Game Changing Hiking Hacks

[@mobius9818]

Love hacks and I always pack zipties, too! Here is one: Before sleep a good habit to get into is Electronics (phone, headlamp, battery etc) in ziploc bag, and Water Filter in separate ziploc bag, then those two into a small stuffsack and into/under quilt with you for overnight. Body warmth prevents freezing or rapid battery drain. Single stuff sack is easier to lay hands on...

[@mowsertas]

Great tips! Keeping your electronics warm is so important, especially in cold conditions. Thanks for sharing!

[@Moozart]

This channel is gonna blow up soon! Great content, Mowser 😊

[@mowsertas]

Thanks for the support! I’m excited for what’s to come and glad you’re enjoying the content!

[@michaelmcphee2930]

I've ditched my boots and have worn trail runners for the past few years. My laces are the fluorescent elastic stretchy ones. They stretch in accordance with your feet swelling. My runners are quick to slip into using a small shoe horn, which doubles as a cat hole trowell. I have also ditched gaiters and wear boot covers instead. Gaiters make my legs too sweaty.Things i may need during the night in my bivy bag go onto a white, easy to see in the dark bag. I eat two meals a day and have given scroggin the arse because the high sugar content exacerbates hunger pangs as does noodles and high carb food. I've just done another ten hike over here in the West with 2.5kg of tucker, which is basically protein based. I brought back 200 g that i didn't eat. Like many others, I wrap a length of duct tape around a hiking pole for patching, etc. On warmer days where ground needs to be covered, I'll sometimes tape up my mouth and breathe through my nose to minimise fluid loss through expiration. I generally hike solo, and with my mouth taped over, i avoid embarrassment when myTourettes come to the fore when encountering others.

[@mowsertas]

Wow, it sounds like you've really fine-tuned your hiking gear and strategy! Trail runners and that white bivy bag sound like great choices for efficiency in the wild. I might look into those laces. I am really starting to like trail runners for long walks. Keep enjoying those hikes!

[@davidhoffman7261]

How does this man not have 100k subscribers? Hello from Minnesota!

[@mowsertas]

Thanks for the shoutout from Minnesota! We're gradually getting there, I appreciate your support!

[@AusBam2]

I always carry a small piece of polystyrene meat tray in my first aid kit, it weighs literally nothing but comes in real handy if you ever ignore the warning signs & get a large blister that’s ripped open & raw. The meat tray enables you to cut an appropriately sized doughnut shaped piece along with another circular piece & tape it directly over the top of the blister. This helps ease the pain as it prevents the boot from directly rubbing on the raw area of the blister each step that you take. It’s still going to hurt though but hopefully not as much!

[@mowsertas]

That's an excellent tip! It's amazing how something so simple can make a big difference when dealing with blisters. Thanks for the tip!

[@Toyziii]

Have also heard of people cutting a piece out of their GG Thinlight for similar purposes 🥲

[@honorarenwick6491]

@@mowsertas I used closed cell foam as a doughnut and it virtually eliminated any pain. I walked with this on my 3 blisters for 10 days until the dressings dropped off with the blisters completely healed.

[@praktika1082]

I once did the surgeons knot on my normal everyday boots, and then got drunk. When I got home that night, I was too drunk to untie the laces so I crawled into bed, boots still on. My partner wasn't amused the next morning.

[@mowsertas]

🤣 😂 I do recall a similar situation myself maybe 25 years ago!

[@WoodswomanWrites]

Another helpful video. I appreciate the tip about tying shoelaces and will try that out. I can relate to the stopping and getting snacks out of my pack which is how hiked in the past. I'm returning to backpacking after many years and now a senior, this suggestion makes a lot of sense as I walk slower than I used to. Also, thanks for slowing down your camera shots so your scenes aren't constantly changing every few seconds. It makes your videos easier to watch for sure.

[@mowsertas]

Glad it was helpful!

[@andybrockbank3027]

On an Overland trip a couple of years ago the boot of a group member failed late on day 1. Zip ties were used to create a framework to keep the sole in place for the rest of the trip. The boots were removed each day with a single zip tie replaced. BTW, the boot was only a couple of months old and had been worn every day in preparation for the walk. Never go anywhere without them now.

[@mowsertas]

It's amazing how resourceful we can be in tough situations! Zip ties really are a lifesaver, and they just go to show that sometimes the simplest solutions are the best.

[@bjrnerlendtangen8505]

Zip ties are great. I also have some gorilla tape around my poles and ski poles in case of repair of jacket / tent / sleeping bag etc.

[@mowsertas]

I'll have to start doing the tape thing!

[@robbeenhakker1137]

Another fantastic video, Mowser! I'm firmly in the zip tie camp - sometimes use them to stop the crows/currawongs or other birdlife trying to get into your pack when leaving it to only take a daypack up to a peak. Also, the duct tape around the hiking pole & some extra lengths of 2-3mm rope.

[@mowsertas]

Thanks for watching! It's great to hear that you're a fan of the zip tie method. Keeping those pesky birds at bay can definitely make a hike more enjoyable! Great tips. Thanks!

[@anthonycoleman1909]

I hike in the snow in the High Country Victoria. Police will probably panic if a man with a winter balaclava, hunting knife and zip ties is out in the bush. I will tell them Mowser said it was okay.

[@TamJ486]

😂

[@mowsertas]

🤣🤣🤣😂😂 just tell em to give me a call!

[@wobblysauce]

Only if that was that was all you were carrying.

[@michaelbutler1557]

As long as you are not naked you will be okay.

[@snoop2477]

Bang on Mowser. Great tips, thank you. Have you done any hikes in NZ? You need to do Fiordland or some of the mountain ranges here. You'd love it. Tip from me, use a rubber band on the rolled up sleeping pad. No more stuff sack, and if you can hang your phone from your tent frame/trekking pole to watch movies etc at night. Job done.

[@mowsertas]

They are great tips! Thanks! Have travelled around New Zealand but as yet, no hiking. Cannot wait to get over there as the kids get a bit older and do some big adventures!

[@ervinslens]

Another brilliantly executed and narrated film man! Bravo 🔥

[@mowsertas]

Thank you so much! I’m glad you enjoyed it. Your support means a lot!

[@Toyziii]

Love zip ties, though get the reusable ones for nil weight penalty! ;) I use them to hang my pack from my trekking pole in the tent vestibule, hang dirty water bag at camp, hang items from pack that need to be dried, and also handy to lash snack bars to shoulder straps on packs where the pockets are too small or non-existent 👌

[@mowsertas]

Oh Wow, I'm getting some reusable ones tomorrow. Love those tips! Thanks!

[@outandabout_oz]

Cheers mate, great video, love the affirmation, can't agree more about keeping dry, Canberra is not too different to Tassie for a lot of the year✌🏻

[@mowsertas]

Glad you enjoyed it. Totally agree!

[@jeffreycarman2185]

Above everything else in this video I am way more interested in the etymology of the word “scroggin” for trail mix. Some people hear in the US call trail mix “gorp” (short for “good old raisins and peanuts”) which is its own sort of strange.

[@mowsertas]

Great question! I don't know but i did find this nugget of information which would make sense: a "1940s word which later came to stand for Sultanas, Chocolate, Raisins, Orange peel, Ginger, Glucose (sugar), Imagination (whatever you like), Nuts."

[@MrHumlebaek]

New subscriber :). I was out on 4 days with a group of people and they were chocked to see the day marked zip locks bag... Damn that was smart :). It was so fun to see them digging in the bags for the food... For me the morning starts with the bag of the day, loading up on the snacks for easy access. I only eat hot meals on breakfast and dinner, they are i bags that can take hot water and made for food. So i never need to get out the stove until camp. At breakfast i boil up 2 extra cups of water for coffee and i have this in a light thermos during the day. Lunch has always been some tortilla bread with some smoked meat, susages, cream cheese or Nutella, peanut butter, etc. Perfect if the weather is bad so i dont need to open the rug sack. Bugspray, suncream and lip balm always in reach. BTW, the snackmix you made looked just fantastic...

[@mowsertas]

Love it! Sounds like you're well organised on the trail just like me :) I do like the idea of a lightweight thermos!

[@jeffreycarman2185]

I really hate having a hydration bladder in my pack, they’re hard to clean, bladders also make it hard to know how much water you have as well as harder to refill water on the trail and I even have had a full water bladder burst inside my pack. I do love having ready access to water on the trail and the drinking tube is as easy and convenient as it can get (for drinking that is). I looked into getting one of those water bottle hydration adapter systems but they are about $30. So I looked on the internet and found a really easy, extremely inexpensive way to convert any single-use-style bottle with a flip cap (I used the Smartwater Sport Cap) and you feed a hydration tube into the opening and now I have very easy access to water on the trail without the headache of using a hydration bladder. I also drilled a tiny hole (like less than 1 mm) near the opening to let air in as I drink. For the hose I use 6 mm (1/4 inch) aquarium tubing that I already had from my days of experimenting with hydration bladders (cut the feeding side at an angle so it doesn’t suction onto the inside of the bottle), I added a platypus replacement valve and voilà I have a really awesome hydration system.

[@mowsertas]

Thanks for sharing your experience! It sounds like you've found a clever solution to a common problem. The DIY hydration system is a great way to stay hydrated on the trail without the hassle of traditional bladders. I really like this idea! Might have to give it a go.

[@wobblysauce]

Lace, works well, though for me normally double twist at the base loops cross to the top and come back down to tie at the ankle if using tall boots. So feet do not need to feel as tight but your ankle is locked in. Something like a “Heel Lock” or “Lace Lock” for a running shoe is good for wide feet as you don't need to have the laces so tight over the top. ZipTies, are always handy, have them in the tent for clips, or bag straps, they can be loosened/removed if you just lift the ratchet/paw in the middle. Daylight, Knowing daylight hours is nice even without going hiking, but more so on the trail yet we all know the person that wants to keep sleeping after that late night, burning the available hiking time so you may need to push harder than if you just left earlier. Waterproof, Goretex DWR is good, if you don't have that you can do the waxed cotton approach also works well and doesn't add that much weight, you can also do it yourself with a few basic ingredients. NightHawkInLight made a good video about it and made a better version. 'A Better Way to Waterproof Fabric', made a few different types over the years acting like a Packliner, tarp or ground sheet depending on the conditions.

[@mowsertas]

I do like the lace lock on running shoes! I'm going to have to use zip ties more. Will check out the waxed cotton approach. Thanks!

[@NormanDimmick]

I really can't endorse waxed canvas enough. It's cheap, effective, breathable, and extremely durable on the right fabrics. Especially here in the chaparral where everything is sharp or abrasive and storms are short and fierce, it's absolutely awesome. I still carry an emergency poncho just in case I really need to hunker down for a few hours out in the field, but in my experience, while it will wet out in heavy, sustained rain, it can't really saturate past being just a little clammy if it's properly waxed. At least for me, I find it's drier and warmer to have a kinda damp jacket over my shirt than it is to be sweating buckets directly into my base layer in a membrane that doesn't actually breathe as advertised in the temps I deal with.

[@wobblysauce]

@@NormanDimmick Yes for me it works like the Nikwax Paramo items, will seem to wet out but only to a point and not really soak and get/feel cold, with other items that rely on the DWR and then you feel it. Indeed a good tarp/poncho has so many uses. Waxed works great on any natural fabrics I have tested, but if you have any of the poly blends it can be hit or miss as the wax might not bond as well, it will bead water but the water resistance isn't as high. For that, you can use Mineral Spirits and 100% clear silicone caulking, which works wonders. Put it in a glass jar and shake well, brush it on, normally only need to do the outside of the item, eg Gloves, make your items and such not soak in the wet while still having the comfort of the inner layers, or some Pants do the seat and knees... Tents it is basically seam sealer you can buy but you can make it your self and if it leaks one day you can just reapply it. Store it in the sealed jar and if you need to use give it a shake and there you go, if it is a bit thick just add more Spirits.

[@noeleneproud5334]

Thanks for the video. So do you have a favourite secret scroggin or is it any mix of smarties and nuts you have at hand?

[@mowsertas]

Not a specific mix really but I do have some favourites that always go in: M&Ms (regular and peanut), Macadamias, seeds, maybe a jubey lolly and some dried fruit. So hard not to overload on it and carry too much but I can't help myself!

[@jorisev]

completely unrelated, but Patagonia is hitting it out the park with their colours this year

[@mowsertas]

Love it 😂 -you are right though! They have some cool stuff at the moment!

[@TasHikingAdventures]

Great tips Tas hiking adventures Thanks for sharing the boot tip lmfao 😂 wow

[@mowsertas]

Definatlely love all the tips the viewers provide!

[@TasHikingAdventures]

@@mowsertas but you didn't credit the person who gave you the tip and your making views from it lmfao 😆😆😆

[@mowsertas]

Sorry, Are you referring to the returning the boots to a store or the shoelace knot? As a guide these are both things I have recommended for years. Have even done the return thing a few times myself and I did mention this in a video previously that was released months ago. Apologies to offend but didn't realise I was. My bad. will try and be more careful in future

[@TasHikingAdventures]

@@mowsertas I'm shit stirring mate lol 😆😆😆 all is well, no offence taken obviously you have alot more years up the sleeve than me, I was just shit stirring because I gave you a tip then seen you make a video on it I was like looks like he took my tip off me lol 😆😆😆 I'm joking dude all good 👍😊

[@mowsertas]

@@TasHikingAdventures All good!

[@hanananah]

Zip ties! Not quite the same use but I had to use them for a quick repair when car camping once. One of the splash guards on my rust bucket half fell off and was dragging on the ground. Would have been very noisy and sparking on the pavement all the way home without a few zip ties!

[@wobblysauce]

Used one over a bad Uni and when the vehicle was sold it was still there years later.

[@mowsertas]

It's amazing how versatile zip ties can be!

[@thomasclark8119]

I used a surgeon’s knot on the trail the other day and didn’t even know it was a thing😂. It worked great though, didn’t slip.

[@wobblysauce]

That has been my goto, as with the double twist, no matter the lace type never slips.

[@mowsertas]

Nice one! 😂

[@ashleycox5288]

Try the Ian Knot, it's a game changer

[@mowsertas]

Noted and onto it! Thanks!

[@wobblysauce]

That is just the normal base knot kids are taught when young, that is just one version of doing it.

[@valdius85]

Wear trail running shoes whenever possible. :)

[@user-ul5yu5hk9k]

I definitely understand why the folks down under and many other people around the world wear boots. Makes sense when you think about different ecological systems

[@valdius85]

@@user-ul5yu5hk9k What do you mean by “ecological systems”?

[@jeffreycarman2185]

14:02 I had hydrolysis happen to my boots… I neglected to wear them for a couple of years and the sole just crumbled.

[@mowsertas]

Ah, the classic case of “out of sight, out of sole.” Definitely a lesson learned there!

[@cris-eq2fe]

5:56 not very smart to stab holes in a jacket while someone is wearing it lol

[@mowsertas]

I thought that while I was making this video! What were we doing!? 🤣