Garage Grown Gear New Gear Page: geni.us/New-GGG 👇 GEAR FROM THE VIDEO 👇 Tensor XC Sleeping Pad: geni.us/TensorXC-GGG Ultamid Tent: geni.us/Ultamid4 Arc Haul Pack: geni.us/ArcHaul EE Conundrum Quilt: geni.us/EE-Conundrum EE Synthetic Quilt: geni.us/revelationapex Blade 2 Stove: geni.us/FiremapleBlade2 Evernew 1L Pot: geni.us/EvernewPasta Nalgene Coozy: geni.us/NalgeneInsulator HDPE Nalgene: geni.us/NalgeneHDPE Rovyvon Flashlight: geni.us/RovyvonA5X Summit 10k Battery: geni.us/NitecoreSummit Snowclaw Shovel: geni.us/SnowClaw Revel IV Boots: geni.us/RevelHigh Trailbreaker II Pants: geni.us/ORTrailbreakerII SkyTour Jacket: geni.us/SkyTourJacket Ski Touring Gloves: geni.us/SkiTouringGloves

One thing I like about this cat is he goes out there and does the activity. Too many people with sizable channels doing equipment and advice videos and very little actual backpacking videos. This is a great way to express equipment variety, technique and personal skill testing

A tip from a grizzled old-hand... If you're going to experiment with gear in serious cold weather, best to stick to areas with an easy retreat till you can build confidence in your setup. The escape route from this camp looks serious, so he was taking a significant risk here. Oh - and in winter I'll always take a hard-core torch, so that if I do have to retreat in the dark I can see where I'm going. There's light and then there's stupid light - skimping on the torch is one corner that I personally would never be cutting to save a couple of grams.

I think it was worth mentioning that you're a *very* experienced winter backpacker, and just because *you* can do this with the gear shown doesn't mean anyone else should try it. I was most concerned about that traverse without traction devices or an ice axe. I hope you realize you're an influential person, and people will emulate you.

Winter is one of those times where I don't skimp on gear. Usually I car camp with a big hot tent, but I actually started backpacking in the winter after watching your channel. I'd need a lot more experience before I start going ultralight, but it's interesting seeing how you approach that.

YOU'RE A MADMAN!! Absolutely loved that, one of my favourite videos for a while. Thanks so much for posting!!

Leaving the micro spikes behind might not have been the wisest choice there buddy. Great video though and very helpful for a trip I’m planning in the uk this winter

I love winter hiking so much more than any other time of year. It's the air and the wrath of nature is more dangerous in the winter and everything is so beautiful. I find I get way too hot during the summer and I always am super warm hiking in the winter, sometimes I end up hiking in just a tshirt and snowpants. I love it.

I’m such a creature of comforts that I prefer car camping. I love your adventures and kudos to you for sharing this experience with us!

I agree on the quilt solution. You don't want to have anything other than a bag to put your body in outside wintertime. You can leave your quilt duvet's at home. Bring a quilt you can zip up like a sleeping bag, or bring a proper sleeping bag. Personal choice of course. But for the majority, this is not the kind of conditions to choose a sleeping system you can't cover 99% of your body. It's a great demo though. Lightweight in the cold. It can be done.

Amazing onsite and hugely useful! Thanks

Thanks for taking risks and documenting your experience so we can all learn! Always enjoy your videos. Also just placed an order through GGG through your link.

Thank you for your hard work and your dedication. It is greatly appreciated. You make great content that is very enjoyable to watch. Idk if it makes some of the suffering worth it but you are making great videos.

0:30 Great song choice, I used it on my Dolly Sods Wilderness video from over the summer 👍👍

Nice to see you got a calm day! Everytime I head up that way the wind just punches me at hidden.

what a beautiful spot. would love to do winter camping one day. great video, thankyou.

love the video man, was a joy to watch. be careful out there!

Hi Justin thanks for the videos and gear reviews, I am considering the rei helix because of your reviews. I would love to see you review the haven hammock tent, it is my go to shelter and sleep set up. It seems to be the only way I can get comfortable in the woods. I would love your take on it.

Amazing trip, have to say going up looked sketchy but as always you handled it like a pro, super like.

Glad to see the tensor improved hopefully gonna snag one for myself this winter

Justin, you are braver than most people who wouldn't even consider doing what you did, let alone do it! Thank you so much for sharing the most awesome Canadian Rockies! They are breathtaking to see. I can't believe you went up that rock scree without micro spikes and I'm impressed that you slept through the night without being too cold. 😉

It's possible now to carry a pretty light pack and still have really warm gear and clothes thanks to lighter materials. Not that long ago, multi-day ski mountaineering trips meant 80lb packs, but about 10-12 years ago we saw a serious revolution in warm gear that is also much lighter. My last big multi-day ski mountaineering trip I started a four night trip with a 15kg pack (33lbs) and that included climbing gear - an unimaginable pack weight compared to 20 years ago. Everything is lighter. 800-900 fill power down, dyneema, reflective-tech sleeping pads, skinny (but still safe) climbing ropes, 100g harnesses, and on and on. We took the MSR Reactor stove, which is heavy compared to the tiny BRS-style summer stoves, but as a winter cooking system, a fraction of the weight of white-gas and an XGK. Okay, I'll never part with my XGK, because there are still trips where nothing else will do, but those trips are the exception now, not the norm.

For the Nemo/ Xtherm comparison use the TENSOR MUMMY shaped pad. It we be apples to apples. Or use the xtherm square pad. The extra volume is a big factor especially when there is an apples to apples from each brand.

Brilliant video Justin.

Hope you are up to speed on your avalanche safety if you are traveling this type of terrain in winter. The catch with avalanche safety techniques is it almost all requires a 2nd person. Be safe out there please.

Beautiful country and terrifying to watch!! A little bit of a nail biter when you were climbing!!

Wow. That was some scary footage. Made me think of Julian Sands.

most definitely earned a subscriber with this one!

Looks like a lot of fun

A comment on winter tents - if you have a double-wall tent that can be set up fly-only, you have a winter tent already. I bring just the fly from my Lanshan-1 for winter camping, along with a .7mm plastic groundsheet, and it's comparable (IMHO) to a purpose-built floorless/bugnetless winter tent, for no additional cost.

Excellent video. What is temperature rating (comfort rating) of each quilt you used? How do you add them together to get the combined comfort temp rating. You mention -20 C.

My first backpacking trip from Canada into the USA only needed fig leaf as gear. I ended up going to place called the rainbow gathering and only found out when I got there that it was a huge nudist colony. Oh yeah.

Hey Justin, i always enjoy your videos! So nice to see a Canadian perspective as we (Canadians) all know American versions of gear testing and real life use often are difficult to compare to the conditions we deal with north of the border. Just curious which conundrum you were using. The -12, -17, or -23 version... Also, are you using a 850 or 950 fill down? Cheers!

Very cool :) how do you decide on which winter hikes/ camps to go for?

This is a good topic. Think my Western Mountaineering Megalite large girth down 3 season 20 F. mummy bag COULD work down to -10 F. ir I work my polyester polar weight base layer and my down pants and down jacket along with my R5.3 insulated air mattress. Below that I'd have to use my -20 F. down mummy and closed cell Ridge Rest mattress beneath the R5.3 air mattress. With the down clothes that mummy would take me to -35 F. but I need to be inside my Tarptent Moment DW (Double Wall) solo tent. Also I'd need my MSR Whisperlite Universal in white gas mode beyond -10 F. PLUS my -30 F. down parka and mittens with DACHSTEIN boiled wool liners and SOREL felt pack boots.

My inflatable failed on my last summer trip. Exped Flexmat ordered for fall and spring camping, don't want to even take the risk! (Not quite at winter camping yet.)

Justin, Have you done any videos on Avalanche protection? How do you approach snow pack in the winter?

Would you know if the Nemo pad is ASTM certified at 8.5 r value or just a number they picked out of a hat. Propane works well for a camp stove. Good to 30 below. Thanks for posting. Th

The extherm, you need to figure the air pressure if your arm is falling asleep. Going a little softer is the trick. I adjust it when I'm on it.

Justin, this is such a great video. Game changer for my winter trips. Is it possible for you to post a link to your lighterpack for this trip?

What do you do about filtering water. You said you had running water nearby. In particular, I'm wondering what you do to prevent your water filter from freezing up.

this summer i went on a day hike in mid june and on our way down the back side of the mountain we came across about 4ft of snow blocking the trail. we fell through a few times but thankfully made it out safe. what kind of gear or knowledge should someone pack in case of unexpected snow? it is so hard to predict most of the time and we dont know any other people who hike in the same part of the south canadian rockies.

The reflective mat that you used underneath the stove--is that a MYOG piece or can that be purchased?

Depends on which country you are from. For example, in Australia, it is illegal to freecamp, and fires can only be lit in designated areas or you face fines and imprisonment if caught.

Thats wild you're not using crampons if not ice boots and an ice axe. With a guy of your experience i was appaled to see how unprepared you were

try alcohol stove. has a few cons but one pro: it works in all tempuratures.

Aster Lakes is aeesome!

I have instant solution to hikers heavy backpacks---- answer is do not pack, do not set up camp, do not walk any further than to the vehicle, and don't go backpacking. I used these solutions for myself years ago and have never worried about heavy backpacks again. I Hate to be cold and cold and wet, so I just don't go where it's cold and I stay where it is not so wet.

I’m trying to find the sketchy portion. Looked exhausting , but pretty chill

Hey Justin - What did you use for scene illumination while at camp?

SOUNDS COLD!

What makes a winter pack 50lbs?. Mine weighs 20lbs excluding food and water including a 65L Rucksack (2lbs), Tent (Akto) (4lbs), -20C sleep system (3lbs).

To save fuel use an MSR foldable aluminum windscreen.

I was a bit concerned, that traverse looked sketchy as hell. But then I realized that the cameraman never dies. Nice vid buddy.

Hi, Justin. I'm curious, did you use only one layer of clothes while sleeping, because it was not really clear to me. Thanks!

How much extra hiking do you do to set up and retrieve your camera?

Great video! Where did you get that intro music, sounds great! 👌👊💪

As long as you have a great sleeping bag and ground cover you are fine.

I know this video is to showcase what you can do with ultralite setup but did you bring any comforts. I love winter camping but this hardly seems fun. Different strokes and all that and if you enjoy all the power to you. My winter camping is a whole different thing lol Good on you though.

Do you think the same trail would be possible with maybe 10 lbs more and snowshoes? Would it more/less dangerous on the steep parts?

What were the degree rating for each of the quilts you used? Thanks.

Justin - what was the temperature rating and weight of your down quilt?

Where did you get that hat? Looks great for cold weather days.

cool idea with the synthetic quilt on top of the down one. and i gotta get me some down pants and booties hehehe. also did not like the look of that traverse, its worth warning people about exhaustion and bad decisions going hand in hand.

What cap with the ear flaps is that?

This is nuts! How can you find a trail in all that snow? Not for me! I got scared just watching this.

I absolutely love your videos. I appreciate everything you put into them, and I understand how much work each video is to produce. With all of that said, I’m really disappointed that you didn’t bring spikes and snowshoes. I think a lot of people who are less experienced and less aware of their own capabilities follow your lead, and that could put them in an extremely dangerous position. - Regardless of that, thank you for all the content you create!

sounds gnarly bruh

I used the Firemaple Blade 2 at -15 C but it just barely worked. If I go again at those temps or lower, I’m bringing white gas.

What is the temp rating of your EE Down Quilt?

Did you go down that snowy scree that you went up?

So you sleep in both: your dawn jacket and trousers?

Hey Justin! Curious if you have any experience with the Serratus Pace UL 40 pack by MEC. It’s uses an interesting fabric blend of nylon and dyneema. Looks like a great budget-friendly answer to HMG packs at almost 1/4 the price!!!! Very strange, deep side-pockets though. That’s my only hesitancy. I’m very close to getting one … waiting to see if it goes on sale this week. Would love to see a review of it sometime if you get your hands on one!

What campsite is that? Very nice.

What temp rating was the Apex quilt?

I saw this a couple of weeks ago and was going to leave it, but an article came through my email this morning that kind of summarises my thoughts on your video (I will put a link at the end, you will figure out where in the world I am) While I appreciate the effort and intention of this video, I do not think the message of not carrying Microspikes (or any other piece of safety related equipment) just to save weight not one is one to put out there, especially for winter hiking. After watching the video and what you chose to show in terms of the terrain (I will reserve any judgement about your route, crossing what looked like avalanche terrain and your physical state once getting to the campsite), from my perspective you put your safety at risk just to save a few grams, and that is not a message that anyone without a good degree of knowledge or experience should hear. As someone who does a good amount of winter hiking/ low level mountaineering (admittedly in locations were carrying Micro spikes/ crampons/ ice axes/ avalanche kits is a bit less of a subjective in deciding on taking and more of a must have), I have more than one occasion come across Hikers without the necessary gear and are putting themselves at risk. Every once and a while I will read an article in the news about such people who do not take, what should be necessary, gear and end up getting into trouble (injury or in the worst-case death). I appreciate that the intention was to produce a gear review video and that there should be a fair amount of personal responsibility, but as a content creator (and to be honest from what I have seen, it is just not you) there should be a lot of thought put into the audience and the messages you are inadvertently putting out there. www.wildernessmag.co.nz/how-light-is-too-light/?ml_subscriber=2369149645369644529&ml_subscriber_hash=q4w4&Newsletter%20-%20MailerLite&Email&

I’m interested in what parka and cap you used on this trip. The cap fits very well and looks warm. Love the deep hood on the parka.

Where did you go Justin? What trail is this?

I've never winter camped in a tent with no floor, but then again, I've never backpacked anywhere in the winter at all. I wonder if a groundsheet would be something worth packing. I don't think I'd skip the spikes. Just based on my own limited experience, I'd want something that could bite into the snow a little better than boot treads, unless the base is less than a few inches. I get not packing snowshoes, though. They're damn near worthless in shallow snow or when you're trying to scramble up a hill like that. I do like the idea of packing a synthetic top quilt to keep moisture/frost out of my down bag, and I think I'll pick one up. Have you ever tried a bag or quilt treated with moisture-repellent down? I've been wondering how well those work in the winter compared to my regular down bag.

Justin... how did you forget a headlamp in the winter???? OMG

Once you started crossing the snow fields was really feeling for you sans ice axe and crampons/spikes

You are clearly very knowledgeable and experienced but for people just starting out, Hiking and travelling lighter is always going to be better, however, cutting your weight down without compromising safety is always the best way to go. A lot of people are obsessed with ultralight but for me that compromises safety, comfort and enjoyment.

12lb base weight but what’s the full load weight?

I've been up to that area about a dozen times now, and there always seems to be moose tracks around hidden lake. Makes me nervous. Those dense trees aren't where I wanna run into a moose. 👀

How do you occupy yourself when it is dark so early and so cold? And how can you poop when it is so cold?? I cannot imagine this

Check out the MSR Front Range.

Do you wear anything other than a beanie at night on your head?

Many underestimate how difficult, tiring and disorienting it can be navigating and hiking through snow… well done to you ❤ dam awesome job, just bought the nemo pad so fingers crossed it proves a worthy purchase. Those double pad clips look cool, I have the EE revelation but in Uk we don’t seem to have the same options of accessories

Justin, why don't you use two poles? (Or is one pole always in selfie stick mode?)

Boots/ pants/ leg layers? Socks?

Do you think the limitations you experienced with your stove are because of the stove or because it is uses isobutane canisters which tend to be not as efficient at the temperatures you were in?

For a simple overnight, loss of loft from moisture shouldn’t have made a noticeable difference. If it had, it would have been indicative that you were dressed too heavily and sweated. Based on the down camp clothes, you could have left the top quilt at home and just slept in those puffy down layers, which really decrease the amount of dead air space around you to warm, then added the Conundrum on top of that, probably without straps, unless there was a lot of wind. I would have brought Microspikes and a headlamp for sure. Those are safety items as much as anything else. Even Yaktrax would have been better than nothing, though maybe they wouldn’t have fit around your boots.

I feel this video needs a warning. Hey folks Justin is very experienced backpacker in the rockies. Don't head out in Rockies with little gear and alone and don't go up steep mountain slopes where there is Avalanche danger. I was nervous for you. Always be safe in the backcountry!!!

Try alcool stove for winter: alcool is better in cold conditions...

Dumb newbie question: How do you calculate base weight? I assume everything but consumables (food, water?) or is it something else?

Does this gear weight (5.5 kg) includes clothes? If no, how much does the clothes weight? Including mid layer and underwear. I mean anything added to the naked body.

That orange tape is very commonly used for hunting so people know how to get back to their cars. I would not recommend anyone trying to follow it unless you’re absolutely lost.

17:51 ohhhh boo reveal. After watching all that, you didn't even sleep on the ground. Lol. Also, what temp rating, down fill version, dener count, of the bag did you use?

You should get a neck gaiter/buff. I am coughing just looking at your exposed neck and throat. Stay warm!

I never forgo the microspikes in winter. Ever.