Response Pak show and tell

[spamel]

I'd like to propose a show and tell on response paks and similar pieces of grab kit. I know a few people have the response paks, I had a quick look at Grahams and Waylands' response paks at Delamere, but some of the things that end up inside are down to personal preference and also personal ideas.

Andrew at Outdoorcode sells them, and the price is fair and difficult to beat, he must have sold a few more so for those that have bought them, how about posting up some pics of your load out and what you use the response pak for. Also, any modifications that you have made, such as removing the jangly zip pulls and replacing with 550 cord, or adding a shoulder strap.

I will get some pics up tomorrow hopefully, as I have located the camera. Today would have been good for some snaps but I was up the farm with the kids checking out Elvis the happy pig. He is a breeder, not for eating, and has at least 15 lady pigs vying for his attention, so you better believe that he is happy!!

Back on subject though, I have packed my response pack with the kit that I tend to forget, that can be used on a long trip or a day hike and I can ditch a few things here and there if I like if I'm just going out for a quick walk. I'll go in to more detail when I get the pictures up, I don't expect many responses to this thread today as hopefully pictures will need taking!

 

[firebreather]

Come on people show and tell ......as i am thinking of getting one of these. I would really like to know what you all think about them and how you pack them.

 

[Gailainne]

Nice one Spamel

It should give me some ideas, I'm still looking for those mini carabinas

Stephen

 

[spamel]

Nice one Spamel

It should give me some ideas, I'm still looking for those mini carabinas

Stephen

Me too, I had a look on their website, but they don't actually sell them and point you instead to retailers in your area. I need to check Blcks and a climbing shop in Meadowhell out, they may come up trumps.

Nicking other peoples ideas is the main plan behind the show and tell though, as long as you don't pretend they are your idea, where is the damage?!! I'll be on the lookout for good additions.

 

[Gailainne]

Spot on mate, although I dont think I'd like to walk very far with Waylands, it weighs a ton , As the saying goes "Imitation is the highest form of flattery". Can you post the website link please, I'll see if there are any suppliers around here.

Cheers

Stephen

 

[spamel]

Here's the link for Joe Public, as they call us!

This will allow you to find stockists in your area. I feel no explanation is required on my part!!

 

[spamel]

OK, I’ve just spent 30 minutes typing up this post for my computer to go mad and I’ve lost the lot! So, I am typing this in word and will cut and paste afterwards. Very annoying, it’s time to unpack the desktop!!

Alright then, this post is now massive, so if a Mod could kindly change the thread title to include “Pic Heavy” that would be much appreciated!

First pic shows my response pak and my daughters’ bushcraft bag.

Next, a view of the bag from one end showing the shoulder strap mod. I used the clips on the rear of body armour that is supposed to hold your belt kit in place. Nobody uses them and they are usually put on Bergan lids for spare attachments in case the main clip for the lid breaks. If you can find them, they are handy bits of kit.

Other side shows the yellow clip which allows quick identification of the FAK pouch. Even my daughter is aware that this is where it is in case the worst happens.

Front view of the bag showing external load out and a bit of the shoulder strap made from an old radio ancils bag sling!

Internal view of the front pouch, lots of gubbins and gizmos. Break down in the next picture.

Loads of kit, garden centre lollypop sticks used for marking plants normally, now in use for marking tracks when I eventually find some in UK! I’ve got a pipe tool and lighter for that crafty Gandalf moment, a four inch “universal” spanner is always good for tightening nuts and bolts on stoves and the like. Leathermans Micra for the same sort of thing. A couple of chinagraph pens for writing on the lolly sticks and a scalpel in its foil wrapper.

Next, two cheap as chips diamond stones in fine grits. They cost me a couple of quid and do the job, can’t quite afford a DC4 unfortunately. Notice the little lanyards, I tie them all with the same knot as I like it, but cannot remember the name of it. The monocular has one as well, fitted to a home made lanyard swivel. The Opi actually makes the whole kit illegal without a good reason as it locks, but the load out proves outdoorsyness; I reckon my excuse will work!

Below that I have my Survival Tin, pictures on request, although it is still a bit militarised. 550 and purlon cordage, I have quite a bit kicking about, and zinc oxide tape. I don’t care what folk say about it being harmful, it works for me and can be used for field repairs and also an aiming patch on a target when zeroing a rifle!

FAK pouch with yellow indicator clip, and my first and best wooden spoon. Note the woodworkers pencil in the pencil loop. It holds perfectly and has been proven in the field not to come loose!

My FAK is quite rudimentary, not too complicated as it is for first aid and not surgery! I have some plasters and Iodine (Ouch!), a triangular bandage and some lip balm, and some pain killers. If you include drugs of any kind, you should read the instructions and include them in your kit, and also don’t carry any illicit drugs such as crack cocaine!!

Next pouch is the fire making kits!

Char cloth in a tin, emergency tinder in case I cannot find any, flash stick and two film pots with non safety matches and cotton wool/Vaseline fire starters. Leather pouch containing a piece of flint and a beautiful example of a Jason01 steel.

The main compartment, this thing is massive!

I have a notebook and a pencil with spare leads, a chinagraph in blue, a small steel rule and a tape measure for tracking and a roamer for maps. I have my spoon knife which needs a cover making for it, I will do it one day, my big serving spoon showing scorch marks as mentioned in another thread a few days back and my Spear and Jackson saw that MBM bought and sent to me when I was in Germany, the best 3 quid I ever spent!

TP waterproofed, book also waterproofed, I have just about the whole of this range of books and they are really good. A Pointing trowel for digging and moving embers and the like and some more string. You can never have enough!

External kit speaks for itself. Long tube for blowing embers donated by Goose, thanks Goose! I added some tape as it gets a bit warm in use, and I will also feel the benefits in winter! Also, BCUK Photon, order the magazine today! (I’m sure I’ll get away with that product placement!) Good to have a whistle easily accessible and those tin openers are better than the ones sold for domestic use IMO! Those are the big chunky pencils for woodworking.

Mod number 2 was to add these clips for securing kit. I would have liked them on the top instead of underneath but they didn’t fit over the poppers. Never mind, I’m not undoing any stitching!

Quite a bit of kit I think you'll agree, this is packed for bushcrafting so that I also don't forget anything on a trip, and also I can go out for an evening stomp with some basic kit. Some of it is probably overkill, but hey, it works for me so far and these sort of things are constantly evolving. I will post my girls' kit in a moment, but I hope it has given a few ideas. Some of the pics are a bit blurry, sorry about that but I never have got on with the macro feature on my camera! Hey, it's not as if I am offering to photo your daughters' wedding or anything!!

 

[Wayland]

I bet that's almost as heavy as mine now...

I like the shoulder strap mod. I might pinch that.

 

[spamel]

It was very easy to make, if I find any more of those buckles, I'll give you a shout. It now looks lie a big heavy camera case in bushcraft green!

As promised, the girls’ load out is a lot simpler and it allows them to carry some nik naks with them. I find that Rachel, my four year old, feels a bit more involved if she has her own kit. Both girls can use the kit, I just swap their note books over so they can’t complain!

The bag is simply a water bottle carrier from a set of webbing. The shoulder strap was hand woven by me with some coloured string from an old military model kit used when giving Orders for battle to troops. I won’t be doing that again in a hurry!

The contents are quite basic, a nalgene bottle with a sipper lid, but they take that off to pour a drink into their flexi cups. The string on the flexi cup is for practising knots, Rachel knows the thumb knot and figure eight and can tie them unaided. A metal spoon for dinner time, gotta do a wooden version this year, notebook and pencil and waterproofed TP. There isn’t loads, but girls need to carry it, their bladders are the size of a walnut so they stop every two minutes!

The photon is tied on and gets stowed in the puritab pouch in the lid. FAK is very basic, a triangular bandage and some Bob the Builder plasters, that’s it.

Detail of the four strand flat braid.

The same braid has replaced my old hat band on my cowboy hat, and I have new feathers from another stripped pheasant carcass we found whilst out exploring!

Hope you like the pictures, I enjoyed taking them and the weather is fine at the moment, so I may have a snack and go for a wander with the kids and the walkie talkies!!

 

[spamel]

Went for a quick wander, as you can see I left the spoons and fire tube behind as I wasn't prepping food or making fire. The scene shows the response pak hanging off of the fence in front of some of the land which I have shooting permission on.

In the next shot, find the rabbit!

 

[Ahjno]

Nice lay-out and good explanation Spam, thanks!

Bunny:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v644/ahjno/HPIM2788.jpg

Also almost deadcentre in the pic ... so 1 and 1 is 3 in my book

EDIT:
Removed

 

[spamel]

Top marks Johan, you are absolutely correct. They blend in really well up there, until they run and then you see the white flash of their backsides!

 

[leon-b]

these are a great idea, i might make my own one up out of an old daysack, i will add some pockets to it and stuff, i dont really like shoulder bags i prefer backpacks
leon

 

[spamel]

The beauty with this size bag is I can put it at the top of my bergan and take it out leaving the bergan behind in the camp. A camera bag would be a cheap alternative, but at 15 quid why bother. Some camera bags are more expensive!

 

[leon-b]

yes, do you know of any bags like it (same price, amount of pockets, size etc) but in the rucksack style ?
leon

 

[spamel]

You may be able to get a camera bag in a back pack style. Also, there is a medics pouch the same size as a PLCE side pouch which opens up and would be good for a similar thing. Not too sure on price.

Once I get the kids to bed, I'll have a quick scout about on the internet.

 

[leon-b]

ok thanks, i want something a bit bigger than a pouch really, i want something that would be packed for day trips but has enough room to add just a tarp or something for an one nighter, i often camp out on a friday but if i go for longer take a bigger pack
leon

 

[spamel]

In that case, try and get hold of an old olive green Chest rig, they used to be very popular, and yu can use that to stow kit in. You get your bag with kit in as normal and strap the chest rig to the outside of the bag, it sits over the top of the bergan as if it were your body. You can then take it off whenever you want and leave the bag behind. If you wear the chest rig, you can always get to the bits, even if you have your bergan on. It may suit what you are after.

 

[Jared]

Whats the size of the response pak? Can't seem to find any reviews or info on it.
Is it bigger than a this http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/MOLLE330-47672-1976.html , (11.5" long, 5.5" wide, 6" tall) ?

 

[spamel]

It looks like te same bag! Just measuredmine, puffed out full of kit, and get it at approximately 14x7x6 inches (LxWxH).