thank you so much for the info. super helpful

I REALLY like that you: 1) purged the electronics, 2) explained your logic. Even though I no longer go for walks, I DO still wear a backpack as EDC and for travel/road trips. For travel I'm binging on ultralight and packing light videos. I would add back the ground pad for comfy sleeping - if I don't get good sleep, my personality changes to cranky or 'mad scientist'. Thanks for this great shakedown.

Love it .....bravo on pct......im dreamn to......can you show the whole list........cheers

Excellent video. I learned a lot. Thanks.

Search/google dehydration urine color chart. Dark brown is a very bad level of dehydration.

You should try tarp and bug net

micro spikes and/or snowshoes would be a sometimes item

I'm still at the beginning of your video (7:30 in). I lucked out and in my electronics cable bag (the one at home that stores all the extra cables that one tends to acquire over a lifetime and may someday be needed) I found a six inch long mini-USB cable that has a spring locking mechanism to help it hold tighter into devices. I also got a battery pack that came with a tiny mini-USB-to-lightning adapter for an iPhone. Just that one basic 'upgrade' saved me the weight and bulk of two cables. I think for both cables it turns into about 2 oz of savings, and it was free. They also work great together, I lucked out having the locking end on the short cable, but any short cable and an adapter beats two long cables. I just thought I'd put this comment out there because it really helped my electronics bag in weight and bulk, as well as my ease of use. I like having the shorter cable because it's easier to pack away and never gets tangled. I am stuck with only being able to charge one device at a time, but that hasn't been a problem yet. ...I watched a little further and got to your little pencil. Take half of a construction pencil (the big flat ones) and you'll have a thicker more durable lead as well as dry kindling (shaved off with your tiny Swiss Army Knife - I use that same knife!) to use to start a fire. Half a construction pencil will weigh a fuzz more than the mini-golf pencil, but it's still a pencil even after you shave off enough wood to start multiple fires, and you can also get rid of any extra emergency fire starting stuff you may carry, although I do keep a small bit of wax paper and newspaper as an emergency fire cheater to help with wet tinder. I've had to make a fire in the dark when it was snowing and wet. Hand sanitizer helps, but having my own dry kindling is very important to me and well worth the weight to know I can get damp wood burning without having to hunt for dry stuff.

2020 will be my first attempt Thank you for your information

Your video came in really handy for me last year. I went on a hike in the Sonoran desert in arizona and the tips you shared were very helpful. I had a comfortable enjoyable hiking experience. Thanks man.

I think people should decide for themselves what they need, just like you did. I never understood why people would go to an outfitter and do shakedowns. Especially when you have some experience, you'll know what you need and use and that might be different for everyone else. And you can always get rid off stuff as you go.

If you stop sweating or peeing, be worried because you're dehydrated

If you’re not using a TC bag, what brand & size liner would you recommend for this size pack? Thanks for the video

I'll take your thermarest any day if you don't like it

Not sure why Sawyer would have different threads on a mini vs a squeeze, but the threads on the mini match up just fine with the platypus bladder. I use the 2 liter platypus for my dirty water and gravity feed into 2 1 liter smart water bottles....

Warm core? Another reason to keep that umbrella? Even IF you have the best rain-gear, rain is very cold and on your shoulders after a couple of hours it is, foe me, agony. And what is your PACK please?

Trail name? Do I know/meet you on trail?

Dude! My sunglasses! Just kidding, lol.

I’m going to be hiking the Pacific crest Trail starting March 30 and would love if you followed me on my grated venture by subscribing to my channel thank you

Dude, thanks for all the information! I start my hike on the 13th of May, really late but I couldn’t get an earlier permit. My question is: How long does it take to clear the first 700 miles of desert? I know it varies from hiker to hiker but in your experience, what’s a good average? Thanks again! Oh and by the way, Cougars will definitely try to eat you, most people don’t see them but when they do, it’s too late, the cat saw them first.

Mountain Lions. There was one in my campsite in '96. It went after a raccoon. Agree if you see one. Be big, throw something. Don't be prey.

Rattle snakes. They don't always rattle. They do if they are on the sides of the road. Normally they rest straight on the trail not rattling.. Just pick up a stick and throw at it. They will roll up while they go away rattling.

Finally, an awesome realistic video of SoCal hiking. You mentioned someone dying. Unfortunate. We have so many rescues and some deaths in the summers. The largest California fire was a hunter in San Diego County and ran out of water. He started a fire to get attention and started the fire. 3 sisters, a hike outside of Julian, relatively close to the PCT, every summer people get rescued and some have died. Unzipping the pant leg and using the bottom part under the hat works as a really good cover if you wear a ball cap.

hi! thank you for the tips!! hiking 2018 in April .

All your choices of things to jettison jive with my (limited) experience as an (almost) ultralighter. Except for some kind of camp site shoes (like the Vivobarefoot Ultra III which are a bit lighter than most or all Crocs, I believe) or lightweight clogs (try the ones available at IKEA - much lighter than Crocs) or simple sandals. I value them for nighttime pit stops, saving me the hassle of struggling into and lacing up stinky, dirty, perhaps even cold and clammy shoes just to take a leak. ;-) But of course everyone is different. As for sleeping pads, I also had a barely used high-tech one (from Exped) leak at the valve on a trip where I was far from civilization. Needless to say, it was a very cold and nearly sleepless mountain-side night, despite putting all my stuff and my pack under me. And I lost a whole day getting back out of there and to civilization to buy something else. Since then, as a side sleeper with broad shoulders who can’t handle hard ground too well, I take a ThermaRest Neoair Xlite or - my new fav - the Sea to Summit Ultralight Insulted AND - as a back-up if I get a puncture I can‘t fix right away or at all - the Kanchen Junga lashed to the top of my pack. See here: www.alpinetrek.co.uk/relags-expeditionsmatte-kanchen-junga-sleeping-pad-review/. It weights next to nothing and can be slipped underneath an inflatable for extra warmth and/or puncture protection, or used in combo with a short inflatable to keep your legs and feet off the ground. AND you can use it on breaks or outside at the campsite for sitting or lying or doing yoga on, and even for sitting with a friend. And it doesn‘t matter if it gets abused. For me, this 2-punch solution works great. Took it to Norway for 5 days of solo hiking in the Dovrefjell mountains where you don‘t wanna be caught without a pad to sleep on. And the Kanchen Junga made the trip a lot more enjoyable for only about 148 g extra (or less if you decide to cut it shorter).

www.honestbackpacker.com .Great videos. I encourage folks to think about getting into nature as a 'gateway' to really getting more out of life. Think about it, preparing for a hike is really preparing for life. And if you can do it on a hike you can do it in life. We are living in a time where we can spend nearly 1/3 of our lives in 'retirement.' What will you do with that gift of time!

Is it possible to still mail to the town's you chose to buy?

facebook.com/External-Frame-backpacks-and-other-Fletcherian-Ideas-896110787093150/

This seems like a great system to simplify resupplying! Thanks for the video. 👍🏽

It's probably not a good idea to go with no sleeping mat... your body smushes the down in your bag flat and it stops insulating, then you lose heat really quickly to the ground. You can definately die of hypothermia. Possibly not on a normal night, but if you have a really bad day of tramping and get into bed wet etc you could probably freeze to death.

What tent ddi you use and how did you like it?

What is in your med kit?

butt cream? Lol you hiking with a hemoroids?? 🤣😂🤣😂

Kale, Thanks for your posted video. I am considering the PCT hike, probably start with sections.

hey man those are my sun glasses

"least scary". Wow, thanks this has been what's tripping me out, feeling daunting, as I consider/dream of thru-hiking.

I thought the primary reason to have a sleeping pad is for heat retention, not comfort. Did you find the Sierra not too cold to sleep in without a pad?

Subscribed viewer here and fan of your videos; but I'm gonna have to disagree with a couple of comments here: I'm a little older with more experience in the outdoors both in the U.S. and living 16 years in western Canada. The reason you don't see cougars or mountain cats that often is because they're very stealthy and evasive. But they see you! They know you're there even if you don't realize it. If you had a big cat sniffing you out while you were sleeping, you're very lucky you weren't mauled or eaten. Because to them, you are food, dude! Believe that! Also: on cowboy camping: Why? Seriously, with snakes, scorpions, spiders, why risk it?! Pitch the tent, embrace the suck of putting it up, and taking it down. Why blow your hike over laziness. Just my thoughts.

Very good informative video. Really liked when you would say how many miles or how long it took for a piece of gear to start to fail. Thanks for the vid

Just came back from a weekend testing equipment and everything seemed ok but demon did I hate my blowup sleeping pad! I am going to check the comments out about the foam ones. Not going to a desert but thinking I would rather go light and functional, even if they are bulky!

Once again you have produced a fantastic video that is very useful for planning purposes! I have taken notes! Thank you, Alpenglow

What are some good light backpacks?

Thank you for the excellent gear review! Alpenglow

Nice kit, good video. Don't think a good hat is better than a good jacket tho lol

Throw in USD 50$ worth...1$ bills, specially when in an alian land!

The people in the comments saying to loose the toothbrush or toothpaste are savage! Dentists' bills are crazy expensive and I am not trying to get cavities after eating all that GORP/Poptarts/Candy etc.

Great advice. Thank you for posting. I am from Sacramento as well. Planning a 2018 start. I can't wait!!!

Why don't you put your sleeping bag in a compression sack?

Really good information. There should be more videos like this. I had to keep my eyes closed and listen to your voice because of how swaying the camera shot was. Next time maybe use a tripod to keep the camera from rocking. :)

Dude this is the most practically helpful video I've seen about the PCT so far! Thanks Kale! This definitely helps with my first PCT thru hike coming up.