Uploaded February 2023 | Updated September 2026, 5 days ago
2/9/2023 Point Reyes National Seashore
With all the California storms and flood damage, my favorite spots were closed. So I booked a spot at Point Reyes Coast Campground for my birthday. I need to get my legs moving. All I've done the past two months was eat.
I've been trying out budget freestanding tents lately and brought the NatureHike Vik 1 one person, single-walled tent. I really like the exoskeleton design like the Cloud Peak 2 and on my scale, it weighs in at 1,267g (2.8 lbs) with the ground sheet and 1,115g (2.46 lbs) without.
This would be a good test to see if I can handle a single-walled shelter. On the coast during Winter seems like a good way to try. I'll probably use this as a Summer fair weather tent when I can't use a hammock.
I also brought a few sand/snow stakes to try with some Helinox Chair Zero mods.
- Shock cord with some loops to stake/peg the chair down
- Mesh floor using this awesome guide youtu.be/OkcHnMhEwZs from @ItsGoodintheWoods.
This should also come in handy for perch fishing at the beach this year.
After watching videos of backpackers getting their food raiding by mice, I brought along a bear canister too.
I tried to step it up a bit with quality and started looking up phone vlogging videos. I'm still using my old Google Pixel 4a and Insta360 Go 2, but also carried along a Sennheiser MKE 200 mini shotgun microphone, a clip-on phone variable ND filter, Oben CTT-1000L Carbon Fiber Tripod, and a NEEWER Mini Light Wand.
I'm not sure if I'll always carry this extra weight, but I'm having fun with it so far.
Open Camera was used with manual settings. Locked 1/60 sec shutter speed and ISO was at 55 on the Pixel 4a during the day. I controlled the exposure with the clip-on ND filter.
I'm starting to learn DaVinci Resolve and tried to figure it out while editing this video. I like it. It runs smooth and hasn't crashed on the old GTX 1060 laptop yet.
Gear used during the trip:
lighterpack.com/r/3561jc
AllTrails Recording: alltrails.com/explore/recording/overnight-backpacking-bear-valley-to-coast-camp-6562a2c?p=-1
0:00 The Journey Begins
0:36 Intro
0:56 Starting the hike
2:46 Mt Wittenberg
3:50 Sky Trail
7:13 Coast Campground
7:47 Coffee
7:59 NatureHike Vik 1 Setup
11:12 Beach
12:25 Helinox Chair Zero on the beach
14:03 Dinner
15:35 Golden Hour
18:03 Pixel 4a Astrophotography Mode
19:35 Early morning coffee
23:05 Back on the trail
23:41 Sculptured Beach
26:08 Lunch
29:01 Closing
2/9/2023 Point Reyes National Seashore
With all the California storms and flood damage, my favorite spots were closed. So I booked a spot at Point Reyes Coast Campground for my birthday. I need to get my legs moving. All I've done the past two months was eat.
I've been trying out budget freestanding tents lately and brought the NatureHike Vik 1 one person, single-walled tent. I really like the exoskeleton design like the Cloud Peak 2 and on my scale, it weighs in at 1,267g (2.8 lbs) with the ground sheet and 1,115g (2.46 lbs) without.
This would be a good test to see if I can handle a single-walled shelter. On the coast during Winter seems like a good way to try. I'll probably use this as a Summer fair weather tent when I can't use a hammock.
I also brought a few sand/snow stakes to try with some Helinox Chair Zero mods.
- Shock cord with some loops to stake/peg the chair down
- Mesh floor using this awesome guide youtu.be/OkcHnMhEwZs from @ItsGoodintheWoods.
This should also come in handy for perch fishing at the beach this year.
After watching videos of backpackers getting their food raiding by mice, I brought along a bear canister too.
I tried to step it up a bit with quality and started looking up phone vlogging videos. I'm still using my old Google Pixel 4a and Insta360 Go 2, but also carried along a Sennheiser MKE 200 mini shotgun microphone, a clip-on phone variable ND filter, Oben CTT-1000L Carbon Fiber Tripod, and a NEEWER Mini Light Wand.
I'm not sure if I'll always carry this extra weight, but I'm having fun with it so far.
Open Camera was used with manual settings. Locked 1/60 sec shutter speed and ISO was at 55 on the Pixel 4a during the day. I controlled the exposure with the clip-on ND filter.
I'm starting to learn DaVinci Resolve and tried to figure it out while editing this video. I like it. It runs smooth and hasn't crashed on the old GTX 1060 laptop yet.
Gear used during the trip:
lighterpack.com/r/3561jc
AllTrails Recording: alltrails.com/explore/recording/overnight-backpacking-bear-valley-to-coast-camp-6562a2c?p=-1
0:00 The Journey Begins
0:36 Intro
0:56 Starting the hike
2:46 Mt Wittenberg
3:50 Sky Trail
7:13 Coast Campground
7:47 Coffee
7:59 NatureHike Vik 1 Setup
11:12 Beach
12:25 Helinox Chair Zero on the beach
14:03 Dinner
15:35 Golden Hour
18:03 Pixel 4a Astrophotography Mode
19:35 Early morning coffee
23:05 Back on the trail
23:41 Sculptured Beach
26:08 Lunch
29:01 Closing
