Camping Hacks Every Backpacker Should Know

My Favorite Camp Hacks I've learned over 8 Years & 14K Miles of Backpacking!
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[@krasht1]

You can use a clear water bottle as a level to check your tent site !

[@dustyc324]

I'm gonna use this. thanks.

[@amalielaursen1280]

Thats a nice one that i can use❤

[@charlesshober8840]

you fucking funny

[@stormbringer5826]

That's a great one, I'm even going to draw a line on my bottle at level to make it easier to compare it against something. Thanks man.

[@jonathankobbe6073]

Isnt a water bottle so short that its much more influnced by the microtopography so to say of where you put it than the general topography?

[@KrizAkoni]

When I know my water will freeze overnight, I pre-fill my cook pot so the water is where it needs to be in the AM for my coffee.

[@TravisSvedberg]

that is genious

[@paddor]

Just bury it in fluffy snow. It won’t freeze.

[@winkfinkerstien1957]

That's a good "solid" tip! 😂

[@kongyoyo]

You can fill up a suitable bottle with hot water and pop it in your sleeping bag for warmth and it’ll be quicker to heat up the next day for coffee as it’ll be somewhat warm.

[@Bike_baik_saja_]

​@@kongyoyoand less fuel burned

[@BareYoga]

These are great tips. For me, I get up at the crack of dawn, pack up, get my food bag, and eat a coffee gel while I start hiking. Once the sun is bright and warm and I’m ready to de-layer, I stop for breakfast. Then I’m not shivering trying to heat water and I’m never very cold in the morning.

[@johannastatum4226]

Same, so much more energy efficient to get the first few miles done immediately until the sun is strong enough to let me comfortably stop and have my first meal break. This is very recommended for those big mile days as well.

[@adventuremedic4538]

Coffee gel? What is this? Sounds amazing for us non-morning people!

[@BareYoga]

@@adventuremedic4538 they sell them at running stores or online. GU and HammerGel are popular brands. It’s a nice caffeine jolt until I can make a real cup of coffee.

[@Tamara52211]

same, I just get up and start hiking, and do breakfast once the sun is up. The exception is if its raining, I eat in my tent (unless again if there’s bears)

[@BareYoga]

@@Tamara52211 for sure. Bears make a difference for sure.

[@Karen-dq8nw]

Biggest tip of all - no matter how much experience you have, never close yourself off to new ideas. You never know when someone has a great hack for packing, camping, cooking, eating, hiking, or even first aid. They may be a newbie even, but may have something great to contribute.

[@bendover4496]

I always dig a good cat hole the night before. There’s nothing that sucks more than having to dig a cat hole in the morning. It’s always much harder when you’ve got to go.

[@affalaffaa]

Word.

[@jmonster0973]

i cant fkn believe this has never occurred to LMAO dude thank you!!!!!🎉

[@pattidoyle5102]

Awesome! And the ground hasn’t frozen yet making it so much softer doing it ahead of time. Great idea!

[@DenimNeverNude]

I started doing this a couple years ago, but have had a few mishaps. Occasionally I can't find the cathole in the morning and on more than one occasion, I dug a cathole in what seemed like a remote spot in the dark, only to find out in the morning that I dug a cathole very close to an adjacent section of trail. I've been surprised by hikers after "assuming the position" over my cathole and no one was happy about it.

[@PeterRSCFF]

@@DenimNeverNudeAs with Real Estate, planning a cathole is all about location location location

[@WAndrewHarper]

Dude that tent tip rolling it up with 1 stake is going to make my life a lot easier. Thanks Darwin!

[@XwaYdesu]

1) I wear earplugs to sleep. Otherwise Im too hyper-alert to the sounds around me. 2) I pack up the inside of my tent before I get out of it in the morning. It just makes that part go faster and feel like less of a chore. 3) When I take breaks in dry weather, even short ones, I take off my socks to let some of the sweat evaporate. It's reduced my blister rate.

[@RoyADane]

I like the "put the glasses on the zipper pull trick" . Very cool.

[@DarwinOnthetrail]

Yeah, just one of those little things you do for years without even realizing it 😅

[@joshubrook324]

I always put mine in my shoe

[@Kritzo78]

I agree that this is very genius! You can get them fast if you wake up from an animal outside or some kind of survival situation!

[@GarryCollins-ec8yo]

On windy days I take my spare carabiner and clip the up wind corner of my ground cloth to my backpack until I get my tent stacked.

[@Nunyabizniz_BHL]

When I start hiking on a cold morning. I will put my backpack on and then put my jacket on backwards (back side on my chest and zipper toward the back). I then tuck it in behind my back. This way when I warm up….i don’t have to take my back pack off to take off the jacket. I can just take off the jacket and shove it in a side pocket or have a buddy shove it in the bag itself.

[@dereinzigwahreRichi]

I'm just curious: what's your reason for that? Is your backpack so hard to take off you'd rather not do it often? Or are you in a hurry to get as much ground covered before noon?

[@Nunyabizniz_BHL]

@@dereinzigwahreRichi just something I picked up in the Infantry. Carrying 50-70lbs of gear you didn’t want to have to take off that large ruck and then have to put it back on. Especially after you got it settled and comfortably in place. Also on cold mornings…..you are taking off the bag after it has created a nice warm spot on your back. BLUF….its all about preference and comfort. Hope that answered your question.

[@dereinzigwahreRichi]

@@Nunyabizniz_BHL yes, it did, thanks! If your backpack is really heavy I can understand that. As this channel goes more in the direction of ultralight this didn't come to my mind as a possible reason.

[@Nunyabizniz_BHL]

@@dereinzigwahreRichi very valid statement. But heavy weight is subjective and depends on health, past medical issues//injuries, and age.

[@PeterRSCFF]

Nice one!

[@jacobgarland3257]

I've been laying on my tent before setting it up since I was a kid. Once, while making sure my sleeping spot was as flat and level as possible, I saw the largest and brightest meteorite that I've ever seen. A huge ball of orange fire with a long, flaming tail, it surely impacted within two miles of my campsite near the Indian Heaven Wilderness in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, back around 2000. It was one of the most amazing things I've ever witnessed.

[@annabudke3317]

The best thing for me about using a 1/8th inch pad under my inflatable pad is the noise reduction! My pad is pretty quiet by itself but when it rubs against my tent floor it is noisy. The foam reduces that a ton

[@GoneFeralWithSquidly]

That stake idea is genius. I’ll be doing that … if I can remember.

[@DarwinOnthetrail]

It's great! Makes it so much faster!

[@AijazAnsari]

I realized I need to do this after my last hike in the snow: Carry about 6-12 feet of paracord and small toggle somewhere I can access it without taking off my pack. Then if I need to stop for a snack, or a bathroom break, if there's a tree nearby I tie the cord around the tree, take my backpack off, and hang it off the toggle. This way I don't need to put the bag down on the snow just to reach into it to take out one thing.

[@alyishiking]

Some of these hacks are things I figured out after a few thousand miles of backpacking, like laying down on a potential tent spot, ziplocking my filter, etc but the most genius thing you mentioned never would've occurred to me HANGING GLASSES FROM THE ZIPPER PULL WHAT IS THIS MAGIC??!!

[@DarwinOnthetrail]

Yeah, I learned all these pretty early & have been doing them for years, but I never think about them when someone sees me doing it & they're like "What are you doing? WOW!" 😂 Figured it was time to share some of them for folks getting into it! ❤️

[@johannastatum4226]

Same, been backpacking for over a decade, I have a duplex as well lol. Never thought to hang my glasses like this, i feel so dumb right now hahaha. Thanks for curing a bit more of my ignorance Darwin

[@mtadams2009]

@@johannastatum4226You’re not alone. I actually purchased that little net they sell for her pretty much that only and my headlamp. Good tip.

[@GoodMorningHikers]

I live in bear country. so I've always used the triangle method to keep the smells of food away from my sleeping area. the moment I get to camp I find the "general" wind direction (I know wind direction changes but not usually by much overnight in most places) and I pace out about 200 ft downwind, to find a place to eat/cook. then I take ALL the food and snacks and anything that creates a scent like deodorant and I create a triangle where the first point is my camp the second point is my food area, and the third point is 200 ft from the other two and that's where I hang my bear bag. from that point onward no food or smells will ever be in my campsite. the two "food" points of the triangle are generally downwind from my camp, so if a curious bear decides to check out those smells they will come from EVEN FURTHER downwind (away from my tent) where the smells are being carried and not walking through my camp to get to my food areas. the triangle method is a great extra layer of safety against bears. I do this even before I set my tent up, to remove all scents from the tent area as soon as possible. even if the wind flip-flops and changes directions 180 degrees it is still better to have those scents not leading directly to your sleeping area, you will just have to be more mindful of curious bears walking by you to go check out your food areas. most hikers just cook and enjoy coffee at their campsite. but I like having that extra layer of protection, I usually camp alone, so having a bit of extra assurance helps my peace of mind. to each their own. side note: I love the Evolved Supply Co. hat. bought it last year and I haven't camped or hiked without it since. seriously the best hat I've ever bought.

[@steveh994]

Using a small PVC cap,to push stakes into the ground. I drilled a small hole in it and ran a string through it and clip it on a small carabiner

[@DarwinOnthetrail]

Nice Trick!

[@roberttrinies7698]

Good idea you can also use the cord to pull your stakes. ✌🏽

[@deKampeerwijzer]

I have Tentlab V-stakes and use the spare stake to drill the other stakes in.

[@dereinzigwahreRichi]

Great trick, thanks, I'll try that! I have slipped and cut my before while trying to push in one stake with another and now I have triangular ones,so that doesn't even work anymore.

[@paddor]

Why not use your shoe?

[@EricSchwartz-sk8id]

I put little dots of silicone on the bottom of my sleeping pad. That keeps it from sliding as well. Great tips once again! Thanks.

[@scottgephart9749]

One tip that I can give is to set up your quilt & sleeping pad at home (nice, comfortable environment). Once you have your quilt's straps where you want them, take a permanent marker and put a dot or line or line near the edge of the pad. That way, you know where to put them every time without guessing.

[@russellinthebush2897]

And add the male/female sign on the pad, so you know how to orient the strap when you put it on the pad.

[@scottgephart9749]

@russellinthebush2897 That's not a bad idea. I usually get lucky on this when putting the pad straps on, and getting the male/female sides correct.

[@DerekHardwick]

When it's cold, I keep a small absorbent foam towel (cut down kitchen cleaning pad) in the tent for wiping down the condensation on the inside. This is usually first thing in the morning, when I don't want to get rained on while packing up stuff inside my tent (it also speeds up drying), but also if I'm awake in the middle of the night for whatever reason and see the condensation is bad, I'll give the roof a quick wipe and wring it out outside the tent.

[@papajeff5486]

If you use a bandanna to wipe the condensation, the moisture can be useful with morning body cleaning…clean water, supplied by your own body vapor, cleans the tent, cleans the body, a win, win.

[@shaggyterrell8460]

Thanks Darwin and Juice! I can’t believe that I’ve never thought to roll up my tent with one stake in the ground 🤯 I feel so dumb now 😂

[@jimmartins3073]

As an ex Overland Expedition Leader on Trans Africa and other journeys, One little thing that helps if you cook over open fires is to smear a tiny amount of washing up liquid all around the outside of your cooking pot. This goes black as usual with soot from the fire but when it comes to clean, it just wipes away with a bit of water back to nearly shiny. This REALLY works and I have used this hundreds of times but am always surprised that it doesn't come up on any camp advice videos. Trust me, try it and you will always do it. It saves on scrubbing a pot or leaving it crusted in soot.

[@andreyhennadich1628]

Ty

[@scottbates1424]

I like to use an extra T-shirt, Sun shirt, etc. I have with me to slip over the top of my air mattress so I can slip my pillow underneath it to hold it in place so I doesn’t move around during the night. Also on hot nights, if I’m shirtless then having that T-shirt over the air mattress feels much better than it sticking to my bare skin.

[@retep4u]

That‘s what I do too! Good advice for quilt users

[@mrroboto18]

A tip to extend the life of your air pad is to not always fold it exactly the same way every time. My Xtherm development many holes near the end of its life (several hundred nights of use) all along the creases where I repeatedly folded it. Eventually the fabric is just wearing through rather than getting punctured.

[@danielflaherty1661]

I have followed you since you first started doing videos on KZbin and love your common sense approach. I have been backpacking since the 60s when your sleeping bag except military was 6+ pounds, your tent was a shelter half that weighed 10 pounds and your backpack weighed 6-10 pounds and that was as close as we got to ultralight. Equipment has evolved, which is a plus as it lets an almost 70 year old the opportunity to continue to do what I love to do and that is hike and camp. Glad to see you back.

[@hikingadventureswithshanba1365]

I’ve learned so many things from you and now a couple new ones. Thanks so much!! I love the gossamer gear pad I use it for everything. My tip I use is I take my extra teeshirt and slip it on my pad and tuck my pillow inside it. I never had to hunt for my pillow again

[@hellehouborg5735]

Yes! I Will try that!

[@PeterRSCFF]

Nice one

[@helpfulcommenter]

Re: the glasses thing. That's one of the many things I love about the X-Mid! The little high pockets are so good for glasses storage!

[@MysokStarobyly]

I come from Czechia in Europe, and I very appreciate your pronunciation and slow talking - you are BEST👍👍👍 Top of my backpack is always food, but second layer will be my shelter for next - great idea...

[@jamesedwards6269]

As a hammock camper with a hip replacement and back issues, I take two inflatable pillows from Alps gear and put them under my knees in the hammock and I sleep so comfortably, if I don’t use them I can’t get comfortable and my sleep sucks.

[@mhoward1120]

I just found a 2 for deal on Amazon. I will now sleep better. I’ve been tucking my internal frame pack under my knees, but no more!

[@AndrewWisler]

Awesome. I’ve picked these up over the years after much trial and error, though I haven’t heard of the last one. One thing I do if I’m using a tent is similar to the glasses trick, but I trap the band of my headlamp between the two zippers at the top of the tent door so it’s right there if I need to get out of the tent in the middle of the night. Also, I try to rehydrate as much as possible as soon as I get to camp so I can empty my bladder before I go to sleep and minimize the chances of a mid-night potty call. Something other old guys can probably appreciate ;-).

[@flyingmonk3y888]

"Something other old guys can probably appreciate" - this "other old guy" 100% feels ya 😄

[@ryan56976]

Same. Drink at least a full liter as soon as my shelter is pitched so i can start working that water through the system. I’m gonna wake up anyways but if i can only wake up once in the middle of the night to ‘potty’ that’s much better

[@memathews]

Your glasses hang is s nice too! I do the same thing when I i camp in a tent. In a tarp or just sleeping under the stars I put my glasses in a hard case and in one of my shoes/boots, that way I can grab my glasses before moving off my pad at night off on the morning. Another tip: batteries do not drain in the cold! Cold temperatures just slows down the chemical reaction that creates a charge and also makes a battery deliver a lower charge than expected. This is an efficiency issue and not simply a lost charge issue. Put a cold battery in your pocket or armpit and the charge magically reappears in minutes with very little charge loss. To store batteries with a charge for a long time, place the batteries in the refrigerator or freezer (inside a plastic container with a dessicant pack under the container lid to absorb any humidity). This storage lowers the charge loss over time, which we experience when batteries are left sitting in a warm place or inside an unused devices that pulls a trickle discharge from the battery.

[@ryan56976]

These are all great tips. Lots of new ones for me. I pack for day vs night, meal time, sleep time so i can carry out that specific bag with everything i need to keep it all quickly organized. Really helps vs putting everything in a single bag and either having a whole mess out in camp or having to back to your shelter 100 times.

[@dangerpudge1922]

Maybe it's just because I'm always doing handywork around the house, but I'm surprised I don't see this trick used for finding a level campsite: Install a bubble level app on your phone, then inflate your pad and lay your phone on it and you can see how it lays. I know you said.yoube always done it but PLEASE, do not load all the batteries into a single sock and compress them. Conditions can cause those to violently catch fire and even explode, and this is made exponentially worse with the introduction of water/moisture. I'm an electronics tech and when storing these sorts of batteries we have to take precautions about inductive coupling, potential dielectric failures, and even to mitigate manufacturing or use issues that compromise the integrity of the cases. As long as the sock is dry, and has no conductive properties (you'd be surprised at what will) a better method would be to slip one in, twist, slip another in, twist, then the final one. Folding them over reduces the safety but is still better than all of them tight against each other without an insulating and cushioning layer.

[@wanttogo1958]

Good points. The better quality brands seem not to have the problems you illustrate but I know they are real and sudden occurring possibilities. Inductive coupling is a real thing and not understood by most. I think I’m going to make a cover out of one of those thin, lie flat type neoprene covers companies give away as swag to advertise their company. They are sized for soda cans and beer bottles. Very little added weight too.

[@dangerpudge1922]

@@wanttogo1958 I use neoprene koozies to slip a hand warmer into which prevents damage to the shell of a bag/quilt/whatever. This would be excellent for batteries too. Then they could be slid into a common case of some sort with far less risk. They weigh little and can be used for some other tasks.

[@wanttogo1958]

@@dangerpudge1922 nice idea. Handwarmers in the cold months make a great way to dry your shoes through the night but I wondered how you foam insoles would fare over time .

[@kookkamajunga]

My best tip is to pee before you poop. A number 1 isn’t always a number 2, but a number 2 is always a number 1. Helps you from pissing all over your shoes while you make a grumpy.

[@daniellebaker3291]

I use a j-cloth on my dirty water bottle to pre filter the water. (not so easy with cnoc). I cut a small square and hold it on my filter with a rubber band. I also bring an old milk bag to wash my feet in.

[@antonius3233]

I scrunch up and stuff eucalyptus leaves in my used socks and leave over night to dry. By morning they smell a lot nicer. I do sometime similar with my clothes i hiked in by putting them in a mesh bag, especially if its wet outside and just wont dry.

[@markgreen6437]

I like putting rain jacket or bug net or extra shirt over my pillow and sleeping pad to hold my pillow in place throughout the night. Also rain jacket over the foot box if it’s going to be real wet

[@murillomr7]

That’s why you “can’t stop” doing KZbin videos! Man, it’s such a cool tips, I’ve been backpacking for years and I’ve learned so much with your content. And you know there is a lot of information out there, But you do it in an amazing way! Thank you very much!

[@koribeyer]

If I have dedicated sleeping clothes, I leave them in my quilt and stuff it all together into my waterproof bag.

[@josephbrown-ut9ty]

When i crawl into my tent for the night i take all the stuff out of my pants pockets and put into my hat and will put that at a corner near my head. But i like the glasses zipper pull idea.

[@ScottKent]

Hammock camper here...that little stuff bag attached to one side of the hammock, I make sure it's on my offside as I lay diagonally in the hammock (usually my left side) stuff all batteries and water filter in it, and then flip it over between the hammock and underquilt. I'll also hang my waist pack on the ridge line to hold my headlamp and other things I might need at night, my wife puts her glasses there. Heat rising from my body seems to keep everything that close above freezing. I also do a baked potato roll sometimes by wrapping an emergency blanket over the ridgeline and tucking it into the underquilt...makes a cozy space. My tarp stays in the large outside pocket of my backpack (inside a mesh snakeskin) so that I can pop it out for a shelter if needed at any point.

[@stylesraw]

Finding a flat spot to sleep also begins when you're planning your route. Look on your topo map and try to spot some good flat areas near where you want to finish for the day. We spotted a meadow once that we were planning to sleep in, but when we arrived it was full of avalanche debris from the winter. But since we had planned ahead, we knew there was another potential spot about 1/4 mile up the trail. We checked it out and it was perfect.

[@marktodhunter8397]

I always carry that super heavy & huge syringe that came with my sawyer for backwashing and use it to push air through the filter to get the water out as a extra precaution to keep it from freezing than just insulating it

[@vannemocilac274]

I do both!

[@skakers1]

I like to face my door to the east. I feel that warm sun on my face in the morning.

[@user-xm4ed1po8q]

Great video and great comments. My contribution: I can't get myself to leave the rain cover behind, and partly it's because I use it as storage around tent/tarp. When I'm rummaging through the pack trying to find something during a break, or unpacking at camp, the stuff that comes out does not go on the ground, it goes in the raincover that I've placed on the ground. And in the tarp/tent/vestibule it holds all the detritus so nothing is floating around. When I'm packing up, I can pick it up/drag it outside and everything is still in it. It helps me not lose things.

[@wanttogo1958]

I carry a rain cover too but also use an internal waterproof liner. I don’t always have room for my pack inside my tent so if I have to leave it outside the rain cover helps to keep rain off/out of the pack. While unpacking in the rain or taking a break in the rain it serves the same purpose. I use a poncho as my primary rain gear but also carry a wind jacket. In light mists I can cover the pack with the rain cover to keep it from getting soaked and hike in the wind jacket that normally keeps a light mist at bay with its DWR coating.

[@ebersoless]

An additional benefit of putting a sit pad under your inflatable is it gives you a great space to put wet socks when its cold enough to freeze said socks. Yes they will still be wet, but they won't freeze!

[@brianracer6868]

If you put them in the bag with you your body warmth will dry them over night!

[@maxdillard4702]

Next electronic thing you buy, save the little dry bag desiccants to put in your socks while under your pad. Your body heat reflecting under the pad should warm them and the packets soak up any moisture left inside

[@PaulEgges]

Exactly@@brianracer6868 . It seems weird, but it works.

[@PersonalityMalfunction]

Leaving a peg in when rolling up the tent is a great idea!

[@Dmorris556]

Old trick I got from my pops (He was a Sere instructor), is take a water container and fill it boiling water, then put that in your sleeping bag to help heat it up before you get in.

[@barbarahultman5450]

I can't believe after all the years I've gone camping that it honestly never occurred to me to lay down in the tent spot I've picked BEFORE setting up. LOL! Thank you!

[@fuzzybuddywizard]

I know! It seems obvious but what may look level may not be...this is the best tip.

[@paddor]

I use a basha (basically an indestructible one-man tarp) to avoid condensation and have more freedom when choosing a spot. I use a marlinspike hitch around the stakes so I can ram them into the ground with my shoe and am still able to pull them out, with the added benefit that they’re clean as soon as I slide the marlinspike hitch off. Elastic cord makes for a more robust shelter setup against tripping (it happens) and heavy wind. Stuff like gloves, neck tube, beanie, and poncho stay accessible in the side pockets of the pants so I don’t even have to get my backpack off for when I’m cold/hot or when it starts to rain.

[@ChainmailQueen]

I go hiking with a section of z-lite pad that's 4 sections long that I use for many things. Sitting on while folded, napping on while flat, kneeling on while flat to set up my sleep system inside the tent, etc. but I think my best trick is putting it out in the tent vestibule & laying my pack & boots on it overnight to keep my pack from getting wet from the ground moisture & keep the inside of my tent clean from my dirty boots. It has also saved the bottom of my pack from getting soaked if it rains overnight & water comes in under the vestibule. I also use it to keep my feet & socks dry as I'm putting my boots on the next morning.

[@SummitSeeker546]

Good stuff! Practical and common sense! I carry a portable bucket with me to use for a variety of purposes. - when cleaning up the body at the end of the day it’s nice to get a bucket full of water and then find a sunny location to wash up - if you can have a fire it great to get one bucket full of water to douse the coals - at dinner time it’s great to put all your items, water, food, cup, stove, pot, spoon, etc, in to it then just carry one item, the bucket to the kitchen area. Love my bucket!

[@wanttogo1958]

Which one do you use? I have used one off and on over the years as well, for all the reasons you mention. I have an inflatable bucket that REI sold a long time ago that is great for setting up under the drips you often find in natural rock shelters in areas of Kentucky where I hike. You can catch a gallon plus of water through the night for morning use with one.

[@janefreeman995]

Great tips! I have a few squares of TP that i keep in my stake bag and quickly wipe off my stakes before putting them away from day to day. Just like to keep things a little cleaner.

[@cerrinis]

I put my sitpad beetwen my skin and my first layer to reduce my back sweating while backpaking. Greetings from France

[@bonariablackie4047]

I have a full Max Thermarest with 6.9 R value, with a reflective silver mylar insulation sheet underneath. It is very foldable, very light, very durable and very warm. I have some in my shoes to keep my feet warm, as well as a bit cut for a seat. It's the sort of thin insulation you might put inside a shed or behind a radiator. It weighs nothing, and keeps my Thermarest from moving around.

[@dianesoini]

Dig cathole so it's ready in the morning. I use a tarp and polycryo groundsheet. I fold/roll it all up together so the groundsheet is on the outside then put an elastic band around. No need for a sack. Could do the same with a tent if you use a groundsheet.

[@bryanscott1329]

Agree with all your uses for the Thinlight pad. I also use it on my camp chair in winter to keep the cold off my backside. Incredible additional warmth when the cold would otherwise come straight through the thin chair material.

[@annesmith5000]

Great idea!

[@techguy9023]

I use a piece of scrap foam underlayment for engineered wood floors for a “floor” under my mid tarp. It’s about the same thickness as the pad he describes. Got a big piece at a construction thrift shop for 75 cents. And it’s bright yellow. Won’t lose that in the leaves.

[@derekhand7904]

Classic Darwin video glad to have him back

[@DarwinOnthetrail]

Glad to be back! ❤️

[@dadainthip]

As always, great video Darwin! I do a slight variation of the “keep your tent on top” tip. I have a more traditional backpack with a bottom zippered compartment for a sleeping bag. I put my tent in first (at the bottom) so I can access it through the bottom compartment as soon as I get to camp. Then I can still keep my food bag on top so I can easily grab it at lunch or other breaks without having to pull out my tent.

[@VelocityRE]

Like the tip about using the Darwin spoon to create tension while rolling up your tent. I like to place a rock adjacent to each tent stake, so I don’t ruin my toes

[@ropersix]

Although a polycro "footprint" and I don't always get along, I do like it when testing out exactly where to put my tent, since it's clear and you can see all the things on the ground that will cause problems.

[@janefreeman995]

I like it too despite said altercations. 😂 Hard to imagine spending 700$ for my tent and letting it get filthy thus embedded and degrading its lifespan. Every now and the when I get to a stream, I'll just let the water rush over the polycryo to clean it off.

[@justfleeceitout]

Same. It's annoying to use in the wind but better and easier to have the dirt, pine needles and moisture stuck to the poly than the bottom of your tent. And it weighs nothing.

[@H4K4LA]

Deflating and storing my pad and pillow while I’m in my quilt on cold mornings! Gotta hold that last bit of warmth. Also sleeping in arms reach of my water.

[@BurroGirl]

So happy you're back and sharing your wisdom gained over the miles! Thank you so much!

[@DarwinOnthetrail]

You are so welcome! Hope they help! ❤️

[@BurroGirl]

@@DarwinOnthetrail you've helped a lot! Even though we now use our burros to pack our suff, I watched all your videos for the lightest most efficient gear, tips and tricks, etc to make the work as light and easy on our burros as well as ourselves! They carried far far less weight than they are capable of carrying which will ensure they don't get overuse injuries and they enjoy the trips as much as we do. Sounds crazy but they are part of our family and deserve as good if not better treatment than we'd give ourselves. We never take them anywhere livestock are not allowed, and make sure we follow all backcountry rules for leaving no trace.

[@helpfulcommenter]

Camp hack: Food storage at night, when there's no threat of bears, but there are critters on the ground. (Like desert backpacking etc) I have one of those screw-on baskets for the end of the trekking pole - it has three "spokes?" radiating out, and they curve downwards when the trekking pole is down, but when the trekking pole is up, and holding up my tent (X-Mid) then the basket "spoke" provides a little (very stable) hook inside the vestibule, up at the very top. From this hook, I hang my food bag. It keeps it off the ground and away from order Rodentia, and out of my tent inner so they don't try and chew in. I suppose they could crawl up the mesh to try to get to it, but it's never happened before so I'm inclined to doubt it. I think they mostly go for ground-based options. At first I was hesitant to try this because a full food bag can be pretty heavy, and I was worried about stability of the tent, but I've done it with full bags many many times and in high wind as well, and never had a problem. I don't know if that's due to the X-Mid being such a stable structure, or what, but all I can report is a high success rate.

[@vannemocilac274]

I’ve done this in high winds to help hold the trekking pole in but now I can try it for rodents!

[@jaymontgomery3330]

Bear can solves all problems.

[@helpfulcommenter]

@@jaymontgomery3330 LITERALLY said “when there’s no threat of bears” - if you wanna carry extra weight and bulk when completely unnecessary be my guest bud

[@annesmith5000]

I can't visualize what this screw on basket is, do you have a link to get one? Sounds like a great idea, since I do most of my backpacking in the desert!

[@helpfulcommenter]

@@annesmith5000 They're the ones that come on the REI Flash trekking poles, pretty sure they're standard for REI? I found one on the trail and screwed it onto my pole. But it's a universal base/thread and would work on any interchangeable pole tip. Any snow basket would work too I bet, and you could probably even carve it to the shape you want

[@Just4Gordon]

NICE-Thank You Just as a matter of course I ALWAYS carry several (thinner) zip ties and smaller, metal “chip clips” ( snack bag pinching closures) available in most grocery stores-about 1/2 to 3/4 size of a wooden cloth pin. Both are great for dozens of applications from hanging things to emergency repairs.

[@BigMatt120693]

Another great video, I got my hands on one of your Sun shirts here in Melbourne, Australia. OMG! So good, one of our local ultralight hiking stockists has them in stock. Thank you Darwin! My top tip is be consistent with how you pack your pack, knowing where everything is saved masses of faf time!

[@05Paladin]

I love the stake trick and the idea of laying down on your tent to make sure the site is right!

[@jasonmiles8974]

Great tips! As a fellow of the bespeckled man, I definitely appreciate the new place to hang my glasses!

[@middleagedhiker703]

Thanks for the tip with the glasses. Never thought of that with my duplex!

[@rtjlupolove66]

Laying down on top of the tent and keeping the door open wonderful tips! Thanks

[@WanderingSwitchback]

Awesome tips! I use an Amazon pouch for a ton of things, including as a food cozy, sit pad, place to stand while changing, and sack for gear in my quilt at night.

[@TheWarder500]

I really like this type of video, please do more, this was very useful information 👏🏼

[@juliefrechette7562]

Thank you so much for these ideas and tips! I will definitely put my tent last in my bag from now on 😊 so happy that you are back !

[@LeonidasontheTrail]

Excellent tip on the glasses! I’ve been putting them in the pocket inside an Oakley bag, but the zipper makes great sense.

[@tamaracheeseman183]

I can not tell you how much I'm enjoying your new videos. The joy you exude is amazing! Your hiatus did you well!

[@vimana_pilot]

Saw lots of videos on this subject and I wasn't expecting it but I actually found 2 / 3 useful ideas in this video. Useful stuff.

[@hikingmando]

These are some of best tips I've ever heard about improving you camp while on the trail.

[@lenisteingen3036]

I enjoy having you back on KZbin making content for us fellow hikers. You were so helpful in preparation of my 2018 PCT thru hike and running into you on trail is a cherished memory.

[@stever7066]

Since your 'comeback' by far the best video, really good advice. This is excellent. Cheers.

[@liamboggs]

I have been following you and watching all your videos for the last 5 years, and I learned so much from you.

[@oyvind-b]

I give you an add on for the tent stake trick. When skiing in windy places with a sledge I do the same trick, but the opposite way. When rolling up the tent I leave one line out of the bag. Normally I set up my tent with the same end towards the wind, so I let that central stakeline poke out of the tentbag. When pitching the tent I set the stake, pole or ski into that line first, then I let the tent out of the bag. This way you will never have to run after your flying tent. In winter, this is basicly a life/death matter. A mat under the mat are import for us, both protection for the mat, and survival if your mat get punctured beyond repare.

[@Mike-vd2qt]

Excellent tips and tricks! Thanks.

[@tommurphy6972]

Some great ideas, thanks for sharing

[@FrozensAdventures]

The tent stake, such a simple thing but never thought of it before. Thanks!

[@marchingon5401]

After I switched from a hooded sleeping bag to a quilt of course I needed something to keep my head warm. A beanie felt to constricting, a down hood less multi-functional and landed on using a shemagh. Works great at keeping my head warm, functions as a pillow case to keep my pillow from getting nasty from hair and face oils, works as a towel, and if I need to move some random items to a another location it works like a looney tunes hobo sack by tying all four corners.

[@michaelb1761]

Glad I watched this video. I had never thought of the tent stake trick. Definitely something that I'm going to try next time I'm out camping.

[@TweetyPAK7]

Interesting info. Glad to see you back. I love your shirt!

[@sherrierifenberg2199]

Good thoughts! TY!

[@MickeyOsthimer]

feeling super validated, i figured out the last one a few years ago, all by myself! some great tips on here, thanks

[@JasonsLife303]

This was extremely useful information. These small details make a huge difference and could save a person from a lot of struggling. Thanks Darwin for pressing on with your KZbin journey. Your content is spectacular.

[@debbiekiefer4938]

I have the same Topos! I got them on your recommendation in another video, and I love them. Wide toe box and sturdy, with great grips!

[@TicoFAm_outdoors]

Great tips. So logical choices that some I had not thought about before

[@vincentc6919]

Good to see this video. Kind of bummed when you went on hiatus and we appreciate your hard work. Great video.

[@jimbo6993]

A tip for using an Ursack is to tie it to a tree using 2 slip knots and a carabiner. If you do it right, even if a bear pulls on the sack, you can easily get it loose by slipping out the carabiner.

[@Hiking_With_Stache]

Been watching your content for years Darwin. Love your insight. Please keep posting. Also, I purchased The Ranger pack roughly 3 weeks ago. Looking forward to taking it with me on my Thru-hike of the A.T.

[@mfarley252]

Love these tips! Thank you!

[@kristymoore7052]

As always, fantastic advise that I continually learn from. I’m not a good judge when it comes to level ground and someone suggested the hack of using your water bottle as a leveler. This practice has helped me make sure that my head is above my feet. Ya, you’d think you could eyeball it, but, for me not always so. Soooo glad you’re back around.

[@obikedog]

Great tips. I especially like the sock diaper for corralling all those little bits. After waking up on a cold morning to a frozen bottle [once] I began sleeping with my morning water in a soft bladder and its befree filter attached. My batteries would go in my pockets but they aren't the most comfortable thing to sleep with. The sock diaper is a nice trick to keep me comfortable and prevent hard/sharp things from endangering the hammock while I sleep. My favorite labor saver at camp is my tarp snakeskins. It is by far my favorite part of set up and breakdown. Especially in rain. It makes tarp storage and setup simple and fast.

[@TobysWildernessAdventures]

It makes me happy everytime I see someone talking about Hacks, especially when it comes to camping hacks. I'm still a new camper and always seek out for ideas, best gears, and of course hacks. Keep it up brother. Cheers.

[@annewaterhouse155]

Really informative suggestions 😊I have a small Big Agnes Fly Creek Ul1 so not a lot of room. I place my back pack over my foot area to expand the tent base to stop condensation on my sleeping bag and adds minor warmth. Helps me stretch to retrieve it in the morning! I also use a mat similar to Gossamer gear but from Orange Brown Australia (not from Darwin) under sleep system but also for laying my gear out for packing etc best bit of equipment. Please keep posting your awesome ideas.