as someone who has spent a good portion of my 53 years in the woods, both casually, as a trooper in the ARMY, hunting, and training for survival situations, there are a few things I would add to a minimalist kit, but for the most part, I would say you did a pretty good job here. I will say that no one should head out to the woods without some form of decent knife. a fixed blade is best but a quality folder can do a lot of the stuff you will need. and a compass and map are also critical. more important than any single piece of gear is the skills to use them. something I repeat in almost every video I make and to anyone I am helping with skills is "practice with YOUR gear, the best gear in the world can not save you if you don't know how to use it. "
@@PriscillaValdez-uj8nk some people might, and some of the things I have listed could make a difference to people actually trying to get a kit ready. and I listed ( a very small part of ) my experience to show that unlike some posters, I am speaking from a place of actual time in the woods experience. if you disagree with me, or just didn't like the way I presented the information, there is an amazing skill you might train in. keep scrolling, stop trolling.
I agree, having the skills to use the gear is so important! Even just practicing using the stove or setting up your tent and sleeping bag is essential. However, a beginner is likely to do a simple marked trail rather than intense backcountry walking, so i doubt a compass, map, and knife are important enough for this list. Downloading the gps map from online has been sufficient for most of the people i know, both experienced and beginner, although its always good to have back up. Another essential tip is to not go alone. If your gear fails or you get lost or hurt etc, you can work together to stay safe and get out.
As an experienced backpacker, with several very significant pieces of kit, I am thoroughly impressed with the ingenuity you've shown in putting this kit together. The important point is that we encourage as many people, who can, to then get out onto the trail and have fun. As they progress through the hobby they will likely outgrow their first pieces of kit, so keeping initial cost low for people who are not yet sure about the hobby is a great idea. Good luck with your channel!
I have been camping for years and this is probably the most true to reality getting into backpacking cheap video. So many people are like "you need this" or "you need that". To be honest, I recommend people try out day hikes before trying out backpacking and that is even cheaper.
Even doing that, you get bombarded with stuff you should have. I'm a very occasional outdoor person, and somehow i ended up with a lot of gear and clothing that's overkill. It's nice to have good quality shit, but honestly, the idea of going camping or hiking is about nature and disconnect, not about flexing your Patagonia gear.
No need to go light? only a 20 something year old could say that...what about the rest of us. I wonder how many that comment on such things have ever carried a 45 lb pack at 10000 ft for 8 hours. I watch people that run up these mountain that I hike and then wither with a pack. Cheap usually equals less quality and reliability at least but who can just pick up a bag of concrete and walk up and down even their stares at home for 8 hours. I can't, so I buy smart and light. Now I can walk all day long and not be unduly fatigued at the end....whats wrong with that. Would you buy a 50.00 boat and set sail for Hawaii? you would not for the same reason - survival and comfort.
I’m planning my first camping. I watched your entire video and I like it. You keep everything real. No drama. No fancy unnecessary things. I enjoy it a lot. I notice that you haven’t uploaded for a long time. I just want to let you know your video is very helpful. Thank you so much. 😊
You did a marvelous job on locating camping gear at a savings. The Kelty external frame backpacks have advantages the others do not have. One is the ability to adjust the width between the shoulder straps. They also offer lots of ventilation to your back. To me they symbolize backpacking as the traditional backpack. I have enjoyed the ones I have had over the last 60 plus years.
Lake&Trail makes a 2-person tent that I've seen on sale at Meijer for $25, that is both far lighter (3.4lbs) and more durable (kept me warm and dry in blizzards, thunderstorms, etc) than you'd expect from a budget u at the supermarket. Personally, my own camping kit is even cheaper than this, but that's largely because I've been able to get stuff for free (on he side of the road, after yard sales, etc)
Great job! Beginner backpackers need not worry about weight...more than likely a beginner isn't hiking a lot of miles and will have all day to make it to their camp and take as many breaks as needed. love that you cook on a fire!
That was absolutely awesome! Awesome! I did look at thrift stores for the ultra light kind of hiking clothes everyone wears like you said and way way too expensive. I did find a down packable puffy coat for $4.40!. I found a LL bean ultra light wind jacket $4.00! I found a lightweight 80 % merino wool sweater $1.00! A Columbia fleece for $4.99! I already have a rain coat. Its a French army I got at a military surplus for ten dollars. Its great! I got a down sleeping bag for $4.99! That was a big score! Its rip stop with ykk zippers. But someone ripped the tag off so I don't know what brand it is. I found an original boy scouts of America cook kit for $3.00! Not much luck yet with a tent as you said that one being hard. But they did over the one person backpacking tent at Walmart. Its like $ 27.00. Comes seam sealed. I might just grab that because backpacking season is almost here! Awesome video!
Nice job on this video. One thing I would add is, if you are going to buy used gear, test it out in the back yard before you head out into the wilds. You don’t want to be 5 or 10 miles from anywhere, an find out your tent leaks.
I have budget and expensive gear. I like to adjust my kit constantly to learn what I like or challenge myself. This is one of the best budget videos on RU-vid, should have many more views. Got my sub for sure brother.
Great video. The only thing I’ll add/ tweak is the number on a sleeping bag is the comfort rating, there will be smaller “survival” numbers listed somewhere about it(usually)
This was a fantastic video! Not only have you been camping fpr 15 years you have been making and editing videos even longer and it really shows! Great work buddy. And thanks for the tips I need to look at the goodwill for a tent. I plan on sleeping outside and locking my bike in the car 😂
You might find It more comfortable to sleep in the car and hide your bike in the tent. If you’re going by yourself and you had to make a quick escape from a sketchy situation…
I would add the $10 Walmart/ Amazon backpacking stove and canister for beginner backpackers, but of course this will put you over. I'm saying this knowing someone will chime in about alcohol stoves being cheaper to make and that's fine too. To this kit i would also add a Bic mini lighter, but you can also just bring the lighter from your kitchen drawer.
This is the video I have thought should be made every time I watch other videos that claim to be working on a tight budget. Thank you for making it! I think of all the parents with kids in scouting who are going to try backpacking and know they can not afford a $100, $200, or $500 kit for there kids to experience backpacking. I hope you inspire lots of folks to give it a try. Also, folks rarely start out hiking alone so some of those items can have the cost split between 2 people like the tent and cook pot. That would make room to add in a little backpacking stove which is easier for beginners to cook on. Thanks again.
You left off a couple zero's I think...I just saw the Outdoor Gear Review channel show a new Osprey pack that was 2 years in development. A 65 liter pack that took 2 YEARS to develop....a pack that I wouldn't carry if they paid me to take it off their hands - 5 1/2 lbs of buckles and zippers that are no shit 15 lf if laid out. sandwiched between a few ounces of nylon...but mostly buckles and zippers and strapping - like the 4 ft clamshell opening on the back so everything inside is visible....the giant zipper that is there where a back stretchy pocket should be. NO stretchy pouch at all so you can open up that whole pack and unless your a moron, you would have access to the entire side of your trash compactor bag....which last I checked had a top opening. In two years for these yahoo's ..noone ever thought about that. The best part ....wait for it.....725.00 dollars...did I mention 5 1/2 lbs!? Look it up - if you ever see one of these on a trail...A) your lying and B) if your not, then you just laid your eyes on the stupidest person on the earth...go up and say hi. I'll leave you with the best comment I read. Osprey: "We have a new pack 2 years in the making" Osprey again: "it will cost 725.00 dollars" China: "Hold my beer" China one week later: "That'll be 39.00 please"
Wow Amazing You Did Fantastick Even In Your Demo. I Reccommend You To Everyone. I Camp To And Alot Of My Items I Got Second hand. I Love It. And Always to Remember if It Doesnt Hold Out You can Always Find The Same Item Again And Your Not Out Of Anything And You didnt takae A loss Only a Better Gain. I cant Wait To See More Of Your Videos❤
A External frame backpack is a different thing then other packs you can't really compare an external frame backpack with any other style backpack because they're not the same thing...A external frame backpack is so under rated...I highly recommend an external frame backpack ...over any other style of pack...
I was going crazy trying to find the best sitting pad because my back kills me if I sit directly on the floor. I need it more for meditation and to use at sweat lodges, so it's tricky to find the right material that would work inside a sweat lodge. (I was using a blanket or towel, but they get soaked and very heavy after) I've been watching reviews and going back and forth on gear sites and Amazon. Yesterday I finally realized how ridiculous the whole thing was, I grabbed a foldable yoga mat I got at a dollar store that was in the back of a closet, folded it extra tight, secured it with some zip ties, and cover it with a bandana, so it would look nicer. Done. i was so caught up on the idea of buying the best gear available, instead of just finding a solution to my problem with what i already have.
Pretty good video! I was surprised when I saw you had so few subscribers. 1 point of contention is that the light on your average smartphone is way better than a 5 dollar headlamp. If you're confident you can keep the phone charged, there's no need for a headlamp.
Great point! I was in Yosemite last month and my headlamp accidentally turned on in my backpack, killing the battery. I used my phone for the entire hike back into the valley!
nice video. i wish i had those kind of oportunitys here on my countro for the prices. can you make a video of "one in a life time purchase" like buy and forget ? i dosent need to be the moust expensive. but you can purchese it little by litle til eventually you dont need anything else. i see lots of youtubers comparing stuff but never giving an answer. please excuse my english and thxs.
I know it seems like the number of people a tent fits would be the most important thing to look out for, but last weekend when I was breaking down my tent, one of the tension rods slipped loose out of the grommet and smacked me in the mouth, and I feel like that is the most important thing to look out for.
This video made me laugh. I was a boy scout, we didn't have fancy gear. I just seen a guy pushing 4 fire starters to go for the weekend. Couple boxes of water proof matches, or lighter would do just fine lol..... lighters literally last for months
Fantastic video, thanks. There is one thing I'd like to add in terms of clothing. "Whatever you have is probably fine" - most generic clothing is cotton, which is very slow to dry. So for anyone doing a slightly more strenuous hike or camping for several days in a row: Grab a cheap polyester shirt for like 5$ as your base layer. It'll dry much quicker and not make your body heat drop too much as soon as you rest (especially important in colder weather).
You forgot a few other important things , map, compass, knife, lighter( bic), cooker ( I'm in Normandy France and NO campfires are allowed when camping)
I think of water filtration as something for slightly more experienced campers, but you can get filters pretty cheap these days, right? I don’t do many trips long enough to need them!! Thanks for the comment!
Yes! This. Also need a stove. I would not depend on campfire as only way to cook. For water bottles, I just use 1L disposable SmartWater bottles. Not a bad idea to also include a bear hang kit which can be as simple as a cheap waterproof bag and a rope.
@@philweinstein I'd say use one of your stuff sacks maybe from the tent or sleeping bag as your bear bag, and then you just need carabineer and Paracord
Trying to go backpacking on this kind of budget is just reckless. If this is your budget buy a book on backpacking and read about it until you can afford it. Would you buy a 50.00 boat and go in the ocean? Why not....your budget decides what is necessary right. My 3 lb base weight is way smarter than this whole set up.
That sound is the point going over your head. One of the biggest barriers to people being in the outdoors is believing you need hundreds or thousands of dollars of specialty equipment. If you want to, go ahead. But you can do it just like he showed. I camp in all 4 seasons. Doing it on the cheap is just another way to challenge myself. I hope you have fun as well.
The fact that he thinks a cook kit & a knife & “weird flint & steel thingy” are unnecessary tell you a whole lot about this dude . He prob googled back packing load outs , & then went goodwill hunting for props . I’d love to see him do 12 miles a day with that stuff he bought . If anything he’s car camping with that junk & thinking he’s “roughing it “
@@rebelsuiter9306 I have to admit in the beginning there was a razors edge line between survival and backpacking...its more like a 12 ft block wall now. I'm just not clear why people think a flint is the way to go over a bic...I can never think of a time when a bic lighter failed me...except that refillable lighter on Mt Whitney. F'd me up bad the night before the start - plenty 420, no fire - I was magicly saved when two beautiful french angles walked off the mountain at 11 pm....they hooked me up....with their Bic. Cheers
I bought some cheap stuff to see if i actually liked going backpacking for a whole weekend instead of just 1 day hikes. I didn't want to waste hundreds of euro's ( I'm in France) on stuff I might never use again !
@@mrmicro22 ....This is a perspective thing. My argument is that the BEST backpacking equipment on the market - nothing at all "specialty" but arguably the best of the best is just flat out NOT expensive. It's only expensive compared to garbage equipment. If you compare it to ALL other hobbies its hard to find one cheaper. Again I'm talking about gear that will ensure that you will not have a bad time because of the gear on your back and will not fail. For the cost of between 1500 and 2000 dollars you are at the TOP of your hobby. To play basketball on a public court with the best gear...I'm talking sneakers and shorts will cost you far more. The best fishing rod? the best anything that goes on water or in the sand or on a road. with or without a motor - you can outfit your family with the best gear vs even one of the best mountain or road bikes. If you are just seeing if you like something, borrow it like everyone else....why, because we all bought cheap gear that sits in our closet. Wanna go to the Sierra's...I got you covered easily with my old virtually new gear. Buy once cry once. Cheers - happy Monday
