The results from the poll question several weeks ago about the most important piece of gear are in. Ok, it was more like 10 weeks ago, but who’s counting.
Does anyone else think the pie chart looks like an aero wheel design from the mid 90s? Remember those anodized purple, green, and gold parts?
Result Insights
The results take into account the Facebook comments. This makes the results reported here slightly different than the percentages reporting in the blog post for the poll.
1) No one answer got a majority of the votes. The initial thinking was that one answer would dominate. However, after seeing the results, it makes sense that the answers are spread out so evenly. We all approach our camping/bikepacking setups differently so it reasons that we would each have a different opinion on the most important part of the kit.
2) I’m sure I can guess the friends that chose the “Full Flask” answer. I shouldn’t complain because at least you voted.
3) The phone votes were a bit surprising. Again, it makes sense when you consider most of us take short trips and the areas with cell phone coverage increase every day.
My Selection
As for my vote, I was torn between the firestarter, compass, and sleeping bag. I ended up choosing the firestarter with the compass as my second choice. My reasoning was that in a worst case scenario, having a fire would make the situation much more comfortable and much less stressful. The compass would help with navigation and rescue, but it would not make the immediate situation better.
Still Time to Vote
If you are new to the blog or have not voted, the poll is still open and you can submit your answer. My expectation is that even with more votes, there will not be a clear winner.