Wild camping using 3 season backpacking tent, in December!

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A wild camping trip in the mountains of South Wales, when I deliberately chose to use trail runners and a 3-season backpacking tent in the cold, wet, and windy weather that's typical of the UK in December. How do I get along?
Featuring the wreckage of a Wellington Bomber, and a rare Broken Spectre!

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9 янв 2024

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Комментарии : 22

@rtk3543 6 месяцев назад

Enjoyable video with lots of interesting points most of which I agree with, I have to disagree with you about footwear though, but each to there own. Cheers.

@longsufferinghiker 6 месяцев назад

Thanks! I know that the footwear choice is a very personal matter; a good friend of mine prefers boots and can't be converted, despite my best efforts! Most through-hikers seem to be moving to Trail Runners these days, but winter conditions can make a difference. There seems to be a gap in the market for better insulated trail runners.

@efvanyberg 6 месяцев назад

New film! Great! I do like your films. :) To be fair though, what you were hiking in I'd call autumn conditions, so three season equipment will do just fine. Winter conditions is snow and well below freezing, like the winter we're having right now in Scandinavia. I love my barefoot shoes, but right now I pull on proper well-insulated winter boots when outdoors. As for the tent, well, it's not as important as your sleeping bag and pad. It's entirely possible to sleep under the stars even in snow conditions. Thing is, if it does get windy in winter, you get a snowstorm and that's not conditions I'd go out hiking in. It'd be risking my life. Wind is a bigger problem for tents in three season conditions. All in my humble opinion. ;)

@longsufferinghiker 6 месяцев назад

Thanks! I agree that’s the problem; 4 seasons conditions vary hugely in different environments, so it makes it a dubious indicator. Winter in Wales is a lot different to Scandinavia! Better to do like you & I do; monitor the weather and choose a route and equipment that is sensible. I really enjoy camping in cold weather with little wind, if I can ensure that I’m properly equipped.

@AngiefromthesparklingRiver 6 месяцев назад

It's so nice to see a video from you again. You can tell that you're having fun and that's incredibly motivating! Your experiences in wild camping and hiking are always useful and most welcome. Thank you very much 😊 Personally, I really like it when the weather is like this, even if it is very gloomy (I sound like Morticia Addams😂) , you often have the whole area to yourself. which is nice for me every now and then, even if packing and unpacking in the wind and rain is never much fun. I think it's great that you get along so well in the winter with the trail runner shoes. In the summer I often wear Vibram fivefingers but unfortunately I haven't found an easy solution for the winter yet (I freeze as soon as I stop😅)

@longsufferinghiker 6 месяцев назад

Thanks!! It was great to be out & about again, and I really loved the whole experience, even though the conditions got a bit grim! I've found that tough weather can make the trip more intense and memorable, and if you have good equipment and experience then you can be perfectly happy, even though it's wet & windy. Somehow being inside the tent feels even better when the weather outside is bad :-)

@stewartgregson8479 6 месяцев назад

Great video. Totally agree with your comments on 3 season/4 season kit and it’s use. I just think about what kit I’m going to need for the conditions I’m going out in, if I haven’t got the kit to safely deal with the conditions, I don’t go and I’ll err on the side of caution during winter. Living in the south west I don’t have much call for kit that can deal with snow and I can’t afford to buy stuff for the few days each year it might snow down here. Last winter I used trail runners with waterproof socks all year except for one occasion. This year I’m trialing the vivo barefoot magna forests just to see if they keep my feet a bit warmer.

@longsufferinghiker 6 месяцев назад

Thanks. It's great to know that you think along the same lines as me. I was on Dartmoor in the snow last year and did just fine with Trail Runners, waterproof socks, and micro spikes. There's a mind-set that you need big boots for hiking, and a fancy expensive tent. But I prefer to move fast, light, and comfortable; it's worked for me so far!

@DerrickHikes 6 месяцев назад

Great video! New subscriber here

@longsufferinghiker 6 месяцев назад

Thanks mate; it means a lot 🥹

@Chilternwildcamper 6 месяцев назад

I agree about the 3/4 season, lots of confusion. I am a cold sleeper, women usually are and I look for a more solid inner, and a fly I can set low to keep out the cold wind. So many tents have mesh inners, doesn't condensation drip on people's heads? Great video, that's Welsh weather!

@longsufferinghiker 6 месяцев назад

I agree totally about having a solid inner. I think for the UK there's no option because conditions here are wetter and windier, and condensation is unavoidable. That's why I don't like the Lanshan Pro (single-skin) version; I like to be sheltered, warm, and dry! :-)

@michaelharrison9445 6 месяцев назад

Hi, enjoyed your video. Do Sealskinz socks really keep the wet out? Like you I now use trainers for all my walking with the exception of snow and ice, I’ve seen mixed reviews about waterproof socks so am reluctant to buy any, your findings would be useful and may influence me to try some. Cheers, Mike

@longsufferinghiker 6 месяцев назад

Hmmm… That’s a really good question, and probably deserves a video all of its own! The short answer is yes, I think when they’re in good condition then they are waterproof; they have a waterproof Goretex or similar membrane sandwiched between 2 layers of fabric. But that also means that the fabric 'wets out' if the socks and shoes are wet, and perspiration can't escape, so your feet get damp from the inside instead. The same problem happens with leather boots. And once the Sealskinz are wet inside & out they take ages to dry out. And the fabric they are made from isn't very warm when it's wet, either. So I take a fresh pair for each days walking on shorter trips The alternative is to use very good quality Merino wool socks. These are extremely comfortable, they are still warm even when wet through, and they have a natural water repellence, so they dry out quickly too. On the 15-day Cape Wrath Trail I was splashing my way through river crossings and moorland all day. I was faced with many days in a row of wet feet, with no chance to dry out the footwear overnight. So I opted for 'Darn Tough' merino wool mix socks, and I was extremely pleased with them. My feet would be chilly after a river crossing, but they would warm up very quickly, and the socks stayed warm and comfortable throughout. So I guess I’m saying that for shorter trips the Sealskinz are good, but for multi-day through hikes I think Darn Tough socks are possibly a better option.

@thevalleywalker 6 месяцев назад

Good watch of an area I have not walked for many a year - well the southern section when I used to do a loop from the Tafarn y Carreg and used to walk across the morland and head for the TP on Carreg yr Ogof before heading along the ridge and returning via the ridge on Fan Hir. I think your route was a little different to this on the southern side - be interested to see it or know where roughly you pitched on the 1st ridge. My lad has moved to Ystradgynlais so I am down that way once a week and come the warmer weather will head out from his for an overnighter on Mynydd Du . Did you weight your gear for the hike and if so what was it? regards Alan

@longsufferinghiker 6 месяцев назад

Hi again Alan. Yes, I parked at Tafarn Y Gareg and walked up the main path above the Dan Yr Ogof. I left the main path at SN 82159 17585 in order to visit the crash site at SN 81621 16920. My pitch the 1st night was somewhere upstream from the Sinc Giedd. The 'dry' weight of my gear (exc. food, gas, water, whisky), was 10.2kg, a bit more than usual because of the extra insulation. Let me know when you're next heading out that way!

@stuartbowman4582 6 месяцев назад

I know what you mean about the silence but it's the lack of wildlife you're hearing. Our uplands are deserts, monocultures of grass. I'd take the birdsong, goats, vultures and marmots of other European countries anyday.

@longsufferinghiker 6 месяцев назад

Each to their own, but in the middle of winter I don’t expect much noise from wildlife, whatever the location.

@TimmyBobinson 6 месяцев назад

What size pack are you using please?

@longsufferinghiker 6 месяцев назад

It’s 58 litres; an Osprey Exos 58. I thoroughly recommend it; weighs around 1kg and is extremely comfortable. I find that 58 litres is more than enough for winter camping. In summer 48 litres would be enough.

@TimmyBobinson 6 месяцев назад

@@longsufferinghiker I have the exact same one in a 48ltr. I was wondering what is the smallest size that can cope with mid winter loadout. I think the 58ltr is the biggest one they do, correct?

@longsufferinghiker 6 месяцев назад

@TimmyBobinson yes, it’s the largest size Exos. I think it’s plenty large enough. It’s easy to just fill the available space in anything larger, and end up carrying too much