For those of you commenting about the music… I am well aware it was a terrible idea and way too loud! I’ve never put it in another video since. So thanks everyone for that suggestion and thanks for watching!
I was on a backpacking trip this weekend and this was the first time I used trekking poles. I didn't realize how important they were until then. They made the hikes so much easier
I have one of those chairs. It is a delicious luxury. After a long day of hiking it is so nice to have a reasonably comfortable chair. It's a bit small for me (76" tall and 200 plus pounds) but it still works. It's one of the things I can't give up. Great video!
You can cut one of the sawyer bags at the bottom inside the fold of the flap, leave the cap on and fill from the bottom using it like a scoop tranfer to an uncut sawyer bag or folding and roll the cut bag like you would a bry bag and squeeze.
Great idea. You could add a chip bag sealer rod to close as well. Amazon has them. Search chip bag sealer clips. They are rods that slide over the end of a folded bag. We've used them for years for snack bags, never occurred to me to use over a Sawyer bag.
For those that scoff at trekking poles I guess they have excellent knee's and have great balance. For everyone else- just give them a try. Watch a few videos on how to use them, and borrow a pair or buy a moderately priced well reviewed pole. I personally like Black Diamond and their flicklock system over twist to lock as they seem more durable and easier to use. Poles will: Help with alleviating the strain on your knees (especially downhill). Help with your balance at all times (I have been saved from falling or twisting my ankle/knee so many times. Just a minor tweak can have a large negative effect on your experience). Can be used as a dual purpose item when combined with lightweight shelters that use a pole as part of its structure.
Love your comment about trekking poles. I recently was in Scotland, and just at a tourist attraction on a wee island (iron age broch, Isle of Mousa, Shetland). Basically, you can walk around the island in about an hour. However, being Scotland, the trail goes into some dodgy terrain (including a cliff). I was stuck on the cliff trail until some other folks walked by with trekking poles on their daypack and lent me one (just one really .helps for stability). I used it, loved it and won't go back to Scotland without my own pair. .
Yes, I only used one in this instance. But I'm also 70, so balance issues are big and getting stuck on a cliffside is pretty scary. Yoga really does help, tho!
For any new to backpacking/camping people here. Temperature ratings are for "you will live at this temperature" not you will be comfortable like you are at home. For example the overnight temp last weekend for me was 33 degrees what bag did I grab? I didn't grab a 20 degree; I grabbed the 0 degree. If the temp said it would be below 25 I would have grabbed the -30 degree. Sleeping bags/quilts are definitely not a "this is your best option", it is person specific. That could be overly warm for a lot of people but for me it is comfortable.
MSR Windburner stove is my #1. I've never used a Jetboil, but that Windburner boils water in one minute flat. Expensive? Yes. Kinda bulky and heavy? Yes. But it's SO worth it. Nothing is better than eating less than ten minutes after you set up camp, and since it boils so fast, you save a bunch on fuel. I've literally been eating before a Pocket Rocket stove even achieved a boil. It's that fast.
I love my helinox. I can understand why people don’t want to carry a chair when fast packing or covering miles. But I almost exclusively hike to a basecamp, stay for a few days, and then shoot out to different day hikes around the area. For me, after a day of hiking I want a real seat by the fire.
Thanks to watching these you tube videos I finally got a quilt. I got the UGQ 20 degree. Took it out for the first time this past weekend in 40 degree weather overnight. I was so roast toasty. So much better than my zero degree mummy bag cuz I was always roasting too much in it or my butt was freezing cuz of unzipping it to cool down. Never get rid of it cuz it is a zero bag but the quilt will be my go-to spring, summer, fall bag. And trekking poles are awesome. They got me back on the trail after serious knee injuries. And the come in handy for so much more. Thanks for posting.
CNOC bags are the bomb. I have 2 20 degree quilts for me and my granddaughter. When I go on very cold trips (below 20 degree) she does not go, I double them up, works great. I stuff one footbox into the other, snuggle in the inner bag and run stretch cord under my mat tying the upper quilt edges together to keep the two quilts in place. Flexible options.
Jesus Christ died for our sins, was buried and rose again to save us from eternal judgement and give us eternal life if we believe Him. Only God can save us and freely give us new life inside forever.
@@deha11mo I bet the poor chap wd have preferred a carbon fibre cross to lug thro' thro' the Via Doloroso and all the way up that green hill, and an air mesh suspension on that crown of thorns. Just think of that next time the trail gets hard.
@@briankerr4098 never a truer word buddy, and it happens with Hi Fi too. At some point everyone starts listening to the equipment instead of the music. Unfortunately, as with photographic kit the sheer expense of hi end gear offers no guarantee of anything more than the very rare and only partial cure. It is a chronic condition which for most offerers offers only brief and partial respite at long intervals of joyful submission to the affliction. Fortunately, the odds are heavily stacked against a successful self cure and most of us learn to accommodate and enjoy our disorder and go on to lead a fairly normal healthy life.
At first I thought trekking poles were a nuisance and now I won't travel without them! They saved me from busting my butt so many times in Glacier NP. My mom didn't pack hers for a trip to Joshua Tree and she ended up getting injured. They are a must-have for slippery rocks, steep elevation points, and loose gravel.
Great video Dan. This is such a huge problem for me. Knowing what to get before your experienced. I keep selling my old stuff though to avoid my wife saying, "YOU BOUGHT ANOTHER ......"
Yeah right off the bat I want to agree with you about the temps of sleeping bags. I’ve said now for a while (So Cal high elevation stuff at least) the mountains are never warm, just varying degrees of cold. Having an adequate bag is utterly essential.
I've camped in Idyllwild in April more times than I can count at this point and it's often surprisingly cold. Love having an EE 20deg quilt. Works great.
Great ideas. We have a permanent camping site with a tent, covered with a tarp, we let up. But watching this,, I'm going to get a quilt, and stop using all the blankets. Thank you for the video, Dan.
G'day from Western Australia. FYI... A trekking pole in Australia is called a stick, generally cut from a tree when needed and then discarded when not. I see people on my hikes using ultralight trekking poles and carrying them in conditions when they don't need to use them aka flat terrain. Their hands are tied up with ultralight trekking poles, gloves on whilst in sweltering heat to prevent blisters, sweat running down their face and getting in their eyes because they don't have a hand free to wipe it away. I have a collection of ultralight trekking poles from walks I have done when people put them down and forget them (or simply discard them because of the nuisance they cause). Seriously, cut a branch from a tree or collect a fallen branch, cut it to size and use it as a trekking pole when extra stability is required, and then discard the stick when it isn't needed or use it for firewood. Saves hundreds of dollars.
Some good ideas, well thought out. I too am a gearoholic, always looking for something that will make trail life just that much better. For my bag or quilt I have taken a layer philosophy. Late spring to early fall the low temperature bags are too hot and make me sweat, so I take something very light weight, just to keep the bugs off. When colder I double up two light weight bags or quilts. This has worked well for me and was a lot cheaper than multiple quilts. Here in the mountains of Utah I have camped in below 30 degrees below, so I know it works. I have not been able to justify the weight of a chair for backpacking. Too easy to make one or use a hammock chair, which for the material is much lighter. I like your buff idea and water bag, I am going to get me one. Treking poles I wish I would have gotten some earlier as well, much better on the knees.
I absolutely love my solar powered blow up lantern! I attach it to the top of my pack and lay it out at camp. It’s super bright all evening! I wish I would have bought it sooner!
Buffs are also useful for protecting your ears mouth and nose from flies and insects if you are passing through somewhere that they are plenty. They also help decrease dehydration when you leave them around your neck. They soak in your sweat so cool you down and prevent you losing even more sweat.
i HEAR you on getting friends to hike or backpack with you! Now I rarely put out the effort. It's all good though, there are always great people to meet on the trail!
It is nearly uncanny how much we sound alike. :-) I did almost the EXACT same thing you did. I already had a sleeping bag, + some other sundry gear, but it all wasn't really for backpacking. More for trudging across the environment in a combat/training situation. So, I started buying all the small stuff first. What I should have done was get fitted for a pack, bought my 40° quilt first, then got my REAL hammock, underquilt, etc. BEFORE I bought my cook pots, water filters, stoves/burners, etc. I've got about the same number of trekking poles as you as well. :-) Get the "big" stuff first, pack, shelter, poles, water filtration, cooking kit, then worry about the smaller stuff.
I usually bring a hammock instead of a chair. It's even lighter and smaller as a package plus you can not only sit in it but also lie really comfortably. You do need two trees though, so in some areas it's just not an option.
As for filtration. I carry one smart water bottle only to use for NUUN electrolytes. Each tab is 16oz of water. They taste horrible but work damn good. Otherwise I won’t compromise water because I sweat too much. What works for me is a water reservoir. I’ve added some silicone tubing and remove and add attachments so I don’t have to take it out of my backpack. My filter is Gravity Works Platypus 4L. I can filter what I want but I like having the extra capability at camp to refill my reservoir (or wherever) and have some to cook with and not have to take the time to refill. The Gravity Works system is super quick. The best part is the time saving. Basically, if there are a lot of water resources I can fill my reservoir and not carry any in the dirty or clean bag. But if there isn’t I have the capability. It’s not that heavy empty.
I just got a nemo tango solo for tent camping kind like a quilt kind of like a sleeping bag. I have to agree with you on the trekking poles. Hiking steep terrain, they come in handy. Especially on descents, saves the knees..
Winners in Canada had about 30 sets of Leki poles for $25....next time I went back later that week they were all gone!!! I also bought a zero F degree goose down bag at the MEC semi-annual gear swap for $3 + tax CDN!!!!! The draft tube was ripped...I sew, so I fixed that the zipper was a bit wonky but still works...great deals some of the sleeping bags are like $65 for down or down/synthetic mix...they sell everything that everyone returns throughout the year....MEC is Nation Wide...great deals Cheers Lori
To borrow: take and use (something that belongs to someone else) with the intention of returning it. To lend: grant to (someone) the use of (something) on the understanding that it shall be returned.
When I first started backpacking 40 years ago I began seeing many waterlogged Down filled quilts and sleeping bags along the trail... abandoned because of their weight after getting wet. Still today, same thing. And they really stink when wet. I've used a North Face Cat’s Meow sleeping bag for the last 20 years, weighs in at 2lbs 14 oz., synthetic, drys ultra fast, does not get waterlogged, and it doesn't stink when wet.
Looks like PRNL in intro. And you sound like a fellow Michigander :) cheers! Def a recent quilt fan too... Modified a costco quilt by shifting down and trimming to 40", adding button at knees and neck and sewing footbox. 12.7 oz and was fine at 35 degree low last weekend. SOLD!
For those who don't have $100+ for the Helinox chair check out the Big Agnes cycone UL chair. It uses a sleeping pad as it's cushion. No legs so it weighs just 7 oz, but it can perch on the bear can , a rock, a log or the ground, rest your feet on your pack while your back is well supported. Costs $65 though I bought mine as a factory demo for $35.00. Comfortable! I even use it on day hikes with a thermorest Z pad. Doubles as a cloth to lay out and sort gear or food.
Like many adventurers, I cannot replace down for synthetic insulation for many of my mountaineering excursions but as outdoors people, it is important to know that there is Responsible Down Standard (RDS)-certified down which verifies that the geese and ducks that provide us warmth are treated humanely and that their down and feathers are harvested after they have been killed. Live-plucking is cruel and as consumers, especially in the outdoor industry, we shouldn't support it. So there is my mini-effort to raise awareness! Happy trails.
I still haven’t gone to a quilt probably should take a look at one, I will have to watch for that chair on sale as one thing I miss after 9 days in the bush is a chair. Tracking poles tried them once about 6 years ago and 3 hours in one broke, long story just came back from a 11 days on the Tundra north of the Brooks Range in Alaska with using a set of Black Diamond poles and yes there on my required list for heavy loads hikes and rough terrain.
I didn't even hear the music until I read the comments!!! When Im listening to a person talking...thats all I hear!! Two takeaways for me was the buff, and the water bag. Thanks!
Mine was a cheap trowel from walmart. First I used my trekking pole to dig up holes (which didn't really work), then I bought the Deuce trowel which cut my hand but finalized on a cheap $4 fold-able steel trowel. It's just a solid piece of equipment that works.
Put the hose below the filter and your gravity filter time will cut in half. Ditch the blue piece and use the items that came with the sawyer kit. If you don't believe me, time both way. I learned this after hiking 1000 miles on the pct. Boom, game changer. Also, I highly recommend a 10 or zero EE revelation quilt. Its much safer to add warmth to a sleeping setup vs active wear.
Crappy? How so? LMAO......😆👍 Yup always suck to learn that item the hard way. I don't tell new campers, I always carry an extra roll and let them sweat it out a bit before I give in and toss them a roll. I take the cemter cardboard tube out of one, push it flat and vacume seal it a food saver bag. It stays in the outer zipoer sleeve on my pack, The other roll just gets tossed in a standatd zio lock, so good so far never had any real issues. I can't believe that not many people picked up on your comment though, too funny, good one.
Lol 😂 at these comments!! Here in New Zealand we have a native plant in the bush that's useful for toilet paper - I can't remember the proper name - every time I see it I just think "bush toilet paper". It has a soft white back on the large leaves, and works extremely well. 😊
Thanks for everything. I have been watching your videos and it has help me by the right gear the first time. Just ordered my EE revaluation 20° quilt. Love my buff,
Great video, Dan! These retrospective videos are fun for me because most of this stuff didn't exist when I started backpacking as a kid (like, external Kelty frame pack old). I have upgraded my gear over the years and have landed on similar items for my own kit (the Sawyer Mini + CNOC bag was a game changer). Like you, most of the gear I've purchased was right at the time for budgetary or other reasons but later turned out to be replaced by the thing I should have purchased the first time.
LOL, just watched this, I had a gear addition as with many others I'm sure and for the same reasons you described! had to have an intervention so edited out my gear, gave some away to fellow hiking buddies who needed it, and to a local school program to get kids out in nature. Best purchase I made was my Enlighted Equipment Quilt, 4 sleeping bags later. . . great videos!
Ty for sharing Dan. As an alternative to your drinking system I can highly recommend Katadyn BeFree. Getting clean water while being in nature has become so much more convenient after I got mine! By far one for my favorite pieces of gear.
I actually got trekking poles with a set of snow shoes before I really started to be interested in hiking. Since of course all my starting gear was heavy I found that the trekking poles actually helped keep blood flowing in my arms even with a stupid heavy pack. This year I've upgraded a couple of my heaviest/bulkiest items so hopefully I can get out more and hike longer. I have low-key been interested in getting a dirty water bag, but I tend to just use two 1L water bottles from a store. Once I've finished one I use it as my dirty water bottle, so a bag is more of a "like to have" than a "need to get". My camp chair might be my next upgrade, but I'll probably get a tri-pole stool first. They're like $20, so almost throwaway money. But I understand what you mean about loaning gear out. I'm probably going to be doing that at some point this year
Hello, Mr. Becker; Thank you, I really appreciate the info. Specially the water bladder & trekking poles. Unlike you I am old so I don't mind not falling if using a pole or 2 does it. Hey, I don't even know what a "buff" is! Have a GREAT day, Neighbor! P.S. I don't say "barrowed out", down south we say "loaned out" or "lent out". Just thought I'd mention it as I was confused the 1st few times you said it. Finally I 'got it' & then it made sense.
+1 for the Cnoc Vecto - awesome water bags! SO convenient and well designed. For the Enlightened Revelation quilt, I have a similar 20F one. Only trouble I find with it is it seems to be more of a sleep management system... it needs to be managed well to get a decent night's sleep in 30 to 40F weather. I found a bit hard to prevent drafts around the neck/shoulders and I get cold in that area. My wife's Sea to Summit Spark III seems much warmer around the neck and shoulders, as its a full hood down bag, quite similar price, weight and temp rating. You can close the hood leaving a tiny hole, and sleeping in it like that is really cosy at those temps. I don't regret buying the Revelation due to it's flexibility, it's better in summer and we sometimes use it as a 2 person quilt at home in winter, something you can't really do with the Spark III
Been trying to come up with a DIY cook kit to make with my grandsons and I like yours so I'm going to use it to help the boys equip themselves for camping,,, Thanks
Hey Dan love your videos for my new hobby wild camping. Uk is in lockdown so I have been garden camping. Testing the stuff I've bought based on yours and other RUclips advice. I bought the spoon which you recommended which clicks together. 😂👍 It's probably the cheapest buy ever recommended but it's great Thankyou. Love the videos we can't always get the items you show but great content. Stay safe 👍😊
Good video Dan. It appears you are in Michigan as am I. It's almost impossible to find people to hike here also. Glad to see some local stuff. Thanks for putting the effort in.
I am a severe gear junky myself.Some of the best gear I own after almost 30 years is the cheap stuff I got from Target or Walmart. I carry a $9 fleece sleeping bag everywhere I go that is so so light and compresses down very small, I add this to my fall sleeping bag and stay toasty warm in the winter and in the summer it is all I need. I also got an Eddie Bauer pack from Target for $50, it is nearly Identical to a Kelty Red Cloud yet it has a few extra features that I am not sure Kelty thought about for 3 times the price. I own something ftom almost every major high end brand and for the most part somewhat disappointed. Another example is a hammock I found on Amazon Prime on a daily special, for $10. I got it it said rated for 450lb I have tested it to over 700lbs and it is 99.99% the same as my Eno's it just doesn't have Eno's logo. Kind of disappointed that I ever paid for even my first Eno. You live and you learn. I have a Tumbler for $10 that outperforms Yeti. The list goes on and on. The other cool thing is if anything gets damaged, eh, no biggy was cheap enough to replace. Oh, yeah, as you can see in my profile pick that Eureka Apex 2 XT, it was around $60 on sale one year on clearance. It has survived about 20 years now and still gets used the most out of all my many tents. I think I have about 6 or 7 now, most way more expensive. It has double vestibules and stays bone dry other than condensation from breathing. Has all the features as my high $$$ tents and I have never even had to seem seal it yet , although after last winter trip I decided it does now need it before this years snowfall. Save money buy cheap and enjoy!! I have been with people that had terrible weekends because something expensive broke or got lost, life is too short to worry about keeping up with the Jones's or expensive gear. Don't get suckered by big name brands. Unless of course it is a Jetboil stove and Sawyer water filter then by all means buy as many as you can afford ,, hands down best 2 purchases you can make to make life on the trail as convenient and comfortable as possible. Buy those 2 items and the most lofty most comfortable and insulated sleeping pads you can find and you are ready for any adventure. My Slumberjack sleeping pad is the one thing I can't compromise on it goes with me summer winter spring and fall.
Say what you like, I can't justify the weight of that chair! I'll give the CNOC bag a go though... I realised quilts were the way to go when I undid the full-length zip on my down bag and used it in quilt mode - so much nicer. I now have a synthetic-fill quilt (Thermarest Proton Blanket) to use in conjunction with the down bag, or on its own in warm conditions. Somehow, I manage to get by with just the one pair of hiking poles (Leki Sherpas)!
👍👍 Would you do a video on your family’s gear? I believe we have kids around the same age and the sleeping bags I picked up for my kids are HUGE (30 degree synthetic...MN camping). Makes me not want to use them. ⏰
😂 I know the feeling! I’m planning on making a gear unload video as soon as I get back from this weekend’s trip with my 9 year old daughter! I’ll make sure I unload her pack as well :-)
You have mentioned a particular trekking pole with a wide softer base, that can cover over rocks/rough terrain. Gone thru many of your videos again...can't find. Please advise
Yes yes yes to the chair mate, when you want to chill out in the evening lying or sitting on the floor, even on a soft mat, gets real uncomfortable. Thumbs up.
Chairs in backpacking are for old men, like me. And I don't use them, usually. Shemaugs(spelling?) last year, balaclava before that, now its buffs(spelling), and don't forget the good old bennies as well as the French bennies. Sheeze! So many choices.
Love you videos!! I am feeling good. I got 4 out of your 5 things when I started. Still don't filter, boil and add powder flavors of pedialyte. Works for me.
I just got an Aquadrop dirty water bag on Amazon. It was $17 for the 1.5 gal bag and all the tubing to do a gravity set up. It is a bit excessive for one person, but for two people and two 50+ lb dogs, I think it will be great.
Cheap lightweight tarp. Go to a mattress store and ask if you can have one of the plastic bags the mattresses came in. It's clear heavy weight plastic easy to pack reasonably light and it's free. You can even cut a hole in the middle and use it as a rain poncho. Reinforce the hole with a couple strips of duct tape. Turn back into tarp/emergency shelter by sealing the hole with a strip of duct tape.
Dirty water bag. Hmmm. So they need to design a bag with a large inlet that has a built in sieve pre-filter to keep out larger particles and a smaller outlet that you can screw into the Sawyer. Thanks for the inspiration for my next DIY project!!!
I share the gear addiction. Last year, I added an Outdoor Vitals stormloft down quilt rated for 0. It's about $240 and comfy in the hammock on top of an inflated pad down to 20 or so. Best thing: it's small and light! I can never decide whether to take the Sawyer or the Steripen. I tend to have more confidence in the Steripen? But I suppose I'm not all that confident, bc the iodine goes too.
I recommend going for the Klymit high back chair...I, like you, figured out a chair is wayyyyy better than a stump way too late! The high back Klymit allows napping! LOL
Great info. A few notes: Down anything (even the so called water resistant type) is worthless when wet. Make sure you have it well waterproofed in your pack. The chair. I finally picked one up and like it but remember the low chairs are harder to get out of. Still, they beat sitting on the ground. Buffs are cool, but do some research. Some are small, etc so either try them on or watch for reviews that mention size etc. Poles are a must. They can be used for so much than just walking (tent poles, crossing streams/rivers, emergency arrest if slipping, etc). Dirty water bag. Oh man, we have all been there. Those little sawyer things are a drag. Get the CNOC or similar. You won't regret it. I would add bug net. Bug juice can only go so far and it is nice to keep those pests away from your face, especially flies since bug juice doesn't work well on those. Great info Dan. Thanks for the vid.
Apart from their norma utility, andlet's hope none of us ever needs to do this, a section of trek pole would make a pretty damn good splint. Face it, the casualty can't use poles with a busted leg or arm and a helper can't use both of theirs while giving assistance, so it won't matter much who donates the "splint", when the priority is to immobilise a fracture, get off the hill and reach medical help. The Gorilla Tape you keep wrapped around your poles for fixing gear fails will help to fix it in place. Just be careful not to make matters worse by tourneqeting the blood flow.
Trekking poles I 100% agree used them for the first time on a trek in Nepal and they saved my ass numerous times. Now I use them all the time. Sleeping hammock can double as a chair when necessary, why add extra weight? Hammock can also be used as a ground tent using trekking poles where required, not ideal but works in a pinch.
I have to get me one of the CNOC or other large dirty bag because I have busted literally every sawyer squeeze bag I have and I own 3 sawyer filter so that’s a lot of bags lol. Great vid, Dan! Off to spend more money 🙌🏻
Recently discovered the channel and enjoy it (being a fellow Wisconsinite doesn't hurt). I was similarly curious about how to pronounce the vendor's name and found that they have a pronunciation guide on their website: "About Cnoc, pronounced K'nok (knˠɔk), means hill or a mount in Gaelic and old Irish: A natural elevation of the land surface, usually rounded." Happy hiking!
From their website: Cnoc, pronounced K'nok (knˠɔk), means hill or a mount in Gaelic and old Irish: A natural elevation of the land surface, usually rounded.
I agree if you have a four pound sleeping bag. When I bought my Cats Meow in the 90’s it was just over 2lbs. Primaloft has been around and it’s just as good. I’ve considered EE but it would only be 8 ounces saved and I don’t do UL.
I cut the top off a cheap water bottle and use that to scoop water and fill my Sawyer dirty bag. Then after I'm done, roll up the bag around the filter and tuck it in the water bottle.
Your videos are my favorite in the backpacking/hiking genre. Great info spoken with great enthusiasm and humor as well. I recently started buying gear myself and hoping to get to use it one day lol. Im still in the trekking poles seem lame category tho. haha
Thanks so much Ernie! I really appreciate the encouragement! I totally get thinking that way about trekking polls! You should just borrow a pair from someone or get a cheap pair and I promise you’ll never go back! They’re a little bit awkward at first and you’ll be looking around to see if anyone is staring at you but I’m sure you’ll love them!
@@dominicmeehan8322 , I find almost all RUclips videos take 30 second to 2 minutes on average to start, including intros and stuff, but this guy is short and to the point in my short opinion-he doesn't ramble (verbally) and sometimes I've seen 3 minutes for a RUclips video to actually start properly. It's just four taps on the right to skip thirty seconds dude, and just a few more if you're not settled. Easy
Agreed, it's an irritating noise, This guy is always worth a listen. The distracting "making dopey noises with musical instruments, ( beginners, part 1) accompaniment is utterly dire. Another comment says, " it takes all sorts" which boils down in a musical context, to an endorsement of a cultural relativism, where the shallowest drivel is falsely validated and elevated to an unearned status.Never a good thing. A sh*t sandwich is still a sh*t sandwich even if it's made with artisan hand made bread. Cut out the noise Dan. The vids are great. They don't need it and a lot of your viewers/ listeners hate it. It will hurt no one to take some advice and education, without that damn-awful crap rattle going on in the background.
@@barryfullick7981 sounds like you have everything ya need to start your own channel to prove a point. Or whatever keeps ya busy enough to stay out the comments.
Yay! I started off well for 20° Revelation and CNOC Vecto! I have my eye on those dandy lightweight chairs but gotta wait. LOL! I started off with poles but kids who denied them at first changed their minds while coming down from Amicalola Falls! Bless their young hearts and legs!
So the best bang for your buck is likely going to be the cascade mountain carbon fiber trekking polls. I put a link to them in the description below the video! I have owned a pair for about two years and they are absolutely fantastic! They’re only about $45!
In regards to lightweight chair, all the earlier ones before the Helinox Chair Zero were compromises. You waited just the right amount of time to get the perfect chair.
Thx for the reply. I have a nemo losi 2 p, thermarest down quilt, neoair light pad and msr windburner stove so far... I will chx out rose back packs, I have a longer torso...
For those of you commenting about the music… I am well aware it was a terrible idea and way too loud! I’ve never put it in another video since. So thanks everyone for that suggestion and thanks for watching!
What is the music? Sounds good, just not over you.
Ok, lol
I was on a backpacking trip this weekend and this was the first time I used trekking poles. I didn't realize how important they were until then. They made the hikes so much easier
Dan has put together another common sense, plain-spoken video. No hype, just solid information. Well done, my neighbor to the north!
Hawk Daddy he talks a lot but says little.
Maybe but its not as lightweight as it could be. That long intro without information was painful.
I have one of those chairs. It is a delicious luxury. After a long day of hiking it is so nice to have a reasonably comfortable chair. It's a bit small for me (76" tall and 200 plus pounds) but it still works. It's one of the things I can't give up. Great video!
You can cut one of the sawyer bags at the bottom inside the fold of the flap, leave the cap on and fill from the bottom using it like a scoop tranfer
to an uncut sawyer bag or folding and roll the cut bag like you would a bry bag and squeeze.
That’s genius! Great idea, Paul!
@@DanBecker Thx Dan, just passing it on, got the idea from another RUclipsr.
Great idea. You could add a chip bag sealer rod to close as well. Amazon has them. Search chip bag sealer clips. They are rods that slide over the end of a folded bag. We've used them for years for snack bags, never occurred to me to use over a Sawyer bag.
For those that scoff at trekking poles I guess they have excellent knee's and have great balance.
For everyone else- just give them a try. Watch a few videos on how to use them, and borrow a pair or buy a moderately priced well reviewed pole. I personally like Black Diamond and their flicklock system over twist to lock as they seem more durable and easier to use.
Poles will: Help with alleviating the strain on your knees (especially downhill). Help with your balance at all times (I have been saved from falling or twisting my ankle/knee so many times. Just a minor tweak can have a large negative effect on your experience). Can be used as a dual purpose item when combined with lightweight shelters that use a pole as part of its structure.
Love your comment about trekking poles. I recently was in Scotland, and just at a tourist attraction on a wee island (iron age broch, Isle of Mousa, Shetland). Basically, you can walk around the island in about an hour. However, being Scotland, the trail goes into some dodgy terrain (including a cliff). I was stuck on the cliff trail until some other folks walked by with trekking poles on their daypack and lent me one (just one really .helps for stability). I used it, loved it and won't go back to Scotland without my own pair. .
Yes, I only used one in this instance. But I'm also 70, so balance issues are big and getting stuck on a cliffside is pretty scary. Yoga really does help, tho!
For any new to backpacking/camping people here. Temperature ratings are for "you will live at this temperature" not you will be comfortable like you are at home. For example the overnight temp last weekend for me was 33 degrees what bag did I grab? I didn't grab a 20 degree; I grabbed the 0 degree. If the temp said it would be below 25 I would have grabbed the -30 degree. Sleeping bags/quilts are definitely not a "this is your best option", it is person specific. That could be overly warm for a lot of people but for me it is comfortable.
MSR Windburner stove is my #1. I've never used a Jetboil, but that Windburner boils water in one minute flat. Expensive? Yes. Kinda bulky and heavy? Yes. But it's SO worth it. Nothing is better than eating less than ten minutes after you set up camp, and since it boils so fast, you save a bunch on fuel. I've literally been eating before a Pocket Rocket stove even achieved a boil. It's that fast.
I love my helinox. I can understand why people don’t want to carry a chair when fast packing or covering miles. But I almost exclusively hike to a basecamp, stay for a few days, and then shoot out to different day hikes around the area. For me, after a day of hiking I want a real seat by the fire.
Thanks to watching these you tube videos I finally got a quilt. I got the UGQ 20 degree. Took it out for the first time this past weekend in 40 degree weather overnight. I was so roast toasty. So much better than my zero degree mummy bag cuz I was always roasting too much in it or my butt was freezing cuz of unzipping it to cool down. Never get rid of it cuz it is a zero bag but the quilt will be my go-to spring, summer, fall bag. And trekking poles are awesome. They got me back on the trail after serious knee injuries. And the come in handy for so much more. Thanks for posting.
Great to hear!!
CNOC bags are the bomb. I have 2 20 degree quilts for me and my granddaughter. When I go on very cold trips (below 20 degree) she does not go, I double them up, works great. I stuff one footbox into the other, snuggle in the inner bag and run stretch cord under my mat tying the upper quilt edges together to keep the two quilts in place. Flexible options.
What a great sleep system!
Jesus Christ died for our sins, was buried and rose again to save us from eternal judgement and give us eternal life if we believe Him. Only God can save us and freely give us new life inside forever.
@@deha11mo I bet the poor chap wd have preferred a carbon fibre cross to lug thro' thro' the Via Doloroso and all the way up that green hill, and an air mesh suspension on that crown of thorns. Just think of that next time the trail gets hard.
It's called G. A. S. : Gear Acquisition Syndrome. Musicians get it too. I know. My name is Paul, and I have GAS.
I’m a musician as well! Yep.. GAS!!!
Photographers too ...
@@briankerr4098 never a truer word buddy, and it happens with Hi Fi too. At some point everyone starts listening to the equipment instead of the music. Unfortunately, as with photographic kit the sheer expense of hi end gear offers no guarantee of anything more than the very rare and only partial cure. It is a chronic condition which for most offerers offers only brief and partial respite at long intervals of joyful submission to the affliction. Fortunately, the odds are heavily stacked against a successful self cure and most of us learn to accommodate and enjoy our disorder and go on to lead a fairly normal healthy life.
GAS lmfao soo true. Its like a form of hoarding.
Pepto helps.
My first video here, and I don’t usually comment, but I just loved the enthusiasm & high energy. I’m not the only one. 😂
Thanks Andrew!! I got a bit nervous when I started reading that it was your first comment LOL! I appreciate the encouragement! Thanks for watching!
At first I thought trekking poles were a nuisance and now I won't travel without them! They saved me from busting my butt so many times in Glacier NP. My mom didn't pack hers for a trip to Joshua Tree and she ended up getting injured. They are a must-have for slippery rocks, steep elevation points, and loose gravel.
Great video Dan. This is such a huge problem for me. Knowing what to get before your experienced. I keep selling my old stuff though to avoid my wife saying, "YOU BOUGHT ANOTHER ......"
The best thing about trekking poles: they double as poles for the right style of shelter!
thats a good point!
True and VERY SMART!!!
Thanks for the info. I like the way you get straight to the point and don't yak yak yak like a lot of other people do. Thanks for not wasting my time.
Yeah right off the bat I want to agree with you about the temps of sleeping bags. I’ve said now for a while (So Cal high elevation stuff at least) the mountains are never warm, just varying degrees of cold. Having an adequate bag is utterly essential.
I've camped in Idyllwild in April more times than I can count at this point and it's often surprisingly cold. Love having an EE 20deg quilt. Works great.
I've seen a lot of outdoor gear videos in the past, yours are the best. Excellent job! Thank you for your shared information!
Great ideas. We have a permanent camping site with a tent, covered with a tarp, we let up. But watching this,, I'm going to get a quilt, and stop using all the blankets. Thank you for the video, Dan.
I love my hiking poles, they make the journey so much easier, no knee pain or neck pain!
Haha! Love all the trekking poles!!
It's nice having a cache of gear for friends!
That’s right! I head out this way and we’ll go together! I’ve got all the gear for you LOL
G'day from Western Australia. FYI... A trekking pole in Australia is called a stick, generally cut from a tree when needed and then discarded when not.
I see people on my hikes using ultralight trekking poles and carrying them in conditions when they don't need to use them aka flat terrain. Their hands are tied up with ultralight trekking poles, gloves on whilst in sweltering heat to prevent blisters, sweat running down their face and getting in their eyes because they don't have a hand free to wipe it away.
I have a collection of ultralight trekking poles from walks I have done when people put them down and forget them (or simply discard them because of the nuisance they cause).
Seriously, cut a branch from a tree or collect a fallen branch, cut it to size and use it as a trekking pole when extra stability is required, and then discard the stick when it isn't needed or use it for firewood.
Saves hundreds of dollars.
Some good ideas, well thought out. I too am a gearoholic, always looking for something that will make trail life just that much better. For my bag or quilt I have taken a layer philosophy. Late spring to early fall the low temperature bags are too hot and make me sweat, so I take something very light weight, just to keep the bugs off. When colder I double up two light weight bags or quilts. This has worked well for me and was a lot cheaper than multiple quilts. Here in the mountains of Utah I have camped in below 30 degrees below, so I know it works. I have not been able to justify the weight of a chair for backpacking. Too easy to make one or use a hammock chair, which for the material is much lighter. I like your buff idea and water bag, I am going to get me one. Treking poles I wish I would have gotten some earlier as well, much better on the knees.
I absolutely love my solar powered blow up lantern! I attach it to the top of my pack and lay it out at camp. It’s super bright all evening! I wish I would have bought it sooner!
Luci light?!
That’s the one!
My 55L ultralight bag is what I should have bought first, perfect for day hikes, backpacking and fits all my camera gear.
Buffs are also useful for protecting your ears mouth and nose from flies and insects if you are passing through somewhere that they are plenty. They also help decrease dehydration when you leave them around your neck. They soak in your sweat so cool you down and prevent you losing even more sweat.
i HEAR you on getting friends to hike or backpack with you! Now I rarely put out the effort. It's all good though, there are always great people to meet on the trail!
It is nearly uncanny how much we sound alike. :-) I did almost the EXACT same thing you did. I already had a sleeping bag, + some other sundry gear, but it all wasn't really for backpacking. More for trudging across the environment in a combat/training situation. So, I started buying all the small stuff first. What I should have done was get fitted for a pack, bought my 40° quilt first, then got my REAL hammock, underquilt, etc. BEFORE I bought my cook pots, water filters, stoves/burners, etc. I've got about the same number of trekking poles as you as well. :-) Get the "big" stuff first, pack, shelter, poles, water filtration, cooking kit, then worry about the smaller stuff.
I usually bring a hammock instead of a chair. It's even lighter and smaller as a package plus you can not only sit in it but also lie really comfortably. You do need two trees though, so in some areas it's just not an option.
I'm 28, and I've used poles for many years. It makes one hell of a difference. You can hike way longer, when you offload to your (before) unused arms.
Good channel Dan
The Cnoc water bag is exactly what I’ve been searching for.
Thanks !
As for filtration. I carry one smart water bottle only to use for NUUN electrolytes. Each tab is 16oz of water. They taste horrible but work damn good.
Otherwise I won’t compromise water because I sweat too much. What works for me is a water reservoir. I’ve added some silicone tubing and remove and add attachments so I don’t have to take it out of my backpack. My filter is Gravity Works Platypus 4L. I can filter what I want but I like having the extra capability at camp to refill my reservoir (or wherever) and have some to cook with and not have to take the time to refill. The Gravity Works system is super quick. The best part is the time saving. Basically, if there are a lot of water resources I can fill my reservoir and not carry any in the dirty or clean bag. But if there isn’t I have the capability. It’s not that heavy empty.
We all loved you in the bengazi movie ......and the office😃😃😃
I just got a nemo tango solo for tent camping kind like a quilt kind of like a sleeping bag. I have to agree with you on the trekking poles. Hiking steep terrain, they come in handy. Especially on descents, saves the knees..
Awesome...everything you mentioned in your list is what I've decided on also. I wouldn't want to go out without anyone of those items!
Winners in Canada had about 30 sets of Leki poles for $25....next time I went back later that week they were all gone!!! I also bought a zero F degree goose down bag at the MEC semi-annual gear swap for $3 + tax CDN!!!!! The draft tube was ripped...I sew, so I fixed that the zipper was a bit wonky but still works...great deals some of the sleeping bags are like $65 for down or down/synthetic mix...they sell everything that everyone returns throughout the year....MEC is Nation Wide...great deals
Cheers Lori
To borrow: take and use (something that belongs to someone else) with the intention of returning it.
To lend: grant to (someone) the use of (something) on the understanding that it shall be returned.
Yes! That was driving me nuts! You don’t "borrow out" items, you loan them.
The quilt yes sir that is the thing I needed and didnt get until much later good golly the weight of some of the crap I had.
When I first started backpacking 40 years ago I began seeing many waterlogged Down filled quilts and sleeping bags along the trail... abandoned because of their weight after getting wet. Still today, same thing. And they really stink when wet. I've used a North Face Cat’s Meow sleeping bag for the last 20 years, weighs in at 2lbs 14 oz., synthetic, drys ultra fast, does not get waterlogged, and it doesn't stink when wet.
Looks like PRNL in intro. And you sound like a fellow Michigander :) cheers! Def a recent quilt fan too... Modified a costco quilt by shifting down and trimming to 40", adding button at knees and neck and sewing footbox. 12.7 oz and was fine at 35 degree low last weekend. SOLD!
For those who don't have $100+ for the Helinox chair check out the Big Agnes cycone UL chair. It uses a sleeping pad as it's cushion. No legs so it weighs just 7 oz, but it can perch on the bear can , a rock, a log or the ground, rest your feet on your pack while your back is well supported. Costs $65 though I bought mine as a factory demo for $35.00. Comfortable! I even use it on day hikes with a thermorest Z pad. Doubles as a cloth to lay out and sort gear or food.
Like many adventurers, I cannot replace down for synthetic insulation for many of my mountaineering excursions but as outdoors people, it is important to know that there is Responsible Down Standard (RDS)-certified down which verifies that the geese and ducks that provide us warmth are treated humanely and that their down and feathers are harvested after they have been killed. Live-plucking is cruel and as consumers, especially in the outdoor industry, we shouldn't support it. So there is my mini-effort to raise awareness! Happy trails.
I still haven’t gone to a quilt probably should take a look at one, I will have to watch for that chair on sale as one thing I miss after 9 days in the bush is a chair. Tracking poles tried them once about 6 years ago and 3 hours in one broke, long story just came back from a 11 days on the Tundra north of the Brooks Range in Alaska with using a set of Black Diamond poles and yes there on my required list for heavy loads hikes and rough terrain.
Great video! Very helpful for someone just getting into backpacking!
I didn't even hear the music until I read the comments!!!
When Im listening to a person talking...thats all I hear!!
Two takeaways for me was the buff, and the water bag.
Thanks!
I love watching gear videos too. Your gear videos are my fav:)
The cleaning coupler and a cut in half 20oz pop bottle makes a cheap funnel to fill a Sawyer bottle. I use this setup
Mine was a cheap trowel from walmart. First I used my trekking pole to dig up holes (which didn't really work), then I bought the Deuce trowel which cut my hand but finalized on a cheap $4 fold-able steel trowel. It's just a solid piece of equipment that works.
Put the hose below the filter and your gravity filter time will cut in half. Ditch the blue piece and use the items that came with the sawyer kit. If you don't believe me, time both way. I learned this after hiking 1000 miles on the pct. Boom, game changer. Also, I highly recommend a 10 or zero EE revelation quilt. Its much safer to add warmth to a sleeping setup vs active wear.
Great advice Duane!
As a hammock/sleeping pad person, a top quilt changed my life. No more shimmying in to my sleeping bag.
A life change indeed!! 😂
My first back packing trip taught me that the number one item to bring is a half roll of toilet paper. It can be a crappy experience without it.
Crappy? How so? LMAO......😆👍 Yup always suck to learn that item the hard way. I don't tell new campers, I always carry an extra roll and let them sweat it out a bit before I give in and toss them a roll. I take the cemter cardboard tube out of one, push it flat and vacume seal it a food saver bag. It stays in the outer zipoer sleeve on my pack, The other roll just gets tossed in a standatd zio lock, so good so far never had any real issues. I can't believe that not many people picked up on your comment though, too funny, good one.
And baby wipes!
Lol 😂 at these comments!!
Here in New Zealand we have a native plant in the bush that's useful for toilet paper - I can't remember the proper name - every time I see it I just think "bush toilet paper". It has a soft white back on the large leaves, and works extremely well. 😊
Thanks for everything. I have been watching your videos and it has help me by the right gear the first time. Just ordered my EE revaluation 20° quilt. Love my buff,
That’s awesome Doug! You’re going to love that EE revelation! What colors did you get??
@@DanBecker Mine will be charcoal on the outside and red inside. Cant wait for it to ship.
Awesome! You’re going to love it! Those colors are rad!
Great video, Dan! These retrospective videos are fun for me because most of this stuff didn't exist when I started backpacking as a kid (like, external Kelty frame pack old). I have upgraded my gear over the years and have landed on similar items for my own kit (the Sawyer Mini + CNOC bag was a game changer). Like you, most of the gear I've purchased was right at the time for budgetary or other reasons but later turned out to be replaced by the thing I should have purchased the first time.
Totally true, Joe!
LOL, just watched this, I had a gear addition as with many others I'm sure and for the same reasons you described! had to have an intervention so edited out my gear, gave some away to fellow hiking buddies who needed it, and to a local school program to get kids out in nature. Best purchase I made was my Enlighted Equipment Quilt, 4 sleeping bags later. . . great videos!
Awesome! Love it!
Ty for sharing Dan. As an alternative to your drinking system I can highly recommend Katadyn BeFree. Getting clean water while being in nature has become so much more convenient after I got mine! By far one for my favorite pieces of gear.
I actually got trekking poles with a set of snow shoes before I really started to be interested in hiking. Since of course all my starting gear was heavy I found that the trekking poles actually helped keep blood flowing in my arms even with a stupid heavy pack. This year I've upgraded a couple of my heaviest/bulkiest items so hopefully I can get out more and hike longer.
I have low-key been interested in getting a dirty water bag, but I tend to just use two 1L water bottles from a store. Once I've finished one I use it as my dirty water bottle, so a bag is more of a "like to have" than a "need to get".
My camp chair might be my next upgrade, but I'll probably get a tri-pole stool first. They're like $20, so almost throwaway money.
But I understand what you mean about loaning gear out. I'm probably going to be doing that at some point this year
Ok
That was my introduction into trekking Poles as well
I am starting to double up on some of my gear too, and I will also be lending some out to friends who are willing to come along. 😊
Hello, Mr. Becker;
Thank you, I really appreciate the info.
Specially the water bladder & trekking poles.
Unlike you I am old so I don't mind not falling if using a pole or 2 does it.
Hey, I don't even know what a "buff" is!
Have a GREAT day, Neighbor!
P.S.
I don't say "barrowed out", down south we say "loaned out" or "lent out".
Just thought I'd mention it as I was confused the 1st few times you said it.
Finally I 'got it' & then it made sense.
+1 for the Cnoc Vecto - awesome water bags! SO convenient and well designed. For the Enlightened Revelation quilt, I have a similar 20F one. Only trouble I find with it is it seems to be more of a sleep management system... it needs to be managed well to get a decent night's sleep in 30 to 40F weather. I found a bit hard to prevent drafts around the neck/shoulders and I get cold in that area. My wife's Sea to Summit Spark III seems much warmer around the neck and shoulders, as its a full hood down bag, quite similar price, weight and temp rating. You can close the hood leaving a tiny hole, and sleeping in it like that is really cosy at those temps. I don't regret buying the Revelation due to it's flexibility, it's better in summer and we sometimes use it as a 2 person quilt at home in winter, something you can't really do with the Spark III
I use the BRS-3000T too, great little stove
Been trying to come up with a DIY cook kit to make with my grandsons and I like yours so I'm going to use it to help the boys equip themselves for camping,,, Thanks
Hey Dan love your videos for my new hobby wild camping. Uk is in lockdown so I have been garden camping. Testing the stuff I've bought based on yours and other RUclips advice. I bought the spoon which you recommended which clicks together. 😂👍 It's probably the cheapest buy ever recommended but it's great Thankyou. Love the videos we can't always get the items you show but great content. Stay safe 👍😊
Good video Dan. It appears you are in Michigan as am I. It's almost impossible to find people to hike here also. Glad to see some local stuff. Thanks for putting the effort in.
I am a severe gear junky myself.Some of the best gear I own after almost 30 years is the cheap stuff I got from Target or Walmart. I carry a $9 fleece sleeping bag everywhere I go that is so so light and compresses down very small, I add this to my fall sleeping bag and stay toasty warm in the winter and in the summer it is all I need. I also got an Eddie Bauer pack from Target for $50, it is nearly Identical to a Kelty Red Cloud yet it has a few extra features that I am not sure Kelty thought about for 3 times the price. I own something ftom almost every major high end brand and for the most part somewhat disappointed. Another example is a hammock I found on Amazon Prime on a daily special, for $10. I got it it said rated for 450lb I have tested it to over 700lbs and it is 99.99% the same as my Eno's it just doesn't have Eno's logo. Kind of disappointed that I ever paid for even my first Eno. You live and you learn. I have a Tumbler for $10 that outperforms Yeti. The list goes on and on. The other cool thing is if anything gets damaged, eh, no biggy was cheap enough to replace. Oh, yeah, as you can see in my profile pick that Eureka Apex 2 XT, it was around $60 on sale one year on clearance. It has survived about 20 years now and still gets used the most out of all my many tents. I think I have about 6 or 7 now, most way more expensive. It has double vestibules and stays bone dry other than condensation from breathing. Has all the features as my high $$$ tents and I have never even had to seem seal it yet , although after last winter trip I decided it does now need it before this years snowfall. Save money buy cheap and enjoy!! I have been with people that had terrible weekends because something expensive broke or got lost, life is too short to worry about keeping up with the Jones's or expensive gear. Don't get suckered by big name brands. Unless of course it is a Jetboil stove and Sawyer water filter then by all means buy as many as you can afford ,, hands down best 2 purchases you can make to make life on the trail as convenient and comfortable as possible. Buy those 2 items and the most lofty most comfortable and insulated sleeping pads you can find and you are ready for any adventure. My Slumberjack sleeping pad is the one thing I can't compromise on it goes with me summer winter spring and fall.
Say what you like, I can't justify the weight of that chair! I'll give the CNOC bag a go though...
I realised quilts were the way to go when I undid the full-length zip on my down bag and used it in quilt mode - so much nicer. I now have a synthetic-fill quilt (Thermarest Proton Blanket) to use in conjunction with the down bag, or on its own in warm conditions.
Somehow, I manage to get by with just the one pair of hiking poles (Leki Sherpas)!
I love the CNOC Vecto! Water is SO much easier now!!!
Thanks to videos like this I bought all of the right gear the first time.
👍👍
Would you do a video on your family’s gear? I believe we have kids around the same age and the sleeping bags I picked up for my kids are HUGE (30 degree synthetic...MN camping). Makes me not want to use them.
⏰
😂 I know the feeling! I’m planning on making a gear unload video as soon as I get back from this weekend’s trip with my 9 year old daughter! I’ll make sure I unload her pack as well :-)
You have mentioned a particular trekking pole with a wide softer base, that can cover over rocks/rough terrain. Gone thru many of your videos again...can't find. Please advise
Nice video as usual Dan! Good list. That CNOC water bag has been tempting me for a while!
Just buy it and don’t think about it! You’ll be glad you did! It’s worth every penny!
My brother and I test our gear in the backyard of my mom’s country house before I rely on it. I love my monarch chair
Great advice. (And, just a suggestion: when you let people borrow things, you are in fact loaning them those things.)
Borrowed out.
Was a new phrase to me, what part of the country are you from? I'm gonna use that one if you don't mind👍
Yes yes yes to the chair mate, when you want to chill out in the evening lying or sitting on the floor, even on a soft mat, gets real uncomfortable. Thumbs up.
Excited by that dirty water bag! Which may seem weird...but it's a real problem.
Chairs in backpacking are for old men, like me. And I don't use them, usually. Shemaugs(spelling?) last year, balaclava before that, now its buffs(spelling), and don't forget the good old bennies as well as the French bennies. Sheeze! So many choices.
Love you videos!! I am feeling good. I got 4 out of your 5 things when I started. Still don't filter, boil and add powder flavors of pedialyte. Works for me.
Trekking poles, yes!! I really wish I had invested in these much, much sooner too. Save your joints, get some poles!
I should have made an alcohol stove 20 a long time ago. They are crazy cool and free.
I just got an Aquadrop dirty water bag on Amazon. It was $17 for the 1.5 gal bag and all the tubing to do a gravity set up. It is a bit excessive for one person, but for two people and two 50+ lb dogs, I think it will be great.
Great gear video. A self admitted gear junkie. I am right there with you.
Cheap lightweight tarp. Go to a mattress store and ask if you can have one of the plastic bags the mattresses came in. It's clear heavy weight plastic easy to pack reasonably light and it's free.
You can even cut a hole in the middle and use it as a rain poncho. Reinforce the hole with a couple strips of duct tape. Turn back into tarp/emergency shelter by sealing the hole with a strip of duct tape.
Dirty water bag. Hmmm. So they need to design a bag with a large inlet that has a built in sieve pre-filter to keep out larger particles and a smaller outlet that you can screw into the Sawyer. Thanks for the inspiration for my next DIY project!!!
I share the gear addiction. Last year, I added an Outdoor Vitals stormloft down quilt rated for 0. It's about $240 and comfy in the hammock on top of an inflated pad down to 20 or so. Best thing: it's small and light! I can never decide whether to take the Sawyer or the Steripen. I tend to have more confidence in the Steripen? But I suppose I'm not all that confident, bc the iodine goes too.
I recommend going for the Klymit high back chair...I, like you, figured out a chair is wayyyyy better than a stump way too late! The high back Klymit allows napping! LOL
Great info. A few notes: Down anything (even the so called water resistant type) is worthless when wet. Make sure you have it well waterproofed in your pack. The chair. I finally picked one up and like it but remember the low chairs are harder to get out of. Still, they beat sitting on the ground. Buffs are cool, but do some research. Some are small, etc so either try them on or watch for reviews that mention size etc. Poles are a must. They can be used for so much than just walking (tent poles, crossing streams/rivers, emergency arrest if slipping, etc). Dirty water bag. Oh man, we have all been there. Those little sawyer things are a drag. Get the CNOC or similar. You won't regret it. I would add bug net. Bug juice can only go so far and it is nice to keep those pests away from your face, especially flies since bug juice doesn't work well on those. Great info Dan. Thanks for the vid.
Apart from their norma utility, andlet's hope none of us ever needs to do this, a section of trek pole would make a pretty damn good splint. Face it, the casualty can't use poles with a busted leg or arm and a helper can't use both of theirs while giving assistance, so it won't matter much who donates the "splint", when the priority is to immobilise a fracture, get off the hill and reach medical help. The Gorilla Tape you keep wrapped around your poles for fixing gear fails will help to fix it in place. Just be careful not to make matters worse by tourneqeting the blood flow.
@@barryfullick7981 Great point.
@@NickFrom1228 My pleasure Jack, kind regards from England.
Trekking poles I 100% agree used them for the first time on a trek in Nepal and they saved my ass numerous times. Now I use them all the time. Sleeping hammock can double as a chair when necessary, why add extra weight? Hammock can also be used as a ground tent using trekking poles where required, not ideal but works in a pinch.
Guy is giving really great advice. Nice job!
I have to get me one of the CNOC or other large dirty bag because I have busted literally every sawyer squeeze bag I have and I own 3 sawyer filter so that’s a lot of bags lol. Great vid, Dan! Off to spend more money 🙌🏻
The CNOC Is a bit delicate of a bag… My only complaint!
Recently discovered the channel and enjoy it (being a fellow Wisconsinite doesn't hurt). I was similarly curious about how to pronounce the vendor's name and found that they have a pronunciation guide on their website: "About Cnoc, pronounced K'nok (knˠɔk), means hill or a mount in Gaelic and old Irish: A natural elevation of the land surface, usually rounded." Happy hiking!
Personally, I don't mind much for the chair. however, the quilt and the buff & polls all the way.
From their website: Cnoc, pronounced K'nok (knˠɔk), means hill or a mount in Gaelic and old Irish: A natural elevation of the land surface, usually rounded.
I agree if you have a four pound sleeping bag. When I bought my Cats Meow in the 90’s it was just over 2lbs. Primaloft has been around and it’s just as good. I’ve considered EE but it would only be 8 ounces saved and I don’t do UL.
I cut the top off a cheap water bottle and use that to scoop water and fill my Sawyer dirty bag. Then after I'm done, roll up the bag around the filter and tuck it in the water bottle.
Your videos are my favorite in the backpacking/hiking genre. Great info spoken with great enthusiasm and humor as well. I recently started buying gear myself and hoping to get to use it one day lol. Im still in the trekking poles seem lame category tho. haha
Thanks so much Ernie! I really appreciate the encouragement! I totally get thinking that way about trekking polls! You should just borrow a pair from someone or get a cheap pair and I promise you’ll never go back! They’re a little bit awkward at first and you’ll be looking around to see if anyone is staring at you but I’m sure you’ll love them!
Great job as always. Thanks, Dan!
The chair is a must! Changed my backpacking experience.
No joke! I’ll never go backpacking without it!
Great. Cut the background music would make it much more present :-)
I personally enjoyed it!!! Was doing research while listening. To each his own!!
2:45 and he hasn't actually giving any usable information? Less in More...
@@dominicmeehan8322 , I find almost all RUclips videos take 30 second to 2 minutes on average to start, including intros and stuff, but this guy is short and to the point in my short opinion-he doesn't ramble (verbally) and sometimes I've seen 3 minutes for a RUclips video to actually start properly. It's just four taps on the right to skip thirty seconds dude, and just a few more if you're not settled. Easy
Agreed, it's an irritating noise, This guy is always worth a listen. The distracting "making dopey noises with musical instruments, ( beginners, part 1) accompaniment is utterly dire. Another comment says, " it takes all sorts" which boils down in a musical context, to an endorsement of a cultural relativism, where the shallowest drivel is falsely validated and elevated to an unearned status.Never a good thing. A sh*t sandwich is still a sh*t sandwich even if it's made with artisan hand made bread. Cut out the noise Dan. The vids are great. They don't need it and a lot of your viewers/ listeners hate it. It will hurt no one to take some advice and education, without that damn-awful crap rattle going on in the background.
@@barryfullick7981 sounds like you have everything ya need to start your own channel to prove a point. Or whatever keeps ya busy enough to stay out the comments.
Yay! I started off well for 20° Revelation and CNOC Vecto! I have my eye on those dandy lightweight chairs but gotta wait.
LOL! I started off with poles but kids who denied them at first changed their minds while coming down from Amicalola Falls! Bless their young hearts and legs!
I need two more sets of trekking poles... which ones do you recommend???
So the best bang for your buck is likely going to be the cascade mountain carbon fiber trekking polls. I put a link to them in the description below the video! I have owned a pair for about two years and they are absolutely fantastic! They’re only about $45!
Jim Halpert’s the man. Very informative video
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In regards to lightweight chair, all the earlier ones before the Helinox Chair Zero were compromises. You waited just the right amount of time to get the perfect chair.
Thx for the reply. I have a nemo losi 2 p, thermarest down quilt, neoair light pad and msr windburner stove so far... I will chx out rose back packs, I have a longer torso...