🏕👉Help Support AND Shape Dose of Dirt through Patreon: www.patreon.com/DoseofDirt You can vote in polls to help decide what gear to buy, test, review, and then give away to Patreon members! All gear purchased with Patreon funds will be given away to Patreon members! (Lots of other benefits too!) ⚙Gear Links⚙ -Base Layers (32degrees website): www.32degrees.com/collections/mens-base-layer?sort_by=manual&compactView=true&page=1 -Costco Puffy -Decathlon Puffy: www.decathlon.com/collections/mens-down-jackets/products/forclaz-trek-100-mens-light-backpacking-padded-down-jacket-with-hoodie-312478? -Frogg Toggs Ultra-Lite2: amzn.to/3I4y0oA -Microspikes: amzn.to/3AYHak8 -My Budget 3P Tent: amzn.to/3GkMi2N -My Budget 2P Tent: amzn.to/3HqiBi5 -Teton Sports Leef Zero Degree: amzn.to/3ujc3yi -Paria 0 Degree Thermodown (Paria's website): shrsl.com/3bas0 -Paria Recharge XL (Amazon): amzn.to/3J30ak0 -Paria Recharge XL (Directly from Paria): shrsl.com/3barw -Thermarest Z Lite: amzn.to/34geVRU -Budget Foam Pad: amzn.to/3oiuZtd Some of the links above are affiliate links. Buying things with the links doesn’t change the amount you pay, but helps support the channel since I would get a percentage of the sale. Thank you so much for supporting Dose of Dirt!
I've actually taken a ul80 pad out with a Walmart closed cell foam pad. Put a space blanket between them and never got cold down to 35 degrees. Also, took same setup out except I put the space blanket on top of the ul80 and went down to 23 degrees without getting cold. Moving around sounded like the jolly green giant was crashing through the potato chip aisle at the grocery store but hey, it worked! Haven't tried that setup below 23 yet but I think it would go colder with the right layers and my top quilt.
"jolly green giant crashing through the potato chip aisle" 🤣🤣🤣 Ya, it's amazing how you can pump up the r value with a space blanket and a ccf pad! Don't have to drop $200 on a pad to backpack in the winter! That's for sure!
Repurposed gear is best. I go full on tarp winter camping. A shallow enclosed setup and my body heat will keep me toasted. Just gotta block the wind. In the the 10-20F range and 30-40 mph winds are common.
I've been looking into tarp camping! I'd really like to give it a go over the next year! What's your favorite tarp set up? Just an a frame or leanto or do you have a different configuration you like?
they can really be a gold mine! Perfect good and warm clothing made of the essentially the same fabric as super expensive items at the outdoor stores! AND it's good for the planet! Win-win!
I used the Scotchguard for waterproofing my hiking boots/shoes and it worked great. The trouble is when the snow finds its way into the show above the heel.
Thanks for this- financially challenged since dealing with chronic illness last 10 years due to indoor mold & tick diseases.. my health has improved and even tho I still can’t do long distance trail running anymore I have been hiking with my sis a lot and sometimes on my own. I will be starting to get used to tenting outside at my friend’s property and for some reason have a burning desire to do winter backpacking. Im in wisconsin and I hate the cold but I used to run 10+ miles at a time in the very cold subzero winter days & nights before I got so sick.. It’s discouraging how expensive everything is when I can’t work full time but thanks to you and a few other folks sharing tips & info on decent real budget gear, I see that it is possible! Many thanks!
In a similar position-- my first overnight was just 3 miles in, but I was thrilled just to be able to do that. Just wanted to wish you luck on your outdoor journeys, and hopefully you get to play in the snow soon!
They've got great stuff! And so far mine is holding up to a lot of use! I'm going to have to check out their 1/4 zip, because I could use another one! Thanks, Joe!
@@DoseofDirt Your welcome and thanks for the videos! Your Garmin inReach Mini video was a big help and I'm loving my inReach Mini and so does my wife I solo hike a lot, usually 6 days a month on trail. I like my darn toughs but the advice on the innotree socks was spot on, they are in my rotation. To share another find, Sams Club has Denali Pants for $13-15 a pair and so far they have been great on trail, the costco pants are on my list to try out as well, thanks again!
@@Joe-ub5rs Thanks, Joe! I am going to have to figure out a way to try those Denali pants from Sams Club. I'd like to have another pair or two in the rotation! So glad to hear the inReach mini has been a hit! It gives my wife a lot of peace of mind as well. Small, light, and massive benefits! Thanks so much!
Thank you for this video Jeff 🙌🏽 I needed a few suggestions for mid and base layers. I’m up in Michigan and did my first ever backpacking overnight and survived at 16° overnight thanks to your videos and suggestions! I need to find the quiz and change my vote because I was one of the folks that never tried it because of the price of gear and that’s a thing of the past now! I can’t wait to get back out there for another trip. You’re a good man, keep those videos coming 🤙🏽
JOHN! This comment makes my day, man! So awesome that you hit the trails in the winter and had success! Michigan is NO JOKE during the winter and 16 degrees is COLD. Well done! 👊🏻👊🏻👊🏻 I seriously love backpacking in the winter. It's just so peaceful and beautiful with a fresh blanket of snow. No crowds, no bugs--just you and the wilderness. Let me know if there's other questions/gear etc. that would be helpful! Thanks so much for watching and taking the time to leave a comment!
Nice video! I have a puffy jacket 650+ fill down from 32° Heat. Picked it up for $22 from Sierra ($50 MSRP) I don't have any other down jackets to compare it too, but it packs small and keeps me warm so I'm not complaining. For my base layer pants, I picked up some inexpensive men's athletic tights off Amazon for $6 I too use a Frogg Toggs rain jacket as a hard shell over my other layers. It also makes a great windbreaker I have the ultralight jacket that everyone talks about (the whole suit for ~$20 or less) but I don't like that it doesn't have any pockets. I picked up a heavier weight jacket off Frogg Togg's site in the clearance section for under $10. (Might be the pro line series, not sure. Has a tyvek like feel to it) Got matching rain pants too for the same price. I laughed at the zip-lock bags for your feet. I thought for sure you were going to say bread bags. I've decided I need new boots for next year. Hoping I will be able to get the Xero Alpines on sale during the off season. I haven't tented in the winter yet, but I layered my quilts and bags in my hammock to sleep warm in the winter.
Sounds like we have very similar gear choices! That makes me feel like I'm on the right track! Bread bags would work really well! Nice a long. You could see the gallon ziplocs were just barely above the ankle collar on my shoes. But it was good enough! I got my Xero Alpines, but they felt big so had to order a half size down and see which are better and then return the others. Just hoping I haven't run out of winter weather in Virginia to test them out! I have high hopes for them! Hammocking in the winter just impresses me. I really want to try it out. Seems like a well pitched tarp would shed the snow just fine! Thanks for watching commenting!
Bread bags are an old trick that many kids were forced to use inside their snow boots in the winter for a little extra warmth because it trapped your heat and kept your feet dry from the melting snow or quick dunk in a stream that wasn't frozen solid. However you feet would get sweaty since the bags didn't breathe and would eventually get cold anyway. - but not as quickly. I've only hammocked @ or below freezing a handful of times. If you've got the trees to hang, I prefer it over tenting for comfort. Being off the ground as long as you got yourself protected from the wind you don't have that heat sucking ground to deal with and can stay pretty warm with the right layers. Yes, we do have similar tastes. I found your channel last spring/summer when I was looking for a review on a garmin watch and I've been enjoying your videos since.
My friend and I just did a trip in the Smokies that was an average of 6 degrees Fahrenheit the whole weekend. Base layers were from academy sports for 40 bucks. Mid layers were from thrift stores and Walmart for 13 bucks. Got a used marmot 800 down fill for 60 of FB marketplace. 200 bucks for a 4 season Woods brand tent. 80 dollar Teton sports backpack. 18 dollar Walmart mat and 30 used sleeping pad with a 4.0 R value off FB marketplace. $20 Ozark trail waterproof boots. The most expensive thing for me was a big Agnes torch light camp, and sea to summit fleece liner came out to 230. I was toasty the entire trip
This☝🏻☝🏻☝🏻 is a perfect example of how you can enjoy the back country in some seriously cold temps without spending a fortune! Thanks for sharing, John! And I'm jealous that you hit up the Smokies! Now that I live close, that's an area I really want to check out! I bet that was gorgeous in the winter! Thanks for watching!
I have some great hunting clothes and wool , most of it came from yard sales,thrift shops and my thermals ( wich I sorta collect 😂 ) come from Walmart , usually after winter into the spring you can find good sets on great sale's
Solid advice. I love winter backpacking/camping. Watching from Calgary. Coldest civilian experience was a month ago, -21ºC/-6ºF. Coldest experience in the military, -54ºC/-65ºF. Here in AB, I use a single wall 3-season tent (Tarptent Double Rainbow Li dyneema tent).
-28C is pretty dang cold! I haven't made it down to those temps yet. But like you said, worth the cold temps to wake up in a winter wonderland! The wilderness with a fresh coat of snow is just something you have to see! Thanks for watching!
Another good videos bud, It was -50C/58F here in Canada out west this past December, and that’s pretty unusual for more southern areas, like Edmonton and all the way south in Canada like southern Ontario where I’m located, it doesn’t ever get that cold here, but it sure does get cold it’s common to experience temps around -15C/5F or -20C/-4F it can even get down to -30C/-22F with windchills, but generally our winters down here in southern Ontario are approximately regularly anywhere between -5C/23F and -20C/-4F in the winter a lot of the time that’s with the windchill and can even get a bit colder then that some days. However Canada is so big I mean Ontario alone is so big that while it’s -10C/14F down here in the south, up in the northern areas of the province it can be -20C/-4F or -30C/-22F air Temperature not even factoring in the windchill… a couple months ago it was like -40C/-40F up north here in Ontario while in the southern region was -15C/5F As we all already know Canada gets extremely cold 🥶
I can't even imagine what -50C feels like!🥶🥶 But I would love to try down to the -20C range. I don't have any plans, but would seriously love to do some trips in Canada at some point. Just looks incredible up there! Thanks so much for watching!
Costco has some Eddie Bauer base layers in right now for low prices, I picked up a bunch of pieces for winter/summer. Def one of my fav stores for saving.
Good video man! I've been using 2 mil neoprene calf height booties under trail runners for snow under 6". Works really well for trail. Down booties at night;)
Love this video. Nothing wrong with saving money! Speaking of Costco, I got a two pack of black fleece neck gaiters a couple of years ago for about $10. I also have two of their hoodless Gerry down puffy jackets that I got on sale. Keeping my neck warm with a gaiter and wearing a knit hat pretty much substitutes for not having a hood.
I,ve been winter camping with the North Face The One Bag. It is defiantly not the best sleeping bag for winter back packing but where there is a while, there is a way.
Awesome info. My girlfriend and I were cracking up watching this because we also rock the Costco threads! I did have to replace my puffy down Geary jacket because I dropped it on a mower engine at my greens keeper job & it got a giant hole burnt in it. It worked out though, I used it as an excuse to buy a Ghost Wisperer jacket. Closed cell pads are a great way to bumb up R value on an inflattable sleeping pad. I even use an 1/8 inch closed cell in the shoulder seasons to bump up R value, super light & can double as an ass pad. Thanks for taking the time to share your knowledge.
DUDE! SO MUCH COSTCO GEAR! 😆😆 I swear I didn't even realize it until I was filming this video and EVERYTHING was from Costco. Glad I"m not alone! I'll admit that my snow shoes and trekking poles are also from Costco... 🤷🏻♂🤷🏻♂ So the real question is, did you drop your Costco puffy "on accident"??? Definitely jealous of the Ghost Whisperer. I'll have to look into the 1/8 inch pad. Definitely more packable than the Thermarest, and could delay busting out the winter sleeping pad a month like you said. Thanks for watching and taking the time to leave a comment! Truly appreciated!
@@DoseofDirt Ha, ha, didn't drop my puffy on purpose, but fell in shit and came out smelling like roses on that one. My 1/8 inch pad only weighs 3 oz / 85 grams. Definetly worth it. Also I can lay on it while taking a break. I purchased it from Mountain Laurel Designs. I threw in a couple of Dyneema stuff sacks to justify the shipping cost.
About baselayers: You should mention the huge difference there is between synthetic and natural/wool baselayers. I can never wear synthetic baselayer, because i sweat too much for that, wool is the only option for me. I wear 100% wool baselayer. With synthetic i get that wet and clammy feeling, i get cold very fast and im never able to get warm. With wool, it only takes a few minutes before i feel dry and warm. And no, there arent a huge price difference between synthetic and wool. The only time i wear synthetic baselayer is during the summer, the wet and clammy feeling helps cooling me down faster than wool. As for footwear: Apparently you are a person who sweat almost nothing if you can have warm and dry feet after wrapping them in plastic bags. For me, leather footwear is the way to go, Gore-tex is a no go. I have less maintenance, i have warmer feet and i have drier feet than with Gore-tex. If i get wet feet in leather boots, i just wipe them dry and change socks, with Gore-tex, i am done for, my feet will remain wet and cold until i reach home. And in a Scandinavian/Danish winter, that can either mean a "Abort mission" or constant attention to your feet. And dont forget gaiters; they can be a savior in wet vegetation or snow.
I loooooove the costco pants. My daily wear are their latest fleece lined pants 10/10 recommended costco pants. I dropped a cup of water on my lap the other day (5° outside) and the water beaded right off my lap.
@@DoseofDirt the tag says "Gerry" and unlike their lined pants over the past couple years - there is an actual fleece liner. The previous ones if you didn't know, were just a single layer and not very stretchy. These hit all the notes, durable AND stretchy, water resistant and warm.
Actually you should be *most* worried when there's no screaming. Kids. Just sayin'. I'm in south-central Texas, so it usually doesn't get too cold down here, but we also don't handle it very well when it does. I'm not a backpacker (yet!) but I've gotten some warmer gear recently for going car camping. Hopefully some extra layers and a nice warm sleeping bag will do the trick.
Hey jeff i live in Manitoba and have slept in my pop up tent trailer with heated sleeping pad at -27 without the windchill. I have a cabelas magnum -20 sleeping bag. Thanks for the great content!
This was my first time on your channel. I like how Dose of Dirt stays close to the "No frills, cheap as dirt" frame of mind. No costco hate here. I love my decathlon down puffy but if I had yours I doubt I'd upgrade. While I do like the hood, if I ever wanted to upgrade I'd look for one that has an elastic cord thru the hood to synch around the face.
We have the same baselayers and rain jacket 😁👍 I'm in Atlanta so it doesn't get super cold here in the weather and really winter is only 3 months or so
Sounds like you've got good taste in clothing!😆 I can't bring myself to pay more if these things work well for what I need, right? I do want to try their thicker base layers as well, but we're through the coldest winter temps at this point so maybe next year. I love watching hiking videos from Georgia in the winter because it's still so green there! Gorgeous wilderness down there!
The Little Donkey Andy is a fairly cheap ( with hood) "puffer" option on Amazon....625 fill equivalent full synthetic and has kept me warm in Ohio in 20F or lower weather.
Hey! Thanks for watching! Ya, unless you're hitting super cold temps I just don't think you need it! I'm looking forward to this winter backpacking season!
We have been getting a fair share in VA this year, haven't we?? Some of the shots were from a few weekends ago when the snow hit on Friday afternoon (the "bomb cyclone" or whatever they call it) and some from this past weekend. Thanks for watching!
I don‘t know if you already figured out the shoe-situation. I wear Vivobarefoot hiking boots all year around and they were great up to -10 degrees celsius with warm socks. So far my feet dint ever get wet and I have been using them now for over 4 years. Only one time cold when wearing the wrong kind of socks. I also went hiking with skinners and waterproof thermo socks at approx -10 degrees celsius, no problem either.
-20'sF every year in Wyo/Co/Ne colder in the mountains, when it gets that cold though guy use buddie heaters lol. I've done single digits with a hammock system.
@@replicators Hey Chris! If J doesn't respond, I know my buddy Tim at Backpacking with Buckley uses a superior gear hammock setup and swears by it. He gets down to some pretty cold temps as well!
@@DoseofDirt thanks, I'm a tent camper and the whole hammock game has me interested in trying it out. There's been a few times where I was backpacking and wished I don't need to find a flat spot to camp and envious of the hammock folks.
@@DoseofDirt It's a heavy setup and not good for Backpacking I use it for truck camping, but I have a Grand trunk super light hammock, an eno rainfly, then the most important part of not freezing is a 32 degree slumberjack bag that I put inside of a coleman guide bag (the big heavy flannel lined one). I personally haven't done the neg 20's unless you count freezing overnight in my truck cab lol but that's another story . Like the channel keep up the good work.
I ordered some “waterproof” shoe covers on Amazon.. eager to try them out and see just how they perform… they had no reviews so I took a chance. Received them the other day and they look at least pretty water resistant if anything. I also got the same brand shoe covers for dust/sand.. motivated by our hiking trip to south Utah where I’m still tapping red sand out of my shoes 3 weeks later!
DANG! Minnesota is not for the faint of heart! I would love to camp in some weather like that. I would DEFINITELY have to upgrade my gear! I don't have anything rated for that low. I've always wanted to do a snow shoe trip, but we just don't get that much snow in VA!
Great info again Jeff. Definitely affordable stuff.. currently skiing in the alps, there’s a shop here you would love - 3 floors of camping, running, trekking gear!
Very cool vid. but I don't understand why you don't want to use a 2 person tunnel tent, cook inside, get warm and enjoy nature! Tunnel tents in winter can offset your weight, you can carry other much lighter things! 😄 and get a lighter weight on all equipment in total !!!
My old company always had Patagonia gear they gave us and now I use it just for backpacking since I can keep it separate and it was free so why throw it out?
Love your channel man! Idk if its the youtube upload compression, but you seem to be quiet in the videos and the music clips are super loud. Could just be youtube being crappy. But thanks for all the work man! Im going to get out there way sooner than i thought thanks to videos like yours showing the budget options.
Thanks, Taylor! It really is a great price! Going to see if I can make myself get one more year out of my Costco special before snagging a Decathlon, but that's the one I would get if I was in the market! I honestly should have put a 'Costco' counter on screen so we could all see how many times I said it. 😆
@@evanhammond7305 Thanks, Evan! Yes, I've read that as well! Below freezing do you feel like you're good with just a base layer and the puffy? Or do you need a bit more than that?
Thanks, Evan! Believe it or not, I specifically thought of you when I made sure to mention how cold my winter bacpacking has been and that colder temps would mean different gear would be necessary! -40 is crazy! I'd love to try getting out there in those temps just for the experience, but I can tell you that this gear wouldn't cut it for those temps! 🤣
@@DoseofDirt I don't camp in those temperatures. Lol but lots of people are that crazy. Justin outdoors has some vids of him doing it. He lives just a bit south of Me. I typically don't camp much lower then -8c without a heater of some kind.
@@evanhammond7305 Yes, I've watched his videos (big fan!) and am jealous he gets to try out gear in those temps. Don't get me wrong, I love my nice long spring/summer/fall season, but would be fun to try out those temps as well.
I would like to try winter camping/backing this year. Is there a certain way you set up your tent with the snow? not sure if there’s a video on this already. I’m curious to see how you set up tho!
Hey Michelle! I hope you get to try it and love it! For me, I just make sure the snow is well packed down (I just slowly shuffle my feet all around the tent site until it's all packed down) and I always make sure the tent I'm taking is truly waterproof or take an additional footprint to protect from the snow melting underneath the tent! Also, I haven't ever had to set up in super deep snow, but if the snow is so deep you can't get to the ground then you'll want some snow stakes. Once you hit your first winter backpacking trip, I'd love to know how it goes! get some good practice now before the snow hits! 😆