Tour Divide Gear Review: What Worked, What Didn’t, and What I’d Change

The good, bad and ugly of my gear from the 2025 Tour Divide

It’s been about two weeks since I wrapped up the 2025 Tour Divide, and I’ve had some time to reflect on the highs, the lows, and everything in between. I’ve had a lot of folks ask what I’d change if I did it all over again, so here’s a deep dive into my gear - what worked, what didn’t, and what I’d definitely rethink for next time.

TL;DR: Biggest Winners and Losers

If you’re short on time and just want the quick hits, here’s the rundown of the standout gear - the ones I couldn’t have done without, and the ones I wish I’d left behind.

Winners:

1. Big Agnes Copper Spur 2P bikepacking tent: This tent was a champ. Super quick to set up, packed down small, and withstood some gnarly weather. The outer fly-first setup was a game changer in the rain. Might downsize to the 1P next time to save weight, but overall, a solid choice.

2. Castilli SPF arm coolers: Wore these pretty much every day from Canada to New Mexico. They kept me warm in the chilly mornings and protected me from the sun when the heat cranked up. Absolute winners.

3. Garmin Varia: Didn’t expect this to be an MVP, but it was. The radar feature made me feel like I had eyes in the back of my head, especially when riding in areas with fast traffic or when I’d been warned about (and saw) drunk drivers (looking at you, Silver City). Also, the bright light was clutch for night riding.

4. Decathlon MT-500 Waterproof Hiking Over-Gloves: At $26 CAD, these were an absolute steal. Lightweight, easy to pack, and kept my hands dry and warm in rain and wind. Plus, I could still use my phone with them. Highly recommend.

5. Elastic bands: Not a typical item you'd expect to be a winner, but after losing so much weight that my arm coolers kept falling off, these elastic bands held them in place from Pinedale, Wyoming all the way to the border. Who knew?

Losers:

1. Thermorest Neoair XLite: Disaster. Multiple leaks led to sleepless nights and poor recovery. After too many cold and painful nights, I tossed it in Wyoming and swapped it for a Nemo Tensor. Game changer.

2. Drone: The footage was great, but the drone added unnecessary weight and cost for a race. If I were touring, I’d have used it more, but for racing the TD? Not worth it.

3. GoPro Jaws Clamp: This thing was constantly slipping and sagging from vibrations. It eventually snapped on Union Pass, sending my GoPro flying. Not great for the job.

4. Gorilla Tape: It’s supposed to be tough and sticky, right? Well, not this roll. It failed me at a critical moment, and I had to get a replacement, but then I had to lug around a full roll.

5. Castelli Diluvio Overshoes: They were perfect for the two days I needed them, but the rest of the time, they were just extra weight. Not worth the bulk for the other 22 days.

Detailed Breakdown

Electronics

• Navigation: Garmin 1040 Solar. Flawless. This beast kept me on route, reminded me to eat and drink, and its battery life was insane. There were stretches where I didn’t need to charge it for a couple of days. No complaints here.

• Navigation backup: Garmin Edge 810. Fortunately didn’t need it, but always good to have a backup.

• Satellite tracking: Garmin InReach Mini 2. Essential. Messaging was a lifesaver, especially over the long stretches with no cellphone signal. Battery life was good once I switched the tracking to 10 minute increments.

• Headphones: Apple wired headphones + Skullcandy Dime 3 earbuds. Apple wired headphones and Skullcandy Dime 3 earbuds – My wired ones survived the ride (even though they took a ride in my front wheel early on). The Skullcandys were a pleasant surprise, especially since I forgot my expensive Jabra buds. Excellent battery life too, and cheap at about $30.

• Drone: DJI Mini Pro 4. Great footage, but honestly, I didn’t use it enough to justify the bulk, cost and weight. If I’m racing again, I’ll leave it at home.

• Action camera: GoPro Hero 13. Excellent. The image stabilization was a lifesaver on washboard roads and rough descents, and it survived a gnarly hit on Union Pass. Only downside was the quick release mount failing in Banff, but another rider came to the rescue with a spare (shoutout to Dom!).

• Camera mount: GoPro Jaws Clamp. Not great for this purpose. Required constant adjustment as it got shaken out of shape, then snapped in two on the way down Union Pass and jettisoned my camera across the rocky trail at speed. Not the first time I’ve heard of them failing on this route. Would find an alternative for future bikepacking events.

• Battery packs: Voltaic V-50 and Iniu 10,000mAh. Both solid, though I’d probably go with two larger packs next time for more charging capacity between towns, at the expense of the dynamo setup.

• Spare rear light: Garmin Varia. Hands down, an MVP candidate. The radar and bright light kept me safe on busy roads and in low-light conditions. Definitely bringing this again.

• Spare front light: Lezyne 300. Didn’t use it once.

• Head-lamp: Generic USB-rechargable. Would replace this and the spare front light with a helmet-mountable light to save weight in future.

Tools and Spares

• Tire repair gear: Had everything I needed – levers, patches, glue, needle, etc. Ironically, didn’t need it once. The Mezcals performed flawlessly.

• Spare chain links: Shimano. Shimano – Didn’t need these either. Chain survived all the way to Antelope Wells.

• 2 sets of spare brake pads: Shimano L-Type, resin (I think). Used one set in Pinedale, and they got me to the finish line.

• Spare derailleur hanger: Salsa. Brought two of these. Used both. Rocks, debris, and fast descents made this a necessity.

• Spoke key and 2 spare spokes (for my Nobl TR-32 wheelset). Didn't use, although Air Canada managed to break one of my spokes on the flight home so one is being used now.

• Multi-Tools: Lezyne RAP and Wolf Tooth 8-bit pliers. Both were invaluable. I brought both this time, but next time, I’d pick one.

• Repair tape: Gorilla tape. Failed when I needed it most. Enough said.

• Chain lube: Muc-Off All-Weather. Ironically picked up a lot of muck, but the chain made it all the way down the route so something was right.

• Spare SPD cleats and bolts: Shimano SM-SH51 SPD Cleats. Didn't use these, but I should have - cleats were completely worn by about half-way in. It was glorious riding with new cleats once I replaced them back in Toronto, let me tell you.

• Spare voile strap - Generic. Only used once, and my foot-long sub bit the dust at the top of Koko Claims.

• Zip ties - Generic. Didn't need them much but when I did, they were clutch. Of note, used two to tether my InReach to my hydration vest.

• Pocket knife - Generic. Didn't use.

Camp Gear

• Tent: Big Agnes Copper Spur 2P Bikepacking Tent. Loved it. Went up quickly & easily and held up to some big storms. Loved that I could pitch the outer fly first and then put up the inner from within the shelter - great for setting up in the rain. If I went again I'd go with the 1P version to save space and weight, but I did appreciate the extra length.

• Sleeping pad: Thermarest Neoair XLite. Replaced in Wyoming after three bad nights of sleep due to at least four holes. Replaced with a Nemo Tensor which worked great for the remainder of the ride.

• Sleeping bag: Western Mountaineering FlyLight +1C. Loved it. Perfect for the conditions, and it packed down small. I’m considering a quilt next time, but no complaints here.

• Pillow: Sea-to-Summit Aeros Ultra Light. The original one wouldn’t hold air, but I swapped it for an upgraded version in Pinedale. It worked great after that.

• Ear plugs and eye mask: Generic. Great for nights in shared rooms and/or early sleeps when I’d bonked and recovery was critical. Would bring again, but perhaps research more effective ear plugs as these kept falling out.

• Trowel: TheTentLab DirtSaw Deuce #2. Didn’t end up using it much. A lot of bathrooms along the route made this a low-priority item. Would probably leave at home next time.

• Microfibre towel: Generic. Functional. Got lucky with the weather so didn't use it much to dry the tent which was its primary purpose. Anywhere with a shower provided towels so didn’t use it to dry myself.

• Spork: Mountain Equipment Co-op generic titanium spork. Excellent. Lightweight and didn't take much space. Not much more to say about this.

• Bear bag: Selkirk Design Ultralight Hanging Kit. Dry bag got a fair bit of use as I repurposed it to store my tent fly when it was wet, but overall the system seemed unnecessarily complicated. Long para cord was a pain to use. Would swap for something simpler.

• Mud scraper: KLite. Didn't really use but didn't experience any peanut butter mud. Used to clean drivetrain but a stick would have sufficed. Would leave this at home next time as my chain brush had a scraper.

• Waterproof notebook: Generic. Didn't use and didn't need. Would leave at home next time.

Clothes

• Hydration vest: Apidura Racing Hydration Vest. Outstanding. Used it constantly. Perfect balance of capacity and weight for this ride. Stored cables and spare battery pack in the main storage, Had room for a can/bottle on one strap, and for my phone when it rained on the other.

• Rain shell: 7Mesh Elite. A last-minute upgrade, and I loved it. Packed down small; impervious to the rain. Built-in straps let me fix it to my aerobars - perfect for the on-again, off-again TD weather. Needs pockets though - annoying not to have any.

• Rain pants: Helly Hanson. Worked well in downpours. Didn't wear them for lighter rain. Found they felt wet inside quickly though - suspect ventilation wasn't great. Would upgrade next time.

• Rain gloves: Decathlon MT-500 Waterproof Hiking Over-Gloves. Another candidate for MVP. Wore these in cold, wind and rain throughout the ride. Fantastic value - for $26 CAD you can't go wrong. Highly recommend.

• Leg warmers: Pearl Izumi. Excellent. Used almost every day in the morning until I hit New Mexico, and on some cooler descents too.

• Arm warmers: Pearl Izumi. Left these at home to save weight and avoid doubling-up with the coolers.

• Arm coolers: Louis Garneau. Wore these from start to finish. Would be better if top hem was elasticated - started falling down after a couple of weeks as I lost weight, and had to be held up with elastics for the rest of the ride.

• Sun gloves: Outdoor Research. Bought these in Pinedale after losing my cycling gloves, and they were great. Padded gloves were essential but these saved me from getting roasted until I was able to get my gloves back thanks to another rider (yay!).

• Overshoes: Castelli Diluvio ULC. Excellent for the two days I wore them, especially in Idaho. Not worth the weight and bulk for the other 22 days. Knowing what I now know about the weather on this year’s Tour, I would have left them at home.

• Buff: Mountain Equipment Co-op generic. Left at home. Ironically I snagged a TD-designed one at the Grand Depart and wore it most days through to the Mexico border.

• Balaclava: POC full-face balaclava. Didn't wear it much, but when I did it was great, especially on the snowy & hail-filled day as I crossed into Idaho. That said, I originally left my buff at home because I didn’t think I needed that plus the balaclava, and I remain of that opinion. Next time around I’d go with the buff as it’s useful in hot weather too.

• Warm gloves: Hesta C-Zone Contact. Barely used them - maybe once or twice. My overmitts did the job 9 times out of 10. Not worth the weight or bulk - again, specific to these conditions.

• Off-bike clothes: POC wind-breaker jacket, pants, long-sleeve sun shirt, underwear. Would leave underwear at home next time to save weight for the 20 minutes a day they were getting worn. Although I adore it, I would leave the wind-breaker at home next time and let the rain shell do double-duty as I didn’t use it at all.

• Additional cycling clothes: One extra set of bibs, jersey and socks. Chose to leave a second jersey at home. No regrets on any front.

Toiletries and hygiene

• First aid kit: Generic - Tylenol, Advil, Chamois Butt’r, acne cream (for saddle sores), various Band-Aids and bandages. Didn't have any accidents fortunately, but used most things at some point - might be better to call this a “personal care kit”. Heavy-duty Band-Aids saved my saddle sore-ravaged rear. Polysporin was helpful there and with minor cuts. And I burned through Chamois Butt’r like it was going out of style.

• Lip balm: Sun bum SPF 30. Should have used it more - the numerous open blisters on my lips were no joke.

• Sunscreen: Sun bum SPF 30. Got roasted when I forgot. Didn't when I remembered. Picked up a face stick with SPF 50 in Pinedale and stuck it in my top tube bag. Got a lot of use.

• Bug spray: Generic. Should’ve left this at home. Didn’t use it once.

• Wet wipes: Dude Wipes. Worked as expected.

• Water filter: Katadyn BeFree. Constantly in use, for filtering and sometimes for extra capacity. Zero issues.

• Water purification: Aquatabs. Didn't use often, but I guess they did the job when I did as I had no issues. Lightweight, so there’s no penalty for bringing - would

So there you have it! A detailed gear breakdown from my 2025 Tour Divide experience. As with all bikepacking trips, it’s about learning what works for you. Some of the gear I loved would be overkill for someone else, and vice versa.

For those of you who've tackled the Tour Divide or similar races, how does your gear list compare? Any must-have items I missed, or gear that you swore by? Let's swap notes!