WHAT WE PACKED for the GREAT DIVIDE MOUNTAIN BIKE ROUTE | Full Gear List

We discuss what to pack for the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route (GDMBR) trail. We discuss the pros and cons of the gear we brought and what we would do differently next time. Our full GDMBR gear list was a highly requested video. We hope you enjoy! FULL PACKING LIST BELOW.
Previous Bike Review Video: • The Bikes We Used on t...
The bikes and most of the gear we purchased were from Daves Bike Shop. Thank you for helping us prepare for our trip!: www.davesbikes...
Full Great Divide Packing List:
Bikes used
Salsa Fargo Tiagra - salsacycles.co...
Bike bag list
Ortlieb Panniers: - amzn.to/3mTFQqb
Revelate Designs Feeder Bags - www.rei.com/pr...
Ortlieb Classic 6 Camera Handelbar bag - amzn.to/360pfdC
Salsa Anywhere Cages - salsacycles.co...
Salsa Frame Bag - salsacycles.co...
Camping Gear:
Big Agnes Fly Creek Mountain Glow Backpacking tent
Thermarest z-lite sleeping pad (cut in half) - amzn.to/32dtq4v
REI Igneo Sleeping Bags
Stove Kit (includes, pot, stove, folding utensils, and bowls/cups) - amzn.to/38g8C04
Propane
Clothing (item #’s listed per person):
1 set of Merino Wool base layer top and bottoms
1 light weight fleece
1 warm compressible puffy jacket
1 Marmot Gortex Hardshell Jacket
1 hardshell rain pants
2 lightweight shirts for biking, 1 for sleeping
1 liner biking shorts
1 stretchy short to wear over padded liner shorts
1 running short
1 night time/not biking underwear
2 buffs - amzn.to/350Z4nZ
1 pair of sunglasses
1 pair of biking gloves
• Liz had the Serfas half finger gloves and loved them - amzn.to/32hy9lO
• Alex had the Dakine full fingered gloves - amzn.to/2I5t3lu
1 pair of warm full fingered gloves that are flexible enough to bike with
2 pairs of merino wool socks
1 pair of night time socks
1 pair of low top hiking boots
1 pair of flip flops
Toiletries/Misc:
Bear spray - amzn.to/34YBata
Sunblock
Bug spray
Hand Sanitizer
Chamois cream - amzn.to/3l3oaYG
Sea to Summit toiletry carrier - amzn.to/3l6xRFS
Mini travel size containers for creams etc - amzn.to/34Yg7Hc
GoTubb Container for vitamins/medicines (LOVE these) - amzn.to/3eyBge3
Vitamins, and medicines (Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen are what we brought)
Toothbrush, Toothpaste, Floss
Disposable shaver
Face cleansing wipes
Contacts/Glasses
2 Chapstick (1 with SPF) - amzn.to/38gOWJE
Body cleansing wipes
Toilet Paper + Gallon size bag to put dirty TP
Hydration:
2 squeeze bike bottles - amzn.to/3kWYZqN
Nuums (Love these) - amzn.to/3oZLcCf
3 Liter Water Bladder (would not recommend bringing)
1 Grayl Ultralight Water Bottle Purifier - amzn.to/38f7TMP
Bike Maintenance:
Bicycle multitool - amzn.to/3jZLLIy
Chain Lube - amzn.to/38g1PU8
Tire Sealant (for tubeless setup) - amzn.to/2GzPlvm
2 Co2 Fast Tire Refil Cartilages
1 Co2 Cartilage adapter
Extra inner tube
Presta core remover
Extra cores
Pump
Biking Helmets
Bike lock
Zipties
Stan’s NoTubes Dart Plug -amzn.to/3euNEeY
Camera / Electronics:
Canon EOS R - amzn.to/3jVwBnL
RF 15-35MM f/2.8L IS USM Lens - amzn.to/3ers777
RF 24-105MM f/4L IS USM Lens - amzn.to/2Ia2jQH
DJI Mavic Air - amzn.to/3l5Ep7y
GoPro Hero8 - amzn.to/38eBsxR
Anker Portable Charger - amzn.to/3k6hvvO
Garmin Instinct GPS Watch - amzn.to/3p90NzA
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Thank you for watching!
Liz & Alex
About us: We are a married couple that love outdoor-based adventures, travel and are in constant pursuit of audacious goals. We love hiking, rock climbing, mountaineering, backpacking, biking, and scuba diving. We prefer independent based adventures so tend to choose those, over tours. We absolutely love to explore this beautiful world!

[@Penfold__]

Super useful stuff guys, I’m flying out in three months to start in Banff from uk and your videos have helped a lot.

[@PursuingMountains]

Awesome! I hope you enjoy your trip! The GDMBR is an adventure of a lifetime.

[@VABigRing]

My wife and I really enjoyed your videos of the trip. You mentioned the issue with the saggy fork mount bags. If you use an inexpensive flexible cutting board mat...and roll them up inside of the bag,...kinda making a tube and then stuff it full. The plastic really works well to keep the bags from flopping over.

[@PursuingMountains]

That is a good idea! We will have to give that a try. We are glad your wife and you enjoyed the series :)

[@marshalbird2480]

Just finished watching your Divide series and gear review. As someone who has raced the Divide twice with all the superlight gear etc ect I just want to say I am beyond impressed. I admit at the start of youe 1st vid I was cringing a quite bit. New bikes, what seemed like way to much gear, no gear shake down rides to sort out all the little inevitable issues and basically zero saddle time for your backside and legs I was expecting a slow motion disaster. But you both pulled it off with real flare. Obviously, your past backcountry experience paid off big time for your 1000 mile GDR adventure! Anyway--I would highly recommend your video series and this gear review to anyone who plans on multi-day bike touring the route-lots of good ‘what its really like’ information for the beginner to experience rider.

[@PursuingMountains]

Wow Thank you! ☺️☺️ That is so nice to hear especially from someone who has raced it twice! Thanks for watching and commenting! :)

[@IS-xk3iq]

Great personal advice, advice not mentioned among popular bike touring KZbinrs. Thanks much.

[@PursuingMountains]

Thank you!

[@karen21markel]

This is the most helpful video by real people that did the ride! Great advice!

[@PursuingMountains]

Aww thank you! We hope it helps people prepare for the ride ☺️

[@bennetthasty7886]

My new favorite series yes please!!!!!! Do more of the trail

[@PursuingMountains]

Aww thank you! We would love to! We’ve been talking about it quite a lot...I think we may have to finish it in sections as we both work busy full time jobs now but hopefully we can complete the whole thing eventually :)

[@m1sh99]

Thank you uploading and supporting the bike touring community. I do have one question. How did you charge your power brick? Cheers.

[@PursuingMountains]

Great question. We stayed a couple nights in hotels and just charged everything there. We brought 2 of the most powerful power banks we could find. Each one would last around 4 days, but we had a lot of electronics to charge (drone, GoPros, camera, phones, GPS watch).

[@donaldwalter1317]

21:20 I’ve noticed your drone and there are many other cyclists that are packing them. I was going to purchase one but in Canada your required a licence to operate them(drones capable of follow me flying) and this involves a 3 week course that a pilot would do(navigation, weather conditions, mapping). If you are caught flying one without the license it’s a heavy fine! I use a specific GPS to show my navigation as I’ve had absolutely no reception on a cell phone in remote forested areas.

[@PursuingMountains]

I didn’t know that about Canada, that sounds intense. We carried way more camera gear than anyone really needs since we knew we were documenting our journey on KZbin. There’s pretty much no way I’d bring this much gear if I wasn’t serious about documenting it.

[@rickb6029]

It was a very enjoyable and informative series and I love the honesty.

[@PursuingMountains]

Aww thank you so much for watching and commenting! We are glad you enjoyed it :)

[@imissmydog]

I love this series! Thank you so much for sharing your journey with us!

[@PursuingMountains]

Aww thank you for watching and commenting ☺️We really appreciate the support!

[@hugolefebvre1097]

Hello, I absolutly love your videos! If you are looking for a good inflatable sleeping pad that doesn't break the bank, the klymit pads are very well liked, I personally use the insulated static v lite, it's 20 oz with an R value of 4.4 cost me $80 on sale. You also have the option of buying a single pad that fits 2 persons. As for filtration a good option would be a sawyer squeeze with a cnoc vecto bag and the sawyer coupling to clean the filter.

[@PursuingMountains]

Hi! Thank you! We are glad you enjoy the videos ☺️☺️ Also thank you for the tips. We will have to look into those for our next bikepacking adventure

[@johalun]

Thanks for sharing this adventure with us!! As for the sleeping pad, I can recommend the Big Agnes Insulated Q-Core SLX Sleeping Pad from REI that I got for my bikepacking trips. It's absolutely tiny packed up and inflated about 3" high and very comfortable, especially for side sleepers. A bit pricey but a good night's sleep is worth a lot ;) The only negative I would say is that it makes some noise when you toss and turn but I think that is generally the case for inflatable sleeping pads.

[@PursuingMountains]

Thanks for the tip! I’ll look into it.

[@PumpkinVillage]

Very informational video. Thanks. Take care and stay safe, Al

[@PursuingMountains]

Aww thank you so much! Take care and stay safe too 😊

[@rogervancleave8670]

Great video! Thank you for sharing. Looking forward to you next adventure.

[@PursuingMountains]

Aww thank you! We are looking forward to getting back out there too :)

[@markowsley4954]

Another great video and very informative. Look forward to seeing any adventures you may have in the future

[@PursuingMountains]

Aww Thank you! ☺️☺️

[@chasingbirds3073]

Just discovered you guys and love your videos. Very nice job! I am planning on doing the New Mexico portion of the trail, north to south, in the next year or two. I will definitely take some of your advice. Looking forward to more videos from you.

[@PursuingMountains]

Thanks! It was definitely a learning experience for us. All the best on your journey!

[@gregheppner7210]

Thank you, so much. New to bike packing and doing my first one next summer. All the information you provided was amazing and so helpful. You guys are awesome!!

[@PursuingMountains]

Aww thank you so much! That is so exciting that you are doing your first bikepacking trip next summer! Where are you going?

[@gregheppner7210]

I'm going to do Jasper Alberta to Banff Alberta. Its called the icefields parkway. 4 or 5 day trip.

[@benrushingsr6056]

Hey guys thanks so much for sharing! You did an awesome job!

[@PursuingMountains]

Thank you!

[@steveretiredandcycling]

Excellent presentation of your equipment. Thank you.

[@PursuingMountains]

Thank you! ☺️

[@miguelacosta1494]

Great video you two. Really informative.

[@PursuingMountains]

Thank you! We are glad you enjoyed it :)

[@PiquePictures]

Saddle sore cream is so important!!!!!!!!! I know I needed it for my trip!😰😰😰😰😰😰😰😰

[@PursuingMountains]

Right?! So important! Would never do a bike tour or bikepacking trip without it :)

[@PiquePictures]

@@PursuingMountains Agreed!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@hoser7706]

Maybe grab the Sawyer Squeeze filter w Katadyn tablets to save space. As far as pads go, there are so many. And I own and have used most after years in the outdoor industry. For bikepacking I like the Klymit series for ease of inflation, deflation and thatvit is closer to the ground for oddly enough, stability and comfort. Big Agnes AXL Insulated are great too as are Neoairs w the new valve. Definitely get off of those CCF pads. Lol. Fun to watch your journeys of travel trips and learning.

[@PursuingMountains]

Hi! Thank you for the gear suggestions! We def need to get off our current pads. Quite uncomfortable. I’ve seen the sawyer squeeze filters. Do they filter pretty quick?

[@hoser7706]

Yes really great rate. Mini is slower. Katadyn Be free is geat too. Just not sure of long-teem use. The scoop and hang Katadyn Basecamp is great as well. Pads are certainly personal preference. The Klymits are winners for speed and ease of inflation, deflation, packability and size, and lower cost. S2S are too heavy but comfy. New Neoair valves are good but pads remain noisy and costly. Big Agnes AXL Insulated is a great mix of all and more comfy than Klymit. But something keeps bringing me back to the usability of the Klymit. I have the Klymit Ultralite SL r-value of 4.4. Great so far. Thermarest Prolites are great too and easy to use just bulkier.

[@danielstevens5280]

The NeoAir XLite, one of the most popular inflatable sleeping pads for section hikers. Worth the cost for the R Value and comfort compared to the pad you have, and is only 16oz for the Large/Full. Smaller and half sizes are available too for less $ and less weight. My Nemo Tensor failed structurally on me in the middle of a hike and I had to return it under warranty (and sleep on the ground a few nights). On a side note I had to pay for shipping for the pad back to them and was not too happy about that. Others had the exact issue I did with the pad as well, which is a shame because I really liked it. No "crinkle" sound like the XLite which might bother some, and the Tensor came with a pump sack, the XLite does not and is around $30 extra, but all pads you can inflate by mouth with a little extra effort. Big Agnes has some pads, the ones I checked out that come in around 16oz and a higher R Value seem to be failing as well. At least enough of the reviews on Expertvoice say this to keep me from buying a BA pad. Of course any inflatable can fail on a trip, and if you can not find the leak or patch it you might be bummed. For a side sleeper like myself a non inflatable pad is not an option unfortunately. Sorry, long post.

[@PursuingMountains]

Wow this is so helpful. Thank you! We actually are both side sleepers so often had to switch sides many times during the night to avoid the hip pain. We will look into the Neoair xlite. Thank you for commenting :)

[@danielstevens5280]

@@PursuingMountains Right on. One last thing if you go with the NeoAir XLite. I just discovered the newest 2020 model DOES come with a pump sack now plus the newer WingLock valve design which makes it much easier to inflate/deflate the pad! The older model pad with the classic valve is much slower/harder to inflate/deflate. So just make sure you are getting the newest model. I bought mine not too far back from a mom and pop shop not knowing they sold me the older model!

[@PursuingMountains]

@@danielstevens5280 oh wow that’s good to know! Thanks for the tip :) Can’t wait for another adventure 🙂🙃

[@francoispaquin9996]

Have you had problems with yours panniers on the rough trails? And thanks for sharing...

[@PursuingMountains]

Not too many problems. On the GDMBR, there are a few single track sections, but nothing too narrow.

[@DrRchannel71]

excellent post, big like

[@PursuingMountains]

Thank you! ☺️☺️

[@davejohn5876]

The Sea to Summit or equivalent dry bags work great on Salsa anything cage. You just need to match the volume of the bag with the contents your going to pack into it. I noticed that on your first video that the volume of your dry bags on your forks appeared way too large for the gear you were utilizing with them.

[@PursuingMountains]

That's true, they probably did have too much stuff in them but I have other issues with them because they aren't guaranteed waterproof unless they're double bagged, and by the end of the trip they had a bunch of holes in them. I might opt for something more durable next time.

[@tracywilkins9599]

Hey guys, if you don't mind me asking, exactly when were you out on the divide route? I'm tentatively planning to ride a similar route next year, but was considering doing it in the late July/August timeframe.

[@PursuingMountains]

Hi Tracy! I think that is a good timeframe. We started the through bike-packing portion at the very end of June and then finished the section biking by August. There were only a couple of very small snow spots on one of the passes in Northern Montana when we first started. So I think July and August are prime time :) Good luck on your trip :) That is so exciting!

[@imissmydog]

Hi Tracy, something to keep in mind it can be really smoky from wildfires in late July and August. I’m from Montana and August is usually our smokiest month. Some years it is not as bad but it seems the last several it has been pretty awful. I mountain bike and the smoke will make me feel sick if I do longer rides (sore throat and cough mostly). I hope your planning is going well! Cheers!

[@shanegoodyear8101]

Hey Guys, I really enjoyed your videos. I have been wanting to do this trip for years. But what type of GPS did you use and where did you get your maps from?

[@PursuingMountains]

Thank you! You should def do it! We used primarily Gaia gps app on our phone

[@arcoulant87]

Chapeau .

[@PursuingMountains]

Thank you! ☺️

[@TapioBlue]

Did you weigh your bikes? I'm packing for a fatbike trip and am going to be well over 70 lbs I'm sure.

[@PursuingMountains]

We did not actually weigh our bikes. Alex’s bike fully packed was likely quite over 70lbs (it was hard for him to lift it off the ground). Mine (Liz) was probably 60-70 or so lbs fully loaded, but we didn’t weigh so this is just a guess. That’s exciting that you are going on a trip soon! Where are you headed with your fat bike?

[@TapioBlue]

@@PursuingMountains I just got back touring between Temagami & Chiniguchi canoe country in northern Ontario, Canada. I had my packraft and did a section of the Sturgeon River to connect trails. Did't see a soul for the whole 5 day trip!

[@garryhatchett775]

What months did you ride; start to finish?

[@PursuingMountains]

Hi! We started the through biking portion at the very end of June and finished mid July. We section biked on weekends until the beginning of August.

[@portaCALI405]

17:42 unfortunately, your tire comments didn't age well 😅 after seeing your Istanbul video

[@crispywetsuit688]

May of been asked before but which month of the year did you start in?

[@PursuingMountains]

Hi! We started the GDMBR sections we did in 2020 at the very end of June. For the GDMBR sections we did last year, we started in August. The weather we experienced was overall much better in august but the heat was sometimes really challenging. But that’s why we dipped in lots of rivers mid afternoon to cool off!

[@crispywetsuit688]

@@PursuingMountains Thanks ,appreciate the info and your lovely documentary videos. August 2024 is in our thinking to start in Banff

[@christinefournier685]

I understand you prepared all your food in advance and shipped it to multiple pick up points. Would you say it was worth it ?

[@PursuingMountains]

Hi Christine! We actually dropped the boxes off on our drive up to the starting point as they were on our way, so we fortunately didn’t have to ship anything. However, I think if you don’t have any dietary restrictions you should be fine picking food up along the way. Alex and I are both vegetarian so were a little concerned getting food along the way that’s why we brought the boxes. We maybe would have been fine just picking it up along the way, just had more limited choices.

[@OscarRios]

What are you planning for your frame bag nowadays...?

[@PursuingMountains]

Hi! Haven't decided yet.... May just buy a stem bag and try to fill the frame bag less next time. But I have also debated a smaller frame bag potentially.