Thru Hiker Reacts to Appalachian Trail Hiker's PATHETIC Gear List | Backpacking Gear Shakedown

[@samh8130]

How do you tell all your subscribers all at once you don't know anything about women: 18:13 😂😂😂

[@mikitta47]

Best moment in a video I watched today!

[@arriettyclocky]

Hahahahaha I laughed so hard at that too. It was adorable 😂

[@Joe_P]

Dixie wears a neck knife, and she's a triple crowner. I think it's just a point of security feeling for a solo woman

[@jennybtx]

Yep! I got a neck knife because of Dixie.

[@DisabledPrepper]

I prefer a 21" ASP (Baton) & Pepper Spray, just hidden.

[@Swearengen1980]

@@DisabledPrepper I prefer my gun and also carry a knife. But then I've done so for 20 years, it's not extra weight, it's a part of me. That gets a lot of whiny judgment since IMO, most backpackers tend to be tree hugging ninnies/city folk who are offended or see no need. I'm a country boy whose been charged by a number of animals in the wilderness, including in the Appalachians (not on the trail, elsewhere). I'm taking no risks, especially with my kid with me.

[@bluefungi]

​@Swearengen1980 I'm a nomad. I've had encounters with both weirdos at bus stops in seattle and all the way in the country I've had encounters with bear and some smaller critters. However it doesn't matter if your a country boy or a city slicker I've been in both places and, in both places it's wise to carry some heat. I can confirm that the city is wild too man. Just a different environment. In my opinion country boys typically come more prepared but, city slickers show less fear with people encounters. And county guys show less fear with animals. I love both places tho.

[@Swearengen1980]

@@bluefungi Can't say I've seen country guys show fear with people encounters. Rednecks will fight at the drop of a hat and are pretty confrontational. Now when you talk about the city, it also depends what/where/who. Your average white city slicker is generally a pussy and a coward (basically every major, primarily liberal city this seems to be true). Inner city areas, obviously an entirely different scenario, so I guess it's not really fair to lump every aspect of the city in together. But I wouldn't conflate caution or distrustfulness with fear, we just don't like the city (even though I live in one now). A lefty white guy will go to bad parts of town to show how diverse and tolerant he is out of some superficial virtue signaling...that's not brave, it's stupid. Ask a country boy to go to the ghetto and he just uses common sense and says, "WTF would I do that for?". Seriously, it's laughable to say country people are more afraid of confrontations with people. Though respectful we can be, we're the epitome of, "I wish a mother fucker would" 😂

[@lexischaub5298]

If you check the right side, a lot of the things mentioned (like the extra CNOC bag and sawyer squeeze) were listed as 0 so she probably was trying to decide between the gear she has. Also Kyle you should do a newbie complete MYOG gear shakedown... were talking tent, sleep system, rain jacket... idk whatever they're making these days lol 😆 its pretty cool to look through and some peoples stuff is super lightweight

[@janrie7330]

"A toothbrush isn't consumable" Well, my dog thinks otherwise...

[@allenhansen7783]

Ditch the liners and keep the .125" pad. The pad has multi-use options. #1 use as a sit pad, #2 use to put under your sleep pad to keep the pad from sliding around on the tent floor and #3 adds a little R value to the sleep pad.

[@saskhiker3935]

If you have an extra pad can't iy also be used as a sit pad? Some redundancy in items like with the hydration. Personally I wouldn't use the hydration pack cause they have to be cleaned regularly, you don't know how much water your drinking or have on hand and personally when I had a hydration pack they leaked. Probably leaked cause of something I did wrong. But you have other ways to carry water.

[@4evrbffl]

I have re-used similar plastic smell-proof bags from my dispensary for feminine hygiene products on the trail. I have found them to be quite durable too!

[@waterfall_brook]

Absolutely! We don't really want to be prancing through the woods smelling like prey! :)

[@mikewise5119]

Hey Kyle. Long time listener first time caller. This is a great thing to do to help a prospective thru hiker so great idea for videos. If I can offer some constructive criticism. You didn't seem to know what a lot of her stuff was or why she had it listed, so probably have the person on the video with you, or at least talk to them first so you have the answers to all of that ahead of time? Also, it would be interesting to modify the list based on your recommendations and compare to show the weight savings and/or how the changes are going to make the thru hike easier or more efficient. And finally, f' Dan Becker. :)

[@amyarcher8017]

Love this, would love to see it with the person there (virtually) to explain/defend their choices.

[@KyleHatesHiking]

Yes this would be great!!

[@_68niou1]

Definitely need a response vid.

[@lourdesgarcia2969]

Meals are a good indication of age...

[@lourdesgarcia2969]

"I'd like to report a racism vine..."

[@SophisticatedDogCat]

Please do this, Kyle!!!

[@gregmortonoutdoors]

This is like the backpacking version of #roastme.

[@KyleHatesHiking]

Lmao

[@TarraKlasen]

Maybe the second odor bag is for fem hygiene used products?

[@RonOrud]

My thoughts too.

[@KyleHatesHiking]

Never thought of this, clearly

[@TheNypenfan]

It would be interesting to see her post hike list in 5 months.

[@KyleHatesHiking]

Yes! So we could see how accurate my advice really was

[@SophisticatedDogCat]

She ended up quitting for personal reasons. Hopefully we'll see her again on the trail!

[@timlois]

The Costco quilt is a fantastic summer quilt. Great mod videos on YT. I used one most of the late spring, summer, and early fall months. They're fantastic. I do sleep warm, though.

[@mikitta47]

The second quilt ... it's good on its own for summer. It used to come as a set of 2 from Costco as the DBD packable down throw. For deep summer, I use one as an underquilt and one as a top quilt in my hammock. Very decent. The two together are under 2 lb. The Cnoc Vecto can be set up as a gravity filter with a sawyer squeeze, which is what I do. The empty vectos are very light. I have a smart bottle for drinking out of. Smellproof bags - I use the OpSack with my Ursack xl. This can cut down on critters going after your food. On the AT, I would still hang an Ursack. Soap ... i got the little sheets that weigh almost nothing to experiment with. They come from Coleman in a little yellow plastic carrier. Honestly, just carry bonner's soap as you can brush your teeth with it, too. Tweezers and tick key. She should ditch the tick key. The tweezers are multifunctilnal. Fanny pack .. probably for carrying camera gear, extra batteries and the like that she wants without the struggle of dragging it out of various pack pockets. I love my cat stove. I use a 550 ml Ti pot for boiling water, and I use an MSR Infinity cup to rehy my meals (cant stand eating out of bags) and to drink my hot coco. The Pstyle and kula ... Kyle gets embarrassed LOL!!

[@nikkiw7119]

How much weight did you save her?!?! I think her gear list kinda kicked your butt!! 😂

[@pikaoutdoors7414]

I really enjoyed this video. The Tarpten Protrail Li comes with 4 stakes and are included in the weight they post on their website. It looks like Samantha listed the tent weight and the stakes separately.

[@KyleHatesHiking]

Good find :)

[@dracphelan]

After having a bladder burst in my pack, I will never use one again.

[@KyleHatesHiking]

I had one leak once. That was it for bladders

[@GoodMorningSunshine]

If I keep the Hydrapak it will live in my tall side pocket. Never inside the pack! It’s what I do now, but I do agree with the simplicity of Kyle’s suggestion with smart bottles!

[@leeennddaa853]

I love having the convenience of a bladder for short weekend trips but would never carry one on a thru-hike. Even still I put it in its own waterproof bag, just in case!

[@nedanother9382]

I dont even know how these things are sold. Day use only

[@queerlibtardhippie9357]

Way too easy to puncture

[@kate_roaming]

+1 for fannie packs. Phones seem to not fit in hip belt pockets and women's shorts are hard to find with useable pockets. However I have found a new favorite pair with pockets from UA. A few of the literweight add on items, like the fannie, OP sacks, and hygiene items, are decide as you go I feel like. Also +1 for Pika Outdoors powder soap in a small sanitizer bottle. For various reasons sometimes you just need clean hands.

[@ThatGirlJD]

You can also find men's shorts in your size. If you know how to sew you can taylor them to fit better or take some safety pins.

[@ckb1137]

On my first section hike my base weight was a whopping 44 pounds, plus I was carrying a full 14 days worth of food because I had no idea that resupply was an option lol

[@push-onshikingadventures1880]

I know Ultralight has been everything for over a decade now, but the pushback is finally starting. There have been some pretty notable accidents on the PCT recently that many associated with the trail believe could have been avoided had it not been for this craze. Particularly not wanting to carry microspikes due to weight, but other issues too. So I'm going to take this time to make a point about your wellbeing. Kyle is right, as light as possible is best for your body on such a long trek, be efficient with what you pack. However, dont clip corners on safety. For instance, I know cutting up your AT guide can save weight, but those three or four packages mailed to you are also going to cost as much if not more than the guide in the first place, and more importantly the guide to how to use the guide is at the front. If you split up a book like this you will be without critical info at some point. That just always seemed like more of a mess than it was worth, especially when people are carrying 2 pounds of electronics. Remember all the way up and through the 90s people carried packs that were routinely 50 pounds and did so with much worse footwear and clothing to boot. Dont risk your safety for weight, but dont risk injury for junk you dont need! Do we understand now what should be the driving force behind gear choices?

[@KyleHatesHiking]

I mean I agree with most of this but I think your example of cutting the guidebook is a stretch. Perhaps a balance is to start with the full guidebook, and then tear pages out as you go. I truly believe that when done properly, going ultralight is the safest way to thru hike. Leaving essential items at home to save weight is not ultralight, its just ultra stupid

[@push-onshikingadventures1880]

@@KyleHatesHiking yea, maybe a stretch, but you didnt tell her to whittle her toothbrush down to a nub and leave her first aid kit like was all the rage in 2017 so I had to go somewhere....

[@christianb8228]

@@KyleHatesHiking yeah like the satellite communicator

[@spuriouseffect]

@@push-onshikingadventures1880 I have no idea what you thought she would be cutting that would endanger her. What do you need for a first aid kit? Certainly not 5 ounces of stuff. Ibuprofen, some bandages, and some duct tape. If you need any more than that, then you're leaving in a helicopter anyway. And just rip out the front few pages of the guide separately and keep them for the entire trip. You'll be mailing yourself resupply boxes anyway, so I don't see the problem. The vast majority of what she needed to cut has absolutely nothing to do with safety. Even her 8oz sleeping bag liner could be replaced with a 1oz space blanket, especially since she's carrying so many extra clothes. The A.T. is not the PCT either. With the exception of some areas in the northern states, you're never very far from civilization, and mountaineering gear is not needed for the entire trip.

[@push-onshikingadventures1880]

@@spuriouseffect wtf are you commenting on a year old comment nonsense?

[@pitdoctor]

I have a couple of the Costco quilts she lists. For summer camping they will work perfectly fine. It's a throw blanket style quilt, so it doesn't have a footbox or anything like that, but it's lightweight and warm enough for summer camping and when they have them at Costco they're super inexpensive.

[@hawkeytown]

yeah costco quilts are great, specially if you modify them a bit, the actually contain some good down. I got a camsnaps kit and added some snaps to create a foot box in mine. Also popping some of the stitches in them really allows the down to expand a TON, I went two squares in on each side and 4 on the bottom,1 on top, then removed the vertical stitches in the middle. Once you do that it make nice big un-sewn through baffles that get nice and fluffy. I've used mine into the 30's in my hammock (I actually made a full top and underquilt setup from 3 blankets) and it works amazingly well.

[@KyleHatesHiking]

You know i didn't even realize it said Costco when I did the video. I just paid attention to the Amazon link

[@hawkeytown]

@@KyleHatesHiking im pretty sure that one that was linked to is the same as the costco quilts, they are kind of generic and made by double black diamond i think. bed bath and beyond and other stores have them too, but they are just super cheap at costco but for good weather they really are great. Specially if you pop a few stitches and let the down expand.

[@michael-lucanatt8009]

I have an eddie bauer one and I was good in the summer

[@BK-lw6cz]

I added an optional foot box with kam snaps. Made it the perfect summer quilt.

[@wilsonwho08]

I've used the smellyproof bags. had a racooon walk right past my food sitting on a picnic table in one and go to the garbage, didn't even blink

[@JesseCarole]

I def think you should bring soap for washing your hands. Hand sanitizer kills germs but they still reside on your hands until you wash them off. And you can repurpose a small eye dropper container and put dr Brawners in it :) Just for ya know the whole pandemic thing 🤷🏻‍♀️

[@leeennddaa853]

Am I the only pansy that carries a mini nail brush? I HATE dirty finger nails. It's my main luxury item... weighs .2 oz & $1 from Dollar General. I won't leave home without it. 😂 #DontJudgeMe

[@SoloGetHykt]

If you use hand sanitizer and it kills the germs, they’re dead, it’s not like they’re going to revive on your hands (just saying). But soap is good for the dirt on your hands before you eat. Helps prevent the risk of worms.

[@lilredheadmlh]

Hand sanitizer and water to rinse.

[@nedanother9382]

embrace your filth

[@ThatGirlJD]

She also needs the soap to wash her body with. Being musty is one thing but being fishy from your PH being off because you didn't wash blood off of yourself is another thing.

[@jamespepper3146]

The 17.7 oz is with the 4 stakes and stake bag as well as the tent and it's bag. I bought it myself.

[@APhoenixWithin]

Smelly bags or Odor proof bags or opsaks or plymor bags.... Definitely a real thing that do wonders.

[@sandrab5166]

Really good in non-bear country for keeping raccoons from getting my food!

[@jeremylince9307]

I would really enjoy seeing this as a weekly series. Not only does it potentially help out the person who's gear you're reviewing, but it's also nice to see more practical gear lists that aren't just the same list from every other YT hiking vlogger. Also, we might discover some gear or ideas we never thought of before.

[@jimknapp386]

Kudos to Samantha for letting you do this. Defiantly needs to consolidate the water storage situation. Best of luck to her on the AT!

[@KyleHatesHiking]

Yes she was very generous to help me with the video!

[@calcgeek117]

"Thinlight" is what Gossamer Gear calls their pad. It's a full length pad, loved by many UL Thru-Hikers

[@audioostrich]

I'd keep the gg thinlight pad honestly - especially for someone who looks like they're concerned with being cold based on gear choices. It will help boost that uberlite r value and help protect it from damage

[@KyleHatesHiking]

Good idea

[@jakecook9881]

This is a great idea for a video. But I think he’s a little hung up on the gear he uses and could use more knowledge of other options instead writing it off with “I don’t know what that is, you can do without it”

[@KyleHatesHiking]

... fair. I'll get better as I do more!

[@redtango76]

I have two of the Costco quilts and they are very warm and toasty. I would totally use it during the Summer on the AT. The hydro pack is currently one of the only water bladders that is compatible with the Befree. Katadyn tells people who want a bladder larger than 1 liter to purchase the hydro pack.

[@waxler2]

I’d ditch the reactor liner and just keep the silk liner with a 20° quilt. Ear buds are probably 3.8 ounces and not 38 ounces. Keep the befree and delete the Sawyer. With these changes base weight drops about 42 ounces and brings base weight to about 15 pounds.

[@Lookyhere73]

Possibly replacing the tick tool, tweezers, and neck knife with a gerber dime saves .78 oz. Love this type of video Kyle. A follow up with Samantha would be 👍

[@ronmerrell5426]

The knife she linked is exactly like mine, which does hang from a sheath around my neck. It's super short and sturdy and I use it every mult-day hike to slice vacuum packed choriso sausages into my Raman.

[@meredithotoole3049]

I have the same one, too & wouldn't hit the trail without it!

[@bretthikez6567]

Brooooo the odor proof bags are bomb as hell..your supposed to put them in the ursack as a double layer or atleast that's what the REI dude told me...I use them to hide smells of other things 😉..a good old bear bag gets it done for me..cool idea for a vid...the extras were crazy on this one !

[@MrDanAng1]

My take: First, adding the weight of toothbrush and fuel container to baseweight instead of consumable. Also adding a pair of rain pants. I would ditch Footprint, condensation wipe, Thermalite liner, fanny pack, cozy, odor bag for food and toiletry, cup and camp shoes. And as Kyle suggest, cut the AT guide i 4-5 pieces. And EITHER ditch the lighter sleeping liner OR swap out sleeping clothes to lighter socks and short underpants and a sports bra or T-shirt. Swap (Possibly) have a linerbag for the entire backpack and leave the quilt drybag, just put the quilt in first at the bottom. Neck knife for a multitool, most likely Leatherman Squirt PS4, Style PS or Micra, more useful and slightly lighter. Nalgene bottle for a small soda/Smartwater bottle. And just for my personal preference, I'd ditch the bladder/drinking tube system, just swap it out for two SmartWater bottles, at about 1L each the water capacity would be the same. For this, I got a baseweight of about 14 lbs. Personally, I would also not need the 24 oz sleeping quilt, even in the coldest stretches, so there is another half pound to gain, but I'm a very warm sleeper, so I definetily wouldn't make this a general recommendation. Other than that, I save mostly small amounts of weight by different choices of gear, so I would have a pack looking something like this: lighterpack.com/r/5zx3j7 This is MY personal compromise of weight, comfort, price and preferences I can live with, not THE correct way, just... my way.

[@ronandy8681]

You tell her to get the 50° quilt but she needs to also know you have two thermal bottoms also which would allow you to use a 50° quilt

[@MrDanAng1]

@@ronandy8681 Well, sort of true... but one is for the upper body and the other one for the legs, so my combination is actually a bit colder than having a full Xlite, but also a bit lighter. And I don't tell her to use a 50F quilt, I specifically say this is what I use, but that I DON'T generally recommend this!

[@preston1172]

Good info! I’ll keep this in mind when I hike the AT in 40 years! Can’t wait till I can put my camp chair to good use!

[@KyleHatesHiking]

Burn the camp chair

[@preston1172]

@@KyleHatesHiking maybe you’re right, I should change it out with a laptop because it could double as a butt pad

[@bob-ny6kn]

@@preston1172 ... night light, mp3 player, mirror, camera, hand warmer, pillow, fly swatter, more!

[@preston1172]

@@bob-ny6kn exactly!

[@bob-ny6kn]

@@preston1172 bend it a few times and you get a STOVE!

[@TheForester71]

Such hate for Nalgene bottles . . . 😁 but I already knew that. Other than that I liked the advice you gave for the most part. Good luck on your hike Sunshine. You will figure the pack out as you go.

[@kateb6893]

It's so funny as a woman to watch you react with disorientation and confusion to the things that are female-centric in a pack. Have you never hiked with a woman before, Kyle?

[@KyleHatesHiking]

I really haven't haha

[@mikitta47]

@@KyleHatesHiking you need to :)

[@christianb8228]

Why not just pop a squat and save some weight?

[@GruntProof]

Clearly he's never been around a woman 😂

[@schoon5m]

The tick key might not work on some smaller ticks i'd go with the classic tweezers

[@betsybarbera9806]

This is a great video idea and you are the first I've seen do it. Everyone loves looking at what others are carrying. When I get my list more finalized can I send it to you too? If so where do I send it? Planning 2022 AT thru hike.

[@AlpacaMade]

I pulled up my spreadsheet (having already shaved off 5lbs) I was really surprised at her starting base weight; her pack is lighter, tent, sleep pad, battery. Here's the thing; I think many first time long distance hikers don't know their carry weight. I know mine so I know my base has to be 12 or under. EDIT: also to be fair, no one counts their trekking poles, I do cause no one else is going to carry them but me. Great vid👏😉

[@graemehindshaw4221]

What is the point in this review if you don't know how to use lighterpack. You are "confused" a lot, but that's because this is a complete list of her stuff and you can see that she's selected a ZERO in the quantity so isn't planning on taking it and lighterpack won't add it to the weight. This basic threw you off in the sleep systems especially, she's hardly going to take 3 or 4 sleeping bags! Also surprised you don't know what half this stuff is, such as the CNOC bladder. That fits onto a filter with a 42mm thread and it is way easier to use than the stock bladders which are supplied. Reckon you should research the items before adding content and saying "I don't know what this is I would just leave it behind" because you may as well just put up your own gear list and say "Hey take this stuff". Just sayin

[@lauranwoodward6145]

Good luck, Samantha! Not sure if this is a tbd thing as the date approaches, but lululemon tights have royally pissed me off anytime I’ve worn them out on multi day hikes. (And I’m a big fan of them otherwise.) The backcountry just totally tears them up, any style. Might not be the case for you at all, but just figured I’d share in case you’re thinking through potential back up plans! Have fun!

[@GoodMorningSunshine]

I did actually end up swapping these out. The Lululemons were gifted but after some hikes with them they just don’t stay up! I can see the material being somewhat fragile too. They’re just so comfy though!

[@Burn3r10]

The hydrapak seeker is because of the katadyn. The befree filters aren't compatible with regular water bottles since it is too big for them.

[@eddiethehitchhikingmaltipo6754]

Nice that you help out a newbie. 19:41 I think it’s some kind of fishing lure. I know, we should ask Flossie, he seems to be smarter than the rest of us 😁

[@KyleHatesHiking]

😂😂

[@jasonkoslow4174]

You saved her 2lbs with the earbuds alone. Nice work.

[@KyleHatesHiking]

Its what I do

[@nonameman9291]

Lmfao.

[@Happymars24]

The Costco quilt works great down to 50F or so. I've used it during the summer a few times.

[@cobbler88]

A fun exercise! A few thoughts: -I think it might have been more useful if this was a "want" list and we could then go through and give her ways to save money! It's nice to try to get the "right" (different for all of us) gear out of the blocks so she doesn't have to go through as much upgrading as many of us, but she's certainly not shy about spending on gear for an inexperienced hiker. That Tarptent runs about $500, and we know what some of the other items generally run without looking them up. I'm kind of surprised she made the quilt herself. -Speaking of which, I'm guessing the things marked "summer" after them are only for summer hiking. That quilt is likely a comp to the real $20 "Costo quilt," which pretty much disappeared from the market a couple of years ago after becoming really popular with hikers. You may be able to still find it on eBay if you buy a two-pack. I think the company was "Double Black Diamond." Regardless, even though it's included in this vid, I'm guessing she actually swaps that in for the 20-degree quilt in the summer. -Odor bags. I can't say I'm confident that bags that inexpensive are keeping any smells out as far as animals are concerned. IDK what she does for meals, but I put mine together in quart-sized freezer baggies for re-hydrating on the trail. Then when I'm done with everything I put it in that same baggie and stow IT in a gallon baggie. A little less to carry around and definitely cheaper. -Fanny pack. Not a huge fan, but if you're a vertical hiker they can be nice to hump up to the high camp so that on the summit day you can leave your gear behind and just use a day pack and fanny pack for your layers, water and snacks (you can get buy with a REALLY light, cheap Ozark Trail day pack for layers if you can carry most of the water weight on your hips). And the fact of the matter is that the belt pockets on most packs are all but useless for a lot of us. You can shoehorn some Chapstick and a snack or two in there, but that's about it. I'm 'not sure I'd really want to carry a fanny pack AND my full load on an actual thru- or section hike though. -Water: Looks like she just really needs to figure out the water/filter system. Quite a bit of redundancy there. I'd probably get rid of that first crushy bottle and the Squeeze and stick to the BeFree filter plus Smart bottles. The CNOC Vecto is nice if you're not sure of your water sources and may need to get into some really shallow ones that a Smartwater bottle opening doesn't really work on.

[@GoodMorningSunshine]

I am not completely new to backpacking. I have experience just not on long trails. I also work in the industry and have access to steep discounts. So yes I can purchase premier gear on the first go. But I’ll be the first to admit easy access to gear means my gear closet is probably bigger than most people here. I could outfit a scout troop 😅. Also I am experienced with sewing all sorts of things. So the quilt was a no brainer to save money and get exactly what I wanted. Check out my Instagram to see photos. And yes when Kyle’s video was filmed I was still deciding between two hydration systems! When you own multiple options of each piece of gear, analysis paralysis is real. I’ll be able to swap virtually anything once I’m out there if I choose to!

[@tobyschellhase2503]

Definitely keep the hydrapak seeker 2L for water. It works awesome with the Befree filter.

[@gregmortonoutdoors]

I think the vecto 42mm fits the befree and would be easier to fill because of the large opening. Maybe the Hydrapak for the majority of her clean water and the Smartwater bottle to drink out of while hiking?

[@leeennddaa853]

I noticed Taylor the Nahamsha Hiker (out on the AT right now) uses the BeFree with a Smart Water Bottle. Seems to be the easiest to just stick with these two. I believe she uses the 3L BeFree bag (really doesn't take up much room & can filter more water at once if you need). You can easily fill up 2-3 Smart Water bottles with one of these, but you prob really only need 1 SW Bottle and can store more water in the BeFree bag if you need to carry more water for whatever reason to filter into the SW Bottle later. This allows you a total of 4L carry capacity with just the BF Bag and SW Bottle, which is probably WAY more than you'll ever need between water sources unless you're a damn camel.

[@gregmortonoutdoors]

@@leeennddaa853 Check out Samantha''s video and you'll see her water set up. It makes more sense than what you're told in this video.

[@leeennddaa853]

@@gregmortonoutdoors yeah I knew the BeFree only fits the Hydrapak bottles, so that's likely why she included it. But still could be simplified IMO. Smart Water Bottles. Easy. Cheap. Lightweight. Throw-away if you need a new one.

[@leeennddaa853]

@@gregmortonoutdoors Honestly I just wish the BeFree filters could fit on like, those Core Water bottles. Problem solved. I prefer that the Core Water bottles have a slightly wider mouth for fill ups than the Smart Water Bottle + Sawyer Squeeze option.

[@danielkutcher5704]

Empty small plastic peanut jars make good replacements for a Nalgene, though smaller. Gatorade quart bottles are good, too, plus, you can carry a ready-mixed energy drink out of town at no real weight penalty. I water mine down as I hike.

[@drasticbread249]

Sitting here watching you ponder over leaving a .18 oz towel at home for saving weight, going "THIS is why people make fun of ultralighters!"

[@stryder_hiker178]

You went so fast on the tent stakes. I was hoping you would do a full tent stakes review!

[@KyleHatesHiking]

lmao maybe next time!

[@TheFraziers]

Tarptent reports weight information including stakes and stuff sacks. She has those items split up individually which is the reason for the supposed discrepancy.

[@sm00419]

That summer quilt is fine. I've used it on 50f nights and been more than comfortable. I am guessing she is going to mail home the colder gear and have the summer stuff sent to her later on in the trip. this alone would reduce her weight a lot.

[@KB-re4ku]

TarpTent weights include the stakes, so her weight is probably without the stakes. And seeing as she has an entry for stakes that’s likely why the website listed weight and her measured weight are different.

[@allstuffoutside]

i have a jetboil zip. is that a good backpacking stove? not as light as a brs 3000 but better quality.

[@unicornv]

I use multiple odor proof bags (and by this brand). Several are XL - perfect for general food as well as food trash. The smaller ones are good for toiletry kit (toothpaste, toothbrush, meds). Good for storage and also add at least a peace of mind that I'm not going to have mice (or other animals) going after smellables.

[@christianb8228]

Just put all your stuff that has an oder in your food bag if it’s to much in one bag then you’re probably bringing to much stuff to begin with

[@christianb8228]

Forget that use one food bag for everything and save weight

[@_68niou1]

As for the odor bags, what do you put your trash in Kyle?

[@KyleHatesHiking]

A zip lock

[@_68niou1]

@@KyleHatesHiking Her bags are no heavier than those and also help conceal odors.

[@helpfulcommenter]

@@_68niou1 and cost 100x more

[@jetgirlhikes9155]

Surprisingly that Costco quilt works pretty good for summer stuff. I cut mine down a little to make it a bit lighter. As a girl, I can say she could ditch that pee style. Squatting is weight savings. She could use the wipe or sham-wow for both drying her dishes and wiping the inside of her tent. It does make a difference in a single wall tent when you're stuck camping in a moisture prone area.

[@surfandstreamfisher5749]

my TT Protrail in silnylon came in 1oz under the listed weight. the posted weight fromTT includes stuff sack, stakes & guylines. GG thinlight foam pad serves as a sit pad & adds a little extra insulation under the inflatable pad but the big advantage is that it stops pad slide if you're not on a totally level site. great multi purpose piece of gear for a minimal weight penalty.

[@KyleHatesHiking]

Good insight!!

[@stonedapeadventures]

Looks like she has a winter and summer sleeping kit. The Costco one is really big in the diy community, probably what she made her winter bag with.

[@KyleHatesHiking]

A few people have pointed this out. I was confused by the Amazon link, didn't really realize it said Costco when I recorded

[@GoodMorningSunshine]

Not what I made my winter bag out of. That was completely from scratch. Check out my Instagram for photos of that. The amazon link was the closest thing I could find to the one I picked up at Costco. It’s a great summer down quilt!

[@Casual_BackPacking]

How do you feel about the Columbia convertible pants?

[@tonbonthemon]

Looks like the biggest issue were the bottles and headphones. And it seems that her headphones includes "Aftershokz", not just apple earbuds.

[@gangsterofpow]

Say what you want about this Kyle dude but he takes the hits just as well as he dishes them out! As always, good down to earth insights. Thank you.

[@That3DPrintGuy]

Now I want to see Kyle do a pstyle review

[@KyleHatesHiking]

😂😂

[@GoodMorningSunshine]

🤣

[@PlaybackMansion]

Yeah, he breezed through that way too fast. I'd like Kyle's opinion on how many tampons to bring as well

[@mikitta47]

That could be very educational!

[@YoungGunzBass01]

The Costco quilts are legit. Above 60 degrees.

[@YoungGunzBass01]

Also I see two battery banks

[@mikitta47]

Ive been comfy into the low 50's withem set as Uq/Tq cor my hammock.

[@ursulaanne]

Laughed out loud at the headphones weighing 38oz 😂

[@mongo1348]

The cnoc bag and hydrapak thread the befree filter and can be used for squeeze or for gravity filtering. But i don't see the tubing for gravity filtering on her list. So im assuming she's using the hydrapak for water storage and the smart bottle for drinking

[@SoloGetHykt]

I noticed she had 2 filters too. Katadyn and the Sawyer. And the headphones were probably .38. She’ll figure out what she needs and doesn’t when she hits the trail.

[@KyleHatesHiking]

Yes she will!

[@bob-ny6kn]

I have never hiked without a water filter failure. I always bring a lifestraw so I can at least baby bird my water.

[@GoodMorningSunshine]

I was comparing the two! Not taking both lol

[@leodomingox]

The Hydrapak are awesome. It's more like a water storage. I've used many times. Can be used with multiple filters. Which I don't understand is the American obsession with plastic water bottles for long trips, even if they are called smart or not.

[@joshwolf7139]

Great video, would love to see more of these.

[@MegaMastiffman]

I just use another pair of trail runners as my camp shoes I got a very light pair of NB now but used to use Teva sandles whitch are surprisingly comfortable, I think you can get a digital copy of the AWOL guide

[@Finnlaine222]

Loved it 😊 gave me some thought for additions and subtractions.... would love to see what you eat in a day on trail in a future video 😳 tired of my CRAP 🤣

[@gingerthetrailpup7223]

I use the Tarptent Pro Trail Li. I love it. No footprint needed. Also this one already comes seam sealed (note from one of your other videos). 🙂

[@jmsantana1987]

Kyle, I’d love your opinion on my list. I’m doing the AT in 2022 and I’m still kind of tweaking my gear list.

[@exxology1]

I loved watching this! Great list & good advice..

[@KyleHatesHiking]

Thank you 😊

[@rodrev_hiking6757]

Kyle are u interested going through my packlist for Iceland Laugavegur Thru Hike this August ?

[@KyleHatesHiking]

I honestly don't know anything about that trail, and thus wouldn't feel comfortable recommending gear for it. Sorry!

[@rodrev_hiking6757]

@@KyleHatesHiking its like hiking at 25-30F with high winds . You should google the Trail and check it out :) its listed at top5 hikes in the world according to National Geographic. Anyways bro i enjoyed the Video and would watch more of it for other people. Its very interesting and also people find new gear / companies .

[@hollyhopalong7405]

Don’t ditch the rain mitts! I run cold, and cold wet hands are miserable. Carry through the smokies and then reassess . Best to you!

[@adamhinojosa6295]

I would’ve preferred to see the list being edited by you in another column and see the weights side by side. Great stuff tho. I do enjoy when you go off and search for stuff and show that part of your thought process.

[@MrDanAng1]

I was very surpriced when the baseweight is over 17 lbs when the big three barely reach over 6 lbs! Looking at my own go to list for three season hiking, I have just over 3,5 lbs of baseweight if I take away the big three! I'll admit it's a bit on the extreme side of the Bell-curve, but it shouldn't be too hard to get it down to 6-7 lbs, getting the baseweight down to the 12-13 lbs range, possibly even lighter! I paused the video right after the big three, so it should be interesting to see where the shake down end up! 👍😀 EDIT: Oh, the typo on the earbuds (guess they are either 38 grams or 0.38 oz?) take down the baseweight to about 15.5-ish lbs, still some weight there, but it make more sense. Still, it should be easy enough to knock off 2.5-3.5 lbs there, I don't think she even need to follow all of Kyle's advice to reach that.

[@mtadams2009]

My base weight is about eight pounds and it actually was quit expensive. That said my gear is all very good and I am very comfortable on the trail. I can see 6 or 7 pounds but I would definitely be giving up some comfort.

[@MrDanAng1]

@@mtadams2009 I'm not sure if you reference the baseweight with or without the big three. Mine is also about 8 lbs too, since my big three is around 4,5 lbs. I spent money on my big three, so the rest of my stuff isn't very expensive.. homemade burner and a cheap pot give a cook kit weighing in at 160 g/under 6 oz and cost about $10 including materail used, either a cheap down jacket or cheap fleece shirt as insulation, at either about $50 or $15. Pretty much all of my things beside the big three is not dirt cheap, but definetily not a money pit... I would guess at less than $250 combined, even including BOTH downjacket and fleece shirt. The single most expensive thing in my backpack is a leatherman Juice S2 which cost me about $60-70 if I remember correct. Including my big three!? That's MUCH more... that is probably at about $1500 plus said $250! But there is certainly easy and relatively cheap ways to get all the additional stuff when you already start with a roughly 6 lbs for the big three and many ok items beyond that, as referenced in the video. Getting this additional stuff to a more reasonable 6-7 lbs range, giving a total baseweight of about 12-13 lbs is the goal here... it's a while since I watched the video, so I don't remember that much specifics, I posted specific suggestions at another thread here in the comments... somewhere!

[@mtadams2009]

@@MrDanAng1 That base weight was all in. To get to about the eight pound number I also spent good money on my down jacket, Montbell and my rain gear, Zpacks. Most of my gear is Zpacks and I know a lot of people love to hate on them but for me their gear and support after the sale has been fantastic. I am older and retired and to be honest money is not a big deal. Going light has truly changed backpacking for me. I know 800 for a tent it a lot especially for a younger person or someone with a family to support. I have already raised my kids and now it’s my time to do the things I love and I am finally doing it. I used to have light weight gear and it was great for what I was doing but now I spend way more time on the trail and I can justify spending the additional money. There are many ways to get to the same point not spending the additional money. I feel I took the easy way and it’s worked for me. I am planning on trying tarp camping and if that works I will definitely knock off some more weight. Take care and enjoy your hikes

[@MrDanAng1]

@@mtadams2009 It's good you found a working solution for you, so you can enjoy backpacking! I'm also fortunate enough to be able to spend the money I want on backpacking... I could have gone for more expensive stuff, but I choose to place those money on other hobbies instead. I don't have unlimited money in any way, but I can pretty quickly save up for anything I want in a sub-$1000 price class. Currently, these savings are going towards an aquarium room upgrade! 👍🏻🐠 I probably buy Enlightened Equipments rain clothes eventually... and possibly some other stuff too, but for a few things, like my cook kit, there currently doesn't exist anything I can buy that is both as light, fuel efficient and fail safe at the same time... and really cheap for me to build too! Just pointing out that it doesn't HAVE to be expensive to lighten the load a few lbs... but it is certainly POSSIBLE to make it expensive. And possibly that is even better in the long run, if the expensive stuff has a longer life time! Have a nice 2023 and hit the trail as much as you can! 😍🏞

[@ronniegriffin8561]

can i get the file for this spreadsheet? This will def make things easier for me to run through my pack.

[@catherinevolpe9665]

This is amazing! I’m finishing up my gear list for a Long Trail thru hike this summer!

[@Trumkin42]

A year later the katadyn befree is a weird size and doesn't fit the smart water bottles the hydro pack bottle fits the befree. Though it is strange that she listed two separate systems

[@davidshirley6850]

Great idea for a video, poor dan hope he is not too upset

[@frolege1]

Ok, that was pretty good. Here's my critique: A) show the before and after numbers on spreadsheet - with a total of what the hiker saved in base weight. B) maybe LIVE stream and interview the shake down hiker.

[@KyleHatesHiking]

Good suggestions! This was just my first attempt at this style, hopefully they get better as I do more

[@joseph_p]

Live stream shakedown would be fun

[@frolege1]

@@joseph_p yeah, and the fun part would be the female hiker asking you LIVE about her feminine products and their weight. Would love to see that, my man. You can throw that question over to Flossy.

[@WeekendsOutsideFL]

I am just beginning to save gear for a thru hike and you would already kill me. 5.5 pound REI trailmade and a Teton scout 3400. I am still years away from a thru hike but I will be honest I am likely going to have a base weight of 20lbs. But I am a pretty big guy so I might be fine. I just don’t see myself affording ultralight gear like ever.

[@chrisshepard495]

I agree with most of this. I have that exact neck knife and carried it on trail. I've owned it for a long time. It's amazing and I used it a ton. Just tuck it into your shirt and youre golden.

[@Swearengen1980]

No, chris. Neck knives that have been around for centuries are just gimmicks.

[@chrisshepard495]

@@Swearengen1980 I'm not sure what you're adding here. I was agreeing. And I said that I wear mine daily. And arguing for or against with your statement doesn't make much sense either. The four humor's were around for centuries. So were public stonings. And wooden vessels to sail the seas. As well as heavy suits of armor that won't even stop some arrows. Just because it's been around for centuries doesn't mean it's still useful today. In this case sure. And as I said I was agreeing with the video and many of the comments. But thank you for your input, even if I'm not sure what the point was.

[@JonArmenta]

Why both the Katadyn BeFree and the Sawyer Squeeze. Get rid of one of those. I’ve only ever used the Sawyer and can’t recommend it enough. Katadyn BeFree is faster but I hear plugs up faster.

[@GoodMorningSunshine]

Was comparing both! Going with the BeFree!

[@AWalkOnDirt]

I am a marathoner and know a bit about the impact of weight. Base weight is WAY overvalued. In running here’s a rule of thumb: each pound is 2 seconds per mile. So a drop of 3 pounds is 6 seconds a mile. So a 20 mile day with 3 fewer pounds is 180 seconds, 3 minutes. In a extreme race 3 minutes is HUGE but in a hike not so much so. Let that sink in. Keep in mind that base weight is just one component of overall weight including body weight. So a drop to “hiking weight” (say losing 15 pounds) is way more impactful than 3 pounds off a pack.

[@AWalkOnDirt]

My advice is to research optimal race weight then compare your body weight to that. I am male. I raced at 175 at 6’1” to achieve my target times to qualify for Boston. If truly wanted a better time I could have dropped all the way down to 155 losing 20 pounds to gain 40 seconds per mile. My general point is that body weight has so much more potential than subtracting 3 pounds from a pack. AND even dropping 20 pounds only improves a mile by 40 second…a ton for a race but for a hike? Twenty pound drop for 20 miles is 800 seconds a bit over 13 minutes.

[@41degreesN12degreesE]

I know soap is kinda pointless on trail, but, being able to clean the sticky bits at the end of the crappy days made the difference between keeping and losing my sanity

[@livbray4063]

Super cool! I don’t have my lighter pack done yet, but once I do I’ll probably be sending it your way!

[@shayzoo2]

Interesting how many things are on the list that you don’t know what they are. She probably has the CNOC and the other hydrapack because they both fit the Be Free abs she doesn’t know which one she’s using yet. The leggings are probably to sleep in is my guess. Rain kits are often used because they are waterproof and often lighter than vortex gloves. A lot of people will use them with a lighter liner glove for cold weather or cold wind.

[@Pleasestopthat]

The KZbin backpacking community has become so damn snooty and it’s kind of ridiculous. Hike your own hike.

[@philippal7985]

Hahaha @Kyle Hates Hiking will love this

[@jacksonschroederproductions]

20:52 she actually has two batteries...she only needs one. but how was the hike?

[@mahmoudmarei3117]

Kyle, if you would ditch the rain mittens, how do you avoid your hands getting cold in freezing cold rain?

[@KyleHatesHiking]

She had a pair of gloves on there too. Ideal? No. Is it likely she will be consistently hiking in freezing rain? No

[@mahmoudmarei3117]

@@KyleHatesHiking okay. Im from Finland so I dont know AT weather. We have freezing rain most of the year so rain mittens are essential😁

[@Casual_BackPacking]

Just a heads up , pop socket now sells one that can hold 3 cards in it 4 is pushing it doe

[@susieq6212]

Kyle her gear doesn't add up 16 oz = 1 pound. The totals are way off.

[@marquiscloutier2650]

Keep the hydrapack seeker if you have a be free filter cuz they are compatible... I use 3 hydrapack stash 750ml all compatible with be free filter and they are realy tough... if you use a sawer filter just keep 2 smart water bottles...

[@mashedpotatums918]

I bought those same tiny smelly proof bags for my AT thruhike in 2019--ditched them. My intent was so I could keep my chapstick and handsanitizer in them at night to deter the smell. In reality it was just another piece of garbage I had to deal with--just ended up with nonscented chapstick and was fine. Also, I smelled so bad that it would have masked anything in my tent anyways. Also started with a cup, I think I dropped it in a hiker box in Hiawassee--drinking out of my pot was fine. HOWEVER, I did keep my Nalgene until I got to HotSprings, I barely used it for drinking but I did use it to put boil water in at night and sleep with to help keep me warm. As a pretty little female I was always cold. To me the extra weight of the Nalgene was worth getting a better night sleep. :) Honestly, you'll ditch so much gear once it warms up, but if the weight has to do with warmth I saw it's better to keep it. Goodluck, have a blast!

[@mashedpotatums918]

Also, rainmittens saved my ass in the Smokies! Basically freezing rain the whole time, everyone was jealous of my warm hands...and Pstyle is #1 piece of gear hands down.

[@Kiev-in-3-days]

If Dan Becker don't use odor bags then it's pretty safe to just forget about them. Useless stuff.

[@KyleHatesHiking]

Lol

[@gregmortonoutdoors]

Dan uses them but his are made out of DCF and cost $500 each.

[@johnhemby8631]

But that's cool, he got them for free