I have also gotten the following items on Justin’s recommendations. -Decathlon Trek 100 Jacket (Mentioned here, Awesome!) -3F UL Lanshan 2 (Great weight, some condensation, needs trekking poles) -Nemo Tensor (pricey, near $200) -Vargo Dig Dig Trowel -CNOC Vecto Water Fill Bag -BRS 3000T Stove ($17) -REI Flash 55 (Not cheap but light, $200) Flextail Mini pump
Could you do a video on budget gear for the beginner? Something that keeps it under $200-$500? Some folks might not want to sink a ton of money into it in the beginning, but I am sure there is good gear you can get on a budget.
my advice would be to watch a lot of reviews, cross check prices on different websites. And always see if you can find a discount code for the website you purchase from. Buy the best gear you can afford. Backpacking gear is expensive like most any other hobby, but if you make purchases here and there and not all at once it's a lot more attainable. 👍
Very well done, clear, and concise. While I agree that the Gregory Stout is an excellent choice for beginners, I would just have to add that it's an excellent choice for really anyone (anyone who isn't an ultra-lighter anyway). I have the same Gregory Stout 60, and it's never disappointed or lacked on any of my journeys. It's reasonably weighted and priced as well.
Thanks. I'm not a beginner but I'm looking to replace my 40 year old backpack. I want more durability than an ultra light pack and this pack looks like it would be a good choice.
I got my Gregory stout 65 in April 2018. I committed the cardinal sin (didn’t try it on before purchasing), but it feels like a warm embrace from a sherpa, I can put anything in it and it will carry the load like it’s nothing. It’s the pack I use most often, as I will carry the bigger load when I take family/friends along…
I snagged an X-Mid 2 on your recommendation and I really like it. I've never had a trekking pole tent before, so there was a learning curve for setting it up (very grateful I set it up at home the first time.) It performed well in the wind -- once I staked it out properly. Great vid, as always!
I've watched the first half and just left a $10 thank you. I've done enough backpacking to know how practical these tips are and it is clear you are trying to help people and not just sell. I came across this video because I just bought a Stout 60 end of season and was looking for videos on how to pack. Thank you. I would have given you $15 except for the way you pronounce "stout." :)
I've got the Stout 45 Plus. Part of me wishes there was a Stout 60 Plus since the 70 is way too large but the 45 served fine on my trip. May have over packed a but it's a lesson in smarter packing for the future.
*I've had my Gregory for years. It's gone through a LOT of week long trips. If you cut off the appendages (including fingers). You can fit a whole body in there. I highly recommend putting the fingers in a container (WITH A SEALED LID!). If you lose even a single body part, and the person goes missing.... that's technically considered a body and a death. I can't tell you the crap I had to go through to find the last one.*
The trekology pillow paired with a closed cell foam pad in my opinion is more comfortable than an inflatable mattress without a pillow I have a trekology pillow and I don't plan on ever leaving it home it's an essential item for me
Would love to see you do a review of the MEC Serratus 40. Looks like a decent alternative to the Hyperlight 2400 at only 189. No one has done a review of it yet. Thanks for all the awesome videos!
@jrr lol i don't think justin is much of a sellout, there are much worse "influencers". but still, recommending a $400 garmin is pretty bad for beginners. not to mention the MASSIVE needed subscription fee for the garmin inreach. for a piece of gear that only has a purpose in very desolate and remote areas, where beginners won't venture in in the first place. what a waste of money. not beginner-friendly at all, not in ease of use, not in budget, not in weight. MAYBE in durability
Usually we associate beginners with " budget-friendly" because we assume they don't want to spend a whole lot of money, but that's its own category. It seems to me that "beginner" here means quality, comfortable, and reasonable budget for backpacking gear. I have no explanation for the $400 InReach besides him trying to cover as much gear as possible people would consider. Everything else on his recommendation is quality and comfortable which is important because you don't want to scare off beginners by having things not work for them in the wilderness. While it is expensive (as backpacking is), I think he chose the best value for these categories. The best part is this gear doesn't need much replacing, so if the beginner likes it they don't need to spend a ton more money replacing it with lighter gear. If they don't like backpacking, these gear can go on the used market for a good amount of the money back, unlike cheaper gear.
JayMoneyG!! Always a pleasure to see your vids. Something I noticed today, and of course have seen before but never really thought about it, you should consider not ending your videos so super abruptly when you've got a tile up for another vid to watch. By that I mean, I know it's become sort of your signature move to END a video! lol But, when you say "check out the video here" and point to a proverbial video link, the actual vid we're watching ends so quickly that you hardly have time to click on the other. Just looking out with some hopefully helpful info and input. Hike on, brother. J Money Gangster for the WIN!!
I definitely would not recommend a $200 sleeping pad or a $300 Durston tent to a beginning backpacker. That is a huge expense. There are much cheaper pads and tents on the market. Yes, cheaper gear does tend to be a bit heavier, but a beginning backpacker is not going to be thru-hiking a 2000 mile trail. They will be taking weekend trips with short hikes. Beginners can get away with cheaper, heavier gear. And they for sure don't need a $400 Garmin InReach Mini 2. Great idea, telling a beginning backpacker they need to spend over $1000 on gear to just begin.
My only complaint about trekking pole tents is I usually hike to a base camp and day hike to a peak the next day, or a couple days day hiking around a base camp, my trekking poles are now stuck at camp holding the tent up.
Yeah that's unfortunate. If you have the budget companies make separate carbon poles for trekking pole tents. I guess it's light weight enough to still not carry the poles for a freestanding
With my trekking pole tent more often than not I just use branches I find lying about, either because I don't want to use my poles or because I've forgotten them or something. I've never once had a problem finding branches that worked, but I'm usually camping around trees.
Some good choices. Unfortunately most of your links are to MEC who are extremely expensive and have horrendous costumer support. Fortunately Amazon also stock them with same day delivery:)
It’s a good idea because it’s easy to set up for a trekking pole tent. And the weight savings will give a beginner a much better hiking experience. Heavy means a bad time, which causes beginners to quit.
Thanks Justin! Your videos are great. Thanks to you and some other RUclipsrs I just completed my first solo winter camping trip in decades. I’m ready to pull the trigger on a Mid-X 2 tent. Do you recommend the mesh or solid inner wall version? The value of the solid version seems tremendous. Do you agree? TY!
I'm thinking between Gregory Scout and Focal. For me, Scout leads in everything, but I have no idea how well the back system ventilates. May I know your opinion on how well it ventilates?
Synthetic dos not work for me. I converted to merino wool since I sweat allot. It's more expensive but it keeps the smells away and they dry just as quick as synthetic
*I've had my Gregory for years. It's gone through a LOT of week long trips. If you cut off the appendages (including fingers). You can fit a whole body in there. I highly recommend putting the fingers in a container (WITH A SEALED LID!). If you lose even a single body part, and the person goes missing.... that's technically considered a body and a death. I can't tell you the crap I had to go through to find the last one.*
Hey Justin! I know you've been loving the quickdraw lately, but I noticed it has substantially less log reduction for cysts/protozoa than the squeeze or befree due to it's larger pore size. I'm sure you've noticed & considered that, but is that less of a concern to you than speed of filtering and the design? Just wondering, love the channel, thx
Justin could you please do a video on ultralight vs. non ultralight mentality and when/why you would choose each mentality? I notice in some of your videos you have ultralight gear, but in others you seem to focus on heavier but still lightweight gear. I know a lot of ultra lighters would suggest starting with ultralight gear. I'm curious what your philosophy on this is.
The Gregory looks like my first (getting back into backpacking) pack which was the Deuter ACT 45+10 SL. I still have it because it is just a sure thing for any friends looking to borrow a pack. Carries amazing
Anyone know where I can get the decathlon jacket? The trek 100 has been out of stock forever, I even emailed the company to see when it would become available and they said they didn't know.
Beginner back packers usually don't have budget s for what "you" assume to be "affordable". They may not like camping so why would someone spend 4-5hundred dollars that they will not get their investment back. Star with lesser quality ( not the cheapest stuff) to start their adventures. That's just my opinion. JMR
1) I would not get the Trekology pillow as it is very uncomfortable. Being air inflated, it does not conform to your head as you lay down. I would recommend the Paria Down pillow which is excellent. It is down and soft, but the best part is that you can insert your down jacket or other soft clothing on the other side of the pillow. Effectively fluffing it up - closest to a real pillow. 2) I would not recommend the Durston tent or any tent that needs to use your hiking poles. Because, you then cannot use those hiking poles if you want to do day hikes while camping (without removing them from the tent - thereby dismantling the tent).
With my trekking pole tent more often than not I just use branches I find lying about, either because I don't want to use my poles or because I've forgotten them or something. I've never once had a problem finding branches that worked, but then again I'm usually camping around trees.
Well I can tell you what would really excite me and about 2023. Somebody come out with the sleeping bladder that is called the 10-year bladder and put an end to all of this repurchasing mess. It weighs an extra 2 pounds because it's using steel wires across the width and it's rather than using internal welds connections -just using the steel wires to hold it down on top about every 3 in and running left to right from top to bottom like that on water bed thickness plastic, then you stake it to the ground at every point where the wires run and make it thicker than crap and put some actual military canvas on it especially on the underside - this nonsense of waking up on the ground all the time even when you pay top dollar for something; it's for the birds. With probes on damn Mars this should be very achievable.
Hmmm, Nope. Here are much better options: Pack, LiteAF X-40L currently on sale $212; Sit-pad, Gossamer Gear 1/8" full-length pad $20; Warmth Jacket, Kuiu Peloton97 $99, puffy's are sweatbox's use UL-fleece or UL-wool instead; Stove, BRS-stove weighs-less, costs-less $16; Filter, HydroBlu, attached caps, better and more flow $20; Rain Gear, Zpacks Vertice is worth it to avoid unnecessary sweating $299; Don't carry a watch, you already own/carry a phone, dump Garmin too if you own a new iPhone with sat-com. Want to stay warm? Warmth is all about hoods, gloves and socks (waterproof/breathable socks if it's wet and cold).
Canadian. 50% of my audience is in the US, 15% in Canada, and then 35% from the rest of the world. Majority of my audience will understand USD over any other currency I'd use.
I wish I watched this review before I went on my Western Uplands backpacking trip in Algonquin Park in Ontario, Canada. Thank you Justin for the great information and your opinions. All the best and always remember to follow your nose!🍁🦫
What's the name of this quilt??tf I looked at the website of the wuilt and they are EXTORTIONATELY expensive quilts?? What do you mean they are affordable at around 330+!!!
I have also gotten the following items on Justin’s recommendations.
-Decathlon Trek 100 Jacket (Mentioned here, Awesome!)
-3F UL Lanshan 2 (Great weight, some condensation, needs trekking poles)
-Nemo Tensor (pricey, near $200)
-Vargo Dig Dig Trowel
-CNOC Vecto Water Fill Bag
-BRS 3000T Stove ($17)
-REI Flash 55 (Not cheap but light, $200)
Flextail Mini pump
Thanks!
Could you do a video on budget gear for the beginner? Something that keeps it under $200-$500? Some folks might not want to sink a ton of money into it in the beginning, but I am sure there is good gear you can get on a budget.
my advice would be to watch a lot of reviews, cross check prices on different websites. And always see if you can find a discount code for the website you purchase from. Buy the best gear you can afford. Backpacking gear is expensive like most any other hobby, but if you make purchases here and there and not all at once it's a lot more attainable. 👍
Very well done, clear, and concise. While I agree that the Gregory Stout is an excellent choice for beginners, I would just have to add that it's an excellent choice for really anyone (anyone who isn't an ultra-lighter anyway). I have the same Gregory Stout 60, and it's never disappointed or lacked on any of my journeys. It's reasonably weighted and priced as well.
Thanks. I'm not a beginner but I'm looking to replace my 40 year old backpack. I want more durability than an ultra light pack and this pack looks like it would be a good choice.
I got my Gregory stout 65 in April 2018. I committed the cardinal sin (didn’t try it on before purchasing), but it feels like a warm embrace from a sherpa, I can put anything in it and it will carry the load like it’s nothing. It’s the pack I use most often, as I will carry the bigger load when I take family/friends along…
I snagged an X-Mid 2 on your recommendation and I really like it. I've never had a trekking pole tent before, so there was a learning curve for setting it up (very grateful I set it up at home the first time.) It performed well in the wind -- once I staked it out properly. Great vid, as always!
I've watched the first half and just left a $10 thank you. I've done enough backpacking to know how practical these tips are and it is clear you are trying to help people and not just sell. I came across this video because I just bought a Stout 60 end of season and was looking for videos on how to pack. Thank you. I would have given you $15 except for the way you pronounce "stout." :)
I have a Gregory Amber and love it. Lots of adjustability, removable hood, really adaptable. Just wish I could get out more often to enjoy it
Can you do a comparison between the Durston Xmid and the Tarptent stratospire 1?
I've got the Stout 45 Plus. Part of me wishes there was a Stout 60 Plus since the 70 is way too large but the 45 served fine on my trip. May have over packed a but it's a lesson in smarter packing for the future.
55-60 is a nice sweet spot!
Hello Justin, got the notification while working, so took my lunch break to watch! Lol! Another great video!⛺️😁
*I've had my Gregory for years. It's gone through a LOT of week long trips. If you cut off the appendages (including fingers). You can fit a whole body in there. I highly recommend putting the fingers in a container (WITH A SEALED LID!). If you lose even a single body part, and the person goes missing.... that's technically considered a body and a death. I can't tell you the crap I had to go through to find the last one.*
The trekology pillow paired with a closed cell foam pad in my opinion is more comfortable than an inflatable mattress without a pillow I have a trekology pillow and I don't plan on ever leaving it home it's an essential item for me
Buy this man a beer! Great and informative video Justin!!
Would love to see you do a review of the MEC Serratus 40. Looks like a decent alternative to the Hyperlight 2400 at only 189. No one has done a review of it yet. Thanks for all the awesome videos!
what is the criteria for "beginner"? this doesn't seem particularly budget or light to me. is it ease of use/supply?
Seems like both to me.
@@SteffenThomsen those items seem cheap and light to you?
@@Carftymk Yes a mix of cheap options and some quality gear. A pretty solid list that should get you a sub 14 pound base weight.
@jrr lol i don't think justin is much of a sellout, there are much worse "influencers". but still, recommending a $400 garmin is pretty bad for beginners.
not to mention the MASSIVE needed subscription fee for the garmin inreach. for a piece of gear that only has a purpose in very desolate and remote areas, where beginners won't venture in in the first place. what a waste of money. not beginner-friendly at all, not in ease of use, not in budget, not in weight. MAYBE in durability
Usually we associate beginners with " budget-friendly" because we assume they don't want to spend a whole lot of money, but that's its own category. It seems to me that "beginner" here means quality, comfortable, and reasonable budget for backpacking gear. I have no explanation for the $400 InReach besides him trying to cover as much gear as possible people would consider.
Everything else on his recommendation is quality and comfortable which is important because you don't want to scare off beginners by having things not work for them in the wilderness. While it is expensive (as backpacking is), I think he chose the best value for these categories. The best part is this gear doesn't need much replacing, so if the beginner likes it they don't need to spend a ton more money replacing it with lighter gear. If they don't like backpacking, these gear can go on the used market for a good amount of the money back, unlike cheaper gear.
Just got a used-once Decathlon Trek 100 Jacket with no hood for 8€, probably the best value buy on all my gear
i am a proud member of the dan durston hype team. any videos featuring his products get an automatic like from me
How does the Stout compare to the Zulu or Baltoro?
Stout is more my price range, but wondering if it's worth coughing up? 😛
JayMoneyG!! Always a pleasure to see your vids. Something I noticed today, and of course have seen before but never really thought about it, you should consider not ending your videos so super abruptly when you've got a tile up for another vid to watch. By that I mean, I know it's become sort of your signature move to END a video! lol But, when you say "check out the video here" and point to a proverbial video link, the actual vid we're watching ends so quickly that you hardly have time to click on the other. Just looking out with some hopefully helpful info and input. Hike on, brother. J Money Gangster for the WIN!!
I definitely would not recommend a $200 sleeping pad or a $300 Durston tent to a beginning backpacker. That is a huge expense. There are much cheaper pads and tents on the market. Yes, cheaper gear does tend to be a bit heavier, but a beginning backpacker is not going to be thru-hiking a 2000 mile trail. They will be taking weekend trips with short hikes. Beginners can get away with cheaper, heavier gear. And they for sure don't need a $400 Garmin InReach Mini 2. Great idea, telling a beginning backpacker they need to spend over $1000 on gear to just begin.
I had a stout 65 in 2018 and it was a horror for my shoulders and hip. Replace with a talon 44 that can carry as much as the main stout pocket
Stout 70 - what would be a good alternative that is also lighter?
My only complaint about trekking pole tents is I usually hike to a base camp and day hike to a peak the next day, or a couple days day hiking around a base camp, my trekking poles are now stuck at camp holding the tent up.
Yeah that's unfortunate. If you have the budget companies make separate carbon poles for trekking pole tents. I guess it's light weight enough to still not carry the poles for a freestanding
With my trekking pole tent more often than not I just use branches I find lying about, either because I don't want to use my poles or because I've forgotten them or something. I've never once had a problem finding branches that worked, but I'm usually camping around trees.
Some good choices. Unfortunately most of your links are to MEC who are extremely expensive and have horrendous costumer support. Fortunately Amazon also stock them with same day delivery:)
I'm not sure a trekking pole tent is the first thing I would point a beginner to.
I think its a good idea, depending on the brain power of the hiker …. Lmao
It’s a good idea because it’s easy to set up for a trekking pole tent. And the weight savings will give a beginner a much better hiking experience. Heavy means a bad time, which causes beginners to quit.
My very first tent I've ever bought was the durston xmid2
Trekking pole tents aren't hard to figure out
Ah Quaite Creek. Also a great beginner friendly backcountry location.
Justin. You did it again! Another fantastic review! Going to Colorado next month with all the gear you recommend. Cheers!
Thanks Justin! Your videos are great. Thanks to you and some other RUclipsrs I just completed my first solo winter camping trip in decades. I’m ready to pull the trigger on a Mid-X 2 tent. Do you recommend the mesh or solid inner wall version? The value of the solid version seems tremendous. Do you agree? TY!
I'm thinking between Gregory Scout and Focal.
For me, Scout leads in everything, but I have no idea how well the back system ventilates.
May I know your opinion on how well it ventilates?
Where did you find the Durston X-Mid 2!!? Scarcer than gold now.
I always bring atleast one more pair of socks than underwear because if your socks get wet / you wear through them but mainly for wetness
Awesome info and video. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
Thanks for sharing👍🏾 we love backpacking and think this info is very useful.
Synthetic dos not work for me. I converted to merino wool since I sweat allot. It's more expensive but it keeps the smells away and they dry just as quick as synthetic
Great, more people I have to fight this fall to try and get an X-Mid.
Dude, you see xmid sell out then goes on sale on eBay for double!? That's some BS there!
Nice 😁
If you haven't seen it yet check out Paul Messner's channel he came up with a way to fast fly the freelite, it's awesome
*I've had my Gregory for years. It's gone through a LOT of week long trips. If you cut off the appendages (including fingers). You can fit a whole body in there. I highly recommend putting the fingers in a container (WITH A SEALED LID!). If you lose even a single body part, and the person goes missing.... that's technically considered a body and a death. I can't tell you the crap I had to go through to find the last one.*
Genius mod that from Paul Messner
Hey Justin! I know you've been loving the quickdraw lately, but I noticed it has substantially less log reduction for cysts/protozoa than the squeeze or befree due to it's larger pore size. I'm sure you've noticed & considered that, but is that less of a concern to you than speed of filtering and the design? Just wondering, love the channel, thx
What do you do with the wet wipes ?
I have a Decathalon puffy on the way.
Great video!!!
Hammock gear quilt vs EE?? Is it worth double the price??
Justin could you please do a video on ultralight vs. non ultralight mentality and when/why you would choose each mentality? I notice in some of your videos you have ultralight gear, but in others you seem to focus on heavier but still lightweight gear. I know a lot of ultra lighters would suggest starting with ultralight gear. I'm curious what your philosophy on this is.
Osprey rook 65 vs gregory stout 60?
I recognize this camp site! Your Alberta Based?
Informative and beneficial video
Looks like Granite Gear pack 60L I have.
You changed from Hoka to Altra!!!!
The Gregory looks like my first (getting back into backpacking) pack which was the Deuter ACT 45+10 SL. I still have it because it is just a sure thing for any friends looking to borrow a pack. Carries amazing
Yes I keep my osprey for the same reason! And my sleeping bag since I use a quilt now
Anyone know where I can get the decathlon jacket? The trek 100 has been out of stock forever, I even emailed the company to see when it would become available and they said they didn't know.
This reply is very late but I found the Decathlon jacket at Walmart online. Technically I ordered through the app.
who's that in the blue shirt? Andrew Tate? Lol 4:08
Lmao
Beginner back packers usually don't have budget s for what "you" assume to be "affordable". They may not like camping so why would someone spend 4-5hundred dollars that they will not get their investment back. Star with lesser quality ( not the cheapest stuff) to start their adventures. That's just my opinion. JMR
New sub ! Liked 🙏😀🙂😛
1) I would not get the Trekology pillow as it is very uncomfortable. Being air inflated, it does not conform to your head as you lay down. I would recommend the Paria Down pillow which is excellent. It is down and soft, but the best part is that you can insert your down jacket or other soft clothing on the other side of the pillow. Effectively fluffing it up - closest to a real pillow.
2) I would not recommend the Durston tent or any tent that needs to use your hiking poles. Because, you then cannot use those hiking poles if you want to do day hikes while camping (without removing them from the tent - thereby dismantling the tent).
With my trekking pole tent more often than not I just use branches I find lying about, either because I don't want to use my poles or because I've forgotten them or something. I've never once had a problem finding branches that worked, but then again I'm usually camping around trees.
You sound especially canadian in this video
Well I can tell you what would really excite me and about 2023. Somebody come out with the sleeping bladder that is called the 10-year bladder and put an end to all of this repurchasing mess. It weighs an extra 2 pounds because it's using steel wires across the width and it's rather than using internal welds connections -just using the steel wires to hold it down on top about every 3 in and running left to right from top to bottom like that on water bed thickness plastic, then you stake it to the ground at every point where the wires run and make it thicker than crap and put some actual military canvas on it especially on the underside - this nonsense of waking up on the ground all the time even when you pay top dollar for something; it's for the birds. With probes on damn Mars this should be very achievable.
Hmmm, Nope. Here are much better options: Pack, LiteAF X-40L currently on sale $212; Sit-pad, Gossamer Gear 1/8" full-length pad $20; Warmth Jacket, Kuiu Peloton97 $99, puffy's are sweatbox's use UL-fleece or UL-wool instead; Stove, BRS-stove weighs-less, costs-less $16; Filter, HydroBlu, attached caps, better and more flow $20; Rain Gear, Zpacks Vertice is worth it to avoid unnecessary sweating $299; Don't carry a watch, you already own/carry a phone, dump Garmin too if you own a new iPhone with sat-com. Want to stay warm? Warmth is all about hoods, gloves and socks (waterproof/breathable socks if it's wet and cold).
Brooooo what is that ziplock thing doing in there?? :D
Bro looking like Blippi’s (cooler) Canadian Cousin.
$200 ?!?!
Get the MOUNTAINSMITH SCREAM 55. $160
Are u canadian or American? 'Cause you use USD for the price.
Canadian. 50% of my audience is in the US, 15% in Canada, and then 35% from the rest of the world. Majority of my audience will understand USD over any other currency I'd use.
advert
Those toe socks make the space between them very uncomfortable.
The pocket rocket 2 was released just 5 years ago so you definitely don't know anyone who's had one for decades lol. Good video though bud 👍
🤓
Calm down lol
You contradict some of the things you recommend between your videos.
Like what?
why would you spend all that money starting off, you may not like it and have spent what looks like well over $1k
Underwear, thats extra weight lol
Hahaha....bear spray.
Dumb
I hope you realize that while you recommended a trekking pole tent...you didn't recommend any trekking poles.
Please don't use disposable water bottles. It's wasteful for no reason.
I wish I watched this review before I went on my Western Uplands backpacking trip in Algonquin Park in Ontario, Canada. Thank you Justin for the great information and your opinions. All the best and always remember to follow your nose!🍁🦫
What's the name of this quilt??tf I looked at the website of the wuilt and they are EXTORTIONATELY expensive quilts?? What do you mean they are affordable at around 330+!!!
Just got a used-once Decathlon Trek 100 Jacket with no hood for 8€, probably the best value buy on all my gear
Can you do a comparison between the Durston Xmid and the Tarptent stratospire 1?