Continental Divide Trail Southbound 2023 Final Ultralight Gear List
This is all the gear I finished my southbound (“SOBO”) thru-hike of the Continental Divide Trail with! I started July 16th, 2023, and finished on November 3rd, 2023 (to give you an idea of what my weather window was). It was a low snow year in northern Montana and we started late, so we didn’t need to start with any snow traction or ice axes. If you want to see what I started the trail with, check out my original gear post: Continental Divide Trail Ultralight Gear List 2023.
My ending base weight (base weight is the weight of all your gear not including your worn weight, e.g. clothes you wear and shoes, or consumables like food, water, and fuel) was 10.38 pounds. Here is my LighterPack with each item’s weight listed.
I’ve organized my gear into the following sections if you want to jump ahead:
Disclaimer: Some of the links in this blog post are affiliate links, meaning I receive a small percentage of every purchase at no additional cost to you. Read more about my affiliate policy here.
Backpack
Backpack
The Cutaway by Nashville Pack - 16” EPL 200 Ultra (14.6 oz)
This was a new backpacking pack for me and I can honestly say I love it. The Cutaway is easily the comfiest pack I’ve used and the pockets are amazing. I’m a big pocket person - the more pockets the better. I love the pockets on the shoulder straps and the bottom pocket, which I use to store my snacks for the day so I can snack without taking my pack off. I really liked how the fabric is water-resistant, too. I’ll be completing a full review of this pack in a separate blog post, so stay tuned for that!
*Disclaimer: I worked with Nashville Pack as an ambassador, so they refunded me for the pack that I had already bought to use on my CDT thru-hike.
Pack Liner
Gossamer Gear Clear Waterproof Pack Liner (1 oz)
I lined my bag with the Gossamer Gear Clear Waterproof Pack Liner to keep everything dry. These bags are fully waterproof, ultralight, and very affordable at $5.00 for a two-pack of liners. I used one bag for the entire hike. It was pretty worn out by the end and I probably should have replaced it at least once, but it did its job and I was able to repair rips with tape. By the end of the CDT, it really didn’t rain much. It did rain a lot during the first half of the trail, so I definitely recommend having some sort of bag liner to protect your warm gear from getting wet.
Shelter
Tent
Durston Gear X-Mid Pro 2 (19.6 oz)
Tim and I used the Durston X-Mid Pro 2 for the entirety of the Continental Divide Trail (on previous trails, I used either my High Tail Designs tarp or Gossamer Gear The One tent). The X-Mid Pro 2 is a 2-person Dyneema Composite Fabric (DCF) tent. Tim carried the tent in his pack, which is why I’m not counting it towards my base weight. For a 2-person tent, I really did like this tent. We quickly realized you have to sleep facing opposite directions to optimize headspace, but we got used to that. One thing we didn’t love about the tent was that the floor isn’t also made out of DCF, which meant if the floor got wet it took a very long time to dry out (but it looks like the 2024 version of the tent now has a DCF floor option which is awesome!). The vestibules on the tent are very large, which is nice.
We cowboy-camped (slept outside without our shelter setup) a lot in New Mexico because it almost never rained. We really wanted to switch to a tarp in New Mexico to save on weight and space, but unfortunately, all of our tarps are in our storage unit in Seattle, Washington.
Tent Poles
Durston Gear Z-Flick Tent Pole x2 (3.3 oz each / 6.6 oz total) *Tim carrying
These tent poles worked really well. I like that the height is adjustable, which is nice when the ground isn’t even.
Stakes
Durston Gear Aluminum V Stakes & MSR Groundhog Stakes
We started with only the stakes that came with the Durston X-Mid Pro 2, but we didn’t like them that much. They bent and broke very fast and we had to replace a couple within our first couple of weeks on trail. We found MSR Groundhog Stakes in hiker boxes (boxes other thru-hikers discard unwanted gear into for other hikers to take) and those worked much better.
Groundsheet
Duck Brand Indoor Window Shrink Film Insulator (1.76 oz)
Ok, this one might throw you for a loop unless you’re familiar with the things people do to make their backpacking gear ultralight. As a groundsheet, instead of a traditional groundsheet you buy, I used window plastic covering (Duck Brand Indoor Window Shrink Film Insulator) cut down to a size that fits under my tarp. You might be wondering…why? Because it is super light at only 50g (1.76 oz)! And it packs down really well to stuff in your bag. Since it’s just a cheap sheet of plastic, it’ll likely rip, so be careful with it. We used one sheet for the entire CDT, but it did get very ripped up and we had to tape it a bunch. Similar to the pack liner, we probably should have gotten a new one, but we made it work.
Sleep System
Sleeping Quilt
Katabatic Gear Sawatch 15°F Quilt (23.3 oz)
I started the CDT with my Hammock Gear 20°F (-6°C) Premium Burrow Short/Wide + 1 oz overfill (21.6 oz), which I also used for the Pacific Crest Trail, Arizona Trail, and John Muir Trail. This quilt has thousands of miles on it and it performed wonderfully the first half of the trail, but I was getting cold at night when we reached Colorado. When we got to Copper Mountain, I switched to my Katabatic Gear Sawatch 15°F Quilt, which is incredibly warm. I used it for the rest of the trail and was very happy to have the warmer quilt for October and November. It gets really cold at night and this quilt kept me really comfortable.
If you’re looking for an even more budget option for a quilt, I recommend the Hammock Gear Economy Burrow Quilt. The custom quilts take a few weeks to ship, so if you are looking for something faster, Hammock Gear also has in-stock and ready-to-ship quilts here.
Curious about what a sleeping quilt is? It’s like a sleeping bag without the back so it is lighter. Read this article on the benefits of a quilt over a sleeping bag if you’re interested.
Sleeping Pad
I started the CDT with the 12-oz Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite Sleeping Pad - Women's (the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT Sleeping Pad is the 2023 updated version). I really enjoyed this sleeping pad because it is comfortable and very warm. Unfortunately, it did randomly pop when we were in the San Juan’s in Colorado, so I replaced it with the NEMO Switchback Sleeping Pad. I was going to switch to a closed-cell foam sleeping pad for New Mexico anyway because of the sharp plants and for the ease of setting up since we were planning on cowboy camping a lot in New Mexico, so my popped pad just expedited that change. Overall, I also like the NEMO Switchback sleeping pad because you don’t need to inflate it and it is pretty comfortable. It is definitely not as warm as the NeoAir Xlite, but the extra warmth wasn’t needed in New Mexico. I also cut down NEMO Switchback to be shorter and narrower (51x16 inches) so I could attach it to the back of my backpack using the Nashville Pack Shock Cord and Toggle for Pad Attachment System.
Pillow
Sea to Summit Aeros Ultralight Pillow* (2.0 oz)
*I got rid of my pillow in South Pass City, Wyoming! But I did wish I had it again by the end when I switched to the foam pad.
Worn Clothes
Shirt - Cotopaxi Sombra Sun Hoodie - I wore the same exact shirt the entire trail. It was very sun-faded by the end of our thru-hike, but other than that it held up extremely well. It didn’t get any holes and while it did get a bit smelly since I wore it for 110 days in a row, I didn’t think it was that bad. I think this is still my favorite sun hoodie.
Shorts - Vuori Studio Pocket Shorts - I also wore the same exact shorts the entire CDT. These I probably should have switched out, but I was so close to the end, I didn’t bother. I love how soft the fabric is and that it has pockets, but after a thousand miles, they do stretch out a bit. Both the waistband and the pockets stretched out a lot, but they did last thousands of miles of wear, so no complaints from me.
Shoes - Altra Lone Peaks & Lems Primal Pursuit - I wore Altra Lone Peaks for all but 500 miles of my thruhike. I wore four different pairs of Lone Peaks, each for about 500 miles. Lone Peaks have been my go-to shoes for thruhiking for the past few years and are very reliable. I did have a bit of a planning hiccup and had to get a new pair of shoes in a town that didn’t sell Lone Peaks, so I wore the Lems Primal Pursuit hiking shoes for 500 miles and actually really loved them. The Lems Primal Pursuit were super comfortable and had great traction. Plus, they were really durable. The only con was that they didn’t dry out as fast as the Lone Peaks. The Lems Primal Pursuits will definitely be a part of my gear for next hiking season.
Socks - Injinji Ultra Run Mini Crew Socks - These were my hiking socks the entire CDT. Once you start using toe socks, it's hard to go back to normal socks. I did go through a few pairs, but I forget exactly how many.
Sports Bra - Vuori Yosemite Bra - Very comfortable. I also wore this on the PCT and AZT. I like that it can double as a swimsuit top.
Underwear - Patagonia Active Hipster - This underwear is comfy and doesn’t chafe.
Sun Gloves - Outdoor Research ActiveIce Sun Gloves
Hat - DIY CDT Hat (I sewed a CDT patch onto this hat)
Gaiters - Dirty Girl Gaiters & Altra Gaiters - the Dirty Girl Gaiters fit better and were more durable than the Altra Gaiters.
Sunglasses - Goodr Circle Gs Polarized or similar cheap polarized sunglasses from Walmart
Packed Clothes
Puffy Jacket - Arc’teryx Cerium LT Women’s (8.9 oz) - this exact model is not made anymore, the Cerium Hoody is the updated version of my jacket. This is my favorite jacket for backpacking. It kept me warm on super chilly days high up in Colorado.
Sleep/Backup Socks - Darn Tough Hiker Micro Crew Cushion Socks (2.0 oz)
Fleece Gloves - Outdoor Research Vigor Heavyweight Gloves - Women’s (2.5 oz)
Rain Pants - Montbell Versalite Pants Women's (2.4 oz) - Rain pants are definitely a necessity for the CDT. These kept my legs dry on the super rainy days.
Rain Jacket - Versalite Jacket Women's (4 oz) - This rain jacket worked super well. I sized up so it would be extra roomy to fit over my puffy jacket and fanny pack.
Leggings - Vuori Studio Pocket Leggings (5.6 oz) - I wasn’t sure about bringing leggings when I started, but I carried these the entire trail. The CDT is a very cold trail. I’m happy I had these. If you’re looking for something warmer, I would probably get base layers instead.
Beanie - Coal Headwear The Uniform Mid Beanie (2.6 oz)
Fleece - Melanzana Micro Grid Hoodie (8.0 oz) - I mailed my Melanzana to Denver (replacing my Lark Hoodie by Senchi Designs) when we reached Copper Mountain because it was getting COLD! The melly is thicker and warmer than the Senchi. The Senchi worked great as a light fleece for the first half of the trail. But I really needed the thicker fleece by September.
Camera Gear
I’m a photographer, so bringing a full camera setup instead of just using my iPhone or a point-and-shoot camera is non-negotiable. I know this means extra weight, but that’s why I try to make the rest of my gear lightweight. My camera is most definitely my “luxury item” of my entire gear setup, but I never regret bringing it.
Camera - Sony A7RIII (24.59 oz, including battery in it and 2 SD cards)
Lens - Sony Sonnar T* FE 35mm f/2.8 ZA Lens (4.16 oz)
Camera Battery - Sony NPFZ100 Z-series Rechargeable Battery Pack
Lens Cloth - Generic Cloth (0.18 oz)
Tripod + Clamp - Ulanzi MT-08 Extendable Mini Tripod + Desmond DAC-25 25mm Mini Clamp (4.6 oz combined)
Phone Clamp - Peak Design Phone Mount (0.42 oz)
Electronics
Headlamp - Nitecore NU25 (1.1 oz) - switched to Petzl Actik Core Headlamp (3.1 oz) which was way brighter and better for night hiking
GPS - Garmin InReach Mini (4.0 oz)
Phone - iPhone 14 Pro (9.6 oz, including phone case and screen protector)
Battery - Nitecore NB10000 (5.29 oz)
Earbuds - Apple EarPods with Lightning Connector (0.4 oz)
Wall Charger - Anker 511 Charger (Nano) (2x1.02 oz, 2.04oz total)
Lightning SD Card Reader - Apple Lightning to SD Card Camera Reader (0.6 oz)
Cords - USB-C to USB-C (0.28 oz), Phone Cord (0.28 oz), Micro-USB (0.46 oz)
Ditty Bag - High Tail Designs Drawstring Stuff Sack (6.8 g)
Cooking Gear
Pot - TOAKS Light Titanium 550ml Pot (2.6 oz) *We got rid of our pot and stove in West Yellowstone, MT because we weren’t using it and either cold-soaked or switched to no-cook meals.
Stove - MSR PocketRocket 2 (2.6 oz) *We got rid of our pot and stove in West Yellowstone, MT because we weren’t using it and either cold-soaked or switched to no-cook meals.
Spoon - Sea to Summit Spoon - Long (0.4 oz)
Food Bag - OPSAK Odor-Proof Barrier Bags - 12" x 20" (0.8 oz)
Water
Water Filter - Sawyer Micro Squeeze (1.8 oz) - I did use a Katadyn BeFree 1.0 L Water Filter Bottle for a few hundred miles, too, because we couldn’t find a Sawyer in town and I needed a new filter. I really liked this filter when the water didn’t have many floaties. It was super fast at first, but once it gets some gunk filtered through it, it slows down a lot. I’ll be doing a full blog post sometime on all the different water treatment options and my experience with them.
Water bottles - Smartwater bottles (1.2 oz x2) - The number of these I carried depending on section. I also liked using the smaller .7 L bottle because it fit better in my shoulder strap pocket.
Dirty Water Bag - CNOC Vecto 2L Water Container (2.8 oz) - Used this for extra water capacity on long water carries.
Water Treatment - Aquamira Water Treatment - We primarily used Aquamira for the entirety of the CDT. If the water didn’t have any floaty things in it (i.e. dead bugs or whatnot), then we would just use Aquamira. We only used the Sawyer Micro Squeeze when the water was extra gross (e.g. cow tanks, etc.) and sometimes would even use both Aquamira + Sawyer Micro Squeeze to be safe.
Toiletries & First Aid
Toiletries
First Aid Kit
Homemade Kit stored in a Plastic Baggy
I typically bring a small amount of each of the following items and replenish my supply in towns, as needed. If you don’t want to buy everything separately, a good place to start is this pre-made travel/mini sized first aid kit or this Adventure Medical Kit, and then you can add in additional items you would like to bring.
Band-Aids - I take a few of each size.
Antiseptic Wipes - Bring a few.
Ibuprofen - I like to bring a small amount and store them in a small pill pouch.
Allergy Medicine (non-drowsy) - I like to bring a small amount and store them in a small pill pouch.
Leukotape - I only bring a small amount, not the entire roll. I like to wrap a small amount of it around my trekking pole.
KT Tape - I bring a few strips.
Tums - I like to bring a few and store them in a small pill pouch.
Miscellaneous
Fanny Pack
High Tail Designs V1.5 Fanny Pack
This is probably another one of my favorite pieces of gear. Having a fanny pack is such a game-changer when hiking. I like to put my phone, permit, snacks, and charging cords in here. It’s nice having some core gear that I use throughout the day easily accessible without having to take my backpack off. Plus, the High Tail Designs fanny pack is super fun and colorful. For this hike, I upgraded to the 2L version, which I can fit my camera in.
Wallet
Nothing fancy here. I just carry a plastic bag with my license, credit cards, and cash.
Sun Umbrella
I started with my Gossamer Gear Sun Umbrella for the long hot days in the sun (6.6 oz). We got rid of our sun umbrellas in South Pass City, WY because it was simply too windy to use them anymore. We did love having these for Montana, Idaho, and northern Wyoming because it rained and hailed a lot and the umbrellas helped keep us dry.
Other Gear I Used Throughout the CDT
Mountain Laurel Designs DCF Food Bag - Large (1.2 oz) & Ursack Major Bear Sack - 10 Liters (7.6 oz)
I started the CDT with a DCF food bag for hanging, but Tim and I got so fed up with hanging because it always took super long to do a proper hang and was often hard to find the right tree. A couple hundred miles into our CDT thruhike, we switched to the Ursack Major Bear Sack - 10 Liters and never looked back. I definitely recommend an Ursack over hanging for ease of use and it seemed way more secure. After exiting grizzly bear country, we mailed home our Ursacks from South Pass City, Wyoming.
Tim and I each carried our own bear spray for the entirety of grizzly bear country (Montana, Idaho, and most of Wyoming). We carried it until we left grizzly bear country (South Pass City, Wyoming). We never had to use it, but always had it super accessible in our shoulder strap pockets. We did wake up a grizzly bear by accident one night, but that’s a story for another time…
Related Posts:
The John Muir Trail (JMT) is a 210-mile trail through the the Sierra Nevada in California. This guide provides information on potential resupply stops for both southbound and northbound thru-hikers, including mile markers from three popular starting points. Additionally, I share insights from my August 2021 northbound (NOBO) thru-hike of the John Muir Trail.