Am I carrying too much gear.

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2mm closed cell foam is absolutely fantastic for this job,
Interesting to hear a different take on it, thanks. I have a some around for odd jobs, but thought it would tear too easily and was slippery. It would certainly be warmer.

Considering how much silicon I use working, it's high time I blob up my mats, both foam and inflatable. Such an easy and effective fix.
 
Ok here we go in no particular order to the pic I posted.

Inventory
Rucksack Dutch Army Lowe Alpine 60l with 2 10 l side pockets and MOLLE pouch on back for First Aid Kit storage
Sawyer Mini water filter in case
Snugpak jungle blanket 15deg comfort rating
Circular MOLLE pouch for storage (kept inside the sack) fits following:-
Stanley Pot
Plastic cup
Stainless steel mug and lid
MSR burner
Gas canister
Trangia burner and meths
(all the above nest into each other)
Compass
Head light
Mini torch
Foraging bag
2l Helikon Tex plastic water bottle
Secondary smaller aluminium water bottle
Ferro Rod
20l dry bag
Emergency bivvy plastic bag
First aid kit
Helicon Tex poncho (doubles as a secondary tarp)
DD regular 3x3 tarp including pegs and guylines
Camping mat
Windsheild
Leather gloves
Condor Bushlore sheath knife
Alox Farmer SAK
Mini groundsheet
Mini pillow
Inflatable bed roll
OEX 3/4 season mummy sleeping bag -5deg comfort rating

Items not shown in pic
Bacho Laplander Saw
Paracord
Fire starting kit (small round tin including birch bark, Vaseline covered cotton balls and mini BIC - Nests in above mentioned MOLLE pouch)
ONE TIGRIS wood burner
2 x retractable walking sticks for tarp tent configuration
Trangia collapsible stand

Think thats everything

Obviously this does not include dry spare clothes or food

Steve
 
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Looks good. Adds up doesn't it. plus clothes and food. say +2kg
Didn't see any hygiene items there? - little sterilising hand gel, loo tissues pack, toothbrush and dental floss, as a minimum.?
 
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tarp, poncho, survival bag
gas stove, meths stove, twig stove
sleeping bag, jungle blanket
firelighting kit, meths, ferro rod
stanley pot, plastic cup, stainless steel mug and lid

I get the idea of built in redundancy (for extended wilderness trips with limited resupply options) but seriously, you don't need all that stuff to be doubled/trebled up for a weekend camping.

Also, bags in bags in bags, yet no spare bags, ditch some molle and get some calvins.

Get out, use it, practice, work out what works for you, it's the only way to refine your kit.
 
tarp, poncho, survival bag
gas stove, meths stove, twig stove
sleeping bag, jungle blanket
firelighting kit, meths, ferro rod
stanley pot, plastic cup, stainless steel mug and lid

I get the idea of built in redundancy (for extended wilderness trips with limited resupply options) but seriously, you don't need all that stuff to be doubled/trebled up for a weekend camping.

Also, bags in bags in bags, yet no spare bags, ditch some molle and get some calvins.

Get out, use it, practice, work out what works for you, it's the only way to refine your kit.
I totally agree Shaggy. I need a mid term sleeping bag. My current one takes up about the third of the bag capacity. As said before its easier to cook a proper meal on 2 stoves. Wood burner is just there for ambience, I suppose in the evening so that can go. The reason I carry that extra MOLLE pot is because everything nests inside perfectly. Should ditch the dry bag and use rubble sacks as has been suggested. Survival bag was in case of wet weather to protect the sleeping bag but I dont need that. Anything else you would strip out? Oh and what is calvins? Never heard of it before.
 
You’ve been so careful about recording your kit. If you are prepared to keep the record going, I’d be very interested in your:
  • Need it
  • Used it regularly
  • Used it but could have managed
  • Didn’t need it
  • (Didn’t need it but want it anyway)
…….post camp analysis.

I think that your fixed blade is safe as you are going on a Bushcraft event but I’d weigh it carefully when you get back.
 
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You’ve been so careful about recording your kit. If you are prepared to keep the record going, I’d be very interested in your:
  • Need it
  • Used it regularly
  • Used it but could have managed
  • Didn’t need it
  • (Didn’t need it but want it anyway)
…….post camp analysis.

I think that your fixed blade is safe as you are going on a Bushcraft event but I’d weigh it carefully when you get back.
Will do pattree. We have the same problem with our campervan. Too much stuff taken, nevyused
 
Oh and what is calvins? Never heard of it before.
Calvin Klein, I was suggesting that maybe spare underwear might be a good idea :)

OK, I'm going to try and do this item by item.

Rucksack Dutch Army Lowe Alpine 60l with 2 10 l side pockets and MOLLE pouch on back for First Aid Kit storage - this is a BIG bag, but it's also a comfortable bag, and as you said it's mainly full of sleeping bag, I sometimes use a Berghaus Vulcan rucksack which is even bigger (and also Dutch army surplus) I'd ditch the MOLLE first aid pouch, people generally carry way too much first aid kit (this isn't the place to discuss FAK though, so I'm not going to).

Sawyer Mini water filter in case - This depends where I'm going and what I'm doing, but very generally speaking if I'm staying put and having a fire then I'll use a millbank bag and boil, if I'm on the move then I'll use a water filter (I like the platypus quickdraw) Lose the case and wrap your filter in a dry bag, it does exactly the same job but has the added bonus of giving you another option for transporting/storing water.

Snugpak jungle blanket 15deg comfort rating - You said already that you're wanting a new sleeping bag, so I'll ignore this

Circular MOLLE pouch for storage (kept inside the sack) fits following:- - I get it, but it's overkill, the stainless pot is "bombproof" and it protects everything that's inside it, a carrier bag would work just as well and is much more versatile.

Stanley Pot - I've never used one, but they look pretty good. I prefer hard anodised aluminium personally, but only because it's lighter (I don't like titanium cookware, it's the wrong material for the job).

Plastic cup - yes!

Stainless steel mug and lid - I don't think you need this, personally I'd prefer a little kettle to go with my aluminium pot if I wanted two cookpots.

MSR burner - This is what I use, they're brilliant.
Gas canister - Obviously need this if you're taking a gas stove, nothing to add.
Trangia burner and meths - I wouldn't take this if I was taking the gas stove, I wouldn't take the gas stove if I was taking this. I honestly think that my choice depends entirely on how annoyed I was by my choice of stove on my last trip. Trangia's are faffy but quiet, gas stoves are really simple and noisy.

Compass - yes, one with a mirror if I'm chilling in the woods (I like to have a shave in a morning) a baseplate model if I'm moving around (they fit in the map case better).

Head light - yes!

Mini torch - yes!

Foraging bag - use the carrier bag that you replaced the MOLLE cookset pouch with, in fact, just add a couple of carrier bags anyway, they're really versatile bits of kit.

2l Helikon Tex plastic water bottle
Secondary smaller aluminium water bottle - I use a 500ml nalgene and 1 or 2 600ml smartwater bottles, but I do need to be "on it" with my water useage/procurement, nothing at all wrong with having more capacity.

Ferro Rod - (reading the room here) yes! always! I never leave the house without one!

20l dry bag - Nothing wrong with this but it could be a lot lighter.

Emergency bivvy plastic bag - no, a bivvy bag is a much better option.

First aid kit - yes, but the contents are very much context based.

Helicon Tex poncho (doubles as a secondary tarp) - no, ponchos are one of those things that sounds like a good idea until you use one, they're alright in the jungle but they ain't no good if you're with a woman....or something like that.

DD regular 3x3 tarp including pegs and guylines - yes!

Camping mat - I think you mean the sit mat, yes, I often carry a bit of old foam mat that I found up in the hills once, great for all sorts of things.

Windsheild - if I'm using gas then yes, if I'm using my frankensteined trangia then no.

Leather gloves - if I'm having a fire then yes, probably, but I generally just go for synthetic work gloves. Gloves are massively underrated.

Condor Bushlore sheath knife - yes if I'm having a fire, no if I'm not.

Alox Farmer SAK - I prefer the harvester model, but yes, fantastic tools, especially for the uk.

Mini groundsheet - 2mm foam as mentioned previously.

Mini pillow - no, I always carry a "puffer" style jacket, and I keep it in a dry bag, the two things together make a superb pillow.

Inflatable bed roll - yes, I prefer self-inflating because they still kinda work if you get a puncture.

OEX 3/4 season mummy sleeping bag -5deg comfort rating - yes, but I look at my sleeping bag as being part of a sleep system, so liner, sleeping bag, and bivvy bag. I think sleeping kit should be layered like clothing is, other people disagree, I have no idea who's right.

Items not shown in pic
Bacho Laplander Saw - yes!

Paracord - some form of cordage is always a good idea, paracord is a decent option even if it is massively overkill for most jobs.

Fire starting kit (small round tin including birch bark, Vaseline covered cotton balls and mini BIC - Nests in above mentioned MOLLE pouch) - my toilet kit (you need toilet kit) is my firelighting kit, it's got tissues, alcogel, and a lighter in it.

ONE TIGRIS wood burner -for "ambience" as you said, yeah why not, they're pretty much useless for cooking on but sitting and feeding a little fire in a tin is a lovely way to spend an evening.

2 x retractable walking sticks for tarp tent configuration - yes, I'm pushing 50, and my knees are way ahead of me.

Trangia collapsible stand - the "triangle"? I love mine for making a brew on a day walk, I wouldn't want to cook on one.

That's a lot of text, sorry, but I hope it helps.
 
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When is too much gear, too much gear ?

Capture-d-ecran-2026-06-04-165250.png
 
yeah maybe, but I rarely carry a fixed blade when I'm camping these days, I just don't need one
As Hermon said it's probably a cultural thing. If I'm going to ditch most of the cooking stoves how would I baton, make fire sticks, whittle and so on. No disrespect because knives have a bad reputation these days. I don't carry an axe (see one of my previous threads) so this is my primary source of cutting.
 
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Calvin Klein, I was suggesting that maybe spare underwear might be a good idea :)

OK, I'm going to try and do this item by item.

Rucksack Dutch Army Lowe Alpine 60l with 2 10 l side pockets and MOLLE pouch on back for First Aid Kit storage - this is a BIG bag, but it's also a comfortable bag, and as you said it's mainly full of sleeping bag, I sometimes use a Berghaus Vulcan rucksack which is even bigger (and also Dutch army surplus) I'd ditch the MOLLE first aid pouch, people generally carry way too much first aid kit (this isn't the place to discuss FAK though, so I'm not going to).

Sawyer Mini water filter in case - This depends where I'm going and what I'm doing, but very generally speaking if I'm staying put and having a fire then I'll use a millbank bag and boil, if I'm on the move then I'll use a water filter (I like the platypus quickdraw) Lose the case and wrap your filter in a dry bag, it does exactly the same job but has the added bonus of giving you another option for transporting/storing water.

Snugpak jungle blanket 15deg comfort rating - You said already that you're wanting a new sleeping bag, so I'll ignore this

Circular MOLLE pouch for storage (kept inside the sack) fits following:- - I get it, but it's overkill, the stainless pot is "bombproof" and it protects everything that's inside it, a carrier bag would work just as well and is much more versatile.

Stanley Pot - I've never used one, but they look pretty good. I prefer hard anodised aluminium personally, but only because it's lighter (I don't like titanium cookware, it's the wrong material for the job).

Plastic cup - yes!

Stainless steel mug and lid - I don't think you need this, personally I'd prefer a little kettle to go with my aluminium pot if I wanted two cookpots.

MSR burner - This is what I use, they're brilliant.
Gas canister - Obviously need this if you're taking a gas stove, nothing to add.
Trangia burner and meths - I wouldn't take this if I was taking the gas stove, I wouldn't take the gas stove if I was taking this. I honestly think that my choice depends entirely on how annoyed I was by my choice of stove on my last trip. Trangia's are faffy but quiet, gas stoves are really simple and noisy.

Compass - yes, one with a mirror if I'm chilling in the woods (I like to have a shave in a morning) a baseplate model if I'm moving around (they fit in the map case better).

Head light - yes!

Mini torch - yes!

Foraging bag - use the carrier bag that you replaced the MOLLE cookset pouch with, in fact, just add a coushaggu ple of carrier bags anyway, they're really versatile bits of kit.

2l Helikon Tex plastic water bottle
Secondary smaller aluminium water bottle - I use a 500ml nalgene and 1 or 2 600ml smartwater bottles, but I do need to be "on it" with my water useage/procurement, nothing at all wrong with having more capacity.

Ferro Rod - (reading the room here) yes! always! I never leave the house without one!

20l dry bag - Nothing wrong with this but it could be a lot lighter.

Emergency bivvy plastic bag - no, a bivvy bag is a much better option.

First aid kit - yes, but the contents are very much context based.

Helicon Tex poncho (doubles as a secondary tarp) - no, ponchos are one of those things that sounds like a good idea until you use one, they're alright in the jungle but they ain't no good if you're with a woman....or something like that.

DD regular 3x3 tarp including pegs and guylines - yes!

Camping mat - I think you mean the sit mat, yes, I often carry a bit of old foam mat that I found up in the hills once, great for all sorts of things.

Windsheild - if I'm using gas then yes, if I'm using my frankensteined trangia then no.

Leather gloves - if I'm having a fire then yes, probably, but I generally just go for synthetic work gloves. Gloves are massively underrated.

Condor Bushlore sheath knife - yes if I'm having a fire, no if I'm not.

Alox Farmer SAK - I prefer the harvester model, but yes, fantastic tools, especially for the uk.

Mini groundsheet - 2mm foam as mentioned previously.

Mini pillow - no, I always carry a "puffer" style jacket, and I keep it in a dry bag, the two things together make a superb pillow.

Inflatable bed roll - yes, I prefer self-inflating because they still kinda work if you get a puncture.

OEX 3/4 season mummy sleeping bag -5deg comfort rating - yes, but I look at my sleeping bag as being part of a sleep system, so liner, sleeping bag, and bivvy bag. I think sleeping kit should be layered like clothing is, other people disagree, I have no idea who's right.

Items not shown in pic
Bacho Laplander Saw - yes!

Paracord - some form of cordage is always a good idea, paracord is a decent option even if it is massively overkill for most jobs.

Fire starting kit (small round tin including birch bark, Vaseline covered cotton balls and mini BIC - Nests in above mentioned MOLLE pouch) - my toilet kit (you need toilet kit) is my firelighting kit, it's got tissues, alcogel, and a lighter in it.

ONE TIGRIS wood burner -for "ambience" as you said, yeah why not, they're pretty much useless for cooking on but sitting and feeding a little fire in a tin is a lovely way to spend an evening.

2 x retractable walking sticks for tarp tent configuration - yes, I'm pushing 50, and my knees are way ahead of me.

Trangia collapsible stand - the "triangle"? I love mine for making a brew on a day walk, I wouldn't want to cook on one.

That's a lot of text, sorry, but I hope it helps.
Brilliant post shaggy. I'll get back to you on that but I agree with about 90 percent of what you posted. Thank you truely. Steve
 
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If I'm going to ditch most of the cooking stoves how would I baton, make fire sticks, whittle and so on.
When I suggested that you might not need a fixed blade knife I was replying to a kit list that included two stoves and the fuel for them, if you're relying on fire then a fixed blade is probably a good idea. The ALOX is a good whittler.
 
Brilliant post shaggy. I'll get back to you on that but I agree with about 90 percent of what you posted. Thank you truely. Steve
No worries, glad to help. I've been doing this stuff for a while, and I've been lucky enough to spend time with some people who know far more than I ever will, I've picked a few bits up along the way.
 
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No worries, glad to help. I've been doing this stuff for a while, and I've been lucky enough to spend time with some people who know far more than I ever will, I've picked a few bits up along the way.
Same as me. I wouldn't call myself a bushcraft trainer. Probably more intermediate. Been doing this since I was kid and I'm 54 now.i was brought up in forests as my playground at the age of 10.
 
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