Greenbelly founder Chris Cage sat down with Steven from the YouTube channel My Life Outdoors at Appalachian Trail Days to work through some of backpacking’s most contested debates.
On food storage, Steven landed on bear bag while Chris preferred the canister, citing foolproof simplicity and the near-impossibility of finding a good hang tree in many areas. Both acknowledged the bear can is heavier, then paid tribute to Yellow Yellow, the legendary Maine bear who reportedly learned to crack them open.
Gear opinions diverged sharply on tents. Chris swears by the Zpacks Plex Solo, a single-trekking-pole setup he takes on almost every trip. Steven is equally devoted to the Slingfin Portal, a freestanding tent he has used for years without complaint. Both acknowledged the Durston XMID Pro 2 Plus as a solid option, though neither felt compelled to switch.
The forever chemicals segment turned serious. Steven described testing the water shed from a rain jacket in a chamber and finding PFAS present, then finding contamination in an ocean sample, a reservoir, and a high alpine creek before testing his own blood. His wife is currently battling cancer. A planned sponsor pulled out before the video went live, and Steven published it anyway.
On the PCT versus AT debate both picked the PCT, citing drier conditions, less crowding, and a higher concentration of international hikers on trail. The one point of total agreement was DEET as the top insect repellent, a consensus reached while being actively swarmed by bugs that the product was failing to repel.
