Neither Tom nor Christina have gone bikepacking before so with none of the gear and some of an idea, they embark on an overnight trip in Squamish. The caveat? They can only spend $60 on everything they need.
Good likelyhood I'll get downvoted into oblivion on this one, but I CRINGE when I see people buying one-off, disposable junk at dollarama / walmart, etc.
We should all strive to avoid this kind of behavior. Waste, to some extent, is inevitable....but we don't need to be filling up landfills with plastic crap because we're too cheap and/or lazy to buy quality items that will last and can be reused. Keep in mind "quality" also doesn't need to be the latest/greatest, expensive, overhyped and overpriced gear. A lot of this stuff could be borrowed or found at a thrift shop (and then returned or passed forward after having served it's purpose).
One day we're going to look back at this disposable mentality of our current society as the downfall of our time. We should all try to be more conscious of the footprint we're leaving.
Oh come on man. I send a 4 foot tall garbage bin to the curb every week and it's usually full, and you probably do too. And a 5 foot tall recycle bin, half of which probably ends up in landfills. A few disposable items to get oneself into an activity that DOESN'T involve driving a car to a campsite (along with all its outsized car camping gear) is a win.
@rickybobby18: Nice of you to jump to conclusions about me, but I assure you, I do not. I recycle FAR more than I throw out (by about a factor of 5x, I would say). It's done my making a conscious effort to clean, and properly sort a lot of my waste (and occasionally, physically taking it to the appropriate location). In general, I put out one grocery bag (since I re-use them instead of buying new, black bags) of random unrecyclable plastics every 2 weeks.
But that really is beside the point. In general, your argument is that since we all make SOME waste, we just shouldn't care about making as much as we want?
Respectfully, I disagree strongly with that kind of mindset.
@rickybobby18: I don't know about you, but my waste bin is 120L, gets picked up once a month, and usually half full at that point. And I don't try to live "frugal" or zero waste... Like at all. The main thing I try to avoid is cheap trash - stuff you use once or twice before it breaks. That, and in Austria, we do a lot of recycling. The only recycling I am kind of sceptical about is plastic, as it's kind of questionable how much of it is actually recycled, but that is also about a 50L bag per month for our 2-person household. The rest is paper, cardboard, glass, and metal, all of which are almost totally recycleable. It is all doable if we avoid the cheapest of the cheap stuff.
@rory: sorry about jumping to conclusions about you. My point is that we all generate a lot of waste, and that bikepacking is an incredibly low-impact activity. If we all died, that's the lowest impact way to be human, but if we're gonna not die, and we're still gonna recreate, bikepacking is a super low-impact way to do so compared to things like air travel, car vacations, car camping, etc.
If buying a few disposable items is the way to get someone into bikepacking (which often is followed up by buying nicer non-disposable bikepacking items), then that person has gotten themselves into a great hobby that has far lower impact than anything involving burning fossil fuels. I love videos like this because it shows that you don't have to spend $1000 on bags to get outdoors (which a lot of people believe, and it's a barrier, so they don't bikepack).
My first bikepacking trip involved a frame bag made from duct tape. Did it get thrown out? Sure did. Did it inspire me to buy a full Revelate bag setup because bikepacking is awesome, and now I pedal from my front door for most of my camping? Sure did.
So...point is that an inflatable mattress and a couple other throw-away items is a pretty small eco-sacrifice to get someone into a hobby that is super eco-friendly in the long run compared to its alternatives.
@foggnm: Grow up, man. If you don't want to discuss any ideas bigger than your own narrow world view, feel free NOT to chime in. There are lots of people here who enjoy the outdoors, and believe in the importance of not filling them up with garbage. Let the grownups talk.
And to reply to @rickybobby18 , yes, I absolutely get what you're saying. We are ALL forced to buy disposable items, and we ALL produce more waste than is necessary. Nobody is innocent on this one...myself included. The goal is simply to try bring our consumption more into a realm of conscious decision, and not simply purchasing without any consideration. For example, I personally would have preferred a "bikepacking on a zero dollar budget" type of video (not including food, obviously) where the items were accesories that they made/built themselves, facebook swap groups, or thrift shop items. Something that could be reused, and had a future purpose, instead of the cheapest, lowest quality, junk items that are destined for a landfill in a few months time.
This isn't about any sort of virtue signalling and trying to be some sort of "keyboard warrior". These are views which I will (and do) discuss just as comfortably with people face to face, as I firmly believe this is a major crisis of our time. And yes, there are many issues we must all face (ie. racism, economy, etc. - and I understand that no single person can fight ALL the battles) but it doesn't hurt to take a second and think about what we leave behind us on our path through life.
And thanks for sharing your thoughts. I do appreciate hearing what you have to say, as I think the issue (and how other people see it) is incredibly important!
@jasonlucas: not sure you will enjoy single speed road bike on trail. But if you can get nice bikes as shown in the video, you can rise the budget a little for the bikepacking stuff. Not saying you have to make with a Walmart or Decathlon for us from Europe, but with something less flashy. Anyway, that's a good effort to show you can bikepack with not too much investment.
@jasonlucas: IFHT trip to Costa Rica style. Unknown route, craigslist bike, barely speak the language, and end up at some cult retreat. I'm sure you could check all those boxes if you send Tom to Alabama!
@Tombrad: bike?--it doesn't even include a valve stem. Trash and a campfire--welcome to the North American West. How about a $60 light and an endurance ride
@pakleni: I'll never forget when I visited Switzerland in early 2000's as a backpacker....spent $11 for a hamburger at Burger King...was blown away, still recovering from that financially...
I love this. It bums me out when people think they need a full Revelate bag setup to go spend a night on a mountaintop. The bags are super nice, but not necessary! Just start strapping shit to your bike and get out there and get some nice bags later if you get super into it.
@brodoyouevenbike: oh yeah well I went bikepacking once and it was uphill both ways. Slept on loose shale lived off the land. Oh and did I mention I broke my back the day before
yes! Food, bikes and a swimming mattress or whatever and you're good to go. I really enjoy moments like this. Tom and Christina seem super nice as well!
@mitchward7: Nice. The point wasn't to "brag" about it. Just to further the point that it can be done on the cheap and you can probably handle more than you think. I had a hammock but it wasn't useful above the tree line, made it work anyway.
A loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter or p&j is all the food they'd need a proper budget trip. With $60 to spend they could have extended their trip a few extra nights easy.
@Tombrad: Hot dogs are a classic Canadian camping food, however you needed to cook them at the end of a sharp stick....warmed up in foil just doesn't cut it. Also where were the marshmallows?
Absolute content gold, next should be the new kids vs the old guard trip....Obviously will need to wait for the border to open.
This did get me thinking… I often hear about Search and Rescue going after lost hikers and back country skiers all the time… but never mountain bikers. Why is that? I guess bikers aren’t as likely to get lost since we aren’t as likely to go off trail, but I would think we’re just as likely to get injured. Any crazy survival stories from the Pinkbike crew or their friends? Any advice to those who end up spending a night on the trail by accident?
Or better yet, how about a vid where you guys go full Les Stroud Survivorman, and try and spend a night in the wild with just what you have in a fanny pack and downtube storage? And spend a second night if you fail to signal for help the next morning?
Pinkbike has officially gone too far with their content. I'm sure you Millenials enjoy it, but I only show up to talk sh!t and use the Buy/Sell feature.
I have been wearing one for a year after fracturing my scaffoid. Worth every penny. It’s fantastic and probably will wear it for the foreseeable future.
You're not going to be hitting jumps on a fully laden bike. you get to camp, unload everything, set up, then you can do day trips out from your base camp, which is in a spot you wouldn't normally be able to start from
But not every trip has to be about shredding. Bikepacking gets you to places that backpacking would take twice as long to get to.
We should all strive to avoid this kind of behavior. Waste, to some extent, is inevitable....but we don't need to be filling up landfills with plastic crap because we're too cheap and/or lazy to buy quality items that will last and can be reused. Keep in mind "quality" also doesn't need to be the latest/greatest, expensive, overhyped and overpriced gear. A lot of this stuff could be borrowed or found at a thrift shop (and then returned or passed forward after having served it's purpose).
One day we're going to look back at this disposable mentality of our current society as the downfall of our time. We should all try to be more conscious of the footprint we're leaving.
But that really is beside the point. In general, your argument is that since we all make SOME waste, we just shouldn't care about making as much as we want?
Respectfully, I disagree strongly with that kind of mindset.
The main thing I try to avoid is cheap trash - stuff you use once or twice before it breaks. That, and in Austria, we do a lot of recycling. The only recycling I am kind of sceptical about is plastic, as it's kind of questionable how much of it is actually recycled, but that is also about a 50L bag per month for our 2-person household. The rest is paper, cardboard, glass, and metal, all of which are almost totally recycleable.
It is all doable if we avoid the cheapest of the cheap stuff.
If buying a few disposable items is the way to get someone into bikepacking (which often is followed up by buying nicer non-disposable bikepacking items), then that person has gotten themselves into a great hobby that has far lower impact than anything involving burning fossil fuels. I love videos like this because it shows that you don't have to spend $1000 on bags to get outdoors (which a lot of people believe, and it's a barrier, so they don't bikepack).
My first bikepacking trip involved a frame bag made from duct tape. Did it get thrown out? Sure did. Did it inspire me to buy a full Revelate bag setup because bikepacking is awesome, and now I pedal from my front door for most of my camping? Sure did.
So...point is that an inflatable mattress and a couple other throw-away items is a pretty small eco-sacrifice to get someone into a hobby that is super eco-friendly in the long run compared to its alternatives.
And to reply to @rickybobby18 , yes, I absolutely get what you're saying. We are ALL forced to buy disposable items, and we ALL produce more waste than is necessary. Nobody is innocent on this one...myself included. The goal is simply to try bring our consumption more into a realm of conscious decision, and not simply purchasing without any consideration. For example, I personally would have preferred a "bikepacking on a zero dollar budget" type of video (not including food, obviously) where the items were accesories that they made/built themselves, facebook swap groups, or thrift shop items. Something that could be reused, and had a future purpose, instead of the cheapest, lowest quality, junk items that are destined for a landfill in a few months time.
This isn't about any sort of virtue signalling and trying to be some sort of "keyboard warrior". These are views which I will (and do) discuss just as comfortably with people face to face, as I firmly believe this is a major crisis of our time. And yes, there are many issues we must all face (ie. racism, economy, etc. - and I understand that no single person can fight ALL the battles) but it doesn't hurt to take a second and think about what we leave behind us on our path through life.
And thanks for sharing your thoughts. I do appreciate hearing what you have to say, as I think the issue (and how other people see it) is incredibly important!
*not including bike
Never waste beer.
Absolute content gold, next should be the new kids vs the old guard trip....Obviously will need to wait for the border to open.
Campfire podcast anyone?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDUKRftcq6s
This did get me thinking… I often hear about Search and Rescue going after lost hikers and back country skiers all the time… but never mountain bikers. Why is that? I guess bikers aren’t as likely to get lost since we aren’t as likely to go off trail, but I would think we’re just as likely to get injured. Any crazy survival stories from the Pinkbike crew or their friends? Any advice to those who end up spending a night on the trail by accident?
They look really great for all-day riding.
I have been wearing one for a year after fracturing my scaffoid. Worth every penny. It’s fantastic and probably will wear it for the foreseeable future.