Mail Call – Trail Blaze Protocol, Recent Black Forest Trail Trip, Backpacking Coffee

Tips, tricks and discussion on various Backpacking, Hiking & Camping topics.

Topics Discussed / Gear Seen

  • Hiking Pants
  • Stinging Nettles on the Black Forest Trail
  • Packit Gourmet’s 10 year anniversary.
  • Keith from Connecticut sent a really cool book about Mt McKinnley / Denali
  • My goal of one feature length backpacking trip video per month.
  • Viewer Raymond suggested a future trip to do the Standing Indian Loop in the North Carolina’s Nantahala National Forest.
  • GORUCK GR1 Backpack
  • Aiming for a 8 lb backpacking load-out with my new Gregory Optic 48 backpack.
  • Any suggestions for a 3 day, 2 night backpacking trip down south?
  • Has it really been 4 years since my first, and only, trip to the Smokie Mountains?
  • Sawyer 1 gallon gravity filter system for group camping trips.
  • 2 gallon gravity water filter setups for backpacking?

Mail Call – Cabin Trip, Choosing an Ultralight Backpack, Stealth Camping


Tips, tricks and discussion on various Backpacking, Hiking & Camping topics.

Topics Discussed / Gear Seen

  • Carrying while camping and backpacking?
  • When are Sara and our dog Denali going to come out on some backpacking trips?
  • New version of the HangTime Hook
  • Some really cool hammock artwork by Justin Cline (@JustinCline on Twitter, Insta, Etsy)
  • Tom from NH would has a question about trail greeting protocol.
  • Jack from Little Cub Outfitters sent some cool shirts.
  • Does anybody ever pack in “Trail Games” when backpacking?

  • Bill for MA sent a nice care package.
  • Metal water bottles for camping and on the trail?
  • First look at the super tiny 130 lumen Olight i1R EOS
  • Pitching Tarps and ground sleeping on a slope.

Mail Call – DIY Gear Tips, Hiking Gloves? & Filterless Backpacking Water Treatment

Tips, tricks and discussion on various Backpacking, Hiking & Camping topics.

Topics Discussed / Gear Seen

    • Thanks to everyone who supported the limited edition Sintax77 T-Shirt campaign!
    • Shirts are available on Bonfire – ordering ends Thursday, 4/19/18 after which point they’ll be retired.
    • Sara has a snack.
    • Viewer ‘Silent Paul’ makes gives a great tip for sourcing materials for DIY backpacking pot cozies.
    • The winter camping cheers debate rages on.
    • Viewers ‘Bear off the OT’ and ‘GEN2-X’ give some tips on DIY windscreens for camp stoves.
    • Viewer John R. recommends the spoon shaped Nemo sleeping bags over the traditional mummy bag shape.
    • Viewer Andrew S. gives us an update on my Kelty Salida 2 person tent.
    • Using a 3-Season tent in the winter, snow loads, temperatures, etc.
    • Adam want to know if I plan to do more “classic solo” trips and / or head back out to the Rockies for some backpacking and camping.
    • Potential for doing trip videos more often on the channel.
    • We’re heading out to the Denver, Colorado area this late summer / fall for a backpacking trip (3, maybe 4 days on the trail).  Got any suggestions for good camping, backpacking loops, burgers, etc?
    • Somebody sent a pair of Moreok Anti-Slip, Shock Absorbing gloves.
    • Thoughts on fingerless gloves for backpacking and on the trial?  Maybe good for hiking poles, camp chores, etc?
    • Viewer Doreen brings up the subject of wood burning twig stoves for backpacking and camping.  I’ve yet to use one – any thoughts out there?
    • Viewer Deb in Ohio gives a shout out and brings up the dreaded topic of a rainy forecast on your hiking dates.
    • My upcoming backpacking trip video to go along with my recent Budget Backpacking Gear List video.
    • Reason I chose the particular shelter system for my Budget Backpacking trip vs my lighter cuben fiber tarp or other options.
    • My new backpacking and camping water purification system that I’m testing, the Steripen Ultralight.

Mail Call – Thoughts on Snow Trench Trip, Campfires on Snow, Peril on the Trail, Saw Battle!

Tips, tricks and discussion on various Backpacking, Hiking & Camping topics.

Topics Discussed / Gear Seen

        • Why were we still cold if we had a fire going on our recent Snow Trench Camping trip?
        • Other thoughts on campfires directly on deep snow, camp fire size, balancing fire tending with other camping chores, etc.
        • Josh recommends a Military Surplus Army Bivvy Bag
        • Our tarp type choice and usage on the Snow Trench Trip.
        • Science Time! What temperature does whiskey freeze at?
        • Longer backpacking trip videos vs shorter multi-part vids
        • Viewer Lance M. sent a shiny new camp saw, the Silky F180 for testing!

      • Viewer Steve sent his favorite saw, the Bahco Laplander on a previous Mail Call episode.  Sounds like a saw battle to me!
      • Testing out various accessories for the Dutchware Chameleon Hammock System.
      • Sintax77 T-Shirts – Limited run Sintax77 “Cheeseburger Time” shirts are in the works and will be announced soon. 🙂
      • Congrats to viewer Scott for hunting down the northern lights on a recent Iceland Trip!
      • Z-Bird recently paid a visit to the Pinnacle in PA, where Mike and I camped on a fall backpacking trip many moons ago.
      • Viewer TheSkyttis used to own a SOL Escape Bivvy, like the ones we used on our recent Snow Trench Camping video, but eventually switched to a V3 Trifecta Thermal Bivvy by ‘2 Go Systems’.
      • Viewer Mike is getting ready for a backpacking trip on the Pinhoti trail in Alabama.
      • Viewers Sean and Kelly sent me a book called ‘Where You’ll Find Me‘ about Kate Matrosova, who perished on the Presidential Range during a winter ascent in 2015.
      • Another book I really enjoyed – ‘Not Without Peril‘, about the many tragedies of the White Mountains.
      • Rather listen to these books on the way to the trailhead?
        Use this link to get two free audio books on Audible

    • Packit Gourmet is awesome! They make some of my favorite backpacking foods.
    • More thoughts on the tragedy of Kate Matrosova on Madison Col.
    • Check out Steve’s YouTube Channel, Explorers of the Wild
    • Brian sent some Aqua Clips for testing. They help hold your water bottle on the trail.
    • Bivvy Bags as an emergency survival item, vs  “regular” camping, bivvy tents, etc.
    • Testing out my new H16 Wave USB rechargeable headlamp in sub-zero temps.

Mail Call – My First Solo Backpacking Trip , MilSurp Gear, New Camping Saw

Tips, tricks and discussion on various Backpacking, Hiking & Camping topics.

Topics Discussed / Gear Seen

    • My very first solo backpacking / camping trip.
    • Hurricane Irene’s effect on the White Mountains back in 2011.
    • Military Surplus gear for backpacking and hiking. My experiences, pros and cons, etc.
    • Link to the bushcraft channel I referenced, ReallyBigMonkey1
    • Maybe I should do an old-school military surplus only camping trip some time?
    • Speaking of old-school – Dan’s been watching for 6 years now.
    • Shout out to the person who sent me a big ol’ box of cool knives and gear for future trips.
    • Backpackers should hug a hunter.
    • Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is pretty cool.
    • So is the National Wild Turkey Federation.
    • I totally forgot that Mike once broke a defenseless Gomboy Silky saw years ago.
    • Viewer Steve is the man – he sent me a brand new Bahco Laplander saw to replace our recently broken Coleman folding saw.
    • Mystery box from Nomadik.
    • Checking out the Olight H16 Wave Headlamp with hands free on and off function.
    • A hater brings up a great topic! – Hit that bell button for upload notifications!

Mail Call – Camping Stove Types & Fuel Options, Mid Layers for Winter, Where’s Sara?!

In this episode, we go deep on the subject of Camping & Backpacking Stoves. Stove Models, Fuel Types, Winds Screens and more with a heavy emphasis on Cold Weather Winter Camping Stoves as well. http://www.sintax77.com

Topics Discussed / Gear Seen

  • Facebook Live Event! hang out with me live on Katadyn’s FB Page – Thursday 2/15/17 at 1pm
  • One solo winter backpacking trip down (PA Appalachian Trail), one to go (White Mountains snow camping).
  • Am I coming back to the southwest for some desert camping?
  • Mid layer clothing for winter backpacking.
  • Military Surplus Micro Fleece Jackets
  • Packable down jackets (down jacket seen – Montbell UL Down Parka)
  • Camping Stove Choices for 3-season and Winter Backpacking, colder temps etc.
  • Camping Stove fuel choices.
  • My new stove – Optimus Polaris Optifuel
  • Where’s Sara?!

Links for staying updated on the Facebook Live Event

Sintax77 on Twitter
Sintax77 on Facebook