Lightweight Gear List for the Colorado Trail
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PACK
Lined with Gossamer Gear Waterproof Pack Liner, used the G SitLight Camp Seat as the back pad, added shock cord compression, and the large shoulder strap pocket.
SLEEP SYSTEM
Katabatic Gear Alsek 22* Quilt
Sea to Summit Aeros UL regular pillow
Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Xlite Women’s Sleeping Pad
TENT
Stakes: MSR mini groundhogs x6, Ti shepherd hooks x4
COOK SET
BRS3000 stove
Toaks 750 mL cook pot
Sea to Summit Alpha Light Spoon - Long
Bic Lighter
Fuel: 4 oz canister
Pot Holder: cut-up bandana
Ursack Major XL
Opsak 12”x20”
WATER
Platypus Quickdraw
1 L Smartwater Bottle w/ sport cap x2
0.5 L Smartwater Bottle w/ sport cap
CLOTHING WORN
Top: REI Sahara Shade Hoody
Bottoms: Lululemon Find Your Pace 3”
Bra: Patagonia Barely Bra
Underwear: Icebreaker Siren bikini
Socks: Injinji Ultra Run No-Show
Gaiters: Dirty Girl
Shoes: Altra Olympus 4
Sunglasses: Knockarounds, polarized
Buff
CLOTHING PACKED
Insulating Layer: Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer Hoody
Rain Shell: Montbell Versalite
Wind Pants: Enlightened Equipment Copperfield 20D
Baselayers: Senchi Waxwing Hoody, Patagonia Lightweight Capilene Bottoms
Extra Socks: Injinji Ultra Run No-Show, Darn Tough midweight crew
Gloves: Montbell Chameece Gloves
Birkenstock Madrid EVA sandals
BATHROOM/ HYGIENE
Storage Bag: ZPacks small DCF dry bag
Deuce of Spades Trowel & TP + 2 ziplocks
Hand Sanitizer
Blistex UPF 15 lip balm
Sun Bum small stick sunscreen SPF 30
Tiny toothbrush & travel toothpaste
Eyedrops
Vagisil for chafe
Body Wipes
Mini nail clippers
Mini tweezers
Lotion: travel-sized
SAFETY/ REPAIR
Garmin inReach Mini
Spyderco Ladybug Knife
First Aid Kit:
Leukotape (on pill container), ibuprofen, benadryl, immodium, alcohol swab, square of gauze, 1 band aid, neosporin, personal rx meds, lighter, needle, safety pin
Repair Kit:
Therm-a-rest patch, gear tape, duct tape (on poles)
Maps: Digital (Guthook Guides & GaiaGPS)
Trail is well-marked
ELECTRONICS & CAMERA
Power Bank: Anker Powercore II 10000
Wall Charger: Anker PowerPort PD 2
Headlamp: Nitecore NU25
Phone: iPhone XS
Cords: micro USB, iPhone cable
Earbuds: Apple
Zpacks small dry bag
Garmin Fenix 6 Pro watch
OTHER
Zpacks Travel Utility Zip (old version) + Thru. pack Wallet
Outdoor Research face mask
Bandana snot rag (tied on pack)
Post-Hike Commentary
My Gossamer Gear Gorilla really shined on this hike. I started out with GG’s G4-20 pack and it really wasn’t working out for me. But my Gorilla was so comfortable and lovely! Read more about my thoughts in my all-encompassing review.
The first big trip with my Katabatic Gear Alsek quilt! It performed amazingly. I never had a cold night in it. I seriously can’t wait to use it more. It is such a luxurious quilt, and I always felt perfectly comfortable with the differential cut.
This was my first big trip using the Gossamer Gear The One tent. Overall, I liked it, but I did have issues with condensation. Yes, condensation is always an issue, but due to the design with the mesh at the head and foot of the tent, condensation did not drip out of the tent and instead just rolled down the bathtub floor into puddles in the corners of the tent. But otherwise, the size was perfect for me, loved how much room the vestibule had, and I didn’t mind only having one door.
Another thru-hike, another water filter tested. This time, I tried out the Platypus Quickdraw. I was really excited for this filter and I did like it a lot. I value being able to attach a filter directly to Smartwater bottles so I can directly drink from the filter. Because water is usually plentiful on the CT, I usually just carried 1 liter in my main water bottle and just refilled it as I went. Not having to sit down and filter water is just convenient. The speed of filtration was about the same as a Sawyer Squeeze, but slower than a Katadyn BeFree. I appreciated the easy to do fidelity check to ensure the filter is still working, and performed it a few times just to make sure I could do it.
My Evernew 2 L was kinda terrible when paired with the Quickdraw. I’m not sure if it was because of the size of the bag, but it was so much harder to filter water from this bag through the Quickdraw than the Quickdraw’s proprietary bag or the Smartwater bottle. I’m not sure what to make of that.
I really liked the REI Sahara Shade Hoody. The fabric was nice, very quick drying and not overly hot. I really like the shape of the hood and the neck area. I liked that when the hood is down, the neckline isn’t choking me. Overall, a win!
Lululemon shorts were winners! A little skimpy, but the material was super comfortable and quick drying. The waistband got a little wonky over time though.
The Altra Olympus 4 shoe was not great. The outsole, even with Vibram, doesn’t hold up like the Lone Peak does, and the shoe itself is just not meant for getting beat up day after day. My upper separated from the midsole right at the seam around 400 miles. I would realistically put their lifespan at 350-400 miles, while I could get 500+ miles out of a pair of Lone Peaks. The heel also wasn’t secure enough for me. I was sloshing around a lot, which led to blisters - same spot on each heel. The cushion was nice, but that’s about it.
I really loved my Senchi Waxwing Hoody! This is the 60/90 blend of Polartec Alpha Direct fabric. I used it as a sleep shirt and an extra warmth layer in the mornings while hiking. It is pretty delicate, and I did notice some wear where my hip belt rubbed against it. But, that is just how the fabric is. It’s only 4 oz for this super UL mid-layer, so you just kind of have to put up with stuff like that. It’s a super comfy top and I loved wearing it!
This was my first time bringing a 10k external battery on a thru hike. I was a little nervous that it wouldn’t have enough juice for my electronic usage, but it managed well. My longest stretch without charging it was 4 nights (this happened twice). I would run out of charge after the 4th night. Each night I had to charge my iPhone XS anywhere from 30-70%. The Anker is great though. It charges up so fast with USB-C and also allows me to charge my phone super quickly via USB-C. For my super short afternoon in Twin Lakes, being able to charge my battery in just a couple of hours was awesome.
