Would love to see the Zpacks actually loaded up. I love the features and the weight, but unless I am missing something, this model and its successors are all top-loaders. That’s fine for packing/unpacking once or maybe twice per day. But for photography “on the trail,” top loaders have always been a real PITA for me. So, I’d really love to see you pack the Zpacks Ben. Keep up the great work.
Some of the MASSIVE tents I see in campgrounds are just absurdly huge. I don't think they they do very well when it gets stormy either. There's something so very cozy about a one person tent.
I tried the BeFree on a 30-day hike in the Sierra last year. By the end of the hike the flow rate was maybe 20% of its initial rate. And that's with only putting ultra-clean, low particulate Sierra water through it, as well as doing the recommended "shaking" rinse every day. I've now switched back to my sawyer squeeze with smartwater bottles, which never seems to have any issues.
That's a bummer the BeFree fell short on your hike last year. The water I was drawing from often quite silty, and I had concerns about that so I brought along some Katadyn Micropur tablets for a backup, but as it turns out I didn't need them. I would imagine that after 30 days of silty water the BeFree would struggle, but with the time I spent in those canyons, I didn't notice a change in flow rate.
This is awesome Ben! Thank you so much for sharing the details of your gear. Using padded envelopes for the film holders and lenses is genius. What size envelope did you find works? Are the lenses individually wrapped in cloth wraps inside the larger bundle?
@@BenHorne oh and a word of advice from a 52y/o amateur, don't give yourself a hernia with all that weight you carry. My full frame camera bag with three lenses, tripod and accessories etc tips 28 pounds (13kgs) which I suspect contributed to my ventral hernia. The operation is next month! No bears here in the NW of England, just cows, sheep and the odd midge. 😉 Best wishes.
I started using a lightweight 1-person trekking pole tent in late 2020 as well and love it (Durston X-Mid 1P). It's such a convenience to be able to hike with something so light that also handles all sorts of windy, rainy weather really well. The entire hiking gear industry is super interesting to me -- tons of small companies mostly started by thru-hikers competing in a hectic space full of innovation.
I'm so glad to hear the one person tent has worked well for you Reid! It's unlikely my tent will see any bad weather while on my visits to the canyons, but perhaps if I branch out and visit some other locations I will have to contend with some stronger weather. You're very correct about so much innovation coming from small companies. It seems the larger companies either can't scale that up to even larger production, or they're just a bit behind the times. Perhaps a bit of both. In any case, I'm very glad to have such wonderful lightweight gear available.
A well thought out pack & gear solution Ben. The weight carried always impacts the experience & if it’s only 35lb (15kg - Australia uses metric) as you said gives greater mobility 👍🏻🇦🇺👍🏻
Thanks Phil! It sure gave me a wonderful pep in my step on my spring trip. It felt almost absurd to have an 8x10 on my back along with all the other necessary gear.
I was at George's Camera getting my first real tripod, and it was the lighter weight of one that made me spend a bit more than I had intended. Weight matters, especially for weak, bad back me.
Yup, every bit of weight adds up, and having a good tripod makes all the difference in the world. Once you're in the field with a solid and lightweight tripod, it's easy to forget how much they cost. Definitely worth it! Thanks for watching and commenting!
It's truly impressive what these companies have been able to produce with the new materials available these days. It's also nice to know that comfort wasn't compromised in the process of reducing the weight.
Hey Ben, very informative video. Do you mind linking me to the exact bubble wrap mailers you are using to protect your 8x10 film holders? Additionally, you have not done an 8x10 film holder review in 5 years and I was wondering if any of your sentiments in that video have changed? Are you now solely using Chamonix 8x10 or 8x10 light film holders or do Toyo 8x10 film holders still have their place in your line-up? Happy shooting! Cheers
Hi Zachary! At the end of this message, you'll find a link to the bubble wrap mailers. I also use one to put all lenses and other shooting gear in. They're sturdy enough to protect but extremely lightweight. When it comes to film holders, you're right that it's been a long time since I did that video, and my thoughts have changed a bit since then so I really need to record a new version. The Chamonix holders are my favorite now both because they are lighter than Toyo, but also because the darkslides are easier to insert and remove, especially when shooting vertical. I was doubtful if the special lightweight holders from Chamonix were worth the hefty price tag, but they honestly are worth it if you're trying to save weight. I have two of them, and the rest of my Chamonix holders are the regular ones. You can definitely feel the difference, and when hauling 4 film holders, going with only the lightweight ones will save you about 1lbs. I may need to add some more of the lightweight ones. I'm in the process of gearing up for this year's backpacking trip, and my pack this year will be several pounds lighter than last year which is awesome. Here's that link: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FVSV2K5/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1
@@BenHorne I love the ingenuity with the bubble wrap mailers! I would have never thought of that. I've had 8x10 gridded ground glass shipped to me in bubble wrap and it never broke. Definitely sturdy enough. I like that they are extremely lightweight as you previously mentioned, and rain proof as well. Mind linking the bubble wrap mailer you use to put your lenses, spotmeter, loupe, and cable release in? I am going all in on this setup!! I had a feeling you were going to lean towards Chamonix considering I saw in one of your latest videos that you let go of your Arca-Swiss F metric setup in favor of the 8x10 Chamonix Alpinist. Based off your video from 5 years ago, I have two 8x10 regular Chamonix holders in my line-up with the rest being Toyo. After speaking with you today, I'm inclined to switch over all my holders to Chamonix. I hope this spring backpacking trip is fun and eventful. Wishing you the best of luck. Cheers
How is the Series 1 Mountaineer working out for you? It sounds like a great tripod in general but reviews online have me concerned with the max height and stability with the center column extended. Do you feel limited by it? Thanks!
Hi Scott! For me the series 1 mountaineer is the sweet spot between stability, lightweight, and size. I remove the center column while backpacking to save weight, but when I'm not on a backpacking trip, I use this tripod as my video tripod, and I use the center column then. There's a perception that tripods must extend to eye level, which is nice and all, but if the goal is to have a compact and lightweight tripod, extending a tripod to eye level will come with some degree of compromise. I'd rather have the tripod set to a height that's most ideal for the subject than immediately opening it to eye level. That all being said, if you're using a long telephoto lens, you'll benefit by having thicker legs (3 series is good for that), but if the point is to have a lightweight and compact tripod, the Gitzo won't disappoint. I wouldn't be using an 8x10 on it if I didn't think it was a great tripod.
@@BenHorne Thanks Ben! Good to hear. I've been using some antique Linhof tripods. The "light weight" one is stable enough but the integrated pan head is annoying to level. The other is like 15lbs and not much fun to walk around with. I'm mostly using it for urban night photography with an old Linhof 4x5. Series 1 sounds like it will do the trick!
This was hugely helpful Ben. I'm in that spot right now where I've been working on a new project that requires lots of hiking/backpacking including some section hiking of the Appalachian Trail with my Canham 5x7. I've been researching and investing in backpacks and case solutions from F-Stop (60 liter) but nothing fits LF gear AND sleep/shelter/cooking systems in the way that your Zpack does. The case that you have for your Chamonix Alpinist is that from Chamonix or a third party and what are the outer dimensions of that? I'll get a Zpack Arc Haul Ultra 60L if the opening is wide enough to either take the F-Stop large ICU or whatever case you are using with your Zpack Arc Haul. Thanks for any info.
Hi Gregg! Sorry for the slow response! I would definitely take a look at the utralight packs. I didn't realize they would be as conducive to large format photography as they are. They do require you to pack things as efficiently as possible though, and for that reason, you'll probably want to rethink using the F-Stop ICU. Not that there's anything wrong it with, but I think you can pack the gear even more efficiently through other means. For example, by wrapping my lenses and such up in my dark cloth, I was able to avoid using a separate padded case. You'll also need to go through all the bits and pieces of gear you take with and figure out what you TRULY need. There are some smart ways of pairing things down. Seeing as how I was able to fit my 8x10 kit in the Arc Haul, you should do just fine with your 5x7 kit, and the only way to know specifically how to pack the gear will be to buy the backpack and then learn through trial and error. The case for the Chamonix came with the camera. I tried to see if I could find a smaller and lighter case, but the case it came with is already quite ideal in that regard.
@@BenHorne That whole package is very inspiring... especially for four days. I just started shooting with my old Linhof Technika III and although I used handheld meters for ages back in the day w 35mm. I'm having a little trouble deciding how to meter with the 4X5. I notice your meter has the dome on it. Are you always using incident or do you use reflected as well? Shooting chrome, and so few sheets, you seem to have the process nailed. I'd love to hear about your process. Thank you sir. By the way, discovered you through Jefffery Saddoris' work.
Hi Jason! I'll definitely do a review of the Chamonix now that I've used it on two different trips. I'll also do a comparison video between the Alpinist X and Intrepid's new 8x10 mk III since I know many people will be curious about that.
The 8x10 is in a padded case that came with the camera. It's rather lightweight and gives enough padding to protect the camera. As I'm getting ready for my backpacking trip this spring, I've made a few more changes including an even lighter sleeping bag. It'll be interesting to see what I can get the weight down to.
Hi Alex! That one stays behind on the backpacking trips because of the weight and size of it. I love that mic, but need something smaller and lighter for these situations.
Hi Christopher! All of my backpacking trips thus far are in the canyons of southern Utah which isn't bear country so that simplifies things significantly. If I was hiking in bear country, I would take along some bear spray along with the necessary gear to prevent bears from getting to my food.
Hi Todd! Yup, The Stereo Videomic X is my primary mic when I'm not on backpacking trips. I love that mic, but it's too big and bulky when I need to keep the overall weight as low as possible. The Rode VideoMicro is a wonderful compact and lightweight mic that doesn't require batteries and does quite well in the wind, but it's not a stereo mic so I don't get the same degree of ambient sound.
For me, at 74 with arthritis, etc., 35 pounds would be too much. My pack weighs 15 pounds with one body and two lenses plus other stuff. I could handle 20 pounds for a lot of walking.
Hi Romie! I know I won't be able to handle stuff like this forever, but thankfully there are ways to further lighten the load if I were to leave the 8x10 behind and bring along something more sensible.
Though technically true, this isn’t always the case in practice. My other one from Thermarest has an internal layer of foil that reflects body heat back to you and is quite warm. This one doesn’t have that layer to keep it smaller and lighter.
Yeah, it's unfortunate that here in the States we've stuck with an archaic system that makes very little sense, though at least it's easy enough convert the units with google.
Yep, i’m Australian… Metric is the standard since 1967. I have a conversion app. that helps when interpreting those that still use imperial weight & measurements 😀
Would love to see the Zpacks actually loaded up. I love the features and the weight, but unless I am missing something, this model and its successors are all top-loaders. That’s fine for packing/unpacking once or maybe twice per day. But for photography “on the trail,” top loaders have always been a real PITA for me. So, I’d really love to see you pack the Zpacks Ben. Keep up the great work.
Good point about the one-person tent with its smaller footprint. I can't imagine packing in a 12-person cabin tent!
Some of the MASSIVE tents I see in campgrounds are just absurdly huge. I don't think they they do very well when it gets stormy either. There's something so very cozy about a one person tent.
I tried the BeFree on a 30-day hike in the Sierra last year. By the end of the hike the flow rate was maybe 20% of its initial rate. And that's with only putting ultra-clean, low particulate Sierra water through it, as well as doing the recommended "shaking" rinse every day. I've now switched back to my sawyer squeeze with smartwater bottles, which never seems to have any issues.
That's a bummer the BeFree fell short on your hike last year. The water I was drawing from often quite silty, and I had concerns about that so I brought along some Katadyn Micropur tablets for a backup, but as it turns out I didn't need them. I would imagine that after 30 days of silty water the BeFree would struggle, but with the time I spent in those canyons, I didn't notice a change in flow rate.
If you are drinking water from non-cloudy sources a Steripen is way easier to deal with than any water filter system and just as safe.
This is awesome Ben! Thank you so much for sharing the details of your gear. Using padded envelopes for the film holders and lenses is genius. What size envelope did you find works? Are the lenses individually wrapped in cloth wraps inside the larger bundle?
Thank you Ben. That was very interesting and it is great to learn about your preparation and how you do your photography.
Glad you enjoyed it John! All of this stuff is certainly highly specific to the places I visit. Sure is nice not to worry about bears and such. :-)
@@BenHorne oh and a word of advice from a 52y/o amateur, don't give yourself a hernia with all that weight you carry. My full frame camera bag with three lenses, tripod and accessories etc tips 28 pounds (13kgs) which I suspect contributed to my ventral hernia. The operation is next month! No bears here in the NW of England, just cows, sheep and the odd midge. 😉 Best wishes.
After watching your most recent series I was quietly hoping this video would be made. Thanks so much for sharing!
So glad you enjoyed it David!
Great idea to do this video Ben. Many thanks for sharing
Thanks as always for watching Ash!
I started using a lightweight 1-person trekking pole tent in late 2020 as well and love it (Durston X-Mid 1P). It's such a convenience to be able to hike with something so light that also handles all sorts of windy, rainy weather really well. The entire hiking gear industry is super interesting to me -- tons of small companies mostly started by thru-hikers competing in a hectic space full of innovation.
I'm so glad to hear the one person tent has worked well for you Reid! It's unlikely my tent will see any bad weather while on my visits to the canyons, but perhaps if I branch out and visit some other locations I will have to contend with some stronger weather. You're very correct about so much innovation coming from small companies. It seems the larger companies either can't scale that up to even larger production, or they're just a bit behind the times. Perhaps a bit of both. In any case, I'm very glad to have such wonderful lightweight gear available.
A well thought out pack & gear solution Ben. The weight carried always impacts the experience & if it’s only 35lb (15kg - Australia uses metric) as you said gives greater mobility 👍🏻🇦🇺👍🏻
Thanks Phil! It sure gave me a wonderful pep in my step on my spring trip. It felt almost absurd to have an 8x10 on my back along with all the other necessary gear.
I was at George's Camera getting my first real tripod, and it was the lighter weight of one that made me spend a bit more than I had intended. Weight matters, especially for weak, bad back me.
Yup, every bit of weight adds up, and having a good tripod makes all the difference in the world. Once you're in the field with a solid and lightweight tripod, it's easy to forget how much they cost. Definitely worth it! Thanks for watching and commenting!
Love it, and I’ve got a ways to go that’s for sure. Inspiring to see under 40lb with all the camera and video gear. Thanks for this :)
Thanks as always Brent! It sure gave me a bit more of a pep in my step on that spring backpacking trip!
Man 1.5lbs and comfort in a bag is a feat of engineering! That’s amazing. Mine is 3.5 and I thought that was light.
It's truly impressive what these companies have been able to produce with the new materials available these days. It's also nice to know that comfort wasn't compromised in the process of reducing the weight.
Hey Ben, very informative video. Do you mind linking me to the exact bubble wrap mailers you are using to protect your 8x10 film holders? Additionally, you have not done an 8x10 film holder review in 5 years and I was wondering if any of your sentiments in that video have changed? Are you now solely using Chamonix 8x10 or 8x10 light film holders or do Toyo 8x10 film holders still have their place in your line-up? Happy shooting! Cheers
Hi Zachary! At the end of this message, you'll find a link to the bubble wrap mailers. I also use one to put all lenses and other shooting gear in. They're sturdy enough to protect but extremely lightweight. When it comes to film holders, you're right that it's been a long time since I did that video, and my thoughts have changed a bit since then so I really need to record a new version. The Chamonix holders are my favorite now both because they are lighter than Toyo, but also because the darkslides are easier to insert and remove, especially when shooting vertical. I was doubtful if the special lightweight holders from Chamonix were worth the hefty price tag, but they honestly are worth it if you're trying to save weight. I have two of them, and the rest of my Chamonix holders are the regular ones. You can definitely feel the difference, and when hauling 4 film holders, going with only the lightweight ones will save you about 1lbs. I may need to add some more of the lightweight ones. I'm in the process of gearing up for this year's backpacking trip, and my pack this year will be several pounds lighter than last year which is awesome. Here's that link: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FVSV2K5/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1
@@BenHorne I love the ingenuity with the bubble wrap mailers! I would have never thought of that. I've had 8x10 gridded ground glass shipped to me in bubble wrap and it never broke. Definitely sturdy enough. I like that they are extremely lightweight as you previously mentioned, and rain proof as well. Mind linking the bubble wrap mailer you use to put your lenses, spotmeter, loupe, and cable release in? I am going all in on this setup!! I had a feeling you were going to lean towards Chamonix considering I saw in one of your latest videos that you let go of your Arca-Swiss F metric setup in favor of the 8x10 Chamonix Alpinist. Based off your video from 5 years ago, I have two 8x10 regular Chamonix holders in my line-up with the rest being Toyo. After speaking with you today, I'm inclined to switch over all my holders to Chamonix. I hope this spring backpacking trip is fun and eventful. Wishing you the best of luck. Cheers
How is the Series 1 Mountaineer working out for you? It sounds like a great tripod in general but reviews online have me concerned with the max height and stability with the center column extended. Do you feel limited by it? Thanks!
Hi Scott! For me the series 1 mountaineer is the sweet spot between stability, lightweight, and size. I remove the center column while backpacking to save weight, but when I'm not on a backpacking trip, I use this tripod as my video tripod, and I use the center column then. There's a perception that tripods must extend to eye level, which is nice and all, but if the goal is to have a compact and lightweight tripod, extending a tripod to eye level will come with some degree of compromise. I'd rather have the tripod set to a height that's most ideal for the subject than immediately opening it to eye level. That all being said, if you're using a long telephoto lens, you'll benefit by having thicker legs (3 series is good for that), but if the point is to have a lightweight and compact tripod, the Gitzo won't disappoint. I wouldn't be using an 8x10 on it if I didn't think it was a great tripod.
@@BenHorne Thanks Ben! Good to hear. I've been using some antique Linhof tripods. The "light weight" one is stable enough but the integrated pan head is annoying to level. The other is like 15lbs and not much fun to walk around with. I'm mostly using it for urban night photography with an old Linhof 4x5. Series 1 sounds like it will do the trick!
This was hugely helpful Ben. I'm in that spot right now where I've been working on a new project that requires lots of hiking/backpacking including some section hiking of the Appalachian Trail with my Canham 5x7. I've been researching and investing in backpacks and case solutions from F-Stop (60 liter) but nothing fits LF gear AND sleep/shelter/cooking systems in the way that your Zpack does. The case that you have for your Chamonix Alpinist is that from Chamonix or a third party and what are the outer dimensions of that? I'll get a Zpack Arc Haul Ultra 60L if the opening is wide enough to either take the F-Stop large ICU or whatever case you are using with your Zpack Arc Haul. Thanks for any info.
Hi Gregg! Sorry for the slow response! I would definitely take a look at the utralight packs. I didn't realize they would be as conducive to large format photography as they are. They do require you to pack things as efficiently as possible though, and for that reason, you'll probably want to rethink using the F-Stop ICU. Not that there's anything wrong it with, but I think you can pack the gear even more efficiently through other means. For example, by wrapping my lenses and such up in my dark cloth, I was able to avoid using a separate padded case. You'll also need to go through all the bits and pieces of gear you take with and figure out what you TRULY need. There are some smart ways of pairing things down. Seeing as how I was able to fit my 8x10 kit in the Arc Haul, you should do just fine with your 5x7 kit, and the only way to know specifically how to pack the gear will be to buy the backpack and then learn through trial and error. The case for the Chamonix came with the camera. I tried to see if I could find a smaller and lighter case, but the case it came with is already quite ideal in that regard.
Thanks for this Ben, very interesting. How many days do you go out for with this setup? One night, two?
Hi Dennis! I had enough food for four days with access to plenty of water where I was hiking.
@@BenHorne That whole package is very inspiring... especially for four days. I just started shooting with my old Linhof Technika III and although I used handheld meters for ages back in the day w 35mm. I'm having a little trouble deciding how to meter with the 4X5. I notice your meter has the dome on it. Are you always using incident or do you use reflected as well? Shooting chrome, and so few sheets, you seem to have the process nailed. I'd love to hear about your process. Thank you sir. By the way, discovered you through Jefffery Saddoris' work.
I'd be interested in a review of the Chamonix. When might the intrepid be a better choice over the Chamonix? Or is the Chamonix better in every way?
Hi Jason! I'll definitely do a review of the Chamonix now that I've used it on two different trips. I'll also do a comparison video between the Alpinist X and Intrepid's new 8x10 mk III since I know many people will be curious about that.
What is the camera bag/pouch?
Does it provide protection?
The 8x10 is in a padded case that came with the camera. It's rather lightweight and gives enough padding to protect the camera. As I'm getting ready for my backpacking trip this spring, I've made a few more changes including an even lighter sleeping bag. It'll be interesting to see what I can get the weight down to.
@@BenHorne ah, wonderful. Another point for Chamonix. Thanks
Where did the Rode Stereo videomic X go?
Hi Alex! That one stays behind on the backpacking trips because of the weight and size of it. I love that mic, but need something smaller and lighter for these situations.
I may have missed it but do you take anything to safe from wild life.
Hi Christopher! All of my backpacking trips thus far are in the canyons of southern Utah which isn't bear country so that simplifies things significantly. If I was hiking in bear country, I would take along some bear spray along with the necessary gear to prevent bears from getting to my food.
Do you still use the Rode Stereo Videomic X? I noticed you mentioned a different mic set up in this video.
Hi Todd! Yup, The Stereo Videomic X is my primary mic when I'm not on backpacking trips. I love that mic, but it's too big and bulky when I need to keep the overall weight as low as possible. The Rode VideoMicro is a wonderful compact and lightweight mic that doesn't require batteries and does quite well in the wind, but it's not a stereo mic so I don't get the same degree of ambient sound.
How do you store your food at camp?
I'm not hiking in bear country, so I just keep it in my backpack.
For me, at 74 with arthritis, etc., 35 pounds would be too much. My pack weighs 15 pounds with one body and two lenses plus other stuff. I could handle 20 pounds for a lot of walking.
Hi Romie! I know I won't be able to handle stuff like this forever, but thankfully there are ways to further lighten the load if I were to leave the 8x10 behind and bring along something more sensible.
that'll stop me moaning about carrying my GFX!!
Plus you can shoot in the wind and rain. :-)
Nice! :)
Thanks for watching!
Unfortunitly, no air mattress will not give you insulation from the ground.
Though technically true, this isn’t always the case in practice. My other one from Thermarest has an internal layer of foil that reflects body heat back to you and is quite warm. This one doesn’t have that layer to keep it smaller and lighter.
Man all the measurements just make no sense to non-American without Google every lines you said.
Yeah, it's unfortunate that here in the States we've stuck with an archaic system that makes very little sense, though at least it's easy enough convert the units with google.
Yep, i’m Australian… Metric is the standard since 1967. I have a conversion app. that helps when interpreting those that still use imperial weight & measurements 😀
Skip this if you use the metric system
Or just use google to translate to what you’re more accustomed to.