I recently bought an air pump on Amazon for my NeoAir. Paid $30. Used it on an 8 day trip and loved it. Well worth the money! No more huffing and puffing like the Big Bad Wolf
I'm a retired fella living Down Under and have the lock laces, the pump, the umbrella, the AARN front pockets where I keep my water, maps, compass, bum mat, phone, Olympus TG6 camera, trail mix and kitchen sink. I don't think of having these accoutrements as being lazy but more of being smart. Like the people who watch your posts😂
I made a gravity feed system for my sawyer squeeze using 2 platy bottles, filter, & cleaning coupler. Made a mesh bag to hang dirty bottle end from a branch etc. Works great & very cheap as I had all the supplies. Great video Dixie
Lock laces are amazing! I'm a runner who's been using them for about 8 years now. I bought a hydration bladder hose, drilled a hole in the cap of a Smart bottle and ran the hose that way. I keep the water bottles on the side pockets and the hose near my shoulder
It's worth noting that the Flextail pump will not only blow up a mat in no time but will also suck ALL of the air out of it. You can also get vacuum bags for it that will compress items. Plus the overhead light really works well in a tent. It's loud but it also serves as a Backcountry hair dryer for those of you who get tired of dragging extension cords everywhere ;)
Dang! I wish I'da seen your comment afore I bought that 'ultralight', ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene, six-kilometer extension cord with DCF insulation! Well, I suppose I can always run it out to the back 40 for raves and such.
I like Lock Laces because they're easy to adjust. My forefoot swells before the rest of my foot, so I can give the laces a quick tug instead of having to relace my shoes after the first few miles.
I’m an old warhorse (53) that relishes a bit of hard work and doesn’t obsess over base weight. But that doesn’t mean I carry weight or lose pack space to useless gear, and that’s what I’d classify the “s**t swing” 😂 as. The lock laces are great though, I’ve had them on a few pairs of shoes over the years. Another great video Dixie, keep them coming for a long time 😊
I took a Flextail Tinypump on a week long backpack last summer and it inflated three pads each night for the entire trip on one charge and we LOVED it. Worth every bit of the 100g it weighs.
@@stevenpeterson8444 Delete all but one of my fingers and I'm not telling you you're number one. This is the TH-cam comments, not dictation class. Also, the first word of a sentence should start with a capital letter.🤪
A Bladder hose will slide right through the hole on a Smart Water Bottle flip top cap. I just run it up my shoulder strap and there it is anytime I need a drink. Carry and extra cap for backwashing your filter. Doesn't get much cheaper, or easier than that. Love your channel!
great video like always! so you can use the blue sawyer coupler and connect to a water bag (ex. cnoc with a string on bottom) and hang the water bag to sawyer coupled to a smart water bottle and have it gravity filter it that way. learned that from two amazing people i wish i could connect back with chimp and rain dance who yoyo-ed the CDT in '20 with a route thru the Blacks in NM💪
There's a fine line between lazy and genius. When I was in the Army, I would assign tasks to the laziest private because I knew that he would find the easiest way to accomplish it.
Take a Royal Navy Engineer, when out in the field, not just useful on boats, might not be the fittest, but will improvise/fix/mend/rig up or know a knot/lashing to get things done better.
Been carrying a 2-AA pump for years since I got my XTherm. And I never knew the sack pump existed. My knees can't handle long distance anymore, so I do more short hike and car camping. A Suburban with the 3rd row removed and 2nd row folding makes a nice 4x8 ft bed. :)
When I still slept on the ground for hikes, I used just a trash bag with a cut corner taped around a short piece of rubber hose. I could presse it around the valve on my inflatable pad and just fill it with air and force the air into my sleeping pad. It was a very cheap pad inflator and weighed far less than the store bought solutions. Now I sleep in a hammock setup and don't use the sleeping pad anymore.
I just got my porta privy a few weeks ago and it’s the thing I’m looking forward to using the most this hiking season. Lol. Can’t wait to find a great view and enjoy nature while answering natures call.
Another accidental “hack” I figured out, involves the extra elastic bungee pieces cut off of Lace-locks. Since the laces are longer than needed, there’s always an extra piece about 6-8 inches long. You can buy the little squeeze lock contraptions in the sewing notions department of a craft store, hardware store or any number of other places, like Amazon. With one of those squeeze-locks and a piece of the elastic shoestring, you can easily make a little adjustable bungee thing that will hold your umbrella on your shoulder strap or any number of other uses. Don’t throw those extra elastic pieces out! Even if you can’t find or get access to one of the little plastic squeeze locks, a large-holed button or a stick with a hole drilled through it would serve the same function.
I use pumpkin cord locks from an online vendor. I tie the bungee in a loop on my tarp grommets, and then run a paracord through the loop and then the cord lock. I permanently tie the other end of the paracord to a stake. When I am setting up my tarp, I tie paracord to two trees, tighten it using a cord lock, throw my tarp over, drive the stakes in, and tighten those cords using cord locks. The little bungee loops maintain even tension even when the trees are swaying in the wind. Before I started using the bungee loops, my grommets would frequently tear. Now they don’t. By having both ends of my paracords permanently attached to the tarp and stakes, I don’t lose them. Just fold the tarp and roll it around the stakes. I also use the bungee loops to attach stuff sacks (like the tarp) to the outside of my pack. Two bungee loops tied to the pack and a plastic bead on each loop. Another pair lower down. Wrap the loops around the stuff sack and wind the beads around each other like a pony tail holder.
Noble Lady you are a huge inspiration for many many people (including me)i sincerely thank you for your outstanding job and honesty .Thank you dearest Dixie
Worth noting that the Flextail will work with Big Agnes dual valve pads (like the Rapide SL) BUT you have to use the grey cone attachment and it doesn’t attach to the pad like others do, so you have to hold it. Still works fine and fills my 25 x 78 Rapide SL in about 90 secs, just wanted to note that it isn’t hands free if there’s anyone that was on the fence. Highly recommend the tiny pump x with the light. It’s half an oz lighter than the pump sack that came with the pad so it’s kind of a no brainer.
Other conveniences?: 1) Flip trekking-poles (handle-down) for short snow traverses vs snow-basket assembly. 2) Turn fanny-pack into a second chest-strap. Using the smallest buckle (Dutchware), make a 9g mating strap using grosgrain-ribbon for town carry. 3) Use bidet/Cnoc hung from tree as a shower-head. 4) Make a dcf/Ultra lunch-pouch that mounts/connects external to backpack. That should help keep rodents focused away from your pack, while enabling main food-bag to remain at the very bottom of backpack where density dictates it should be. 5) Manage hiking temperature with hoods/gloves vs stopping to change shirts/jackets.
I got the lock laces and am wearing right this minute (I’m in a hostel on the AT). Being a bit contrarian I put the ‘button’ to lock/loosen the opposite direction of the instructions because it was hitting my foot and having it point at my toes seems more comfortable.
For the record, USAF aviators (and possible other branches) have been using something similar to the "lock laces" on our combat boots since Vietnam. They eventually redesigned the boots (metal buckle type eyelets) for flyers for specific use with the lock laces.
Speed laces. TBH, they're O.K., but your still left with tons of lace. LOL, there's about 50 hours on YooBoob about what to do with the excess lace. Wrap it, double back and cram it down, double lace, surgeon knot and bow tie, etc. My Lock Laces work, but only by skipping the first pair of eyelets. This is on a pair of Meyers Jungle boots. All military boots come with 72" laces, and the Lock Laces are 48". If they have them in 72", and a non reflective material, they'd be perfect. Have a GOODN.
I have felt that the pump-sack dry bag (Nemo) was the coolest lazy, or smarter, hiker tool since LED lamps. And yeah, I am that old when we had 2 AA Mallory flashlights that wouldn't make 4 hours. Or my early Exped winter sleeping pad that has a built in pump. That is a easy lazy hiker kit that weighs nearly as much as a four season sleeping bag.
The only problem with the porta-privy is having to find 2 trees close enough together. I like the Hovermaster 4000. Ideally, an outhouse or a log to sit on works best, but those are not always available. Something like the Hovermaster is a necessity for me due to having had both knees replaced.
Good luck on your hike! Will definitely be a trip of a lifetime. Last year my nephew started in CA and made it all the way to Steven's Pass in WA but had to stop because of the bad wild fires.
I love my trekking umbrella (I live in Central Texas and regularly hike in triple digits with no shade), could never get the umbrella straps to hold it properly, ended up sticking it in the strap of my sports bra. Didn't move an inch and works great lol. Going to look into getting that pump. I've been using a stuff sack to blow up my mat. Works well, but takes more energy than I want to spare at the end of the day.
The tiny air pump for the mattress really works and kept me from fainting from blowing the darn thing up. I also used a Freshette for women. My problem with that stuff is that none of them are long enough and I keep peeing on my shoes! Arg! I wish they'd increase their trajectory. If you get an umbrella, try to get the huge large size of men's umbrella they sell at Harris Teeter. Anything smaller won't keep your back dry. An umbrella holder on the strap is a great idea. Another small piece of gear from REI I love are clip-on light globes for my shoes so that I can see in the dark on jungle patrol. Or clip them in the tent at night for useful glow. I think I sent you a pair long ago, Dixie, so you could night-hike more easily and safely.
Lock laces are amazing, I used them all 3 thrus. I had the air pump as well, luckily someone told me about it when I just started out. I was inflating my whole tramily's pads in the Sierras and called it the 'inflation station'. There's no way I'm setting up that porta poop thing every day, the low squat works for me personally. The lightest gravity system I learned is the two way Sawyer valve and a CNOC. Just tie up some cord and hang and there's your gravity. Till you get a hole in the bag anyway. I did use a water hose setup that attaches to a smartwater bottle sized cap and found I drank more water since it's more accessible. Recommend, beware animals will chew on the mouthpiece since it becomes salty, just like trekking pole handles. Great video, thank you.
The lock laces are AWESOME. I use them on any/all of my shoes that have laces. About 1000x more convenient... lazy or not. If you need that anti-stealth sh*t swing you may consider just hiking around your local mall instead. Public bathrooms just around the corner. Plus, that isn't exactly for the LAZY people- considering how you have to set it up each time and then carry that funky thing around with you in the hot sun. You're the best!
sorry, can anyone tell me what the story is behind the cracked platypus fitting at 3:21 ? I currently use that same fitting and reservoir as the clean water bag for my filter and would love to know how to avoid that failure if possible!
Hands free umbrella tip is using a carabiner or bandana you already might have. Put the handle in a side pocket and attach post with bandana or carabiner.
I just bought some Lock Laces. Put them on my Meyer's Jungle Boots. AWESOME! One con: they're a little short. Do they have 72" laces? Anyway, Thanx for all you do.
Try the grayling water filter. It's like a bigger bottle with a filter inside. All you do is scoop out the water and push down on am internal section and you are done. About $99 at REI
A Golf Trolly is perfectly designed for Hiking. Its meant to carry a backpack over roughish terrain. G it find out. It folds up and is super light. and you can get behind it if there is a bear, and have the spray ready.
Hello :) these are good suggestions. I think I missed why you don't use the sawyer as a gravity filter though? I punched two holes in a 2l collapsible bottle, added a little cord and I put it higher than my rucksack while I have an opportunity to rest :) sawyer also had an accessory I use where I collect water wherever and can squeeze it directly into my bladder within my pack without removing it; I can refill while walking or whatever too, with my rucksack on :)
Not necessarily a backpacker thing but maybe a frustration lightener for those with hydration bladders. Source Tactical makes a hose adapter for quick disconnect tubes (UTA -Universal Tube Adapter). Think I first heard about it from GarandThumb. Works with most small mouth water bottles like the kind you can get at the markets or the faucet apparently. But the main thing is, no matter what source your connecting to, you don't have to pull the bladder out of your pack. it can still sit nicely tucked in place with the hoses and then using QD hardware disconnect the bite valve and then connect up to a filtered bottle or other source.
I'm a lazy hiker in that I never take off my shoes to cross streams. I hate taking them off and putting them back on again (lock laces or not) and they usually only feel wet for a little while after. And if they're still damp by the time I get to camp for the night, I have bread bags to go over my dry socks.
I've also quit bringing a stove on shorter trips and I just carry stuff that I can eat right out of the package. This is part laziness, but it's also because my appetite is crappy for the first couple of days and I just need to force something down, haha
I put lock laces on my trail runners about four years ago and never looked back. Nothing annoyed me more than having to stop mid-climb to retie my shoes. I also carry my water bottle in a shoulder strap pocket. I find it encourages me to drink more. I tried the AquaClip, but it squeaked with every step and constantly annoyed me.
Ah you have a video for the SloBo Thru-Campers! haha I had one of the air pumps on the AT and it worked great as a bellows for starting camp fires! And I can't count the number of times I lent it to other hikers to pump up their mattresses. My one thing I can't live without now is I had a pouch like the Palante pack bottom put on my last two Supierior Wilderness Designs packs. I can't imagine going back to not having a bottom pocket. Great for snacks, or rain gear when it's cloudy and you know it's gonna rain, but not quite yet. Keeps ya from digging into your pack. BTW, you on the AZT yet? I have a bunch of friends out there right now.
Your rechristening of the Porta privy is spot on. "If you act now, will include this $49.99 option to turn it into a Swing & Fling, absolutely free!" #truthinadvertising
Love all the tips. And theres no way id use that poop seat, my luck it break and id fall in the cathole making a mess that couldnt be cleaned without a shower
Have you thought about guiding groups through the AT? I’m planning my first thru hike next spring, and am willing to do it solo, if needed, but I’d feel 1,000 times better if you were there. Or if you are going to hike the 2024 AT, but don’t want to be bothered, will you just tell me when you’ll be at the southern terminus and I’ll follow about 30 feet behind, the whole time. I won’t even talk, if you don’t want. 😂
I use the Sawyer Squeeze Mini with a quick-disconnect that allows me to fill the bladder without taking it out of the pack. CamelBak makes the QD kit, but it is compatible with the Osprey QD on their bladder. It makes moving from pack-to-pack much easier depending on my needs. Other than my daypack, I’ll usually take 2x of the larger Sawyer bags with me for the dirty water. Less trips between camp and whatever water source I use.
It's nice to see that you are still doing backpacking videos this 2023. I've been your follower since 2018.
Dixie’s infectious positive spirit makes everything fun !
Thank you, Dixie. In a previous video, you mentioned the lock laces and they've helped my special needs son and I. Thank you
Lock laces are great
those lock laces look perfectttttttttttt
Nice innovative ideas.
I recently bought an air pump on Amazon for my NeoAir. Paid $30. Used it on an 8 day trip and loved it. Well worth the money! No more huffing and puffing like the Big Bad Wolf
I'm a retired fella living Down Under and have the lock laces, the pump, the umbrella, the AARN front pockets where I keep my water, maps, compass, bum mat, phone, Olympus TG6 camera, trail mix and kitchen sink. I don't think of having these accoutrements as being lazy but more of being smart. Like the people who watch your posts😂
I made a gravity feed system for my sawyer squeeze using 2 platy bottles, filter, & cleaning coupler. Made a mesh bag to hang dirty bottle end from a branch etc. Works great & very cheap as I had all the supplies.
Great video Dixie
The battery air pump is also fantastic for starting or rekindling a fire
Lock laces are amazing! I'm a runner who's been using them for about 8 years now.
I bought a hydration bladder hose, drilled a hole in the cap of a Smart bottle and ran the hose that way. I keep the water bottles on the side pockets and the hose near my shoulder
It's worth noting that the Flextail pump will not only blow up a mat in no time but will also suck ALL of the air out of it. You can also get vacuum bags for it that will compress items. Plus the overhead light really works well in a tent. It's loud but it also serves as a Backcountry hair dryer for those of you who get tired of dragging extension cords everywhere ;)
And a fire bellows! 😊
lol!
Extension cords.
Dang! I wish I'da seen your comment afore I bought that 'ultralight', ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene, six-kilometer extension cord with DCF insulation! Well, I suppose I can always run it out to the back 40 for raves and such.
😂🤣
I like Lock Laces because they're easy to adjust. My forefoot swells before the rest of my foot, so I can give the laces a quick tug instead of having to relace my shoes after the first few miles.
I’m an old warhorse (53) that relishes a bit of hard work and doesn’t obsess over base weight. But that doesn’t mean I carry weight or lose pack space to useless gear, and that’s what I’d classify the “s**t swing” 😂 as.
The lock laces are great though, I’ve had them on a few pairs of shoes over the years.
Another great video Dixie, keep them coming for a long time 😊
I took a Flextail Tinypump on a week long backpack last summer and it inflated three pads each night for the entire trip on one charge and we LOVED it. Worth every bit of the 100g it weighs.
Wow, that's seriously impressive
Your still around! That’s great!!!
Pump sack can double as dry bag for your quilt or other items.
Lazy Hiker is my favorite brewery in Franklin, NC 😅
Lazy hiker tip: just stay at home and live vicariously through Dixie and other hiking TH-camrs.👍
diction tip: “vicariously through” is redundant. delete vicariously and it means the same thing.
😂
@@stevenpeterson8444 google says you’re wrong 👍
@@stevenpeterson8444 Delete all but one of my fingers and I'm not telling you you're number one. This is the TH-cam comments, not dictation class. Also, the first word of a sentence should start with a capital letter.🤪
@@lillypatience Didn't sound right to me either but I'm too lazy to look it up. Hey, another lazy hack! Just wait for Lilly to Google it!👍😉
A Bladder hose will slide right through the hole on a Smart Water Bottle flip top cap. I just run it up my shoulder strap and there it is anytime I need a drink. Carry and extra cap for backwashing your filter. Doesn't get much cheaper, or easier than that. Love your channel!
great video like always! so you can use the blue sawyer coupler and connect to a water bag (ex. cnoc with a string on bottom) and hang the water bag to sawyer coupled to a smart water bottle and have it gravity filter it that way. learned that from two amazing people i wish i could connect back with chimp and rain dance who yoyo-ed the CDT in '20 with a route thru the Blacks in NM💪
great suggestions for the trail. thank you for sharing.
There's a fine line between lazy and genius. When I was in the Army, I would assign tasks to the laziest private because I knew that he would find the easiest way to accomplish it.
😂❤😂❤
Take a Royal Navy Engineer, when out in the field, not just useful on boats, might not be the fittest, but will improvise/fix/mend/rig up or know a knot/lashing to get things done better.
nice to see all the options out there.
Been carrying a 2-AA pump for years since I got my XTherm. And I never knew the sack pump existed. My knees can't handle long distance anymore, so I do more short hike and car camping. A Suburban with the 3rd row removed and 2nd row folding makes a nice 4x8 ft bed. :)
As always, good tips, and options. Thanks!
The Flextailgear tiny pump also does an excellent job deflating your sleeping pad!
Nice!
When I still slept on the ground for hikes, I used just a trash bag with a cut corner taped around a short piece of rubber hose. I could presse it around the valve on my inflatable pad and just fill it with air and force the air into my sleeping pad. It was a very cheap pad inflator and weighed far less than the store bought solutions.
Now I sleep in a hammock setup and don't use the sleeping pad anymore.
I love the lock laces, been using them since you first mentioned them. Thanks for the tip.
Me too! I have four different pairs of Altras in various stages of wearing out that have locklaces on them. :)
Ordered Grandma Gatewood's book, thank you!
I just got my porta privy a few weeks ago and it’s the thing I’m looking forward to using the most this hiking season. Lol. Can’t wait to find a great view and enjoy nature while answering natures call.
It can be magnificent!
Another accidental “hack” I figured out, involves the extra elastic bungee pieces cut off of Lace-locks. Since the laces are longer than needed, there’s always an extra piece about 6-8 inches long. You can buy the little squeeze lock contraptions in the sewing notions department of a craft store, hardware store or any number of other places, like Amazon. With one of those squeeze-locks and a piece of the elastic shoestring, you can easily make a little adjustable bungee thing that will hold your umbrella on your shoulder strap or any number of other uses. Don’t throw those extra elastic pieces out! Even if you can’t find or get access to one of the little plastic squeeze locks, a large-holed button or a stick with a hole drilled through it would serve the same function.
I use pumpkin cord locks from an online vendor. I tie the bungee in a loop on my tarp grommets, and then run a paracord through the loop and then the cord lock. I permanently tie the other end of the paracord to a stake. When I am setting up my tarp, I tie paracord to two trees, tighten it using a cord lock, throw my tarp over, drive the stakes in, and tighten those cords using cord locks. The little bungee loops maintain even tension even when the trees are swaying in the wind. Before I started using the bungee loops, my grommets would frequently tear. Now they don’t. By having both ends of my paracords permanently attached to the tarp and stakes, I don’t lose them. Just fold the tarp and roll it around the stakes. I also use the bungee loops to attach stuff sacks (like the tarp) to the outside of my pack. Two bungee loops tied to the pack and a plastic bead on each loop. Another pair lower down. Wrap the loops around the stuff sack and wind the beads around each other like a pony tail holder.
Wonderfully concise, informative, and filled with warmth, as usual.
Love that Accent! 🙂
@@DoahnKea_Tuber - Whut accent? 🤔
Noble Lady you are a huge inspiration for many many people (including me)i sincerely thank you for your outstanding job and honesty .Thank you dearest Dixie
Love you and your videos, Dixie!!!
Worth noting that the Flextail will work with Big Agnes dual valve pads (like the Rapide SL) BUT you have to use the grey cone attachment and it doesn’t attach to the pad like others do, so you have to hold it. Still works fine and fills my 25 x 78 Rapide SL in about 90 secs, just wanted to note that it isn’t hands free if there’s anyone that was on the fence. Highly recommend the tiny pump x with the light. It’s half an oz lighter than the pump sack that came with the pad so it’s kind of a no brainer.
Other conveniences?: 1) Flip trekking-poles (handle-down) for short snow traverses vs snow-basket assembly. 2) Turn fanny-pack into a second chest-strap. Using the smallest buckle (Dutchware), make a 9g mating strap using grosgrain-ribbon for town carry. 3) Use bidet/Cnoc hung from tree as a shower-head. 4) Make a dcf/Ultra lunch-pouch that mounts/connects external to backpack. That should help keep rodents focused away from your pack, while enabling main food-bag to remain at the very bottom of backpack where density dictates it should be. 5) Manage hiking temperature with hoods/gloves vs stopping to change shirts/jackets.
Ok lunch pouch is a fantastic idea so I don't have to dig around my pack for food during the day and only open it at night
I'll definitely use that CNOC bag + bidet tip.
Love the bidet tip!
This is absolutely awesome stuff! Thank you!
I got the lock laces and am wearing right this minute (I’m in a hostel on the AT). Being a bit contrarian I put the ‘button’ to lock/loosen the opposite direction of the instructions because it was hitting my foot and having it point at my toes seems more comfortable.
Loved all the gadgets to make life easier on trail !
Thanks Dixie for todays best laughs-always a pleasure to see a new video.
I’m so glad you put the porta privy up there!
Hahaha. I was hoping y’all would see that :)
Me to. It took me a day to figure out where all the website traffic was comming from. You guys are the best. Thank you
For the record, USAF aviators (and possible other branches) have been using something similar to the "lock laces" on our combat boots since Vietnam. They eventually redesigned the boots (metal buckle type eyelets) for flyers for specific use with the lock laces.
Speed laces. TBH, they're O.K., but your still left with tons of lace. LOL, there's about 50 hours on YooBoob about what to do with the excess lace. Wrap it, double back and cram it down, double lace, surgeon knot and bow tie, etc. My Lock Laces work, but only by skipping the first pair of eyelets. This is on a pair of Meyers Jungle boots. All military boots come with 72" laces, and the Lock Laces are 48". If they have them in 72", and a non reflective material, they'd be perfect. Have a GOODN.
Hahaha! I remember the backpacking podcast when they told you about the porta privy. Seems like a nice luxury item from time to time.
Those are fantastic tips. The shoe lace one is my fav. BTW - you look so much healthier. YAY!
Tinklebell user here.. I wouldn’t be without it!
I used my flextail this weekend its amazing!
The Katadyn Pocket is also great. Well worth the price.
I have felt that the pump-sack dry bag (Nemo) was the coolest lazy, or smarter, hiker tool since LED lamps. And yeah, I am that old when we had 2 AA Mallory flashlights that wouldn't make 4 hours. Or my early Exped winter sleeping pad that has a built in pump. That is a easy lazy hiker kit that weighs nearly as much as a four season sleeping bag.
I still have 2 of those yellow plastic, slightly curved case lights; they were my first & had claims of throwing a 250' beam. Thnx for the memories.
Great tip for umbrella - haven’t carried one since I use trekking poles but now I’ll strap one to my pack 🎉
great video and ideas for hiking !!
You’re looking good Dixie! That shirt looks great on you!
Pump sacks make a great clothing bag/pillow (put your fleece on the outside to make it extra comfy).
Thank you for the air pump rec. Blowing up the air pad in the Sierras by mouth was miserable!!!
The only problem with the porta-privy is having to find 2 trees close enough together. I like the Hovermaster 4000. Ideally, an outhouse or a log to sit on works best, but those are not always available. Something like the Hovermaster is a necessity for me due to having had both knees replaced.
I like to tape a loop of paracord to my Bic lighter. It makes it easier for me to get out of a pocket or to hang in my pack.
I have that air pump!! I was made fun of on pct, but I just say I am old (47 now). It is my lifesaver, especially with Covid lungs.
This will be a great ongoing series
I love these ideas. Air pump is great!!
The last few videos you are looking so much healthier. I hope those allergies have calmed down. Keep on Trekking!
Hey Dixie! Thanks for posting this. It will be so useful for my PCT thru hike this year.
I hope the wild amount of snow this year doesn't make it too treacherous. Good luck! Will be a great accomplishment and experience!
@@MooreDoing Thank you so much! I also hope it's not too treacherous! I start in May so we will see!
@@bethhhrachel Would love to follow along. Will you be sharing anywhere on social media?
Good luck on your hike! Will definitely be a trip of a lifetime. Last year my nephew started in CA and made it all the way to Steven's Pass in WA but had to stop because of the bad wild fires.
This is very helpful! You just solved two of my major issues, thanks.
I love my trekking umbrella (I live in Central Texas and regularly hike in triple digits with no shade), could never get the umbrella straps to hold it properly, ended up sticking it in the strap of my sports bra. Didn't move an inch and works great lol.
Going to look into getting that pump. I've been using a stuff sack to blow up my mat. Works well, but takes more energy than I want to spare at the end of the day.
Great advice
The tiny air pump for the mattress really works and kept me from fainting from blowing the darn thing up. I also used a Freshette for women. My problem with that stuff is that none of them are long enough and I keep peeing on my shoes! Arg! I wish they'd increase their trajectory. If you get an umbrella, try to get the huge large size of men's umbrella they sell at Harris Teeter. Anything smaller won't keep your back dry. An umbrella holder on the strap is a great idea. Another small piece of gear from REI I love are clip-on light globes for my shoes so that I can see in the dark on jungle patrol. Or clip them in the tent at night for useful glow. I think I sent you a pair long ago, Dixie, so you could night-hike more easily and safely.
Nobody has better pack strap pockets than Nashville Packs. Also the most comfortable pack I’ve ever owned.
On the pad pump... best hack I've found is converting your nylofume dry bag into a pump sack (using water bottle flip cap)! You have it anyway!
Excellent tips!!
Yep love my flex tail pump.
Lock laces are amazing, I used them all 3 thrus.
I had the air pump as well, luckily someone told me about it when I just started out. I was inflating my whole tramily's pads in the Sierras and called it the 'inflation station'.
There's no way I'm setting up that porta poop thing every day, the low squat works for me personally.
The lightest gravity system I learned is the two way Sawyer valve and a CNOC. Just tie up some cord and hang and there's your gravity. Till you get a hole in the bag anyway.
I did use a water hose setup that attaches to a smartwater bottle sized cap and found I drank more water since it's more accessible. Recommend, beware animals will chew on the mouthpiece since it becomes salty, just like trekking pole handles.
Great video, thank you.
Thanks, Dixie!
Omg that shocked some really loud laughter out of me. S**t swing 😂😂😂😂
The lock laces are AWESOME. I use them on any/all of my shoes that have laces. About 1000x more convenient... lazy or not.
If you need that anti-stealth sh*t swing you may consider just hiking around your local mall instead. Public bathrooms just around the corner.
Plus, that isn't exactly for the LAZY people- considering how you have to set it up each time and then carry that funky thing around with you in the hot sun.
You're the best!
sorry, can anyone tell me what the story is behind the cracked platypus fitting at 3:21 ? I currently use that same fitting and reservoir as the clean water bag for my filter and would love to know how to avoid that failure if possible!
I ditched the hip belt pockets and am now with team Fanny Pack!
Hands free umbrella tip is using a carabiner or bandana you already might have. Put the handle in a side pocket and attach post with bandana or carabiner.
I just bought some Lock Laces. Put them on my Meyer's Jungle Boots. AWESOME! One con: they're a little short. Do they have 72" laces? Anyway, Thanx for all you do.
Thanks! Cool video!
Try the grayling water filter. It's like a bigger bottle with a filter inside. All you do is scoop out the water and push down on am internal section and you are done. About $99 at REI
Opps the grayl system. My predictive text added an ing
I just used Lock Laces on my Florida Trail thru-hike because of you. Thanks!
A Golf Trolly is perfectly designed for Hiking. Its meant to carry a backpack over roughish terrain. G it find out. It folds up and is super light. and you can get behind it if there is a bear, and have the spray ready.
I now carry a Helinox chair when backpacking:) nothing like a comfortable chair after a long day of hiking, I’m getting lazy in my older age lol
Good job
Regarding Flextail pump, it also serves as a makeshift hair dryer, in a pinch! I have one and have used it for that.
Hello :) these are good suggestions. I think I missed why you don't use the sawyer as a gravity filter though? I punched two holes in a 2l collapsible bottle, added a little cord and I put it higher than my rucksack while I have an opportunity to rest :) sawyer also had an accessory I use where I collect water wherever and can squeeze it directly into my bladder within my pack without removing it; I can refill while walking or whatever too, with my rucksack on :)
Love those Walmart sales those kind of laces
Not necessarily a backpacker thing but maybe a frustration lightener for those with hydration bladders. Source Tactical makes a hose adapter for quick disconnect tubes (UTA -Universal Tube Adapter). Think I first heard about it from GarandThumb. Works with most small mouth water bottles like the kind you can get at the markets or the faucet apparently. But the main thing is, no matter what source your connecting to, you don't have to pull the bladder out of your pack. it can still sit nicely tucked in place with the hoses and then using QD hardware disconnect the bite valve and then connect up to a filtered bottle or other source.
I'm a lazy hiker in that I never take off my shoes to cross streams. I hate taking them off and putting them back on again (lock laces or not) and they usually only feel wet for a little while after.
And if they're still damp by the time I get to camp for the night, I have bread bags to go over my dry socks.
I've also quit bringing a stove on shorter trips and I just carry stuff that I can eat right out of the package. This is part laziness, but it's also because my appetite is crappy for the first couple of days and I just need to force something down, haha
They’ve had it wrong all along. LAZY is the mother of invention.
Can cut a old bike tube and put one of the bands around you water bottle. The rubber also works as a good fire starter!
I put lock laces on my trail runners about four years ago and never looked back. Nothing annoyed me more than having to stop mid-climb to retie my shoes.
I also carry my water bottle in a shoulder strap pocket. I find it encourages me to drink more. I tried the AquaClip, but it squeaked with every step and constantly annoyed me.
Ah you have a video for the SloBo Thru-Campers! haha I had one of the air pumps on the AT and it worked great as a bellows for starting camp fires! And I can't count the number of times I lent it to other hikers to pump up their mattresses. My one thing I can't live without now is I had a pouch like the Palante pack bottom put on my last two Supierior Wilderness Designs packs. I can't imagine going back to not having a bottom pocket. Great for snacks, or rain gear when it's cloudy and you know it's gonna rain, but not quite yet. Keeps ya from digging into your pack.
BTW, you on the AZT yet? I have a bunch of friends out there right now.
you had me at "lock laces" I have this problem when just walking around wearing sneakers
I like to bring a mule and a sherpa. Helps lighten the load 😂
Your rechristening of the Porta privy is spot on. "If you act now, will include this $49.99 option to turn it into a Swing & Fling, absolutely free!" #truthinadvertising
Love all the tips. And theres no way id use that poop seat, my luck it break and id fall in the cathole making a mess that couldnt be cleaned without a shower
Now isn’t that the coolest 🤩
Have you thought about guiding groups through the AT? I’m planning my first thru hike next spring, and am willing to do it solo, if needed, but I’d feel 1,000 times better if you were there. Or if you are going to hike the 2024 AT, but don’t want to be bothered, will you just tell me when you’ll be at the southern terminus and I’ll follow about 30 feet behind, the whole time. I won’t even talk, if you don’t want. 😂
I use the Sawyer Squeeze Mini with a quick-disconnect that allows me to fill the bladder without taking it out of the pack. CamelBak makes the QD kit, but it is compatible with the Osprey QD on their bladder. It makes moving from pack-to-pack much easier depending on my needs. Other than my daypack, I’ll usually take 2x of the larger Sawyer bags with me for the dirty water. Less trips between camp and whatever water source I use.
I imagine Dixie having a giant warehouse or two full of gear.
Thanks Dixie