Gear Everyone Needs But No One Takes!

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  • Опубліковано 14 тра 2024
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    Gear from this video:
    You need a chair: geni.us/b9bPk
    Water Filter: geni.us/pAYGCK
    Aquatabs: geni.us/mIxaSKX
    Pillow: geni.us/qubAN
    Trowel: geni.us/VUndA
    Bear Canister: geni.us/Awh6Yx
    Ursack: geni.us/Eo4m9j
    Head Net: geni.us/5Ud5
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КОМЕНТАРІ • 827

  • @MyLifeOutdoors
    @MyLifeOutdoors  6 місяців тому +13

    *Gear from this video:*
    You need a chair: geni.us/LR2hUH
    Water Filter: geni.us/0CABg1c
    Aquatabs: geni.us/SXWA6
    Pillow: geni.us/JGBYwtT
    Trowel: geni.us/evIJfd
    Bear Canister: geni.us/mTL5uW9
    Ursack: geni.us/Bqlv
    Head Net: geni.us/vO9l

  • @sillyquiet
    @sillyquiet 8 місяців тому +832

    I ALWAYS TAKE THESE THINGS (I haven't watched this video yet).

    • @ericmonroe8778
      @ericmonroe8778 8 місяців тому +10

      Every like is a person you beat to the punch

    • @ericdpeerik3928
      @ericdpeerik3928 8 місяців тому +3

      I always watch a video on the things I should have taken

    • @bobsiddoway
      @bobsiddoway 8 місяців тому +9

      *Cast Iron Pan 🤣🤙

    • @esands7821
      @esands7821 7 місяців тому +1

      😂😂😂

    • @hiveworm2967
      @hiveworm2967 7 місяців тому +2

      ME TOO! (im still watching the mint mobile ad)

  • @tgilbs
    @tgilbs 8 місяців тому +367

    100% agree with this list. I would add -- zip lock bags or some kind of bag to put your trash in. I hate trash floating around my food bag or backpack. When I bring a dedicated bag, it makes me much happier and is just easy to toss when I get home. One of those things I had to figure out just from experience, as I usually don't see it on packing lists.

    • @Oldsparkey
      @Oldsparkey 8 місяців тому +30

      I like the freezer bag cooking method and by doing my meals that way the first meal gives me an empty zip lock when I'm done. It becomes the trash bag.

    • @ASHOTOFINSANITY
      @ASHOTOFINSANITY 8 місяців тому +24

      What i do is carry dog bags in a little dispenser. Whether it be to "glove up" and pick up something nasty, hold trash until i can find a trash can, or hold something like wet clothes. It's surprisingly useful to have 100 decently sized plastic bags at your disposal.

    • @Ogrematic
      @Ogrematic 8 місяців тому +20

      I've been carrying trash bags with me hiking since I was a little kid. Good Scouts never litter.

    • @ralphneelands3990
      @ralphneelands3990 8 місяців тому +5

      Trash bag also makes good survival rain poncho

    • @WDBsirLocksight
      @WDBsirLocksight 7 місяців тому +2

      Aloksak Bags - odor proof and waterproof

  • @Andy-Mesa
    @Andy-Mesa 8 місяців тому +120

    I brought *four* pairs of socks on the PCT. Three toe socks for hiking, and one wool pair for sleeping. The only other item I brought more than one of is a lighter and underwear. And yes, I did take a chair on the PCT and it was amazing.

    • @HostileTakeover2
      @HostileTakeover2 8 місяців тому +22

      Socks used only for sleeping was such a gamechanger for me. Guaranteed warm tootsies at night and the general comfort of socks I haven't sweat into.

    • @ST-vt4nu
      @ST-vt4nu 3 місяці тому +2

      Im all about 4 pairs of socks! Then when a pair wears out you have enough still so you wont have to buy new socks in the nearest town that will hurt your feet

    • @Aspen7780
      @Aspen7780 Місяць тому

      Yup. I take 3 pairs of hiking socks and rotate them every day hanging the old pair up inside out to air out/dry out as best possible. I also take 1 pair of heavy socks just for sleeping but are also in case the weather turns very cold during the day.

  • @wuffos
    @wuffos 8 місяців тому +242

    0:17 Back-up water treatment tablets 1:04 Extra socks
    1:32 Camp chair 1:38 Pillow 2:17 Trowel
    4:56 Kevlar food bag 5:09 Mosquito head net

    • @paxundpeace9970
      @paxundpeace9970 7 місяців тому +14

      Socks oh yeah, addional spare gloves + buff in the winter, reflective aluminum blanket from first aid kit.

    • @RealMaxeZ
      @RealMaxeZ 7 місяців тому +4

      God bless you!

  • @modularcuriosity
    @modularcuriosity 8 місяців тому +70

    Regarding a poop trowel. Let's also remember that when you need to go, you NEED TO GO! So speed and efficiency in digging your cat hole is important.

    • @MyLifeOutdoors
      @MyLifeOutdoors  8 місяців тому +8

      Great point!

    • @eugendavidovic
      @eugendavidovic Місяць тому

      I saw that your chemical poop disturbes the nature. Look it up lol you shouldnt poop in wilderness but I would still do it, fuck the eco warriors

    • @MrDamon888
      @MrDamon888 Місяць тому +1

      You do realize that animals do not dig holes for their poop

    • @lmaoroflcopter
      @lmaoroflcopter Місяць тому +7

      ​@@MrDamon888they cover it post pooping.
      We dig it as its better than just having a pile of poop covered in dirt.
      We are also animals.

    • @TestUser-cf4wj
      @TestUser-cf4wj Місяць тому +5

      I pity the man who doesn't know he needs to crap at least half an hour before he craps his pants.

  • @rotaman8555
    @rotaman8555 8 місяців тому +18

    I live in Alaska where mosquitoes can be brutal at times. Not often, but sometimes. So I keep a head net in a pocket of all of my jackets. They have saved my sanity more than once!

  • @brimstone33
    @brimstone33 8 місяців тому +41

    Some very lightweight low-bulk items that can save you from being miserable. Or maybe even dying.
    - A few Esbit style fuel tabs in case your stove goes down. Or you NEED to make a fire.
    -Half a hot glue stick in case the sole comes off your boots/shoes and fix other things
    -Sailmaker's needle and strong thick thread to fix shoes, pack straps.
    -Spare trekking pole tip
    -Benadryl, Naproxyn, Aspirin
    -Scalpel blade, splinter/tick tweezers
    -Extra water bottle cap
    -Cordage and duck tape, Tenacious Tape

    • @rgershberg
      @rgershberg 21 день тому

      glue gun stick- great idea!

    • @sarah.s.flanagan
      @sarah.s.flanagan 16 днів тому

      Glue stick was a new one for me, great tip

    • @roybatty3989
      @roybatty3989 9 днів тому

      This is better than the video.

    • @poletooke4691
      @poletooke4691 5 днів тому

      Scalpel blade? If it's bad enough to need surgery, I'm calling 911 lol

  • @ianstiehl1994
    @ianstiehl1994 8 місяців тому +94

    YES! I HAVE PREACHING THE GOOD WORD OF HEAD NETS FOR SO DAMN LONG! Finally! I am SO glad to hear someone else consider them an essential.

    • @Joab38
      @Joab38 8 місяців тому +3

      Me too! I always have a head net as part of my med kit, along with the backup water tablets.

    • @danielshults5243
      @danielshults5243 8 місяців тому +4

      I'm amazed that they are not more common. I finally got one so I could do some hiking in the Spring in the White Mountains (the biting flies can be VERY bad) and now I don't know why they aren't ubiquitous. Considering they weight essentially nothing, I've always got one in my pack now.

    • @MikeDisbury
      @MikeDisbury 7 місяців тому +2

      Headsets are essential in Australia

    • @MiguelFMorales
      @MiguelFMorales 7 місяців тому +2

      I have literally been offered $100 in the backcountry for my head net (WA cascades; simultaneous mosquito, biting flies, and gnat hatch). Would have given it to fellow hiker for free if I had an extra. Difference btwn beautiful trip with modest annoyance and utter misery. Mosquito shirts and pants make a huge difference too, so much more pleasant than deet and work steadily.

  • @Hiker_who_Sews
    @Hiker_who_Sews 7 місяців тому +21

    Since losing my best hiking buddy to West Nile Virus in Southern Calif, I preach about mosquito deterrents. No matter how healthy and fit you are, age alone thins the blood/brain barrier.
    Thanks for all the suggestions. Some are already in my gear, some are now in my amazon cart.

    • @user-oc2om4jy5z
      @user-oc2om4jy5z 23 дні тому

      Sorry to hear this man praying for you ✝️❤️

  • @theDfLopes
    @theDfLopes 7 місяців тому +26

    Thanks for the tips! And my contribution with two things about boiling water:
    a) We MUST filter the water, because some microorganisms can hide in the sediments, and the decontamination can be inefficient.
    b) After boiling, the water has a metallic taste, as the dissolved gases have left. You just need to reoxygenate the water by passing the water from one bottle to another.
    Regards from Amazon Rain Forest!

    • @chucky6367
      @chucky6367 Місяць тому +2

      I didn't know that (b) about boiled water, thanks for the tip! 👍

    • @mirandafricke3758
      @mirandafricke3758 Місяць тому

      Wait ! So we filter the water then boil it or can we just boil it 😅😅

    • @theDfLopes
      @theDfLopes Місяць тому

      @@mirandafricke3758 We must to filter BEFORE killing bacteria, whether by boiling or chlorinating. Otherwise they can hide in the pores of the sediments.

  • @jfruitt65
    @jfruitt65 8 місяців тому +10

    THE piece of comfort gear that is, ounce for ounce, the most comfortable, and nobody seems to talk about? The Hummingbird Single Hammock, coming in at 8 ounces with straps. Better than a chair by far for putting your feet up and recovering.

  • @wohlhabendermanager
    @wohlhabendermanager 6 місяців тому +17

    Just a little story about the socks:
    My wife and I went on our first big trip in Norway 2 years ago. It was only a two day hike, but we are completely new to this (and it turned out that it was a really, REALLY difficult trail, it took us over 9 hours to hike 9km on the first day!). We were walking through thick underwood and then on to a very swampy area. My wife's shoes got soaked pretty bad, so on the second day she would put on a dry pair of socks, and let the other pair hang outside her backpack. Luckily we had the sun in our backs, so the socks dried quickly. Whenever she felt the wetness soaking through the socks, she would change them. Made a very difficult trail (including a section where we had to hike for 150 meters through ice cold water, lol) a tad bit easier.
    Bottom line: Bring extra socks!

  • @Aesir247
    @Aesir247 8 місяців тому +64

    I really loved that sponsor spot. I've seen so many versions, including yours for a long time. This time, you didn't stop the video to integrate the ad and kept the stick-thing going. I loved that. It really satisfied my ADD demons from fast forwarding. Doing it this way makes it impossible to skip the ad, as that would mean missing content, and a bit funny content at that

    • @MyLifeOutdoors
      @MyLifeOutdoors  8 місяців тому +10

      I’m glad you liked it. I’m sure not everyone agrees 😂

    • @DominiqueB
      @DominiqueB 8 місяців тому +7

      @@MyLifeOutdoors well, there's at least 2 of us who liked how you integrated the message from your sponsor. :-) We should all remember that we watch all this for free, and keep in mind the huge amount of time and effort it takes to prepare, film, edit these videos. Kudos, and thanks!

  • @15halerobert
    @15halerobert 8 місяців тому +16

    I agree with all your list. For critical items like water and fire I usually have at least 3 ways to provide for these things that don’t add any measurable weight to my pack. I’ve been camping since the 70’s always sleeping like the dead at night. Best time for me to sleep is in the woods. So I’ll pass on the fancy pillow. I would also add spare underwear. Hot sweaty you know what will freeze just as easily as being wet. Clean undies fix the problem. Also like the idea of some spare ziplock bags. Useful for many things.

  •  8 місяців тому +35

    I'm a mosquito magnet. A head net and a biteaway thingy are inevitable. I'm really annoyed that so few shirts for hiking have a high collar for sealing with the head net!
    (And a hat with a rim so the net doesn't touch your skin.)
    There's even a hat with a built-in net - and then airvents on top 🤷 I even occasionally wear gloves because I can't wipe them off as fast as they sting.
    Seriously, please do a whole video on mosquito protection gear. I'm sure there's stuff I've missed.
    There's now these portable gadgets that emit a smell, I doubt they work ...

    • @MyLifeOutdoors
      @MyLifeOutdoors  8 місяців тому +17

      I’ve got one of the gadgets I’m going to be testing

    • @jaywondergem7026
      @jaywondergem7026 8 місяців тому +1

      In my experience they work very well.

    • @NormanDimmick
      @NormanDimmick 5 місяців тому

      I've used a similar product that's essentially citronella patches you stick on your clothing, and while they don't work near as good as a DEET based bug spray, they're on par with most DEET-free options. I like them for wet jobs, because unlike bug spray they don't wash right off, but they're still enough to dissuade most of the skeeters. I probably wouldn't use them in a super buggy area, and DEET bug spray is still an essential for me for spraying down my trousers to discourage ticks, but I think they're pretty handy in an appropriate situation. The little fan ones seem over-engineered compared to the patches though.

    • @blackbeardAquatics
      @blackbeardAquatics 3 місяці тому

      Where tf you going hiking? 😂

    •  3 місяці тому +2

      @@blackbeardAquatics Mostly Germany. But, seriously, I'm the magnet. My partner will have 3 bites, and I will stop counting at somewhere around 50. I've got to updose the anti-allergy medication to stop looking like an assault victim. I hate it. I wish I was making this up.

  • @richardcarpenter6167
    @richardcarpenter6167 8 місяців тому +7

    I have carried a "Sling Light" chair for decades (it has only needed the fabric replaced once by the manufacture in all those years). Everything else on your list is a must have in my backpack, but the water tablets. I usually backpack with multiple people and we each carry a filtration system in case of emergencies, so I can make clean water to clear any fowling or just use their filter until we get out. It is something I will have to add to my emergency kit in case I am ever hiking alone.

  • @dustinnagy6011
    @dustinnagy6011 8 місяців тому +54

    This is my first year of backpacking and am loving it! Decided to buy some aquatabs as a backup before a trip last week and guess what? My filter broke and I used them! Could not have been more perfect timing😂

    • @MyLifeOutdoors
      @MyLifeOutdoors  8 місяців тому +8

      Glad you had them

    • @syberphish
      @syberphish 8 місяців тому +4

      Could you expand on "my filter broke"?
      Which filter, what broke, what happened, etc?
      I think I've used 5 or 6 filters over the last few decades but I don't think I've ever broken one, so I'm really intrigued to hear about this incident you had.

    • @sillyquiet
      @sillyquiet 8 місяців тому +3

      ​@@syberphish I am in the same situation, I've never had a broken filter. But I came close, I accidentally stepped on it when I tripped in camp carrying water from the stream. If had come down harder, I probably could have cracked the little plastic thing.
      also, I exclusively use non-pump type filters (squeeze, Sawyer mini, etc). I imagine a pump filter might be more vulnerable to something mechanical breaking.

    • @syberphish
      @syberphish 8 місяців тому +2

      @@sillyquiet I've used 4 different kinds of pump filters and a sawyer. I could see the sawyer breaking more easily but haven't used it as much.
      These days it's the Katadyn Hiker Pro, but I have both one of those and my older one that still says "PUR" on it. Have used two MSR pump filters too.
      I've stepped on them, sat on them, dropped them, have destroyed cartridges while trying to "clean" them, and have clogged them up. But I still have them all in working condition except the one MSR I lost.
      I did 120 miles this season with the Sawyer and have gone back to the Hiker Pro pump, because not only does it filter... it's got a carbon block in it, so it purifies too.
      Removes urine, chemicals, toxins and makes the water taste good.
      All things a Sawyer can't do.
      Filtered algae water...still tastes like algae.
      Filtered algae water with drink mix, tastes like algae water with drink mix.
      Purified algae water tastes... like water.
      It's delicious.
      Also, I tried the Mini first and it sucks so I switched to the Micro squeeze. I'd just carry it along with the pump if I want two.
      I already collect my "dirty" water using a Cnoc bag, then filter from it to decrease silting and so I'm not forced to pump at the water's edge.
      So screwing on a Sawyer is simple if needed.
      But I see the Sawyer as the really nice backup, not the primary.

    • @auskip07
      @auskip07 7 місяців тому +2

      @@syberphish they never follow up

  • @alisondickinson
    @alisondickinson 8 місяців тому +12

    I purchase one of those light weight trowels and struggled with the edges cutting into my hand. I got some of the dip-it tool handle products. Three coats later, problem solved. Yeah, it added some weight, but my hands are happier. And I picked a bright color!

  • @debbilermond1553
    @debbilermond1553 7 місяців тому +9

    Steven, I wholeheartedly agree with all of your recommendations! My husband and I converted to UL gear a couple of years ago to lighten our packs enough to afford these little essentials that most people avoid taking. Once you have a need for them, there are NO regrets taking a bit more weight, IMO! The bug net is one of them. It takes up very little room and weighs next to nothing. I haven't used it yet but I've been in places that had biting deer flies which were as annoying as the mosquitoes you faced. Years ago, we went on a hike in the Cascades of WA State and saw a hiker with a bug net on at the trail head. That should have been a clue but we went all the way to the lake to find backpackers stripped down in their tent naked to better kill the offending pests! We were so exhausted slapping them on the trail getting away from them that we were ready to collapse back at the car! Never again!

  • @user-zg1wz8fh8f
    @user-zg1wz8fh8f 8 місяців тому +6

    I brought a real pillow when I backpacked the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne a few weeks ago. Some of the best camping sleep I've had.

  • @BackcountryExposure
    @BackcountryExposure 8 місяців тому +8

    Yes, PLEASE take a trowel! A couple weeks ago I stepped and squished into someone else’s poop who chose not to dig a cat hole. Imagine your shoe being covered in someone else’s stuff. Worse than dog crap.

  • @gordonmacdowell8117
    @gordonmacdowell8117 8 місяців тому +5

    Not a fan of taking a pillow, unless I'm car camping, but what I do is take a pillow case with a high thread count and put it over a stuff sack of clothes. Always lots of extra socks. I only take chairs car camping. I take a square of comfy foam (like the ones people use in hard stadium seating) to sit on though, because by day two or three it gets less fun to sit on logs and rocks in camp, and it keeps me off the wet ground. I've seen people take inflatable pads to sit on, but they always succumb to sparks from the campfire.
    One of my favourite newer pieces of kit is a collapsible Gortex bucket to carry water for washing clothes and dishes, or putting out camp fires. I've even used it to put out a couple small fires I came across on trails where camp fires hadn't been properly put out and flared up (there's nothing quite as disconcerting as descending down a long hillside into steadily thicker smoke).

  • @davidkehlerable
    @davidkehlerable 4 місяці тому +2

    Man, I am so with you regarding the mosquito net specifically. It is true, you never always use it - but you are so happy to have it, when you need it! Plus it is a really light weight item easily fitting additionally in one of your pack sacks or outter pockets.

  • @Efrw
    @Efrw 8 місяців тому +5

    Key thing to note is tablets should always be a fall back and not a primary, theyre not grest for your kidneys over long trips.

  • @johncheeseman6764
    @johncheeseman6764 8 місяців тому +3

    Hi Steven, enjoyed the video. My wife and I just finished a 5-day cirque of the towers backpack. Not one mosquito bite. We have found the system. We treat our clothing with Permethrin, avon skin so soft sun block and repellent, and Rescue mosquito clips. Not one bite in one of the wetter years in Wyoming. Happy trails

  • @ElectricityTaster
    @ElectricityTaster 8 місяців тому +7

    I've had dysentery. It was miserable to need to poo every 20 minutes and just have blood come out. ALWAYS purify your water. The tablets are a great idea, and never trust someone else's water unless you know them well. I got dysentery from a local person who told me his bottled water was safe to drink. An instructor during a chainsaw course, no less.

  • @nunya___
    @nunya___ 7 місяців тому +4

    I have these Dry-Bags I use for Kayaking that I keep clothes in and can trap air in and use as a pillow. Made of super strong & lightweight nylon and cheap. I made a thick pillow case to fit over it.

  • @pedalparadise4096
    @pedalparadise4096 8 місяців тому +28

    The Nemo pillow 'best of both worlds' inspired my adding loft to my Hikensure $20 pillow by adding poly-fill left over from a craft project. Stuffed right under the cover.
    Deflate the air pillow to a comfortable volume and add fill for the height I want. Could also do the same with fill from an old pillow you like.
    Easy, inexpensive, custom to my needs.

  • @fleafrier1
    @fleafrier1 8 місяців тому +4

    Great list. I can get by without the chair and I’ve found a way to roll up my hoodie and tuck it into the hood so it is an acceptable pillow but the other items aren’t really replaceable. I was so happy to have a head net in Ventana wilderness earlier this year. The yellow flies were relentless.

  • @anitasimmons3599
    @anitasimmons3599 8 місяців тому

    Thank you for taking the time to create this video. I pretty much agree about all these items except the chair. Thank you again for the video.

  • @IanSebryk
    @IanSebryk 8 місяців тому +7

    headnet, absolutely! but Picaridin for arms/legs/exposed-parts. smooth skin, lasts a long time, and better than any bug spray. great stuff.

  • @WalkingDevon
    @WalkingDevon 8 місяців тому +2

    A mosquito head net is a must! Weighs next to nothing and tiny when packed. I used mine last night as I had to deal with both aphids and midges. It's a rare, "it's better to have and not need than to need and not have" when it comes to staying lightweight.

  • @ericreadinger4242
    @ericreadinger4242 8 місяців тому +10

    Great video capturing all the things that I already carry and make sure others carry as well. Along the lines of another comment, I treat the bugs like preparing for the weather - they can seriously impact one's enjoyment of an outdoor adventure.

    • @LP-jn4tw
      @LP-jn4tw 8 місяців тому +2

      Lol. Sounds like he made the video just to show everyone what you take and make other people take.

  • @vanessaholzmann8911
    @vanessaholzmann8911 8 місяців тому +2

    Wow, I'm impressed, I agree with all of these items! I'd also throw in camp sandles/booties and a decent multi-tool.

  • @antcap1519
    @antcap1519 4 місяці тому +1

    i really like your videos, such an easy going person explaining tips on preparations and survival without making people feel dumb or anything like that.

  • @Nonakame
    @Nonakame 7 місяців тому +1

    Mosquito head net saved my life and sanity on the John Muir Trail! I agree with everything else and am looking to replace my Klymit inflatable pillow with the one you suggested. Thanks!

  • @tomtom4405
    @tomtom4405 8 місяців тому +3

    I never used to take a pillow, never even considered it, but 14 months ago I was trying to sleep, very very cold and damp I was wearing everything I had and the best ground I had was angular rocks, I had *nothing* for a pillow as even the backpacks were in use protecting vital equipment and needed to be nearby but not where I was. There was no vegetation - nothing to help, not even a pillow shaped rock. I had nothing for my head except a climbing helmet! Let me tell you what a bad pillow that makes. The worst most uncomfortable planned night outdoors I ever had. An ultralight pillow makes such a difference! I bought a Sea to Summit Aeros ultralight pillow at 60g/2.1oz and a tiny packed size. Why did I not have one before?

  • @lindasharpsten5533
    @lindasharpsten5533 8 місяців тому +8

    I love and carry everything you suggested. After being chased into our tents by mosquitos last year, I sat and read in back-supported comfort for several hours. Yes, I brought my chair right into my tent (helps to be short, lol). This year, we have also tried sending hiking clothing to Insect Shield to be treated with permethrin. A surprising number of clothes fit in one of their bags.

    • @anniebrunelle4433
      @anniebrunelle4433 7 місяців тому

      I just sent 4 pants 4 shirts and 7 pairs of socks to Insect Shield. I could have fit a couple more items in their bag as well!

    • @NormanDimmick
      @NormanDimmick 5 місяців тому +1

      You can also buy bottles of permethricin treatment pretty cheap and treat your clothing yourself. I personally didn't have much luck with them, but I wasn't having much luck with 100% DEET either at the time, so it might be something worth looking into, especially if you have limited time before a trip to a buggy area.

    • @Aspen7780
      @Aspen7780 Місяць тому

      When it’s that bad I just don’t go into the woods. I’ll wait it out until that hassle is over. Tiny flies/knats too.

  • @optimum_adventures
    @optimum_adventures 8 місяців тому +1

    The goal of ultralight backpacking is to enjoy the trip more. So bring items that add to your experience, not subtract from them. Great job highlighting this point in the video!

  • @ImTheDudeMan471
    @ImTheDudeMan471 8 місяців тому +3

    "I never take 2 of anything. I take 2 pairs of socks"

  • @backpacker3421
    @backpacker3421 8 місяців тому +9

    Awesome list. I've been carrying backup water tablets for 40 years, and always kind of hem and haw about it, but bring them because they weigh nothing and give me peace of mind. In 40 years, I've never used them because I've never had a filter fail on trail. In the old days, I had a couple of the old ceramic filters wind up failing in storage due to freezing and cracking, but never once on trail. But it's nice to see somebody else back me up that the tiny fraction of an ounce for a few tablets is worth it, just in case...

    • @Aspen7780
      @Aspen7780 Місяць тому

      Agreed. I’ve never had to use them but they are there just in case and like you said, they weigh nothing and take up no room

  • @artmercer7465
    @artmercer7465 8 місяців тому +1

    All items are spot on. Pack your taps separately from your filter. If you pack them with your filter and misplace it you just lost one on the backup systems. Vault type bear canister and double for a chair but a chair is more comfortable.

  • @kevinharding2099
    @kevinharding2099 8 місяців тому +6

    I’m a hike - not a backpacker, but I love your common sense videos with excellent advice. A headset in Maine is standard operating procedure. I would add one thing - a candle. Fire is life and if you light a candle you have a flame that lasts.

    • @americafirst9144
      @americafirst9144 4 місяці тому +1

      A hike can easily turn into a night in the woods.

    • @larrywillard844
      @larrywillard844 2 місяці тому +1

      a candle can help you start a fire (esp after rain), but I regularly use one when car camping to start my coleman propane stove. Waterproof matches anyone, or do Bics work in any temp?

  • @Frost-mv4pz
    @Frost-mv4pz 7 місяців тому +3

    Also the thing with changing socks, when hiking/walking for long periods of time it's important to have dry socks to more easily avoid blisters.
    Even changing socks on the trail, but at least mak sure they dry overnight.
    futhermore the right kind of socks would be great, I think they're usually made of wool.

  • @jeffconley6366
    @jeffconley6366 8 місяців тому

    Great points!
    Head Net, bought one last year. Mosquitoes swarm me and leave scares.
    I use a Pathfinder canteen stove to dig holes.
    Would love a chair. I have a bad back. However, I am 6' 5" and weigh 270 pounds. Have not seen any of the light weight ones that will hold up to someone my size. And they take up so much room. I usually wind up sitting on the ground with a small foam pad and lean against a tree. Watch out for the insects!

  • @walkerfrizzell8404
    @walkerfrizzell8404 3 місяці тому

    Definitely agree on backup water tablets. I had a clogged filter on day two of a five-day Appalachian Trail trip, and having tablets 100% beat burning half our fuel for water.

  • @grsfhhytff
    @grsfhhytff 8 місяців тому +5

    Agreed 100% on the trowel
    Agreed 110% on the clean, dry socks.
    You probably should take water purification tabs although I don't and I'm not dead yet.
    Pillow and chair are both luxury items and I don't have to worry about bears as I live in Scotland, where the only dangerous wild animals live next door 😂😂😂

  • @chadfontaine2717
    @chadfontaine2717 8 місяців тому

    Awesome but simple tips. Mosquito net, Deuce Scoop and spare socks. They go with me everywhere!
    x2 suggesting a zip-lock bag for trash. So nice to have all the bits and pieces in one place and nothing left behind.

  • @overwatchxrescue
    @overwatchxrescue 7 місяців тому

    Definitely agree on the pillow! An absolute necessity when camping overnight.

  • @matthewfurst1577
    @matthewfurst1577 8 місяців тому +1

    Great list my man, chair especially LOL take it with every hike. Just started to carry aquatabs. Keep up the great work. 🚶🚶✌️😊

  • @redmageviewer
    @redmageviewer 8 місяців тому +1

    I take all of those besides the chair, sometimes a sit pad is all I need on a multiday trip when I want to save the pound. But the bug net, always a solid choice. I've been taking it for years and always make my friends and other people jealous when they see me chilling by the fire or when cooking and they're busy swatting away the bugs.

  • @apagoogootwo7552
    @apagoogootwo7552 8 місяців тому +1

    i even bring an extra pair of socks in my tiny cycling toolkit under my saddle. also a pack of tums in there; never had to use them even in a group ride, but it's nice to know they're there.

  • @BonaFideWildLife
    @BonaFideWildLife 6 місяців тому +2

    +💯for the trowel!!! At most, it's only 1.2oz for solid one like the Vargo Dig Dig. Also, thanks for the Sea to Summit head net suggestion! I was looking for an ultra fine mesh and only OR popped up. It's 2x as expensive and heavier because it has a ring to keep the mesh off your face. Lastly, I'm looking forward to try the Nemo pillow. Happy hiking!

  • @petercannova5026
    @petercannova5026 5 місяців тому +1

    Oh
    Hi
    your videos are Great
    you did One about getting dangerously cold because of the rain
    next time wear a poncho over your rain gear
    you can even make an extra Rain layer out of a garbage bag
    ...
    I'm a US Marine
    we had VERY nice London fog raincoat
    But our 1st Alfa/Brovo uniform raincoat was a Very CHEAP thing that offered almost no rain protection
    We had ponchos for our work uniform that also offered almost no rain protection
    ...
    so in my early days in the Corps On rainy school days I went to school wearing BOTH -- I was the only one that got to school dry

  • @jimseviltwin1
    @jimseviltwin1 4 місяці тому +2

    They laughed at me when I brought my three legged, folding stool on our rim-to-rim Grand Canyon hike. The extra weight was worth it to be able to just “sit” during breaks and at the camp sites of the dirt !
    Also, bring a couple of feet of good quality duct tape, wound around a small dowel. All manner of things can be fixed - holes in your tent, down jacket, shoe , nasty gapping cuts …. on and on.

  • @EricFleming231
    @EricFleming231 8 місяців тому +3

    Teton makes a good and cheap pillow. No balloons!

  • @glendelong1023
    @glendelong1023 7 місяців тому +2

    I never see this on any Backpacking/backwoods videos but another thing I always carry is/are a pair of gloves. I like a good pair of leather and don't mind the added weight. About a million uses too. Bugs biting, gloves, digging a hole, gloves, going into the brush, gloves, Messing with a hot pan/gloves, attending rope or cord, gloves. Before anyone says it, I do not have soft hands, I just know better. One other thing that I never hear talked about that I carry and doesn't take up much space, Feminine pads and tampons. Pads work great on a number of things and have used part of one on heal blisters, Puncture hole you know what to fill the hole with, same for a blood nose.

    • @louibeans
      @louibeans 2 місяці тому

      Even if you had soft hands, there's nothing wrong with it. It's unfortunate that so many men live their lives thinking they're not supposed to be soft in any way. Weird thing society has indoctrinated into us. So soft hands or not, nothing wrong with either.

  • @gunterbecker8528
    @gunterbecker8528 8 місяців тому

    As always with your videos, u make a lot of good sense and worth watching 😊

  • @classCexplosive
    @classCexplosive 7 місяців тому

    I got a mosquito head-net this year and it has been a game changer for those earlier summer hikes.

  • @a.w.thompson4001
    @a.w.thompson4001 8 місяців тому +3

    Don't be like me. My filter broke, but I had Aquatabs, which I *always* carry.
    Unfortunately, I was extremely tired and since I hadn't packed them (given that they're always in my pack)... I forgot I had them.
    I easily got a replacement filter then next day, thanks to a trail angel working at Berkshire Outfitters who gave me a lift as well as selling me the filter.
    Since I knew I'd have safe water the next day, waiting was not an issue, but it was an important lesson.

  • @MrsStevenBrown
    @MrsStevenBrown 4 місяці тому +2

    My zero chair is as essential as my tent, being able to sit back, eat properly, be off the ground, enjoy a view leaning back relaxed is worth every ounce! ❤

  • @DrewNorthup
    @DrewNorthup 8 місяців тому +1

    WRT the Trowel:
    Yes, bring one-but also bring wag bags as many areas, including one I help manage, have found that telling people to just bury it properly often doesn't work. Wag bags take your #2 to a whole other level of Leave No Trace.

  • @BestFeminist
    @BestFeminist 3 дні тому

    My headnet is a ditty bag for my sleep gear. Since I don't use it much, using it as storage makes it a nice dual use item. I often have my headlamp and socks in here, but also things like a sleep beanie

  • @joshlikessurfing
    @joshlikessurfing 8 місяців тому +1

    When I hiked JMT I had 3 socks. 2 hiking one sleeping . It rained on us for a week, so a hike pair to rotate to half dry and a always clean sleep pair was worth it. Super glue was clutch when I sliced my finger and for a pinhole in my sleep pad. Extra string was nice for tricky tarp setup or long open hangs when the rain was crazy and I used my tarp to shelter 4 people. If you are a hammock we, bring some Amstel loops with a little climbing nut, let’s you hang one tree to rock crack.

  • @jdlessl
    @jdlessl 7 місяців тому

    Makes me feel pretty good, I already carried all of these things! (Except the chair) You wouldn't think a pillow would still be a must-have with hammock sleeping, but here we are.

  • @timothey_sullivan
    @timothey_sullivan 8 місяців тому

    I needed this today😂 so great. Thank you.

  • @KevinRStrauss
    @KevinRStrauss 8 місяців тому +33

    Love the list! One (2) item I always carry now, even in my day pack, is two plastic bread loaf bags. Twice in dry desert conditions I've been caught in cold rain with only fleece gloves. The bags are 100% waterproof and keep my hands dry (and thus warm) in case of unexpected precipitation. They're not super durable so be gentle and maybe pack the trekking poles.

    • @KevinRStrauss
      @KevinRStrauss 8 місяців тому +5

      @@jav.7611 Brilliant multi-purpose item for just a few grams!!! 👍

    • @mandurphy23
      @mandurphy23 8 місяців тому +4

      Same here! I use trailrunners that fill and drain with water pretty easily, which isn't an issue during warmer, dry months. But during cold or humid conditions, a bread bag per foot saves my feet while not requiring a different set of shoes/boots.

    • @jdeveau6718
      @jdeveau6718 8 місяців тому +12

      When I was a kid, these were boot liners for the winter.

    • @niceguy191
      @niceguy191 8 місяців тому +4

      If I'm going to be in the Rockies, the gloves I bring are wet suit gloves so that my hands don't freeze during a cold rain

    • @montananerd8244
      @montananerd8244 7 місяців тому +2

      I am going to give away my age, but we always used these as liners for our Moon Boots in winter. We would play in huge drifts of snow (very dangerous) and end up soaked! The boots were only waterproof up to the ankle I think. My mom would put bread bags over our socks, tuck our pants into them, and then boots. We still got wet, but not as drenched...

  • @time2maked0hnutz54
    @time2maked0hnutz54 8 місяців тому

    I Go Camping often but I'm on a Motorcycle.
    I like a lot of your Suggestions on Compact, Functionality & Super light weight.
    I Love your Content Brada, Keep up the Great Work be Safe & Thank You💯❤️💎🔥🤙🏽

  • @piro_travels
    @piro_travels 8 місяців тому

    OMG Chair. Must have. Even with Hungary having benches everywhere it's so great to just be able to sit down anywhere. It also makes for more comfy breaks. And now we use it in on the beach and even in the house we're moving from. 😁

  • @DerVagabundli
    @DerVagabundli 8 місяців тому +3

    “Boiling water takes ages to be cool enough to drink”. *laughs in English*.

  • @douglasdoucette7352
    @douglasdoucette7352 8 місяців тому +1

    Thanks for the great list! I carry all of these items & a couple more. Love my chair & wouldn't be caught on the trail without a bug net (except maybe winter) & aqua tabs. I'm not ultralight but very satisfied with my base weight & what I carry, even if I don't use the items on every trip. Kinda like your FA kit or even toilet paper - hope you don't have to use them but when you need them, you need them!

    • @donaldstrader7241
      @donaldstrader7241 8 місяців тому +1

      In winter you could use it to hold snow, hang it near a fire and let it drip water into a container as the snow melts. 🙂 Also in a survival situation, as a net to catch crayfish...although in winter that might be a bit cold. I recently saw someone that had a complete net shirt with over the head hood. Not sure if the netting could have been treated with permethrin or not.

  • @KolMan2000
    @KolMan2000 8 місяців тому +2

    Had one year in Boy Scouts on the AT where another hiker, not in our group, had their tent torn into by a black bear since they kept their food in their tent. We would always hang bear bags well away from camp and never kept food on us at night for that very reason.

  • @YankeeWoodcraft
    @YankeeWoodcraft 8 місяців тому +1

    Bear spray, substantial first aid kits, a "real" knife.
    I'm a firm believer in back up water purification (tablets).
    I take extra socks, briefs and a t-shirt for an especially sweaty day and alternate.
    Walmart sofa throws for $4 makes excellent camp pillows.
    I definitely carry a bug face net. You're 100% right. When you need it, you love it.

  • @bernardweaver2416
    @bernardweaver2416 8 місяців тому +1

    A bug net has been a must have for me here in the Northeast. Otherwise I find myself unable to take breaks on trail and be confined to my bivy/hammock at camp.

  • @mikeforster8798
    @mikeforster8798 8 місяців тому

    Good stuff! Great list and love the chair

  • @roybatty3989
    @roybatty3989 9 днів тому

    Oh dang, Im going straight to that pillow video.

  • @paulsisco6748
    @paulsisco6748 8 місяців тому

    I have never thought about a head net for bugs. Adding it to my essentials.

  • @lieutenantcolonelnicholson9228
    @lieutenantcolonelnicholson9228 2 місяці тому

    Great video! I always carry old school Iodine pills in a little dark glass bottle velcro secured on my canteen pouch, and a Sawyer of course and the expensive ceramic Katadyn filter top shelf!
    I usually pack an entrenching tool, ya heavy, but when you need one, you need one. No pillow, ya just stuff cloths in sleeping bag sack (shrug). Mosquitto net you showed is REQUIRED w/ floppy hat and long sleeve shirts and pants. The little canister stove you showed at the beginning is TOP SHELF #1 love em' have several. CARRY ON!!!

  • @bidufree
    @bidufree 8 місяців тому +2

    Instead of a chair, bring a feather light hammock. You can sit in in, like a chair, but you can also lay an chill in it. I always bring mine. Even weighs less than a chair. 🤗

  • @hefeibao
    @hefeibao 8 місяців тому +1

    This is a perfect first video for *anyone*. +1 on the mosquito net. It only takes once to make you a believer.

  • @thoneycutt8947
    @thoneycutt8947 2 місяці тому

    My circa 1970s OD green laundry bag is actually netting, not solid fabric. It's also a fish trap, a food hang, filters harsh sunlight, and yes, a damn nice mosquito/fly net. Add some leaves, it's a crazy good ghillie suit.

  • @ix8750
    @ix8750 8 місяців тому +2

    Dude I just love my lightweight Nemo chair and my fillow. Now, I'm no army ranger but I do heavy labor for UPS so 2 lbs extra for that comfort is totally acceptable for someone like me.
    Side note: I just adjusted some straps on my osprey backpack directly above my shoulders and it felt like it took off 5-10 lbs of "perceived" weight.
    My brother and I are hiking pals and he has been teasing me about the chair but you are right, I saw him sitting down in it on my way back to camp from a quick firewood gathering session. He will soon break and become one of us.

  • @duseylicious
    @duseylicious 8 місяців тому +2

    In AZ a trowel barely gets through the tough dry dirt, sticks definitely don’t cut it.

  • @geokite
    @geokite Місяць тому

    Always have a bug head net; day hiking kit, bp kit, both mountain bikes (under the fork cork), vehicle, and my daily shoulder bag. Best one currently out is by Simblissity. Sanity saver

  • @nutthrower4415
    @nutthrower4415 8 місяців тому

    Always informative, thanks

  • @Driftless_Wanderer
    @Driftless_Wanderer 8 місяців тому +3

    Great list! I’ll add the water tablets, although I have 2 filters, a life straw and MSR. I would add duct tape wrapped around your hiking poles or a lighter.

  • @KrizAkoni
    @KrizAkoni 8 місяців тому

    I’m liking the aquatab suggestion. I’ll likely add those to my 1st aid kit.

  • @Gary-ks8rz
    @Gary-ks8rz 2 місяці тому

    Mosquito head net, also for that pesky fly when youre trying to take an afternoon nap. I was also spraying a wasp nest with that sprays 30 feet spray but I just had a bad feeling. Put on my insulated coveralls, brimmed hat and Mosquito net. Thank GOD because when I started spraying, 3 of them came straight after me and bounced off the net.

  • @kenwebster5053
    @kenwebster5053 8 місяців тому +2

    As far as clean water goes, I like boiling water. One of the big plusses to boiling is that it makes the silt precipitate out overnight, so you are good to go the next day. What about fuel? Well your surrounded by fuel, it's just laying on the ground everywhere you go, except perhaps the Sahara desert & Antarctica. So fuel is just not a problem at all, at least not anywhere I go hiking it isn't. Even if its raining, I can still always find & burn fuel.

  • @user-cu6yl2kt3v
    @user-cu6yl2kt3v 2 місяці тому

    Yes, yes, yes a chair is a must. I like the The Alps Mountaineering® Axis Chair because it is has beach style legs with bars across, not four sticks for legs that sink into the dirt.

  • @johnmezera3451
    @johnmezera3451 8 місяців тому +1

    Have to agree with you, my exception is a chair. Trying to keep my base weight down for now. I can see how a chair would be very comfortable at the end of a day or for lunch break. Good video .

    • @MyLifeOutdoors
      @MyLifeOutdoors  8 місяців тому +2

      I hear you. Chair is worth the weight to me. But I still manage to stay light even with a chair

    • @MixMeister5000
      @MixMeister5000 8 місяців тому +1

      You can get a chair that's 1lb 😊

  • @jamess7576
    @jamess7576 8 місяців тому +8

    Disagree regarding bears. You can practice the proper bear "etiquette" and still run into the wrong bear on the wrong day. There have been a number of fatal human-black bear encounters. Pogo Mine, was a black bear. I say if you are going into bear/mountain lion country go prepared. (Not to mention ill tempered dogs)

    • @Itried20takennames
      @Itried20takennames Місяць тому

      Agree. You up your risk by not following “bear etiquette,” keeping food away, being prepared, etc., but you can do all of those and run into a sick, aggressive or hungry bear. I can’t say for sure, but pretty sure you can’t say what “bears” are like any more than you can say what humans are like.

  • @Padraig656
    @Padraig656 8 місяців тому +3

    Head net 100%!!! I've been in situations in the past where I had to hurriedly set up my tent just to survive the bugs! P.S. the proper hat to go with the net is important too!

  • @Mirovanje12
    @Mirovanje12 2 місяці тому

    Great video, great list! Two years ago, while hiking in high country, we saw that several backpackers had just pooped in the open. They left it covered with TP and walked away. In all my years backpacking I've ever seen anything like it - absolutely disgusting! So, not only "yes" to the poop trowel, but for heaven's sake USE it!!

  • @acamparargentina
    @acamparargentina 8 місяців тому

    120% agree on each and every item on the list, and ohhh yeah, the chair is a complete game changer!

  • @john_kelley
    @john_kelley 8 місяців тому +1

    Chair every single trip, and the Nemo Fillo is a no brainer. Best pillow out there.

  • @jdeveau6718
    @jdeveau6718 8 місяців тому

    We have three bug jackets (incl hoods) for doing yard work in the spring. I took two on my last trip and it paid off big time.

  • @Dj_Chunga
    @Dj_Chunga 8 місяців тому

    Man I love your videos!!!
    Do you have a video a for backpacks?

  • @grepora
    @grepora 8 місяців тому

    Include a plastic 2-clip hanger. It is lightweight. Can hang wet clothes (pair of socks, shirt, pants, underwear, etc.), a wash cloth (multi-uses and better than a bandana for wiping off sweat), etc. to dry. Drill a hole in the center, thread paracord, and you can hang securely it almost any where.