2025 Bounty Gear List

Here's my gear list for the 2025 Black Hills Bounty. Well, for the initial 3 days/2 nights.

This year, the week breaks into smaller pieces, so that more folks can work at least some of it into their schedules. We'll start with a three day/two night self-supported bikepacking trip on a newly created route that will push the remoteness envelope for some. Then we'll shuttle for an unloaded tourist day to Mt. Rushmore via Needles Highway and Iron Mountain Road. Finally, we're back for a 2 day/1night victory lap to a remote USFS campground.

As this will be a late September ride, I included a few things for cooler nights and mornings. Including the 30 pound bike, this all weighs about 68 pounds, with 2-3 days of food and 4 liters of water.

Like my bike, and me, this kit's built for comfort. It aint built for speed.

68 pounds fully loaded to start the 2025 Black Hills Bounty.

Sleep Kit:  Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL 1 Bikepack tent, Western Mountaineering VersaLite sleeping bag, ThermaRest Elite NXT pad, Outdoor Vitals UL stretch pillow.

Clothes:  2 pair Voler bib shorts, Voler jersey, 2 pair SmartWool socks, Pearl Izumi X-Alp Summit shoes, Voler arm warmers, Voler knee warmers, Voler wind jacket, Showers Pass Refuge rain jacket, Marmot down hoodie, SmartWool camp shirt, nylon camp shorts, SmartWool liner gloves, Bontrager cycling gloves, Voler skull cap, SmartWool 250 stocking cap, Oakley Aero5 helmet, Oakley M-frime prescription sunglasses, Oakley athletic prescription glasses.

First Aid/Hygiene/Personal:  Ace bandage, gauze pads, large & small bandaids, butterfly bandaids, alcohol wipes, zinc oxide, Neosporin, lip balm, aspirin, ibuprofen, Tums, toilet paper, hand towel, toothbrush/paste, soap, phone, wallet, Spot X tracker/messenger, battery, cords.

Tool Kit:  Lezyne Micro Floor Drive HV pump, Lezyne SV-16 multi-tool, spork wrench for brakes, Lezyne Tubeless CO2 Blaster repair kit, 2 ounces of sealant, 1 tube, 2 valve cores, 1 valve stem, patch kit, 2 tire irons, Leatherman Skeletal CX, Jones derailleur hanger, 4 chain links, 2 quick links, chain lube, duct tape, zip ties.

Navigation:  Garmin 530 GPS device, USFS Black Hills National Forest paper maps, Stem Captain compass, Cateye cyclocomputer, Lezyne MicroDrive Pro 800XL head light, Mountain Miser thermometer, Gideon's pocket Bible.

Documentation:  Phone camera, paper journal, pencil.

Hydration (about 7 liter capacity):  2 x 38 ounce Soma Further water bottles, 3 x 26 ounce water bottles, 1 liter backup bag, Sawyer Squeeze filter, iodine tablets.

Food (3 days):  instant oatmeal/coffee (breakfast), peanut butter/honey/tortilla (lunch), nutrition bars/Hammer Gels/Snickers/trail mix/Hammer Fizz (during the day), freeze dried entree (dinner).

Kitchen:  Jet Boil MiniMo stove, fuel, matches, lighter, 2 SeaToSummit collapsible bowls, 2 sporks, GI Joe can opener, salt/pepper.

Although I make some modifications every trip, this gear list is not all that different from the first four years of the Black Hills Bounty, as well as the 2023 Black Hills Grande, 2021 Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, and 2020 Cloud Peak 500. In any event, t's always good to review gear.