This may be one of the best and most important backpacking videos ever. Humans make errors. Things happen. Nobody knows everything and that's ok. You need to reflect and try to improve. Great video, Eric and thank you for the openness and honesty
I may have a simple but good tip for you Eric for dialing in your food and water. Just make an Excel file where you define miles, temperature and terrain. Then note down everything once you come back from your trip. After around 20 trips you should get an everage what you need to carry out. You can then make the decision to overpack around 20% until you feel comfortable to get the margins down.
I do one pile of food for each day. Then add some bars and a Raman (or two if the probability of not making it in time is high). It has worked well thruhiking the AT and the PCT and lots of shorter stuff. It's often not exactly right, but most of the time very close.
I wonder if you should outsource the food part of your trip. Have someone else basically pack your food for you who's very good at it. It seems you have a lot going on. Why try to do everything? Is that why you may have forgotten your first aid kit, toe nail clippers. It's okay not to be Superman. Great video.
@@eric_hanson I'm just gonna say and I'm sure you'll disagree but I think you're taking on a little bit too much responsibility with what happened to Dan Becker there's no way anyone could have known that that was going to happen to him. People need to take responsibility for their own limits also. And if you're not doing okay on the trail you need to be open and talk untilpeople that you're hiking with that you're not feeling well before it gets to the point where you need rescued. On the flip side checking in with everyone periodically is a necessity.
My biggest worry, which impacts us all, is ppl saying they are ok when they are NOT.. now i frontload to get to know the folks i treck with...i dont like trecking with ppl i dont know.. trust is vital
“I feel like I can make it, then everybody should make it” is perhaps my worst attribute as a human. Adventure tolerance is real and not all tolerances are equal.
I like the fact that you humble yourself by sharing your flaws. We all have them and are aware, but still ignore them. It’s called being human. Love your content Eric!
Thanks for being honest. This video may save someone's life. Last summer on my yearly CDT section, the snowpack was RIDICULOUS. I didn't have the tools (crampons, axe), so I bailed out 2 days early. Know your limits.
Your candor and humility is very refreshing! It speaks a lot to your character and integrity. I share with you the challenge of carrying too much in my pack. And, as I get older, I'm finding it increasingly difficult to "tough it out." Gonna have to work on my self-discipline of packing light...😞
Thank you for sharing this, so that we can all learn without having to make these same mistakes! Sharing these experiences goes a long way towards making us all safer in the backcountry.
I had to learn to give myself a break about my poor planning. Having ADHD, my executive functions and working memory are not my strong suit... I now make lists and checklists for all my trips and have my husband or a fellow hiker friend go through them to make sure I haven't forgotten anything or added something that's not necessary or relevant for that trip. Then, I follow and cross out each step once done.
Your video is an excellent mirror. I recognized sooo many of my weaknesses in your admissions. Getting old has forced me to be more careful with things like keeping pack weight reasonable, menu planning and not just pushing through. I’ve learned that if I want to keep doing the things that I love, I have to do a better job. Going for a 3 day trip with some of my kids and grand kids next week and I’m sweating the small stuff this week. Thanks for this video.
It’s very insightful that you’ve been able to discover these things about yourself. It’s so easy to see things in others, but so hard to see things in ourselves. Hopefully, we are experiencing these adventures with other people that can act as a mirror to us, and help us see these aspects that we need to change. Nature is an uncompromising teacher….she is the ultimate “mirror”.
Appreciate this PSA. One thing I do is pack then open it all up a day later and judiciously repack with the goal to remove. I suspect you may not be putting enough time into prep and plan so budget more time to do it. Throw everything in the first round then start taking stuff out in repacking. I also have 1 primary bin for all the minimal essentials and start there before reaching into backup bins of stuff. Thats my suggestion.
I appreciate your being forthcoming about your bad habits and the potential or problems. People can learn from it and it takes a bit of courage to share this with others. That said, don't beat yourself up. Most people can't accurately read others or what they're experiencing, even trained medical physicians, at least not in the 'heat of the moment' so to speak, say while actually facing tough conditions in the GC. We humans are also pretty bad at determining risk, but that's in part because risk is almost always a non-zero number, which means that an event actually occurring is non-zero and sometimes actually happens despite odds are being almost indistinguishable from zero.
As a fellow ginger boy, l concur with the skin issues. I’ve had a few skin issues and lost a few plugs of skin to cancer/ precancerous tissue. My mom use to warn me about that! Moral: listen to mom!
"I feel like I can make it, then everybody should make it” I have this mentality too, but it stems from low self-esteem, ope. I have been guilty of ignoring an annoyance (pebble or sand in my shoes, beginning of chafing) during hikes and running ultras and end up with avoidable injuries. I'm glad you're taking better care of your skin! I feel like that's something that's kind of common with millennials, ignoring sun protection or not taking it seriously. I've a family member that's has skin cancer removed, that really opened my eyes to how foolish I was being at times.
Great topic, Eric! The hardest step is the first one: That our actions are not necessarily the best course of action. For me, it was wanting to always seek 'a better spot' to stop hiking and start enjoying the backcountry. Even as I aged (I am now 67), I would always skip a great spot to set up, for that possible better spot. I have now tempered that, and find the trips much more enjoyable.
@@ricker76er That’s my point: it’s whether clients found Better Help helpful or not, not whether the therapist has a “ proper license”. The poster was pewling about “bad TH-cam press for not having properly licensed therapists”, not whether any clients had found the help they sought or not. I have no opinion about Better Help at all, just wanted to point out that the effectiveness of the therapy is important thing, not the licensure…..
@@SS-qk8oc right. Who needs a properly licensed doctor to perform surgery. If a “therapist” can’t meet the minimum professional requirements to be a called such. Then they have no business treating patients.
Thanks for all the honest reflection Eric! I too am a horrible planner and have the "things will work out fine" attitude, which is not all bad. Last year traveling on the CDT at Cumbrous pass area, I kept crossing sketchy snow fields thinking things would work out fine. However, I slipped while crossing a very steep snow field that would have ended in certain serious injury or death. I did not have micro-spikes or an axe which I knew was a bad idea! I was alone and making bad decisions regardless of my years of mountaineering experience.
I mostly like my positive disposition and I think I've benefited from it in the long run. But it has definitely come back to bite me! Learning to balance this is pretty important.
My worst habit? Not telling anyone where I'm going and when I expect to be back. I've been doing this for 50 years. However, I do carry a Zoleo satellite device now.
Hardest part is to admit one’s faults and learn by them, adjust them and improve for one’s own benefit and the benefit of others. So well done kudos 👍❤️
Thanks for sharing your honesty. I can’t carry more weight than I need, wait until you’re 60. :) I do carry too much food, but that is because I bring the food that I know I’ll need, but end up not hungry. I’ve had melanoma removed twice, my cousin died from it. Worth the extra weight to take care of properly. Just to share my own folly, I need to be better with my own hygiene..wash face, dirt off legs and feet, etc.
Takes a big man to admit their mistakes/errors in judgement, especially in public. Respect for that, Eric! Regarding packing too much weight, the backcountry hunting crowd have a good saying for that: don't pack your fears.
Fascinating. I would have never imagined you are bad at planning with all you've done! I used to be a backcountry nps ranger and LOVED backpacking. But I abhored the planning stage of packing and did just as you with food. Larely due to that, my activity evolved into trail (and off trail running) where I carry nothing but a handfull of raisens in my pocket and feel free as a bird. But I do, at times, miss the magic of the multi-day trek..........
Overdoing it has been my biggest hurdle. I started noticing that I was making little mistakes… which lead to more little mistakes… and then injury. Could have been hiking, snowboarding, cycling, running… I’d stop listening to my body and listen to someone who was cheering me on… ya… I don’t do that anymore. I focus on my own state of being and state of mind. But it took a long time to figure it out.
Great video. We all have flaws and do stupid things. Just part of living and learning. Being honest with yourself and doing a little self reflecting comes with maturity. Always enjoy your videos and looking forward to the next.
I actually like your ballz to the walls attitude to backpacking. Makes you unique in a sea of ultralight backpackers. And you can see the benefits of it, like carrying heavy loads means you are maintaining larger muscles, so you can achieve more without being injured. Also it means that if you ever went on a thru hike, your body would carry those loads easily and be able to enjoy the hike a lot more. Mainly since the Thru hike will force you to carry ultralight gear, and the overall weight will end up being even less than what you are carrying nowadays. Question, isn’t a sun hoodie enough cover against the sun? It goes over the neck and covers the ears well, do I really need the wide hat in addition? It’s a cool hat, just wondering if it’s really needed.
This is an excellent discussion . Years ago, I had a Scoutmaster who had been in World War II and was one of those people with the 10th Mountain Corp and was one of those crazy people after the war who did the skiing stuff still can’t remember his name. He always made sure we planned a retreat on our backpacking routes. To this day I observe this practice. Sometimes it is simple and others it requires some serious thought. Good practice and always part of the itinerary.
Some food for thought : -If you make the same mistake twice, you didn't suffer enough the FIRST time. -Learning from your mistakes is valuable, learning from OTHERS' mistakes is priceless. -Everyone wants to shine, but nobody wants to polish!
Adding segments in videos or full videos highlighting things like hats and skin protection stuff including sunscreens, gloves, etc. would be great. I have had pre-cancer cut off me and there definitely aren't many videos that really touch on this stuff.
Thank you for being honest. It takes courage. I’ve had a chunk taken out of my forehead from skin cancer and appreciate the PSA. Also - ignore the clowns bashing you. Chances are they don’t have half your knowledge , or half your sincerity. Stay safe!
Thanks! I appreciate that. I generally am not bothered by criticism. If the feedback is valid I can learn from it. If it's totally off base, it probably says more about the person writing it than me. Anyway that's my take.
If you stay on the couch you will be ‘safe’. Those of us that actually hike and camp will make mistakes and will end up in dangerous conditions. That will even happen even if mistakes aren’t made. Part of being in the backcountry. We continue to learn from our mistakes and from the challenges the backcountry always throws at us. Thanks for all the valuable information you are giving us for free and thanks for being someone that actually does get out there and shares the good as well as the bad.
I do believe that if you spend enough time in the outdoors, incidents, emergencies, accidents, are just bound to happen. Doesn't always mean you did something wrong. Glad to hear you find this valuable!
Eric, on your review, I got the Bridger 55, with a tiny wife I carry most of the weight and the bridger is great at that. At almost 63 I've had 4 skin cancer surgeries, with good insurance, it's still almost a 1000 per surgery. Sun block is way cheaper.
OK, but you now own a good suit like a proper grownup, and you got some epic footage of a flash flood. How many people ever capture a vid like that?! :) Food: One of the take-aways from Dan's GC experience should be that protein is the macronutrient that we need in the greatest quantity every day. Carbs are lighter, but skimping on the protein can have serious consequences. Learn from his experience. Toenails: Yes! How is it that _nobody_ makes titanium straight-edged clippers for backpackers?!!! Come on, Vargo, Ruta Locura, Suluk46, LoopAlien -- we NEED those!
It's true that inadequate protein right before a severely taxing exercise (such as the GC in snow) can lead to a higher likelihood or worse symptoms of exercise-induced rhabdomyolysis, but to say that we should eat more protein than any other macro flies in the face of all nutrition research. Excessive protein has its own problems, including potential kidney damage.
@@carl13579 That is just plain wrong. Look up "essential amino acids" and "essential fatty acids". We need robust amounts of the former and only tiny amounts of the latter. Everything else is just calories (speaking about macronutrients). Dan did far more damage to his kidneys by not eating enough protein than he could ever do by eating "excess" protein. Most of the fears about THAT are not well supported by the data.
@@carl13579 That is just plain wrong. It is well known that essential amino acids are the nutrients that we need in greatest quantities. Write your own post If you want, but please don't troll mine with misinformation. You could hurt someone.
I believe it’s always good to be humble in the backcountry, being humble and honest about can save lives, including our own. I’m an over-planner because I’m anxious, I’d sooner bail on a trip than risk something potentially dangerous. But I definitely overpack on food every single time.. I’m dialing it in a little bit though, figuring out what’s really necessary (always way less than what I expect) and I need to work on my water and electrolyte usage too.. I have a bad habit of saving water and not drinking enough as I hike :/
As always, enjoy the content. No matter hiking the Grand Canyon, slots, across Glacier or Yellowstone, weather is a huge consideration along with hydration, nutrition, rest, foot care, sun protection, preparedness, planning and communication. Many consider hiking and backpacking, the same as taking a long walk - far from it. We literally train, practice, plan and prepare for every adventure. I often think back to our half and full marathons, our ultras. Never would or could I conceive of doing one of those distances without training, practicing, planning and preparing, let alone going those distances day after day like on a transcontinental journey. We think more needs to be written or videoed on long distance athletes. We are in our late 70’s and our ability didn’t just happen nor were we naturally able, whether on our feet or on a bike.
It’s a fine line assessing risk and ego to overcome that risk. One needs to know one’s own limitations then have the courage to make the right decision for them. A group needs to operate at the level of the least skilled. Bottom line your motto should be “ live to hike another day!”
My worst backpacking habit is procrastinating packing for trips. I out it off until the last minute and then I have to scramble to get everything together. This year, I started packing way ahead of time, with limited success. I will keep trying though.
My biggest mistake is overestimating my ability. I learn my limits and I work with what I can do. You never know until you try. And I set new goals. That is what I love about hiking and backpacking
Glad you are addressing your bad habits. Especially when people are treating you and looking to you to be the Expert. Seems like your ego can get the best of you and your friends who go along with you. My ego has done the same but when alone. When I am going somewhere with someone else(s) I go back through my prep for each person individually to make sure we got everything. You are lucky to be alive and the people who have traveled with you; but then some of that is the adventure so make corrections and don't beat yourself up.
One of the reasons I want to make videos like this is to communicate that even the "experts" make mistakes. With the amount of time in the backcountry something is bound to go wrong from time to time. But that's where we can learn our most valuable lessons.
As a rock climber I like to say if you're not falling, you're not trying hard enough. Each mistake is an opportunity to grow, and your transparency surrounding your mistakes shows a good mindset of being honest about where you need to improve. Thanks for sharing!
That's true. There is something about wanting to push yourself and grow you abilities that only comes from going to the edge of what you can currently do.
We become stronger by doing the things that make us feel weak. You have identified your weak points and now you can work out how to do those things better.
One failing is to not properly evaluate all participants before the trip - then having the ability to tell those who don't pass muster that they should not (or won't be permitted) to participate. This has translated into less enjoyable trips - for the entire crew as well as for the participant. However, this could also lead to situations that threaten the well-being of the participant as well as members of the crew.
Please remember mosquito protection. 9 years ago I lost my bestie to West Nile Virus. We'd been hiking in the SoCal coastal hills where the TV show M.A.S.H. was filmed.
I used to have the same issue with bringing to much food. Then I switched to opsak’s for each day and it helped me better plan what I had for food that day in each individual bag. It helped me shed at least 5 lbs of over packing.
I appreciate you telling us this so we can make better decisions. I don’t want to be a person who only believes lard is greasy by sticking my hand in the bucket! You gave a great list of items we can buy to give you credit, but what about that bracelet? May God continue to watch over you and give you more wisdom and insight.
Admitting our flaws is not easy, especially in public. We all learn lessons as we circle around the Sun, with every year we get wiser, but the more we learn the less we realize we know. I’ve always overpacked my food and fuel. I really need to cut back on heavy snacks, but it’s hard to know what you’re going to be hungry for when planning your trip. Good luck on your journey and I wish you the best. Take care of your mind, body, and soul. Also remember to listen to your wife, marriage is a partnership, work together for the greatest success. My wife and I are a few days away from our 29th anniversary.😊
I have diabetes (type 1), which means I need to be diligent (which I am). On my own, I take hourly breaks, I air out my feet, I monitor my blood sugar like a hawk. When I’m hiking with others, I regretfully forget to say out loud, that I should take a break. It’s likely because I’m enjoying the company, but it does mean that I’m constantly eating on the walk, which is hard on my stomach
In may I did a remote bike packing trip, lost time and energy on very bad roads, had to sleep in a hut in a bitter cold night where I realised that I forgot to take a lighter with me. That night told me that cold is a cruel teacher. I now am unsure about my judgment ability but it's a wake up call.
Humans are prone to errors, so I’m starting a backpacking checklist based on this video. I recommend The Checklist Manifesto for an interesting and potentially lifesaving read.
I trail run and I am such a dingus about my stupid toe nails. I’ll get a cut/blister from my middle toe nail cutting my other toe while running at least once a month! You would think I would remember to keep up with it. Add ingrown big toenails on top of that and it’s the worst! The thing is my toenails look fine and upkept but something about the impact and repetition of running/hiking just does a lot of damage. I’ve yet to find the perfect shoe too because I’ve got wide feet and my toes want to spread out which means I often have to size up in shoe and then it just feels loose with more trip hazards. 😡
I saw my self in you. I always tell my self not to make these type of mistakes but i do them anyway. Even though my mistakes are not the same my approach is just the same as yours. Maybe its time to embrace our mistakes and not be so harsh to our selves. I plan throughly my food intake and pack them. Buttt i don’t eat them and end up giving the food away or feeding the stray cats and dogs with the tuna packets that i didn’t touched. I wake up late don’t eat breakfast and sometimes even skip lunch… i dont know why i am so careless. But i cant stop my self to take a decent brake and enjoy eating proper food. Different mistake same approach… take care
Eric I appreciate your self criticism! This video of self reflection of oneself help all of us at different experiences levels learn valuable lessons taught by our backcountry experiences ! Survival of these experiences is a lesson for all ! Thank you for sharing!
Eric, remember that preparation, while not 100% will save you 99% of the time. Even though it’s hard, being disciplined in this area will save you a time of trouble later.
My worst habit is getting really silent and losing myself in thought and how pretty the scenery is and forgetting to make lots of noise. I live in Alberta, Canada and everywhere we hike is prime bear country. I always bring bear spray though!
Nothing that's ever been life-threatening but I do overpack food. My next trip is going to be my longest trip so far - 6 days. I plan to keep my dehydrated meal packaging trash and go through it and record how much I actually ate. Hopefully that gives me an idea what I actually need. Having a good baseline will be helpful for planning future trips.
Hi Eric, I have a favor to ask. I've seen your video where you shared a setup you use with your wife, specifically a double wide sleeping pad so you can cuddle. I am unable to find which video was that. Could you help me find the video or recommend what sleeping pad you use for 2 person setup? Thank you very much. 🙏
I have become a long sleeve wearer as well. Bugs and sun…I have not started wearing a wide brim hat yet, but Imma gonna look on line for one now. Thanks for the umpf…I just started watching your videos and I like them- the trips are fabulous and in amazing places. Thanks for sharing this- I definitely need a checklist pinned to the door and to use it. Im always forgetting something…🥰🥾🥾😎⛺️
Here is what I don’t understand. I think twice he said “hundreds and hundreds” of hiking trips. How did he get this far, and not learn relatively basic risk management (ignored weather) and trip planning? You make a mistake, and you learn from it. And as a 20+ year outdoor educator who is actively dealing with skin cancer…. YES! Take care of yourself. Eric, I wrote a book about trip planning that I will HAPPIly send you for free. Just reach out.
I'm a bad planner because I believe that with my skill level I don't need to know all the details. Plus, with my lifelong disposition I have a general belief that it will all work out for good.
I'm pasty white myself...but don't overdo it on covering up your skin, or else you could end up vitamin D deficient. I've ended up in 32-degree water twice. I got swept away by a flood-swollen river at a usually tame ford once. At age 47, I ignored & rationalized the signs & symptoms of a heart attack while hiking a long-distance trail. I ended up having "the big one" less than a week later. I almost got stomped by an elk in Yellowstone - a motorcyclist saved me. Dumbest move of all: I drove over a bridge with overflowing water during a flood with my infant daughter asleep in the backseat...I don't know how my car didn't get swept away because the water was way deeper than I'd thought. I hear that on the Appalachian Trail, there's a shelter called The Priest (in Shenandoah NP?), & folks write down all their "sins" & shortcomings in the trail registry as some kind of catharsis...we both ought to go there some time! ;-) Don't beat yourself up, brother...just keep going & sharing & loving & learning & experiencing & serving others & laughing! Woo! :-)
On the topic of sun exposure: studies show that regularly attaining sun exposure INCREASES both skin cancers and lifespan. Increased lifespan because of the hormone and cardiovascular improvements from UVA and infrared.
Hi Eric, congrats for you honest video. One trip, there is a youtuble nutricer exppecialized in hiker, Backcountry Foodie, maybe it will be a big oportunity for both chanels !!! Thanks for all man, take care.
My biggest issue with myself is eating and drinking. If I have 12 miles to go, I'll just go 12 miles, then sit down and try to eat or drink something. I don't do a good job of eating on the way. This means I usually can't eat enough when I do stop. As a diabetic, this can cause some serious issues.
I used to go overboard computing calories. I figured out a hack that works for me. 1.5lbs food for each full day on the trail. Generally that would be dense weight - aka dehydrated foods, nuts, jerky etc. I’m 6’ 2 and weigh 200lbs and tend to not lose weight on say 5 day trips with this approach.
I am bad at taking too many clothes and not enough food…still working on this…the human condition…maybe do a round table discussion video with Dan and Frozen about planning…that would be a very popular video 😊🇨🇦
Something I am really bad at is communicating how I am feeling. Because of my connective tissue disorder, I can have blood pooling issues. I can go from feeling fine to "icky" pretty quick. Then communicating that icky-ness is more difficult because brain fog is one of the symptoms.
oooh that's a really interesting one. Communicating with partners is a really important thing, and nobody wants to feel like a burden so it's common to feel like you just need to tough it out. But ultimately that can be even more dangerous!
My two worst flaws would be overpacking and too many redundancies. Too many redundancies kind of adds to the over packing issue but the redundancy thing is something I picked up from bushcraft and survivalist training as a hobby, the basic premise being one is none two is one. So I end up carrying multiple firestarters and lighters, knives, water purification methods, light sources, personal care kit and probably overpack my medical kit. If I really wanted to just get down to basics I could probably cut my pack weight in half, but I'm kind of addicted to my luxury items. 😇😁
I've thought about getting gloves for the summer. But that's it - just thought about it. I used to work landscaping and often had very suntanned hands, work semi-outdoors now and then hiking... But some sunshine is good for the skin (recommendation is 20mins). And sunshine is better than some sunscreen that's is in itself full of crap chemicals and hard for the body to process out. Hats are cool, I'm always wearing a hat. I'll look into the gloves.
Appreciate the honesty. I too overpack food. I think it's the "you pack your fears" kicking in. I routinely end a trip with 50% or more of my food weight remaining. I tend to over estimate what I'm going to eat, especially on the first night. It is not uncommon for me to eat nothing by a bar for dinner on the first night. I just don't have an appetite.
I am speaking to myself... Just stop doing stupid crap. Accidents happen. That's enough on its own. Don't help Mom Nature by doing stupid things because you think??? "I got this" or just laziness. Really hard to believe that I made it to 60, alive and in relatively good shape. I have rolled the dice way too many times, and I have changed my wicked ways. Well, most of them at least. Turns out that being over-cautious and under-zealous makes my trips much more fun. I'm still "out there" and mostly solo but just more careful. Thanks, dude. 👴
On the topic of weight, in my boy scout youth days, 40-45 lbs was normal. Now I'm probably 20-30. I'm okay with never being one of those sub-10 lbs ultalighters. For real, what do you gain by dropping 5 lbs, aside from some over-preparedness? I'd much rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it. This isn't being late for an airline flight. That over-preparedness may actually matter, if not for you, someone in your group, or a complete stranger. It's just a few pounds. That's like two quarts of water. Don't sweat it.
Skin cancer..ah yes indeed. I burn at the slightest suggestion of sunshine. When i spent a lot of time outdoors in Colorado.. i put sunscreen on, usually stopping about my eye brows. Who wants sunscreen running in your eyes. Many years later, basil cell carcenoma, a MOHS procedure above my right eye brow, 2 years later spots above my left. One was pre cancerous, got it frozen off. Sun damage is cumulative. I first went to a dermatologist when i noticed a large thing in my ear. It wasn't cancer. I see a dermatologist once a year now for screening. If anyone spends time out doors, you might want to consider having a dermatologist look you over ATB
I appreciate that you're recognizing and being honest with your failings, but that flash flood in a slot canyon thing, based on how you describe it, would be an immediate and permanent blacklist for me. It's too big and fundamental of a failure in judgement.
My Dad had to have a large cancerous growth cut out of his back. Doctors said the rest of the family has to take skin car/sun management more serious. Bought myself a Tilley hat and I don't care how dumb I look wearing it haha.
@@eric_hanson yes 100% especially as a solo female traveler there’s a lot of extra anxiety that I think goes with that and wanting to be prepared for any situation
Sun damage is permanent, you just increase the risk. I screen up just to go on a 20 minute bike ride these days (I'm older). You'll also find out, at some threshold of age, the too-heavy pack can damage your joints and joint damage turns into arthritis. I, fortunately avoided this, but you don't want to go there if possible.
This may be one of the best and most important backpacking videos ever.
Humans make errors. Things happen. Nobody knows everything and that's ok. You need to reflect and try to improve.
Great video, Eric and thank you for the openness and honesty
We really appreciate your honesty @Eric Hanson 💯
Glad to hear it! Thank you!
I may have a simple but good tip for you Eric for dialing in your food and water.
Just make an Excel file where you define miles, temperature and terrain. Then note down everything once you come back from your trip. After around 20 trips you should get an everage what you need to carry out. You can then make the decision to overpack around 20% until you feel comfortable to get the margins down.
I like this! This is a great idea.
@@eric_hanson Hope it helps. Good luck.
Have a nice day 💪🏼
I do one pile of food for each day. Then add some bars and a Raman (or two if the probability of not making it in time is high). It has worked well thruhiking the AT and the PCT and lots of shorter stuff. It's often not exactly right, but most of the time very close.
I wonder if you should outsource the food part of your trip. Have someone else basically pack your food for you who's very good at it. It seems you have a lot going on. Why try to do everything? Is that why you may have forgotten your first aid kit, toe nail clippers. It's okay not to be Superman.
Great video.
@@eric_hanson I'm just gonna say and I'm sure you'll disagree but I think you're taking on a little bit too much responsibility with what happened to Dan Becker there's no way anyone could have known that that was going to happen to him. People need to take responsibility for their own limits also. And if you're not doing okay on the trail you need to be open and talk untilpeople that you're hiking with that you're not feeling well before it gets to the point where you need rescued. On the flip side checking in with everyone periodically is a necessity.
"Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
Hey I like that! Ralph was a pretty smart guy.
Thank you for your honesty. It’s great that you’re reflecting on these things and actively trying to improve. Keep the content coming!
It's an important thing for all of us! Thank you!
My biggest worry, which impacts us all, is ppl saying they are ok when they are NOT.. now i frontload to get to know the folks i treck with...i dont like trecking with ppl i dont know.. trust is vital
“I feel like I can make it, then everybody should make it” is perhaps my worst attribute as a human. Adventure tolerance is real and not all tolerances are equal.
I like the fact that you humble yourself by sharing your flaws. We all have them and are aware, but still ignore them. It’s called being human. Love your content Eric!
Thanks for being honest. This video may save someone's life. Last summer on my yearly CDT section, the snowpack was RIDICULOUS. I didn't have the tools (crampons, axe), so I bailed out 2 days early. Know your limits.
Your candor and humility is very refreshing! It speaks a lot to your character and integrity. I share with you the challenge of carrying too much in my pack. And, as I get older, I'm finding it increasingly difficult to "tough it out." Gonna have to work on my self-discipline of packing light...😞
thanks so much! Yeah I don't like having to be disciplined. What's the fun in that?!
@@eric_hanson For sure...
This honesty is amazing! Love your content man!
Thank you! I hope it's helpful for all of us.
Thank you for sharing this, so that we can all learn without having to make these same mistakes! Sharing these experiences goes a long way towards making us all safer in the backcountry.
I had to learn to give myself a break about my poor planning. Having ADHD, my executive functions and working memory are not my strong suit... I now make lists and checklists for all my trips and have my husband or a fellow hiker friend go through them to make sure I haven't forgotten anything or added something that's not necessary or relevant for that trip. Then, I follow and cross out each step once done.
Thanks so much for your gritty honesty! Excellent reminders.
Your video is an excellent mirror. I recognized sooo many of my weaknesses in your admissions. Getting old has forced me to be more careful with things like keeping pack weight reasonable, menu planning and not just pushing through. I’ve learned that if I want to keep doing the things that I love, I have to do a better job. Going for a 3 day trip with some of my kids and grand kids next week and I’m sweating the small stuff this week. Thanks for this video.
It’s very insightful that you’ve been able to discover these things about yourself. It’s so easy to see things in others, but so hard to see things in ourselves. Hopefully, we are experiencing these adventures with other people that can act as a mirror to us, and help us see these aspects that we need to change. Nature is an uncompromising teacher….she is the ultimate “mirror”.
Yes! Mother Nature is the ultimate teacher like you say.
Appreciate this PSA. One thing I do is pack then open it all up a day later and judiciously repack with the goal to remove. I suspect you may not be putting enough time into prep and plan so budget more time to do it. Throw everything in the first round then start taking stuff out in repacking. I also have 1 primary bin for all the minimal essentials and start there before reaching into backup bins of stuff. Thats my suggestion.
Thanks for being open, honest, admitting mistakes, and sharing the bad, with the good. I recently started therapy and have found it beneficial.
So glad to hear! Therapy was a life changer for me.
I appreciate your being forthcoming about your bad habits and the potential or problems. People can learn from it and it takes a bit of courage to share this with others. That said, don't beat yourself up. Most people can't accurately read others or what they're experiencing, even trained medical physicians, at least not in the 'heat of the moment' so to speak, say while actually facing tough conditions in the GC. We humans are also pretty bad at determining risk, but that's in part because risk is almost always a non-zero number, which means that an event actually occurring is non-zero and sometimes actually happens despite odds are being almost indistinguishable from zero.
As a fellow ginger boy, l concur with the skin issues. I’ve had a few skin issues and lost a few plugs of skin to cancer/ precancerous tissue. My mom use to warn me about that! Moral: listen to mom!
haha it pretty much always comes back to listen to your mother
Your transparency is making me look inwardly. I’m seriously going to consider this before I start my section hike on Colorado in a few weeks.
"I feel like I can make it, then everybody should make it” I have this mentality too, but it stems from low self-esteem, ope. I have been guilty of ignoring an annoyance (pebble or sand in my shoes, beginning of chafing) during hikes and running ultras and end up with avoidable injuries. I'm glad you're taking better care of your skin! I feel like that's something that's kind of common with millennials, ignoring sun protection or not taking it seriously. I've a family member that's has skin cancer removed, that really opened my eyes to how foolish I was being at times.
Great topic, Eric! The hardest step is the first one: That our actions are not necessarily the best course of action. For me, it was wanting to always seek 'a better spot' to stop hiking and start enjoying the backcountry. Even as I aged (I am now 67), I would always skip a great spot to set up, for that possible better spot. I have now tempered that, and find the trips much more enjoyable.
You should ditch Better Help as a sponsor. It's gotten some pretty bad TH-cam press lately for not having properly licensed therapists.
He dont care lol, free cash
It’s not the license that’s important…..
If someone gets help…
@@SS-qk8ocare they helping though?
@@ricker76er That’s my point: it’s whether clients found Better Help helpful or not, not whether the therapist has a “ proper license”.
The poster was pewling about “bad TH-cam press for not having properly licensed therapists”, not whether any clients had found the help they sought or not.
I have no opinion about Better Help at all, just wanted to point out that the effectiveness of the therapy is important thing, not the licensure…..
@@SS-qk8oc right. Who needs a properly licensed doctor to perform surgery. If a “therapist” can’t meet the minimum professional requirements to be a called such. Then they have no business treating patients.
thank you for that honesty! it helps us all that are starting in this outdoor world and look up at you as someone to learn from. thanks from Brasil!!
Thanks for all the honest reflection Eric! I too am a horrible planner and have the "things will work out fine" attitude, which is not all bad. Last year traveling on the CDT at Cumbrous pass area, I kept crossing sketchy snow fields thinking things would work out fine. However, I slipped while crossing a very steep snow field that would have ended in certain serious injury or death. I did not have micro-spikes or an axe which I knew was a bad idea! I was alone and making bad decisions regardless of my years of mountaineering experience.
I mostly like my positive disposition and I think I've benefited from it in the long run. But it has definitely come back to bite me! Learning to balance this is pretty important.
Excellent set of tips. Many of us should probably confess to several of these habits that we can improve on.
Thank you for your honesty.
Appreciate the vulnerability and honesty.
My worst habit? Not telling anyone where I'm going and when I expect to be back. I've been doing this for 50 years. However, I do carry a Zoleo satellite device now.
A device is okay, you need to tell someone somewhere your plans. Sometimes devices fail
Leave a copy of plans on your desk or ‘fridge & let someone know where they’ll always be. Or, text them to someone as you start.
Hardest part is to admit one’s faults and learn by them, adjust them and improve for one’s own benefit and the benefit of others. So well done kudos 👍❤️
I really appreciate your honesty here ❤️❤️❤️
Thanks for sharing your honesty. I can’t carry more weight than I need, wait until you’re 60. :) I do carry too much food, but that is because I bring the food that I know I’ll need, but end up not hungry. I’ve had melanoma removed twice, my cousin died from it. Worth the extra weight to take care of properly. Just to share my own folly, I need to be better with my own hygiene..wash face, dirt off legs and feet, etc.
Takes a big man to admit their mistakes/errors in judgement, especially in public. Respect for that, Eric!
Regarding packing too much weight, the backcountry hunting crowd have a good saying for that: don't pack your fears.
Fascinating. I would have never imagined you are bad at planning with all you've done! I used to be a backcountry nps ranger and LOVED backpacking. But I abhored the planning stage of packing and did just as you with food. Larely due to that, my activity evolved into trail (and off trail running) where I carry nothing but a handfull of raisens in my pocket and feel free as a bird. But I do, at times, miss the magic of the multi-day trek..........
I think I'm bad at planning because I have done it so much. So I feel like I can just wing it and everything will be fine.
Overdoing it has been my biggest hurdle. I started noticing that I was making little mistakes… which lead to more little mistakes… and then injury. Could have been hiking, snowboarding, cycling, running… I’d stop listening to my body and listen to someone who was cheering me on… ya… I don’t do that anymore. I focus on my own state of being and state of mind. But it took a long time to figure it out.
Very courageous Eric allowing yourself to be vulnerable. Well done.
Great video. We all have flaws and do stupid things. Just part of living and learning. Being honest with yourself and doing a little self reflecting comes with maturity. Always enjoy your videos and looking forward to the next.
I actually like your ballz to the walls attitude to backpacking. Makes you unique in a sea of ultralight backpackers. And you can see the benefits of it, like carrying heavy loads means you are maintaining larger muscles, so you can achieve more without being injured. Also it means that if you ever went on a thru hike, your body would carry those loads easily and be able to enjoy the hike a lot more. Mainly since the Thru hike will force you to carry ultralight gear, and the overall weight will end up being even less than what you are carrying nowadays. Question, isn’t a sun hoodie enough cover against the sun? It goes over the neck and covers the ears well, do I really need the wide hat in addition? It’s a cool hat, just wondering if it’s really needed.
This is an excellent discussion . Years ago, I had a Scoutmaster who had been in World War II and was one of those people with the 10th Mountain Corp and was one of those crazy people after the war who did the skiing stuff still can’t remember his name. He always made sure we planned a retreat on our backpacking routes. To this day I observe this practice. Sometimes it is simple and others it requires some serious thought. Good practice and always part of the itinerary.
Nice! That's a good skill to practice for sure!
Hey, when we hiking again?
Thanks for sharing this, Eric. 👊🏻
Yo Devin! You know anywhere cool?
Some food for thought :
-If you make the same mistake twice, you didn't suffer enough the FIRST time.
-Learning from your mistakes is valuable, learning from OTHERS' mistakes is priceless.
-Everyone wants to shine, but nobody wants to polish!
Adding segments in videos or full videos highlighting things like hats and skin protection stuff including sunscreens, gloves, etc. would be great. I have had pre-cancer cut off me and there definitely aren't many videos that really touch on this stuff.
Thank you for being honest. It takes courage. I’ve had a chunk taken out of my forehead from skin cancer and appreciate the PSA. Also - ignore the clowns bashing you. Chances are they don’t have half your knowledge , or half your sincerity. Stay safe!
Thanks! I appreciate that. I generally am not bothered by criticism. If the feedback is valid I can learn from it. If it's totally off base, it probably says more about the person writing it than me. Anyway that's my take.
If you stay on the couch you will be ‘safe’. Those of us that actually hike and camp will make mistakes and will end up in dangerous conditions. That will even happen even if mistakes aren’t made. Part of being in the backcountry. We continue to learn from our mistakes and from the challenges the backcountry always throws at us. Thanks for all the valuable information you are giving us for free and thanks for being someone that actually does get out there and shares the good as well as the bad.
I do believe that if you spend enough time in the outdoors, incidents, emergencies, accidents, are just bound to happen. Doesn't always mean you did something wrong. Glad to hear you find this valuable!
Eric, on your review, I got the Bridger 55, with a tiny wife I carry most of the weight and the bridger is great at that.
At almost 63 I've had 4 skin cancer surgeries, with good insurance, it's still almost a 1000 per surgery. Sun block is way cheaper.
OK, but you now own a good suit like a proper grownup, and you got some epic footage of a flash flood. How many people ever capture a vid like that?! :)
Food: One of the take-aways from Dan's GC experience should be that protein is the macronutrient that we need in the greatest quantity every day. Carbs are lighter, but skimping on the protein can have serious consequences. Learn from his experience.
Toenails: Yes! How is it that _nobody_ makes titanium straight-edged clippers for backpackers?!!! Come on, Vargo, Ruta Locura, Suluk46, LoopAlien -- we NEED those!
It's true that inadequate protein right before a severely taxing exercise (such as the GC in snow) can lead to a higher likelihood or worse symptoms of exercise-induced rhabdomyolysis, but to say that we should eat more protein than any other macro flies in the face of all nutrition research. Excessive protein has its own problems, including potential kidney damage.
@@carl13579 That is just plain wrong. Look up "essential amino acids" and "essential fatty acids". We need robust amounts of the former and only tiny amounts of the latter. Everything else is just calories (speaking about macronutrients).
Dan did far more damage to his kidneys by not eating enough protein than he could ever do by eating "excess" protein. Most of the fears about THAT are not well supported by the data.
@@carl13579 That is just plain wrong. It is well known that essential amino acids are the nutrients that we need in greatest quantities. Write your own post If you want, but please don't troll mine with misinformation. You could hurt someone.
@@billb5732 You can look up any health site - 10-35% of your calories should come from protein.
I believe it’s always good to be humble in the backcountry, being humble and honest about can save lives, including our own.
I’m an over-planner because I’m anxious, I’d sooner bail on a trip than risk something potentially dangerous. But I definitely overpack on food every single time.. I’m dialing it in a little bit though, figuring out what’s really necessary (always way less than what I expect) and I need to work on my water and electrolyte usage too.. I have a bad habit of saving water and not drinking enough as I hike :/
humility is a good trait for backcountry adventurers. As for water, it's much more helpful in the body than in your pack!
As always, enjoy the content. No matter hiking the Grand Canyon, slots, across Glacier or Yellowstone, weather is a huge consideration along with hydration, nutrition, rest, foot care, sun protection, preparedness, planning and communication.
Many consider hiking and backpacking, the same as taking a long walk - far from it.
We literally train, practice, plan and prepare for every adventure. I often think back to our half and full marathons, our ultras. Never would or could I conceive of doing one of those distances without training, practicing, planning and preparing, let alone going those distances day after day like on a transcontinental journey.
We think more needs to be written or videoed on long distance athletes. We are in our late 70’s and our ability didn’t just happen nor were we naturally able, whether on our feet or on a bike.
It’s a fine line assessing risk and ego to overcome that risk. One needs to know one’s own limitations then have the courage to make the right decision for them. A group needs to operate at the level of the least skilled. Bottom line your motto should be “ live to hike another day!”
My worst backpacking habit is procrastinating packing for trips. I out it off until the last minute and then I have to scramble to get everything together. This year, I started packing way ahead of time, with limited success. I will keep trying though.
Thank you for sharing. I appreciate it
Absolutely!
My biggest mistake is overestimating my ability. I learn my limits and I work with what I can do. You never know until you try. And I set new goals. That is what I love about hiking and backpacking
Great content as usual 👍
Glad you are addressing your bad habits. Especially when people are treating you and looking to you to be the Expert. Seems like your ego can get the best of you and your friends who go along with you. My ego has done the same but when alone. When I am going somewhere with someone else(s) I go back through my prep for each person individually to make sure we got everything. You are lucky to be alive and the people who have traveled with you; but then some of that is the adventure so make corrections and don't beat yourself up.
An expert is...but a beginner with experience - John Welsford
One of the reasons I want to make videos like this is to communicate that even the "experts" make mistakes. With the amount of time in the backcountry something is bound to go wrong from time to time. But that's where we can learn our most valuable lessons.
As a rock climber I like to say if you're not falling, you're not trying hard enough. Each mistake is an opportunity to grow, and your transparency surrounding your mistakes shows a good mindset of being honest about where you need to improve. Thanks for sharing!
That's true. There is something about wanting to push yourself and grow you abilities that only comes from going to the edge of what you can currently do.
We become stronger by doing the things that make us feel weak.
You have identified your weak points and now you can work out how to do those things better.
One failing is to not properly evaluate all participants before the trip - then having the ability to tell those who don't pass muster that they should not (or won't be permitted) to participate. This has translated into less enjoyable trips - for the entire crew as well as for the participant. However, this could also lead to situations that threaten the well-being of the participant as well as members of the crew.
Please remember mosquito protection. 9 years ago I lost my bestie to West Nile Virus. We'd been hiking in the SoCal coastal hills where the TV show M.A.S.H. was filmed.
I used to have the same issue with bringing to much food. Then I switched to opsak’s for each day and it helped me better plan what I had for food that day in each individual bag. It helped me shed at least 5 lbs of over packing.
I appreciate you telling us this so we can make better decisions. I don’t want to be a person who only believes lard is greasy by sticking my hand in the bucket! You gave a great list of items we can buy to give you credit, but what about that bracelet?
May God continue to watch over you and give you more wisdom and insight.
Hey thanks! If you want the bracelet, you've got to pay a visit to Maria up in the Andes of Peru. It is the way.
Admitting our flaws is not easy, especially in public. We all learn lessons as we circle around the Sun, with every year we get wiser, but the more we learn the less we realize we know.
I’ve always overpacked my food and fuel. I really need to cut back on heavy snacks, but it’s hard to know what you’re going to be hungry for when planning your trip.
Good luck on your journey and I wish you the best. Take care of your mind, body, and soul. Also remember to listen to your wife, marriage is a partnership, work together for the greatest success. My wife and I are a few days away from our 29th anniversary.😊
I have diabetes (type 1), which means I need to be diligent (which I am). On my own, I take hourly breaks, I air out my feet, I monitor my blood sugar like a hawk. When I’m hiking with others, I regretfully forget to say out loud, that I should take a break. It’s likely because I’m enjoying the company, but it does mean that I’m constantly eating on the walk, which is hard on my stomach
All I have to say is…experience is wisdom. It’s not everyone who admits their flaws…we all have them! TY😎
In may I did a remote bike packing trip, lost time and energy on very bad roads, had to sleep in a hut in a bitter cold night where I realised that I forgot to take a lighter with me. That night told me that cold is a cruel teacher. I now am unsure about my judgment ability but it's a wake up call.
Start smoking 🤣
That's what a friend said too 😂
I take 2 lighters for that very reason.
@@lyndseygolden7546 , one for lighting a cigar and the other if the first stops working? Me too 😊
Great shot, kid! Now don't get cocky." not just a great line in a movie.
haha well said
Humans are prone to errors, so I’m starting a backpacking checklist based on this video. I recommend The Checklist Manifesto for an interesting and potentially lifesaving read.
Thank you for your honest review of self. 👍😎🇺🇸
It's something we all can benefit from. Thanks!
Better help is a scam
I trail run and I am such a dingus about my stupid toe nails. I’ll get a cut/blister from my middle toe nail cutting my other toe while running at least once a month! You would think I would remember to keep up with it. Add ingrown big toenails on top of that and it’s the worst! The thing is my toenails look fine and upkept but something about the impact and repetition of running/hiking just does a lot of damage. I’ve yet to find the perfect shoe too because I’ve got wide feet and my toes want to spread out which means I often have to size up in shoe and then it just feels loose with more trip hazards. 😡
I saw my self in you. I always tell my self not to make these type of mistakes but i do them anyway. Even though my mistakes are not the same my approach is just the same as yours. Maybe its time to embrace our mistakes and not be so harsh to our selves. I plan throughly my food intake and pack them. Buttt i don’t eat them and end up giving the food away or feeding the stray cats and dogs with the tuna packets that i didn’t touched. I wake up late don’t eat breakfast and sometimes even skip lunch… i dont know why i am so careless. But i cant stop my self to take a decent brake and enjoy eating proper food. Different mistake same approach… take care
Great video. Thank you for sharing.
Maybe use the food-thing as a personal challenge to see just how good you can get at planning?
Eric I appreciate your self criticism! This video of self reflection of oneself help all of us at different experiences levels learn valuable lessons taught by our backcountry experiences ! Survival of these experiences is a lesson for all ! Thank you for sharing!
Eric, remember that preparation, while not 100% will save you 99% of the time. Even though it’s hard, being disciplined in this area will save you a time of trouble later.
My worst habit is packing too much food. I tend to eat less on trail than at home.
My worst habit is getting really silent and losing myself in thought and how pretty the scenery is and forgetting to make lots of noise. I live in Alberta, Canada and everywhere we hike is prime bear country. I always bring bear spray though!
Nothing that's ever been life-threatening but I do overpack food. My next trip is going to be my longest trip so far - 6 days. I plan to keep my dehydrated meal packaging trash and go through it and record how much I actually ate. Hopefully that gives me an idea what I actually need. Having a good baseline will be helpful for planning future trips.
Hi Eric, I have a favor to ask. I've seen your video where you shared a setup you use with your wife, specifically a double wide sleeping pad so you can cuddle. I am unable to find which video was that. Could you help me find the video or recommend what sleeping pad you use for 2 person setup? Thank you very much. 🙏
It’s a Big Agnes Doublewide
Yo! It's the Zenbivy Double. It's soo good! And the video was from our Kauai backpacking trip on the Kalalau trail, one of the best ever!
Just did that trail so good…(and hard) was actually me and my 17 yo’s first backpacking trip 🤙🏽
I have become a long sleeve wearer as well. Bugs and sun…I have not started wearing a wide brim hat yet, but Imma gonna look on line for one now. Thanks for the umpf…I just started watching your videos and I like them- the trips are fabulous and in amazing places. Thanks for sharing this- I definitely need a checklist pinned to the door and to use it. Im always forgetting something…🥰🥾🥾😎⛺️
I remember your Grand Canyon and Zion episodes. I have to admit that Zion experience was scary and I was only watching 👀
Here is what I don’t understand. I think twice he said “hundreds and hundreds” of hiking trips. How did he get this far, and not learn relatively basic risk management (ignored weather) and trip planning? You make a mistake, and you learn from it. And as a 20+ year outdoor educator who is actively dealing with skin cancer…. YES! Take care of yourself. Eric, I wrote a book about trip planning that I will HAPPIly send you for free. Just reach out.
he's human..........
I'm a bad planner because I believe that with my skill level I don't need to know all the details. Plus, with my lifelong disposition I have a general belief that it will all work out for good.
I'm pasty white myself...but don't overdo it on covering up your skin, or else you could end up vitamin D deficient.
I've ended up in 32-degree water twice. I got swept away by a flood-swollen river at a usually tame ford once. At age 47, I ignored & rationalized the signs & symptoms of a heart attack while hiking a long-distance trail. I ended up having "the big one" less than a week later. I almost got stomped by an elk in Yellowstone - a motorcyclist saved me. Dumbest move of all: I drove over a bridge with overflowing water during a flood with my infant daughter asleep in the backseat...I don't know how my car didn't get swept away because the water was way deeper than I'd thought.
I hear that on the Appalachian Trail, there's a shelter called The Priest (in Shenandoah NP?), & folks write down all their "sins" & shortcomings in the trail registry as some kind of catharsis...we both ought to go there some time! ;-)
Don't beat yourself up, brother...just keep going & sharing & loving & learning & experiencing & serving others & laughing! Woo! :-)
wow you've got some stories too! Yep, going to see the Priest might indeed be a good idea.
On the topic of sun exposure: studies show that regularly attaining sun exposure INCREASES both skin cancers and lifespan. Increased lifespan because of the hormone and cardiovascular improvements from UVA and infrared.
My toxic trait is I sing on trail. I can’t sing. If you ever heard me, we both regretted it
Hi Eric, congrats for you honest video. One trip, there is a youtuble nutricer exppecialized in hiker, Backcountry Foodie, maybe it will be a big oportunity for both chanels !!! Thanks for all man, take care.
My biggest issue with myself is eating and drinking. If I have 12 miles to go, I'll just go 12 miles, then sit down and try to eat or drink something. I don't do a good job of eating on the way. This means I usually can't eat enough when I do stop. As a diabetic, this can cause some serious issues.
I used to go overboard computing calories. I figured out a hack that works for me. 1.5lbs food for each full day on the trail. Generally that would be dense weight - aka dehydrated foods, nuts, jerky etc. I’m 6’ 2 and weigh 200lbs and tend to not lose weight on say 5 day trips with this approach.
I am bad at taking too many clothes and not enough food…still working on this…the human condition…maybe do a round table discussion video with Dan and Frozen about planning…that would be a very popular video 😊🇨🇦
Something I am really bad at is communicating how I am feeling. Because of my connective tissue disorder, I can have blood pooling issues. I can go from feeling fine to "icky" pretty quick. Then communicating that icky-ness is more difficult because brain fog is one of the symptoms.
oooh that's a really interesting one. Communicating with partners is a really important thing, and nobody wants to feel like a burden so it's common to feel like you just need to tough it out. But ultimately that can be even more dangerous!
My two worst flaws would be overpacking and too many redundancies. Too many redundancies kind of adds to the over packing issue but the redundancy thing is something I picked up from bushcraft and survivalist training as a hobby, the basic premise being one is none two is one. So I end up carrying multiple firestarters and lighters, knives, water purification methods, light sources, personal care kit and probably overpack my medical kit. If I really wanted to just get down to basics I could probably cut my pack weight in half, but I'm kind of addicted to my luxury items. 😇😁
I've thought about getting gloves for the summer. But that's it - just thought about it. I used to work landscaping and often had very suntanned hands, work semi-outdoors now and then hiking... But some sunshine is good for the skin (recommendation is 20mins). And sunshine is better than some sunscreen that's is in itself full of crap chemicals and hard for the body to process out. Hats are cool, I'm always wearing a hat. I'll look into the gloves.
Appreciate the honesty. I too overpack food. I think it's the "you pack your fears" kicking in. I routinely end a trip with 50% or more of my food weight remaining. I tend to over estimate what I'm going to eat, especially on the first night. It is not uncommon for me to eat nothing by a bar for dinner on the first night. I just don't have an appetite.
I am speaking to myself... Just stop doing stupid crap. Accidents happen. That's enough on its own. Don't help Mom Nature by doing stupid things because you think??? "I got this" or just laziness. Really hard to believe that I made it to 60, alive and in relatively good shape. I have rolled the dice way too many times, and I have changed my wicked ways. Well, most of them at least. Turns out that being over-cautious and under-zealous makes my trips much more fun. I'm still "out there" and mostly solo but just more careful. Thanks, dude. 👴
Great job makin it to 60! Glad you could learn!
Maybe do more research on your sponsorships.
On the topic of weight, in my boy scout youth days, 40-45 lbs was normal. Now I'm probably 20-30. I'm okay with never being one of those sub-10 lbs ultalighters. For real, what do you gain by dropping 5 lbs, aside from some over-preparedness? I'd much rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it. This isn't being late for an airline flight. That over-preparedness may actually matter, if not for you, someone in your group, or a complete stranger. It's just a few pounds. That's like two quarts of water. Don't sweat it.
Your propensity to carry extra will change as your health and age changes.
Skin cancer..ah yes indeed. I burn at the slightest suggestion of sunshine. When i spent a lot of time outdoors in Colorado.. i put sunscreen on, usually stopping about my eye brows. Who wants sunscreen running in your eyes. Many years later, basil cell carcenoma, a MOHS procedure above my right eye brow, 2 years later spots above my left. One was pre cancerous, got it frozen off. Sun damage is cumulative. I first went to a dermatologist when i noticed a large thing in my ear. It wasn't cancer. I see a dermatologist once a year now for screening. If anyone spends time out doors, you might want to consider having a dermatologist look you over ATB
yep, skin care isn't just for the fair skinned folk. I'm hoping I have shifted some habits there in time to not haunt me more.
I appreciate that you're recognizing and being honest with your failings, but that flash flood in a slot canyon thing, based on how you describe it, would be an immediate and permanent blacklist for me. It's too big and fundamental of a failure in judgement.
My Dad had to have a large cancerous growth cut out of his back. Doctors said the rest of the family has to take skin car/sun management more serious. Bought myself a Tilley hat and I don't care how dumb I look wearing it haha.
I am an over packer and an Over planner- who then gets really anxious when my plans are not met. which is a problem on long haul trips
Do you think you over pack and over plan because of anxiety? That's a tough one.
@@eric_hanson yes 100% especially as a solo female traveler there’s a lot of extra anxiety that I think goes with that and wanting to be prepared for any situation
Sun damage is permanent, you just increase the risk. I screen up just to go on a 20 minute bike ride these days (I'm older). You'll also find out, at some threshold of age, the too-heavy pack can damage your joints and joint damage turns into arthritis. I, fortunately avoided this, but you don't want to go there if possible.