Thanks for the info! I’m glad to hear it worked out for you!

Thank you!

It does weigh quite a bit more, but it carries more comfortably and I don’t have to worry about it failing on me

I actually sold that tent, but it was closer to 11 by 8 or 9. I’m sure it could have been compressed a little more, but 11 by 5 seems like a stretch to me.

Thank you! I’m constantly checking out new cottage company gear and trying to use/learn new things. Thanks for the positive feedback!!

I think it would be. I don’t have any experience with hammock camping, but UGQ also makes under quilts for hammocks. I would assume their bandit top quilt paired with their under quilt would be a great setup.

Cool thanks! Tbh I'd probably get it in the same colors too =).

Hello! The ditty bag and the food bag (both DCF) are from allmansright. The DCF stuff sack for my quilt and the DCF pillow bag are both from Zpacks. If you’re looking for a quilt stuff sack I’d actually recommend buying one from Enlightened Equipment. They’re only $5 I believe and they’re a silnylon material that lasts a lot longer than the DCF sacks. They come in 3 different sizes too. Hope that helps! I’m so glad you liked the video!

@@CaraHikes ahh thanks so much lovely! 🥰 I’ll see if I can get those in the UK and thanks for the heads up too! Look forward to seeing some of your adventures! 🥰

I use the Nitecore NB 10,000. Super light and hasn’t failed me yet!

We each have a bear canister so we pack one full of food and save space in the other for smelly items. If I was going solo I would bring a smelly proof bag for a days worth of food and the toiletries until there was room in the canister to squeeze them inside. Hope that helps!

I actually ended up selling the quillow before I ever used it. We decided to go with a 2 person accomplice quilt from EE so that one of us carries the quilt and the other one carries the tent.

I’m glad to hear you also had a good experience with this pad. It’s definitely heavier than a lot of sleeping pads out there, but for the price and comfort I really don’t think you can beat it. Thanks!

I’m so glad I’m not the only one! The Zerk 25 is the closest thing to a perfect pack I’ve found. If they came up with a better lid design I think it would actually be perfect. Those double side pockets really are amazing!

Glad it was helpful!

A roll top would be nice. I’d even take a flat, floppy lid like on Gossamer Gear packs

I can put one up about it

Internal volume is 23 liters. I can reach the bottles without taking the pack off which is awesome. Everything can pretty much be accessed on the go!

I’m glad it was helpful. It definitely doesn’t hurt to try out both, but if you’re leaning towards the Zerk it’s on sale for $150 right now. Mountainsmith’s sale goes until 9/8

Thank you! I try to just get the info out there and keep it short. I really appreciate the positive comment!

That might work and I will definitely try it. I’ve carried probably about 10 pounds in it for my short trail runs. It carried really well for me and I’m pretty small. Even backpacking I don’t usually carry more than 18 pounds so I haven’t really overloaded it yet. I’m sure you could push 20 pounds with no problem using the hipbelt for extra stability. Hope this helps!

@@CaraHikes Thanks for the quick reply! My winter base weight is 11ish lbs and looking at knocking out the first 85 of the ozark highlands trail coming up. So it's that time to start planning how many days a pack can do before needing a resupply lol. This helps I was thinking 20-25 would be max.

I read so many reviews about the Loris before I bought it. I’ve had a lot of trouble over the years with uncomfortable shoulder straps on different packs. It’s definitely a cool little pack and the colors are awesome. I’m bummed it didn’t work for me, but I’m glad to hear it works for you!

We ended up driving out to Utah and Colorado and visited all 9 national parks out there. We also hit the Gateway Arch and Petrified Forest on our way out to Zion.

I was really surprised by how comfortable the pack was. Even with a good amount of weight in it

I envy tarp campers so much! My fear of spiders keeps me in a tent, but I’m looking into tarp/bivy setups to try something new.

6 MSR mini groundhog stakes

Can I ask what you hate about it? I’m trying to get as much user info as possible

That sounds like an awesome trip! I was also impressed with how cavernous the pack is for only being 20 liters. I’m curious, how comfy did it carry with the full 5 liters of water? I’ve never had to haul that much before

@@CaraHikes pretty well I kept the weight around 20lbs. Anything around that weight it ok for me with it. I could have been more efficient with the water instead of using five smart water bottles lol. First time having to haul that much water with it.

I’m glad it was helpful!

Thank you!

I don’t really count trekking poles in my base weight because I do use them constantly throughout the day. If I was only bringing them for the tent and carrying them on/in my pack I’d add them

If you don’t want to spend the money you could always wrap a buff around a stuff sack. It does pretty much the same thing. Or litesmith has some inflatable pillows that come with a straw and cost like $2

@@CaraHikes Thanks. I'm tempted to go down the buff route, especially if I can find a fleece one. Although, nice to have the all-in-one with zpacks.

Thank you!

I also wondered about long pants. Fall and spring van definitely get chilly. I actually prefer long pants, even light pants in summer, for protection from sun, ticks and other bugs, sticks and brambles.

Wishing you many great adventures this year! Just wondering why you don't bring pants? I am not a through hiker like you and much older now. I have no choice but to go ultra light weight because I can't carry much anymore, so I am constantly researching better and lighter gear. Definately multi purpose items. So one thing I value in all the hiking and camping we do allot are some kind of outer shell....so...a lightweight rain jacket which you have, and pant or water resistant/ quick dry breathable shell jogging pant at the very least and decent light weight yoga pants to layer under incase or sleep in. Our temps here can drop drastically in the course of one day, like allot of places, plus the bugs around here in New England are insane (especially because of all the rain for two years now) and no way I could tolerate bare legs around camp for even minutes at dusk especially. I have to bring a tiny no weight really mosquito headnet as well and small packable cap to put it over. I love my sun hoodies for this reason as well, but nothing beats a nice light rim cap to keep the sun off my face unde the hoodie sometimes. My cap can squish in a pocket. Plus sunglasses get lost, broken then what? I also noticed you don't have some kind of buff another key thing for me to keep me warm at night or cool when I wet it during the day. If it's too much I just wrap it around my wrist. I bring running gloves at all times now because my hands get fried now in the sun and often get cold at night. Again they live in my pocket, so tiny why not. Helps with the wear and tear on my hands from trecking poles as well. I started wearing very light weight gaiters and omg definitely keep the muck out of my shoes plus I can apply bug repellent on them instead of my skin for ticks, which are also a huge problem around here. I carry Ben's wipes and so not a fan of DEET but Lyme is definitely a serious thing to think about, my best friend got it so bad. Once my guy got cover taking two steps down a trail, it was a nightmare. For my feet, for at night if it gets cold I bring these teeny down packable booties that weigh nothing. It's insane how they make such a difference. I keep them with my packable puffy I bring all year and it serves as a pillow if nothing else. Sometimes my feet just get sick of being in socks as well. I bring baking soda in a little screw top tin. I buy the tins on Amazon cheap. There are so many uses for this, but I have totally replaced toothpaste all together and the difference with my tooth health is insane. So excellent for tooth ache, sore throat. This is good for rashes, sore feet, to deodorize stuff. I bring a little Sil nylon Sea to Summit dry bag to wash out underware and socks aka clothes and just use a soap sheet and a bit of baking soda and voilla. Baking soda is also the best antacid so if you get heart burn or an upset stomach it works instantly. I bring some activated Charcoal capsuls as well just incase I eat or drink something bad. This starts the detox process and the active ingredient really in Pepto Bismol. It can also be used on bug bits and bee stings and exposure to poisonous plants like poison ivy. It's overall an incredible detoxification item. Used in hospitals as well. I just store them in tiny zip lock bead bags, as well as some of my other essential vitamins. I get the thick mil 1x1 or 2x2 inch bags on Amazon also very cheap. I can loose all the stire packaging on other items like Immodiim, Benadryl and IBU. I just label and date with a sharpie and tape over with scotch tape so it does not smear. Realky simple and keeps stuff so organized and waterproof. I bring a tin of Tigerbalm again one thing with so many uses, for sore muscles, feet, for headaches, like Vicks for congestion, etc... I fill my done eye drop containers with tea tree oil. Again something with so many uses especially for antimicrobial purposes. You could mix some with aloe and make your own hand sanitizer. Works OK for bugs... put on a cloth with some water and freshen up as well as deterring bugs. I have the Kulu cloth which works well and next to it a small tiny pack towel I actually fit a tiny pack of Sea to Summit soap sheets in its little mesh type pouch. It just feels so good to get to camp and wash my face and neck especially on hot days. I have a little hand sanitizer container in a silicone holder that lives on the bag as well. Again, I mix my own using more aloe then alcohol because the alcohol is so bad for skin for urban use, in town...and again especially out in nature, tea tree oil can be used instead for antibacterial properties but I cant say it will kill flu. Gear I use most at camp is the Nightcore NU25 headlamp. I have the older version I made the shock cord mod for...I literally wear this around my neck to sleep so I have light to use the rest room at night or ICE. It's just so small. I got the newer version last year, it's a bit bigger and it comes with the shock cord. I like the older model better and my shock cord mod. Even the slightly bigger size makes it uncomfortable for me and their shock cord is really stiff and bulky. Maybe you forgot to mention a BIC lighter to lite your stove. I wrap thin waxed candle wick around my mini Bics and this is incase I have to make a fire This lights like a candle and definitely extends the lighter fuel. The mod is on You Tube. I also carry a small tin of Live Fire which is a candle like accelerant. Tiny and very efficient. I carry a plastic card with some gorilla tape, some Leuko tape for blisters and inbetween them I tape in two big eyed stainless sewing needles and over them some heavy gage thread. This is my repair kit. I have a one use Suoer Glue and Curad Blood stop sheets which are just common sence for medical or anyone using a knife.. I have a Leatgermsn Squirt which is a multi Tool with little plyers incase I have to sew shoes or my pack, fix a tent beyond what a patch can handle, and the plyers to pull the needle through thick material, and have used this a few times. This also has a decent set of scissors and a file, tweezers, a tooth pics, and a way to keep my nails clean. Just very useful. Plus a small blade. I have the same cook set up. I got some Hot Lips for the edge of the pot and I love using it so I don't burn my lips on hot titaium with fuel remnants on it. It's just a tiny piece of silcone that weighs nothing. I bring a piece of tin foil to use as a wind screen.

A few more things to consider and especially people on a budget or trying to go more green. I have been using Silcone zip lock storage bags, food grade, and for awhile now for my food and gear, even to compress some smaller clothing items like spare socks, undergarments maybe a hat and gloves. Definitely have used to keep my phone safe on a boat, at the beach, lake, etc... These are the bags made to replace plastic storage and freezer bags. Robust enough to last. They usually come in sets of four each snack, sandwich, quart and gallon sizes. I have bought a few sets now ranging from 10 to 13.00 dollars US. I get the ones recommended by a You Tuber that have a rim all around the edge so they don't spit at the seams or edges. They are like a frosty clear so you can see what is inside. The beauty of these is they keep gear, tech completely waterproof and med supplies dry and sterile. They don't puncture like plastic bags or wear down. They can be boiled or hold hot water, they can be frozen. They can be microwaved and are dish washer safe. They are feather weight so these can easily replace all these expensive bags cottage companies are making a killing on especially, that aren't even dry bags which to me is....well whatever. Atleast they are more of a challenge for critters attacking hung food and will keep that food dry. You can store seperate ingredients and make your own dehydrated meals to the portions you want and flavors. It's much cheaper, say to buy the big containers of Mountain house beef, chicken, etc. and buy the big bags of soup mixes and vegetables from places like Frontier. We buy dehydrated eggs, cheese, butter, tomatoe powder. So much on sale on Amazon. Add your own spices, pasta, beans. Anyway, These bags unlike store bought premade packaging compress everything. Being Silicone they slip in and out of packs and bags well. They save so much space. You can obviously rehydrate meals in them. You can use them to haul extra water. I just got one with a flat bottom for my med supplies as a container as well I can use as a wash basin, to clean a wound, soak a hand, wash out an eye, something far more sterile then a bottle drank from. These can be frozen so great to put ice in to make a cold pack or put hot water to use as a water bottle. Depending size you could soak a foot in the gallon size if your feet fit or atleast soak a toe. These are great for maps. And last to keep smelly stuff from mixing in with everything else, like bug spray or fire starters, some so toxic. I have not had one leak yet! These are great for personal care items. Tooth brush, soap, wet clothes, you can wash clothes in them. Add alittle baking soda, a soap sheet and water and squish around. Again, you can put boiling water in them to get those gross socks and undies detoxed, lol. Happy hiking !

One more maybe helpful hint on the green side. I went to using white cotten on bsmboo, linen hankerchiefs not just for their original purpose, but to prefilter water into my Be Free or any filter you use. I just attach with a thick hair elastic. I usually have one on my head, lol These hankerchiefs are white, thus dye free which then obviously do not contaminate your water further like bandanas or scarfs or clothes aka other cloth now loaded with China dyes and laundry detergent and fabric softeners or chemical treatments period. When I buy them I bleach them and dry well. Then are then sterile and can be used in a pinch as medical dressing so I keep a few bagged up for this purpose, and a few to blow my nose or eash my face, whatever.

Thank you! For this kit I just filled the stuff sack with extra clothes and wrapped my buff around it to create a makeshift pillow. I just put out a video of my new kit for 2024 and in this one I have a Zpacks pillow bag. It’s a dry bag with a layer of fleece on one side. Basically the same concept, but this one was made specifically for use as a pillow and a clothes bag.

thanks@@CaraHikes

Thank you!

Thank you!

Thank you! More videos to come!

Thank you for the info on the BeFree filter. I will definitely remember that! And as for bottom layers I do usually hike most of the day, cook up a quick dinner and hop right into my quilt. I hate hiking in pants or leggings aside from winter, so bringing them just in case never seems worth it. One day I’m sure I will regret that decision lol

I will definitely have to try that out! It would be worth the small amount of weight

@@CaraHikes I was gonna say the same thing!

Thank you!

Thank you!

Thank you

I bought an alpha fleece from them in a size small. It was a little tight across the chest for me, but the arms were fine (and my arms are super long). I went with a medium for this one. The Farpointe Sun hoodie I’m wearing in the video is a small and is roomy enough, but the fabric has much more stretch to it than alpha. Hope that helps! I’d definitely size up for a minimal weight penalty.

Thank you! I’ve tried EE and came back to UGQ for quilts at least