Short clips
Trailers to full length videos and stand-alone quick tips; everything we make that is under 60 seconds
For Big Days Climbing or Hiking, Why I Eat and Drink at Least Every Hour
If we only eat when we are hungry and drink when we are thirsty, we might not be taking in enough food or water to keep our energy up and to fend off dehydration. Here's why we try to eat and drink frequently and on a regular schedule.
A Better Clean for a Better Hike, Climb, or Backpack: Why I Like the CuloClean Bidet
I have no affiliation with the company, but I have been very happy with my purchase of the Culo Clean portable bidet. It’s a low cost, low weight item I have added to my adventures, and you can see the video to find out why. You can find the item, should you want it, here: https://sovrn.co/ph0rir7
Rule of Thumb for Finding Calorie-Dense Food for the Next Climbing or Backpacking Expedition
Modern expeditions and lengthy backpacking trips often demand high effort and, therefore, massive calorie burning. In order to even come close to putting back the calories I burn on a big outdoor adventure, I make sure to bring some very calorie-dense snacks with me on my trips. As a rule of thumb, I look for some foods that have over 150 Kcal per 30g when considering a food to be particularly calorie-dense.
Preview: Organizing Gear for Warmth in a Cold Camp on Climbing, Backpacking, & Camping Trips
When it comes to camping in the deep cold, staying warm is the ultimate goal. But did you know that organizing your gear in your tent can make a huge difference? The full video shares some tips on gear organization to maximize heat retention.
Preview to Summer Canister Stoves: How Many Days Before Heavy, Efficient Stoves Make Sense?
If we are out on a backpacking trip or an alpine climb, we are already counting ounces. More efficient canister stoves tend to be heavier. So, how many days of fuel use need to happen before that efficiency and saved fuel pays off when compared to carrying a lighter, less efficient stove with, therefore, more fuel? We did a first test in summer conditions.
Why I Prefer Ferro Rods to Lighters for Igniting My Camping Stove
Ferro rods are an alternative fire starting method that may be easier to use in difficult and cold conditions. Here are a few of the reasons I take a ferro rod with me when I'm on multiday climbs or camps in the mountains.
Mountaineering and Winter Camping Basics: Why I Dig a Pit at the Foot of My Tent
Lots of clothing, rigid gear, and stiff boots make life in a tent in the cold more complicated. Digging a simple pit at the door of your tent can make your winter camping or mountaineering experience a little easier.
Winter Camping? Alpine Climbing? Don't Burn Your Snow!
Sublimation of snow (moving from solid directly to gas) not only smells bad, but also robs you of the water you are trying to make (you can't drink a gas). Here's the easy fix to avoid sublimation when turning snow into drinking water when alpine climbing or winter camping.
Preview to Review of the Flip Fuel Transfer Device for Backpacking & Camping Fuel Canisters
Transferring canister fuel from one canister to another may save you money, weight, or both as you prepare for your next climbing, backpacking, or camping trip. But, it's not without its risks. In the full video, we review the FlipFuel transfer device and demonstrate how to use it.
Boiling Water. Reused Water Bottles. Potential Damage on Your Backpacking or Camping Trip
Reusing those plastic bottles from a beverage purchase may leach BPA into your water (maybe a topic for another video). But I also know from many conversations that some people will do it anyway because it can save money and weight and they don't do it that often. Well, for those of you who are willing to accept the risk, there is also a practical consideration: the lips on the mouths of those water bottles can melt when pouring boiling water making them unable to be closed. So, you can take this simple, light, piece of gear to avoid at least that problem when backpacking or camping in the winter.
Preview to Winter Camping is a Mountaineering Skill. My Kids On a Deeply Cold 48 Hours Out
Climbing big mountains in anything more than a day, may demand that you cold-weather camp as well as you climb. It's the key to your recovery at the end of each day. My twin eight-year-old wanted to try winter camping in truly cold weather. It got down to -6 F (-21C). The full video goes into what I was thinking about and focused on teaching them during these 48 hours out.
Keeping Larger Particles Out of Your Hiking, Backpacking, and Climbing Snow Melt Water
Finding purified water is easy on winter and alpine climbs and hikes when you are boiling snow melt, but larger particles like pine nettles can still infest your water despite boiling. Your kitchen cabinets already hold an affordable solution.
I've Used the Bōn Dry Hydration Pack Dryer for Years and It Keeps My Hydration Packs Fresh
My family gets outdoors a lot for climbing, backpacking, and hiking and we use hydration pack systems when the weather is right. The convenience of having water accessible helps us drink more. But hydration packs are hard to keep from molding. That's where the Bōn Dry hydration pack dryer comes in to play. I've never had to replace any of my families' hydration systems since I started using it.
Keeping Kids Hydrated when Backpacking, Hiking, and Climbing: Water Bladder Size Matters
Being outdoors with my kids for climbing, backpacking, and hiking is a blast, but getting them to do some of "the small things" on a consistent basis can be a challenge. Staying hydrated is one of those things. Having water always accessible with a water bladder system can help, but I need to make sure I have the right water bladder for their little bodies and little equipment.
Mental Health Month: You Need Calories When Hiking, Backpacking, Climbing or Mountaineering
In gravity fighting sports, there can be a tendency to want to reduce one's weight in order to improve strength-to-weight ratio. While that might work in the short run, it isn't sustainable. You need both calories and proper nutrition to perform when in the outdoors. As we begin Mental Health Awareness Month, let’s remember that the consequences of obsessive weight cutting aren't worth the benefits.
How Frequently Should I Drink Water When I'm Hiking, Backpacking, or Mountaineering?
Staying hydrated is important when you are on the move in the backcountry, whether hiking, backpacking, or mountaineering; it impacts your ability to exercise for the duration and also affects your acclimatization to higher altitudes. But your body can't absorb the water you drink if you drink too much to fast. So, how often and how much should you be drinking water in the ideal?
Drinking Your Calories When Backpacking, Hiking, Climbing or Mountaineering at Altitude
Being at altitude suppresses your appetite. But your body needs more calories when you are up high. So, adding a caloric mix to your water is a good way to over come calorie depravation when you find it is difficult to eat enough.
How Much Water to Bring When Backpacking, Hiking, or Mountaineering
The water you need to bring on an outdoors adventure is a product of the activity - like a backpacking trip, a hike, or a mountain climb - how hard you are working, and the climate. But climate is also determined by altitude and higher altitudes demand more water. Find out how much more in this video.
How Much Camping Stove Fuel to Bring on a Backpacking Trip or an Alpine Expedition
There is a lot that goes into your consumption rate of fuel for your camping stove: altitude, air temperature, temperature of your water, moisture content of the surrounding snow, the stove efficiency, itself, burner size, wind speed, the list goes on and on. So, here is a rule of thumb for taking the right amount of fuel with you when you will be melting snow for water on your expedition.
Trailer to Winter Gear We Take When Mountaineering, Hiking, and Snowshoeing with the Kids
My twin seven-year-olds love mountaineering, climbing, hiking, and camping. But making sure we have all the right gear for winter trips comes with larger consequences for getting it wrong. The full video is a load out of what we take for a winter day-trip in snowy, cold conditions