If you're wondering about those Dry Bags, I wound up not using them on the trip because the Nevo Rhino has *so many pockets*, but I have been using them to store other gear, and they're super handy! I also forgot to mention the Columbia Sandy River shorts at the end - they were fine, but definitely not nearly as comfortable as my other hiking shorts, and there was lots of thigh chomping 🥴 I'd recommend investing in a good pair of hiking shorts instead.
Hey Miranda, That Night Cat tent is an older version. They've recently revamped their logo. I've got the 2 person, double-walled, Night Cat tent. Which is the older version, & no longer available, that I bought on Amazon. I'll be posting it on my YT channel, as soon as I get an SDcard reader for my laptop.
I have used similar (possibly the same) Amazon noname assorted dry bag set and at least for the ones I got I'll say the actual bag construction is decent and they're reasonably watertight (about as you'd expect and plan for with cheap lightweight drybags), but the hardware is definitely the point of compromise, the buckles are super thin plastic that will crack if you look at them wrong, and no easy way to replace without significantly taking apart and resewing the opening...
It is unfortunate you didn't like those shorts! Columbia pants are all I hike in, and I have very large, former dancer/Crossfitter thighs. They're also my work pants for when I'm spending 10-12 hours a day climbing all over Navy ships doing inspections. I also recommend their quarter zips as a mid layer. They're $25 (I think) at the Columbia outlet stores.
I love the sounds of nature - wind in the trees, chirping birds, babbling creeks, and Miranda munching on carrots at jet engine level decibels of crunch.
My dog Fizgig turned 15 years old in March. I don't think he could hike with me now; even a mile walk puts him out for the day.😴 Glad to see Tucker so active.❤
Would love to see a video about Tucker! What it's like to hike with a senior a dog, how y'all take care of him on the hike, and his "gear" LOL Love the content as always, thank you for all you guys do ❤❤❤
Yes, this is what we need! I'm hiking with my mix from Romania, she's 7 yo, doing well on our hikes. She will get older though and well, gear is always interesting, right?
My daughter saw Rainer and said "hey, there's her dad" and spent the rest of the video talking about how your dad let you walk alone at camp and how cool it was you were camping with your dad. Also, pretty good dog 😁
That's always the worst part of trying to save money by buying the "budget" stuff isn't it. Cause you often end up paying way more trying out gear, looking for something that's inexpensive but not "cheap." than just buying something mid-range expensive. So it's really nice when someone else can spend that time and money for us. Keep up the good work!
5'2" to 6'1" is an 11 inch range for that backpack. Without it having any way to adjust for your torso length, seems like they're stretching the truth a bit there.
I tend to lean toward thrift store gear from trusted brands, or FB marketplace. But you have to live where backpacking is popular to get these deals, I suppose. You need a very specific demographic combo to get people who donate good gear to goodwill etc and people who are motivated enough to sell decent gear for great prices locally. I’m not choosy about colors & style obviously lol…
GREAT point about thrifting in places where hiking is popular! Living in Seattle, it was easy to find discounted, high-quality gear by shopping the bins - but that’s not the case everywhere.
My next door neighbor has a young girl scout. I "sold" them complete camping gear for all 3 of them. $50. They insisted on paying me something. They aren't backpacking, so older, heavier backpacking gear is great for them to car camp.
About a year ago I was at Goodwill and found a 100% complete, brand new, never used GSI Pennacle Backpacker cookware set that even still had the GSI stickers on it. It is currently selling for around $129 and I paid $6 for it!!! When I saw it that day I couldn't snatch it up fast enough! I was so happy for like the rest of that week!! 😂
Hey Miranda, Rainer, and Tucker! Loving this series! Have you thought of making a "how to plan a trip" video? I feel like it would go hand-in-hand with these videos making backpacking more accessible for lots of folks.
A little bit of advice for you. Only boil about half the water you need for your coffee, and top up with cool water. That way you can drink it a bit faster.
I have a super cheap sleeping pad from a different amazon brand but one thing I've noticed over a few multi-day, single site trips is that generally it's a good idea to top them off right before you go to bed because they are really averse to temp changes, blowing them up with warm breath while it's warm out leaves a lot of room for the air to contract at night.
Those birds were Camp Robbers, aka Canada Jays! They're actually in the Corvid family, not the Jay family. They're very cheeky and will absolutely steal anything edible.
@@HunterJE Ah, yes, I misspoke/ used too technical a term with "family." What I'd meant is that Canada Jays are more closely related to crows than blue jays.
I am a side sleeper and my first backpacking mat was one of the kylmit ones and I slept miserably! I am much happier with my nemo mat that never magically flatten out in the middle of the night.
I am so pleased you reviewed that trowel. I don't know what we would do without these in depth reviews of things that really matter. We don't want to be up s*** creek without a trowel.
I love these video series! It gives some good tips. I hope that new backpackers not just buy everything but ask family and friends to borrow some gear, it is a great way to share some stories and get some advice!
100% YES! Most of my first backpacking kit was borrowed, gifted, or bought secondhand. I hope these videos are helpful for anyone who doesn’t have access to resources like that, or looking to finally own their own kit, but I think borrowing from family and friends is such a wonderful place to start!
I own a Night Cat tent. I have used it about a dozen times since I got it. Being a Scout leader, the bulk of my camping is done between September and June. The tent has held up to rainy nights. The door stakes out into a nice vestibule that keeps boots out of the weather, and helps with ventilation. I have not had issues with condensation on the inside. I do use a small tarp under the tent as ground cover to help keep moisture out. I did find the pole assembly cords flimsy, but they are holding up. I also noticed the beginning of fraying when the pole hits the seams of the pockets. Overall, I like my blue Night Cat tent.
IMO the best way of getting your hands on budget gear is buying used! Maybe you could do that 😁 It's pretty hard for beginners since they don't know what to look for, but you could find som gold I think!
Another fun video, y'all! And OMG, Tucker makes me smile so big every time he's on camera. We love backpacking with our pup, mostly because it brings us joy to see her exploring and enjoying herself. 🥰
Just 4 minutes in and I'm laughing with tears....this sleeping pad has no r value Oh there it is. 😂😂 Oh man I just love watching you and hear Rainer laughing in background. They Best I tell you the Best!!!
I've got that same Toaks titanium pot and it's great! conducts well for heating water and the titanium cools down super quick to make things easy to handle. If you get the pot with the frying pan then you can easily fit a 250g fuel can and stove inside the pot, makes for a nice compact and lightweight cooking solution.
Not directly on topic but just want to say thanks, I did a lot of backpacking and other backcountry camping as a kid and teen and loved it but then as an adult every time I thought about getting back in to it would get up in my head about gear and planning and am I too out of shape and if I go with more experienced hikers will I hold them back and if I go alone will I screw it up and just generally What If I Do It Wrong and so kept putting it off. This year as I turned 40 and was doing some "what do I want to do more of with the rest of this trip" introspection and one of the results was a resolution to finally make this backpacking thing work. Your channel and others have been super helpful in getting through those barriers and I'm proud to say I just got back from a successful (and truly magical) two night solo in the Olympic National Park coastal wilderness! Already trying to figure out how to get more trips in to get back out this fall...
(Also your Decathalon budget-gear video was specifically helpful, picked up the Forclaz MT100 50L pack and no complaints so far, I suspect it'll work nicely at least long enough for me to build the experience needed to know what I want from a more expensive pack which is what low to mid budget starter gear in any hobby should be all about imo)
I'm at 33 seconds, and I saw tucker. That means I will be watching the rest of the video happy. I'd watch the video even if tucker wasn't in it, but tucker does make it better. 11/10 for pups. edit: Tucker is 15? He doesn't look a day over 7.
Great video! One idea for a budget headlamp.... I use a rechargeable bicycle light instead of a headlamp. I just attach it to the band of my hat, it works great, and it is something I already own. : )
Great Video, just what I needed this afternoon :) Inflatable beds have this thing they do on the first use where the material stretches a little bit, especially the seams settling into their permanent location - essentially creating more space inside and therefore seemingly deflating. Possibly your sleeping mat also did something similar. I would just give it another try and then see how it goes.
I'd love to see a budget video with thrifted/secondhand gear from place like ebay, rei garage sale etc. Think it could be really cool to show some sustainability measures and that gear from previous production cycles is just as good!
Agree! We buy lots of secondhand gear, people try backpacking once and realize they don’t like it, so facebook marketplace is full of lightly used gear.
Hey Miranda and Rainer! Thank you again for such an awsome, thorough test of budget gear. Many of us, especially in less economically prosperous areas really struggle with the quality/price balance of our gear, so more information and insight is always appreciated. I was just wondering, (and please don not take this the wrong way, I love the show, and love this series) about what happens to all this gear that you test. Backpacking gear can be made out some quite polluting materials, and these budget companies (Dechatlon and Amazon at least, I don't know that much about REI) fly and ship them all over the globe. It would be good to know that we don't accidentally put a huge carbon footprint on the great outdoors we all love and try to enjoy, And again, please don't take this as some harsh criticism, I love the show, and I always look forward to cosying up with a meal and go hiking vicariously through you guys. Just a question that occurred to me.
Hey! No offense taken at all - it’s a great question! All the gear I test throughout the year gets donated to organizations that can use it, sold, consigned, or gifted. That doesn’t just go for the Amazon or any other budget gear, but *all* the stuff I test! I keep things that are going to stay in my regular pack, along with gear that I can lend to friends or crew, but my hope is that everything else gets new life in the hands of someone who needs it.
There's millions of these budget/Temu/Aliexpress/Amazon videos on YT. How about a " vintage gear" video, you know, the kind of stuff we used in the seventies and eighties like those half ton leather boots with fat red laces and canvas backpacks with aluminum frames and don't forget the back-breaking surplus military sleeping bags. You'll need a canteen and a cooking pot you stole from mom's kitchen to boil all of your drinking water too! Don't forget the hatchet for chopping wood every time you need that fire😃
I was ecstatic to keep my pack weight below about 45 lbs, and that was mostly mid 90s. Lightweight gear existed then, but it was way expensive. Kids these days don't know how good they have it. 😂
I kept my pack pretty light by just not packing anything extra. We used two-liter soda bottles instead of a canteen (we didn’t have canteens), we used iodine for water purification and solid-fuel or Sterno cans when we couldn’t make a fire. We also didn’t have sleeping pads and we didn’t carry much extra clothing. We had some of those really cheap ponchos or garbage sacks that we brought just in case in rained (we only backpacked in summer).
This video is so good! It feels like yall really are taking a hold of this whole RUclips channel a lot more than you did a year ago!! It’s so cool to see that! Keep on making amazing content as always!
With all the baffles in the Klymit, there's not a lot of air in there. When you inflate it with the warm air in your lungs, as that air cools, it becomes more dense. That's why the pad feels like it deflated. Biggest benefit of using a pump imho, no need to reinflate like I have been for years :)
Pro tip: a lot of blow up pads (and especially cheap ones) need to be "primed" beforehand. Aka, blow it up to maximum, let it sit for a day, and repeat a few times. This lets the plastic stretch out to the size you will be using it and it won't deflate! All that said, I still like to spoil myself with a sea to summit self inflating pad 😅 only about $90 on Amazon.
When I first started backpacking I used a lot if stuff I already owned. I found much of my car camping gear crossed over. My first trips used a plastic bowl and utensils and my car camping sleeping bag. I did buy a nice pack that was sized to me. The rest came from dollar stores and Department stores. I’ve expanded to a big nice gear but more still crosses to car camping.
Regarding your blow up sleeping pad, the reason it seems less inflated in the middle of the night even though it apparently wasn't leaking air, is because of the temperature drop. Hot air expands, while previously hot air, as it cools, contracts. This is the same principle at play when your tire pressure goes up as you drive your car and goes back down when you are parked. So, as it got cold in the night, the air pressure in the pad dropped.
I'm enjoying this series, but REI got somewhat unfair treatment: you only tried REI branded gear, but you did not limit yourself to only Amazon Basics. The Toaks cup and spork are available at REI, and I'd rather buy them there. Plus REI members get an annual rebate and 20% off coupons, so technically those products can cost less at REI. Btw, Tucker looks a lot like my beloved dog that I lost to old age recently. She was such a sweetie, and Tucker seems just as lovely :)
I use the Klymit static V insulated. R value of 4.4. It looks like you got an older static v. They changed the valve to a larger flip valve that makes it one way air flow. I’ve used mine on 2 2 night backpack trips without a problem.
Miranda, a have followed you for quite sometime on IG. I freaking love your content. I love this series. I used to backpack quite a lot (in my younger years). As life is slowing down and I m making my health a priority I am getting back into it. I pulled out my old pack, and backpacking gear. Found myself needing some budget gear. Some of your suggestions and ideas have worked wonderfully for me. I won’t be doing through hikes or anything, but a few miles with the sons in law and granddaughters is about it. Thank you for this series. Please, keep making it fun and light hearted. Cheers
instructions on the klymit pad and most air filled pads indicate 1st use it will stretch. recommend a subsequent attempt or two and then an update , betting you ill find it didnt leak but did in fact stretch
I got my Big Agnes Tiger Wall 2 person UL tent for $160 through REI resupply. I couldn’t even tell it had been used. Would love to see a budget gear video with only used gear, partially because I think it would be so fun to see you finding it - almost like a scavenger hunt!
I have to say Coulghan's makes some pretty interesting budget-friendly items. Their $10 solid-fuel stove is GOLD if you want a really cheap stove with the fuel tabs included. Also, love the fire sticks for making campfires, I refuse to camp without them. It may be worth looking into doing a video with some of their gear as a lot of ACE Hardware sell their stuff, so it's readily available.
I have the insulated Klymit sleeping pad, and the first night I slept on it, it also let all the air out. The valve is tricky and you have to get it just right. It's worked once I figured it out.
I love budget backpacking videos! I got the Kylmit sleeping pad in a set with pillow, and backpack and both the pad and pillow suck. The pad has a slow leak that cannot be identified and the pillow’s a big X (literally) and too thin and oddly shaped to use for your head. I bought Trekology UL ($37) sleeping pad and their pillow ($15) they are super comfortable and easy to inflate so I’d highly recommend!
Oh and BTW that Klymit you got was the old design. There's a newer design that doesn't have a valve sticking out like that, but instead, it has a flat 'flip' valve that is one way, so when you blow in, it stays in until you flip it. You can use a Flextail Tiny Pump X to blow that version up. You have to be super careful on AMZN when trying to pick out the newer version. I didn't even realize the old valves were still around. I heard they leaked and had higher fail rates.
I actually purchased a UNP 2 person tent that was about $35.00 on Amazon and I am really pleased with it. It is waterproof and a 2 wall tent. I used it without the rainfly to watch the stars on a not so chilly night.
hello! just watched all of your videos in the budget gear series, really enjoyed them! I was wandering if you are going to be releasing the final video with your ideal budget gear any time soon. Im going on my first backpacking trip in December and would love to use your info when making purchases!! thank you so much for your help, I really really appreciate your videos and am so happy I found your channel!
The Static V is the only thing in my gear system I havent upgraded because i love it so much. The R rating surprises me, ive slept in 20-30 degrees no problem with only using that sleeping pad.
I don't have any of the issues you had... you must have had the valve flipped to "deflate" instead of "inflate". There's a yellow tab you flip that says which side you should be using so it sounds like you may have been using the wrong setting.
Great Video! Awesome video! I have been watching for years and am happy to see you making these budget videos. I use a lot of these pieces of gear myself! I use the Nevo Rhino "45 + 5" pack which is a bit smaller but big enough for me. the straps are placed much better. instead of the bungee cords it has a stretchy mesh shovel pocket which I perfer. also, the water bottle pockets are big enough to fit a full size nalgene and a 16 oz nalgene together! Also it is designed so that the pack does not sit directly against your back. I don't know how much smaller the frame of the pack is because I am 5'10" but if you want to try another I would definately reccommend. An idea for a future video- walmart gear! They have a lot of really good stuff that I have used.
46:37 the best budget layer for backpacking is to use what you already have. If you have an old(er) (non-cotton) sweater or one that you don’t care if it gets a bit beat up, that’s perfect.
actually paid attention to the weights for the first time in a while. this load is around what my 9yr old carries into camp - but then we’re in the UAE and every trip includes 4.5ltrs of water carry… very jealous of those who just carry a filter!
I use a wide insulated klymit that I absolutely love because the baffling kinda cradles me and it's the first sleeping pad ive had where i haven't rolled off the side at night and onto the floor. It's been good for me.
I have a popup nightcat tent (with the hoops - you just open it and it pops straight up). Its fantastic. Really light, waterproof and so quick to assemble. For the price, I've been really happy with it. Because it's hoop shaped I'm not sure it would work for backpacking - I just use it for camping where I drive to the campsite and then do day hikes from my campsite. But worth a look if anyone wants a tent for similar use for a great price! Also, I love seeing Tucker in your videos so much! As someone else commented, a video about backpacking with a dog and all the things you bring for him would be awesome :)
That Klymit pad is the old valve version, which i think was known for leaking. That is probably why it was cheaper than you found it other places. I got my Klymit in 2021, and it has the new flip valve. I'm in the minorty, it seems, in that I actually really like it.
I would like you to take a final backpack hike with your favorite budget pieces during a rain event. No it does not make a hike necessarily fun but it would test that gear.
So, i have had several klymit pads and most of them have had the deflation issue; i was able to determine that it was a defect in the way the valve was installed. I usually get a thermarest valve repair kit and pull the valve out, use the glue feom the kit and put the valve back in and it fixes the problem.
I had one of those Klymit Static V pads and the valve is definitely a bit fidgety to fill the pad up. One has to close the valve between breaths to keep the air inside. My Klymit Static V has never "deflated" during the night, but it also looks like the one in the video was not inflated enough if it wasn't leaking. Also it's a really good idea to test out any item at home before using it in the field to figure out how to properly inflate it to a comfortable sleeping level, so if the Klymit was actually leaking, it could be replaced before actually being used for real. So I'd actually blame it on user error for this one. About the backpack... it's a really bad idea to use an ill fitting backpack, no matter how cheap it is. It needed to be returned and a better fitting one used.
I just bought that same pack for my first backpacking trip last weekend because the nicer one I ordered wasn't going to arrive on time and it was so big on me as a 5'6" woman.....I looped paracord through the hip belt clip area and was able to cinch it tighter which made it a lot more comfy!
Stacking an inflatable pad on the foam is what we used to do in the mid 2000s. The insulation wasnt there and i remember nit trusting the quality of a sleeping pad to not get holes. But, the mind set back then was definitely more durability focused.
❤ He’s been my best bud for so many years, ever since I adopted him as a pup in Los Angeles when I used to live there. I feel so blessed he’s in such great health at such an advanced age and we’ve had so many adventurous years together. Hoping for many more years with him!
We have a lab husky mix that actually looks a bit like Tucker, and she is 16! She is retired from hiking due to her arthritis, but she's still kicking!
So the sleeping pad you used, we actually ordered that for my husband and we did the at home test like ya do before going out on a hike.....we ended up returning it the next day because....nope, wasn't working for him. We ended up getting an REI air pad on sale and love it. I got the Zenbivy Ultralight sleeping bad (so not budget friendly unless you shop the sales, which is what we did) and love it as well. We got our backpacking tent from Amazing for $60 on sale, and it also weighs 4 lbs. However, we free pack it and that helps distribute the weight. We are looking into a Nemo tent to shave off some weight but over all, we love our tent and it's held up during a severe thunderstorm with winds going up to 60+MPH. After researching videos like yours and Eric's videos, we figured out where to put our money when it comes to backpacking and where to cut corners.
I bought a 65 liter Teton Sports pack for 89 dollars. The thing is crazy well built and fully adjustable. And it is within a gram of a comparable Osprey. I get 4 packs from Teton for the price of the Osprey.
I have 2 things from Amazon I use all the time: 25L day pack from N Nevo Rhino And I bought some foldable carbon fiber trekking poles made by a Danish company for 60 bucks and I like them much more than my old Leki's. Made by Alpin Loacker.
I have the Nevo Rhino framed pack, and love it! As a whole group of beginner backpackers, I was the only person to not have sore shoulders on a 6 day trip
Loving these budget gear videos! I’ve acquired my backpacking gear mostly from AliExpress, thrifting, Amazon, and FB Marketplace. My favorite is my $20 Walmart tent. It is heavy, at 3.5#, but it has kept me dry through very heavy rains (13 hours of nonstop pouring rain overnight on my last trip). I’m thinking about just replacing the poles to decrease the weight.
If you have a tent you like & it's only real flaw are those heavy fiber glass poles there are companies that make replacement poles in aluminum & carbon fiber. You just send them the overall length & number of segments. I'd not do it for this tent but there are decent inexpensive tents that are worth the upgrade.
This video is definitely for me. I went camping for the first time in February. I loved it lowkey 😅 I’ve been prepping and learning from my mistakes so I’ll be ready for next years trip
That Klymit pad was my first sleeping pad (before I knew anything about R-values), and as a cold sleeper, I ended up hating it. It has way too many cold spots, not to mention the low R-value. It's only good in really warm temperatures or inside. I also started with the Featherstone foam pad and it works well, but I still prefer my Nemo Switchback if I'm just using the foam pad because the Nemo one is a little softer. I made the mistake of buying that plastic trowel for my first trowel, which I thankfully never had to try using and quickly replaced. Featherstone's 1P tent would be my recommendation for a good budget tent. Very sturdy, lots of mesh, and weighs 3 lb 12 oz, which is pretty good for a budget tent. You could probably reduce the weight some by ditching the footprint and replacing the stakes, too. And I'm sure you already know, but the birds were Canada Jays and they'll take any opportunity to steal your food!
A trick I learned with bear bag hangs. Instead of hoisting over the tree branch, bring an extra line and a carabiner. Then run the cord tied to the bag through the carabiner. Hoist the first line up to the height you want your hang plus a foot or so and tie off the line. Then hoist the second line. You'll find it MUCH easier to hoist while under pressure because the carabiner is smooth. It's like having a pully for your bear bag.
I don't know if anyone explained why the sleeping pad "deflated" at night. Since it has such a low R value, the air inside the pad cooled off significantly as it got colder outside. Cold air molecules (the same with liquids) get closer together than warm air molecules. So the air molecules inside your sleeping pad got closer together as they got colder, which made the sleeping pad feel less full. If you would have left it without adding more air, it would have "reinflated' as the air inside warmed back up during the day. This doesn't happen as much if the R value is higher since the air inside the pad also stays warmer. Thanks for the fantastic video!
Noticed the compression socks/gaiters? It is hard to find compression socks that are breathable. I found Sockwell compression socks that come in different thicknesses that work well. They have a merino blend that is very comfortable, breathes and you can wear for several days before needing to wash them. I wear them for flying and for walking around the cities sight seeing. My favorites are the feather weight, but they have ones with padded soles. They aren’t inexpensive, but as I’m a heavy sweater, synthetics just make me miserably wet and can’t provide enough wicking to keep up like merino or cotton.
Oh, interesting! My Klymit sleeping pad is the only thing that I've never had the need to upgrade in the last 3 / 4 years I've had it. Mine is the wide version, and that is just a nonnegotiable now. I use a basic FlexTail Pump, to inflate it and never had issues with it. I'll probably run it to the ground.
as part of this budget series could you test the rental gear you can get from REI? i feel like while you’re saving for better quality budget gear you could end up saving a lot by just renting. love this series
Great video, for a future video you should try hammocking with an inexpensive tarp.. with your folding pad it should be cheaper and lighter. Love how approachable you make backpacking, while sharing your joy. Hope to run into you in the emigrant wilderness sometime
It would be good to find a budget *women's* backpack. I recently got a super lightweight frameless backpack from 4F UL, and it's clearly styled for men. The sternum strap doesn't come up high enough, and the shoulder straps are straight rather than curved to fit around the mammaries.
Hanging bear bags was tricky. I would weight one end of a length of Paracord with a rock,tie the other end to the bag. When I threw the weighted end over a tree branch, it would always swing back and hit me in the face.
Even if you don't relish putting your tongue straight on it you can close your airway with your tongue/palate while keeping a seal with your lip (hard to describe but natural enough to do) while you breathe in through your nose or close the valve
If you're wondering about those Dry Bags, I wound up not using them on the trip because the Nevo Rhino has *so many pockets*, but I have been using them to store other gear, and they're super handy! I also forgot to mention the Columbia Sandy River shorts at the end - they were fine, but definitely not nearly as comfortable as my other hiking shorts, and there was lots of thigh chomping 🥴 I'd recommend investing in a good pair of hiking shorts instead.
so Miranda... Idea for a new video. backpacking only with army surplus gear.
Ahhhhh, crotch marauders... as soon as you said "Columbia", I knew. Great brand, but not for hiking 😂
Hey Miranda,
That Night Cat tent is an older version. They've recently revamped their logo. I've got the 2 person, double-walled, Night Cat tent. Which is the older version, & no longer available, that I bought on Amazon. I'll be posting it on my YT channel, as soon as I get an SDcard reader for my laptop.
I have used similar (possibly the same) Amazon noname assorted dry bag set and at least for the ones I got I'll say the actual bag construction is decent and they're reasonably watertight (about as you'd expect and plan for with cheap lightweight drybags), but the hardware is definitely the point of compromise, the buckles are super thin plastic that will crack if you look at them wrong, and no easy way to replace without significantly taking apart and resewing the opening...
It is unfortunate you didn't like those shorts! Columbia pants are all I hike in, and I have very large, former dancer/Crossfitter thighs. They're also my work pants for when I'm spending 10-12 hours a day climbing all over Navy ships doing inspections. I also recommend their quarter zips as a mid layer. They're $25 (I think) at the Columbia outlet stores.
Tucker is a national treasure. That boy deserves a pension, maximum treats, and infinite pets.
And a sticker.
I love the sounds of nature - wind in the trees, chirping birds, babbling creeks, and Miranda munching on carrots at jet engine level decibels of crunch.
I am now an ASMR influencer
My dog Fizgig turned 15 years old in March. I don't think he could hike with me now; even a mile walk puts him out for the day.😴 Glad to see Tucker so active.❤
Crunchy carrots… YAAAWWWPPP!
And the screaming of flung bugs
And every squirrel within a 5 mile radius hears that and goes "FOOD!!!"
Tucker is 15?!?! What a good boy, I love that he still comes out on the short hikes 🥺❤️
My Charley (sheltie) gave up hiking when he was 16. He passed away at almost 18
Our lab husky mix (who actually looks a little like Tucker) retired from hiking at 14, and she'll be 16 next month.
Would love to see a video about Tucker! What it's like to hike with a senior a dog, how y'all take care of him on the hike, and his "gear" LOL Love the content as always, thank you for all you guys do ❤❤❤
Would love to see this too. I hike my German shepherd and worry about his temperature at night
Yes! You can see how much love he gets by the way he follows you!
with a segment from his pov
Came here to say the same thing! Would love a video about hiking with him!
Yes, this is what we need! I'm hiking with my mix from Romania, she's 7 yo, doing well on our hikes. She will get older though and well, gear is always interesting, right?
My daughter saw Rainer and said "hey, there's her dad" and spent the rest of the video talking about how your dad let you walk alone at camp and how cool it was you were camping with your dad. Also, pretty good dog 😁
If Miranda drops a sustainable option to the smart water bottle I will lose my whole goddamn mind. 🙏 💙
👀👀👀👀👀
@@MirandaGoesOutside No seriously, take my money pleaseeee
I am quietly sitting on the edge of my seat!
I remember the Instagram tease. I’m all in for a sustainable smart water bottle
That's honestly what I think is happening! I thought that the second she made the comment. lol
That's always the worst part of trying to save money by buying the "budget" stuff isn't it. Cause you often end up paying way more trying out gear, looking for something that's inexpensive but not "cheap." than just buying something mid-range expensive. So it's really nice when someone else can spend that time and money for us. Keep up the good work!
This is exactly right! If you sleeping bags rips on the first use _and_ it isn’t warm enough, it is just not worth the price.
5'2" to 6'1" is an 11 inch range for that backpack. Without it having any way to adjust for your torso length, seems like they're stretching the truth a bit there.
I tend to lean toward thrift store gear from trusted brands, or FB marketplace. But you have to live where backpacking is popular to get these deals, I suppose. You need a very specific demographic combo to get people who donate good gear to goodwill etc and people who are motivated enough to sell decent gear for great prices locally. I’m not choosy about colors & style obviously lol…
GREAT point about thrifting in places where hiking is popular! Living in Seattle, it was easy to find discounted, high-quality gear by shopping the bins - but that’s not the case everywhere.
My next door neighbor has a young girl scout. I "sold" them complete camping gear for all 3 of them. $50. They insisted on paying me something. They aren't backpacking, so older, heavier backpacking gear is great for them to car camp.
@@MirandaGoesOutside I got my Osprey 70L pack off of Seattle Craigslist! Sub-$100, and still going strong after 5 years!
About a year ago I was at Goodwill and found a 100% complete, brand new, never used GSI Pennacle Backpacker cookware set that even still had the GSI stickers on it. It is currently selling for around $129 and I paid $6 for it!!! When I saw it that day I couldn't snatch it up fast enough! I was so happy for like the rest of that week!! 😂
Coffee's in the mug, and a Miranda video drops. Who's ready for a good Sunday morning?🎉🎉
Woohoo a great start to the day! 🥳
Hey Miranda, Rainer, and Tucker! Loving this series! Have you thought of making a "how to plan a trip" video? I feel like it would go hand-in-hand with these videos making backpacking more accessible for lots of folks.
Watching this video for encouragement and advice as I begin hiking season as a newer outdoorsy person ☀️ Tucker and I have similar hiking vibes 😄
Yay!! I’m so excited for you, and welcome to the wonderful world of hiking 🥳
The sound effect for the bug getting flicked off Miranda’s backpack 😂😂😂
A little bit of advice for you. Only boil about half the water you need for your coffee, and top up with cool water. That way you can drink it a bit faster.
I have a super cheap sleeping pad from a different amazon brand but one thing I've noticed over a few multi-day, single site trips is that generally it's a good idea to top them off right before you go to bed because they are really averse to temp changes, blowing them up with warm breath while it's warm out leaves a lot of room for the air to contract at night.
Those birds were Camp Robbers, aka Canada Jays! They're actually in the Corvid family, not the Jay family. They're very cheeky and will absolutely steal anything edible.
Thank you! I was going yo go on a search for what they are, but you saved me the time. thaaaaank you
Aren't all jays in Corvidae?
@@HunterJE Ah, yes, I misspoke/ used too technical a term with "family." What I'd meant is that Canada Jays are more closely related to crows than blue jays.
Was just coming here to say this! I run into them around Mount Hood all the time. They are bold and tricksy!
So happy seeing the sweet old puppy tagging along again.
Missed you tucker! Hopefully lots of small hikes, belly rubs and treats in the future ❤
I am a side sleeper and my first backpacking mat was one of the kylmit ones and I slept miserably! I am much happier with my nemo mat that never magically flatten out in the middle of the night.
I am so pleased you reviewed that trowel. I don't know what we would do without these in depth reviews of things that really matter. We don't want to be up s*** creek without a trowel.
I love these video series! It gives some good tips. I hope that new backpackers not just buy everything but ask family and friends to borrow some gear, it is a great way to share some stories and get some advice!
100% YES! Most of my first backpacking kit was borrowed, gifted, or bought secondhand. I hope these videos are helpful for anyone who doesn’t have access to resources like that, or looking to finally own their own kit, but I think borrowing from family and friends is such a wonderful place to start!
It would be so interesting if you combine all of your busget favorites and hike with those once you're done with the individual budget videos!
i think that's her plan!
I own a Night Cat tent. I have used it about a dozen times since I got it. Being a Scout leader, the bulk of my camping is done between September and June. The tent has held up to rainy nights. The door stakes out into a nice vestibule that keeps boots out of the weather, and helps with ventilation. I have not had issues with condensation on the inside. I do use a small tarp under the tent as ground cover to help keep moisture out. I did find the pole assembly cords flimsy, but they are holding up. I also noticed the beginning of fraying when the pole hits the seams of the pockets. Overall, I like my blue Night Cat tent.
... What ?? You keep Steaks in your tent door ?? ... Can I camp with you ?? ... Will share Mountain House ..
IMO the best way of getting your hands on budget gear is buying used! Maybe you could do that 😁 It's pretty hard for beginners since they don't know what to look for, but you could find som gold I think!
You can get some good gear in charity shops sometimes - I paid £20 for a fleece by a really good brand which costs £60 new
Another fun video, y'all! And OMG, Tucker makes me smile so big every time he's on camera. We love backpacking with our pup, mostly because it brings us joy to see her exploring and enjoying herself. 🥰
Just 4 minutes in and I'm laughing with tears....this sleeping pad has no r value Oh there it is. 😂😂 Oh man I just love watching you and hear Rainer laughing in background. They Best I tell you the Best!!!
The labeled bear bag made me picturing someone opening it up and a bear pops out 😂
I've got that same Toaks titanium pot and it's great! conducts well for heating water and the titanium cools down super quick to make things easy to handle.
If you get the pot with the frying pan then you can easily fit a 250g fuel can and stove inside the pot, makes for a nice compact and lightweight cooking solution.
Not directly on topic but just want to say thanks, I did a lot of backpacking and other backcountry camping as a kid and teen and loved it but then as an adult every time I thought about getting back in to it would get up in my head about gear and planning and am I too out of shape and if I go with more experienced hikers will I hold them back and if I go alone will I screw it up and just generally What If I Do It Wrong and so kept putting it off. This year as I turned 40 and was doing some "what do I want to do more of with the rest of this trip" introspection and one of the results was a resolution to finally make this backpacking thing work. Your channel and others have been super helpful in getting through those barriers and I'm proud to say I just got back from a successful (and truly magical) two night solo in the Olympic National Park coastal wilderness! Already trying to figure out how to get more trips in to get back out this fall...
(Also your Decathalon budget-gear video was specifically helpful, picked up the Forclaz MT100 50L pack and no complaints so far, I suspect it'll work nicely at least long enough for me to build the experience needed to know what I want from a more expensive pack which is what low to mid budget starter gear in any hobby should be all about imo)
I'm at 33 seconds, and I saw tucker. That means I will be watching the rest of the video happy. I'd watch the video even if tucker wasn't in it, but tucker does make it better. 11/10 for pups. edit: Tucker is 15? He doesn't look a day over 7.
Great video! One idea for a budget headlamp.... I use a rechargeable bicycle light instead of a headlamp. I just attach it to the band of my hat, it works great, and it is something I already own. : )
Great Video, just what I needed this afternoon :)
Inflatable beds have this thing they do on the first use where the material stretches a little bit, especially the seams settling into their permanent location - essentially creating more space inside and therefore seemingly deflating. Possibly your sleeping mat also did something similar. I would just give it another try and then see how it goes.
"This was definitely designed for people who do not have boobs"; so real and too common.
I'd love to see a budget video with thrifted/secondhand gear from place like ebay, rei garage sale etc. Think it could be really cool to show some sustainability measures and that gear from previous production cycles is just as good!
Agree! We buy lots of secondhand gear, people try backpacking once and realize they don’t like it, so facebook marketplace is full of lightly used gear.
Hey Miranda and Rainer!
Thank you again for such an awsome, thorough test of budget gear. Many of us, especially in less economically prosperous areas really struggle with the quality/price balance of our gear, so more information and insight is always appreciated.
I was just wondering, (and please don not take this the wrong way, I love the show, and love this series) about what happens to all this gear that you test. Backpacking gear can be made out some quite polluting materials, and these budget companies (Dechatlon and Amazon at least, I don't know that much about REI) fly and ship them all over the globe. It would be good to know that we don't accidentally put a huge carbon footprint on the great outdoors we all love and try to enjoy,
And again, please don't take this as some harsh criticism, I love the show, and I always look forward to cosying up with a meal and go hiking vicariously through you guys. Just a question that occurred to me.
Hey! No offense taken at all - it’s a great question! All the gear I test throughout the year gets donated to organizations that can use it, sold, consigned, or gifted. That doesn’t just go for the Amazon or any other budget gear, but *all* the stuff I test! I keep things that are going to stay in my regular pack, along with gear that I can lend to friends or crew, but my hope is that everything else gets new life in the hands of someone who needs it.
@@MirandaGoesOutside Amazing, just about the best thing really, thank you for replying ☺
There's millions of these budget/Temu/Aliexpress/Amazon videos on YT. How about a " vintage gear" video, you know, the kind of stuff we used in the seventies and eighties like those half ton leather boots with fat red laces and canvas backpacks with aluminum frames and don't forget the back-breaking surplus military sleeping bags. You'll need a canteen and a cooking pot you stole from mom's kitchen to boil all of your drinking water too! Don't forget the hatchet for chopping wood every time you need that fire😃
Don't forget that we brought cans of food!
I was ecstatic to keep my pack weight below about 45 lbs, and that was mostly mid 90s. Lightweight gear existed then, but it was way expensive. Kids these days don't know how good they have it. 😂
These type of videos are a call for people to buy through the affiliate links. It’s how they pay the bills, RUclipsrs gotta eat!
@@garychiang2568 True!
I kept my pack pretty light by just not packing anything extra. We used two-liter soda bottles instead of a canteen (we didn’t have canteens), we used iodine for water purification and solid-fuel or Sterno cans when we couldn’t make a fire. We also didn’t have sleeping pads and we didn’t carry much extra clothing. We had some of those really cheap ponchos or garbage sacks that we brought just in case in rained (we only backpacked in summer).
Could you make a video about hiking with doggies? And what to bring and what to look out for? Tucker is the best!! Thank you!! ❤❤
This video is so good! It feels like yall really are taking a hold of this whole RUclips channel a lot more than you did a year ago!! It’s so cool to see that! Keep on making amazing content as always!
With all the baffles in the Klymit, there's not a lot of air in there. When you inflate it with the warm air in your lungs, as that air cools, it becomes more dense. That's why the pad feels like it deflated.
Biggest benefit of using a pump imho, no need to reinflate like I have been for years :)
“This is my show gosh darn” get a chuckle outta me every time! 😂 Your content is the tops! Please never stop lol 🤙🏻
Pro tip: a lot of blow up pads (and especially cheap ones) need to be "primed" beforehand. Aka, blow it up to maximum, let it sit for a day, and repeat a few times. This lets the plastic stretch out to the size you will be using it and it won't deflate!
All that said, I still like to spoil myself with a sea to summit self inflating pad 😅 only about $90 on Amazon.
When I first started backpacking I used a lot if stuff I already owned. I found much of my car camping gear crossed over. My first trips used a plastic bowl and utensils and my car camping sleeping bag. I did buy a nice pack that was sized to me. The rest came from dollar stores and Department stores. I’ve expanded to a big nice gear but more still crosses to car camping.
Dollar stores and second hand places like Goodwill are great! I got my first backpacking pots and utensils at a St. Vincent De Paul store.
Regarding your blow up sleeping pad, the reason it seems less inflated in the middle of the night even though it apparently wasn't leaking air, is because of the temperature drop. Hot air expands, while previously hot air, as it cools, contracts. This is the same principle at play when your tire pressure goes up as you drive your car and goes back down when you are parked. So, as it got cold in the night, the air pressure in the pad dropped.
Good tips from others about letting the mat stretch out for a day or two. Also topping it off before going to bed (air loses volume when it cools).
Besides your amazing presence, Rainer's laughter, Tucker's over the top dogness, it's the sound effects that make me laugh the hardest.
I'm enjoying this series, but REI got somewhat unfair treatment: you only tried REI branded gear, but you did not limit yourself to only Amazon Basics. The Toaks cup and spork are available at REI, and I'd rather buy them there. Plus REI members get an annual rebate and 20% off coupons, so technically those products can cost less at REI. Btw, Tucker looks a lot like my beloved dog that I lost to old age recently. She was such a sweetie, and Tucker seems just as lovely :)
She didn’t say it would be Amazon Basics
Rainer almost begging for that high five was both hilarious and endearing
Love the joyful spirit that you bring to these videos.
I use the Klymit static V insulated. R value of 4.4. It looks like you got an older static v. They changed the valve to a larger flip valve that makes it one way air flow. I’ve used mine on 2 2 night backpack trips without a problem.
Miranda, a have followed you for quite sometime on IG. I freaking love your content.
I love this series. I used to backpack quite a lot (in my younger years). As life is slowing down and I m making my health a priority I am getting back into it. I pulled out my old pack, and backpacking gear. Found myself needing some budget gear. Some of your suggestions and ideas have worked wonderfully for me. I won’t be doing through hikes or anything, but a few miles with the sons in law and granddaughters is about it.
Thank you for this series. Please, keep making it fun and light hearted.
Cheers
instructions on the klymit pad and most air filled pads indicate 1st use it will stretch. recommend a subsequent attempt or two and then an update , betting you ill find it didnt leak but did in fact stretch
I got my Big Agnes Tiger Wall 2 person UL tent for $160 through REI resupply. I couldn’t even tell it had been used. Would love to see a budget gear video with only used gear, partially because I think it would be so fun to see you finding it - almost like a scavenger hunt!
Tucker is a super old man. He is sooo adorable! Love the puppers! My pup goes with me too. Love having the pupper with me on hikes!
I have to say Coulghan's makes some pretty interesting budget-friendly items. Their $10 solid-fuel stove is GOLD if you want a really cheap stove with the fuel tabs included. Also, love the fire sticks for making campfires, I refuse to camp without them. It may be worth looking into doing a video with some of their gear as a lot of ACE Hardware sell their stuff, so it's readily available.
Ooo those are cool tips!!
Their fire sticks have no business being as good as they are for as cheap as they are.
@@mikenealis, I am glad I am not alone on this! They seriously are amazing for the money and incredibly versatile too.
I have the insulated Klymit sleeping pad, and the first night I slept on it, it also let all the air out. The valve is tricky and you have to get it just right. It's worked once I figured it out.
I love budget backpacking videos! I got the Kylmit sleeping pad in a set with pillow, and backpack and both the pad and pillow suck. The pad has a slow leak that cannot be identified and the pillow’s a big X (literally) and too thin and oddly shaped to use for your head. I bought Trekology UL ($37) sleeping pad and their pillow ($15) they are super comfortable and easy to inflate so I’d highly recommend!
I made the mistake of buying that pillow and hated it so much I never used it. Now I stash it when I want a butt pad. Works okay for that!
Little pice of advise: when inflating a sleepingpad by mouth use your tongue to close the valve while inhaling!
Oh and BTW that Klymit you got was the old design. There's a newer design that doesn't have a valve sticking out like that, but instead, it has a flat 'flip' valve that is one way, so when you blow in, it stays in until you flip it. You can use a Flextail Tiny Pump X to blow that version up. You have to be super careful on AMZN when trying to pick out the newer version. I didn't even realize the old valves were still around. I heard they leaked and had higher fail rates.
I actually purchased a UNP 2 person tent that was about $35.00 on Amazon and I am really pleased with it. It is waterproof and a 2 wall tent. I used it without the rainfly to watch the stars on a not so chilly night.
Thanks for having Rainer try on the pack. We're very close to the same size and that is super helpful.
I once slept for 11.5 hours on my Klymit pad, on a camping trip, haha. I always sleep great on it.
hello! just watched all of your videos in the budget gear series, really enjoyed them! I was wandering if you are going to be releasing the final video with your ideal budget gear any time soon. Im going on my first backpacking trip in December and would love to use your info when making purchases!! thank you so much for your help, I really really appreciate your videos and am so happy I found your channel!
The Static V is the only thing in my gear system I havent upgraded because i love it so much. The R rating surprises me, ive slept in 20-30 degrees no problem with only using that sleeping pad.
I don't have any of the issues you had... you must have had the valve flipped to "deflate" instead of "inflate". There's a yellow tab you flip that says which side you should be using so it sounds like you may have been using the wrong setting.
Great Video!
Awesome video! I have been watching for years and am happy to see you making these budget videos.
I use a lot of these pieces of gear myself! I use the Nevo Rhino "45 + 5" pack which is a bit smaller but big enough for me. the straps are placed much better. instead of the bungee cords it has a stretchy mesh shovel pocket which I perfer. also, the water bottle pockets are big enough to fit a full size nalgene and a 16 oz nalgene together! Also it is designed so that the pack does not sit directly against your back. I don't know how much smaller the frame of the pack is because I am 5'10" but if you want to try another I would definately reccommend.
An idea for a future video- walmart gear! They have a lot of really good stuff that I have used.
46:37 the best budget layer for backpacking is to use what you already have. If you have an old(er) (non-cotton) sweater or one that you don’t care if it gets a bit beat up, that’s perfect.
actually paid attention to the weights for the first time in a while. this load is around what my 9yr old carries into camp - but then we’re in the UAE and every trip includes 4.5ltrs of water carry… very jealous of those who just carry a filter!
... Never start or hike without reasonable water .... 2 liters is most common ,, filter is to refill as you go ..
Also, I bought that exact quilt on a whim last year and l love it. It's super warm and my giant dog and her giant toenails don't tear it up!
Woo this is so cool to know!! Yeah, it’s FANTASTIC! Happy to hear yours has held up so well!
I use a wide insulated klymit that I absolutely love because the baffling kinda cradles me and it's the first sleeping pad ive had where i haven't rolled off the side at night and onto the floor. It's been good for me.
I have a popup nightcat tent (with the hoops - you just open it and it pops straight up). Its fantastic. Really light, waterproof and so quick to assemble. For the price, I've been really happy with it. Because it's hoop shaped I'm not sure it would work for backpacking - I just use it for camping where I drive to the campsite and then do day hikes from my campsite. But worth a look if anyone wants a tent for similar use for a great price! Also, I love seeing Tucker in your videos so much! As someone else commented, a video about backpacking with a dog and all the things you bring for him would be awesome :)
You always deliver smiles 😊 (and great tech info to boot)
Good fitting, comfy, warm socks are essential. Smartwool or Darn tough expensive but ‘buy once/cry never’
Great info! It is always a hoot to hang a bear bag…lots of laughs for sure!!! Beautiful camp area! TY!
That Klymit pad is the old valve version, which i think was known for leaking. That is probably why it was cheaper than you found it other places. I got my Klymit in 2021, and it has the new flip valve. I'm in the minorty, it seems, in that I actually really like it.
I would like you to take a final backpack hike with your favorite budget pieces during a rain event. No it does not make a hike necessarily fun but it would test that gear.
So, i have had several klymit pads and most of them have had the deflation issue; i was able to determine that it was a defect in the way the valve was installed. I usually get a thermarest valve repair kit and pull the valve out, use the glue feom the kit and put the valve back in and it fixes the problem.
I had one of those Klymit Static V pads and the valve is definitely a bit fidgety to fill the pad up. One has to close the valve between breaths to keep the air inside. My Klymit Static V has never "deflated" during the night, but it also looks like the one in the video was not inflated enough if it wasn't leaking.
Also it's a really good idea to test out any item at home before using it in the field to figure out how to properly inflate it to a comfortable sleeping level, so if the Klymit was actually leaking, it could be replaced before actually being used for real. So I'd actually blame it on user error for this one.
About the backpack... it's a really bad idea to use an ill fitting backpack, no matter how cheap it is. It needed to be returned and a better fitting one used.
I just bought that same pack for my first backpacking trip last weekend because the nicer one I ordered wasn't going to arrive on time and it was so big on me as a 5'6" woman.....I looped paracord through the hip belt clip area and was able to cinch it tighter which made it a lot more comfy!
Stacking an inflatable pad on the foam is what we used to do in the mid 2000s. The insulation wasnt there and i remember nit trusting the quality of a sleeping pad to not get holes. But, the mind set back then was definitely more durability focused.
Tucker is 15?! How??? 😮 I thought only tiny lap dogs could live that long 😂 I'm amazed right now ❤
❤ He’s been my best bud for so many years, ever since I adopted him as a pup in Los Angeles when I used to live there. I feel so blessed he’s in such great health at such an advanced age and we’ve had so many adventurous years together. Hoping for many more years with him!
@@RainerGoldenyou obviously take super good care of him! It's not all about luck and genes 😄
We have a lab husky mix that actually looks a bit like Tucker, and she is 16! She is retired from hiking due to her arthritis, but she's still kicking!
So the sleeping pad you used, we actually ordered that for my husband and we did the at home test like ya do before going out on a hike.....we ended up returning it the next day because....nope, wasn't working for him. We ended up getting an REI air pad on sale and love it. I got the Zenbivy Ultralight sleeping bad (so not budget friendly unless you shop the sales, which is what we did) and love it as well. We got our backpacking tent from Amazing for $60 on sale, and it also weighs 4 lbs. However, we free pack it and that helps distribute the weight. We are looking into a Nemo tent to shave off some weight but over all, we love our tent and it's held up during a severe thunderstorm with winds going up to 60+MPH. After researching videos like yours and Eric's videos, we figured out where to put our money when it comes to backpacking and where to cut corners.
Oh wow, arriving at the lake, what a gorgeous setting! 🌈💚
I bought a 65 liter Teton Sports pack for 89 dollars. The thing is crazy well built and fully adjustable. And it is within a gram of a comparable Osprey. I get 4 packs from Teton for the price of the Osprey.
I have 2 things from Amazon I use all the time:
25L day pack from N Nevo Rhino
And I bought some foldable carbon fiber trekking poles made by a Danish company for 60 bucks and I like them much more than my old Leki's. Made by Alpin Loacker.
I have the Nevo Rhino framed pack, and love it! As a whole group of beginner backpackers, I was the only person to not have sore shoulders on a 6 day trip
Loving these budget gear videos! I’ve acquired my backpacking gear mostly from AliExpress, thrifting, Amazon, and FB Marketplace. My favorite is my $20 Walmart tent. It is heavy, at 3.5#, but it has kept me dry through very heavy rains (13 hours of nonstop pouring rain overnight on my last trip). I’m thinking about just replacing the poles to decrease the weight.
If you have a tent you like & it's only real flaw are those heavy fiber glass poles there are companies that make replacement poles in aluminum & carbon fiber. You just send them the overall length & number of segments. I'd not do it for this tent but there are decent inexpensive tents that are worth the upgrade.
This video is definitely for me. I went camping for the first time in February. I loved it lowkey 😅 I’ve been prepping and learning from my mistakes so I’ll be ready for next years trip
That Klymit pad was my first sleeping pad (before I knew anything about R-values), and as a cold sleeper, I ended up hating it. It has way too many cold spots, not to mention the low R-value. It's only good in really warm temperatures or inside. I also started with the Featherstone foam pad and it works well, but I still prefer my Nemo Switchback if I'm just using the foam pad because the Nemo one is a little softer.
I made the mistake of buying that plastic trowel for my first trowel, which I thankfully never had to try using and quickly replaced. Featherstone's 1P tent would be my recommendation for a good budget tent. Very sturdy, lots of mesh, and weighs 3 lb 12 oz, which is pretty good for a budget tent. You could probably reduce the weight some by ditching the footprint and replacing the stakes, too.
And I'm sure you already know, but the birds were Canada Jays and they'll take any opportunity to steal your food!
A trick I learned with bear bag hangs. Instead of hoisting over the tree branch, bring an extra line and a carabiner. Then run the cord tied to the bag through the carabiner. Hoist the first line up to the height you want your hang plus a foot or so and tie off the line. Then hoist the second line. You'll find it MUCH easier to hoist while under pressure because the carabiner is smooth. It's like having a pully for your bear bag.
I don't know if anyone explained why the sleeping pad "deflated" at night. Since it has such a low R value, the air inside the pad cooled off significantly as it got colder outside. Cold air molecules (the same with liquids) get closer together than warm air molecules. So the air molecules inside your sleeping pad got closer together as they got colder, which made the sleeping pad feel less full. If you would have left it without adding more air, it would have "reinflated' as the air inside warmed back up during the day. This doesn't happen as much if the R value is higher since the air inside the pad also stays warmer.
Thanks for the fantastic video!
Noticed the compression socks/gaiters? It is hard to find compression socks that are breathable. I found Sockwell compression socks that come in different thicknesses that work well. They have a merino blend that is very comfortable, breathes and you can wear for several days before needing to wash them. I wear them for flying and for walking around the cities sight seeing. My favorites are the feather weight, but they have ones with padded soles. They aren’t inexpensive, but as I’m a heavy sweater, synthetics just make me miserably wet and can’t provide enough wicking to keep up like merino or cotton.
When you breathe hot air into a thin sleeping pad, as it cools in the night, the air condenses and it loses pressure, without actually leaking.
Oh, interesting! My Klymit sleeping pad is the only thing that I've never had the need to upgrade in the last 3 / 4 years I've had it. Mine is the wide version, and that is just a nonnegotiable now. I use a basic FlexTail Pump, to inflate it and never had issues with it. I'll probably run it to the ground.
Great video! Looking forward to more budget videos!
as part of this budget series could you test the rental gear you can get from REI?
i feel like while you’re saving for better quality budget gear you could end up saving a lot by just renting. love this series
I'm going on my 3rd backpacking trip in 2 weeks. To mt rainier! Love your channel. It's amazing 👏
Great video, for a future video you should try hammocking with an inexpensive tarp.. with your folding pad it should be cheaper and lighter. Love how approachable you make backpacking, while sharing your joy.
Hope to run into you in the emigrant wilderness sometime
It would be good to find a budget *women's* backpack. I recently got a super lightweight frameless backpack from 4F UL, and it's clearly styled for men. The sternum strap doesn't come up high enough, and the shoulder straps are straight rather than curved to fit around the mammaries.
Hanging bear bags was tricky. I would weight one end of a length of Paracord with a rock,tie the other end to the bag. When I threw the weighted end over a tree branch, it would always swing back and hit me in the face.
Hint for inflating the Klymit pad; put your tongue over the valve to stop air flow when you gasp for breath and while twisting closed the valve.
This. I have the ultra light version and it's great. Just make sure it's full full.
I bought a tiny air pump for mine. The Klymit has worked great for me most times, the only thing I hate is getting it folded back up and in its sack.
Alternately, the flextail tiny pump has a nozzle with a rubber flange that seals over it.
@@xaderalert that is the one I got (could not remember the brand!)
Even if you don't relish putting your tongue straight on it you can close your airway with your tongue/palate while keeping a seal with your lip (hard to describe but natural enough to do) while you breathe in through your nose or close the valve