Backpacking gear I should've NEVER bought

Gear I swapped out. Gear I'm done with. Backpacking gear not worth buying. Gear I should have bought sooner. How to backpack. What do I need for backpacking, camping, and hiking. Best gear for backpacking. Gear that is not worth buying. Backpacking gear I’ve stopped using all together. 

[jeremyncrm]

I’ve found that quality but slightly heavier backpacks are so much more supportive that even with the extra weight I’m less tired and sore when I’m done hiking. The ultralight bags are so uncomfortable I don’t like using them even if they’re lighter.

[devinbraun]

Thanks for the insights Dan. I’m a huge proponent of not skimping when it comes to good sleep. Aside from a passion for backpacking, I spent 24 years in the Army in Infantry and Cavalry organizations: I’ve slept in plenty of holes in the ground, concrete floors, in/on armored vehicles, etc…. When space is tight, it’s easy to think you can make do without a pillow or decent sleep mat, but you will invariably pay for the poor decision (esp. as you get older). They don’t have to be big, bulky or lux, but functional. I have a host of tents for different occasions, including 2 BA Copper Spurs; agree they are pretty much the best all around tent on the market. If someone is getting into backpacking, I’d say make your main initial investment in decent tent, bag and pad; everything else you can go somewhat budget on and work your way to lighter and more hi-performance upgrades as you continue, but good sleep and reliable shelter will either make or ruin your outdoor experiences.

[emanohtolify]

I've gone through a bunch of pillow options and I've had great success with the Sea to Summit Aeros pillow. It packs to nothing. It's inflatable, but has a soft shell, so you don't get the crinkle. You can inflate to your comfort level. I've used it on the ground and with great success in my hammock.

[XShadowAngel]

Once I hammock camped, i've had a hard time ever going back to a tent. Setup is so much faster, easier, and less terrain dependent, and I sleep way better than on the ground.

I actually like the ZigZag. Not as a sleeping pad but as something I use when I take a break. It's easy accessable since you keep it on the outside of the backpack. Perfect to sit on while you're eating or just to take a short nap during the hike :) Then as a bonus you can use is as an extra sleeping pad below your regular one for extra insolation and comfort! Also it can protect you air matress from getting a hole as you talked about

[Laskonova]

Most of my experience in camping comes from the boyscouts, and my only backcountry camping experience comes from philmont scout ranch. And until this video that got randomly recommended to me, it never occurred to me that people brought pillows on camping trips. All of us, including the adults, would just stuff an extra bit of clothes, bunch up the top of our sleeping bag if it was taller than us, whatever worked. I did not realize people brought pillows and that was part of camping. It's neat they make low weight camp pillows.

[kristinegoodman]

I tried a non-organized bp and hated that everything wasn't organized. Then Osprey came out with the Eja that has all the bells and whistles but is only 2lbs! Great notes though - sometimes I think it's just trial and error and figuring out what works best for each person. It's nice that you always talk about lending out your gear to others so they get that chance before having to purchase their own gear.

[LindaNelOlivier]

I really appreciate how you prioritize comfort, since it is a big thing for me. A lot of people focus so much on keeping their things light weight, that they forget that you are out there to enjoy yourself.

[JohnMury]

Love your channel and perspective! Personally, I'm a hammock guy but I have a BA Copper Spur for places where hammocking doesn't work. Besides the better sleep I get in a hammock, I also like how I can use it as my chair. I also love the view. On the Vermont Long Trail, I once woke up to a flash of light, thinking it was lightning. I keep my tarp in a "snakeskin" sleeve, ready to deploy -- that way I can sleep while looking at the night sky. As my vision cleared, I saw it was actually a shooting star, not lightning, so I just laid back and watching a cascade of shooting stars for the next 20 minutes. Also, when hiking remote trails in the Northeast, I find it's much easier to find a place to stealth camp in a hammock. I mostly hike solo and can see how my choice might change if I was hiking with others, especially kids.

[L]

Thanks for sharing. I'm not a backpacker, but I am a camper. Even though I typically camp near a car, I love learning about premium gear and I also like to save weight. With that said, I bought a thermarest pillow about a decade ago. As a camper, weight and space wasn't a concern, but I was just tired of dragging my pillow back and forth. That thermarest pillow is one of the best pillows I've ever slept on -- at home, hotels, or camping. I was shocked that a backpacker pointed to it, since it's a pretty bulky item. But sleep is important. Cheers and thanks for your videos.

[NorthernExposureATV]

I completely agreed up untill the hammock. I love my Hennessey, light, off the ground, easiest to set up, for me its far more comfortable. I definitely recommend bringing a blanket or some type of "under quilt" for colder weather but all in all good tips for newbies....still think you need to try a few different hammocks though😅

Other suggestions-don't bring a pillow, use a dry bag with clothing in it...generally I use the clothing im going to wear in the morning to it stays warm and dry. I also sleep nude so my body moisture is wicked away and has the opportunity to dry out. Doing all of this and getting dressed inside my hammock usually means I'm the first one up getting a fire started because I slept better and woke warmer. Love that you nailed it on the head with the backpack! As far as spreading my stuff out in my hammock...I hang my bag on the hammock at my feet where I get in and out. Nothing sits on the ground to get wet dirty or become a home for something. With all that said I have had critters like raccoons pawing at my but😄 kinda freak at night.

[michamarzec]

I use an inflatable pillow I bought for what would be the equivalent of $5 and I actually love it. Guess it depends on a personal preferance. Pro tip: often you can find much more comfortable position for your head and neck, whether you're sitting or laying down, not inflating it fully and folding in half. Besides wrapping it up in some natural material shirt makes up for the home-like feeling, that is for me at least.

[demoncorejunior]

I love the Thermarest pillows so much I even use them inside sometimes. Totally worth the weight to carry into the backcountry. Very good as a pillow and also as Outdoor gear.

[SummitSeeker]

Love my Thermarest Z Lite Pad (1/2 Pad) - 7.2oz. I don’t use it as my primary sleep pad but I love using it as a sit pad, nap pad, yoga pad, wind break for cooking, vestibule mat, double layer sleep pad to increase R value on cold nights, and if my inflatable leaks I have a backup sleep pad. I use this pad multiple times everyday!

[stoneysdead]

I like sleeping on the ground but I prefer a tarp to a tent- it's just so versatile. I can set it up dozens of different ways to be able to let heat in from a fire or visit with other ppl, to be completely closed in like a tent for privacy, or just fly it to keep rain or sun off. Plus, the one I have doubles as a poncho so it's rain gear as well as shelter. The hood hides in a pocket when it's in tarp mode and can hang down inside the shelter and be used to store small things. Poncho/tarps are awesome- any time you can combine two pieces of gear into one without losing functionality- perfect. The only issue I have is that in poncho mode it tends to hang down a bit low and get under my feet if I don't tie it around my waste.

[joshorourke]

Thermarest pillow is a game changer! I don’t bother rolling it up and just stuff it down in the bottom of my pack with my quilt.

[gpettoohflorentini]

Passing through to see what new gear is out there and stumbled on this channel. Just for anyone out there not worried about packing extra weight and looking for more organization with pockets, the Osprey Atmos 65 is one of the best bags I've used. Lots of different pockets, including hip pockets and has a lot of areas to tie on extra gear. It's more than just a literal bag that weighs zero lbs and costs too much $.

[wisenber]

Synthetic insulation definitely has it's place. I use synthetic quilts in the summer, paddle trips and as an outer layer in deeper cold to move the dew point outside of my down.
We also used them for extended ski touring in Greenland. The down sleeping bags had gained about 5 lbs in water weight within a week and the ones with them were freezing. My 5 lb synthetic bag weighed less than the down bags after a week and it still worked.
It isn't the rain that usually gets down. It's the humidity and insensible perspiration.
Synthetic jackets are also good when you're hiking into the sweat zone on winter hikes. They just shrug it off.

[blankfocus]

The Thermarest Zsol foldable pads are my go to for years. I have one that has lasted a decade and been on multi day bicycle trips, and everything else and never "popped" or even ripped. They can be folded in so many ways that when you're backpacking you can use them to turn rocks and logs into the most comfortable padded seating in the forest before you take it to bed with you.

[elioraimmanuel]

I am NOT a backpacker. I like to hike a few hrs at a time, but much of this translates to how I like to camp. If we take all of the kids and/or their friends we will take the big cabin tent, but for hubby and I we use a Big Agnes 4 person Mtn Glo tent. I LOVE my tent. It is a breeze to set up, light weight and perfectly sized for our Nomad mats and Jazz Duo sleeping bag! We “glamp” with a full kitchen for our 9-14 day outings with 6-12 people, but we also car camp and duo camp where we take a minimalist approach.

Thanks for your videos!