Gear Review – If I Hiked the Colorado Trail Again
This, Gear Review – If I Hiked the Colorado Trail Again post is supposed to give others an understanding of what one veteran hiker would do differently if they hiked the trail again. As the saying goes, hind sight is 20/20.
I came at this trail not only with a lot of general hiking experience but I had also done a majority of the trail twice before. Once during my thru-hike of the CDT and once while doing the Colorado Trail Race. This made choosing my gear much easier than for someone who had never done the trail.
As you’ll see there isn’t much I would change with my kit. It’s more like some simple fine tuning. Hopefully the comparison will help others select their own gear and help speed up the gear selection process. Remember though, your own gear list should represent your hiking style, needs, speed, and level of trail confidence. Happy Trails.
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PACK & SHELTER
Item
Brand
Reason
What I Used Last Time
Pack
Pa’lante Packs V2 or (possibly some other even more amazing pack if it existed at that time.)
No Change.
No Change.
Both my Palante V2 pack and TarpTent ProTrail Li were amazing. I wouldn’t switch either of them out unless something much better came along. Neither item had any significant drawbacks or pitfalls, that would warrant a change.
The V2 pack was the perfect size for my pace. At no point did I feel I needed more room to carry more food or gear. The bottom stash pocket was one of the big reasons I wanted to try the pack in the first place, and it didn’t disappoint. I used it daily for both my trash and to store my rain/wind mitts, as well as my beanie on cold days. The only thing I missed were hip belt pockets, but I managed without them. A fanny pack might be the answer here.
The TarpTent ProTrail Li was another item I had my eye on for a while. It is the improved cousin of the Contrail by Tarptent which I used on the PCT. The biggest difference between them is the ridge line and rear window on the ProTail. The ProTrail is a snap to put up, has amazing ventilation, plenty of room, and a smallish foot print. Because of these factors I would definitely use it again.
Conclusion
When I hit the trail for this Colorado Trail thru-hike it was essentially the third time doing most of the trail. I completed the section from Georgia Pass to the middle of the San Juans when I did the Continental Divide Trail, and I rode all but the wilderness sections during my run at the Colorado Trail Race in 2017.
Since it was my third go of it, I had a really good idea of what I needed and should bring. Essentially I had done two shakedown hikes/bike rides already. This is why there are very few changes to what I would take in this Gear Review – If I hiked the Colorado Trail Again post. My past experience on the trail gave me plenty of what I call trail confidence.
It’s my hope that this Gear Review – If I Hiked the Colorado Trail Again post will help others considering doing the CT for the first time understand what one veteran hiker would pack when it comes to gear and assist them in putting together their own gear list for a successful thru-hike.
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