Day sack for pottering about woods

[tombear]

Hi Folks
in the Army stores in Oxford on Saturday I spotted this abut 25 litre rucksack and thought it would neatly fill a niche. I usualy prefare single compartment bags with maybe one zipped pocket for small items and with as least clutter on the outside as possible, to the point of I sometime cut off waist belts and compression straps on day bags.

However I have wanted something for pottering about in the woods with with lots of small pockets and compartments that has more capacity than a responsepak (which personally is as big a bumbag as I would use) and with the potential to add more pouches and sheaths.

The only (card board) label just said "Mil-Com" and the sign in the shop said that this was a limited stock and after this they would be no more. Wether this meant that they were simply not bothering to restock or that it had been a short production run (the lack of the obligatory labels makes me believe it was the latter) I can't say. The quality control seams good There was a few each in DPM, OG and Sand.

If some one has already reviewed it I've managed not to find I'l leave it as is but if not I'll do a propper review later.

The waist belt is removable and very generous, obviously meant to fit over Osprey or a fat git like me, the shoulder straps are completely removable as well and I am considering trying it as a side pocket on a bergan if it doesn't require too much alteration. Its been well thought out, the pull tags on the zips are para cord, thees more attachement points than you can wave a stick at. So far my only real objection is the lack of rain flaps over the zips and they never work anyway! The main compartment is crying out for a couple of lines of elastic to hold bits of kit but that is well within the bounds of what I can do. I would have prefared a old fashioned material for the back pannel and inside of the straps as I like robustness over comfort but for 25 quid I shouldn't moan!

The shop is WS Supplies, no connection, just a happy shopper.

ATB

Tom

 

[tombear]

I've been using the bushybag (as the boys have dubbed it) for a few days now and have been tweaking it to suit my requirements

I've added a pouch to take my (1988, still going strong) Leatherman on a lenght of Aussie hootchie cord (using a 25 mm mailon and the elastic loop provided) and when I can get another one will put a Aktis compas/ knife pouch on the other strap. The water bag pocket has neatly taken a 2 litre Platypus bag and drinking tube. On the other side I've securely tied on a large knife pouch that neatly takes my U-Dig-It. Not shown is a roll of biogegradable bog roll in a zip lock bag. I've added loops of Hootchie cord to the main straps to make them easier to use and stop them pulling through the buckles. So far they haven't popped accidentally, as i feared they may.

Inside the top pouch I have put the first aid stuff from my responsepak but it will just take my "large" first aid kit (a Lifeventure washbag) if so required. I also keep my paracord there as it fills a gap. On the zip of this pouch I've put a glow tag and will sew on a first aid badge when I can find a proper red cross on white background job.

In the bottom pocket I've most of the bits from my 'pak and theres still plenty of space for gloves and hat.

Inside the two main pockets I carry a few items such as a pocket boy but tend to put in stuff as needed, such as binos and food. I keep a Sierra Designs lightweight rain jacket in the mesh pocket of the main compartment. I haven't tried it yet but I think theres space for a basha and a summer sleeping bag there and a small cooking kit based on a clickstand and 1.3 litre pot. Theres some decent load carry straps on the bottom that would take a light weight thermorest without any hassle.

A small rain cover will solve the water ingress problem (well potential problem, so far its kept out the odd shower).

Overall I'm pretty damn impressed with it, nothings come adrift and its been comfortable even well filled with books.

ATB

Tom

 

[tommy the cat]

Very nice its great hen we find a bit of kit (with a bit of modding) that fits the bill nicely!
Never quite got the right daysack so far sometimes its a gas bag sometimes its the response pack.....could do with something just a tad larger.
Dave

 

[Blades]

Lovely looking bag I actually don't know so I'm not trying to be a smart **** even though it will probably come across like it ... Isn't all loo roll biodegradeable? or ... ? Does house stuff have .. something .. in it ...? just wondering

 

[spamel]

Bog roll can take quite some time to degrade in the ground. Best to burn it after use, and not on the fire somebody is cooking on!

Mil Com seem to be a company that makes sort of knock off versions of other more robust kit. Some is good, some is bad and it seems to be hit and miss. I have a mil com string hammock that was great when I was in the Army for slinging on long haul flights on Galaxy and Hercules aircraft, buttons tend to catch in the mesh but that's not such a bad thing. Mil Com are a bit lie Webtex, some of the kit is just junk!

Hopefully your bag will do alright for you, it looks like it could have been made for use as a medics bag.

 

[Weesi]

I've got one of these from another supplierf in DPM. Very nice piece of kit. Great for a daysack and pretty comfortable too!.. Like your review a lot Tom

Simon

 

[tombear]

The proof of the pudding will be if I'm still using it in 20 years like my beloved Munroe! So far nothings failed and in the really cheaply made stuff thats happened to me as soon as I have just got just far enough from the seller that it ain't worth going back...

The biodegradeable bog paper breaks down in about 2 months (or so they claim, I've never gone back and dug any up) unlike the normal stuff that can hang around like the dead sea scrolls if its not passing through the sewage system. I do carry a Bic lighter for burning it (in the pouch with the trowel) but sometimes it's just plain too damp or, back when we had summers there's a no fires order on the moors (and who can forget the joys of dehydrated food floating in the cold water in your pan because you can't use your stove...).

The piece of black tape on the trowels handle is to remind me how deep to bury it. Any deeper and there's less of the bugs and enzymes that will break it down. I try to remember to stir the soil in with a stick to speed up the process but confess sometimes I just want to cover it up and conceal the site. I can heartily recomend "How to **** in the woods" by Kathleen Meyer.

Also whats missing from the pics is the bottle of hand clensing jell as thats still in my jacket pocket after I got the kids to clean up before eating when we were out today.

ATB

Tom

 

[redneck]

I got one of these from Hong kong, they are too small for my back (48" chest) so my son now wears it..

 

[tombear]

There must be some varriation in them as I'm about 52"/19 stone and mine fits fine. The waist belt is impresively long so I think must be sized for going over armour.

It's a case of try one and see. It wouldn't suprise me if theres some varriation in quality control as well.

ATB

Tom

 

[ex Member swampy99]

Some blurb about Mil-Com I found on this web site http://www.chasesmith.co.uk/brands/Mil_Com/b1463.aspx

Mil-Com is a new brand started by the same people who make Web-Tex, Viper and Tracpac. Many of the products now sold under the Mil-Com brand were originally sold under the Tracpac brand.

Brand Distinction in Camping and Military Use
The makers are trying to separate general camping and backpacking products, which will continue to be sold under the Tracpac name, from products that are more military oriented and will be sold under the Mil-Com name.

 

[lamper]

On the other side I've securely tied on a large knife pouch that neatly takes my U-Dig-It.

Tombear: what is that pouch, looks like a perfect fit for the U-Dig-It. Any ideas where I could source one?

 

[tombear]

Yup it's a excellent tight fit. Unfortunately theres no tag on it and I've long forgotten where I got it although it's likely to be the army storres in Oxford, WSS Suplies as I don't go to many places that do kit for squaddies. It wasn't expensive I remember that much.

Does anyone recognise the type?

Tom

 

[tombear]

I took the lads out for a bimble from 10 to 15.30 (They are still bouncing, but I'm wrecked) and used the bag for most of our kit. Truth be said I over filled it and discovered one of the fastex buckles (right shoulder strap) kept popping as I bent climbing over styles etc. This became so irritating that I took the male part off the stap and tied the thin part to the padded part to make a fixed strap.

So rather than fit a better quality buckle I've reasembled the stap and will glue the fastex closed. I don't need the quick release option anyway and it will still work as a pull to tighen job so no biggy.

Apart from that it's stood up to a days hammering very well.

One thing I discovered is that the loop of hootchie cord looped through the end of the strap I fitted made it very easy to attach it to a shoulder strap loop (actuallt the hole in the side of the female part of the buckle. I just fed the strap through the loop and then the cord loop and pulled tight.

ATB

Tom