Continental Divide Trail SOBO Ultralight Gear List 2023
This is all the gear I will be starting my southbound (“SOBO”) thru-hike of the ~3,000 mile Continental Divide Trail “CDT” with!
My 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) is 10.48 pounds. Here is my LighterPack with each item’s weight listed.
Surprise! I finished the CDT in November 2023. Make sure to also check out the following blog post to learn about how all my gear performed throughout my hike and what gear I swapped out: Continental Divide Trail Southbound 2023 Final Ultralight Gear List.
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)
I’m trying a new pack for this trail, which I’m super excited about. I really love the straps on this bag, which are running-style straps and are super comfortable. Plus, it is made of a water-resistant fabric, which will be nice because this trail will likely have more rain than previous trails I’ve hiked.
*Disclaimer: I am working 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 line 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.
Shelter
Tent
Durston Gear X-Mid Pro 2 (19.6 oz)
This is a 2-person Dyneema Composite Fabric (DCF) tent that I’ll be sharing with my partner, Tim. He will be carrying it in his pack, which is why I’m not counting it towards my base weight. I’m excited to try this tent out on the Continental Divide Trail. On previous trails, I used either my High Tail Designs tarp or Gossamer Gear The One tent.
Tent Poles
Durston Gear Z-Flick Tent Pole x2 (3.3 oz each / 6.6 oz total) *Tim carrying
Stakes
Durston Gear Aluminum V Stakes - 4x6″(8.5 g ea) and 4x7″(12 g ea), (82 g / 2.89 oz total)
Bringing the stakes that come with the Durston X-Mid Pro 2. *Tim carrying
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. One sheet lasted me the entire AZT because I made sure to be careful, but on my thru-hike of the Pacific Crest Trail, Tim had to mail be a new one a couple of times when it ripped.
*Tim carrying
Sleep System
Sleeping Quilt
Hammock Gear 20°F (-6°C) Premium Burrow Short/Wide + 1 oz overfill (21.6 oz)
I’m bringing my Hammock Gear 20°F Premium quilt for my CDT thru-hike, which I’ve also used for the Arizona Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, and John Muir Trail. 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. Check out my blog post Ultimate Sleeping Quilt Guide: Why I Use a Quilt Instead of a Sleeping Bag for 3-Season Backpacking for more information about quilts and why I prefer using them over sleeping bags.
Sleeping Pad
Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite Sleeping Pad - Women's (12 oz)
For my sleeping pad, I typically use the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Xlite Ultralight Mattress in size small, but this year I upgraded to the full-length women’s sleeping pad for additional warmth and comfort (newly updated version in 2023).
Pillow
Worn Clothes
Shirt - Cotopaxi Sombra Sun Hoodie - This is currently my favorite sun hoodie for thru-hiking! I wore this on the last 500 miles of my Pacific Crest Trail thru-hike and for the entire Arizona Trail.
Shorts - Vuori Studio Pocket Shorts - These are currently my favorite thru-hiking shorts. I love that they have pockets and are pretty durable.
Shoes - Altra Lone Peaks - My go-to thru-hiking shoe. I wore these the entire JMT, PCT, and AZT.
Socks - Injinji Ultra Run Mini Crew Socks
Sports Bra - Vuori Yosemite Bra
Underwear - Patagonia Active Hipster
Sun Gloves - Outdoor Research ActiveIce Sun Gloves
Hat - DIY CDT Hat (I sewed a CDT patch onto this hat)
Gaiters - Dirty Girl 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, but the Cerium Hoody is the updated version of my jacket and comes in the same color now!
Sleep/Backup Socks - Injinji Trail Midweight Crew (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 Jacket - Versalite Jacket Women's (4 oz)
Leggings - Vuori Studio Pocket Leggings (5.6 oz)
Beanie - Coal Headwear The Uniform Mid Beanie (2.6 oz)
Fleece - Lark Hoodie by Senchi Designs (4.1 oz)
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)
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 & Food Storage
Pot - TOAKS Light Titanium 550ml Pot (2.6 oz) *Tim carrying
Stove - MSR PocketRocket 2 (2.6 oz) *Tim carrying
Spoon - Sea to Summit Spoon - Long (0.4 oz)
Fuel + Lighter - 100g Fuel Can + Mini Lighter
Food Bags & Storage -
OPSAK Odor-Proof Barrier Bags - 12" x 20" (0.8 oz) and Mountain Laurel Designs DCF Food Bag - Large (1.2 oz)
We also started the hike with a Bear Hanging Kit, but Tim and I got so frustrated with hanging because it always took super long to do a proper hang and it was often hard to find the right tree. A couple of hundred miles into our CDT thru-hike, 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. However, you are required to hang in Glacier National Park and Yellowstone National Park, so make sure to have some rope on hand for those areas. After exiting grizzly bear country, we mailed home our Ursacks from South Pass City, Wyoming.
Water
Water Filter - Sawyer Micro Squeeze (1.8 oz)
Water bottles - Smartwater bottles (1.2 oz x2)
Dirty Water Bag - CNOC Vecto 2L Water Container (2.8 oz)
Water Treatment - Aquamira Water Treatment
Toiletries, First Aid Kit, and Repair Kit
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.
Repair Kit
Nothing fancy here, just a few items that could be useful if any of my gear breaks:
Duct Tape - I just bring a small amount
Sewing Kit - I usually bring a needle, one small thread roll, and a needle threader
Miscellaneous
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 into for additional protection from the elements.
Bear Spray
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…
Wallet
Nothing fancy here. I just carry a plastic bag with my license, credit cards, and cash.
Sun Umbrella
I’m starting with my Gossamer Gear Sun Umbrella for the long hot days in the sun (6.6 oz).
