Gear Recommendations for Older Hikers
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- Опубліковано 14 лип 2024
- Practical backpacking gear tips for older hikers ready to hit the trail and enjoy the great outdoors. LIKES help support our non-profit H3O which helps underrepresented kids enjoy the great outdoors through day hikes! Helping others less fortunate than me is my ultimate goal with this UA-cam channel. All tips and gear recommendations are based on my own hiking and backpacking experiences on the trail. Thanks for watching!
H3O non-profit website: www.helpkidshike.org
My ultralite gear list, including a 4-day backpacking meal plan:
www.etsy.com/listing/15502340... - Спорт
Hey, I can't say how much I appreciate videos such as these while not old. I'm 24, but I am a disabled hiker. I'm always frustrated with ultra-light campers or even the traditional campers who make recommendations that don't really work for someone who isn't the ideal of health, which is a false presumption anyway when 1 in 4 Americans have a disability. It's nice to know I'm not alone in needing a little extra to not have a miserable time in my favorite place the outdoors! Navigating age, disability, and even the nuance of gender ( women run colder than men, and it's frustrating to get layering advice from a human radiator when I'm more like an inbox ). Appreciate you putting out a video that echos the things I often have to think about when considering gear ---- my blood doesn't circulate well, which means I tend to have to give more thought to layering/fabric content/my sleep system ( when it comes with a disability you'll learn that they love to come in groups ), I have chronic pain so often have to surge for more comfort-oriented gear vs the lightest, hell I'm asthma, and like you deeply appreciate a electric airpad pump otherwise I'll pass out before my sleeping pad is inflated. Despite all this, I get out there, and it's important for all marginalized folks to be able to get out there and appreciate the splendor of nature.
I really appreciate your comments and want to commend you for getting outdoors!
Graduate of the 2023 AT Through hiker class. I used the Flextail and it was great. For sleeping pad, I used a regular size NEMO insulated. I'm 6' 2" and for me it worked. I picked the regular size solely based on weight. I carried the Big Agnes Tiger Wall UL2 because it had a dedicated rain fly. I think the issue with your tent is condensation, you have to have the skin as tight as you can make it. For water filters, I started with the Sawyer Mini and switched to the FreeBee and it was great. During the day I just didn't have time to use a gravity fed system. By far one of the best water filters I've used. I think on my hike I met only two hikers carrying chairs. I personally opted for a nice pad to sit on but I can see how having an actual chair would be nice. I am an older hiker - started the AT at 66 and turned 67 at Harper's Ferry and am a disabled veteran. Finished in just over five months.
Awesome! Thanks for your comments
Weight savings tip: your flex tail pump would double as a pocket bellows 😉
I just was going to say this!
Great tip! I have used both and was really surprised how much better the pocket bellows worked. It's like a blow torch on your fire. Happy Hiking!
Year one of an annual hike with friends, I was the only one with a chair. Year two, everyone had a chair. Relaxation in camp makes it worth the weight & space.
So true. I can't tell you how many people have seen my chair in camp at night and said, boy, wish I had one right now! I try to share when I can...like if they look really exhausted.
I occasionally bring my chair, but not always. I use the Rockcloud chair which was basically a knockoff of the Helinox Chair One. It weighs 2 lbs (twice as much as the chair zero), but is a third of the cost and is actually more comfortable and (in my experience) more durable. I also usually hammock camp so I have a comfortable place to sit by default.
Thanks for your comment!
Great video. I dislike how the UA-cam algorithm thought I needed an old person hiking video but I did find a lot of the information helpful. 😂😂😂
Ha! I don't consider myself old either
I'm out for short hikes, so weight isn't my primary concern. The best comfort upgrade for me was switching from a tent to a hammock. Obviously it won't work everywhere or for everyone, but i sleep unbelievably well, and I don't have to get up off the ground. It's also a good place to sit in camp, at least if you're solo. Camp chairs are still top notch for socializing around a fire.
For someone just getting into hiking like me, who fits the age description, this was great! If you ever decide to do a budget options edition, that could help some people who are just starting aren’t quite ready to drop the $$ on some of those big cost items. But your justifications are good
Love the budget options idea. Maybe my next video!
You speak for me also Barry Scott.
As a veteran (50+) Backpacker I understand light good gear is crazy expensive but it SO worth every penny. Side note: I use my flextail pump to stoke my fires
Borderline ultralight is reasonably priced. The weight savings vs. cost are negligible.
Tarp camping is a great budget option, you can make a very good tent with a $40 3x3 tarp.
Great tips my friend.
Thank you!
Enjoying your videos as a newbie backpacker - started now after retiring. Thank you!
Was in the military for quite a while and our gear was very uncomfortable but at least it was heavy haha. But seriously, I give up going light in favor of comfortability. XL pad, Flextail, chair, a good tent and so on. I don't own a Zpacks but use a Naturehike Vik 1, I don't mind the extra time it takes to set up nor the extra weight. Also I always bring a book which adds weight.
Please see if you can't make the audio dual channel or stereo or whatever it's called, only had audio in 1 side of my headphones when you were talking.
Thanks for your service. I appreciate the tip about the audio...I'll check it
Great ideas. Thank you!
I am an older hiker 64 years old but still doing long hikes and fairly big days, so weight is very important to me. Grams become once's and they become pounds. I would think of adding some of these items if I did shorter trips like I did when I was busy working and raising my family before, I got older. I think the chair would be nice but when you hike like I do it’s pretty much food and tent time. A pound is heavy for us UL people. I love my Duplex too. Most of my gear is Zpacks. I would add I think the chair is more popular on the West Coast because on the East Coast many of the areas we camp at have shelter, platforms, tables etc and chairs are not really needed. I have only seen one hiker in the AT with chair. She was very young and fit. Take care
I am also a 64 and am a lot happier without excess gear, My experience has taught me lighter is better on those multi-day big mile trips. Enjoy life folks.
@@montanadan2524 I would no longer be backpacking if I had to carry my gear from back in the day. Take care
Good comment!
I have a Luxe Model Minipeak 2 pyramid tent. Put four stakes in the ground a push up a trekking pole in the middle. Out of the rain in less than two minutes. Usually omit the last inner bug net and just use a piece of plastic on the ground. Found one used on eBay for $65.
Nice! Can't beat $65, awesome. I picked up a used North Face Thermoball puffy on ebay for $40 years ago and I still use it.
Use desiccant in your sleeping pad. Anyway I got the Flextail Zero Pump
Not sure what you aren’t doing as pump bags work fine.
BTW, add flexseal to the bottom of the mattress. I did this after getting a hole. I believe it was the design of the mattress as it was replaced and I didn’t have to return the old one. Flexseal fixed the old and now I preventively put it on the new one and never had an issue. Test it on the patch fabric first. The flexseal also helps keep the mattress in one place.
I don’t carry a chair because it’s a waste of space and weight. Duplex is the best choice for tents. Unless you are a thru hiker a Duplex will most likely last longer than stated. Platypus GravityWorks Group Camping Water Filter System, 4-Liter. It’s only 11ozs and you can carry as much as you want or when at camp if you have the water supply, 4L of dirty and 4L of clean. My water bladder is 3L. So having the ability to filter more at camp saves time and energy. In fact I use this when in Yellowstone, Glacier and just driving around. A couple of sport top bottles abs you are set. Also, thinking out of the box. I leave my water bladder in my pack because I have taken some food grade silicone tubing and valves and extended the original tubing and fill it when it’s in the pack. Repacking a full water bladder is always a major time waster.
I hate blowing up my sleeping pad as well 🙃 thanks for the tip!
It's nice to get hiking gear recommendations from someone that isn't a young rough-it ounce miser. I find it is worth a little extra weight to be comfortable in camp - especially as you get older
Thank you. I totally agree. There are ways to save weight but still enjoy some comforts on the trail. Happy Hiking!
Great video. I use my air pump to help start fires.
Great tip! I have used both and was really surprised how much better the pocket bellows worked. It's like a blow torch on your fire. Happy Hiking!
Awsome content, thanks.
Constructive criticism: check your microphone settings or try to obtain a different microphone.
Thanks for this video. I have been thinking about getting a chair because I just know after hiking I’m going to want a comfortable place to sit. I’m glad you put it out here. Happy hiking!
Thanks. Even sitting on a log takes a lot of muscle energy. I think the camp chairs are worth the weight. The key is using it throughout the day and not just in camp at night
I have started carrying my REI Flexlite Air Chair and I like to use it on breaks and at camp. However, it is a bit annoying to have to put it together each time and stretching the cloth over the poles each time. I wish they'd develop a model with the cloth seat already attached to the poles, even if you still have to assemble the poles. The CLIQ Chair already has a portable chair like this, but at 2 lbs and more bulk, I wouldn't take it backpacking, it's too heavy. Also, I plan to buy a 25" pad before the 2024 summer season because it's so much more comfortable than a 20" wide pad. Lastly, I'm switching to a UGQ BANDIT Quilt because I just don't like the claustrophobic feel of my Wester Mountaineering UltraLite Mummy Bag. It's a quality bag, but I think I'll like a quilt better. I ordered a custom Bandit, so it's backordered, but I won't need it until spring.
I tried a hiking 'blanket' but didn't like it because it would expose one side of me when I turned over on my side. However, everyone is different so hope yours works out! They're great for weight savings.
Hey Thanks love it big guy
I think most people go without chairs as they are hiking for most of the day and when you get to camp you just want to get cosy and rest in your sleeping bag. But for people doing shorter miles and having plenty of daylight left at camp, a chair is so, so good!
Thanks. I have found that using my camp chair for short breaks throughout the day keeps me going strong all day long. Happy Hiking!
merci pour ces conseils.
*I* haven't added a camp chair backpacking due to weight and bulk. But, that could change .. I do take it car camping and on some overnights.
Consider pulling a piece of clothing out to save weight and then add the chair. You may already have done that but I find the most people pack too much clothing, which is really heavy. Thanks for your comment!
As an older backpacker I appreciate your suggestions and have passed them on to my fellow senior backpackers. Have you considered converting your Sawyer water filter to a gravity system with a 2L CNOC dirty bag and a Smartwater clean bottle? Weight is about 8 ozs.
Thank you! And great tips for the weight savings...totally agree.
Moin,
Great Video.......Great tips 👍
I would say: these comfort gaining tips are even for younger guys helpful to get more comfort out there 👍😊
I am turning 60 next march myself and I am always looking for hiking equipment that makes it a bit easyier for me.
For many years I've been sleeping in a hammock while hiking when ever it's possible. It's just so much more comfortable than sleeping on the ground 👍
Sometimes I carry a camp chair (onetigris), pocket bellow (always) and a Flextailgear pump (for my Haventent pad) too. Aswell as an comfy pillow for most time I am out in the woods.
If possible, then I'll take my diy hiking cart to carry my stuff.........makes it even more easy for me to go still on hiking.
If I can't drag my hiking trailer anymore, I will probely get myself a donkey 👍😄 but comfort at the outdoors is important to me..........specialy while I am getting older and older. 🤓
Greetings from the baltic sea
If I had a place to keep it I'd definitely get a little mini donkey and let it carry my gear on hikes.🙂
A donkey, hilarious! Thanks for your good comments
Also look into getting a gravity induced water filtration system to give you more time at camp and avoid blowing out a water bag due to excessive squeezing. 😅
I decided to NOT bring my chair on the last backpacking trip to save weight, I really missed it!
Why not use the flextail to stoke the fire instead of the pocket bellows?
Great tip! I have used both and was really surprised how much better the pocket bellows worked. It's like a blow torch on your fire. Happy Hiking!
Dunstan tent is much better honestly, and yiu can get it in the Dyneema version, but the regular version is only 1.5 pounds, and 350$cdn! And the fly goes to the ground, protection from wind and rain
Thanks for the tip!
Try using your tiny pump to stoke your fire.
you have the flextail pump, right? That makes the pocket bellow unnecessary.
Great tip! I have used both and was really surprised how much better the pocket bellows worked. It's like a blow torch on your fire. Happy Hiking!
The audio is broken, there are only a few seconds of audio aha the rest of the video is silent. Strange
I have some items in my b.o.b playlists that people might like.
You can tell you're not hunting LOL. If you were you wouldn't be packing all those gadgets and chairs.