync right to the video.
You can hear a sample of the these Lapel Mics in this video where we use them during the interview parts. |
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Action Cameras
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For all our “action" shots, we bought a couple GoPro Hero 9's. We've been using GoPros for years, and they take amazing footage, and are more reliable than the cheaper $100-range action cameras. They are fully waterproof, dust-proof, shock-proof... and we have truly tested them.
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But like all things in life, GoPros aren't perfect. The audio is not awesome, though it has improved over the years. Plus, they can be a bit glitchy. Marisa often has to restart hers to get it back on track.
And since this is an action camera, it's only going to take a wide shot with everything in focus all the time. It will never take cinematic footage, and steep hills always look less so, and mountains come out tiny. That being said, for action shots, we still think GoPros are the best. |
Because of the audio issues, we combined one of our GoPros with the official Media Mod kit which can allow for an external speaker. Unfortunately, I believe the Media Mod has added to the GoPro's glitching tendencies. We have not found the perfect external mic solution for our action cameras yet.
360˙ CameraWe also have the GoPro Max which is a 360˙ camera. That means it can take spherical footage of everything surrounding it all at once, and will stitch it together for you. This is wonderful if we're riding through gorgeous scenery and we don't want to miss any of the beauty, this will capture all of it at once! Then we can edit it later on to pick our favorite bits.
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So far, we like it for its 360˙ effect, but the image quality isn't always great. This is because it has to film so much at once, when the footage is edited down to focus on a single section, the quality is reduced. Also, it takes some getting used to. You have to watch out for the seam lines, editing 360˙ footage is a long process, and the end product will always be fishbowl-y. But overall, it's a pretty unique look, and sometimes it can come out to be stunning.
DIGITAL STORAGE
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The Best - To save all our pics and vids, we wanted a solid-state external hard drive that wouldn't get destroyed by all the bumps on the road. It needed to be small, lightweight, and durable. Previously, we had purchased the standard disk drives (not solid-state), and they failed us. You definitely do not want that happening and loosing all of your glorious footage! So we bought a few Sandisk 1TB Extreme Portable SSD drives, and they've served us flawlessly.
Tiny Flash Drive - For a smaller, more portable thumb-drive, we each have a Samsung 128 Gig Flash Drive. 128 gigs in something that small is remarkable, and of course, these are indestructible. |
Terrible, Just Terrible - We used to have Silicon Power 2T external hard drives, and they died on us within two months! Don't buy those!
EXTRA GIZMOS
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Portable ChargerTo charge our nicknacks while wild camping, or just while the electricity has gone out (we still love you, Uganda), we bought an EasyAcc Portable Charger. It has four USB outlets so we can charge multiple items at once. Yes, these external batteries can be big and heavy, but for any type of off-the-beaten-path camping, or serious international travel, this is a must if you want to be able to use your electronic devices at all times. Plus, this charger actually charges things quickly!
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Plug Adapters
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If you're just sticking to the US, Canada, and Central America, the US plugs (Type A) will be fine. But once you hit Chile and Argentina, you'll need international plug adapters. Having a European (Type C) plug and a British one (Type G) will get you far, but not everywhere. Mind bogglingly, South Africa decided to have its own unique plug (Type M).
So do your research, and get the right plug adapter for where you're going. Because there's nothing worse than spending a long day on the road, crossing a difficult border, and then checking into a hotel that night only to find that you can't plug anything in. |
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Our Go-To Adapters - This Ceptics 12Pcs International Set has every single one you'll ever need and is what we use. Ceptic may sound like a crappy brand name, but they have proved to be #1 (not #2)... Okay, I'll stop with the poo poo puns...
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Extension CordAt first, this might not seem very important, but there have been countless times where we've gotten to some hotel room, and we really needed to charge our phones but also wanted to check out the map for tomorrow’s drive, or look at the weather forecast, or go through some recent pictures... And of course, the only outlet in the room is way off in the corner where you’d have to sit on the floor to be near it.
This is where an Extension Cord is invaluable. Even just a 6' (~2 meter) one does the job nicely for us. We’ve met other travelers on the road who watched us bring out our extension cord, and as if it were made of gold they said, “Ohhh... that’s something we forgot.” It's also nice because it will give you a few extra plugs that you won't need an adapter for. |
SOFTWARE
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Software is just as important as hardware these days. Here we've given you a list of what programs and apps we use.
Route Planning - iOverlander (works offline, free, possibly the greatest app ever), FreeCampsites.net (good for North America, free) Navigation - Googe Maps (free, works offline with maps downloaded), OsmAnd+ (free, works offline), Maps.me (free, works offline) |
Photograph Editing - Adobe Lightroom (not free), GIMP (for logos and graphics, free)
Video Editing - Adobe Final Cut Pro (a bit of an investment), iMovie (free with Mac products)
Video Editing - Adobe Final Cut Pro (a bit of an investment), iMovie (free with Mac products)
Choose Another Gear Category:
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Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, we earn a small commission whenever you purchase something using our links through Amazon, at no extra cost to you. So thank you! Every little bit gets us further down the road.
Also to keep in mind, we have been sponsored by Klim, Mosko Moto, Cardo, Ruby Moto, Atlas Throttle Locks, and have had help from Carl's Cycle Sales, and Dunlop Tires. Despite partnering with these companies, we try to be as honest about their products as we can be, and we would never promote anything that we did not genuinely like.
Also to keep in mind, we have been sponsored by Klim, Mosko Moto, Cardo, Ruby Moto, Atlas Throttle Locks, and have had help from Carl's Cycle Sales, and Dunlop Tires. Despite partnering with these companies, we try to be as honest about their products as we can be, and we would never promote anything that we did not genuinely like.
Questions? We'd love to chat!
