Saving space is an underrated feature of lightweight gear. I haven’t regretted any of the lightweight gear I have. The joy of less is enjoyable every step you take.
Jack’s-r-Better Bridge Hammock with down top and bottom quilt. Dyneema (Cuban fiber) tarp tent with doors rolled into snake skin with tree straps. Seven pounds of pure luxury, dry, lay flat sleep system. Snake skin with tarp inside rode in my pack pocket for deployment in the rain so hammock setup and take down was alway dry. It was noisy but I slept through a surprise storm with forty mile winds and downpour that took down trees and rained through tents. Several people abandoned there gear and left the trail. Yes a seven pound luxury that got me from Springer to Katahdin. I went ultralight on every other piece of equipment and carried thirty pound pack including five days food. Some gear it’s just worth the money and the weight. Bonus put hiking clothes under the hammock and over the bottom quilt and woke up with relatively warm dry clothing.
If it's not winter get a summer bag. 1/3 the size and weight. No need to loose that much space to the 3 season you have there. Also packing the stuffables out of the stuff sacks can save lots of packing space.most gear is not designed to fit in your bags perfect and the rolled up stuff leaves lots of odd spaces when you have a few rolled items. And lastly :) I have basically the same bivy and a UL tent. UL tents are around the same packing space but the poles usually make it a bit more. The key advantage is you can protect your camera and gear from moisture. Plus give into the fact a good sleep will not be had.
Perfect timing with this episode, Levi. I started building my kit for bike packing and feel better about the purchases I made on the UL gear, after watching this video. It doesn’t get as cold here in the Mid-Atlantic but FWIW I was faced with the challenge of making a sleeping bag ‘fit’ into my bike bag. And ended up getting a slightly warmer temp bag as it is easier to compact into the seat bag, and also got a bag liner to raise the overall bag rating another 10-ish degree (Fahrenheit)… still compacting both the bag and liner is smaller than getting a 30deg bag to stuff into the seat pack. Thx for the content!🤙🏼
This is good know. The fact that you address price to comfort, or affordability to level of adventurous, is spot on. I am currently building my backpacking gear for a summer of 2023 JMT excursion for my 50th birthday. One of the things I keep going back to is comfort rather than price for ultralight. Though, im trying to stay light as possible, comfort will prevail as I trek roughly 250 miles total when carrying loaded pack with all the gear. Thanks again!!
Great video! One item you could look into is an Outdoor Vitals UL backpack. It has EIGHT POCKETS. The space-savings inside the bag is incredible and makes for easy organizing inside with a 2-lb+ weight difference. I use a liner or a big trash bag inside to keep things dry. Good recommendations, thanks!
Solid lineup! Zero regrets on the lightweight stuff when portaging 160lbs of gear/cameras/boat/food 70km in a week 😅 The amount of food we can haul out there more often than not becomes the limiting factor on longer trips, so dehydrated meals and Tailwind endurance fuel tends to be what extends our range the most… we max out at about 450km in the backcountry in a week before needing a food resupply if we’re on record setting pace. Lightweight footwear’s another area where we spare no expense and a great value/dollar weight savings too - they say a pound on your feet equals five on your back :)
I never really thought about lighter shoes but that makes a bunch of sense. I mean if lighter bike wheels makes such a difference of course shoes would. Thanks for the input! I gotta do another canoe trip soon
@@Levi_Allen Cool! I haven’t, but they look super lightweight! We tend to wear Salomon Speedcross shoes in the backcountry, which we’ve found are a great alternative to hiking boots. Hope all’s well with you and the fam Levi! :)
I can recommend tents such as zPacks. Not cheap but near the weight of a bivi with extra room. I went with a quilt over a sleeping bag as it gives a bit more space too. With lightweight you pay more to get less!
I find the best money I've spent in order of comfort 1) a therm-a-rest Xtherm sleeping pad, 2) inflatable pillow 3) Merino sleeping clothes 4) A lighter but still 3 season quilt from UGQ (30F). The pad and quilt work together to keep you warm so I say get the highest rated R value pad you can as most of your heat is lost to the ground. Plus, you can always do the Nalgene hot water bottle trick for extra comfort.
Welcome to the lightweight world! Usually in backpacking Ultralight is considered when the base weight (all gear except consumables and worn clothing) is below 10lbs, between 10 and 20lbs base weight is considered lightweight, and above 20lbs is traditional. The reddit r/ultralight can be a very helpful place to learn more about UL gear, also a very help fun written and full with tips book is the book by Mike C "Ultralight backpackin' tips". When one loves backpacking usually there are a few iterations of switching up gear :) That was the case with me at least. All the best and happy trails! PS: Good companies to look into for big weight savings: Zpacks and MLD for shelters and backpacks, Borah Gear for tarps and bivys, Enlightened equipment for sleepingbags/quilts. Cheers!
Not sure I could do the bivy bag, my claustrophobia might kick in, though the open big screen might help. Nice run down! Looking forward to the bike camp!
My suggestion from a fellow side sleeper: get a UL quilt (HG Econ Burrow or custom for big footbox) and the neoair xlite wide which is more insulated than uberlite. Use the provided pad straps to strap your quilt to the pad. No more twisting the sleeping bag every time you roll over
I think it's true of a lot of items we buy. You can get "good" functionality at a reasonably fair price. To get that last bit of functionality can double or triple the price. The average person may not need that final bit, but some folks really do and are willing to pay the difference. (And of course the gear nerds that want the best of everything. Nothing wrong with that either.) I'm not even sure I want to even ask the question of, "Is it worth it?" I would rather ask, "Will it improve my experience?" I'm always cold, so a really warm sleeping bag is mandatory for me. I'll spend the money for that comfort. For me, some things are worth the money.
gear that you're embarrassed to have spent money on?? I lost count of the stuff i acquired over the years just cuz it was cool lol. But when you need it, you're glad you have it.
Well, that was a lot of expensive "Lightweight" gear, for sure! However, you can go a lot lighter than this for less money and actually buy "Ultralight" gear! Reddit/ultralight is free and there are wiki articles to help guide you. Once orientated you can then post shakedowns for advice around particular purchases or around particular trip requirements etc. Anyhow, it's great to see a fellow Canadian out there doing it for real, and making some great content in the process!
On another video with your van you stated about a pan set that worked with a induction top, what brand and where did you get it. You should of had a list and links to these items and try getting stuff from them or discounts from them.
10:15 adding value to my entertainment consumption lifestyle! you sold me on the jetboil. also to make an emergency hot water bottle in the middle of a soggy night. final point, 50mg of Benadryl is a lot lighter than a pillow. hopefully there are already 6 in your first aid kit. just sayin...
You pay for the weight. Either by buying lighter stuff that is more expensive or by having to carry the cheaper, heavier stuff. I spent 12 days in New Mexico with my son on a Boy Scout trip (yeah-Philmont) a couple of years ago. The biggest things we learned was with the sleeping bag and tent - small and light is good. We had a guy who used a space blanket and a tyvek rain fly, but that was a little to nutso for me.
Great video thanks!! Did you find the answer to the question ‘when it’s raining where do I put my camera gear’? Love to hear your thoughts on that problem. Loving the channel 👍🏻
I upgraded from a older Thermarest Prolite (about $120CAD when new) to an Exped SynMat (over $225CAD) and while it is significantly smaller and lighter than the Prolite, as a side sleeper, I found my hips touching the ground which didn't happen with the Prolite. So I started packing a Ridgerest with me for extra comfort. The damned thing is lightweight but enormous. Then again, it's all offset by the fact I have it all in an Arc'teryx Bora 95 pack which is 3.2kg empty! lol
@@Levi_Allen yeh, it’s chill. Although, I like all your work. You could shoot all macro, and it’d still be fresh. Looking forward to the new stuff amigo!
What do you take for wildlife protection ? I’d be curious to see that, have you had any risky encounters with mountain lions or bears wolves etc .... Random question lol
Hi Allen, I’m Eason from Easthills Outdoor, we provide high-quality products for those who love outdoor sports. Could you do me a favor about the review of our product?
Saving space is an underrated feature of lightweight gear. I haven’t regretted any of the lightweight gear I have. The joy of less is enjoyable every step you take.
For sleeping pads definitely keep an eye on the R value for insulation against the ground! Ultralight may be a lot colder in the middle of the night
Jack’s-r-Better Bridge Hammock with down top and bottom quilt. Dyneema (Cuban fiber) tarp tent with doors rolled into snake skin with tree straps. Seven pounds of pure luxury, dry, lay flat sleep system. Snake skin with tarp inside rode in my pack pocket for deployment in the rain so hammock setup and take down was alway dry. It was noisy but I slept through a surprise storm with forty mile winds and downpour that took down trees and rained through tents. Several people abandoned there gear and left the trail. Yes a seven pound luxury that got me from Springer to Katahdin. I went ultralight on every other piece of equipment and carried thirty pound pack including five days food. Some gear it’s just worth the money and the weight. Bonus put hiking clothes under the hammock and over the bottom quilt and woke up with relatively warm dry clothing.
If it's not winter get a summer bag. 1/3 the size and weight. No need to loose that much space to the 3 season you have there. Also packing the stuffables out of the stuff sacks can save lots of packing space.most gear is not designed to fit in your bags perfect and the rolled up stuff leaves lots of odd spaces when you have a few rolled items. And lastly :) I have basically the same bivy and a UL tent. UL tents are around the same packing space but the poles usually make it a bit more. The key advantage is you can protect your camera and gear from moisture. Plus give into the fact a good sleep will not be had.
great tips Ian!
Perfect timing with this episode, Levi. I started building my kit for bike packing and feel better about the purchases I made on the UL gear, after watching this video.
It doesn’t get as cold here in the Mid-Atlantic but FWIW I was faced with the challenge of making a sleeping bag ‘fit’ into my bike bag. And ended up getting a slightly warmer temp bag as it is easier to compact into the seat bag, and also got a bag liner to raise the overall bag rating another 10-ish degree (Fahrenheit)… still compacting both the bag and liner is smaller than getting a 30deg bag to stuff into the seat pack.
Thx for the content!🤙🏼
This is good know. The fact that you address price to comfort, or affordability to level of adventurous, is spot on. I am currently building my backpacking gear for a summer of 2023 JMT excursion for my 50th birthday. One of the things I keep going back to is comfort rather than price for ultralight. Though, im trying to stay light as possible, comfort will prevail as I trek roughly 250 miles total when carrying loaded pack with all the gear. Thanks again!!
Looking forward to your bike packing video! I been thinking about doing some bike packing with my Family!
I liked the condescending Levi bit. Very good
Great video! One item you could look into is an Outdoor Vitals UL backpack. It has EIGHT POCKETS. The space-savings inside the bag is incredible and makes for easy organizing inside with a 2-lb+ weight difference. I use a liner or a big trash bag inside to keep things dry. Good recommendations, thanks!
Solid lineup! Zero regrets on the lightweight stuff when portaging 160lbs of gear/cameras/boat/food 70km in a week 😅 The amount of food we can haul out there more often than not becomes the limiting factor on longer trips, so dehydrated meals and Tailwind endurance fuel tends to be what extends our range the most… we max out at about 450km in the backcountry in a week before needing a food resupply if we’re on record setting pace. Lightweight footwear’s another area where we spare no expense and a great value/dollar weight savings too - they say a pound on your feet equals five on your back :)
I never really thought about lighter shoes but that makes a bunch of sense. I mean if lighter bike wheels makes such a difference of course shoes would. Thanks for the input! I gotta do another canoe trip soon
Just curious Chris have you ever tried Bedrock sandals? I just got a pair and I’m delighted how lightweight they are max basically ultra light chacos
@@Levi_Allen Cool! I haven’t, but they look super lightweight! We tend to wear Salomon Speedcross shoes in the backcountry, which we’ve found are a great alternative to hiking boots. Hope all’s well with you and the fam Levi! :)
great vid !! many thanks ,learn alot
Dude I just wanted to say how underrated your channel is. I can’t make sense of it really but your channel is so great! Keep going
I can recommend tents such as zPacks. Not cheap but near the weight of a bivi with extra room. I went with a quilt over a sleeping bag as it gives a bit more space too. With lightweight you pay more to get less!
I went with big Agnes for their bike packing series. Hopefully it works out well for me
Such a dope vid 🙌🏽🔥
I find the best money I've spent in order of comfort 1) a therm-a-rest Xtherm sleeping pad, 2) inflatable pillow 3) Merino sleeping clothes 4) A lighter but still 3 season quilt from UGQ (30F). The pad and quilt work together to keep you warm so I say get the highest rated R value pad you can as most of your heat is lost to the ground. Plus, you can always do the Nalgene hot water bottle trick for extra comfort.
I need a nice light summer quilt solution, I need to look into these
Welcome to the lightweight world! Usually in backpacking Ultralight is considered when the base weight (all gear except consumables and worn clothing) is below 10lbs, between 10 and 20lbs base weight is considered lightweight, and above 20lbs is traditional. The reddit r/ultralight can be a very helpful place to learn more about UL gear, also a very help fun written and full with tips book is the book by Mike C "Ultralight backpackin' tips". When one loves backpacking usually there are a few iterations of switching up gear :) That was the case with me at least. All the best and happy trails!
PS: Good companies to look into for big weight savings: Zpacks and MLD for shelters and backpacks, Borah Gear for tarps and bivys, Enlightened equipment for sleepingbags/quilts. Cheers!
Thanks for sharing.stay safe.
Not sure I could do the bivy bag, my claustrophobia might kick in, though the open big screen might help. Nice run down! Looking forward to the bike camp!
Great video - and I'm learning a ton from these comments!
My suggestion from a fellow side sleeper: get a UL quilt (HG Econ Burrow or custom for big footbox) and the neoair xlite wide which is more insulated than uberlite. Use the provided pad straps to strap your quilt to the pad. No more twisting the sleeping bag every time you roll over
Great review!
I think it's true of a lot of items we buy. You can get "good" functionality at a reasonably fair price. To get that last bit of functionality can double or triple the price. The average person may not need that final bit, but some folks really do and are willing to pay the difference. (And of course the gear nerds that want the best of everything. Nothing wrong with that either.) I'm not even sure I want to even ask the question of, "Is it worth it?" I would rather ask, "Will it improve my experience?" I'm always cold, so a really warm sleeping bag is mandatory for me. I'll spend the money for that comfort. For me, some things are worth the money.
gear that you're embarrassed to have spent money on?? I lost count of the stuff i acquired over the years just cuz it was cool lol. But when you need it, you're glad you have it.
I love the final conclusion of is it worth it! 😂
Well, that was a lot of expensive "Lightweight" gear, for sure! However, you can go a lot lighter than this for less money and actually buy "Ultralight" gear!
Reddit/ultralight is free and there are wiki articles to help guide you. Once orientated you can then post shakedowns for advice around particular purchases or around particular trip requirements etc.
Anyhow, it's great to see a fellow Canadian out there doing it for real, and making some great content in the process!
Less volume = more aero for bike packing :)
That’s true! Gotta hit those tops speeds
On another video with your van you stated about a pan set that worked with a induction top, what brand and where did you get it. You should of had a list and links to these items and try getting stuff from them or discounts from them.
10:15 adding value to my entertainment consumption lifestyle! you sold me on the jetboil. also to make an emergency hot water bottle in the middle of a soggy night. final point, 50mg of Benadryl is a lot lighter than a pillow. hopefully there are already 6 in your first aid kit. just sayin...
Nice project cart with bins - source?
You pay for the weight. Either by buying lighter stuff that is more expensive or by having to carry the cheaper, heavier stuff. I spent 12 days in New Mexico with my son on a Boy Scout trip (yeah-Philmont) a couple of years ago. The biggest things we learned was with the sleeping bag and tent - small and light is good. We had a guy who used a space blanket and a tyvek rain fly, but that was a little to nutso for me.
It’s amazing how much weight you can save with a smaller tent!
Hey Levi, thanks for another awesome video! Any chance for a link to your buddy Craig's RUclips channel as well?
Here’s his channel ruclips.net/user/KraigAdams
Great video thanks!! Did you find the answer to the question ‘when it’s raining where do I put my camera gear’? Love to hear your thoughts on that problem. Loving the channel 👍🏻
I bought a larger tarp when I want to use my BIVY setup, and then I also bought an ultralight 2 person tent.
@@Levi_Allen thanks! I was thinking tent is probably the best way to go to keep everything as dry as possible, currently binge watching your videos!
I upgraded from a older Thermarest Prolite (about $120CAD when new) to an Exped SynMat (over $225CAD) and while it is significantly smaller and lighter than the Prolite, as a side sleeper, I found my hips touching the ground which didn't happen with the Prolite. So I started packing a Ridgerest with me for extra comfort. The damned thing is lightweight but enormous. Then again, it's all offset by the fact I have it all in an Arc'teryx Bora 95 pack which is 3.2kg empty! lol
PS: I don't mind that not all your content is about photo / video. Keep the adventure stuff coming too! 👍🏻
Hips touching the ground is so annoying haha
If you are going to use it, it’s worth every penny
Agreed
Frumpy
Whoa, did you shoot this at 85mm? Thanks for the review as well!!
Do you like the look? Shot on 55mm
@@Levi_Allen yeh, it’s chill. Although, I like all your work. You could shoot all macro, and it’d still be fresh. Looking forward to the new stuff amigo!
I like that footrest you got! That is what a stool is for right? You feet, not your bum.
"Not the type of guy that counts every single gram" 'counts everything in grams' lol
touché
The 3 people who disliked this video bought gear before watching the video.
What do you take for wildlife protection ? I’d be curious to see that, have you had any risky encounters with mountain lions or bears wolves etc ....
Random question lol
Bear spray when relevant
Hi Allen, I’m Eason from Easthills Outdoor, we provide high-quality products for those who love outdoor sports. Could you do me a favor about the review of our product?
The 3 people who disliked this video bought gear before watching the video.
The 3 people who disliked this video bought gear before watching the video.