Great tips, John! I have several tips I'm sure others use as well. In the military we learned to improvise. I stock 55gl contractor bags in my gear room as they come in handy to make debris mattresses (stealth camping), makeshift shelters, ponchos, tent groundsheet and even backpack liners for large backpacks like the MARPAT ILBE (Marine pattern). Empty Rx bottles can be used for storing matches and a strike board, keep AA and AAA batteries dry. If the batteries "leak" they won't touch anything in your pack. I've made empty plastic jars (Jif) into first aid kits; red cross on bottle from red electrical tape. Items remain dry and intact and metal items like tick removers, tweezers, small scissors, sewing needles cannot puncture the jar. I noticed your Tyvek sheet was soft and pliable as well. I washed mine in washing machine and dried it on a low heat in the dryer...no more crinkly sound and packs in a much tighter form. I use women's hair bands (Dollar Tree store) for rolled clothing or gear. Their one dollar blue tarps can be used as groundsheets or even emergency shelters; mine has lasted a year. Recently I found two collapsible dog bowls for a dollar each and use them for eating. The Dollar Tree store can offer so many camping items if one just uses his or her imagination and save you some big bucks.
Mini M&M tubes are also really handy. When I was a kid I kept quarters in one for lunch money. Now, I keep my repair kit (floss, needle, safety pins, Leatherman Style CS) in a long one with duct tape wrapped around the outside. You can also store band-aids, moleskin, and a travel neosporin packet in one with athletic tape wrapped around the outside for a small med kit.
As someone getting back into the back country after several city decades, with no gear, these budget ideas are golden... keep them up, interspersed with the others, of course.I do like your style - you keep it fun and interesting. And I love Jeremiah - he's a funny guy - as well as a good resource.
As a kid I used bread bags over my socks to keep them dry from the snow. Nothing like spending two hours shoveling out the driveway and the city comes by with a plow and throws two feet back. Thanks Michigan!
Dairy Queen spoon (from a Blizzard). Very lightweight and nice long handle for getting into a dehydrated meal package. Not very durable, so bring a couple. Also use bubble Amazon mailer as a sit pad, or to wrap your meal to keep it warm as it rehydrates.
@@john_kelley Theu are similar to the Mylar covered bubble material that a lot of hikers make into custom cozzies for their cook pots and Mountain House envelopes, to keep the warm in, while hydrating... several videos about it. One type: th-cam.com/video/2PBnRlpcXwU/w-d-xo.html and another: from Darwin - th-cam.com/video/1RjviJ0AlVI/w-d-xo.html
I always use the $1 stores (Dollar Tree, Everything's A Dollar, etc) for things I don't normally use at home but need for backpacking. I found some 1/4 cup graduated ziploc-type bags there. Great for trail meal planning when you're at home (instant potatoes, couscous) but you can measure your water amount to boil in your metric-only cook pot when at camp. Twenty of those bags were $1. Bread bags. Growing up in South Jersey in the 70s meant you didn't necessarily have snow boots, so Mom wrapped your shoes in bread bags to walk to school in the snow. God forbid you didn't have Wonderbread bags, then everyone knew your family didn't have money to buy "the good bread". They're a little more durable than the plastic shopping bags and you can slide them inside a sock to fill them with unfiltered water for long water carries in a pinch.
I always see all the comments about how you need a long spoon, if you fold the top of your bag in, you will make your bag shorter and it will give you clean sides so you're not getting anything on your hand. Old school we packed a frisbee to use as a plate, you've got the edges so you can kind of use it as a bowl, it's sturdy, and if you're eating out of Ziploc bags, the first we gives you a nice sturdy surface to set them on. Get it from a dollar store so you get the really thin plastic so they weigh next to nothing. However, if you need something to cook in also, go to the Dollar store and get one of the cheap flimsy metal pie plates. It works just like a frisbee only you can put it over an open flame. Walmart sells a three-piece set of eating utensils made out of lightweight lexan for 88 cents for your standard knife, fork and spoon. I keep the knife and fork with my lunch bag, but what I pack is the big spoon and a set of chopsticks. You can use them to cook with, stir your coffee, eat, etc. I've had neighbors giving me soda cans, because I'm making "safety" alcohol stoves for My Friend's Girl Scout troop. They're not allowed to touch the alcohol, but they can do everything else with them. The reason I'm able to call them "safety stoves" (purely my terminology) is that I'm not building the alcohol stove like you have, I'm making what's also called a penny can stove. It's made just from the two bottoms of the cans, but in between them I'm putting cotton balls, essentially making them spill proof. Then permanently mounting them to a weighted can / pot rack. Being weighed down it should keep it from getting accidentally tipped over, but even if it does the alcohol won't spill and the flame won't travel. Kind of like alcohol stoves with training wheels. Lol. The two can bottoms, six cotton balls, and a half inch strip of aluminum foil tape to make sure that there are no sharp edges anywhere, comes in at 14g. I have one that I made the same way for myself, that is sitting inside an aluminum tea tin, with holes punched in it to use as both a pot stand and windscreen. Another thing you can use for a cheap easy windscreen, is either aluminum foil or plastic wrap over a small piece of chicken wire. Most stores will sell a heavyweight plastic tarp / drop cloth for about 89¢. It can be used as a tarp, an emergency tent, and even a poncho. You can make a million things with a knife, a roll of duct tape, paracord, and a drop cloth. We used to use bread bags on our feet in the winter inside our shoes. They're not as thin as the plastic shopping bags, so they're a little sturdier. Watch city kids and those in areas with heavy snowfalls. By the way, this isn't a gear hack, but a thin layer of Vaseline on your face will keep you from getting all wind burnt in the winter. Also, I have the same coffee cup as you, I picked it up couple years ago for the very same reason, the inner cup with the measurements. For me it still doesn't keep my coffee or tea hot long enough. So I made it a cozy with some foil lined bubble wrap and put a double bottom on it to help insulate it without adding a bunch of weight to it.
@@john_kelleynaw man, just spreading the love with family. I can't hike, and can only camp in a few limited conditions anymore because of health reasons so I'm passing it forward, teaching scouts and watching channels with you, Jeremiah, Dixie, & a few others for new info that I can pass to the kids with it along with the virtues of LNT. It's the only time being a certified LNT trainer comes in handy anymore. Hahaha The biggest nugget I can share is that what you and the others teach, doesn't just apply to hikers/hiking. Anyone with babies or puppies knows to travel with water from home or only use bottled, but even most campers know nothing about water filters or don't think they need them because they're going to a campground or staying in an RV. In 2003, my kid & I drove from Columbus, OH to Strathgartney Provincial Park on Prince Edward Island where we camped on a bluff that had a visibility of over 20 miles, it was breathtaking, and of course, we packed a water filter. We would have been nuts not to. That being said, we had 2 planned stops, one with a cousin in PA, and one in Boston so I could further teach my homeschooled kid about early American history. We drank only bottled water or hot tea so we were good...or so we thought. One of the grossest, most contaminated water sources you can come across is that of a commercial ice machine, and we got played by the 3rd-floor ice machine in a Holiday Inn. We had dysentery so bad that I thought I was going to be hospitalized. We immediately knew what our mistake was, but all we could do give it time and hope to let it work through our system. We saw nothing and the Holiday Inn made $500 off of me to boot. I've since traveled to Kauai & Havana, Cuba and both times had my filter bottle in hand. I also plan hotel trips like hiking trips. I verify if there's a coffee maker, microwave, fridge, & iron in the room so I can plan accordingly with snacks, oatmeal, and room meals. Open a pouch of chicken, add some cheese & a packet of taco bell hot sauce, put it in a tortilla wrap it in foil, then set the iron on it, and leave it there. 2-3 minutes each side usually, and you can be in bed, feet up, pants off, and resting from a long day of seeing a new city with a badass quesadilla that would have cost you $12.99 if you went out to get it. I'd rather spend the extra on sights & experiences than in the same restaurants I have at home. You can thru-hike in Manhattan using a transit map & a MetroCard if you know what you're doing. It's like cooking, you either learn a few dishes or you learn the techniques and can cook anything, the skills all translate. Keep sharing John Kelley, keep teaching, and keep doing what you love. You've got a subscriber who's living vicariously through you and this old dog still learns new tricks.
Oh snap! I forgot to add to the list - *Add a pinch of salt to your water when you're hiking in hot weather or on tough roads, and especially anytime you have to camel up, so you're not pissing & sweating away all of your hydration. *Add some rubbing alcohol into the baby wipes you use on the pits & creases. It'll kill the bacteria that is making the stink. *Put silica gel packets in your trail runners as soon as you take them off to help dry them out.
Putting a plastic bag on your feet is called a vapor barrier and is taught by Outward Bound as a way to keep your feet warm in winter. They teach that you wear a sock liner next to your skin, then the vapor barrier and then your outer sock. Shawn Forry and Justin Lichter used this tactic on their winter PCT thru-hike in 2014/15.
For us poor kids growing up, it was the only way to stay warm walking to school & playing in the snow. It was a thin sock, a bread bag, a thick sock, then our boots or sneakers.
Oh my gosh this topic is awesome and is something I'm thinking of all the time. I see people spending hundreds of dollars on equipment that I simply find the equivalent of around the house or some other alternative method. We have so much stuff and why get more. Thank you so much.
Only in CA we get charged .10￠ a bag at the grocery stores. Ziploc bags are great for repackaging dehydrated meals too, but be sure to use the freezer bags for that if you ware going to be putting hot water in them.
Aldi grocery stores put up stock in boxes meant as displays. You bring your own bags or pickup empty boxes from a bin to put your groceries in. They will sell you paper bags if you want. Everyone really charges for bags in their prices you just don't see it. They are run with a skeleton crew as further cost savings.
@@john_kelley It is meant to be a conservation and anti-littering step. We are required to use reusable shopping bags. It's actually not convenient, but it does cut down on all the empty bags blowing down the street. I kept a stash, when they banned them. For things like this.
Regarding the breadbag-in-the-shoe idea: If you also put the insole in the bag, it eliminates the slippery feeling underfoot (and also keeps the insole dry, of course.)
Absolutely useful tips, John. Usually, this kind of videos are "fillers" that we all have seen a 1000 times already. But you always bring up something new, even if it's only little. Well done, brother. 👍
The light but durable "zipper-lock" bags of various sizes-some with stand-up bottoms-that Trader Joe's uses to package its dried fruits and nuts can be washed and re-used as ditty bags. You can get water-tight, durable, inexpensuve gear along with healthy trail snacks. I have covered the commercial labels with fun souvenir stickers.
The half way house between a dyneema bag and a zip lock bag, are some Cordura dry bags. Oftern about $10 a bag. Light, strong and waterproof. I think Dyneema is a bit over engineered for a drybag.
Wow this was good information man. I didn't think about the trash bags for a dry bag but I have used it to transport catering food that had juice in the container to keep things dry. The shopping bags I have used those before too. I usually use the shopping bags doing the winter time with my foot situation. Thanks man.
Empty pill bottles from your pharmacy work great to carry small items in. You can make a first aid kit out of one and wrap some Leuko tape around it. Or a repair kit, seasoning kit, carry natural soap, or back up dirty water scoop, etc.
Great ideas! The grocery bag hack is a really good one that works really well. When I was little, my mom always put bread bags or a plastic bag on my feet in the snow. When I was on a trip a couple years ago with my friend, his waterproof socks failed and his feet got wet and cold to the point he couldn’t hike. We emptied our trash bags and put them on his feet. Lol. Worked like a charm and probably saved his feet from frostbite. Great video!
So many awesome ideas John. I already use a few of them but always good to learn new things. Sadly we get charged for the bags at the grocery store! I think soon they will charge me to smile lol.
My mom would always make us do the plastic bag trick on rainy or snowy days. I would suggest that if anyone has the chance to go to a trade show or professional conference to check out the schwag. Always water bottles, carabiners, little hand sanitizers, etc. And free. Well. You should at least take a business card too. That makes the sales people feel a bit better.
Thanks! I’m always eager to learn about awesome gear hacks. I bought some Tyvek 43gsm 1443R Kitemaking material which is thinner and lighter than the housewrap. The piece I cut to put under my Lunar Solo is 4 oz.
Great tips thank you John!! I'm headed for the toughest trail in the world (Drakensberg in South Africa) (loosely translated as 'Dragon Mountain') and was scratching my head regarding a windshield. Love the channel. Keep going!
I recently found that having a 1/2 measuring cup to be an invaluable tool when cooking. I keep virtually all of my small gear in kits in pint size ziplock bags. The extra weight is worth the organization and ability to quickly find items. My only issue with Tyvek is how noisy it is when I move around inside my tent.
Thanks for the videos. I went on my first backpacking trip to Hanson's Point a few days ago. I was a little worried about missing the unofficial trail, but the directions in your Hanson's Point video made it easy. Keep up the great work!
Can you please tell me about the background you use? We are looking for one like this. Is your's vinyl or cloth? Where did you find it? Thank for the help...
Enjoyable, thanks. One thing I've done up here in Alaska is use those garbage bags (or bread bags) as vapor barrier liner UNDER my socks in the winter. This would be for when the conditions are cold enough that you're not concerned about your boots/socks getting wet except through perspiration alone. The VBL increases warmth to the foot, and prevents the socks from getting wet from perspiration. This would be for pretty cold temps, though, and probably not applicable to the great majority of your viewers.
Instead of tyvek you can use window insulation film as a ground cloth. Super durable, lighter than tyvek and won't soak in water and get heavy. Just got to make sure you tape around the edges to keep rips from happening.
You may think I’m nuts and well I could be…but we have two large dogs and what do they take to stay alive? Big bags of dog food…I save them and make sitting pads…they’re waterproof and if you get enough, you could duct tape them together and make a really cheap footprint, sit pad or a waterproof mat for under your sleeping bag. Fancy Feast is a lot more fuel efficient. Great video…God bless.
Me and a friend made it to the trailhead one day when she realized that she didn't have a spoon. I had a long Sonic spoon in the console. As great as the almighty Toaks long handled titanium spoon!
I'll be looking forward to a video of the dialed in product. I started using a alcohol stove last year. I like it so far. Still figuring out how much fuel I need for an outing. Thankfully I've been erroring on bringing too much.
@@Doc_Watson I made one that will boil 2 cups of water in about 5.5 minutes on .5oz of fuel. That seems to be about the best boil time/fuel efficiency for me. However, that was in optimal conditions in my basement. I'm new to the alcohol stove. Going to give it a go this season.
to add to the tin foil wind screen option if you have pieces of cardboard sitting around use that to strengthen your windscreen it only addes a couple grams to your total weight. also if you take a full size tin soda can, cut its half way from the top then cut off the cop of the upper part slide that into the bottom and then crimp the top you have a light weight very cheap camp cup for drinking
Always eat your heavy food first! Polygro is liter than tyvek and packs down smaller, Gossamer Gear sells it. In the summer a throw away rain jacket or poncho works great and weighs nothing and is wallet sized and easy to pack or put in your pocket. 1 ounce BRS gas stove around $16.00 on amazon works great!
I think I have about your age... and I remember when I was a child we put pastic bags (grocery or bread bags) in our winter boots when they didn't have time to dry between two playtimes outside! Now it is more difficult to do so because in my area the groceries are not allowed to use plastic bags. Maybe the bread ones could be ok, but you have to have small feet! 😉
Zip Lock Snack Bags with items in them and keep in a Quart or Gallon Zip Lock. I like the gallon zip lock bags. I mix pancake batter in it and then cut off a corner to use it like you would with a pastry cone to squeeze out the batter for each pancake.... No Muss , No fuss cooking. Yes , alcohol stoves from Coke Cans , Beer Cans , Vienna Sausage cans and Tomato Paste cans. Even the lonely Tuna Fish Can. If you want Tyvek that's is soft , quiet , Amazon has it. It's expensive.....3m (3.2 Yards) of Tyvek 43gsm 1443R Kitemaking Material | Tent Ground Cloths | Durable, Strong, Lightweight, Breathable.
I've had ziplock type bags fail. (rip when opening or hole poked in them) I bring a few spares, just in case. I've mentioned it before. I too like the Spigyver stove, but I think the updated version that uses the top of the can seems better. I made one to use this year. Chuckled about the plastic bags. Used to do that as a child. Plastic bags in your snow boots. Use a large elastic band to keep the bag up and keep the water out. A couple clothespins or paper binder clips to hang clothes to dry from the guylines. Useful for the small items like bandanas and buffs that easily blow off. I don't bother with clips for larger items like shirts, pants, shorts.. Altoid tin for medicine/toiletry (flosser/mini toothbrush - ex. Colgate Wisp, bandaids, smaller altoids tin with tylenol, antacid, and daily meds & a cotton ball so the pills don't rattle) empty tictac boxes for spices
Doc I place a few strips of duct tape around the wear areas of the zip lock bags and yet to have anything poke through. Give a shot may bring back the love.
I try to think back to when I was a kid and just starting out when I feel I'm getting a little spoilt gear wise, what you need and what you think you need are two different things. I've always used cheap dollar store type tarps as foot prints, duct tape up the eyelets and they are less likely to fall to pieces, folded up you have a sit mat and so on, multi use. The repurposed plastic bottles are fine but need to be frequently replaced, they start to leach BPAs into your water, not good. Try to keep them out of direct sunlight as much as possible, tbh you can get Tritan plastic bottles fairly cheap these days and they don't leach BPAs, I'd rather carry the extra weight of at least one Triton bottle and if weight is really that critical to you there's BPA free Platypus bag type options out there.
It's a moisture absorber h20, not 02 ... 🤣 I collect them whenever we buy stuff that have some in it and reuse them for when I dehydrate my own meals for backpacking. You definitely have some great tips! Thanks for the video! Tyvek does work well. It helps to put it through the washing machine first and it gets rid of the crinkliness. You can buy pieces of it cheap from Zpacks as well.
Actually, it is an O2 absorber. 😂 says so on the package. You’re right about washing tyvek. Mine has been washed several times and is super soft and pliable.
Silica gel packets are H²O absorbers and can be reused over and over. They are used with dehydrated foods and for other things that can be affected by moisture. Many people keep them with their gear, camera equipment, tools, etc., or in things like shoes to dry out the insoles to keep odor & bacteria to a minimum. O² or oxygen absorbers come in mylar packs that have been vacuum-sealed (like freeze-dried backpacking foods) and contain powdered iron. When it comes in contact with air it absorbs and traps it, turning the iron into hydrated ferrous oxide, or Fe²O³, and cannot be reused. Preppers use these for long-term storage, mostly in mylar bags, and on rare occasions, 5-gallon buckets Both can be purchased online for personal use.
The less single-use plastics are used, the better, I always bring my own bags🤷♀️, saves money, and more comfortable to lug around anyway.@@john_kelley
For the record....some of us stupid people live in california....we absolutely pay thru the nose for grocery bags (Im actually embarrassed to admit it). I will trump your grocery bags (ala Ultralight Mindset channel) with bread bags. A better plastic, a better shape, and just as free(ish). i did a monster storm test last week. Everything got jacked up and wet out. In spite of the rain cover my pack had a good puddle of water in the bottom and in both belt packets. The rain gets in and doesn't get out - I just bought a tiny grommet thingy to add those holes in my pack and pockets...it was silly. Nothing got wet inside because of the compactor bag. My hands were soaked from condensation but as warm as could be in the bags. If I had brought more bags (I think 4 weighed a bit under an oz) I could have slid them over the belts with a little hole in the end and completely covered my pockets and straps. I was trying to keep my pack dryish because I use it with my shorty pad for sleeping. The tyvek groundsheet is just gold.., a ground sheet, dry place to put your gear, a RAIN KILT with a tiny pc of bungy is bullet proof. On the other hand....I will never be able to wrap my head around the idea of an alcohol stove. All in I doubt you save 2 ounces over a regular set up. You achieve this by using the MOST ineffective way to boil water. I think a magnifying glass would work faster. And into you pack and around your camp you introduce a highly flammable, easily spillable liquid in a tiny crinkly mini water bottle. I think it is even weirder than buying a pack cover, using a compactor bag and then putting a 3 liter bladder of water in the pack ....because you need a nipple of water within 3 inches of your mouth and can't be bothered with a bottle on the outside of your pack. You know who you are...and truth be told we know who you are...we'll see a nalgene bottle or a camp chair hanging from your 5lb 25 pocket 10 zipper 12 organizational pod pack. Your the one cursing when your "must have" wet wipes explode into your bear can making all your food taste like a butt wipe. Can you tell I'm against a stove that can easily burn down a forest in some of the most beautiful places on earth (the sierras). Use an appropriate flame in the wilderness and don't be reckless for a few ozs. Signed, every guy and girl that ever had there trip ruined because of smoke. Love you all (even you guys) have a great and safe new year. peace
@@cassidysummer509 For sure - hiking at elevation means everything you bought sealed at 300 ft and brought to 12000 ft ...the air inside expands. Chip bags might pop, I had a beer pop after just touching a pointy rock and yes the wet wipes liquid will be sloshing around in your bear can. The costco trail mix packaging is crazy and can expand with a force to crush crackers and such. The wet wipes are a nightmare because now all your food smells like wet wipe. Keep em out
When I was a dog walker and it rained or snowed I used to put my feet in poop bags before putting my shoes on. I started keeping them in my cheapo hiking boots too. Goretex who??
I like the advice about making your own dehydrated meals. Those prepackaged meals are terrible for the environment and are a mega ripoff. Those Peak and Backpackers Pantry meals cost like $1.00 or less to make and they have the gall to charge $12 at REI. The other problem with the pre packaged stuff is they are terrible for you. Loaded with saturated fat and WAY too much sodium.
@@john_kelley convience is a strong sales motivator. It is a pain to make your own dehydrated meals, but saving $100+ or more for a multi day trip is totally worth the effort.
Don't like using your pack's top-lid, or "brain"? Strap it around your pack's hipbelt and use it as a fanny pack instead of buying a separate one! And I'm going to start using aluminum foil in my cook kit now.
Conditions were so bad on an arduous British Army course I was on in the early 80’s that we put plastic bags over our socks whilst going up (and down, and up again*) a particular hill in South Wales. It was more a reflection of the dreadful boots (and socks) we were issued at the time. One reason why I’ve used better boots ever since… :) * rinse and repeat…
Great tips, John! I have several tips I'm sure others use as well. In the military we learned to improvise. I stock 55gl contractor bags in my gear room as they come in handy to make debris mattresses (stealth camping), makeshift shelters, ponchos, tent groundsheet and even backpack liners for large backpacks like the MARPAT ILBE (Marine pattern). Empty Rx bottles can be used for storing matches and a strike board, keep AA and AAA batteries dry. If the batteries "leak" they won't touch anything in your pack. I've made empty plastic jars (Jif) into first aid kits; red cross on bottle from red electrical tape. Items remain dry and intact and metal items like tick removers, tweezers, small scissors, sewing needles cannot puncture the jar. I noticed your Tyvek sheet was soft and pliable as well. I washed mine in washing machine and dried it on a low heat in the dryer...no more crinkly sound and packs in a much tighter form. I use women's hair bands (Dollar Tree store) for rolled clothing or gear. Their one dollar blue tarps can be used as groundsheets or even emergency shelters; mine has lasted a year. Recently I found two collapsible dog bowls for a dollar each and use them for eating. The Dollar Tree store can offer so many camping items if one just uses his or her imagination and save you some big bucks.
Great stuff, Alexander. Lots of ingenuity. Thanks for sharing all of that.
I haven't gone into the woods without a contractor bag loaded in my pack for about a year now!
101 uses...
Eating out of a dog bowl is unnecessary mate… a plastic plate will last quite a while and probably be safer to eat from.
Mini M&M tubes are also really handy. When I was a kid I kept quarters in one for lunch money. Now, I keep my repair kit (floss, needle, safety pins, Leatherman Style CS) in a long one with duct tape wrapped around the outside. You can also store band-aids, moleskin, and a travel neosporin packet in one with athletic tape wrapped around the outside for a small med kit.
That’s a GREAT idea!
As someone getting back into the back country after several city decades, with no gear, these budget ideas are golden... keep them up, interspersed with the others, of course.I do like your style - you keep it fun and interesting. And I love Jeremiah - he's a funny guy - as well as a good resource.
As a kid I used bread bags over my socks to keep them dry from the snow. Nothing like spending two hours shoveling out the driveway and the city comes by with a plow and throws two feet back. Thanks Michigan!
Plows were the bane of my existence when I lived in Wisconsin.
Did we have the same parents? The bread bags worked great but I wasn't as happy with the grocery bag Halloween costume.
Dairy Queen spoon (from a Blizzard). Very lightweight and nice long handle for getting into a dehydrated meal package. Not very durable, so bring a couple. Also use bubble Amazon mailer as a sit pad, or to wrap your meal to keep it warm as it rehydrates.
I’ve never heard of using bubble. Great idea!
Oh my gosh. I have so many of those bubble mailers. What an amazing idea!
@@john_kelley Theu are similar to the Mylar covered bubble material that a lot of hikers make into custom cozzies for their cook pots and Mountain House envelopes, to keep the warm in, while hydrating... several videos about it. One type: th-cam.com/video/2PBnRlpcXwU/w-d-xo.html and another: from Darwin - th-cam.com/video/1RjviJ0AlVI/w-d-xo.html
I always use the $1 stores (Dollar Tree, Everything's A Dollar, etc) for things I don't normally use at home but need for backpacking. I found some 1/4 cup graduated ziploc-type bags there. Great for trail meal planning when you're at home (instant potatoes, couscous) but you can measure your water amount to boil in your metric-only cook pot when at camp. Twenty of those bags were $1.
Bread bags. Growing up in South Jersey in the 70s meant you didn't necessarily have snow boots, so Mom wrapped your shoes in bread bags to walk to school in the snow. God forbid you didn't have Wonderbread bags, then everyone knew your family didn't have money to buy "the good bread". They're a little more durable than the plastic shopping bags and you can slide them inside a sock to fill them with unfiltered water for long water carries in a pinch.
Great stuff!
I always see all the comments about how you need a long spoon, if you fold the top of your bag in, you will make your bag shorter and it will give you clean sides so you're not getting anything on your hand.
Old school we packed a frisbee to use as a plate, you've got the edges so you can kind of use it as a bowl, it's sturdy, and if you're eating out of Ziploc bags, the first we gives you a nice sturdy surface to set them on. Get it from a dollar store so you get the really thin plastic so they weigh next to nothing. However, if you need something to cook in also, go to the Dollar store and get one of the cheap flimsy metal pie plates. It works just like a frisbee only you can put it over an open flame.
Walmart sells a three-piece set of eating utensils made out of lightweight lexan for 88 cents for your standard knife, fork and spoon. I keep the knife and fork with my lunch bag, but what I pack is the big spoon and a set of chopsticks. You can use them to cook with, stir your coffee, eat, etc.
I've had neighbors giving me soda cans, because I'm making "safety" alcohol stoves for My Friend's Girl Scout troop. They're not allowed to touch the alcohol, but they can do everything else with them. The reason I'm able to call them "safety stoves" (purely my terminology) is that I'm not building the alcohol stove like you have, I'm making what's also called a penny can stove. It's made just from the two bottoms of the cans, but in between them I'm putting cotton balls, essentially making them spill proof. Then permanently mounting them to a weighted can / pot rack. Being weighed down it should keep it from getting accidentally tipped over, but even if it does the alcohol won't spill and the flame won't travel. Kind of like alcohol stoves with training wheels. Lol. The two can bottoms, six cotton balls, and a half inch strip of aluminum foil tape to make sure that there are no sharp edges anywhere, comes in at 14g. I have one that I made the same way for myself, that is sitting inside an aluminum tea tin, with holes punched in it to use as both a pot stand and windscreen. Another thing you can use for a cheap easy windscreen, is either aluminum foil or plastic wrap over a small piece of chicken wire.
Most stores will sell a heavyweight plastic tarp / drop cloth for about 89¢. It can be used as a tarp, an emergency tent, and even a poncho. You can make a million things with a knife, a roll of duct tape, paracord, and a drop cloth. We used to use bread bags on our feet in the winter inside our shoes. They're not as thin as the plastic shopping bags, so they're a little sturdier. Watch city kids and those in areas with heavy snowfalls. By the way, this isn't a gear hack, but a thin layer of Vaseline on your face will keep you from getting all wind burnt in the winter.
Also, I have the same coffee cup as you, I picked it up couple years ago for the very same reason, the inner cup with the measurements. For me it still doesn't keep my coffee or tea hot long enough. So I made it a cozy with some foil lined bubble wrap and put a double bottom on it to help insulate it without adding a bunch of weight to it.
Wow! I feel like you should be making videos and sharing this stuff! Great knowledge.
@@john_kelleynaw man, just spreading the love with family. I can't hike, and can only camp in a few limited conditions anymore because of health reasons so I'm passing it forward, teaching scouts and watching channels with you, Jeremiah, Dixie, & a few others for new info that I can pass to the kids with it along with the virtues of LNT. It's the only time being a certified LNT trainer comes in handy anymore. Hahaha
The biggest nugget I can share is that what you and the others teach, doesn't just apply to hikers/hiking. Anyone with babies or puppies knows to travel with water from home or only use bottled, but even most campers know nothing about water filters or don't think they need them because they're going to a campground or staying in an RV.
In 2003, my kid & I drove from Columbus, OH to Strathgartney Provincial Park on Prince Edward Island where we camped on a bluff that had a visibility of over 20 miles, it was breathtaking, and of course, we packed a water filter. We would have been nuts not to. That being said, we had 2 planned stops, one with a cousin in PA, and one in Boston so I could further teach my homeschooled kid about early American history. We drank only bottled water or hot tea so we were good...or so we thought.
One of the grossest, most contaminated water sources you can come across is that of a commercial ice machine, and we got played by the 3rd-floor ice machine in a Holiday Inn. We had dysentery so bad that I thought I was going to be hospitalized. We immediately knew what our mistake was, but all we could do give it time and hope to let it work through our system. We saw nothing and the Holiday Inn made $500 off of me to boot.
I've since traveled to Kauai & Havana, Cuba and both times had my filter bottle in hand. I also plan hotel trips like hiking trips. I verify if there's a coffee maker, microwave, fridge, & iron in the room so I can plan accordingly with snacks, oatmeal, and room meals.
Open a pouch of chicken, add some cheese & a packet of taco bell hot sauce, put it in a tortilla wrap it in foil, then set the iron on it, and leave it there. 2-3 minutes each side usually, and you can be in bed, feet up, pants off, and resting from a long day of seeing a new city with a badass quesadilla that would have cost you $12.99 if you went out to get it. I'd rather spend the extra on sights & experiences than in the same restaurants I have at home. You can thru-hike in Manhattan using a transit map & a MetroCard if you know what you're doing. It's like cooking, you either learn a few dishes or you learn the techniques and can cook anything, the skills all translate.
Keep sharing John Kelley, keep teaching, and keep doing what you love. You've got a subscriber who's living vicariously through you and this old dog still learns new tricks.
Oh snap! I forgot to add to the list -
*Add a pinch of salt to your water when you're hiking in hot weather or on tough roads, and especially anytime you have to camel up, so you're not pissing & sweating away all of your hydration.
*Add some rubbing alcohol into the baby wipes you use on the pits & creases. It'll kill the bacteria that is making the stink.
*Put silica gel packets in your trail runners as soon as you take them off to help dry them out.
Putting a plastic bag on your feet is called a vapor barrier and is taught by Outward Bound as a way to keep your feet warm in winter. They teach that you wear a sock liner next to your skin, then the vapor barrier and then your outer sock. Shawn Forry and Justin Lichter used this tactic on their winter PCT thru-hike in 2014/15.
For us poor kids growing up, it was the only way to stay warm walking to school & playing in the snow. It was a thin sock, a bread bag, a thick sock, then our boots or sneakers.
Oh my gosh this topic is awesome and is something I'm thinking of all the time. I see people spending hundreds of dollars on equipment that I simply find the equivalent of around the house or some other alternative method. We have so much stuff and why get more. Thank you so much.
You’re welcome!
Awesome tips! Twist ties you get with your loaf of bread are great for attaching trekking poles and other stuff to your pack.
Only in CA we get charged .10￠ a bag at the grocery stores. Ziploc bags are great for repackaging dehydrated meals too, but be sure to use the freezer bags for that if you ware going to be putting hot water in them.
That’s ridiculous about the bags. You are correct on the freezer bags. You should start your own channel up. 😂
Aldi grocery stores put up stock in boxes meant as displays. You bring your own bags or pickup empty boxes from a bin to put your groceries in. They will sell you paper bags if you want. Everyone really charges for bags in their prices you just don't see it. They are run with a skeleton crew as further cost savings.
@@john_kelley It is meant to be a conservation and anti-littering step. We are required to use reusable shopping bags. It's actually not convenient, but it does cut down on all the empty bags blowing down the street. I kept a stash, when they banned them. For things like this.
Regarding the breadbag-in-the-shoe idea: If you also put the insole in the bag, it eliminates the slippery feeling underfoot (and also keeps the insole dry, of course.)
I really like your videos. They are for us commoners. Lol
To go along with the alcohol stove, those little energy shot bottles make great containers to measuring out your alcohol ahead of time
Absolutely useful tips, John. Usually, this kind of videos are "fillers" that we all have seen a 1000 times already. But you always bring up something new, even if it's only little. Well done, brother. 👍
Thanks!!!
Well done John! I'm going to design an entire outfit out of grocery bags!
Do it!!!!
VIDEO!!
Don't forget the duct tape!
😂🤣😂
My Mother made me wear bags on my feet in the ‘70s. She was a trend setter. 😜
Ditched the canister stove in favor of alcohol and pop can stove years ago. Haven't looked back once. Killer video bro.
Thanks!
The light but durable "zipper-lock" bags of various sizes-some with stand-up bottoms-that Trader Joe's uses to package its dried fruits and nuts can be washed and re-used as ditty bags. You can get water-tight, durable, inexpensuve gear along with healthy trail snacks. I have covered the commercial labels with fun souvenir stickers.
Wow! You make a big difference in the backpacking world. You trully stand out with your tips and your experience. Subscribed!
The half way house between a dyneema bag and a zip lock bag, are some Cordura dry bags. Oftern about $10 a bag. Light, strong and waterproof. I think Dyneema is a bit over engineered for a drybag.
Wow this was good information man. I didn't think about the trash bags for a dry bag but I have used it to transport catering food that had juice in the container to keep things dry. The shopping bags I have used those before too. I usually use the shopping bags doing the winter time with my foot situation. Thanks man.
Hey Mack! Always great to hear from you!
Empty pill bottles from your pharmacy work great to carry small items in. You can make a first aid kit out of one and wrap some Leuko tape around it. Or a repair kit, seasoning kit, carry natural soap, or back up dirty water scoop, etc.
Great idea!
Great ideas! The grocery bag hack is a really good one that works really well. When I was little, my mom always put bread bags or a plastic bag on my feet in the snow. When I was on a trip a couple years ago with my friend, his waterproof socks failed and his feet got wet and cold to the point he couldn’t hike. We emptied our trash bags and put them on his feet. Lol. Worked like a charm and probably saved his feet from frostbite. Great video!
Glad your buddy ended up being ok.
I have the exact same friction defense stick in the exact same great value brand bag. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤠🐻
Yes!!!
@@john_kelley Then, when you held up the footprint; I was all, nah... I use Tyvek. Apparently I like your style, friend! 🤙🏼
Great minds think alike.
I still have some empty 35mm film canisters. Great to keep small items like tablets, matches, and compressed coin towels dry.
Great idea.
So many awesome ideas John. I already use a few of them but always good to learn new things. Sadly we get charged for the bags at the grocery store! I think soon they will charge me to smile lol.
That’s what I get for not living out west. I’ve gotten a lot of comments about the “free” bags. 😂
My mom would always make us do the plastic bag trick on rainy or snowy days. I would suggest that if anyone has the chance to go to a trade show or professional conference to check out the schwag. Always water bottles, carabiners, little hand sanitizers, etc. And free. Well. You should at least take a business card too. That makes the sales people feel a bit better.
Trade shows are great!
Thanks! I’m always eager to learn about awesome gear hacks.
I bought some Tyvek 43gsm 1443R Kitemaking material which is thinner and lighter than the housewrap. The piece I cut to put under my Lunar Solo is 4 oz.
Nice!!!!
Thanks for the aluminum foil idea!
Great tips thank you John!! I'm headed for the toughest trail in the world (Drakensberg in South Africa) (loosely translated as 'Dragon Mountain') and was scratching my head regarding a windshield. Love the channel. Keep going!
Thank you, and good luck on the trail!
I recently found that having a 1/2 measuring cup to be an invaluable tool when cooking. I keep virtually all of my small gear in kits in pint size ziplock bags. The extra weight is worth the organization and ability to quickly find items. My only issue with Tyvek is how noisy it is when I move around inside my tent.
Wash the tyvek and dry it a few times. It softens up a lot.
Trash Comp bags for liners is one of the best things I have found. Great info JK!
Thanks for the videos. I went on my first backpacking trip to Hanson's Point a few days ago. I was a little worried about missing the unofficial trail, but the directions in your Hanson's Point video made it easy. Keep up the great work!
Glad it helped out!!!
Can you please tell me about the background you use? We are looking for one like this. Is your's vinyl or cloth? Where did you find it? Thank for the help...
I have to get over my lazy self and make an alcohol stove. Have a great weekend. John
You do the same, Warren!
Plastic shopping bags, multiple uses, near zero cost, near zero space, win,win,win !
Definitely!
Enjoyable, thanks. One thing I've done up here in Alaska is use those garbage bags (or bread bags) as vapor barrier liner UNDER my socks in the winter. This would be for when the conditions are cold enough that you're not concerned about your boots/socks getting wet except through perspiration alone. The VBL increases warmth to the foot, and prevents the socks from getting wet from perspiration. This would be for pretty cold temps, though, and probably not applicable to the great majority of your viewers.
Excellent tip.
Great video John. Never thought about the plastic bag thing before. Interesting hack. Tx!
Instead of tyvek you can use window insulation film as a ground cloth. Super durable, lighter than tyvek and won't soak in water and get heavy. Just got to make sure you tape around the edges to keep rips from happening.
Yep. I know people that use it. A lot of people swear by it.
You may think I’m nuts and well I could be…but we have two large dogs and what do they take to stay alive? Big bags of dog food…I save them and make sitting pads…they’re waterproof and if you get enough, you could duct tape them together and make a really cheap footprint, sit pad or a waterproof mat for under your sleeping bag. Fancy Feast is a lot more fuel efficient. Great video…God bless.
Me and a friend made it to the trailhead one day when she realized that she didn't have a spoon. I had a long Sonic spoon in the console. As great as the almighty Toaks long handled titanium spoon!
Awesome!
Great video. Thx
I just started experimenting with alcohol stoves from tin cans.
Nice! If they turn out as good as your lean-to, they’re going to be sweet!
@@john_kelley LOL I have made about 15 of them in the past week. I think I have dialed in the way I want it
Awesome!
I'll be looking forward to a video of the dialed in product. I started using a alcohol stove last year. I like it so far. Still figuring out how much fuel I need for an outing. Thankfully I've been erroring on bringing too much.
@@Doc_Watson I made one that will boil 2 cups of water in about 5.5 minutes on .5oz of fuel. That seems to be about the best boil time/fuel efficiency for me. However, that was in optimal conditions in my basement. I'm new to the alcohol stove. Going to give it a go this season.
to add to the tin foil wind screen option if you have pieces of cardboard sitting around use that to strengthen your windscreen it only addes a couple grams to your total weight.
also if you take a full size tin soda can, cut its half way from the top then cut off the cop of the upper part slide that into the bottom and then crimp the top you have a light weight very cheap camp cup for drinking
Best bags for not leaking & longevity are Ikea food sealing bags!
Great tips! (As always😉)
Thanks!
Make your own food cozy for your pot and pouches. I made mine from a car windshield shade, duct tape, & Velcro.
Always eat your heavy food first! Polygro is liter than tyvek and packs down smaller, Gossamer Gear sells it. In the summer a throw away rain jacket or poncho works great and weighs nothing and is wallet sized and easy to pack or put in your pocket. 1 ounce BRS gas stove around $16.00 on amazon works great!
Great ideas.
New content yes !
🎉🎉🎉
I think I have about your age... and I remember when I was a child we put pastic bags (grocery or bread bags) in our winter boots when they didn't have time to dry between two playtimes outside!
Now it is more difficult to do so because in my area the groceries are not allowed to use plastic bags. Maybe the bread ones could be ok, but you have to have small feet! 😉
You have an affiliate link to tht Tyvek?
I do not
Can't forget the o2 sensor. Gotta make sure your coffe is oiled😅😅lol
I found a rug bag that’s was large and I cut to fit in my pack.
🤔 interesting.
Zip Lock Snack Bags with items in them and keep in a Quart or Gallon Zip Lock. I like the gallon zip lock bags. I mix pancake batter in it and then cut off a corner to use it like you would with a pastry cone to squeeze out the batter for each pancake.... No Muss , No fuss cooking.
Yes , alcohol stoves from Coke Cans , Beer Cans , Vienna Sausage cans and Tomato Paste cans. Even the lonely Tuna Fish Can.
If you want Tyvek that's is soft , quiet , Amazon has it. It's expensive.....3m (3.2 Yards) of Tyvek 43gsm 1443R Kitemaking Material | Tent Ground Cloths | Durable, Strong, Lightweight, Breathable.
Yeah. I’ll pay extra and wash it a few times to soften it up.
How do you bring, pack your spices, mostly pepper salt , or maybe seasoned salt, ETC
If I bring them, I usually do individual packets and keep them in a ziploc bag.
I've had ziplock type bags fail. (rip when opening or hole poked in them) I bring a few spares, just in case.
I've mentioned it before. I too like the Spigyver stove, but I think the updated version that uses the top of the can seems better. I made one to use this year.
Chuckled about the plastic bags. Used to do that as a child. Plastic bags in your snow boots. Use a large elastic band to keep the bag up and keep the water out.
A couple clothespins or paper binder clips to hang clothes to dry from the guylines. Useful for the small items like bandanas and buffs that easily blow off. I don't bother with clips for larger items like shirts, pants, shorts..
Altoid tin for medicine/toiletry (flosser/mini toothbrush - ex. Colgate Wisp, bandaids, smaller altoids tin with tylenol, antacid, and daily meds & a cotton ball so the pills don't rattle)
empty tictac boxes for spices
I almost put the tic tac one in this video.
Altoid tins are the best! I keep my vitamins in a mini one when I travel (not just for backpacking).
I have seen mini and full sized alcohol stoves from altoid cans. Handy. Not as hot as isopro, but gets the job done.
Doc I place a few strips of duct tape around the wear areas of the zip lock bags and yet to have anything poke through. Give a shot may bring back the love.
I try to think back to when I was a kid and just starting out when I feel I'm getting a little spoilt gear wise, what you need and what you think you need are two different things. I've always used cheap dollar store type tarps as foot prints, duct tape up the eyelets and they are less likely to fall to pieces, folded up you have a sit mat and so on, multi use. The repurposed plastic bottles are fine but need to be frequently replaced, they start to leach BPAs into your water, not good. Try to keep them out of direct sunlight as much as possible, tbh you can get Tritan plastic bottles fairly cheap these days and they don't leach BPAs, I'd rather carry the extra weight of at least one Triton bottle and if weight is really that critical to you there's BPA free Platypus bag type options out there.
It's a moisture absorber h20, not 02 ... 🤣 I collect them whenever we buy stuff that have some in it and reuse them for when I dehydrate my own meals for backpacking. You definitely have some great tips! Thanks for the video! Tyvek does work well. It helps to put it through the washing machine first and it gets rid of the crinkliness. You can buy pieces of it cheap from Zpacks as well.
Actually, it is an O2 absorber. 😂 says so on the package. You’re right about washing tyvek. Mine has been washed several times and is super soft and pliable.
Silica gel packets are H²O absorbers and can be reused over and over. They are used with dehydrated foods and for other things that can be affected by moisture. Many people keep them with their gear, camera equipment, tools, etc., or in things like shoes to dry out the insoles to keep odor & bacteria to a minimum.
O² or oxygen absorbers come in mylar packs that have been vacuum-sealed (like freeze-dried backpacking foods) and contain powdered iron. When it comes in contact with air it absorbs and traps it, turning the iron into hydrated ferrous oxide, or Fe²O³, and cannot be reused. Preppers use these for long-term storage, mostly in mylar bags, and on rare occasions, 5-gallon buckets
Both can be purchased online for personal use.
Cat can stoves are easy to make Fancy feast.
There are a lot of people that love these.
👍 nice.
as far as survival goes, trash is your best friend
Tyvek make bags sold on Amazon.
Instead of thin old grocery bags try sturdy old bread bags little bit stronger and don’t blow out on longer miles
oh but where I live they do charge you for grocery bags, anywhere between 15 and 30 cents! (0.15 - 0.30€)
I’ve learned that. KY must be paradise. 😂
The less single-use plastics are used, the better, I always bring my own bags🤷♀️, saves money, and more comfortable to lug around anyway.@@john_kelley
First one to comment. Woooohhooooo!!?!
You’re the winner! 😂
For the record....some of us stupid people live in california....we absolutely pay thru the nose for grocery bags (Im actually embarrassed to admit it). I will trump your grocery bags (ala Ultralight Mindset channel) with bread bags. A better plastic, a better shape, and just as free(ish). i did a monster storm test last week. Everything got jacked up and wet out. In spite of the rain cover my pack had a good puddle of water in the bottom and in both belt packets. The rain gets in and doesn't get out - I just bought a tiny grommet thingy to add those holes in my pack and pockets...it was silly. Nothing got wet inside because of the compactor bag. My hands were soaked from condensation but as warm as could be in the bags. If I had brought more bags (I think 4 weighed a bit under an oz) I could have slid them over the belts with a little hole in the end and completely covered my pockets and straps. I was trying to keep my pack dryish because I use it with my shorty pad for sleeping. The tyvek groundsheet is just gold.., a ground sheet, dry place to put your gear, a RAIN KILT with a tiny pc of bungy is bullet proof.
On the other hand....I will never be able to wrap my head around the idea of an alcohol stove. All in I doubt you save 2 ounces over a regular set up. You achieve this by using the MOST ineffective way to boil water. I think a magnifying glass would work faster. And into you pack and around your camp you introduce a highly flammable, easily spillable liquid in a tiny crinkly mini water bottle. I think it is even weirder than buying a pack cover, using a compactor bag and then putting a 3 liter bladder of water in the pack ....because you need a nipple of water within 3 inches of your mouth and can't be bothered with a bottle on the outside of your pack. You know who you are...and truth be told we know who you are...we'll see a nalgene bottle or a camp chair hanging from your 5lb 25 pocket 10 zipper 12 organizational pod pack. Your the one cursing when your "must have" wet wipes explode into your bear can making all your food taste like a butt wipe. Can you tell I'm against a stove that can easily burn down a forest in some of the most beautiful places on earth (the sierras).
Use an appropriate flame in the wilderness and don't be reckless for a few ozs.
Signed, every guy and girl that ever had there trip ruined because of smoke.
Love you all (even you guys) have a great and safe new year. peace
Wait. Wet Wipes explode?
@@cassidysummer509 For sure - hiking at elevation means everything you bought sealed at 300 ft and brought to 12000 ft ...the air inside expands. Chip bags might pop, I had a beer pop after just touching a pointy rock and yes the wet wipes liquid will be sloshing around in your bear can.
The costco trail mix packaging is crazy and can expand with a force to crush crackers and such. The wet wipes are a nightmare because now all your food smells like wet wipe. Keep em out
When I was a dog walker and it rained or snowed I used to put my feet in poop bags before putting my shoes on. I started keeping them in my cheapo hiking boots too. Goretex who??
Who knew that would work?!?!? 😂
Heck, back in the 70s we wore bread bags inside of our snow boots.
@@bobketterer9119 Still do! Probably the best winter backpacking trick ;-)
How's the diet going?
Great! Creeping toward 60lbs down.
@@john_kelley Fantastic!
11:36 wait, you are telling me we have to pay for grocery bags while in the US it's free?
Nemo Fillo pillow was a waste for me. Felt like a balloon and its noisy. Idk how its so hyped and a best seller
I like the advice about making your own dehydrated meals.
Those prepackaged meals are terrible for the environment and are a mega ripoff. Those Peak and Backpackers Pantry meals cost like $1.00 or less to make and they have the gall to charge $12 at REI.
The other problem with the pre packaged stuff is they are terrible for you. Loaded with saturated fat and WAY too much sodium.
They are easy to use, though
@@john_kelley convience is a strong sales motivator.
It is a pain to make your own dehydrated meals, but saving $100+ or more for a multi day trip is totally worth the effort.
Hungry Hiker has a coulpe of videos on dehydrating your own meals, including one with a kick-butt spaghetti recipe.
*couple. Sorry.
I can honestly say I have never bought or carried a footprint. Not even Tyvek
Some people never use them.
Don't like using your pack's top-lid, or "brain"? Strap it around your pack's hipbelt and use it as a fanny pack instead of buying a separate one! And I'm going to start using aluminum foil in my cook kit now.
Bags make my feet sweat, save your money and buy sealskinz and be comfortable.
Lots of good info here in California stores charge 10 cents a bag. Stay safe my friend.
Someone else said that about plastic bags. That’s crazy!
@@john_kelley very crazy they ban the use of the bags a couple years ago here in California it was bring your own
Interesting
It sucks here in California
I don't like your over emphasis of certain numbers. I see what your doing FB. I see everything.
No clue what you’re talking about.
Conditions were so bad on an arduous British Army course I was on in the early 80’s that we put plastic bags over our socks whilst going up (and down, and up again*) a particular hill in South Wales.
It was more a reflection of the dreadful boots (and socks) we were issued at the time.
One reason why I’ve used better boots ever since… :)
* rinse and repeat…
Too wordy