Check out Garage Grown Gear: geni.us/m2tzeVo *Gear from the Game:* *Cottage Gear:* Pack: geni.us/loVQ9 Tent: geni.us/QFJZ *Big Name:* Sleeping Bag: geni.us/JVBGINv *The Hat I'm Wearing:* geni.us/73k4I

The two-rock method, when you're missing tent stakes, is well known and time-tested. Not sure why so many people gave you shade for it. Maybe they haven't met the same mother we all have (Her name being "Necessity".) It works great, even in wind. I'm off to get a PVC end cap right now, having had a tent stake go through a flip-flop before (laziness, well, tiredness, on my part!)

@MyLifeOutdoors

9 ай бұрын

To some extent it’s the nature of vertical content…everyone knows better in the comments.

I use those little insulated mailers to wrap frozen foods. One of my favorite backpacking tips is to pack in fresh food for the first night since... you can. I always bring a frozen steak and maybe a bell pepper or a zucchini or something. The steak will thaw by the time you setup camp then I just grill it over the fire. Can't beat a campfire grilled steak in the woods!

@coachhannah2403

4 ай бұрын

Smoked salmon for me. I don't do fires, and smoked salmon means I don't need to fire up the stove.

For a cheap pot scrubby, try cutting a small section of the red netting bag that onions come in.

@theterminaldave

9 ай бұрын

Now that is a great idea, ive just been throwing those away

When I was in the Canadian Army we had a two sock system, an outer wool sock and an inner nylon sock. Worked the same way as the mole skin/duct tape/band aid on the heel. Never once had a blister from any troop movement with those socks.

@benmartling2782

9 ай бұрын

Also helps with sweat in my experience

@OtherSarah2

9 ай бұрын

Cold war SAC troop here. Had a (male) first shirt hand out (admittedly, the cheapest ones from K-Mart) pantyhose to all the SPs last shift before the first freeze. Why? They insulate under your fatigues. And Sox. And they keep you from getting blisters walking post. Been wearing nylon knee-hi's under my sox ever since. @@benmartling2782

I use the foil bag to transport cold food at start of hikes, then use it to keep dehydrated meals warm, also stops you burning your hands on them. At the end of the night I put my battery pack or phone in them to protect from the cold (I mostly do UK winter camps). Anything that has multiple uses is worth taking.

You can use a cap from a used plastic bottle instead of buying a PVC cap. It's smaller, quite durable and almost everyone drinks Coke)

@thypher4378

10 ай бұрын

And if you use plastic bottles for water, you have a spare cap for it.

@foreverirish132

10 ай бұрын

Thanks for that even better tip 😊

@skippylippy547

10 ай бұрын

Yup! Works great. Great tip.

@wolfeadventures

10 ай бұрын

My Groundhogs would pierce that water bottle cap first time.

@Chinook__

10 ай бұрын

Wouldn’t last a couple stakes. You’d be far better off taking a small chunk of wood to act as a buffer and hitting stake with a rock rather than pvc or plastic bottle cap idea. *although… it would apply to your terrain. Furthermore, if you can put a tent stake in the ground with your shoe then maybe use cotton candy?

Chair gang here! Currently on day 7 camping and I've found even the frame to be so useful to dry my clothes. Free washing line, great when there's no trees.

@username-mc7jw

8 ай бұрын

Chairs work great to keep your pack off the ground if it won't fit in the tent with you, and you have to stash it inside your vestibule instead.

Seeing as it’s kept in my stake bag anyways, I just use my Deuce poop trowel to protect my hand pushing stakes in, works a treat.

LOVE THIS. LOVE THIS!! I have literally punctured my trail runners by stepping on tent stakes. The first tip is a win for me, I am going to buy some PVC end caps, YESTERDAY. On a less serious note, the crack about eyes over here?! Keep it up!! it’s so important not to take things TOO seriously!! we are all lucky to be able to backpack, AND to enjoy videos like this. Thanks bro!!!

@MyLifeOutdoors

9 ай бұрын

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching

Annually for the past 20 years my buddies and I do a "canoe-packing" trip on the Buffalo National River. Camping on gravel bars we use the rock method and even in some pretty strong storms. Using big enough rocks and guying out a tent correctly, we've never had an issue.

@coachhannah2403

4 ай бұрын

I cut 9" (dinner plate size) circles of ultralight tarp material with a 2" hole in the middle to use as 'tarp stakes.' In the Sierra, tent stakes are often useless. The tarp stakes weigh less than even titanium stakes, a bonus.

Hey, these were great. Some were things I already do, others new ideas. I use a discarded bottle cap for a stake pusher $0. A thick stick worked better than the tying a rock as your first stake substitute, if there are sticks available, but you'll still need a heavy rock to anchor the whole thing. The mini cooler was an awesome idea! I'd be cautious with putting plastic around the end of my bag. There are tons of uses for small magnets, by the way. Thanks!

@frikkiesmit327

9 ай бұрын

Magnets. You started my brain gears

I bought the Etsy tent stake thing, It was 5.00, but total was 10.02 shipped. I could have dont the cap hack but I liked that someone with an idea and 3D printer had a good idea and wanted to pay them for it.

@MyLifeOutdoors

9 ай бұрын

No harm in that at all.

Ooooohhh, I like the PVC End caps!

Dan Durston was nice enough to answer me when I asked if I should fold or stuff my tent. I do not have his UL version but have the X-Mid 1. He recommended folding because stuffing could affect the zipper.

OMG...why did I never think about the PVC hack???? That's awesome, thanks so much for sharing!

Good presentation. I would caution against duct tape directly on skin. DT is OK over another dressing, but manufacturers vary, and some of those adhesives are toxic, or heavy on latex, and there has been no skin testing for any of them. The infections can get nasty. Just buy a roll of leuko tape, or kenisio tape depending on your rigidity and latex preferences. I actually use micropore bandaging tape, but I must admit, it does not stick as well for as long as KT or LT, and may need changing after 10 or 15 miles. This doesn't bother me, as I like to check on blister dressings at least twice a day. (Ok, I'm a sissy, but 6 years as an EMT has me a bit paranoid about infections)

@skippylippy547

10 ай бұрын

yes, good tip. i also use tenacious tape with a dab of chapstick on the sore spot.

@jimmeek8621

9 ай бұрын

A roll of Leukotape is currently $6-12 online. If using occasionally for blister first aid, you may never need to buy another roll. I cut strips and stick them to the backing paper from self-adhesive labels (as has been suggested by others), so enough tape for an emergency takes almost no room in my first aid kits (hiking, travel, car).

@skippylippy547

9 ай бұрын

@@jimmeek8621 Great idea. I do something similar. It works! 👍

@RAkers-tu1ey

9 ай бұрын

@@jimmeek8621 That is exactly how I do it. I have never used mort than 3 square inches on a single trip. My wife uses more, but not much.

@katherinelangford981

8 ай бұрын

KT for me is great. I portage and they handle in and out of water well. If you buy the crazy colours they're usually clearanced here so they're cheap. I toss a couple strips in my emergency kit just in case.

Quick little tip for those blisters... if possible, cut the duct tape in a circle and apply & don't forget to sanitize as best as you can FIRST with alcohol wipe or soap & water. A circle shape will prevent peeling up when hiking, corners sticking to socks when taking them off , getting super gummy & gross and worst of all, a possible awful situation of having to pull the duct tape off the blister to re-apply another piece (OUCH!). I've left duct tape circles on for days at a time. Happy trails!

@wobblysauce

9 ай бұрын

Just wear two socks… no blisters, as the sock takes the movement not your skin

@martinwinther6013

9 ай бұрын

@@wobblysauce Good for cold climates.. Warm areas?? Not so much

@wobblysauce

9 ай бұрын

2 layers is my goto when hot, not when cold, though both is a moisture issue.

For pot scrubbing I use the mesh bag that comes with the toaks pots or my mess kit. Yes, when not backpacking, I use a mess kit.

Those coolers bags at the grocery store (1.99 at mine) are great coozies material and some have awesome designs. I have also used the cheap thinsulate lunch bags. All about repurposing. And I use produce bags for fuel cans. I have so many other hacks, I forget.

Holy crap, that PVC end cap is so obvious, and yet...what a great idea!

"Whoa whoa whoa whoa.... hey hey hey... eyes over here...." 😆Funniest thing I have seen in a while. Thanks for that Steven. Love the channel, keep up the great work.

@_crane_7475

9 ай бұрын

@@officialMy-LifeOutdoors Let's! These tips were very handy btw. The PVC hack works so well and I never would have thought of that. Thanks again!

I'm in Arizona and the ground is hard and full of rocks, so I use the toughest hardened aluminum Y-stakes I can find and sometimes use the big 10" steel nail stakes. For backpacking, I make my own hardwood mallets to get the best power per ounce. When camping at Picacho Peak, the worst I've seen, it still took about 10 minutes just to pound in the stakes. Not a chance pushing it in with my foot.

Similar to your tip with the washer, I keep a couple of quarters taped to my bear can. I use the back of my knife to open the can but if I lose it (I lose everything), I just peel off one of the quarters and use that

@plwadodveeefdv

8 ай бұрын

Not sure how smart it is to leave keys for the bear...

If you've ever been on a NOLS backpacking trip, you'll know that they don't carry stakes (at least in the 90's for Leave No Trace). Rocks and a truckers-hitch work great.

@markcummings6856

10 ай бұрын

What do Tent Stakes have to do with LNT?

@dancollison1

9 ай бұрын

@markcummings Stakes disrupt the soil, especially if the soil is rocky (more of an issue in some places than others)

Great tips, and a shout-out to GGG. I 3-D printed my tent stake pusher, with glow-in-the-dark filament. One thing I do NOT like doing is using a rock to hammer in a tent stake. It makes a mess of aluminum tent stakes, and creates sharp edges that could put tears in your tent fabric at some point. If the ground is so hard a rock is needed, place the cap over the stake, and pound on the cap instead. That will prevent damaging the stake. I keep the cap for my fuel cylinder on it, and turn it upside down inside my cook pot when I store it. The depression in the bottom of the fuel allows me to store my burner and other things inside with it.

Love the PVC end cap idea, gonna have to try that one. I often have to use rocks instead of stakes in my area because it's all granite hills above treeline where I tend to camp!!! It does take a bit of finesse, but I think I'll watch your short on it and see if I can improve my technique!

I've been using the reflectix mailers for years. My wife's side job sends them to her with their products. I recommend turning them inside out if it doesn't have the silver portion on the inside. Also, don't worry is the bubble seams come apart, it will still work. I used the same one for my entire AT thru hike.

Just tried an old bottle cap, in lieu of the pvc end cap. Worked perfect! Even cheaper hack.

For blisters I always carry compeed dressings but the PVC cap idea I'll definitely try. Taping the bottom of the gas canister sounds like a good idea too, especially since I refill mine so only ever carry the same one!

Good stuff (love the stake trick) But for fuel cans, why not just put it in upside down with the plastic cap on it. Keeps the steel away from the water and lets the air flow better.

@MyLifeOutdoors

9 ай бұрын

Ha! Just didn’t think of thst

I love it. Thanks for more quality content. I especially appreciate using existing or uncommon sources for hacks.

To prevent the rust inside your pot from the fuel canister you can also just put the fuel canister in upside down, with the cap on the valve. Works perfect.

@Maximinecraft143

10 ай бұрын

I use a mechanic paper towels (the blue ones) as a wrap for my canister so no rubbing metal with metal, no rust and even something to bone dray things before going home.

@skippylippy547

10 ай бұрын

@@Maximinecraft143 Nice. I do the same thing. Works great.

@williamcronkright5430

10 ай бұрын

@@Maximinecraft143I do this too, but with a normal paper towel. Also, titanium heats really easily, so I usually fire up the stove again and steam off the last couple of drops. A Bic Mini lighter fits in the void under the canister, the paper towel helps keep in place while it slides into the pot.

@Karma-qt4ji

9 ай бұрын

@@Maximinecraft143 I use a small washing up cloth (similar to a yellow duster). Put it over the mouth of the pot and push the cannister (upside down) into it so it wedges between the cannister and the pot. Fold one side of the excess over and put the stove into the pot, fold the other side over, lid on, in bag, everything nicely packed and no rattles.

In Korea, it is increasingly used as a mat after peeling an umbrella fabric from a broken umbrella. It is known to be a very useful tip for amateur photographers, especially when taking small flower pictures. If you're bothered about getting dirty when you put your backpack down, or just need a tiny, light mat, look for a broken umbrella.

The pvc tip! Will try it out. Great tips, thank you 😁 Stuff sac is great too, no “muscle memory” by folding.

Great tips! Thanks for sharing them. and yes quilts all the way👍

You could probably use a soda bottle cap or 2 liter or somthing similar for the "stake pusher" .

Love the washer idea. I toss a couple of quarters in my backpack's brain but I'm usually searching for a bit to find them. Re: meal insulator- I use my Z-Seat sit pad. Fold it around the re-hydrating meal and set a rock on it to keep it folded.

These are great! Didn't think to use the home-made food kozy to keep food cold, great hack. I put my iso-butane in a small sandwich bag in my pot to keep it off the bottom. Thanks!

Rebar mushrooms and cheap to use on pegs to push and on the ends of poles to stop them sinking into the ground

Get a car window heat reflector. Usually around $10 but I've seen cheap ones at the dollar store. Or try recycled reflective plastic from chip bags glued to cardboard. I use it as a windshield for my stove. Heat retainer for sleep and a solar dryer for clothes.

@markcummings6856

10 ай бұрын

Solar dryer for clothes? How would that work? And Heat Retainer for sleeping? How would that work? Thanks

@desperadodeluxe2292

10 ай бұрын

@@markcummings6856 reflect sunlight to dry your clothes when you do laundry with the reflector. cover yourself or sleep near at night use it to reflect heat from a heat source. Reflect fire onto yourself. Check bushcraft channels like corporals corner. Usually post it up behind you so it captures the fire heat. For small fires and stove use around heat source like a wind shield.Use solar/UV heat for everything. To get rid of mites or sanitize gear. On your toothbrush and bottles (w/ lid off) Use to dry dirty clothes and help remove bacteria. Get creative. Thernarest makes a matt that's foam bumpy kind has a heat reflector side. Also emergency mylar blanket. Glue it or use a small clamp. Or a poly camp tarp with reflective side. Honestly mylar blanket is most reflective and chip bags although noisy. Using this tech is life saving and makes way more comfortable outside. Valuable to stay clean. Most people overlook it.

Love this style of Videos! Thank you!

@Runingncircles

9 ай бұрын

Sure! @@officialMy-LifeOutdoors

As a sports therapist I always take zinc oxide tape and kinesio tape for blisters, muscle pains or temp repairs (also great as the ktape is flexible), both are usually readily available and light. Another item that follows me from the clinic is cohesive wrap: I love this stuff as it can be used as quick compression for sore ankles/wrists etc, cover for bites or grazes, wrapping around any jangling carabiners or chains etc to keep safe and quiet or stop rubbing on other items like sleeping pads or bags, as padding around handles on trekking poles, wrapping around sharp objects to stop the blade getting up to too much mischief etc. Appreciate not everyone will want to take these items but food for thought.

Ditch the carabiner for loop of string to hold the washer. Then it's ultra-light and quiter

@scottfollmer

9 ай бұрын

That's what I use and with a neon color cord so it's easier to find

Stuffing sleeping bags foot first and if it's a winter bag inside out makes them easier to stuff to deflate them 🍻

I have used the pine needle pot scrubbers so many times, works great and smells good too.

@markthomasson5077

9 ай бұрын

Not so good substitute for toilet paper though

I use 9" (dinner plate size) pads made of ultralight tarp material instead of stakes. Rocks or bags of sand hold the pads in place better than stakes, and they weight less than lightest stakes!

@jwmab

4 ай бұрын

I have an XMid, this is a great idea when stakes are not an option.

Great video! Thanks.

Here’s another one: if your camp chair sinks into sand or mud, you can add rebar safety end-caps that are super cheap at Home Depot. In Canada, they’re $0.60 each… way cheaper than Helinox’s ball feet

@terryt2910

10 ай бұрын

Would these substitute for stake pushers? I love dual purpose.

@Buffenmeyer

10 ай бұрын

I use pvc T-Connectors on my REI chair. They fit perfectly on the rubber bushings and also rotate so they find the perfect position against irregular terrain.

@markcummings6856

10 ай бұрын

Or… chair leg end caps, also less than a $1. Sold at Walmart in Hardware section. Would assume also at Lowes, Home Depot.

@EdwinDekker71

9 ай бұрын

​@@Buffenmeyerme too, works great!

YES!! Leuco and duct tape! Been doing that for ages, works a treat! Best is to double up: One layer of leuco and then a layer of duct tape on the outside. The leuco sticks to your skin better once you start sweating and makes the whole situation a lot more more comfy.

Keep a few of those big washers around in case you need to extend a tie line to a different point or add a third tie point else where. If you stick two together they can make a cinch point as well.

Great video. I went to pick up a pope cap to push in tent stakes and found a COVC pipe tee right next to them. I picked up the tee because it has a wider "handle/step".

If you put the footbox of the sleeping bag in a non-breathable garbage bag then you will have a lot more condensation develop between the quills/sleeping bag shell and the inner of the garbage bag. I suspect body heat that’s escaping through the bag contributes to this.

I just use double socks for the sore spots, a more comfortable cotton sock, that wouldn't hold up well if used alone, inside, and a tougher wool sock against the boot itself.

usefull. tks from luxembourg

washer and carabiner. . love this! just got off a trip with my bear can, and YES always worried about the quarter! no more! Yay! thanks!

It’s always a good day when Steven uploads

"get bigger rocks" priceless

Clip these to a carabiner on the outside of your pack and add some glow in the dark paint to them, tie-down lighting.

I use a cut down pactowel in my cook kit. I put it around the bottom of the fuel canister when I put the fuel back into the pot. This towel ends up serving multiple purposes - a towel to wipe out the pan, keeps moisture down so the canister doesn't rust, and it stops the canister from clunking in the pot while traveling. I also have a small pot scraper that I picked up at the dollar store for scraping out that sticky stuff in the pot should I choose to cook directly in the pot. I like the PVC cap trick. I'll have to pick one of those up and get it into my stake bag.

Eyes are over there

I use a pvc t-piece to push my pegs in. String and tie off few feet of paracord through the centre and you can also use it in the reverse as a grip while the cord catches on the peg hook to pull them out.

I prefer electrical tape for wounds. If you use any color but black the sticky stuff is alot less. Got a few pvc caps going toss one in stake bag. I worrried about puttung it into foot and finding a rock as stated can be a hassle. Lastly to prevent issues with fuel can in pot i toss in bandana then fuel can. Bandana is my cook one.

DO NOT USE DUCT TAPE DIRECTLY ON SKIN: While I like the tip and agree finding leukotape can be hard sometimes, duct tape is not designed for medical applications. It can be used for the same purpose, but I would advise that you use a gauze pad or some other wrapping to prevent your skin from peeling as soon as you pull it off. Using duct tape on an open wound like that can also cause allergic reactions due to the chemical adhesives that are not designed for medical applications.

@Internetprolet1312

9 ай бұрын

Get leuco at your local pharmacy, or what also works great is self adhesive tape. It only sticks to itself. With that obviously you have to use tension to keep it where you want it to be but it’s great as it won’t peel of anything when removing. Also it’s a sort of fabric which is way more breathable than leuco or ductape

@elioraimmanuel

9 ай бұрын

Exactly! Using duct tape will likely cause loss off skin on a much larger scale, followed by much pain and infection.

@NBM397

9 ай бұрын

It wasn't to add to an open wound. He said "as soon as you have a hot spot" or something to that effect. On unbroken skin, it should be fine. Me, I carry Tuff Tape (PU tape) anyway In 100mm and 25mm widths., and I'd use that, rather than duct tape, as I react to to the glue used in duct tapes.

@honeybadgerhikes

8 ай бұрын

Used it directly on skin- even freshly blistered skin many times and never had a bad outcome. I discovered silicon protectors for toes/bunion/back and bottom of heel and they work perfectly. NO MORE BLISTERS.

@funonvancouverisland

5 ай бұрын

My family and I have always used it with no issue. So ya but....

Buy a pvc T joint instead and push the tent stakes in w ur hands…works great

The PVC cap thing is amazing! I was practicing my tarp pitches last night and my hands were sore as crap afterwards. I'm off to Menards!

Love it so much

I recall seeing a vlogger using his chair at end of bag to keep tent away.

@jwmab

4 ай бұрын

hahaha YEZ... I made note of that episode! 😊 MyLifeOutdoors

Brilliant----I have always tapped quarters to my bear can but this washer idea is terrific----along with the cap for the stakes-----granted a fair amount of the time in the Sierra's one would still need a rock to try to pound them in------enjoy your channel

The tent steak cap is genius. I'm going to the heard wear store right now!

Luekotape is the the tape to carry. Better than duct tape for all applications.

@skippylippy547

10 ай бұрын

True!

Great tips

I bought one of those tent stake pushers. If fact, the guy selling them didn’t have one to fit my stakes, so I mailed him a stake and he designed one for me, which he’s now selling on his Etsy store. It works great as it custom fits the shape of the stake. At the time, I had not run across the pvc cap idea.

Great tips! No rocks? Use a piece of wood, a branch works great! Also, tighten the line around the stake and place rocks on the stake, this leaves you with longer adjustable line away from your tent body. I'm getting that PVC cap, will also paint it fluorescent orange so I will see it on the entrance stakeout that I always trip over lol

@jbmartin6

10 ай бұрын

When I first saw the image of the cap I figured this was the use case for it.

@frikkiesmit327

9 ай бұрын

You can also tie a small glow stick around that line of the stake.

These are great!

@MyLifeOutdoors

9 ай бұрын

Thanks

Thank you

To remove the last bit of moisture after shaking out a clean pot I use my stove to carefully and briefly heat the empty pot… quickly evaporates anything away. Hopefully it goes with out saying I am doing that holding the pot above the flame and moving it around while watching so I don’t damage the pot.

Oh man!... The bear Keg washer-on-a-carabineer is genius! I discovered that trick only a few weeks ago when I went out into the Sawtooths. My sister in law let me borrow her's. Amazing little doodad!

Great video!

Nice hacks! #2 looks like a Kelty bag, that's my pick.

Nice! Thanks :)

If its windy and if there are enough rocks of the right size I put rocks inside the tent in the corners after I stake the tent down.

Nice hacks. Thanks!

so great!

Top tips

Can you make a video about mountaneering, alpine climbing, or rock climbing, maybe some gear or tips they use which might be helpful for regular hikers?

Dang these are all like genuinely good hacks! Great videos man!

Washer on the carabiner, brillant!!

On the end you get a stone cabin! Just lol Great idea that dad told me as a kid!

I have those red anodized tent pegs (tough as can be)😮 plus use one as a marlin spike. I don't hike very much preferring to camp in one spot and make it a temporary oasis of fun. Any tips for that would be appreciated. 🤔

#2 is the big name gear😊

There's another way for blisters, not the foot-skin but the shoe, try an engo patch to reduce friction.

About sleepingbag stuffing: Synthetic fiber sleeping bags benefit from stuffing over folding and rolling. That is because the lonf fibers can get damaged from the folding and get shorter over a while. But very light and delicate down bags can rather get damaged by stuffing than by rolling. Because the stuffing motion can damage the dividers of the chambers in the sleeping bag. Of course it still comes down to personal preference and you gear will be fine either way, as long as you are carefull with it. I personally find rolling to be much more clean and practical. I also don't find it be slow or complicated.

A 3d printer is a backpackers best friend!

If I need to use rocks for my guy lines, I use the individual sections of my 3-piece trekking poles as dead man anchors. This gives me more area to weigh down with rocks. EDIT: I guess it's technically a "T-bone anchor"

Bear can hack. I use the bow of my sunglasses. They are always with me never have to look for a quarter or a washer.

According to Wikipedia: Equisetum hyemale (commonly known as rough horsetail,[1] scouring rush, scouringrush horsetail and, in South Africa, as snake grass) is a perennial herbaceous vascular plant in the horsetail family Equisetaceae. It is a native plant throughout the Holarctic Kingdom, found in North America, Europe, and northern Asia. The rough stems have been used to scour or clean pots, and used as sandpaper.[9][10]

@MyLifeOutdoors

9 ай бұрын

At first I had no idea why you were commenting this…but it finally clicked! Thanks for the info

@bradleybriggs

9 ай бұрын

@@MyLifeOutdoors It's also commonly called "Horsetail Reed"

Pounding stakes with rocks isn’t LNT so I try to avoid that. The end cap idea is a good one!

Tent is big company product

I wrap a thin bandana around my fuel before it goes into titanium mug. That way no rattle, no rust, and you can use it as a pot holder if handles get hot.