Sabre 45 & packing advice???

[Viking]

A small question, do you really need a bivy bag?

Is it worth the space and weight?

 

[Martyn]

Martyn I'll admit I havent read all this answers on here but as one thing I would point out is why carry a hootchie and a poncho? A poncho can do all the things a hootchie does and can also be your rain gear.

Good point. I guess I was thinking that the poncho would be good for moving around in the rain, collecting wood and stuff, while the hootchie was set up, or for just using as a groundsheet. But I think you're right, maybe just the poncho.

As for packing my top tip is put your sleeping bag in your bivvi bag and stuff this is the sack last - push it down into all the nooks and crannys ( forget the stuff sack) and then do the snow lock up. Also use the external attechement points. Get yourself some utility straps these are good for your roll mat and poncho ect leaving more room inside.

Hope that helped a little.

Cheers Gary, I'll get the utility straps for sure. I had hooked the bivvi (the dutch thing rolls up huge) into the loops on the bottom that are part of the closing straps - I think they're supposed to be the ice axe attachments, but they work as roll attachments. Strangely, there are no loops or tabs on the base of the sabre for attaching a roll - I dunno why not, seems an obvious good addition to me.

 

[Martyn]

A small question, do you really need a bivy bag?

Is it worth the space and weight?

Not if it doesnt rain.

Problem is, it rains a lot in England. Aside from a few weeks in the middle of summer, it's pretty darned wet most of the year round.

What I'm trying to do, and it may be futile, but I'm trying to put together a 3 season pack all in the sabre + side pockets. I think I'm definitely going to have to re-think some of my gear choices though.

It's quite an art this ruck-packing thing. It reminds me of all those "how much can you get in a tobacco-tin?" articles you see, only on a bit bigger scale.

One thing that has struck me, is some of the gear I have bought, I got just because it reviewed well or I liked the look of. I didn't give any thought to where exactly I was going to put it. But now I'm in posession of my new ruck, I find I'm looking at gear in the context of how it will work/fit with the sabre. I wish I'd realised that a while ago.

 

[Adi007]

Only you never had to get a sleeping bag into a tobacco tin.

Food and water is going to be the next thing you find tough to find space for ... :roll: ... it does get easier with time though.

Packing a ruck can be quite a theraputic activity!

It's quite an art this ruck-packing thing. It reminds me of all those "how much can you get in a tobacco-tin?" articles you see, only on a bit bigger scale.

 

[Gary]

yep they are for ice axes Martyn.

Thing to remember with most of these types of pack is that theyre designed with soldiers in mind - no bottom loops mean comfort with webbing.

And rememebr you can attach plce side pockets too.

 

[Martyn]

yep they are for ice axes Martyn.

Thing to remember with most of these types of pack is that theyre designed with soldiers in mind - no bottom loops mean comfort with webbing..

Gotcha. Another *newb* question, there are some adjustment features on this pack I havent got on me old one, there is a buckle inside the pack, which I guess is for adjusting the back system, also there are buckles on top of the shoulder straps - I'm a fairly well built 6' - is it just a question of adjusting these till it feels the comfiest? Or is there some method I should be observing?

 

[al]

the buckles are for pulling the bergen into your body upto your shoullders so the weight doesnt drag your shoulders back and makes for a comfyier thing to lug round on your back,but after so many miles you will see people adjusting these and doing the throw your shoulders forward and up to get the weight off for just a few seconds top reajust on the move normally followed by some cussing, also if you have too many loops and things hanging off as gary points out from a soldiers point of view they can catch and snag on things and make a noise giving your position away , i roll mine up and wrap some masking tape on them to tidy it all up , but you can buy these things that auto roll them for you , cheers al

 

[ditchfield]

i roll mine up and wrap some masking tape on them to tidy it all up , but you can buy these things that auto roll them for you , cheers al

Don't bother with that. I cut mine off and melt the ends, leaving a little room for growth (all those wild foods :-D). It saves a suprising amount of weight.

 

[Martyn]

the buckles are for pulling the bergen into your body upto your shoullders so the weight doesnt drag your shoulders back and makes for a comfyier thing to lug round on your back,but after so many miles you will see people adjusting these and doing the throw your shoulders forward and up to get the weight off for just a few seconds top reajust on the move normally followed by some cussing, also if you have too many loops and things hanging off as gary points out from a soldiers point of view they can catch and snag on things and make a noise giving your position away , i roll mine up and wrap some masking tape on them to tidy it all up , but you can buy these things that auto roll them for you , cheers al

Thanks, my old gear didn't have such technological wonders. I'm still curious about this buckle inside though - I suppose trial and error to see what effect it has.

Cheers all. :biggthump

 

[Adi007]

Does it just firm up/soften up the back pad of the ruck? I've seen that before.

 

[Justin Time]

I'm not at all keen on dry bags which fill the whole rucksack. Partly this is because of the amount of space they take up. My main worry is that you can end up putting wet/damp things into your dry bag thus getting everything damp. Also if you have all your gear in the dry bag you run the risk of getting water into it every time you open the bag for some reason.
I prefer to use a smaller dry bag for sleeping bag and spare clothes and then ensure some waterproof packing for the other stuff which needs to stay dry, eg food, camera.

Martyn, will the poncho be your main waterproof?

 

[al]

all clothing is individually waterproofed wiithin the dry bag,resealable bags work well, the wet clothing can stay in your bergen outside the drybag until you get out of your shelter/bag and put it back on in the morning so you guarrentee you have one set of dry all the time ,letting body heat dry the wet while you wear it or just goingout in wet weather in wet clothes weather permitting obviously, cheers al

 

[Martyn]

Martyn, will the poncho be your main waterproof?

Yeah, I have a sweedish arctic smock, which I'm sort of customising and it'll be shower-proof, but for real rain, it'll be the poncho.

 

[Martyn]

Does it just firm up/soften up the back pad of the ruck? I've seen that before.

Not sure, I think so - this is the article in question...

Inside that pocket, there is what seems a sort of injection molded, stiff foam, which covers a wire frame, the buckle seems to either put it under tension or relax it, distorting the profile of the back panel. I'm guessing you give it more tension for long back's, less for short backs.

 

[Stuart]

I take out the injection molded foam back and replace it with a folded up thermarest, this way the thermarest is doing the job of the foam whilst taking up no additional space in the pack :-D

 

[Adi007]

I thought of doing this with my Vulcan but I found that there are some pop rivets and sharp aluminium in there that could finish off the thermarest!

I take out the injection molded foam back and replace it with a folded up thermarest, this way the thermarest is doing the job of the foam whilst taking up no additional space in the pack :-D

 

[Stuart]

I thought of doing this with my Vulcan but I found that there are some pop rivets and sharp aluminium in there that could finish off the thermarest!

nothing like that in the karrimor saber, just a nylon pocket

 

[Adi007]

Handy ... the Bergaus Vulcan is built like a bridge inside!

I thought of doing this with my Vulcan but I found that there are some pop rivets and sharp aluminium in there that could finish off the thermarest!

nothing like that in the karrimor saber, just a nylon pocket

 

[alick]

Ortlieb drybags are excellent quality. Good pick. I've come across another lighter duty make "exped" priced at between 10 and 14 pounds for different sizes. Interesting thing is that it has three compression straps fitted as standard so you can make a long thin waterproof roll. I bought a small one for my sleeping bag. Cheers

 

[ranger]

My understanding of the inside buckle was that it purely allowed you to remove the foam padding in order that you can use it as a splint should the need ever arise.