Thanks for the info! I had never really thought about the fact that your body may not be used to burning the type of energy you're trying to fuel it with (fats vs carbs, etc) My main tip after having spent 3 solid weeks on trail last summer: take what you'll actually eat! I spent so much time prepping food for my trip. I counted calories, weighed ingredients, calculated calories per ounce (so many calculations!), and came up with what I thought was a pretty solid food plan. And then I actually got on trail. My breakfasts and dinners were pretty good, but my snacks and lunches needed help. Turns out, I can only make myself eat one nut butter pouch per day. And when I just wasn't feeling hungry, the high protein high calorie stuff would sit in my pack untouched. But cheap and chewy quaker granola bars, or dehydrated (not freeze dried) mangoes, were always tasty and looked forward towards. Sure, they didn't have as good of calorie to weight ratio, but I would actually eat them. So in the end, it became more important to actually carry the food I would eat even if it might not have the best calorie denseness. It doesn't matter how great your food plan is, it won't fuel your body of you don't eat it!
Don't forget the electrolytes! Bonking is often electrolyte related, especially during heavy exertion. I have rescued many friends with low energy and headaches during hiking by giving them a couple electrolyte capsules (I can't stand sugary energy drinks). As a keto-ish, intermittent faster, I also bring a little quick energy hiking food, but still manage the long haul with high-fat/low-carb. If you don't like drinking orange, green, or purple "energy slurry", make sure you bring some electrolyte capsules; take a couple before the hike, and then every few hours depending on exertion and sweat factor. You will discover its a game changer.
Great video, I’m actually doing a MSc in neurophysiology, undergrad is exercise physiology. I’d love to chyme in for those who are more interested in the nutrition aspect. I’d like to preface this by noting that this comment is not made with the intention to be, in anyway, disrespectful. I’m just hoping it helps those who are interested! Your advice was good, those simple sugar will be effect when you “hit the wall”. But, if I may... Fasting is excellent, there is evidence that suggests it can improve digestive, health, contribute to neurogenesis (the creating of new neurons) and even reduce the chance of mutative cell diseases such as cancer: via increases in cell pruning. However, it wouldn’t necessarily induce ketosis. Thus, I wouldn’t say that it is causing your body to prefer metabolizing fats over carbohydrates (carbs). Your body will always prefer carbs as a fuel source, as it requires much less work to make into ATP (energy). However, it is likely that ,a healthier diet, while periodicity fasting, would contribute to improved mood, energy levels, and metabolism. Simply...it is the health benefits of fasting, and other health conscious behavior you adopt in conjunction with your fasting, that provide you “premium” fuel at the start of your hike, rather than the fasting altering the type of fuel your body consumes while on the hike. The conclusion, would be to eat health, maybe adopt fasting, 2 or so weeks before your trips, and you will perform much better during them! I hoped this helps
The only thing I would add is in winter or winter shoulder seasons, I would recommend eating your big meal for dinner. The reason being, your body having those calories to burn throughout the night will help with regulating your body temp. This can impact your quality of sleep, obviously, which will in turn help you the next day. Especially do this on longer trips where accumulating bad sleep night after night can really hurt your performance, which will ultimately lead to increased risk of injury and/or mistakes made on your hike. Plus, it just sucks sleeping cold. So fatten up for dinner before bed in the winter. Enjoy the cold early morning BM to start your day 😄
Cliff bar 104 calories per oz. Snickers bar 135 calories per oz. A plain snickers is one of the most calorically dense bars ever made. Almond butter at 168 calories per oz is nice but sunbutter is the king of calories per oz at just under 177.
I never eat industrial sweet stuff in everyday life...but on the trail in some situations a Snickers is unbeatable...also for psychological/morale factors :-) (Same goes for Capri Sun ;-))
The S.A.S. are the ultimate back packers. The memoir of one of them says that for The Fan Dance he ate a Mars bar every hour. The Fan Dance is the final exercise of Selection. An orienteering race on Pen y Fan.
I switch my diet 2 weeks before a planned trip to replicate closer to my trip diet. I spend a lot of time fasting and low carbing but when I plan a trip I change my diet and incorporate more carbs, pastas, etc but Im also walking and preparing more for the trip leading up to that while eating that way. Its the only way I can do it, otherwise I have stomach issues the entire time, energy issues etc. I have found however that the be all end all diet that works for me on trips is a grazing diet. No big meals, just 300-400 ish calories at a time at the most throughout the day but I usually dont start eating anything until after I packed up and ready to head out.
Congrats...you're learning to eat on the hike (as you hike) like a marathon runner does during a run. GU gels or the equivalent during the hike, along with some protein (beef jerky or cheese, or peanut/almond butter) after a few hours, and a carbo loading meal in the evening. Read how ultra-runners fuel and there are various types of ultra-runners just as there are hikers. These are good examples to learn from as most hikers are effectively hiking a half to full marathon (sometimes beyond) every day). Also look to how they train to learn how to hike on different days instead of always just pushing yourself till you need a nero/zero.
thank you I have been arguing this point for many years, I will try the Peak meals. Varitey is the key to any packing situation. I am passed the age of realvence thank you!
Spot on. Gummy bears, cliff bar (or sim.), nuts, and beef stick/jerky are my 'go to' snacks in my pocket depending how I'm feeling. I'll usually eat the bar and beef for lunch, oddly finding that I don't need a huge meal at lunchtime. The shared point is variety. Oh, and please tell Peak to stop printing instructions with gray ink on a black background for reading at dusk. Ha. I prefer dinner slightly soupier, so suggest adding a little more water to Peak meals.
A very good and simple talk on Trail gd. I am a retired physician, diabetic and hiker. It’s vital t have both quick release crbs (fruit or candy) and complex or sustained release carbs though in order to get adequate calories als find it advisable to increase my intake of fats simply because they are more calorie dense
Unfortunately, not enough people understand the phases your body goes through when its doing "activity". Anyone that is an endurance athlete knows to keep skittles, gummy bears, etc on their person to push their body back into sugar burning mode and provide a quick boost of energy. We don't typically think about hiking/backpacking as an endurance sport, but it is! Climbing all that elevation and hiking for 10 hours a day is TOUGH This was a great video! Too many people don't think about nutrition on the trail. Its important!
Love this video and great advice. I’m a big advocate for testing out your nutrition prior to any hike or event. One of my favorite quick energy snacks that work for me are peanut M&M’s. Plus they are a quick moral boost for those low times.
Yeah it doesn't really make sense to skip out on carbs, in particularly when hiking, considering how it's the macronutrient that your body utilities first for energy. If you're solely relying on fats, you'll start utilizing protein, and you're really going to feel like shit, and just not recover properly. Having a food that's high in sodium, or powder that contains sodium and vitamins is also helpful. Just so you're staying hydrated. Sorry if this sounded preachy, just figured I'd mention it since that was the first half of the video. Great video overall!
I love this video - it is so true everyone's body reacts to food differently and you have to take advise from others with a grain of salt and try it out for yourself and see what works and what doesn't
My son and I back country canoed for a few weeks for 14 summers in Alaska. We mainly carried things like granola, trail mix with some chocolate , venison jerky, rice to go with fish. And condiments. We would bring a few dried meals along with some soup packets. Nothing taste good for lunch on a rainy day is a quick soup break. We started when he was 4.
Runners have long known the importance of fast digesting carbs. Fats are nice but you definitely want ~100 calories per hour of hiking from sugar/carbs such as the GU gels, Clif Bloks, or even gummy candy.
With you on the Peak Refuel meals. After trying them on the northern Washington section of the PCT last summer I pack them almost exclusively. Added bonus of not using as much water is less fuel used. One 4oz canister lasted my partner 2 weeks using a typical canister stove and pot setup.
I agree you need a mix of fats and quick burning sugars. I mostly go no-cook for solo 1-2 nighters. I usually take some fresh fruit for the first day to keep that quick energy flowing and then live on a homemade trail mix of nuts, dates, Fritos, pieces of pop tart, sesame sticks - I like trail mix with big pieces so I can kind of pick and choose what I’m feeling like eating. This allows me to carry basically no food packaging. I hate having trash in my pack.
You are so right about the bars. I bring Power Bars sometimes or Snickers, but chocolate and heat are a bad combo. I carry M&Ms to get me through bonks and times when my stomach is starting to growl but I still have some miles to camp and need to keep moving. Honey sesame sticks are a nice snack too. Baby Bels keep, also salami. A Knorr Rice Side bolstered by bacon bits is a great budget option.
My advice is to eat a larger meal than normal the evening before setting off. This gives your body a calorific headstart, so eating less during your weekend trip won't affect energy levels as much.
Fats are 9 calories per gram where carbs are only 4 calories per gram. The kicker is when hiking your muscles use glucose (sugar from your blood) and this causes blood sugar to drop which can explain feeling terrible. The best thing to fix this low blood sugar problem is simple carbohydrates like sugary snacks, bread, rice, fruit or pasta.
Going winter camping in my truck tonight and was just thinking about taking some MREs...then I looked up some stuff and found your channel! Good stuff man, subbing ya now. Probably watch more of your videos this evening in fact🤙-Josh
I am a vegan thru hiker. I love your suggestions and I live on nuts and seeds all day before my hot meal in the evening. That's when I carb up. No quick sugars. I never really hit a wall. Maybe completely skip quick sugars. Your body doesn't need it and maybe has become dependent on that. Your body will not run out of energy from nuts and seeds. Keep the carbs out of your day and your energy will be sustained. Save all your carbs for dinner.
That's exactly what I'm talking about in the video. Your body is trained to run off of energy from nuts and seeds. If someone consumes quick sugars in their day-to-day routine, then they will benefit from having quick sugars on the trail until they train their body otherwise.
At the age of 67... Starting to run ultra marathons and backing (and now, with a base weight of 15 lbs) at the age of 50... I was then diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes at 60... which meant no more junk carbs for any activities. Learning about how to become a fat burner during endurance activities has changed me. I no longer bonk. Because I dehydrate my own meals... I'd love to hear about your recipes for a lower carb meal. This video of yours is on the money... Thanks ... Mamma Gecko (Malta, NY)
Thanks for watching, and glad you found some value! We haven't tried dehydrating our own meals really, so don't have any recipes to share with you for that. But sounds like you've got a good thing going!
Mars bars quick sugar hit......... spent many a year suffering in SF in the Military, we broke down the 1 man packs for weight and they had a fine balance of proteins, carbs , and sugars, all carrying twice the weight you would. Food is king , you must look forward to it, cold or hot
I have been practicing IF for years and when hiking I hit "the wall" you talked about. Because I am hypoglycemic, my DR told me to "graze" throughout the day so I totally understand what you mean by the sugars giving you the quick energy release to get past that wall. Thanks for putting up this video!
More intense cardio burns a higher percentage of glucose (depleting your glycogen stores); this would be the case with a steep fast climb, and in this case, you would need more carbohydrates. Slower steady hikes burn a higher percentage of fats, but your digestive system can only digest fats so fast, so don't eat too much at once. Tailor your diet to your hike and also your own body and your own preferences. I have found that listening to my body, and knowing how to anticipate what I need, makes a huge difference for the success and enjoyment of any hike. If you hike slow for a long time, you can actually utilize more fats so taking the higher calorie per ounce can work. I like having a mix of snacks for exactly the reason Tayson Whittaker says.
I once did a longer mud run where I hit a wall and was stuck on a literal mountain. If not for my friend having Honey Stinger Gummies I would have been stuck there until someone looked for me. I don't go out without a pack of some kind of quick carb now for just in case.
This is probably pretty close to the *most* informative and important backpacking video I have watched...and I have watched *ALOT* You have won yourself a subscriber my friend! Thank you!
I come from more of a distance runner mindset but I’m a big fan of PB+J, nuts, etc and packing some tailwind to mix with my water to keep my glucose levels topped off. Makes me virtually bonk proof
For me it's twice a day. But, the times may vary depending on what I'm doing which determine what I need to eat to finish the day. Some times it's just water....
Range Bars worked well. It is very filling at 700 cal. GreenBelly Meal2Go at 660 cal worked great too. Peak Refuel eggs and sausage was awesome at a total of 680cal. Noka smoothy is my go to for natural fruit snack. To pick one, it would be the Range Bar. I ate one and I wasn’t hungry for 6 hours. Still had energy during activities. Or, Eat what you like. Be happy. Happy trails!
Even if you are fat adapted, you shouldn't bring only fats to your backpacking experience, also because of what is mentioned in the video, but also because if you eat only fats your pooping experience won't be a good one. You will have constent diarrhea. You need fibers, salts (electrolytes) and vitamins. And yeah, a sugary boost for when you need it.
Good video Tayson. I appreciate the disclaimer but sharing personal experience is good information to tweak one's own trail diet. I have found that even though I may be burning more calories when on trail I have less appetite. I always carry to much food and I also have the same result with trying to eat a quantity of trail mix. My question is how does the 2 serving size of the Peak Refuel meals compare to the Mountain House Propak? The propak is perfect for my needs. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks for watching! The 2 serving size of Peak Refuel gives you more food the the Mountain House Propak, especially since the quality of the food is better and has less fillers. An average Mountain House Propak has about 600 calories, while the average Peak Refuel has closer to 1200 calories, plus Peak has about 10 more grams of protein on average.
I get that lack of appetite as well. I've heard that from a lot of backpackers. No idea why it happens. I do know that I need to ignore my lack of hunger and force myself to eat correctly.
Honestly my issue is I don’t like any sweat food so all the protein bars are simply out. I need food that feels like food not desert. Desert makes me hungry and tired.
A word of warning: Talk to your healthcare provider before making any major dietary changes. Don’t just eat your normal diet at home, then head out on the trail and start a program of intermittent fasting. You will crash and burn. Intermittent fasting is about changing the way your body powers itself and it takes some time to bring about that change. I AM a healthcare professional (34 years as an RN and former professional adventure racer) and intermittent fasting has HUGE benefits especially for endurance athletes. By extending your nightly fast to about 16 hours (6PM - 10AM), your body will increase its ability to use stored fat as an energy source rather than being totally dependent upon carbs. Even people with very low body fat (
I gotta say... I disagree with the premise that you should eat the dehydrated meals at home before you hit the trail... UNLESS you have a super sensitive stomach OR you have a firm understanding that a mediocer meal at home is going to taste amazing after 12 mile hike on the top of a Mt.
You were also probably poorly nourished, remember calories are just units of energy used so the body can maintain and rebuild itself as you hike. The human body doesn't burn fats unless there is no choice, this is a survival mechanism for long stretches without food. You should have also been eating simple sugars (which the body breaks down very quickly) and carbs which breakdown slowly giving you more consistent energy. Vitamins and minerals are also important and protein so your body has the building block it needs to repair cartilage and muscle. It is very important to stay ahead of it as protein isn't absorbed in the body until it has reached the small intestine. And food helps with mental fatigue and can release endorphins and can act as motivation for the trip so you should pack a variety of food you actually enjoy not just high calorie per ounce food.
Fighting that wall is why I like to bring trail mix that has dried fruit and chocolate like M&Ms that way there is a quick boost then a longer burn of energy out of one pick me up.
For ultralong bikepacking, I use oatmeal and water. I eat this regularly every day, all day, so I'm used to it. A cup every 3 hours. That gets me 12 hours over the bars, and I can keep that going for a week. The second alternative is to go by the 3 category system, roughly equivalent to what you showed. Often a combination of the first and second system. That's in theory. In practice, I just munch as much as I possibly can, whatever I happened to find, without throwing up. It's an eating contest, with a bit of biking on the side.
We’d love to help you create more content! Can we send you a 2.1 ounce tripod adapter with ultralight ballhead? You can turn branches, trekking poles, or even stakes into a fully functional camera tripod. Let us know if this sounds like something worth testing out. Cheers.
Could I recommend old fashioned boiled sweets (think they are called "hard candy" in the USA). Great to have in a pocket or pouch for consumption on the go. My advice would be "suck", don't crunch. Happy Trails !
I did week trip into the BWCA last year and did a direct comparison between M H and Peak Refuel, no contest! P R is much better. I was a lifelong M H user. If you haven’t tried them, do it. Life changing.
personally i think the freeze dried meals arent worth the money but if i had to buy one im definitely spending the extra 4-5$ on a peak refuel over a mountain house with only 11g of protein
Interesting and useful. Thanks! I eat a lot like you. Intermittent fasting, small snacks/ meals on non fast days. More carbs when I'm using my body hard (on my farm or on a mountain.) Fewer carbs on lazy days. I pack a similar variety. I really appreciate that in all your videos you emphasize "it depends"! There are different answers for different situations. Nut butter is great for keeping warm at night! It digests sloooowly. Those quick sugars are essential for working hard while moving. I haven't tried Peak Refuel meals. I'm fond of Good-To-Go brand meals, though they're often a bit TOO big if I'm out solo. They're a good size to share. Have you tried that brand? I'd love to see a review of several different brands evaluated for nutrition, taste, easy-ness, price, weight, etc.
Every time you feel fatigue, you should be eating some salmon for Vitamin D and to absorb calcium into your bones and muscle so no more pain and fatigue.
Justin's butters smeared all over a Tahoe Trail Bar is 500 calories of awesome! To your note about fasting, I've found that in the summer months when I'm in full peak bagging mode, I just forget to eat all together and it just comes part of the routine. but yah as you called out "know yourself and what your physical limits are". If you have never trained to hike 10 miles w/o water (ie..ramped up) then dont! Fats like PB and such do take longer to digest, whereas the fruits you highlighted burn quicker and the sugars are more readily available (oh you did finally hit that).
I've had an ongoing struggle with all the backpacker's dehydrated meals having a huge amount of sodium and I can't have it, and even a few year's back when I did alot of whitewater and camping and freestyle kayaking I still didn't sweat enough to justify eating that much salt and knew then I couldn't keep up doing the same thing, wish someone could share a company that has low sodium meals
We have worked out a system that goes like this: Breakfast and lunch are typically a little variety but heavier on carbs/sugars. Snacks vary but early in day are usually like breakfast but later in day head into the protein category. Dinner is more protein. The idea is feed your body what it needs at the time it needs it. During exertion it needs more fuel so carbs are the thing. At rest it needs proteins to rebuild. Don't forget those electrolytes. You should be drinking a lot of water so you need to up your electrolytes. There are a lot out there but we use Nuun because they are fast etc, but they are heavier. Can't really say the flavor is all that great no mater which one you try but thats common with most of these products anyway. Something that surprised us was last year I was in a store and they had a sale on sour gummy worms. I'm not sure why, but every single person in the group thought those were the best trail snack ever. I would be interested in hearing from people who use sour gummy worms on the trail. Are they really that good to you too? Why are they so so off the trail but a big hit on it?
I like comparing macronutrients to fires... Carbs are tinder which burns bright, hot, and quick. Protein is the meat of your fire and fat is like the embers which don’t flare up but can keep warm all night~ Also for what it’s worth peak refuel meals taste great out there!
Damn!!!! This kind of self-awareness regarding HOW you eat specific to how you pack and plan food for a trip.... Worth more than any product you sell. It's almost impossible to start doing that and not make improvements elsewhere :) Almost guarantee someone hears this, changes their life, and tells you a year from now
@@TaysonWhittaker It's primarily useful for staying in a ketogenic state, which is easily achieved during backpacking stints. It's the continual switching back and forth from ketosis to non, that brings headaches and lethargy.
Tayson I love that you're an ultralight hiker that takes along a 10 pound beard.
Haha it just means I don't need to bring a topquilt! Just pull the beard down lol
Maybe that's why he goes ultralight on the backpacking! 😄
@@TaysonWhittaker His beard has its own sleeping bag...
The beard is on another level
Lol, I was just wondering how many liters his beard holds. 🤗
Thanks for the info! I had never really thought about the fact that your body may not be used to burning the type of energy you're trying to fuel it with (fats vs carbs, etc) My main tip after having spent 3 solid weeks on trail last summer: take what you'll actually eat! I spent so much time prepping food for my trip. I counted calories, weighed ingredients, calculated calories per ounce (so many calculations!), and came up with what I thought was a pretty solid food plan. And then I actually got on trail. My breakfasts and dinners were pretty good, but my snacks and lunches needed help. Turns out, I can only make myself eat one nut butter pouch per day. And when I just wasn't feeling hungry, the high protein high calorie stuff would sit in my pack untouched. But cheap and chewy quaker granola bars, or dehydrated (not freeze dried) mangoes, were always tasty and looked forward towards. Sure, they didn't have as good of calorie to weight ratio, but I would actually eat them. So in the end, it became more important to actually carry the food I would eat even if it might not have the best calorie denseness. It doesn't matter how great your food plan is, it won't fuel your body of you don't eat it!
Glad you found some value! Thanks for sharing your feedback!
Don't forget the electrolytes! Bonking is often electrolyte related, especially during heavy exertion. I have rescued many friends with low energy and headaches during hiking by giving them a couple electrolyte capsules (I can't stand sugary energy drinks). As a keto-ish, intermittent faster, I also bring a little quick energy hiking food, but still manage the long haul with high-fat/low-carb. If you don't like drinking orange, green, or purple "energy slurry", make sure you bring some electrolyte capsules; take a couple before the hike, and then every few hours depending on exertion and sweat factor. You will discover its a game changer.
Great comment and we agree!
@@TaysonWhittaker I put Dioralyte in my chest strap drinks bottle
Great video, I’m actually doing a MSc in neurophysiology, undergrad is exercise physiology. I’d love to chyme in for those who are more interested in the nutrition aspect. I’d like to preface this by noting that this comment is not made with the intention to be, in anyway, disrespectful. I’m just hoping it helps those who are interested!
Your advice was good, those simple sugar will be effect when you “hit the wall”. But, if I may...
Fasting is excellent, there is evidence that suggests it can improve digestive, health, contribute to neurogenesis (the creating of new neurons) and even reduce the chance of mutative cell diseases such as cancer: via increases in cell pruning. However, it wouldn’t necessarily induce ketosis. Thus, I wouldn’t say that it is causing your body to prefer metabolizing fats over carbohydrates (carbs). Your body will always prefer carbs as a fuel source, as it requires much less work to make into ATP (energy). However, it is likely that ,a healthier diet, while periodicity fasting, would contribute to improved mood, energy levels, and metabolism.
Simply...it is the health benefits of fasting, and other health conscious behavior you adopt in conjunction with your fasting, that provide you “premium” fuel at the start of your hike, rather than the fasting altering the type of fuel your body consumes while on the hike.
The conclusion, would be to eat health, maybe adopt fasting, 2 or so weeks before your trips, and you will perform much better during them!
I hoped this helps
Thanks for the additional insight and for sharing!
There's complex carbohydrates and simple carbohydrates and they impact you differently.
A carb is not a carb is not a carb.
The only thing I would add is in winter or winter shoulder seasons, I would recommend eating your big meal for dinner. The reason being, your body having those calories to burn throughout the night will help with regulating your body temp. This can impact your quality of sleep, obviously, which will in turn help you the next day. Especially do this on longer trips where accumulating bad sleep night after night can really hurt your performance, which will ultimately lead to increased risk of injury and/or mistakes made on your hike.
Plus, it just sucks sleeping cold. So fatten up for dinner before bed in the winter. Enjoy the cold early morning BM to start your day 😄
Great comment! Yes that's great advise to adapt like that in the winter
Cal per ounce is nice for when you need the energy. Meals need to be something that "melts" in your body, it's a slow burn of cal.
Thanks for your input!
@@TaysonWhittaker thank you for your videos.
Why not make your own dh meals
Great idea!
Cliff bar 104 calories per oz. Snickers bar 135 calories per oz. A plain snickers is one of the most calorically dense bars ever made. Almond butter at 168 calories per oz is nice but sunbutter is the king of calories per oz at just under 177.
I never eat industrial sweet stuff in everyday life...but on the trail in some situations a Snickers is unbeatable...also for psychological/morale factors :-) (Same goes for Capri Sun ;-))
The S.A.S. are the ultimate back packers. The memoir of one of them says that for The Fan Dance he ate a Mars bar every hour. The Fan Dance is the final exercise of Selection. An orienteering race on Pen y Fan.
If you see him coming down the the mountain carrying a couple of stone tablets, then you need to increase the O2 regulator.
Underrated.
I switch my diet 2 weeks before a planned trip to replicate closer to my trip diet.
I spend a lot of time fasting and low carbing but when I plan a trip I change my diet and incorporate more carbs, pastas, etc but Im also walking and preparing more for the trip leading up to that while eating that way.
Its the only way I can do it, otherwise I have stomach issues the entire time, energy issues etc.
I have found however that the be all end all diet that works for me on trips is a grazing diet. No big meals, just 300-400 ish calories at a time at the most throughout the day but I usually dont start eating anything until after I packed up and ready to head out.
Congrats...you're learning to eat on the hike (as you hike) like a marathon runner does during a run. GU gels or the equivalent during the hike, along with some protein (beef jerky or cheese, or peanut/almond butter) after a few hours, and a carbo loading meal in the evening. Read how ultra-runners fuel and there are various types of ultra-runners just as there are hikers. These are good examples to learn from as most hikers are effectively hiking a half to full marathon (sometimes beyond) every day). Also look to how they train to learn how to hike on different days instead of always just pushing yourself till you need a nero/zero.
Electrolyte / sweet drink mixes added to my drinking water seem to work great !
thank you I have been arguing this point for many years, I will try the Peak meals. Varitey is the key to any packing situation. I am passed the age of realvence thank you!
Spot on. Gummy bears, cliff bar (or sim.), nuts, and beef stick/jerky are my 'go to' snacks in my pocket depending how I'm feeling. I'll usually eat the bar and beef for lunch, oddly finding that I don't need a huge meal at lunchtime. The shared point is variety. Oh, and please tell Peak to stop printing instructions with gray ink on a black background for reading at dusk. Ha. I prefer dinner slightly soupier, so suggest adding a little more water to Peak meals.
A very good and simple talk on Trail gd. I am a retired physician, diabetic and hiker. It’s vital t have both quick release crbs (fruit or candy) and complex or sustained release carbs though in order to get adequate calories als find it advisable to increase my intake of fats simply because they are more calorie dense
boomer, im going to wendys.
Me: “I love this trail mix it’s all I need it’s so delicious” 2 days later: “I need a burger NOW”
That is really how it is!
Outdoor Vittles, brought to by Outdoor Vitals.
Unfortunately, not enough people understand the phases your body goes through when its doing "activity". Anyone that is an endurance athlete knows to keep skittles, gummy bears, etc on their person to push their body back into sugar burning mode and provide a quick boost of energy. We don't typically think about hiking/backpacking as an endurance sport, but it is! Climbing all that elevation and hiking for 10 hours a day is TOUGH
This was a great video! Too many people don't think about nutrition on the trail. Its important!
Thanks for watching!
Man, this is my biggest issue with backpacking. I still haven't figured it out yet
Love this video and great advice. I’m a big advocate for testing out your nutrition prior to any hike or event. One of my favorite quick energy snacks that work for me are peanut M&M’s. Plus they are a quick moral boost for those low times.
Thanks for watching! Those are great quick energy snacks!
Yeah it doesn't really make sense to skip out on carbs, in particularly when hiking, considering how it's the macronutrient that your body utilities first for energy. If you're solely relying on fats, you'll start utilizing protein, and you're really going to feel like shit, and just not recover properly. Having a food that's high in sodium, or powder that contains sodium and vitamins is also helpful. Just so you're staying hydrated. Sorry if this sounded preachy, just figured I'd mention it since that was the first half of the video. Great video overall!
Thanks for sharing!
I love this video - it is so true everyone's body reacts to food differently and you have to take advise from others with a grain of salt and try it out for yourself and see what works and what doesn't
Thanks for watching! Glad you enjoyed it.
My son and I back country canoed for a few weeks for 14 summers in Alaska. We mainly carried things like granola, trail mix with some chocolate , venison jerky, rice to go with fish. And condiments. We would bring a few dried meals along with some soup packets. Nothing taste good for lunch on a rainy day is a quick soup break. We started when he was 4.
Sounds like you both have some incredible memories!
@@TaysonWhittaker We did. When he got to be a young adult we did things like float rivers and hunt deer on the islands of Prince William Sound..
Runners have long known the importance of fast digesting carbs. Fats are nice but you definitely want ~100 calories per hour of hiking from sugar/carbs such as the GU gels, Clif Bloks, or even gummy candy.
Watched all of it , yes diversity is important, charbs, sugar, proteins and fats
Caloric density, a concise phrase you could borrow.
Well done. Great info!
Thanks for watching!
With you on the Peak Refuel meals. After trying them on the northern Washington section of the PCT last summer I pack them almost exclusively. Added bonus of not using as much water is less fuel used. One 4oz canister lasted my partner 2 weeks using a typical canister stove and pot setup.
I agree you need a mix of fats and quick burning sugars. I mostly go no-cook for solo 1-2 nighters. I usually take some fresh fruit for the first day to keep that quick energy flowing and then live on a homemade trail mix of nuts, dates, Fritos, pieces of pop tart, sesame sticks - I like trail mix with big pieces so I can kind of pick and choose what I’m feeling like eating. This allows me to carry basically no food packaging. I hate having trash in my pack.
You are so right about the bars. I bring Power Bars sometimes or Snickers, but chocolate and heat are a bad combo. I carry M&Ms to get me through bonks and times when my stomach is starting to growl but I still have some miles to camp and need to keep moving. Honey sesame sticks are a nice snack too. Baby Bels keep, also salami. A Knorr Rice Side bolstered by bacon bits is a great budget option.
Peak Refuel gives a discount to veterans. 🙂
If I got into a fight with this dude he has given me an awesome handle with that beard lol. 🥃
Dog, it says 2.4oz on the front, you don’t gotta rack your brain like that
I don't snack and frequently OMAD doing a KETO diet, out on a trail or on a bike tour I eat twice a day with some salty and fatty snacks.
Keto for the endurance win for sure. I've never bonked since keto. Endless energy source built in.
I am also dirty keto and the energy I have on that way of eating is amazing. The full healthy fats really sustain you and make you feel satiated. 👍
My advice is to eat a larger meal than normal the evening before setting off. This gives your body a calorific headstart, so eating less during your weekend trip won't affect energy levels as much.
Thanks for sharing the tip!
Fats are 9 calories per gram where carbs are only 4 calories per gram. The kicker is when hiking your muscles use glucose (sugar from your blood) and this causes blood sugar to drop which can explain feeling terrible.
The best thing to fix this low blood sugar problem is simple carbohydrates like sugary snacks, bread, rice, fruit or pasta.
Thank you for sharing!
Grams are so much easier to use and understand. Especially when limiting carbs, if something is 35 grams carb/ 100 gram, it's 35% .
Thanks for the tips!
Truth. Everyone's body metabolise energy different. I don't digest fats. They sit in my tummy for hours before I have to vomit them undigested up.
Thanks for sharing! You are right this will not work for everyone! Everyone has their preferences.
Going winter camping in my truck tonight and was just thinking about taking some MREs...then I looked up some stuff and found your channel! Good stuff man, subbing ya now. Probably watch more of your videos this evening in fact🤙-Josh
MREs? n i c e / 10
I am a vegan thru hiker. I love your suggestions and I live on nuts and seeds all day before my hot meal in the evening. That's when I carb up. No quick sugars. I never really hit a wall. Maybe completely skip quick sugars. Your body doesn't need it and maybe has become dependent on that. Your body will not run out of energy from nuts and seeds. Keep the carbs out of your day and your energy will be sustained. Save all your carbs for dinner.
That's exactly what I'm talking about in the video. Your body is trained to run off of energy from nuts and seeds. If someone consumes quick sugars in their day-to-day routine, then they will benefit from having quick sugars on the trail until they train their body otherwise.
Every body is different. Pure sugar will set someone with blood sugar issues on a rollercoaster. Some of us do wonderfully on nuts and trail mix.
Take too many nuts and dehydrated fruit, end up loose as a goose.
At the age of 67... Starting to run ultra marathons and backing (and now, with a base weight of 15 lbs) at the age of 50... I was then diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes at 60... which meant no more junk carbs for any activities. Learning about how to become a fat burner during endurance activities has changed me. I no longer bonk. Because I dehydrate my own meals... I'd love to hear about your recipes for a lower carb meal. This video of yours is on the money... Thanks ... Mamma Gecko (Malta, NY)
Thanks for watching, and glad you found some value! We haven't tried dehydrating our own meals really, so don't have any recipes to share with you for that. But sounds like you've got a good thing going!
Mars bars quick sugar hit......... spent many a year suffering in SF in the Military, we broke down the 1 man packs for weight and they had a fine balance of proteins, carbs , and sugars, all carrying twice the weight you would. Food is king , you must look forward to it, cold or hot
Great advice mate
Glad you liked it
I have been practicing IF for years and when hiking I hit "the wall" you talked about. Because I am hypoglycemic, my DR told me to "graze" throughout the day so I totally understand what you mean by the sugars giving you the quick energy release to get past that wall. Thanks for putting up this video!
I can't get past that Beard, it's EPIC!
Thank you very much!
My trail mix is nuts I forget what king mixed with peanut m and ms
Also some snacks I use are snickers fruit snacks or peanut butter crackers
More intense cardio burns a higher percentage of glucose (depleting your glycogen stores); this would be the case with a steep fast climb, and in this case, you would need more carbohydrates. Slower steady hikes burn a higher percentage of fats, but your digestive system can only digest fats so fast, so don't eat too much at once. Tailor your diet to your hike and also your own body and your own preferences. I have found that listening to my body, and knowing how to anticipate what I need, makes a huge difference for the success and enjoyment of any hike. If you hike slow for a long time, you can actually utilize more fats so taking the higher calorie per ounce can work. I like having a mix of snacks for exactly the reason Tayson Whittaker says.
I took a bag of oranges up maccu piccu. Weighed a ton.
You are a trooper!
Can never go wrong with a couple PB and J sandwiches
They are definitely a great option.
I once did a longer mud run where I hit a wall and was stuck on a literal mountain. If not for my friend having Honey Stinger Gummies I would have been stuck there until someone looked for me. I don't go out without a pack of some kind of quick carb now for just in case.
Thanks for sharing!
This is probably pretty close to the *most* informative and important backpacking video I have watched...and I have watched *ALOT* You have won yourself a subscriber my friend! Thank you!
Thanks for watching and subscribing! Glad we were able to help out!
I keep the transcend glucose packs for my fix
We will have to look into these!
I come from more of a distance runner mindset but I’m a big fan of PB+J, nuts, etc and packing some tailwind to mix with my water to keep my glucose levels topped off. Makes me virtually bonk proof
Thanks for the feedback.
Sugars. Sugars. And nuts.
Rich.rich.and nuts
@@thomassligar812👀🤡
For me it's twice a day. But, the times may vary depending on what I'm doing which determine what I need to eat to finish the day. Some times it's just water....
I love the way you cover every aspect of the hike.👍
Thanks!
Range Bars worked well. It is very filling at 700 cal. GreenBelly Meal2Go at 660 cal worked great too. Peak Refuel eggs and sausage was awesome at a total of 680cal. Noka smoothy is my go to for natural fruit snack. To pick one, it would be the Range Bar. I ate one and I wasn’t hungry for 6 hours. Still had energy during activities. Or, Eat what you like. Be happy. Happy trails!
Even if you are fat adapted, you shouldn't bring only fats to your backpacking experience, also because of what is mentioned in the video, but also because if you eat only fats your pooping experience won't be a good one. You will have constent diarrhea. You need fibers, salts (electrolytes) and vitamins. And yeah, a sugary boost for when you need it.
Good video Tayson. I appreciate the disclaimer but sharing personal experience is good information to tweak one's own trail diet. I have found that even though I may be burning more calories when on trail I have less appetite. I always carry to much food and I also have the same result with trying to eat a quantity of trail mix. My question is how does the 2 serving size of the Peak Refuel meals compare to the Mountain House Propak? The propak is perfect for my needs. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks for watching! The 2 serving size of Peak Refuel gives you more food the the Mountain House Propak, especially since the quality of the food is better and has less fillers. An average Mountain House Propak has about 600 calories, while the average Peak Refuel has closer to 1200 calories, plus Peak has about 10 more grams of protein on average.
I get that lack of appetite as well. I've heard that from a lot of backpackers. No idea why it happens. I do know that I need to ignore my lack of hunger and force myself to eat correctly.
Honestly my issue is I don’t like any sweat food so all the protein bars are simply out. I need food that feels like food not desert. Desert makes me hungry and tired.
A word of warning: Talk to your healthcare provider before making any major dietary changes. Don’t just eat your normal diet at home, then head out on the trail and start a program of intermittent fasting. You will crash and burn. Intermittent fasting is about changing the way your body powers itself and it takes some time to bring about that change.
I AM a healthcare professional (34 years as an RN and former professional adventure racer) and intermittent fasting has HUGE benefits especially for endurance athletes. By extending your nightly fast to about 16 hours (6PM - 10AM), your body will increase its ability to use stored fat as an energy source rather than being totally dependent upon carbs. Even people with very low body fat (
I gotta say... I disagree with the premise that you should eat the dehydrated meals at home before you hit the trail... UNLESS you have a super sensitive stomach OR you have a firm understanding that a mediocer meal at home is going to taste amazing after 12 mile hike on the top of a Mt.
You were also probably poorly nourished, remember calories are just units of energy used so the body can maintain and rebuild itself as you hike. The human body doesn't burn fats unless there is no choice, this is a survival mechanism for long stretches without food. You should have also been eating simple sugars (which the body breaks down very quickly) and carbs which breakdown slowly giving you more consistent energy. Vitamins and minerals are also important and protein so your body has the building block it needs to repair cartilage and muscle. It is very important to stay ahead of it as protein isn't absorbed in the body until it has reached the small intestine. And food helps with mental fatigue and can release endorphins and can act as motivation for the trip so you should pack a variety of food you actually enjoy not just high calorie per ounce food.
Fighting that wall is why I like to bring trail mix that has dried fruit and chocolate like M&Ms that way there is a quick boost then a longer burn of energy out of one pick me up.
Me too! Love that colour!
For ultralong bikepacking, I use oatmeal and water. I eat this regularly every day, all day, so I'm used to it. A cup every 3 hours. That gets me 12 hours over the bars, and I can keep that going for a week.
The second alternative is to go by the 3 category system, roughly equivalent to what you showed. Often a combination of the first and second system. That's in theory.
In practice, I just munch as much as I possibly can, whatever I happened to find, without throwing up. It's an eating contest, with a bit of biking on the side.
Thanks for the input! Sounds like you are burning a lot of fuel!
We’d love to help you create more content! Can we send you a 2.1 ounce tripod adapter with ultralight ballhead? You can turn branches, trekking poles, or even stakes into a fully functional camera tripod. Let us know if this sounds like something worth testing out. Cheers.
Could I recommend old fashioned boiled sweets (think they are called "hard candy" in the USA). Great to have in a pocket or pouch for consumption on the go. My advice would be "suck", don't crunch. Happy Trails !
I did week trip into the BWCA last year and did a direct comparison between M H and Peak Refuel, no contest! P R is much better. I was a lifelong M H user. If you haven’t tried them, do it. Life changing.
Subscribed for the “im not a doctor, but I’m better than you at this “ comment. Paraphrase. So true, experience is key regardless of your profession.
Anyone else mesmerized by the beard?
No
No , not at all
nope! delete your comment soyboy
personally i think the freeze dried meals arent worth the money but if i had to buy one im definitely spending the extra 4-5$ on a peak refuel over a mountain house with only 11g of protein
What about just dehydrating and vacuum sealing your own meals? Full control and much cheaper than buying premade and pre-packaged meals
have you ever thought about getting a food dehydrator and preparing your own food for the benefit of it being healthier and more nutritious?
Interesting and useful. Thanks! I eat a lot like you. Intermittent fasting, small snacks/ meals on non fast days. More carbs when I'm using my body hard (on my farm or on a mountain.) Fewer carbs on lazy days. I pack a similar variety. I really appreciate that in all your videos you emphasize "it depends"! There are different answers for different situations. Nut butter is great for keeping warm at night! It digests sloooowly. Those quick sugars are essential for working hard while moving.
I haven't tried Peak Refuel meals. I'm fond of Good-To-Go brand meals, though they're often a bit TOO big if I'm out solo. They're a good size to share. Have you tried that brand? I'd love to see a review of several different brands evaluated for nutrition, taste, easy-ness, price, weight, etc.
We haven't tried Good-To-Go meals, we'll have to give them a shot!
So… gummy bears ARE an acceptable sugar to carry alongside my cliff bars and trail mix… got it, Thanks! :)
Every time you feel fatigue, you should be eating some salmon for Vitamin D and to absorb calcium into your bones and muscle so no more pain and fatigue.
I’ve tried them all over the years but Peak Refuel meals are the only freeze dried meals I eat now! “They’rrrrrre great”! -TTT
Rather than all the conversions it might be better to just use the SI system of unts that almost the entire World uses...... ?
Take 2 Cliff bars, put the peanut butter on one and stick the other on top.
The a year passes and you change your mind.😂
Justin's butters smeared all over a Tahoe Trail Bar is 500 calories of awesome! To your note about fasting, I've found that in the summer months when I'm in full peak bagging mode, I just forget to eat all together and it just comes part of the routine. but yah as you called out "know yourself and what your physical limits are". If you have never trained to hike 10 miles w/o water (ie..ramped up) then dont! Fats like PB and such do take longer to digest, whereas the fruits you highlighted burn quicker and the sugars are more readily available (oh you did finally hit that).
Great feedback! Thanks for watching!
So...no dominoes lava crunch cakes???
Imma stay at base...
Looks i'll be trapping rabbits because I have a mainly mest based diet.
454 grams in a pound, 16 oz in a pound, the rest is simple "Math".
Great info, thanks!!!
I've had an ongoing struggle with all the backpacker's dehydrated meals having a huge amount of sodium and I can't have it, and even a few year's back when I did alot of whitewater and camping and freestyle kayaking I still didn't sweat enough to justify eating that much salt and knew then I couldn't keep up doing the same thing, wish someone could share a company that has low sodium meals
Agreed....Don’t know if this is related but I ate 2 mountain house meals in 2 days. Headaches all next day and couldn’t crap for 2 days more...WTF!
You can also try Happy Yak, really good and for those who are vegan they have some nice meal.
We have worked out a system that goes like this: Breakfast and lunch are typically a little variety but heavier on carbs/sugars. Snacks vary but early in day are usually like breakfast but later in day head into the protein category. Dinner is more protein. The idea is feed your body what it needs at the time it needs it. During exertion it needs more fuel so carbs are the thing. At rest it needs proteins to rebuild. Don't forget those electrolytes. You should be drinking a lot of water so you need to up your electrolytes. There are a lot out there but we use Nuun because they are fast etc, but they are heavier. Can't really say the flavor is all that great no mater which one you try but thats common with most of these products anyway. Something that surprised us was last year I was in a store and they had a sale on sour gummy worms. I'm not sure why, but every single person in the group thought those were the best trail snack ever. I would be interested in hearing from people who use sour gummy worms on the trail. Are they really that good to you too? Why are they so so off the trail but a big hit on it?
Great feedback! Thanks for sharing!
I like comparing macronutrients to fires...
Carbs are tinder which burns bright, hot, and quick. Protein is the meat of your fire and fat is like the embers which don’t flare up but can keep warm all night~
Also for what it’s worth peak refuel meals taste great out there!
Great feedback!
whats the deal with the jumpy editing. its very distracting..
Quickly recovering with sugars? You should see a doctor haha
😬 sodium content any options for high blood pressure 😢
Damn!!!! This kind of self-awareness regarding HOW you eat specific to how you pack and plan food for a trip....
Worth more than any product you sell. It's almost impossible to start doing that and not make improvements elsewhere :)
Almost guarantee someone hears this, changes their life, and tells you a year from now
👍
Another tip I have is forgo the energy drink powders and use a keto powder like Keto+.
Thanks for the tip, we'll have to look into that!
@@TaysonWhittaker It's primarily useful for staying in a ketogenic state, which is easily achieved during backpacking stints. It's the continual switching back and forth from ketosis to non, that brings headaches and lethargy.
Never bring high sodium foods, worst mistake I ever made.
Even better, stop working in ounces. It's a stupid system.
I’ll never understand the need for a long middle eastern beard.