Eat plugs: humans, or wild sounds, I don’t want to hear a thing. If your tent mate gets out to pee and doesn’t close the fly, only noise audible will be deet in their eyes. Black Flys Matter. Back country sounds can be alarming. 90% of this is protection for you. The bush will announce everything. The big fright is bread etc. Lyme disease, (shit shit Venezuela. Water du, will make a sound. “Shit that speaks”. Every trail crit😢ter wants something from you. Those red squirrel’s are street corner con critters. Negotiate With that cartel. Not sure, but I think they are in a species hiker evolutionary path. They be persistent, cleverly endearing egressive.. they hear my worst curses, and flick their tails. Closing the deal: friends on the trail on the trail are hard to find. Quick emotional transaction, or go to a clinic. Doc Forsberg.
Q: Why not use the towel (as also mentioned in the video) to grab the handles on the cooking pot? I would rather have a solid hold on the pot than trying to balance those smaller tongs when pouring boiling water. But that’s my personal preference. Good video BTW.
"Guilty Pleasures I take with me" You could make a video about that and name a few things that you might be "ashamed" or that people wouldn't expect, sweets, "board games" etc. Things are technically not cool, necessary or even probably too heavy to justify, but you/we take them anyway.
Not my scout. I have a kitchen scale and we weighed everything and were under weight. I think it was supposed to be 20 lbs so they could split the food and cooking equipment amongst them so no one carried over 40 lbs but he ended up carrying 50 like the adults. Because he was as tall as the Dads he ended up carrying more weight because the kids in his group were slight and short. He had 2 pair merino wool socks, a warm fleece, rain poncho, hiking boots well broken in, jeans, shorts, 3 shirts, old army mess kit, sleeping bag, inflatable pad, small pillow. I believe if you sleep well you can handle things better. He said he had the most comfortable sleeping system and was the envy of everyone in his group. And nothing was ultra light, it really wasn’t a thing 20 years ago. He also had a first aid kit and clothing was stored in 2 gallon ziplock bags to stay dry. This was for the Philmont trip. They also left clothes in a locker at base camp so they had clean clothes after the hike.
First Ive seen those tent poles be used! I didn't realise they were height adjustable and not just fold out to a fixed length. Been thinking about getting an x-mid as i like to use trekking poles but sometimes I like set up a base camp for a couple of nights and leave the tent set up while peak bagging and want to take at least one hiking pole with me.
The thermodrop thermometer is something that goes on every backpacking or car camping trip so I know how my gear setup has performed or needs to be adjusted.
My go to hats are old fedoras short and wide brim I have picked up over the years. The short brim are the best for carrying a high load back pack. I like the wide brim to shade the face and eyes in a kayak or canoe. European felted wool hats are water repellent. The felt will wet through but not drip and stay warm in a storm. I take the lining out and fold them flat. I carry a short brim on Bike tours to wear under my rain jacket hood in camp. I also wear them in my life as a city dweller. A felted wool hat also makes a great wash basin.
yes to the big Easton stakes. Sixmoon sold me them 14 years ago with a tent, and I kept them when I sold that tent 12 years later, they work so well. I need that pot grabber, having burned myself last year.
what do you do with your phone? very puzzling. my 4500 mAh phone lasts about 4 days on airplane mode. so my 10000 mAh powerbank can recharge it at least 2x if I wanted to.
@@BigDawgCAM My Samsung S20 when I hike and sleep in 0C will drop almost 15-20% even when turned off overnight. I've gone 3 days not using my phone (apart from an 30m on the calculator to do maths for a friend since it was a group challenge) and even with it on flight mode and turning it off for one of the two nights, it ended up with 11% afterwards. When it isn't cold, flight mode is a godsend.
@@bananarama3624Have you tried keeping your phone in your quilt/sleeping bag with you? Might see how that affects battery life. Also, nitecore has a newer version of their battery bank that will thermoregulate in cold temps. It supposedly uses a smaller amount of power to keep itself warm that what would otherwise cause the battery to drain when cold.
@@bananarama3624lithium ion batteries are sensitive to the cold, so you should keep any item that contains a rechargeable lithium battery (such as your phone) in your sleeping bag overnight when the temperatures get below freezing.
The problem with the Easton steaks is that the cord goes through the cap and not the shaft. So when you're pulling them out you can pull off the cap. Big sky international sells Tube Steaks, (pun intended probably) that are exactly the same except the cord goes through the shaft and then the cap. They weigh the same but the tube steaks are a better product and they're cheaper.
Cylinders are very strong, by virtue of their shape, and the fewer corners on the canister the fewer edges there are for a bear to sink claws or teeth into.
@@jeffreycarman2185 I was under the impression it was an airtight box to stop the smell attracting bears, not a container to keep them out of your food. If a bear is rummaging through my backpack I’m not going to deprive it of the food lol
@@JeronimoStilton14 That's incorrect. They are designed so that a bear can't get into the contents and a cylinder is a much stronger shape than a cube. If a bear is able to easily access human food, they'll continue to do so and unfortunately they'll end up euthanized to protect humans.
@@JeronimoStilton14yeah. You know how it’s very hard to hide drugs from dogs? Putting your food inside a plastic box isn’t going to do anything about the scent. It’s to keep the bear out. They’ll lose interest quickly.
Love those little scissors. Definitely want them for my diddy bag. Some great little gems in here. Loved this video and hope you do more like em. Maybe one where you go over some little gadgets like this that you've collected but don't use? They could be a good fit for other people's packs. I'm sure you have lots of gear you thought would work for you but didn't for whatever reason.
Items that you carried when you first started backpacking (or from like just last year's backpacking load out) but have not really needed anymore or alternatives have knocked those items out of your new backpacking list.
Hi Steven 👋 It was awesome getting to meet you in person at PCT days! Hope the weather didn't hit you too hard. If you have a chance you should check out my friend Conor's brand, High Tail Designs, they make dyneema hybrid bags and can be found on garage grown gear. Anyways stay dry out there! -Kit
Great video! I have a question… what are the criteria you use to decide whether you can ditch the rain fly and stargaze? Other than that it’s raining or going to rain… Does humidity matter? Whether you’re in grass or dry ground? I’ve gotten soaked a couple times when weather was clear and don’t know what is causing it! Please share tips! Thank you! Oh, also I really enjoyed your discussion with Kyle over on Trail Tales :)
Look into dewpoint - overnight as it gets colder, the air can't hold as much moisture, and it condenses out. Thus the higher the moisture, and/or the bigger the drop in temperature overnight, the more likely you'll end up wet. A reliable weather app / website should be able to help you with that.
So you're telling us you use a trekking pole tent, of which the main advantage is saving weight in going ultralight by dual using trekking poles as an item that you carry anyway - without carrying said item at all but a replacement serving only as tent poles? :-D
Many times you will hike into a place and use it as a base camp for a day hike or two. To do those day hikes you would like to use your trekking poles. So, if you have a trekking pole tent it makes sense to use Durston poles because you will want your trekking poles for your day hikes. It's not rocket science. The other point is that sometimes you can damage your trekking poles (accidently standing on them, falling, etc. I've done it) so they can't be extended properly. You then have a problem when it comes time to pitch your trekking pole tent.
@@kevinmcgennan8110 well, I wouldn't have that problem as I am carrying a big knife and a saw for processing wood and other tasks, but I'm not really an ultralight hiker as well. I'd simply craft some poles from wood and probably do that from the beginning in the case you described. Me and my buddy do this every time we go winter camping with his Teepee. Or I wouldn't take a trekking pole tent in the first place in that case, as I'm not carrying it the whole time. I was just amused by the fact that Steven choses to take an item which biggest selling point is dual use of another piece of gear without using said gear and replacing it with something without that dual use. But he, you and everyone can do as you please, I don't judge and I'm happy when you are! :-)
Honestly, I feel like it's one of the dumbest gimmicks in UL. People shit on the flexair pump all day but this is just STUPID. The sort of person that thinks the handles are too heavy is gonna just skip cooking all together and cold soak. Who the hell is this for? People who bring chairs but think this is "saving weight"? Just another thing to keep track of and lose, if it doesn't just fail on ya before then.
@@higler.he didn’t say the handles were too heavy, he said they got too hot. I was about to scoff at him for that too, but when I heard his reasoning I changed my mind.
@@nils-and-kat-devine You're right. I would think gloves or a piece of spare clothing would work just as well, or just use the handles and cover them with some tape or shrink tubing. Also, not bringing your water to a full boil(170 degrees is enough to re-hydrate meals and still have them warm while eating) would help. To each their own, many ways to go about things. I still thinks it's a dumb little gimmick lol
@@higler. some people just love tiny do-dads. But I agree, my backpacking strategy is to keep it simple and take fewer items. If I’m worried about burning my hands I almost always take a cotton triangle bandage to use as a kerchief around my neck (I use it as sun protection as well as soak it in streams to help cool me off, and it doubles as its original purpose, a bandage or sling, in an emergency). My triangle bandage could easily be used as a pot-grabber, if I felt like the pot was too hot to grab.
see i find a 10,000mAh power bank too small as that gives the average smart phone about 2.2 charges would only keep a phone going 4 days and personally it's best to carry a 20,000mAh for the extra charges
I get 3 charges out of my 10000 and I get at least 2 days of use out of each charge, so that’s always over a week of phone use before I need to recharge my phone and battery bank.
@@lisaphares2286I have a handless pot and use a synthetic cloth to pick it up off the stove all the time. As long as you turn the gas off first there’s no burning or melting of the cloth! One of the beauties of titanium pots is that they don’t retain heat well so using a cloth is possible. I wouldn’t recommend this with an aluminum pot!
Natural Atlas is just not that great for the Adirondacks. In fact, it caused us some trouble. They just don’t have the trails very close to the proper place, and way too many of their trails are out of date. This caused us to miss a turn and go on a trail that was supposed to be closed to hikers. Then tried to do it a couple more times. I had several other errors, and also found it lacking intuitiveness or proper documentation.
I’m curious. Have you used other GPS apps in the Adirondacks with better success? Natural Atlas is at the mercy of publicly available trail data. It’s my understanding it’s the same data everyone else is using. The only other option is user provided data from logged hikes which has been proven to have its own problems.
@@MyLifeOutdoors Thanks for the reply. Yes, my wife uses AllTrails. It’s much better in both the plotting of the trail, and in having more up to date trails. Not sure if they are doing it through user data, but Nat Atlas in several instances had the trail on the wrong side of the creek where there was obviously not even a trace of an old path. I was thinking the issue might be that this is a state park rather than a National one? IDK. I liked some of the Nat Atlas features, but it did have some bugs in my iPhone 12, and I really got the impression that it was one of those modern kluges you get when different teams do different parts of the app and no one forces a unified style.
@@nunyabidness3075 All Trails uses user provided data and has been known to get people in serious trouble. There is an interview of a lady who’s boyfriend died after they followed an all trails trail and fell off a cliff. Because of this Natural Atlas will only use official trail data that doesn’t always get updated. It’s on the parks to update their data when trails get moved due to erosion or the like. But parks are understaffed and underfunded and don’t always update their data. Apart from hiking every hike themselves Natural atlas is reliant on officially provided data. Just like everyone else unless they want to use user data. I could scale a cliff with my GPS tracking and all trails will publish it as a trail. Here is a link. This video was almost titled “All Trails Killed my Boyfriend” but he was concerned about legal liability: ruclips.net/video/tt4wtp-5NcA/видео.htmlsi=hLn6cBe8MFCL52r3 Natural atlas is just two guys from Oregon who love maps and the outdoors. They work hard to provide a useful app. Everything you see in the app was designed by them using the most up to date info available.
@@MyLifeOutdoors I can only speak to our experience here in the Adirondacks. Many of the trails here are dangerous. That’s a reason I’m not using Nat Atlas anymore. I do remember AllTrails having issues a couple years ago, but our experience lately has shown it to be better. If it were just the map issues, the extra features might be worth it, but there were too many other issues. Maybe if they do another big version upgrade, I might give it another try.
Incoming harsh critique EARPLUGS. Let's have a quick run down of the pros and cons of this item. Pro: uninterrupted sleep Cons: wild animal attack/prowling or fallen tree casualty. Your choice. Consider the alternative...
Some nights I don't think I'd hear a wild animal attack over the sound of my husband's "loud breathing"! I often use those same bell-shaped earplugs; when we met I couldn't fit my pinky in my ear, twenty five years later I can stick in my thumb & maybe wiggle it a bit ;)
Thanks for another great video! The smart water bottle caps got me wondering if you have done any research into whether or not they emit PFAS or the forever chemicals that you talked about with modern rain gear? if so, what is a healthy option for water storage/carry? Thanks!
I’m doing a whole video on PFAS. In my research I’m finding that it’s just about everywhere. It is more than likely in Smart Water but less likely to be in the plastic itself. It’s mostly used as a coating to make other things waterproof. Plastic is waterproof on its own. All that said plastic has its own toxins that are probably not great. But getting away from it in todays world is looking impossible.
@@MyLifeOutdoors from the reading I've done over the years, re-using disposable plastic bottles has two issues. The first one being they are designed for single-use, and meant to break down more readily since they are supposed to hit the dump or better yet recycling depot. That means leaching out of chemicals over time (and I guess microplastics, too), which is accelerated with exposure to more heat (ambient) and/or sunlight (UV does damage in so many ways, to so many things). You can really tell it's not a great idea by just tasting the water from a disposable bottle that has been left in a hot car for a few days - or in some cases, mere hours. The heat issue means it's also not a good idea to be putting boiling water into a Nalgene either, even if it can take the heat and not appeared to be damaged structurally. Yeti, which makes a very similar type of bottle nowadays (albeit with a taller, narrower design more akin to the SmartWater), specifies that their bottles aren't to be used with near- or boiling water for that reason. Secondly, the issue is with the porosity of the disposable bottles, that can provide a haven for bacteria (and perhaps other microorganisms? I can't recall) over time. Hopefully anyone using any kind of water bottle is doing a thorough job of cleaning it on a regular basis, especially in the threads/grooves around lids or caps, but apparently the bottle walls themselves can be an issue with any plastic bottle, most especially the disposable kind. I _really_ look forward to your in-depth analysis, always enjoy your application of scientific method to gear testing, fun while educational. Side-note, everyone always worrying about BPA in their supposed to be food-safe plastics, but it's used in almost any tin can lining, and every heat-printed store receipt you've ever come across. We just can't win.
I have a Flextail to inflate my frameless pontoon and the flextail Zero pump to inflate my mattresses. However, it only works for my sea to summit and not for my Zenbivy - because they do not have a supplied adapter for that mattress with their pumps. Much quicker inflation especially at the end of a very long and hot day... If it works for the mattress that you own!!
i prefer a big pump sack (schnozzle, big agnes, zenbivy etc) over the flextail inflators unless i'm group camping. Too much noise for me. If you carry a power bank anyway you should check out the pad pal over the flextail.
0:00 Hello Steve, I hope all is well with you and the family. I have a request of sorts. I truly enjoy your approach to gear reviews and to the point non non-sense facts and the common man, kitchen english approach. I saw your review of of the hyke and byke Yosemite (a go to for me). I back back 4-5 times a year with and hunt with my teen aged kids. I would love to see your review and opinion on their sleep systems from kyke and byke. I Have 2 that are hammock compatible...and one traditional. All 800 down 0 15 30. My preference are the hammock compatible since it supports both my use cases. If you can spare the time I would love to see your empirical approach. Naive or genius? Only you can decide. Thanks brother I appreciate all you do. GOD bless America and the Lands he provides
I would be very curious to know how litroutdoors stakes would compare. And am I crazy or did I just miss seeing what the tiny item in your hand was in the teaser thumbnail?
@ultima8250 they were the new version with usbpd. I replaced them with anker and they've been strong for a year. The nitecore polymer battery chemistry and profile were idea on paperl, shame they were garbage.
Ok some stuff got my eye. And for real... Earplugs are bulletproof. In a train if someone NOT PARKING their family members far away from themselves can i get a bit sleep 😅 also the people who cant wear earphones.
Re; Phones and power banks.. What happens when the internet fails completely? O.o You need to learn to read a MAP & COMPASS. Funny thing is they use no power at all, and you can learn all this, while you still have your mod cons as back up. As for pot handles/carriers, always put a light pair of riggers gloves in your gear. No problems then on so many levels. Funny thing? Most camping skills and equipment, is just plain common bloody sense. No one can predict, the environment you find yourself in from time to time, nor the weather at any given time, climatic conditions, etc. (It's all just guess work) Adapt and survive, and learn from yours, and others experiences, and mistakes...
life straw, ... I like that pot grabber. I might pick one up. Does it come with a tiny spoon? Too many knives stolen by airport security, I've given up carrying a little knife (big or nothing).
omg not the pot grabber... that's just the definition of stupid ultralight. Handles aren't that heavy, you can save meaningful weight in other ways, and when you lose that stupid gimmick then what? All to save what 13g? But you better bring the chair! 😋
That pot holder is ridiculous. Just use a folding handle pot with towel or use spare socks or hat. Or better yet, just wait a few minutes after burner is off the handle isnt that hot.
Love your videos!! Thanks for sharing them with us! I think you'll love our Muscle & Joint Pain Relief Cream products and would be a great fit for a partnership. Let's discuss further and send you some products to try out.
The titanium scissors aren't titanium, they're "titanium bonded". Just a pet peve of mine how people call things titanium that either have a titanium coating or no titanium at all. 'They' re titanium level.' Pffst!🙄
You dudes and dudettes that sleep with earplugs have nerves of steel. I guess it's an "all in" mentality type thing. I get it... But I gotta listen out for creatures and serial killers 🤡 when I camp. I don't camp near roaring water either...same reasons. 🐻🐻❄🐨 Now most of the time I am solo it might make a difference in a crowd? Nah... I still gotta hear. Thanks for sharing. 👴
99.99999999% chance that anything you hear isn't interested in you and definitely not looking to kill you, especially if you're in black bear country with no grizzlies. You can stay awake and get bad sleep worrying about nothing, or just put in ear plugs, get good sleep, and wake up ready to hit the trail with vigor. Seems crazy/scary at first but many seasoned backpackers do it because without good sleep, you're SOL, and that adds up fast.
POWER BANK FOR MAPS!!! YOU HAVE LOST YOUR WAY! LETS DO ELECTRONICS WHEN WE GO BACK COUNTRY! You have re-defined backpacking, into something scout masters do with the smallest child late at night..
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*Gear in this video:*
Durston Tent Poles: geni.us/AWUZw
Power Bank: geni.us/uVqBML
GPS App: geni.us/5B8MGP
Tent Stakes: geni.us/du0Asv
Sun Hat: geni.us/73k4I
Fleece: geni.us/EGWb9nd
Thermometer: geni.us/BGs5
Small Towel: geni.us/yTk0Oc
Mini Pot Grabber: geni.us/GQiLZ
ADOTEC Ditty Bag: geni.us/DfeIKa1
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Toothpaste Tabs: geni.us/yoWe
Smelly Proof Baggie: geni.us/KN5bA
Toothbrush: geni.us/gILDI
Tenacious Tape: geni.us/yBo8owy
Repair Kit: geni.us/8gWdce
Zippered Bag: geni.us/fwtPFA
Insect Repellent: geni.us/eEOZ
Titanium Scissors: geni.us/ZY1T
Ear Plugs: geni.us/kJJk
Eat plugs: humans, or wild sounds, I don’t want to hear a thing. If your tent mate gets out to pee and doesn’t close the fly, only noise audible will be deet in their eyes. Black Flys Matter. Back country sounds can be alarming. 90% of this is protection for you. The bush will announce everything. The big fright is bread etc. Lyme disease, (shit shit Venezuela. Water du, will make a sound. “Shit that speaks”. Every trail crit😢ter wants something from you. Those red squirrel’s are street corner con critters. Negotiate With that cartel. Not sure, but I think they are in a species hiker evolutionary path. They be persistent, cleverly endearing egressive.. they hear my worst curses, and flick their tails. Closing the deal: friends on the trail on the trail are hard to find. Quick emotional transaction, or go to a clinic. Doc Forsberg.
I've had 2 of those nitecore power banks fail on me. I use anker pretty much exclusively now. Solid. Works. Keeps working.
For hot handles on pots get 1/8" high heat silicone tubing. Pop your wire handles off and slide the tubing over it. Cheap, easy and on Amazon.
I double shrinkwrapped my toaks handles and it works great as well
How do you pop the wire handles off?
@@ssrrss321 bend them until you are sure you are going to break them. Titanium is stronger than you’d think
Just pull down on them. They will flex enough to pop out.
Q: Why not use the towel (as also mentioned in the video) to grab the handles on the cooking pot? I would rather have a solid hold on the pot than trying to balance those smaller tongs when pouring boiling water. But that’s my personal preference. Good video BTW.
I have this tiny towel he's talking about and it's a synthetic material. Unfortunately, it might melt if you grab something that's too hot with it
He says the pot he uses doesn't have handles
"Guilty Pleasures I take with me" You could make a video about that and name a few things that you might be "ashamed" or that people wouldn't expect, sweets, "board games" etc. Things are technically not cool, necessary or even probably too heavy to justify, but you/we take them anyway.
With the boyscouts we have the rule to always pack light and efficient, but everybody is allowed one comfort item.
@@jimihenrik11 the same boyscouts that overpack and carry insanely heavy loads?
Not my scout. I have a kitchen scale and we weighed everything and were under weight. I think it was supposed to be 20 lbs so they could split the food and cooking equipment amongst them so no one carried over 40 lbs but he ended up carrying 50 like the adults. Because he was as tall as the Dads he ended up carrying more weight because the kids in his group were slight and short. He had 2 pair merino wool socks, a warm fleece, rain poncho, hiking boots well broken in, jeans, shorts, 3 shirts, old army mess kit, sleeping bag, inflatable pad, small pillow. I believe if you sleep well you can handle things better. He said he had the most comfortable sleeping system and was the envy of everyone in his group. And nothing was ultra light, it really wasn’t a thing 20 years ago. He also had a first aid kit and clothing was stored in 2 gallon ziplock bags to stay dry. This was for the Philmont trip. They also left clothes in a locker at base camp so they had clean clothes after the hike.
@@lisaphares2286 40-50lbs is heavy.
@@eric55406Yes, that’s heavy, but as stated in the comment, it was 20 years ago. 🤷🏻♂️
First Ive seen those tent poles be used! I didn't realise they were height adjustable and not just fold out to a fixed length. Been thinking about getting an x-mid as i like to use trekking poles but sometimes I like set up a base camp for a couple of nights and leave the tent set up while peak bagging and want to take at least one hiking pole with me.
The thermodrop thermometer is something that goes on every backpacking or car camping trip so I know how my gear setup has performed or needs to be adjusted.
Love to see you go back to your roots, with floats added to hikes, and how to pack for kayak/canoe trips.
I’ll see what I can do
My go to hats are old fedoras short and wide brim I have picked up over the years. The short brim are the best for carrying a high load back pack. I like the wide brim to shade the face and eyes in a kayak or canoe. European felted wool hats are water repellent. The felt will wet through but not drip and stay warm in a storm. I take the lining out and fold them flat. I carry a short brim on Bike tours to wear under my rain jacket hood in camp. I also wear them in my life as a city dweller. A felted wool hat also makes a great wash basin.
@tomsitzman3952 I'm curious where you find your European felt hats. Thrift stores? Are there certain common brands you look for?
@@catblue6393 I second this question
I use a woolnylon baseball cap ultralight ' dries super fast and keeps me warm when wet .
yes to the big Easton stakes. Sixmoon sold me them 14 years ago with a tent, and I kept them when I sold that tent 12 years later, they work so well. I need that pot grabber, having burned myself last year.
Garage grown gear is awesome. Bought that little repair kit so good!
How do you get a week out of a 10000 mah battery? What things do you turn off and what do you leave on in order to reduce power consumption?
Phones on airplane mode last a stupid-long time. You could even turn off your phone when you're not using it and it would last a week on it's own
what do you do with your phone? very puzzling. my 4500 mAh phone lasts about 4 days on airplane mode. so my 10000 mAh powerbank can recharge it at least 2x if I wanted to.
@@BigDawgCAM My Samsung S20 when I hike and sleep in 0C will drop almost 15-20% even when turned off overnight.
I've gone 3 days not using my phone (apart from an 30m on the calculator to do maths for a friend since it was a group challenge) and even with it on flight mode and turning it off for one of the two nights, it ended up with 11% afterwards.
When it isn't cold, flight mode is a godsend.
@@bananarama3624Have you tried keeping your phone in your quilt/sleeping bag with you? Might see how that affects battery life.
Also, nitecore has a newer version of their battery bank that will thermoregulate in cold temps. It supposedly uses a smaller amount of power to keep itself warm that what would otherwise cause the battery to drain when cold.
@@bananarama3624lithium ion batteries are sensitive to the cold, so you should keep any item that contains a rechargeable lithium battery (such as your phone) in your sleeping bag overnight when the temperatures get below freezing.
Great video, thanks. Can you tell me what you are using to push your tent pegs into the ground?
I think I saw this before with a bottle cap?
The problem with the Easton steaks is that the cord goes through the cap and not the shaft. So when you're pulling them out you can pull off the cap. Big sky international sells Tube Steaks, (pun intended probably) that are exactly the same except the cord goes through the shaft and then the cap. They weigh the same but the tube steaks are a better product and they're cheaper.
Why are bear canisters round? Feels like you could make a square variant that your food slides into without it bulging a backpack out
Cylinders are very strong, by virtue of their shape, and the fewer corners on the canister the fewer edges there are for a bear to sink claws or teeth into.
@@jeffreycarman2185 I was under the impression it was an airtight box to stop the smell attracting bears, not a container to keep them out of your food. If a bear is rummaging through my backpack I’m not going to deprive it of the food lol
@@JeronimoStilton14 That's incorrect. They are designed so that a bear can't get into the contents and a cylinder is a much stronger shape than a cube. If a bear is able to easily access human food, they'll continue to do so and unfortunately they'll end up euthanized to protect humans.
@@JeronimoStilton14yeah. You know how it’s very hard to hide drugs from dogs? Putting your food inside a plastic box isn’t going to do anything about the scent.
It’s to keep the bear out. They’ll lose interest quickly.
It's too hard to screw on the square lids. : )
Bro hell yeah we wear the same hat! I don't fold mine though
Love those little scissors. Definitely want them for my diddy bag. Some great little gems in here. Loved this video and hope you do more like em. Maybe one where you go over some little gadgets like this that you've collected but don't use? They could be a good fit for other people's packs. I'm sure you have lots of gear you thought would work for you but didn't for whatever reason.
I'm currently planning to do some backpacking with my friends myself. Those are very good tips. 😊
This was an awesome video! I may end up acquiring all of this gear.
Your hat is fast becoming iconic as Indiana Jones' fedora. You tha man 🤙🏽
Wonder how a bullwhip would work as bear repellent
Whoever designed that pot holder definitely seen the Trangia handle an though yup, all u need, lets make it small af.
Thanks for all the great videos you produce. They are top notch.
Pretty cool stuff for a bug out bag too!
The backpacking community puts the prepper community to absolute shame when it comes to gear and survival. Those prepper dudes are so goofy lmao
I love these kinds of videos Steven!
Items that you carried when you first started backpacking (or from like just last year's backpacking load out) but have not really needed anymore or alternatives have knocked those items out of your new backpacking list.
Hi Steven 👋
It was awesome getting to meet you in person at PCT days! Hope the weather didn't hit you too hard. If you have a chance you should check out my friend Conor's brand, High Tail Designs, they make dyneema hybrid bags and can be found on garage grown gear. Anyways stay dry out there!
-Kit
Hey Kit. It was great meeting you as well. I’ve seen a few of High Tail’s things. Solid stuff. I need to check out some more.
Great video! I have a question… what are the criteria you use to decide whether you can ditch the rain fly and stargaze? Other than that it’s raining or going to rain… Does humidity matter? Whether you’re in grass or dry ground? I’ve gotten soaked a couple times when weather was clear and don’t know what is causing it! Please share tips! Thank you! Oh, also I really enjoyed your discussion with Kyle over on Trail Tales :)
Look into dewpoint - overnight as it gets colder, the air can't hold as much moisture, and it condenses out. Thus the higher the moisture, and/or the bigger the drop in temperature overnight, the more likely you'll end up wet. A reliable weather app / website should be able to help you with that.
Victorinox bladeless add pen scales: presurissed pen, sissors, toothpick or tweezers, bottle opener.
“It’s the little things” has never been more appropriate! :D
So you're telling us you use a trekking pole tent, of which the main advantage is saving weight in going ultralight by dual using trekking poles as an item that you carry anyway - without carrying said item at all but a replacement serving only as tent poles? :-D
Even with the durston poles you still save weight
@@MyLifeOutdoors I didn't doubt it, I just found it kind of a funny situation. ;-)
But you do what works for you, of course!
Many times you will hike into a place and use it as a base camp for a day hike or two. To do those day hikes you would like to use your trekking poles. So, if you have a trekking pole tent it makes sense to use Durston poles because you will want your trekking poles for your day hikes. It's not rocket science. The other point is that sometimes you can damage your trekking poles (accidently standing on them, falling, etc. I've done it) so they can't be extended properly. You then have a problem when it comes time to pitch your trekking pole tent.
@@kevinmcgennan8110 well, I wouldn't have that problem as I am carrying a big knife and a saw for processing wood and other tasks, but I'm not really an ultralight hiker as well. I'd simply craft some poles from wood and probably do that from the beginning in the case you described. Me and my buddy do this every time we go winter camping with his Teepee.
Or I wouldn't take a trekking pole tent in the first place in that case, as I'm not carrying it the whole time.
I was just amused by the fact that Steven choses to take an item which biggest selling point is dual use of another piece of gear without using said gear and replacing it with something without that dual use.
But he, you and everyone can do as you please, I don't judge and I'm happy when you are! :-)
Nitrile mechanics gloves are best for hiking and for grabbing hot pots .
so useful and professional info,
NEED MORE LIKES
Nightcore power banks seem to have bad soldering. There are a lot of reviews saying it died after 6 months to a year.
I’ve had nitcore batteries last years…with constant use I might add.
If you havent explored Montenegro...you are missing out on some great hiking and camping!
have a link to the tent stake test?
It was part of this video: EXTREME Wind Testing Popular Backpacking Tents
ruclips.net/video/9CcW6MwSWqY/видео.html
I feel like you could lose the pot grabber real easy just cause how small it is. But I mean if it works for you, it works.
Honestly, I feel like it's one of the dumbest gimmicks in UL. People shit on the flexair pump all day but this is just STUPID. The sort of person that thinks the handles are too heavy is gonna just skip cooking all together and cold soak. Who the hell is this for? People who bring chairs but think this is "saving weight"? Just another thing to keep track of and lose, if it doesn't just fail on ya before then.
@@higler. very true 100% agree
@@higler.he didn’t say the handles were too heavy, he said they got too hot. I was about to scoff at him for that too, but when I heard his reasoning I changed my mind.
@@nils-and-kat-devine You're right. I would think gloves or a piece of spare clothing would work just as well, or just use the handles and cover them with some tape or shrink tubing. Also, not bringing your water to a full boil(170 degrees is enough to re-hydrate meals and still have them warm while eating) would help. To each their own, many ways to go about things. I still thinks it's a dumb little gimmick lol
@@higler. some people just love tiny do-dads. But I agree, my backpacking strategy is to keep it simple and take fewer items. If I’m worried about burning my hands I almost always take a cotton triangle bandage to use as a kerchief around my neck (I use it as sun protection as well as soak it in streams to help cool me off, and it doubles as its original purpose, a bandage or sling, in an emergency). My triangle bandage could easily be used as a pot-grabber, if I felt like the pot was too hot to grab.
Great post my friend. ⛵️ 🌴🌞
Good collection. Thanks.
see i find a 10,000mAh power bank too small as that gives the average smart phone about 2.2 charges would only keep a phone going 4 days and personally it's best to carry a 20,000mAh for the extra charges
I carry a 30.000 mAh brick with me so i can watch movies on my ipad on rainy nights!😂
I get 3 charges out of my 10000 and I get at least 2 days of use out of each charge, so that’s always over a week of phone use before I need to recharge my phone and battery bank.
Why don't you just turn your phone into airplane mode so it lasts longer?
@@BigDawgCAM maybe they figure it's because they're camping and not on an airplane. that's why they don't use airplane mode 🤣
The prison toothbrush made me laugh out loud
*Addendum: what carabiners do you like best? Thanks in advance for any recommendations.
Maybe it is a Cascades/peak bagging thing (lots of vert), but a going out without trekking poles is insane to me.
That Nitecore Battery Pack can only charge a phone 1.5 to 2 times, depending on the phone
Better than the $20 Suluk pot grabber is the microfibre towel you are already carrying! $0 and 0g and a multi-use item - win win win!
Synthetics can melt, and that matador towel is synthetic. Also the pot doesn’t have handles.
@@lisaphares2286I have a handless pot and use a synthetic cloth to pick it up off the stove all the time. As long as you turn the gas off first there’s no burning or melting of the cloth! One of the beauties of titanium pots is that they don’t retain heat well so using a cloth is possible. I wouldn’t recommend this with an aluminum pot!
Natural Atlas is just not that great for the Adirondacks. In fact, it caused us some trouble. They just don’t have the trails very close to the proper place, and way too many of their trails are out of date. This caused us to miss a turn and go on a trail that was supposed to be closed to hikers. Then tried to do it a couple more times.
I had several other errors, and also found it lacking intuitiveness or proper documentation.
I’m curious. Have you used other GPS apps in the Adirondacks with better success? Natural Atlas is at the mercy of publicly available trail data. It’s my understanding it’s the same data everyone else is using. The only other option is user provided data from logged hikes which has been proven to have its own problems.
@@MyLifeOutdoors Thanks for the reply. Yes, my wife uses AllTrails. It’s much better in both the plotting of the trail, and in having more up to date trails. Not sure if they are doing it through user data, but Nat Atlas in several instances had the trail on the wrong side of the creek where there was obviously not even a trace of an old path.
I was thinking the issue might be that this is a state park rather than a National one? IDK.
I liked some of the Nat Atlas features, but it did have some bugs in my iPhone 12, and I really got the impression that it was one of those modern kluges you get when different teams do different parts of the app and no one forces a unified style.
@@nunyabidness3075 All Trails uses user provided data and has been known to get people in serious trouble. There is an interview of a lady who’s boyfriend died after they followed an all trails trail and fell off a cliff. Because of this Natural Atlas will only use official trail data that doesn’t always get updated. It’s on the parks to update their data when trails get moved due to erosion or the like. But parks are understaffed and underfunded and don’t always update their data. Apart from hiking every hike themselves Natural atlas is reliant on officially provided data. Just like everyone else unless they want to use user data. I could scale a cliff with my GPS tracking and all trails will publish it as a trail.
Here is a link. This video was almost titled “All Trails Killed my Boyfriend” but he was concerned about legal liability: ruclips.net/video/tt4wtp-5NcA/видео.htmlsi=hLn6cBe8MFCL52r3
Natural atlas is just two guys from Oregon who love maps and the outdoors. They work hard to provide a useful app. Everything you see in the app was designed by them using the most up to date info available.
@@MyLifeOutdoors I can only speak to our experience here in the Adirondacks. Many of the trails here are dangerous. That’s a reason I’m not using Nat Atlas anymore. I do remember AllTrails having issues a couple years ago, but our experience lately has shown it to be better.
If it were just the map issues, the extra features might be worth it, but there were too many other issues. Maybe if they do another big version upgrade, I might give it another try.
Incoming harsh critique
EARPLUGS. Let's have a quick run down of the pros and cons of this item.
Pro: uninterrupted sleep
Cons: wild animal attack/prowling or fallen tree casualty.
Your choice.
Consider the alternative...
Some nights I don't think I'd hear a wild animal attack over the sound of my husband's "loud breathing"! I often use those same bell-shaped earplugs; when we met I couldn't fit my pinky in my ear, twenty five years later I can stick in my thumb & maybe wiggle it a bit ;)
can you make a video on some of your favorite hammocks
Thanks for another great video! The smart water bottle caps got me wondering if you have done any research into whether or not they emit PFAS or the forever chemicals that you talked about with modern rain gear? if so, what is a healthy option for water storage/carry? Thanks!
I’m doing a whole video on PFAS. In my research I’m finding that it’s just about everywhere. It is more than likely in Smart Water but less likely to be in the plastic itself. It’s mostly used as a coating to make other things waterproof. Plastic is waterproof on its own. All that said plastic has its own toxins that are probably not great. But getting away from it in todays world is looking impossible.
Awesome, I can’t wait to watch it! Thanks for the great info as always.
@@MyLifeOutdoors from the reading I've done over the years, re-using disposable plastic bottles has two issues. The first one being they are designed for single-use, and meant to break down more readily since they are supposed to hit the dump or better yet recycling depot. That means leaching out of chemicals over time (and I guess microplastics, too), which is accelerated with exposure to more heat (ambient) and/or sunlight (UV does damage in so many ways, to so many things). You can really tell it's not a great idea by just tasting the water from a disposable bottle that has been left in a hot car for a few days - or in some cases, mere hours. The heat issue means it's also not a good idea to be putting boiling water into a Nalgene either, even if it can take the heat and not appeared to be damaged structurally. Yeti, which makes a very similar type of bottle nowadays (albeit with a taller, narrower design more akin to the SmartWater), specifies that their bottles aren't to be used with near- or boiling water for that reason. Secondly, the issue is with the porosity of the disposable bottles, that can provide a haven for bacteria (and perhaps other microorganisms? I can't recall) over time. Hopefully anyone using any kind of water bottle is doing a thorough job of cleaning it on a regular basis, especially in the threads/grooves around lids or caps, but apparently the bottle walls themselves can be an issue with any plastic bottle, most especially the disposable kind. I _really_ look forward to your in-depth analysis, always enjoy your application of scientific method to gear testing, fun while educational. Side-note, everyone always worrying about BPA in their supposed to be food-safe plastics, but it's used in almost any tin can lining, and every heat-printed store receipt you've ever come across. We just can't win.
my EAFU 10000mah power bank is 6 oz, and is 17 shipped on amazon. Is it really worth that much $$ for one ounce lighter? Not for me
Great vid. I’d be interested to find out peoples opinions on mattress inflators. Are they worth the hype that surrounds them?
Yes they are. Especially if you hike bigger mile days. Nothing sucks worse when you're tired after hiking all day like blowing up your pad.
I have a Flextail to inflate my frameless pontoon and the flextail Zero pump to inflate my mattresses. However, it only works for my sea to summit and not for my Zenbivy - because they do not have a supplied adapter for that mattress with their pumps. Much quicker inflation especially at the end of a very long and hot day... If it works for the mattress that you own!!
i prefer a big pump sack (schnozzle, big agnes, zenbivy etc) over the flextail inflators unless i'm group camping. Too much noise for me. If you carry a power bank anyway you should check out the pad pal over the flextail.
Cool video, thanks!
I love your videos wise Gandalf.
Excellent content, great to know! 🙂
Great video once again!
0:00 Hello Steve,
I hope all is well with you and the family.
I have a request of sorts. I truly enjoy your approach to gear reviews and to the point non non-sense facts and the common man, kitchen english approach.
I saw your review of of the hyke and byke Yosemite (a go to for me).
I back back 4-5 times a year with and hunt with my teen aged kids. I would love to see your review and opinion on their sleep systems from kyke and byke. I Have 2 that are hammock compatible...and one traditional. All 800 down 0 15 30. My preference are the hammock compatible since it supports both my use cases.
If you can spare the time I would love to see your empirical approach.
Naive or genius? Only you can decide. Thanks brother I appreciate all you do.
GOD bless America and the Lands he provides
nice video man
I would be very curious to know how litroutdoors stakes would compare.
And am I crazy or did I just miss seeing what the tiny item in your hand was in the teaser thumbnail?
It's the pot grabber
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Thank you for sharing!
Hat! Thank you
Anker's has a power bank that is 20,100 and 11ounces
Neat stuff. Thanks for sharing.
Awesome
I bought two of those crappy nitecore batteries and both died before I could get more than 2 outings with them
Mines been fine although I've heard these complaints before. Have you tried their new 2.0 version? If so just go with an anker
Made on Monday. I’ve heard the same, Nitecore has quality control issues.
Mine is terrible as well 😔
@ultima8250 they were the new version with usbpd. I replaced them with anker and they've been strong for a year.
The nitecore polymer battery chemistry and profile were idea on paperl, shame they were garbage.
I’ve never had a problem. I have several battery packs and the nitecore is my favorite by far
Do you think it is possible to go on a backpacking trip around the world without a phone?
My secret cheap gear is the Camdoor sleeping pad on Amazon
You got some good stuff.
Ok some stuff got my eye. And for real... Earplugs are bulletproof. In a train if someone NOT PARKING their family members far away from themselves can i get a bit sleep 😅 also the people who cant wear earphones.
garage grown gear is the best! but better not look at that site until pay day - way too much cool stuff you'll want to grab ;D
Outstanding video I carry about the same. Cheers.
Hellooooo? Anybody home?
Sorry, I'm checking in, we haven't seen you for.. Like... Yonks.
🤔
I hope and trust all is well.
You camp in stunning areas mate
Nifty stuff!
Re; Phones and power banks.. What happens when the internet fails completely? O.o
You need to learn to read a MAP & COMPASS. Funny thing is they use no power at all, and you can learn all this, while you still have your mod cons as back up.
As for pot handles/carriers, always put a light pair of riggers gloves in your gear. No problems then on so many levels.
Funny thing? Most camping skills and equipment, is just plain common bloody sense. No one can predict, the environment you find yourself in from time to time, nor the weather at any given time, climatic conditions, etc. (It's all just guess work) Adapt and survive, and learn from yours, and others experiences, and mistakes...
take a look at big sky tube steak's, they are supposed to be better than easton's
Chapstick (alcohol free), glasses case and cloth, lots of 2 fathom lines.
life straw, ... I like that pot grabber. I might pick one up. Does it come with a tiny spoon? Too many knives stolen by airport security, I've given up carrying a little knife (big or nothing).
Natural Atlas is the best!
What camera do you use? (the link in the description won't work for me)
I’m currently using the Canon R6 with 15-35 f2.8 lens.
omg not the pot grabber... that's just the definition of stupid ultralight. Handles aren't that heavy, you can save meaningful weight in other ways, and when you lose that stupid gimmick then what? All to save what 13g? But you better bring the chair! 😋
For 18 dollars, that branded rag should serve dual purpose as a pot grip.
I'm not huge on gimmicks either.
Question: why do you need earplugs? It should be quite out in the woods.
Most likely for the windy nights in the woods or open areas.
That pot holder is ridiculous. Just use a folding handle pot with towel or use spare socks or hat. Or better yet, just wait a few minutes after burner is off the handle isnt that hot.
Kertzmann Plains
I like my NB1000 but I could have saved $40 and got a bank that weighs 2oz more
10,000 mAh keeping your phone charged for a week!!!! How??
I keep it on airplane mode. Only use it for GPS and ZOLEO
the question is, how do you not??? lol
How could you keep secrets!
Love your videos!! Thanks for sharing them with us! I think you'll love our Muscle & Joint Pain Relief Cream products and would be a great fit for a partnership. Let's discuss further and send you some products to try out.
Ear plugs ! What’s not to like out in the bush ?
Snorers!
@@mikehenry5961 guilty!! my friends want me to set my tent as far away from them as possible lol
The titanium scissors aren't titanium, they're "titanium bonded". Just a pet peve of mine how people call things titanium that either have a titanium coating or no titanium at all. 'They' re titanium level.' Pffst!🙄
Please add chapters to your videos
Water bottle caps???
i believe he said he uses it for tent stakes in a diff vid 2:46
O
Personally I have never lost a cap. But he must be a chronic fumbler since he brought not just one, but two spares
Smart water bottles are how I carry all my water. I also use a bladder tube on my bottle for easy drinking while hiking.
Not 1 but 2!!
I thought I knew you. Lol
Bought from them last month. Horrible experience.
👍🐿👍 good afternoon
We have the illusion of choice. We are slaves without even knowing
Did you have no choice in posting this?
Sir, this is a Wendy’s
Ehhh
huh?
@@higler. wow that comment was meant for another RUclips video regarding presidential elections😂. Must have gotten mixed up.
You dudes and dudettes that sleep with earplugs have nerves of steel. I guess it's an "all in" mentality type thing. I get it... But I gotta listen out for creatures and serial killers 🤡 when I camp. I don't camp near roaring water either...same reasons. 🐻🐻❄🐨 Now most of the time I am solo it might make a difference in a crowd? Nah... I still gotta hear. Thanks for sharing. 👴
99.99999999% chance that anything you hear isn't interested in you and definitely not looking to kill you, especially if you're in black bear country with no grizzlies. You can stay awake and get bad sleep worrying about nothing, or just put in ear plugs, get good sleep, and wake up ready to hit the trail with vigor. Seems crazy/scary at first but many seasoned backpackers do it because without good sleep, you're SOL, and that adds up fast.
POWER BANK FOR MAPS!!! YOU HAVE LOST YOUR WAY! LETS DO ELECTRONICS WHEN WE GO BACK COUNTRY! You have re-defined backpacking, into something scout masters do with the smallest child late at night..
What the hell are you trying to say? And why are you yelling like a boomer?
The pack you’re wearing in this vid is awful! You just undermined your credibility in soooo many levels!
Let me show you everyone who pays me to show you their stuff....
If you don't know it already, this guy is a sell out.
You make high quality videos for free on RUclips?
then dont watch his vids. you should start your own yt channel.
Time to unsub.. basically just a long ad
do it
Have you done it yet? I need updates on whether you are or are not still subbed! The mystery is killing me.
Pocket trebuchet