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Calendar Year Triple Crown Gear List
In the next few days I will be embarking on my biggest adventure yet! Attempting to complete the “border to border” calendar year triple crown. Walking from key west to Canada, then along the pacific crest trail, then along the continental divide trail. All in all it will be around 8,400 miles or maybe even more! One of the most critical components of this hike is going to be which gear I’m taking. So let me run you through it all!
Gearing up for the Calendar Year Triple Crown from border to border!
Big 3:
As far as my big 3 items, I am going to be taking 2 of the 3 items that I used on the CDT as well as many other hikes. The palante desert pack for my backpack. The zpacks plex lite tent for my tent. I used a zpacks tent for the entire triple crown previously. Now I’m switching to the slightly lighter plex solo model, but it’s the same general tent. I’m also using the Katabatic palisade 30 degree quilt for my sleeping system. Then I’ll be using the thermarest Neo air XLITE as my sleeping pad. I’m also going to be bringing a sea to summit silk liner to amplify the warmth of my bag even more.
I’ll also be using my favorite fanny pack, the palante side bag. I love that thing!
All of the gear that I’ll be bringing on the border to border calendar year triple!
My beloved palante desert pack. This new ultraweave 400x fabric is amazing.
Clothing:
As far as clothing goes, I’ll be using a few new items. One of the new items that I’m most excited to try out are my Specter 2 topo shoes! These are a road style shoe with more support. I’ll be using them across Florida and Alabama. Then once I get to the Appalachian trail I’ll be going back to the topo terraventure shoes.
The Specter 2 shoes from Topo!
This year I’ll also be carrying the montbell rain pants and jacket. Which I’m incredibly excited about. And later on in the year I’ll be using their wind jacket and wind pants in areas which are a bit more exposed. Then I’m using the montbell sun hoodie as my day to day top. I’m also using the montbell 1000 fill puffy jacket which I have used for the past couple thru hikes. I’m also bring along the Montbell thunder rain gloves which seem fantastic. They are super light and won’t wet out if you’re hiking through rain.
I love my new montbell rain gear and other clothing. The Sambob alpha 90 sweater and pants are so comfortable and cute as well!
In addition to that, I’ll be using Nike spandex shorts, darn tough socks, and dirty girl gaiters. As well as an amazing new addition to my kit, my Sambob alpha 90 layers! I am bringing the alpha 90 top and bottom which I’m obsessed with. The colors are amazing and it is so incredibly light. My last couple clothing items are a Pinhoti trail hat and a buff or two as well. I’m also bringing an extra pair of socks and 2 extra pairs of underwear. As well as a backup pair of shorts, just in case.
I love the pattern of these dirty girl gaiters and trek buff.
Electronics:
As far as electrics go, I’m using basically the exact same set up as the CDT and ECT. I’ll be carrying a garmin in reach mini, an anker 20000 power bank, Petzl headlamp with an extra rechargeable battery, garmin instinct solar watch, and all the necessary cords for those devices. Those items are tried and true and there’s no need to make any changes!
Personal care:
I wear contact lenses which means I have to carry a bunch of extra items. Such as glasses, solution, and a contacts case. As well as back up contacts. I also carry a small soap just in case, aquaphor, tampons, birth control, and a few other little items. Then in my first aid kit I have Imodium and other medications. As well as patching for my thermarest pad in case it gets a leak. Then I carry back up contacts and KT tape. I use the tape for all sorts of reasons.
Locked and loaded with all kinds of KT tape goodies!
I personally don’t chose to carry any additional first aid. If it was a big enough problem I’d probably have to SOS out anyway. Anything else I can simply get the next time I’m in town. Especially starting on a trail like the Florida trail. Where you’re in town every couple days at least.
Other odds and ends:
My gossamer gear trekking poles and sun umbrella. And my palante side bag.
This year I’ll continue to use my gossamer gear trekking poles which I absolutely love! And my gossamer gear sun umbrella. I wouldn’t hike without the sun umbrella on practically any trail! I’m also bringing a zpacks inflatable pillow and a lot of their stuff sacks. For a stove I’ll have an MSR stove.
#Sponsored. And I plan on eating a ton of Mountain House meals over the course of the year! These are going to have the necessary nutrients and protein to keep me going all year long. They will be a staple for me. There is nothing like a hot meal after a long day of hiking. Especially when that meal tastes like delicious town food!
Eating a delicious mountain house meal! These bad boys are going to be fueling me up for my entire hike.
In addition to the stove I’ll be using a toaks camp cup and spork. And toaks tent stakes. I’ll also be bringing a flip fuel device to siphon fuel periodically as needed. Then I’ll be carrying a water filter and bottles. And a CNOC 2L bag for extra water capacity. I’m also trying out some smaller CNOC bottles to wear on my chest pockets. I’ll let you know how I like those!
My Toaks cup, MSR stove, sawyer filter, and a mountain house meal. Essentials for the CYTC.
There are a few other small items that I’ll be bringing which you can learn about in my gear video on YouTube @madisonblagden ! Or on my lighter pack site: https://lighterpack.com/r/yjqf34
I’m excited to bring you all along on the adventure in the days to come!
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Comments 13
I couldn’t believe the number of Mountain House boxes in your video. It was almost comical how many you had. Best of luck!
I have enjoyed following your previous blogs on the Trek. Looking forward reading about your new adventure in 2025. Best of luck!
Hi;
I followed your Florida to Canada hike, as well as the CDT this year. You write well, and explain terrain, your feelings during your hike, and always find a way to see the beauty or humour in a challenging hike.
Your ability to take on a challenge, shift gears for injury etc is very inspiring. You didn’t give up on yourself, and taught us the value of ‘know your limits’.
I hope you achieve your Triple Crown Calendar Year. I’ll be reading your blogs.
Can’t wait to read all about it! That top picture with you and the overall kit makes your shoes look like skis, lol.
I started following you a couple of years ago. I feel like i got in on the ground floor as a legend is being born.
Birth control pills? Hilarious. Who knew the trail was such a hot pick-ip place.
Birth control is just the kind of medication you don’t start and stop randomly. So if you take it before trail you take it on trail too.
How will you negotiate / deal with the parts if the AT which are closed due to the storm?
Fortunately the AT is pretty much entirely open. There are just maybe one or two sections where you have to road walk around closures.
I love following you and your a very good at expressing your journey I think you are a very very tough Woman I enjoy following you And you have a wonderful positive personality Have Fun and be safe you are a wonderful inspiration to Me
This made me laugh. ‘They are super light and won’t wet out if you’re hiking through rain.’ I think you meant when it is raining.
Also an entire journey fueled by Mt House. Good luck. Gotta love sponsors. At least your sodium levels will be constant.
Cheers!
You gotta love those shoes.!!! You look like a kid in a candy store.!!! LOL….. It all starts tomorrow. You must be extremely excited and we’re excited for you. Happy New Year!!!
Awesome, thanks for the list! I’m pretty stoked to see how well a few of those items work for you, especially the Cnoc bottles/flasks. It’s been a blast following your journeys so far and I wish you the best of luck in this new one! Hike happy, hike safe!
I love Mountain House products, but I would probably not arrange 2,000 miles of food drops. In my corner of the woods, Dollar General is the most practical place a hiker can restock food and the options are not bad.