My Kit and what I carry

[Native Nathan]

Well I thought I'd write a quick article about what I carry when I go off and do my thing.

I know this list may not appeal to some, it may shock some and it may inspire others.

This is intended to give someone who is new to the bushcraft scene a few idea's and inspiration.

Please feel free to add any good comments or any constructive critisisum. and to the few that feel they have to post bad comments because they have nothing better to do; Please don't bother.

any way here goes

My Belt kit is a variation of the British Army PLCE Kit (Personal Load Carrying System).

It comprises of a PLCE - Belt & aPLCE - Yolk Main, these are the main components that everything else clips to.

I have a Hippo Pad around my belt, this makes it much more comfortable to wear and stops the pouches cafing your legs.
I have 5 PLCE - Utility Pouches around the belt, I have a PLCE - Strap Utility keeping them together at the bottom to stop the pouches bouncing.

On my left shoulder stap I have my PLCE - Bayonette Frog with houses my Survival Knife this is in the upside down position.
My Survival Knife - either UK MOD Survival Knife or USAF Survival Knife.

On the front of this I have a F.F.D. Pouch (First Field Dressing), inside I have a F.F.D. (First Field Dressing)
On the right shoulder strap I have a Compass Knife Pouch - DPM and below this I have a Maxpedition Rolly Polly Dump Pouch.
On my back I have a Webtex PLCE Bladder pouch - DPM.

My Kit:
In my Bladder pouch I have a 1.5 Ltr Water Bladder, in the pouch on my Bladder I keep 4x 25 feet lengths of Paracord
I have numbered my pouches clockwise from the front right (Pouch 1) through to the front left (Pouch 5) for ease of referencing in this article

Each pouch is lined with a full size Mess tin bag, to keep all the contects from falling out.

Pouch 1 - Ready Pouch (the things I use most)
Gerber Deisel
AA Mini Maglite
Small tin of Vasiline
G.P.S. (Global Positioning System) in a waterproof Bag
Wooly Hat In a zip lock Bag
Bush Gloves (General Gardening Thorn proof Gloves)
Jack Pyke Knife Sharpener

Pouch 2
1000 Mile Socks Wrapped in a zip lock Bag
Small Bottle of Foot Powder
Brew Kit - Light Weight (I carry tubs of brew kit in my bergen which is left at base camp)
Mozzy Head Net
Sewing Kit
Survival kit

Pouch 3 Water & Purification
58 Patt Water bottle
Aquamira Survival Straw
Metal Mug & Rim
2x Dehydrated meals

Pouch 4 First Aid & Signalling
Personal First Aid Kit
3x Red Cylumes (to be placed in a triangle to indicate help required)
1x High Intesity Cylume
Mini Flares
Cylume Holder

Pouch 5 Fire & Cooking
Mess Tins
Mess Tin Lid, inside my messtins I have another bag wich contains the following
Sweedish Fire Steel
35mm Film Case with strike anywhere matches
35mm Film Case with cotton wool (covered in white patrolium jelly)
K.F.S. (Knife/Fork/Spoon)
Bottle of Alcohol Hand Gel (Covered in Gaffa Tape)
Trioxaine Fuel Bars

My Folding Saw - (Laplander) is usually kept on top of Pouch 1 & overlapping Pouch 2 Attached via a length of paracord to a loop on my Hippo Pad.
Across the back at the bottom on top of Pouch 3 and over lapping Pouches 2 & 4 is where I keep my Poncho Which is rolled up and is secured with 2 mini karabeiners .

With this set up I cover all the survival Priorities:
1) Fire
2) Shelter
3) Water
4) Food

This kit is designed to keep me sustained an comfortable if my large kit is not avialable.

I have used this kit many times for weekend trecks with nothing else other than my softie jacket and my gloves.

In my Jacket which is a SASS Force 8 Mk II Field Smock in Ripstop, with an additional hood retaining tab I carry,
In my front waist pockets I carry my Soldier 95 Leather gloves (1 in each pocket), and also in my front left waist pocket I keep my Woolen Hat if not in my belt kit, & my Headlamp in my front right waist pocket.
In the flat pocket on my right I keep my US pilots Hip flask Its a perfect fit.
In my right zipped chest pocket I keep my Webtex A5 Nyrex cover, in which I have my A5 Nyrex containing my crib cards and my A5 Black & Red Notebook (Journal)
I also keep a flexible tape measure and a 15 Cms steel ruler in here for tracking.

In my left Chest pocket (front one) I keep my Notebook Cover - DPM with my BCB waterproof Notebook & Pencil.
My Aladdin Mug usually lives in my front left zipped chest pocket

In my Trousers which are combat 95 in ripstop I carry:
My mapcase in my left thigh pocket (My mapcase is large and can take a full size O/S map, I also keep my map pens in the as well.
My Bush Hat - DPM lives in my right thigh pocket, and my wallet in my butt pocket.

My Main bag is a PLCE Bergen - DPM, attached to this are the PLCE Side Pouch - DPM x2 and a Rollmat Cover - DPM

In my Rollmat cover I keep my Nato Rollmat in the Middle of my rollmat I keep Bivvy Poles x2

In the Lid of my Bergen I keep my Basha, with bungee's attached to it at all 4 corners and at the 2 ridge points.
I also have a messtin bag with an additional 3 Bungees (9 in total) incase I need them, and of course my Hammock.
In the next pocket down on the lid I keep my rations.
In the inside pocket of the lid I keep my washkit / personal hygine kit.

In the main compartment of my Bergen I keep my sleeping bag (a Softie 12) I place this inside my Goretex Bivvy bag to guaruntee it doesn't get wet
When I was in the army we crossed a stream only to find out it was much deeper than we anticipated, one of the lads didn't keep his sleeping bag inside his bivvy bag, and well his sleeping bag was a few stone heavier when we got out.
This is at the top (Last in, first out)
Below this I keep my spare clothing in a Bergen Dry Bag,
Black Norwegian Army Shirt
Army Socks x2
Soldier 95 Combat Shirt -DPM
Soldier 95 Combat Trousers - DPM
Zoot Suit Trousers
Zoot Suit Top
I keep my Zoot suit at the top of this pile (these are my sleeping clothes)
I usually store my Brew Kit Tubs - Coffee / Coffee Mate / Hot Chocolate sachets & Sugar sachets down the side next to my spare clothing.

In the front pocket I keep my Bergen Cover so I can access it when I need to.(although it can take a 58 patt waterbottle)

In one of my side pouches I keep my foul weather kit, which comprises of:
Goretex Jacket - DPM
Goretex Trousers - DPM
Softie Jacket
Gaiters
This is lined with a Side Pouch Dry Bag
In between this Pouch and my Bergen I keep my Axe

The other Side pouch is variable depending where I am going, and what I am doing.
Again this is lined with a Side Pouch Dry Bag.
This pouch is also interchangeable with my PLCE Mecial Side Pouch which I keep my advanced Medical Kit in.

This is primarily my base camp kit for an extended treck,
Yes this lot may be heavy combined with my belt kit, but it offers me a huge level of comfort.

Occassionally I keep my Folding Spade in the main part of my Bergan at the bottom, usefull for digging laterines.

This bag would be left at base camp when I went Hunting / Foreging / Practicing bushcraft skills for the day.

On my person I keep the following on a necklace made of woven paracord:

Jack Pyke Skinning Knife
Maglite Solitaire with AAA Battery
Compass & Themometer,(2 small fishing hooks taped on the back of themometer keyring)
Sweedish Fire Steel
Metal Whistle
Analogue Watch
My Boot laces are Paracord about 2 meters (6 feet) each.
This may seen extream to some but i use them to make fire bows with and paracord is great.

The clothing I wear when I go in to the field is:

Starting at the top either a woolen hat if its cold or my Bush hat in warmer weather

I then have a long sleeve thermal top as my base layer.
Then a norwegian army shirt (it zips up tight around my neck and keeps out drafts)

I then have a fleece jacket if its cold
and then my jacket a SASS Force 8 Mk II Army jacket (it has loads of pockets in the right places and at the right sizes)

I wear Soilder 95 Combat Trousers, if its cold I wear my zoot suit trousers.

On my feet I either wear a pair of 1000 mile socks, or a thin pair of socks and a thicker pair of army socks
and then my trusty boots currently I favour a pair of British Army Pro Boots, I have 4 -5 differnet pairs, and I chop and change between each pair.

I have a web stapping belt (I have my gerber pouch/my AA Maglite pouch and my mobile phone pouch
(I find them uncomfortable when I have my belt kit on so these usually end up chucked in the bottom of my bergen.)

Hope this helps someone.

 

[Barney]

wish there were some pics of this comprehensive set up.

 

[Wilderbeast]

very comphrehensive, thankyou for taking the time to write it all out.!! Just one point that you should probably take into account::

your setup is great, but it IS very military , this is to be expected as you are ex-forces, but I think for us civvies less "DPM" would be suggested, I generally don't wear mine if I know i'm going to be seeing alot of people!! Don't get me wrong it's great stuff, and if you don't see anybody for days it's great, but it does have the tendancy to scare other people and puts off landowners who think"oh god it's another SAS wannabe hacking up my bloody forest", I don't know how much bushcraft you've done but I've heard from alot of ex forces guys on here that they gradually drifted to a more civvy market , but thanks a bunch, a REALLY intresting read, classic military organisation :You_Rock_

 

[andywinkk]

Good list but how heavy, sounds like loads n?

 

[MartinK9]

Great Kit list, thanks for taking the time to post

 

[RobertRogers]

How many Sherpas are there?

 

[waddcal]

i thought that i had enough kit,
but mine is nothing compared to yours!!

Callum.

 

[Bravo4]

Greetings Native Nathan,
A couple of things about your USAF survival knife. With the supplied sheath, this knife is NOT meant for inverted carry. I've no experience with the British Army bayonet frog, but this does not seem intended for inverted carry either. The USAF knife is a decent knife, I've had mine for 20 years now. Kept hold of it, in part, cause I carry it butt side up. The butt of this knife is useful as a hammer and is intended for pilots to use as a means to bust the overhead canopy from within the aircraft. That is it's primary feature as a pilot's survival knife and hence the requirement for a butt-side up carry position. Seen many guys lose this knife and similar models when using inverted carry.
Please also bear in mind that having a knife like this, worn as you describe, really freaks out civilians. Beside the point maybe, if you're active duty.
There are a couple of other things, but I really don't want to come across as harshing on you or your set-up,,,,that's not what I'm here for.
Thanks for the thread,
Clint

 

[jimford]

Well I thought I'd write a quick article about what I carry when I go off and do my thing.

Is all that necessary living from day-to-day in South Shields?
;^)

Jim

 

[sapper1]

To be honest mate you're carrying too much kit to enjoy the scenery.On the other hand you'll never be uncomfortable.I'll come out for a week with you and carry nothing,I'll just use yours. LOL. I also notice that you don't carry enough food to last more than a day ,or enough water.

 

[Native Nathan]

Thanks for the replys.

Sorry barney dont have access to a digi camera currently, but I will post some pics when I can.

Wilderbeast, I agree, most of my equipment was aquired whilst I was in the army so the cost of adopting it for bushcraft was minimal, when things need replaceing i will proberly err to more civvy based equipment (Quite like the maxperdition range).

Andywinkk- can be heavy compared to some kits I have seen, my down fall is I like comfort so I have to carry it, but I think its worth it.

Bravo4, Your right It's not intended to be carried inverted nor is the Bayonette frog, however the bayonette frog clips on the the yolk main nicly in this position with a little gaffa tape at the other end (the blade tip) the USAF knife fits in side the bayonette frog nice and snug (with a little force) and removes easily again with a little force, it hasn't fell out yet, but I have nothing securing it inside the frog other than the snug fit I thing it will only be a matter of time (may be a strap of velcro may me a good idea here)

I never though of the position of my Knife freaking out civvies (A vailid point) I just put it there as it was accessible and not dangling about..

I wonder if i wore my poncho over everything if it would be more palletable to the civvys although my poncho is in DPM as well.

Jimford ....lol.

Thanks again for you comments they are welcome.

 

[eskimo]

Hi Nathan, I used to use a Berghaus Vulcan to carry all my kit in but found I filled it because the space was there. I now use a Sabre 35 for days and overnights and can strap a Exped waterproof dry bag to the outside with a sleeping mat and bag for longer excursions.

My Kit:

CLOTHING
Harkila Hiker Trousers (Green)
Ortovox Merino Wool Base Layer (Green)
Mountain Hardwear Micro Fleece (Green)
Marmot Glenmore Goretex Jacket (Green)
Asolo Fugitive GTX Boots (Black)
Mountain Equipment Gloves and Merino Wool hat

KARRIMOR SABRE 35 (Olive) CONTENTS
Nato Water Bottle
Stainless Steel Crusader Cup
GB Wildlife Hatchet
Optimus Crux Folding Stove & Gas (Not really used if having a fire but great in emergency)
Silky Pocketboy 130 Folding Saw
Small FAK
Tatonka Tarp
Firelighting Kit (Waterproof container with firesteel, wetfire and a couple of greenheat)
MSR Miniworks EX Water Filter
Petzl Myo XP headlamp
Wayfairer Freezedried Foods (Or Similar)
Gel energy bars
MSR Soap (Use for personal or cookware)

PERSONAL
Fallkniven F1 (Waist)
Light My Fire Scout Firesteel (Waist)
Whistle (Neck)
Inova Micro LED (Neck)
Suunto Compass (Neck)

 

[Native Nathan]

sapper1 I only carry enough water and food to last a very short time, I source my own food from trapping and wild edibles, & I source my own water supply.

I normally set up my Basha and Sleeping System, then I'll construct a fire.

I ditch my Bergen here at my base camp. and disconnect my bladder pouch from my belt kit and leave that at my base cam as well.

I will then do my daily activities with either my belt kit or just what I have on my person (taking my belt kit with me everywhere is a trait I picked up from my army days and it is now just part of my normal routine, I sometimes feel like something is wrong when I don’t have my belt kit.) this is for a longer stay than a weekend.

For a weekend I just have my belt kit and my softie jacket

I have also re jigged my kit so now my mini hammock is in pouch 2.

I know some may see this as still a lot of kit and some may think it’s too much weight.

To those that fall in the above categories I say well I like this set up, and it's me carrying it, I could carry a lot less, but to me that turns it in to more of a survival type scenario rather than a pleasant stay in the woods.

 

[sapper1]

If that's what it takes for you to be comfortable great.As I've said in other threads we all have to carry our own kit and we all take what we feel makes us comfortable.I don't carry as much as you,Nathan ,but I know I carry a lot more than others.
Like I say ,take what makes you comfortable,after all you have to carry it.

 

[traderran]

Like you I like my comfort. That is why I camp with at least 6 pack horses

This is Just for my wife and I and yes we dress for dinner

 

[Chinkapin]

Native Nathan; traderran: You guys shouldn't feel badly about traveling heavy. When Gen. John Burgoyne came south out of Canada to cut off New England during the Revolutionary War, he brought 30 wagon loads of personal belonging, among which were such items as a huge tent, persian carpets, a four poster bed, cases of champagne, etc. etc. and oh yeah, I almost forgot - - his mistress! You guys don't have a clue about proper camping! LOL.

I propose "Gentleman Johnny" Burgoyne should be made the patron saint of all who like to travel in style and comfort!

 

[rik_uk3]

Nathan, you say you source food localy, is this from shops? or wild food? If wild food what do you find that can give the required energy for a weekend?

 

[Lasse]

A LOT of kit compared to what I'd carry, but must be very comfy indeed and if you're happy carrying it, why not eh?
But could you put it on a scale once? I'd really like to get some numbers here, how heavy is all of that gear together? And how far do you usually walk with all of that strapped on you?

 

[drewdunnrespect]

thats a hell of a lot of kit but then again how can i say that cos wat i carry is also alot to most people

 

[Bulldog]

Great list, thankyou for that. I carry similar kit to yourself although use the old 58 webbing ,i agree about useig stuff bags in pouches makes life easier and no danger of kit escapeig from pouches.
I much prefere wearing cammo in the field, if they cant see you they dont know what your up to LOL !!!