Видео

I'm 53 and relatively in good shape. I got into backpacking a few weeks ago. Man, it's no joke! Thank you for the great tips! They're very helpful.

Good info and recommendations, I have several of these items but have certainly not been put to the test as yours have.

Awesome advice as I am considering a through hike of the AT in the near future. Thanks & PS -will definitely be looking at those energy bar and meal suggestions. Thanks!

I Love it! (To see if i have a little bit off badass left in the tank)

Hunting for food is ok, But I don't see the point of hunting for sport.

What was the start date?

Awesome. I have recently come to a similar place in my life. Great story and inspiration.

You are wright. Greetings from Germany

lol there’s definitely religious fervor concerning shoes vs boots. I think with today’s modern hiking boots, and trail runners, the differences are really negligible. Today,s mid-length “hiking boots,” such as Merrell and Salomon are essentially high-top sneakers. While it’s true that the latest scientific research suggests that higher tops of mid-height boots provide zero actual ankle support (the US military and the NBA both have done extensive studies on it and it’s why NBA players no longer where high-tops like back in the day). The high top mid height, modern hiking boot does, however, provide many people with the illusion that illusion they indeed are providing more stability and support. In my mind this is enough for a person to go with a mid-height modern lightweight boot. I actually wear both, and it really depends on how my feet feel in one or the other around the time. I start my hike, and I’ll go with the one I think will feel best on my foot at the time. My feet are pretty picky, I have arthritis and plantar fasciitis, so it’s definitely something I take seriously.

Words of wisdom. So envious of the beautiful trails

Thanks for the video

Flash? Flash?? Actually laughing out loud. Good exercises in spite of the silliness name.

Grew up in Fairbanks and we used to go to the chitna river to dipnet. One year my father got permission to run the fish wheel that was near where we camped. As a kid pf only 7or8 i remember the amount of fish we got was tremendous! Sure miss Alaska. The best educational experience of a lifetime. Now whenever i mention i grew up there I'm immediately hired for whatever position im after! Ain't no city boy!!

Wow, 22 miles a day is impressive.

I was transfixed. I put this on to fall asleep to, but never closed my eyes.

Well said! And, thank you for sharing your story.

On those long steep hot accents was when I would turn on an audiobook to distract me from my misery. Most of my book choices were about others in history who had no choice but to fight for survival. I was there of my own accord. It made my short term misery feel insignificant.

Couldn’t agree more!

The hat does have a funny bend in the bill. How about a list of the most short-lived gear? it's so nice when things really work for you. I always dread when something I love gives out and I will have to go looking for a new one, because they're never the same. And the biggest two items that never last long enough - shoes and raincoats - are ever a source of frustration; I hate filling the landfill. But some gear, even when it gives up the ghost, I hang onto, remembering where it went and the good times.

As much as I taste tested, etc., I had a problem with food. I didn’t like or want it and/or it didn’t agree with me. Even protein bars, of the kind I usually love, were too sweet, or hard as a rock mostly. Also, I usually don’t eat processed foods and on trail I did. Bad idea. Something I’ll need to figure out going forward.

I told EVERYONE I was hiking the JMT. I succeeded, but it definitely helped me finish. Mostly because the majority, including family, didn’t think I could.

Your gear links list in the description is really appreciated - useful for researching bits of gear. Thank you.

Informative and beneficial video!

And if you are in your 70's?

There are two backpacking items I use everyday. Darn Tough Socks are around 4 years old and I rarely wear any other socks. The other is a Nalgene bottle, the Ultralight version and is around 25 years old. Use it at work everyday. Virtually indestructible. Both of these item are US made with a lifetime warranty. I started backpacking in the mid 80's and have switched to lighter equipment in the last few years but still have an internal frame and external frame Camp Trials backpack, blue closed cell foam pads, and a camping gaz canister stove that are all still usable. I used the internal frame backpack, pads, and stove on a trip to Wyoming a few years ago.

Ode to a hat :)

Great review on the longevity of your gear! Did you ever find the pump for you air mattress to be too loud, potentially disturbing other campers in the vicinity? That's my only hesitation in purchasing one. Yes, caps are old friends! I've chased mine down the side of a mountain once in fear it would be lost forever; it's my catch-all in my tent for all the little things at night, and it's my statement to "Be Kind" - a reminder with the words on the front of it. As always, your music and video at the end are beautiful!

Titanium 9" long-handled spoon is 1.5cm longer than Optimus or others (17g). Little wider/flatter on the shovel-end. Gossamer-Gear LT-4 Trekking-poles still going strong after five-years. Enlightened-Equipment Copperfield wind jacket and pants (2oz ea.); surprisingly useful and durable. Nitecore NB10000 battery-bank still going strong after all these years. Lixada 'paper' solar-panel still going strong. Far-Out (Guthook) hasn't faltered over the years; no lost bits. All the bits work as well as they did on day-one.

It's funny how some things never die. I have ditty bags that I've been using since I was a teenage backpacker in the late 80s and still do multiple trips per year. Not sure what or where they came from, but after more than 30 years they're still going strong!

I Love my ULA Circuit. I sent it back to have the top Y-Strap added like the newest version. Love it! Their customer service is terrific!!

Excellent. Thanks! I also find downhills the most perilous to one's knees, esp if the slope includes any significant boulder hopping. Slower is better for that stuff and hiking poles help a lot, though I only usually bring one pole for stream crossings.

Thank you for the great gear reviews. It's really valuable to know that pieces of gear have lasted you thousands of miles. I like your old hat. It's quite an accomplishment to have kept up such a friendship. May it last many more miles! Wow, those closing shots are incredible! Alaska is so beautiful in autumn, and you've done a wonderful job in capturing it ❤

I so enjoy your videos. The inspiration I receive from them is invaluable. My thru hike is on the close horizon. PCT 2025.

Thank you for the info! Hike on & Happy Trails!

I cannot believe you took a rattlesnake with you! Did you even consider what that snake wanted?? Perhaps take a kitsch plastic one next time? 😆

Great tips! I have a favorite hat too! Years ago I did an REI sponsored campout, and we all got a hat. They let us choose a patch to iron on. At one point the back strap broke but my son was able to fix it. 🙂 and you are right…it’s like an old friend. (Can’t figure out how to post a pic😬)

I like how you've shaped the brim of that by grabbing it with the same hand again and again.

A good , Ole hat is important. Many stories!

:D Thänks you! Nice tips!

Regarding tip #4 foot care, when I thruhiked the CT (age 50 at the time) foot pain was my only significant issue beyond being perpetually exhausted. My trail runners worked well but I received great advice around Breck that helped a lot. #1 use high quality inserts in your shoes for extra support. #2 soak your feet in the creeks a rivers every chance you get. Those two things and occasional Advil helped a lot and my feet toughened up nicely.

Don’t pee near camp. It attracts animals to bother you at night, especially silly dear.

Great information !!!

those are all very good tips, Ray. I myself have made the mistake of walking easy trails and thinking , I got this and then hitting a trail with a lot of exposed roots and other very non smooth areas, and thankfully, I wear army boots on trails since that made a huge difference walking on. I have learned so much from your tip and really value the advise you give brother. Dwayne

Congratulations on completing your Colorado Trail journey! Excited to see your upcoming review. Beautiful video at the end of this! Thanks for sharing more of your tips for us older folks! Would love to have more information on planning a strategy for preparing to hike higher elevations. I find that's where I struggle the most. Taking a slower place helps, but if you have additional tips, would love more advice. Training on trails with elevation, uneven ground, rocks and roots is crucial for me before a long-distance hike. No, it doesn't guarantee I won't trip and fall, but it certainly helps condition me for the unknowns of the trail; and those trekking poles are one of the most important tools I have! Keep sharing your adventures with us!

At 70 & now sporting some leg injuries, I would love to still backpack. But my surgeon doesn’t even want me to carry a daypack (although I do anyway). I need a Sherpa or a burro or a pack goat so I can get beck to the wilderness! ( completed 9 backpack trips in Brooks Range AK)

Guess I belong to the category "older backpacker" at an age of 54...The pee-bottle is a brilliant thing, started using it when backapcking in my mid 20's. A lot of people regardless of age have to pee at night and when the rain is pouring down it's really useful.

I'm sorry I missed the trail vlogs! I'm really looking forward to the full documentary ❤ As always, I appreciate that you share your tips and experience. Your advice is really great. Some of the simplest choices and strategies are what make or break a hike. Or anything really! I hope you'll be making a gear review video? Thanks for all the hard work editing and posting:)

I am now 81 and love hiking, and always go alone. These tips are good - practical. I always carry a gun, iphone, compass and GPS tracker, as well as my Belle Life Alert. So many people go hiking without being prepared. It is OK to hike alone, but take practical precautions and know your limit. I follow the 40-80 rule: Do not hike if the temp is below 40 or above 80. Us old folks are vulnerable hypothermia and heatstroke. And where is this guy's gun? Wild animals are dangerous and unpredictable. Also, there are many psychos out there who prey on women and old people. Forewarned is forearmed.

Congrats on your completion! You guys are amazing! 🎉