Mountain Biking Essentials. Ride Out, Not Walk Out.

What do you need on every mountain bike ride?

Every ride needs a trailside flat kit, a multi-tool, water you carry on your body, and a way to call for help when the trail takes you past the last cell tower. That kit is what has you riding out instead of walking out, and the rest is about having more fun while you are out there.

We made this video in November 2020 for novice riders, seasoned pros and everyone in between. The promise was the gear you need to have fun, be safe, and save your bacon in an emergency. In October 2026 we rewrote this page around it so the list points at gear you can buy today.

The checklist

1. Fresh sealant in both tiresThe video description lists Orange Seal, and we still carry it. Orange Seal Endurance and Orange Seal Regular are both on the shelf.
2. Tire plugs and the tool to set themThe description names the Genuine Innovations Tubeless Tackle kit, the Side of Bacon plugs and the Lezyne kit. We carry the Side of Bacon plugs, which Genuine Innovations says to set with one of its own tools. The Lezyne bar end plug tool is another way to carry a plug kit. More in tubeless flat repair.
3. A spare tube and a bootThese are for the slice a plug will not close, and Park Tool emergency tire boots come three to a pack.
4. A multi-toolMake sure it fits every bolt on your bike before you need it on the trail. See multi-tools and our multi-tool post.
5. A hydration packA pack keeps water, tools and a layer in one place, with no bottle to bounce out on rough ground. We carry USWE, including the MTB Hydro 3L, in hydration packs.
6. A way to call for helpThe description lists a Garmin inReach, and we cover that below.
7. Eye protectionGlasses keep out branches, dust and the odd bug. The description lists the 100% S2 in the photochromic lens, which 100% says darkens with UV and lightens in shade. Our full range is under sunglasses.
8. Chamois creamBoth creams from the video description are still here: Chamois Butt'r and the Muc-Off Athlete Performance Women's Luxury CC Chamois Cream.

The repair kit, from small hole to big cut

You hear the hiss, and then the sealant starts spitting out of the tread. Sometimes it seals on its own before you can stop, and sometimes it keeps going.

Sealant is a liquid that rides around inside the tire, and escaping air carries it into the hole, where it plugs up. It does its best work on small punctures, and the bigger the hole, the less it can do alone, which is where a plug comes in. The Side of Bacon plugs are vulcanized butyl rubber, per Genuine Innovations, and you push one into the hole with a plug tool so the plug and the sealant work together.

The part most riders miss is what to do when the hole is a long cut. In that case the answer is to put a tube in and cover the cut from the inside with a boot, so the tube cannot bulge out through it. Park Tool says its boot is for tires that use an inner tube, not tubeless, and that it is a temporary fix, so ride it out and then replace the tire.

Every one of these is a small thing in your pack.Together they turn a long walk out into a short stop.

Our flat protocols post walks through the full routine.

Getting help when there is no signal

A lot of good trail sits past the edge of cell coverage. A Garmin inReach is a satellite communicator, and Garmin lists two-way text messaging and an SOS trigger, with a satellite subscription required for texting. If you carry an iPhone 14 or later, Apple's Emergency SOS via satellite can text emergency services when you have no cellular or Wi-Fi coverage, as long as you have a clear view of the sky and horizon.

Under tree cover that view is not a given, so test whichever one you carry before the ride where you need it.

The rest of the 2020 essentials series

1. Gravel bike essentials, for remote roads far from help.
2. Indoor cycling, for picking a trainer, accessories and an app.
3. Road bike essentials, from the basics to radar.

Every tubeless flat repair tool we carry is on one page, and we ship nationwide. Questions about what to carry for your tires? Ask us.

Shop trail repair

Put the plug tool where you can reach it without unpacking everything.