Boreal Forest, Arctic Bushcraft Course/Exped Lapland, Feb 2015 [Planning]

[Dave]

I'll be attending a Bushcraft Course/expedition inside the Arctic Circle in Swedish Lapland, in the Boreal Forest in February 2015.

Ive posted my kit list below, so if any of the sub Zero Lads, or ex army guys, or anyone with arctic experience want to make suggestions or comments, on kit, critical or otherwise, Im all ears.

[Im not taking a primus omnifuel, or a bigger billy can, as its not what they want us to take.]

Any suggestions, you have, or top tips, or skills you think I should be refreshing/practising would be welcome.

Thankyou

Click for Larger photo.

• 
  [*=center]
  1.] Comprehensive First Aid Kit. In Day pack.
  Yet to add my own mediciations. Sterile Gloves, Wound dressing pads.
  Celox, for emergency arterial cuts, suture kit and needle, white tube holds thin insulin hyperdermic needles, and a vial of local anasthetic, syringe for wound irrigation, voltarol gel, musclepain, small, large, medium wound dressings, plus meds not yet added. Painkillers etc. Solaze in tube, diclofenac sodium gel for burns. cloth tape. 3m tape. eye bandage etc.Knee brace.[not shown] [*=center]
  2.]Cook kit. Zebra 14cm Billy on bail, grips, ti spork, enamel plate in cloth bag, and rubber/plastic fold out bowl, eco friendly campsuds, large folding swedish mug, 58 pattern pouch, canteen, s/s crusader mug, lid. microfibre drying towel. 1 metre long steel chain for hanging zebra under tripod. x2 pan scrubs, 3 in 1 coffees
  [*=center]
  3.]Wash Kit and towel. Flannel in ziplock bag cut in half toothbruch and toothpaste in yellow tube, blue soap bar holder, pine tar, diprobase moisturiser, mometasone furoate steroid cream, small vosene in nalgene, plastic bic razer, shaving gel, neutrogena hand cream, tweezers, hand sanitizer handy wipes, small vial talcum powder, for pits, cracks, and feet. Foam sleeping ear plugs. Smallish towel in aloksack.
  [*=center]
  4.] British army deployment bag, 110l, Snugpack Kit Monster 120l [plastic buckles on this break way too easily in my opinion] Hand luggage Frost River Summit Exped. In the end I found it best to put all the socks together, in one dry bag, all headwear in another, all handwear in another, base layers in another, then really crush the air out.
  [*=center]
  5.] Petzl head torch, spare, zebralight h51, with head band, in green nbc plastic hard case, with 8 spare eneloop batteries. Powergen 1400 pack. This can charge up my iphone 6 or 7 times, or charge the two power packs for the canon g9 in the pelicase, with small tripod. small aquarium thermometer.
  [*=center]
  6.] Contents of possibles pouch [zippo's hiding inside] and quick release snow brush
  [*=center]
  7.] I love this possibles pouch Richard made. Ive included a tobacco tin, with jute, plenty of charcloth, flint and steel, slow match in a deer antler tube, zippo petrol lighter, moisturiser and chap lip stick.
  Two green aluminium surplus cigaretter tubes with 50 stormproof matches, abritish army issue.
  The other tube has a sewing kit in, buttons, nato thread, safety pins, uncle bills sliver grippers etc. You can see a hultafors 26" axe sheath [just] and a duluth bucksaw with spare blades in a cordura case. Im guessing the majority of fires will be lit with birch bark and a firesteel, but it will be good practice to try other methods, and the sami photos Ive seen in museums have fire steels and flints.
  [*=center]
  8.] Cuts Kit, in aloksak, fits neatly in thigh pocket of m39 swedish wool trousers. with small vial of friars balsam. I have a more thorough medical kit in my day pack.
  [*=center]
  9.] Added two longer leather straps, with copper rivets to hem of M39 trouser, to block snow ingress, and also can go all the way around sorel pacboots or mukulks.
  [*=center]
  10.] Belt Kit, Possibles Pouch, Laplander Saw, Bushcraft Knife, Firesteel with quick release, Maxped with pioneer flask, also hold nalgene bottle, on belt, or with karabiner, can be clipped to day pack. Compass case, silva ranger 15tdcl, axe loop, SAK Champ. I dont want too much clutter on my belt, so most will live in my pack unless needed.
  [*=center]
  11.] Outer Layer:
  SASS ventile smock, double ventile hood, and back, arms, and poachers packet, reinforced with l24 earth ventile on cuffs, hem and inside drawstring. And peak of hood. Real Coyote Fur Ruff, Button on, and removable.
  White Swedish windproof overtrousers, modded with elasticated hems and waist.
  [*=center]
  12.] MID LAYER Swanndri orignal bush-shirt, Swedish Woolen m39 Pants Brit army braces. Travelling in Bison Bushshirt.
  [*=center]
  13.] BASE LAYERS

• 
  x3 160gmerino on one base layers.
  1x Helly Hansen Merino Boxers
  x4 Belluci Microfibre 90% polyamide boxers
  x1 200g Ulfrotte top
  x1 400g ulfrotte top
  x1 200g ulfrotte long johns
  x1 200g merino icebreaker long johns
  [*=center]
  14.]Arctic Sleeping System. Exped Synmat 12lxw Rated R6 -25, 12 cm thick, 77cm wide.
  Extremely comfortable. Same size as a single mattress. Fjellduken King Size jerven bag, with primaloft padding, as a bivi bag, and also will be used as a mothership jacket, Wiggys Ultima Thule Hunter with a hood sleeping bag. Rectangular footbox, lots of room. Comes with a real pillow. thermarest solite closed cell pad on floor. Rated -30 to -60?
  Really comfy. Used in Sami Katta, under fir trees, quinzes etc.
  [*=center]
  15.] Sleeping sanitary layer, 160g merino base layer, microfibre boxers, ulfrotte 200g balaclava, nanok biviboots, foam earplugs. Take drinking water bottle in bag. Take a woolen pillow cover, and place any damp socks, felt liners, glove liners in it, in the sleeping bag. [Pee bottle in bag!?]
  
  [*=center]
  16.] HeadWear. Woolrich Ushanka Rabbit fur hat, Lowe Alpine goretex xcr Mountain Cap, purple Smartwool merino cuffed beanie, and green merino buff. Possum Merino Beanie from Mr Mears Boutique, and matching Possum Merino Buff from NZ.Oakley goggle yellow tint, with cloth bag/wipe. Maui Jims wraparound polarised plastic/rubber frames
  [*=center]
  17.] Sorel Caribou Wool insert pac boots
  [*=center]
  18.] Nanok biviboots, for sleeping, but also fit into Neo Overboots, for Hut, or Sami Katta, getting up in the middle of the night etc
  [*=center]
  19.] FOOTWEAR. USAF Canvas Mukluks Low Rubber sole, two pairs wool felted insoles and one canadian mesh insole in each mukluk.
  Felt Liner, six pairs of swedish surplus wool socks, one pair thinner merino ski-ing socks, two pair liner socks. Also two plastic bags, not for VBL, but in case I step in slush snow.
  [*=center]
  20.] HANDWEAR. Swedish M90 gauntlet gloves, with Dachstein Inner Mitts.
  White leather surplus mitts, with buffalo pile mitts, as inners, and swedish wool wristlets.
  
  21.] Handwear. Hestra Falt Guide Gloves, with spare woolen liner. Thin contact gloves, wrist length, polypropylene, pleated white leather thong offcuts, made into idiot string, with elastic and small karabiners.
  [*=center]
  22.]FIRE. Tobacco tin, long slow cotton match in deer antler tube. Waxed kitchen roll. Flint, Forged viking Steel, Quartzite, small firesteel with scraper, jute treated with alcohol hand sanitizer, and a lot of charcloth made from denim jeans trouser leg, [good stuff] You can see a 9 hour uco candle for quinze there, a price candle, a tallow candle, tealight, spare firesteels etc[*=center]

Also:
Ortlieb rubberised map case, 15 litre dry bag specifically for Garbage, tobacco pouch forcollecting old means beard, inside a small dry bag, with some fat wood, I can use, or scrape into maya dust, some home made snares, paracord, tarred bank line, crab line, copper wire, fishing kit, small notepad two pencils and a lifesystems mossy net to make finnish marshmallows. Im gonna have to make some ice spikes. Cant seem to buy them to get them delivered to the UK. Would also like some skoband, but cant get them either. Would like to know peoples wash routines, and can i take snacks, nuts, pemmican, chocolate etc, through airports into sweden?
Where can i buy a good map of the area? I'd like to study it before I go.

Additional Info:

https://translate.google.co.uk/tran...od/weekenden-weken/arctic-lapland/&edit-text=

https://translate.google.co.uk/tran...od/weekenden-weken/arctic-lapland/&edit-text=

Olavs Website

Extra, and Olav have numerous youtube videos.

The visiting instructors all speak English. Olav has been very confidence inspiring, as Ive discussed my illness with him and he's been very supportive.

Really looking forward to it. A great adventure hopefully.

 

[sunndog]

i'v not gone through it with a fine tooth comb but looks like a decent kit list mate

Plenty of layers/extras for the extremities. I see a maxped flask, will that do you as a lidded insulated mug?....Sommat I find very handy

About The only things that spring out at me which I would take are. snow shovel and an extra down jacket


an axe as well obviously but I guess that's a course safty thing?.....good to see you have a proper saw as well as the laplander too

 

[Dave]

Hi Sunndog. Ive got a swedidh army shovel head, circa 1939, but Im pushing the limits of my baggage allowance. Plus they provide them, so I'll probably leave it out. I thought on the down jacket, but I'd like to get the full use out of the king size jerven bag, [pic 14] and so decided to use that instead of a mothership jacket. Although there are swedish M90 jackets available if you want to borrow one. The axe is a hultafors 26" with leather sheath, not shown.

 

[ammo]

Looks like you are all packed and ready to go. Hope you have a great time, keep us posted.

 

[Clouston98]

I'm not clued up on the Arctic stuff but it looks good to me! Hope you have a great trip! Please do us a report with piccies too .

 

[Dave]

Will keep you posted.

Will Do Cameron.

 

[sunndog]

If they provide shovels then no sense in carrying one all that way dude

sorry missed the jerven bag bit when I scanned the kit list....funnily enough i was trying to remember when i'd spoken to you before....It was about jerven bags lol
let us know how you find the bag please mate. I decided against getting one at the time, must admit I still do fancy one though


going back to your kit list. you've plenty of stuff there, you can be confident theres enough to stop you freezing
just about any changes will be personal preference and activity specific.
If that lot was provided for me in the north woods i'd be more than happy mate


Enjoy

 

[bambodoggy]

Looks a pretty comprehensive kit to me

The only thing that springs to mind that I'd have different is a plastic camping plate instead of an enamel one although it's just personal preference as there's pros and cons to either I'd take a little fold away sit matt too, nothing fancy.

Best of luck with your course, I'm very jealous...I haven't been to the north for 6 years!!!

Cheers,

Bam.

 

[Dave]

Looks a pretty comprehensive kit to me

The only thing that springs to mind that I'd have different is a plastic camping plate instead of an enamel one although it's just personal preference as there's pros and cons to either I'd take a little fold away sit matt too, nothing fancy.

Best of luck with your course, I'm very jealous...I haven't been to the north for 6 years!!!

Cheers,

Bam.

Cheers Bam. Theress a small foam sit mat in the back of the frosts river, and they provide reindeer hides. Plus Ive got the solar thermarest. I'll think on the enamel point, as I have a primus plastic set. A plastic bowl may be a better choice.

 

[Dave]

Photo here showing hulators axe, foam mat, small red dry bag toilet bag, with hand sanitizer, toilet paper, lighter.
Knee brace, axe stone, in round click box, long leather straps to attach to top of frost river pack, for firewood collection, or keeping jerven bag loosely rolled on outside of pack, to slip on, during stops, swedish snow shovel, without handle, so i can make a long one, tea tree wet wipes, always on my person, ortlieb rubber case, spare firesteel in leather neck pouch.

 

[Man of Tanith]

Only thing I would suggest is put the zippo in a. Inside pocket. I've had no end of issues with the petrol not being warm enough to ignite.
looks good hope you get plenty of pics for the write up

 

[Dave]

Only thing I would suggest is put the zippo in a. Inside pocket. I've had no end of issues with the petrol not being warm enough to ignite.
looks good hope you get plenty of pics for the write up

I'll do that. Thanks Sam.

 

[Man of Tanith]

No worries mate little tricks are sometimes the most useful for being comfortable I find

 

[Twodogs]

Something I picked up somewhere and it works very well is a foot size dry bag full of talc , put your foot in give it a shake and instant dry warm feet ,,,,mega before you get in the bag .

A couple of pairs of thin glove liners work wonders .

Nice one Dave have a fantastic time looking forward to seeing the right up .

Twodogs

 

[Dave]

Cheers Cliff. Ive got some foot/talc powder in pic 3, might add some more though after your suggestion.
In pic 21, theres a pair of thin polypropylene contact gloves mate. Cheers.

 

[bambodoggy]

Cheers Bam. Theress a small foam sit mat in the back of the frosts river.

Lol...I didn't see it and I even looked through twice and read (well skim read) the inventory and still missed it lol

Best of luck mate and like the others have said, I'm very much looking forward to the write up

 

[Dave]

Lol...I didn't see it and I even looked through twice and read (well skim read) the inventory and still missed it lol

Best of luck mate and like the others have said, I'm very much looking forward to the write up

I keep adding and subtracting photos. You can see it in post 10. Ive added a small flat plastic rimmed bowl, with a tough rubber inner which pushes out, to make a deeper dish. Think it was originally intended for a small terrier.

 

[Joe tahkahikew]

Its a lot of gear. Do you have to carry it on the expedition?

 

[Dave]

Its a lot of gear. Do you have to carry it on the expedition?

Hi Joe. I'll be wearing a lot of it.
The rest should be able to fit into a 35 litre daypack. I assume the sami katta will be the basecamp for at least 1 or 2 nights. And there will be pulks for going further into the forest.

The photos at the bottom here give a good indication of the course content:

https://translate.google.co.uk/tran...od/weekenden-weken/arctic-lapland/&edit-text=

 

[Joe tahkahikew]

Hello Dave you've given a lot of thought to your gear - just some comments from up here near Wunnumin where its already - 12 deg and snowing.

a) You have lots of 1st aid gear. We'd normally carry none. Can you use the Celox & Suture kit? Local Anesthetic? Will people let you?

b) Why cut a toothbrush in two? Its not going to save much weight and a whole one is easier to use. We used to use chewed branch./stick!!! long time ago.

c) If you don't want to leave your shelter during the night mark your 'P' bottle with something you and others can see. You may not want to make a mistake with a different bottle do you?

d) You have USAF canvas Mukluks? plus two other boots. We never ever use those. Leather boots good enough and you have something extra anyways to wear in the tent. The boots in the last picture look plenty good to me. If it drops to very cold in Finland there will be nothing wet outside. All frozen solid!!

e) Fire making stuff. Fire making is easy in the winter. No rain, no wet. You should find it easy even without lighter or other stuff. But I guess what you've got is not too much extra weight.

f) Snow brush is a good idea many of our visitors up here in winter forget about. Bigger the better. Sometimes we use old yard brush head or hand sweeping brush. (but we don't have to carry them far only used for base camps. Easy to make one from branch of fir or spruce.

g) You have plasters in trousers pockets. They;ll soon get broken and dirty - small cuts soon freeze in cold anyway.

h). 3 hats? I guess thats a luxury. I like the fur one that goes over your ears. you need something that pulls over your ears and stays there in bad weather. The other 'beannie' don't look very warm to me. But.....?

I) You have lots of gloves. Big mitts are warmest, stay drier and are easiest to dry out if damp. A pair leather gloves with fingers are good and useful for handling pots,pans and things too. Gloves should stay dry in the cold. Treat leather with some kind of wax oil or grease before you go. Very good idea to keep gloves on leash? Easy to loose in bad blizzard and you don't need spare pair then.

Many people will disagree but most of us will either dry stuff out near a fire before we go to bed or take small items like socks or gloves into the sleeping bag at night and wear them to dry them out.

I looked at their website and it said one aim is to teach you about nature? Have you thought about learning the trees and bushes and what birds/animals are there and their sounds too.? Many birds have alarm calls that will tell you what other animals are in the forest. If you can recognise birds and animals they will often show you what they are eating. You may be able to eat it too if you know these things and what they all look like. This is bushcraft to us all the time - even today.