Just What You Can Carry On Your Back

[Geuf]

lol, this what you state is very true. I also didn't have the right pan, wood and a mate who was constantly building up the fire in a way wich was totally contradicary to the way I'd like to. finally it had to be a low profile fire. not the ideal sercumstances

The thing with cooking over a fire is that there are infinite variables that you can use to control the heat, and learning them is more of a science than anything else. Different woods burn at different temperatures, then you have to take into account the moisture in the wood if it is well seasoned or not, whether it was caught up in the tree or on the ground. The method used to lay the fire also affects the heat, the stage of the burn, ie. still have flames or just embers. The wind speed and temperature in the area you are cooking. The list goes on.

If you want to just boil food, then it's not a problem, but if you want to make more complicated meals outdoors then you really need to experiment a lot and not be too down when you burn dinner!

 

[PaleoHunterGatherer]

CG, lucky you! Gogama and area is nice(many times more than TO and surrounding area!)
Haven't been up that way, sorry to say, in almost 20 years.
BCUK folks, some of the nicest fishing near Gogama, and just east of there...
CG, lots of snow right about now I suspect?
Cheers
Alex

 

[Nightwalker]

Interesting read, thank you for the contributions British Red & all others!

 

[Nathan Sturgess]

Waterproof clothes, warm clothes, food, plenty of pairs of clean socks, a cheap hatchet from a hardwear store, belt knife, small folder, folding saw, firelighting kit, leatherman, sharpening kit, 12 bore doubly, plenty of cartiges for doubly and as many mates as a can ring before the lines go down, oh yeah and either a quad or a Landy 110. I think safety in numbers would be the way to go, if you have the biggest group not many people will challenge you.

 

[stan794]

wow guys, i cant believe the amount some people take with them. maybe i am doing it wrong or being reckless but i pack all my kit in a 35l for a couple nights out and take the bare minimum. i dont believe in extra gadjets and things that make your life easy, if i wanted that i would go to a regular camp site, but each to their own.
Good read though.

 

[Nightwalker]

wow guys, i cant believe the amount some people take with them. maybe i am doing it wrong or being reckless but i pack all my kit in a 35l for a couple nights out and take the bare minimum. i dont believe in extra gadjets and things that make your life easy, if i wanted that i would go to a regular camp site, but each to their own.
Good read though.

stan794, folk here in this thread arent just talking about the kit they would like to take just for a casual weekend camp in the wilderness. They're talking about the kit they would like to take in certain scenarios (see first post of this thread). And by the way, welcome to the community.

 

[xylaria]

wow guys, i cant believe the amount some people take with them. maybe i am doing it wrong or being reckless but i pack all my kit in a 35l for a couple nights out and take the bare minimum. i dont believe in extra gadjets and things that make your life easy, if i wanted that i would go to a regular camp site, but each to their own.
Good read though.

I agree with your mentality, we have culture based on needing things you don't really need. It is a culture that makes so much waste, there are those that can successfully live off it. A human needs to be warm, dry and fed, and some company that stops you going doolally, everything else is a luxury or an addiction. I am one of those that likes the simplicity of looking at a hedge/wood and seeing food and other resources. There is no way i could my gear into a 35ltr rucksack, but i fit 3 days worth of food for me and two kids into lunchbox. In environments I know well, and I go out with any food or water for whole day because i know where to find it, i have given up caring if others think i am doing it wrong or been reckless. I feel for the long term the closer you live with nature the better off you will be, stuff breaks, knowledge doesn't, but hey each to their own.

 

[Geuf]

Xylaria,

The funny thing is that the only thing I can't do without is food, because I don't know where to find it. I can replace many things of my kitlist, except a few. like a knife. But replacing them with natural things every time I go out puts stress on the natural enviroment I camp in. So I do practice replacing kit by natural stuff, but I don't replace everything I have every time I go out. the only thing I would like to be able to replace is food. I try to, I just don't know where to begin. I can't kill animals for food because first of all it's illegal and second of all, I don't want to spoil an animal because I prepare it wrongfully necause of insufficient knowledge. Then again, I don't know where to get that knowledge first hand, because there is nobody to teach, because it's illegal to poach and/or butcher you own animals. (wich is absurd, but that's a whole diffirent talk). Then there is the matter of plants; first of all, I'm afraid to pick and consume poisoness ones secondly every bit of nature we ( the netherlands ) have is cultivated wich means there is ony 2 or 3 kinds of trees to be found in nice row for a few square miles. wich actually doesn't sound like a nice interacting and florishing mix of flora and fauna.
I know I'm complaining right now and it's not all that bad. it's just that I'm fed up with the fact that everything you use from and do with nature feels wrong, because it's illegal or we are thaught not to touch it, wich all is the product of the fact that we have grown apart from nature and there isn't enough for everybody. (no there are too many humans for the amount of nature). Does anybody else shares this feeling?

 

[xylaria]

Xylaria,

I know I'm complaining right now and it's not all that bad. it's just that I'm fed up with the fact that everything you use from and do with nature feels wrong, because it's illegal or we are thaught not to touch it, wich all is the product of the fact that we have grown apart from nature and there isn't enough for everybody. (no there are too many humans for the amount of nature). Does anybody else shares this feeling?

you are right to moan, i live in suburban area with a lazy local council that is suppose to maintain open spaces, it doesn't and nobody cares. This accually helps nature as nothing is weeded, and weeds often edible. In the UK we can eat fruit, leaves, blossom and fungi as long as we are legally allowed to be where we are. Nobody forages near where i live so there is enough, i also harvest sustainably. When i mean i go for a walk and don't bring food and water i mean literally that, proper hikes and overnighters it would be impractical to 100% forage when i don't know the environment.

 

[canadianwildman]

I take a mora knive a hatchet a firesteel and some matches a can to boil water in and what I have on my back.

 

[big_swede]

Again... The topic here in this thread isn't what you carry on your back for your weekend in the woods, there were explicit scenarios in the first post, and the topic was what to carry and why. Doesn't anybody read the whole thread anymore?

 

[Scots_Charles_River]

An extensive list and photos.

What about alcohol gel for hand washing and fire lighting?

I used to take plenty of Nescafe stuff but I'm on a cafeine free withdrawl.
The British army hot choc is good though.

Collecting water ? Condoms ?

First Aid kit - didn't see a needle + thread ?
Although you could use thread from clothing.

Nick

 

[stan794]

Again... The topic here in this thread isn't what you carry on your back for your weekend in the woods, there were explicit scenarios in the first post, and the topic was what to carry and why. Doesn't anybody read the whole thread anymore?

yeah yeah yeah, so whats your point...

so i made a mistake but you are just rude.

 

[big_swede]

...and I take great pride in that.

If you read the post before mine you might see that my post wasn't about your post, therefore I started mine with an 'Again'...

 

[British Red]

Sorry Big Swede - I must disagree with you!

I have always found you very helpful and polite - even to the point of providing free translation services for me

So there

Red

 

[PaleoHunterGatherer]

Well, so far, I've decided to opt for trying out the hobo/vagrant scenario myself. I think I'll name this 'Hobo Bushcraft'. Actually if you are not fussy, there are almost unlimited resources for this approach that are free, or almost free...let me elaborate.
Firstly, for my basha, I scrounged out of a dumpster some heavy gauge clear plastic sheeting, well over 15 feet long, and approx. 10 feet wide...and no holes!
I've also scrounged a smaller blue polypropylene tarp that is in rough shape(many holes, needs to be washed off) as my groundsheet.
In a different dumpster, I have perloined I would guess about 200 ft of yellow polypro. twine that contractors use...a million and one uses.
From a friend, a huge roll of heavy duty duct tape...so many uses.
I've constructed a very warm sleeping sack out of two mylar emergency blankets, laid flat together one on top of each other, then duct taped around the edges. Inside this I've put an old polar fleece blanket that I sewed into a sleeping bag shape. Voila! for the cost of 6 dollars(each mylar emergency blanket = $ 3)I've constructed a servicable and warm bed
Out of a canvas rice bag from work, I've created a rucksack that can hold 25 Ibs of gear or rice.
Anyway, I've got to scurry off to work, so I'll continue when I get back with what else I've been able to scrounge/make.
Cheers,living like a hobo/vagabond/swagman...
Alex

 

[Minotaur]

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.

I agree with what you are saying, but they basically carried what they needed for a couple of days, and lots of weapons. What I was going to post about was the lightweight idea, and the soldier concept, with special regard, to non gun carrying soldiers.

Expert and Ultra Lightweight campers talk about being able to reach speeds of 60 miles a day.

I think, you are right no-one is really thinking in the right direction.

The question is not about survival, i.e. getting from a to b, regardless of comfort.

The question is more about what you would need, and carry to live for a period of time.

Think more in tune with the original Bushcrafters, trappers, and those sort of people.

I think British Red, is along the right lines, but for whatever reason you need to survive with that for a month. What changes, and do you leave anything behind?

Just come back from seeing I am legend. Raises some very interesting ideas, and seems to ignore others.

As part of my order of kit, I have been thinking of this for a while, so I am looking for a BOB that can take the 20 lt side pockets, and they are going to house my 'it has all gone wrong ' kit. Flour, rice, spices, and stuff like that.

 

[PaleoHunterGatherer]

Minotaur, I too just came back from seeing I Am Legend...all that stuff lying around...and all those Deer steak 'on hoof'...now if it weren't for those pesky virus laden humans...
Cheers
Alex

 

[jamesHarrisonAkers]

good question me personaly if it was end of days stuff total breakdown i would take.

simple basha
string hammock
good warm clothing
some simple copper/brass wire
axe/knife small woodsman for light weight
maybe fold-up saw
and the knowledge in my head for fishing food ect dont really need modern products for fishing
and last if you dont have a enough knowledge of your country and or maybe some of europe a map and compass just incase you skip from the uk through the english channel over to europe for a wider range of wild foods and meats and larger numbers more oppertunity to make survival a bit easier

oh and maybe some face camo paint to go with your attemp to camo your clothes with brush in case of hostiles close. coming to take your bounty LOL

 

[jamesHarrisonAkers]

just one more post in the end of the world scenerio the real question is do you either keep traveling until you die of old age or other factors. or do you find a nice quite bit of land somwhere reasonably safe and try and make it a home and a new life start

just a thought