I’m 61 years young and did my first backpack trip in the Sierra last fall. I brought a 1lb helix chair. I’m pretty fit. Thankful to have it at the end of being on my feet with 35lbs. No matter how fit you are, as you age it’s harder to sit on/get off the ground. You just wait Kyle……
Feel this way about my hammock also. Hopping in and out of a hammock beats crawling in and out of a tent any day, not to mention falling into a deep steady sleep and waking up well rested is worth the extra (less than) a pound I carry.
Yeah I used to not bring a chair until I did once and now I bring one every time, they are light enough now it is not that big a deal to bring one. I alternate between tents and hammocks, I have a dog I like to bring so will bring my tent when he is coming along (which is most of the time). I love sleeping in a hammock but there are advantages to a tent as well and if you have a pet then tents are more fun in my opinion.
I'm listening to this with earbuds, in my hammock, with my fanny pack on, smooking weed, waiting for my water to disinfect! And my bearcan is my chair😅
The stove is my second way to purify water... Plus nothing better than waking up with the sun and drinking some hot coffee while packing up. Or busting out 18 miles then having a hot meal after setting up camp.
I often bring a stove when I am just dayhiking so I can stop along the trail and have a cup of coffee or cook a lunch, and as you said it is a good way to clean water if you really need to. It takes so little space these days to bring a stove along.
@billcarpenter5615 i have a tiny titanium solid fuel stove and 3 fuel tablets that I carry in a titanium cup in my mountain day pack. If I end up in a bad situation, I can have hot tea/cocoa and dehydrated soup, which goes a long way for morale. I could survive a couple of days with what is in my day pack if I were injured and needed rescue. If I'm doing a local day hike trail, my day pack with the essentials IS a fanny pack. I carry food bars in it.
@@bunnybgood411 I'm a tea drinker, but yeah, I've taken to carrying a few coffee bags for my camping partner who is a coffee addict. Being around him when he's decaffinated just isn't good.
It's not even about the comfort so much as the recovery needed as we age. If we want to get up in the morning and walk some more, we need comfortable situations between walks.
@jamesmccreery250 That's a fact. My mobility issues have mostly restricted me to day hikes or very short backpacking trips these days. My knees hate me. Probably having knee replacement within the year.
Don't be a snob, Kyle. We old ppl need our camp chairs! Plus, a bunch of weight has been freed up. You young folks have it easy. In MY day our backpacks weighed more than #25-35 pounds you guys carry. Mine were usually 40 lbs, sometimes 50! They make backpacking stuff a lot lighter than they did back in the 20th Century!
You can tell these guys have knowledge of camping, but if you do it for a living or actually did a stint in the military i.e., Infantry/Airborne, you come to appreciate a chair, a stove, and a hammock and yes you can hang a hammock without trees.
Most air pads I've seen or bought come with an air sack to fill the pad ,, my Nemo takes 4 fills ..... Some Flextail battery pumps are also a light for tent overhead ,, can be used for blower for ground fire .. Have not heard anyone using one say they will NOT carry it in the future ...
I loved backpacking as a kid, was in scouting, etc. I went into the military out of high school and acquired a back injury. The injury did not bother me as far as carrying a backpack, but I could no longer sleep on the ground no matter what mattress I used. But I discovered hammock camping and it was a god send. As far as a fanny pack, I use one for emergency gear when I am not wearing my pack in case I go, say, get water and hurt an ankle or something. I also smoke a tobacco pipe and I use it for that. As far as pumps, I just don't want my wet, moist air in there creating mold.
Yep, broke my back twice, jumping out of a perfectly good airplane. SMH. Still backpacking. You guys, the topic is great. The BS discussion is truly TOO MUCH. You should have outlined and practiced using as few words as possible. SHEESH, give a short rationale then shut the fuc
The mold thingy is a myth. It’s proven that there’s 0 chance you’ll get mold by inflating your pad with your mouth. I still prefer my Flextail pump any day 😊
I'm getting far too ol...I mean, mature, to worry at all about what some unenlightened people on the trail think of my day hiking fanny pack. Something I don't miss whatsoever....the angst of youth. Love your work, though, Kyle, keep my mom out of this. Lol.
Fanny packs/bumbags are awesome! You can put a snack in there, a multitool, basic first aid stuff, fire lighting equipment, and any other stuff you may need quick access to. It could be set up as a basic survival kit, or used as a way to carry useful stuff while your main kit is back at your tent...
Flextailgear is the best 🎉 lightweight, multifunction has 5 nozzles, for air bed / floating bed/ vacuum storage/inflate and deflate and is rechargeable.
@@pedro_claro you are a cheapo that is fine, but this does not change the fact that this is an amazing product. You can go backpacking with a trashbag, it not a reference.
Flextail zero pump weighs the same if not less than the pumps sack. Prevents moisture from entering the pad reducing r value. Also blowing up the pad by mouth in cold weather will deflate do to the warm air cooling down.
Dad who hikes with 2 little girls here...and going from blowing up 3 pads every night to 0 pads every night was amazing! The little flextail device we got will get all 3 pads for 8 days before it needs a recharge...love it!
Love this channel- but omgsh I NEED most of these! 😂 Air pump-I get dizzy blowing up my pad plus I use it for light, helps with fire, cools me down… Fanny pack- I have trex arms can’t reach stuff in my hip pockets! Stove- hot cocoa, hot water bottle, coffee, hot water to soak my feet- enough said. Hammock- love in the summer best sleep. Ear buds- need to hear motivational music to keep moving fast when I’m exhausted and it drowns out the scary noises when I’m solo sometimes So Kyle would hate me then I do most of these! 😂😂😂
As a bigger lady, my hip belts on my pack are basically useless. I can't reach/open them. So my fanny pack carries my chapstick, a couple snacks, my sit pad (so I don't need to take my pack off if all I'm doing is adjusting something or want a snack), my inhaler, my ID, pepper spray and my knife,, and an extra pair of socks. I'm totally team fanny pack. Plus, it's less on my back.
love my flextail pump! I use it so that the moist air from my lungs doesn't go into my pad, great especially in cold weather. Mina also has a lantern feature so it hangs from the clip in the top of my tent so I can carry a smaller headlamp. It also doubles as a bellows for my campfire
Yo Kyle - RE: Fanny packs - sometimes on day hikes I'll take the visual hit to not have a sweaty back and shoulder straps digging in. If you just need your camera, some snacks, and a water bottle, the fanny pack can be liberating. Free your back!!
Did you see the Vaucluse pack frame? It's this weird thing that sits between pack and your back, allowing air to flow over your back. I just bought one today. Actually buying 1 was like 40 bucks, and 2 was like 50 bucks (so I bought 2). They are like 3 ounces, but it is an interesting idea theory of trying to sweat less.
Lost me on the fanny pack hatred, Kyle. On one Trail Days, REI was giving out little fanny packs. Mine was made into a toilet kit, which I found very useful for when I needed to go to the bathroom. I could hang it on a branch or around my torso. It kept everything ready to go with one swoop. It really saved me time.
if you hate fanny packs, you'd really be irked by my setup. Since I use the granite gear x60, I choose the option to detach the hip belt from the pack. The brain detached and the hip belt are combined to make a large lumbar pack with side pockets. This gets as much of my heaviest gear as possible. Weight is much easier carried on a lumbar pack than on a backpack (at least in my experience). With my main pack lighter, it is a much more enjoyable carry compared to loading everything traditionally. There is something about having the pack detached that allows me to move more freely. One theory of mine is that my torso being free allows me much simpler movement. It helped more than I thought it would. In addition to the lumbar pack, I also use a Ribz Front Pack for my things that I access frequently. If I get tired of wearing the ribz pack, I can just flip it back to lay almost like saddlebags on both sides of my pack. It is a system that works well for me. One main pack, a lumbar pack, a ribz front pack, and a fanny pack of toiletries (but the fanny is just storage not worn).
I love how these guys are all "I won't hike when I'm old. I'll turn in my card" lol. You're gonna carry all the comfy and keep going like everyone else does
I am well into my 60s and I have given up carrying pretty much everything. Going super light is a game changer. I pack to hike not to camp. I could carry way more crap when I was young.
Wearing fanny packs diagonally on the front of your body like a sling is incredibly fashionable right now. And honestly, as an alternative for larger less accessible bags like a backpack/messenger bag/purse/etc... they're pretty awesome. *Fanny packs are the hammock of the accessory world.
The Scots had their Sporan which was worn hanging in front of the body.A fanny pack is basically a modern version of that. Also, a fanny pack worn in the front is a great place to have a survival kit.
Packs are over-rated dude, just have all your stuff wrapped in a polkadot handkerchief tied to a stick you carry over your shoulder. Youll be under 10lbs for sure. 😂
Those pumps make sense for winter to keep breath moisture out of the pad. Personally I'd look at the bag for the multi-purpose. If I'm going to have a dry bag might as well also have it work as a pump.
I've seen tests on youtube that show that the mold thing just isn't true though. If warmth in cold outside air is the winter argument, that would make more sense. Because that might mean that you have to put in extra air during the night.
@@d.2110The concern of moisture I've heard is it freezing during winter and reducing the effectiveness of the pad in keeping you warm. I'm not sure where your comment on mold came from.
Still in the Army and I love a camp chair or field stool, especially if you just hanging out for a few hours, or avoiding the massive amounts of poison Ivy that we always end up near by.
Hammock: TrailHeadz has a 11.5oz hammock with bug net (low volume cottage shop, there are others too) + Hammock Gear Dyneema Hex Tarp (6oz incl stakes) + Amsteel tree straps, whoopie slings, and soft shackles (2oz). Bear Cannister: NY high peaks area requires a Garcia style can and they will ticket and kick you off trail. Those are still impenetrable due to shape and materials. They are also the heaviest, annoying to open, and don't carry nearly as much food as they claim to.
I use a trailheadz hammock so light. If I ground sleep I hurt in the morning. After sleeping in my hammock im ready for another 25 miles. Back and neck herniation problems.
@@78suntan same here. I tried ground sleeping w/ various pads. So much pain and lost sleep. My back feels so good in a hammock and I sleep like a baby.
I used my BV450 and the rangers didn't tell me I wasn't aloud when I checked in. That was two years ago, so maybe they got stricter. Most of the camp sites in high peaks area are SUPER easily accessible with wide open trails, if it's a problem they really should transport in some bear lockers.
The fanny pack is a perfect place for bear spray. Quick access, doesn't flop around, and easy to keep it on you when you're cooking/eating a few hundred feet from camp, which is recommended.
Started a hike last August , lasted one day . Folks , make sure that your tarp fully covers your hammock before you go . It rained , of course ! And it didn't help that the trail goes across a spit of a lake and hadn't been cleared for most of the summer . It's hard to walk on a platform if you can't find it in the marsh grass growing over it . I am going to attempt it again this summer , though . North Country Trail , doing the Pennsylvania section .
I heard that systems to inflate the mattress are used to prevent mushrooms formation inside it (mostly in cold temperatures). because of the particules in saliva.
I'm a weekend warrior so all those things are great lol. The Flextail is great. Saves a lot of time mostly. I almost fainted blowing up my pad. The tent light keeps me using it. I fall into that fanny pack demographic lol. Vape, microfiber towel, phone, and sometimes battery bank. Nice for fishing. I sleep awesome in a hammock even though there's not many places I can hang in the West. Canister sucks but nice for high traffic areas with mini bears like raccoons and mice. I might switch to Aquamira just to save time. It's annoying to filter like 2 liters at once on the go. Chairs are nice but annoying to carry. Nice to sit on but I don't usually sit on it enough to warrant carrying it. I'm about to try tarp & bivy camping soon with Borah Gear. Really excited about it.
If you nearly fainted blowing up your pad you are doing it wrong! 20 deep and slow breaths on average, no rush, no dizziness. Did you faint during the 1000s of deep breaths it took to reach your campsite? No! (Well hopefully not!). Pumps seem cool and all but you have two zero-weight pump sacks that were manufacturer-installed since before you were born! Pumps are then a redundancy, a luxury but not at all necessary.
@@dcaudwell I would use a nylofume bag to pump before blowing into a pad again. It's just easier to use a pump. It's my camp light. The included pump sack for the Nemo sucks and just adds weight since there's no other use.
I need my hot coffee in the morning, the stove isn't that much weight, unless I'm car camping and take my grandpa's coleman. But I often take my little stove for car camping too. But I carry both food to heat and food that can be eaten cold to avoid hangry.
The Flextail 2x air matress pump has a tent lantern too, extremely powerful and long lasting. Its nice to have a lantern like that, along with a pump to stoke the fire without getting your face in the smoke. And ofcourse, its key feature - blows up your air matress after a long day of hiking. Its a keeper.
Working on glaciers all accessed via backpacking-a front facing fanny pack is key equipment for camera, data sheets, GPS, laser ranger, in steep crevassed areas easy access and putting back is key to not losing key stuff.
Great episode! So for the pumps, as a super asthmatic hiker, I have always gotten by with my breath. But there are times when the day's hike and humidity have left me pretty tired. Those days, to hit on another "hot" topic, I could use the pump to inflate bed while boiling water and prepping food. Is it luxury item? Yes. It it novel enough to try once? Maybe. Is it worth carrying for thousands of miles and be obligated to provide batteries for? Nah. I don't really need my pad fully inflated most nights anyway.
I'm 68 years old and been backpacking since 2007. I have never brought a camp chair. There is usually a place to sit. I sat on downed trees, or rocks and even the ground. Now I do carry a pad to sit on. It's never been an issue with me. I am in fairly good shape.
In bear country, a Garcia Bear Canister can come in (double-)handy, as well. Also (empty) good for fetching water and filtering in camp, away from the bugs.
Fanny Mfkn pack! I don't have pockets on my hip belt but i need somewhere to store my phone, my first aid kit, and a Macrobar. I got a dynema fanny pack from LiteAf and it's super lightweight, mostly waterproof and it's really useful.
KYYYLE! Since when do we choose aesthetics over functionality as through hikers? Don’t you remember how goofy a through hiker looked the first time you ever saw one? But to be fair, you do ROCK the sharp & sleek hiker look! Seriously, though… For those who like to snack, while hiking to keep from being hangry… To get that last 5 miles in… And of course us ladies have a few additional needs. The thing is, anything you might keep in your shoulder pocket or hip pocket is easier to reach when it’s right in front of you, just below your belly button, lol. Don’t worry, Kyle, if you started wearing a fanny pack, they would literally become hip! 😂
On the electronic pump, a lot of people are saying it's bad to use your breath because it contains so much moisture, which will lead to mold inside the pad. But yeah, I've never had that problem over the last 30 years.
so whats the negative/positive of solar charges? you breezed right over it and i have seen several videos that just say it and move on. I personally don't want to spend extra time in town waiting for charges, if i can get a trickle charge from solar while hiking in the desert, why not?
No-soaking has been a big improvement in my convenience and health. Saves volume more than weight. The volume of cook kits are super annoying if you are light or ultralight and have an awesome hip belt less frameless pack. I also eat very slowly. So whatever I eat on cold day will start off hot and be cold when I’m halfway through anyway. Fish and chicken in pouches, preferably with olive oil and spices , is delicious and easy and nutritious.
Ive done two trips sans filter. I put a bandana over the mouth of my Nalgene to strain the worsy of the crud. My problem came because i get desperately thirsty quite quickly, and i can get desperate. So i may carry a small bottle to drink while i am waiting and so i dont guzzle what i just did. Gets kind of complicated, huh!
I brought a solar charger with me when i hiked kilimanjaro. It weighed the same as the USB battery packs everyone else brought but their batteries ran out halfway through the hike and, if I hadn't brought the charger, none of us would have pictures of us at the summit. The nice thing about it was the solar cells were attached to a square of canvas that had grommets so i could attach it to the top of my pack and charge my phone (and my family's) while walking. It's also handy at home during in unexpected blackout.
I've used a hammock as a bug bivy under a 9x9 tarp. I sleep on ground sometimes with it strung between hiking poles to hold the bug netting up, but can hang it in trees when appropriate too. So it's dual use in those cases. Granted this is when section hiking. I took an UL tent when doing long multi-week hikes, or if I were to do a big thru hike. (EDIT NOTE: I am east coast - rocky, hilly, but lots of trees - so flat spots can be a pain.)
That's a good idea. Flexible functionality is a serious reason to carry a hammock. Tarp & hammock combo works for all trails if your hammock is also a bivvy. 👍
In some National Parks, such as Olympic National Park, bear canisters are required. Including beach camping. Not just to keep your food safe from bears but also from ravens, raccoons, and other animals. Also, many of the alpine areas in Washington do not have trees big enough to hang food.
i agree with the “no chair” commandment…i’m old, and don’t even like sitting in regular chairs because not being able to get up from the ground is the lynchpin for aging rigidly.
Ok. I'm an old guy, but in the 90s I saw Korn a lot... a whole lot. Also, the NCT is great. I've hiked it in a quite a few states. Northern PA and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan have the best trails. Excellent backcountry.
> 10 yrs ago, while hiking up scenic mtns (ADK High Peaks) and scenic country (Tour du Mont Blanc), I wore a small fanny pack, slipped around to the front. For quick/easy access to camera lenses/filters/batteries/memory. Never carried a SLR (too damned heavy) but kept a good Panasonic ultrazoom strapped to the chest. Of course, people now do same with Smartphones and GoPros. My point: depends on use/access.
I took a chair for the first time this summer. 9 day hike in the high Sierras. Game changer. Loved it. It was absolutely worth it. So comfortable! Flextail was also great. Very convenient.
Don’t have one of these portable air pumps but have seen that many have a light integrated. I’ve also heard that some people feel using a pump (or an air bag/pump sack) minimizes the moisture being put inside of the pad which may help your pad last longer. So… maybe worth it?
My Flextail cost like 27 bucks and it is lighter than the pump sack that came with my mat. Also it has a small light that I can hang in my tent. So for around 46gr, I have the pump and the light.
Wait this video is only 5 months old and you guys never heard of an inflation sack for your sleeping pad? They’ve been pretty standard with most pads for a while now. There’s too much moisture in your breath. The pumps have been out for a while too. They also have a light on them to hang in your tent.
.. Have hiked backcountry for over 50 years ,, mostly 10k - 14k ft. never hung a food bag (usually no trees ) ,, keep food in camp ,, cook at and sometimes in my tent ... never had a problem ... Mostly central west ,, only have seen ! one bear , going the other way ... although had a large Bull Moose walk right through my camp ,, at 11k ft ....worst animal issues are chipmunks and porcupines and mosquitos for camp problems ...
Lol this has been my experience also, there is a lot of things people do and carry for that 1 in a million situations. Only real bear experience I had was one trying to take my elk quarter, which got scared and ditched my elk quarters when my half naked uncle got up to take a leak in the middle of the night.....not sure who scared who more 😂😂
I live on the east coast in SE VA. Bears are everywhere here. I grew up in the Catskills. More bears. I've been hiking and camping for over 50 years, and I've had lots of encounters with bears and other wildlife. Yes, bears have gotten into the lighter canisters, but it does keep most bears, raccoons, squirrels, mice, etc. out of your food AND bonus with the canister is that it doubles as a stool. I don't have as good an arm as he does
the pump-sacks mentioned have the advantage of not breathing humidity / moisture into your sleeping pad which keeps the isolating properties at at their best possible value. and vice versa: humidity reduces the isolation-properties of any inflatable sleeping pad, sometimes quite significantly. i think it was exped that had shown tests of a sleeping-pad that was blown up not using the the pump-sack that had frozen humidity inside it when going alpine. cheeers from switzerland
Yall should check out bone conduction headphones. You can fully hear your surroundings while also listening to what you want to. For perspective, I went on a ton of walks around my neighborhood this spring, listening to podcasts and symphonies, and even having whatever I was listening to at a high volume, I could still hear the swarms of bees buzzing in the flowering trees from over half a city block away. I can hear anyone else on the road with me. And the model I got also happen to be waterproof so I can swim and shower in them lol They're really not that much more expensive than other decent earbuds or high-ish end headphone, I got mine on sale for $100.
The act of cooking is a fun routine that I think I do on trail almost more because of the act of it, instead of the necessity. Half the time I just make bone broth or a hot drink. I really don't find the weight is significant enough for me. That being said I've never hiked in an area with poor access to water. I listen to audio when I'm trying to muster through a miserable time and it helps me keep track of time, otherwise I'm looking at my watch ever like 3 minutes feeling like i'm not going anywhere. That being said one in one out, or more recently bone conducting!
The main reason I'd carry a stove is to make hot water for tea. As long as I have it, oatmeal or Granola and yogurt for breakfast takes me a long way. During the day, I'm a nibbler. I'm inclined to about half & half cook/no-cook. I'm T2 diabetic, so I have to be careful about what I eat.
I am only a section hiker, but I DO carry a FlexTrail pump 🤦🏻♂️. It also functions as a light (I hang it inside my tent). I’ve heard that in colder weather, it’s not ideal to inflate your pad with your breath, as the condensation can lead to mold, etc… 🤷🏻♂️
Flextail pump inflates any size pad and doubles as a little lantern for your tent. I bring it on every camping or backpacking trip. I think it's my favorite piece of gear.
On headphones: there are bone conducting headphones. You can hear all there is in nature and also whatever you are listening to. I think they are still expensive though. I think you could get the same effect if you use the old fashioned small headphones that belonged to walkmans and put those next to your ears. And I bought the zero pump hahaha. It has no extra functions like the previous model, that had a light. The zero can blow and suck though. It blows and it sucks. And I like to not have to sit in my knees and bent over for pumping and do something else. It's not needed at all though. And I think the fanny pack that looks like a hairy fat belly would be super nice.
The hip belt pockets on my pack are okay to unzip and get stuff out of on the fly, but putting something back in and zipping it closed again while I'm walking . . . kind of a PITA. (I'm a short person with correspondingly T-Rex arms, lol)
***HAMMOCKS*** I CAN**NOT** sleep in a hammock . I also think Hammocks are limited and all of you who claim to be WEIGHT CUTTERS and then you carry a hammock with all that goes into it is far heavier then a tent but as for me I CAN NOT COMFORTABLY SLEEP IN A HAMMOCK.
Kyle, try Meat Shredz, dried shredded pork. You can eat it dry, like jerky, put it in Ramen or “Knorr Sides” type meals or just rehydrate it and wrap it up in a tortilla, for some delicious BBQ sammich vibes! It is a little pricey but so good! Much better than any jerky I have ever had.
It takes me 40+ breaths to fill my sleeping pad. So a pump makes sense but I looking at a pump but looking at getting a bag. I don't have problems with hiking but I dont race and instead walk at a speed i can breathe easily.
... MOST .. cold soak ,, no cook options are lazy crap foods ,,, The body performs much better with heated meals ,, plus nutrition gains .... (although that shot of meat, avocado wrap looked pretty good ,, even from my chair) ..
I can not express enough how amazing sleeping on a hammock is after a long hike. I have the Warbonnet Blackbird Xl with a bug net and down underquilt, whole setup is lighter than most backpacking setups with the exception of hiking pole tents and the like. I sleep better in the hammock than I do at home, you get to be off the ground, away from rain, mud, bugs, animals, etc. Don't need to camp at a campsite per se, only need two trees (or 1 tree and the roof rack of a vehicle). The underquilt is good to go down to 10° F, especially with a tarp to block wind. The hammock guyline and cordage is all Amsteel cord, which is steel and nylon braided rope, its thinner and lighter than paracord, and supports like 2500-3200 lbs. You are intended to lay with your feet slightly higher than your head, so your feet will have some reduced swelling (great after a long hike). That said I admit its a little finicky to setup correctly; • Have to find 2 trees, 15 ft - 25ft apart (I've done 30ft in a pinch) • Need to fiddle with it so that the head is lower than the feet, approximately 15 ° angle Thats really it. The most important thing that is a little counter intuitive, is that you must lay at an angle inside the hammock. Camping hammocks are Asymmetrically strung, so basically the fabric is wider at the diagonals if you were laying in the hammock, its wider at 2, 4, 8, and 10 o'clock angles). By laying at an angle, you spread out the fabric and end up laying nearly flat, completely supported. Even Eno hammocks are like this btw. Sleep is more important to me, and I'm not even compromising on weight. Can't say enough how great the sleep is once you've got everything down; and it doesn't matter where you are, its super repeatable and fairly easy to set up, not dependent on finding flat, clear ground.
I’ve strapped a fanny pack on my 22L hyperlight pack, the back of it.. for that little bit extra room i would need to make a full setup in a 22L work for me ..
If the filter is getting clogged downs that mean that there is stuff in the water. Drops don’t take that stuff away, cow pond water needs to get that crud away. Just find a better filter
Bear cannisters are rarely about keeping food from a bear, it's about the other critters. There are places where cannisters are required because of raccoons and mice etc. Plus, there are places in the alpine areas where you can't find a tree let a lone a branch. You guys obviously don't camp above the treeline i guess?
Great discussion about ear buds. It seems like good idea until you realize when you got back home you missed the reason you went out…to enjoy nature. I could understand listening prior to sleep to a book or such.
Agree on the camp chairs, I find the Helinox's hard to get up out of, so I just use my bear canister as a chair. Despite the weight, a bear canister is actually the one thing I carry that has more than 2 uses. Carry food, wash clothes, camp chair etc. Unfortunately it seems like New England is getting worse than the Sierra’s for Bear on food encounters so I’m guessing that eventually even parts of the AT will have them required. (Surprised the Smokies are not there yet). The conversation around food, it’s quite possible to eat light and hella nutritious and calorie dense all at the same time that does not require 10+ dollar packaged mountain house per meal. Amazing what you can do with lentil or chickpea pasta, couscous, nutritional yeast and dehydrated veggies (with Knorr sides for extra flavoring). Quick outs, dehydrated fruits, instant milk and pb powder a great not as boring breakie, and super cheap. Can fit a week’s worth in a gallon ziplock. Change up every so often
We used to do bear hangs, until a couple of trips when the bears got them. We were good at hanging them, but the rangers in the Sierras told us the bears will climb the tree, go out on the limb, and jump off grabbing the bag on the way down. Our last nabbed bag was hanging from a limb 40 ft up and hanging about 15 feet down. I didn't witness how the bear got it, but it was torn up with food scattered all over in the morning.
I've had only one food-hang mishap, early on. A flying squirrel (apparently) bored straight in, precision-targeting the trail mix ! :) But I own a Garcia, for when needed/required by law.
@@anorthosite Yep, I have one too. Only danger there is, although bears can't get in them, if they smell the food they might bat them around and you can't find it in the morning.
Back in the 1970s I winter camped in an area in Northern Ontario, Canada. It wasn't all that far from Kirkland Lake. For sleeping I used a military surplus US Army Mountain Sleeping bag and a tent fly from a cheap three-men civilian tent. I used an olive green military surplus foam sleeping pad. I'd pitch the fly at a 45 degrees angle over my sleeping area and I'd sleep very comfortably at -40F to -50F.
I use my Fanny pack to carry my medical and emergency survival exclusively as a chest carry. It always stay on me, I can immediately help anyone I come across who needs it and my response time is quicker than putting my bag down and getting it off my bag.
Another old man comment haha! Okay, at 46 yrs old, I would probably be considered middle-aged, but either way, I am not a young guy anymore. I love my Flextail pump, good for inflating both my sleeping pad and my packraft. Obviously not an ultralight backpacker so I pack along a chair too if I am base camping somewhere. These days I backpack with a group and usually it's to lake for fishing where we will spend a few nights. The days are spent fishing or day-hiking the area checking out other lakes or peak bagging. If I am doing section hikes though where I'm spending more than one night in a single location then the chair stays home.
I'm going to say, rain jackets (unless i am in truly alpine environments). I sweat like a stevedore. So trying to manage that, taking it off and on while taking my pack on and on each time. And ehen it is light misting or just intermediate rain...it sucks. I just use a poncho. It is ventsble, you can roll it up but not take it off ( and look like a dork, to be sure) you can even take it off and but it on with barely a pause. And it can cover your pack. Even with shorts, so your legs get cold and soaked. Big deal. So, in the trees or modest time above treeline, i would not use anything else. And this allows you to carry a tiny, lightweight windshell. If you are dealing with just wind.
The pump, four points... 1) The most popular pumps often have a light as well, thus the outside the pack treatment, and it has got to have some kind of powerful battery to run the pump. I believe USB charging is the norm. 2) I have heard having regular air versus breath going into a pad, your breath will usually have more moisture. More moisture means less insulative value. Also, water freezes in cold enough temperatures, so I'm guessing the less water in your insulation layers, the better. A pad isn't going to be able to vent water either, not like the other layers you bring. I figure there has to be some tolerance for it, but I also wonder a little if water freezing in some pads can do some damage to the structure. 3) I've gotten altitude sickness as low as the 8,000's, so maybe I'm the odd duck out on this, and a long hike through the mountains acclimates most just fine. That said, most everyone I've ever hiked with has felt the altitude above 9,000 ft. At that point, I didn't want to eat. I barely wanted to drink. I didn't want to walk even so far as to go pee. The only think I wanted, was to lie down, and go to sleep (or just struggle to breathe -I wasn't picky). And then it requires breath? To me, that's the perfect time to swear to yourself that you will buy a pump, and bring it along, should you ever hike with a pad, at altitude, again. 4) Maybe this is a legacy of bad pads, or just bad luck with pads, but there always seems to be that early morning, pre-dawn need to pump up the inflatable pad. A pump makes that quicker. Maybe the noise disturbs you. Or maybe, not needing to use your tired body as a bellows, means you can drop back off to sleep quicker. Personally, I prefer hammocking by a mile, and I have never had a comfortable night on an inflated pad. I'll do just about anything to avoid needing to sleep on one ever again. I've been eyeing Scotland for a long time now. My solution? I have a sheepskin bedroll, I'm contemplating how to modify it, so that I can wear at least half of it most of the time. Now, I know that seems crazy, when a nice pad packs up so small, and relatively light, but my sleep is the number one way I recharge, and I have never, ever, spent a restful night on an inflatable pad. I think my hips might secretly be made of lead. Add to that my cold sleeping habits, and it just isn't a pretty picture at all. Long story short, take my words with a pinch of salt. I'm not a pad person.
Damn I got called out hard here: 🤣 I use my air pump to reduce chance of mold and mildew in my air pads, also I'm lazy. I use open ear headphones at camp or breaks on the trail. I use a fanny pack for my quick snacks, medkit, and navigation gear in case I need to drop my main pack in an emergency so I can still navigate out from where I am. I love my hammock with a 1 minute setup, I'm in Canada so there's always enough trees at camp. You can also use your trekking poles to elevate its top and use it like a bivvy on the ground I hang my food though 👌
Feeding is not jus about calories Your guest does nit seem to care about nutrition and just eat garbage for calories,but i think that we have to care about nutritional value of the meals keep a well balance diet
I keep emergency gear in my fanny pack so that way if I get separated from my backpack I know I'll always have some emergency gear: water purification tablets, headlamp, first-aide kit, lighter, compass, and map.
@28:54 i like to use a fanny pack for my conceal carry while hiking, carrying it in the waistband is only doable for a few miles before its flat out uncomfortable
I’m over “overrated hiking gear” podcasts. Nobody will ever be light enough or minimal enough to appease the “hiking hipster” crowd. You’d really quit hiking if you needed to carry a camp chair? That’s pretty sad. Korn does suck though. 😊
Y’all shouldn’t knock the flex tail pump till you try it! It weighs practically nothing and after putting the miles in, setting up your camp and prepare your meal (if prep is needed), it’s the best feeling in the world to blow up your sleeping pad in seconds with no effort. Especially if weather is an issue (cold, wind, rain, etc).
Backpacks and footwear are both so overated. I hike barefoot and the only gear i take is a nailfile and a three foot length of paracord that i chew on to stave off the hunger. You tenderfoots teally need to step up your game.
On the Flex Tail pump. It does also have a light. It also saves gross mold and shit growing in and weakening your pad by not blowing your stank breath into it.
Switched to a Katydyn be free..love it..pills as a back up..my experience with sawyer flow..was bad...but willing to try again..doing the maintaining required...flow even with the big sawyer was bad..for me regardless of the bag...and there bags were useless...
Has anyone ever had a friend, older brother, or big cousin hold you under the covers and the more you fight the more you seem to get tangled up and the more the panic sets in? Well that’s the fear I have with a bivy in the wild. I just picture a bear jumping on me and the more I fight the more I get tangled up. Atleast a tent has a vestibule to protect me from dangers of the wild.
I love my flextail for inflating my mattress, especially in the winter it is essential. And yeah... I'm a weekend warrior. Usually 2 nights in sub freezing and snow, and a week in the woods in the warmer months.
I do love the option of a hot meal, I also love the option of cold soaking! Garage Grown Gear carries a cook pot that has a screw lid- option for both! I get not wanting to carry fuel and stove- shave weight, save space. But I like the option and I am ok with the extra weight. Everyone has their own system- and I respect everyone's choice
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #60 РОЖДЕНИЕ ЛОЛОЛОШКИ [Финал] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YoR0pAV9FVQ/mqdefault.jpg)
I’m 61 years young and did my first backpack trip in the Sierra last fall. I brought a 1lb helix chair. I’m pretty fit. Thankful to have it at the end of being on my feet with 35lbs.
No matter how fit you are, as you age it’s harder to sit on/get off the ground.
You just wait Kyle……
Feel this way about my hammock also. Hopping in and out of a hammock beats crawling in and out of a tent any day, not to mention falling into a deep steady sleep and waking up well rested is worth the extra (less than) a pound I carry.
Yeah I used to not bring a chair until I did once and now I bring one every time, they are light enough now it is not that big a deal to bring one. I alternate between tents and hammocks, I have a dog I like to bring so will bring my tent when he is coming along (which is most of the time). I love sleeping in a hammock but there are advantages to a tent as well and if you have a pet then tents are more fun in my opinion.
Yeah, these young guys love to act all superior. Carry what you want. I wonder how much their judgement weighs on them?
Well, better stop hiking then, according to Kyle.
Same! That 1lb chair is my luxury item and my 55 yo ass has never been sorry!
my hike this morning just got ruined because I was listening to this...
😂
Happens to everyone listening to this channel cause "Kyle hates hiking"
😂😂😂
😂😂😂😂
Taylor you rock🤣🎶🏕️🥾
I'm listening to this with earbuds, in my hammock, with my fanny pack on, smooking weed, waiting for my water to disinfect! And my bearcan is my chair😅
You forgot about using the pad pump to fan yourself!!🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
@@derrickwalker538nah you use foil on the pump add ya bud and instant fishbowl and fits in the Fanny pack 🤣
🙂😁🥴🥴 absolutely 🤙🏻🤙🏻
Facts
@@Dankbudzz After reading this comments section, Zpacks is going to start selling glassware. They'll be like "Magic Dragon 3.0, only $999.99"
The stove is my second way to purify water... Plus nothing better than waking up with the sun and drinking some hot coffee while packing up. Or busting out 18 miles then having a hot meal after setting up camp.
I often bring a stove when I am just dayhiking so I can stop along the trail and have a cup of coffee or cook a lunch, and as you said it is a good way to clean water if you really need to. It takes so little space these days to bring a stove along.
I need hot coffee ☕️ and oat porridge, it takes under 10 minutes with a stove.
@billcarpenter5615 i have a tiny titanium solid fuel stove and 3 fuel tablets that I carry in a titanium cup in my mountain day pack. If I end up in a bad situation, I can have hot tea/cocoa and dehydrated soup, which goes a long way for morale. I could survive a couple of days with what is in my day pack if I were injured and needed rescue. If I'm doing a local day hike trail, my day pack with the essentials IS a fanny pack. I carry food bars in it.
Coffee is an absolute requirement. I could not hike without my morning cup of coffee! I would be miserable.
@@bunnybgood411 I'm a tea drinker, but yeah, I've taken to carrying a few coffee bags for my camping partner who is a coffee addict. Being around him when he's decaffinated just isn't good.
Guys, trust me, when you're 65, your attitude toward comfort will change.
It's not even about the comfort so much as the recovery needed as we age. If we want to get up in the morning and walk some more, we need comfortable situations between walks.
@jamesmccreery250 That's a fact. My mobility issues have mostly restricted me to day hikes or very short backpacking trips these days. My knees hate me. Probably having knee replacement within the year.
Former athlete: My attitude changed WAY before 65. Try 45. Knees, back-wrecked.
Don't be a snob, Kyle.
We old ppl need our camp chairs!
Plus, a bunch of weight has been freed up.
You young folks have it easy. In MY day our backpacks weighed more than #25-35 pounds you guys carry. Mine were usually 40 lbs, sometimes 50! They make backpacking stuff a lot lighter than they did back in the 20th Century!
You can tell these guys have knowledge of camping, but if you do it for a living or actually did a stint in the military i.e., Infantry/Airborne, you come to appreciate a chair, a stove, and a hammock and yes you can hang a hammock without trees.
sleep systems and tents are overated i preffer to walk non stop 24/7
😜
😂😂😂
Food is overrated. I'm a breatharian. It really cuts down on the grams.
All us that can't afford the good stuff learn to hate luxury. You've got it down.
Most air pads I've seen or bought come with an air sack to fill the pad ,, my Nemo takes 4 fills ..... Some Flextail battery pumps are also a light for tent overhead ,, can be used for blower for ground fire .. Have not heard anyone using one say they will NOT carry it in the future ...
Yep!! 💯
I loved backpacking as a kid, was in scouting, etc. I went into the military out of high school and acquired a back injury. The injury did not bother me as far as carrying a backpack, but I could no longer sleep on the ground no matter what mattress I used. But I discovered hammock camping and it was a god send. As far as a fanny pack, I use one for emergency gear when I am not wearing my pack in case I go, say, get water and hurt an ankle or something. I also smoke a tobacco pipe and I use it for that. As far as pumps, I just don't want my wet, moist air in there creating mold.
Fuck it, chest rigs are practically fanny packs as it is. Acessible Storage equals tactical advantage
Yep, broke my back twice, jumping out of a perfectly good airplane. SMH. Still backpacking. You guys, the topic is great. The BS discussion is truly TOO MUCH. You should have outlined and practiced using as few words as possible. SHEESH, give a short rationale then shut the fuc
The mold thingy is a myth. It’s proven that there’s 0 chance you’ll get mold by inflating your pad with your mouth. I still prefer my Flextail pump any day 😊
I'm getting far too ol...I mean, mature, to worry at all about what some unenlightened people on the trail think of my day hiking fanny pack. Something I don't miss whatsoever....the angst of youth. Love your work, though, Kyle, keep my mom out of this. Lol.
Fanny packs/bumbags are awesome! You can put a snack in there, a multitool, basic first aid stuff, fire lighting equipment, and any other stuff you may need quick access to.
It could be set up as a basic survival kit, or used as a way to carry useful stuff while your main kit is back at your tent...
Fkextail pump is the shit. Put it in valve, turn on, walk away, 90 seconds later pad is full. Y’all just hating.
... Have never used one (yet) but this new model looks like a maybe ..
I love it man! These two are just not very bright..
Flextailgear is the best 🎉 lightweight, multifunction has 5 nozzles, for air bed / floating bed/ vacuum storage/inflate and deflate and is rechargeable.
My whole first system cost me less than that. 16€ backpack, 6€ foam pad, 30€ sleeping bag, and clothes I already had.
@@pedro_claro you are a cheapo that is fine, but this does not change the fact that this is an amazing product. You can go backpacking with a trashbag, it not a reference.
The pumps are used when it is an insulated pad to not put the moisture from your breath in the pad. I also use it to stoke a fire.
I'll toke if I wanna toke, dammit.
toke it up, dude
Thanks bud@@trailtalespod
I got in hiking after my state decriminalized psilocin haha
I prefer gummies. Token hurts my lungs now.
@@joem6420I’ve found so many wild cubes
Flextail zero pump weighs the same if not less than the pumps sack. Prevents moisture from entering the pad reducing r value. Also blowing up the pad by mouth in cold weather will deflate do to the warm air cooling down.
Dad who hikes with 2 little girls here...and going from blowing up 3 pads every night to 0 pads every night was amazing! The little flextail device we got will get all 3 pads for 8 days before it needs a recharge...love it!
Love this channel- but omgsh I NEED most of these! 😂
Air pump-I get dizzy blowing up my pad plus I use it for light, helps with fire, cools me down…
Fanny pack- I have trex arms can’t reach stuff in my hip pockets!
Stove- hot cocoa, hot water bottle, coffee, hot water to soak my feet- enough said.
Hammock- love in the summer best sleep.
Ear buds- need to hear motivational music to keep moving fast when I’m exhausted and it drowns out the scary noises when I’m solo sometimes
So Kyle would hate me then I do most of these! 😂😂😂
Me too. Baker and Kyle must want to punish themselves for some reason. 😂
Same, all but the ear buds. I want to know I’m about to be killed!
As a bigger lady, my hip belts on my pack are basically useless. I can't reach/open them. So my fanny pack carries my chapstick, a couple snacks, my sit pad (so I don't need to take my pack off if all I'm doing is adjusting something or want a snack), my inhaler, my ID, pepper spray and my knife,, and an extra pair of socks. I'm totally team fanny pack. Plus, it's less on my back.
love my flextail pump! I use it so that the moist air from my lungs doesn't go into my pad, great especially in cold weather. Mina also has a lantern feature so it hangs from the clip in the top of my tent so I can carry a smaller headlamp. It also doubles as a bellows for my campfire
Yo Kyle - RE: Fanny packs - sometimes on day hikes I'll take the visual hit to not have a sweaty back and shoulder straps digging in. If you just need your camera, some snacks, and a water bottle, the fanny pack can be liberating. Free your back!!
Fanny packs are getting more popular because alot of poackets on hip belt are either too small or collect water when it rains
Did you see the Vaucluse pack frame? It's this weird thing that sits between pack and your back, allowing air to flow over your back. I just bought one today. Actually buying 1 was like 40 bucks, and 2 was like 50 bucks (so I bought 2). They are like 3 ounces, but it is an interesting idea theory of trying to sweat less.
On a short local day hike, I almost always just use a fanny pack for the essentials.
Lost me on the fanny pack hatred, Kyle. On one Trail Days, REI was giving out little fanny packs. Mine was made into a toilet kit, which I found very useful for when I needed to go to the bathroom. I could hang it on a branch or around my torso. It kept everything ready to go with one swoop. It really saved me time.
if you hate fanny packs, you'd really be irked by my setup. Since I use the granite gear x60, I choose the option to detach the hip belt from the pack. The brain detached and the hip belt are combined to make a large lumbar pack with side pockets. This gets as much of my heaviest gear as possible. Weight is much easier carried on a lumbar pack than on a backpack (at least in my experience). With my main pack lighter, it is a much more enjoyable carry compared to loading everything traditionally.
There is something about having the pack detached that allows me to move more freely. One theory of mine is that my torso being free allows me much simpler movement. It helped more than I thought it would. In addition to the lumbar pack, I also use a Ribz Front Pack for my things that I access frequently. If I get tired of wearing the ribz pack, I can just flip it back to lay almost like saddlebags on both sides of my pack.
It is a system that works well for me. One main pack, a lumbar pack, a ribz front pack, and a fanny pack of toiletries (but the fanny is just storage not worn).
I love how these guys are all "I won't hike when I'm old. I'll turn in my card" lol. You're gonna carry all the comfy and keep going like everyone else does
Lol so true!
I am well into my 60s and I have given up carrying pretty much everything. Going super light is a game changer. I pack to hike not to camp. I could carry way more crap when I was young.
Wearing fanny packs diagonally on the front of your body like a sling is incredibly fashionable right now. And honestly, as an alternative for larger less accessible bags like a backpack/messenger bag/purse/etc... they're pretty awesome.
*Fanny packs are the hammock of the accessory world.
“Hammock of the accessory world” ❤ 😂 It’s all in how you hang it!
Usually used for concealed carry
The Scots had their Sporan which was worn hanging in front of the body.A fanny pack is basically a modern version of that. Also, a fanny pack worn in the front is a great place to have a survival kit.
I will die on the fanny pack hill. Its a great place to keep things you can access easily without stopping and is superior to pockets.
@@jleighwolfe Wait until you experience a chest rig for the first time!
Packs are over-rated dude, just have all your stuff wrapped in a polkadot handkerchief tied to a stick you carry over your shoulder. Youll be under 10lbs for sure.
😂
Those pumps make sense for winter to keep breath moisture out of the pad. Personally I'd look at the bag for the multi-purpose. If I'm going to have a dry bag might as well also have it work as a pump.
I've seen tests on youtube that show that the mold thing just isn't true though. If warmth in cold outside air is the winter argument, that would make more sense. Because that might mean that you have to put in extra air during the night.
@@d.2110The concern of moisture I've heard is it freezing during winter and reducing the effectiveness of the pad in keeping you warm. I'm not sure where your comment on mold came from.
Thermasrest themselves say it's a load of nonsense. Lung power all the way for me but each to their own.
mold forming is the common reason that's given to not use your breath@@N0V-A42
Gear Skeptic did and entire video debunking the moisture myth.
Still in the Army and I love a camp chair or field stool, especially if you just hanging out for a few hours, or avoiding the massive amounts of poison Ivy that we always end up near by.
Hammock: TrailHeadz has a 11.5oz hammock with bug net (low volume cottage shop, there are others too) + Hammock Gear Dyneema Hex Tarp (6oz incl stakes) + Amsteel tree straps, whoopie slings, and soft shackles (2oz).
Bear Cannister: NY high peaks area requires a Garcia style can and they will ticket and kick you off trail. Those are still impenetrable due to shape and materials. They are also the heaviest, annoying to open, and don't carry nearly as much food as they claim to.
I use a trailheadz hammock so light. If I ground sleep I hurt in the morning. After sleeping in my hammock im ready for another 25 miles. Back and neck herniation problems.
@@78suntan same here. I tried ground sleeping w/ various pads. So much pain and lost sleep. My back feels so good in a hammock and I sleep like a baby.
But, as I said above, good to sit on in camp.
I used my BV450 and the rangers didn't tell me I wasn't aloud when I checked in. That was two years ago, so maybe they got stricter.
Most of the camp sites in high peaks area are SUPER easily accessible with wide open trails, if it's a problem they really should transport in some bear lockers.
The fanny pack is a perfect place for bear spray. Quick access, doesn't flop around, and easy to keep it on you when you're cooking/eating a few hundred feet from camp, which is recommended.
Started a hike last August , lasted one day . Folks , make sure that your tarp fully covers your hammock before you go . It rained , of course ! And it didn't help that the trail goes across a spit of a lake and hadn't been cleared for most of the summer . It's hard to walk on a platform if you can't find it in the marsh grass growing over it . I am going to attempt it again this summer , though . North Country Trail , doing the Pennsylvania section .
I heard that systems to inflate the mattress are used to prevent mushrooms formation inside it (mostly in cold temperatures). because of the particules in saliva.
This was disproven a while back but Gear Skeptic just did a video about it too. ua-cam.com/video/sb4Y2pE8V18/v-deo.html
I'm a weekend warrior so all those things are great lol. The Flextail is great. Saves a lot of time mostly. I almost fainted blowing up my pad. The tent light keeps me using it.
I fall into that fanny pack demographic lol. Vape, microfiber towel, phone, and sometimes battery bank. Nice for fishing.
I sleep awesome in a hammock even though there's not many places I can hang in the West.
Canister sucks but nice for high traffic areas with mini bears like raccoons and mice.
I might switch to Aquamira just to save time. It's annoying to filter like 2 liters at once on the go.
Chairs are nice but annoying to carry. Nice to sit on but I don't usually sit on it enough to warrant carrying it.
I'm about to try tarp & bivy camping soon with Borah Gear. Really excited about it.
If you nearly fainted blowing up your pad you are doing it wrong! 20 deep and slow breaths on average, no rush, no dizziness. Did you faint during the 1000s of deep breaths it took to reach your campsite? No! (Well hopefully not!). Pumps seem cool and all but you have two zero-weight pump sacks that were manufacturer-installed since before you were born! Pumps are then a redundancy, a luxury but not at all necessary.
@@dcaudwell I would use a nylofume bag to pump before blowing into a pad again. It's just easier to use a pump. It's my camp light. The included pump sack for the Nemo sucks and just adds weight since there's no other use.
Consider using the bone induction head phones. Much safer as you can hear noises around you, but still listen to your favorite tunes.
Am i a psychopath for thinking i want to go without electronics except for emergency situations its only a 4 day.
I need my hot coffee in the morning, the stove isn't that much weight, unless I'm car camping and take my grandpa's coleman. But I often take my little stove for car camping too. But I carry both food to heat and food that can be eaten cold to avoid hangry.
The Flextail 2x air matress pump has a tent lantern too, extremely powerful and long lasting. Its nice to have a lantern like that, along with a pump to stoke the fire without getting your face in the smoke. And ofcourse, its key feature - blows up your air matress after a long day of hiking. Its a keeper.
Working on glaciers all accessed via backpacking-a front facing fanny pack is key equipment for camera, data sheets, GPS, laser ranger, in steep crevassed areas easy access and putting back is key to not losing key stuff.
Great episode! So for the pumps, as a super asthmatic hiker, I have always gotten by with my breath. But there are times when the day's hike and humidity have left me pretty tired. Those days, to hit on another "hot" topic, I could use the pump to inflate bed while boiling water and prepping food. Is it luxury item? Yes. It it novel enough to try once? Maybe. Is it worth carrying for thousands of miles and be obligated to provide batteries for? Nah. I don't really need my pad fully inflated most nights anyway.
I'm 68 years old and been backpacking since 2007. I have never brought a camp chair. There is usually a place to sit. I sat on downed trees, or rocks and even the ground. Now I do carry a pad to sit on. It's never been an issue with me. I am in fairly good shape.
In bear country, a Garcia Bear Canister can come in (double-)handy, as well. Also (empty) good for fetching water and filtering in camp, away from the bugs.
Fanny Mfkn pack! I don't have pockets on my hip belt but i need somewhere to store my phone, my first aid kit, and a Macrobar. I got a dynema fanny pack from LiteAf and it's super lightweight, mostly waterproof and it's really useful.
KYYYLE! Since when do we choose aesthetics over functionality as through hikers? Don’t you remember how goofy a through hiker looked the first time you ever saw one? But to be fair, you do ROCK the sharp & sleek hiker look!
Seriously, though… For those who like to snack, while hiking to keep from being hangry… To get that last 5 miles in… And of course us ladies have a few additional needs. The thing is, anything you might keep in your shoulder pocket or hip pocket is easier to reach when it’s right in front of you, just below your belly button, lol.
Don’t worry, Kyle, if you started wearing a fanny pack, they would literally become hip! 😂
On the electronic pump, a lot of people are saying it's bad to use your breath because it contains so much moisture, which will lead to mold inside the pad. But yeah, I've never had that problem over the last 30 years.
The mold thing is a myth. This was debunked many times.
so whats the negative/positive of solar charges? you breezed right over it and i have seen several videos that just say it and move on. I personally don't want to spend extra time in town waiting for charges, if i can get a trickle charge from solar while hiking in the desert, why not?
No-soaking has been a big improvement in my convenience and health. Saves volume more than weight. The volume of cook kits are super annoying if you are light or ultralight and have an awesome hip belt less frameless pack. I also eat very slowly. So whatever I eat on cold day will start off hot and be cold when I’m halfway through anyway. Fish and chicken in pouches, preferably with olive oil and spices , is delicious and easy and nutritious.
Ive done two trips sans filter. I put a bandana over the mouth of my Nalgene to strain the worsy of the crud. My problem came because i get desperately thirsty quite quickly, and i can get desperate. So i may carry a small bottle to drink while i am waiting and so i dont guzzle what i just did. Gets kind of complicated, huh!
I brought a solar charger with me when i hiked kilimanjaro. It weighed the same as the USB battery packs everyone else brought but their batteries ran out halfway through the hike and, if I hadn't brought the charger, none of us would have pictures of us at the summit. The nice thing about it was the solar cells were attached to a square of canvas that had grommets so i could attach it to the top of my pack and charge my phone (and my family's) while walking.
It's also handy at home during in unexpected blackout.
I'm curious. What bivy and tarp does Baker recommend?
I've used a hammock as a bug bivy under a 9x9 tarp. I sleep on ground sometimes with it strung between hiking poles to hold the bug netting up, but can hang it in trees when appropriate too. So it's dual use in those cases. Granted this is when section hiking. I took an UL tent when doing long multi-week hikes, or if I were to do a big thru hike. (EDIT NOTE: I am east coast - rocky, hilly, but lots of trees - so flat spots can be a pain.)
That's a good idea. Flexible functionality is a serious reason to carry a hammock. Tarp & hammock combo works for all trails if your hammock is also a bivvy. 👍
In some National Parks, such as Olympic National Park, bear canisters are required. Including beach camping. Not just to keep your food safe from bears but also from ravens, raccoons, and other animals. Also, many of the alpine areas in Washington do not have trees big enough to hang food.
It takes me like 10 minutes to set up my hammock with the tarp and under quilt
i agree with the “no chair” commandment…i’m old, and don’t even like sitting in regular chairs because not being able to get up from the ground is the lynchpin for aging rigidly.
3 surgeries later, my knees object. Can I get up of the ground? Is it pretty? No.
Ok. I'm an old guy, but in the 90s I saw Korn a lot... a whole lot. Also, the NCT is great. I've hiked it in a quite a few states. Northern PA and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan have the best trails. Excellent backcountry.
> 10 yrs ago, while hiking up scenic mtns (ADK High Peaks) and scenic country (Tour du Mont Blanc), I wore a small fanny pack, slipped around to the front. For quick/easy access to camera lenses/filters/batteries/memory. Never carried a SLR (too damned heavy) but kept a good Panasonic ultrazoom strapped to the chest. Of course, people now do same with Smartphones and GoPros. My point: depends on use/access.
I took a chair for the first time this summer. 9 day hike in the high Sierras. Game changer. Loved it. It was absolutely worth it. So comfortable!
Flextail was also great. Very convenient.
Baker says the stove is overrated, what's in the background? a stove & pot!..😂😂
Don’t have one of these portable air pumps but have seen that many have a light integrated. I’ve also heard that some people feel using a pump (or an air bag/pump sack) minimizes the moisture being put inside of the pad which may help your pad last longer. So… maybe worth it?
My Flextail cost like 27 bucks and it is lighter than the pump sack that came with my mat. Also it has a small light that I can hang in my tent. So for around 46gr, I have the pump and the light.
The arrogance of youth. Know nothing while thinking you know everything. Then age and realise you know jack diddly.
😂
They've both done multiple thru hikes, I think it's fair to say they're pretty knowledgeable on this topic
Wait this video is only 5 months old and you guys never heard of an inflation sack for your sleeping pad? They’ve been pretty standard with most pads for a while now. There’s too much moisture in your breath. The pumps have been out for a while too. They also have a light on them to hang in your tent.
.. Have hiked backcountry for over 50 years ,, mostly 10k - 14k ft. never hung a food bag (usually no trees ) ,, keep food in camp ,, cook at and sometimes in my tent ... never had a problem ... Mostly central west ,, only have seen ! one bear , going the other way ... although had a large Bull Moose walk right through my camp ,, at 11k ft ....worst animal issues are chipmunks and porcupines and mosquitos for camp problems ...
Playing with fire there.
Lol this has been my experience also, there is a lot of things people do and carry for that 1 in a million situations. Only real bear experience I had was one trying to take my elk quarter, which got scared and ditched my elk quarters when my half naked uncle got up to take a leak in the middle of the night.....not sure who scared who more 😂😂
I live on the east coast in SE VA. Bears are everywhere here. I grew up in the Catskills. More bears. I've been hiking and camping for over 50 years, and I've had lots of encounters with bears and other wildlife. Yes, bears have gotten into the lighter canisters, but it does keep most bears, raccoons, squirrels, mice, etc. out of your food AND bonus with the canister is that it doubles as a stool. I don't have as good an arm as he does
the pump-sacks mentioned have the advantage of not breathing humidity / moisture into your sleeping pad which keeps the isolating properties at at their best possible value. and vice versa: humidity reduces the isolation-properties of any inflatable sleeping pad, sometimes quite significantly. i think it was exped that had shown tests of a sleeping-pad that was blown up not using the the pump-sack that had frozen humidity inside it when going alpine. cheeers from switzerland
21:43 Those of us who suffer with Tinitus rely on our earbuds and masking sound tracks to get a good nights sleep.
if you put your mouth on an air-up pad it's going to get mold in it. as well as moisture.
Yall should check out bone conduction headphones. You can fully hear your surroundings while also listening to what you want to. For perspective, I went on a ton of walks around my neighborhood this spring, listening to podcasts and symphonies, and even having whatever I was listening to at a high volume, I could still hear the swarms of bees buzzing in the flowering trees from over half a city block away. I can hear anyone else on the road with me. And the model I got also happen to be waterproof so I can swim and shower in them lol They're really not that much more expensive than other decent earbuds or high-ish end headphone, I got mine on sale for $100.
The act of cooking is a fun routine that I think I do on trail almost more because of the act of it, instead of the necessity. Half the time I just make bone broth or a hot drink. I really don't find the weight is significant enough for me. That being said I've never hiked in an area with poor access to water.
I listen to audio when I'm trying to muster through a miserable time and it helps me keep track of time, otherwise I'm looking at my watch ever like 3 minutes feeling like i'm not going anywhere. That being said one in one out, or more recently bone conducting!
Fanny packs don't need to be cool , I love them
The main reason I'd carry a stove is to make hot water for tea. As long as I have it, oatmeal or Granola and yogurt for breakfast takes me a long way. During the day, I'm a nibbler. I'm inclined to about half & half cook/no-cook. I'm T2 diabetic, so I have to be careful about what I eat.
I am only a section hiker, but I DO carry a FlexTrail pump 🤦🏻♂️. It also functions as a light (I hang it inside my tent). I’ve heard that in colder weather, it’s not ideal to inflate your pad with your breath, as the condensation can lead to mold, etc… 🤷🏻♂️
The mold myth has been debunked
We were using the hang method in the boundary waters and the bear chewed through the 6" branch that the food was hanging from.
Flextail pump inflates any size pad and doubles as a little lantern for your tent. I bring it on every camping or backpacking trip. I think it's my favorite piece of gear.
On headphones: there are bone conducting headphones. You can hear all there is in nature and also whatever you are listening to. I think they are still expensive though. I think you could get the same effect if you use the old fashioned small headphones that belonged to walkmans and put those next to your ears. And I bought the zero pump hahaha. It has no extra functions like the previous model, that had a light. The zero can blow and suck though. It blows and it sucks. And I like to not have to sit in my knees and bent over for pumping and do something else. It's not needed at all though. And I think the fanny pack that looks like a hairy fat belly would be super nice.
The hip belt pockets on my pack are okay to unzip and get stuff out of on the fly, but putting something back in and zipping it closed again while I'm walking . . . kind of a PITA. (I'm a short person with correspondingly T-Rex arms, lol)
***HAMMOCKS*** I CAN**NOT** sleep in a hammock . I also think Hammocks are limited and all of you who claim to be WEIGHT CUTTERS and then you carry a hammock with all that goes into it is far heavier then a tent but as for me I CAN NOT COMFORTABLY SLEEP IN A HAMMOCK.
Kyle’s perspective on the weight of a hammock versus tent is spot on. Heavier than DCF, but about the same as non-DCF tents.
Carrying a tent is way better for me. I also hate hammocks!
Kyle, try Meat Shredz, dried shredded pork. You can eat it dry, like jerky, put it in Ramen or “Knorr Sides” type meals or just rehydrate it and wrap it up in a tortilla, for some delicious BBQ sammich vibes! It is a little pricey but so good! Much better than any jerky I have ever had.
It takes me 40+ breaths to fill my sleeping pad. So a pump makes sense but I looking at a pump but looking at getting a bag.
I don't have problems with hiking but I dont race and instead walk at a speed i can breathe easily.
... MOST .. cold soak ,, no cook options are lazy crap foods ,,, The body performs much better with heated meals ,, plus nutrition gains .... (although that shot of meat, avocado wrap looked pretty good ,, even from my chair) ..
I can not express enough how amazing sleeping on a hammock is after a long hike. I have the Warbonnet Blackbird Xl with a bug net and down underquilt, whole setup is lighter than most backpacking setups with the exception of hiking pole tents and the like.
I sleep better in the hammock than I do at home, you get to be off the ground, away from rain, mud, bugs, animals, etc. Don't need to camp at a campsite per se, only need two trees (or 1 tree and the roof rack of a vehicle). The underquilt is good to go down to 10° F, especially with a tarp to block wind. The hammock guyline and cordage is all Amsteel cord, which is steel and nylon braided rope, its thinner and lighter than paracord, and supports like 2500-3200 lbs. You are intended to lay with your feet slightly higher than your head, so your feet will have some reduced swelling (great after a long hike).
That said I admit its a little finicky to setup correctly;
• Have to find 2 trees, 15 ft - 25ft apart (I've done 30ft in a pinch)
• Need to fiddle with it so that the head is lower than the feet, approximately 15 ° angle
Thats really it. The most important thing that is a little counter intuitive, is that you must lay at an angle inside the hammock. Camping hammocks are Asymmetrically strung, so basically the fabric is wider at the diagonals if you were laying in the hammock, its wider at 2, 4, 8, and 10 o'clock angles). By laying at an angle, you spread out the fabric and end up laying nearly flat, completely supported. Even Eno hammocks are like this btw.
Sleep is more important to me, and I'm not even compromising on weight. Can't say enough how great the sleep is once you've got everything down; and it doesn't matter where you are, its super repeatable and fairly easy to set up, not dependent on finding flat, clear ground.
I’ve strapped a fanny pack on my 22L hyperlight pack, the back of it.. for that little bit extra room i would need to make a full setup in a 22L work for me ..
If the filter is getting clogged downs that mean that there is stuff in the water. Drops don’t take that stuff away, cow pond water needs to get that crud away. Just find a better filter
Bear cannisters are rarely about keeping food from a bear, it's about the other critters. There are places where cannisters are required because of raccoons and mice etc. Plus, there are places in the alpine areas where you can't find a tree let a lone a branch. You guys obviously don't camp above the treeline i guess?
Baker 1:06:xx in “I’m not gonna judge your lifestyle” after dunking on hammocks, filters, stoves, etc.
Great discussion about ear buds. It seems like good idea until you realize when you got back home you missed the reason you went out…to enjoy nature. I could understand listening prior to sleep to a book or such.
Agree on the camp chairs, I find the Helinox's hard to get up out of, so I just use my bear canister as a chair. Despite the weight, a bear canister is actually the one thing I carry that has more than 2 uses. Carry food, wash clothes, camp chair etc. Unfortunately it seems like New England is getting worse than the Sierra’s for Bear on food encounters so I’m guessing that eventually even parts of the AT will have them required. (Surprised the Smokies are not there yet). The conversation around food, it’s quite possible to eat light and hella nutritious and calorie dense all at the same time that does not require 10+ dollar packaged mountain house per meal. Amazing what you can do with lentil or chickpea pasta, couscous, nutritional yeast and dehydrated veggies (with Knorr sides for extra flavoring). Quick outs, dehydrated fruits, instant milk and pb powder a great not as boring breakie, and super cheap. Can fit a week’s worth in a gallon ziplock. Change up every so often
There are areas where a canister is required in Shenandoah and Smoky Mountain National Parks.
We used to do bear hangs, until a couple of trips when the bears got them. We were good at hanging them, but the rangers in the Sierras told us the bears will climb the tree, go out on the limb, and jump off grabbing the bag on the way down. Our last nabbed bag was hanging from a limb 40 ft up and hanging about 15 feet down. I didn't witness how the bear got it, but it was torn up with food scattered all over in the morning.
I've had only one food-hang mishap, early on. A flying squirrel (apparently) bored straight in, precision-targeting the trail mix ! :)
But I own a Garcia, for when needed/required by law.
@@anorthosite Yep, I have one too. Only danger there is, although bears can't get in them, if they smell the food they might bat them around and you can't find it in the morning.
Back in the 1970s I winter camped in an area in Northern Ontario, Canada. It wasn't all that far from Kirkland Lake.
For sleeping I used a military surplus US Army Mountain Sleeping bag and a tent fly from a cheap three-men civilian tent. I used an olive green military surplus foam sleeping pad. I'd pitch the fly at a 45 degrees angle over my sleeping area and I'd sleep very comfortably at -40F to -50F.
I use my Fanny pack to carry my medical and emergency survival exclusively as a chest carry. It always stay on me, I can immediately help anyone I come across who needs it and my response time is quicker than putting my bag down and getting it off my bag.
Another old man comment haha! Okay, at 46 yrs old, I would probably be considered middle-aged, but either way, I am not a young guy anymore. I love my Flextail pump, good for inflating both my sleeping pad and my packraft. Obviously not an ultralight backpacker so I pack along a chair too if I am base camping somewhere. These days I backpack with a group and usually it's to lake for fishing where we will spend a few nights. The days are spent fishing or day-hiking the area checking out other lakes or peak bagging. If I am doing section hikes though where I'm spending more than one night in a single location then the chair stays home.
I'm going to say, rain jackets (unless i am in truly alpine environments). I sweat like a stevedore. So trying to manage that, taking it off and on while taking my pack on and on each time. And ehen it is light misting or just intermediate rain...it sucks. I just use a poncho. It is ventsble, you can roll it up but not take it off ( and look like a dork, to be sure) you can even take it off and but it on with barely a pause. And it can cover your pack. Even with shorts, so your legs get cold and soaked. Big deal. So, in the trees or modest time above treeline, i would not use anything else. And this allows you to carry a tiny, lightweight windshell. If you are dealing with just wind.
The pump, four points...
1) The most popular pumps often have a light as well, thus the outside the pack treatment, and it has got to have some kind of powerful battery to run the pump. I believe USB charging is the norm.
2) I have heard having regular air versus breath going into a pad, your breath will usually have more moisture. More moisture means less insulative value. Also, water freezes in cold enough temperatures, so I'm guessing the less water in your insulation layers, the better. A pad isn't going to be able to vent water either, not like the other layers you bring. I figure there has to be some tolerance for it, but I also wonder a little if water freezing in some pads can do some damage to the structure.
3) I've gotten altitude sickness as low as the 8,000's, so maybe I'm the odd duck out on this, and a long hike through the mountains acclimates most just fine. That said, most everyone I've ever hiked with has felt the altitude above 9,000 ft. At that point, I didn't want to eat. I barely wanted to drink. I didn't want to walk even so far as to go pee. The only think I wanted, was to lie down, and go to sleep (or just struggle to breathe -I wasn't picky). And then it requires breath? To me, that's the perfect time to swear to yourself that you will buy a pump, and bring it along, should you ever hike with a pad, at altitude, again.
4) Maybe this is a legacy of bad pads, or just bad luck with pads, but there always seems to be that early morning, pre-dawn need to pump up the inflatable pad. A pump makes that quicker. Maybe the noise disturbs you. Or maybe, not needing to use your tired body as a bellows, means you can drop back off to sleep quicker.
Personally, I prefer hammocking by a mile, and I have never had a comfortable night on an inflated pad. I'll do just about anything to avoid needing to sleep on one ever again. I've been eyeing Scotland for a long time now. My solution? I have a sheepskin bedroll, I'm contemplating how to modify it, so that I can wear at least half of it most of the time. Now, I know that seems crazy, when a nice pad packs up so small, and relatively light, but my sleep is the number one way I recharge, and I have never, ever, spent a restful night on an inflatable pad. I think my hips might secretly be made of lead. Add to that my cold sleeping habits, and it just isn't a pretty picture at all. Long story short, take my words with a pinch of salt. I'm not a pad person.
Damn I got called out hard here: 🤣
I use my air pump to reduce chance of mold and mildew in my air pads, also I'm lazy.
I use open ear headphones at camp or breaks on the trail.
I use a fanny pack for my quick snacks, medkit, and navigation gear in case I need to drop my main pack in an emergency so I can still navigate out from where I am.
I love my hammock with a 1 minute setup, I'm in Canada so there's always enough trees at camp. You can also use your trekking poles to elevate its top and use it like a bivvy on the ground
I hang my food though 👌
Feeding is not jus about calories
Your guest does nit seem to care about nutrition and just eat garbage for calories,but i think that we have to care about nutritional value of the meals keep a well balance diet
If you commit to cooking you can make your food pretty light and have an alternate water purifier.
I keep emergency gear in my fanny pack so that way if I get separated from my backpack I know I'll always have some emergency gear: water purification tablets, headlamp, first-aide kit, lighter, compass, and map.
@28:54 i like to use a fanny pack for my conceal carry while hiking, carrying it in the waistband is only doable for a few miles before its flat out uncomfortable
I’m over “overrated hiking gear” podcasts. Nobody will ever be light enough or minimal enough to appease the “hiking hipster” crowd. You’d really quit hiking if you needed to carry a camp chair? That’s pretty sad. Korn does suck though. 😊
Y’all shouldn’t knock the flex tail pump till you try it! It weighs practically nothing and after putting the miles in, setting up your camp and prepare your meal (if prep is needed), it’s the best feeling in the world to blow up your sleeping pad in seconds with no effort. Especially if weather is an issue (cold, wind, rain, etc).
Backpacks and footwear are both so overated. I hike barefoot and the only gear i take is a nailfile and a three foot length of paracord that i chew on to stave off the hunger. You tenderfoots teally need to step up your game.
Funniest comment I’ve read in a long time
@@kentv999 I'm glad to know somebody appreciates my sense of humor.
On the Flex Tail pump. It does also have a light. It also saves gross mold and shit growing in and weakening your pad by not blowing your stank breath into it.
The mould myth is dead! Proven to not be a thing...at all!
you have no idea how clean my mouth is
@@dcaudwellreally? I didn’t realize this because this is part of my excuse for the pump.
@@darchgirladventures4417 It was disproven a while back but Gear Skeptic just did a video about it too. ua-cam.com/video/sb4Y2pE8V18/v-deo.html
Mold growing in the pad debunked - ua-cam.com/video/sb4Y2pE8V18/v-deo.htmlsi=Xaoo_2hT3ZuRI_Ef
Switched to a Katydyn be free..love it..pills as a back up..my experience with sawyer flow..was bad...but willing to try again..doing the maintaining required...flow even with the big sawyer was bad..for me regardless of the bag...and there bags were useless...
Has anyone ever had a friend, older brother, or big cousin hold you under the covers and the more you fight the more you seem to get tangled up and the more the panic sets in? Well that’s the fear I have with a bivy in the wild. I just picture a bear jumping on me and the more I fight the more I get tangled up. Atleast a tent has a vestibule to protect me from dangers of the wild.
I love my flextail for inflating my mattress, especially in the winter it is essential. And yeah... I'm a weekend warrior. Usually 2 nights in sub freezing and snow, and a week in the woods in the warmer months.
I do love the option of a hot meal, I also love the option of cold soaking! Garage Grown Gear carries a cook pot that has a screw lid- option for both! I get not wanting to carry fuel and stove- shave weight, save space. But I like the option and I am ok with the extra weight. Everyone has their own system- and I respect everyone's choice
about the earbuds.. what if there was an injured hiker around you yelling for help.. you wouldn’t be able to hear with the headphones on right?