I appreciate modern backpacking gear, but still have fond memories of 50 milers we used to do as scouts with simple external frame packs, big canvas sleeping bags, all cotton clothes… still had a lot of fun, understood how to use a map and compass, and lit some epic blue darts fueled by leftover Y2K cheap dehydrated meals
There actually is a physical way of preparing for backpacking, just ruck. I’ll do a mile or two every morning with at least 20lbs then Saturday is a long heavy day of at least 15 miles with 50-65lbs, then Sunday is a recovery day with a lot of stretching. Although you may not 100% simulate the inclines, scrambles, river crossings, etc… you’re still working on the most important thing and that’s all the support muscles that will help you do all of that. For some reason rucking is never included in any fitness plan I’ve seen, but IMO, it’s the most important thing you can do for yourself. It’s a whole body workout especially once you get into crazy weights like 80lbs. I guess I kind of understand why people don't do it, like, the last thing people want to do is wake up at 4AM or 5AM and have a 20 mile ruck with 50lbs on their back to look forward to on a Saturday, but goals take hard work to accomplish.
“Travel light freeze at night” is an aphorism in the field, but even with “backpacking” most gear is a want and not a need. I was in the light infantry in the 80s (paratrooper). I say that to say this - this was a time period before Gortex and polypropylene, so it teaches you that despite this new gear you can survive without it. We would deploy for 30 days at a time, moving daily. You learn quickly what you need vs what you want, and learn how to pack a ruck for accessing gear even on the move (with wet weather gear and a pair of socks on an outside pocket for easy access). We never had tents. Never built a fire (not tactical). Never carried sleeping bags unless predicted to be below 32. Would carry three pair of socks and maybe an extra t-shirt and pair of pants. Cotton clothing kills so avoid it if possible.
Oh yeah! Paratrooper in the 90s. "Ultralight" before ultralight was a thing - at least in terms of personal "comfort"! In Alice pack (without a waist belt): 1 uniform (always summer weight even in winter - dried faster), at least 4 extra pairs of wool socks (safety pins to hang wet socks on your ruck), maybe compression shorts for a long road march. Tent=poncho liner and bungee cords, sleeping bag=poncho liner. We had gortex and polypro, but the gortex was useless. Only took the polypro if it was going to be in the 30s or lower. All stuffed in a garbage bag. MREs were deconstructed - main meal in one ziploc, coffee/drink mix in one zippy, pogey bait in a third zippy, throw away everything else. Never used a tent except in OSUT (infantry basic/AIT). Only saw a sleeping bag once in my five years - coldest winter in North Carolina in 100 years. Pretty ultralight right? Well then add 500-600 rounds of 5.56 and 1,000 rounds of 7.62 for the M60, water, entrenching tool, load bearing equipment, length of rope, etc. Next thing you know you're carrying 100lbs.
The single most crucial piece of cold weather clothing I can think of is a set of duofold or similar long underwear. I do like tents, but if they're going to keep you warm, it helps to get the smallest one possible. A six-person Eureka Timberline with two ppl in it (because it was just for car camping) is cold af! Don't ask how I know 😂
@@noisepuppet if possible, mesh long underwear and top. The logic is that, not or cold, moisture wicks away from the skin. Air pockets make a layer 4-6 times more effective (warmth to weight). Can't get lighter than employing air :) Brynje makes them, and Sir Edmund Hilary (Everest) used them...
30 year backpacker and I completely agree with how to use the hiking pole straps. Way more supportive and saves grip strength on long milage days. You can still throw the pole if you fall, not dangerous in my opinion.
I started using poles like that without even thinking about it. Only noticed when I _didn't_ do that once and all I knew is it felt _weird_ and then I had to sit there and consciously figure out how I had been doing it naturally until then!
Has other benefits, too. I usually use a liner, but covers keep the stuff on the outside of the bag dry (like my "belaying layer" for when I'm standing still, and my first aid supplies if I don't bring them in the waterproof pouch). But mainly the dayglo thing
Soooo glad someone brought up the "buy right or buy twice" thing I hate hearing all the time. The concept makes sense for someone who is able to hike hundreds of miles every year. But for the people like me who can only get the time off work to go on one or two short trips a year then there's absolutely no reason to buy the best and most expensive gear. Also, buying used gear is great way to get some of those better items without the high price tag. Half my gear is second hand and it works just as well as something fresh off the shelf from REI.
@13:05 Here’s what I do with “base camping/day hiking” on hikes: I make sure that I carry a waist pack with the essentials for surviving a night (or two) outside after I set up base camp. 1. Personal locator beacon and a signal mirror. 2. Extra layer to cover my trunk, a “space” blanket and some duct tape wrapped around a credit card, and a hat. 3. Raingear 4. Some emergency food (about 300 to 500 extra calories, over & above what I plan on eating) 5. Water and a Lifestraw or water treatment tablets. 6. Folding knife 7. Two ways of starting a fire 8. Headlamp 9. Map & compass Plus some other stuff. This stuff is not nearly enough to be comfortable, but it will get me through an unplanned night outside.😮
Oh, so guilty. I've had a full setup of all the most popular stuff for almost 2 years. I've actually upgraded some items and haven't even gone backpacking yet! I go camping all the time so I'm actually going to go camping next weekend with my backpacking setup just to test it all out. Ridiculous. But I am planning an actual backpacking trip this summer.
18:16 I really appreciate the advice here. I don’t have $400 to spend on a tiny tent at the moment so maybe the $80 one off Amazon will be ok to test the waters 🤷🏻♀️
We did backpacking in scouts when I was a teen. I hated it. Looking back, we were using the wrong gear. We were taking our regular car camping type gear, always stored in a scout trailer, and tried to carry it all up hill. Now that I've learned about specific backpacking gear I want to give it a try again.
@@macdelttorres3366 Yeah. I don't want to buy super expensive gear just for backpacking, but it does sound and feel like the right gear improves trip quality and may make me more likely to keep doing it. My daughter's scout troop should do a back packing trip next summer so I'm trying to prepare.
I have a friend I roped in to backpacking. again me being a vet i go tactical style heavier gear that im familiar with, and he has a prepperish mind set so he leaned that way too. he had never been camping much less backpacking so i brought all my gear over to his place and we packed our packs together so i could explain the thought process and such and let him make the tweaks he wanted. This helped us to make sure we had everything we needed for the trip and it was double checked.
Kyle, you're correct about the trekking poles. Definitely safer, as well, because you can release the poles and your hands are inmediately free to break your fall or grab a tree, boulder, etc.
Agree, that's also how you hold cross-country skiing poles, and there's certainly a risk of fall there. Also those Olympian athletes probably thought about it. Kyle definitely holds them right.
I’d just like to add on the safety issue that you wouldn’t use the strap on delicate passages. On very steep up or downhill passages or in coarse gravel you would just slide out and grab the pole without the strap. Also you usually can’t reach the lower handle for steep uphill sections when strapped up.
Heavy gear in bottom of pack when descending trails, weight in top of pack when ascending... u.s.a. marines makes you train to repack your gear when nesasary, building in a few moments break every so often... it's a balance factor, providing stability and stamina...
Had a nice pair of poles for my thru hike attempt. Landed in ATL and realized both had gotten broken on the flight. Got to Neels gap with 2 duct taped pole. Was gifted $30 amazon poles from a section hiker I met. Still rocking them and I love them.
yikes!! yeah I try not to buy expensive poles honestly. I will say, back in the day I bought a pair of Leki Corklites that lasted for years. I don't think they were carbon fiber though so kinda heavy
I hold trekking poles like you do, but honestly I've switched to a single stout and long walking stick instead. I like having one hand free, and I've found it to be a lot more versatile. It's strong enough I can put two hands on it and really dig in for going on steep terrain. It's super quick to adjust height, you just slide your hand up or down. And that has a lot of applications: for going down rock steps it's nice to be able to drop the pole all the way down before you step off (that really saves your knees); for side hilling it's quick to choke up on it; for crossing over blow down you can drop your stick all the way to the bottom. With normal trekking poles this stuff would be possible but you'd either have to keep them awkwardly long always, or stop to adjust them; but with a stick you just do it on the fly. Another big benefit is that a stick is free and easy to replace. I've seen more than a few trekking poles break on the trail. You can polevault across streams, hold it out in front of you to ward off snakes while going through snake terrain, knock cobwebs out of the way, hit snowy brush to knock the snow off before hiking through, reach out to a hiking buddy to give a hold for getting over a scramble. For a lot of little things like this I've found a long stout stick better than trekking poles.
I noticed when hiking with one pole my hips kinda hurt from walking different. But I wasn't really side stepping or anything so maybe it's down to technique. I'll try it out again cause I like having one hand free as well.
Base camp backpacking has always been my favorite. So many places in the Adirondacks you can set up and have 3 epic day trips without having to haul all your gear up the mountain or set a camp more than once. Kyle won't like this, but bring a chair and make a nice little campsite if you do this, it's worth it.
I started my outdoors journey car camping, and when that turned into "I have to get away from this crazy world, backpacking seems awesome!" I was watching SO many videos that I grew panicked. (I do have a panic disorder as well so that was rough) After a while I realized that *I* don't have to do or buy all those things, I can enjoy myself the way I am comfortable with and use the gear I enjoy, and I started viewing the videos in a more relaxed manner. These days I use the gear videos as inspiration, or discovering new gear I didn't know about yet, and the hiking videos as fuel to keep me going on this new goal in life while waiting for next summer to get started. I don't have it all figured out, or even bought yet, but I am getting closer to figuring things out. I have a lot of time still to chill out and prepare. It's OK to need a mega pillow to sleep, it's OK to be a side sleeper, it's OK to only hike a few miles, and it is absolutely OK to feel worried about your first solo hike. And I've accepted that I will make mistakes, as long as I am careful and use my brain before and during the hike I will make it out of any mistakes I make and can learn from them.
love the dont buy the top end gear out of the gate advice. i like the harbor freight method, buy one of everything thats either cheap or medium first and see what you break or is bugging you enough to need to be upgraded AFTER you use it, you might like the $50 sleep pad, off the rack backpack, and it might meet all your needs. im STILL using an off the rack high sierra backpack and its definitely heavier and lower tech but it fits all the stuff i like to have and organizes a way i like.
On Base Camping - How do you secure your stuff? I often worry about someone coming along and taking it. As for buying best gear. For me, I'm a very casual hiker. I have phisical limitations due to chronic pain...the one thing I would say investing in right off. Especially if you have issues with back / shoulders. Invest in a good pack. I invested in a nice Osprey pack. It meant a world of difference for me. it fits like a glove, and the way the waist belt is made, it actually makes my lower back feel good if that makes any sense. Prob gives the lower back support. It also takes the weight off my shoulders. My old, cheap packs caused my problem areas to get much worse.
PNW location. Costco has great carbon fiber poles for less than $50. Not a hardcore hiker, more of a hunter so I have abused them and off trail with heavy loads. When we hike, my wife and 4 kids all have the same poles. Love them.
Always carry two forms of maps and verify that your offline maps finished downloading. I planned a trip well in advance. I thought I had downloaded all maps during the planning stages. I got to the trailhead, 30 minutes from the nearest service, and realized that my maps had not downloaded and I forgot to print a paper map. Mind you I’ve been backpacking for 16 years now and that is the first time I ended up on trail without maps. It was also the first time I organized a five day trip for friends from three different states. It the midst of all the planning I forgot a basic step. I was able to nfc transfer a map picture from another hikers phone to save the day. I am still working to learn the best way to communicate changing trip plans amongst a group of people who don’t know each other.
Hahaha lot of things I recognize and 100 % agree with , except for 1 thing I think you just forgot to mention >>Always bring a poncho !! the Poncho is king !! Not only will it keep you dry , it will keep your pack dry too ... you can use it as a tarp for a quick shelter , or as a groundsheet when you setup camp or just need something to sit on . it's also a great combo with a hooped bivi . The military surplus poncho's don't cost much and are bombproof . in short it's incredibly versatile for a very small investment
Kyle, you are the backpacking youtuber that is currently "in my head." I'm planning my 1st backpacking trip. I've been binging your channels (both of them) for weeks. I appreciate all the great info.
Trekking pole thing is absolutely right. I didn't grow up using poles, because I grew up in flat-land Florida. But using the poles, that is the correct way to do it. They swing forward and let your hand and wrist support you in more incline sections and can hang down to meet the ground on downhill sections. Absolutely the right way to grip trekking poles.
Appreciate everything. I've always wanted to try backpacking and Last week I went on my first Backpacking trip completing the Art Loeb and it was completely awesome!! After wanting to do it for years your videos finally gave me the confidence to Just Go For it and now I can't wait to do it again. Thanks For the Content and thanks for the inspiration!!
Thanks for the video guys ! I'm 68. I hiked a couple two week hikes on what is now called the PCT when I was in my teens. Of carried a pack that was probably 50-60 pounds (including food & water.) My main reason for backpacking was to get to remote areas to fish. Two long hikes was enough for me to learn I preferred base camp hikes. Liked what you said about starting out with affordable gear. I used to work in a paddlesport shop. I liked light, carbon paddles but I would encourage new paddlers to start with budget paddles rather than getting a costly paddle and finding out they don't like the length, blade size & profile etc. Try different paddles when you can and see what you like. The cheap paddle can always make a backup paddle in case the other one breaks.
The best advice about gear that I could give to beginner backpackers is; "Good enough is perfect." Of course that means the gear needs to be dimensioned for the environment you're gonna used it for, but it doesn't need to be overdimensioned or overly expensive for it. Like you guys said - you have to test it out, find your preferences and learn to actually enjoy it. ...And if you buy the super expensive gear, that will last you a lifetime because it is amazing quality stuff, you'll propably wanna switch it out after a few years anyway, because, well, gear is fun.😅
How you hold your trekking poles is exactly how I was taught to hold my cross-country skiing poles. I was taught it does a bunch of things: The tension in the strap when you come up from below supports the pole's weight, so you use your hands less to carry them and use the bigger muscles of your arms and shoulders more. Greater control of the poles with the least amount of pressure. Less likelihood of injury, because they fall out of your hands and away more easily, and finally less fatigue on hands because you can change your hand grip more easily, to thumbs on crown of the poles, for example.
I love base camping style, especially with newer hikers/backpackers. If anything goes wrong or you haven't dialed your gear, you're usually closer to your car so a bail is not as bad.
The pack covers are worth it to wake up every morning without your gear and pack covered in dew. They do work pretty well and have kept my pack dry in some downpours. The Osprey pack cover has a drain hole and has never given me the issue of filling up with water.
On the ultra light thing. It is like with basically everything. The last 10% will take 90% of the effort. Perfection is always the thing that takes the longest and costs the most.
Kyle you’re so right about the trekking pole straps. If you don’t use the straps, then you’re using your forearm muscles to navigate with the pole. When the straps are being used, you’re using the lat muscles and they’re a lot stronger than forearm muscles. When starting out I used the straps all the time. As I got stronger I needed them less. Good call.
remember bumping into a man on the Appalachian trail. my boys (we camped) and i approached him. i asked if i could ask him questions. what have you learned on the journey. he said “you dont need all the junk” you just need a plan and basics. his cooking stove was an empty soup can with holes and a wire (to hook on his backpack). exactly what you discussed. enjoyed
My first trip with my son we borrowed a pack for him, and I was able to find a slightly used pack with great back support at an outfitters for 60% off. We also packed anything needing to stay dry in Ziploc freezer baggies (backpacks are actually a bag of bags) which will keep those items dry and allows you to take single items out without compromising other items. We also packed one meal each which we considered gourmet, and so did others in our group. We made enough to share with others (10 of us total), and turned the meal time into a potluck ordeal. Used meats sold in pouches with rice and some precut veggies. Outside of my 20 yr old boots failing about 7 miles in of the 25 mile hike, it was a great time and fun. Cold streams feel great on blistered feet. Btw we used our pack covers for just keeping the morning dew off the packs
Sintax is my favorite backpacker. Been watching him since January 2016 and have seen every video since. Modeled my backpacking gear and style around his. He and Mike are awesome.
I never backpacked with a pack cover. Instead, I'd stuff things into various Reynolds oven bags, aka brown-in bags, and put those in the backpack. Stuff one with clothes or something, squash all the air out, twist to close, fold the twisted part over and tie off with rubber bands. You can double bag for overkill, but these are TOUGH clear mylar bags (not like trash bags) designed to roast a whole turkey or chicken in. I've stuffed these with clothes as described and submerged them in water overnight, and not a drop of water got in. They're as waterproof as those yellow vinyl dry bags but way way lighter and fit for purpose. Ziploc bags are great for stuff like phones of course, and anything inside a Ziploc placed into an oven bag-- you could put the backpack on a boat and send it to the bottom of the bay, and the stuff would still have salvage value 😂
Kyle, I'm a long time ADK hiker. I just started using trekking poles last year. I use the straps like you do, they feel steadier and I can control them better based on incline and terrain.
Found Sintax77's channel through your podcast, and I binge both of y'all's content daily. I'm looking into starting hiking and/or backpacking for about a month now, and y'all have both helped me get myself prepared for starting this new adventure! I love camping and have only hiked a couple times, so I'm glad I found your content
I’ve always recommended, regardless of hobby, to buy decent &affordable then upgrade when it breaks. You don’t know if you’re gonna stick with a hobby. No point spending so much money and use it once.
Backpacking for 5 nights in 1976. On day three, my one pair of pants ripped from seam to seam just below my butt cheek. I tossed them on the fire (picked out the snap and zipper next am to pack out.) Finished out the trip in my cutoffs. Good times!
The placement of the tent or sleeping system outside the bag hate is wild. I believe it’s more about utility and need. Putting your tent/ sleep system in your bag is not always ideal, but I’m former military and maybe not that cool 😂
My Dad was 10th Mountain Infantry Ski Trooper during WWII. Told me about collecting "dead bugs" at end of the day. All guys w 80-100# packs, exhausted, who fell backwards onto their packs in the snow and couldn't get up! I started out that way too! Go easy!
Thanks for the tips! I really liked the suggestion that you don't have to do the whole trail. Trying to get into backpacking with my young daughter, didn't occur to me to chop down miles and just make the best of it wherever you end up.
I bought one pair of Leki trekking poles in 1998 or '99 at about $90. I spent a stupid amount money on gear back then, but I still use those poles today. My son, on the other hand, has gone through three sets of cheap Amazon trekking poles already. He's 13 so hopefully he will outgrow his clumsiness! Definitely agree with the start with budget minded gear before committing to all of the high end gear.
South African hiker here, semi-nubie to hiking. I really enjoyed this video, espesially about the rain cover and pack liners. And here we hike with pack liners and rain covers.
As far as poles and the straps. I do the same type of strap thing for both hiking and skiing. I agree that you get a lot more leverage. It works for skiing very well and is what is recommended by the ski school teacher I went to years ago. I could be wrong, but I agree that it creates leverage you would not get otherwise. You are not going to break your wrist. It is impossible to unless you are going to break your wrest anyway. It won't be the straps.
Heavily agree that everyone needs to figure out what they prefer for themselves, one of my mates is a die hard hammock camper and I can’t stand them, I use a tipi tent and he doesn’t like sleeping on the ground, my other mate uses a lightweight bivi tent because it’s small and he doesn’t need the extra space to simply sleep somewhere, point is you won’t know what you need until you try a few different options, buy a cheap tent, tarp, hammock, give each a go in your yard or out on a single night trip before spending money on something you’re not sure with. Don’t buy the expensive hammock your favourite RUclipsr recommended to find out you get back pain.
Started my AT thru hike on april 1st of 2024, Day 3 on Sassafras I blew up my knee and had to get off. Overworked and went way too hard right out of the gate, now I'm waiting for another week before I can get down south and continue my hike.
We backpack with kids and base camp is ESSENTIAL to keep them enjoying the trips. We usually spend 2 nights at single camps twice during our week out. Also, I prefer the big REI ponchos to the pack cover and waterproofing on the inside ;) the Ponchos are great at camp also.
You did a couple of things brilliantly right. 1. Talk from personal experience. We can make the connection to you and then we are more drawn to pay attention to your advice. 2. Respecting a person’s journey of discovery about their backpacking experience which includes the selection of gear that works for them. I’ve actually enjoyed the evolution of my pack and contents because it is a reflection of my growth in experience. 3. Humour. It sets up a more relaxed atmosphere that makes it easier to learn. Thanks!
The thing about framed vs frameless packs comes down to proper fit for me; just been trying Decathlon MT100 50 liter pack and the easyfit system makes it precisely adjust to every size and load; by far the most comfortable pack I’ve used so far. Yeah it’s not ultralight but the weight carries so well, it compensates for it.
5% more effort leads to 50% more comfort. Ive learned that. When i go bushcraft or camping at the lakes, i bring my 2 man tent (robens voyager 2ex tent) its weights more than my friends tents but i have a better comfort. Here in the uk where always rains, theres nothing worse bring you wet clothes/ gear into your sleeping area, with a tent which has a bigger porch i can leave my wet gear there and my sleeping area is dry and fresh. Just stuff like that makes life a bit more ez.
Syntax77 was the very first Hiker Channel I ever watched religiously. His intro song, informative narration WHILE hiking & camping and then signature sign off hooked ya in. I Miss Slippers
Great video gents! Regarding budget gear. I’ve been backpacking for awhile now and I still buy budget gear. None of it has let me down yet. If I was gonna thru hike I might re consider but I’m just a weekend warrior. It’s also nice getting name brand gear that is last years model sometimes for half off (got a Mountainsmith Scream 55 pack for $88 and i love it)
❤ I'm loving the exchange so far, and I just got passed the clothing discussion, so I wanted to chime in (helps with the algorithm, right?) So let me preface this by saying that I haven't been hiking/camping since I was in my teens (~2 decades ago), and that was with cadets, but I'm planning on getting back out there to go small game hunting and some weekend warrior stuff. So my first time going to a weekend hike and camp, I packed like for all weather and possibilities - like Richard Tyler in "the Pagemaster" movie. I realised after that day that I didn't need 80% of what I had brought to camp in my own yard, and the cadets provided most of the other 20% of my gear. This meant that I really only needed to bring clothes. So I would pack: 2 pairs of wool socks, 2 boxers, a t-shirt and a wooly sweater for the winter chills, and I usually only needed 1 pair of socks and underwear. The others were in case of accidents or bad weather. When went winter camping (Southern Quebec, Canada) where you get well below -20°F, I'd wear extra thermals and mitts all day and night, and a balaclava and tuque at night. We learned quickly that excess gear weighs you down, can get lost or stolen, and makes packing a rucksack a major chore. So I think I would be somewhere between both guys. I'd sleep in my underwear and clean dry socks, but only carry a warm sweater and seasonally appropriate jackets for rain or snow. Rain ponchos are also a great choice for a water repellent layer you can shove in a cargo pocket that also somewhat covers your pack, or wool blankets if it's cold and your loaded with cash (dang expensive!), but super cool looking
Watching pack shakedowns in Mountain Crossings at Neel’s Gap in the spring is eye opening! Lots of underprepared and over equipped hikers. Go on multiple shakedown hikes to become familiar with and test your gear, and to get your trail legs. It’s not the same in the gym.
Shakedown hike(s) - Absolutely YES! Did an overnight shakedown a week before starting a 500 mile AT hike, snd discovered a major equipment problem; had time to solve it. Did two overnight shakedowns with friends before a five-day hike in Yosemite and made some important discoveries about equipment and food. Shakedowns also help break in new footgear.
I was recently contemplating that style "basecamping" for portaging. you would be able to see WAY MORE on a trip without unpack and pack up, but even more impact is leaving the gear. You would cover 4 times the distance.
For the trekking pole strap thing, the way Kyle does it is the way you are supposed to do it. I honestly didn't think people thought there was a different/better way, because there isn't. All you have to do is go to the websites of all the companies that make trekking poles or even just trekking pole straps and they all say to bring your hand up through the loop and then the straps sit between your thumb and fingers as you grab the pole. This tightens the straps so it is snug against your wrist, giving you much more leverage and keeping your hand muscles from getting tired from gripping the pole tightly, It is also safer than looping your hand directly through the strap from above, because when you release the strap during a fall, the pole falls away allowing your hands to impact the ground freely. If your hand is through the top and you release the pole, there is a good chance that the strap will get caught in your hand somewhere meaning the pole will be between your hand/fingers as you fall, potentially causing broken bones or sprains.
I am a pack cover user. But my pack cover philosophy is a bit different. The pack cover is intended for my pack. Not the gear inside it. I protect the gear inside with lightweight roll top dry bags. 1 for my clothes, 1 for kitchen, food, toiletries, smellables (especially for bear country, that makes it easy to throw in bear bag.), 1 for any electronics/maps/etc, And dry bags for any other items in the pack. Keeps my things organized and dry.
Great content, I love sharing stories and experiences on trail lol I got worse as I hiked and now am going back to the basics 1. Definitely guilty of this, I placed my tent at the bottom of my pack during a rainy downpour in AL. It took me one good day trying to repack my gear in the rain for me to figure out it was just a complete disaster to place your tent inside your pack wet and at the bottom. everything was covered in pieces of forest and muddy wetness lol. My noob logic was I can place everything on my sleeping pad while I set up. 2-3. I'm guilty of both not trying my gear out bc I just want to go versus base camping and also trying to compete with my younger athletic child who could recover faster. 4. Frogg Toggs are a great example of a good cheap buy to figure out if you even like hiking first. Why spend $400 on a jacket if you might only truly hike once. 5. I actually did this in reverse bc I was broke lmfao I originally had a trash bag and switched to a pack cover for the reflective quality for roads, BUT it was a waste for me when everything got wet. The theme here is rain, rain always finds a way to get to me lol. 6. 😲 6.2, , I like sleep clothes bc I fear a wild animal will smell the scent of my dinner on my hiking clothes, My mind neglects I am dinner. But also its my emergency bandages and if I shit myself saves 7. YES! I tried to bring heavy af lights bc I wanted "the woods are magical midsummer nights dream lights", I'm an idiot it was a nightmare in weight, they got wet and didn't even work. F#$5ing rain 8. Me and my mom did this we packed double the food and all of mine wasn't even eaten bc she had so much. 9. Yep, I bought a sleeping bag bc they claimed it kept them so warm but they neglected to say to a new person hiking, it was a summer bag. Now luckily I was in AL fall weather but I was incredibly cold and angry at 32*, 10. Haha yes! I had this idea to bring a hanging candle lantern to warm my tent bc it looked so rustic and cool, luckily I was talked out of it bc lmfao could you imagine buying or packing multiple candles made of wax to hike with lol dude the weight alone. The normal food thing was definitely hilarious I did the same also. That history is freaking awesome. my dumbest noob thing ever though was not listening to experienced hikers in my area. I decided I didn't need a sleeping pad bc weight and I'm a badass and leaves right? I was in fact not a bad ass. I have brought a pad ever since.
videos are the gateway to the adventure. There are so many great ideas and different way to do things, but the only way on to know how to do something is to experience it. Back in the day you had to spend time searching out experts either at the local camping store, go to the library and find books and magazines. Yeah... I'm that old.
My first backpacking trip just my pack and tent weighed 10 pounds. We won’t get into how much the MRE’s weighed😉 Now my pack completely loaded for four days with food and water is 24.
ok.. Making a base camp sounds cool... but are you not afraid of your stuff and food being gone, stolen, or destroyed?? I also would hate to get turned around and not make it back to where i set up camp, or came out another exit that was way closer to the goal, have to go back, get said crap, and move it again, or have to rewalk that distance in the morning.. what do you do in these cases?
Things almost are never stolen from a backcountry camp. Trailheads are where that happens. Always carry your food unless it’s in a bear proof canister, even rodents can and will destroy food. You choose where to walk. Make good choices about how far you walk from your base camp.
There is a distinct difference between ultralight backpacking and just not bringing stuff lol. Item for item, if you want to bring the same stuff, ultralight gear is much more expensive and/or much less durable/less comfortable.
That's a great point and one I think is missed by a lot of newer folks trying to figure out how to go lighter. Being a kitchen sink packer myself, I really struggled with this one and still have difficulty with some stuff, particularly my admittedly ridiculous FAK. You can certainly shave several pounds switching to the lighter gear, but if you're starting from a 40lb base weight, it's not going to make much difference just going for lighter gear. First step is to figure out what you can stop packing in the first place. I think the final transition to UL and SUL is deciding how much suck you're willing to embrace.
You guys hit the nails on their heads!!!😂😂😂 As a two time thru hiker of the AT and going out every year for a month or two I see so many new prospective thruhikers making all these mistakes and more...good advice!!!
A pack liner is the way indeed, but I also like to bring a pack cover just to have a ground cloth for the bag and keep it clean. It does add weight but that's no issue when bike packing for example.
Not following "buy right or buy twice" and the difference between camping/backpacking kinda work together I think. When I was kitting out my "beginner, I might not like this" backpacking stuff recently, I consciously went for things that would also be good for more static camping. Either near the car or a _short_ walk away (the kinda thing you could make multiple trips to get everything). That means that for now I have a heavy (but comparatively cheap!) pack, BUT as I get nicer gear now that I know I'm into backpacking and I figure out more what I want, I have things like a spacious tent where the thicker materials should last a nice long time
Hello 👋 Kyle, thank you for sharing this informative video. Sintax 77 remains one of my favorite Utube/backpackers. Keep up your great videos. Always stay safe out there. 😊
As someone who grew up canoe camping in Ontario long before I hiked garbage bag lining the inside of your pack is the way to go. And if you leave extra air your bag is basically now a flotation device.
It is crazy. We do more tent camping than backpacking, but I have paired down our camping kitchen container. We went with sea to summit cups and dishes and and got rid of the heavy pots and pans. It has been so much easier loading up our container or quite literally things we really do need.
You’re right about the straps. I even wear them like that when I’m trail running. The poles will swing and move themselves. It’s hard to explain. But that’s exactly what the straps are for. I use the black diamond z poles this way.
11:08, there is a way of preparing for having "all that weight...". Start with farmers' walks with dumbbells or kettlebells, add weighted vests, or go rucking with a weighted backpack. Cardio work and cross training will also help in preparation.
I went on a canoe trip and felt self-conscious about my homemade gear and they called me a garbage hiker… But the Canoe capsized all the gear went down downstream without us. They’re screaming about being out $600 each all my gear cost 150 bucks including food.
Haha! 👍 Nice work! Buying flash gear like it's a fashion parade has my contempt. Same people who do this almost never pack enough food or water. Flashy gear eh 🙄 . Some of my gear is second generation, 65 odd years and items older. Other stuff is cheap or free, or repurposed empty containers. Still works. Hiking isn't a fashion parade. It's all about what works not showing off. Some people miss the point of the outdoors entirely. Sounds like you get it though so good for you 😁👍👍
I was at Zion NP a few months ago and only like 2% of the hikers I saw using rental hiking poles were using the straps correctly. It was crazy to me that the rental companies wouldn't show folks how to use them.
My first take on packing was gear accessibility: 1st aid, navigation and rain gear on top. But even before that, you will always reach for water the most often.
I bought the outdoor products 3 dry bag set from walmart back in 2009 when i was a poor E-3. Still using them today! My dad joined me on a trip recently. He bought the ozark trail poles from Walmart. They were surprisingly light and comfortable!
Your method with straps on poles is the way we use poles for snow skiing. Also I did a long weekend outing with a friend and both of us forgot forks and spoons. We carved chopped sticks and made it through the trip.
Nothing wrong about buying twice. Or borrowing stuff. When I started out with my girlfriend our gear was thrifted, borrowed or something we owned already. Upgraded as necessary to better tent, better underlayers, better sleeping pads, lighter sleeping bag. We had both done trekking before as kids / teenagers so we weren't total newbies but yeah :D
My backpack was an old backpack left by someone who didn't need it anymore, it has none of the features new backpacks have, my sleeping bag was also left there by someone, I got my winter jacket for pretty cheap from a second hand shop during black Friday. You don't need expensive gear.
Definitely need to put your hand up through the strap then down. Just like a ski pole. Other wise there is no purpose of using the straps. It’s the only way you are going to get leverage.
Honestly I had excellent luck going to sportsmans warehouse, this was back in like 2008 though. The kid working the camping area set me up with great beginner gear. I still use the same tent, pad, bag and stove he sold me on all those years ago. Lots of good memories with that gear. Start cheap then slowly collect new gear over the years, at least thats how I did it. Avoid those compulsive purchases. You really don't need much if all you are doing is a two or three night hike.
some bits id recommend, at least try some bushcraft/primitive/survival skills, if you can do it heavy and low tech you'll have a blast with all the light high tech stuff. splurge on the footwear, worst case scenario you'll still have good boots\shoes. always file a flight plan and let someone know where you'll be and when you'll be back, so many people forget this and if something does happen you'll have someone on their way eventually. start small, i started backpacking as a hybrid of car camping then hitting increasing long or difficult state park trails, its really comforting to know you have rangers/others in the area in an emergency and a built in base camp if you want to turn back for any reason or something goes wrong.
So I been backpacking for a few months now. I've done shake out were go on 14 or 15 mile hiles with all my gear. By time I'm done om tired and hurting and ready to be done. But I still am having fun. Even when I'm done I'm usually in a lot of pain. Yet every time the next day I'm sitting at home wanting to get back on trail. I love the pain and the exhaustion. This is how I know I could thru hike.
I don't watch your pod on yt but had to pop on and thank you for this episode! Doing my first backcountry trip this summer and was thinking of the "buy once, cry once" saying for a new sleep pad so this was super helpful (along with everything else)
😮 Sintax77's story at the end, with the fuselage emerging from the inky darkness, had me thinking of the videos we see of scuba divers and deep sea explorations: it's all dark then suddenly a shark is right in front of you! I wouldn't have been brave and/or crazy enough to do that😅
Re trekking pole strap: I learned to ski in the 60’s and how you describe was the prevailing wisdom which had come from cross-country skiing. (If you watch xc ski racers you can see how this works to great advantage.) I did once fall and catch my thumb and sprained it, but overall I found the “up from below” method the most effective. Downhill ski pole designers have tried other designs so that hands wouldn’t be caught in the straps, but that was motivated by the amazing speeds that skiers attain in races. It would be interesting to see the stats and make an evidenced-based decision.
Base camp tip is EXCELLENT! We camp with. Trail Life troop and it’s rather unpleasant. Our first trip they wanted to push in after hiking all day I. An effort to get closer to the exit spot. I said I was not going in after 15 miles and the nearer admitted we like have missed cooking dinner and would have had to set up in the dark--which is not a problem…but why make the trip miserable? Some feel it has to be. Thank you Syntax…coming from you…I feel better. We would have done more trips not pushed too hard and made it miserable.
I use my packcover alot! At my dayhikes, i have to cross a lot of main roads and the safety orange coulor was very useful in bad weather ( as Safety vest) on my darkgrey pack! Screamy neon colars are very likes by wasps and so! So the removable Orange is a great idea! So the free packcover is only used as safety vest!
Base camping is the best. I do it during winter camping. Find a location, setup camp, get the hot tent up and firewood ready for a couple days and each day is a exploration day. Come back to stocked tent with firewood, get the stove going and chill. Sore from the prior day? Easy firewood day to recover. Take it slow and easy.
So a pack liner is def a better choice but I did find a pack cover I found that worked perfectly for the most part. It was the mystery ranch pack cover with the built in hood. It kept most of the rain off my back as well. There’s not much you can do in blowing rain but it really surprised me.
I think that a REALLY big mistake a lot of beginners make is not checking the way their gear works before they embark on a trip to use it. Practice setting up your tent in a backyard or area that you can access. This will let you know how your tent sets up and also will let you know if anything is missing. Ditto for stoves. So you know how to use it and to know that its working properly use your stove before you set out on your trip. Check all of your gear to be sure none of it was damaged in storage or transit.
I put my lip balm into tiny plastic bags and only charge my battery bank halfway to save weight!
How does the charge in your battery bank change the weight?
A little humor
Very little humor
I also make sure I squeeze all the air out of my sleeping pad to save every ounce.
Valuable tip, thanks!
If possible, I like to clear my head of thoughts, too. Heavy metal music scares off wild animals, but, alas...@@Sandra-dt4ec
I appreciate modern backpacking gear, but still have fond memories of 50 milers we used to do as scouts with simple external frame packs, big canvas sleeping bags, all cotton clothes… still had a lot of fun, understood how to use a map and compass, and lit some epic blue darts fueled by leftover Y2K cheap dehydrated meals
There actually is a physical way of preparing for backpacking, just ruck. I’ll do a mile or two every morning with at least 20lbs then Saturday is a long heavy day of at least 15 miles with 50-65lbs, then Sunday is a recovery day with a lot of stretching. Although you may not 100% simulate the inclines, scrambles, river crossings, etc… you’re still working on the most important thing and that’s all the support muscles that will help you do all of that. For some reason rucking is never included in any fitness plan I’ve seen, but IMO, it’s the most important thing you can do for yourself. It’s a whole body workout especially once you get into crazy weights like 80lbs. I guess I kind of understand why people don't do it, like, the last thing people want to do is wake up at 4AM or 5AM and have a 20 mile ruck with 50lbs on their back to look forward to on a Saturday, but goals take hard work to accomplish.
We kind of do that, we’ll load our packs up and climb up and down a 4 story tower 20X then finish with a walk around the park
I might try bringing a loaded pack when I walk my dog.
Outstanding and valuable info! TY
“Travel light freeze at night” is an aphorism in the field, but even with “backpacking” most gear is a want and not a need. I was in the light infantry in the 80s (paratrooper). I say that to say this - this was a time period before Gortex and polypropylene, so it teaches you that despite this new gear you can survive without it.
We would deploy for 30 days at a time, moving daily. You learn quickly what you need vs what you want, and learn how to pack a ruck for accessing gear even on the move (with wet weather gear and a pair of socks on an outside pocket for easy access). We never had tents. Never built a fire (not tactical). Never carried sleeping bags unless predicted to be below 32. Would carry three pair of socks and maybe an extra t-shirt and pair of pants. Cotton clothing kills so avoid it if possible.
Oh yeah! Paratrooper in the 90s. "Ultralight" before ultralight was a thing - at least in terms of personal "comfort"! In Alice pack (without a waist belt): 1 uniform (always summer weight even in winter - dried faster), at least 4 extra pairs of wool socks (safety pins to hang wet socks on your ruck), maybe compression shorts for a long road march. Tent=poncho liner and bungee cords, sleeping bag=poncho liner. We had gortex and polypro, but the gortex was useless. Only took the polypro if it was going to be in the 30s or lower. All stuffed in a garbage bag. MREs were deconstructed - main meal in one ziploc, coffee/drink mix in one zippy, pogey bait in a third zippy, throw away everything else. Never used a tent except in OSUT (infantry basic/AIT). Only saw a sleeping bag once in my five years - coldest winter in North Carolina in 100 years. Pretty ultralight right? Well then add 500-600 rounds of 5.56 and 1,000 rounds of 7.62 for the M60, water, entrenching tool, load bearing equipment, length of rope, etc. Next thing you know you're carrying 100lbs.
@@smokey04b53 that sums it up! Thank you
The single most crucial piece of cold weather clothing I can think of is a set of duofold or similar long underwear. I do like tents, but if they're going to keep you warm, it helps to get the smallest one possible. A six-person Eureka Timberline with two ppl in it (because it was just for car camping) is cold af! Don't ask how I know 😂
@@noisepuppet if possible, mesh long underwear and top. The logic is that, not or cold, moisture wicks away from the skin. Air pockets make a layer 4-6 times more effective (warmth to weight). Can't get lighter than employing air :)
Brynje makes them, and Sir Edmund Hilary (Everest) used them...
@@chrislisle3101 Thank you - Comments like yours have taught me more than many videos.
PT here. Using straps is better than gripping poles all day. Weight bearing just above wrist easier on body. Kyle's correct!
Totally correct. It amazes me how many people don’t understand how to use trekking poles.
30 year backpacker and I completely agree with how to use the hiking pole straps. Way more supportive and saves grip strength on long milage days. You can still throw the pole if you fall, not dangerous in my opinion.
I started using poles like that without even thinking about it. Only noticed when I _didn't_ do that once and all I knew is it felt _weird_ and then I had to sit there and consciously figure out how I had been doing it naturally until then!
Whats this? How to use poles/straps?
I like pack covers here in Minnesota because i can have an orange one that helps make sure I dont get shot during hunting season!
Very good point!
Has other benefits, too. I usually use a liner, but covers keep the stuff on the outside of the bag dry (like my "belaying layer" for when I'm standing still, and my first aid supplies if I don't bring them in the waterproof pouch). But mainly the dayglo thing
Yeah, I look like a traffic cone when hiking during deer season.
Soooo glad someone brought up the "buy right or buy twice" thing I hate hearing all the time. The concept makes sense for someone who is able to hike hundreds of miles every year. But for the people like me who can only get the time off work to go on one or two short trips a year then there's absolutely no reason to buy the best and most expensive gear. Also, buying used gear is great way to get some of those better items without the high price tag. Half my gear is second hand and it works just as well as something fresh off the shelf from REI.
@13:05 Here’s what I do with “base camping/day hiking” on hikes: I make sure that I carry a waist pack with the essentials for surviving a night (or two) outside after I set up base camp.
1. Personal locator beacon and a signal mirror.
2. Extra layer to cover my trunk, a “space” blanket and some duct tape wrapped around a credit card, and a hat.
3. Raingear
4. Some emergency food (about 300 to 500 extra calories, over & above what I plan on eating)
5. Water and a Lifestraw or water treatment tablets.
6. Folding knife
7. Two ways of starting a fire
8. Headlamp
9. Map & compass
Plus some other stuff. This stuff is not nearly enough to be comfortable, but it will get me through an unplanned night outside.😮
...Spending tons of money on gear but never actually going camping... (guilty here😊, trying to get out this summer)
Why haven't you gotten out much ?
We'll get out there eventually, it's like a weird savings pile until then 😂
Oh, so guilty. I've had a full setup of all the most popular stuff for almost 2 years. I've actually upgraded some items and haven't even gone backpacking yet! I go camping all the time so I'm actually going to go camping next weekend with my backpacking setup just to test it all out. Ridiculous. But I am planning an actual backpacking trip this summer.
@@kristenmosher834 I have very cheap generic gear and went out 8 times last year
18:16 I really appreciate the advice here. I don’t have $400 to spend on a tiny tent at the moment so maybe the $80 one off Amazon will be ok to test the waters 🤷🏻♀️
We did backpacking in scouts when I was a teen. I hated it. Looking back, we were using the wrong gear. We were taking our regular car camping type gear, always stored in a scout trailer, and tried to carry it all up hill. Now that I've learned about specific backpacking gear I want to give it a try again.
What's the advantage of trash COMPACTOR bag v. regular trash bag? Thanks!
SPAM!!!
@@swimteamlifestyle7337 smaller and neater package
Went on a scout backpacking trip with my army gear…. That sucked, wrong equipment for the trip
@@macdelttorres3366 Yeah. I don't want to buy super expensive gear just for backpacking, but it does sound and feel like the right gear improves trip quality and may make me more likely to keep doing it. My daughter's scout troop should do a back packing trip next summer so I'm trying to prepare.
I have a friend I roped in to backpacking. again me being a vet i go tactical style heavier gear that im familiar with, and he has a prepperish mind set so he leaned that way too. he had never been camping much less backpacking so i brought all my gear over to his place and we packed our packs together so i could explain the thought process and such and let him make the tweaks he wanted. This helped us to make sure we had everything we needed for the trip and it was double checked.
I'm the same way 😅 I love my dump pouches I can add to the pack thinking of adding a utility belt to my set up.
Kyle, you're correct about the trekking poles. Definitely safer, as well, because you can release the poles and your hands are inmediately free to break your fall or grab a tree, boulder, etc.
Thanks for the validation!
Agree, that's also how you hold cross-country skiing poles, and there's certainly a risk of fall there. Also those Olympian athletes probably thought about it. Kyle definitely holds them right.
If you don't break them, you don't use them enough to upgrade them anyway.
I’d just like to add on the safety issue that you wouldn’t use the strap on delicate passages. On very steep up or downhill passages or in coarse gravel you would just slide out and grab the pole without the strap. Also you usually can’t reach the lower handle for steep uphill sections when strapped up.
I need to pay attention next time I hike because I am unsure which way I put my hands through the straps. 😂
Heavy gear in bottom of pack when descending trails, weight in top of pack when ascending... u.s.a. marines makes you train to repack your gear when nesasary, building in a few moments break every so often... it's a balance factor, providing stability and stamina...
Had a nice pair of poles for my thru hike attempt. Landed in ATL and realized both had gotten broken on the flight. Got to Neels gap with 2 duct taped pole. Was gifted $30 amazon poles from a section hiker I met. Still rocking them and I love them.
yikes!! yeah I try not to buy expensive poles honestly. I will say, back in the day I bought a pair of Leki Corklites that lasted for years. I don't think they were carbon fiber though so kinda heavy
I hold trekking poles like you do, but honestly I've switched to a single stout and long walking stick instead. I like having one hand free, and I've found it to be a lot more versatile.
It's strong enough I can put two hands on it and really dig in for going on steep terrain. It's super quick to adjust height, you just slide your hand up or down. And that has a lot of applications: for going down rock steps it's nice to be able to drop the pole all the way down before you step off (that really saves your knees); for side hilling it's quick to choke up on it; for crossing over blow down you can drop your stick all the way to the bottom. With normal trekking poles this stuff would be possible but you'd either have to keep them awkwardly long always, or stop to adjust them; but with a stick you just do it on the fly.
Another big benefit is that a stick is free and easy to replace. I've seen more than a few trekking poles break on the trail.
You can polevault across streams, hold it out in front of you to ward off snakes while going through snake terrain, knock cobwebs out of the way, hit snowy brush to knock the snow off before hiking through, reach out to a hiking buddy to give a hold for getting over a scramble. For a lot of little things like this I've found a long stout stick better than trekking poles.
I noticed when hiking with one pole my hips kinda hurt from walking different. But I wasn't really side stepping or anything so maybe it's down to technique. I'll try it out again cause I like having one hand free as well.
That reminds me of the staff we had to make for ourselves in boy scouts.
Base camp backpacking has always been my favorite. So many places in the Adirondacks you can set up and have 3 epic day trips without having to haul all your gear up the mountain or set a camp more than once. Kyle won't like this, but bring a chair and make a nice little campsite if you do this, it's worth it.
😂😂
The Wind Rivers, too.
Well why not? If you’re base camping?
Was just at Pharaoh lake this weekend
i like this too, i started out actually car camping then doing the trails on park to practice.
I started my outdoors journey car camping, and when that turned into "I have to get away from this crazy world, backpacking seems awesome!" I was watching SO many videos that I grew panicked. (I do have a panic disorder as well so that was rough)
After a while I realized that *I* don't have to do or buy all those things,
I can enjoy myself the way I am comfortable with and use the gear I enjoy, and I started viewing the videos in a more relaxed manner.
These days I use the gear videos as inspiration, or discovering new gear I didn't know about yet,
and the hiking videos as fuel to keep me going on this new goal in life while waiting for next summer to get started.
I don't have it all figured out, or even bought yet, but I am getting closer to figuring things out. I have a lot of time still to chill out and prepare.
It's OK to need a mega pillow to sleep, it's OK to be a side sleeper, it's OK to only hike a few miles, and it is absolutely OK to feel worried about your first solo hike.
And I've accepted that I will make mistakes, as long as I am careful and use my brain before and during the hike I will make it out of any mistakes I make and can learn from them.
love the dont buy the top end gear out of the gate advice. i like the harbor freight method, buy one of everything thats either cheap or medium first and see what you break or is bugging you enough to need to be upgraded AFTER you use it, you might like the $50 sleep pad, off the rack backpack, and it might meet all your needs. im STILL using an off the rack high sierra backpack and its definitely heavier and lower tech but it fits all the stuff i like to have and organizes a way i like.
On Base Camping - How do you secure your stuff? I often worry about someone coming along and taking it. As for buying best gear. For me, I'm a very casual hiker. I have phisical limitations due to chronic pain...the one thing I would say investing in right off. Especially if you have issues with back / shoulders. Invest in a good pack. I invested in a nice Osprey pack. It meant a world of difference for me. it fits like a glove, and the way the waist belt is made, it actually makes my lower back feel good if that makes any sense. Prob gives the lower back support. It also takes the weight off my shoulders. My old, cheap packs caused my problem areas to get much worse.
PNW location. Costco has great carbon fiber poles for less than $50. Not a hardcore hiker, more of a hunter so I have abused them and off trail with heavy loads. When we hike, my wife and 4 kids all have the same poles. Love them.
Always carry two forms of maps and verify that your offline maps finished downloading. I planned a trip well in advance. I thought I had downloaded all maps during the planning stages. I got to the trailhead, 30 minutes from the nearest service, and realized that my maps had not downloaded and I forgot to print a paper map. Mind you I’ve been backpacking for 16 years now and that is the first time I ended up on trail without maps. It was also the first time I organized a five day trip for friends from three different states. It the midst of all the planning I forgot a basic step. I was able to nfc transfer a map picture from another hikers phone to save the day.
I am still working to learn the best way to communicate changing trip plans amongst a group of people who don’t know each other.
Hahaha lot of things I recognize and 100 % agree with , except for 1 thing I think you just forgot to mention
>>Always bring a poncho !!
the Poncho is king !!
Not only will it keep you dry ,
it will keep your pack dry too ...
you can use it as a tarp for a quick shelter ,
or as a groundsheet when you setup camp or just need something to sit on .
it's also a great combo with a hooped bivi .
The military surplus poncho's don't cost much and are bombproof .
in short it's incredibly versatile for a very small investment
I'm a big fan of wool. The modern wool clothing is great but I still have some clothing from 30 years ago. I find it very versatile
Kyle, you are the backpacking youtuber that is currently "in my head." I'm planning my 1st backpacking trip. I've been binging your channels (both of them) for weeks. I appreciate all the great info.
Trekking pole thing is absolutely right.
I didn't grow up using poles, because I grew up in flat-land Florida. But using the poles, that is the correct way to do it. They swing forward and let your hand and wrist support you in more incline sections and can hang down to meet the ground on downhill sections.
Absolutely the right way to grip trekking poles.
Appreciate everything. I've always wanted to try backpacking and Last week I went on my first Backpacking trip completing the Art Loeb and it was completely awesome!! After wanting to do it for years your videos finally gave me the confidence to Just Go For it and now I can't wait to do it again. Thanks For the Content and thanks for the inspiration!!
Thanks for the video guys ! I'm 68. I hiked a couple two week hikes on what is now called the PCT when I was in my teens. Of carried a pack that was probably 50-60 pounds (including food & water.) My main reason for backpacking was to get to remote areas to fish. Two long hikes was enough for me to learn I preferred base camp hikes. Liked what you said about starting out with affordable gear. I used to work in a paddlesport shop. I liked light, carbon paddles but I would encourage new paddlers to start with budget paddles rather than getting a costly paddle and finding out they don't like the length, blade size & profile etc. Try different paddles when you can and see what you like. The cheap paddle can always make a backup paddle in case the other one breaks.
The best advice about gear that I could give to beginner backpackers is;
"Good enough is perfect."
Of course that means the gear needs to be dimensioned for the environment you're gonna used it for, but it doesn't need to be overdimensioned or overly expensive for it. Like you guys said - you have to test it out, find your preferences and learn to actually enjoy it.
...And if you buy the super expensive gear, that will last you a lifetime because it is amazing quality stuff, you'll propably wanna switch it out after a few years anyway, because, well, gear is fun.😅
How you hold your trekking poles is exactly how I was taught to hold my cross-country skiing poles. I was taught it does a bunch of things: The tension in the strap when you come up from below supports the pole's weight, so you use your hands less to carry them and use the bigger muscles of your arms and shoulders more. Greater control of the poles with the least amount of pressure. Less likelihood of injury, because they fall out of your hands and away more easily, and finally less fatigue on hands because you can change your hand grip more easily, to thumbs on crown of the poles, for example.
I love base camping style, especially with newer hikers/backpackers. If anything goes wrong or you haven't dialed your gear, you're usually closer to your car so a bail is not as bad.
absolutely, great point! thank you for watching
The pack covers are worth it to wake up every morning without your gear and pack covered in dew. They do work pretty well and have kept my pack dry in some downpours. The Osprey pack cover has a drain hole and has never given me the issue of filling up with water.
On the ultra light thing. It is like with basically everything. The last 10% will take 90% of the effort. Perfection is always the thing that takes the longest and costs the most.
Buy right, I hate that one. I bought what I could afford to get started. And even now some of my cheapest gear is still my favorite gear.
Kyle you’re so right about the trekking pole straps. If you don’t use the straps, then you’re using your forearm muscles to navigate with the pole. When the straps are being used, you’re using the lat muscles and they’re a lot stronger than forearm muscles. When starting out I used the straps all the time. As I got stronger I needed them less. Good call.
remember bumping into a man on the Appalachian trail. my boys (we camped) and i approached him. i asked if i could ask him questions. what have you learned on the journey. he said “you dont need all the junk” you just need a plan and basics. his cooking stove was an empty soup can with holes and a wire (to hook on his backpack). exactly what you discussed. enjoyed
My first trip with my son we borrowed a pack for him, and I was able to find a slightly used pack with great back support at an outfitters for 60% off. We also packed anything needing to stay dry in Ziploc freezer baggies (backpacks are actually a bag of bags) which will keep those items dry and allows you to take single items out without compromising other items. We also packed one meal each which we considered gourmet, and so did others in our group. We made enough to share with others (10 of us total), and turned the meal time into a potluck ordeal. Used meats sold in pouches with rice and some precut veggies. Outside of my 20 yr old boots failing about 7 miles in of the 25 mile hike, it was a great time and fun. Cold streams feel great on blistered feet. Btw we used our pack covers for just keeping the morning dew off the packs
Sintax is my favorite backpacker. Been watching him since January 2016 and have seen every video since. Modeled my backpacking gear and style around his. He and Mike are awesome.
I never backpacked with a pack cover. Instead, I'd stuff things into various Reynolds oven bags, aka brown-in bags, and put those in the backpack. Stuff one with clothes or something, squash all the air out, twist to close, fold the twisted part over and tie off with rubber bands. You can double bag for overkill, but these are TOUGH clear mylar bags (not like trash bags) designed to roast a whole turkey or chicken in. I've stuffed these with clothes as described and submerged them in water overnight, and not a drop of water got in. They're as waterproof as those yellow vinyl dry bags but way way lighter and fit for purpose. Ziploc bags are great for stuff like phones of course, and anything inside a Ziploc placed into an oven bag-- you could put the backpack on a boat and send it to the bottom of the bay, and the stuff would still have salvage value 😂
Kyle, I'm a long time ADK hiker. I just started using trekking poles last year. I use the straps like you do, they feel steadier and I can control them better based on incline and terrain.
Found Sintax77's channel through your podcast, and I binge both of y'all's content daily. I'm looking into starting hiking and/or backpacking for about a month now, and y'all have both helped me get myself prepared for starting this new adventure! I love camping and have only hiked a couple times, so I'm glad I found your content
I’ve always recommended, regardless of hobby, to buy decent &affordable then upgrade when it breaks. You don’t know if you’re gonna stick with a hobby. No point spending so much money and use it once.
Backpacking for 5 nights in 1976. On day three, my one pair of pants ripped from seam to seam just below my butt cheek. I tossed them on the fire (picked out the snap and zipper next am to pack out.) Finished out the trip in my cutoffs. Good times!
The placement of the tent or sleeping system outside the bag hate is wild. I believe it’s more about utility and need. Putting your tent/ sleep system in your bag is not always ideal, but I’m former military and maybe not that cool 😂
My Dad was 10th Mountain Infantry Ski Trooper during WWII. Told me about collecting "dead bugs" at end of the day. All guys w 80-100# packs, exhausted, who fell backwards onto their packs in the snow and couldn't get up! I started out that way too! Go easy!
Thanks for the tips! I really liked the suggestion that you don't have to do the whole trail. Trying to get into backpacking with my young daughter, didn't occur to me to chop down miles and just make the best of it wherever you end up.
I bought one pair of Leki trekking poles in 1998 or '99 at about $90. I spent a stupid amount money on gear back then, but I still use those poles today. My son, on the other hand, has gone through three sets of cheap Amazon trekking poles already. He's 13 so hopefully he will outgrow his clumsiness! Definitely agree with the start with budget minded gear before committing to all of the high end gear.
South African hiker here, semi-nubie to hiking. I really enjoyed this video, espesially about the rain cover and pack liners. And here we hike with pack liners and rain covers.
As far as poles and the straps. I do the same type of strap thing for both hiking and skiing. I agree that you get a lot more leverage. It works for skiing very well and is what is recommended by the ski school teacher I went to years ago. I could be wrong, but I agree that it creates leverage you would not get otherwise. You are not going to break your wrist. It is impossible to unless you are going to break your wrest anyway. It won't be the straps.
Heavily agree that everyone needs to figure out what they prefer for themselves, one of my mates is a die hard hammock camper and I can’t stand them, I use a tipi tent and he doesn’t like sleeping on the ground, my other mate uses a lightweight bivi tent because it’s small and he doesn’t need the extra space to simply sleep somewhere, point is you won’t know what you need until you try a few different options, buy a cheap tent, tarp, hammock, give each a go in your yard or out on a single night trip before spending money on something you’re not sure with. Don’t buy the expensive hammock your favourite RUclipsr recommended to find out you get back pain.
Started my AT thru hike on april 1st of 2024, Day 3 on Sassafras I blew up my knee and had to get off. Overworked and went way too hard right out of the gate, now I'm waiting for another week before I can get down south and continue my hike.
We backpack with kids and base camp is ESSENTIAL to keep them enjoying the trips. We usually spend 2 nights at single camps twice during our week out. Also, I prefer the big REI ponchos to the pack cover and waterproofing on the inside ;) the Ponchos are great at camp also.
You did a couple of things brilliantly right.
1. Talk from personal experience. We can make the connection to you and then we are more drawn to pay attention to your advice.
2. Respecting a person’s journey of discovery about their backpacking experience which includes the selection of gear that works for them.
I’ve actually enjoyed the evolution of my pack and contents because it is a reflection of my growth in experience.
3. Humour. It sets up a more relaxed atmosphere that makes it easier to learn.
Thanks!
The thing about framed vs frameless packs comes down to proper fit for me; just been trying Decathlon MT100 50 liter pack and the easyfit system makes it precisely adjust to every size and load; by far the most comfortable pack I’ve used so far. Yeah it’s not ultralight but the weight carries so well, it compensates for it.
Maybe Start out with day hikes early spring into Summer venturing to overnight continuing adding days through cold,hot,wet,dry times.
5% more effort leads to 50% more comfort. Ive learned that. When i go bushcraft or camping at the lakes, i bring my 2 man tent (robens voyager 2ex tent) its weights more than my friends tents but i have a better comfort. Here in the uk where always rains, theres nothing worse bring you wet clothes/ gear into your sleeping area, with a tent which has a bigger porch i can leave my wet gear there and my sleeping area is dry and fresh. Just stuff like that makes life a bit more ez.
Syntax77 was the very first Hiker Channel I ever watched religiously. His intro song, informative narration WHILE hiking & camping and then signature sign off hooked ya in. I Miss Slippers
Great video gents! Regarding budget gear. I’ve been backpacking for awhile now and I still buy budget gear. None of it has let me down yet. If I was gonna thru hike I might re consider but I’m just a weekend warrior. It’s also nice getting name brand gear that is last years model sometimes for half off (got a Mountainsmith Scream 55 pack for $88 and i love it)
Take care of your gear and it will take care of you.
Man, feel that OG energy coming off this one…
❤ I'm loving the exchange so far, and I just got passed the clothing discussion, so I wanted to chime in (helps with the algorithm, right?)
So let me preface this by saying that I haven't been hiking/camping since I was in my teens (~2 decades ago), and that was with cadets, but I'm planning on getting back out there to go small game hunting and some weekend warrior stuff.
So my first time going to a weekend hike and camp, I packed like for all weather and possibilities - like Richard Tyler in "the Pagemaster" movie. I realised after that day that I didn't need 80% of what I had brought to camp in my own yard, and the cadets provided most of the other 20% of my gear.
This meant that I really only needed to bring clothes. So I would pack: 2 pairs of wool socks, 2 boxers, a t-shirt and a wooly sweater for the winter chills, and I usually only needed 1 pair of socks and underwear. The others were in case of accidents or bad weather.
When went winter camping (Southern Quebec, Canada) where you get well below -20°F, I'd wear extra thermals and mitts all day and night, and a balaclava and tuque at night.
We learned quickly that excess gear weighs you down, can get lost or stolen, and makes packing a rucksack a major chore.
So I think I would be somewhere between both guys. I'd sleep in my underwear and clean dry socks, but only carry a warm sweater and seasonally appropriate jackets for rain or snow. Rain ponchos are also a great choice for a water repellent layer you can shove in a cargo pocket that also somewhat covers your pack, or wool blankets if it's cold and your loaded with cash (dang expensive!), but super cool looking
Watching pack shakedowns in Mountain Crossings at Neel’s Gap in the spring is eye opening! Lots of underprepared and over equipped hikers.
Go on multiple shakedown hikes to become familiar with and test your gear, and to get your trail legs. It’s not the same in the gym.
Shakedown hike(s) - Absolutely YES! Did an overnight shakedown a week before starting a 500 mile AT hike, snd discovered a major equipment problem; had time to solve it. Did two overnight shakedowns with friends before a five-day hike in Yosemite and made some important discoveries about equipment and food. Shakedowns also help break in new footgear.
I was recently contemplating that style "basecamping" for portaging. you would be able to see WAY MORE on a trip without unpack and pack up, but even more impact is leaving the gear. You would cover 4 times the distance.
For the trekking pole strap thing, the way Kyle does it is the way you are supposed to do it. I honestly didn't think people thought there was a different/better way, because there isn't. All you have to do is go to the websites of all the companies that make trekking poles or even just trekking pole straps and they all say to bring your hand up through the loop and then the straps sit between your thumb and fingers as you grab the pole. This tightens the straps so it is snug against your wrist, giving you much more leverage and keeping your hand muscles from getting tired from gripping the pole tightly, It is also safer than looping your hand directly through the strap from above, because when you release the strap during a fall, the pole falls away allowing your hands to impact the ground freely. If your hand is through the top and you release the pole, there is a good chance that the strap will get caught in your hand somewhere meaning the pole will be between your hand/fingers as you fall, potentially causing broken bones or sprains.
My swiss gear trekking poles from Walmart are still going strong after 20 years! Don't use em on every trip, but used mileage is probably over 500.
I am a pack cover user. But my pack cover philosophy is a bit different. The pack cover is intended for my pack. Not the gear inside it. I protect the gear inside with lightweight roll top dry bags. 1 for my clothes, 1 for kitchen, food, toiletries, smellables (especially for bear country, that makes it easy to throw in bear bag.), 1 for any electronics/maps/etc, And dry bags for any other items in the pack. Keeps my things organized and dry.
Great content, I love sharing stories and experiences on trail lol I got worse as I hiked and now am going back to the basics
1. Definitely guilty of this, I placed my tent at the bottom of my pack during a rainy downpour in AL. It took me one good day trying to repack my gear in the rain for me to figure out it was just a complete disaster to place your tent inside your pack wet and at the bottom. everything was covered in pieces of forest and muddy wetness lol. My noob logic was I can place everything on my sleeping pad while I set up.
2-3. I'm guilty of both not trying my gear out bc I just want to go versus base camping and also trying to compete with my younger athletic child who could recover faster.
4. Frogg Toggs are a great example of a good cheap buy to figure out if you even like hiking first. Why spend $400 on a jacket if you might only truly hike once.
5. I actually did this in reverse bc I was broke lmfao I originally had a trash bag and switched to a pack cover for the reflective quality for roads, BUT it was a waste for me when everything got wet. The theme here is rain, rain always finds a way to get to me lol.
6. 😲
6.2, , I like sleep clothes bc I fear a wild animal will smell the scent of my dinner on my hiking clothes, My mind neglects I am dinner. But also its my emergency bandages and if I shit myself saves
7. YES! I tried to bring heavy af lights bc I wanted "the woods are magical midsummer nights dream lights", I'm an idiot it was a nightmare in weight, they got wet and didn't even work. F#$5ing rain
8. Me and my mom did this we packed double the food and all of mine wasn't even eaten bc she had so much.
9. Yep, I bought a sleeping bag bc they claimed it kept them so warm but they neglected to say to a new person hiking, it was a summer bag. Now luckily I was in AL fall weather but I was incredibly cold and angry at 32*,
10. Haha yes! I had this idea to bring a hanging candle lantern to warm my tent bc it looked so rustic and cool, luckily I was talked out of it bc lmfao could you imagine buying or packing multiple candles made of wax to hike with lol dude the weight alone.
The normal food thing was definitely hilarious I did the same also.
That history is freaking awesome.
my dumbest noob thing ever though was not listening to experienced hikers in my area. I decided I didn't need a sleeping pad bc weight and I'm a badass and leaves right? I was in fact not a bad ass.
I have brought a pad ever since.
On the trekking pole strap topic, I learned to use them the way you do, Kyle, from a friend who's an avid cross-country skier. So it must be right.
videos are the gateway to the adventure. There are so many great ideas and different way to do things, but the only way on to know how to do something is to experience it. Back in the day you had to spend time searching out experts either at the local camping store, go to the library and find books and magazines. Yeah... I'm that old.
fair point!!
My first backpacking trip just my pack and tent weighed 10 pounds. We won’t get into how much the MRE’s weighed😉 Now my pack completely loaded for four days with food and water is 24.
ok.. Making a base camp sounds cool... but are you not afraid of your stuff and food being gone, stolen, or destroyed?? I also would hate to get turned around and not make it back to where i set up camp, or came out another exit that was way closer to the goal, have to go back, get said crap, and move it again, or have to rewalk that distance in the morning.. what do you do in these cases?
Things almost are never stolen from a backcountry camp. Trailheads are where that happens. Always carry your food unless it’s in a bear proof canister, even rodents can and will destroy food. You choose where to walk. Make good choices about how far you walk from your base camp.
There is a distinct difference between ultralight backpacking and just not bringing stuff lol. Item for item, if you want to bring the same stuff, ultralight gear is much more expensive and/or much less durable/less comfortable.
That's a great point and one I think is missed by a lot of newer folks trying to figure out how to go lighter. Being a kitchen sink packer myself, I really struggled with this one and still have difficulty with some stuff, particularly my admittedly ridiculous FAK. You can certainly shave several pounds switching to the lighter gear, but if you're starting from a 40lb base weight, it's not going to make much difference just going for lighter gear. First step is to figure out what you can stop packing in the first place. I think the final transition to UL and SUL is deciding how much suck you're willing to embrace.
You guys hit the nails on their heads!!!😂😂😂
As a two time thru hiker of the AT and going out every year for a month or two I see so many new prospective thruhikers making all these mistakes and more...good advice!!!
A pack liner is the way indeed, but I also like to bring a pack cover just to have a ground cloth for the bag and keep it clean. It does add weight but that's no issue when bike packing for example.
Not following "buy right or buy twice" and the difference between camping/backpacking kinda work together I think. When I was kitting out my "beginner, I might not like this" backpacking stuff recently, I consciously went for things that would also be good for more static camping. Either near the car or a _short_ walk away (the kinda thing you could make multiple trips to get everything).
That means that for now I have a heavy (but comparatively cheap!) pack, BUT as I get nicer gear now that I know I'm into backpacking and I figure out more what I want, I have things like a spacious tent where the thicker materials should last a nice long time
Hello 👋 Kyle, thank you for sharing this informative video. Sintax 77 remains one of my favorite Utube/backpackers. Keep up your great videos. Always stay safe out there. 😊
As someone who grew up canoe camping in Ontario long before I hiked garbage bag lining the inside of your pack is the way to go. And if you leave extra air your bag is basically now a flotation device.
It is crazy. We do more tent camping than backpacking, but I have paired down our camping kitchen container. We went with sea to summit cups and dishes and and got rid of the heavy pots and pans. It has been so much easier loading up our container or quite literally things we really do need.
You’re right about the straps. I even wear them like that when I’m trail running. The poles will swing and move themselves. It’s hard to explain. But that’s exactly what the straps are for. I use the black diamond z poles this way.
11:08, there is a way of preparing for having "all that weight...". Start with farmers' walks with dumbbells or kettlebells, add weighted vests, or go rucking with a weighted backpack. Cardio work and cross training will also help in preparation.
I've done that a few times; added a couple bags of shot to the bottom of the backpack. Even carrying the pack while on the treadmill will help.
I went on a canoe trip and felt self-conscious about my homemade gear and they called me a garbage hiker… But the Canoe capsized all the gear went down downstream without us. They’re screaming about being out $600 each all my gear cost 150 bucks including food.
Haha! 👍 Nice work! Buying flash gear like it's a fashion parade has my contempt. Same people who do this almost never pack enough food or water. Flashy gear eh 🙄 . Some of my gear is second generation, 65 odd years and items older. Other stuff is cheap or free, or repurposed empty containers. Still works. Hiking isn't a fashion parade. It's all about what works not showing off. Some people miss the point of the outdoors entirely. Sounds like you get it though so good for you 😁👍👍
@@tttm99 one of the benefits of growing up broke and having a backwoods family
I was at Zion NP a few months ago and only like 2% of the hikers I saw using rental hiking poles were using the straps correctly. It was crazy to me that the rental companies wouldn't show folks how to use them.
Life long hiker, and I call my hiking pole "a stick", which I usually acquire from a personal favourite outlet "the ground". 😂
My first take on packing was gear accessibility: 1st aid, navigation and rain gear on top. But even before that, you will always reach for water the most often.
I bought the outdoor products 3 dry bag set from walmart back in 2009 when i was a poor E-3. Still using them today! My dad joined me on a trip recently. He bought the ozark trail poles from Walmart. They were surprisingly light and comfortable!
Your method with straps on poles is the way we use poles for snow skiing. Also I did a long weekend outing with a friend and both of us forgot forks and spoons. We carved chopped sticks and made it through the trip.
Nothing wrong about buying twice. Or borrowing stuff. When I started out with my girlfriend our gear was thrifted, borrowed or something we owned already. Upgraded as necessary to better tent, better underlayers, better sleeping pads, lighter sleeping bag. We had both done trekking before as kids / teenagers so we weren't total newbies but yeah :D
My backpack was an old backpack left by someone who didn't need it anymore, it has none of the features new backpacks have, my sleeping bag was also left there by someone, I got my winter jacket for pretty cheap from a second hand shop during black Friday. You don't need expensive gear.
Definitely need to put your hand up through the strap then down. Just like a ski pole. Other wise there is no purpose of using the straps. It’s the only way you are going to get leverage.
Honestly I had excellent luck going to sportsmans warehouse, this was back in like 2008 though. The kid working the camping area set me up with great beginner gear. I still use the same tent, pad, bag and stove he sold me on all those years ago. Lots of good memories with that gear. Start cheap then slowly collect new gear over the years, at least thats how I did it. Avoid those compulsive purchases. You really don't need much if all you are doing is a two or three night hike.
some bits id recommend, at least try some bushcraft/primitive/survival skills, if you can do it heavy and low tech you'll have a blast with all the light high tech stuff.
splurge on the footwear, worst case scenario you'll still have good boots\shoes.
always file a flight plan and let someone know where you'll be and when you'll be back, so many people forget this and if something does happen you'll have someone on their way eventually.
start small, i started backpacking as a hybrid of car camping then hitting increasing long or difficult state park trails, its really comforting to know you have rangers/others in the area in an emergency and a built in base camp if you want to turn back for any reason or something goes wrong.
So I been backpacking for a few months now. I've done shake out were go on 14 or 15 mile hiles with all my gear. By time I'm done om tired and hurting and ready to be done. But I still am having fun. Even when I'm done I'm usually in a lot of pain.
Yet every time the next day I'm sitting at home wanting to get back on trail. I love the pain and the exhaustion.
This is how I know I could thru hike.
I am considering a pack cover because although my gear is secured in dry bags, the pack absorbs water and gets really heavy!
I don't watch your pod on yt but had to pop on and thank you for this episode! Doing my first backcountry trip this summer and was thinking of the "buy once, cry once" saying for a new sleep pad so this was super helpful (along with everything else)
😮 Sintax77's story at the end, with the fuselage emerging from the inky darkness, had me thinking of the videos we see of scuba divers and deep sea explorations: it's all dark then suddenly a shark is right in front of you!
I wouldn't have been brave and/or crazy enough to do that😅
Re trekking pole strap: I learned to ski in the 60’s and how you describe was the prevailing wisdom which had come from cross-country skiing. (If you watch xc ski racers you can see how this works to great advantage.) I did once fall and catch my thumb and sprained it, but overall I found the “up from below” method the most effective. Downhill ski pole designers have tried other designs so that hands wouldn’t be caught in the straps, but that was motivated by the amazing speeds that skiers attain in races.
It would be interesting to see the stats and make an evidenced-based decision.
Base camp tip is EXCELLENT! We camp with. Trail Life troop and it’s rather unpleasant. Our first trip they wanted to push in after hiking all day I. An effort to get closer to the exit spot. I said I was not going in after 15 miles and the nearer admitted we like have missed cooking dinner and would have had to set up in the dark--which is not a problem…but why make the trip miserable? Some feel it has to be. Thank you Syntax…coming from you…I feel better. We would have done more trips not pushed too hard and made it miserable.
I totally agree with Kyle about the trekking poles! I had several times where this made a huge difference in my hiking experience 🙃
I use my packcover alot!
At my dayhikes, i have to cross a lot of main roads and the safety orange coulor was very useful in bad weather ( as Safety vest) on my darkgrey pack!
Screamy neon colars are very likes by wasps and so!
So the removable Orange is a great idea!
So the free packcover is only used as safety vest!
Base camping is the best. I do it during winter camping. Find a location, setup camp, get the hot tent up and firewood ready for a couple days and each day is a exploration day. Come back to stocked tent with firewood, get the stove going and chill.
Sore from the prior day? Easy firewood day to recover. Take it slow and easy.
10 points Kyle! You are correct on the pole strap info
Yup
I thought I was the crazy one, phew! thank you
So a pack liner is def a better choice but I did find a pack cover I found that worked perfectly for the most part. It was the mystery ranch pack cover with the built in hood. It kept most of the rain off my back as well. There’s not much you can do in blowing rain but it really surprised me.
I think that a REALLY big mistake a lot of beginners make is not checking the way their gear works before they embark on a trip to use it. Practice setting up your tent in a backyard or area that you can access. This will let you know how your tent sets up and also will let you know if anything is missing. Ditto for stoves. So you know how to use it and to know that its working properly use your stove before you set out on your trip.
Check all of your gear to be sure none of it was damaged in storage or transit.