And I thought I just had a glove fetish! I constantly struggle with cold hands, and I keep buying gloves, and not finding anything that conclusively solves the problem. I think the best I’ve been able to do is to keep my hands from getting wet and colder. I’m beginning to think, at 63, that it’s a metabolism problem.

what a wonderful, honest, personal video. ive really enjoyed it. thank you!

that is a great hike , love a nature refuge, in this growing world

Glad you are back in FL. Are you SOBO hiking this go around?

Our first winter retired we went to FL. 2018 between Xmas and New Year's we had campsite booked at Midway Campground Everglades NP. Trumps first term. The government shut down. We showed up not knowing they would let us in. The gate was ajar, we went in, the sole ranger was collecting trash. He said "you didn't see me working, but if I don't, chaos." The showers were supposed to be locked, the women's lock was jimmied open for the tent campers. Some RVers bragged about getting a refund because the campground was "closed" even though they continued to stay there. ☹️ We didn't, we know how underfunded the park service is. We stayed the days we paid for and helped out where we could.

Love your vids. Would like to see more of the trail conditions and scenery. Thanks!

Hello there, new to your channel and enjoying your content and insights. I'm probably 20 years younger than you but ive learnt to appreciate wisdom when it is shared. Thanks. Subbed. All the best from Australia 🙂

Great review. Good reasoning. Sounds like the one for me. Thanks.

Glad you're back!

LOVE YOUR VIDEOS IN TENNESSEE

Hey your back! Yeah finish it! I’m behind you at the 500 mile marker. Also a lot drier than last year SO FAR

Hey your back! Yeah finish it! I’m behind you at the 500 mile marker

Last night i was doing some trip research for next year and watched a couple of your videos on the High Country Pathway. I was wondering to myself if you ever made it back down to the Florida Trail and if you’d post a video since it’s been a while. Very pleasant surprise this morning when I saw this. As for the X-Dome goes, just order it and have it sent to my place. I’ll even break it in for ya lol. Happy trails. Your videos always keep me smiling.

Thanks always love your videos keep um coming

You seem far from the mic. Though, its a great video overall

My one & only is the dark green Hilleberg Enan with footprint permanently attached. I'm 5'3" so I have plenty of interior room. I use the narrow 20" wide XTherm inflatable air mattress (R6.9) and an overfilled Western Mountaineering Antelope (0ºF) with GWS outer fabric. I made the mistake on my first outing of keeping both end vents closed. Subsequently, I keep both vents open & have virtually no condensation on the tent interior. I'm overnighting in the high Sierras @8,000' - 9,000' elevation; it is often gusty windy which means I ALWAYS place big heavy rocks atop each tent peg - ALWAYS. I don't want to get out of my sleeping bag & tent at night to restake a tent peg that pulled out of the ground. I usually have to pound the tent pegs into the usually hard ground. Warm Regards from Reno, Nevada, U.S.A.

I’ve been backpacking for over 20 years. I have had X-Mid 1P for a few years now. Upgraded the V2 mesh inner when it first came out. Best tent I’ve ever had. I don’t have the bank account for the dyneema version. Spent many nights in 30+ mph winds and no problem. I had a friend sew in a clip at the bottom of the door zipper just like the one on the solid version. It works awesome as a zipper strain relief and also for extra ventilation: no need for a double zipper- just keep it clipped and open the zipper as much as you want. Dan Durston told me about the Tarptent trekking pole adapters- they work great! I pitch handle up so no rat chewing on my wrist straps and I hang my pack on the wrist strap. I also swapped out the stock guy lines for 3’ of 2mm Lawson cord at the corners with a barrel loop at the end to lock around the stakes- I never lose a stake if they pullout- which my 8” DAC stakes have never done. The barrel loop also allows me to secure around rocks ine sand where no stake will hold. I camp in windy areas a lot so I always bring 4 8” DAC J stakes for the corners and 8 7” Z Packs Sonic stakes for all the other tie out points. Never failed me. I recently bought the solid inner for sandy/windy spots. So far works great. I really wish Durston would put the clip at the bottom of the door zippers on ALL MODELS (Dan, are you listening?) It’s worth the extra 5 grams weight for the added versatility and security!! I even reinforced all the auxiliary tie outs with GearAid tape.

Curious…I’m going to buy a kakwa and really waffling between the 40 and 55. Weight difference is so little. I can pack my gear into either and only $10 difference has me landing on 55. You seem very happy with 40. Advice???

Been watching you for about a year. Part of the draw to watch you is your age. I am turning 50 soon, and hope to continue backpacking well into my years. I played the contact sports in my youth, but most of my own wear and tear came from years of infantry training. I too haven't had to go in for warranty service, but I have to admit I don't start in the morning like I once used to either. Any advice for a pre-senior aged man, looking to maximize backpacking for at least the next 20 years?

This is the only review I've found on this tent. What drew me to this tent is the fact it only requires two stakes/free-standing option. I was initially drawn to TT because of the Rainbow being free-standing using trekking poles but this ain't a bad option either. On the pole inserts, I've had many tents and this part is always finicky no matter what. I don't understand why we have to do sleeved poles though. It sucked for the heavier tents so it was a godsend to not have to worry about them on the lightweight end of the spectrum yet we are going back to them once we get into ultralight territory. Just a step backwards from the more traditional pole clips, which would also make it easier to attach the rain fly afterwards if we need to. Other than that, the specs are there for you to decide. I can't really see any faults in this tent other than the sleeved pole inserts and think this is a great option both from a free-standing 1p or a 2-stake option.

So so pretty… ❤ Michigan

That was stone cold 🫡

A lot less sleepy than Joe, and a lot less Orange than Trump. Ahead of the game for your age, and an example of what is possible for the rest of us!

Clever use of the CNOC bag

Was a 12 hour drive to get there but glad I did this trail last month and added a couple days to explore all the nooks and crannies. A real picturesque coastline, especially the middle parts past Coves. Your shots capture the memories well, thanks! Getting into the 60s and all the abuse on my joints is making it tricky. As kids we'd practically play in traffic and thought we were indestructable. My kids are much more careful with their bodies, much smarter than we were that way. I guess bad influences can be good influences!

You are a positive inspiration. I am so impressed by your command of the English language and your cognition I assure you is on point. Watching you helps me to stay focused on the positive and what really matters. Especially at this time of widespread anti-intellectualism and hatred as people seem to be willing to be led like sheep to the slaughter.

Carrots and bananas always disappear quickly at a trail magic stop. Us aging hikers just learn to listen to that part of ourselves a little better than the youthful hikers. You’ve got a great channel with a lot of great tips. I’d like to see more about those homemade walking sticks you designed but don’t use much anymore- I always think those things could be way more useful than they are with a little bit of creativity

Great video. I attempted the Colorado Trail this summer. I did a lot of work on dehydrating my own food, especially vegetables and good quality meat. I can't believe what I see some thru hiking KZbinrs eating! The video clips at the end were a beautiful bonus. Thank you for sharing.

If you pick the wrong trail, maybe choose to wear the wrong footwear for that trail, hiking can also definitely take a toll on your body. I completed Pennsylvania’s Black Forest Trail a few weeks ago and I’m still feeling repetitive stress injuries on my feet. “Rocksylvania” is beautiful, but no joke on the feet.

Great topic! You're really an inspiration for my wife and I (in our early 40s) to keep active and proof that we can keep enjoying our favorite hobbies of hiking and backpacking as we grow older.

Keep smiling!

You can get a kit to quickly install a pair of plastic snap fasteners to your kangaroo pockets. I've done this with bunch of pants and shirts, super quick and easy. They are also removable with flush cutters.

I initially wanted to argue against Packtoter's system based on weight, but the durability, bottle accessibility, and ease of use could justify the 1-2 ounces it weighs over other systems, IMO. Thanks, Packtoter, for sharing this idea. For the fellow weight weenies, the system in the video is a 2.12 oz 1L CNOC (Packtoter actually has a 2.8 oz. 2L in the vid, but I was giving the system all the ground I could.) + 0.2 oz coupler + 1.355 oz 1L Smartwater bottle, which totals 3.675 oz. Alternatively, a 0.399 oz. 1 gallon freezer bag and funnel (Adotec 0.17 oz, Tyvek from USPS mailer 0.07 oz, or funnel cut from the top of a 16.9 oz water bottle with the threads removed 0.0056 oz.) leaves 3.1 to 3.67 oz for a container, presumably with a wider mouth, to equal the same weight. For reference, a 32 oz. Body Armor is 1.66 oz, a 28 oz. Gatorade bottle is 1.57 oz, a Talenti jar is 1.9 oz., and a 32 oz. Ziploc Twist n' Lock is 2.0 oz.

Cool, I knew I wasn't just me re dyneema and trekking poles.

I love this. I've always used a CNOC for my dirty water bag that I filter from. Now I'm getting another for powdered meals. Thank you

Why not just stop at a gas station and buy a 20 oz Gatorade or Leaf Tea bottle, which also have the wider tops? I hate SmartWater bottles because the plastic is so thin that they easily puncture if dropped on a rocky surface, and they are round without any edges or texture so it’s easy to have a SmartWater bottle slip out of the hand, or even out of the pack pocket they’re stored in should you bend over to tie a shoelace while wearing the pack or something.

Similar to the method our child’s kindergarten teacher showed us for our daughter to put on her coat. Lay the coat down upside down , put your arms into the sleeves then flip it over your head.

Good chat, mate. I have watched that GearSkeptic video-so detailed and so useful. Should be required watching for anyone working in a gear store. To anyone who is going to watch it: Bring a notepad to the video because you’ll need it.

👍

Maybe some kitchen gloves that would fit over the fleece? Should be a lot lighter than your blue ones there. Maybe even nitrile?

Buy a Milbank bag it will prolong your grayl filter.

Carry 4-pair, 1) White sun-gloves, 2) Merino fleece, 3) Water-resistant finger-gloves, 4) eVent shell mitts. All UL (7oz total). Each pair rolled by a Kam-snapped hair-Scrunchie and all 4 fit in the Left hip-belt pocket with room to spare. Gloves are key to thermal management without stopping or removing pack. Typically start day with only Astroman thin sun-hoodie, even down to 20°F, while piling on as many gloves as needed to compensate for the insufficient torso insulation. Gloves and hoodie make it comfortable. Then shed layers of gloves and hood(s) as hiking warms it up. Same with hoods. In addition to the Astroman hood, carry a merino balaclava and a MYoG'd dcf-wpb shell-hood. Carry a hoodie-fleece and no puffy. Rarely use the 6oz fleece hoodie.

I pack a dedicated pair of tent/sleeping gloves (liner weight Smartwool), as I sleep with my hands over my head and my hiking gloves can be wet and drying. I also don’t want to transfer dirt from my hiking gloves onto my down quilt. They’re fine in the tent from warm weather down to around 25 F.

I have a pair of the Showa gloves without insulation. I use them as a waterproof cover over my light gloves. Hard to get them up sized to fit over the fleece or knit ones. Anyone know a US source for unlined Showas? Amazon does not list them

Only bad thing walking the trail with hands in ya pocket is if u trip n plant ur face or ur head hits a rock. I get the small hand warmers n put inside my gloves

Just another reason to filter your water...

What tent are you using these days?

Could carry fishing gear in storage poles.

I love my full size sawyer and a CNOC bag. The gravity feed collar is gold. The others just don't measure up (yet)

I took a group of city folks through the Pictured Rocks. One of the gals refused to drink filtered water from the backcountry and forced her boyfriend to carry 16 oz bottles of spring water for the entire four day trip.