Tent: geni.us/k8RB Sleeping Bag: geni.us/Ls3qNVR Sleeping Pad: geni.us/u6dpU Water Filter: geni.us/tN1d Cook Set: geni.us/EzBwP Stove: geni.us/ToKa Fleece: geni.us/Oh5z Puffy: geni.us/FAsuVP Pack: geni.us/DysDKB *What I would Get Instead:* Sleeping Bag: geni.us/8XwK Down Sleeping Bag: geni.us/B7Iqz Water Filter: geni.us/pyCRw Mini Water Filter: geni.us/fAQkt Stove: geni.us/OwBBB Cook pot: geni.us/SjPDkko
@greasemonkey4god9 ай бұрын
Your mixup on the pack is hilarious. You are absolutely correct. The scout model is kid sizing. I have tons of people with our program using either the Teton explorer 4000 or scout 3400. Both work just fine for the money! We actually have some in our loan program as well! Great video.
@BrisketBrandon9 ай бұрын
I am soooo going to share this video repeatedly with my Cub Scouts pack. Thank you for all you do, and all the personal risks that you incur to inform and educate the rest of us. Also, thanks for being objective (20 degree) vs. subjective (cold).
@HostileTakeover29 ай бұрын
Please do. With my troop, we have a standing policy recommending adults to please ask us leaders about gear they're thinking of buying. Mostly because of the problems outlined in this video, but also because a lot of them are fooled by marketing terms or don't know what their kid(s) will actually need. We did a joint cold weather campout without another troop whose parents bought sleeping bags based on them being marketed as "cold weather" and being inexpensive. Those kids were miserable in their 40 degree survival rated bags when it hit 20 degrees. We got them above the safety hump, but geeze.
@Jarrych839 ай бұрын
Teton and Kelty are great as long as you don't mind weight! Teton even has some passable sleeping pads and things for pretty cheap, though those R values aren't any better. Especially for a few miles, setting up camp for a night or two, etc, it's not a bad way to trial things. But you made a great point about upgrading a bit to Kelty. For a very moderate cost, a lot of their stuff is surprisingly good. But when you can get a reasonably good 2 person tent from Kelty for $125 that weighs just over 4 lbs, it's not a bad way to trial backpacking. And I appreciate your content on budget and simple gear setups. When I finally do an overnight backpacking trip with my kid, I have good info on where to sacrifice weight for cost and the like thanks to you and some other info out there on these things.
@micahpowers26149 ай бұрын
Teton's customer service is some of the best too, for only having a handful of people from what Ive read about them. But ive had handfuls of questions and and issue on one of their products - mainly just a marketing issue with dimensions on the box being incorrect. And theyve been great. While I cant use some of their products due to my size being too big for them, i highly recommend them.
@Jarrych839 ай бұрын
@@micahpowers2614 always a bonus. Good support these days is definitely a selling point. I was just talking to a friend about Eureka closing up shop and I kinda hope one of these companies buys it and uses it to expand.
@HostileTakeover29 ай бұрын
I've been really surprised & impressed with Teton's quality vs cost ratio and service quality.
@richardherzog2959 ай бұрын
Bro! 😂 I am dying over the pack mix up! Totally could see myself doing the same thing. Love your candour. Keep up the great work!
@echobenav89 ай бұрын
Thanks for this video. Glad you caught the Scout sizing on the pack. I'm part of a boy scout troop and this is the first pack we recommend for new scouts, along with the Cosmic Down 20. Great for a first pack and short trips. Perfect for summer camps. When they're big enough for backpacking, we move them up to better packs like the Crown 60. Keep up the good work!
@user-xm4hl5zx1l9 ай бұрын
In France there is an amazing sports brand called Decathlon, known for making innovative, quality and affordable stuff. They have these 30-40$ tents that are so easy to pitch and super comfy. Just quite heavy. Would love to see you try them out someday !
@Conflictofinterest9029 ай бұрын
We’ve got decathlon here in uk. I LOVE them. All good quality and good value kit, built and tested by people who actually know what they’re doing instead of just selling any old rubbish with a designer name on them. I’ve got panniers, Microfibre towels, tents, cooking equipment, clothing, boots, half a dozen bags, toiletry bags, hats etc etc Fantastic shops.
@wendyDarling264 ай бұрын
I live in Czech Republic an Decathlon is my go to when I am checking out new gear to see the prices, weight, and other parameters.
@johntepen4598Ай бұрын
I have heard how good their stuff is but I don't have any so I can't say but anyway if you live in Alaska or Hawaii Decathlon doesn't ship there
@Jarrych839 ай бұрын
Also, looking at the Scout line from Teton at Teton's site, it isn't advertised specifically as a kid's/teen pack. It's absolutely sold for adults and shows pics with adults, but is for people with shorter torso lengths. So absolutely clear as mud!
@debbilermond15539 ай бұрын
Steven, you are WAY braver than most backpackers to test out cheap gear without knowing if you're going to survive or not! Thanks for the great info and the laughs! Always informative AND entertaining! Regarding the Teton Sports sleeping bag, my husband and I use the Zero degree upgraded bag from Teton Sports. It's too bulky and heavy to backpack with but makes a great car camping bag. We both love the soft, warm interior lining which keeps you from feeling too cold when you get into the bag. Anyone serious about backpacking should probably try inexpensive gear to start with or rent better equipment before shelling out thousands of dollars on quality equipment, IMO. Again, thanks for sharing your take on Amazon best rated backpacking gear load out! 😁😉🤣
@MyLifeOutdoors9 ай бұрын
What you didn’t know is I took most of this straight out of the box right before leaving for this trip. It’s one of the reasons I didn’t catch the small size of the pack.
@debbilermond15539 ай бұрын
@@MyLifeOutdoors WOW! You really are brave! How did you manage to fit everything into that pack anyway? 😮
@neil_down_south9 ай бұрын
Don't assume the reviews are genuine... Could be generated by bot/review farm.
@Antenox9 ай бұрын
Honestly don't know why people still buy anything other than absolute basics from Amazon.
@random136276 ай бұрын
100% amazon has been removing 0 stars @luisrossman made a video about how there’s a lot of fake reviews fake items etc it’s crazy
@fire7sideАй бұрын
I got the Teton hiker and it's very comfortable and I'm 6-2. If you have a decent pack you can carry a few extra pounds fairly easy. I have a 4.5 lb, 2 person tent. I got a down sleeping bag from China on sale for 40 dollars. Warm enough for 3 seasons. The vast majority of us are weekend warriors and this stuff is all you need. I like alcohol stoves because it's so zen.
@mooreoutdoor98419 ай бұрын
I have a couple of friends that use the Teton Explorer, and they serve them well.
@meinthewild3129 ай бұрын
I ❤ the idea of budget gear, but I’ve found that I don’t like the performance in general. It usually wears out faster and needs replacing and it’s often not sturdy and breaks when it’s most inconvenient. My parents taught me to save for quality equipment and then take care of it. That said, I do purchase quality used equipment to save money.
@RevolverRabbit6 ай бұрын
I have one of those night cat tents and i went on a week long camp/hike through the porcupine mountains with it during which experience hurricane force winds and a CRAZY ass storm right on the coast of Lake Superior and the tent held up AMAZING. I was genuinely surprised and very thankful. I still use the tent to this day.
@Self_Proppelled9 ай бұрын
I have and use the Scout pack. The torso length is adjustable. I think the longest setting is 19. Bad for a tall guy but perfect for my 5 ft 8. For 79$ US I have no complaints and it's actually 1 gram lighter than the equivalent Osprey pack.
@RoughingItWithRuth9 ай бұрын
Bwahahaha! I love the story with the backpack! That is 100% something that I would do! Thanks for the video; it was great!
@eichilel97614 ай бұрын
I have the waterdrop filter and mine flows just right even only using gravity I tested it before going out and it worked perfect on the hike too.
@Jonhikes9 ай бұрын
I started with a Teton sports explorer & it's a good pack for the money. My biggest complaint is that it weighs over 5 lbs and some of the elastic straps lose elasticity before long. I still have it, I just prefer my REI flash 55. As for the rest I think Steven is dead on.
@dylanparrish-subda71419 ай бұрын
Oh hey. I use that Kelty bag.
@josephsorrendino49209 ай бұрын
Found an incredible tent and sleep system and use it to this day. ❤
@TheCameron10389 ай бұрын
Thank you for the great content as always. I would love to see a "Backpacking with the highest rated / most loved gear on the pct survey" video. Thanks!
@MyLifeOutdoors9 ай бұрын
That’s a good idea
@jacksyoungest51949 ай бұрын
Thanks for another great kit review Steven. Definitely the best reviewer on YT
@mjw99289 ай бұрын
I used a Teton Altos 20 degree sleeping bag on a trip in the Rockies. It was cold enough that it snowed, the bag was fine, and I hate being cold. It seems to be well made.
@user-kz5ny8xh5d3 ай бұрын
The water filter you used in this video works absolutely perfectly for me idk what it wasn’t working for you
@heartattackhiker35279 ай бұрын
I slept quite well on the static v. I've been using a 7.5 oz torso length thermorest for the last 7 years. I'm going to buy a big Agnes zoom ul and enjoy my sleep in the outdoors and a pillow as well for 2024
@scottsmit11156 ай бұрын
I think the tent is perfect the weekend campers. I am sure we can all find some faulty season from $40 - $300+ tents or anything else.
@Beelzebuds4 ай бұрын
While it's no excuse for the pot... you can always use a trusted measuring cup and fill the vessel, measure the depth and transcribe that on a waterproof material with waterproof marking (transparent cutting board materials), and have a reliable measuring source for your pots/resevoirs. A "dip stick" essentially that you can customize with multiple colored markerings related to different liquid vessels you are carrying (blue lines for the 32oz nalgene, compared to orange lines for the 3L platypus).
@memathews9 ай бұрын
Steven, you got the most important part of the fleece correct-TALL sizes!
@escapetherace19439 ай бұрын
the teton bags are actually very nice in how sturdy they are, even if they are "heavy" compared to UL packs. If the rest of your gear isn't too heavy they are pretty GOATed to put stuff in
@mcwilliams3339 ай бұрын
We bought that cooking set and the burner is going strong 7 years later. The pot and the burner is all we have left now 😂
@bakkila996 ай бұрын
So like 7 years ago I got the Teton scout 3400 and I just now found out it’s a child’s bag. Luckily, I’m built like a child, so I guess that’s why I had no issues when I used it hahaha. I have upgraded since then though lol.
@Jim553just4 ай бұрын
Very interesting, I really enjoy your fresh outlooks 👍
@feliciad44939 ай бұрын
I own a bunch of Teton sports stuff. Its basically what you'd expect from walmart if it specialized in camping supplies. I have the explorer 75 and the scout 55 both are great for the price.
@YankeeWoodcraft8 ай бұрын
The $45 "Free Knight Trekking 60" (aka "Bseash") pack is an insane deal. Fully featured with a frame, pack rain cover, pockets all over the place, a ton of straps (lid & bottom) and it only weights 2.1lbs for a 60L pack!
@toasty46348 ай бұрын
I just took the Teton 0degree bag on a backpacking trip and used the Sea to Summit Reactor Extreme liner and was sweating warm.
@PaulC0019 ай бұрын
sleeping pad i've been putting my sleeping pad in my sleeping bag (non mummy type) with a "woovie" (military poncho liner) covering it for years. i don't go out in temps much below 15F (-9C) though. always slept pretty well that way and sometimes i've had to unzip to not be too warm.
@jpgabobo9 ай бұрын
Those little bamboo spatulas that came with the cook set I have been using for decades, they even make great disposable poop trowels in an emergency. (don't use them for cooking after having used them for this.)
@srt53219 ай бұрын
Cool video, Thank you.
@karmaclanton55448 ай бұрын
Love your videos!!! Gave me the biggest laugh that you purchased the kids pack!!!😂😅😂😊❤
@justbeingmybestbob9 ай бұрын
Is this the 'cheap' gear episode? Very good, I have since upgraded a couple of things, but I am sticking with my $60 pack. It still going (although I've made two med repairs). Thanks for the content.
@JamboEcho9 ай бұрын
I have the waterdrop gravity system and I've been using it since mid summer (using it right now as I write this comment) and it works just fine. Even with the charcoal filter it flows just as good as any sawyer product I've used. I've never used it as a squeeze style system so I cannot vouch for that.
@ringperm9 ай бұрын
Thanks for including metric measurements 👍
@geraldwilliams38404 ай бұрын
I have the water drop and it definitely works better than that. Fills my smart water bottle in like 1 minute
@taylorburton93569 ай бұрын
I've got the teton explorer pack and love it. It's kinda heavy but good quality and seems to be very durable.
@guyshannon77329 ай бұрын
Cool review. I did a 42 km hike this year and picked a poor back pack for the hike. It left me with a hotspot on my right shoulder over the clavicle.
@boblazar77018 күн бұрын
Hay there's my backpack, I got the 80l the thing looks huge.
@Frindleeguy8 ай бұрын
The teton pack is alright. Mine is sloghtly uneven (one srrapaybe a half inch longer than the other?) But it does alright. Holds 50 lbs much better than my REI bag.
@peterisaksson99159 ай бұрын
Nice vid! Love the fast easy reviews!
@heidi53469 ай бұрын
hi i really love your channel and i have a video suggestion / something i'd be interested in personally! can you do a "sustainable outfit" video, without microplastics, forever chemicals (pfas/ptfe) etc but that will also keep you as warm and dry as possible? (id guess wool, fur, leather, wax would be some good materials to work with). as outdoorspeople we love nature so much yet we are some of the worst offenders for being covered and coated in toxic stuff that we carry around and let seep into the ground everywhere we set foot. ever since realizing this i can't enjoy my time outdoors with a clean conscience the way i used to.
@scubatrooper98957 ай бұрын
I worked for an outfitter who sold Teton… I can’t say anything good about their products. In a pinch? Yeah, it carries gear on your back… However… Basic items you need to take backpacking (footwear, sleep system, shelter, backpack etc) should be properly fitted and most reputable outfitters will offer free advice on products found in their store & outside of it. Also, per other gear (food, socks, pack weight etc). Take advantage of local hiking trails and your own yard. Your feet and back will have no idea if you’re on the PCT or AT, if you’re hiking locally. This gives you a chance to figure out the best packing weight, and how to situate things as you need them. Never had a certain Mountain House meal? Better to find your own bathroom and a good book vs digging a cat hole, howling like a banshee and pondering TP rations for the next couple of days. Try new food at home! Buying unknown online is truly playing Russian Roulette for the inexperienced & experienced backpacker alike. Certain items, you cannot get cheap on - buy once/ cry once.
@PREPFORIT9 ай бұрын
Thank you for your honest review.
@mikepowers86079 ай бұрын
I'm using the Teton Hiker 3700 and sure, it's a bit on the heavy side and could use a mesh pocket on the outside. Otherwise I can't complain much about it.
@kevinlytle62159 ай бұрын
My wife uses the scout. The Explorer is definitely bigger but compared to other mainstream packs of same liter rating it is smaller in my opinion. She is 5' 4" and the Scout seems big for her as she isn't good with the weight it can carry so load lite and it is nice. But for me at 5' 9" it is a bit small and feels uncomfortably restricting moving. But overall fairly decent as he said for kids and very short folks. .
@thisoldrelic9 ай бұрын
Static V came out with an insulated version r-4.4 rating. It's about $70 weights 1.5 lbs.
@benjameetsworld9 ай бұрын
I love my Teton Explorer 4000. I dont mind the extra weight, just get stronger tbh
@NGinuity9 ай бұрын
I owned the Teton Explorer 4000 and it also runs very small. Not a good fit for me. I run a medium to large when measured at REI. Maxed out those packs probably are S-M. Gave it to a Scout. She loves it. Bought a Gregory Katmai.
@DumpTrump4TRE45ON9 ай бұрын
Maybe it is 20 degree Celsius sleeping bag! Your channel is awesome.
@Here2shtpst9 ай бұрын
I have never seen a single layer tent, that's cheap, with a mesh moisture escape at the bottom. Js. I didn't even know that was a thing.
@LizzyNerd9 ай бұрын
Isn't the vent at the top of the tent exactly for condensation? Any hot humid air should go up and out through the mesh and collect on the "tiny rainfly" which should drip on the outside of the tent. It's doing exactly what it's designed to do 🤷
@Thecatnamedkiwi8 ай бұрын
You probably need to use it a bunch to see how well it really works
@siege29289 ай бұрын
Remember the majority of Amazon reviews are upon delivery. Next largest bracket of reviews are after a single use, or just a test use.
@georgehamilton6985 ай бұрын
Could you do a review of some Aarn gear?
@johnkerber95789 ай бұрын
I love the idea of budget stuff, especially for folks who want to dip their toes into backpacking without dropping a ton of cash. If they’re anything like me, they’ll end up getting hooked.
@ISuckatHiking9 ай бұрын
Look at that little backpack!
@MyLifeOutdoors9 ай бұрын
Felt cute too
@shawnr61179 ай бұрын
@@MyLifeOutdoorsyou probably could have gotten a little more torso length out of the pack simply by moving it past the " recommended" position. For reference I have a pack with the same type of attachment system.
@thisoldrelic9 ай бұрын
As far as testing the tent for water put a sprinkler over it.
@SteveRogers-lt7mj3 ай бұрын
Hi, I love you your work. My question doesn’t have much to do with the video and I apologize if you’ve addressed this in another video. I really like your hat. It seems that most hats of that style have a floppy brim. Yours has some stiffness to it. Please tell me about it! I don’t hike much but I do humanitarian work all over the world and that hat looks perfect for Honduras, Cambodia, and Indonesia (which are the 3 countries im working in this year). Thanks again for your work!
@MyLifeOutdoors3 ай бұрын
It’s made by Dorfman Pacific Company. I think it’s the Twill and Mesh Safari Hat. I folded the brim so it will fit in my pack FYI
@SteveRogers-lt7mj3 ай бұрын
@@MyLifeOutdoors thanks! I just ordered from Amazon. I’m going to fold it too. I’ll let you know what think after I use it!
@TheNoobHiker9 ай бұрын
Steven I cant believe you even teased adding a switchback to that abomination of a pad. That was the first pad I ever bought and was so bad I never used it. It still sits in my closet.
@MyLifeOutdoors9 ай бұрын
I mean it’s not the best. But it’s $40 bucks. That’s almost 5x cheaper than the next best pad. I have a lot of nice gear but try to keep in mind not everyone has that luxury. $40 buck trumps comfort for some people
@TheNoobHiker9 ай бұрын
@@MyLifeOutdoors Good point. I did buy the pad and the same cook set from this video when my financial situation was very different. 👍
@papatrekit9 ай бұрын
I am surprised, I have 2 water drop filters and they filter way faster than any sawyer squeeze that I have owned.
@MyLifeOutdoors9 ай бұрын
Maybe mine is defective
@redamaleki9 ай бұрын
So, sounds like you need a follow-up video on some of the Teton gear? Seems a bit unfair not to complain about the first tent due to the price, but then not give the same lee-way to Teton. Like other commenters, Teton has been a great value for the price, and spending a few more minutes on selecting gear - the leef 0 degree listing is combined with the leef 20 degree listing.
@0ricle9 ай бұрын
Possibly you got a defective water filter. Ive had the Water Drop filter thingy for several years now and its always flowed water through the filter just fine.
@MyLifeOutdoors9 ай бұрын
Very possible. It’s just one out of thousands I’m sure.
@jeffreycarman21859 ай бұрын
Buying stuff sight unseen is always a gamble, when you buy something online sight unseen, it’s an even bigger gamble.
@sprucepitch9 ай бұрын
Love your hat, what hat is that?
@magicworldbyjorg9 ай бұрын
...cool video keep up the great content.. Thank you…
@meljane83399 ай бұрын
It sounds like the amazon gear u present are good for the "cheapest option," but are not something to "get" if you are out of the southern "sunbelt," and about to go into an unemployment "sabbatical," or are spending any of your "family inheritence." About the fleece, i was warned that "recycled materials" in that sector, is often the most ecologically unfriendly because the recycled material is more subject to contributing to pollution in transportation (oceanic microplastics). ...so, the fact that it does not do/have that might be the reason for supercession in preference. Also, certain synthetic materials do degrade and can make the garment wearer feel itchy in time, and actually attract bugs with ingrained b.o. vinegar based softeners will help take out the human-proteins.
@manningermani9 ай бұрын
What about your shoes?
@lifthearth9 ай бұрын
Completely off topic (my apologies) and I’ve asked this before but couldn’t find the exact hat, but where did you get your beige wide brim hat? And do you just fold it flat to achieve that point in the front?
@christianb82287 ай бұрын
What are your thoughts on transition lenses for your glasses wouldn’t they be good for backpacking?
@MyLifeOutdoors7 ай бұрын
I’m sure they are great. I just don’t have any
@chandlerc70988 ай бұрын
what brand is the hat?
@Dino407079 ай бұрын
I have a feeling that the 20° on that sleeping bag was referring to Celcius
@MyLifeOutdoors9 ай бұрын
That would be better but unfortunately they have a big F listed after the temp on their website
@one234569and109 ай бұрын
6:30 WHAT THE HELL was that thing running across behind him? It looked about 12" tall and running on 2 legs. Starting around half way up on the right side. ROFL, it was a branch with about 4 leaves hahaha, I had to watch it a few times to catch it lol
@fernandotabora9 ай бұрын
Can you do Pfas free gear setup ?
@MyLifeOutdoors9 ай бұрын
Let me look into it.
@kasai15759 ай бұрын
I'll disagree with you on the Static V being the "best bang for your buck sleeping pad." The Z-Lite SOL is $50 with a lower weight and higher R-value.
@MyLifeOutdoors9 ай бұрын
Agreed but less comfortable.
@jziskind9 ай бұрын
I bought the Klymit Static V and absolutely hated everything about it
@ordinarypeople8019 ай бұрын
Do you plan to make videos about hiking and camping and not mainly focus on the gear itself, as the majority of the videos?
@tiger2too189 ай бұрын
You get what you pay for. Research and buy the best you can afford. We can only afford to buy x,y,z once so don’t buy a dirt cheap one only to have to replace it again and again.
@xvaldez32847 ай бұрын
Sheesh the R value on that is worse than I anticipated. I guessed it'd be around 2 but to think it's only 1.4 when they claimed it was 4.0
@chrismoore6009 ай бұрын
You can't trust the ratings most are fake or bought. I like budget gear but it has to work and be dependable. You had to do your research.
@ghostburgers42849 ай бұрын
Are yoga mats a good idea? I’m thinking of using one
@Im_With_Stupid8 ай бұрын
It won't be ideal, especially if it's cold, but it'll work.
@ghostburgers42848 ай бұрын
@@Im_With_Stupid thanks
@trevorflanagan48735 ай бұрын
A good Sawyer kit is $40 XD
@Medickep9 ай бұрын
Klymit pads seem like they’re worst than the ground!
@repairdrive9 ай бұрын
Remember the days when online review ratings actually meant something?
@michaelboguski47439 ай бұрын
A real test of all that Teton gear would be to summit Grand Teton with it, and you didn't spend a Grand!
@MyLifeOutdoors9 ай бұрын
New video idea! Thanks
@guillaumekeulen2199 ай бұрын
Next time bring soap for in the badtub! Visit for warm rain Groningen, Suriname For cold but not freezing Groningen, Holland Europe Be careful with snow in Suriname,Former prime Minister Bouterse dont like competition! Bananas coffee & chocolate are home grown too! Dutch Joke!
@UCcdTp7XpCkVLkaRCsDcifFg9 ай бұрын
night cat
@dougdekuiper31949 ай бұрын
Should we question the ratings in Amazon are real?
@joshalbert590413 күн бұрын
The klymit static V is the most overrated sleeping pad on the market. They really really overrate their R values and aren't comfortable
@dieselfrk132 ай бұрын
Not to mention all the fake reviews but also the people that buy it and then never use it or just pull it out once.
@nolimitracing97529 ай бұрын
"Cheap” and “inexpensive” are two different things….should be clarified a little better. When I hear cheap, I think “crap”
@TDC59 ай бұрын
unfortunately trusting amazon ratings is a bad idea. it might be a good jumping off point, but you need to look at the reviews. often the vast majority are from people who got the item for free in return for their review which obviously skews the rating way higher than it normally would be.
@MyLifeOutdoors9 ай бұрын
Exactly. The ironic part is most of the gear I use on a regular basis can be found on Amazon with similar star ratings. That’s when I started looking for “Amazon’s Choice” to see if the cheap high rated stuff was worth the trouble
@lizhang98079 ай бұрын
i just realized that AI have been writing reviews on amazon at least the mid 2020. i used to thought who would write a review about a product that didn';t even match the product ....then chat gpt came out ...and i saw the trump v.s biden AI twich channel .... and now it all makes sense .... when ever you see a review that starts with "i really love this water bottle, it holds all the water that i can drink and i really love drinking water out of this bottle" .... its AI