$5 Ultralight Backpacking Hacks!

Welcome back everyone! In this video I show you some ultralight backpacking hacks so you can lighten your loadout on trail! None of this gear is meant to be a gimmick. Everything I show in this video is gear that I have been regularly using for at least a year!

Item #1, the trash compactor bag. Less than $1 per bag and they last FOREVER and will keep your gear bone dry. Bonus points if you already have a trash compactor in your house because you won't have to spend anything extra at all!

Item #2, freezer bags and ziploc bags. These things are great for keeping small items from getting wet. I use ziploc bags for my fire kit and to store my electronics. Freezer bags I use for a ton of things such as a trash bag, cooking pot liner and food storage!

Item #3, the cotton bandana. Yet another item that only costs $1 and has literally dozens of uses! Use it to pre filter water, as part of your medical kit and as a piece of utility clothing!

Item #4, the cotton ball fire starter. Self explanatory, coat some cotton balls in vaseline and you now have one of the best fire starters you can possibly have! Have you ever bought a fire starter that didn't perform well in the field? I sure have and it's disappointing to waste money! I have never had one of these DIY fire starters fail me in the field!

Item #5, cheap and lightweight food options. In this video I over ramen noodles and instant potatoes specifically but there are a bunch of other options! I also use Knorr pasta sides and oatmeal on a regular basis. The cost and calories compared to the price is a great value and it's way cheaper than buying freeze dried meals!

Stay tuned for some bonus ultralight hacks sprinkled throughout the video! Thank you so much for watching and I hope this helps you lighten your load on trail! If you like the content please give it a thumbs up and consider subscribing!

[Marwin]

Some great tips! Actually better than cotton balls are (digital sanitary) tampons to use with the vaseline. They come super compressed and are already water-tight as they're fully wrapped. One can easily light three fires with only one of them. You only need to bring a couple of these and a small tube (19g) of vaseline (always handy on the trail) and you're good to go. All you do ist cut about a third, rub with vaseline and then don't forget to carefully pick the cotton ball apart to allow in air (remember the fire triangle). That fluffy ball only needs one spark and you'll have hot fat burning for a long time.

[gretchenschlager]

"Playing Tetris" is the best description I have ever heard!!

[LULU-ppii]

Thank you! I’m a absolutely rookie when it comes to saving money but all the tips you mentioned in here is really useful! Thank you again!

[lanecountybigfooters]

Love Ziplock bags. Went on a popular hike and saw a guy carrying a handful of blackberries while hiking. Didn't think about it until he was out of sight but I totally had extra ziplocks that I could have shared. You never know when you'll need another container!

[outtadarkness]

Thank you for sharing this video. Most of what you shared, I already knew, but I also learned some things. That is a win in my book! I like that you are mindful that not everyone has an endless pool of money to draw from. Some of these suggestions could make the difference between someone having the confidence to venture out and feeling like they can't because they can't afford expensive gear and supplies. Thank you again!
Note: I just found you a few minutes ago and am now subscribed. 👍👍

[brucefluth]

I bring paper coffee filters with me if I need to pre-filter water. Extremely lightweight and can be used multiple times. 😎

[mrdeanvincent]

Good tips. A couple of additional thoughts:

1. You can buy your own dehydrator for the price of about 3 store-bought dehydrated meals. Then you can make whatever meals you want for a fraction of the cost. I've made pastas, curries, risottos, etc for on trail. Cook them at home as normal, then run them through your dehydrator, and then you can put them in vacuum-sealed bags or just in ziplock freezer bags for the trail.

2. The advantage of a pack cover over a pack liner is that it prevents your pack from getting wet. A wet pack is a heavy pack.

[mrlinger]

Love your videos dude just came across you today and compared to some bigger channels your providing info for the average Joe and making solo camping and backpacking achievable.
Once again thank you 😊

[frugalmum]

Leukotape on your lighter, instead of duct tape...now with gaze or a few cotton makeup rounds, you have large bandaids, repair your kit or yourself, it replaces moleskin too . :)

[Gamerhog]

Great video, I use compactor bag & 3 Ziploc bags. My net tent and sleep pad are the only things in stuff sacks now.

[LongRider]

Another great video. A video on grocery store shopping for backpacking food might be good for new hikers and those on a budget. I can’t remember the last backpack dried meal I had. Oh wait, it was 1992 I think lol.

Another position for a bandana is to lean forward with it fully open. Place it on your head over your neck and ears. Put your cap or hat on to hold it in place. The old French Foreign Legion look. Great for sun and helps with insects.

[wuxiahero]

Great video & tips! I use instant mashed potatoes and ramen too. One way to jazz them up a little and get some more nutrition is to add cut up cheese sticks and slices of jerky to the potatoes and dehydrated veggies to the ramen. I also repackage instant rice and bring along a few of those vacuum packs of tuna or salmon with some sauce packets from Chinese restaurants.

[sunnydays]

Thank you for showing the cotton ball and Vaseline….I have heard that multiple times, but it helps to see it in action.

[ghostape]

Great video. I also use the plastic shopping bags from the grocery store to store gear in; they also hang in a tree well.

[zakafx]

while i employ all of the tactics you have listed already, its great to see someone explaining all of these hacks for noobs who wanna shave some ounces. thanks man.

[kristenhansen]

Best backpacking hack video I've seen so far. Thanks!

[samsmith]

Good call on putting the freezer bags in the pot thing. I found the trick with that is to use a larger pot. For example, if I'm trying to make instant mashed potatoes in a 600 ML pot, it's very difficult to do. People laugh at me went I bring an 11ml titanium pot with coozie. Aside from the added bulk, the weight increase is negligible. it just works better and you can put a great deal of food in there and keep it warm for a long time while setting up camp.

[waxler]

Liked the vid! I use 1/2 gallon freezer bags to rehydrate in. They fit in my 900ml pot really well. A compactor or garbage bag with strategically placed slits for shoulder straps and waist belt makes a good rain cover.

[paulcarey]

Great tips.Can't go wrong with ziplock bags. I also wrap gorilla tape around one end of a ferro rod which also acts as a handle for stability when making sparks.

[kevinjnaquin]

Regular trash bags work well and are usually cheaper. Only downside is they stretch out and potentially tear easier. Dollar tree can be your best friend even on multi day hikes. Some even have small beef jerky packs as well as pouches of chicken and fish. It’s a routine for us now to hit one before we head out on a hike or trail to stock up