I love how you not only reviewed the gear but also offered a tutorial on how you used it and what worked best in your experience! One of the very best videos I've seen! Thanks so much!
This is one of the best and most thorough PCT gear videos out there. Can you do a video on the Timmermade Serpentes? I’m trying to buy a 30 degree Serpentes for my 2nd PCT thru this May, but haven’t had luck with the online ordering.
Thanks for the kind words. I definitely plan to do a Timmermade review on my SDUL jackets, hoods, and sleeping bags. I agree, its very tough to find good information on the Timmermade stuff. I've had a few requests on that front. I'm working on an electronics video at the moment, but I think my next gear video will be on my Timmermade items. Stay tuned!
Wow I click on so many of these gear videos, it wasn't until nearly the end when you mentioned Hartford Gear Co that I realized we're probably neighbors lol. Excited to follow someone local doing this kind of stuff! Would love more content on the NET and how you made a thru-hike work!
Awesome! I live in Vernon. Are you also central CT? The NET has a few stretches that don't allow camping and unless you were to uber off trail for those sections you have to stealth camp a few places. I think I'm due for a 3rd NET hike. It's been 5 or 6 years!
@@LynxOutdoors686 No way, I'm in Vernon too! Maybe I'll see you on the Shenipsit Trail sometime, I try to do my a few miles every morning with my dog 😁
Thanks! The hooks are sold on Zpack's website under accessories. They are designed to be stuck to DCF fabric directly as they have an adhesive back. Since I stuck them to a sleeping pad made from nylon instead, I painted a patch with McNet Seam Grip to glue them in place.
Thanks for the in depth explanation of your gear. I’d also like to see the proposed electronics video. I’d also love to see an in depth sleeping quilt/bag review where you talk about all of your experience with sleeping bags and quilts. Talk about the advantages and disadvantages of the various quilts that you’ve used and which quilts are your favorites and why. It sounds like your current favorite is your Timmermade Serpentes. I’m trying to decide which Timmermade that I’ll buy eventually. When it’s really warm, do you just lay under it and use it like a blanket and if it got cold enough over night, get into the quilt when you woke up cold? Did you happen to ask Dan Timmermade if ExpeDRY down was an option with either quilt?
Thanks! I plan on making an electronics video next! Good idea on the sleeping bag topic. I have quilts, mummy bags ranging from -20f to 30f (likely around 7 or 8 inbetween that range by now) as well as 2 types of false bottom bags. When I'm too hot, the best thing I've found is to put my legs and waist into the bag and bunch it by my waist to leave my chest exposed. At some point, I usually wake up chilly and just pull it up to my shoulders most nights. If you don't pull the shoulder cinch tight it really lets a lot of the heat escape. I think its easier to regulate temp compared to a zippered and hooded mummy bag. I'm not certain about a specific dry treated down, but when I was having the Winter Wren 10F made, he told me his 900fp down was dry treated and the 1k was not. I went with the 1,000fp down in the end.
I'm very similar. I found I "could" handle the tiny frameless pack most of the time, but it was sort of forcing it and wasn't as comfortable as a well fitting framed packed.
Really good presentation, seem like well thought out system and the pillow was impressive. The latest Shokz headphones use USB C and the battery last slightly longer.
Slightly better sound too, but I actually liked the magnetic charging cable. So easy to connect compared to opening a flap on so small headphones. Completely agree that "everything-USB-C" is convenient though.
Zpacks sells them as "stick on loops" under their accessories section. I seam gripped them on in addition to the adhesive they come with to make them extra attached.
Great content! If you don't mind, could you elaborate on why you prefer the separate down hood as opposed to being attached to the puffy? I've got attached hoods on my sun hoody, Alpha mid layer, and Puffy, and use all 3 at times when it's cold and sleep well like that. I'm guessing the weight isn't much different, with the main difference being that with your set-up, the hood is completely separate. Can you elaborate on why you find the separate hood advantageous and apparently your preference? What am I missing out on with an attached hood system, other than always bringing the hood, vs being able to leave it behind if it weren't needed and save roughly 1.5oz? (I almost always end up using it at night in the northern rockies, so can't think of use cases when I wouldnt want to bring a hood, whether attached or separate, but just wondering gif there's other compelling logic for having a separate hood?)
Hey, certainly. The main advantage for me with the hood is for my sleep system. Any night that I don't have to wear the hood to bed because it isn't that cold I can just stick it into my pillow for some extra comfort. If I do put the hood on, the main benefit for a tossy/turner sleeper like myself is the opening of the hood stays in front of your face like a jacket hood does. In a normal mummy bag, I usually turn my face into the hood and breath all my breath and vapor into the down. it gets more moisture in the down and can feel stuffy/damp/gross. The only benefit for the jacket not having a built-in hood is I can save a small bit of weight over having a hood for the sleeping bag and another on the jacket. It's very minimal weight, like you said 1.5oz or so, but it does save some and also, I have less overall down to pack down into a small backpack. I hope that explains a bit more on why I like the set up, but truthfully it really isn't some extreme bonus.
I really appreciate these videos and your detailed descriptions of how the gear actually worked for you on the trail. I have a quick question: I'm heading out on the PCT March 24, 2025. I'm looking to bolster my some snow travel and self arrest skills. You mentioned that you are a moutaineering instructor. I live in NYC and am looking for a class/instructor in the tri state area. I'd greatly appreciate any suggestions you have. Keep the great videos coming. And, yes, I'd love to see a detailed discussion of your electronics.
Thanks for reaching out! I certainly have a recommendation for you in regard to training. I live in central CT, so I'm not very far away from you. The best climbing instructor I know also lives right nearby me. He is an instructor trainer (the guy that examines and renews other instructor's certifications, the only ever AMGA alpine guide from CT, and is a former board member of the AMGA. He is the head guide and owner of a company called Ragged Mountain Guides. His name is Matt Shove, and I think very highly of him. You can reach him at raggedmountainguides.com/ . Thanks for the interest in the electronics video. I plan to make that as my next video sometime in the near future.
I’m in love with my hilltops pack. I’ve carried winter gear with gold prospecting equipment and it was heavy but not unbearable. 25lbs is the recommended weight limit but I’m always about 30lbs with food and water
I did all my training for my first PCT thru hike attempt with a KS4. I packed it down to its max capacity and it felt good; I thought I was set. Come the epic snow year of 2023, I realize I need more kit and a bigger framed pack (my first ever) and went with the Kakwa 55. Even then my pack was on the smaller side for the PCT, and ever since I can't do a frameless pack with more than 3 days of food.
Yeah, I was hoping I'd like the frameless pack experience myself, but I prefer bringing a few more comfy items and carrying extra food a little too much to make it work. Perhaps in the water rich North East where I'm from I might be able to try some frameless adventures, but if I were to do the PCT and/or CDT again I'd bring a lightweight framed pack.
Another cracking video/ gear set up. With those bottomless quilts do you use pad straps to stop the compressed down and false bottom from rotating on top of you when you roll? Ive been a quilt user for a couple of decades now but those fetal position bags look interesting. Can you actually bring your kness up easily when youre inside them? Cheers
So the Serpentes doesn't have pad strap attachments. The Wren model does, and I did bring it with me for the first 400ish miles on the PCT. On the chilly nights I did use the pad straps to help reduce drafts from rolling over and exposing the false bottom. I think they become more helpful the more thrashy of a sleeper you are. When you get a bag made from Timmermade you can chose 4 different width measurements, as each bag is made 100% to order custom for you. On that specific bag, I can very easily get my knees up in it. It makes getting dressed or undressed super easy, as well as easy to sit up in the bag "indian style" while I eat my breakfast and pack up in the morning.
Nice setup. Extend frameless to higher carry-weight by rolling most all gear tall-and-thin. Weight is thereby transferred to bottom. Get a decent waist-belt and frameless can get up to 32lbs or more. MYoG'd a Hyperlite waist belt; 5oz with big waist-pockets. LiteAF Curve frameless. Ultra fabric delaminated badly. Switching to Nashville's new UL (dcf?) fabric. Water: Zpacks sells 1/2" two-sided velcro, instead of that string. 2' weighs a few grams, hangs around branches and Velcro wraps around CNOC (fuzzy-side out) for carrying tight package with no loose-bits. HydroBlu is smaller, lighter and has built-in end-caps. 80% of Squeeze's flow.
Also, what were your issues with the Nitecore power bank? I used the NB20000 on my PCT thru hike and it was mostly great. Occasionally it would power off and I’d need to plug it into itself to fix it. Super weird the first time it happened
On my CDT through hike it started acting spuradicly around Breckenridge CO. At first, it wouldn't charge when I'd plug it in. Then other times it would charge fine, but when I unplugged it, it would continue to flash that it was charging indefinitely. By the time I got to WY, it stopped charging completely from the wall charger (I know the outlets and cords all worked by charging my phone), and the only way I was able to charge it for the long Wind River section was by plugging in a 10k battery bank, charging it up to like 40%, then doing that again. I've used other battery banks, like this Iniu, that charge over twice as fast, cost less, have been 100% reliable. I simply prefer the slight hit in weight for all of that. I dislike the 8-hour charge time as well. When I was in Yellowstone, I was sharing a campsite with a Sobo that went to plug in and his battery bank wouldn't charge anything. He ended up heading back Nobo the next morning and hitching out at Old Faithful to get to a town to buy a different battery. Overall, it was too unpredictable, charged to slow, and I just didn't trust it. You can't be the weight though1
Another awesome in-depth video, thank you very much! Just wondering if you can share how you use your garmin tempe? I just got it based off of your recommendation but find it quite finnicky to check the live temperature. Seems like I need to connect it manually eveyrtime I want to check the temp? Thanks in advance!
Certainly. So, as best I understand it, the Tempe saves battery by only sending the signal out every 30ish or 60ish seconds. Its a bit annoying, as I don't have a way to see real time temp on demand when not recording an activity. What I do is sync it to my Garmin Fenix 7 watch and use the watch to view the temp. There is often a delay of about up to 1 min before the watch will vibrate to let me know that it has info on the tempe displayed on the screen. My older Fenix 5 didn't vibrate so I had to stare at the watch every few seconds until it timed out or the data poped up. It's not a perfect system and I'm drawn to trying some of the new zipper pull style thermometers on Garage Grown Gear. I just use it for fun, but I'd be happy to find a better system.
Hi Lynx, I really appreciate the thoughts you shared in this video. What are your thoughts on using the pocket tarp with a borah bug bivy for the whole trail, vs a single wall tent?
Thanks for the kind words. You could definitely use that set up for the whole trail. The pocket tarp, for me, is just a little smaller than I'd like in terms of space. I roll around a lot at night and sometimes would have gear or my sleeping bag slip out from under the tarp. A bug bivy would likely help prevent that. The pocket tarp is extremely light, but not as easy or fast to set up as some other freestanding tents. I prefer the ease, space, and livability of the Xmid Pro personally. The PCT rarely required wind or rain protection so having it be 2 pieces to sleep under the stars most nights would be nice.
In one of your videos you mentioned that you use the Garmin tempe sensor. I have this too and am interested in the low temperature of the night but do not know how to accomplish that. Some people suggest creating a custom activity profile that tracks the temperature that you activate during sleep. This solution does not sound all that attractive to me. How do you use the sensor?
Hello, I do use the Garmin Tempe. The way I use it is by pairing it with my Garmin Fenix 7 watch. When you add it as a sensor to the watch, you have the option to add a temperature screen to the watch that you can scroll up/down to. The Tempe is a little finicky since it only sends the information to the watch every so often to save battery. On my watch, I scroll up to the temperature screen display and wait about 30 seconds to a minute. When the watch has the info, it vibrates to let me know it's showing the information. It shows the current temperature, 24 hour high, and 24 hour low. The high is almost always wrong from the sunlight cooking it. I hope this is helpful!
I have the Cutaway and love it under 20 lbs. over 25 lbs, no way, in between is tolerably uncomfortable. What’s the max total weight that you find tolerable with it? Ah, you said you’ll have another video on the Cutaway, ok, looking forward to it. Also, i use a Vaucluse to protect my back from sweat and makes the pack way more comfortable in distributing the weight more evenly on my back.
It's such a tricky question. Did I get good sleep the night before? Did I pack it as perfectly as the day before? There are a lot of variables to it of course. I try to think of it more as a percent of time that it feels great vs when it's uncomfortable. If I'm mostly doing 2- or 3-day resupplies in a place that's rich in water, Ill be more comfortable than not since I don't have to carry as much food/water. If I'm someplace where I need to dry-camp and do another 12 miles the next morning before the next water source I will certainly be carrying extra water for a long time, and I'll be much less comfortable overall. Going forward, I think I'll mostly use the cut-a-way in water rich areas since you can just stop to drink and not carry much water. It is so much easier to keep the extra 2 to 6 pounds of water off your shoulders that way.
The nashville cutaway is a great pack, but in general frameless packs ... for most people, carrying over 10 kilos in on gets uncomfortable... personally my 2-3 season setup is usually around 3-4 kilos BW - so i rarely hit more than 6-8 kilos pack weight with food and water, so works great for me - for family trips with a 4p tent and carrying my kids stuff i definitely need a framed pack :)
I agree. For shorter local trips I can keep my weight down with less food and water as we have a lot of water in New England. I certainly COULD have gone back to it and been fine on the PCT but having the more capable pack really helped out with long water carrys around fire closures.
If I'm being honest, I don't really think I can comfortably call it a true 20F. I'm an average to chilly sleeper in general I'd say. When it was brand new, and the down was the loftiest, it was close. I didn't have much in the way of cold nights sleep on the CDT. After 2 through hikes the down is pretty tired, and the bag is actually out in the mail being professionally cleaned. I had it cleaned after the CDT by the same cleaning service. The cut on mine is the bent knee position, which I find extremely roomy and comfy. That room does keep less of the down tucked up to my body though. I also toss and turn more than the average person might, and the extra wide baffles over my core from the bent knee shape let more of the down that should be over my core fall down along the sides creating sizable nylon sheet-only coverings over my chest. I think it's a great bag, but I definitely had more chilly nights in it than I would in something like my Western Mountaineering Alpenlite 20F. The weight difference is quite significant though.
To be fair, I didn't count. But I would guess the actual numbers were around 1 in 100 people. Either way, it was less people than I thought I'd see with them.
@ I’ve never through-hiked and can only defer to your experience on this point. But I have been gearing up to get back into backpacking after decades away, and certainly RUclips videos have given me the impression that frameless packs have taken over for long-distance hikers. Impressions from RUclips can be deceptive, apparently!
@@StamfordBridge I'll be the first person to admit I'm guilty of assuming a lot of RUclips backpacker gear list videos represented a larger % of the through hiking population. There are multiple content creaters that I like that all use frameless packs. I expected to see way more than I did.
@@LynxOutdoors686 In anticipation of getting back out there, I’ve bought a frameless Zpacks Arc Haul pack - yes, in large part influenced by the many, many RUclips videos I watched before choosing. Can’t wait for my first shakedown hikes to see if the pick will suit me or if I’ll end up buying something else!
@@StamfordBridgeZPacks Arc Haul pack has a frame. From ZPacks web site: Comfortably transfer your pack’s weight to your hips with our custom Curved Carbon Fiber frame system.
Well to be fair, it did work pretty well for me. I'm certain that if I had to, I could have done the entire PCT with a frameless set up. I only had 1 or 2 resupply sections that I carried more than 4 days of food. I did find out that a framed pack was much more comfortable and what I preferred though and if I were to start again this spring I would bring a framed pack. I just find it that much more enjoyable but have met other folks with their tiny frameless packs that say they can't imagine carrying the "heavy" backpacks most folks do. To each their own I guess!
I didn't bother watching this. As I successfully thruhiked the PCT this year myself. As long as you have gear that works for you, then you can be successful on any thruhike. The good thing about gear is you can swap it out if it's not working for you. It's a learning process and every thruhiker has different preferences. To be successful on a thruhike is really about how much suffering you can stand without quitting. It's not about your gear. So many new hikers focus on gear, when they should read up on mental fortitude.
I don't disagree that the gear isn't as critical as many people might think. I do believe, however, that quite a bit of that suffering can be lessened if you're able to stay dry, blister free, and comfy. I love hearing the stories about Grandma Gatewood on the AT back in the day and I'm always impressed to hear how strong other people's mental fortitude was.
![Noob To Max With DRAGON REWORK In Blox Fruits [FULL MOVIE]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/LnBMOinoOvA/mqdefault.jpg)
Count me as a vote for your proposed in-depth video on trail electronics. I deeply appreciate the long form analysis. Well done Lynx.
Agreed
Agreed also :)
Thanks, I do plan to make an electronics video as my next one!
I love how you not only reviewed the gear but also offered a tutorial on how you used it and what worked best in your experience! One of the very best videos I've seen! Thanks so much!
Thanks so much. I'm glad some other folks also enjoy detail overload like me!
That pillow is klutch! Thank you for showing us
Thanks, I'm super happy with it.
This is one of the best and most thorough PCT gear videos out there. Can you do a video on the Timmermade Serpentes? I’m trying to buy a 30 degree Serpentes for my 2nd PCT thru this May, but haven’t had luck with the online ordering.
Thanks for the kind words. I definitely plan to do a Timmermade review on my SDUL jackets, hoods, and sleeping bags. I agree, its very tough to find good information on the Timmermade stuff. I've had a few requests on that front. I'm working on an electronics video at the moment, but I think my next gear video will be on my Timmermade items. Stay tuned!
@@LynxOutdoors686Looking forward to your upcoming videos.
That pillow is pretty nice looking! Good job there.
Thanks, it works very well for me.
Love these in depth videos where you really take the time to explain your decision making process 🙌
Thanks! I'm glad others enjoy the longer and more detailed videos like I do. I know the style isn't for everyone though.
Wow I click on so many of these gear videos, it wasn't until nearly the end when you mentioned Hartford Gear Co that I realized we're probably neighbors lol. Excited to follow someone local doing this kind of stuff! Would love more content on the NET and how you made a thru-hike work!
Awesome! I live in Vernon. Are you also central CT? The NET has a few stretches that don't allow camping and unless you were to uber off trail for those sections you have to stealth camp a few places. I think I'm due for a 3rd NET hike. It's been 5 or 6 years!
@@LynxOutdoors686 No way, I'm in Vernon too! Maybe I'll see you on the Shenipsit Trail sometime, I try to do my a few miles every morning with my dog 😁
@@ohheymans What a crazy small world. I live about 1/4 mile away from where the Shenipsit crosses valley falls.
This video was awesome. Watched the whole thing. Learned a lot! Great job 😊
I'm glad you enjoyed it, and thanks for the positive feedback. I just launched another PCT trip video today that I hope you might also enjoy.
You should be proud of that pillow man, its awesome!
Thanks! It works so much better than other systems I've tried in the past.
Really good video!! I love your pillow.
how do you attach the hooks to your sleeping mat??
Greets from holland
Thanks! The hooks are sold on Zpack's website under accessories. They are designed to be stuck to DCF fabric directly as they have an adhesive back. Since I stuck them to a sleeping pad made from nylon instead, I painted a patch with McNet Seam Grip to glue them in place.
Thanks for the in depth explanation of your gear. I’d also like to see the proposed electronics video. I’d also love to see an in depth sleeping quilt/bag review where you talk about all of your experience with sleeping bags and quilts. Talk about the advantages and disadvantages of the various quilts that you’ve used and which quilts are your favorites and why. It sounds like your current favorite is your Timmermade Serpentes. I’m trying to decide which Timmermade that I’ll buy eventually. When it’s really warm, do you just lay under it and use it like a blanket and if it got cold enough over night, get into the quilt when you woke up cold? Did you happen to ask Dan Timmermade if ExpeDRY down was an option with either quilt?
Thanks! I plan on making an electronics video next! Good idea on the sleeping bag topic. I have quilts, mummy bags ranging from -20f to 30f (likely around 7 or 8 inbetween that range by now) as well as 2 types of false bottom bags. When I'm too hot, the best thing I've found is to put my legs and waist into the bag and bunch it by my waist to leave my chest exposed. At some point, I usually wake up chilly and just pull it up to my shoulders most nights. If you don't pull the shoulder cinch tight it really lets a lot of the heat escape. I think its easier to regulate temp compared to a zippered and hooded mummy bag. I'm not certain about a specific dry treated down, but when I was having the Winter Wren 10F made, he told me his 900fp down was dry treated and the 1k was not. I went with the 1,000fp down in the end.
Well damn man. That was actually interesting. I learned. Thank you
Great, thanks!
very useful, thank you! 👍
I'm very similar. I found I "could" handle the tiny frameless pack most of the time, but it was sort of forcing it and wasn't as comfortable as a well fitting framed packed.
Great video, thanks for the in-depth details and thoughts!
Thanks!
Really good presentation, seem like well thought out system and the pillow was impressive.
The latest Shokz headphones use USB C and the battery last slightly longer.
Wow, I'll have to look into those. Any time I can ditch extra charging cables I will!
Slightly better sound too, but I actually liked the magnetic charging cable. So easy to connect compared to opening a flap on so small headphones. Completely agree that "everything-USB-C" is convenient though.
18:50 what kind of attachment points do you have there on the sleeping pad for the pillow straps..?
Zpacks sells them as "stick on loops" under their accessories section. I seam gripped them on in addition to the adhesive they come with to make them extra attached.
Great content!
If you don't mind, could you elaborate on why you prefer the separate down hood as opposed to being attached to the puffy?
I've got attached hoods on my sun hoody, Alpha mid layer, and Puffy, and use all 3 at times when it's cold and sleep well like that. I'm guessing the weight isn't much different, with the main difference being that with your set-up, the hood is completely separate.
Can you elaborate on why you find the separate hood advantageous and apparently your preference? What am I missing out on with an attached hood system, other than always bringing the hood, vs being able to leave it behind if it weren't needed and save roughly 1.5oz? (I almost always end up using it at night in the northern rockies, so can't think of use cases when I wouldnt want to bring a hood, whether attached or separate, but just wondering gif there's other compelling logic for having a separate hood?)
Hey, certainly. The main advantage for me with the hood is for my sleep system. Any night that I don't have to wear the hood to bed because it isn't that cold I can just stick it into my pillow for some extra comfort. If I do put the hood on, the main benefit for a tossy/turner sleeper like myself is the opening of the hood stays in front of your face like a jacket hood does. In a normal mummy bag, I usually turn my face into the hood and breath all my breath and vapor into the down. it gets more moisture in the down and can feel stuffy/damp/gross. The only benefit for the jacket not having a built-in hood is I can save a small bit of weight over having a hood for the sleeping bag and another on the jacket. It's very minimal weight, like you said 1.5oz or so, but it does save some and also, I have less overall down to pack down into a small backpack. I hope that explains a bit more on why I like the set up, but truthfully it really isn't some extreme bonus.
I love the bag you showed . Do you know if the knockoff bag kislux is made in China? Another great video!
It isn't a bag I've heard of, but I always like to check out new gear. I'll take a look at it.
I really appreciate these videos and your detailed descriptions of how the gear actually worked for you on the trail. I have a quick question: I'm heading out on the PCT March 24, 2025. I'm looking to bolster my some snow travel and self arrest skills. You mentioned that you are a moutaineering instructor. I live in NYC and am looking for a class/instructor in the tri state area. I'd greatly appreciate any suggestions you have. Keep the great videos coming. And, yes, I'd love to see a detailed discussion of your electronics.
Thanks for reaching out! I certainly have a recommendation for you in regard to training. I live in central CT, so I'm not very far away from you. The best climbing instructor I know also lives right nearby me. He is an instructor trainer (the guy that examines and renews other instructor's certifications, the only ever AMGA alpine guide from CT, and is a former board member of the AMGA. He is the head guide and owner of a company called Ragged Mountain Guides. His name is Matt Shove, and I think very highly of him. You can reach him at raggedmountainguides.com/ . Thanks for the interest in the electronics video. I plan to make that as my next video sometime in the near future.
I’m in love with my hilltops pack. I’ve carried winter gear with gold prospecting equipment and it was heavy but not unbearable. 25lbs is the recommended weight limit but I’m always about 30lbs with food and water
Awesome! I haven';t tried their packs yet but like their company a lot and have a bunch of their accessories.
What kind of sunscreen is that? Your videos are some of the very best! Keep up the great stuff!
It's a brand out of Australia called Blue Lizard.
I did all my training for my first PCT thru hike attempt with a KS4. I packed it down to its max capacity and it felt good; I thought I was set. Come the epic snow year of 2023, I realize I need more kit and a bigger framed pack (my first ever) and went with the Kakwa 55. Even then my pack was on the smaller side for the PCT, and ever since I can't do a frameless pack with more than 3 days of food.
Yeah, I was hoping I'd like the frameless pack experience myself, but I prefer bringing a few more comfy items and carrying extra food a little too much to make it work. Perhaps in the water rich North East where I'm from I might be able to try some frameless adventures, but if I were to do the PCT and/or CDT again I'd bring a lightweight framed pack.
Another cracking video/ gear set up. With those bottomless quilts do you use pad straps to stop the compressed down and false bottom from rotating on top of you when you roll?
Ive been a quilt user for a couple of decades now but those fetal position bags look interesting. Can you actually bring your kness up easily when youre inside them?
Cheers
So the Serpentes doesn't have pad strap attachments. The Wren model does, and I did bring it with me for the first 400ish miles on the PCT. On the chilly nights I did use the pad straps to help reduce drafts from rolling over and exposing the false bottom. I think they become more helpful the more thrashy of a sleeper you are. When you get a bag made from Timmermade you can chose 4 different width measurements, as each bag is made 100% to order custom for you. On that specific bag, I can very easily get my knees up in it. It makes getting dressed or undressed super easy, as well as easy to sit up in the bag "indian style" while I eat my breakfast and pack up in the morning.
Nice setup. Extend frameless to higher carry-weight by rolling most all gear tall-and-thin. Weight is thereby transferred to bottom. Get a decent waist-belt and frameless can get up to 32lbs or more. MYoG'd a Hyperlite waist belt; 5oz with big waist-pockets. LiteAF Curve frameless. Ultra fabric delaminated badly. Switching to Nashville's new UL (dcf?) fabric. Water: Zpacks sells 1/2" two-sided velcro, instead of that string. 2' weighs a few grams, hangs around branches and Velcro wraps around CNOC (fuzzy-side out) for carrying tight package with no loose-bits. HydroBlu is smaller, lighter and has built-in end-caps. 80% of Squeeze's flow.
Thanks for the ideas!
Also, what were your issues with the Nitecore power bank? I used the NB20000 on my PCT thru hike and it was mostly great. Occasionally it would power off and I’d need to plug it into itself to fix it. Super weird the first time it happened
On my CDT through hike it started acting spuradicly around Breckenridge CO. At first, it wouldn't charge when I'd plug it in. Then other times it would charge fine, but when I unplugged it, it would continue to flash that it was charging indefinitely. By the time I got to WY, it stopped charging completely from the wall charger (I know the outlets and cords all worked by charging my phone), and the only way I was able to charge it for the long Wind River section was by plugging in a 10k battery bank, charging it up to like 40%, then doing that again. I've used other battery banks, like this Iniu, that charge over twice as fast, cost less, have been 100% reliable. I simply prefer the slight hit in weight for all of that. I dislike the 8-hour charge time as well. When I was in Yellowstone, I was sharing a campsite with a Sobo that went to plug in and his battery bank wouldn't charge anything. He ended up heading back Nobo the next morning and hitching out at Old Faithful to get to a town to buy a different battery. Overall, it was too unpredictable, charged to slow, and I just didn't trust it. You can't be the weight though1
Another awesome in-depth video, thank you very much! Just wondering if you can share how you use your garmin tempe? I just got it based off of your recommendation but find it quite finnicky to check the live temperature. Seems like I need to connect it manually eveyrtime I want to check the temp? Thanks in advance!
Certainly. So, as best I understand it, the Tempe saves battery by only sending the signal out every 30ish or 60ish seconds. Its a bit annoying, as I don't have a way to see real time temp on demand when not recording an activity. What I do is sync it to my Garmin Fenix 7 watch and use the watch to view the temp. There is often a delay of about up to 1 min before the watch will vibrate to let me know that it has info on the tempe displayed on the screen. My older Fenix 5 didn't vibrate so I had to stare at the watch every few seconds until it timed out or the data poped up. It's not a perfect system and I'm drawn to trying some of the new zipper pull style thermometers on Garage Grown Gear. I just use it for fun, but I'd be happy to find a better system.
Hi Lynx, I really appreciate the thoughts you shared in this video. What are your thoughts on using the pocket tarp with a borah bug bivy for the whole trail, vs a single wall tent?
Thanks for the kind words. You could definitely use that set up for the whole trail. The pocket tarp, for me, is just a little smaller than I'd like in terms of space. I roll around a lot at night and sometimes would have gear or my sleeping bag slip out from under the tarp. A bug bivy would likely help prevent that. The pocket tarp is extremely light, but not as easy or fast to set up as some other freestanding tents. I prefer the ease, space, and livability of the Xmid Pro personally. The PCT rarely required wind or rain protection so having it be 2 pieces to sleep under the stars most nights would be nice.
@@LynxOutdoors686 That makes sense. Thanks again, your PCT videos so far have been invaluable in helping me plan my hike!
In one of your videos you mentioned that you use the Garmin tempe sensor. I have this too and am interested in the low temperature of the night but do not know how to accomplish that. Some people suggest creating a custom activity profile that tracks the temperature that you activate during sleep. This solution does not sound all that attractive to me. How do you use the sensor?
Hello, I do use the Garmin Tempe. The way I use it is by pairing it with my Garmin Fenix 7 watch. When you add it as a sensor to the watch, you have the option to add a temperature screen to the watch that you can scroll up/down to. The Tempe is a little finicky since it only sends the information to the watch every so often to save battery. On my watch, I scroll up to the temperature screen display and wait about 30 seconds to a minute. When the watch has the info, it vibrates to let me know it's showing the information. It shows the current temperature, 24 hour high, and 24 hour low. The high is almost always wrong from the sunlight cooking it. I hope this is helpful!
@@LynxOutdoors686Thanks for the info.
I have the Cutaway and love it under 20 lbs. over 25 lbs, no way, in between is tolerably uncomfortable. What’s the max total weight that you find tolerable with it? Ah, you said you’ll have another video on the Cutaway, ok, looking forward to it. Also, i use a Vaucluse to protect my back from sweat and makes the pack way more comfortable in distributing the weight more evenly on my back.
It's such a tricky question. Did I get good sleep the night before? Did I pack it as perfectly as the day before? There are a lot of variables to it of course. I try to think of it more as a percent of time that it feels great vs when it's uncomfortable. If I'm mostly doing 2- or 3-day resupplies in a place that's rich in water, Ill be more comfortable than not since I don't have to carry as much food/water. If I'm someplace where I need to dry-camp and do another 12 miles the next morning before the next water source I will certainly be carrying extra water for a long time, and I'll be much less comfortable overall. Going forward, I think I'll mostly use the cut-a-way in water rich areas since you can just stop to drink and not carry much water. It is so much easier to keep the extra 2 to 6 pounds of water off your shoulders that way.
The nashville cutaway is a great pack, but in general frameless packs ... for most people, carrying over 10 kilos in on gets uncomfortable... personally my 2-3 season setup is usually around 3-4 kilos BW - so i rarely hit more than 6-8 kilos pack weight with food and water, so works great for me - for family trips with a 4p tent and carrying my kids stuff i definitely need a framed pack :)
I agree. For shorter local trips I can keep my weight down with less food and water as we have a lot of water in New England. I certainly COULD have gone back to it and been fine on the PCT but having the more capable pack really helped out with long water carrys around fire closures.
My Serpentes 20 is currently in production, would you consider it a true 20 degree bag?
If I'm being honest, I don't really think I can comfortably call it a true 20F. I'm an average to chilly sleeper in general I'd say. When it was brand new, and the down was the loftiest, it was close. I didn't have much in the way of cold nights sleep on the CDT. After 2 through hikes the down is pretty tired, and the bag is actually out in the mail being professionally cleaned. I had it cleaned after the CDT by the same cleaning service. The cut on mine is the bent knee position, which I find extremely roomy and comfy. That room does keep less of the down tucked up to my body though. I also toss and turn more than the average person might, and the extra wide baffles over my core from the bent knee shape let more of the down that should be over my core fall down along the sides creating sizable nylon sheet-only coverings over my chest. I think it's a great bag, but I definitely had more chilly nights in it than I would in something like my Western Mountaineering Alpenlite 20F. The weight difference is quite significant though.
@@LynxOutdoors686thanks for the thorough and thoughtful response.
In for the electronics video
Thanks for the feedback. I think it'll be my next video.
Less than 1% of PCT hikers you observed used a frameless pack? I am trying to wrap my head around that.
To be fair, I didn't count. But I would guess the actual numbers were around 1 in 100 people. Either way, it was less people than I thought I'd see with them.
@ I’ve never through-hiked and can only defer to your experience on this point. But I have been gearing up to get back into backpacking after decades away, and certainly RUclips videos have given me the impression that frameless packs have taken over for long-distance hikers. Impressions from RUclips can be deceptive, apparently!
@@StamfordBridge I'll be the first person to admit I'm guilty of assuming a lot of RUclips backpacker gear list videos represented a larger % of the through hiking population. There are multiple content creaters that I like that all use frameless packs. I expected to see way more than I did.
@@LynxOutdoors686 In anticipation of getting back out there, I’ve bought a frameless Zpacks Arc Haul pack - yes, in large part influenced by the many, many RUclips videos I watched before choosing. Can’t wait for my first shakedown hikes to see if the pick will suit me or if I’ll end up buying something else!
@@StamfordBridgeZPacks Arc Haul pack has a frame. From ZPacks web site: Comfortably transfer your pack’s weight to your hips with our custom Curved Carbon Fiber frame system.
I grew up packing the emergent wilderness. When you said not running a frame I 😂 died. Oh you’re gonna want that frame.
You're right, I find with my packing style and level of tolerance, I want a lightweight framed pack 95% of the time.
I don’t know how you could have thought that your first pack would carry 4L of water and say 5 days of food?
Well to be fair, it did work pretty well for me. I'm certain that if I had to, I could have done the entire PCT with a frameless set up. I only had 1 or 2 resupply sections that I carried more than 4 days of food. I did find out that a framed pack was much more comfortable and what I preferred though and if I were to start again this spring I would bring a framed pack. I just find it that much more enjoyable but have met other folks with their tiny frameless packs that say they can't imagine carrying the "heavy" backpacks most folks do. To each their own I guess!
I didn't bother watching this. As I successfully thruhiked the PCT this year myself. As long as you have gear that works for you, then you can be successful on any thruhike. The good thing about gear is you can swap it out if it's not working for you. It's a learning process and every thruhiker has different preferences. To be successful on a thruhike is really about how much suffering you can stand without quitting. It's not about your gear. So many new hikers focus on gear, when they should read up on mental fortitude.
I don't disagree that the gear isn't as critical as many people might think. I do believe, however, that quite a bit of that suffering can be lessened if you're able to stay dry, blister free, and comfy. I love hearing the stories about Grandma Gatewood on the AT back in the day and I'm always impressed to hear how strong other people's mental fortitude was.
Excellent review!
Thanks!