Not All New Gear is Worth Buying 

*Check out all the New Gear from Sea to Summit:* geni.us/wQ2hAe (Sponsored) Zenbivy UL Bed: geni.us/JZvsbtZ Zenbivy UL Mattress: geni.us/ft1U Nemo Moonlight Elite: geni.us/0UFAZyB Nemo Tensor All Season: geni.us/PzoR Nemo Tensor Extreme Conditions: geni.us/MXfqR Sea to Summit Reactor Extreme Liner: geni.us/ADOi Sea to Summit Spark Pro Sleeping Bag: geni.us/xjxf Sea to Summit Frontier Cookware: geni.us/cIVtQk Zpacks Plex Solo Lite: geni.us/CNgEE

I have a sincere question for you that perhaps could be addressed in a video? How do you know when to stop buying gear? I feel like I maybe hit that spot early last summer ... everything is dialed in: I like what I have, I know how to use it, and I feel prepared for the backpacking situations I would find myself in. But I still watch the gear videos, I browse the gear sites ... for what? We can't be perpetual consumers, so what would you consider to be the cutoff criteria?

As a Zen Bivy owner, I 100% agree getting rid of the full sheet design makes zero sense. I hope ZenBivy is reading these comments

I don't have a problem with the Zenbivy UL design. It's the RIDICULOUS price that blows my mind.

For around 2x the outlay as the Reactor liner, and 100g less weight, you can get a minimal down summer bag to act as an inner bag. This fills all the space inside your bag, preventing inefficient air circulation. Testing of this filler bag concept by PHD Designs, the bespoke bag manufacturer, has found that it's highly efficient. A filler bag weighing under 250g/9oz can add 10C/18F to a bag's performance.

Fire maple petrel 650ml pot. Has heat diffuser, insulated handle, clear pot lid to see inside with silicone grip still very light. Does 90% of what I want to do. Stove is the soto windmaster w/triflex that works perfectly with it. Works in high winds. When melting snow need a larger pot. Have an MSR 1.5 L pot that I use with the MSR windburner or if very cold wind pro 2

What I like most about your videos is how you test gear. The freezer and the bag liner is impressive.

Zen Bivy full sheet vs half sheet: have both. I have not found it to be as much of an issue as some have. If it’s cool enough to wear at least a base layer on legs then I don’t notice any difference between full and half sheet. I’m happy to save the weight with the half sheet. If it’s warm weather and legs are bare I notice the difference but I have not found it objectionable like I thought I would. I did upgrade to the UL version when it was on sale 30% off from the original Light version. There has been quite a few refinements over the years and they add up to a better product. The new pad and pillow are fantastic- every bit as comfortable has bed at home (a new very expensive bed at that). I have a 12 day trek coming up and that means a heavy pack so while $$, the weight savings are worth it to me. As for the Nemo chair- the jury is still out for me as I don’t know if a chair in general is worth it to me or not?

Thank you! That’s what i was saying about the bottom sheet! I love my normal size Zenbivy😂

I first learned about Zinbivy from your sleep system video a while back and Im very grateful for it. I now have a 2-person 25° bed that I use in 3 season with my girlfriend, and a 10° light that has done well even in snow camping. I was worried that not having a fully enclosed bag would be a problem, but the system does work great. Shame they cut the sheets in half, I suppose I can see the rationale for the UL but it seems unnecessary for the standard Light.

I saw you mention synthetic jackets. I have more experience with then all most anyone maybe? The first one I ever had was in 1972. It was thick and as a kid I could play all day in it the kids with down jackets would get soaked and go home. That was when I was forever sold on synthetic jackets. LLBean was the first to use Primaloft one. The finest synthetic jacket ever made was the All Conditions Primaloft one jacket. It had 200 grams in the hood arms and body. And the build quality was amazing. In 1992 I bought my mom that jacket. She almost never wares it because how warm it is. Not was IS!!!!! Because I am looking at it now. In perfect condition. Outside shell is cobalt blue inside its orange. The tag reads LLBean made in Freeport Maine. God I wished they still made this. For years I have been calling them asking them to remake that jacket. I did that for years. One year they finally did. It was under a different name by LL Bean so I bought two of them one of them is still in its clear wrapping. One of the toughest places to test jackets is in the Smokys and in the second week of Feb. Cold wet. When the sun is out wet sloshy snow is always falling on you. I have done that for 30 or more years.

Hey! I made it in the video (sort of). I paused the Moonlight Elite comments when they flashed and there I was 😄 Really wish it would’ve worked out as a lightweight backpacking chair. The build quality was fantastic. The comfort…not so much. I am gonna pick up one of those R5 Zenbivy mattresses though. I had been checking them out and after your recommendation…I think I’ll pull the trigger on one.

The cocoon liners (merino) are the best IMO. Sleeping in merino is so nice - temperature regulation, not simply warmth. I find them to add, reliably, 15 degrees to a pad and quilt if not more.

6:42 I have started using that Sea to Summit collapsible cup as a lid as well. I'm guessing maybe I saw you do it...? In addition to the fact that it gives me a cup, it also has measurements inside in both metric, ounces, and cups, which is nice because the backpacking meal companies can't decide on one measuring system. It's also easier to read than the measurements inside my Toaks pot.

Awesome video. I appreciate how concise and informative these videos are without feeling like you rush through them. Also appreciate you affirming my decisions! Went with the zenbivy light bed but opted for the core sheet because of the reasons you laid out here. Cheers

I finally got the Zen Bivy light quilt and my only complaint was about the half sheet. I find having it only secured up top and not the bottom felt strange and the half sheet kept riding up my pad as I moved around. Might go ahead and buy a full sheet if I can find one.

Hey man Can I request a video? I'd be really interested to know what is the best sleeping set up for high consequence mountaineering trips (summitting large peaks over multiple days) Context: In the mountaineering community, the experienced guys all have stories of having 1 of the worst nights of their lives on a trip when their inflatable sleeping mat failed up high on a mountain peak, so most of these guys tend to be very bias against inflatable mats in favour of something like the Thermarest Z lite SOL + a foam pad + sleeping on top of ropes (as uncomfortable as it sounds, although it does offer added R-value, how much, I'm not sure) So what I'd like to know is: Is this the best case? How would a semi foam/semi inflating pad work worst case vs the Z lite SOL pad (assuming the semi inflation failed on the pad) Parameters: The mountaineering community had a bias towards lite weight for obvious reasons (Trad gear, ropes, harness, helmet, full hard shell, spare warm clothing, sleeping pillow, avalance beacon, PLB/In reach, food, cooking gear, tent, sleeping bag, etc all adds up and ends up weighing a lot!), however, almost as bad is bulk, moving in an alpine environment (or sub-alpine up to alpine, aka bush bashing) is quite difficult when your pack is really bulky, easy to catch a tree branch or the increased profile can mean wind pushes you around a little more (not great when doing a grade 2 or 3 scramble without ropes or grade 3-5 with ropes). So I'd like to know what other options there are as well as how they perform worse case, the relative weights, the relative pack size and the cost of each option. It would be a really interesting video. I personally still using inflatable mats as I've always carried AquaSeal gel for patching my inflatable mat, although I've never had 1 fail at serious elevation b4 to be fair.

I have RockFront quilt+sheet sleeping system. Ultralight and cheap

I have the older reactor liner. The warmth increase is 100% noticeable. It gets used every time I camp now.

used my tensor extreme this winter and LOVED it. Super happy with it. I couple it with my enlightened equip. 10 F quilt. perfect combo and used reactor liner when it got around 0.

Great video and nice rewiev. Thanks for helping us buying the best gear possible!

Could you maybe tell something about matching the zenbivy core sheet with non rectangular sleeping pads?

[Suggestion] Then comparing numers, please keep both numbers on the screen. It makes it easier to compare, as watching video and remembering numbers is so hard :)

I'm glad I bought last year's model of the Zen Bivy. Now I just need to get that Compression end cap back in stock.

Love my Zenbivy, but not going to give up the full sheet to save a few ounces.

Maybe you should mark it more clearly that the 623g is the Regular Wide variant of the Tensor All-Season, the regular version is only 522g.

I would definitely not recommend the new STS Frontier cups for hot drinks or as a pot lid, they get sooooo hot! Their old collapsible cups are awesome, but these new ones seem to suck all the heat out of liquid in them and are unbearable to hold 😬

Just got my UL zenbivy. I am stoked to put it to the test in a day or two.

Oh yeah, full sheet all the way. The sheet is there to protect the mattress pad from oils and dirt. Lower legs have so much sunscreen and dirt if you wear shorts, and backpacker feet…yeah, that part of the mattress pad being protected is important. Sad they don’t offer a full sheet at the moment. I’ve been trying for years (I bought during their Kickstarter of the first snap system version) for them to get a summer version sheet.

I like your videos, they seem honest👍🏽 Had an idea for a video right now: If you'd know a company which could produce everything for backpacking, what custom made gear would you want?

This is one of the reason I went with the Zenbivy bed instead of the light or ultralight version wanted the full sheet

I think I heard they cut the plex solo weight by making the floor thinner and Im just not sure I would wanna sacrifice durability for an ounce. If they really want me to buy a new one, it needs ventilation at the top 😂

Take a look at the Naturehike YL08 chair, a really budget competition to big brands

The liner is easy to wash so I'd use it whener I can.

The new Sea to summit spark pros definitely seem like an upgrade from the previous models, I am curious about the 15 degree bag with its 950 fill down how much better it is but 784 grams i think it says on the site, is a good light weight for a full sleeping bag.

Do you have a review of the s2s spark pro 30F? Is the function to open it as a quilt or to walk around in it and its versatility worth the extra weight to the normal spark? Would you still prefer the zenbivy?

The tech is improving. Prices, functionality. Still leave much to be desired.

Go to REI and sit in the Moonlight chair before deciding not to buy. After sitting in it, I was sold. It all depends on your body shape.

But the real question is how you got the obnoxiously large and inseparable labels off without destroying it?

If you got the Nemo chair and you didn't like the way it dug into your back, how tall are you? I'm wondering if the comfort is a function of height.

just bought my light bed and i got lucky they still had 2023 light sheets, i didn’t like the half sheet idea either

I respected you before, but my respect is so much higher after I saw you essentially stick a body in a freezer in the name of science 😂

Quick, honest question. I believe your video mentioned the ZenBivy ultralight mattress had a 5.0 R value, but their website lists 4.8. Did I mishear what you said? Thanks for the videos, helpful stuff.

That recline thing on the Nemo chair looks to me like a ticking time bomb for failure. Hopefully, I'm wrong

need a 132 cm pole for the zpack tent, a pole for giants not hobbits like me, 110cm poles are high for me

another great video 👏

Thanks Steven! Perfect timing as I look to upgrade my sleep system. I bought the 2023 light sheets after watching your videos. Would you take the Zenbivy Mattress over the Big Agnes Rapide SL? On paper, they seem almost exactly the same with the Zen Bivy Ultralight being a couple oz less than BA. Thoughts?

Not exactly on topic, but please let me know where i can get a hat like that. I need a replacement and that one is just what im looking for. Thanks!

I like to cut weight but I'm cheap. So price will always beat weight for me.

I thought the thumbnail was a new type of sandal at quick glance.

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Ounces- pounds, how about adding the metric equivalent?

True story lol not all is worth buying.

I think you should put a disclaimer on your critique on some equipment when it's directly corelated with your weight. There's a difference in mechanical limit and comfort limit with many comfort things and the UL movement definitely pushes you to be in shape/have functional muscle and flexibility/low body fat % in order for many things to be comfortable. They design for the majority rather than the minority.

They moved to a half sheet so they could remove the need to have sheets in multiple lengths. The full sheet is a far better design so this decision is purely a business one, rather than a consumer driven one. Disappointing.

Yipee. Nice vid

Just wear leggings. Half length pad cover issue solved. Also no quilts are “ISO certified”.

Been 2 months since you put out your bogus challenge video where lots of people called you out and gave better lists. How much longer is it going to take you to acknowledge that your video was nothing more than a glorified AD and send the people their gear?

nice 8 min ad

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This beard has gotten too much for me to bear...unsubscribed.

Please source your own down , just so you can witness the excruciating pain the birds go through for your little hobbies....

How much difference does that zenbivy half sheet actually make? It’s only your legs and feet touching the pad. Wear socks usually and it’s next to nothing ‘exposed’. I’d be more concerned it says in place ok. Another thing not mentioned is the zenbivy ultralight quilt is far more expensive than the light. For not much gain.

Completely agree with you on the full sheet vs half sheet. I can't imagine a significant weight or space savings from going to half sheet. I assume most of the weight savings is from the 900 fill.

I have a reactor liner and normal fleece liner (much thicker fleece than reactor). The normal fleece liner wins out for comfort and use. The reactor wins out when used as full mumy bag liner but in less than extreme temps adds little value. Regular fleece liner alone is great alone at 18c+ temps but reactor liner needs 24+ as stand alone.

Just make a sheet out of something off ripstop with shock cord .

At 1:00 you said they saved weight by going up from 800 to 900 fill power. Wouldn’t that ADD weight?

Apologies if you mentioned this but why don’t you like the Zenbivy ultra sheet? Is it only because you already have the full size sheet? If the full sheet did not exist would you like the ultra light sheet or would you stay away regardless and why? Thanks!

ended with core bed sheet + UL bed LOOOL

The Nemo Elite was def uncomfortable to me as well. The new Moonlite, slightly heavier version, is very comfortable and I got it. Better than the Helinox and Flexlite as well. Followed your advice and sat in them all, had been close to just buying the Elite and glad i didnt. Still a win for Nemo!

Do you think the Nemo tensor extreme would be a good sleeping pad for summer? I want to do winter camping but I don't want to spend money on two sleeping pad. If I turn the pad upside down and all the mylar sheet are stacked together (for summer time), will it still be warm enough?

I bought a used Gen 1 Plex Solo for $450. I'm totally satisfied. I think they made the floor out of the body Dyneema. I feel it would really be too delicate. My floor is markedly thicker than the body.

Been trying to decide which zen bivy sheet to buy and this helped me choose! Thanks so much

I had the same reaction to them cutting the sheet in half! I thought I was just crazy.

Maybe not a sponsor-friendly question but here goes anyway. :). How does a set of thermals or long-legged/sleeved baselayers compare to a bag liner? For anyone worried about the extra weight of extra warmth, maybe something that's both warm and can be used elsewhere/at other times might be a good option? Unless the bag liner spanks it on heat retention. Sound slike a good freezer experiment. Cheers!

as always…. well done. yabadaba doo 🤙

Super excited to see some new gear reviews!