Gear Abby: Bougie Hikers, Dysentery Demons & Busted Gut Feelings
- colin7931
- 51 minutes ago
- 40 min read
If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s possible to enjoy nature and your creature comforts at the same time, this week’s episode of Gear Abby is for you. Shawnté tackles some of the most delightfully disgusting, oddly profound, and completely necessary outdoor questions yet! From redefining what it means to be “outdoorsy” to dealing with backcountry water hazards and an untimely trail shart.
Question 1: Can I be outdoorsy if I’m bougie?
A listener writes in wondering how to balance their love for luxury with their desire to get outside. Shawnté explains that yes, you can enjoy the outdoors without turning into a dirtbag. Whether that means starting with a guided retreat, renting a glamping setup, or bringing your favorite snacks and skincare along for the ride.
Gear Abby's take? “Being outside doesn’t mean you have to be disgusting about it.”
Question 2: What can (and can’t) my water filter do?
A question from “Bubble Gut Boris” gets real about water purification limits. Shawnté breaks down what today’s filters actually handle (bacteria, protozoa, even viruses) and what they absolutely don’t (toxic algae, chemical runoff, or day-glow green sludge). If it looks like something from The Simpsons, don’t drink it.
Question 3: What should I do if I shart while hiking?
The email that stopped Colin in his tracks comes from “Child of the Korn,” who asks what to do when nature calls... violently. Shawnté responds with compassion, practicality, and several minutes of straight-up survival advice: wipes, baggies, smooth rocks (yes, really).
It’s equal parts educational and horrifying. In other words, classic Gear Abby.
What’s In My Pack
What's In My Pack?! is back and this time Shawnté reviews RecPak, a high-calorie, on-the-go meal replacement pouch that’s equal parts intriguing and protein-packed (40 grams per serving!). She and Colin debate whether it’s the perfect trail fuel or just a fancy “colonoscopy drink for hikers.” Either way, it’s worth a try (preferably cold).
Episode Bings (aka Footnotes)
Hard drugs work just as well.
Bart Simpson has some excellent recommendations for fake names to use when writing into deargearabby@gmail.com
Shots fired at Anna! Gear Abby is brutal.
Can we get FanDuel to publish odds on when Shawnte will reference poop in each episode please?
Pants required for you, not the horse.
A hamburger always tastes good. A hamburger after you’ve hiked 15 miles is divine.
Dysentery Demons is the new leader in the band name clubhouse.
Gear Abby’s hat is going to be the number one item.
We didn’t.
It’s actually fecal incontinence. But fecal incompetence sounds funnier so we'll give Gear Abby a pass.
Listen To The Full Episode!
This recap only scratches the surface, listen to this entire episode of Gear Abby by here or just click the player below.
If you’ve got your own gear dilemmas, want to safely discuss how you like to smell your outdoorsy underwear, or just want Shawnté to settle a debate, send your questions to deargearabby@gmail.com, they just might land in a future episode.
Episode Transcript:
Shawnté Salabert
00:00:00.240 - 00:02:03.390
While daydreaming about future backpacking trips, I had an epiphany. Maybe I could have an even better time out there if I just lighten my pack a little bit.
That's when I decided to try out my very first trekking pole tent. Gossamer gears the One. And it was a match in ultralight heaven.
Weighing in at just 18 ounces, the one sets up in minutes using just trekking poles and a handful of stakes. And the One didn't just lighten my pack.
It actually simplified my camp setup so that I had more time to enjoy the natural beauty all around me and allow me to spend with my favorite bidet. If you know me, you know Gossamer Gear designs products for people on the move rooted in a legacy of simplification.
Their philosophy is that taking less allows you to do more. And if you want to test this philosophy yourself, head over to gossamergear.com and use code GearAbby.
That's capital G, E, A, R, capital A, B, B, Y At checkout to save $20 off your order of $100 or more. You got questions going out of your mind.
Someone with answers now that hard to find, like the what and the why and the how stuff works or just where to go to avoid all the jerks? She's Gear Abby. Gear Abby. Gear Abby. Advice that doesn't suck. Gear Abby.
Hello there, my outdoorsy friends, and welcome to Gear Abby, where we tackle the controversial, weird, obscure, and taboo topics that other outdoor podcasts refuse to touch.
I'm outdoor educator and writer Shante Salibair, and I'm here to answer your burning questions about our relationships with outdoor people, products, places, and pastime. And I want them all, because remember, there are no dumb questions, just smart advice. All right, here's how it works.
You're gonna send questions to DearGearAbbyMail.com and I'm going to answer a couple each week here on the show.
And as always, joining me today is my partner in gear, the producer of Gear Abby, and a man who's able to complete superhuman feats, like sending me three emails before 6am on only three hours of sleep. That's Colin. True.
Colin True
00:02:03.550 - 00:02:09.230
You know, there's all sorts of superhuman feats that I can accomplish before 6am like making coffee.
Shawnté Salabert
00:02:09.310 - 00:02:11.070
Ooh, that's thrilling.
Colin True
00:02:11.470 - 00:02:12.470
Having a smoothie.
Shawnté Salabert
00:02:12.470 - 00:02:14.550
Oh, wow, that's very advanced, Colin.
Colin True
00:02:14.550 - 00:02:16.830
You're like, sometimes I even let out the dog, you know?
Shawnté Salabert
00:02:18.029 - 00:02:22.030
Okay, you're getting ahead of yourself here, buddy. This isn't the bragging podcast, okay?
Colin True
00:02:22.350 - 00:02:23.470
That's true. That's true.
Shawnté Salabert
00:02:23.470 - 00:02:55.610
No, listen, you know what?
I will say I have been getting up lately before 6am and one of the things that makes me super happy, everybody has heard about my corns and my bursitis and I don't even know if we've talked about my arthritis. But I am so excited because my PT told me that I could start running again a couple weeks ago. And so.
But he did say he's like, okay, one minute run, one minute walk. And I actually, I thought I would be a little frustrated with it, but honestly, I was just so happy to get back out there and run.
And it just, it felt like sort of readopting beginner's mind. So it was a very, very exciting moment for me.
Colin True
00:02:56.010 - 00:03:10.030
Okay. I'm very happy for you. It's always exciting to get that kind of all clear from the PT to start doing things right.
Especially when you're like, told you can't do anything. You have to sit there and be miserable.
And then you start planning, like, when I'm finished with this, I'm gonna hike around the world or whatever it is.
Shawnté Salabert
00:03:10.030 - 00:03:11.270
I'm run around the world.
Colin True
00:03:11.750 - 00:03:18.750
What do you really want to run? I had running sort of taken away from me. And like, it's been almost three years and I'm like, you know, I'm still okay.
Shawnté Salabert
00:03:18.750 - 00:03:22.630
You were secretly glad with it. Yeah. You're like, oh, you know, that's fine.
Colin True
00:03:22.870 - 00:03:26.550
You can, you could milk this for as long as you want, Shantay. Like, you didn't have to run.
Shawnté Salabert
00:03:26.630 - 00:03:39.090
Oh, damn it. I may, I may have to reconsider. Ah, Colin.
I will say I'm still on my endorphin high from my run this morning, so you may not get me to let it go so easily. So we'll see.
Colin True
00:03:39.490 - 00:03:50.770
There is nothing like running in that endorphin. I. I will like, I am kidding when I say, but also like, yeah, there is just when you hit that sweet spot. There's nothing quite like that.
People who don't really run have never run. You got. That's why you got to do it.
Shawnté Salabert
00:03:50.770 - 00:04:03.010
That's why you got to do it. You got to chase the high man.
Well, while I am on that high, I feel like whoever has the first question here is in for a real treat because I am buzzing. So let's harness this energy for good.
Colin True
00:04:03.660 - 00:04:18.820
This is a bit of a different question. I'm excited about this one. This is not going in the same, you know, sort of, you know, hiking, backpacking, you know, running slash bidet.
Question that we've gotten so far. So this is exciting. Well, here we go. This is. Do you want to know who it's from first or should I just read the holy thing?
Shawnté Salabert
00:04:18.820 - 00:04:23.180
I think just read that. Did you say the holy thing? Read the holy question to me. Is it the Pope?
Colin True
00:04:24.140 - 00:04:27.540
Speaking of holies, your bidet video was fantastic.
Shawnté Salabert
00:04:27.540 - 00:04:36.600
All right, thank you. If y' all aren't checking it out, social media, instagram.com gearabypod I make very bad readings and post them on there occasionally.
Colin True
00:04:36.840 - 00:04:39.840
They're very good reels. I will correct Gear Abby. She's wonderful.
Shawnté Salabert
00:04:39.840 - 00:04:40.680
Thank you, Colin.
Colin True
00:04:41.160 - 00:04:53.480
Okay, first question. Here we go. Dear Gear Abby, what advice do you have for someone who wants to be outdoorsy but fights against her bougie nature?
Signed asking for a friend. It's obviously not me.
Shawnté Salabert
00:04:54.440 - 00:04:55.880
Is that part in italics?
Colin True
00:04:55.880 - 00:04:58.840
I like that I whispered that part.
Shawnté Salabert
00:04:58.840 - 00:05:10.000
I like that. That was good. You're very good at this. We've talked about you and your voice. Your voice, you know, voice acting. Non voice acting.
That was beautifully done, Colin. I would go see that movie. Go see the movie version of you reading emails.
Colin True
00:05:10.000 - 00:05:12.120
Me reading questions to people. Yes, I would.
Shawnté Salabert
00:05:12.360 - 00:05:19.080
I mean that's like every. Every week when we record looking at you on the zoom screen, it is like watching a movie of my favorite radio announcer, Colin.
Colin True
00:05:19.080 - 00:05:19.640
True.
Shawnté Salabert
00:05:20.840 - 00:05:22.840
I want to announce you like a wrestler now.
Colin True
00:05:23.480 - 00:05:27.960
I want a Nestle. I want a wrestler's entrance. That's. I need my walk in music.
Shawnté Salabert
00:05:28.200 - 00:05:29.080
Pyrotechnics.
Colin True
00:05:29.240 - 00:05:30.120
That's all I ever wanted.
Shawnté Salabert
00:05:30.120 - 00:05:46.030
We're doing it next week. People just get excited about this. All right, so first, I think this is actually the second person who signed their email quote, asking for a friend.
So y', all, I think you're right. It is okay to come up with a fake name. I promise the email sign off police will not come get you, but. All right.
Colin True
00:05:46.030 - 00:05:50.230
Also, don't be embarrassed about your question. If it's your question, just. Just ask the question.
Shawnté Salabert
00:05:50.310 - 00:05:54.150
Listen, the very first episode, wasn't it my mom who wrote in with a poop question for the first?
Colin True
00:05:54.150 - 00:05:55.790
It was actually, yes.
Shawnté Salabert
00:05:55.790 - 00:08:28.900
I think let's. Let's all just listen. This is. There's no shame, remember, no dumb questions. But asking. All right, let me actually throw question your way.
What is your definition of bougie? Like, what does that word mean to you? What about it is holding you back from sort of surrendering to your outdoorsy overlords? Is it?
You know about feeling clean, looking good, having high end items, not sweating, like being weighted on I'm gonna, I'm gonna dig in with some broad suggestions that'll hopefully hit on at least one of these. But I think really sit with that while you're listening.
All right, so first, thinking about being bougie, but wanted to get outdoorsy, consider starting out with a guided trip or an all inclusive kind of event where somebody else is going to take care of all the details and maybe even pamper you a bit.
For example, every year I teach at the Adventurous for Women Bend Escape and it's a fully catered three day weekend in Bend, Oregon where you spend the days doing things like mountain biking, yoga, stand up paddle boarding, climbing with these badass female guides.
And then the evenings you're doing like wine tastings, getting your sauna on, eating gourmet meals, and just, you know, hanging around a campfire with other badass women. And my friend Saveria, who runs the program also guides trips around the world that are equal parts, you know, outdoorsy and bougie.
And she's not the only one.
There are tons of outfitters and programs out there like this and they vary as far as price and bougie scale, but it's a, it's a good way to kind of dip your toe in and still feel like you're indulging on that, you know, luxurious side of yourself. But if you're more interested in like a solo or close to home experience, I'd say start slow.
You don't need to go full Cheryl straight or start living in a van in Yosemite Valley to begin exploring the glorious feeling of dirt under your well manicured nails. You know, and you can, you can make your nails as nice as you want them. We're going to get into that. So let's, let's hit on a few things here.
If you're intrigued by camping in your, but you're worried it might cramp your style, try out a weekend in like a camper van, a cabin, a yurt or a, you know, a glamping setup. Before you try kind of like regulation issue tent camping or even backpacking. I have a good story.
I will never forget the time my friends and I went to a wine festival and decided to camp at a nearby state park, which was a normal thing for all of us, except for one, and that was my friend Anna, who is the most endorsing person I know. She rented a giant Moroccan tent. It was like a circus tent full of Moroccan goods that her poor husband lost at least a year of his life setting up.
There was a full Size bed. There were ottomans.
Colin True
00:08:28.900 - 00:08:32.240
I love Ann. I'm just saying I don't know Anna, but she's my new favorite person.
Shawnté Salabert
00:08:32.880 - 00:08:35.040
You would love Anna. She's actually really great.
Colin True
00:08:35.440 - 00:08:38.640
Yeah. All right, good. I want to meet Anna and her Moroccan circus tent.
Shawnté Salabert
00:08:38.640 - 00:08:50.800
Do you want to know how much you'd love Anna? Is that when I started backpacking long trails? I think the. I think when I first started on the pct, I kept a poop diary for her as a joke.
And she still talks about it. And that was a long time ago.
Colin True
00:08:51.040 - 00:08:51.720
That's the best.
Shawnté Salabert
00:08:51.720 - 00:09:00.920
She's like, you know, if you ever want to do one again. And it was just me detailing, like, where I took my daily constitutionals and what it was like, what the environment was like overhead.
Colin True
00:09:00.920 - 00:09:04.460
Question one for. For Gary Abby's poop talk.
Shawnté Salabert
00:09:04.460 - 00:11:00.060
I know you're gonna win, aren't you, y'? All?
If you hear dings, if you hear like little ding pings in the background, that is Colin's way of creating what are usually both useful and hilarious footnotes on the show notes each week. Which live over at Rockfight Co. That is the Rock Fight website and home of Gear Abbey. But yeah, it was the. You would love Anna. She's great.
It was like stepping into a movie set. But that was roughing it for her, you know, that was a big deal. I got her later on to come up to a cabin with me and she kept calling it camping.
I'm like, no, we're in a cabin. There's a gas fire, like a gas powered grill. There's a direct TV in the living room. But yeah, there's. There's something out there for you.
You don't need to start and be disgusting immediately.
So even if you don't want to sleep overnight, let's say you're starting even smaller and you want to dip your beautiful baby soft feet into daytime only pursuits. You know, biking, hiking, fishing, paddling, whatever. You don't have to go fully feral right off the bat or ever if you don't want. You really don't.
It's not a requirement to be a dirtbag. So first of all, this goes for people of all genders, body sizes, abilities. You do not need to look or dress a certain way to enjoy being outside.
Just let that sink in for a second. If you want to wear makeup, wear it. If you want to do your hair up in a certain way, do it.
If you want to go out there and feel cute, attractive, strong, sexy, like a mermaid, whatever you want, go for it. Okay? There Are as far as clothing goes.
There's a lot of brands now making kind of technical and outdoorsy gear and clothing that isn't just, you know, khakis. You don't need to look like Steve Irwin. Okay. Ripton Scenic hiker. Kind view. Lives in Grammychi. Thacker Paka. I could go on and on and on.
There are so many cool brands making things that are outside of like the, you know, lumberjack norm. Whatever you do, choose my fancy. Fancy asking for a friend.
I do recommend wearing clothes that you don't mind getting sweaty in and that will help you feel comfortable doing whatever you're doing. So booty shorts are probably going to be uncomfortable if you're riding horses, you know.
Colin True
00:11:00.300 - 00:11:02.460
Yeah, not yet. Pants and pants required.
Shawnté Salabert
00:11:02.620 - 00:11:13.100
Pants required for that. Just from a comfortability perspective. Safety. If you don't want horse parts on your inner thighs. I don't know. That's all technical terms.
I'm clearly a horse girl.
Colin True
00:11:13.100 - 00:11:15.980
Horse parts. Yeah. New band name.
Shawnté Salabert
00:11:18.060 - 00:12:12.860
I just laughed in Horse. Okay. You get the drift. Okay. Don't wear jeans kayaking.
We'll sure we'll come across these things on future episodes, but, you know, so wear what you'd like within reason. Enjoy being yourself out there. You don't need to shift into a totally different person to enjoy being outside.
And if you get the ick thinking about being dirty, which I think is part of being bougie for a lot of people, you could do something like just wear long pants, wear long sleeves, a hat, sun gloves, a bandana. All of which will help keep the dirt off of your delicate skin. Bring along cleaning supplies that you can use afterwards.
I cannot deny the power of a wet wipe bath. But I know friends who even bring like full solar shower setups and they just do a hose down before we leave the parking lot.
So, you know, even just changing into a fresh pair of clothes after you've been sweating can feel really amazing. I also recommend treating yourself. You know, part of being bougie is treating yourself to some post activity snacks and beverages.
Colin True
00:12:13.260 - 00:12:13.980
Oh, hell yeah.
Shawnté Salabert
00:12:13.980 - 00:12:14.700
Hell yeah. Right?
Colin True
00:12:14.780 - 00:12:16.380
90% of the reason we do these things.
Shawnté Salabert
00:12:16.380 - 00:12:25.580
We do these things so we could eat and drink afterwards. 900%. Like keep it in a cooler in your car if you want. As long as you're not in barratory. Colin loves.
Colin True
00:12:25.740 - 00:12:27.260
Great callback here, Abby.
Shawnté Salabert
00:12:27.260 - 00:13:00.210
Thank you. I'll be here all day or, you know, just head out to a grocery store, a restaurant, a bar or whatever. But yeah, I. There.
There's so many options out there. It's not being Outside doesn't require you to feel disgusting about yourself. Remember how I asked you to define bougie early on?
Let's go back to that. And let's say that bougie, at the very least, is taking care of yourself and feeling good about yourself.
So why not reframe and think about spending your time outdoors as kind of the ultimate luxury gift to yourself, Especially if you've got fresh underwear and cold drinks waiting at the end.
Colin True
00:13:00.210 - 00:14:01.330
You know, I think you're spot on. All of this advice is great. I do want to go back to, like, what's the activity you're interested in? I think, what is it you want to do?
Because there's going to be elements of grossness and stuff, probably with any of them that you're not going to feel very bougie. But it's kind of. If you're just saying, hey, I want to be outdoorsy, y. Well, then you really are. Kind of.
A lot of the advice I think Shantae's giving you is you are kind of like getting butting up against the more gatekeepy aspects of the outdoor community of like, well, that's. You can't be that way and do these things, right? And it's like, no.
But when you start to go outside and you discover the activities you like, then you start to be okay with some of those little like, oh, you know what? Actually I tried walking with crampons on. On ice, or I tried snowshoeing, or I tried skiing or whatever it is.
All of a sudden the activity starts to justify the non bougie elements of each sport, right? And I think that's. That's kind of like, what is it that really kind of gets you going?
But if you just want to be outside, then, you know, be as bougie as you want. And if anybody gives you shit for it, tell them to fuck off. You know, it's kind of like, just be like, hey, man, I'm outside doing my thing.
Leave me alone.
Shawnté Salabert
00:14:01.650 - 00:14:16.610
As always, Colin with the excellent advice. Ah, Colin, it's just so nice having you here.
I'm trying to imagine, back when I was a school social worker, what it would have been like to have you as my backup with the kids. I would give them my advice and then you'd be like, yeah, just tell them to.
Colin True
00:14:17.330 - 00:14:19.650
I think we would have been excellent. Good cop, bad cop.
Shawnté Salabert
00:14:19.810 - 00:14:20.410
That's true.
Colin True
00:14:20.410 - 00:14:28.530
You would have been like, listen, listen, I understand how you're feeling about these things. It's really hard. These emotions at your age are difficult. Tell them to offend. Oh, my God.
Shawnté Salabert
00:14:28.530 - 00:14:29.770
All right, what do we have next?
Colin True
00:14:30.410 - 00:15:18.970
All right, here we go. Dear, dear Abby, are there limitations to what water filters and purifiers can or cannot do?
In other words, are there things like blue green algae or other toxins that simply cannot be treated safely using traditional methods? If avoidance of the. This is a really smart person who wrote this email because I feel like I'm reading a textbook right now.
If avoidance of these potentially deadly toxins is the only answer, then what advice can you give to help me and in turn, ah, my often inquiring REI customers. We have a shop floor worker here, folks. Avoid encountering the dysentery demons that might be lurking in the watery depths. Sincerely, you wanted to.
You wanted to sign off. Gear Abby. Here we go. Sincerely, Bubble Gut Boris bgb.
Shawnté Salabert
00:15:19.290 - 00:15:19.850
Yes.
Colin True
00:15:19.850 - 00:15:24.220
Oh, please, bgb, be a repeat neat writer. We need more letters from you. This is great.
Shawnté Salabert
00:15:24.300 - 00:15:41.420
Please, Bubblegup Boris, we want more. This was, this was a beautifully crafted email, I will say. There was a whole front end to the email I saw. I just saw it earlier and I, I.
It would have been too long to read, but it was really amazing. And it sounds like they had had an experience once with the norovirus. So it's also steeped in personal experience.
Colin True
00:15:41.660 - 00:15:43.660
Haven't we all? Bgb.
Shawnté Salabert
00:15:44.220 - 00:15:50.140
Not all of it. Well, yeah, I don't know. I will say dysentery demons is a beautiful turn of phrase. So yes, thank you for bringing that.
Colin True
00:15:50.540 - 00:15:52.260
We love alliteration here on Gear Abby.
Shawnté Salabert
00:15:52.260 - 00:17:36.670
We do. We truly do it. Coming. Dear gear abby gmail.com. all right, so bubble gut Boris, BGB. In short, yes, there are limits.
These fancy schmancy devices can't do everything. You knew that. I know that. We're all going to know that. And now your customers will definitely know that.
So most backpacking friendly filters and purifiers are designed to get rid of bacteria and protozoa and in some cases also viruses.
What they generally can't get rid of are things like, you guessed it, toxic algae, chemical runoff, or for the most part, and I'm going to put an asterisk here and we'll come back to it. Things like heavy metals. But we'll go a little quick over the basics.
Filters like Life, Straw, Sawyer Squeeze, platypus, Platypus, Quick Draw and the Catadine Be Free use a cluster of tiny hollow fiber tubes to block out the bacteria and protozoa. I remember getting my platypus quick drawn, opening it and looking and Being able to. You could see all the little, like, openings for them.
It's kind of cool. But this can filter out those bacteria, the protozoa, and even microplastics if the filter size is tiny enough.
Most of these types of filters, however, don't do a great job of keeping viruses from joining the party, you know, so you, you might want to try out for that a UV device that's like a Stere pen or a chemical that basically neutralizes it doesn't kill them, it basically makes them unable to reprod. So something like Aquamira. I mean, this bleach comes in here. I knew a guy on the PCT who just bleached his water every day.
I'm like, disgusting too, you know, there's options. Yeah, yeah, that was his preferred method. He's like, ah, it's easy. I can get bleach anywhere. It's like you could also just buy.
Colin True
00:17:36.670 - 00:17:39.310
So basically just a dollop of bleach and everything that he's drinking.
Shawnté Salabert
00:17:39.310 - 00:17:40.190
Yeah. And then you have to let him.
Colin True
00:17:40.190 - 00:17:42.310
I mean, it's like drinking chlorinated water. It works, I guess.
Shawnté Salabert
00:17:42.310 - 00:17:44.190
I mean, yeah, it works, but it tastes bleachy.
Colin True
00:17:44.510 - 00:17:46.110
Yeah, right. Maybe he's into it.
Shawnté Salabert
00:17:46.350 - 00:18:02.370
I guess. He had me try it once. He's like, look, I put lemon drops in it. I'm like, it just tastes like lemon bleach.
I feel like I'm drinking household cleaner right now. Now. But he never got sick, so I don't know. There are. So there are some souped up, like portable. Portable purifiers.
Colin True
00:18:02.370 - 00:18:04.410
That is a more alliteration.
Shawnté Salabert
00:18:04.410 - 00:18:30.230
I love. I. Sometimes the alliteration is hard for me, like when, when saying garage grown gear.
But yeah, so there's some really souped up purifiers that can actually remove most of the heavy metals and even microplastics, along with very, you know, viruses, bacteria and protozoa. Grail makes the Ultra Press, which uses a combo of activated carbon and electrical charges. I don't know why I said them in that voice.
Colin True
00:18:31.430 - 00:18:33.190
We have to remake your accent counter.
Shawnté Salabert
00:18:33.670 - 00:18:35.790
Oh my gosh. What episode was that? That was funny.
Colin True
00:18:35.790 - 00:18:37.069
I don't remember, but it was funny.
Shawnté Salabert
00:18:37.069 - 00:18:43.150
It just kept. Sometimes you could tell the coffee's kicked in the run. I've got the run endorphins and the.
Colin True
00:18:43.150 - 00:18:45.110
Coffee now, but not the runs.
Shawnté Salabert
00:18:47.030 - 00:19:18.030
Thankfully, because I filter my water properly. I use the Grail. I use Grail's Ultra Press, but this is.
It's a little over 12 ounces, so it's a lot heavier than most of the options out there that backpackers are using. MSR also makes the Guardian purifier. That pump can remove viruses in addition to the usual suspects.
And it's because it has a really tiny hollow fiber size. So there are options. So if you want kind of a one thing fits all, you could try the Grail. I'd say that's probably the fanciest option right now.
Colin True
00:19:18.740 - 00:19:19.460
That's a cool brand.
Shawnté Salabert
00:19:19.620 - 00:19:20.020
Yeah.
Colin True
00:19:20.020 - 00:19:21.780
Yeah, I like what Grail's doing.
Shawnté Salabert
00:19:21.780 - 00:20:21.850
Yeah, they've got some good travel bottles and things, so. Notice bubblegut? I did not mention algae.
And that's because even the combined superpowers of modern outdoor tech cannot filter out or neutralize toxic algae.
So the best way for you and your customers to avoid this and other toxins like chemical runoff is just to learn how to recognize their presence and steer clear altogether. Um, so I'd say for that, avoid drinking water located near, you know, any sort of manu. Manufacturing or processing plant. Common sense there.
Avoid stagnant water if at all possible. I know it's not always possible, but if you're pulling from a lake, look for an inlet or an outlet to grab from.
Something that's running is just going to have a less. You know, it's less opportunity for everything to kind of gather and multiply, and it's disgusting. Masses.
Avoid water sources that look like they were pumped straight out of the nuclear plant in the Simpsons. Anything that's day go green. Like day glow green. I am too much alliteration in my life this morning. My mouth cannot handle it.
Colin True
00:20:21.850 - 00:20:29.050
Usually you've planned the alliteration. Your answers like. Like your puns. So this is like watching. Watching you trip up here is a little interesting. I'm not used to this.
Shawnté Salabert
00:20:29.050 - 00:21:03.870
Colin is smiling a little too broadly right now. Well, Guerri struggles. Maybe only half a cup of coffee for me next time. More coffee, double the run, half the coffee, three times the runs.
But yeah, avoid anything day glow green or slim. Has an oily sheen to it. Looks fuzzy with pots come, you know, especially in the hotter months. Just use your eyes. Use your common sense.
If you feel revolted looking at it and thinking about putting in your mouth, then don't. I mean, it's pretty, you know, common sense. Tell them Gear Abby said that you can repeat that to your customers.
Colin True
00:21:04.270 - 00:21:05.550
Don't put it in your mouth.
Shawnté Salabert
00:21:05.550 - 00:21:10.870
Don't put it in your mouth. Gear Abby signed Gear Abby. Do you guys want that in a sticker? Just let us.
Colin True
00:21:10.870 - 00:21:11.630
That's a T shirt.
Shawnté Salabert
00:21:11.630 - 00:22:12.450
It's a. Yeah, that Is. Is. It's a whole clothing line will be debuting later this year.
But, yeah, so basically, if you're unsure of the source, but you absolutely need to drink it, you're so thirsty, you're gonna die. Throw everything you have its way. But remember, toxic algae. It's not gonna work no matter what you try.
But I'd say start by filtering it through something like a bandana just to get the chunks out.
Then start moving through the rest of whatever other filtration you have with you, whether it's mechanical, filter, uv, chemical, and if you want, bring a chunk of activated charcoal or carbon with you if you're nervous. This can actually be a good final step to help sort of mitigate any of those natural contaminants and make the water taste a bit better.
You could basically just buy these as replacement pieces for certain filters. Or you could go to a pet shop and see if they've got them in the.
You know, usually in the aquarium section or sometimes in the cat and dog section where they've got the water. You know, I was gonna say the bubblers, because I'm from Wisconsin and that's what we drink our water out of.
But the water fountains, that's a New England thing, too. That's right. It is.
Colin True
00:22:12.610 - 00:22:13.890
Yeah. You get it from the bubbler.
Shawnté Salabert
00:22:13.890 - 00:22:23.730
Get it from them. Yeah. We just don't say it. We're like, oh, my gosh. Go to the bubbler. Oh. Oh, no. Now you're doing the accent counter.
I can already hear the ding in my head.
Colin True
00:22:23.890 - 00:22:24.970
We may have to bring it back.
Shawnté Salabert
00:22:24.970 - 00:22:38.050
We may. But anyway. Well, Boris, we won't.
I won't make you listen to any more bad accents, but if you are truly worried, remember, most adults can live up to three days without water. And best of luck to you in avoiding the dysentery demons.
Colin True
00:22:39.080 - 00:22:49.480
Yeah, not very bougie to live with that water.
So the first person might be a little disappointed with this answer, if that's your recommendation, but, yeah, you know, or just go backpacking in the Pacific Northwest only.
Shawnté Salabert
00:22:50.200 - 00:22:51.960
Is the water extra fresh up there?
Colin True
00:22:52.040 - 00:22:54.120
The water's great in the Pacific Northwest.
Shawnté Salabert
00:22:54.920 - 00:22:58.440
Except for those sources that look exactly like what I just described.
Colin True
00:22:58.760 - 00:22:59.960
Exactly. Avoid those.
Shawnté Salabert
00:23:02.680 - 00:24:51.820
Well, hello, my outdoorsy friends. It's your favorite time of the week. That's right. It's time to head to the official gear garage of gear. Abbey Garage Garage grown gear.
Our friends over at GGG are here to make sure that all of you. That's all gear. Abby's outdoorsy friends can get the newest outdoor Stuff that you need for your next adventure? What kind of stuff, you ask?
Well, how about some new gear from Lightworks? That's right. This is a new brand to me. They've got their big centerpiece is the daily dose 55 liter pack.
And then you can get all the accessories you want, like the Lightworks shoulder strap pocket, water bottle, carry carrier, or hip belt pocket. All right, if you're not looking for a new backpack, how about a sleeping bag?
Garage grown gear has six new bags from Polish brand Cumulus, who claim to make the lightest sleeping bags in the world. Well, whatever you're looking for, Garage Grown gear and your buddy gear, Abby are the perfect outdoor combo.
So get shopping by heading over to garagegrowngear.com right now. Winter's unpredictably mild one week, freezing the next.
I grew up in the Midwest, and every inch of snow was exciting until it melted into a soupy mess. And then to make things worse, it would refreeze on every flat surface, making walking across it impossible. Going outside became its own adventure.
And that includes choosing what to wear. That's why people have trusted Fjallraven jackets for more than 50 years.
Born and tested in Sweden, they're made to handle everything from everyday cold to true arctic extremes. The philosophy is simple. Build outerwear that performs, protects, and lasts.
From the KEB GTX jacket to the expedition pack down hoodie, you'll find something to suit the winter conditions you know are on the way for your neck of the woods. Get ready for winter and make cold optional by heading to fjallraven.com. that was a good one. I kind of like that. I loved that email.
I loved the sign off. People, please be creative.
Colin True
00:24:52.140 - 00:24:54.380
BGB and the Chunky Algae. I'm all into it.
Shawnté Salabert
00:24:54.380 - 00:25:00.260
I would go see that. I saw that band in the 90s, the chunky algae. BGB and the chunky Algae.
Colin True
00:25:00.260 - 00:25:01.100
Oh, my God.
Shawnté Salabert
00:25:01.100 - 00:25:03.660
I feel like they were opening for, like, the B52s or something.
Colin True
00:25:04.340 - 00:25:04.820
Seriously?
Shawnté Salabert
00:25:04.820 - 00:25:05.380
Yeah.
Colin True
00:25:05.700 - 00:25:07.220
Or Reverend Horton Heat.
Shawnté Salabert
00:25:07.220 - 00:25:09.940
Oh, oh, yeah. Maybe they're a rockabilly band.
Colin True
00:25:10.020 - 00:25:15.700
Yeah, rockabilly and the Chunky Algae. Yeah, that's for sure. They're definitely a rockabilly band.
Shawnté Salabert
00:25:16.580 - 00:25:21.860
And they're still playing, like, 30 years later. They're just playing without a doubt, like the local, you know, Elk Lodge circuit.
Colin True
00:25:21.940 - 00:25:30.260
This is our one song that got to number 50 on the subculture alternative. No one listens to a chart, but we're proud of it. You know it.
Shawnté Salabert
00:25:32.660 - 00:25:34.760
All right, man. Question number three. Hit me.
Colin True
00:25:35.790 - 00:25:56.390
All right. Dear Gear Abby, I am a college student who has recently become interested in through hiking and backpacking.
Okay, so so far, tailor made for Gear Abby. Perfect A. I have also recently discovered your podcast and I love it. Yes, I'm all caps, so I'm trying to sell that there.
Your episode about poop really spoke to me.
Shawnté Salabert
00:25:56.390 - 00:25:58.550
Don't know which one. That's all episode.
Colin True
00:25:58.550 - 00:26:25.170
All of the above. Your episode on poop really spoke to me as someone who both farts and poops semi regularly. Hotgirl tummy.
My question for you is what should one do if they were hiking and suddenly Mr. Hanke gets a fast pass to Splash Mountain, aka Sharding? Thank you, smelly, insincere, Child of the corn. And she spells corn like the band corn. I don't know if we're K O.
Shawnté Salabert
00:26:25.170 - 00:26:29.770
R N. Oh, that is truly an iconic email.
Colin True
00:26:30.170 - 00:26:31.410
Yeah, this is an all timer.
Shawnté Salabert
00:26:31.410 - 00:26:31.850
This is an altar.
Colin True
00:26:31.850 - 00:26:32.850
We might have to frame this one.
Shawnté Salabert
00:26:32.850 - 00:26:38.860
If we were giving awards out at the end of the year, the Gear Abbey Awards, this might. This would be the listener email question award.
Colin True
00:26:38.860 - 00:26:40.620
I think we're going to. Now I think we.
Shawnté Salabert
00:26:41.500 - 00:26:46.100
Now we have to decide. What does the award look like though? Is it just like a. Like a Mr. Hanky statue?
Colin True
00:26:46.100 - 00:26:46.700
It's a bidet.
Shawnté Salabert
00:26:46.700 - 00:26:54.780
It's a bidet. Oh my gosh, you're right. It's a backpacking bidet. Wow. Yeah. You know what? Totally appropriate email though, to follow the water filter question.
Colin True
00:26:55.260 - 00:27:00.220
Very much so. I mentioned some sharding can ensue depending on your chunky algae situation.
Shawnté Salabert
00:27:00.300 - 00:27:46.500
That's true. An hour later at some point. Well, all right. Child of the corn.
On a previous episode, you might remember, if you've been listening, I mentioned the logbook of through hiker confessions that I found in the hut on Mere Pass on the PCT this past summer. Yeah, good stuff. Here's a relevant entry that I took a photo of because it was excellent. Quote. Most days at least I can say, well, I didn't. My pants.
Not today. A fart went wrong on my climb up there. Then I was desperately clenching while trying to dig on unforgiving rock. The view was nice though, though.
End quote. The wild thing is this was just one of several entries I read from this summer alone that dealt with a shart or poop in the pants situation.
So just, just.
Colin True
00:27:46.660 - 00:27:50.820
Was this. Was this your entry after your Whitney situation?
Shawnté Salabert
00:27:51.220 - 00:28:15.440
No, Whitney's. No, Whitney was at the end. And also, no, I didn't. No sharks this summer. Let's actually start by defining that word.
Because I think not everyone's going to be familiar with it if. If it's not obvious. It's a slang term for the much more imposing sounding. I actually looked this up because I was cur. Curious if.
If this comes up in medical texts at all. It does. And they call it fecal incompetence. You're not good at being fecal, you loser.
Colin True
00:28:15.920 - 00:28:19.240
That's the, like, urban dictionary definition of shard.
Shawnté Salabert
00:28:19.240 - 00:28:19.960
No. No way.
Colin True
00:28:19.960 - 00:28:20.120
That.
Shawnté Salabert
00:28:20.120 - 00:28:22.520
That's real Medline or something. Fecal.
Colin True
00:28:22.520 - 00:28:24.640
How can you be incompetent at fecal?
Shawnté Salabert
00:28:25.840 - 00:28:30.320
It's the. Fecal is. It's the. It's the. It's the fecal matter that's incompetent, not you.
Colin True
00:28:31.280 - 00:28:32.560
It has its own personality.
Shawnté Salabert
00:28:32.720 - 00:28:37.780
So basically, yeah, all right. Chart is a portmanteau. Portmanteau. I've never said that word out loud. Portmanteau.
Colin True
00:28:38.250 - 00:28:38.690
You just did.
Shawnté Salabert
00:28:38.690 - 00:28:48.890
It's when you smush the two words together, like baratory and barito and bear. Muted triangle, barrier and barrier. See, now you're doing it. I've poisoned you.
Colin True
00:28:48.970 - 00:28:50.410
You're in my head gear, Abby.
Shawnté Salabert
00:28:50.410 - 00:30:18.550
That's where I belong. But, yeah. So you're smushing together the words and fart. The idea is that you toot and whoops. Wait a minute. That wasn't just air.
So, at face value, this might seem like a jokey question, but child is actually bringing up something that's not that uncommon, as evidenced by the logbook. But. But for a number of reasons.
So you could have a fecal incompetence, which I'm just going to be saying all day now, from things like muscle and nerve damage. You could have it because you have ibs, Crohn's disease. You. You could have norovirus or something. Diet.
Your dietary freakouts from eating something that just doesn't agree from holding it is not. So if you. This is a warning shot to all of the people out there who hate pooping outside.
Learn to get comfortable with it, because actually holding it in your bowels can lead to fecal incompetence. So always go if you feel the urge. But, yeah, there.
This is an upsetting occurrence anywhere, but it's especially horrible when you're out far away from a bathroom with running water and in a change of clothes in some cases. Maybe you're not backpacking or you didn't bring stuff. But. But let's talk about this. There's. There's ways to deal with it. And, you know, I'. To.
I'm going to help you or at least I'll help you help you, because I am not touching it with a 10t pole. So if you have a digestive system that's prone to mutiny, always carry wipes. Like, I cannot recommend that enough. Carry a baggie to store the use.
Colin True
00:30:18.550 - 00:30:19.230
You should know better.
Shawnté Salabert
00:30:19.230 - 00:30:59.610
Yeah, you got to know better. This is on you carry your wipes. Corn. All of us. And carry a little baggie to carry them out in. And honestly, carry a change of underwear.
You know, usually it doesn't go through to the second layer of clothing, so. And if it does, it's just a small little thing. But carry a change of underwear if.
If you have digestive issues and if you've had issues in the past with, like, urgency and stuff. This is a very normal thing that happens to a lot of people, but just be prepared for it. There's actually a company called. Best company name ever.
It's called Butt Napkins. I'm aware. We should get them as a sponsor. Colin, come on. Butt napkins. Butt napkins. You are. You belong on the Gear Abby podcast.
Colin True
00:30:59.610 - 00:31:01.490
Are you speaking it into the algorithm reality?
Shawnté Salabert
00:31:01.490 - 00:31:38.270
Like, but if I just say butt napkins three times. Vibes. Napkins. Butt napkins. But you know what I love? They actually make these little emergency kits.
And I'm not usually one to carry a bunch of extra stuff. Like, I like to streamline my pack, but they make a kit called the Code Brown Bag, and it's.
It's a good little emergency kit if you should find yourself having a surprise, you know, poo situation out there. And it's one of those things you could just toss in a backpack or in a, you know, purse or fanny pack or whatever, just in case. And.
Okay, another thing you could be carrying. You have heard me wax poetic about it just recently. Bidets.
Colin True
00:31:38.510 - 00:31:40.030
Yeah, like 90 seconds ago.
Shawnté Salabert
00:31:40.190 - 00:32:03.600
Yeah, always. Every day. This is actually a great incidence instance where you could use the bidet and a tiny dropper bottle of soap if you want to clean your body.
And you can use it to clean your clothes if you need to. I love the bidet. I cannot. All of you need to carry a bidet. It should be your 11th essential. Did I just do another voice? What's wrong with day?
Oh, wow. Okay. I.
Colin True
00:32:03.600 - 00:32:11.320
You know, when does your bidet cult meet? Is it like a Tuesday night? Like, when do you guys get together and, like, you know, have a group cleaning?
Shawnté Salabert
00:32:11.720 - 00:32:46.950
You wish you could join us. I'm not telling you until you've earned your place in our cult. Okay. Oh, man. So corn Child. Child of the corn.
If you don't have any special cleanup tools. You really should though if you don't try to find a little privacy, you know, assess what you do have. Do you have tp?
Do you have a baggie to carry it out? We'll start the there. If you don't look around for non poisonous leaves. Let me emphasize the non poisonous part.
I cannot emphasize enough that it's important to know if you live in an area with poison oak, poison ivy, stinging nettle, know what they look like in all seasons.
Colin True
00:32:47.190 - 00:32:54.390
Where do you. What's the worst of that? You know, everyone thinks the poison oak and I with the stinging nettles may be the worst on that list.
Shawnté Salabert
00:32:54.390 - 00:33:07.530
I know it's hard to say. I don't want. I'm not going to test it out. I'm sorry to tell you you. So you'll never know. Gonna just let my butt be free of that horribleness.
But I don't know cuz poison oak and poison ivy can leave blisters.
Colin True
00:33:07.690 - 00:33:11.530
That's true. Long term versus the immediate pain. Stinging nettles. Yeah.
Shawnté Salabert
00:33:11.530 - 00:34:56.869
I don't know man. If you do. If you are worried about using a plant and you are a little nervous, put.
If you have hand sanitizer with you, just rub the hand sanitizer on whatever the plant touched and that's a good way to neutralize it. Like nip it in the bud if you can. But anyway, other things you can wipe your butt with. Smooth rocks, smooth sticks. Again. Smooth, smooth. Don't.
Don't pick up things that have like bark hanging off the half of it or like sharp crystals coming out of the rocks. You don't want to experiment with that. This is not the day for it. We don't kink shame. But this is not the day for experimentation.
So yeah, try Wiping snow is a great wipe. Maybe if you're lucky it'll freeze your butthole into submission for a little bit.
And if you can't find any of these, maybe you're out in the desert or something. Poke around in your pack. Maybe you've got a bandana buff. Something else made out of fabric that you don't mind sacrificing to the pooh gods.
Like use whatever you have at your disposal. And as gross as this may sound, please pack it out with you.
I know you're not going to want to carry something covered in duty, but just wrap it up in itself. Wrap it up in another item. Stick it in an outside pocket if you've got a pack. Or carry it like you would carry a doggy poo bag. Just.
You got to take it out with you and throw it away.
If you don't have a way to clean up at all but you're feeling self conscious, just do the classic, like, tie a piece of clothing around your waist to hide your butt maneuver. Maneuver. Okay? Jacket, shirt, foil, space blanket. If that's what you have, just use what you have and deal with the issue.
And above all else, like, don't be embarrassed. Okay. There is a high chance that we will face much more frequent incontinence as we get older, that. That fecal incompetence is going to increase.
So you know what? It's okay. This is a temporary blip in your sphincter's function.
Bodies are gonna body be glad yours took you to what is hopefully a very beautiful place in which to show start.
Colin True
00:34:58.549 - 00:35:03.829
I really have nothing else to add. I think you kind of covered it all.
Shawnté Salabert
00:35:03.909 - 00:35:06.749
We've stunned Colin into silence. Yes.
Colin True
00:35:06.749 - 00:35:12.708
I really was. I got it. Usually you're talking. I'm like, well, here's, you know, maybe an opposing point of view. This. I'm like, you got it.
Shawnté Salabert
00:35:12.949 - 00:35:20.149
Nice job. I feel like. Let's. Are we going to do something special today? I feel like we got something special.
Colin True
00:35:20.949 - 00:35:30.700
Oh, yeah. Well, it's been a few episodes. The listeners have spoken. They went a little. They want more. What's in my pack? So what are you testing right now?
Gear, Abby.
Shawnté Salabert
00:35:30.700 - 00:35:32.740
Is that the official. Is that how we're saying it?
Colin True
00:35:32.740 - 00:35:36.460
Yeah. I don't think I'm gonna make a sound effect. This is gonna be me going, what's in my pack?
Shawnté Salabert
00:35:36.780 - 00:35:44.260
I'm trying to figure out who you sounded like when you did that. I like that. You to clear your throat first. Let me prepare for this. What's in my pack?
Colin True
00:35:44.260 - 00:35:50.940
I can't even. What's in my pack? Am I doing a Will Ferrell doing Harry Carrie? Am I.
Shawnté Salabert
00:35:50.940 - 00:35:52.540
Am I comboing entirely possible.
Colin True
00:35:52.540 - 00:35:52.860
Wow.
Shawnté Salabert
00:35:52.860 - 00:36:04.130
That is an obscure. That's an obscure reference, and I like it. I mean, not the Will Ferrell. I think not everybody's gonna know who Harry Carey is, but. Wow.
All right, well. What's in my pack? Call. Let me tell you.
Colin True
00:36:04.610 - 00:36:05.410
I can't wait.
Shawnté Salabert
00:36:05.410 - 00:36:22.130
Yeah. Obviously, from the sound of your voice. All right, so what's in my pack? This is the segment we introduced a couple episodes ago that I.
We're gonna hold. We're gonna hold space. We're gonna hold space for gear reviews because a lot of you want more gear reviews and things like that.
Colin True
00:36:22.210 - 00:36:33.830
So I would like to ask you not to interrupt your gear. Want more of those? And how much more would you like? We'd like to hear your feedback on gear reviews. Do you want to get deep?
Do we need second episode kind of stuff?
Shawnté Salabert
00:36:33.830 - 00:36:37.830
Like deep dives? Like, how is this made? Or whatever?
Colin True
00:36:37.830 - 00:36:48.670
Right. There's all sorts of things we can do, but we want to know what you think. Do you want more gear reviews from Gear Abby? Let us know.
Weigh in in the comments. Dear gear gmail.com.
Shawnté Salabert
00:36:48.990 - 00:37:10.290
Weigh in in the comments. Okay, Colin. Wow. So, all right, well, let's dive into what I'm reviewing right now. I've actually out meal replacement pouches from Rec Pack.
That's R E C P A K. I actually first saw these last summer when I was backpacking with my friend Merrick from Rology, who we should have on the show at some point.
Colin True
00:37:10.610 - 00:37:14.290
Merrick's gotten quite a few mentions here on Gear Abby. Feel like he gets called out regularly. Yeah.
Shawnté Salabert
00:37:14.290 - 00:37:16.610
He's one of my favorite backpacking buddies.
Colin True
00:37:16.610 - 00:37:17.530
So there you go.
Shawnté Salabert
00:37:17.530 - 00:37:41.410
That's right. We actually went hiking yesterday morning. But he is one of my favorite things about Merrick. He is a total performance nerd. Like, per.
He is a gym dude. He is a performance nutrition new nerd nerd. And he is. He has become like my personal protein influencer. I. I know that I could go to him anytime.
I have a question, like, what supplements should I be taking? Is this. Is this not. He's my personal gear Abby for. For, like, nutrition and stuff.
Colin True
00:37:41.410 - 00:37:42.370
Amazing. Amazing.
Shawnté Salabert
00:37:42.370 - 00:37:53.370
Yeah. So I was absolutely intrigued when he busted out one of these packs when we were backpacking last summer.
And it looks like a comically large baby food pouch. And he just poured for comically large.
Colin True
00:37:53.370 - 00:37:55.730
Babies or for comically large babies.
Shawnté Salabert
00:37:55.810 - 00:38:18.590
It's a very niche market. Okay, okay. But, yeah, he poured some water in, shook it around, and he just started chugging. And I tried it. It was good.
It was the chocolate flavor, which they still make. So here's the deal. We'll give you a little overview and then I'll dig into what I think of it.
The company was launched by a Marine veteran named Deed Ziegler. And I have to say, that is the most awesome comic book name I have ever heard to look like three times.
Colin True
00:38:19.870 - 00:38:25.430
What a name. Like, just everybody, 10 out of 10, no notes. Your name is Deed Ziggler.
Shawnté Salabert
00:38:25.430 - 00:38:29.090
Like, wow, that is like, are you a video game character? Character? I love.
Colin True
00:38:29.090 - 00:38:30.450
Seriously, I love.
Shawnté Salabert
00:38:30.450 - 00:40:14.340
I love this. And for that alone, kudos. You okay? Great name. Even if you were born with It. Good job. But yeah.
So Deed wanted a lightweight, tasty meal option that was packed with nutrients that would keep people fueled when they were really pushing their bodies. Of course, Deed comes from the military world, but is also an outdoor person.
So just thinking about, like, all right, where can we get, like a good calorie to weight ratio? Where can we get good nutrition? Like, all in a small package packet. Although the packet itself, like the, the pouch is quite large.
They actually remind me of those absolutely horrible bags that they give you when you buy a Sawyer Squeeze filter that break all the time. Any backpacker that has used them knows exactly what I'm talking about. But Basically it's about 5.9 ounces for 700 calories.
And I was very impressed by the macros. That is the macronutrients. 40 grams of protein and an entire. I know. I was like, holy. And that's one serving.
And an entire drugstore's worth of vitamins in each of those servings. Servings. So. And a serving is a whole bag. So it's just the whole shebang. You add the whole. The whole thing is this.
You add 6 ounces or 6 to 8 ounces, they say, of water, shake it up once. Like do. Or do a good shake up and kind of knead around.
If you feel clumps, then add another 6 to 8 ounces, shake it again, and it should be pretty well constituted. There are going to be some clumps. I, I've tried and maybe I'm not shaking it hard enough.
I do find little clumps here and there, but, you know, you can get rid of most of them and then drink up to your heart's content. They supposedly stay good for two to four days as long as it's not hot out.
But Merrick did point out when he was finishing his chocolate bag later in the day, and it was kind of a warm day, that it does go down easier when it's cold. So I would recommend.
Colin True
00:40:14.500 - 00:40:22.740
Yeah, so it's kind of like the colonoscopy stuff. I mix it with cold ice water. Don't drink that warm.
Shawnté Salabert
00:40:22.740 - 00:41:05.250
Yes, you know, exactly, Exactly. Yeah. I mean, yeah, I think it's meant to be cold. I think they say do it at any temperature, but my personal experience is that the colder the better.
And the taste is pretty good on these. I mean, I will say the chocolate to me tasted like a pretty regulation issue protein, you know, protein shake. The vanilla chai was good.
That's a different kind of flavor. I liked the. The spice level was good. You Got a coffee flavored one. That one does come with caffeine if, if the 40 grams of protein aren't enough.
And it's marketed as being easy to digest, so it's gluten free, but it does contain whey protein, which can be hard to digest for some people. And by some people, I mean me. And I was definitely a little farty.
Colin True
00:41:05.250 - 00:41:07.010
What malady don't you have at this point?
Shawnté Salabert
00:41:07.010 - 00:41:12.610
No, I have it all. I like to test. See, I'm not just testing gear. I'm testing physical issues.
Colin True
00:41:13.410 - 00:41:18.570
We're going to put a camera on Shantae. It is heavy. Eat three pieces of wheat bread and watch the process unfold.
Shawnté Salabert
00:41:18.570 - 00:41:25.010
No, that's. That's for my only fans. I got to get into that. That's a real niche market.
Colin True
00:41:27.250 - 00:41:29.010
I bet there were people who would pay for that.
Shawnté Salabert
00:41:29.250 - 00:41:38.690
Let's not encourage them. If I get any, I'm blaming you. Remember when somebody asked if they could buy my pit stained shirt a couple months ago?
Colin True
00:41:38.690 - 00:41:53.310
Yes, I do. Which also, like, it was just like. And it was an. It just looked nasty too. Like the shirt just looked worn out, like, you know. Yeah, good reason.
Yes, of course. Who's the person looking at, looking at that, going, oh, yeah, I don't know.
Shawnté Salabert
00:41:53.310 - 00:43:44.000
But I blocked him. Oh, man. But yeah, so that for me it was a little. I don't, I don't digest whey protein.
Well, I do kind of wish there was a vegan option or a veggie option, whatever, like pea protein or something.
But from a portability standpoint, as a backpacker, it's a lot of packaging for like a breakfast item or a drink drink, although it is smaller and more lightweight than a lot of the prepackaged dinners. So I think they're thinking about that because they have reached out to a lot of backpackers, like a lot of people in the community.
And I think they're like, hey, if you want to have 700 calories in liquid form, it is going to be lighter than like a backpacker's pantry. And, and if you can tolerate whey, it's not going to be as farty as a backpacker's pantry. So, yeah, so.
And you know, they also say this is meant for people on the go in a lot of different ways.
So I would carry one with me as of kind of an emergency food item on a day hike or, you know, a long remote trail run, bike ride, or even on travel days when I might strike out with airport food. I could see this being a really good option.
I Think for me, the only thing like my big ding would be that while the giant, you know, grade school lunch pouch format probably works well for a lot of people who do their work in remote areas, they actually mention wildland firefighters, for instance, on the website. I think for more traditional outdoors, we'd probably want this to come in smaller packets that we could add to our own water bottles.
I think some of us just also have PTSD from all the Sawyer pouches that have sprung a leak out in the field. So I don't know. That's my take on it. Tastes good. Sure does pack in the punch with all the nutrients and the vitamins and everything.
And the calories to weight ratio is great, but probably a limited use case for people that are backpacking. Unless you don't mind replacing a dinner meal with this or something. I don't. Colin, would you try it if I sent you a pouch of food?
Colin True
00:43:44.720 - 00:44:02.960
Oh, I would definitely try it.
I mean, you know, I think when it comes to this stuff, I'm always kind of fascinated, especially how things taste and what the process is to get it to taste that way and everything. I think you nailed it though, like, in terms of like more traditional outdoor things.
I mean, there's so many options that are much more sort of convenient and probably do all the same things that this does from a nutrition standpoint.
Shawnté Salabert
00:44:02.960 - 00:44:03.280
Right.
Colin True
00:44:03.280 - 00:44:22.180
This is a really big. I'll link it in the, in the footnotes and we'll have it in the show notes of the episode as well. You can see how big this thing is.
It's large, but it is, but I think, but that's where like the, if it's in a, you know, you're been at an aid station during an ultramarathon. Here's 700 calories. There's, you know, you have, if you're a firefighter, if you're kind of out doing field work, those kinds of things.
Shawnté Salabert
00:44:22.180 - 00:44:24.540
Yeah, like scientists out in the field. That could be great.
Colin True
00:44:24.620 - 00:44:43.660
Right?
But I think in most sort of human powered outdoor endeavors, it's just, it's a little much, you know, I'd rather buy, you know, like two pro bars is going to be about 700 calories, you know, and so it's kind of like there's ways you could probably plan for unless you just really like it. Um, but I mean, it's cool that people are trying to do different things like this. And it's always interesting.
Shawnté Salabert
00:44:43.660 - 00:45:05.900
And I do think, I do think it's worth reiterating the idea of the digestibility of it. It's gonna be a lot easier than eating solid foods to digest for most people, unless you have a sensitivity to whey. Like, you know, like I do.
I think that digestion aspect could be really appealing to a lot of people too. So. Sure, yeah, I think. Check it out. Check out the show notes and chug, chug it down if you want.
Colin True
00:45:05.900 - 00:45:07.420
Chug it down, make it cold, you.
Shawnté Salabert
00:45:07.420 - 00:45:08.180
Know, chug it down.
Colin True
00:45:08.180 - 00:45:15.800
Get that good. Chug it. Then you get the dysentery and the fecal incompetence and it's just all we get. We hit on all the topics. It's all together.
Shawnté Salabert
00:45:17.800 - 00:45:55.260
Well, that is it for this episode of Gear Abby.
Until next time, send your burning questions about your relationships with outdoor people, products, places and pastimes over to us at Dear gear Abby, mail.com and I'm going to do my best to answer them or find someone else who can. And of course, head over to your podcast listening, serve as a choice and subscribe rate and review to support the pod and personally make my day.
And follow us on Instagram @GearabyPod. In the meantime, today's episode was produced by David Karsad and Colin True, art direction provided by the wonderful Sarah Gensert.
I'm Chante Salibair, and remember, there are no dumb questions, just smart advice.
