I like how we all say “I wish I could be like Jupiter” and Jupiter always says “This is probably not a good idea for most people”.

and if you are hiking in the desert, feel free to bring all your favorite fully hydrated foods; you are going to pack the water in one form or another.

funny that the reason I prefer quilts over sleeping bags is that I'm active sleeper and inside quilts I can turning around more easily without moving quilt itself

You poked the quilt people AND the tarp people in the same video?!? I admire your courage, sir. 😉

Even with an ultralight tent, tarps kick ass when you are having a week of rain; the tarps allows you to live outside of your tent covering your cooking area and relaxation area.

After a few years of thruhiking, I've noticed that people fall into 3 stages or categories, with none of them being bad. 1. The beginner/REI fitted/just enjoying themselves (probably) 2. Discovers Reddit/only cares about weight with no regard to function (the growing phase) 3. The been there done that crowd that doesn't mind a couple extra ounces for comfort or they know how to embrace the discomfort.

I was once in a presentation where the word “FAIL” was flipped to be an acronym for “First Attempt In Learning.” I’ve lived by that ever since. At some point, one stops simply parroting someone else’s gear list and begins experimenting with their own ideas on lightening the load. Mistakes are made, sure, but valuable lessons and skills are learned as well. I go on trips specifically designed to try radical ideas. I take my normal gear as a backup, and then take the experimental solution, fully intent on using it. In this way I’m safe to make stupid mistakes, and don’t lose the opportunity to discover breakthroughs of my own. Pushing SOL emergency blankets as a shelter is my current project. I can already see the failure, but am intrigued enough to give it a go in my native Midwest conditions, that I’m all too familiar and experienced with.

I agree about quilts, the draft wakes me up, but I'm glad they're there for people who like them

Phew! You didn't mention a camp chair! When I first started backpacking, I had ZERO idea that weight was even a thing to be worried about. My first Big 3 weighed over 15 pounds! Now? MUCH lighter. And tarp with a 1/8" mat is just silly, IMO. I appreciate camp time just as much as trail time, so I'll bring the creature comforts, including that camp chair! My 55 year old bones appreciate not sitting on.a stump or a wet log at camp.

I really enjoyed the conversational tone of this video, and all the interruptions that you left in. It feels so much more relatable that way, especially as a content creator who also has to deal with unexpected noises all the time!

Your channel is awesome. From video subjects to the concise nature in which they are presented with a professional manner, it’s awesome! Underrated backpacking channel of the year!

I like your caveats. Treating subjects categorically is never the path to learning more and becoming better. The more you know, the less you carry. The more you know, the more you know that you don't know everything.

We all want to be like Jupiter 🥲

I sold outdoor gears a few years. When peoples came to me for an ultralight backpack to go ultralight or such. 1- Congrats, it's a good idea to lighten the weight. 2- The backpack is probably the item you want change at the end. I'll skip a lengty detailed answer but in two words: respect the weight comfort range of a backpack.

Great video! Always one of my favorite content creators

Great video! I am planning to get out there a lot more this year.

Hey Tim, cool video as always. I like that you show the distractions, makes it more personal. Nice to hear about your evolution. 👍🏾

Agree, been using tarps since I was a kid and sleep better in them unless there are other people around then the tent is the way to go. Making your own dehydrated meals is a game changer, outside of the obvious benefits just having things spiced the way you like it is a nice boost for the morale in the evening.

love your honesty! I can relate to many of your points :)

I'm an active sleeper and I also didn't like the EE quilt (Enigma). But a Katabatic quilt has been awesome even in sub-freezing temperature. It's cut and attachment system keeps things well tucked even when I move from side, to back, to side, etc. I like it so much that I now have two (15 and 30 degree).

This video is a breath of fresh air due to the down to earth approach and realisme for the more relaxed and occasional backpacker. Well done!

10:00 honestly that crow was giving really good UL advice 😂

Yes, backpacking is a constant flux state, always trying something different. Sometimes I make mistakes, other times I find a new bliss. I started back in the '60s with a canvas pack, a steel frying pan and a coffee can for boiling water (sanitation), while wearing Levi's, a wool shirt/jacket, and high-top logging boots. The entire outfit is lighter now, but still just as fun.😊

Thanks for the honesty, sometimes I feel offended when people are negative about quilts :P But you are 100% right, it all comes down to how you sleep and what your preferences are.

I use enigmas when I’m in warm weather and looking to vent…otherwise I’m in a bag. I need to take some time and shake some stupid out of my pack…there’s at least a pound of it in there…

Tents are now very light. I was the same, tarp or die. I now use a mid style tent Works Thanks for the video

I relate to the consumables issue. Just got back from a 4-day, 75 mile trip. Everything I had read warned about long water carries, and recommended carrying 4-5L of water. What I failed to grasp was that while there were 20 mile stretches with no reliable water sources, there were other stretches where water was plentiful. So rather than figure out when I didn't need more than a liter, I just carried 4L the whole time. Plus, since I knew I'd be doing relatively big miles, I grossly overestimated how much food I needed. For example, I packed 2 packages of chicken and 2 wraps for lunch, and only ate one. I finished with easily 2 days of food left over. So while I had a 8.5lb baseweight, my starting TPW ended up around 25lbs, which was pretty rough with my frameless pack given the mileage and climbs. I could have easily eliminated 5+lbs for much of the trip with better water and food planning.

For me (an super active sleeper as well) I feel like quilts are giving me superpowers compared to sleeping bags. Quilts allow me to roll around, side to side, so freely compared to sleeping bags, so I don't even wake up at nights anymore with quilt. I wouldn't say that quilts are not for active sleepers :D

Hey Tim! I really like your intro. You're an example on how people should be on UKposts. And for that, you have my 100% respect. As for the video itself: LOTS of very valuable info, common sense, and shared experience. So much that I'm not only impressed, but very impressed. My motto is from Horace Kephart in 1908: "At the school of woods, there's no graduation day". Again, well done! You're a fresh breath of air on UKposts and a perfect example of what a GOOD "UKpostsr" should be. P.S. I didn't say "...perfect UKpostsr" not knowing how much your hat can extend to ;)

Experience Is The Best Teacher. To know precisely what to have and how to use it is go out with nothing but a notebook and pen.

Have you tried a hammock? I am also an active sleeper, but I find the in a hammock, I don't toss and turn nearly as much, and because my under quilt cups around my body from underneath, I don't get drafts with my top quilt. I just switched from a tent/ground camping to a hammock setup this year, and I'm enjoying it so far.

Well Done Tim. Thanks for keeping it real.

Great video and great sharing. You probably tried this, but in the rare chance, you haven't... I have an enigma quilt as well. Two small things I learned: pulling a bit of the quilt through the hole at the bottom (after doing it up) and wrapping my quilt around and under my pad and not just around me eliminated all draft even at or below freezing. Apologies if you've tried these things, but if you haven't, they make all the difference for me, for what that's worth.

Same on the quilt. I wish I got a sleeping bag. The draft around my lower back is annoying. The crow scene following the cars, boats, and planes is hilarious. :)

The zenbivy quilt system is super nice. It has a clip in sheet that prevents drafts. I have the light bed and the ultralight set.

Nice video (including the interruptions)... but I have to say, as an active sleeper I've never looked back after switching to quilts. My first quilt was an EE which I was very hesitant about purchasing at the time, but was so glad I did. Since then I have moved to the Zenbivy system and absolutely LOVE it!! But in the end, everyone has to find what works best for them. There is no right or wrong, just personal preference. 😊

I just got back from hiking the Ocean to Lake trail in Florida - the trail where Jupiter started backpacking and has done over 25 times. I was hammocking, but as I was sleeping in designated campsites I relied on FarOut for intel and one of the campsites had no mention of being hammock compatible. The nice thing about hammocking is that you have a separate tarp, so it wasn’t a lot of added weight to bring an inner ground shelter to suspend underneath and cover myself for ground sleeping (maybe +10 oz for a MLD Serenity bug net (no longer made)). I use a 1/8” pad as an under layer in the hammock down to about 52 F, so I had the perfect excuse to try things Jupiter’s way… one night of bad sleep wouldn’t kill me. If I needed more padding, I would put four segments of a Zrest pad under my torso, which I carry as a pseudo-frame for my frameless ruck. Florida is pretty flat and soft in terms of ground, and I found I actually slept well and didn’t have any kinks in the morning. I’m going to keep experimenting with the 1/8 inch foam pad. My pack weight is light enough that, until I gain skill and confidence, I can always bring my 12oz inflatable as insurance without really noticing it.

This is actually great advice :) I’m just starting out and buying stuff now, my first thoughts were ”Everything must be as light as possible” but when I started actually visualizing how I would be using the equipment I realized that it would be stupid to just take the lightest stuff. I mostly bike out into the forrest near me, so my bike will take most of the weight during transport and i hate sleeping on an uncomfortable tiny pad. So I bought a bigger tent and a wider sleeping pad since I’m going to use it to be comfortable and have fun, not grit my teeth fighting wolves, doing somersaults and punching the badguy.

That "high but small pad + quilt combination causing drafts when moving around"-problem does sound familiar 🤔 I do still prefer the quilt becuase I don't get entangled in it, but that's me

As an active sleeper, Katabatic quilts are great. The pad attachment system works great and seals drafts very well. I use the regular width and don’t have any issues

I have a wide quilt and love it and I agree I have to have my inflatable mat

I’m also an active sleeper but feel really cramped in sleeping bags, for me the zenbivy ended up being the best of both worlds. I’m going to sell my current one this year and upgrade to the new ultralight version when it goes on sale for Black Friday

I once went hiking with the guy who showed up with the cooler full of frozen chicken breasts. The ice, of course, ended up melting and getting raw chicken chicken juice all over their food. His wife actually left him shortly after.

I kept waiting for the crow and wasn’t disappointed 🤣 Great point about just leaving useless extra stuff at home. Fun and practical video. Thanks!

This is great advice that will help me plan my 2025 A.T. hike. I've got my base weight down to 12-15 lbs but food and water add up fast. Love the comic relief of all the interruptions!

My tip for the neo air mat is to not have it 💯 inflated, I am similar to you bro in that when those air type mats are inflated right up I feel like I'm bouncing around too much and I cant settle and sleep properly. I pump it up and then lay on it and then twist the valve to deflate it to just about the point I'm almost feeling the ground, its super plush like this... 👌

FF Flicker and don’t look back. I first thought the specs might be a bit snug. 5-11, 170. Side sleeper, I think. Dunno, I’m sleeping. I had the Swallow and Hummingbird. The Flicker is a nice middle ground. Works for me as a 2-3 season here in NorCal

Awesome video, Tim. Liked your crow double-takes and totally relate to your issues with sleeping bags vs quilts. Thanks for uploading. Notice Jupiter is now using a thermarest and tent - he must be feeling his age (said as much in a comment on one of his recent gear videos). So rude, but then I am older than him. 🫢

Ive got a nice lightweight blanket (quilt) that I use instead of my sleeping bag when the weather is really warm.

Last year 1st time ever, I snowshoe backpacked and carried my 25 degree sleeping bag. It snowed and I knew the temp. I was warm. this year, repeat, cept I had my new EE 10 degree quilt that Ive always wanted and finally got. Same other gear. Same temps. I was cold. Feeling some buyers remorse.

The best sleeping pad ive used is the big agnes rapide sl. Its warm, ez to pack, light and it hugs you when your sleeping due to it higher sizeds. I have the same problem, thinking am going to roll off in the night, the big agnes puts my mind at ease.

Thanks for the insights! I always wondered how all these ultralight youtubers do this without carrying any meaningful amount of water. Now I know, many are based in the northwest, if there's water everywhere, it all makes sense! Where I usually hike there's very little possibilities to get water and most springs and little streams are dried up in the summer. So I'm always carrying a lot of weight in water, one evening and morning with two people and a doggy easily consumes 6l (about 2 gallons?).

I'm a bag man, myself. My terralite is a perfect quilt when unzipped. This along with a pad with a sheet is great in the warmer months. I do use a foam pad UNDER my inflatable pad. The extra weight of the foam pad is inconsequential. It also insures warmth in the cold months.

Really good points. And that jacket looks incredible! What is it called?

I agree with your feeling on inflatable pads Tim, always feel like I'm falling off them. Ended up with the REI airrail plus. Its decently bulky, (have a nemo tensor wide for a smaller summer option), but is very warm and the rails help me sleep so much better. Have seen the big agnes rapide be recommended for similar rails minus the extra pack size.

Rolling around on the neoair xtherm sounds like crackling thunder in the middle of the night lol. Still love that pad to death though!

I fully share your experience with inflatable pads. I just switched from a regular Thermarest to a Neo-air NXT. I love the lighter weight and small pack size but, having just got back from its "maiden voyage" of five days backpacking through Scotland, I found it SO uncomfortable, for exactly the reason you said; tensing up to avoid slipping off it. I was all set to sell it and go back to the regular Thermarest, but tried putting my waterproof coat over the Neo-air as a cover (anchored by wrapping the sleeves underneath). This stopped the sleeping bag sliding around like eggs in a Teflon pan and made a huge difference to comfort. My wife is now making me a custom cover for the Neo-air out of an old sheet sleeping bag liner. Should be no more than 100 grams additional weight when done. Still a lot lighter than the old Thermarest.

Excellent video and list! As much as I have learned over my 25+ years of backpacking, I'm always learning something new. Still, there is just no substitute for experience and learning about yourself and your preferences. E.g. I wish I could go back to carrying just 1L of water like I did in the 1990s but I know I'm a "freak" about hydration and the more I drink, the better I feel. That's just my M.O.

Sounded like Brandon Faris cursing that crow out at 10:20 ish 😂

It all boils down to being sensible and safe. Looking/being cool comes at many costs and isn't worth it in the end.

I’m hiking the pct in a months time Tim, I’m going to really focus on food and water this time. No carrying excess food or water, types of food and what the lightest options are. Plus eating healthier when in towns, instead of just smashing burgers all the time.

I just came back from 6 days hike here in the middle of Scotland by the mountains using just foam pad to try out, was close to 0 celsius and kinda crazy, windy, rainy weather...anyway, easy to say - never again lol as side sleeper kinda sucks big time... but its only because my other BA Rapide failed on me, I bought it new and it was leaking air, had to send it back...

Energy bars are basically clay. Made me laugh and nearly spit my lunch out. Love it. And the damn crow 😅

hah! This popped up and my first thought was "Tarp guy has mistakes.. I bet mistake 1 was trying a tent".. lol.. I stand corrected. Good advice and good vid! Consumables is spot on.

I'm a super active sleeper and have found quilts to be WAY more comfortable and WARMER! I will say that the Zenbivy is absolutely next level though. Try one.

I was talking with a friend today where I literally told him, I just really don’t care about weight anymore. So my tent weighs 5 pounds, cool! I’m gonna go sleep in the forest. Ha ha! Loved this Tim!

Good show. Currently using the Superfly. It's like a small NYC apartment.

I'm a side sleeper and do turn over a bit; zero problems with my quilt/Zenbivy system and I only go in cool/cold weather. But I do hate warm/hot weather....odd for a native, multi-generational Floridian, I know. Boycott North Face.

Excellent video.

Agreed on quilts. I am such an active sleeper that I don't bother with a pillow at all on trail, because it's not going to stay under my head for long anyway. Even when I'm not on trail, when I wake up in my ordinary bed at home, every morning it looks like a tornado hit it. This morning, the sheet was in a godforsaken tight ropy wad that I was partially laying on top of, the comforter somehow was flipped at an angle (the "foot" of it was sort of upward to my left and not towards my feet at all) and the overquilt was half on the bed and half in the floor... lol. One pillow was in the far corner of the bed, and the other had fallen off the bed and was laying next to my bedroom garbage can. I've always been like this, even as a little kid. My mother used to say that my bed always looked like a dogbed in the morning. :/ I have the Western Mountaineering Terralite, and it is WONDERFUL. It is very warm and snuggly, and roomier than the usual mummy bag so I don't get cold spots from my thrashing (if a bag is stretched tight enough, the loft will compress and create cold spots). If I get cold at all, it will be because I've somehow wiggled off the sleeping pad completely and am sleeping in a wad on the floor of the tent (which has happened before... sigh). Anyhow, I recommend it.

I think you'd sleep alot better on a inflatable pad if you got a wide... I have a wide mummy style, almost wish I had a Rectangle shape to help keep feet on when rolling around... 😂 but anything not covered cools pad down too much in super cold weather... Edit- I really don't understand ultra light backpacking, maybe so day I'll try it lol 😂

I'm a relatively new backpacker, it was my mid-life crisis thing, and I was greatly entertained by this video. New sub here.

You need to try a Zenbivy bed. I toss and turn a ton. Not only does it keep all the drafts out, it is WAAAAAY more comfortable than any sleeping bag I've ever been in.

Z packs under 12 oz tent with bug net. Why would you carry anything else?

Subbed. +1 for ditching the quilts for similar reasons. I too find inflatable pads just meh for slpg on. Have not returned to foam but have debated going back to old 1 inch Thermarests.

I don’t know, I toss and turn all night (at home too) and I feel that a quilt is better than a bag simply because it doesn’t restrict my movement. I made a DIY quilt which is wider and probably as light as the best on the market, plus I sleep in a hammock, so that’s probably why I never had an issue with cold 🤷🏼

"Two is one and one is none" This is a dangerous maxim because if taken too literally can result in "I take twice as much gear as I need to". It took me a while to realises that I should just check with my camping buddy to see what he is taking. If my stove breaks I can use his. Even better, Ill just use his stove and gas, and instead Ill take a tiny little hex stove as backup. FYI with foam mattresses, not all are created equal. I recently discovered that a lot of armies that train and operate in cold climates have their own arctic version of the foam mat. Its still insanely light, but its 2cm thick. Its incredibly comfortable and you could literally sleep on a frozen lake and be warm

thank You, super!

I think it’s good to be flexible and use the kit that is right for the trip you’re doing at that. I use a quilt but when it gets cold in the fall and I am hiking in the Whites of NH it’s back to my Western Mountaineering sleeping bag. I think Jupiter can do what he does because he hikes a lot of long distances and your body just hardens over time. I do a lot of long distance backpacking and I have never seen anyone use that thin pad he uses to sleep on, to be honest I never see anyone use a tarp either. DCF tents I think do it all. Food is a huge issue and I have worked to carry just what I need. I like getting to my resupply with next to nothing left in my food bag. Take care

The woodland background with a papercup, plastic lid, coffee confuses me. Is there a starbucks next to that park table or did you drive your purchased coffee to the forest for ambience?

Picking a tent site because it’s “pretty” and avoiding “bugs and people”. Relatable. 😄 Seriously, I prefer late autumn or winter to avoid the bugs and people issues. Plus it’s pretty.

My rule of thumb is that a piece of practical equipment can only be tested in a practical setting. Everything looks great when looking online or in videos, it’s only why you use it you get a real sense of what does or doesn’t work, ‘trial and error’ 😊 I also say ‘a piece of kit is only as good as the individual using it’

Yeah Totally ,Exactly! Quilts?? ...when in rhe Scouts ( Scotland ) we took my Grans Patchwork Quilts Heavy Stuff !...We progressed To light Sleeping bags ( inexpensive )and in Winter put two together one inside the Other - Felt like we'd conquered Everest ...Eventually Got a Job and constantly upgraded I have Four Bags now and Three NZ Fairydowns plus Pertex outers on Two ...They all come apart to form "Grannies Quilt" though lacking the Colour of the Patches ( though red and blue Duct Tape has been used occassionally ) This Issue with the Ties on a Quilt can be Solved with D ouble sided Velcro or even Sturdy Clothes pegs ...I use Steel sprung ones 😉🦕⚜️🐣 As for Tarps they come.in Handy in the Tropics during the Monsoon🎏👍

At 68ish with 24 years of backpacking, I have been down the go lite trail. I can go lite..or let's say lighter, but in my age group leaving my camp chair at home is not an option. I have scales and I'll weigh the pack before I head out. In theory my goal is 35 pounds. Not speaking for all section hikers but at 68 ish comfort at the end of the day is a priority and I sit more than I walk. (Note: I junk anything I didn't use on the last hike to help cut weight)

I too have struggled with my quilt. It’s a 0 degree EE quilt. It truly is warm to zero degrees, however the draft is annoying, the pad straps are annoying, and I miss having a hood. I moved to a 0 degree quilt from using a heavy xxl Teton sports bag. The weight and space savings is huge, but I do sort of wish I’d made a more modest drop in weight in exchange for getting a cozy good quality 0 degree down bag. The other issue I have is that the quilt is so warm that around 25 degrees I start sweating with basic baselayers but then attempting to vent the quilt it freezes me out. I still have that quilt, I just use a small blanket inside it (ruining my weight savings) in order to fight the drafts

1) I toss and turn and I can't do sleeping bags that I stubbornly kept buying. The compressed side of it would sometimes be on top of me, as well as the hoody trying to suffocate me. Zen Bivy system solved that problem...2) Foam Pads are like Altras...just about everyone complains about them ( uncomfortable and/or cold, and durability issues in case of the shoes)...yet, what's a thru hike without those? At least judging from the videos...

I agree with your entire premise. As is built into your premise, I wouldn’t choose the same as your choices, but that’s the beauty and you hit the nail on the head: there are LOTS of great choices and most of it is preference. I think we need more voices in the outdoor community like yours because there are TOO many elitists. Also… PNW for the win! I love exploring here. And like me, you understand the importance of defeating moisture like most other backpackers from elsewhere don’t 😂

for the air pad feeling like "you're tense" I feel that too, like I'm balancing all night. For me I under inflate my pad and pillow it makes me get the sink in I'm looking for

I carry a sawyer, used to have a BeFree, and I still carry way too much water. I don't know why, but I just don't trust water filtration for more than an emergency.

Std air pads are too narrow. As a back sleeper my arms uncomfortably hang off the sides of the air pads. I now use a wide Klymit air pad that I shortened. Also I partially deflate the air pad which feels better for me.

Interesting, everyone has different needs. I'm going back to foam after decades, worked best for me up to -8°C or maybe even -12. Tyvek ground sheet and big 3x3 diagonal tarp (tents forbidden here), easiest to deploy fast and comfortable in rain. As sleeping bag I stick to my very old Tyin Winter regardless of the season, sometimes used as a quilt, no bivvy. For water at least 0,5 l or 2-3l if no refill is possible and depending on the work I have to do on location. Bugs are still an issue, spray and candles are helping to reduce the annoyance by 75%. Not light but I just like it that way and very reliable gear.

Western Mountaineering bags, no brainer. Tarps, went through that phase 35 years ago for light weight until mosquitos and tarantulas changed my mindset. Now, Tarptent Protrail model.

My friend dehydrates canned chicken breast for trail. We love to to take shelled sunflower seeds on trail. It adds protein, fat and crunch to anything. So yummy. Parmesan cheese is a good one to take also. 2.2 lbs per liter of water. So dang heavy!

still don't get why not having smt in between kilt andsleep bag. a sort of still closed sleep bag but with very light feather under body.

As far as water goes, if you don't anticipate a water source on your hike drink a good bit BEFORE you hike. On over nights or long hikes take a water filter. There are other factors but a water filter is a great asset to carry.

i taken the up the responsibility of the water of a group camping trip, ended up with almost ten ltrs of water plus gear and it was the most grueling trip of my life though the actual camp was greatfun however i now just remind everyone to bring their own agua

After I sunk over 400 Bucks into Sleeping Bags I realized; always have a good, thick sleeping matt. So much more important. Wool Plankets are for me outside of extreme Conditions normal. So down to ~ -5°C, a good wool blanket and a Thermarest matt which is rated for down to -10°C and I'm ok'ish, yet nowadays I primarly camp in the summer/fall/spring and around ~0°C for a couple of hours in the night, its really ok. But(t!) I'm capable to sleep in a tent with a planket even if the sun is up. Which is a huge plus.

I only use 25 inch wide Pads . Started with Mummy bags , and that never gave me comfort and good sleep. I recommend wide Sleeping pads :)

Even when a tarp and bivy or mesh house weighs close to the same as a light weight tent, it can be so much more affordable. A silnylon tarp and bug bivy you can get a reliable set up for under 200bucks. A tent close to that weight that you feel good about and is reliable is at least double the price. I think that is a really important part of the tarp question. It is more affordable and accessible. Plus with a few youtube videos you can learn important outdoors skills like knots.

I see this video as a "vlog". You describe your experience of your choices. "Don't make my mistake"? We all walk our path with gear and everyone switch gear along the road. We need to make mistakes, to find your way with your gear. Sooo, nice you learned and switched gear, but, by all means, let everyone learn themselves...🙂👍