a under rated Bushcraft skill

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drewdunnrespect

On a new journey
Aug 29, 2007
4,788
2
teesside
www.drewdunnrespect.com
hiya gang

now on this ausome forum we discuss many a bushcrat skill that we practice while we are out there but the one thing that gets missed in my opinion and i think is a vitual skill is rucksack selection and then packing of said rucksack because in my opinion beside the selection of your boots and sleeping bag i would say they are one of the most important skills in the bushcrafters skill list.

now my question is this how do u go about selecting yours and how do you pack yours thanks

drew

ps not that i want another rucksack or anything its just i am trying to pack a thirty five litre sack for a weekend away in summer and it came to mind
 

ex-member Raikey

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Sep 4, 2010
2,971
3
Hey Drew

i only have 3 packs,..but i chose them after researching heavily on the web and then youtube to see how they fit and perform...

i can get my overnight stuff in the Maxpedition falcon II, and its got a clamshell type opening so its nice to pack,...

usually i use a N I patrol pack tho and the [packing is the same everytime for me,..it goes in as below no1 is in the bottom and so on until the tarp is at the top,..

1. swedish mess kit
2. hammock
3. food bag
4. wash kit
5. fuel.
6. tarp
7. first aid kit

side pockets have a little brew kit, snacks etc..

i also pack a response pack with my first line stuff(headtorch,knife,etc,..) and hang this under the tarp so i dont have to rummage in my pack when i,m set up,..

Stu
 

garethw

Settler
Well I've got a large Alice Pack that I've had for years... So my choice is easy to make, short of buying a new pack.
Pros:
1) Large & robust so can take all the gear, last for ever
2) separate frame means you don't sweat on your back
3) modulable & reasonabley comfortable to carry
4) lots of pockets and places to hang stuff ie: canteens etc lots of Alice adaptable gear, pouches available
5) I like the green kaki colour
6) can be picked up cheap mine was about £40

Cons:
1) There are more comfortable packs for long hikes
2) even empty quiet heavy
3) once off your back the frame design is quiet unwieldy
4) Very large so one is tempted to load up = heavy pack.

cheers
Gareth
 

drewdunnrespect

On a new journey
Aug 29, 2007
4,788
2
teesside
www.drewdunnrespect.com
No guys i usually do pack the night before but its just i got i the bag for chrimbo and am trying different summer set ups in it so i am ready for when summer comes in other words playing with my kit

and raikey and gareth thanks for your replys they have been informative drew
 

Sniper

Native
Aug 3, 2008
1,431
0
Saltcoats, Ayrshire
I chose the bigun, 100ltr with the 2 side pouches. I can't walk far so this was ideal cos I can take as much or as little as takes my want. Mind you I generally fill the boot of the car as well, but I'm getting on a bit and not great health wise so I need and want a few luxuries nowadays. Done all my roughing in bygone years with the big green bus company.
 

Gotte

Nomad
Oct 9, 2010
395
0
Here and there
I'm more of a cyclist, but love the wild, and can see the crossover. So I'm usually more concerned with packing panniers than rucksacs. The principle is kind of the same in that you need access to the important things first, but the skill is different in that it's about spreading load over four points on the bike to keep it balanced. Every time I tell myself I'm going to be more organised, but the thing I want is invariably at the bottom of the last pannier I look in :)
 

John Fenna

Lifetime Member & Maker
Oct 7, 2006
23,109
2,843
66
Pembrokeshire
Basic principals of chosing a rucksack -
Make sure it is comfortable with a heavy load
Make sure it holds all you want (with spare room for bits you bring back from your trips)
Make sure it is tough
Make sure it is affordable.

Basic principles of packing a rucksack
Soft light stuff at the bottom/close to your back for padding - heavy dense stuff at the top and close to your back (carrying heavy loads close to your shoulders aids posture and carrying efficiency)
First in last out - this works well with the first point - the last thing you need when setting up your pitch is your sleeping bag/spare clothing (light and soft) the first thing you need is shelter - Tarp/tent (heavy and dense) followed by your cookset (heavy and dense) and food (mid range or heavy depending on what it is).
Side Pockets take the stuff needed in the day (waterproofs, snacks, map, spare warmwear etc)
Instant need items go in a belt pouch or shoulder bag

Everything goes in a rucksack liner with the sleeping bag and spare clothing also in their own drybags for super security agains getting wet.

With minor variations these principals have done me well for 30+ years of longdistance walks, international expeditions and bushy trips :)
 

Melonfish

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Jan 8, 2009
2,460
1
Warrington, UK
Heavy at the top for men, heavy near the middle/bottom for women. Turns out women (generalisation here folks) prefer carrying loads lower down to men, its all to do with posture. being built differently men prefer loads higher up and close to the back, this straightens posture and allows for better walking, women prefer loads lower down which actually alters posture to being slightly bent but strangely more comfortable over long hikes.
although not everyone is the same and its been noted that some people like the exact opposite.

personally i put food and water at the top being the heaviest items, along with tarp and cookset.
 

jdlenton

Full Member
Dec 14, 2004
3,002
7
50
Northampton
I've been through loads of bags massive heavy ones, tiny small one, ultra light ones and on and on. Nowadays i have to carry leader kit as well as my own kit so I really have to get my personal kit as light as possible that includes the bag. I would add to what John said earlier.

Make sure it is comfortable with a varied load from light to heavy.
Make sure its comfortable when you are climbing and descending.
Make sure it holds all you want. I now carry no more then 50l in the hills. this makes me only carry what i need and no more
Make sure it is tough, strong and still light.
Make sure its suitable for the environment it will be used in hills,woods,canoe, airport etc.


As for packing this is what I show my students

http://dana.ucc.nau.edu/~hiking-p/Beta_packing_your_pack.htm

I then add that:
You should have a max of 10 useful items in the lid of your bag. snacks, torch, hat gloves sunnies etc. dependant again on environment.
Your waterproofs drink and lunch should be at the top of the main compartment.
Carry only what you need try to cut out the unnecessary unless its for safety i.e spares FAK etc.
Make sure all your kit is water tight in a good liner i only use one and no more i use mesh bags for to hold soft items like socks pants t shirts etc just to keep them all together and make unpacking a little simpler.

After that I suggest they use the diagram on the site I listed above and make their own mind up.

Practice as you are doing (playing) is a good way to sort out what works for you and will mean hopefully that your trips are more comfortable as you will have ironed out most of the crease in your set up. I used to walk to and from work with my setups when I did as you are doing, they thought I was mad but it gave me valuable experience that i didn't have to go far to get.

hope this helps.

J*
 
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santaman2000

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Jan 15, 2011
16,909
1,114
67
Florida
Well I've got a large Alice Pack that I've had for years... So my choice is easy to make, short of buying a new pack.
Pros:
1) Large & robust so can take all the gear, last for ever
2) separate frame means you don't sweat on your back
3) modulable & reasonabley comfortable to carry
4) lots of pockets and places to hang stuff ie: canteens etc lots of Alice adaptable gear, pouches available
5) I like the green kaki colour
6) can be picked up cheap mine was about £40

Cons:
1) There are more comfortable packs for long hikes
2) even empty quiet heavy
3) once off your back the frame design is quiet unwieldy
4) Very large so one is tempted to load up = heavy pack.

cheers
Gareth

I have a couple of ALICE packs also; one large with frame and one medium without frame. I picked them for much the same reasons you mentioned but have not found them to be very heavy or bulky in themselves. Added ALICE web gear however is quit another story. Most-Mil Spec web gear adds weight quickly! There are definitely more comfortable packs as you said however!!! The ALICE pack has been around so lond that there are now many after-market upgrades (regarding the suspension straps) that make them rival most civilian packs. You can get a replacement set of new up-graded straps with wider and thicker padding and a sternum strap connecting the straps in front of your chest. They're available relatively cheaply at "Brigade Quartermaster. com" or "US Cavalry.co", both commercial outfitting companies. Or alternatively just type in ALICE packstraps into your search engine.
 
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Neumo

Full Member
Jul 16, 2009
1,675
0
West Sussex
Lots of intersting stuff there. Good to get confirmation that the heavy stuff needs to be up high & next to your back.

I'm more of a cyclist, but love the wild, and can see the crossover. So I'm usually more concerned with packing panniers than rucksacs.

I am getting into Bushcraft Mountain Biking at the moment, as I got myself a new bike for Christams. I tried riding with a full daysack & found it hard work so have got a rack fitted & am waiting for some panniers to arrive, so I can then start playing with that. I got a smallish set, which are 25 litres for the pair, which will do fine for most of my daty trips.

If I have 2 panniers at the back (i.e. no front panniers) then I presumably want to keep the heavier bits of kit lower down & towards the front of the bike?
 

Aussiepom

Forager
Jun 17, 2008
172
0
Mudgee, NSW
Hi Drew,

Most of my thoughts have been covered by others, but here's a couple of additional points:

Assuming you're referring to short casual trips and not having to carry a load of extra gear such as photographic equipment or whatever, you can simplify your initial selection somewhat by limiting your choice by volume. I'd stick to 45ltr or less. This means you will be less tempted to fill your pack with superfluous kit. It also aids in the comfort factor: smaller volume = less gear = less weight. Less weight means a more forgiving set up, comfort wise, if you make a minor error in the shop when you select the pack. Let's face it, if you're trying on a number of different packs under the gaze of the shop assistant it's all too easy to feel a little pressurised and hence make a rushed decision.

As a quick aside, I recall someone saying that for prolonged good health, you shouldn't be carrying more than 20% of your bodyweight in your pack.

I don't know if you use a ccf mat or an inflatable. If it's a ccf, you can experiment with rolling it up as a large loose tube and putting it vertically inside the pack. It then forms a kind of 'soft shell' and all your other items can be stuffed inside it. Sounds a bit odd, but it does work. Doing this gives padding for your back, and also provides additional protection for the contents of your dry bags - which will be inside the 'tube' and so less prone to puncture. However, it's only really practical with smaller, more cylindrically shaped packs.

Having mentioned dry bags, another tip is to use 2 bin bags instead, one inside the other. They're cheaper and lighter than dry bags and work just as well unless you happen to be using your pack as a float in order to swim a river. Even then, you could just tie a knot in the end.
 

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