I appreciate modern backpacking gear, but still have fond memories of 50 milers we used to do as scouts with simple external frame packs, big canvas sleeping bags, all cotton clothes… still had a lot of fun, understood how to use a map and compass, and lit some epic blue darts fueled by leftover Y2K cheap dehydrated meals
30 year backpacker and I completely agree with how to use the hiking pole straps. Way more supportive and saves grip strength on long milage days. You can still throw the pole if you fall, not dangerous in my opinion.
“Travel light freeze at night” is an aphorism in the field, but even with “backpacking” most gear is a want and not a need. I was in the light infantry in the 80s (paratrooper). I say that to say this - this was a time period before Gortex and polypropylene, so it teaches you that despite this new gear you can survive without it. We would deploy for 30 days at a time, moving daily. You learn quickly what you need vs what you want, and learn how to pack a ruck for accessing gear even on the move (with wet weather gear and a pair of socks on an outside pocket for easy access). We never had tents. Never built a fire (not tactical). Never carried sleeping bags unless predicted to be below 32. Would carry three pair of socks and maybe an extra t-shirt and pair of pants. Cotton clothing kills so avoid it if possible.
Oh yeah! Paratrooper in the 90s. "Ultralight" before ultralight was a thing - at least in terms of personal "comfort"! In Alice pack (without a waist belt): 1 uniform (always summer weight even in winter - dried faster), at least 4 extra pairs of wool socks (safety pins to hang wet socks on your ruck), maybe compression shorts for a long road march. Tent=poncho liner and bungee cords, sleeping bag=poncho liner. We had gortex and polypro, but the gortex was useless. Only took the polypro if it was going to be in the 30s or lower. All stuffed in a garbage bag. MREs were deconstructed - main meal in one ziploc, coffee/drink mix in one zippy, pogey bait in a third zippy, throw away everything else. Never used a tent except in OSUT (infantry basic/AIT). Only saw a sleeping bag once in my five years - coldest winter in North Carolina in 100 years. Pretty ultralight right? Well then add 500-600 rounds of 5.56 and 1,000 rounds of 7.62 for the M60, water, entrenching tool, load bearing equipment, length of rope, etc. Next thing you know you're carrying 100lbs.
The single most crucial piece of cold weather clothing I can think of is a set of duofold or similar long underwear. I do like tents, but if they're going to keep you warm, it helps to get the smallest one possible. A six-person Eureka Timberline with two ppl in it (because it was just for car camping) is cold af! Don't ask how I know 😂
@@noisepuppet if possible, mesh long underwear and top. The logic is that, not or cold, moisture wicks away from the skin. Air pockets make a layer 4-6 times more effective (warmth to weight). Can't get lighter than employing air :) Brynje makes them, and Sir Edmund Hilary (Everest) used them...
Has other benefits, too. I usually use a liner, but covers keep the stuff on the outside of the bag dry (like my "belaying layer" for when I'm standing still, and my first aid supplies if I don't bring them in the waterproof pouch). But mainly the dayglo thing
There actually is a physical way of preparing for backpacking, just ruck. I’ll do a mile or two every morning with at least 20lbs then Saturday is a long heavy day of at least 15 miles with 50-65lbs, then Sunday is a recovery day with a lot of stretching. Although you may not 100% simulate the inclines, scrambles, river crossings, etc… you’re still working on the most important thing and that’s all the support muscles that will help you do all of that. For some reason rucking is never included in any fitness plan I’ve seen, but IMO, it’s the most important thing you can do for yourself. It’s a whole body workout especially once you get into crazy weights like 80lbs. I guess I kind of understand why people don't do it, like, the last thing people want to do is wake up at 4AM or 5AM and have a 20 mile ruck with 50lbs on their back to look forward to on a Saturday, but goals take hard work to accomplish.
Base camp backpacking has always been my favorite. So many places in the Adirondacks you can set up and have 3 epic day trips without having to haul all your gear up the mountain or set a camp more than once. Kyle won't like this, but bring a chair and make a nice little campsite if you do this, it's worth it.
Had a nice pair of poles for my thru hike attempt. Landed in ATL and realized both had gotten broken on the flight. Got to Neels gap with 2 duct taped pole. Was gifted $30 amazon poles from a section hiker I met. Still rocking them and I love them.
yikes!! yeah I try not to buy expensive poles honestly. I will say, back in the day I bought a pair of Leki Corklites that lasted for years. I don't think they were carbon fiber though so kinda heavy
Oh, so guilty. I've had a full setup of all the most popular stuff for almost 2 years. I've actually upgraded some items and haven't even gone backpacking yet! I go camping all the time so I'm actually going to go camping next weekend with my backpacking setup just to test it all out. Ridiculous. But I am planning an actual backpacking trip this summer.
18:16 I really appreciate the advice here. I don’t have $400 to spend on a tiny tent at the moment so maybe the $80 one off Amazon will be ok to test the waters 🤷🏻♀️
@13:05 Here’s what I do with “base camping/day hiking” on hikes: I make sure that I carry a waist pack with the essentials for surviving a night (or two) outside after I set up base camp. 1. Personal locator beacon and a signal mirror. 2. Extra layer to cover my trunk, a “space” blanket and some duct tape wrapped around a credit card, and a hat. 3. Raingear 4. Some emergency food (about 300 to 500 extra calories, over & above what I plan on eating) 5. Water and a Lifestraw or water treatment tablets. 6. Folding knife 7. Two ways of starting a fire 8. Headlamp 9. Map & compass Plus some other stuff. This stuff is not nearly enough to be comfortable, but it will get me through an unplanned night outside.😮
We did backpacking in scouts when I was a teen. I hated it. Looking back, we were using the wrong gear. We were taking our regular car camping type gear, always stored in a scout trailer, and tried to carry it all up hill. Now that I've learned about specific backpacking gear I want to give it a try again.
@@macdelttorres3366 Yeah. I don't want to buy super expensive gear just for backpacking, but it does sound and feel like the right gear improves trip quality and may make me more likely to keep doing it. My daughter's scout troop should do a back packing trip next summer so I'm trying to prepare.
Kyle, you're correct about the trekking poles. Definitely safer, as well, because you can release the poles and your hands are inmediately free to break your fall or grab a tree, boulder, etc.
Agree, that's also how you hold cross-country skiing poles, and there's certainly a risk of fall there. Also those Olympian athletes probably thought about it. Kyle definitely holds them right.
I’d just like to add on the safety issue that you wouldn’t use the strap on delicate passages. On very steep up or downhill passages or in coarse gravel you would just slide out and grab the pole without the strap. Also you usually can’t reach the lower handle for steep uphill sections when strapped up.
Soooo glad someone brought up the "buy right or buy twice" thing I hate hearing all the time. The concept makes sense for someone who is able to hike hundreds of miles every year. But for the people like me who can only get the time off work to go on one or two short trips a year then there's absolutely no reason to buy the best and most expensive gear. Also, buying used gear is great way to get some of those better items without the high price tag. Half my gear is second hand and it works just as well as something fresh off the shelf from REI.
I hold trekking poles like you do, but honestly I've switched to a single stout and long walking stick instead. I like having one hand free, and I've found it to be a lot more versatile. It's strong enough I can put two hands on it and really dig in for going on steep terrain. It's super quick to adjust height, you just slide your hand up or down. And that has a lot of applications: for going down rock steps it's nice to be able to drop the pole all the way down before you step off (that really saves your knees); for side hilling it's quick to choke up on it; for crossing over blow down you can drop your stick all the way to the bottom. With normal trekking poles this stuff would be possible but you'd either have to keep them awkwardly long always, or stop to adjust them; but with a stick you just do it on the fly. Another big benefit is that a stick is free and easy to replace. I've seen more than a few trekking poles break on the trail. You can polevault across streams, hold it out in front of you to ward off snakes while going through snake terrain, knock cobwebs out of the way, hit snowy brush to knock the snow off before hiking through, reach out to a hiking buddy to give a hold for getting over a scramble. For a lot of little things like this I've found a long stout stick better than trekking poles.
I noticed when hiking with one pole my hips kinda hurt from walking different. But I wasn't really side stepping or anything so maybe it's down to technique. I'll try it out again cause I like having one hand free as well.
I have a friend I roped in to backpacking. again me being a vet i go tactical style heavier gear that im familiar with, and he has a prepperish mind set so he leaned that way too. he had never been camping much less backpacking so i brought all my gear over to his place and we packed our packs together so i could explain the thought process and such and let him make the tweaks he wanted. This helped us to make sure we had everything we needed for the trip and it was double checked.
Kyle, you are the backpacking youtuber that is currently "in my head." I'm planning my 1st backpacking trip. I've been binging your channels (both of them) for weeks. I appreciate all the great info.
Thanks for the video guys ! I'm 68. I hiked a couple two week hikes on what is now called the PCT when I was in my teens. Of carried a pack that was probably 50-60 pounds (including food & water.) My main reason for backpacking was to get to remote areas to fish. Two long hikes was enough for me to learn I preferred base camp hikes. Liked what you said about starting out with affordable gear. I used to work in a paddlesport shop. I liked light, carbon paddles but I would encourage new paddlers to start with budget paddles rather than getting a costly paddle and finding out they don't like the length, blade size & profile etc. Try different paddles when you can and see what you like. The cheap paddle can always make a backup paddle in case the other one breaks.
The best advice about gear that I could give to beginner backpackers is; "Good enough is perfect." Of course that means the gear needs to be dimensioned for the environment you're gonna used it for, but it doesn't need to be overdimensioned or overly expensive for it. Like you guys said - you have to test it out, find your preferences and learn to actually enjoy it. ...And if you buy the super expensive gear, that will last you a lifetime because it is amazing quality stuff, you'll propably wanna switch it out after a few years anyway, because, well, gear is fun.😅
Appreciate everything. I've always wanted to try backpacking and Last week I went on my first Backpacking trip completing the Art Loeb and it was completely awesome!! After wanting to do it for years your videos finally gave me the confidence to Just Go For it and now I can't wait to do it again. Thanks For the Content and thanks for the inspiration!!
Hahaha lot of things I recognize and 100 % agree with , except for 1 thing I think you just forgot to mention >>Always bring a poncho !! the Poncho is king !! Not only will it keep you dry , it will keep your pack dry too ... you can use it as a tarp for a quick shelter , or as a groundsheet when you setup camp or just need something to sit on . it's also a great combo with a hooped bivi . The military surplus poncho's don't cost much and are bombproof . in short it's incredibly versatile for a very small investment
Trekking pole thing is absolutely right. I didn't grow up using poles, because I grew up in flat-land Florida. But using the poles, that is the correct way to do it. They swing forward and let your hand and wrist support you in more incline sections and can hang down to meet the ground on downhill sections. Absolutely the right way to grip trekking poles.
You did a couple of things brilliantly right. 1. Talk from personal experience. We can make the connection to you and then we are more drawn to pay attention to your advice. 2. Respecting a person’s journey of discovery about their backpacking experience which includes the selection of gear that works for them. I’ve actually enjoyed the evolution of my pack and contents because it is a reflection of my growth in experience. 3. Humour. It sets up a more relaxed atmosphere that makes it easier to learn. Thanks!
11:08, there is a way of preparing for having "all that weight...". Start with farmers' walks with dumbbells or kettlebells, add weighted vests, or go rucking with a weighted backpack. Cardio work and cross training will also help in preparation.
I was recently contemplating that style "basecamping" for portaging. you would be able to see WAY MORE on a trip without unpack and pack up, but even more impact is leaving the gear. You would cover 4 times the distance.
PNW location. Costco has great carbon fiber poles for less than $50. Not a hardcore hiker, more of a hunter so I have abused them and off trail with heavy loads. When we hike, my wife and 4 kids all have the same poles. Love them.
remember bumping into a man on the Appalachian trail. my boys (we camped) and i approached him. i asked if i could ask him questions. what have you learned on the journey. he said “you dont need all the junk” you just need a plan and basics. his cooking stove was an empty soup can with holes and a wire (to hook on his backpack). exactly what you discussed. enjoyed
Kyle you’re so right about the trekking pole straps. If you don’t use the straps, then you’re using your forearm muscles to navigate with the pole. When the straps are being used, you’re using the lat muscles and they’re a lot stronger than forearm muscles. When starting out I used the straps all the time. As I got stronger I needed them less. Good call.
Thanks for the tips! I really liked the suggestion that you don't have to do the whole trail. Trying to get into backpacking with my young daughter, didn't occur to me to chop down miles and just make the best of it wherever you end up.
The placement of the tent or sleeping system outside the bag hate is wild. I believe it’s more about utility and need. Putting your tent/ sleep system in your bag is not always ideal, but I’m former military and maybe not that cool 😂
South African hiker here, semi-nubie to hiking. I really enjoyed this video, espesially about the rain cover and pack liners. And here we hike with pack liners and rain covers.
Sintax is my favorite backpacker. Been watching him since January 2016 and have seen every video since. Modeled my backpacking gear and style around his. He and Mike are awesome.
Heavily agree that everyone needs to figure out what they prefer for themselves, one of my mates is a die hard hammock camper and I can’t stand them, I use a tipi tent and he doesn’t like sleeping on the ground, my other mate uses a lightweight bivi tent because it’s small and he doesn’t need the extra space to simply sleep somewhere, point is you won’t know what you need until you try a few different options, buy a cheap tent, tarp, hammock, give each a go in your yard or out on a single night trip before spending money on something you’re not sure with. Don’t buy the expensive hammock your favourite RU-vidr recommended to find out you get back pain.
Great content, I love sharing stories and experiences on trail lol I got worse as I hiked and now am going back to the basics 1. Definitely guilty of this, I placed my tent at the bottom of my pack during a rainy downpour in AL. It took me one good day trying to repack my gear in the rain for me to figure out it was just a complete disaster to place your tent inside your pack wet and at the bottom. everything was covered in pieces of forest and muddy wetness lol. My noob logic was I can place everything on my sleeping pad while I set up. 2-3. I'm guilty of both not trying my gear out bc I just want to go versus base camping and also trying to compete with my younger athletic child who could recover faster. 4. Frogg Toggs are a great example of a good cheap buy to figure out if you even like hiking first. Why spend $400 on a jacket if you might only truly hike once. 5. I actually did this in reverse bc I was broke lmfao I originally had a trash bag and switched to a pack cover for the reflective quality for roads, BUT it was a waste for me when everything got wet. The theme here is rain, rain always finds a way to get to me lol. 6. 😲 6.2, , I like sleep clothes bc I fear a wild animal will smell the scent of my dinner on my hiking clothes, My mind neglects I am dinner. But also its my emergency bandages and if I shit myself saves 7. YES! I tried to bring heavy af lights bc I wanted "the woods are magical midsummer nights dream lights", I'm an idiot it was a nightmare in weight, they got wet and didn't even work. F#$5ing rain 8. Me and my mom did this we packed double the food and all of mine wasn't even eaten bc she had so much. 9. Yep, I bought a sleeping bag bc they claimed it kept them so warm but they neglected to say to a new person hiking, it was a summer bag. Now luckily I was in AL fall weather but I was incredibly cold and angry at 32*, 10. Haha yes! I had this idea to bring a hanging candle lantern to warm my tent bc it looked so rustic and cool, luckily I was talked out of it bc lmfao could you imagine buying or packing multiple candles made of wax to hike with lol dude the weight alone. The normal food thing was definitely hilarious I did the same also. That history is freaking awesome. my dumbest noob thing ever though was not listening to experienced hikers in my area. I decided I didn't need a sleeping pad bc weight and I'm a badass and leaves right? I was in fact not a bad ass. I have brought a pad ever since.
Syntax77 was the very first Hiker Channel I ever watched religiously. His intro song, informative narration WHILE hiking & camping and then signature sign off hooked ya in. I Miss Slippers
Found Sintax77's channel through your podcast, and I binge both of y'all's content daily. I'm looking into starting hiking and/or backpacking for about a month now, and y'all have both helped me get myself prepared for starting this new adventure! I love camping and have only hiked a couple times, so I'm glad I found your content
Started my AT thru hike on april 1st of 2024, Day 3 on Sassafras I blew up my knee and had to get off. Overworked and went way too hard right out of the gate, now I'm waiting for another week before I can get down south and continue my hike.
I’ve always recommended, regardless of hobby, to buy decent &affordable then upgrade when it breaks. You don’t know if you’re gonna stick with a hobby. No point spending so much money and use it once.
Honestly I had excellent luck going to sportsmans warehouse, this was back in like 2008 though. The kid working the camping area set me up with great beginner gear. I still use the same tent, pad, bag and stove he sold me on all those years ago. Lots of good memories with that gear. Start cheap then slowly collect new gear over the years, at least thats how I did it. Avoid those compulsive purchases. You really don't need much if all you are doing is a two or three night hike.
I never backpacked with a pack cover. Instead, I'd stuff things into various Reynolds oven bags, aka brown-in bags, and put those in the backpack. Stuff one with clothes or something, squash all the air out, twist to close, fold the twisted part over and tie off with rubber bands. You can double bag for overkill, but these are TOUGH clear mylar bags (not like trash bags) designed to roast a whole turkey or chicken in. I've stuffed these with clothes as described and submerged them in water overnight, and not a drop of water got in. They're as waterproof as those yellow vinyl dry bags but way way lighter and fit for purpose. Ziploc bags are great for stuff like phones of course, and anything inside a Ziploc placed into an oven bag-- you could put the backpack on a boat and send it to the bottom of the bay, and the stuff would still have salvage value 😂
Watching pack shakedowns in Mountain Crossings at Neel’s Gap in the spring is eye opening! Lots of underprepared and over equipped hikers. Go on multiple shakedown hikes to become familiar with and test your gear, and to get your trail legs. It’s not the same in the gym.
Shakedown hike(s) - Absolutely YES! Did an overnight shakedown a week before starting a 500 mile AT hike, snd discovered a major equipment problem; had time to solve it. Did two overnight shakedowns with friends before a five-day hike in Yosemite and made some important discoveries about equipment and food. Shakedowns also help break in new footgear.
I love base camping style, especially with newer hikers/backpackers. If anything goes wrong or you haven't dialed your gear, you're usually closer to your car so a bail is not as bad.
Heavy gear in bottom of pack when descending trails, weight in top of pack when ascending... u.s.a. marines makes you train to repack your gear when nesasary, building in a few moments break every so often... it's a balance factor, providing stability and stamina...
We backpack with kids and base camp is ESSENTIAL to keep them enjoying the trips. We usually spend 2 nights at single camps twice during our week out. Also, I prefer the big REI ponchos to the pack cover and waterproofing on the inside ;) the Ponchos are great at camp also.
The thing about framed vs frameless packs comes down to proper fit for me; just been trying Decathlon MT100 50 liter pack and the easyfit system makes it precisely adjust to every size and load; by far the most comfortable pack I’ve used so far. Yeah it’s not ultralight but the weight carries so well, it compensates for it.
Great video gents! Regarding budget gear. I’ve been backpacking for awhile now and I still buy budget gear. None of it has let me down yet. If I was gonna thru hike I might re consider but I’m just a weekend warrior. It’s also nice getting name brand gear that is last years model sometimes for half off (got a Mountainsmith Scream 55 pack for $88 and i love it)
I do agree with the " dont buy once cry once " at first. at first you dont know well enough what you need to spend the money on and what you dont. at first, just get some decent REI stuff that works but doesnt break the bank, then after a few trips, you really start to under stand where the money needs to be spent on top quality ( and price) gear
It is crazy. We do more tent camping than backpacking, but I have paired down our camping kitchen container. We went with sea to summit cups and dishes and and got rid of the heavy pots and pans. It has been so much easier loading up our container or quite literally things we really do need.
I bought one pair of Leki trekking poles in 1998 or '99 at about $90. I spent a stupid amount money on gear back then, but I still use those poles today. My son, on the other hand, has gone through three sets of cheap Amazon trekking poles already. He's 13 so hopefully he will outgrow his clumsiness! Definitely agree with the start with budget minded gear before committing to all of the high end gear.
Nothing wrong about buying twice. Or borrowing stuff. When I started out with my girlfriend our gear was thrifted, borrowed or something we owned already. Upgraded as necessary to better tent, better underlayers, better sleeping pads, lighter sleeping bag. We had both done trekking before as kids / teenagers so we weren't total newbies but yeah :D
Your method with straps on poles is the way we use poles for snow skiing. Also I did a long weekend outing with a friend and both of us forgot forks and spoons. We carved chopped sticks and made it through the trip.
As someone who grew up canoe camping in Ontario long before I hiked garbage bag lining the inside of your pack is the way to go. And if you leave extra air your bag is basically now a flotation device.
I bought the outdoor products 3 dry bag set from walmart back in 2009 when i was a poor E-3. Still using them today! My dad joined me on a trip recently. He bought the ozark trail poles from Walmart. They were surprisingly light and comfortable!
The pack covers are worth it to wake up every morning without your gear and pack covered in dew. They do work pretty well and have kept my pack dry in some downpours. The Osprey pack cover has a drain hole and has never given me the issue of filling up with water.
Great interview! Good to see you two having a great conversations. I remember Sintax's video when you two went hiking together - and I believe Flossy was with you. Kyle started Sean's outro tune and Sean looked so pleasantly surprised! Good info all around. And I'm 100% with you on the trekking pole straps.
You guys are spot on with this video! Thanks for taking the time to help newcomers to backpacking. Kyle, thanks for discussing packing for your needs as the 1st thing beginners get wrong. Newbies don't have anything to base how to pack your backpack until you're actually on trail experiencing what you need first from your pack. Shawn makes a good point about base camps. My husband & I do that and take day hikes for more difficult ascents like Lemei Rock without having to carry everything on our backs by base camping at Lake Wapiki. We can take more time knowing we have a camp ready for us to come back to for dinner and relaxing around camp. Mt Adams in April??? Shawn is right about not telling Newbies to spend a lot of money (because you will) if you don't even know what kind of hiking/backpacking you want to do or even if ever again. Why waste the money when you're not even sure how you want to tackle this new recreation? As my husband & I evolve (went UL recently), we consign our old gear that we no longer use so Newbies can get into hiking/backpacking without having to spend so much for better equipment. Kyle, we use Simple Human garbage can liners and a Dyneema pack cover designed for our GG Mariposas from GGG. Both together weigh next to nothing and work in tandom to keep our stuff dry. And, yes Shawn, we used to bring too many clothes. We now wear one set (in layers) and one extra pair of socks and underwear. Kyle, you make a great point about the difference between camping & backpacking gear! Size & weight are the biggest factors in determining what gear you can use for both. I have totally different gear for each. I'm not like my Mom who brought a waffle iron to camp at Mt. Rainier and forgot the tent (like Shawn's wife)! 😱 Shawn, helping Newbies pack can really save agony when on trail. I packed my twin sister's pack when we backpacked into Colchuck Lake for her first ever backpacking trip for our 66th birthday (5 years ago). And yes, UL doesn't have to be more expensive. Choose your gear wisely and you can still do it without breaking the bank. I'm no gram weenie so my base weight is 14 lbs. including my Chair Zero, a Teton Sports pillow & my surrogate plush dog, Humphrey (long story). 🤣😉 And Kyle, you are correct with the way you use your trekking pole straps! I became airborne coming down a steep trail, did a face plant but did NOT break my trekking poles.
A pack liner is the way indeed, but I also like to bring a pack cover just to have a ground cloth for the bag and keep it clean. It does add weight but that's no issue when bike packing for example.
Always carry two forms of maps and verify that your offline maps finished downloading. I planned a trip well in advance. I thought I had downloaded all maps during the planning stages. I got to the trailhead, 30 minutes from the nearest service, and realized that my maps had not downloaded and I forgot to print a paper map. Mind you I’ve been backpacking for 16 years now and that is the first time I ended up on trail without maps. It was also the first time I organized a five day trip for friends from three different states. It the midst of all the planning I forgot a basic step. I was able to nfc transfer a map picture from another hikers phone to save the day. I am still working to learn the best way to communicate changing trip plans amongst a group of people who don’t know each other.
I don't watch your pod on yt but had to pop on and thank you for this episode! Doing my first backcountry trip this summer and was thinking of the "buy once, cry once" saying for a new sleep pad so this was super helpful (along with everything else)
Backpacking for 5 nights in 1976. On day three, my one pair of pants ripped from seam to seam just below my butt cheek. I tossed them on the fire (picked out the snap and zipper next am to pack out.) Finished out the trip in my cutoffs. Good times!
You’re right about the straps. I even wear them like that when I’m trail running. The poles will swing and move themselves. It’s hard to explain. But that’s exactly what the straps are for. I use the black diamond z poles this way.
Re trekking pole strap: I learned to ski in the 60’s and how you describe was the prevailing wisdom which had come from cross-country skiing. (If you watch xc ski racers you can see how this works to great advantage.) I did once fall and catch my thumb and sprained it, but overall I found the “up from below” method the most effective. Downhill ski pole designers have tried other designs so that hands wouldn’t be caught in the straps, but that was motivated by the amazing speeds that skiers attain in races. It would be interesting to see the stats and make an evidenced-based decision.
My first take on packing was gear accessibility: 1st aid, navigation and rain gear on top. But even before that, you will always reach for water the most often.
videos are the gateway to the adventure. There are so many great ideas and different way to do things, but the only way on to know how to do something is to experience it. Back in the day you had to spend time searching out experts either at the local camping store, go to the library and find books and magazines. Yeah... I'm that old.
My first backpacking trip just my pack and tent weighed 10 pounds. We won’t get into how much the MRE’s weighed😉 Now my pack completely loaded for four days with food and water is 24.
I bought a previously returned full goretex waterproof backpack wouldn't have paided full price for it but is nice it is a little small so stuff always ends up outside.
ok.. Making a base camp sounds cool... but are you not afraid of your stuff and food being gone, stolen, or destroyed?? I also would hate to get turned around and not make it back to where i set up camp, or came out another exit that was way closer to the goal, have to go back, get said crap, and move it again, or have to rewalk that distance in the morning.. what do you do in these cases?
Things almost are never stolen from a backcountry camp. Trailheads are where that happens. Always carry your food unless it’s in a bear proof canister, even rodents can and will destroy food. You choose where to walk. Make good choices about how far you walk from your base camp.
Carbon fibre poles will not last forever. I broke both of mines on the AT. Now I am trying some Austrian aluminum poles. When it comes to rain I had some issues with my HMG Southwest and pack saks not being waterproof. I would get a puddle in the bottom which would soak up in the punctured pack sack with my sleeping bag. I repaired the pack sack and considered to make drench holes in the bottom of the pack
So a pack liner is def a better choice but I did find a pack cover I found that worked perfectly for the most part. It was the mystery ranch pack cover with the built in hood. It kept most of the rain off my back as well. There’s not much you can do in blowing rain but it really surprised me.
cloths is my biggest quandry. Now its just rotate 3 socks, 2 undies, thermals in case...except heatwaves, and one article per situation...rain sun wind bugs etc.
As a girl i always carry a second pair of socks and undies. Def have washed and dried on pack many times. Also river shoes for bathing and airing out feet. Other than that, one set of fave clothes are fine. ❤
Base camp tip is EXCELLENT! We camp with. Trail Life troop and it’s rather unpleasant. Our first trip they wanted to push in after hiking all day I. An effort to get closer to the exit spot. I said I was not going in after 15 miles and the nearer admitted we like have missed cooking dinner and would have had to set up in the dark--which is not a problem…but why make the trip miserable? Some feel it has to be. Thank you Syntax…coming from you…I feel better. We would have done more trips not pushed too hard and made it miserable.
Base Camping is fantastic. I have done it in so many National Parks. The parks are very basic. We are at one of their campgrounds (great for beginners). We set up shop (very basic) and spend all day hiking 10-15 miles exploring. It is wonderful and a great entry into backpacking. We eat as if we were on trail, we camp as if we were on trail. We do not bring all the "camper" luxuries. It is a great experience.
Base camping is the best. I do it during winter camping. Find a location, setup camp, get the hot tent up and firewood ready for a couple days and each day is a exploration day. Come back to stocked tent with firewood, get the stove going and chill. Sore from the prior day? Easy firewood day to recover. Take it slow and easy.
Definitely need to put your hand up through the strap then down. Just like a ski pole. Other wise there is no purpose of using the straps. It’s the only way you are going to get leverage.
OMG I love syntax! Say hi for me! lol He was always really nice and welcoming, will answer your questions.... that's all we ask lol I come from the time of canvas tents (Dad; "DON'T touch the side of the tent while it's raining!"), sterno and, Off bug spray -- this was in the 60s lol
I started weekend backpacking in the Adirondack High Peaks (age mid-20s, with 3-4 friends) around 1985. Then (Long after moving from NY to NC), I Finally SOLO-finished my ADK High Peaks 46 in October 2010 [I had left Details of my itinerary, to a relative, before setting out]. We (early on, '80s) made LOTS of mistakes. Like each bringing along a POUND of Trail Mix, and bringing along EVERY item (water filter, camp stove, etc.) Per Person. XD The Adirondack HPs are perfect for "base camping", with the choice of "Do THIS Range, today; Do Another, tomorrow". As for trekking poles: No Point, on flat ground, for someone who can ably walk. And FTLOG: DON'T walk along, carrying them extended Backwards (like a skiier), pointed toward the hiker Behind You ! STOW IT !! But if you are on switchbacks, where the side-slope alternates/reverses: Make One pole Short, and the Other, Long. Hand-flip them, as needed, for stability. Also: Short for steep Uphill; Long for steep Downhill. And I agree on how to do the straps, to support one's arms. We kept our clothing and sleeping bags in "trash bags", open downward, against rain. But I DID use dry-bags, backpacking (in water up to my chest) through Zion Narrows. I trekked le Tour du Mont Blanc in Sept 2012: Throughout, I had 2 Merino Wool boxer briefs, and 2 merino wool tees, as base layer. Once at the evening chalet, I would sink-wash my that-day's base-wear, and rotate in the other the next day. Merino Wool Rocks ! FAR superior to Synthetics, which - unless treated with (now-questionable) chemicals - Raise a STINK after a few hrs/a day. Or after a few machine-washings. That first plane wreck was on the shoulder of Wright Peak, in the Adirondacks. Scant wreckage, remaining.
The pole trick is a define sign for clueless people. 😜 Going around holding your pole all day is hard, so you are so right! The strap are suppose to transfer the pull from your fingers to your hole hand, so this prevent injury. Mousearm is nothing in comparison! And if you are walking and let say have adjust your pack, you just drag your poles. On cross country skiing this tech is also important. Here you actually let the pole go on each and every stroke! By doing so you get and extra foot of power on each stroke, which really add up over the whole day. The only place I take off the strap are on backcountry downhill skiing in the forrest. If your pole get caught in a bush or tree and you have the strap on, it can twist your shoulder soooo badly! I have seen fully grown men being slinged around in an instance like a ragdoll because of this.
I think good gear is great even though i dont use it very often. I usually do a lot of research before settling on a product, and im now so happy with my gear and base weight that i would be happy using most of it for the rest of my life. Being so happy with my gear makes me much more tempted to actually go out and use it than i would be if i only had random pieces of gear that they just happen to sell at my local store. Weight and size is a major factor - although for backpacks, i find its beneficial to go for an external frame (without mesh that push my tshirt to my back) so i get superior ventilation. Im ok with a little sweat, but without ventilation, that stuff really start to stink... My favorite pack weighs 1.3kg, and is both very good quality and by FAR the most comfortable backpack i have tried - except a small 3 liter "running backpack" that i only use for dayhikes.
First few times you go, do not buy anything. Rent gear from places like REI or borrow gear from friends. Every single person I know who actively backpacks has older gear from where they have upgraded over time. I would add to that, if you find yourself going no more than 2 times a year, I would still just always rent instead of buying most of the gear.
Hi, I grew up in northern Sweden and have been cross-country skiing all my life. I also use hiking poles when I'm out hiking. When you have the strap the right way, you can almost use your thumb and index finger as a joint for the hiking pole and the strap takes up all the power via your wrist instead of through your hand where you quickly tire.
I went on a canoe trip and felt self-conscious about my homemade gear and they called me a garbage hiker… But the Canoe capsized all the gear went down downstream without us. They’re screaming about being out $600 each all my gear cost 150 bucks including food.
Kyle, you hold poles correctly. If you put your hand in the loop from above, you can break or strain your thumb if you fall. People interested in this can easily look up many RU-vid videos that cover optimal hiking pole techniques.
When I was a boy scout I followed the list of stuff to bring and I can't believe how many clothes I packed I took bring a spare pair of clothes seriously so I packed for an overnight trip probably an entire backpack of clothes
I have a pretty light kit on a budget. It's lighweight not ultralight, but definately lighter than when I first backpacked as as a young teen in the late 80's. I just need the backpack. I can't walk well so I have been using it in a kayak for now. (I keep hoping I will heal enough to backpack again) The one thing I won't skimp too much on is my sleep system.
With the trekking poles. You want to go up through the loop. If you just go through it your hand can get trapped if you fall and could break your thumb or dislocate it
Not a huge a backpacker and getting pretty old, but I like aluminum can stoves with food I dehydrate myself, especially jerky. I'd like to see someone beat the weight with an expensive stove compared to 1/8 th of a pop can. A lot of these people are on overnights and they are carrying the water anyway so they could have brought some hot dogs. Now you get all these techy guys with expensive equipment. It's almost not fun anymore. See through tents that weigh a pound or 8 ounces or something. Do you see anyone showing off their homemade pop can stove anymore? That crowd is gone.
You might ask the wrong question. The better question might be: How many years should one backpack be usable to justify the more expensive gear? I justify cost by lifespan usage. Thus years. But you can only do this when you are (relatively) certain you are actually going to use a backpack for years. And are (relatively) certain you have the comfort and practical usage with this backpack for years. But you only know this if and when you have some substantial camping experience. A bit of a catch-22 situation. Don't fall in the latest fad trap. For instance, buying the latest ultralight frameless Dyneema backpack. Sure, it might be great and perfect for some campers, but on average it isn't. Though it is admirable and good to go as light as possible it is not always sensible. This is how it goes ... The ultralight camper proudly claims (s)he can walk your 5 day distance in only 3 days. But is this what you want? The same ultralight camper must walk this distance in 3 days because carrying more food and gear is too heavy for a frameless backpack. But, again, is this how you want to walk? Many of the same ultralight campers also complain about the mandatory food canister being too bulky and heavy to carry. Do you want to complain about that? Having an ultralight backpack requires extreme discipline and attention to pack your backpack (because it is smaller with less storage volume). Nothing wrong with that. But when your ultra compact down mid layer rips than you have a storage problem when standing in the middle of a nowhere store selling (relatively) bulky fleece layers only. Could this be a problem for you? Not always but often ultralight gear is more expensive but less durable. Are you willing to spent more money for less durable stuff? Or do you take the extra 1, 2 or 3 pounds penalty for cheaper and more durable gear? Your choice. I don't judge. Personally I think, on average, you should go for a 60+ liter framed (relatively) durable backpack in a reasonable price class (many options, no advice here). I have 5 backpacks. 3 with internal frames and 2 with external frames. I prefer comfort over backpack weight. It is my experience that a comfortable backpack "feels" lighter that it actually is. All my backpacks can carry the expedition bearikade canister (which is huge, bulky and heavy) inside the main compartment with room to spare to fit all the other gear.
@@wimahlers Yeah, that's kind of how I think of it when i'm purchasing any gear for any of my hobbies. I think of how long I can potentially use it and divide the cost. I'm not interested in becoming an UL backpacker. I have back issues so I purchased what many would say is a pack that is too heavy (5.5lbs?) but it was worth every dollar and pound. It's a 60L framed bp from Mystery Ranch.
@@shea4615 Mystery Ranch! Congratulations. Bulletproof quality. One of my backpacks is one of the predecessors, a Dana design backpack. Still have it. Still love it. I currently have a comparable backpack I use instead (a Savotta backpack, also not a lightweight at all. Actually, heavier than my old Dana design backpack). I can easily sell my Dana design backpack, but I keep it.
I use my packcover alot! At my dayhikes, i have to cross a lot of main roads and the safety orange coulor was very useful in bad weather ( as Safety vest) on my darkgrey pack! Screamy neon colars are very likes by wasps and so! So the removable Orange is a great idea! So the free packcover is only used as safety vest!
