When I was hiking a number of years ago around Mammoth, we found a "get-a-round" for not enough food. We'd follow behind a group of boy scouts and would camp nearby. Since they usually cook up more food than they could eat, and didn't want leftovers to attract bears and other buddies, they will most likely ask if you, who have so conveniently camped nearby, if we would like the rest. Oh hell yeah! Free food we didn't have to pack in! We followed them for an entire week...lol.
I know I'm a year late but I gotta comment on this. The thought of being all freaked out because some random dudes are following me... only to find out they want food, like a bunch of stray puppies... is hilarious xD
All of my equipment is way old, late 70's early 80's (other than boots which I've gone through alot of those, and my sleeping bag which I have modified so I can regulate the temperature) , most foods I have are home made dehydrated food, from jerky, to bean soups, as for waterproof, well other than spray prepping your equipment, nothing is ever waterproof, parachute material pants and wick shirts that dry off quickly once in shelter is what I found useful, wool sweaters in cold temperatures (wool continues to keep you warm even when wet, that's why they were used on submarines) zippo lighters, knives, full med. kit. I more recent years I've seen lots of new useless equipment being lugged around, and a dependency on expensive flashy stuff that just doesn't work. We've dug coyote wells, Dakota pits, camped in temperatures below zero degrees Fahrenheit, and backpacked up and down the Northern Appalachians, and the Adirondacks, many times in extreme weather conditions (although I no longer do that, as I've learned my age limitations and stopped rolling the dice), but I always tried to only carry what is an absolute necessity, and only added things when I realized that I could have used them on past hikes.
YES to the the wrong water directions on dehydrated foods! Sometimes it's a soup, sometimes is a dried up poop consistency! Do these companies have employees that actually go out hiking and follow the directions?
This is a skill that isn't on RUclips. How to Rehydrate food. The instructions are mostly useless. Boil extra water. Be on the conservative side. Don't wait ten minutes before you check it. Adjust it if necessary while your water is still hot, doing it with cooled down water 15 minutes later sucks. Those insulated bags look interesting.
Screw having them go out hiking. Just make it in the break room at their office! They'd see pretty fast it's messed up. Do they not have a QA department?
I feel like sleeping bag temperatures are only an issue in the US (and maybe similar countries). In Europe and in NZ (the 2 places where I bought sleeping bags), you have 3 temperatures rating : - comfort : well, means what it means - limit comfort : you’ll have to use some warmer clothes but it will still be ok down to that temperature - extreme limit (same as US survival rating) : will save you from hypothermia but you’re up for a terrible night These temperatures are sometimes slightly over estimated, but to like 5 degrees C at most. But when you’re from Europe and buy an american brand like sea to summit, you often think you got robbed because what they call comfort is actually our « limit comfort ». The European way of rating sleeping bags seems much more honest to me.
I'm a bikepacker, but it's really like comparing apples to oranges,especially now that there's gear made for both, but I watch any video he drops, he's funny as hell, & most importantly honest about products, which is getting harder & harder to find
This is for all outdoor clothing companies. I am a profuse sweater and never have I ever experienced sweat being wicked off my skin. No matter the fabric, all I feel is cold, clammy fabric. That's my lie.
Jim, I think wicking is a terrible expression. All the wicking fabric actually does is, it absorbs the sweat and lets it evaporate “faster” than cotton. - If you go in with that expectation, there are some great types of fabric…But to your point, none of them actually wick sweat away. (Maybe if compared to a rubber shirt)
@@tylerk.7947 I think cotton may pull moister off you faster/better, but it certainly holds that moisture for longer too, so that means cotton is going to be heavier and get a lot colder. The technical fabrics are super valuable, I just think they are miss-marketed.
The tent section had me crying. I packed a four-person tent when I shared the tent with my no-baby-making friend. Worth the extra weight for me, but I made him carry the bear canister and food. Waterproof-labeled clothing can be scrutinized as disingenuous, and I know only a couple of materials are truly waterproof. However, if you pay for something that says it will be waterproof even after using and treating, I feel it should have some merit. I have waterproof pants that actually were waterproof until I washed them with Tech Wash and reimpregnated them with the waterproofing formula and now they leak after a light rain.
As someone who used to work in an outdoor sports shop for a decade, all I can say is get yourself informed. It is not a sales scam. Most gear companies develop their gear with the idea in mind that in some situations, their gear would have to keep someone alive if shit hits the fan. Get informed about sleeping bag temperature ratings. The 'Extreme' rating is meant to give you a chance to stay alive in worst case scenario until you get rescued, not 'you will sleep comfortably if it gets cold to this temperature'. The rating means shit if you don't insulate for the cold coming from the ground with a proper sleeping mat also. Water resistant (also known as repellent): Water pearls of the fabric for a period of time. Waterproof: No water can get through the fabric. Why would you make a waterproof fabric also water repellent? If the water soaks into the fabric, it blocks the 'pores' resulting in a less breathable fabric and prohibiting your skin from breathing, or moisture to escape, resulting in you feeling hot and more clammy. (Same reason why cotton is awful as a technical fabric.) Going to go hike in the snow or in a drizzle? Water resistant. Going from your car to the shop? Water resistant. An hour on your bicycle through the rain? Waterproof membrane 5,000mm to 10,000mm water column (Don't know what that means? Get yourself informed.). Expecting to hike through a downpour for hours on end? Waterproof membrane of 20,000mm water column and up. Jacket and pants obviously. As for the tents: If your buying online without going to a shop to see the tent set up (we used to set up tents in store for clients to see them properly), at least check the dimensions as to not be surprised the space isn't as large as you thought or expected, by going off of the '1 person - whatever person' description only...
My favorite is when they advertise some dehydrated foods and it has "2.5 servings per container." Say what? Are you supposed to save that extra half serving for the next day?
I forget which brand it was but there was a meal I had that was slide seal resealable, and I was on a short trip and got full so I just saved it for a late night snack, but if they aren’t resealable it makes no sense to have such large serving sizes listed
I gave up on rain jackets and am going full poncho from now on. It covers you and your pack, and can double as a tarp for your firewood or worst case, a tent.
That's why I wear rain capes... I live on the Olympic Peninsula where one learns very quickly what garments are needed just to do daily activities... lol.. the only thing that works are plastic hooded rain capes... with Plastic outer layers over pants and sweaters
@@KyleHatesHiking the rain capes are super light... too... and breathe cause it's basically a picnic table cloth... with a hood... lol... water proof doesn't breathe and there can lots of sweaty overheating issues that don't happen as much with the capes.. plus range of motion is great... and they are like $3 or less... maybe they are called rain ponchos as well
I work at the biggest outdoors retailer in the UK on the camping section. When customers ask for advice on sizing, I ALWAYS say "however many of you there are, you need double the berths." 4 person tent for 2 people + gear, 6 person for 3 + gear, etc. No matter the brand (that we sell). Berghaus, OEX, MSR, Eurohike, HiGear, OEX, you name it. Has never steered me wrong so far. RE: waterproofing; Always try to find the HydroHead rating, as with tent. Something is considered "waterproof" at 1500hh, which is why cheap shit like Eurohike use it for their tents. Look for anything higher than 4000hh. Also many gear companies will recommend that you treat your gear with waterproofing to retain its waterproofing ability.
I totally agree about the sleeping bags temperature ratings. It's so hard to tell how accurate the rating is without trying it out. When I was in college, they had the perfect sleeping bags to lend out. Small, light, but good to 0°F. I haven't found a brand as good as them since.
Elevation, temp, etc do not affect the amount of water needed to fully rehydrate dehydrated food - but they DO affect the amount of TIME you need to rehydrate the food. Chances are, if you have soupy food, you need to wait longer. Like, A LOT longer. I’ve had meals that I’ve had to wait a full 40+ minutes to rehydrate at 8,000ft. Before that, it might seem hydrated but it’s not *fully* hydrated and therefore is soupy. And yeah, the hydration directions and amount of time you need to add is on the package. Just most people are too impatient.
I don’t know why tent companies don’t just call some tents 1.5 person tents. For those tents that, sure, you could fit a second person in there, but it was made for one person with gear. If the tent doesn’t fit two 25x77 pads, it’s not a two person tent. Stop looking at serving size. Look at total calories. Calories tell you how much fuel you will get out of it. Realistically you are supposed to eat one serving of the freeze dried food and a serving of fruit and vegetables. It’s how your supposed to eat if your living off of them year round. We can fuck up our diets for a few days and it’s not that big of a deal. So just eat all your calories in whatever you have on you and when your back home eat appropriately again. It’s probably more of a concern when you are doing a three month thru hike, but for a week or less, not really. That idea about multiple instructions on the meals makes a lot of sense. For $10+ dollars for a 600-700 calorie meal, they can put in a little more effort.
YES! For f’s sake! There is a definite difference between an actual two-person tent and a tent that fits two people only if they are willing to partially sleep on top of each other! My friends and I have long called the latter a “lady-suit tent” because it forces you to be so up in each others’ shit that it feels like you’re almost wearing the other person to fit inside the space! (A lil’ nod to Silence of the Lambs)
There are degrees of water permeation. So water resistant means that it will repel water, but there will still be some water saturation. How much water makes jt through will depend on duration and how much water it is exposed to. If it's truly waterproof, you won't have any breathability. Waterproof would be something that's hydrophobic and had a non porous surface, so water has no way to permeate into it.
Totally get it with the water in the dehydrated meals; soupy or a log! The companies need to test their own products! I did the directions for Mac & Cheese and it was soupy! Not at all creamy!
Hi Kyle! I've been lax about watching your vids over this horrid winter because it was too depressing even thinking about the trail knowing it's gonna be quite awhile and every week we get more bad weather. Anyway, I'm SOOOOOOO happy for you getting to way over 100k subs!!!! CONGRATS!!! You've worked hard for it. Love your vibe and personality. Have you considered the story of Mostly Harmless? It's surely one of the oddest stories of someone dying on the trail. Love to you and stay safe! Be good, but not TOO good!😘
I haven't been hiking in ages and even when I did, I was nowhere near the level you are on. I used to live in Texas and hiked around the backwoods. Now I'm in Virginia and recently walked around Great Falls. Why am I mentioning this? Because for some reason I am in love with your channels and it is beyond interesting to me to take a peek into the world you inhabit, Kyle. Please keep telling it like it is and please keep making content.
Oh, Great Falls... I miss that place! I used to go out there in the early evenings for some peace and quiet and respite when I was in college in the District.
I did a 27 day ski traverse, we slept in that same big Agnes tent, cooking in the vestibule when the weather was ruff. We spent about 15 days of that trip on glaciers (Clemenceau icefield, chaba icefield and Columbia icefield) we made extra high snow walls to deal with the wind. Honestly, I love that tent, it's so light.
Six Moon Designs doesn't lie about the number of people that will fit inside their tents. Their 2 person tents will fit 2 people and the Skyscape is a 1 person tent that fits one person plus their gear.
My BIGGEST gripe is DWR coatings on clothing. The “D” is supposed to stand for durable. In my experience almost every coating is about as durable as tissue paper. And yes yes yes, I do wash them with the proper non-detergent soaps, dry as directed, apply useless “restorer”, etc. If you advertise that something is water repellent, shouldn’t water bead up and roll off for more than 2 times using it?!??
Speaking from a lighting perspective which possibly transfers over here. When something is listed as water resistant it's basically okay in light duty usage. An occasional splash of water or moisture in the air it will be fine in. Waterproof is more $$$ but it's built for consistent use in a wet environment. I could be way off base here but that's my guess.
The big problem we had with two of us (married couple) using a Big Agnes two person tent is that even though we were comfortable, our sleeping pads fit and we had our backpacks inside the tent, filling the entire tent with stuff and people weighs down the zippers on both sides. Subsequently, on our PCT hike last year the zippers started failing about 150 miles into the trip, and by mile 400 or so we had added velcro strips to the tent to keep it shut. Big Agnes tents are great, but you and the UL1 is okay for 1 person, but after that, you need a UL3 for two people, and so on.
Great video, and all true!! The dehydrated meal water issue is the most aggravating! Not only do you end up with a bag of soup, but you burned up, probably, twice as much fuel heating all the water you didn’t need in the first place!!
Oh this issue goes at least as far back as the 90s. I remember my friends and camped with faires so we lived in these tents long term, movi g every 1-2 mos to another ren faire site and looking for jobs (not the acting that didnt pay, you did apprentice level craftwork for the artisans or hawked/sales for them, or worked for the games and rides company or food and trash company. So we hung out in these tents them like homes.But no hiking really and you didnt carry them. Anyway, 2 person tent was for 1 very minimalist low maintenance person. A 4 man tent was for an average person who wants a bit of extra room, or a couple. I knew one lady who had a 9 man tent though, all for her (or whoever she invited to stay over).
The too-much-water thing, yes!!! I just routinely ignore the recommended water amount, and use far less, and it has *always* come out much better. The sleeping bag temp ratings . . . well, if you do any reading on the topic, I think there's a lot of discussion of the fact that the ratings have traditionally been "survival" ratings, not "comfort" ratings. But the average person picking out their gear for a big hike may well not be aware of that distinction; the companies certainly did not used to highlight it. I think some of them are getting better nowadays at explaining what their particular numbers really mean. And as you point out, it's so subjective, anyway, it would probably be impossible to come up with a true "comfort" rating. Everybody unfortunately has to do their own "backyard trial-and-error" testing until they get a feel for how "cold" or "warm" a sleeper they are. "Waterproof" or "water-resistant" jackets . . . meh. Years of long-distance bicycle riding long ago taught me to be very Zen about the whole thing, because either way, you're getting wet: you'll get wet because your "resistant" jacket will lose its will to resist after 3 hours or so of a downpour, or you'll get wet because you are marinating in your own sweat inside your "waterproof" jacket. ("Waterproof" but "breathable"? Yeah, now *there* is a gear company lie, LOL!) So I accept the fact that I will, at some point get wet, and I don't focus so much on trying to stay dry in the rain as I do on trying to stay warm in the rain.
Because we get fooled by companies doing false or tricky advertisement What I do is always take the name and model number if available and search for it on utube unboxing or rivew video Which always helps figuring out the size of product and little bit info
I found using minute rice for the extra water in your freeze dried meals works well. Better than potatoes. Peak Refuel meals have a good caloric value, for the most part. Plant based ones are not worth carrying. I've had good luck with temp ratings on bags and quilts from cottage companies. Big manufacturers are full of shit. I saw a Sierra Designs 20 degree bag have an extreme limit rating of 28 degrees but yet they knocked off 8 degrees for marketing. Total dicks.
When asked about equipment I tell people to test it. That is easy with the tent and food ( set it up or cook”?”it ), but low temp and weather ratings. I don’t know of a non-field test.
I always plan at least adding one more “person” size for the tent. My son and I tried the Tiger Wall UL2, but went to the Copper Spur UL3 because of the lack of space. It’d been a long time since I’d bought a tent and forgot to add the extra “person” to the tent I bought. At least he can use the Tiger Wall for scouts. :)
If it's breathable AT ALL, it's not 100% waterproof. Once the temporary Durable Water Resistant coating wears off (shoulder strap rubbing) your "miracle" $400.00 jacket will leak. They're ok for a hike of up to a couple of weeks in a wet environment, but, the above scenario is unavoidable, eventually. A poncho is maybe the best alternative in warm, rainy weather, but even a poncho will make hot hikers sweat (voice of experience from my ultralight poncho/tarp days). A well-ventiated, waterproof jacket will be more reliable than a "waterproof/breathable" miracle of advertising.
For many years my tent of choice was the Kelty Windfoil Ultralight. Now back then this was a light weight tent at 4.2 pounds. I always hike solo just me and my dogs. The Kelty winfoil ultralight could fit me all my gear and 5 dogs. 2 dogs were tiny so. That is pretty damn roomy. This was at a time when most tents were 5lbs or more. It was very waterproof as well I used it during 4 day downpours and remained dry. Today I use the Nemo dragonfly 2. 2lbs without the footprint. I haver yet to seriously weather test it thus far. We will see if it was a good purchase after I camp through a monsoon. It is much smaller than my Kelty. Still its roomy enough.
The tent thing is so true. When I was hiking the JMT I met a couple hiking the PCT and they were sharing a two person tent. They said those really only work for two people if you want to be spooning all night. I also once tried sharing a 3 person tent with my dad and brother, ya I ended up cowboy camping the rest of that trip lol.
I don't know anyone who buys or eats dehydrated camp/ hiker / bushcraft food. Even when backpacking was what we did in the 60s & 70s before maturation into university and maturation into adult life. Going on a grand tour hike of Northern Europe / Himalayas was what we did. Even then we bought from restaurant vendors. Dehydrated potatoes mashed and otherwise, soups, pastas, beans, rice, jerkied meats. Today that stuff is sold for $1.00 and tastes great. Rice a roni, instant potatoes, liquid egg product, sausage, beef, no way I'd ever pay more for that nasty ass mountain house crap.
not just backpacking tents, but even family tents - they say 'fit four people', but it's three tiny chinese people, not four full-sized Americans, and def. no room for gear! We learned to just halve the number they say: so a four person tent fits two people. Get an 8-person tent for a family of four. DIY dehydrated meals are SO easy to make, even without a freeze-drier.
I think they should rename and subdivide 2-person tents to mate-tents and mating-tents... The thing where i think is the most bs in all the outdoor industry is bike describtions and ski describtions. Why a bike with small tires should be the optimal offroad travel machine while the one with the one with wider tires, pre-mounted rack and lights should only be suitable for daily commutes despute being pretty much the same bike... Or skis should be either the do-it-all one-ski-quiver (sometimes surprised they don't market FIS race skis like that) or highly specialised tools for that one rocky-icey couloir that only is barely rideable once per decade. But therr seems to be nothing in between...
I'm mostly annoyed by the fact that almost always when I weight my backpacking equipment, I end up finding that all of it is heavier than what they say in the specs. Always more, never less.
As far as electrolyte replacement, I love Drip Drop. I love the sugar free passion fruit, I also like the cherry, but not sugar free. Drip drop has 1/2 the sugar that liquid IV contains.
Congrats on finally hitting 100K man! I always enjoy your videos, they're informative, entertaining, and usually get a solid amount of laughs out of me. Keep up the killer work my dude!
Got point on calories for meals! I have found that the water instructions for Mountain House was slightly high, minor mental correction each time now. Although it’s dead wrong on the spaghetti one.
I'm not a hiker but have just started bicycle camping here in The Netherlands , I have never been camping before and as an obese 56yo F this is a real adventure . Tent sizes ... my 2 person tent has a stated footprint of 6ft 2 inch by 5ft , that are the outside measurements , inside is 5ft 6inch by 4ft . Fortunately I travel alone as I am sad and have no friends so this tent size is good for me and my snacky snacks
8:50 So they say it's rated to be comfortable down to 20F and you won't freeze at 10F. MAAAAAAANNNN! MFer I still got cold and uncomfortable and it was only 40. They need me inside those sleeping bags testing them out. I'll let them know what a COMFORT rating is supposed to be.
I have to disagree on the serving size for freeze dried meals. One is usually more than I want to eat, and my dogs won't touch it. Not saying that I'm not still hungry, but they provide more of the swill than I would want to eat. I shop for the ones that are most constipating so it'll produce something about as firm as limestone but not quite granite. It's like playing putt putt with your cat hole, and you require little if any toilet paper.
I was able to fit with my mom in a two person REI Trailmade 2. It was tighter than what we would have wanted but we made it happen and I didn’t feel uncomfortable and there was room for some gear. But the vast majority of my trips I will be alone and the tent is very roomy under those circumstances.
I tend to toss and turn a lot in my sleep. I went to sleep on a self inflating pad and in a sleeping bag inside a Outdoor Research Goretex bivy. I was camped next to a creek (which I know you are not supposed to do) I woke up in the morning and I was submerged in the creek just above my waist and I was bone dry lol. Best 125 bucks I ever spent. Taped seem seal is key. Be Safe stay dry and keep it wild.
10:50 I think they weigh the food before dehydration then weigh it after dehydration. subtract the small number from the big number and use that new number as the recommended amount of water. Some food doesnt rehydrate as expected or requires longer than stated.
Backpacker pantry is one of the worst with their water measurements imo. At least mountain house gets it close to right most of the time. But anytime I venture into other brands I end up with pure soup.
Nemo Hornet 2p is also misleading on size… imo more on the length than anything. I expected it to be more like a 1.5 person tent, but it’s listed at 85” long and with the wall angles you don’t get anywhere near 85” of actual usable space. I’m 6’4” and have to sleep at a diagonal to keep from kicking the wall.
Just for an unbiased opinion on drink LMNT - they do actually taste pretty good. I'm not a big fan of the chilli ones (even though I love chilli) but citrus salt, orange salt, and raspberry salt are all great. I prefer them a lot more dilute then 16 OZ - bit too salty in 16 OZ
I have a 30 deg quilt but whenever it might even approach freezing I bring an extra down blanket, and I sleep hot. Totally agree about the soupy meals, too. I'm not going to bother with freeze dried anymore; the good ones are expensive AF and are just okay at best. Gonna make my own grocery store meals and eat no-cook food.
I'd like to add that there is no such thing as a 4 season tent. I think it's fair to say that every tent can handle the Spring and the Fall, but you have to pick if you prefer having a breezier tent for the warm months or a well sealed tent for the colder months.
What makes temp rating lies even worse is that the tent most of us sleep in traps warmth from our bodies in a micro-climate, so the inside of the tent is often 5-7 F warmer than outside. That means if it’s 30F outside and you were cold in your 30F rated bag, it didn’t even make it to 35 F. Note that humidity makes a big difference. If it was 45 F during the day and a lot of snow melted, the air at night is going to be damp and feel way colder than it would compared to a low of 45 F during the summer.
Yeah, sleeping bag temp ratings are the most deceiving BS for anyone who is camping... Yup.. Definitely not a comfortable rating... Survival rating, so say manufacturers... Hot vs. Warm vs. Cold sleepers... I'd rather have too warm than miserable could.. I can always she layers until I'm comfortable.. Great other points! Yeah, I splurged at REI while in CO one time on dehydrated meals... NOT cheap and definitely deceptive!
Wow, I’ve missed your outrageous videos. Two cups? I thought you put 1 cup in those meals. Sleeping bags- I got an Ozaek one from Walmart that was rated 30 degrees and would you believe it got right below freezing and I was toasty in it? I had all sorts of other blankets just in case but didn’t need any of that. Suing everyone? Woo that’s a bad idea. Especially if you expect them to sponsor you, just saying. Tent size- you’re right. I had a two person one and decided we will sleep in opposite directions. Promptly got a three person one after that.
You need to go back a few generations for the really nasty ones - ham & chicken loaf and omelet with ham. Surprisingly, the dehydrated beef & pork patties were pretty good. Rehydrate the ketchup packet and put it on the pork, that shit was good! Try not to leave any teeth in the track pad (chocolate brownie.)
Yeah rain jackets are a joke!!! I found out the hard way too haha 😂 standing in my “garden” trying to trim and harvest in the middle of a an actual tornado here in Kentucky. I made it 10-15 mins before I was drenched head to toe. While wearing a VERY expensive jacket Lol I now get a good jacket that’s supposedly waterproof and then I had water repellent treatments to the outside 🤷♂️
Bring a small pouch of instant mashed potatoes or couscous. Thickens up that dehydrated “soup” meal if you add too much water, without affecting the flavor much. Better than drinking your meal!
That ultralight rain jackets work. Yea…..not so much in a downpour. Orvis “ultralight” does work. Their ultralight is not hiking standard…but fishing. Weight penalty, but worth it for me.
Sleeping bag temp ratings are survival ratings not comfort ratings. A 32 degree bag means you will survive the night at 32 degrees, NOT that you will be comfortable. It's the lowest possible LIMIT of the bag, not a comfort limit.
Hoping to do my first backpacking trip this spring and trying to find a sleeping bag (due to all the crap temperature ratings) has been driving me crazy. So annoying. I'm looking at the rating, then trying to find the "comfort" rating, then looking at online reviews of the bags. It's overwhelming.
Use a liner. Extends the life of the bag, lets you regulate the sleep temperature. On a hot night you can just open the bag completely and use the liner only
@@arthurmorgan6717 Thanks for the suggestion. I checked out their reviews and looks like the Kelty is too restricive for me. Smaller, shorter person said the bag was tight.
I knew the sleeping bag issue would come up , back in the day I always (1970's n 80's) purchased North Face bags and for some reason I went with the over kill idea on temperature ratings, and it worked out beautifully. That was strictly for winter camping. I find that when the temps from 45° to the mid 50°s it was hard to find a bag that is either to warm or to cold. When it's in the 40's I'll pack a light weight fleece throw.
When I was hiking a number of years ago around Mammoth, we found a "get-a-round" for not enough food. We'd follow behind a group of boy scouts and would camp nearby. Since they usually cook up more food than they could eat, and didn't want leftovers to attract bears and other buddies, they will most likely ask if you, who have so conveniently camped nearby, if we would like the rest. Oh hell yeah! Free food we didn't have to pack in! We followed them for an entire week...lol.
Human trail raccoon!
Yogi-ing picnics is a favorite tactic of AT thruhikers and Long-Ass Section Hikers (LASHers). 😁
Now that's a smart hiker move for sure, endorsed by Cub and Boy Scouts of America!!!🙏👌🦉❣️
@@mauricedavis2160Thank you. We thought so as well. 🤣😂
I know I'm a year late but I gotta comment on this. The thought of being all freaked out because some random dudes are following me... only to find out they want food, like a bunch of stray puppies... is hilarious xD
This man promised to do a Crotch Pot hike. We need the Crotch Pot hike. Don't let Kyle forget about the Crotch Pot hike.
LOL! Absolutely! Forgot about that!!
Beef stew! Beef stew!😂
Gotta prep the food with it on 😂
Crotch Pot Hike! Crotch Pot Hike! Crotch Pot Hike!
😂
For any company that starts using the “2-F***ing person tent” descriptor, I’ll start buying only their products 😂
All of my equipment is way old, late 70's early 80's (other than boots which I've gone through alot of those, and my sleeping bag which I have modified so I can regulate the temperature) , most foods I have are home made dehydrated food, from jerky, to bean soups, as for waterproof, well other than spray prepping your equipment, nothing is ever waterproof, parachute material pants and wick shirts that dry off quickly once in shelter is what I found useful, wool sweaters in cold temperatures (wool continues to keep you warm even when wet, that's why they were used on submarines) zippo lighters, knives, full med. kit. I more recent years I've seen lots of new useless equipment being lugged around, and a dependency on expensive flashy stuff that just doesn't work. We've dug coyote wells, Dakota pits, camped in temperatures below zero degrees Fahrenheit, and backpacked up and down the Northern Appalachians, and the Adirondacks, many times in extreme weather conditions (although I no longer do that, as I've learned my age limitations and stopped rolling the dice), but I always tried to only carry what is an absolute necessity, and only added things when I realized that I could have used them on past hikes.
YES to the the wrong water directions on dehydrated foods! Sometimes it's a soup, sometimes is a dried up poop consistency! Do these companies have employees that actually go out hiking and follow the directions?
right?! so stupid
This is a skill that isn't on RUclips. How to Rehydrate food. The instructions are mostly useless. Boil extra water. Be on the conservative side. Don't wait ten minutes before you check it. Adjust it if necessary while your water is still hot, doing it with cooled down water 15 minutes later sucks. Those insulated bags look interesting.
Sounds like mixing cement
@@danielspoon1234 Not dissimilar at all.
Screw having them go out hiking. Just make it in the break room at their office! They'd see pretty fast it's messed up. Do they not have a QA department?
1 person tent = dog tent/gear storage tent, 2 person tent = 1 person tent, 3-4 person tent = 2 person tent, 6-8 person tent = 4 person tent.
I have about 10 tents spanning those advertised sizes and this is absolutely true. 1 person tent = 0.75 person tent.
I feel like sleeping bag temperatures are only an issue in the US (and maybe similar countries). In Europe and in NZ (the 2 places where I bought sleeping bags), you have 3 temperatures rating :
- comfort : well, means what it means
- limit comfort : you’ll have to use some warmer clothes but it will still be ok down to that temperature
- extreme limit (same as US survival rating) : will save you from hypothermia but you’re up for a terrible night
These temperatures are sometimes slightly over estimated, but to like 5 degrees C at most. But when you’re from Europe and buy an american brand like sea to summit, you often think you got robbed because what they call comfort is actually our « limit comfort ». The European way of rating sleeping bags seems much more honest to me.
I don't even hike. I don't even know why I watch all your videos now 😂
same as me, we want to double down on why we don't hike
Same!
Hilarious. 😂
I'm a bikepacker, but it's really like comparing apples to oranges,especially now that there's gear made for both, but I watch any video he drops, he's funny as hell, & most importantly honest about products, which is getting harder & harder to find
I have resorted to dehydrating a lot of my own meals. Taste waaaay better and it’s so much cheaper. Small learning curve but it’s where it’s at!🍻
I have a tent that was advertised as “1.5 person” 😂 Like they’re just letting you know there will be room for your bag in there.
LOL, I've never seen that rating! Hilarious!
We have a mountaineering alps tent that is a 1.5 person tent. It’s nice to keep your packing inside the tent. But it’s 15 years old and not UL.
This is for all outdoor clothing companies. I am a profuse sweater and never have I ever experienced sweat being wicked off my skin. No matter the fabric, all I feel is cold, clammy fabric. That's my lie.
Jim, I think wicking is a terrible expression. All the wicking fabric actually does is, it absorbs the sweat and lets it evaporate “faster” than cotton. - If you go in with that expectation, there are some great types of fabric…But to your point, none of them actually wick sweat away. (Maybe if compared to a rubber shirt)
I’m with you on this. Honestly, I feel like cotton seems to be better at “wicking” then most of the technical fabrics
@@tylerk.7947 I think cotton may pull moister off you faster/better, but it certainly holds that moisture for longer too, so that means cotton is going to be heavier and get a lot colder. The technical fabrics are super valuable, I just think they are miss-marketed.
I second this
The tent section had me crying. I packed a four-person tent when I shared the tent with my no-baby-making friend. Worth the extra weight for me, but I made him carry the bear canister and food. Waterproof-labeled clothing can be scrutinized as disingenuous, and I know only a couple of materials are truly waterproof. However, if you pay for something that says it will be waterproof even after using and treating, I feel it should have some merit. I have waterproof pants that actually were waterproof until I washed them with Tech Wash and reimpregnated them with the waterproofing formula and now they leak after a light rain.
As someone who used to work in an outdoor sports shop for a decade, all I can say is get yourself informed. It is not a sales scam. Most gear companies develop their gear with the idea in mind that in some situations, their gear would have to keep someone alive if shit hits the fan.
Get informed about sleeping bag temperature ratings. The 'Extreme' rating is meant to give you a chance to stay alive in worst case scenario until you get rescued, not 'you will sleep comfortably if it gets cold to this temperature'. The rating means shit if you don't insulate for the cold coming from the ground with a proper sleeping mat also.
Water resistant (also known as repellent): Water pearls of the fabric for a period of time.
Waterproof: No water can get through the fabric.
Why would you make a waterproof fabric also water repellent? If the water soaks into the fabric, it blocks the 'pores' resulting in a less breathable fabric and prohibiting your skin from breathing, or moisture to escape, resulting in you feeling hot and more clammy. (Same reason why cotton is awful as a technical fabric.)
Going to go hike in the snow or in a drizzle? Water resistant. Going from your car to the shop? Water resistant. An hour on your bicycle through the rain? Waterproof membrane 5,000mm to 10,000mm water column (Don't know what that means? Get yourself informed.). Expecting to hike through a downpour for hours on end? Waterproof membrane of 20,000mm water column and up. Jacket and pants obviously.
As for the tents: If your buying online without going to a shop to see the tent set up (we used to set up tents in store for clients to see them properly), at least check the dimensions as to not be surprised the space isn't as large as you thought or expected, by going off of the '1 person - whatever person' description only...
My favorite is when they advertise some dehydrated foods and it has "2.5 servings per container." Say what? Are you supposed to save that extra half serving for the next day?
im sure it's been done lmao
I forget which brand it was but there was a meal I had that was slide seal resealable, and I was on a short trip and got full so I just saved it for a late night snack, but if they aren’t resealable it makes no sense to have such large serving sizes listed
I gave up on rain jackets and am going full poncho from now on. It covers you and your pack, and can double as a tarp for your firewood or worst case, a tent.
Crazy how fast your channel took off after your PCT hike! Been subscribed for a long time and am happy to see you surpass your goal man! Congrats!
Remember a few months ago Kyle scaled back his goal to 50k subscribers because 100k was too ambitions. Now he has blown past 100k!!!
That's why I wear rain capes... I live on the Olympic Peninsula where one learns very quickly what garments are needed just to do daily activities... lol.. the only thing that works are plastic hooded rain capes... with Plastic outer layers over pants and sweaters
interesting!
@@KyleHatesHiking the rain capes are super light... too... and breathe cause it's basically a picnic table cloth... with a hood... lol... water proof doesn't breathe and there can lots of sweaty overheating issues that don't happen as much with the capes.. plus range of motion is great... and they are like $3 or less... maybe they are called rain ponchos as well
I work at the biggest outdoors retailer in the UK on the camping section. When customers ask for advice on sizing, I ALWAYS say "however many of you there are, you need double the berths." 4 person tent for 2 people + gear, 6 person for 3 + gear, etc. No matter the brand (that we sell). Berghaus, OEX, MSR, Eurohike, HiGear, OEX, you name it. Has never steered me wrong so far.
RE: waterproofing; Always try to find the HydroHead rating, as with tent. Something is considered "waterproof" at 1500hh, which is why cheap shit like Eurohike use it for their tents. Look for anything higher than 4000hh. Also many gear companies will recommend that you treat your gear with waterproofing to retain its waterproofing ability.
I totally agree about the sleeping bags temperature ratings. It's so hard to tell how accurate the rating is without trying it out. When I was in college, they had the perfect sleeping bags to lend out. Small, light, but good to 0°F. I haven't found a brand as good as them since.
Elevation, temp, etc do not affect the amount of water needed to fully rehydrate dehydrated food - but they DO affect the amount of TIME you need to rehydrate the food. Chances are, if you have soupy food, you need to wait longer. Like, A LOT longer. I’ve had meals that I’ve had to wait a full 40+ minutes to rehydrate at 8,000ft. Before that, it might seem hydrated but it’s not *fully* hydrated and therefore is soupy. And yeah, the hydration directions and amount of time you need to add is on the package. Just most people are too impatient.
A 2 person tent is really just a one person with room for gear tent.
this is the truth
Damn you were working so hard to get to 50K and here you are over 100K! Congrats well done
You can never go wrong with filling your meal to just above the level of the contents of the package ~ 1/2 inch above.
I don’t know why tent companies don’t just call some tents 1.5 person tents. For those tents that, sure, you could fit a second person in there, but it was made for one person with gear. If the tent doesn’t fit two 25x77 pads, it’s not a two person tent.
Stop looking at serving size. Look at total calories. Calories tell you how much fuel you will get out of it. Realistically you are supposed to eat one serving of the freeze dried food and a serving of fruit and vegetables. It’s how your supposed to eat if your living off of them year round. We can fuck up our diets for a few days and it’s not that big of a deal. So just eat all your calories in whatever you have on you and when your back home eat appropriately again. It’s probably more of a concern when you are doing a three month thru hike, but for a week or less, not really.
That idea about multiple instructions on the meals makes a lot of sense. For $10+ dollars for a 600-700 calorie meal, they can put in a little more effort.
I add Idahoan Potato powder to my meal if I add too much water. 👍🏼
YES! For f’s sake! There is a definite difference between an actual two-person tent and a tent that fits two people only if they are willing to partially sleep on top of each other! My friends and I have long called the latter a “lady-suit tent” because it forces you to be so up in each others’ shit that it feels like you’re almost wearing the other person to fit inside the space! (A lil’ nod to Silence of the Lambs)
There are degrees of water permeation. So water resistant means that it will repel water, but there will still be some water saturation. How much water makes jt through will depend on duration and how much water it is exposed to. If it's truly waterproof, you won't have any breathability. Waterproof would be something that's hydrophobic and had a non porous surface, so water has no way to permeate into it.
Totally get it with the water in the dehydrated meals; soupy or a log! The companies need to test their own products! I did the directions for Mac & Cheese and it was soupy! Not at all creamy!
Mountain House Beef Stroganoff. It. Was. Soup. Ugh.
I’m 6’ tall. No tent is ever the reported “size.” I can sleep in a bivy solo but if my dog comes it’s a two person tent and that’s barely enough.
Man, you NAILED these. ALL of these are so valid - you're the man. Hopefully we'll get some changes by these companies!
glad you agreed Ken!
Your channel is growing so fast lately 😊
I know, I'm very lucky!
Hi Kyle! I've been lax about watching your vids over this horrid winter because it was too depressing even thinking about the trail knowing it's gonna be quite awhile and every week we get more bad weather. Anyway, I'm SOOOOOOO happy for you getting to way over 100k subs!!!! CONGRATS!!! You've worked hard for it. Love your vibe and personality. Have you considered the story of Mostly Harmless? It's surely one of the oddest stories of someone dying on the trail.
Love to you and stay safe! Be good, but not TOO good!😘
I haven't been hiking in ages and even when I did, I was nowhere near the level you are on. I used to live in Texas and hiked around the backwoods. Now I'm in Virginia and recently walked around Great Falls. Why am I mentioning this? Because for some reason I am in love with your channels and it is beyond interesting to me to take a peek into the world you inhabit, Kyle.
Please keep telling it like it is and please keep making content.
Oh, Great Falls... I miss that place! I used to go out there in the early evenings for some peace and quiet and respite when I was in college in the District.
I did a 27 day ski traverse, we slept in that same big Agnes tent, cooking in the vestibule when the weather was ruff. We spent about 15 days of that trip on glaciers (Clemenceau icefield, chaba icefield and Columbia icefield) we made extra high snow walls to deal with the wind. Honestly, I love that tent, it's so light.
Six Moon Designs doesn't lie about the number of people that will fit inside their tents. Their 2 person tents will fit 2 people and the Skyscape is a 1 person tent that fits one person plus their gear.
I just rock a bivvy sack AKA the claustrophobic bearrito.
Totally agree with tent size.
Always add 1 person for proper sizing, ie 2p is really a 1 comfortably, etc.
My BIGGEST gripe is DWR coatings on clothing. The “D” is supposed to stand for durable. In my experience almost every coating is about as durable as tissue paper. And yes yes yes, I do wash them with the proper non-detergent soaps, dry as directed, apply useless “restorer”, etc. If you advertise that something is water repellent, shouldn’t water bead up and roll off for more than 2 times using it?!??
Small tent could be called 2 person spooning tent.
Speaking from a lighting perspective which possibly transfers over here. When something is listed as water resistant it's basically okay in light duty usage. An occasional splash of water or moisture in the air it will be fine in. Waterproof is more $$$ but it's built for consistent use in a wet environment. I could be way off base here but that's my guess.
The big problem we had with two of us (married couple) using a Big Agnes two person tent is that even though we were comfortable, our sleeping pads fit and we had our backpacks inside the tent, filling the entire tent with stuff and people weighs down the zippers on both sides. Subsequently, on our PCT hike last year the zippers started failing about 150 miles into the trip, and by mile 400 or so we had added velcro strips to the tent to keep it shut. Big Agnes tents are great, but you and the UL1 is okay for 1 person, but after that, you need a UL3 for two people, and so on.
Great video, and all true!! The dehydrated meal water issue is the most aggravating! Not only do you end up with a bag of soup, but you burned up, probably, twice as much fuel heating all the water you didn’t need in the first place!!
11:30 instead of printing it on the back, they'll attempt the bro move and have a QR code you can scan with your phone for other instructions.
Oh this issue goes at least as far back as the 90s. I remember my friends and camped with faires so we lived in these tents long term, movi g every 1-2 mos to another ren faire site and looking for jobs (not the acting that didnt pay, you did apprentice level craftwork for the artisans or hawked/sales for them, or worked for the games and rides company or food and trash company. So we hung out in these tents them like homes.But no hiking really and you didnt carry them.
Anyway, 2 person tent was for 1 very minimalist low maintenance person. A 4 man tent was for an average person who wants a bit of extra room, or a couple. I knew one lady who had a 9 man tent though, all for her (or whoever she invited to stay over).
Just ordered my lmnt box w free sample. Heading out on AZT next week, hydration is key.
I just got my lmnt box. Those flavors! Wow. Mango habanero yum
The too-much-water thing, yes!!! I just routinely ignore the recommended water amount, and use far less, and it has *always* come out much better.
The sleeping bag temp ratings . . . well, if you do any reading on the topic, I think there's a lot of discussion of the fact that the ratings have traditionally been "survival" ratings, not "comfort" ratings. But the average person picking out their gear for a big hike may well not be aware of that distinction; the companies certainly did not used to highlight it. I think some of them are getting better nowadays at explaining what their particular numbers really mean. And as you point out, it's so subjective, anyway, it would probably be impossible to come up with a true "comfort" rating. Everybody unfortunately has to do their own "backyard trial-and-error" testing until they get a feel for how "cold" or "warm" a sleeper they are.
"Waterproof" or "water-resistant" jackets . . . meh. Years of long-distance bicycle riding long ago taught me to be very Zen about the whole thing, because either way, you're getting wet: you'll get wet because your "resistant" jacket will lose its will to resist after 3 hours or so of a downpour, or you'll get wet because you are marinating in your own sweat inside your "waterproof" jacket. ("Waterproof" but "breathable"? Yeah, now *there* is a gear company lie, LOL!) So I accept the fact that I will, at some point get wet, and I don't focus so much on trying to stay dry in the rain as I do on trying to stay warm in the rain.
Because we get fooled by companies doing false or tricky advertisement
What I do is always take the name and model number if available and search for it on utube unboxing or rivew video
Which always helps figuring out the size of product and little bit info
Kyle complains that the tents are too small, Kyle complains that the tents are too heavy
Enough is enough Kyle.
got me
I found using minute rice for the extra water in your freeze dried meals works well. Better than potatoes. Peak Refuel meals have a good caloric value, for the most part. Plant based ones are not worth carrying.
I've had good luck with temp ratings on bags and quilts from cottage companies. Big manufacturers are full of shit. I saw a Sierra Designs 20 degree bag have an extreme limit rating of 28 degrees but yet they knocked off 8 degrees for marketing. Total dicks.
When asked about equipment I tell people to test it. That is easy with the tent and food ( set it up or cook”?”it ), but low temp and weather ratings. I don’t know of a non-field test.
I always plan at least adding one more “person” size for the tent. My son and I tried the Tiger Wall UL2, but went to the Copper Spur UL3 because of the lack of space. It’d been a long time since I’d bought a tent and forgot to add the extra “person” to the tent I bought. At least he can use the Tiger Wall for scouts. :)
If it's breathable AT ALL, it's not 100% waterproof. Once the temporary Durable Water Resistant coating wears off (shoulder strap rubbing) your "miracle" $400.00 jacket will leak.
They're ok for a hike of up to a couple of weeks in a wet environment, but, the above scenario is unavoidable, eventually. A poncho is maybe the best alternative in warm, rainy weather, but even a poncho will make hot hikers sweat (voice of experience from my ultralight poncho/tarp days). A well-ventiated, waterproof jacket will be more reliable than a "waterproof/breathable" miracle of advertising.
For many years my tent of choice was the Kelty Windfoil Ultralight. Now back then this was a light weight tent at 4.2 pounds. I always hike solo just me and my dogs. The Kelty winfoil ultralight could fit me all my gear and 5 dogs. 2 dogs were tiny so. That is pretty damn roomy. This was at a time when most tents were 5lbs or more. It was very waterproof as well I used it during 4 day downpours and remained dry. Today I use the Nemo dragonfly 2. 2lbs without the footprint. I haver yet to seriously weather test it thus far. We will see if it was a good purchase after I camp through a monsoon. It is much smaller than my Kelty. Still its roomy enough.
Good job on going over 100k....must of make a lot of moms happy to go over that...keep up the great work
😂 thank you for watching!
Moms?
The tent thing is so true. When I was hiking the JMT I met a couple hiking the PCT and they were sharing a two person tent. They said those really only work for two people if you want to be spooning all night. I also once tried sharing a 3 person tent with my dad and brother, ya I ended up cowboy camping the rest of that trip lol.
I don't know anyone who buys or eats dehydrated camp/ hiker / bushcraft food. Even when backpacking was what we did in the 60s & 70s before maturation into university and maturation into adult life. Going on a grand tour hike of Northern Europe / Himalayas was what we did. Even then we bought from restaurant vendors. Dehydrated potatoes mashed and otherwise, soups, pastas, beans, rice, jerkied meats. Today that stuff is sold for $1.00 and tastes great. Rice a roni, instant potatoes, liquid egg product, sausage, beef, no way I'd ever pay more for that nasty ass mountain house crap.
not just backpacking tents, but even family tents - they say 'fit four people', but it's three tiny chinese people, not four full-sized Americans, and def. no room for gear! We learned to just halve the number they say: so a four person tent fits two people. Get an 8-person tent for a family of four.
DIY dehydrated meals are SO easy to make, even without a freeze-drier.
I think they should rename and subdivide 2-person tents to mate-tents and mating-tents...
The thing where i think is the most bs in all the outdoor industry is bike describtions and ski describtions. Why a bike with small tires should be the optimal offroad travel machine while the one with the one with wider tires, pre-mounted rack and lights should only be suitable for daily commutes despute being pretty much the same bike... Or skis should be either the do-it-all one-ski-quiver (sometimes surprised they don't market FIS race skis like that) or highly specialised tools for that one rocky-icey couloir that only is barely rideable once per decade. But therr seems to be nothing in between...
I'm mostly annoyed by the fact that almost always when I weight my backpacking equipment, I end up finding that all of it is heavier than what they say in the specs. Always more, never less.
As far as electrolyte replacement, I love Drip Drop. I love the sugar free passion fruit, I also like the cherry, but not sugar free. Drip drop has 1/2 the sugar that liquid IV contains.
Congrats on finally hitting 100K man! I always enjoy your videos, they're informative, entertaining, and usually get a solid amount of laughs out of me. Keep up the killer work my dude!
Your videos have incentivized me to do the NH4000s. Did Washington a few years back, and now I'm going to get back out this spring.
Kyle you had me laughing when you called the Cops. I cant remember what my suggestion was for this video but the ones you choose were the best.
Got point on calories for meals! I have found that the water instructions for Mountain House was slightly high, minor mental correction each time now. Although it’s dead wrong on the spaghetti one.
I'm not a hiker but have just started bicycle camping here in The Netherlands , I have never been camping before and as an obese 56yo F this is a real adventure . Tent sizes ... my 2 person tent has a stated footprint of 6ft 2 inch by 5ft , that are the outside measurements , inside is 5ft 6inch by 4ft . Fortunately I travel alone as I am sad and have no friends so this tent size is good for me and my snacky snacks
8:50 So they say it's rated to be comfortable down to 20F and you won't freeze at 10F. MAAAAAAANNNN! MFer I still got cold and uncomfortable and it was only 40. They need me inside those sleeping bags testing them out. I'll let them know what a COMFORT rating is supposed to be.
Love channels that actually give good info as well as interesting content. Stay safe people!
I have to disagree on the serving size for freeze dried meals. One is usually more than I want to eat, and my dogs won't touch it. Not saying that I'm not still hungry, but they provide more of the swill than I would want to eat.
I shop for the ones that are most constipating so it'll produce something about as firm as limestone but not quite granite. It's like playing putt putt with your cat hole, and you require little if any toilet paper.
3:00 A spooning tent!
Roy Roger's would be proud of your "Happy Trails." Don't ever try to sing it like he used to though.🤣😂🤣😂
I was able to fit with my mom in a two person REI Trailmade 2. It was tighter than what we would have wanted but we made it happen and I didn’t feel uncomfortable and there was room for some gear. But the vast majority of my trips I will be alone and the tent is very roomy under those circumstances.
Peak refuel is one of the best freeze dried foods and they also offer more calories/protein.
I tend to toss and turn a lot in my sleep. I went to sleep on a self inflating pad and in a sleeping bag inside a Outdoor Research Goretex bivy. I was camped next to a creek (which I know you are not supposed to do) I woke up in the morning and I was submerged in the creek just above my waist and I was bone dry lol. Best 125 bucks I ever spent. Taped seem seal is key. Be Safe stay dry and keep it wild.
10:50 I think they weigh the food before dehydration then weigh it after dehydration. subtract the small number from the big number and use that new number as the recommended amount of water. Some food doesnt rehydrate as expected or requires longer than stated.
I've never sued anyone before, I'm so excited, thanks for the invite!
Backpacker pantry is one of the worst with their water measurements imo. At least mountain house gets it close to right most of the time. But anytime I venture into other brands I end up with pure soup.
Woo hoo! Congrats on 100k! 🎊 👏 🎉🥳🏆 have you ordered the quilt jacket, crotch crock, and camp chair yet? 😁
working on it 😂
@@KyleHatesHiking woot! Can't wait! 😁
What is a crotch crock? I'm terrified to type that into duck duck go🤣
Congrats🎉 on 100k.
You have been so fun and keep your videos entertaining and hilarious while teaching us real sh!t. Love ya, kiddo. Keep going.
Nemo Hornet 2p is also misleading on size… imo more on the length than anything. I expected it to be more like a 1.5 person tent, but it’s listed at 85” long and with the wall angles you don’t get anywhere near 85” of actual usable space. I’m 6’4” and have to sleep at a diagonal to keep from kicking the wall.
Just for an unbiased opinion on drink LMNT - they do actually taste pretty good. I'm not a big fan of the chilli ones (even though I love chilli) but citrus salt, orange salt, and raspberry salt are all great. I prefer them a lot more dilute then 16 OZ - bit too salty in 16 OZ
Agreed. I usually put it in 32 ounces, and I like the taste.
@@rootsandpeaks yep same here 1 litre (32oz) all the way.
I have a 30 deg quilt but whenever it might even approach freezing I bring an extra down blanket, and I sleep hot. Totally agree about the soupy meals, too. I'm not going to bother with freeze dried anymore; the good ones are expensive AF and are just okay at best. Gonna make my own grocery store meals and eat no-cook food.
I'd like to add that there is no such thing as a 4 season tent. I think it's fair to say that every tent can handle the Spring and the Fall, but you have to pick if you prefer having a breezier tent for the warm months or a well sealed tent for the colder months.
What makes temp rating lies even worse is that the tent most of us sleep in traps warmth from our bodies in a micro-climate, so the inside of the tent is often 5-7 F warmer than outside. That means if it’s 30F outside and you were cold in your 30F rated bag, it didn’t even make it to 35 F.
Note that humidity makes a big difference. If it was 45 F during the day and a lot of snow melted, the air at night is going to be damp and feel way colder than it would compared to a low of 45 F during the summer.
Regarding my "two person tent" I think they mean if you stack the people vertically.
100k subscribers, great job, don't let your bad language ruin it all.
Whenever I camp with Kyle’s mom we always use a 2 person tent 😉
I have to use a 3 person tent because she brings her friend too....
Yeah, sleeping bag temp ratings are the most deceiving BS for anyone who is camping... Yup.. Definitely not a comfortable rating... Survival rating, so say manufacturers... Hot vs. Warm vs. Cold sleepers... I'd rather have too warm than miserable could.. I can always she layers until I'm comfortable.. Great other points! Yeah, I splurged at REI while in CO one time on dehydrated meals... NOT cheap and definitely deceptive!
Wow, I’ve missed your outrageous videos. Two cups? I thought you put 1 cup in those meals. Sleeping bags- I got an Ozaek one from Walmart that was rated 30 degrees and would you believe it got right below freezing and I was toasty in it? I had all sorts of other blankets just in case but didn’t need any of that. Suing everyone? Woo that’s a bad idea. Especially if you expect them to sponsor you, just saying. Tent size- you’re right. I had a two person one and decided we will sleep in opposite directions. Promptly got a three person one after that.
You should see if you can find the sludgy grossness that was the vegtable omlette mre.
ewwwwww
You need to go back a few generations for the really nasty ones - ham & chicken loaf and omelet with ham. Surprisingly, the dehydrated beef & pork patties were pretty good. Rehydrate the ketchup packet and put it on the pork, that shit was good! Try not to leave any teeth in the track pad (chocolate brownie.)
Yeah... I usually end up drinking my Mountain House scrambled eggs.
Biggest lie - (similar to a 2 person tent) a sleeping pad is wide enough. I wear a 52” extra long jacket, but I’m supposed to sleep on a 25” wide pad?
Tent capacity refers to spooning only. 🤙
Yeah rain jackets are a joke!!! I found out the hard way too haha 😂 standing in my “garden” trying to trim and harvest in the middle of a an actual tornado here in Kentucky. I made it 10-15 mins before I was drenched head to toe. While wearing a VERY expensive jacket Lol I now get a good jacket that’s supposedly waterproof and then I had water repellent treatments to the outside 🤷♂️
Bring a small pouch of instant mashed potatoes or couscous. Thickens up that dehydrated “soup” meal if you add too much water, without affecting the flavor much. Better than drinking your meal!
That ultralight rain jackets work. Yea…..not so much in a downpour.
Orvis “ultralight” does work. Their ultralight is not hiking standard…but fishing. Weight penalty, but worth it for me.
I always thought tent capacity referred to how many people fit when everyone is spooning each other
More videos like these please!
Sleeping bag temp ratings are survival ratings not comfort ratings. A 32 degree bag means you will survive the night at 32 degrees, NOT that you will be comfortable. It's the lowest possible LIMIT of the bag, not a comfort limit.
Hoping to do my first backpacking trip this spring and trying to find a sleeping bag (due to all the crap temperature ratings) has been driving me crazy. So annoying. I'm looking at the rating, then trying to find the "comfort" rating, then looking at online reviews of the bags. It's overwhelming.
Kelty Cosmic DriDown is a good starter. Especially when they go on sale.
Use a liner. Extends the life of the bag, lets you regulate the sleep temperature. On a hot night you can just open the bag completely and use the liner only
@@arthurmorgan6717 Thanks for the suggestion. I checked out their reviews and looks like the Kelty is too restricive for me. Smaller, shorter person said the bag was tight.
@@rickyaz8640 thanks, I will. Already purchased that.
I knew the sleeping bag issue would come up , back in the day I always (1970's n 80's) purchased North Face bags and for some reason I went with the over kill idea on temperature ratings, and it worked out beautifully. That was strictly for winter camping. I find that when the temps from 45° to the mid 50°s it was hard to find a bag that is either to warm or to cold. When it's in the 40's I'll pack a light weight fleece throw.