Just What You Can Carry On Your Back

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Nov 12, 2007
112
0
Canada
Alex,

What would you take with you I wonder?

In my view, there are so many factors that decide what to take and where to go with who. Availability of the stuff you already have and availability of the stuff you can find an/or scavange. You cannot find trash in prestine wilderness as good as in (semi) urban surroundings.

Also something that suprises me is the social aspect many people forget when wondering about this question. The classical fact that "you know everybody in the world in 5 to 7 social steps" is a crucial element.
This is about the with who would you go question. I would realy like to stay with my girlfriend for example. But, she and I would also like to be with our families. Those families contain brothers and sisters with boyfriends, girlfriend, wives, husbands and friend. Not to mention that living out for an extended period of time will go a lot smoother in my opinion with bushcraft/survival buddies of mine.
So if you could take everybody you wanted with you. And those people could do the same. Then with knowledge of knowing the world in 7 social steps, we would be at a secret location somewhere deep in the forest dodging groups of savages with about 6 milion people. :lmao:

your thoughts?







edit:




The absolute bare minimum would be bare naked chasing around fish in a river at some subtropical location whilst holding on on your just found coconuts ;)

OK, here goes:
1) My old Canadian Forces duffle bag for carrying what I need or scavenge. It's old(yet still thoroughly servicable)and looks it. It doesn't look like much of a 'prize' for people looking to steal things. It has straps to carry by hand, straps to be worn like a rucksack, or a sholder strap to be worn like a bandolier.
2) My old Canadian Forces haversack. Same condition and innocuous appearance as my dufflebag. Here's where I keep my absolute essentials.
3)Clothing. Depends on what time of the year we are talking about. It can get really chilly here in Canada in the winter. ;) That being said: Shirt, fleece or wool sweater,overcoat, PVC poncho, 1 summer weight socks, one winter weight socks,well broken in pair of hiking boots(mine are 14 years old -and look it- but are still perfectly good) boots or shoes BTW are one of the first things 'lifted' from you if you've ever been in a homeless shelter,
and I imagine the same applies in a societal collapse, cap/hat of your choice, gloves( I have old dearskin ones that look rough but do for work and warmth in a pinch).
4) 2 wool blankets-for same reason mentioned by others
5) PVC poncho(mentioned under clothing), but one should think of any discarded non permiable plastic sheeting that one scrounges, can double as poncho/improvised shelter.
6) Tarp-obvious reasons.
7) Water container, many types to choose from.
8) Metal pot- cookcraft.
9) Firesteel/flint&steel, whatever your preference is. Cheap disposable lighter.
10) Good full tang knife, good folding pocket knife, small/micro hatchet, foldable/collapsable saw
11) Hiking/walking stick-many uses.
12) Candles-heating in a pinch, light, potentially slow cooking/boiling
13) Basic first aid kit
14) Most importantly, the knowledge to make any of the above mentioned.
Thats it for now, off to the salt mines...oops work that is...
Cheers
Alex

7)
 

Minotaur

Native
Apr 27, 2005
1,600
232
Birmingham
I have been tempted to ask this sort of question for a while.

A roman soldier could walk 40 miles a day and carry with him what he needed, so what do you actual need to carry to survive for a period of time, and what do you pick up on the way.

Anyone who thinks we would not have trouble if it all went pete tong, in any major city in the world, should think about the fact that we need police, and what happens when they are busy keeping people alive. If someone is willing to kill you for your mobile or trainers, do you honestly think if they are hungry your life is not in danger if you have food.
 

big_swede

Native
Sep 22, 2006
1,452
8
41
W Yorkshire
Yes a roman soldier could do 40 miles a day carrying his personal belongings, BUT they had vast support groups, cooks and so on. Not really comparable.
 

Mirius

Nomad
Jun 2, 2007
499
1
North Surrey
I was thinking more along the lines of what happened to New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina flattened it. A real TEOTWAWKI scenario in my mind would be nuclear war, planet killing asteroid that kind of scenario.
What I'm trying to do here is get us bushcrafters out of our cozy 'well I can go back to civilization when I'm through bushcrafting' mentality. I mean lets be honest, we all know that at the end of the day we could go home to a home, tv, diner, tea etc, etc.
This thought experiment should get us thinking in terms different that we're presently used to.

I think then you should have restricted it to option b only. Disaster/ survival scenarios have too many other complicating scenarios to ever agree on what would be the right decision. If you've got property that survived, you might well stay to defend it/ use the shelter and resources it provides. If you've no property left and you didn't want to fight over the pickings then you'd relocate to somewhere unaffected and start again. Only option b would tend to free you from your dependants, and that's a major factor for most. Running for the hills with only a knife might seem a wonderful scenario until you start bringing in your wife/ husband/ elderly grandparents/ young children into the discussion. Survival scenarios are best off on survival forums where you can have extended branching discussions into the many inter related factors.

Option b, where you are going to head into the hills for an extended stay and it's just by yourself with society unchanged is something far more suited to a bushcraft forum.

Of course, all of the above is my opinion!
 

andy_e

Native
Aug 22, 2007
1,742
0
Scotland
A Roman soldier generally didn't walk alone, the Legions were pretty self-sufficient but then there was a division of labour within them - think US Marines, pretty much a self-contained army within a larger force.
 

Nyayo

Forager
Jun 9, 2005
169
0
54
Gone feral...
OK - good game.
Bare minimal would be a clever tongue, nimble fingers and fast wits. Those three will obtain any other kit you need.:bandit:

'True Wilderness' - I'd take Lofty under one arm and the sherpa could carry everything else.

End of the World? - I'd take a 40' cat or tri, speargun and lots of line. You townies can starve in the cities, but I'd make for the open sea and eat Seal and fish, and wait till the plagues settled down.:nana:

N
 

stephendedwards

Tenderfoot
Dec 26, 2006
92
0
56
Wales
Shotgun - sawn off double barrelled.
Shotgun pump action
Ammo for above - mixed including solid slugs
Semi automatic carbine 223 calibre or better
Ammo for above
Good knife + spare + sharpener
Axe
Folding Bow Saw
Shelter sheet
Sleeping bag and Bivvi
Cook pot
12 basic cig lighters
2 ferro rods
Gortex suit and change of clothes (including base layer wool)
4 pairs of socks wool
Sun hat and balaclava
Sleeka jacket
First aid including Antibiotics and anti D&V treatment
water carrier (bottle) and steel cup
May sound heavy an probably is but then we are no longer talking about bushcraft - are we?

S
 
Nov 12, 2007
112
0
Canada
I think then you should have restricted it to option b only. Disaster/ survival scenarios have too many other complicating scenarios to ever agree on what would be the right decision. If you've got property that survived, you might well stay to defend it/ use the shelter and resources it provides. If you've no property left and you didn't want to fight over the pickings then you'd relocate to somewhere unaffected and start again. Only option b would tend to free you from your dependants, and that's a major factor for most. Running for the hills with only a knife might seem a wonderful scenario until you start bringing in your wife/ husband/ elderly grandparents/ young children into the discussion. Survival scenarios are best off on survival forums where you can have extended branching discussions into the many inter related factors.

Option b, where you are going to head into the hills for an extended stay and it's just by yourself with society unchanged is something far more suited to a bushcraft forum.

Of course, all of the above is my opinion!

Point well taken. I don't want this to become a survival scenario, rambo takes on the whole world type discussion. Nor is there the scope here to discuss the myriad permutations when having to figure out family members et al.
What I had envisioned when first posting this topic, was for people to get out of the mindset that they have a shiney new kit, spent likely a good amount on it, and charge off into the outdoors, to enjoy the outdoors. I feel that enjoying the outdoors is 'relative' to each person, but having a wad of stuff in your kit is not necessary for that enjoyment.
The gear we have/carry only makes our stay easier, less fraught with potential difficulties, as in reality we humans are rather frail things. Intelligent, resourceful, yes, but at the end of the day still frail in the face of a potent, and impartial mother nature.
This is why I chose the two scenarios. Both imediatelly thrust upon you, for whatever reason. Testing our intelligence, and resourcefulness. :)
Cheers
Alex
 

Mirius

Nomad
Jun 2, 2007
499
1
North Surrey
I hope that I didn't come over too critical there, it's just that I'm a bit obsessive and somewhat single minded as a result, so I got locked into trying to understand the scenarios and couldn't answer the question! :rolleyes:
 

Big Geordie

Nomad
Jul 17, 2005
416
3
71
Bonny Scotland
I prefer Geuf's final remarks... a 6 million person Bushmoot. What an idea!! What an opportunity to exchange skills etc..:)

Like the idea of this thread cos it has focused me on the real things I would want with me rather than the minima which we often assume would be enough for a day or two. For example the books and sewing/ fixing kits.

I don't think Eric would supply much meat however, there are many more meaty individuals up here who might feed us longer !! And I hope that the 20 year old nymphomaniac can carry heavy rucksacks. :lmao: :lmao: :lmao:
George
 

Jembly/Sloth

Member
Dec 6, 2007
28
0
Appledore, Kent
I wonder if anyone has seen Survivorman? Les Stroud spends 7 days out in some wild place or another generally with just a multi-tool or fixed bladed knife an a coupla other item that you'd likely find in those areas. It's pretty easy to find on youtube but highlight some difficulties of minimalistic survival but also surprised me in terms of how well you can do with a very little.

I guess a knife is the one major nessecity and an Axe would come in handy some kind of sleeping aid - blanket etc and a couple of fine single malts. No, I couldn't survive with that but I'd die happily. I guess it would depend on level of experience and familarity with the local area.

As regards any of the scenario type stuff, keep moving - keep out of sight. Confrontation and use of weaponry is surely a quick-fire way to end the adventure prematurely??:morpheus:

Oh and TEAbags. :lmao:
 
Nov 12, 2007
112
0
Canada
Hi J/S. I think it was Mors Kochanski who said that a person could survive in the bush with only a knife, and a pot, and that it would be difficult without the pot!
That being said maybe I shoud change the name of this thread to 'Hobo Bushcraft' go out into the bush with what a hobo might have(sans the cheap wine) and/or can scrounge, and get creative...hmmm that might actually be a fun project for a weekend...
...I can hear the whistle of the freight train in the distance...
Alex, riding the rails somewhere in central Canada. :D
 

Jembly/Sloth

Member
Dec 6, 2007
28
0
Appledore, Kent
Hey Alex, Indeed that does sound like fun but I'll develope some skills a little more first! Also interesting, I bet all of us could cope without some supposedly vital equipment, it's just if you're prepared to put that to the test and find out....

I guess some form of pot would come in handy but then again nesecity (yeah I have spelling issues:banghead: ) is the mother of invention so perhaps.... I'm looking for a decent water proof hat without ventilation holes at the moment as a friend last time I was out camping boiled water and some burdock roots in his hat he saw it on TV somewhere!

However, I went to a lecture by Kenton Cool who recently climbed the Eiger (north face) with Ranulph Feinnes t'other day. He said that Feinnes suffered from extreme vertigo, exhaustion etc, but when given a cup of tea appeared ready for everything. So I guess as an English man I'll take tea over the pot! but both would be handy:cool: .

Jembly
 

spamel

Banned
Feb 15, 2005
6,833
21
48
Silkstone, Blighty!
Just because you take the kit, doesn't mean you have to use it. Thgink of it as an emergency only kit, so take a sleeping bag and basha, and pack a blanket in as well. pack a cooker, but use an open fire. If it gets to the point where it is becoming uncomfortable, then use the other kit. Use it as an experiment. And from the things you learn on your experiment, you will be able to increase your knowledge base.
 

andy_bell

Member
Dec 13, 2006
38
0
53
west yorkshire
I'd have to go with axe and tin mug,
It would be pure survival with no comfort and frills but you would have a good chance.
I would say knife and tin mug but I'm feeling lazy and if its going to be that tough I could do with the luxury of the axe.
I suppose its only fair to say that I would also be dressed sensibly, although the vision of a short bald fat naked yorkshirman armed with a tin cup and an axe would probably secure me anything else I needed :lmao:
 
Nov 12, 2007
112
0
Canada
Spamel,that's a good plan, emergency kit only. Well I live in a hi-rise, so I think I'll go check out the dumpster behind my building for some camping supplies...I actually think I'm going to give this a try. :D
Cheers
Alex
 

big_swede

Native
Sep 22, 2006
1,452
8
41
W Yorkshire
Hi J/S. I think it was Mors Kochanski who said that a person could survive in the bush with only a knife, and a pot, and that it would be difficult without the pot!
That being said maybe I shoud change the name of this thread to 'Hobo Bushcraft' go out into the bush with what a hobo might have(sans the cheap wine) and/or can scrounge, and get creative...hmmm that might actually be a fun project for a weekend...
...I can hear the whistle of the freight train in the distance...
Alex, riding the rails somewhere in central Canada. :D

Hmm, I think he said that were no reason why a person shouldn't be comfortable with an axe and a pot, but with a little ingenuity one could do without. I've tried doing without anything. Shelterbuilding is very timeconsuming, but it is possible. Fire is not so diffucult but it takes forever to collect enough firewood for a night. Cooking is a tough one. Hot stones in a cooking pit is inefficient for boiling water. And so on.
 

Geuf

Nomad
May 29, 2006
258
0
40
Eindhoven, the Netherlands
Just because you take the kit, doesn't mean you have to use it. Thgink of it as an emergency only kit, so take a sleeping bag and basha, and pack a blanket in as well. pack a cooker, but use an open fire. If it gets to the point where it is becoming uncomfortable, then use the other kit. Use it as an experiment. And from the things you learn on your experiment, you will be able to increase your knowledge base.

Spamel,that's a good plan, emergency kit only. Well I live in a hi-rise, so I think I'll go check out the dumpster behind my building for some camping supplies...I actually think I'm going to give this a try. :D
Cheers
Alex

I have to disagree. When you want to experience this kind of situation without the extra nagging thought that you have your camping equipment laying 3 feet away. True experience just comes with trying. Maybe leaving out 1 bit of kit every time you go if you feel uncomfortable with going from 20 kilos of kit to 2 items of kit.

I for one can realy enjoy the experience of being out alone in hard conditions to get to know myself.
 

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