Great video. While my wife enjoys staying at home, I go about once or twice a year with my young son. He's kinda small so I have to try really hard to keep his pack weight low. But he's my partner on the trail so I thought I'd share what I've learned. Over the past year and a half, I've followed the advice you've given on your website and videos and combined that with some others on the web who seem to provide well grounded concepts. The change has been quite dramatic. About 2 years ago, we did our first trip up to Young Lakes in Yosemite and my pack must have approached or exceeded 50lbs. My son's was required to be no more than 10 due to his size. The hike up was miserable. Not only did I know know how far we had to go (we were going with friends and I didn't think to really do research to get mentally prepared), the pack I was using was ~30 years old and even after updating the hip belt and shoulder straps it was uncomfortable. And I had to carry much of my sons gear since is was big and heavy. We did a similar trip up to Brainard Lake a few weeks later and I was able to shed maybe 5 lbs. But I still struggled. This year, we did another trip but with the new equipment. My packed weight, including bear can with 4 days of food for 2 people, was about 25lbs. My sons was still at 10lbs, but he carried more items because some of them were now much lighter and/or smaller. The way we break it out is this: - He carries all his clothing and his miscellaneous items and his sleeping system along with his lunch/snacks for the day. He also carried our hygiene items and my eating spoon. He also carries his fishing pole and all our fishing tackle (just two small plastic containers). Then a 1L nalgene bottle and a plastic mug for hot chocolate and Tang - I carry my clothing and misc items and sleeping system. I also carry the tent system, cook system, all the food in the bear canister, navigation items, and water filtration system. I also had a 1L nalgene and a plastic mug. Him being a few years older and bigger, he was very happy with the weight. Me, being older and...well older, I was ecstatic. I glided up the trail with ease. Granted, the hike was easier than the Young and Brainard hikes, but I could easily tell there was a difference. The amount of food and equipment was perfect and even handled the storm that came through; neither of us were uncomfortable at any time. For anyone starting out, the tough part is juggling the cost, weight, and how much you'll use it. Going only a couple times a year makes it hard to justify a $600 DCF tent or the top of the line 900 down fill sleeping bag/quilt. So I compromised a little and opted for items that weight a little bit more, provided the comfort we needed, but didn't break the bank (and the wife accepted that). I also began to do aerobic exercise a couple weeks prior to the trip so that my body wasn't only in 'office shape' when I hit the trail head. So if you're starting out, here's what I recommend 1) Look for used gear: There are some web boards that provide the opportunity to buy used gear. Heck, I got my son's Patagonia down jacket from Ebay for $30 and it was in really good condition. You can also try the used gear sales at REI, but I suspect it would be difficult to get ultralight equipment there. Also, I find REI and Patagonia's used gear websites to be a bit pricey. 2) Look at Alan's website and and pay attention to his recommendations for the 'best buy' or budget option. 3) Be patient and wait for the sales. I timed the purchases of the our sleeping quilts with known sales. The tent was also on sale, but I can't remember if it was a holiday sale or if it was 'last years' tent going out of style sale. 4) The toughest buy has to be the backpack because you just can't know if it will fit you right. While I could have found one less expensive from a reputable cottage company, I chose to get one that was in a store because I could try it on and I knew it would fit. 5) Research. Go ahead and get too much information from Alan and others. That way you can over-analyze the options and select the right kit for you. I have a couple spreadsheets comparing backpacks and tents (cost, weight, volume, etc.). I actually applied weights to each and ranked them at one point although I don't believe I based my purchase on that method. I think if I had to do it all over again, I would have much of the same equipment.

@adventure_alan_co

3 жыл бұрын

Very nice. Huge progress. But more important the huge reward of being out and having a great time with your son. Can't put a value on that. Warmest regards, -alan

I've always wondered about couple backpackers; thanks!

Thank you guys. Wonderful video and lots of help

@adventure_alan_co

3 жыл бұрын

You are so welcome ❗️

Great video. Concise and informative. Thank you.

@adventure_alan_co

3 жыл бұрын

Our pleasure. Best Alan & Alison

This is really informative video! I met you and your wife on the way to Chile Chico back in 2018. You were both very kind and clearly very knowledgeable about your backpacking niche. Thank you for taking the time to answer my dumb questions and for putting on this great video.

@adventure_alan_co

3 жыл бұрын

Sorry for the very, very late reply. So fun to have acquaintances all around the world. if I have the right person, I seem to remember you on the ferry ride over. Best, -alan & alison

Awesome video! Doubling up on the womens neoair xlite with higher R-value was pure gold.

@adventure_alan_co

2 жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it!

Alan, thanks for the video. Excellent idea to focus on a couple's needs for gear for backpacking. We use the Copper Spur HV UL3 for room to throw are packs in but I will check out the new Copper Spur for two. Great video!

@adventure_alan_co

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the kind worlds Pappy. Warmest, -alan

Great video, thanks. Starting to plan a gear list of a through hike of Te Araroa. Will be two of us so good to get ideas on splitting kit etc.

@adventure_alan_co

3 жыл бұрын

Our pleasure Drew. Have a great trek. Warmest, -alan

Nice Video! Thank you for sharing with us. Can't wait to see more 👍

@adventure_alan_co

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching!

Hello we hope you are both well . It is so nice to be out there taking in all the wonder this world has to offer . Stay safe God Bless Love and Light Sarah and Glenn

@adventure_alan_co

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks, We will!

Hey there! It’s so great to see great couples content like this. It would be so great if you could provide weight in grams. Literally the rest of the world has been doing metric for decades. Thanks.

@adventure_alan_co

3 жыл бұрын

Great suggestion Miriam. As you know, this is mostly a US based site/viewership - but duly noted. Best, -alan

*thank you so much

@adventure_alan_co

3 жыл бұрын

You're welcome!

Thanks.. I from Indonesian 👍

@adventure_alan_co

3 жыл бұрын

Our pleasure. Warmest -Alan & Alison

Great info alan and allison, thank York sou much... paolo from italy

@adventure_alan_co

3 жыл бұрын

Our pleasure!

Awesome and now they have the jetboil stash which is around 7oz I think

Great video guys....funny when I was in the U.S five years ago a guy in REI was quite reluctant to let me buy the woman's thermarest I persisted!

@adventure_alan_co

3 жыл бұрын

Yup a real winner. Best, -alan

so nice to see someone do a gear video including bear cans as just a necessary piece of gear rather than the "curse of the sierras" strapped all dangling on top of their packs just until they can be dumped. I prefer the ease of not throwing ropes over trees that don't exist or are not even fair bear hangs. its a seat its table its a bit of a pain in the ass but it frustrates the hell out of all the critters that want my food. and furthermore, you show me the bear bag where you can carry Ritz crackers in lieu of tortillas without breaking one. they don't get stale, are easy to get whatever to your mouth, and are 137 calories per oz - boom....go bear cans

@adventure_alan_co

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the kind words Neda. Warmest, -alan & alison

nice, vid. have the same packs but both black, and the 2019 copper spur. what berikade canister sizes are those?

@adventure_alan_co

3 жыл бұрын

Alison had the Scout, and I have the weekender. Best, -alan

Super helpful and you guys seem bad ass

Wife and I typically hike in the eastern sierras for 4-6 nights. I currently carry the BV500 and she takes the BV450. We are looking to upgrade to the bearikade solutions. Can you tell me your thought process on carrying separate canisters? We are considering the expedition; my concern is the 14" height will almost certainly prevent horizontal carrying (I use the osprey aether but a HL 4400 is probably in my future at some point). For strictly minimizing weight, it seems like consolidating to a single canister is the best choice. Any thoughts?

Is the women's neoair x-lite pad long enough for you both? I wish they made a 72" long version of that pad! And, do you use the caldera cone stove when you go on trips that require melting snow for water?

Great video. Personally I've shelved my alcohol stove (same as yours) given fire conditions in the Sierra this year.

@SeanJuan_

2 жыл бұрын

They are actually banned in California now as is the sale of denatured alcohol.

@wellseasonedhiker

2 жыл бұрын

@@SeanJuan_ actually you can still buy denatured alcohol in CA from sporting good stores. REI sells Fuel in CA. Aldi alcohol stoves are still allowed..at least they were last year. Not suggesting anyone use them in the drought stricken west. They probably should be outlawed but pretty sure, unless rules were changed recently, they're still allowed.

Great video Allen! I am usually not a huge fan of Titanium Cookware because of how hard it is to do any real cooking such as simmering rice or cooking stews. Any advice?

@adventure_alan_co

3 жыл бұрын

Yeah, titanium does not transfer heat well and does a poor job of heat distribution. And the alcohol stove does not have any temp control. So while light and fuel efficient, the setup in this video is definitely NOT oriented towards the backcountry gourmet. If you want to do anything like simmering rice, making a stew our cooking up eggs you'll need a few things. 1] a stove with better temp control (likely a JetBoil, or if you intend to use a frying pan something like a MSR Pocket Rocket), 2] a pot or pan with better heat distribution and a good profile for cooking (wider usually better). Aluminum is a good choice and if you are careful you'll likely get by without a non-stick surface. 3] Finally, If you need to cook eggs or meat in a shallow pan, then you'll likely need a non-stick coated aluminum pan or if you can handle the weight, the lightest carbon steel pan you can manage - which gets you out of the non-stick coating issues. You might even cut down or even remove the handle on the pan to improve balance on the narrow stove and reduce weight. Hope this helps. Best, -alan

Have you tried a double wide mat or always individual? I was thinking that we’d sleep warmer sharing a quilt but thought we’d also have to have a double mat to do that.

@adventure_alan_co

3 жыл бұрын

Sorry for the late reply HM. The problem with doubles is limited selection. Most are far too heavy and bulky for lightweight backpacking. As such, connecting two singles lighter and usually warmer if you use the Women's NeoAir or X-Therms strapped together. Warmest, -alan & alison

@Adventure Alan, I checked your gear list and did see your one ounces cap shoes. Can you provide a link to them, please?

@adventure_alan_co

3 жыл бұрын

Brandon, alas no longer made. And nothing similar available. I have stock of about 4 more pairs. But when they are gone, they are gone :-( Best, -alan

I use and highly recommend a Kelty Tioga or a Kelty Trekker...both Backpacks are guaranteed for life...even a Zpacks warranty is about a year or one through hike...you can still carry a 10 lb base weight or less with these...I own both designs...if Kelty never made Backpacks 99.9999999999 of thru hikers or Sauntering Backpackers wouldn't exist today. . .Kelty Backpacks started the modern Backpacking movement. . .I am a Sauntering thru Backpacker... P.S. Who was the people that set 10 lbs or less as Ultralight? Was there a committee that voted on that information? Or did somebody just come up with a arbitrary number that they thought look good. . .? I always learn something from your videos...

@adventure_alan_co

3 жыл бұрын

Always nice to hear from you Rodney. Best, -alan

What is your windscreen called? I've found titanium windscreens but not conical ones that are intended to support a pot. We've both thru hiked the AT but recently started making videos backpacking with our 6 dogs and are trying to get lighter.

@adventure_alan_co

3 жыл бұрын

Go to the description section below the video for a link to the written post. It will have all the specific info on the gear in the video. Best -Alan & Alison

Do those pads really have an 5.4 "R" rating?! I might need to reconsider my current setup. Thanks for sharing! I've started backpacking with a friend and she and I have started to work on the gear sharing thing. Be safe!

Hi Alan, what stove system are you using? Thank you Chris

@adventure_alan_co

3 жыл бұрын

Checkout the 9 lb Gear List in the Comments for this video. www.adventurealan.com/ultrali... is our 9 Pound Ultralight Gear List. Warmest, -alan

What poles specifically are those? Can you link them?

Alan, were are those shoulder water bottle attachments available anywhere or are they made by you?

@adventure_alan_co

3 жыл бұрын

They are MLD Shoulder Pockets mountainlaureldesigns.com/product/shoulder-strap-pouches/ Best, -alan

Very informative video! I searched your website for 1 oz camp shoes and could not find them. Can you please provide a link to the 1 oz camp shoes

@adventure_alan_co

3 жыл бұрын

Alas no longer made. And nothing similar available. I have stock of about 4 more pairs. But when they are gone, they are gone :-( Best, -alan

Sorry if this has been asked before, but how tall are you? I'm looking at the sleeping pad size and see it's 66" on REI. I'm 5'11", so I'm wondering how comfortable it would be.

@adventure_alan_co

3 жыл бұрын

I am 5'8" and use the Women's Neo Air most of the time. My 6'5" climbing partner uses the same pad. Best, -alan

@richardd540

3 жыл бұрын

@@adventure_alan_co thank you, that's helpful!

Just gotta know. The dopp/ditty bags........... killer. who makes those ? thank you !

Hey Alan, I watched sooo many tent and gear videos. I also took a look on your website. Thank you for so much information. I search for a tent for two people and a large dog/Rhodesia Ridgeback. My husband is about 6,1 tall. We need space for 3 sleeping pads, at least 2 full-size, one smaller... and a little Bit of Room for our gear. Most reviews are 1 person or 2 person tents. But I need a little more space. We hike a lot but next year we want to go one some trips for few days overnight. I wonder if I take this tent just the 3 person version. Would be kind for a tip or advice. Or someone in the community.

@adventure_alan_co

3 жыл бұрын

Jana, a number of tents in our guide www.adventurealan.com/best-tents-backpacking/ have 3-4 person verions. Check out the "Similar Models." Also doggie toenails are very hard on tent floors. As such you might want to look at something floorless or at least with an inner nest that would allow your Rhodesian Ridgeback to not be on the waterproof tent floor. Take a look a the MLD Pyramid Tents in the Guide. Best, -alan

Are you using the Bearikade “Weekender” or “Blazer”?

@adventure_alan_co

3 жыл бұрын

I have the Weekender and Alison has the Scout. Best, -alan

Dang, the 4400 is a HUGE pack. That's like 80L of total storage

@jays7318

3 жыл бұрын

Ya a little overkill. I used a 36 L main body pack for a 7 day trip.

@adventure_alan_co

3 жыл бұрын

Gentlemen, have you tried to fit a ton of food, and a very large bear canister, and two sleeping bags into a 36 L pack? Just askin'. Best, -alan

@jays7318

3 жыл бұрын

@@adventure_alan_co Good point on the bear canister. Without a bear canister all gear fits in my 36L main body pack, including 10 lbs of dry/dehydrated food (7 days worth for me)

@backyardfern1923

3 жыл бұрын

@@adventure_alan_co Just an FYI, Zpacks sells a strap specifically for carrying the can on top of your pack if you ever want to downsize your pack :)

Hi you two. I am wondering if you just sleep in the clothes you hike in and do you just sleep right on top of your mattress? Do you ever get cold and need to put on your puffy at night? You then wouldn't have a pillow! Love your videos and thank you for responding.

@adventure_alan_co

3 жыл бұрын

Yes we sleep directly on our pads but wear our clothes so we don't stick to it. And yes sometimes we wear puffies to bed if it's very cold. This is one of the tenets of UL backpacking is that you get your sleeping bag/quilt for the normal low temps expected. And then you can wear your puffy with it to handle freakish cold temps. And there is always something you can get under your head. If you are wearing your puffy you can use your fleece. If wearing both, I have used my shoes. Hope this helps. Warmest, -alan

What are you guys using for camp shoes?

@adventure_alan_co

3 жыл бұрын

Alison has a pair of 3 oz flip flops. I have a pair of 1 oz pool shoes (sadly, no longer available altho I still have about 3 pairs left).

Just found your channel! New subscriber now. My wife and I were wondering if you knew of a strapping system for sleeping pads that are available? I know you said yours came with your EE quilt.

@adventure_alan_co

3 жыл бұрын

Yes, you can get them from Z-packs.

@stronglikemonkey

3 жыл бұрын

@@adventure_alan_co Thanks for the response! That helps!

What is that outdoor research yellow shirt your wearing in this video?

@adventure_alan_co

3 жыл бұрын

Brian its and OR Echo Hoody. Pretty much our go-to top layer unless it's super cold. Best, -alan

@eyedeuh

3 жыл бұрын

@@adventure_alan_co what’s the next level layer for when it’s cold to replace the echo Hoody? Thanks!

Interested in the camper shoes, can't find them in gear list

@jht09

3 жыл бұрын

Where’s the gear list

@rotormedicvance

3 жыл бұрын

On their website

@adventure_alan_co

3 жыл бұрын

Sorry for some reason the comments did not take. They are there now with the links to bout the Couples Gear List Article, and our 9 Pound Gear List. www.adventurealan.com/couples... is our detailed article on Couples Ultralight Backpacking Gear. www.adventurealan.com/ultrali... is our 9 Pound Ultralight Gear List and the FOUNDATION for our Couples Gear Kit. It will have all the other gear, bits and pieces which when combined with the couple’s specific gear in this post will make up a complete gear list.

@rotormedicvance

3 жыл бұрын

Adventure Alan thanks, I have looked thru all the gear list and cannot find the type of camp shoes you use?

Great video Allen and Allison. Whoa, 9 lbs for 7 days food?! I thought I mastered it over the years. How many calories per day is your demand? All kidding aside, but are you carrying just pnut butter and olive oil 🤭?

@adventure_alan_co

3 жыл бұрын

Mark as a couple we are carrying a little under 1.5 lb / person / day. That gets us over 3,000 calories per day and a fairly balanced amount of protein, healthy carbs and fats. (that and the first and last days are not usually full days to the actual number of "food days" is around 6.5 days. 6.5 x 1.5 = 9.75 lb). Best, -alan

@markcummings6856

3 жыл бұрын

Adventure Alan Thanks kindly. I forgot about the first and last day amounts.

just want to do this with my girlfriend, backpacking and salsa dancing. Not on the same day though,

@adventure_alan_co

3 жыл бұрын

Nice!

Would be nice if you at least named off some of the gear so we don’t have to chase down your list. Both said how much you loved your cheap trekking poles but neither said who makes them.

@adventure_alan_co

3 жыл бұрын

The poles are in the gear list. Their is a link to the gear list first thing in the comments section below the video. But for no here it is www.adventurealan.com/ultralight-backpacking-gear-list/#top Best, -alan

That’s not enough fuel for 7 days. Unless you plan on only have a few hot meals or drinks haha. It takes roughly 1 ounce to boil 2 cups of water. Maybe I’m wrong or those fad hobo stoves have all of a sudden changed the laws of physics

@adventure_alan_co

3 жыл бұрын

Actually this is a super high-efficiency alcohol stove. And uses less than a half ounce of fuel to boil 2 cups of water. So you can make many more meals and hot drinks then you were assuming. Best - Alan

@Ron_C

2 жыл бұрын

I thought that too, but @311 he pulls, what appears to be, a pint sized bottle of fuel from the side of his pack. 16oz, plus that small bottle.....