BACKPACKING GEAR WE REGRET BUYING (and what we wish we bought instead)
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- Опубликовано: 10 окт 2024
- Don't make the same mistake we did! When we first started backpacking, we made some purchases that we now regret. I feel like we were really just on the hunt for the cheapest gear, and some of it worked and some of it had to be replaced within the first year.
So, we've put together our top 5 gear regrets over the first few years of backpacking, and what we would recommend purchasing instead. Spending a little more money probably would have saved us quite a bit of $$$ in the long run!!
Do you have any major backpacking gear regrets? Or do you disagree with any of ours?
Here are the pieces of gear we talk about and DO recommend:
JETBOIL STASH: rei.rockporch....
REI MAGMA SLEEPING BAG: rei.rockporch....
ENLIGHTENED EQUIPMENT REVELATION QUILT: alnk.to/9btKaQJ
HOKA TRAIL RUNNERS: app.rockporch....
HARDSIDE HYDRATION: www.hardsidehy...
NEMO TENSOR SLEEPING PAD: rei.rockporch....
** If you purchase at any of the above links, we make a small commission at no extra cost to you. If you do, we really appreciate your support!!
Full Backpacking Checklist (downloadable/printable): theadventuread...
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Since you have moved to quilts, you need to look at the Neve Gear Waratah quilt. Unbelievable comfort, unmatched versatility.
For the Nemo Tensor, I’ve taken to slipping a silk sleeping bag liner over it and it’s a game changer for me. Less noise and something to keep the sleeping bag on the pad instead of slipping right off without it!
Oh that sounds comfy, good to know. Thanks!
Nice video! I've walked that path myself, and I have a couple of other suggestions some folks watching this might like.
Sleeping bag: A company called Hyke and Byke makes some really solid bags. They're not the lightest but they're not heavy either, and they compress well. 800fp, well built, and have what you need. I like the Antero (you can use those with a hammock like a pod system) but it is also really nice because it's just cut nice and roomy for an active/side sleeper. The Aolus bags are more traditional (though still roomy) and they fall right around the $200 mark.
Quilt. The Featherstone 25F quilt is about $235 and is a solid choice and quilts tend to be far better for folks who are active or side sleepers, plus they're really versatile as you can stick your feet out. I was anti-quilt for a long time, but I came around and won't use bags anymore because I'm so much warmer under a quilt (with a nice pad; that's important). The Zenbivy Light Quilt and Sheet are also absolutely fantastic bits of kit; they'll be about the same weight and pack size as the Magma, but better quality and far more comfortable. The materials are next-level and they're draft free. They're simply amazing. You can save a big chunk of change by using a non-Zenbivy pad (the KILOSGEAR Aerocloud would be my suggestion here). You can also modify ANY quilt to work with the Zenbivy Sheet; that's an inexpensive way to get a near-Zenbivy experience for way less money. FWIW I use an EE 950FP Revelation in conjunction with my Zenbivy UL 25F Sheet.
Hydration: I'm also a bladder guy, and you're right about it being a pain when the pack is full to fill up. I discovered a couple of things over the last year and I really love them. HydraPak makes a few soft sided 'bottles' (sometimes called flasks depending on the style) which have a small tube about 6" long with a bite valve designed to be carried in your backpack strap pocket. I really like the Flux bottles (I have both the 1 and 1.5 liter bottles). I like to keep mine in the side pockets but you can just swap the tubing for longer tubing and use it just like a bladder; it's amazing. Better yet, if you get one of the styles that has a 42mm top, you can carry two and put one of their filters, a Katadyn filter, or what I've recently move to, a Pure Clear filter in there and that way you can filter into the other one and even drink right from your filter bottle without having to transfer. Pure Clear is my choice because like the Grayl filter system it also filters viruses and pulls out tastes that aren't so tasty. They've also made a 'straw' type that you can screw onto a bottle, or put inline with a filter, or CNOC style bag to do gravity filtering. They are not terribly expensive and flow rate is plenty adequate.
Sleeping Pads: Klymit should be criminal. They're terrible. The aforementioned KILOSGEAR Aerocloud is super comfortable and warm. The REI Helix is very similar, though I believe a bit heavier, though still very comfortable. Alternatively, the Flextail R05 is another great option and all of these are under $200; the Helix is often on sale for under $120. The Exped Ultra 3-5R pads are really comfortable and QUIET. My Zenbivy Flex is amazingly comfortable but they are pricey. I also have a Nemo Tensor; I don't find these to be the most comfortable, but they are quite comfortable if you keep them a bit softer, though this affects the insulating efficiency (if you get it too low).
Shoes: This is NOT a cheap option, except for the fact that you'll likely only buy one pair instead of multiples. I'm... older (I'm caught unaware of this every time I look in the mirror and my 18 year old brain sees that old man staring back at me). Anyway, perhaps a product of age, but more likely a product of military abuse, I do need some ankle support, and while I 100% agree with you about not needing heavy boots (and in most cases finding the use of such boots a bad idea) I did need more than typical trail runners. Two things were absolute game changers for me after a couple of bad ankle rolls: Zero drop shoes. We all work Chucks as kids, and this is the same; there's nothing ground-breaking about zero drop shoes (your heel and toes are at the same height off the ground), but what does tend to be unique is the wider toe box they tend to have and that's a game changer. But the second part was finding the Altra Lone Peak 'Boot', which is just really a high-top version of the Lone Peak shoe. They're super light and give truly stunning ankle support. They're incredibly comfortable and great for 3 season hiking. In colder weather/snow I'd want something warmer as suggested here.
Stove: I hate canister stoves anymore. The noise sucks and I'm never in that much of a hurry, so I've converted to the Esbit tablets. There's a nice $30 Esbit system that will also accommodate an alcohol stove, the fuel tablets (which are also fire-starters), and can burn biomass (twigs, etc.). I use a combination of the pot stand from the Esbit and a Toaks 750 or 550UL pot. However the Firemaple Petrel is the big game changer right now. It's a $25 pot and about the same for the burner and rivals (sometimes exceeding Jetboil) performance with a MUCH smaller pack size and is lighter. You can also use a pan on the Fire Maple burner as well.
Smart water bottle with the hose through the top stored in a side pocket and a sawyer squeeze would save a lot of weight.
Along the same line, the brs 3000 stove and a titanium pot would also save weight and space for just boiling water.
Good video, as always.
We also have that attachment for a smart water bottle from Hardside Hydration!
Good to know for just boiling water, thanks!
Old Altras were excellent! The last 2 pairs I've bought have fallen apart pretty quickly, I'm very sad to see the quality go down.
Yep. Mine are 3 months old. 2 hard hikes and a handful of runs and my lone peaks are coming apart.
Oh no! That is good to know for future considerations, thanks!
You should try out Topo Athletic shoes. Much more durable and they have the natural foot boxes.
@@scottfollmer Just bought the Topo persuit 2 and they are fantastic! especially for my wide feet ;)
Please do make a video on the quilts! I've been really wanting to commit to one as I move so much in my sleep and hate mummy bags.
And I definately do agree about boots and trail runners. I've made the switch for all conditions but winter/wet conditions. Aside from Hooa what other brand did you say you may try I the future?
QUILTS! Love them, we will have to make a video in the future.
We currently have Hoka and Flux. We have tried La Sportiva, Nike, and Salomon. For the future we may try the Altras
I’ve gone back and forth with water bladders for years… and I’m still using one, you don’t have to use the sleeve in your pack, some packs don’t even have a sleeve, just put the bladder at the top of your pack just under the lid/brain and it’s easy as to access and refill…yes some will say what if it leaks…never once have I had a bladder leak…bladders provide easy access water on the trail and then act as good storage at camp so you have enough water for hot drinks/cooking etc….when I don’t use a bladder and have bottles in my side pockets, my partner gets soooo fed up of me asking her to get my bottle for me!!
I perspire a lot so I need to hydrate proportionally, hence a bladder, everyone is different so I would encourage everyone to try different systems and see what works for them
I use the Soto Windmaster stove with the Firemaple Petrel 600 pot. Saves weight over the stash and save $ as well. Also I use a Smart Water Bottle with hose and Sawyer Squeeze.
For quilt I have the Zenbivy because it was a bit of a compromise between mummy and quilt. I am a belly and sometimes side sleeper so I toss a lot.
Will definitely be looking into the Hardside Hydration!
It is the best!
I prefer the hose adapter that fits Smartwater bottles,the bottles are about 5 times lighter than Nalgene, and easily replaced at nearly any store or mini mart.
You can get the Zen Bivy 25° light bed with sheet for under $375 and under 2lbs. If you get the uninsulated sheet you can get it for under $350. My Zen bivy setup weighs less than my Mt. Hardwarw Phantom 32° bag at 1.66lbs and costs less than alot of sleeping bags too.
I went with the Soto Windmaster which has great flame control and a regulator with the Toaks D115 900ml pot. Same weight as the Stash, a little more volume and $35 less.
Agree 100% on the quilt!!
That's good to know, we will have to check it out!
Quilts are the best, right?!
I love my EE 20 LW until I discovered UGQ. My UgQ 40 is amazing! I can push into summer mountain 30' nighttime dips np. Nemo tensor LW insulted all the way!(I did buy/ add a zenbivy sheet..ooh so nice! I side sleep, so an arm above my head in the pillow barn is a life-saver. Recommended!) My BRS 3000 stove is a mainstay, but..I do soooo love my soto windmaster. That soto uses less fuel, has pezo ignighter, and can rock wind(no wind screen needed) I'm in the Oregon Cascades, so I go in and out mountain temps on most of my hiking trips.
I love my Soto windmaster ,works better than most in the wind ,good fuel efficiency, and great flame control. Makes no sense to buy the jetboil just to use on other pots
Careful with the Altras. They’re super light, comfortable, and breathable. But they will last one season, at best. They have last the least amount of time compared to all my other trail runners.
That is good to know, a lot of people seem to have the same feeling and experience.
I’ve had the BRS 3000 stove for 3 years now. It’s 27.2 grams and only $17. My absolute favorite piece of gear! It’s a floodlight stove as well. Something to look into for beginners on a budget!
That is great to know! Thanks for the beta!
Great tips thankyou 🙏
Firemaple Petrel 650ml pot has been a great add that I've paired with my original MSR Pocket Rocket.
Awesome video! Thank you for sharing!
I use a water bladder, I use a quick disconnect from sawyer and fill it through the hose with a sawyer filter never have to open the pack
Why not just get a toaks titanium pot and a burner , just as good and a whole lot less expensive
Picked up two NEMO Tensors late last year when they were bringing out the new models and clearing out the old ones at like 40% off. Love the pad. As for quilts, I'm seriously thinking of buying the Featherstone quilts. They sound like a GREAT deal.
Look at the Source water bladder. You can refill from the mouth piece.
Well that is an awesome idea! We will have to check it out!
Good guidance here all-around, especially the buy once/cry once attitude. Lightweight trail runners are a great choice for most three-season hiking and backpacking on trails, boots really shine off trail or on continuously rocky trails as well as during the wet and snowy winters here in the PNW. For actually cooking food nothing beats a fire except fire closures (closures are all summer in the PNW), so I'm still using anodized aluminum pot/pan for dispersed heat conduction and the OG Pocket Rocket (no need to replace what isn't broke on burners, but I do run an MSR Whisperlight with white gas in winter). I've been backpacking since 1965 and things really don't change much, just new generations of backpackers learning the same lessons in a circle of outdoor life.
I love the "buy once/cry once" motto, I've never heard it put that way! We also use a Whisperlight in winter with white gas, definitely the better choice in those conditions. We are also limited by fire restrictions in most places we go but completely agree that cooking over real fire is best.
Where can you buy the water bladder Nalgene thing
Amazon has the One Bottle hydration tube kit for 30 bucks.
Wow Jetboils have changed for the worse! At first I was like why not use the pot support attachment for the Flash but then when I looked on Jetboil's website it looks like that is now an extra attachment that gets sold separately. I got my Flash probably 8 or 9 years ago and back then it didn't have the strainer on the lid but it did come with the pot attachment. I know it came with the pot support at the time because I wouldn't have bought it if it was separate because I have only ever used the jet boil to boil water but I'm thinking of getting a titanium pot or something and try some cooking with it.. I believe at the time it was $99 for the flash with the pot support now it's $130 for the flash and another $10 for the accessory... yikes
Just subscribed... Great advice on most of this except the Jet Boil (ANY Version). So many better options at 1/3 or less the price and weight. Don't even bother with Altra's. I've been an Altra guy for almost 10 years. The quality of the shoes, or should I say there is no quality anymore. Stick with the Hoka's. The footbox in Altra is great but they just fall apart and wear our way too fast.
Thanks for the heads up on the Altra's, unfortunately you are not the first person to mention that so we will definitely take that into consideration. Thanks for subscribing!
I've been using the klymit V static for about 4 years, personally I love it. I use it with a foam pad as well for extra warmth and I don't use it in cold weather. I have the green one which has a different valve than the blue one and I've never had any issues with deflating. I also have the pump sack for it with makes inflating it so easy. My friends both have sleeping pads from different brands, I like theirs but I personally like the Static V better.
That's good to know, it is very possible that it is the model that we have. Hopefully yours keeps working great for you!
Hi, great video with some good advice, I can relate to some of it as I’ve still got a Sigg water bottle adapter which is the same idea as the one you use, but it’s 15yrs old and still holding up, it also gives you a single wall alloy bottle which could be useful. All the best
It is a great setup, alloy bottles are really nice if you want to boil water while it's in the bottle. Thanks!
I regret buying anything with batteries or sil nylon. Now I love my Jetboil Mighty Mo, although I do use simpler systems at times. Thanks for the share. I enjoyed your takes. 👴
I recently paired my MightyMo with the Firemaple Petrel G3 pot and it’s perfect for solo cooking and very fuel efficient unlike using a titanium pot. I still love my MiniMo when my wife comes along as it’s great for 2. With both setups, I can go more than 8 days on a single small canister.
Hoka running shoes are worst as I used. very comfortable, but sole of Torrent 3 model was peeling od after 130km and after claim and shoes exchange again after 60km. My collegue had Challenger model - the same problem after 50km od hiking.
I had to buy another shoes three days before 500km hiking and Merrell Agility Peak saved my trip.
Do you know if there is a difference in size of the opening for the Nalgene sizes as I have a 32 ounce and I want to know if it is compatible with the Straw as it is only for 48 ounces
Should work for both 32 and 48 as long as they are both widemouth.
Nemo tensor is not bad but I'd also say the same thing you said in the video. I doubt you have tried other pads. Try the rapide sl or the rei helix. Both of which are more comfortable and warmer albeit slightly heavier.
I have the new tensor and I regret my purchase, I wasnt able to get the wide rapide sl at the time and had a trip coming up so I made the gamble. The quality and warmth has been nice but its so hard to get the comfort right, for me there is only a specific amount of air that can make it work, but I wish I had gotten something more comfortable overall.
I have the REI Helix and it was an upgrade from my Klymit Static V UL (that I had no issues with). I love the Helix would like to try another pad but I'm set for now.
The klymit is designed to be used with a mummy sleeping back. Those creases are meant to allow the mummy bag to fill the space betwen you and the pad. Not saying it makes it any better but it doesnt pair well with quilts
I love mine for summer camping here in Texas