New Ultralight Hiking Gear for 2025!

New year, time for new gear! I will be hiking the 3,000 mile Continental Divide Trail and much of this new gear is for that trail. I will also be hiking the Florida Trail, Benton Mackaye Trail, and Foothills Trail. Along the way I hope to use all of this and really put it to the test! What do you think will come out on top? Bear Bag (14L) - https://tinyurl.com/3k93h7v5 Smart Watch (New) - https://amzn.to/4fJiXAW Smart Watch (Previous) - https://amzn.to/4gZrDUO Tarp Shelter - https://tinyurl.com/pk2hhhdn Fanny Pack - https://amzn.to/4h5lyX3 Day Pack - https://tinyurl.com/5n6fenme Fishing Rod (New) - https://amzn.to/4gWQQ20 Fishing Rod (Previous) - https://amzn.to/3BTmuyM Fleece - https://tinyurl.com/5n83ey6v Fleece (Same fabric by Zpacks!) - https://tinyurl.com/579krbhp Probably what I am most excited for is the Adotec grizzly bear bag, which is 14L and should be able to hold about seven days of food. It is similar to the popular Ursack Major XL, but instead has improved upon it in nearly every way! The Adotec bag is the same size, but it is also 2 ounces lighter weight, it is water resistant, and it is a significantly better shape! The more rectangular shape allows me to get to my food easier, and also packs into my backpack more comfortably. So a big upgrade for anyone who wants to be more comfortable in areas with bears, who doesn't like to hang their food (because the process of doing so sucks!) If you know me, you know I love data and statistics! Every day of my thru hiking for the past two years I have tracked with my GPS watch. Where I went, where I camped, how far I traveled, my heart rate, my pace, how well I slept, and so much more. I used a Coros Pace 2 to do this and have enjoyed it so much I figured it was time to upgrade. I went with the Coros Vertix 2S, which has significantly more battery life. The Pace 2 has 40 hours in GPS mode, while the Vertix has 150 hours. So instead of tracking just two and a half days before needing to charge it, I can now go upwards of 11 days before needing a charge. For the Continental Divide Trail I got a new shelter! In the past I have always loved Tarp camping. I used a poncho tarp on the Appalachian Trail, I used a 7x9 tarp on the Pacific Crest Trail, and in general I have used ultralight tarp shelters for more than 10,000 miles. So I upgraded for the CDT! I got an 8.5x11 dyneema tarp from Zpacks. I call it a party tarp because it is so big, and hopefully that will equate to comfort in nasty storms, and safety! It weighs just 8.6 ounces, which includes 12 guylines. For comparison a Zpacks Duplex weighs 18 ounces, and so this is less than half the weight. For guylines I did 2x9' / 4x6' / 6x3' which offers flexibility in how I pitch the tarp. In the quest to find the BEST fleece for hiking I am trying something new, the Mountain Hardwear Airmesh Hoody. It is a fleece made with Octa Fabric. The company Zpacks also makes a fleece from Octa. So far the new fabric is comfortable as it has a fuzzy inside, and yet looks very durable as the outside face resembles that of a basketball short. It looks breathable as it has lots of tiny holes, but yet still warm as it's not see through. My Octa Fleece in size XL weighs just 5.1 ounces, while my Alpha 90 fleece from FarPointe weighs 4.2 ounces in size L. So it's ever so slightly heavier, but the added durability, and added warmth may be worth it. Only time will tell! Last year I really enjoyed Tenkara Fly Fishing while on the Colorado Trail, Wind River High Route, and Teton Crest Trail.... so this year I got a new Tenkara Rod! I was using a Dragontail Shadowfire which was a great budget rod that I had a lot of fun with, but this time got a TenkaraUSA Sato which I think will offer more flexibility as it has different lengths it can be extended to (11ft to 13ft). It is also slightly lighter weight at just 2.8 ounces. It is the perfect minimalist luxury item for backpacking. 0:00 - New Ultralight Gear! 0:48 - Adotec Bear Bag 3:29 - Mountain Hardwear Airmesh Fleece 5:16 - Coros Vertix 2S GPS Watch 6:58 - Zpacks Tarp 8.5x10 8:41 - TenkaraUSA Sato Fishing Rod 11:23 - Pa'lante Mini Joey Day Pack 12:56 - Peak Design Outdoor Sling 2 14:19 - Thank you :) Hiking Essentials Shirt! http://jupiterhikes.com/product/hiking-essentials/ THE BACKPACKING GEAR I USE: http://www.jupiterhikes.com/gear/ If you would like to get access to content I create about this type of stuff I don't share anywhere else join me on my Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/jupiterhikes If you'd like more info about me, my hiking, or painting: https://www.jupiterhikes.com https://www.instagram.com/jupiterhikes https://www.facebook.com/jupiterhikes Some of the links above are affiliate links, when you purchase an item through one of these I get a small percentage of the sale at zero extra cost to you. It very much so helps to support these videos, guides, and adventures. Thank you for using them!