PS....great to hear an endorsement for the rain kilt!! I have been debating about getting one for my trip to Spain to walk the Camino but I think this settled it for me. When facing hours of steady rain I think this is a great solution to keep the rain off and let the heat out!
Lynn McDougal I'm not exaggerating when I say that it was my favorite piece of gear. It went above and beyond my expectations of it. Easy to put on when rain starts suddenly, easy to take off without even stopping. Comfortable, effective, durable, light, what more could one ask?
Good information Kale. Best information comes from past thru hikers and glad to hear you're headed back out! A lot of the same gear I will be taking along. I don't know when you are starting but maybe I will see you out there. If not have a good summer.
Anthony Mannello Thanks! I know that I found post-hike gear reviews the most useful when preparing for the trip so I'm just returning the favor. I didn't care what people were GOING to take, I wanted to know what had worked or not! I'll be starting the day of the first kick off. After seeing the state of the bathrooms by the end of kick off last year I definitely wouldn't want to be in the second one.
Ha! That is unfortunate. I'll be a long ways up trail. Not sure if I will swing back around for the kick off. Do you recommend it for an experienced backpacker? or is it just nice to see friendly faces?
Anthony Mannello I'd say, for me, it's mostly about the reunion aspect. Although Meadow Ed's water talk is always useful and they hand out updated water reports along with the class bandana.
Thank, Kale, you for sharing your decisions and thinking. Actually, those critters come out at night to hunt. Snakes like to warm themselves in the morning (trails). They tend not to bother things they can't eat - except for mosquitoes at night and gnats/flies during the day. Thinking wide brimmed hat for sun and rain with an applyable screen you talk about. Hope you don't mind, I took notes and found links to things you mentioned. Thanks, Kale. I'm going to make up my own gaters - never use a dirty girl.
1) Thanks for the info. 2) Do you see many people wearing boots versus trail runners? Is there consensus that trail runners are better? 3) I hope you have a great 2015 hike. It looks like it's going to be really dry, and that makes me a little worried for people. I hope you'll make and post some more videos from the trail, those were great to watch.
No problem! I'm glad you enjoyed/benefited from it. While the great majority of thru hikers wear trail runners there is still a small handful of die-hard boot wearers. In fact, I hit Canada with one who had worn the same pair of Vasque boots since Idyllwild whereas I had to replace my trail runners 4 times. There are pros and cons on both sides. Trail runner pros: breathable, quick drying (relatively), flexible, light weight, no break-in period. Cons: Not very durable, bad for snow travel. Boot pros: Durable, supportive, rigid (great for kick stepping in snow). Cons: heavy, not breathable (no, gortex does not solve this problem), very very very slow drying, rigid (good for snow, bad for everything else), long break in period. Its a matter of personal preference. Thanks. Yeah, last year was really dry and this year is bound to be the same if not worse. I'll just do a lot more night hiking to compensate (also hard candy is great for staving off dehydration). I'm going to try to add a lot more content before and during my hike. I ran into a well known youtuber on trail who was apparently making enough money off of this to pay for all his food for the whole trip and I though "why not?". Not to mention that I enjoy helping prospective thru hikers.
Nice kit! I truly enjoy watching gear lists of people who have come to their list via trials and experience. You have probably already checked them out but if yoiu want to splurge a couple times, check out PackIt Gourmet's wrap options. I'm a big fan of the Kickin' Chicken Hot Wing wrap. When do you head out? Thanks for sharing!
Weberventure1 I've come across a few PackIt Gourmet items before and they've all been very tasty but I can't say that I've tried the wraps. My start date is in late April.
I've been using the Koolaid containers for soaking but I recently switched to the 2 cup ziploc twist n loc containers. I love those and they weigh less than 2 oz. Just a thought. Happy trails.
Kale Scown I believe they are watertight. I haven't had any leaking so far. Lint (done the triple crown 3 times) recommended them to me. He was using them on the AT last year when I met him and they worked the whole trail. The 2 cup ones are probably too small for double meals but they make them in 4 cups (32oz) sizes. And they are BPA free which is awesome.
Kale Scown No problem. I've seen a lot of peanut butter jars on the trail. I had the same thought about cooking as you last year on the AT. Just got tired of cooking. Haha.
Great video, very informative !!! I'm a bit concerned about using wet wipes instead of toilet paper, if your going to bury them, they take a very long time to decompose, much, much longer than toilet paper ?
+Justin McKinney Thats why I don't bury them. I double bag them and pack them out. In reality the same should be done with regular toilet paper but it is less of a problem in terms of decomposition. With the massive increase in all kinds of PCT users we need to be more vigilant of LNT than we've been able to get away with in the past.
Thanks for this video! Very helpful as I continue to prepare for my thru hike. A question about the Ursack.. did you find it was big enough to fit all of your food throughout the whole trail? It says in the description that if packed "efficiently" it should fit enough for 5 days. It seems there may be stretches a bit longer than that here and there, so just wondering if you had any problems fitting all of your food inside. Also, did you use Opsacks inside to keep the food odor blocked? Thanks so much!
Rachel B My longest stretch with the ursack (and the whole trail) was 7 days between Tehachapi and Kennedy meadows and it fit everything just fine. Very very full but contained. I started out with an opsack in the ursack (because it came with it) but ditched it in Tehachapi when my father came to visit. It did seem to work as advertized but made fitting everything in my food bag difficult and somewhat unnecessary when already using a bear (and, for the most part, rodent) proof bag.
thanks for the video, very useful. this is probably a stupid question but I was wondering about your sleeping bag. Is that the size it packs down to or do you use a compression bag? It just seemed very large in your video. I am new to this so please cut me some slack. Very good video!
Matt Saucer There's no shame in being new! It is in its large, cotton, long-term storage bag in the video which allows it to loft when not in use for long periods (very important for down bags). Last year I used a compression sack that squished it down to the size of a loaf of bread but this year I am just stuffing it loosely into the bottom of my backpack.
Hey man thanks for sharing this on the 2015 fb group! some very helpful tips I hadn't heard before! I know this is the most lame question ever but how many wetones packs are you buying and are you getting them in bulk? My wife and I will probably end up using at least 60 15-wipe packs.
Andrew Holzschuh Because I used a buy-as-I-go resupply strategy I didn't do a lot of bulk buying of food or supplies before the trip. I'd just roll into a town, get what I needed from the local grocery store, and roll back out. With wetones I'd just buy a fresh 15-20 count pack every time I got to town so I had a new pack for each section.
Thanks Kale I am preparing for 2016 PCT - you mention the Jackery Battery Charger would you hike again with that or did you find other hikers had a lighter version? Thanks
+Simone Griffin I would hike with it again. It's not perfect (reacts poorly to cold and has trouble continually charging certain devices) but holds a decent charge and is light. By far the most popular brand I saw used on trail was Anker although I don't know if it's any lighter.
Hi. Thanks for sharing your video. I just have two questions. 1. How did you calculate the proportions of your meals that you would need during the hike? 2. On a scale how bad was the bug problem in the Sierras? I'm curious because I'm in the middle of plans to hike the John Muir Trail this summer and am not quite sure how to plan out the food. Cheers :)
Clara Shook 1. Food turned out to be pretty easy. I used a hybrid mail-drop/buy-as-I-go method so I didn't have to do as much pre-hike planning. I carried a note book on trail where I had written down my planned resupply points along with an M for mail drop or a B for buy with the distance in miles until the next resupply (ex: mile 42.6 - Mt. Laguana B 67mi.). The amount of food you consume and your pace will change so drastically throughout the course of the hike that there is absolutely no point in trying to plan out specific quantities. My system allowed me to buy whatever I wanted to eat and in whatever quantity I needed when I got to the store based on my appetite and pace (how many days it would take me to get through a section) at the time. I started off having breakfast, lunch, dinner, and 2 snacks a day. I finished having 2 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 2 dinners, at least 4 snacks per day and still literally starving. Shit changes, roll with it. Very important to understand that you won't have the hiker hunger until 2 weeks or maybe a month in so don't over pack in the beginning. 2. On a scale from 1 to AAAAAAAAAA!!! the bugs weren't that bad. I didn't even use DEET. Ever. Even though I carried the stuff. Just zip-off long pants, long sleeved shirt, head net, and fully enclosed tent.
Clara Shook You too! Hats off to you for doing the JMT. I maintain that sectioning is way harder than thru hiking and the JMT kicked my ass (even after 800 miles of conditioning haha).
Kale Scown Seriously?! Wow, well I'm defiantly trying to properly prepare for it! Just out of curiosity how well spaced did you find the resupply points on the JMT?
Clara Shook They were fine. I did Bishop (via kearsarge), MTR, Mammoth, and Tuolumne but I'm going to switch from MTR to VVR this year as I went to both anyway and found it to be cheaper and more pleasant.
I have the selkirk and I agree about it's mediocrity. Question for my imminent thru hike-- would I be warm enough on all parts of the trail with the selkirk, a light fleece, and a dri duck jacket? From this video that seems similar to what you are taking. Thanks!
Lynn McDougal It's all about the flow rate. The mini is paaaaaaainfully slow while the full sized squeeze is at least twice as fast. Trust me when I say the once to once and a half difference in weight is sooooo worth the faster flow rate when you have to hunch over squeezing a bottle. Both will suffer from a permanent decrease in flow rate early on but if you back flush regularly their speed sort of plateaus. I can't count how many hikes I talked to who wished they had the full sized instead of the mini.
Kale Scown Aaahhhh....I used the mini all last summer and that was my experience as well. Sooooooo slow! OK...I'll pick up the extra ounce and use this one instead. I'm really not a gram counter ;-) Thanks and have a great trip! Say hi to the bears for me! :-D Lynn "Hotflash"
So you swear by the Ursack huh? The all white over the minor? This is my first time hearing of them. I was just going to use a cheap dry sack to save money. I'm a novice when it comes to bear bags, cans etc. Did you use an OPsack inside it? Which out of the can and bag do you think could fit more food in? I'm planning on doing the AT and it will be my first thru hike. Thanks for the video and any info you could give would be greatly appreciated.
I do. It is wonderful for keeping rodents out of your food. The problem with the minor is that the closure leaves an opening that they can squeeze through while the Allwhite doesn't. Mine has yet to fail even though I just leave it on the ground in my vestibule at night. I'd say, depending on the brand and size, a can will hold more than the Ursack but my bag will hold up to 7 days of food comfortably. Having never hiked the AT I can only speculate based on stories that I've heard but I would take my Ursack if I was doing it. I don't take the opsac. I think its redundant. Use one or the other, not both.
How ironic that the one specifically designed for "critters" is worse then the bear version. The price is a little high for me but with how durable it is I might have to bite the bullet. Rather then the latter of constantly losing food and dry bags to mice and what not. Great info on your gear and mentality. It has given me things to think about. Thanks again for the response, much appreciated.
Were you able to fit everything in your pack with the bear canister? I live in Alberta, Canada, and I'll be doing most of my backpacking (when I start) in Jasper and Banff National parks. I don't think I can get away with just a bear bag there, so I'll probably need a can. I just want to know what size pack I should get if I plan to use one? Thanks.
I ended up switching to my larger ULA circuit in Mammoth to accommodate the added bulk and weight of the bear can. Remember though that a bear can doesn't have to add much bulk to your system. As you eat food out of it you can start putting gear inside. No wasted space.
I think that depends on your system. As long as your pack can comfortably carry the can inside then you shouldn't need a larger pack than you are used to carrying. The only reason I switched was because my pack was frameless which wouldn't have been comfortable with the can inside. It had nothing to do with a need for added space or weight carrying capability.
I have never done multi-day hikes before, so I don't really know what size I would need even without a can. Right now I carry a 22 L daypack when I hike and I just camp at a campsite. I doubt I'll be doing the ultralight thing because I like my camp comforts, so I think 70 would be a good start. As I gain experience, I guess I could use it as a winter bag if I lighten my summer load.
brianl9944 I actually carried a length of line, hooks, sinkers and a tiny titanium skillet through the high sierra last time and ended up ditching it as soon as possible. By the time I finished hiking at dusk each day the mosquitos were so bad that I pretty much had to jump into my tent to escape them. Fishing just didn't really work with my hiking style/schedual but if you are so inclined they are starving and stupid! They'll even bite onto bare hooks! (I had some fun one evening with another hikers full sized pole)
I really enjoyed the video. But i must say that scorpions and snakes are cold blooded and they wont mess with you but they will get into your sleeping bag for warmth.
JewishAdventurer Glad you like it! While it's true that that is possible, it is extremely unlikely. I've heard that urban legend for years but have yet to speak to anyone who has experienced it. Just check your surroundings before you decide to cowboy camp and you should be fine.
I know few people from the army that it happened to them. its true thats it unlikely. i have cowboy camped every night in my israel trail thru hike (1009km) and on every other hike i have done and nothing happened
I was a marine in 29 palms ca, I slept on the ground for all of two days before I woke up with a 9 inch scorpion on my bag. After that I always slept on my hummer.
A friend of mine woke up with a snake "sleeping" in his stomach. He had to wait until the snake woke up and left to start his hike. I sleep in a tent ever since...
Why so much emphasis on the Sawyer Squeeze? It seems much more difficult then the Platypus gravity. Having to squeeze and all that when you could just set it up and let it drip feed drinking water.
JOSHUA ROUSSELOW There is a place for both systems in the world of backpacking. The gravity type systems are fantastic for base camping - when you are spending a lot of time in camp and filtering large quantities of water at once. When one is thru hiking, though, they tend to need to filter small amounts of water frequently throughout the day. The down time necessary for a gravity system to operate makes it somewhat impractical for this particular style of backpacking. Versatility is also a factor in the squeeze's popularity as it can be screwed onto any standard "soda bottle" type threading. This makes replacing your dirty water container cheaper and easier than replacing the bags of gravity systems (bladders pop very very very easily). I watched people start the trail with gravity filters and most quickly succumbed to the frustrations they caused.
Kale Scown Actually the Sawyer can be screwed onto most bladders so all you need extra is a plastic bladder which is pretty light. I'll do this with groups but not solo (bringing the Sawyer either way).
I already have a few of the Platypus bladders, do you know if it works well with them? I'm asking because the desert section will require a lot of water between springs. So, my original idea was to bring the platypus, once I get to a spring take a long break and fill everything up and hydrate. Maybe switching to the Sawyer around Kennedy Meadows once water sources are abundant? Thanks for following up Kale
Cody Tipton While that is true I was, for the most part, referring to flying insects and rattlesnakes (the most common cause of concern in regards to cowboy camping). Both of which become largely inactive at night due to the cold. I cannot speak with any level of authority about scorpions, though, as I only saw 2 of them the whole trip.
It's a terrible backpack with no support and horrendous back padding. I wouldn't use it even if I received one for free. I won't impugn any of your other gear; however, I can't emphasize enough but the pack is soooooo uncomfortable and offers little to no support. I seriously wouldn't use it for even a weekend.
Matthew Riddell I'm curious what your pack weight was to cause you such discomfort with it. As it is a frameless, minimalist pack with a very low max base weight, support and padding aren't really the point. I don't doubt that it didn't work for you but I'd like to know your level of experience with it.
Oh yes, the infamous "minimalist" and self proclaimed "ultralight" backpacker. Well my level of experience with it was on a seven (7) day West Coast Trail trip on Vancouver Island. I have also done six (6) months trekking Alaska and Yukon, thru hiked the Pacific Crest Trial for four (4) months and thru hiked Qubec to Ontario and then through Minnesota at four (4) months. The APT is next on my agenda and you can bet it will not be with your pack as I sold it on eBay for next to nothing. The Appalachian Trail is next for me and I will be using a pack that has good thick padding, is comfortable and has an exemplary suspension system. Given all the weight I will be cutting, infra (mention below), I can afford the weight of a pack that is three (3) to three and a half (3.5) pounds over and above the stupid light unsupportive packs that most use. Indeed, it is trite to say that I know a thing or two about carrying a pack day in and day out for four (4) to six (6) months on end. Thick padding, sturdy support and a good suspension system is key, in my view, to having an enjoyable and comfortable trip and not inherently damaging your back muscles which will hurt you later on in your life with these long thru hike trips using a stupid light backpack that is cheap, unsupportive and has horrible suspension systems like the impugned pack being discussed herein. I am happy and more than willing to carry a three (3) pound pack as opposed to a one and a half (1.5) pound low quality stupid light pack to get a good padding and a solid suspension system. In short, even with a low amount of weight, the frameless design with little to no padding and a terrible non-existing suspension system doesn't even carry thirty (30) pounds well. If you are doing skilled thru hikes in remote places that require you to carry seven (7) days worth of food, or desert hiking which requires a lot of water to be carried it is no even a doable pack. Furthermore, the longevity of a thru hike of four (4) to six (6) months is so painful and gruelling on the back and will catch up to you overtime. You need an internal frame of some sort to offer an acceptable amount of padding and a good suspension system; otherwise, you will get no support and cannot climb any altitudes properly or do winter trips of any kind. I love these guys and gals that think that they are true "ultra light" backpackers because they merely carry, among other things, stupid light backpacks that are cheap and cost and weigh nothing; however, have little to no support, have no good suspension systems but yet weigh little to nothing. These alleged and self proclaimed minimalist that carry these junk packs that kill your back overtime yet hypocritically also carry: 1) camp shoes/ flip flops; 2) a book; 3) a journal: 4) a smart phone; 5) a camera; 7) an inflatable mattress; 8) more than (2) water canisters/ bladders; 8) a stove and a fuel canister; and 9) so much other random things that are luxuries, accessories and things that are not needed on the trail to survive. Indeed, if you carry any of the foregoing items, you cannot in any sense of the word consider yourself true "ultralight". It doesn't mean that you are wrong or a bad backpacker just that you cannot impugn someone for using a comfortable, secure, padded pack. I will compromise on using a shelter that is merely a tarp with no floor. I will not even use a sleeping bag (only a quilt or blanket).I will use no air mattress only foam. I will use no stove (eating cold like you're contemplating doing) but water purification and backpack support are two (2) areas any skilled and prudent backpacker will not compromise on. When I carried thirty (30) pounds in your backpack it felt like fifty because there is no padding, no support and no suspension system. I couldn't even contemplate using it for any winter expeditions or mountaineering climbs. Respectfully, the impugned pack is pure garbage and should not be sold on the market for anything more then a day hike or maybe a weekend trip! I firmly stand by that! I carry fourty (40) pounds in one of Gregory's light weight backpacks that is three (3) pounds (1) ounce that has an awesome industry leading technological suspension system and it feels less than twenty (20) pounds! This pack carrying thirty (30) pounds feels like fifty (50) and is ridiculously uncomfortable and manifestly bad for your back. You get what you pay for and this is amplified in the outdoor backpacking world; especially when you are living and surviving off your gear! I think Andrew Skurka said it best when he said there is "ultra light" and "stupid light". By using a back with no bad support and one that has a terrible (non existing) suspension system and you are going "stupid" light. In northern Canada you would run into serious problems using this jank of a pack. Trust me. i used it. I hate it. It is criminal that people pay good money for it.
Matthew Riddell That's great. Now I'll condense that down into the answers to the questions that I actually asked. 7 days with 30 pounds? Well, right there I see one of your problems. From ULA's own product description: "Rec'd Max Load: 18 lbs or less, it will carry more, but no frameless pack is very comfortable with over 18 pounds". The pack one uses should be made to comfortably carry the expected load of the trip. It's clear that you didn't pay any attention to that when purchasing and expected it to perform in a way that it was never designed to. I also find it interesting that you brought up Andrew Skurka when he, in fact, used/uses a pack that is very similar to the CDT in design (the Golite Jam) and stated in one of his presentations that if his total pack weight was around 25-30 pounds then a frameless pack is fine as his shoulders were strong enough to support the lions share of the load (ruclips.net/video/FGQTcQhL08A/видео.html pack discussion at 1:04:50). Who knows? I may end up hating this pack with a fiery passion and switching back to a more supportive setup but as my average expected weight falls within the functional range of the product I'm going to give it a try. HYOH.
Kale Scown I used the Ohm 2.0 which is slightly larger and has a minimalist "frame" on the Oregon PCT last year, and it worked great. I talked to others who were also happy with the pack. Quick question: I'm not sure how to carry a bear vault in the Sierras with the Ohm, let alone with the CDT. How do you do it? BTW, really fantastic video. Random comment/question: why not just use the Dr. Bronner's for tooth paste?
Anthony Tovar I would have gone with the Ohm too but, as I said in the video, it came down to the water bottle pockets. After the elastic wore out on my pack's pockets I decided that I needed one with a shock cord and cord lock system that could be tightened.I'll be strapping the bear can to the top of the pack. Because I'll only be carrying it from tuolomne meadows to bridgport (75 miles) I'm going to hold on to my ursack and transfer my food between the two each night/morning. This will allow me to store the food inside my pack and carry the bear can empty on top. Its not ideal but I can deal with the headache for 4 days.Hahaha I've heard of people doing that but I just couldn't get over the yuck factor. I'm far from a gram counter so I don't mind carrying the extra ounce for some real tooth paste.
PS....great to hear an endorsement for the rain kilt!! I have been debating about getting one for my trip to Spain to walk the Camino but I think this settled it for me. When facing hours of steady rain I think this is a great solution to keep the rain off and let the heat out!
Lynn McDougal I'm not exaggerating when I say that it was my favorite piece of gear. It went above and beyond my expectations of it. Easy to put on when rain starts suddenly, easy to take off without even stopping. Comfortable, effective, durable, light, what more could one ask?
Good information Kale. Best information comes from past thru hikers and glad to hear you're headed back out! A lot of the same gear I will be taking along. I don't know when you are starting but maybe I will see you out there. If not have a good summer.
Anthony Mannello Thanks! I know that I found post-hike gear reviews the most useful when preparing for the trip so I'm just returning the favor. I didn't care what people were GOING to take, I wanted to know what had worked or not! I'll be starting the day of the first kick off. After seeing the state of the bathrooms by the end of kick off last year I definitely wouldn't want to be in the second one.
Ha! That is unfortunate. I'll be a long ways up trail. Not sure if I will swing back around for the kick off. Do you recommend it for an experienced backpacker? or is it just nice to see friendly faces?
Anthony Mannello I'd say, for me, it's mostly about the reunion aspect. Although Meadow Ed's water talk is always useful and they hand out updated water reports along with the class bandana.
Thank, Kale, you for sharing your decisions and thinking. Actually, those critters come out at night to hunt. Snakes like to warm themselves in the morning (trails). They tend not to bother things they can't eat - except for mosquitoes at night and gnats/flies during the day. Thinking wide brimmed hat for sun and rain with an applyable screen you talk about. Hope you don't mind, I took notes and found links to things you mentioned. Thanks, Kale. I'm going to make up my own gaters - never use a dirty girl.
1) Thanks for the info. 2) Do you see many people wearing boots versus trail runners? Is there consensus that trail runners are better? 3) I hope you have a great 2015 hike. It looks like it's going to be really dry, and that makes me a little worried for people. I hope you'll make and post some more videos from the trail, those were great to watch.
No problem! I'm glad you enjoyed/benefited from it. While the great majority of thru hikers wear trail runners there is still a small handful of die-hard boot wearers. In fact, I hit Canada with one who had worn the same pair of Vasque boots since Idyllwild whereas I had to replace my trail runners 4 times. There are pros and cons on both sides. Trail runner pros: breathable, quick drying (relatively), flexible, light weight, no break-in period. Cons: Not very durable, bad for snow travel. Boot pros: Durable, supportive, rigid (great for kick stepping in snow). Cons: heavy, not breathable (no, gortex does not solve this problem), very very very slow drying, rigid (good for snow, bad for everything else), long break in period. Its a matter of personal preference. Thanks. Yeah, last year was really dry and this year is bound to be the same if not worse. I'll just do a lot more night hiking to compensate (also hard candy is great for staving off dehydration). I'm going to try to add a lot more content before and during my hike. I ran into a well known youtuber on trail who was apparently making enough money off of this to pay for all his food for the whole trip and I though "why not?". Not to mention that I enjoy helping prospective thru hikers.
Nice kit! I truly enjoy watching gear lists of people who have come to their list via trials and experience.
You have probably already checked them out but if yoiu want to splurge a couple times, check out PackIt Gourmet's wrap options. I'm a big fan of the Kickin' Chicken Hot Wing wrap.
When do you head out?
Thanks for sharing!
Weberventure1 I've come across a few PackIt Gourmet items before and they've all been very tasty but I can't say that I've tried the wraps. My start date is in late April.
I've been using the Koolaid containers for soaking but I recently switched to the 2 cup ziploc twist n loc containers. I love those and they weigh less than 2 oz. Just a thought. Happy trails.
***** I always forget about those haha. Are the 100% water tight? Are they big enough for double meals like ramen bombs?
Kale Scown I believe they are watertight. I haven't had any leaking so far. Lint (done the triple crown 3 times) recommended them to me. He was using them on the AT last year when I met him and they worked the whole trail. The 2 cup ones are probably too small for double meals but they make them in 4 cups (32oz) sizes. And they are BPA free which is awesome.
***** Thanks for the suggestion! If I have any problems with the peanut butter jar ill absolutely give those a try.
Kale Scown No problem. I've seen a lot of peanut butter jars on the trail. I had the same thought about cooking as you last year on the AT. Just got tired of cooking. Haha.
***** Yup, just an extra chore before I could eat and go to sleep.
Great video, very helpful! I'd love to know what's in your first aid kit
RustyRamps Conveniently I made a video on my first aid kit! Check it out, hope it's helpful.
Great video, very informative !!! I'm a bit concerned about using wet wipes instead of toilet paper, if your going to bury them, they take a very long time to decompose, much, much longer than toilet paper ?
+Justin McKinney Thats why I don't bury them. I double bag them and pack them out. In reality the same should be done with regular toilet paper but it is less of a problem in terms of decomposition. With the massive increase in all kinds of PCT users we need to be more vigilant of LNT than we've been able to get away with in the past.
Thanks for this video! Very helpful as I continue to prepare for my thru hike. A question about the Ursack.. did you find it was big enough to fit all of your food throughout the whole trail? It says in the description that if packed "efficiently" it should fit enough for 5 days. It seems there may be stretches a bit longer than that here and there, so just wondering if you had any problems fitting all of your food inside. Also, did you use Opsacks inside to keep the food odor blocked? Thanks so much!
Rachel B My longest stretch with the ursack (and the whole trail) was 7 days between Tehachapi and Kennedy meadows and it fit everything just fine. Very very full but contained. I started out with an opsack in the ursack (because it came with it) but ditched it in Tehachapi when my father came to visit. It did seem to work as advertized but made fitting everything in my food bag difficult and somewhat unnecessary when already using a bear (and, for the most part, rodent) proof bag.
thanks for the video, very useful. this is probably a stupid question but I was wondering about your sleeping bag. Is that the size it packs down to or do you use a compression bag? It just seemed very large in your video. I am new to this so please cut me some slack. Very good video!
Matt Saucer There's no shame in being new! It is in its large, cotton, long-term storage bag in the video which allows it to loft when not in use for long periods (very important for down bags). Last year I used a compression sack that squished it down to the size of a loaf of bread but this year I am just stuffing it loosely into the bottom of my backpack.
If you’re not using a TC bag, what brand & size liner would you recommend for this size pack? Thanks for the video
Hey man thanks for sharing this on the 2015 fb group! some very helpful tips I hadn't heard before! I know this is the most lame question ever but how many wetones packs are you buying and are you getting them in bulk? My wife and I will probably end up using at least 60 15-wipe packs.
Andrew Holzschuh Because I used a buy-as-I-go resupply strategy I didn't do a lot of bulk buying of food or supplies before the trip. I'd just roll into a town, get what I needed from the local grocery store, and roll back out. With wetones I'd just buy a fresh 15-20 count pack every time I got to town so I had a new pack for each section.
Is that the small or large Thermarest stuff sack pillow?
like the watch, looks easy to make
Cody Tipton It is and worked well.
Hey Kale whats the name of your Ursack? Is it the Ursack Minor?
Thanks Kale I am preparing for 2016 PCT - you mention the Jackery Battery Charger would you hike again with that or did you find other hikers had a lighter version? Thanks
+Simone Griffin I would hike with it again. It's not perfect (reacts poorly to cold and has trouble continually charging certain devices) but holds a decent charge and is light. By far the most popular brand I saw used on trail was Anker although I don't know if it's any lighter.
Hi. Thanks for sharing your video. I just have two questions. 1. How did you calculate the proportions of your meals that you would need during the hike? 2. On a scale how bad was the bug problem in the Sierras? I'm curious because I'm in the middle of plans to hike the John Muir Trail this summer and am not quite sure how to plan out the food. Cheers :)
Clara Shook 1. Food turned out to be pretty easy. I used a hybrid mail-drop/buy-as-I-go method so I didn't have to do as much pre-hike planning. I carried a note book on trail where I had written down my planned resupply points along with an M for mail drop or a B for buy with the distance in miles until the next resupply (ex: mile 42.6 - Mt. Laguana B 67mi.). The amount of food you consume and your pace will change so drastically throughout the course of the hike that there is absolutely no point in trying to plan out specific quantities. My system allowed me to buy whatever I wanted to eat and in whatever quantity I needed when I got to the store based on my appetite and pace (how many days it would take me to get through a section) at the time. I started off having breakfast, lunch, dinner, and 2 snacks a day. I finished having 2 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 2 dinners, at least 4 snacks per day and still literally starving. Shit changes, roll with it. Very important to understand that you won't have the hiker hunger until 2 weeks or maybe a month in so don't over pack in the beginning. 2. On a scale from 1 to AAAAAAAAAA!!! the bugs weren't that bad. I didn't even use DEET. Ever. Even though I carried the stuff. Just zip-off long pants, long sleeved shirt, head net, and fully enclosed tent.
Kale Scown Fantastic, thanks a bunch! Hope you have an amazing trip.
Clara Shook You too! Hats off to you for doing the JMT. I maintain that sectioning is way harder than thru hiking and the JMT kicked my ass (even after 800 miles of conditioning haha).
Kale Scown Seriously?! Wow, well I'm defiantly trying to properly prepare for it! Just out of curiosity how well spaced did you find the resupply points on the JMT?
Clara Shook They were fine. I did Bishop (via kearsarge), MTR, Mammoth, and Tuolumne but I'm going to switch from MTR to VVR this year as I went to both anyway and found it to be cheaper and more pleasant.
I have the selkirk and I agree about it's mediocrity. Question for my imminent thru hike-- would I be warm enough on all parts of the trail with the selkirk, a light fleece, and a dri duck jacket? From this video that seems similar to what you are taking. Thanks!
PolyRisen You'll be fine with just the selkirk and the dri duck for all of the trail except Washington. Then I would add the fleece.
Kale Scown That was an absurdly fast reply haha. Thank you.
PolyRisen I'm all about that customer service haha. I was already looking at my comment feed when yours came in.
Hi Kale! Great video. One question: why the squeeze over the mini? Or is this a six-of-one-half-dozen-of-the-other question? :-)
Lynn McDougal It's all about the flow rate. The mini is paaaaaaainfully slow while the full sized squeeze is at least twice as fast. Trust me when I say the once to once and a half difference in weight is sooooo worth the faster flow rate when you have to hunch over squeezing a bottle. Both will suffer from a permanent decrease in flow rate early on but if you back flush regularly their speed sort of plateaus. I can't count how many hikes I talked to who wished they had the full sized instead of the mini.
Kale Scown Aaahhhh....I used the mini all last summer and that was my experience as well. Sooooooo slow! OK...I'll pick up the extra ounce and use this one instead. I'm really not a gram counter ;-) Thanks and have a great trip! Say hi to the bears for me! :-D Lynn "Hotflash"
So you swear by the Ursack huh? The all white over the minor? This is my first time hearing of them. I was just going to use a cheap dry sack to save money. I'm a novice when it comes to bear bags, cans etc. Did you use an OPsack inside it? Which out of the can and bag do you think could fit more food in? I'm planning on doing the AT and it will be my first thru hike. Thanks for the video and any info you could give would be greatly appreciated.
I do. It is wonderful for keeping rodents out of your food. The problem with the minor is that the closure leaves an opening that they can squeeze through while the Allwhite doesn't. Mine has yet to fail even though I just leave it on the ground in my vestibule at night. I'd say, depending on the brand and size, a can will hold more than the Ursack but my bag will hold up to 7 days of food comfortably. Having never hiked the AT I can only speculate based on stories that I've heard but I would take my Ursack if I was doing it. I don't take the opsac. I think its redundant. Use one or the other, not both.
How ironic that the one specifically designed for "critters" is worse then the bear version. The price is a little high for me but with how durable it is I might have to bite the bullet. Rather then the latter of constantly losing food and dry bags to mice and what not. Great info on your gear and mentality. It has given me things to think about. Thanks again for the response, much appreciated.
Were you able to fit everything in your pack with the bear canister? I live in Alberta, Canada, and I'll be doing most of my backpacking (when I start) in Jasper and Banff National parks. I don't think I can get away with just a bear bag there, so I'll probably need a can. I just want to know what size pack I should get if I plan to use one? Thanks.
I ended up switching to my larger ULA circuit in Mammoth to accommodate the added bulk and weight of the bear can. Remember though that a bear can doesn't have to add much bulk to your system. As you eat food out of it you can start putting gear inside. No wasted space.
Ok, I was planning on getting a 60L pack, but it is probably best if I go with a 70. Thanks for the reply.
I think that depends on your system. As long as your pack can comfortably carry the can inside then you shouldn't need a larger pack than you are used to carrying. The only reason I switched was because my pack was frameless which wouldn't have been comfortable with the can inside. It had nothing to do with a need for added space or weight carrying capability.
I have never done multi-day hikes before, so I don't really know what size I would need even without a can. Right now I carry a 22 L daypack when I hike and I just camp at a campsite. I doubt I'll be doing the ultralight thing because I like my camp comforts, so I think 70 would be a good start. As I gain experience, I guess I could use it as a winter bag if I lighten my summer load.
This might be a stupid question but how did you carry you sleeping bag with your pack .. Did u put it in the pack or carry it separately
+Shane DeKin Last year I had it in a water proof compression sack in my pack. This year I stuffed it loosely into the bottom of my pack.
Thanks for the collector cup idea
bring a small fishing pole this time. a 2' long ice fishing pole should be good enough to catch high sierra trout.
brianl9944 I actually carried a length of line, hooks, sinkers and a tiny titanium skillet through the high sierra last time and ended up ditching it as soon as possible. By the time I finished hiking at dusk each day the mosquitos were so bad that I pretty much had to jump into my tent to escape them. Fishing just didn't really work with my hiking style/schedual but if you are so inclined they are starving and stupid! They'll even bite onto bare hooks! (I had some fun one evening with another hikers full sized pole)
I really enjoyed the video.
But i must say that scorpions and snakes are cold blooded and they wont mess with you but they will get into your sleeping bag for warmth.
JewishAdventurer Glad you like it! While it's true that that is possible, it is extremely unlikely. I've heard that urban legend for years but have yet to speak to anyone who has experienced it. Just check your surroundings before you decide to cowboy camp and you should be fine.
I know few people from the army that it happened to them. its true thats it unlikely. i have cowboy camped every night in my israel trail thru hike (1009km) and on every other hike i have done and nothing happened
I was a marine in 29 palms ca, I slept on the ground for all of two days before I woke up with a 9 inch scorpion on my bag. After that I always slept on my hummer.
A friend of mine woke up with a snake "sleeping" in his stomach. He had to wait until the snake woke up and left to start his hike. I sleep in a tent ever since...
What kind of shoes were those again? thanks bro.
secretsquirrell13 Altra Lone Peak 2.0
Right on! thanks!
what is your opinion on camp cups ? metal or plastic?
marley groves I don't carry one so ....neither? haha But seriously I don't do hot drinks so no need for a cup.
oh okay thanks
Trail name? Do I know/meet you on trail?
Gold Mine
What size (liters) is your pack?
charlene ware Charlene, Google ought to do it!
When are you starting?
Late April
Why so much emphasis on the Sawyer Squeeze? It seems much more difficult then the Platypus gravity. Having to squeeze and all that when you could just set it up and let it drip feed drinking water.
JOSHUA ROUSSELOW There is a place for both systems in the world of backpacking. The gravity type systems are fantastic for base camping - when you are spending a lot of time in camp and filtering large quantities of water at once. When one is thru hiking, though, they tend to need to filter small amounts of water frequently throughout the day. The down time necessary for a gravity system to operate makes it somewhat impractical for this particular style of backpacking. Versatility is also a factor in the squeeze's popularity as it can be screwed onto any standard "soda bottle" type threading. This makes replacing your dirty water container cheaper and easier than replacing the bags of gravity systems (bladders pop very very very easily). I watched people start the trail with gravity filters and most quickly succumbed to the frustrations they caused.
Thanks Kale I appreciate the good help!
JOSHUA ROUSSELOW
Happy to do it.
Kale Scown Actually the Sawyer can be screwed onto most bladders so all you need extra is a plastic bladder which is pretty light. I'll do this with groups but not solo (bringing the Sawyer either way).
I already have a few of the Platypus bladders, do you know if it works well with them? I'm asking because the desert section will require a lot of water between springs. So, my original idea was to bring the platypus, once I get to a spring take a long break and fill everything up and hydrate. Maybe switching to the Sawyer around Kennedy Meadows once water sources are abundant? Thanks for following up Kale
i appreciate the video they all help, compare and contrast, but most desert wildlife is nocturnal, its a Darwin thing.
Cody Tipton While that is true I was, for the most part, referring to flying insects and rattlesnakes (the most common cause of concern in regards to cowboy camping). Both of which become largely inactive at night due to the cold. I cannot speak with any level of authority about scorpions, though, as I only saw 2 of them the whole trip.
Kale Scown I will admit that I did, at one point turn over to find myself being snuggled up to by several camel spiders. Harmless but creepy as hell.
It's a terrible backpack with no support and horrendous back padding.
I wouldn't use it even if I received one for free.
I won't impugn any of your other gear; however, I can't emphasize enough but the pack is soooooo uncomfortable and offers little to no support. I seriously wouldn't use it for even a weekend.
Matthew Riddell I'm curious what your pack weight was to cause you such discomfort with it. As it is a frameless, minimalist pack with a very low max base weight, support and padding aren't really the point. I don't doubt that it didn't work for you but I'd like to know your level of experience with it.
Oh yes, the infamous "minimalist" and self proclaimed "ultralight" backpacker.
Well my level of experience with it was on a seven (7) day West Coast Trail trip on Vancouver Island. I have also done six (6) months trekking Alaska and Yukon, thru hiked the Pacific Crest Trial for four (4) months and thru hiked Qubec to Ontario and then through Minnesota at four (4) months. The APT is next on my agenda and you can bet it will not be with your pack as I sold it on eBay for next to nothing. The Appalachian Trail is next for me and I will be using a pack that has good thick padding, is comfortable and has an exemplary suspension system. Given all the weight I will be cutting, infra (mention below), I can afford the weight of a pack that is three (3) to three and a half (3.5) pounds over and above the stupid light unsupportive packs that most use.
Indeed, it is trite to say that I know a thing or two about carrying a pack day in and day out for four (4) to six (6) months on end. Thick padding, sturdy support and a good suspension system is key, in my view, to having an enjoyable and comfortable trip and not inherently damaging your back muscles which will hurt you later on in your life with these long thru hike trips using a stupid light backpack that is cheap, unsupportive and has horrible suspension systems like the impugned pack being discussed herein.
I am happy and more than willing to carry a three (3) pound pack as opposed to a one and a half (1.5) pound low quality stupid light pack to get a good padding and a solid suspension system.
In short, even with a low amount of weight, the frameless design with little to no padding and a terrible non-existing suspension system doesn't even carry thirty (30) pounds well. If you are doing skilled thru hikes in remote places that require you to carry seven (7) days worth of food, or desert hiking which requires a lot of water to be carried it is no even a doable pack.
Furthermore, the longevity of a thru hike of four (4) to six (6) months is so painful and gruelling on the back and will catch up to you overtime. You need an internal frame of some sort to offer an acceptable amount of padding and a good suspension system; otherwise, you will get no support and cannot climb any altitudes properly or do winter trips of any kind.
I love these guys and gals that think that they are true "ultra light" backpackers because they merely carry, among other things, stupid light backpacks that are cheap and cost and weigh nothing; however, have little to no support, have no good suspension systems but yet weigh little to nothing. These alleged and self proclaimed minimalist that carry these junk packs that kill your back overtime yet hypocritically also carry:
1) camp shoes/ flip flops;
2) a book;
3) a journal:
4) a smart phone;
5) a camera;
7) an inflatable mattress;
8) more than (2) water canisters/ bladders;
8) a stove and a fuel canister; and
9) so much other random things that are luxuries, accessories and things that are not needed on the trail to survive.
Indeed, if you carry any of the foregoing items, you cannot in any sense of the word consider yourself true "ultralight". It doesn't mean that you are wrong or a bad backpacker just that you cannot impugn someone for using a comfortable, secure, padded pack.
I will compromise on using a shelter that is merely a tarp with no floor. I will not even use a sleeping bag (only a quilt or blanket).I will use no air mattress only foam. I will use no stove (eating cold like you're contemplating doing) but water purification and backpack support are two (2) areas any skilled and prudent backpacker will not compromise on.
When I carried thirty (30) pounds in your backpack it felt like fifty because there is no padding, no support and no suspension system. I couldn't even contemplate using it for any winter expeditions or mountaineering climbs.
Respectfully, the impugned pack is pure garbage and should not be sold on the market for anything more then a day hike or maybe a weekend trip! I firmly stand by that! I carry fourty (40) pounds in one of Gregory's light weight backpacks that is three (3) pounds (1) ounce that has an awesome industry leading technological suspension system and it feels less than twenty (20) pounds! This pack carrying thirty (30) pounds feels like fifty (50) and is ridiculously uncomfortable and manifestly bad for your back.
You get what you pay for and this is amplified in the outdoor backpacking world; especially when you are living and surviving off your gear!
I think Andrew Skurka said it best when he said there is "ultra light" and "stupid light".
By using a back with no bad support and one that has a terrible (non existing) suspension system and you are going "stupid" light.
In northern Canada you would run into serious problems using this jank of a pack. Trust me. i used it. I hate it. It is criminal that people pay good money for it.
Matthew Riddell That's great. Now I'll condense that down into the answers to the questions that I actually asked. 7 days with 30 pounds? Well, right there I see one of your problems. From ULA's own product description: "Rec'd Max Load: 18 lbs or less, it will carry more, but no frameless pack is very comfortable with over 18 pounds". The pack one uses should be made to comfortably carry the expected load of the trip. It's clear that you didn't pay any attention to that when purchasing and expected it to perform in a way that it was never designed to. I also find it interesting that you brought up Andrew Skurka when he, in fact, used/uses a pack that is very similar to the CDT in design (the Golite Jam) and stated in one of his presentations that if his total pack weight was around 25-30 pounds then a frameless pack is fine as his shoulders were strong enough to support the lions share of the load (ruclips.net/video/FGQTcQhL08A/видео.html pack discussion at 1:04:50). Who knows? I may end up hating this pack with a fiery passion and switching back to a more supportive setup but as my average expected weight falls within the functional range of the product I'm going to give it a try. HYOH.
Kale Scown
I used the Ohm 2.0 which is slightly larger and has a minimalist "frame" on the Oregon PCT last year, and it worked great. I talked to others who were also happy with the pack. Quick question: I'm not sure how to carry a bear vault in the Sierras with the Ohm, let alone with the CDT. How do you do it?
BTW, really fantastic video. Random comment/question: why not just use the Dr. Bronner's for tooth paste?
Anthony Tovar I would have gone with the Ohm too but, as I said in the video, it came down to the water bottle pockets. After the elastic wore out on my pack's pockets I decided that I needed one with a shock cord and cord lock system that could be tightened.I'll be strapping the bear can to the top of the pack. Because I'll only be carrying it from tuolomne meadows to bridgport (75 miles) I'm going to hold on to my ursack and transfer my food between the two each night/morning. This will allow me to store the food inside my pack and carry the bear can empty on top. Its not ideal but I can deal with the headache for 4 days.Hahaha I've heard of people doing that but I just couldn't get over the yuck factor. I'm far from a gram counter so I don't mind carrying the extra ounce for some real tooth paste.