How to Enjoy Winter Backpacking on a Budget – It Doesn't Have to be Expensive! (+ Outtakes)
How to Enjoy Winter Backpacking on a Budget – It Doesn't Have to be Expensive! (+ Outtakes)
We’ve all had someone tell us that winter backpacking is super expensive or you have to be specialized gear to not freeze your butt off–but I believe you can enjoy winter backpacking on a budget. I have spent many nights in the backcountry below zero with a budget tent, budget sleeping bag, and budget sleeping pad. You don’t have to spend ridiculous amounts of money to enjoy winter backpacking. In this video I’ll talk about everything I use–from base layers to microspikes to tents and sleeping bags.
🏕️ 👉 Help Support AND Shape Dose of Dirt through Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/DoseofDirt
You can vote in polls to help decide what gear to buy, test, review, and then give away to Patreon members! All gear purchased with Patreon funds will be given away to Patreon members! (Lots of other benefits too!)
⚙Gear Links⚙
-Base Layers (32degrees website): https://www.32degrees.com/collections/mens-base-layer?sort_by=manual&compactView=true&page=1
-Costco Puffy
-Decathlon Puffy: https://www.decathlon.com/collections/mens-down-jackets/products/forclaz-trek-100-mens-light-backpacking-padded-down-jacket-with-hoodie-312478?
-Frogg Toggs Ultra-Lite2: https://amzn.to/3I4y0oA
-Microspikes: https://amzn.to/3AYHak8
-My Budget 3P Tent: https://amzn.to/3GkMi2N
-My Budget 2P Tent: https://amzn.to/3HqiBi5
-Teton Sports Leef Zero Degree: https://amzn.to/3ujc3yi
-Paria 0 Degree Thermodown (Paria’s website): https://shrsl.com/3bas0
-Paria Recharge XL (Amazon): https://amzn.to/3J30ak0
-Paria Recharge XL (Directly from Paria): https://shrsl.com/3barw
-Thermarest Z Lite: https://amzn.to/34geVRU
-Budget Foam Pad: https://amzn.to/3oiuZtd
Some of the links above are affiliate links. Buying things with the links doesn’t change the amount you pay, but helps support the channel since I would get a percentage of the sale. Thank you so much for supporting Dose of Dirt!
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Jeff at Dose of Dirt
P.O. Box 173
Aldie, VA 20105
📺Watch Next📺
-Zero Degree Sleeping Bag Comparison: https://youtu.be/QbdpPHikyZY
-Budget Winter Sleeping Pad Comparison: https://youtu.be/TMKX3lUIIXg
-15lb Loadout for 15 Degrees: https://youtu.be/vcrJO0furw8
-Sub Zero Backpacking Trip: https://youtu.be/NhDyjih5pRI
🔖Bookmarks🔖
0:00 Intro
0:32 Why we’re talking about budget winter backpacking gear
2:15 Base Layers
3:24 Mid Layers
4:35 Outer Layers (puffer coat & winter hiking pants)
5:56 Waterproof shell
6:39 Footwear
7:33 Microspikes
8:13 Do I need a 4 season tent?
9:46 Winter sleeping bags & layering sleeping bags
11:25 Winter sleeping pads & layering sleeping pads
12:26 Shameless request for you to hit the like button
12:35 Wrap up
12:58 Bloopers
🌄Connect for More Adventures🌄
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REMEMBER, LIFE IS BETTER WITH SOME DIRT IN IT!
I have spent December, January, and February winter hiking on the AT the last two years. No bugs and no people!
About baselayers:
You should mention the huge difference there is between synthetic and natural/wool baselayers.
I can never wear synthetic baselayer, because i sweat too much for that, wool is the only option for me.
I wear 100% wool baselayer.
With synthetic i get that wet and clammy feeling, i get cold very fast and im never able to get warm.
With wool, it only takes a few minutes before i feel dry and warm.
And no, there arent a huge price difference between synthetic and wool.
The only time i wear synthetic baselayer is during the summer, the wet and clammy feeling helps cooling me down faster than wool.
As for footwear:
Apparently you are a person who sweat almost nothing if you can have warm and dry feet after wrapping them in plastic bags.
For me, leather footwear is the way to go, Gore-tex is a no go.
I have less maintenance, i have warmer feet and i have drier feet than with Gore-tex.
If i get wet feet in leather boots, i just wipe them dry and change socks, with Gore-tex, i am done for, my feet will remain wet and cold until i reach home.
And in a Scandinavian/Danish winter, that can either mean a "Abort mission" or constant attention to your feet.
And dont forget gaiters; they can be a savior in wet vegetation or snow.
Thank you for making good quality informative videos
Here in Northern Ontario……. not cold until -40c.
I have thay same blue shirt from costco l. Love it!
Birmingham, AL..the coldest I’ve ever camped in was -10 on Mt. Leconte, Great Smoky Mts..great video!!!
I wrapped the top half of my 2R sleeping pad in bubblewrap and put it on snow. Can get 200gram fleece blanket at the dollarstore
Best channel on YouTube for well thought out systems, practical approach to backpacking, and affordable gear options. Thank you.
Costco has some Eddie Bauer base layers in right now for low prices, I picked up a bunch of pieces for winter/summer. Def one of my fav stores for saving.
3:55 raven rocks ?! I’m moving to Virginia from California and checked that out during my visit
Pennsylvania on the AT last winter I made it through several nights between 0 and -9 degrees
You speak a lot of sense but that was a shitty tent pitch. 😅
😂😂 that dude said “I don’t wanna say costco again”.
Great fucking job you explained how to get a Costco membership. What a joke
👍
Bro you are amazing. Keep going… thank you for your honesty
REALLY HELPFUL KIND SIR!!
For apparel check out Sierra trading post if you have one near you. They get overstock items to stock for cheap (same business model and actually same parent company as tj max marshalls and homegoods) so the selection is random and you have to really look around to find good stuff but I have found almost all my winter apparel there for very cheap including a waterproof and very warm pair of keens for $50.
Thrifting is the more extreme version of this being cheaper but also harder to find good stuff, but it is also possible if you have some time and are willing to make a few trips over the course of a couple months.
Great video and tips 🙂👍
No not true. You yourself showed a sleeping bag for 170$ that would be capable for Winter camping. This is not low Budget.
I ordered some “waterproof” shoe covers on Amazon.. eager to try them out and see just how they perform… they had no reviews so I took a chance. Received them the other day and they look at least pretty water resistant if anything. I also got the same brand shoe covers for dust/sand.. motivated by our hiking trip to south Utah where I’m still tapping red sand out of my shoes 3 weeks later!
Solid advice. I love winter backpacking/camping. Watching from Calgary. Coldest civilian experience was a month ago, -21ºC/-6ºF. Coldest experience in the military, -54ºC/-65ºF. Here in AB, I use a single wall 3-season tent (Tarptent Double Rainbow Li dyneema tent).
Very cool vid. but I don’t understand why you don’t want to use a 2 person tunnel tent, cook inside, get warm and enjoy nature! Tunnel tents in winter can offset your weight, you can carry other much lighter things! 😄 and get a lighter weight on all equipment in total !!!
Love the options for some lower priced options as I have kids too. I can get really expensive when buying gear for multiple people
Really like your channel
32 degrees is my go to for a lot of really cheap gear.
Half my crap comes from Costco. My Eddie Bauer puffer is super warm and was like $30.i also have a uniqulo (sp) I like even more that was also $30.. my wool socks and fleece lined synthetic pants too. Bonus points for their $15 Gerry Brand grid fleece hoodie that isn’t quite as nice as my Patagonia R1 but it was like hundreds.. people just need to get out there
Wool!
Wow! You just changed my thinking. Thank you!
The cheapest place I’ve found to buy outdoor clothing is Decathlon. $16 cdn dollars for a merino wool beanie. Down jackets are less than 1/2 of the popular brands you see.
It’s 100% true. Relying on cheap Walmart crap is a horrible idea when your life depends on it.
Love this video. Nothing wrong with saving money! Speaking of Costco, I got a two pack of black fleece neck gaiters a couple of years ago for about $10. I also have two of their hoodless Gerry down puffy jackets that I got on sale. Keeping my neck warm with a gaiter and wearing a knit hat pretty much substitutes for not having a hood.
I,ve been winter camping with the North Face The One Bag. It is defiantly not the best sleeping bag for winter back packing but where there is a while, there is a way.
A wool shirt is something you might already own and that would work better as a midlayer than a synthetic one. This is because wool is fire retardant so it wont melt while around the campfire.
Great video man. Really good gear suggestions
Great stuff. Hope all is well. Have not seen any videos recently.
This was my first time on your channel. I like how Dose of Dirt stays close to the "No frills, cheap as dirt" frame of mind.
No costco hate here. I love my decathlon down puffy but if I had yours I doubt I’d upgrade. While I do like the hood, if I ever wanted to upgrade I’d look for one that has an elastic cord thru the hood to synch around the face.
Cotton can be used in any layer any season or environment… If used correctly.
Exactly! I agree with you, theres too much promotion videos and no simple camping ones.
I don‘t know if you already figured out the shoe-situation. I wear Vivobarefoot hiking boots all year around and they were great up to -10 degrees celsius with warm socks. So far my feet dint ever get wet and I have been using them now for over 4 years. Only one time cold when wearing the wrong kind of socks. I also went hiking with skinners and waterproof thermo socks at approx -10 degrees celsius, no problem either.
Thank you! Love your videos!!!
Good video man! I’ve been using 2 mil neoprene calf height booties under trail runners for snow under 6". Works really well for trail. Down booties at night;)
You are my kind of guy! I have used a windshield sun screen as a sleeping mat in the CO mountains ! A bit too light!!😅
🏕👉Help Support AND Shape Dose of Dirt through Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/DoseofDirt
You can vote in polls to help decide what gear to buy, test, review, and then give away to Patreon members! All gear purchased with Patreon funds will be given away to Patreon members! (Lots of other benefits too!)
⚙Gear Links⚙
-Base Layers (32degrees website): https://www.32degrees.com/collections/mens-base-layer?sort_by=manual&compactView=true&page=1
-Costco Puffy
-Decathlon Puffy: https://www.decathlon.com/collections/mens-down-jackets/products/forclaz-trek-100-mens-light-backpacking-padded-down-jacket-with-hoodie-312478?
-Frogg Toggs Ultra-Lite2: https://amzn.to/3I4y0oA
-Microspikes: https://amzn.to/3AYHak8
-My Budget 3P Tent: https://amzn.to/3GkMi2N
-My Budget 2P Tent: https://amzn.to/3HqiBi5
-Teton Sports Leef Zero Degree: https://amzn.to/3ujc3yi
-Paria 0 Degree Thermodown (Paria’s website): https://shrsl.com/3bas0
-Paria Recharge XL (Amazon): https://amzn.to/3J30ak0
-Paria Recharge XL (Directly from Paria): https://shrsl.com/3barw
-Thermarest Z Lite: https://amzn.to/34geVRU
-Budget Foam Pad: https://amzn.to/3oiuZtd
Some of the links above are affiliate links. Buying things with the links doesn’t change the amount you pay, but helps support the channel since I would get a percentage of the sale. Thank you so much for supporting Dose of Dirt!
I’m in north dakota here its 7 to 8 months
Thanks for this- financially challenged since dealing with chronic illness last 10 years due to indoor mold & tick diseases.. my health has improved and even tho I still can’t do long distance trail running anymore I have been hiking with my sis a lot and sometimes on my own.
I will be starting to get used to tenting outside at my friend’s property and for some reason have a burning desire to do winter backpacking. Im in wisconsin and I hate the cold but I used to run 10+ miles at a time in the very cold subzero winter days & nights before I got so sick..
It’s discouraging how expensive everything is when I can’t work full time but thanks to you and a few other folks sharing tips & info on decent real budget gear, I see that it is possible! Many thanks!
Should plan for -10°F for northern New England.
Great info. I like wearing thin neoprene socks over merino wool socks when it’s cold and wet out. Keeps my feet dry and warm.
Been wearing the 32 degree Costco long John’s for years they work great