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Finally, kit that I'm happy with....

jaffcat

Slightly Addicted
Messages
457
Points
600
Age
58
Finally, after a few years of playing and making lots of mistakes with kit, I have a setup that I like.

I've stripped out lots of the crap taking it back to the basics.

I wanted a setup that was good for both ground and tree, that I could use in all but the coldest months and was small enough to be used for a day out without being loaded down. It also had to work well in the mountains as well as the bush......so this is what I ended up with..............

The pack is a 20lt Wisport Sparrow, very good padding, good sized main compartment, loads of MOLLE points.

Inside the main compartment I have......

Life systems traveller sleeping bag, inside a lightweight breathable bivvy bag. Should be OK into low numbers.
Reusable space blanket (green/silver) for use as ground sheet or inside my hammock base for insulation.
Scout hammock
Food /Drink for 36 hours min (could add just a little more and go for 48)
Mini army style hexi stove + tabs
Hat Gloves Buff....................need to find a lightweight top to add
Bottle of 500ml water, once empty I would use this for sterilising unclean water (puritabs) before transfering to main bottle...I use coffee filters to strain the worst crap out
3pairs nitrile gloves for cleaning game
Small pack wet wipes


Second compartment has...............

Small first aid kit
Basic foil blanket.............not really needed, but I have the space...... would be 1st item to ditch if space needed
Head torch + spare batteries
Tissues, small pocket pack
Fire Kit
Odds & Sods tin..........spare compass, needles thread, spare fire steel, spare puritabs etc
Sighting compass
No6 Opinel knife............kept razor sharp for game/food prep
Cord for bow (fire)
DC4 stone

I also have a small pouch with fishing kit/hobo reel, 1 yoyo reel, Slingshot and snare wire....

Outer flat pocket has my Hillbill knife, with fire steel and folding saw

Water bottle on the back is the GI cookset, this holds 1lt of water and has my big cook pot/mug with stove/stand nested with it...little pocket has puritabs, lighter and cotton balls soaked in vasaline

Underneath the pack I have a US GI poncho to use as a tarp/rain cover...this would be in addition to my normal Waterproof/windproof/breathable webtex jacket that I use.


packmain.jpg

Its a great little pack with everything I need for a day or two in the woods......
and I can easily strip some weight out for mountain day walks. or change the poncho roll for my lightweight tent.

Love it..............any thought or comments guys...........good or bad, I dont mind....

Richard
 

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20Ltr??
I struggle with 80LTR for a night out on my own.

Well done you.

Guess I'll spend the day tomorrow seeing how light I can really make it.
 
20Ltr??
I struggle with 80LTR for a night out on my own.

Well done you.

Guess I'll spend the day tomorrow seeing how light I can really make it.
Mate, thats what I have been doing for ages............the sleeping bag is the only thing I have to play around with....... the light weight compact bag is ok for the odd night in summer........ when it gets colder I pan to change over to the green Patrol bag from the US MSS, then have the black bag and goretex bivvy parts strapped underneath. I just thnk I was carrying too much crap........ and most of what I did just didnt need it........... I still have a bigger winter pack for the real cold weather...........
 
nice write up mate. thats inspired me to cut some of the pointless crap out of my kit
 
This is great fella, good to see you are winning the 'what kit to carry?' battle :)

I always enjoy reading threads like this as even though we all have different priorities/expectations when planing our 'ideal' overnighter, there is always one or two things folks carry, that make me think 'Ooo shiny, I must have one of them';)

In this instance I'm liking the USGI Canteen Kit you have on the back of your pack (for which I am assuming you have the stove/stand?) I looked at one of these a while ago (it also came with a heavy cover lid, if I recall correctly) but cost + shipping put it a bit beyond my means at the time and I opted for the cheaper Crusader cook unit in the end, which proved to be slightly less useful than a chocolate tea pot and currently being used as a pot for a bonsai tree and I'd forgotten about the US kit until your post.

I'd be very interested to hear your thoughts on the USGI kit, as it does look like a lot more thought has gone into the design and I have a feeling the issues I have with the Cru cooker including: it does not nest well with the Cru cup, take years to boil water in anything stronger than a gentle breeze, rattles around like a bar steward in a pouch or pocket etc., may not be present with this US kit?

And you got down to 20L. That is really impressive, The best I've managed is 30L one time when hammocking last autumn, so this certainly gives me a few ideas what kit I could cut to get down further (take less beer?!?) so thanks for that.

I think I'll be packing, unpacking and repacking various pack myself tonight now.

Thanks for sharing.

Atb.

Colin
 
Mate,

Ill do a little review over the next few nights whilst on shift.

I like the GI cookset, it does what I need

Richard
 
Hi jaffcat i have a hell of a way to go, i have yet to buy anything, i thought i would buy all the wrong gear so i am hoping to see what you guys have and hope fully not buy two of everything
you have a nice bit of kit and hope fully i will get what i need before summer.
all the best
scoot
 
I have the a US canteen stand heat shield thing although I didn't know that's what it was. It's been bashed about a bit to fit a British army bottle and a crusader mug goes ontop of it pretty well. When using it I always found it worked best if you lifted the hexi of the damp gound on a rock. It's been very battered but is just bent back into shape and works just fine.

38
 
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