Please notice that this video is almost 6 years old by now and prices might have changed since making this video. If you looking for budget camping gear it always worth spending a few minutes extra looking around if there’s any better or cheaper options out there. Also, as many people have pointed out, don’t disregard the used market. Happy camping!

Some of us cant afford expensive gears. That makes this video so appealing to me. Thank you for doing this.

I put the gas canister in a cut off nylon stocking to prevent it getting stuck in the pot.

I love this video. Excellent comparison. Appreciate your effort--and especially extra bits showing how and where you pack your gear.

this was a great video! I love how you also provided the "baseline" price options as well. gives a better perspective to newbies like myself.

I really appreciate this video. I now have the cooking kit, stove, and tent you recommended and Im very happy with them. Thanks!

My Hack for the stanley pot, was to cut the lip of the top of one of the nesting cups. Put that in the pot first with the little stove burner, and a flint lighter. And then the gas canister upside down on top. Then you have all you need for cooking plus a cup, only downside is it's slightly heavier with the cup. But no rattles and has been the best stove for bike packing for me so far.

Your accent and the name "Big Agnes" is an entertaining combo.

This is a great video! For those looking for budget gear, I'd also suggest looking into videos on ultralight backpacking gear on a budget, since the basics are the same. All that really changes is the method of transportation.

Love your videos and have learned a ton. Excited to try bikepacking once the weather gets a bit nicer. 🤘🏼

Good tips. Thanks. Watching set up the Nature Hike tent I checked the company name logo, it looks exactly like my BigAgnes. I don't use footprints anymore, excess weight and the bottom is holding up just fine. When bugs are at a minimum, I much prefer my bivy and a rainfly. Also the new Big Agnes tent, like the Z-Packs has two open sides which I prefer for the view. My Copper Creek is like being inside a bag.This is why I prefer the bivy and the rainfly. (I slept in just the bivy, outside the Kitadake hut in the Southern Alps almost 3000 meters, in very cold high winds and blowing rain. Best night of my life.) I'd suggest skipping the ground sheet, but have some patch repair. I also ever go anywhere without a sleeping bag liner, it increases the temperature range like no sleeping bag could ever do. If it's hot, I just use the liner, if it's cold, the liner extends the range of the bag. I've got the Reactor liner which is one of the warmer ones. I was also cheap about a ground cloth (that I don't use) for the Big Agnes. I bought a cheaper one that was close to the size and then just glued (with Shoe Goo, clamped for 24 hours) on a strip of webbing and melted a hole for the tent pole. I like the idea of being able to set up the Big Agnes in the rain by crawling under the rain fly, and then setting up the tent underneath. The problem, as you know, is you need to stick the poles into something or it won't work--which requires the ground sheet. I guess my tip is, save on the footprint, and make it fit with glued on webbing--which works (I didn't yet have a sewing machine) and then leave it home. Someday I'm just going to tie some string into the same pattern as the BigAgnes poles so I can do the rain set-up trick. For backpacking I sweat every gram and still end up with 20-30 kg pack weights. Without sweating the grams my pack would be 40 kg, and then I'd just rent a car or not go camping. I think we all laugh at the people cutting their toothbrushes in half, but we're struggling to reduce pack weight. You're hard on your stakes. (I can't remember the last time I had to hammer one in, I usually just push them in with my foot.) On a four day hike I lost two stakes the first day and then figured out that the bit of yellow string really makes a difference. I didn't lose any of those. I had orange line and added a 10-15 cm loop to all my stakes, the rest of that hike and the rest of the three month trip, I didn't lose anymore. A comfortable full length l air mattress and a good air pillow are essentials. Even the half-tooth brush guys go along with this. good video.

I used Naturehike 100$ cycling tent during my 5 month cycling trip (Poland-Kyrgyzstan)- ~1,6kg with the footprint. Very durable fabric, stiching and poles. I used it with big naturehike stakes, which I bought seperately - no issues, I love them. After 4 months both zips broke. Eventhough they broke, I was still very happy with it so now for bikepacking I am using Naturehike Taga 1. (1,1+0,2kg with the footprint)- very light 1 piece hybrid tent, great for setting up in the rain, spacious, comfortable, easy to set up. The only drawback is the condensation. I confirm that the stove is amazing, very powerful. During my trip I used 15$ anodized aluminium pots from Aliexpress, they are still in use. Some of my friends use the Aegismax sleeping bags, and they are pretty happy with it as well. Thanks for the content! Looking forward to get my first gravel bike this spring:)

Hi there! Finally, I just did my first overnight bike packing adventure following your recommendation to the Nature hike tent. I chose the Cloud Up 2 for a little more comfort - thanks for the good advice. 👍

Excellent. It really shows the improvement in cheap gear.

I am so new to all this - and find your videos SO interesting and helpful.. and also exciting! Thank you !

Great tip on stowing your gas can in the cooking pot. I didn't get one of those because it was so big, but seeing that I can use it to store the gas + accessories makes me want to get one.

Great job on the video! It's nice to see a review of items such as the sleeping bag and stove that can be very affordable for entry level bikepackers!

There has never been a better time to learn about and research perfectly usable, inexpensive equipment, be it cycling or camping related! Learning how to research, select, prepare and use inexpensive equipment is very enjoyable, and what is available today is invariably well designed and manufactured using good quality materials. The money one saves by choosing perfectly good, inexpensive equipment can be used to extend one's trip or to take more trips in future. There's a lot of enjoyment to be had from tracking down bargains and lot's of cycling and camping equipment tends to be sold after one or two uses where the owner decides that it's not to their liking. Video's of this type help to educate and inform and there's absolutely no embarrassment in having inexpensive equipment.

Super objective reviews. Love the detailed comparisons. More vids like this :)

Awesome video! For those of us just getting into bikepacking, this will save a TON of money!

Really like your videos. Such good quality content. I used the Stanley cook set for bike touring and I still use it to this day with a small alcohol stove and whatever I can find in a hardware store or pharmacist!

Love your lighting setup and music

This has been a super helpful video, many many thanks!

Very nice comparison & demonstrations. Far better than most. Thanks!

Excellent and very helpful video for those of us who don't want to blow a bunch of bucks on bikepacking gear. Thank you very much for all of this very useful info!

This was an absolutely great video in terms of information and quality!

Nice video! Getting into bikepacking is a little scary in the sense that doing so requires a significant cash outlay (even with budget options). This video, though, helps me understand that there are budget options that can get the hobby started without costing you a first-born child. With budget options as well, if something goes wrong and you tear up some of your gear on accident, then it's not as hard to swallow versus tearing up some high-end equipment. Cheers!

almost my first setup ... got the NatureHike 1Person version ~50bucks ... summer sleepingbag ~30bucks ... Pad ~ 25bucks ;) p.s.: the naturehike is a very good tent with an update version

so cool you took the effort to make this. thanks a million!

Thanks for this video and all the tips. It is very important for the ones that are starting to have comparison. Would be nice in the future to compare some of the naturehike stuff to decathlon stuff. Decathlon usually isn't much more expensive/heavier, but they honor their warranty (and it is easier because of phisical stores) and usually it is no questions asked.

Thanks for the video! I have this cook kit along with the same style stove (but made by the brand MSR) and gas can. It was close, but i never thought to put the gas kit fitted inside the pot. That’s genius!

This is by far the most useful review on this topic, fits my needs perfectly! I have to admit that although I did spend quite some time looking for alternatives, I ended up buying almost all of the recommendations here, but I did go for the StS sleeping pad as I hate deflating hassle plus it was on sale. As soon as all the gear has arrived It's going on test- first in my back yard:-)

Great video. Also massively respect the effort you went through to post the links for purchase for different markets.

Hey! I started ebike packing. I'm not counting grams but the lighter gear allows me greater battery range. I bought a SnugPac Ionosphere. Bivy. 130$ on Amazon. Love it!!! High quality.

Great video. For the stove there is a great homemade alternative, using alcohol for fuel. Mine has been on many tours over the past four years and still works great. You can make it from a foster beer can 👍

I’m surprised that you don’t have >20x the subscribers that you currently have. Amazing production value, good “to the point” script, and genuinely interesting content. I hope you keep making videos because I’m almost done watching all your older ones!

Definitely helps those who are just starting out to find the best of budget friendly so we don't go broke and cant afford the food

Naturehike is a nice brand to explore if you don't have any gear yet with good quality for the price. Ship it directly from China if you can, because Amazon isn't exactly cheap. Another brand to explore is Decathlon, especially clothing and smaller bags. Naturehike Cloud Up 2 (Upgraded) weighs 1753g (my own set, about USD100). Not sure why you'd use a Cloud Up 1 considering you're a much larger person than I am, and it weights just 100g more.. ALL my gear, including my Brompton clone foldie fits in the tent. But one day, I will get an UL tent like the Big Agnes, when I can afford it. I use a nested drinking cup with lid (450ml) and a cooking cup with lid (750ml), both titanium, from Tomshoo. Just buy titanium from the get go. Stainless steel pots and cups just weigh so much when you only really need to boil up mostly water to make hot drinks and hydrate pasta. Not sure why titanium cookware is so expensive on Amazon. I got both my cups for about USD30 in total. That said, the BRS stove is the lightest and smallest to date, and I also own one (unbranded, same thing, far cheaper, about USD6). I use a backpacking bag (60L) to pack my gear, and this sits on the rear rack of my foldie. My daypack (30L) gets strapped to my front carrier. So I do have much more packing volume and I don't have to deal with narrow dimensions. I recommend using hand-rolled vacuum travel bags because you can really squeeze a lot of air out of a sleeping bag, fleece blanket (my luxury item), down puffy jacket, clothes, etc, packs down almost flat, is already waterproof, and is cheap to replace. Just takes some practice to fold the stuff to the right size, slide them into the vaccum bag, gently sit on it, and seal. Then again, I am not totally minimalist nor fully UL nor hardcore daily cycling range, so I do pack a little bit more for my comfort and ride at a leisurely pace.

Great help as I am just going to be starting bike packing and will be on a tight budget. You gained a subscriber here👍🏾

Amazing review and comparison! So useful. Thank you!

I bought a sleeping pad from Naturehike, and while I've been really amaze by the build quality and how well it aged, the design itself turned out to be quite slippery and problematic. I ended up buying another mattress for about the same price but at decathlon, and you can see they place more thinking into their products as they fix all of the problems I got with the Naturehike. Still happy Naturehike is around as they force the market not to inflate too much the price of high quality gears, and would certainly consider some others products from them after looking for extensive reviews.

COMPLEMENT TIME SIR! YOU HAVE AMAZING ! SETS OF MUSCLES IN YOUR KNEE AREA ...NOT EVERY ONE NOTICES THE SAME THINGS ! THANKS FOR EXCELLANT VID FROM SCOTLAND ..

Once again a great informative video. I use the same stove and it's great. But I use a steel cup with a lid that I picked up for about a pound. Cheap and compact.

Went across US and back. Moving on to motorcycle, thanks for the info as it's about the same as bicycling.

I used to buy footprints as well, until I discovered Tyvek! You can buy a sheet of this for a few bucks and lay your tent on top of it and cut it to size. It is waterproof, ultralight, and most of all CHEAP! Also, it is loud haha. But if you throw it in the washing machine, it takes that noise away.

Thanks for the reviews! Would be cool to do an update for 2020 Budget Gear.

I’ve got a blue, square down Naturehike sleeping bag and it’s awesome 👍🏻👍🏻

Congrats on the Channel mate! Good quality stuff

So inspired to go bike packing right now.. although i might take the motorbike until i get a little fitter. Great video mate!

I'm going to add up to the previous comments. This is really a very well made and useful video. I wish I had seen this before my summer trip. I was more in a hurry to gear up and bought a decathlon mat for 40€ which has the same weight of the sea to summit. but it's kind of hard to get rid of the air, though.

Excellent video. It is very helpful and well made. Thank you.

What a great video i have an ultra bike challenge next year and now i know which sleeping bag to buy thks !!

I can’t believe how compact and light these tents are.

Love that gas canister stowage in the cook pot. That is efficient use of space!

100% solid video. Great information. Thanks.

Solid video. Informative & to the point. Cheersď

Thanks a lot. I am just about to start bikepacking.

Very good video. Finally some budget friendly gear is reviewed and compared to premium stuff. Thanks! For only 6 Euro you get on ebay/Amazon a Chinese copy of the MSR Pocket Rocket, with integrated piezo lighter. It heats like crazy and is super small and durable.

NatureHike makes a full size folding camping chair as well(read: back support up to the shoulder) . It's maybe 14 inches X 5 inches X 4 inches packed but it was great for my first week long ride and I kept it on top of my pannier rack, so not only could I use it at camp but also to rest during the day. It's not Ultralight at all but I enjoyed it

Love the tips and advice. Well done.

Awesome review dude!!!

nice and simple overview!

Thanks for the comparison. I have done bike trips as long as 6 months in the 90s and carried all that stuff with me. Now I just do shorter weekend trips and stay at B&Bs and eat out. I may not be a purist anymore, but nothing beats a hot shower, food cooled for you and a comfy bed after a long day in the saddle.

Thank you very much! Valuable information and equipment! Good Luck!

Really informative and detailed video! Awesome

Nice video! Light & affordable is a great topic. My budget solutions are a DIY polycryo tarp for shelter, foam pad for mattress (less compact but insulated and more versatile), SOL Escape Bivy for sleeping bag, a GSI stainless steel pot (a bit smaller than the Stanley pot) and, like you, the BRS stove (it doesn't have piezo lighter but an actual lighter + stove is still lighter than most stoves!). Cheers from Canada.

It was here I saw for the first time the brand Naturehike, was convinced also after I talked to a local guy who's been using a Cloup Up1 for a few years and was totally satisfied, so I got meself a tent also, it's a 2 person I don't remember the exact model, maybe it's just a code, but it has two entrances on the long sides. I put up quickly in the living room and it looks very sharp, the material is really nicely stretched in all corners, I can't wait to try it for real. The tent is 1600g and the additional underlayer mat is 300g, a little heavier than expected but I'm sure it was in the description on Aliexpress. I also got two Naturehike sleeping mats which feels a little cheaper to the touch as I expected, but I can't complain. It held it's air for 3 days&nights during which my kids and then I slept on it, no problem.

Nice video... thanks for sharing, this is really helpful.

Great video and review. I like the stove. That thing was small.

Thanks for this info. I will try this one.

I love using a alcohol stove. You can make one easily with a tuna can. It's super light. Then all you have to do is carry a very small plastic bottle of alcohol or methylated spirits. It gives me enough to cook my dinner and make a hot chocolate. 10/10 would reccomend. And here in Australia many people stock methelayted spirits so it's easy to top up or you can use e85 from a petrol station

I've used outdoor vitals sleeping bags for all my biking climbing and camping trips for the last 2 years. Love their gear, highly recommend it. They have a 30 degree down bag that's about $200

Great and informative channel! subscribed

Hey awesome video, keep it up! Also, I used that plastic bit on the lid on an open fire to cook, as long as you don't exaggerate (envelope it in) the flames, it's fine. You don't want huge flames on your fire to cook anyways so it should fare well with somebody who knows what they're doing.

That little gas stove is super cool!

This was a great video. thanks

Finally someone who doesnt say that ultralight is essential for bikepacking..! And you dont really need very compact gear either if you just have some decent sized rear paniards. I can fit almost all my gear in just one of my paniards, so i have plenty room left for food. People who do it as a competition will of course try to maximize their mileage by lowering weight, etc, but 12kg should not be a big problem for most people.

Very helpful! Brands used and links to where to get them. Thank you!

Like your cool way to talk, easy going, explanation and the whole nerd things...weight, etc. Thanks for this cool video =o) I love bikepacking and trying things on the budget side, my sleeping bag is 15°Cmax and I cut and sew a ultralight fleece blanket als inliner and I had use both at -5°C cozy warm,better sleep ever and no weight. Greets aus Switzerland.

Super helpful video!

Thanks for the tip on the Aegismax sleeping bag- it's definitely affordable and looks to be a great addition to my arsenal of bike packing gear. The tent is really similar to the eureka I picked up not long ago. I'm considering adding a silnylon tarp to swap for the rainfly which could cut out some of the bulk and weight. I don't want to be an absolute weight weenie in every category, but I think it goes VERY far to leave certain items behind; like a stove, monstrous book, and all of the things I just won't be using altogether. I can buy things that are needed as well (this is much better because I'm not carrying or thinking about something that I won't be using, and when I need something that feels crucial, I buy it, and that's makes for an interesting experience honestly, to be saying "wow, I actually need to buy this while I'm here"). Emergency equipment is always something to consider, yet small in scale, which really goes without saying. Your not going to save the world while you're touring on your wheels. There's a high chance that I'm speaking towards a trip last around 1 month plus here: Getting too cold is definitely up there. Could be simple as a safety blanket. A whistle isn't dumb to bring for any trip (but maybe you prefer to die a certain way, a way that doesn't involve a whistle and that's totally cool too! Maybe you're one of those fiercely independent and "I can do it myself" types. I can see some of you being like that who are on here. But maybe there are some folks who really just want to get everything covered for their desired cycling gig. What I've found out first hand- is that you WILL NOT regret the decision to go, it's worth it on so many levels. If you have the incling and are leaning that way to head out on a big trip, let me help you a bit by saying whole heartedly- GO! This is like the gift that just keeps on giving. Whatever time you feel is appropriate, will be appropriate, perfect for "where you're at" in life. I knew what the country that I chose would be like by researching it for over a year (mainly about how bikes work there, what the roads are like, what the people are like, costs, etc. And the costs I might add, are going to be cheaper than anything else. It's like having a free home and transportation for endless weeks on end. Just paying for food. No gas, not buying a bunch of SH#!, cuz what are you going to do with it? Now, when I buy something to eat, it's being consumed right then and there or in a day or two (a myriad of different scenarios could change this, mainly if I may not see a grocery store or convenience store for a while, or maybe I just love this certain kind of chocolate bar and can't stand the thought of being separated from it for a few days). O ya, pack some of those water filtration tablets just in case you somehow undershot your water supply. Also- I loved having a beanie with me so that I could just pop it right on after getting my helmet off (cuz I won't have washed my hair for around 4-5 days). Obviously if it's scorching- swap that for a hat or yamaka or something. Everyone is different and has different tastes for what they keep alongside themselves. So make your trip your own, and personalize it as you see fit. Your trip will not look anything like another's trip because nothing is really replicated, it's all original because you're experiencing it fresh, in the moment, just you.

Love your channel, dood.

You can get the NatureHike tent in silnylon as well if you get the gray color. It's a bit more expensive but a lot lighter. (same type of material as Fly Creek)

Bivy bags for the winnnnnnn!!

Thanks for sharing your experience. :)

Thanks for this.

Using the same gear kit (except instead of stanley I have cheaper and lighter aluminum alternative) for a year and it's working perfect for me. And it's possible for two people to sleep in Cloud Up 1, although there are versions for 2 and even more people.

Nice! really informative! thumbs up

I bought one of those Naturehike tents. I never used it, gonna sell it when I get round to it, but it looks good quality. I just wanted a different colour, mine is lime green.

Really useful video , thankyou, subscribed. :)

Nice video! I want to try some camping around Japan this year. Where do you choose your camp grounds? I was thinking of taking it easy and try the riverside, but I don't know anything about the Japanese regulations on camping. Can you give me any advice?

Great video! I’m creating an Amazon wish list and adding these items. Quick question, what products would you change or recommend for bike packing in hot and humid tropical environments?

Great video! I'm planning a week long trip, and can't set up my hammock on it. I'll probably end up using some of these instead of my car-camping gear. I think my Big Agnes dream island sleeping bag weighs more than your whole camp setup.

Very good video. Thanks. Greetings from Germany

Just recently discovered your channel. Already one of my favourites! Btw.... Did anyone ever told you that you look and sound a bit like a younger version of Sting?

Great video, but I'm curious to know the brand of the compression bag that you used for your tent.

very nice gear and not so expensive

I use the stanley cook kit you show, and so far, i have had no problems with the plastic lid handle melting over the campfire. I am always mindful of where the handle is, but it is more a matter of fire vigilance. In a pot that small, you don't need a bonfire to cook with. Most times a very small fire is plenty to cook with without risking damage to the gear.

Nice socks!

Thank you for the awesome video =)