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I always prefer to spend a little more on what is essentially the only equipment for an activity I enjoy. I learned the hard way that a cheap Walmart backpack will severely chemical burn your penis.

UnDeR $650 GuYz!! lool

Is there a backpack shoulder holster that would be compatible with both a phone and Insta360. I Insta360 sells a magnetic holster, but I don’t think that fits a regular phone so was looking for something that would hold both.

I have a question as a new 55yr Old backpacker. My question is would you spend more on your first backpack bearing in mind that I want to later get to overnight tramping - OR would you start with a 25L first rather than a 35L (that is new Zealand sizes). At 55 I think anything more than 35L I may struggle but I'm not sure if I'm wasting my money on the smaller backpack?

Walmart does have some gems honestly. The ozark trail packs hold up pretty well for a guy that is doing some shorter hikes

I just discovered your wonderful channel. It’s amazing that anyone has/had the energy to put into sharing their genius through videos and is willing to put themselves out there so publicly. Thank you for all of the videos you’ve done in the past, and I would completely understand if you never post again. For any social media, I tend to seek out exactly what I want to watch and ignore the ads and hype. Perhaps backing away will become “The little known thing taking the world by storm” … that contradictory click bait, makes me scratch my head!

Thanks for the review.

A labarotory can test filtration, just pay them.

Filament testing video for thise just getting back into school

Supwell

In New Zealand that be all be about $2,000!

If I was just going for performance, the Be Free might have won me over. But, Sawyer's commitment to giving it water filters around the world has me choosing them.

Things I would add, Fuel for the stove, sun hat, sun glasses, wet wipes, lighter, cord and a book.

Sawyer mini cost me a 100 mile hike 3 years ago.. went to filter coffee water and the top snapped off of it.. I was just learning and unfortunately had no backup filter so I take responsibility for that but it was a huge bummer. Sawyer squeeze has treated me well tho

I think I'm sticking with my Sawyer mini... Light, versatile and I can work a little harder to push water through it

Where’s your pew pew ? Bear spray?

i don't have a walmart in my country, but i got a decent 2 person tent for 40usd from decathlon. The only problem is the weight, 2kg is pretty heavy

How do make these prints food grade safe? I thought the materials like PLA and PETG are toxic

The empty fuel cannister may as well be counted in the base weight. You're going to carry it in & out every day, with or without fuel in it.

I like hiking very much too.

Ive had this pack for like 2 years and its been solid so far its good for backpacking/camping and edc/general travel

Looks like the tripod is no longer available. Any other suggestions?

next video, under $100.. temu version lol

6-7 hundred dollars? Ooooof.

The katadyn be free is. .1 micron. Just like sawyer. Also the befree is 1000 liters.

Thanks for the info on the low power mode. There is a lot of wrong information out there about it. I have the Gen2. I can confirm it charges with >=18W with an appropriate charger (a 65W Anker, in my case). I only saw it deliver up to 14W to my phone, but that's probably due to imperfect compatibility. (Stupid proprietary protocols!)

While all of these filters trap bacteria, none of them are rated for viruses, heavy metals or chemicals. Not really a big deal, except in areas where mining, crop growing, bovine or avian diseases are present.

I still never see anyone doing backpacking list that can pass TSA airline. Imagine someone only want carry on bag and no checked luggage? Minimalism guys.

There is a hundred factors that can lead to wrong results here, i like the approach and appreciate it but i dont think this is helpful at all. If you want to go scientific you got to do it right which is hard. But just laying on pads and conparing them under real conditions would be a much better approach than this.

The number of 9s to the left of the decimal are important.

A realistic start up!

Just discovered your channel after getting back into camping after a long hiatus and, as an engineer myself (software), really appreciated your thorough and analytical approach to evaluating gear. The quality of your videos stands out amongst the noise on this platform so please keep it up. Hope to see more videos soon!

Finally someone who lives in the real world. One of the best channels I’ve come across. Thx so much and please keep up the excellent reviews/help so awesome

I used an Ozark trail tent and pack for three years.

I do not recommend the Gerber Dime. I used mine lightly to moderately and after a handful of uses, the pins for the pliers and scissors developed a LOT of play, which made the scissors unable to cut - and they were already minimally sized. I would go for a slimmer, longer tool that includes a reasonably sized blade and scissors with precision pliers that could be used as a tweezer, and hopefully durable build. The point of a multi tool is multi use, so you really should have something that stands up to some force.

When's the last time you've been able to find a refill for the small fuel can?

I use the same tent but it came with steel stakes (like you had in the video). They weigh in at a pound by themselves. I got good aluminum ones cheap and saved the pound.

I just got them and the top of my foot near the front hurts a little, and tightening doesn't help. Hopefully that will go away once I wear them more. I have the EVO NXIS regular shoe (non-waterproof) which was really comfortable. So I wanted a waterproof variety for rainy days. But the waterproof version of the EVO NXIS was surprisingly uncomfortable, so I decided to try the boot version.

This is wild, I bought most of the exact same gear when I got into backpacking 12 years ago, still have that Teton 3700 in my closet 😊

Outdated technology (including fabrics) are a great way to save, you can buy expensive gear, 5-6 years outdated for a fraction of the original pricing as it's now considered outdated. Brand new, outdated. Secondhand, hardly used is another awesome option. You may also be surprised what you already have. From absorbent dish cloths (ultralight towel replacement) to sample toothpaste.

First aid kits PLEASE remember the big ones: "stop the bleed","open the airways","treat dehydration/exposure"....and contact help. Leukotape + emergency bandage (also called Israeli bandage) and training are the "duct tape and wd40" of the first aid world. Antihystamines (for allergic reactions to plants or insect stings etc) Anti-inflammatories (for inflammation and pain relief) Any medication you use at home. Disinfectant cream for cuts , splinters etc Tweezers (removing ticks, splinters etc), nail clippers (foot care is important), sewing needle (gear repair , splinter removal etc) eye bath (these are very cheap and should be used with purified water only.)

You are an EXCELLENT presenter and teacher! Your clear and logical explanations are a real pleasure to watch.

The only category missing was a price and performance vs. longevity. Personally, and this is ONLY my personal opinion, I would be willing to sacrifice some filtering speed and carry a lightweight backflow plunger in order to get a longer life span from a product. If you have to buy new filter cartridges every 200-300 gallons, it keeps adding to the cost. If some of those filters truly last up to 100k gallons, or even half that, I would consider it money well spent. Again, that is just my personal opinion and preference. EDIT: All of the above being said, I really like the performance of the BeFree filter, but it's non-standard thread size means that if you don't have their bags, or if something happens to the one(s) you have, you are almost out of luck. The other filters can attach to any standard 28mm thread bottle - water, soda, juice, etc. It will be easier to to replace damaged or worn water bottles.

Great video- thanks for sharing your gear!

Oh man… If they could make a 50-65 pack for under four pounds I’d be a very happy woman. My 45 + pack typically comes out to a whopping thirty pounds when I’m done with it, but that’s for week long treks in places with very unpredictable weather conditions. and a full water bladder. I’m curious about the headlamp- does it have a red light for when you have campers around you that you don’t want to wake up?

Great budget gear ideas. When you broke out my 6 year old orange case rocket stove I'm a fan. Keep up the good advice

Screw first aid, we have tripods and snacks!!!

I get the "on a budget" point...but I don't really! All what you've shown could be good if you're spending 1/2 nights out every once in a while and only in really easy environments! Of course you could upgrade step by step all the single elements BUT if you spend more, you definitely get more! A lighter backpack which has a better structure, a more secure and technical tent (come on, where can you use a 30%ì$ tent man?) and most important of all a good sleeping system...I don't know, I'm scared just to think that 1,3 millions people have watched this video and most of them found it useful...

Ozark Trail is always a hit and miss. I have some OT items that are amazing for the price. It’s always worth a try. I do always prefer USA made but when you need to hike on a budget it’s worth it. Many items are Chinese made and we don’t even know it.