Continental Divide Trail CDT Gear Guide 2019

The Continental Divide Trail Gear Guide: Class of 2019 Survey

In the second chapter of the Continental Divide Trail Thru-hiker Survey, we take a deep dive into Continental Divide Trail hikers’ gear. CDT gear lists can vary wildly between hikers and (spoiler alert) it’s impossible to find a perfect CDT gear list. That said, we can try.

I’ve organized this post in a way that I hope will give a comprehensive picture of what gear CDT thru-hikers are using. This post covers the highest-rated gear, most common gear, gear statistics based on different groups of hikers, the lowest-rated gear, hiker comments on gear, and finally, gear advice. The gear covered here includes backpacks, shelters, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, down jackets, rain jackets, stoves, water treatment, and snow equipment.

I am sure that some of you will come up with comparisons you would like to see that I have overlooked. My hope is to make this a useful resource for CDT hikers, so if there’s anything that you think is missing, please leave a comment or get in touch.

That being said, I hope you enjoy this year’s CDT Gear Guide brought to you by the CDT Class of 2019.

Jump to a section

Notes on the data

  • This year we had 176 completed surveys – that’s a 70% increase vs. last year and the most respondents in the history of the survey.
  • Some responses have been sorted and colored to present the data in a friendlier manner (e.g. northbound vs. southbound responses).
  • Not all CDT hikers meticulously document the stats of their thru-hike. Therefore, the data is not going to be 100% accurate. That said, it should be fairly close to the reality of the trail this year.
  • I refer to survey respondents collectively as this year’s “class“. Remember, this is a sample and not a comprehensive survey of every single CDT hiker on the trail this year.
  • If you find a small and meaningless discrepancy in the data, congratulations. However, if you find a large or obvious error, please let me know and it will be corrected.
  • If you’re wondering what this symbol – σ – is, it’s the symbol for standard deviation. If you don’t know what that is, I invite you to use the Google.
  • If two pieces of gear have the same rating, the higher ranking is given to the piece of gear that had a higher number of users.
  • I will be releasing more detailed survey posts focused on CDT Resupply, CDT Horror Stories, and CDT Advice in the coming weeks. If you would like to be notified of new surveys, click here.

LABELS differentiating hiker segments:

  • THRU: Thru-hikers (all)
  • THRU-0: Thru-hikers who did NOT complete the CDT
  • THRU-1: Thru-hikers who completed the entire CDT
  • NOBO: Northbound thru-hikers (all)
  • NOBO-0: Northbound thru-hikers who did NOT complete the CDT
  • NOBO-1: Northbound thru-hikers who completed the CDT
  • SOBO: Southbound thru-hikers (all)
  • SOBO-0: Southbound thru-hikers who did NOT complete the CDT
  • SOBO-1: Southbound thru-hikers who completed the CDT

If NO LABEL has been appended to a data point, then I used all data collected (i.e. it also includes section hiker data).

The Highest-rated CDT Gear

In addition to asking each CDT hiker what gear they used, I also ask hikers to rate each piece of gear. No point in doing what everyone else is doing if they’re all doing it wrong, right? I use this information to arrive at a top-five-pieces-of-gear list for each of the categories surveyed.

NOTES ON THE DATA:

  • All weights (and for backpacks, capacity) for products below are for products in a size medium and/or regular unless otherwise noted.
  • I only included items here that were used by AT LEAST ten hikers. Why ten? Because that’s the number I arbitrarily decided on – I already told you, this isn’t scientific.

The Highest-rated CDT Gear List

So what does our “Highest-rated CDT gear List” backpack have in it? And, on that note, what is our backpack?

Total weight – Big 3 (pack, shelter, sleeping bag): 6 lbs 5.82 oz / 2.887 kg
Total weight – Big 4 (Big 3 + sleeping pad): 7 lbs 4.83 oz / 3.312 kg
All CDT gear: 9 lbs 2.25 oz / 4.146 kg

These base weights are missing gear (headlamp, extra clothing, electronics, etc.), and they get us within striking distance of the AVERAGE STARTING BASE WEIGHT (total weight not including consumables such as food, water, and poop paper) of this year’s thru-hikers15.31 lbs / 6.945 kg. Also, note that the stove included in this list, the Snow Peak GigaPower 2.0, does not include the weight of a pot.

The total price of all this gear? $2,490 (this includes one pair of shoes). The average amount hikers spent prior to beginning their hikes? $931.95 (σ = $709.28). Clearly, most hikers had some of their gear prior to beginning their hikes.

Now, let’s take a detailed look at the top five highest-rated pieces of gear in each of the following categories: backpacks, shelters, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, insulated jackets, shells, stoves, water treatments, and shoes.

HIGHEST-RATED CDT BACKPACKS
The Hyperlite Mountain Gear Windrider was the highest-rated pack on the CDT this year. It is a 31.82 oz / 902 g waterproof pack capable of carrying up to 55 L (it comes in three sizes) and 40 lbs / 18 kg. It has three mesh exterior pockets and two hipbelt pockets.

BACKPACKPRICERATINGWEIGHTLITERSMAX LOADACCESS
Hyperlite Mountain Gear Windrider$3455/531.82 oz / 902 g5540 lbs / 18 kgTop
Gossamer Gear Mariposa$2254.80/531.2 oz / 884 g6035 lbs / 16 kgTop
ULA Circuit$2554.60/541 oz / 1.162 kg6835 lbs / 16 kgTop
Granite Gear Crown2 60$2004.44/536.7 oz / 1.04 kg6035 lbs / 16 kgTop
Osprey Exos$2204.33/543 oz / 1.219 kg5840 lbs / 18 kgTop

HIGHEST-RATED CDT SHELTERS
The Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL1 was the highest-rated shelter on the CDT this year. It’s a one-person, free-standing shelter weighing in at 38 oz / 1.077 kg. It has a single, side-entry door and has a minimum trail weight of 34 oz / 964 g.

SHELTERPRICERATINGWEIGHTPACKED SIZEHEIGHTFLOORDOORS
Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL1$3804.90/538 oz / 1.077 kg17.5 x 5.5 in / 44 x 14 cm38 in / 97 cm20.17 ft² / 1.87 m²1
Big Agnes Tiger Wall UL2$4004.71/540 oz / 1.133 kg5.5 x 18 in / 14 x 46 cm39 in / 99 cm28 ft² / 2.6 m²2
Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2$4504.71/550 oz / 1.417 kg6 x 19.5 in / 15 x 50 cm40 in / 101 cm29 ft² / 2.69 m²2
Big Agnes Fly Creek HV UL1$3304.43/533 oz / 936 g4 x 19 in / 10 x 48 cm38 in / 97 cm19.71 ft² / 1.83 m² 1
Tarptent Notch$3144.40/527 oz / 770 g16 x 3.5 in / 41 x 9 cm43 in / 109 cm15.75 ft² / 1.46 m²2

A NOTE ON SHELTERS

For the weight of each shelter, I have used the packed weight – that is, the weight of the shelter including stuff sacks, guy lines, and stakes.

HIGHEST-RATED CDT SLEEPING BAGS
The Western Mountaineering Versalite was the highest-rated sleeping bag on the CDT this year. This is the same top-rated bag from the PCT Gear Survey. The Versalite uses 850-fill down insulation and has interlocking draft tubes with a down-filled collar.

SLEEPING BAGPRICERATINGWEIGHTTEMPERATUREFILLFILL WEIGHT
Western Mountaineering Versalite$6054.94/532 oz / 907 g10°F / -12°C850-fill goose down20 oz / 565 g
Feathered Friends Egret 20$5104.60/527.2 oz / 771 g20°F / -6.67°C950+ goose down17.3 oz / 491 g
Enlightened Equipment Revelation 10$3254.53/525.95 oz / 736 g10°F / -12°C850-fill duck down13.63 oz / 386 g
Katabatic Sawatch 15$5004.50/524 oz / 680 g15°F / -9.44°C900+ goose down15 oz / 425 g
Western Mountaineering UltraLite$5004.45/529 oz / 822 g20°F / -6.67°C850-fill goose down16 oz / 454 g

HIGHEST-RATED CDT SLEEPING PADS
The Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm sleeping pad was the highest-rated sleeping pad of CDT hikers this year. The 2.5 in / 6.4 cm thick pad comes in either regular or large sizes (there’s no small because this is a four-season pad), and it has an R-value of 6.9.

SLEEPING PADPRICERATINGWEIGHTR-VALUETYPEPACKED SIZETHICKNESS
Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm$2154.61/515 oz / 425 g6.9Air9 x 4 in / 23 x 10 cm2.5 in / 6.4 cm
Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite (Small)$1454.55/58 oz / 227 g4.2Air9 x 3.5 in / 23 x 9 cm2.5 in / 6.4 cm
Therm-a-Rest NeoAir UberLite$1954.50/514 oz / 397 g2.3Air6 x 3.6 in / 15 x 9 cm2.5 in / 6.4 cm
Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite$1854.49/512 oz / 340 g4.2Air9 x 4.1 in / 23 x 10 cm2.5 in / 6.4 cm
Sea to Summit UltraLight Insulated$1404.25/516.9 oz / 479 g3.3Air8 x 3 in / 20 x 8 cm2 in / 5.08 cm

HIGHEST-RATED CDT INSULATED JACKETS
The Arc’teryx Cerium LT Down Hoodie was the highest-rated jacket among CDT hikers this year. The jacket uses 850-fill goose down with two zippered hand pockets and one zippered internal pocket.

JACKETPRICERATINGWEIGHTINSULATIONHOODPOCKETS
Arc’teryx Cerium LT Down Hoodie$3804.75/510.9 oz / 309 g850-fill goose downYes2 zippered hand / 1 zippered internal
Patagonia Micro Puff Hoody$3004.73/59.3 oz / 264 g65-g PlumaFillYes2 zippered hand / 2 drop internal
Montbell Plasma 1000$3294.71/54.8 oz / 135 g1000 fill power EX downNoNone
Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer$3004.69/58.3 oz / 235 g800-fill-power Q.Shield treated goose downNo2 zippered hand pockets
Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer (Hooded)$3254.43/58.8 oz / 250 g800-fill-power Q.Shield treated goose downYes2 zippered hand pockets

HIGHEST-RATED CDT SHELLS
The Arc’teryx Beta SL Hybrid Jacket was the highest-rated shell (that’s a fancy name for rain jacket) among CDT hikers this year. It’s a 12.3 oz / 349 g jacket made with Gore-Tex Paclite that includes pit zips and two zippered hand pockets. Men’s / Women’s

SHELLPRICERATINGWEIGHTFABRICPIT ZIPSPOCKETS
Arc’teryx Beta SL Hybrid Jacket$4004.86/512.3 oz / 349 gGore-Tex PacliteYes2 zippered hand
Outdoor Research Helium II$1604.05/56.4 oz / 182 g2.5-layer Pertex waterproof breathable laminateNo1 zippered chest
Marmot PreCip Jacket$1003.92/511.39oz / 322.9gMarmot NanoPro Waterproof/BreathableYes2 zippered hand
Montbell Versalite$2003.83/56.4 oz / 182 gGore-Tex Infinium WindstopperYes2 zippered hand
Frogg Toggs Ultra-Lite2$253.82/59 oz / 255 gThree-layer polypropyleneNoNone

HIGHEST-RATED CDT STOVES
The Snow Peak GigaPower 2.0 was the highest-rated stove on the CDT this year. It’s a 3.2 oz / 91 g canister stove with a foldout, four-pronged pot support and that can (reportedly) boil one liter of water in 4 min. 48 sec.

STOVEPRICERATINGWEIGHTTYPEDIMENSIONSINTEGRATED POTSIMMER CONTROL
Snow Peak GigaPower 2.0$504.94/53.2 oz / 91 gCanister3.6 x 2.0 x 1.8 in / 9.1 x 5 x 4.6 cmNoYes
MSR PocketRocket 2$454.66/52.6 oz / 74 gCanister7.25 x 5 x 4 in / 19 x 12.6 x 10.2 cmNoYes
BRS-3000T$174.64/50.88 oz / 25 gCanister1.97 x 1.18 x 1.3 in / 5 x 3 x 3.3 cmNoYes
Jetboil Flash$1004.56/513.1 oz / 371 gCanister7.1 x 4.1 in / 18 x 10.4 cmYesYes
Jetboil MiniMo$1454.50/514 oz / 397 gCanister5 x 6 in / 12.7 x 15.2 cmYesYes

HIGHEST-RATED CDT WATER TREATMENTS
Aquamira was the highest-rated water treatment on the CDT this year. It’s a two-part chlorine dioxide solution that rids your drinking water of protozoa and bacteria.

WATER TREATMENTPRICERATINGWEIGHTTYPEDIMENSIONSMEDIUMREMOVES
Aquamira$154.60/53 oz / 85 gDropsN/AChlorine dioxideProtozoa, bacteria, and viruses
Iodine$124.50/53 oz / 85 gDropsN/AIodineProtozoa, bacteria, and viruses
Platypus GravityWorks$1004.50/510.9 oz / 309 gGravity3 x 7.4 in / 7.6 x 18.8 cmHollow fibersProtozoa and bacteria
BleachCheap4.33/5N/ADropsN/ASodium hypochloriteProtozoa, bacteria, and viruses
Katadyn BeFree$254.11/52.3 oz / 65 gBottle11.3 x 3.5 x 2.8 in / 29 x 9 x 7 cmHollow fiberProtozoa and bacteria

HIGHEST-RATED CDT TREKKING POLES
The Black Diamond Alpine Carbon Z were the highest-rated trekking poles on the CDT this year. A pair weighs just under one pound at 15.8 oz / 447 g and they have carbon fiber shafts with cork handles. They collapse down to 16.6 in / 42 cm.

TREKKING POLESPRICERATINGWEIGHT (PAIR)SHAFT MATERIALHANDLE MATERIALCOLLAPSED LENGTHLOCKING MECHANISM
Black Diamond Alpine Carbon Z$1904.70/515.8 oz / 447 gCarbon fiberCork16.6 in / 42 cmPush-button Lock
Leki Micro Vario Carbon$2004.70/516.9 oz / 479 gHigh modulus carbonFoam15 in / 38 cmExternal Lever Lock
Black Diamond Trail Ergo Cork$1304.54/518 oz / 510 gAluminumCork27 in / 69 cmExternal Lever Lock
Black Diamond Alpine Carbon Cork$1804.42/517.1 oz / 485 gCarbon fiberCork24 in / 61 cmExternal Lever Lock
Black Diamond Trail$1004.39/517 oz / 482 gAluminumFoam25 in / 63.5 cmExternal Lever Lock

HIGHEST-RATED CDT ICE AXE
The C.A.M.P. USA Corsa Nanotech was the highest-rated ice axe on the CDT this year. It’s the only one of the top five with a bent shaft and it is the lightest at 8.8 oz / 250 g (tied with the C.A.M.P. USA Corsa).

ICE AXEPRICERATINGWEIGHTMATERIALLENGTHSSHAPE
C.A.M.P. USA Corsa Nanotech$1604.78/58.8 oz / 250 g7075-T6 aluminum steel alloy shaft/Sandvik Nanoflex steel50, 60, 70 cmBent
Black Diamond Raven Pro$1104.57/513.8 oz / 392 gStainless-steel head and spike/aluminum 7075-T6 shaft55, 60, 65, 70 cmStraight
Petzl Glacier Literide$1004.33/511.3 oz / 320 gHeat-treated steel/aluminum 707550 cmStraight
Black Diamond Raven$853.95/515.9 oz / 452 gStainless-steel head/aluminum shaft60, 65, 70, 75 cmStraight
C.A.M.P. USA Corsa $1203.73/58.8 oz / 250 g7075 aluminum alloy50, 60, 70 cmStraight

HIGHEST-RATED CDT SHOES
The Merrell Moab 2 Vent was the highest-rated shoe on the CDT this year. They are the heaviest shoe of the bunch at 31 oz / 879 g per pair, but they are extremely durable (and are the shoes I hiked the CDT in). On average, thru-hikers who finished the trail used 3.67 pairs of these shoes over the course of the entire CDT. Men’s / Women’s

SHOESPRICERATINGWEIGHT (PAIR)HEEL-TOE DROPWATERPROOFAVERAGE NUMBER USED
Merrell Moab 2 Vent$1005/531 oz / 879 gNo3.34
La Sportiva Wildcat$1104.80/525 oz / 709 g12 mmNo4.0
Salomon XA Pro 3D$1304.54/526.5 oz / 751 g12 mmNo4.22
Altra Timp$1404.29/517 oz / 482 g0 mmNo5.5
Altra Lone Peak$1204.28/521 oz / 595 g0 mmNo4.54

A NOTE ON SHOES

Even if you knew for certain that each pair of your shoes will last you 700 mi / 1,125 km, buying yourself four pairs of shoes at the start of the hike would be a risky decision – what if the shoes aren’t as comfortable as you thought? What if your feet swell?

Remember, you can buy shoes using this thing called the internet and have them mailed ahead on the trail (to a post office, hotel, local outfitter, trail angel, etc.) once you know that you’re going to need a new pair. If you encounter an emergency situation, you can always buy locally or simply wait around for your shoes to show up in the mail.

CDT TRACTION SYSTEMS

Kahtoola MICROspikes Traction System

A total of 50.68% of Continental Divide Trail hikers used the Kahtoola MICROspikes Traction System. An additional 32.43% reported not using any traction system at all. The remaining 16.89% of hikers used a variety of other devices, none of which had more than three reported users.

Kahtoola MICROspikes: $70 | 11 oz / 312 g |elastomer/stainless steel | 4 sizes available

The Most Common CDT Gear

Now that we’ve looked at which pieces of gear hikers liked best, let’s examine which pieces of gear were the most commonly used by CDT hikers. Remember, this is the most commonly used gear – simply because something was common, this does not necessarily translate to it automatically being the “best” (or even good).

The only piece of gear to occupy both the highest-rated and most common position is the Sawyer Squeeze. That said, there is still a lot of overlap between the highest-rated and the most commonly used pieces of gear.

The Most Common CDT Gear List

What about the most commonly used gear on the CDT this year? What did the average sheep waddling down the trail look like? What were they carrying?

Total weight – Big 3 (pack, shelter*, sleeping bag): 5 lbs 3.94 oz / 2.380 kg
Total weight – Big 4 (Big 3* + sleeping pad): 5 lbs 15.94 oz / 2.720 kg
All CDT gear*: 11 lbs 3.37 oz / 5.085 kg

*The shelter, a Zpacks Duplex, requires trekking poles and eight stakes to be set up which are not included in this weight

These base weights are missing gear (headlamp, extra clothing, electronics, etc.), and they get us within striking distance of the AVERAGE STARTING BASE WEIGHT (total weight not including consumables such as food, water, and poop paper) of this year’s thru-hikers15.63 lbs / 7.089 kg.

The total price of all this gear? $1,990 (this includes one pair of shoes). The average amount hikers spent prior to beginning their hikes? $931.95 (σ = $709.28). Clearly, most hikers had some of their gear prior to beginning their hikes. A side-by-side breakdown of the highest-rated and most common CDT gear will follow this section.

Now, for a detailed look at the top five most common pieces of gear in each of the following categories: backpacks, shelters, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, insulated jackets, shells, stoves, water treatments, and shoes.

MOST COMMON CDT BACKPACKS
The Osprey Exos was the most widely-used pack on the CDT this year. It is a 42 oz / 1.190 kg pack capable of carrying up to 58 L and 40 lbs / 18 kg. It’s also available in a 48-liter version.

BACKPACKPRICERATINGWEIGHTLITERSMAX LOADACCESS
Osprey Exos$2204.33/542 oz / 1.190 kg5840 lbs / 18 kgTop
ULA Circuit$2554.47/541 oz / 1.162 kg6835 lbs / 16 kgTop
Hyperlite Mountain Gear Southwest$3454.29/532.11 oz / 910 g5540 lbs / 18 kgTop
Granite Gear Crown2 60$2004.44/536.7 oz / 1.04 kg6035 lbs / 16 kgTop
Hyperlite Mountain Gear Windrider$3455/531.82 oz / 902 g5540 lbs / 18 kgTop

MOST COMMON CDT SHELTERS
The Zpacks Duplex was the most widely-used shelter on the Continental Divide Trail this year. It is the only non-freestanding shelter on the “most common” list and it requires two trekking poles to be set up (which is why it appears to be so much lighter). It’s made from .51 oz/yd² Dyneema Composite Fabric and required eight stakes to be set up (not included in the $600 price tag).

TENTPRICERATINGWEIGHTPACKED SIZEHEIGHTFLOORDOORS
Zpacks Duplex$6003.85/519.4 oz / 550 g7 x 13 in / 18 x 33 cm48 in / 122 cm28 ft² / 2.6 m²2
Big Agnes Fly Creek HV UL2$3504.27/537 oz / 1.048 kg4 x 19 in / 10 x 48 cm39 in / 99 cm28 ft² / 2.6 m²1
Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL1$3804.90/538 oz / 1.077 kj5.5 x 17.5 in / 14 x 44 cm38 in / 96 cm20 ft² / 1.9 m²1
Big Agnes Tiger Wall UL2$4004.71/540 oz / 1.133 kg5.5 x 18 in / 14 x 46 cm39 in / 99 cm28 ft² / 2.6 m²2
Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2$4504.71/550 oz / 1.417 kg6 x 19.5 in / 15 x 50 cm40 in / 101 cm29 ft² / 2.69 m²2

A NOTE ON SHELTERS

The weight provided for the Zpacks Duplex does not include the two trekking poles or the eight stakes that are required to set it up. All the rest of the shelters have their “packed weight” provided – this includes poles, stakes, and stuff sacks.

MOST COMMON CDT SLEEPING BAGS
The Enlightened Equipment Revelation 20 was the most common sleeping bag on the CDT this year – and it’s a quilt. It’s made with 850 DownTek treated down with a 10D nylon shell. There is also a 10-degree version – the third-most-popular bag this year – which received higher ratings than the more-common 20-degree version.

SLEEPING BAGPRICERATINGWEIGHTTEMPERATUREFILLFILL WEIGHT
Enlightened Equipment Revelation 20$3004.0/522.54 oz / 639 g20°F / -6°C850-fill duck down16.08 oz / 456 g
Western Mountaineering UltraLite$5004.45/529 oz / 822 g20°F / -6°C850-fill goose down16 oz / 455 g
Enlightened Equipment Enigma 20$3154.14/521.19 oz / 601 g20°F / -6°C850-fill duck down15.46 oz / 438 g
Enlightened Equipment Revelation 10$3254.53/525.95 oz / 736 g10°F / -12°C850-fill duck down19.31 oz / 574 g
Western Mountaineering Versalite$6054.80/532 oz / 907 g10°F / -12°C850-fill goose down20 oz / 565 g

MOST COMMON CDT SLEEPING PADS
The Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite was the most common sleeping pad on the CDT this year. It comes in four sizes – small, regular, large, and regular/wide/ The 2.5 in / 6.4 cm thick pad has an R-value of 4.2 and is made with 30D rip HT Nylon in the USA (if you’re into that).

SLEEPING PADPRICERATINGWEIGHTR-VALUETYPEPACKED SIZETHICKNESS
Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite$1854.4912 oz / 340 g4.2Air9 x 4.1 in / 23 x 10 cm2.5 in / 6.4 cm
Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite (Small)$1454.558 oz / 227 g4.2Air9 x 3.5 in / 23 x 9 cm2.5 in / 6.4 cm
Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm$2154.6115 oz / 425 g6.9Air9 x 4 in / 23 x 10 cm2.5 in / 6.4 cm
Therm-a-Rest Z Lite Sol$454.46/514 oz / 397 g2.6Foam20 x 5 x 5.5 in / 51 x 13 x 14 cm0.75 in / 2 cm
Sea to Summit UltraLight Insulated$1304.38/516.9 oz / 479 g3.3Air9 x 4 in / 23 x 10 cm2 in / 5 cm

MOST COMMON CDT INSULATED JACKET
The Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer (Hooded) was the most common puffy on the CDT this year. It weighs 8.8 oz / 250 g and is stuffed with 800-fill goose down. The Ghost Whisperer without a hood was the third-most common jacket and it received a slightly higher rating from hikers.

DOWN JACKETPRICERATINGWEIGHTINSULATIONHOODPOCKETS
Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer (Hooded)$3254.43/58.8 oz / 250 g800-fill goose downYes2 zippered hand
Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer$3004.69/58.3 oz / 235 g800-fill goose downNo2 zippered hand
Patagonia Micro Puff Insulated Hoodie$3004.73/59.3 oz / 264 gSyntheticYes2 zippered hand / 2 internal drop
Arc’teryx Cerium LT Down Hoodie$3804.5/510.9 oz / 309 g850-fill goose downYes2 zippered hand / 1 zippered internal
Montbell Plasma 1000$3294.71/5
4.8 oz / 135 g
1000 Fill Power EX DownNoNone

MOST COMMON CDT SHELLS
The Outdoor Research Helium II was the most common shell (that’s a fancy name for rain jacket) among CDT hikers this year. It is also the lowest-rated piece of gear to top a most-common list. It is the lightest jacket on the list at just 6.4 oz / 182 g and it uses a 2.5-layer Pertex waterproof breathable laminate.

Arc'teryx Beta SL Hybrid Jacket
Arc’teryx Beta SL Hybrid
SHELLPRICERATINGWEIGHTFABRICPIT ZIPSPOCKETS
Outdoor Research Helium II$1604.05/56.4 oz / 182 g2.5-layer Pertex waterproof breathable laminateNo1 zippered chest
Frogg Toggs Ultra-Lite2$253.82/59 oz / 255 gThree-layer polypropyleneNoNone
Marmot PreCip Jacket$1003.92/511.39oz / 322.9gMarmot NanoPro Waterproof/BreathableYes2 zippered hand
Montbell Versalite$2003.83/56.4 oz / 182 gGore-Tex Infinium WindstopperYes2 zippered hand
Arc’teryx Beta SL Hybrid$4254.86/511.3 oz / 320 gGore-Tex Paclite 2L, Gore-Tex Pro (3-layer), & Gore C Knit (100% nylon)Yes2 zippered hand / 1 zippered chest

MOST COMMON CDT STOVES
The MSR PocketRocket 2 was the most commonly-used stove on the CDT this year. The 2.6 oz / 74 g canister stove can (reportedly) boil a liter of water in 3.5 minutes and it packs down to 7.25 x 5 x 4 in / 19 x 12.6 x 10.2 cm (included with the stove is a hard-shell carrying case).

STOVEPRICERATINGWEIGHTTYPEDIMENSIONSINTEGRATED POTSIMMER CONTROL
MSR PocketRocket 2$454.66/52.6 oz / 74 gCanister7.25 x 5 x 4 in / 19 x 12.6 x 10.2 cmNoYes
BRS-3000T$174.64/50.88 oz / 25 gCanister1.97 x 1.18 x 1.3 in / 5 x 3 x 3.3 cm NoYes
Jetboil Flash$1004.56/513.1 oz / 371 gCanister7.1 x 4.1 in / 18 x 10.4 cmYesYes
Jetboil MiniMo$1454.50/ 514 oz / 397 gCanister5 x 6 in / 12.7 x 15.2 cmYesYes
Snow Peak GigaPower 2.0$504.94/53.2 oz / 91 gCanister3.6 x 2.0 x 1.8 in / 9.1 x 5 x 4.6 cmNoYes

A NOTE ON STOVES

5.83% of hikers used an alcohol stove.

MOST COMMON CDT WATER TREATMENTS
The Sawyer Squeeze was the most commonly-used water filter on the CDT this year. It weighs 3 oz / 85 g and will freeze (and break) if left out in cold-enough temperatures – what more could you ask for?

WATER TREATMENTPRICERATINGWEIGHTTYPEDIMENSIONSMEDIUMREMOVES
Sawyer Squeeze$353.92/53 oz / 85 gSqueeze/Straw2 x 5 in / 5 x 13 cmHollow fiberProtozoa and bacteria
Aquamira$154.60/53 oz / 85 gDropsN/AChlorine dioxideProtozoa, bacteria, and viruses
BleachCheap4.33/5N/ADropsN/ASodium hypochloriteProtozoa, bacteria, and viruses
Katadyn BeFree$254.11/52.3 oz / 65 gBottle11.3 x 3.5 x 2.8 in / 29 x 9 x 7 cmHollow fiberProtozoa and bacteria
Iodine$124.50/53 oz / 85 gDropsN/AIodineProtozoa, bacteria, and viruses

MOST COMMON CDT ICE AXE
The Black Diamond Raven was the most common ice axe on the CDT this year. It’s the slightly heavier (and less expensive) version of the Black Diamond Raven Pro which received a much higher rating.

ICE AXEPRICERATINGWEIGHTMATERIALLENGTHSSHAPE
Black Diamond Raven$853.95/515.9 oz / 452 gStainless-steel head/aluminum shaft60, 65, 70, 75 cmStraight
C.A.M.P. USA Corsa $1203.73/58.8 oz / 250 g7075 aluminum alloy50, 60, 70 cmStraight
C.A.M.P. USA Corsa Nanotech$1604.78/58.8 oz / 250 g7075-T6 aluminum steel alloy shaft/Sandvik Nanoflex steel50, 60, 70 cmBent
Petzl Glacier Literide$1004.33/511.3 oz / 320 gHeat-treated steel/aluminum 707550 cmStraight
Black Diamond Raven Pro$1104.57/513.8 oz / 392 gStainless-steel head and spike/aluminum 7075-T6 shaft55, 60, 65, 70 cmStraight

MOST COMMON CDT SHOES
The Altra Lone Peak was the most popular shoe on the CDT this year – used by nearly a third of CDT hikers. It’s a zero-drop shoe and, on average, hikers who completed the trail used 4.65 pairs – nearly $600 in shoes (at full retail price).

SHOESPRICERATINGWEIGHT (PAIR)HEEL-TOE DROPWATERPROOFAVERAGE NUMBER USED
Altra Lone Peak$1204.28/521 oz / 595 g0 mmNo4.54
Salomon XA Pro 3D$1304.54/526.5 oz / 751 g12 mmNo4.22
Brooks Cascadia$1304.17/521.4 oz / 607 g8 mmNo4.30
Altra Timp$1404.29/517 oz / 482 g0 mmNo5.50
Merrell Moab 2 Vent$1005/531 oz / 879 gNo3.34

A NOTE ON SHOES

Even if you knew for certain that each pair of your shoes will last you 700 mi / 1,125 km, buying yourself four pairs of shoes at the start of the hike would be a risky decision – what if the shoes aren’t as comfortable as you thought? What if your feet swell?

Remember, you can buy shoes using this thing called the internet and have them mailed ahead on the trail (to a post office, hotel, local outfitter, trail angel, etc.) once you know that you’re going to need a new pair. If you encounter an emergency situation, you can always buy locally or simply wait around for your shoes to show up in the mail.

Highest-rated vs. Most Common CDT Gear

How do the highest-rated and most common CDT gear lists stack up against one another? It appears that most hikers opted for lighter gear, but that those who carried heavier gear were often happy with their choices. The eternal struggle between comfort and weight in the world of thru-hiking marches forward.

HIGHEST-RATED CDT GEARMOST COMMON CDT GEAR
Total cost$2,490$1,990
Total weight – Big 36 lbs 5.82 oz / 2.887 kg5 lbs 3.94 oz / 2.380 kg
Total weight – Big 47 lbs 4.83 oz / 3.312 kg5 lbs 15.94 oz / 2.720 kg
All CDT gear9 lbs 2.25 oz / 4.146 kg11 lbs 3.37 oz / 5.085 kg

NOTE: The shelter used in the “Most Common CDT Gear” list requires two trekking poles and eight stakes to be set up (not included in the base weight). The highest-rated tent is freestanding and does not require trekking poles.

The Base Weights

THRUTHRU-1THRU-0NOBOSOBO
BASE WEIGHT (START)15.31 lbs / 6.95 kg14.71 lbs / 6.67 kg17.03 lbs / 7.72 kg15.89 lbs / 7.21 kg13.27 lbs / 6.02 kg
BASE WEIGHT (END)15.05 lbs / 6.83 kg14.63 lbs / 6.64 kg16.33 lbs / 7.41 kg15.66 lbs / 7.1 kg12.80 lbs / 5.81 kg
% CHANGE1.7%0.5%4.1%1.4%3.5%
SLEEPING BAG TEMPERATURE17.61°F / -7.99°C17.54°F / -8.03°C17.81°F / -7.88°C17.15°F / -8.25°C18.88°F / -7.29°C
BACKPACK SIZE52.37 L51.84 L54.03 L53.37 L47.56 L
% USING FREESTANDING SHELTER40%37.84%46.15%45.05%21.21%
% STOVELESS20.69%21.10%19.44%18.87%30.30%
$ SPENT ON GEAR (PRE-TRAIL)$931.95$898.47$1,028.57$1,012.25$650.00

Overall, base weights changed by very little on the CDT. The average sleeping bag temperature was under 20°F / 6.6°C for all categories, and the average backpack size hovered at around 52 L overall.

If you’re a first-time, would-be thru-hiker, take this information to mean that you should probably pay attention to what’s going into your pack before setting off on the trail (hikers who didn’t finish had, on average, higher base weights than those who did). That said, this could be due to experience. Experience? Yeah, you know, like hikers who completed the trail went into it having already hiked? Let’s look at how hikers with experience stack up with those on their first thru-hikes.

FIRST-TIME HIKERSEXPERIENCED HIKERS
BASE WEIGHT (START)17.90 lbs / 8.12 kg15.07 lbs / 6.84 kg
BASE WEIGHT (END)15.23 lbs / 6.91 kg15.12 lbs / 6.86 kg
% CHANGE14.9%0.33%
SLEEPING BAG TEMPERATURE17.52°F / -8.04°C17.94°F / -7.81°C
BACKPACK SIZE56.38 L52.14 L
% USING FREESTANDING SHELTER46.88%36.17%
% STOVELESS12.5%22.55%
$ SPENT ON GEAR (PRE-TRAIL)$1,130.63$849.19

Interesting to see that the experienced hikers actually ended up with a heavier finishing base weight than they started with. I guess hikers were a bit underprepared for some of the conditions they encountered on the CDT.

Remember that gear selection is personal; you’re the one carrying your pack and you’re the one who will suffer the consequences or reap the benefits of your gear selection. If you’re happy to carry something and/or it improves the quality of your hike, then nobody has the right to tell you that you shouldn’t have it (and if they do, tell them Mac said to get fucked).

The luxury items

Continental Divide Trail hikers obsess over their gear lists and what goes into their packs, but most everyone has something that could be considered a luxury item by someone else. Some people believe their phone to be an essential and multifunctional piece of gear while others may scoff at the idea of using one to take photos, listen to music, and use GPS in the wilderness (personally, I could not survive a thru-hike without a phone).

The most popular luxury item on the trail this year? A pillow. 19.5% of CDT hikers listed their luxury item as a pillow. Some of the most popular pillows?

What else was popular (and not so popular) among this year’s thru-hiking luxury items?

  • Many hikers listed their cameras as their luxury items (for some, this is probably mandatory)
  • A journal or notebook (and one would assume a pen, as well)
  • Kindles were a (surprisingly) popular response

The lowest rated gear

Now that we’ve looked into what gear CDT hikers liked best and what the most common gear was on the CDT this year, let’s look at what hikers DIDN’T LIKE. What should you avoid (or at least think about carefully) before purchasing?

NOTES ON THE DATA FOR LOWEST RATED GEAR:

  • Similar to the highest-rated gear above, here I only included gear that was used by AT LEAST 10 hikers.
  • To be considered for the “lowest-rated” list, a piece of gear needed to have a rating of BELOW 80% (4 out of 5 and below).
  • If no item in a particular category met the 10-hiker and under 80% criteria, that category has been omitted below.
  • I’ve attached comments from hikers to each piece of gear.
GEARRATINGNAMECOMMENTS
Backpack3.50/5Zpacks Arc HaulNot durable
Shelter3.85/5Zpacks DuplexCondensation / Not stormworthy
Shelter3.80/5Nemo Hornet 1PNot enough interior space
Sleeping Pad2.70/5Therm-a-Rest Z Lite Sol, ShortUncomfortable
Shell3.82/5Frogg Toggs Ultra-Lite 2This jacket was the second-most-common shell on the CDT this year.
Shell3.92/5Marmot Pre-CipThis jacket was the third-most-common shell on the CDT this year.
Shell3.83/5Montbell VersaliteThis jacket was the fourth-most-common shell on the CDT this year.
Shell3.40/5Patagonia Torrentshell
Water Treatment3.92/5Sawyer Squeeze63% of CDT thru-hikers used the Sawyer Squeeze – the most common complaint? The flow rate diminished significantly over time.

CDT thru-hiker gear advice

To wrap up this portion of the gear breakdown (posts on couples’ gear and gear broken down by gender are on the way), I have advice from this year’s CDT Class on gear choices and gear lists for future CDT hikers.

  • Keep it simple. There is too much hype on gear with marginal differences. Lots of stuff will work if it is light and durable. Most gear can be replaced along the way if not.
  • The CDT is colder than I anticipated, even having read past hikers comment on the cold. I sleep cold and wish I had gotten a 10-degree bag instead of a 15 so I wouldn’t have had to get additional clothes for layering. Your bag will seem excessively warm in New Mexico but you’ll need it in Colorado and for sections of Montana and Wyoming.
  • I used a different system in the snow in Colorado then switched back to my original system. Carried snowshoes for the Southern San Juans. Fleece is way better than down.
  • I put a priority on buying reliable gear. All of my gear performed great but if I did this trail again I would budget more for ultralight gear. I would also bring a professional-grade camera.
  • Bring tenacious tape, super glue, gorilla tape, shoe goo, extra lighters, and rolling tobacco for the times people run out and lose their minds on the side of a mountain.
  • Wish I took a sun umbrella for New Mexico.

The Continental Divide Trail Survey Collection

If there is ANYTHING you can think of that would make this information more useful (or any more gear-related cross-referencing you would like to see), then please LEAVE A COMMENT and let me know.

Affiliate Disclosure: This page may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive small commissions for purchases made via these links at no additional cost to you. This helps pay the bills and keep the site up and running. Thank you for your support!

Similar Posts

7 Comments

  1. Great article…. especially the disclaimer that basically says all given HYOH. I have one minor critique…… “ Aquamira was the highest-rated water filter”…… Aquamira is NOT a filter, yes, it is the highest rated “treatment”, but it does nothing to remove the chunks (not to say they may not be nutritious, but not a filter nonetheless). 😉

  2. Am looking to through-hike next year (after doing Te Araroa in 2015/16) and finding your source to be awesome.

    Ever thought of doing a Te Araroa version of this survey?

    Jandal

  3. This survey is invaluable . . .

    How can someone say the Arc Haul does not have a top strap when it most certainly does unless you specifically order it without one. Mine has both a single and a “Y” strap but you use one or the other, not both at the same time. I can see how the lightest of all the packs would be the lest durable. It’s *weight* is the reason I bought it :o)

    I have both the Snow Peak and the BRS and the Snow Peak is heavier and puts out almost half the heat as the BRS. Maybe I just got a dud?

    After months of comparing and pondering over these bags/quilts I just ordered (will be here today) the Western Mountaineering Versalite. If it is at least as wide or wider than my Mountain Hardwear Phantom +32 (at 23 oz) I will keep it for the colder sections of my hike.

    I’m seriously considering doing away with a down puffy jacket. 1/4 zip fleece is much more versatile and breathable. Use a zippered shell to let the steam out. I can always change my mind :o)

    I have both the Timps and the Lone Peaks and the Timps run a full size shorter but they feel about the same to me with a SofSole insole. Dont ask me why the call them SofSole because they are NOT soft LOL but they are good and last what seems like for ever. (over 1,000 miles)

    I have the Duplex tent and though you can use 8 stakes it does not require but 6 and I always use 7 but I carry 8. If you lose stakes you can use rocks in top of little sticks

    The fact that the highest rated Big 4 gear is heavier than the most common but the most common’s total base weight is much heavier is worth some commentary is someone can figure that out.

    LOL. . . “. . . and rolling tobacco for the times people run out and lose their minds on the side of a mountain”

Comments are closed.