[00:00:00] Tayson: Everybody, welcome back to the Live Ultralight podcast. Today, we are gonna be talking about the coolest items for Backpackers, this holiday season. So we have crammed, a, little Studio Corner up with people and we're going to just be Conversing about some cool new gear. So if that sounds interesting to you, make sure to stay tuned. If you're new to the liberal trip podcast, this podcast is powered by our revital. That's where
[00:00:23] Tayson: we all work and hang out every day. But the whole purpose of the podcast is to help you lighten your gear and build your confidence that you can start living a life full of Outdoor Adventures. So if you've not yet subscribed, make sure to subscribe. And with that, we're just gonna Dive Right In. So we've got Brigham, chronic designer in here. I've got Derek marketing director and then we've got Tyler VP
[00:00:45] Tayson: of Ops. And I'm pretty sure we've all been on podcast a handful of times at this point. So if you want to hear more from these guys, you can dig back through previous episodes but let's just Dive Right In to Some of the coolest new new I guess we're new to you or just the coolest items for Backpackers the people should be aware of this holiday season. I know some of you
[00:01:06] Tayson: guys it's a good prep work and notice something's down. So I'm just gonna I'm gonna let you guys start us off. Whoever's got the coolest. Well you think is the coolest item go ahead and spout it out there. Well, I'm a little biased, obviously, but I do think mine is the coolest and that is our Ventus hoodies that we just launched earlier this year. We've obviously been testing them out for quite
[00:01:30] Brigham: a while now and before we lost them as we were developing them and so I've had quite a bit of time, using the Ventus on trips just personally use around town or just really any application. I want to put it through and I am always impressed with This performance with how warm it is as a mid-level, layering piece, and for the weight, it is just the most impressive apparel piece. I have
[00:01:55] Brigham: ever come in contact with much less owned. So I think that is the number one coolest thing that I could think of, for Backpackers this holiday season. It's really worth a try plus important to you Derek, is it looks good? It looks good. That's a thing. You know there's so many things in the background that don't look good. There's so many pants that Bob's whatever. There's so many different items I guess.
[00:02:20] Derek: that just look dirty and sure when you for a job here, Derek, you were wearing zip off. So I don't know how much, I don't think they just going to interview with the funniest
[00:02:38] Tyler: right now. Derek's, the only one not wearing event is.
[00:02:43] Derek: True. I, I wore yesterday you can't wear it every day. I do,
[00:02:47] Derek: hey there. You've got enough jackets and pieces that I try to almost rotate. I feel like almost every day anymore. Well,
[00:02:55] Derek: I'm testing another piece and I wanted to know if it's going to be warm enough. I, I mean, for a background, I wear a jacket at my desk.
[00:03:03] Tyler: Pretty much every day.
[00:03:04] Derek: I'm all winter long, and tasting and Brigham can attest to this. But I wanted to know if I was gonna feel warm enough without having anything on my sleeves. And so I'm just wearing this vest I'm testing out and then so far, I actually have been plenty more minutes. Most of the time in the winter months, I walk into the office and think I can't take off another layer. Once I get
[00:03:23] Tayson: to my t-shirt and I look over and bring them is literally, like, almost Hood up with multiple layers on Derek's. Got a full-on winter coat on, and I can't take off another layer. It feels like so we got some issues with temperature regulating, especially in the winter, but I don't know, maybe we'll do some office switching up in the future, that will help because I think it has a lot to do
[00:03:47] Tayson: with just that particular unit building. Anyways, we get by Brigham. Seems to Survive, even though he said, jacket stays on from Halloween, until at least. Say, Paddy's Day, at least the first week of May. Yeah.
[00:04:08] Tayson: Well, hopefully, we can figure that out at some point and I'll be a little more happy with the temperatures, but hey, that's a bonus. You don't have to work in the outdoor gear company. Going back to the Ventus, it does look good. So you could wear that in a lot of jobs and it would be just fine. That's well, the, the underarms Perforated holes are quite nice when you're sitting at a
[00:04:33] Tayson: desk, in your arms with your side, most of the day. So so if you're cold off this space as well, this just keep it in mind. All right. What else? What other cool items for Backpackers, we got going on. So we try to lump this in any kind of categories, or should we just spout? I think sleep is cool sleep. Okay, so this is like basic and it's like, it's old news
[00:04:56] Guest: but I don't know, PM. I think of sleep is cool. So years ago, my wife got me in a playable. Backpacking, pillow for Christmas. Okay, that was like I always just used a jacket. You know, I entire life. Show me the pillow and it's like a game changer. I was way late to the game, obviously, but it was one of those things where it's trying to be either Frugal or I think
[00:05:24] Guest: it was worth it, but it, like the first time I used it, it was It was definitely a game changer and Shane that's like one of the best backpacking gifts you've received? Yeah, no kidding. Like I work here, you know and and that like the most significant impact on my backpacking experience.
[00:05:42] Tayson: That's because those are quite affordable for gifts. Yeah, it's like I said, it's pretty dominative like it's a little cheesy
[00:05:50] Tyler: little like that and if you're someone like that then all you need to be happy,
[00:05:55] Brigham: you know, that's still not that expensive. So I bring what I take. My my girls backpacking. I bring each of them one but they don't even use it. They use it as like a stuffy replacement, so they snuggle it. It for their heads. There's just like to have it like the thing in between their arms, you know, that they snuggle. It's
[00:06:17] Tayson: kids love. Pillows, Atlas, when I take Atlas out, he just loves the pillow. Like he likes blowing it up, he likes carrying it around. He likes sleeping with it, even though you can guarantee five seconds after he falls asleep, he's gonna roll off the pillow or kick and move around. And he does not sleep with the pillow under his head. The man, he loves it. Anytime he comes into my gear office
[00:06:38] Tayson: per se at my house. He finds my pillows somehow. So I finally have just giving him some of his own to look around the house but let's get on. I like that. All right. What else you want to stick with low ticket items for a minute? I've got one that died. I would consider this useful and fun at the same time and that is an alcohol stove. I think it's a lot
[00:07:03] Tayson: of Backpackers out there that have never tried one. But they've always thought, they're like, kind of a cool concept or cool idea, you know. And so I think that's a great item. I personally am using the toks siphon stove, it's a great one, there's a few others out there that are pretty good, but it's pretty cheap. But I bet if you gave this to anyone, they're still going to like Even if
[00:07:29] Tayson: like they don't use it every trip. Some of the guys, I mean most of you guys actually don't use alcohol stoves. I'm pretty much the sole user in our group of four here. But even if you had one, I think you like, you guys. Would try it out. Play with it. Have fun with it. Maybe not use it every time, but like it's a, it's an enjoyable gift, I would say. So
[00:07:48] Tayson: that's my fun gift. I'm gonna throw out there at a lower ticket price.
[00:07:54] Tyler: My lowest ticket. I
[00:07:58] Tayson: I'm now I'm intrigued. Yes.
[00:07:59] Tyler: All right. So this is probably the lowest ticket. Gift, you could give a Backpacker. That's also, just a good find. For your own kit, and it is. Two mil zip lock bags from Amazon, so like I just hang on a second. These
[00:08:18] Tayson: people don't know what Mill means. Okay, it is important. So there's there's a brand on there
[00:08:24] Tyler: called fly more that makes like Ziploc bags for commercial sales of different things, you know, like jewelry and stuff like that. And so you can get these little tiny Ziplock bags in a, in a thicker version, which makes them very durable. For when you take, like, in your, in your emergency kit or just with all your little electronics and stuff and having a slightly thicker. Very small bag is. It's just an
[00:09:00] Tyler: awesome little upgrade for your pack because like, say you have medication in there and it gets crushed, if it's in a really thin bag, then
[00:09:09] Tayson: that ends up just powdering all of your stuff and it's really annoying. So it's like a pinprick holes. Yeah. Regular Ziplocs. So do you just use the small size?
[00:09:17] Tyler: So they're like they come in all different dimensions. I think the like usually when I'm repacking like the emergency kit or certain like Electronics items, I probably use like a two inch by three inch size. But they also have like slightly smaller and slightly bigger ones. I've used the bigger ones for like my external battery Bank. Yeah, probably like a four inch by six inch
[00:09:47] Tayson: size you brand a bag or know you can
[00:09:51] Tayson: you can better yeah as long as it's
[00:09:57] Tyler: kind of a silly thing but when you're out on the trail having a bag that's not gonna tear and that you can reuse over and over and over it's a little more sustainable and and just makes for that much better of an experience.
[00:10:13] Tayson: I You right now? What I would use one of those. Bags. I don't think it's like a silly small thing. I think it's awesome. Mainly, I mean if there's any Peak refuel guys, listening, here's another plan. The change your packaging. Yeah, it Is. Yeah,
[00:10:27] Tayson: I would use one of those bags. Anytime any trip to put my Peak refuel Backpacker meals in the packaging that comes from the company is just, is this too bulky? And too, excessive just, it's too much for me. You can't double the surface amount of packaging needed. All right, twice, as big as it needs to be. Yeah, the
[00:10:49] Tayson: problem is I did try to use like a regular Ziploc bag, just to put some highlights trip, but
[00:10:56] Tayson: I think it gets those pinprick holes in it. So I put water into it is like dripping out of my Those thicker thicker bags. Be awesome. Yeah,
[00:11:09] Tyler: you didn't get them in literally, literally any Dimension.
[00:11:12] Tayson: Yeah. But it doesn't have to be just for Peak refuel. Like, I package my own food quite a bit or repackaged you. Buy jerky and you split it into multiple days or whatever. Just that way more space by reply yourself. All right about like just even freezer the freezer ones that are Slightly more durable, like yeah,
[00:11:32] Tayson: I use them but I still like, I think about it, you know, I think about it a lot with my electronics because I'm almost always, for whatever reason, my like battery bank is always going in a ziplock and then going inside the pack and yeah, it does not take very much for regular Ziploc to look really beat up and you're like, that's probably not keeping out water at this point or something. So.
[00:11:53] Tyler: Yeah. It's surprising how much abrasion you get inside the pack.
[00:11:56] Tayson: I feel like when you're gonna start this one, Tyler, I knew you're gonna say, like, a plastic bag. I thought you're gonna say, like, a nio fume pack liner or something, but that was pretty good. That was good.
[00:12:07] Tyler: That was my very lowest ticket
[00:12:09] Tayson: lowest ticket out of any other low ticket item. Well, I mean it's lower than a pillow. I'll never stop talking about the spoon, like, but the polished Bulls, the Polish Bowl polish Bulls, man. Like To me. That's true. That is a great Christmas gift. I was, I've been giving those for Christmas before years and years ago and it is something that you are just you honestly can't have enough Foods as well.
[00:12:38] Tayson: So like, That will always be a great holiday item. I think it's a cool one to take extras for. If you're taking new Backpackers or know, you're taking Backpackers that, you know, don't have one that they backpacked a few times. So they've like used dehydrated meals before. But you know, they don't have that and then when you hand it to them, that's like, take a previous change their day, golden stand. Phrasal,
[00:13:05] Tayson: that'd be cool. How do we get a cold and titanium? It's not but yeah, for those of you that for that, don't know what we're talking about here. We're talking specifically about the tops titanium. I don't know if we just also polish bull is because it stays way cleaner. It's way easier to clean off the political. but I bet you you like Subconsciously. Noticed it. Meaning like Imagine like taking a bite
[00:13:44] Tayson: with the chalky texture that, you know. Yeah.
[00:13:52] Derek: I can't say I have like consciously, but subconsciously I think you're onto something. There are you guys like want or use sporks or just spins? I've used them. I've used them. I actually have a toks long handle polishable sport. But do you ever use it like like if you were recommending to go buy one, would you say get a sport or get a spoon? I'd probably gonna slide that slide Edge to
[00:14:18] Brigham: the spoon. I'm sometimes when I go like, Like backpacking with a fly rod. It's nice to eat like some trout and have the ability to deal that the peel the meat off the bones. Okay. That's that's decent. That's the size of fish that I catch. That's not a problem. Is, they're not edible. But yeah, I can count like 0 times that I wish I had a sport over a spoon but that's
[00:14:47] Tayson: a good, that's a good argument. I don't have a spork stab out of the side of the pack,
[00:14:51] Tyler: so I'm kind of done with us. The tiny little nubbins it was like,
[00:15:00] Tayson: Is it like how to more Fork on it?
[00:15:01] Tyler: Yeah, it was like it was like, Plastic like a thicker. It's a long barrels. Packers score, probably not. And I try to come on. I'm gonna flip side of
[00:15:14] Tayson: from Brigham. I prefer the spoon mostly because I like my dinners. I like to finish them all the way and so you gotta get the corners. Yeah. You did in a little corners of your backpack, your meals with the sport because it just gets through all those spaces a spoon, will get right into the edge, real, nice, right with you right with that thing right up. That's good. Nice. All right. Other
[00:15:36] Tayson: low ticket items. I've got one more that's kind of a can of worms. But as far as We use.
[00:15:42] Tyler: All right. So, An external battery bank, right? Five years ago, you used to buy an external battery bank for your phone and it would weigh like one and a half to two pounds and these big huge blocky things, you know. But the last one that I picked up was literally the size of a credit card. It was a 5,000 milliamp hour battery and it costs like 20 bucks. It was, I was
[00:16:14] Tyler: super surprised at how much better the Battery tech is now to make it how much lighter and it's, it's
[00:16:21] Tayson: Great. So these are really just not be a thing but now with navigating on your phones and taking photos or videos on your phones, even though you might not be texting or emailing or calling just the crap out of your phone on the trail. And yeah, I've used a brand called anchor, you're just find them on Amazon and had a lot of good luck with them. but any other recommendations for battery
[00:16:48] Tayson: banks on, on that,
[00:16:49] Tyler: the one that I have is Probably kind of like an off-brand name, but it's meaty like am I a d? D y. And it's like
[00:17:00] Tayson: have you used it very long or just kind of more recently? Yeah, I mean I've used it for the last six months and I'm pretty solid but it was just one from Amazon nice. kind of goes along with that my, my Life more now Lord take item. That's I think a headlamp is just always gonna be a good holiday gift idea. I've used a handful of headlamps recently. The brand has been
[00:17:27] Tayson: using the most recently is petzl. They've got on. I'm gonna forget it, they're tiny one with the shock cord was Andy the Bendy the Bendy two or something like that. That's a good one. And then I've been using one that has an active core in it. I think it is just called the active or something, spelled funny, but it's got a swappable battery. That's like a rechargeable battery or you can put
[00:17:52] Tayson: in regular batteries, both of those have been Rock Solid for me lately but I have one of my favorites from all time is the Black diamond spotlite and that one only takes two AAA batteries. That's the main reason I like that. But I'm not a guy that like those, I can either light up the whole mountainside because usually I'm not using a headlamp for Derek lamp. Like these guys had to do.
[00:18:18] Tyler: But yeah, I think a headlamp is a great one. I don't know. You guys have any other headlamp. Comments or recommendations. Yeah, as far as like coolest gear, you guys, may not agree but I think I gave this thing to my dad actually last year. He really liked it. I thought it was cool. A beanie. Has a headlamp and and Bluetooth earbuds. So just on an airplane for business, but the batteries
[00:18:59] Tyler: are even lighter weight than the, AAA is just a little round one. So, a little bit more expensive batteries, but Honestly, they still work and they're gonna weigh less, and it's in your beanie and you can listen to your podcast and you can have life. It's like a great top Quilter's gift, right? Because you like fall asleep, listening to an audiobook with your beanie on just Your forehead to turn on the
[00:19:19] Tayson: lighting is already. It looked good or did it look like all the other, as you know, how did you rank it? No, it looks good. It actually had like this cool, you know, this fake leather but I had a cool leather packages actually, where you
[00:19:31] Tyler: put the batteries in and there was like
[00:19:32] Tyler: a play button but it's kind. Of printed. You know how they stamp leather? That's what the play button look like is a stamped kind of and almost flat looking so you couldn't hardly tell it was actually a button and those little round batteries that are Tiny smaller than dimes, they were flat. And so, it looked really nice like a normal beanie and like, just a really small simple light thing on the
[00:19:53] Tayson: front. And honestly, I thought it was awesome. Cool. I gave a couple beanie headlamps or my wife did to my kids last year and they, they popped the lights out of place so fast. And now I've got like, random little hockey puck lights and beanies with holes in them. this was like not the light was a classy still. Nice. All right. Last call for lower ticket items before we move into you.
[00:20:21] Tayson: Say, the middle. Tier Okay, what do you guys got? That's like, let's say the middle. Tier is gonna be somewhere, kind of in that like 100 to 200 dollar range. Will save anything 300 plus for like a high ticket item. So So 100 to 250, we'll kind of go that range. What it what cool items do you have? Top of mind. I still think the vent is Trump's second. All right? And
[00:20:53] Tayson: it is, for those of you listening, you ought to know that there's a great, very high possibility of us. Stocking out of sizes and colors through this winter season, due to shipping the delays and production delays and everything that I don't want to talk about anymore, but So if you're interested in, it definitely don't like sit on your heels because they will be gone. Okay, I got one. All right, it's not
[00:21:19] Tayson: a single product. I've actually used two different ones lately.
[00:21:23] Tyler: I am a big fan of like the ultra high cushion Trail Runners that
[00:21:29] Tayson: are coming out. Oh, I get to bring them to see him.
[00:21:32] Tyler: Yeah, so I know Brigham has used the the Hoka speedgoat Force. You just
[00:21:41] Brigham: toss those in the trash can. Yeah, hi line. That was still a quality pair of shoes, you know. So, and then I, so
[00:21:48] Tyler: I've used the hokas and I've used the Olympus. The ultra Olympus Force. Both of them are like the max cushion offerings from those two Brands and they're awesome for trail running. They give you some protection and stuff. They wear out fast, but they're trail running so you get aware of them out, but they just feel amazing. Like, I Yeah, back legs feet. Everything is happy
[00:22:15] Tyler: after you're bouncing her out in these hiking trail Runner those companies make a very solid shoe, even with and two inches of
[00:22:32] Tyler: literally called the ultra is my bare feet because they are so wide in the heel and beat,
[00:22:38] Tayson: Are. Boy. Oh boy! Yeah
[00:22:43] Tayson: d e a r.
[00:22:45] Tyler: It looks like a bear tracks because they the soul is so wide but that's part of what gives them so much cushion and I just bought more of them on Friday.
[00:22:54] Brigham: No I want. So I'm on my second pair of Hope to speak go Force. Yeah, I mean so so That that's awesome. My recommendation of a mid. Tier cool item. So my experience was, you know, I've used Ultra. So I went through I've done ultra's a lot. But then the latest pair altars I got they didn't fit well. So then I thought I'd try something else. I tried some innovates and then
[00:23:21] Brigham: I from the innovates I got the Hoka speed goat fours and it was like night and day improvement over. Whether it's running or hiking and how my body and my joints felt after a run. So for trail running, I was worried about the ankles never. I never had never Never had an issue that and I was actually pleasantly surprised with the durability. So think of all like the trail running we did
[00:23:49] Brigham: and the trips that we did in the conditions that we did were like you're fatigued and now it's raining. So you're not necessarily taking steps over a Rocky Trail and like scuff them up and like meaning, you know, rubbed him up against rocks and six and all kinds of other stuff and like they held up well. So let's get on. I will throw in a plug for the shoes. I've been wearing,
[00:24:14] Tayson: they're not considered a high cushion but they are a higher cushion. The Solomon since right force. And I'm just gonna say this Ultras are Hit or Miss for some people. They are a Miss, for me, bring an example, even the innovates, some of the models of innovates. I've had fit, great some don't. But the one thing I can say about every pair of Solomon's I've ever bought which is Probably. Six pairs
[00:24:40] Tayson: of between boots and shoes and stuff is every time I put them on. I almost feel like there's no break-in period and my feet are just happy. Like they just There's no hot spots, like they're just soul. I don't think that they're like I would never rank. I don't think I would rank any of them, like a 10 out of a 10, but all of them are like a solid eight or
[00:24:58] Tayson: nine every single time, every single model. So if you're struggling to, like, if you don't want to go through like a, finding the perfect shoe to get the tent out of a 10th, through multiple pairs happily and rebut them. So, so you guys have been talking about some pretty established brands for trailer and our specifically and for for just good shoes for hiking and backpacking and running in general. But there's a
[00:25:22] Derek: brand that really surprised me this year, which is New Balance. And for me, my perception of new balance is they're all like Dad shoes which depending on Our mayor may not be a good look. Dad's shoes. Yeah, they're an old company. They know they're doing, but they really, really pleased. I
[00:25:49] Derek: was really happy with the shoes. I got that. They made this year for fastpacking specifically and running. It's coming out to. Barrel, what were your previous shoes know? I've had some aljaz that was running on before, okay?
[00:26:02] Tayson: And you did go through. Because didn't you have a different pair that you were running with that? You have That the circulation issues with. Yes,
[00:26:11] Derek: that's the Ultras. Yes, those are no. The ones I haven't circulation with like I deserved it because they were Walmart shoes, but that's what I was remembering. But New Balance ones. They they were high cushion as well. I don't remember exact model. I have to go home and look at them. But the one thing I do remember is that the Running store when I was trying them on and trying to find
[00:26:34] Derek: a good pair of shoes for some upcoming races. I had in addition to the fast pack trips and Highline trail that we did this summer, I tried on hokas, I tried on some Ultras and the guy, the story, he had me, run around the block with all of these bears and shoes. And when I tried on these New Balance ones and I ran around the block and back to the store, and
[00:26:56] Derek: it was amazing. So now I kinda is a cool piece of gear. Now, I kind of feel like we didn't help anyone out with shoes because we went to so many brands for different brands of this table so
[00:27:09] Tyler: well. Probably high cushion shoes. Thank you like yours was just
[00:27:14] Tayson: in general. Yeah, are amazing. Like I was thinking about this like I pretty much not gonna be using boots. Unless it's winter like anymore. Like ever like I used to be like, sometimes certain trips. I'd switch back to a boot. You know, this that and the other but I'm pretty much like done with boots unless it's like snow or I'm doing some other kind of outdoor activity that needs a boot. You
[00:27:38] Tayson: know, well I'd say we did the listeners actually pretty good solid by giving four like like that is starting vetted recommendations because the reality is There's a reason the four of us each have our own shoe is because that's human, like that's human nature. So like people are, you know, you have some recommendations check them out and like find what works best for you. So
[00:28:03] Tyler: if you run super fast, get Derek's
[00:28:16] Tayson: Um something that goes along with this though that kind of falls back a category is socks. I think all of us would say getting you know a good pair of Darn Tough or SmartWool socks and kind of the lightweight category. Either lightweight with cushion or just lightweight category. Those are just worth their weight in gold. I know that I had like even my brother I feel like it was this year where
[00:28:42] Tayson: he he got like his first pair of Darn Tough socks and he's like, we were out on like multiple trips, and he just kept raving about him and Tyler raved about him on trips throughout the year. You were like, I'm just so impressed with you. I'm just so impressed. Yeah.
[00:28:57] Tayson: So if you've never had a pair of like that level of sock, you really need to go give him a shot. I will say. On my radar. For the next year, I really want to give the in engine engine drivers. I'm gonna try and I've heard enough. I thought I was just listening to something today from Courtney dauwalter and Nick bare, and they're talking about using them. And apparently, some people just
[00:29:22] Tayson: Rave about them, I have no problems with. I'm wearing a pair of socks right now. I'm no problem with them, but I'm always, I'm always gonna try what's next. So, a good quality. Pair of socks is worth its weight in gold.
[00:29:34] Tyler: The great gift which means you're going to spend twenty seven dollars or more for
[00:29:40] Tayson: a pair of socks, like 2020 and 30. Yeah.
[00:29:42] Tyler: Like and and the ones I was raving about were Midway low-cut like ankle running socks from darn test. And when we were running in the snow and the rain in the uintas I couldn't believe they kept my feet warm. I was like, it's just the first stage. They were wet,
[00:30:02] Tyler: but there is a big difference between like a premium wool, sock and like The Bargain Bin wool socks that you find at the sporting goods stores. You know what I mean? So like just because it says it's wool or just cuz it says it's a winter. Sock does not mean that it's gonna change your life the way that some of these high-end wool socks probably will.
[00:30:23] Tayson: Yeah, that's a, that's a good way. All right, more mid-tier items. This price bracket, um, I I some for up next Friday. So I think so. One of the things that I think is like in terms Cool is things like significantly move the needle or like that. I can see a result on somebody that hasn't had something like this and then I like, you
[00:30:53] Brigham: know, face to face, I could see the reaction and one of those is you know, I'll just I'm not, I'm not a plugger, but but the shadow light backpack, so, my mom, she's 70 right with. Like, she's been backpacking with me my entire life. Like she's a trooper and she came with me and my girls this summer and Last year, actually, when we went, I took a prototype for her to use.
[00:31:21] Brigham: and, she was, it was, it was just one of those like game changers for her and, you know, see, put up with my dad's cheap mentality of like, buying like the cheapest. Well, you know, crappy backpacking, gear frankly and we well we always have fun but like that's the world that she knew. And that we all grew up with. And so what I put that on her she was like, what, you
[00:31:51] Brigham: know what I mean? It was, it was awesome. So she bought one Last this this previous spring, she bought the shadow like when it came out. And so, she now has her own and she hiked up. She did the backpack and trip us with us with a torn meniscus. And, you know, just that Going from like a six-pound external frame backpack to like a, you know, a shadowlight, external frame next week.
[00:32:17] Tayson: That's, that is, that's a good one. And it what that kind of reminds me of. And I think it literally a prayer last podcast was about, this is trekking. Poles is definitely on the list, for me, moves the needle. And you know, the reason I think it's a good holiday item is also like, that's, I think one of the first times I ever got trading poles, right? I've given them to people
[00:32:36] Tayson: and It's been something that like, they probably wouldn't have gone out and spend the money on it. And then once they got him like you couldn't rip those things out of their hands once they use them the first couple times. So sometimes people need to push with trekking poles or just need to get a, give the gift of a trekking pole. Obviously, our favorite to the conference that are now on our
[00:32:57] Tayson: website for members. But yeah, get someone a prayer track and pulls even if it's the the cheaper like Walmart. Costco brand or like Cascade I think is like a really popular brand out there that will get them started in the right direction and at some point if they want to upgrade they can but that's a new moves, the needle and is a great idea. So
[00:33:17] Tyler: I'll put a plug in there like When we put something that we don't make on our website, it's under the other proven Essentials category and that's only makes it in there when we really tested embedded it. And those copperdale pulls aren't very well known in the US compared to a lot of the other brands. But after meeting the CEO of Palmdale, seeing all of his strength and stress tests and things like
[00:33:49] Tyler: that, that, you know, he doesn't necessarily share with everyone and then us putting them through the wringer over the summer and everything. Like, I've been super impressed,
[00:33:59] Tayson: you literally went from no trekking, Pole to cheaper, pair of trekking, poles, to comfortable, trekking poles, this Year. And
[00:34:09] Tayson: so I feel like you've, you do have like I haven't used a cheaper per track and pulls in a while, but you kind of have and you you mentioned multiple times the difference is and things you've
[00:34:20] Tyler: liked about them. So yeah, I mean like for us That aluminum pair that they have, I think it's called the Explorers, it's like 1190 pair and it's it's incredible that for aluminum poles, it can be lighter than the cheaper carbon fiber. Ones and literally twice as strong like there and
[00:34:43] Tayson: lost or so much better. Right there. A locks is a big one. So
[00:34:47] Tayson: we recently talked about this so I probably probably shouldn't get too much on a tangent with it. We talked about it for an hour, I think with the CEO on the podcast, but that's a great one. It's a great one. So whether you have to start off with a cheaper pair and give it to someone or you go straight for a higher dollar pair, they will be happy to start using trekking
[00:35:06] Tayson: poles. okay, other middle tier items will kind of one last round. I've got one last one. As well. But nothing. Okay. For me. I'm going to try to look up the name of this because You know what I'm talking about earlier? Yeah, that's all that's on you. I'm not gonna endorse that but they're awesome. This is my comical yet. Useful item. You could give it to someone have a great holiday laugh
[00:35:46] Tayson: with them, but absolutely are still useful and that is there's a company out of Norway. Like bringing you bring. Yeah, that makes these fishnet bottles, essentially out of wool and they're gonna look a little funny. You put them on a little funny, but if you are being active in cold weather, Breathe and insulate, that kind of a different level for sitting stationary, not necessarily like the one and only best thing, or
[00:36:18] Tayson: someone's a fourth. But if you are like, let's say you're snowshoeing. Let's say you're Skiing or something like that, these fish nets are legit so you have to look them up. But I don't know how to spell the name. The science is cool. Like it's
[00:36:33] Tayson: legitimate like this, how the technology and the functional performance. It's it's there for sure, it's very much. Just haven't used them. Bring them. Just never gonna be caught dead. Fish nets. Thanks a real man. That's not gonna wear the fish nets with running shorts. Let's put it that way, but well I think that those are like, around 100 dollars or something. So comical yet useful. So there's your bonus mid-tier tip. All
[00:37:08] Tayson: right, I have a feeling as soon as I say, like, more expensive item, I know what everyone is gonna go after. So let's go for it. Anything over 2 5 0. 0 0, I think a Garmin GPS watch. Would be my number one thing that's, you know, in that price range. And I just think it's like in my coolest gifts or coolest items for this holiday season just because of how fun
[00:37:38] Tayson: It is yeah, it's useful for tracking your heart rate and health and fitness tracking but also just gamified everything you do. I find myself when I'm out hiking running doing anything. I'm kind of like hey let's see if I can beat last time. Hey, this trip. I'm going in a higher elevation last trip and I can kind of see that on my wrist. And it just what I hear from Eric all
[00:37:56] Tayson: the time is, well, five minutes out of Camp. I met my stair goal for the day. And then by the end of the day, I have 37 next to, my stair, goal for the day about this stair goal with his wife. Super fun. I don't even know. My stair goal is to tell me what? It's good, though. I, I second all of what you said, I was just poking fun, but, no,
[00:38:22] Derek: it is cool. And there's lots of different options. You can go with. There's Student Hill is a good brand and Garmin, I think they both got great options and within each of those Brands. There's all so good options for your lifestyle. I don't have the same watches taste. Or Brigham. I've got one that fits me better for the things that I like, so like I can put music on mine, I can
[00:38:44] Derek: put podcasts on, I can just leave my phone completely behind and just Plug in some Bluetooth earphones and, and listen to whatever. I can also do a lot of other things with my watch that there's can't but there's gonna do things in mind. So here's is the Vivo to right? Yeah, I know it's the vivoactive folder. I want to say. All right.
[00:39:04] Derek: It's like, yeah. Just Garmin Smartwatch in general. You can find one that fits you. I just think it's one of the coolest things you can find. Yeah, we need to do a whole. We will do a whole podcast on this. In multiple ways because it is to me a game changing piece of gear from the health side from the usability on trail, from the game of fighting and Fitness. I've used mine
[00:39:30] Tayson: and so many different ways that is it seems crazy that something like a heart rate monitor or, you know, a GPS watch or whatever can do what it does. But slowly over time it just starts to build. So I have the Garmin Instinct solar Tyler says the instincts but just without the solar and It's crazy. Even when I had covid just recently, like I was using my watch to check my O2
[00:39:56] Tayson: levels, you know, and that's something I actually didn't use as much throughout the summer that I'm going to start to use is by going to Higher elevations, I'm going to start tracking my O2 levels at night time and monitoring that and trying to help with some of those. But as far as just monitoring my heart rate, there's a lot of information coming from that but two just like Derek said, gamifying exercise
[00:40:16] Tayson: and Outdoors as big using them on trail. It allows me to turn off my phone at night time so that I can have like a still like an alarm or something in the morning or still check time, but save battery all night long. So many good reasons to invest
[00:40:30] Tyler: in a garment watch Well, and I will say, like, on top of that. Part of what makes The Garmin watches. So good is just how. How many different apps they sink into, and how it helps with whatever you're trying to do. So for me Strava is kind of the app where I track my fitness and my progress. So whether I'm mountain biking, riding motorcycles, hiking running, like all of my activities, go
[00:41:01] Tyler: into that one place and then it gives me all of this incredible insight about, you know, whether I'm overtraining or under training or Sleep more or how I'm comparing to taste in when we're trying to,
[00:41:15] Tayson: like what is your heart rate? So low. What are you doing? Yeah, you do that
[00:41:18] Tyler: constantly. And and so like if you're looking for a good gift, if you've got someone, who is a runner or a cyclist or a hiker, a Strava membership, is an incredible insight and annual membership. Is it incredible way to gain insights into into how their Fitness is growing and and how they're being more healthy. And and for us That's a lot of what spending all this time in the outdoors is really
[00:41:47] Tyler: about and what we really read the benefits of is greater health. So I think it's definitely worth
[00:41:53] Tayson: trying out. We'll dig deeper and deeper on the watches but I'm gonna let Brigham lead off on the second garment piece that he's already mentioned as a great gift idea for the holidays. So
[00:42:05] Tyler: teed off for us.
[00:42:07] Brigham: Yeah, I would recommend in reach many for sure. Safety is cool. Happy families are cool. Yeah. They're
[00:42:19] Tyler: for those of you that don't know what it does, it's a
[00:42:22] Brigham: satellite satellite Communicator. So you can You can communicate from the device itself. You can send text messages and receive text messages, you can send preset messages. But you can also sync it to your phone and do all the texting and navigation as well from your phone. And so, yeah, it's it's great. I've only had mine for I want to say, like two years and Which was like a big step for me
[00:42:54] Brigham: because I do almost all my Outdoor Adventures solo and I do a lot of backpacking. So low and, you know, even when we had kids, I was still going out there, but I guess I really just kind of came to myself and realize that for me it was a it was the courteous and responsible thing to do but it actually, you know, it can It. I don't like, I go to the
[00:43:22] Brigham: Wilderness to be disconnected and so I don't want to suggest that like keeps me connected in terms of like the world and stuff, but it definitely does help keep me connected to my family. In terms of, you know, like let's see, last year I did some solo trips right after we had a baby, you know. And so I still want to be on the trip, but I wanted to see how, you
[00:43:47] Brigham: know, was doing and and, Honest right before he was born and you were like we were in a canyon. He couldn't get service. Had to hike up there. That's true. Yeah, it checks you wasn't going in the labor or something to do day. Yeah. Stuff like that. It's not that close, but kind of close close enough. You got to check and in, which is good
[00:44:06] Tyler: service. Anywhere in the world, except for, in titanium. Yeah, I've had pretty good
[00:44:12] Tyler: luck in tight, canyons,
[00:44:13] Tyler: and things like that.
[00:44:15] Tayson: If you can see, I was able to text out of the Narrows in Zion, but right before it goes, Uber narrow, but it was still like, you could just all the pens. And that's, that's kind of what I would say to bring him with yours. Is I probably couldn't go on half as many trips as I do without the enriched because it's like, just keeps the wife, happy and the family happy.
[00:44:40] Tayson: But it does keep me connected, but because it is like Not as good as just texting on your phone. Like I'm not gonna say like the Garmin app and the how well it connects all the time with GPSs and stuff is so good. That like it's just texting, it's not, there's delays, there's delays and you know, especially if you're not like actively trying to text so it does keep it connected. But
[00:45:03] Tayson: at the same time not overly connected. And so it's it's don't don't I don't know it's it's like a perfect balance. You know what? I did. I didn't even mention like the the Key Safety piece is the SOS button? Yeah. Didn't even mention it. It's a good one. So yeah, so it has a lot of people already know, but if you don't there's an SOS button and you have to pull a
[00:45:26] Tayson: cover off the side of it, you can't like inadvertently push it. So you have to pull the cover off of it and then push the button and what that does is if you're like in a life or death you know, life or death situation that you just can't get out of if you push that it activates like a complete like rescue protocol. Through the network and it goes to it'll notify anybody
[00:45:51] Tayson: that you pre-design on your in your account to be notified. But before that happens, it even goes. It goes to the closest First Responders and rescue whether it's law enforcement, search and rescue anybody. It notifies them with your GPS coordinates, and then they start a protocol where they The authorities and the rescue resources are they're spun up. They start moving into action but then they start contacting everybody on your list to
[00:46:22] Tayson: find out as much about you. The Year as they can to find out. You know, is this person? Do you think this person has any Gear with them? You know, and the person on the other end and say, well, yeah, he went on a backpacking trip, he's got full backpacking gear or you know, it could be. Oh, he just went out for a quick hi, he probably doesn't have much so if
[00:46:43] Tayson: he's punching this button you know, it's bad. Bad situation. But yeah that's like the primary safety feature of the in Yeah,
[00:46:51] Tayson: I'm gonna I'm gonna go off topic here for a second, but I recently came across an article. I think it was I don't remember what publication wrote actually but we're a guy was on Denali And pushed the button. And now he's going into a court situation with
[00:47:10] Tayson: Denali State Park officials because I think because they basically feel like he just didn't want to hike off the mountain and he was really yes, he is like this. That's what article made, it sounded like this guy really wasn't an emergency situation, he just thought he could have an easy out, press the button, it ties up resources, and all that, which is why they're suing him. So on so forth, but it
[00:47:36] Tayson: was like, I just like blew my mind, I'm like, what is wrong with? You know, they made it sound like he was a big I don't know. I won't make any judgment calls but you'll have to look it up. It was quite So don't use that sews. Like that being a real emergency situation, but what I do like about the SOS with Garmin as well is like They will attempt to contact
[00:48:00] Tayson: you and text you through the Garment devices as well. So you can tell them like Hey, I just broke my ankle nothing life or death is happening. If it takes you, 10 hours gets me that's okay. Or you can tell them get the Life Flight fired up and get here because I am bleeding out, right? So
[00:48:14] Tayson: there is or you can't land a Life Flight here or you could land a life. You know, you can give them that information if you're able, which they will attempt to obtain from you. So definitely another really cool feature of that. I do know, you know, personally in my own family and people I know that has been a very Wishful sought after Christmas item. The last price year and this year included,
[00:48:39] Tayson: I expect some family members to be obtaining them as well as some of my friends and stuff that have all been absolutely obtaining him. So it's the coming. It's kind of a coming, a thing that like, only hardcore, I guess you could say people used to have or like extremists or super, Die Hard, people to a tool that seems like more and more people are getting them. How useful they are and
[00:49:00] Tayson: like Brigham is mentioned too like he can leave it in his car anytime. He's just traveling. His wife is and kids are traveling and if they get cars stranded somewhere where there's no service they still have service and so it's a great. It's a great one to throw on this list for sure. And Both of those are the two things I do. We would talk about coming into this category. So what
[00:49:22] Tayson: else, what else in this upper category class would be a good? This is my last one. I don't have any ideas Beyond this unless I think it's unless I do come up here. But a top quilt.
[00:49:45] Tyler: And I would say, of course, our our talk quilt or storm off down top quilts. But
[00:49:51] Tyler: really any topical in general, if you're if you've never used one before, that's gonna be one of the coolest things that you can get or give this holiday season. It's Gonna Save tons of weight. It's gonna pack way smaller, and it's going to be just as warm and comfortable. And so, if you haven't tried to talk, will Now is the time Jump on any holiday deals. You find. It just pull the
[00:50:14] Tyler: trigger. It's going to be worth it and you're never gonna go back. I promise you won't really want to go back to sleeping bags. If you learn how to use a topical right and then just give it a try, they are I don't know. My wife. She doesn't backpack near as much as me, but she's the same way. She's used top Wilson on the trips that we've done. We've done some overnights
[00:50:32] Tyler: and, and, and the few backpacking trips that we've done. She's just like, yeah, I don't really ever want to sleep in bag. Ever again, I just talked little, it's great and that counts for a car camping even or any of our trips, she just And I agree. We both just want top Wheels because they're gonna save so much more space. Just as warm and you can even vent way better. So sometimes
[00:50:54] Tyler: I get root, really warm when I
[00:50:55] Tyler: was asleep. And sleeping bag is kind of difficult to unzip it and vent a little bit, or get a little bit more are now on your legs, your lower, half of your body, especially. But with the top quilt says, it's just kind of draped over you. It's easy to throw an arm or a leg out and just get the air that you need, and still have the rest, your body kind of
[00:51:13] Tyler: regulate and kind of warm so, For me at least I see no downsides and I think that's one of the coolest things that you can get in this price category for sure. To get on the lower end of it, too. So it is a good one. Okay, any others from Tyler, Brigham? You stole my Nothing. Huh. not even like, A battery powered bicycle or I mean anything
[00:51:45] Tyler: I've ever used better. Really. Have to place.
[00:51:55] Tayson: Yeah, I'm oh here's one. I haven't used it. Haven't used it. He wants to racket but would be cool if I had used it. It's something that I it's a high ticket item so I want to use if you drew Brigham's name for Christmas this year. Listen up
[00:52:11] Brigham: fat raft. Oh yeah, they're Price, but I just really like the idea. The concept really intrigues me. so, That's a good one. We we do need to give that a shot at some point. Know if we want to try a budget version just to try it out, we could just, you know, bring those little air pumps or by hand, they packed pretty small right and just like those River Rat in her tubes.
[00:52:39] Tyler: For a little while
[00:52:40] Tayson: to float down. The river inner tube, is that an actual tube? Like, it's just the tube. It's just like, it's like, you know, like, like the old style of what used to sled down Hills. Yeah. That's how you mean. Yeah. That would give me the same experience. I have floated many rivers on tubes before, canals and
[00:53:00] Tayson: Okay. Yeah, I think it's river trip would be fun to plan this next summer. One of my good buddies is just always doing that recently and always trying to get me to go and he's got to plan it far enough out that I can make it happen. But There's, there's something to be said about that. I'm also like thought it would be cool, you know? Like yeah, anyways, background would be cool.
[00:53:24] Tayson: I like that. Something.
