Keeping your camp tidy

[Big Stu 12]

Don't get me wrong guys, I don't carry much at all, if anything I carry light and that's due to the fact I use to ride motorbikes.
All my gear I take fits into a 45lt for a weekend and it all gets used, it's just that I'm a messy begger at camp.

How do you manage with just a 45ltr for a weekend, how are you camping? and what gear do you take?, I find that by the time I get the Tarp/Hammock/Underquilt/Sleeping Bag, and a set of spare clothes that's a large part of the Bergan capacity gone, all the rest fits in pockets and in between,

Dont get me wrong, I know I am not a lightweight camper when out in the woods, I used to be able to go to the IOM races, and touring with just a Topbox and a tank bag for a week or two, now that was roughing it, and buying throw away items to see me through.

Can you list what you take for a weekend please, I prob need to shorten down on some things and make do, on others and stop carrying rubish, lol

 

[Shewie]

How do you manage with just a 45ltr for a weekend, how are you camping? and what gear do you take?, I find that by the time I get the Tarp/Hammock/Underquilt/Sleeping Bag, and a set of spare clothes that's a large part of the Bergan capacity gone, all the rest fits in pockets and in between,

Dont get me wrong, I know I am not a lightweight camper when out in the woods, I used to be able to go to the IOM races, and touring with just a Topbox and a tank bag for a week or two, now that was roughing it, and buying throw away items to see me through.

Can you list what you take for a weekend please, I prob need to shorten down on some things and make do, on others and stop carrying rubish, lol

Ditch the spare clothes for a start Stu, unless you need to go somewhere on the way home.

 

[Big Stu 12]

Ditch the spare clothes for a start Stu, unless you need to go somewhere on the way home.

yeah could do, but saying that is only a fleece, spare socks, pair of light weight trousers, I like a dry pair of socks, in case feet get a bit to wet or too smelley, lol, so only a small amount, but yeah could prob do with droping it out... old habits and all that.

 

[monkey boy]

Highlander basha that packs down to the size of my fist and only weighs grams,
Dd camping hammock
Army inflatable mat,
Vango venom 400, 4 season sleeping bag very small and light tho.

12cm zebra, army mess tins, crusader kit, utensils Iv carved a myself, brew Kit in leather pouch. Food in larger leather pouch.

Axe, knife, folding saw

Response pack that fit all the odd and ends,

This fits into a 45lt

If you shrink down your sleep system in size and weigh you are half way there

 

[Big Stu 12]

That's explaining why your got such a small pack,

The Basher is only 2.4m x 1.5m which really will not protect the hammock as much as I like, I use an XL tarp, in summer I use a smaller one.
I find a mat moves about and prefer an under quilt,
Hammock is a DD Frontline with tree huggers and whoopies
Venom is a 3 to 4 season, and only 75cm wide at shoulders, which is also to small for me. I use a large Army Artic Bag.
I carry a Enamel Plate, mug, I have got a utensil Roll, that I have carved a few items in and a few other small bits to make things easier

Orange Survival Bag

Head torch, and a UCO candle lamp.

I also carry a small flask that I top up last thing at night , so I have a warm drink in the morning, and don't have to wait for the water to boil. If i am just using a Meths cooker its a SAT, also carry a Esbit burner as back up.

Hygiene bag and folding spade also take a machtee, an ali fire blow tube

Oh yeah my spare clothing , fleece, Pair of socks, trousers.

A first Aid kit
Thats my core kit

Thats the thing, Kit we use is so much to personal taste

I take other bits if I am in the car... Gridle, Billys Kettle, Dutch Oven, but thats not in my Bergan

WOW I can't believe you get in such a mess with so little kit.

 

[Big Stu 12]

Food wise what types of food do you use/

 

[DavidJT]

I have one of those multi-pocketed travel shaving/toiletries bags, which when unrolled are designed to be hung up.
All the small bits go in the various pockets of that, then it's hung on convenient branch or ridge line.

 

[Lister]

Take a shoe/car seat organiser with you, the type you hang over a door/cat seat, hang it from a branch or ridgeline and you've got stupid amounts of pockets to put stuff in, they fold up small and give more than ample space.

 

[monkey boy]

Food wise what types of food do you use/

Depends really some time I make stew, some time I use packets of rice and make simple sachet meals,
I used to use an army artic bag but I ended up taking a 60-70 pack so that only comes out in really cold weather.
In wet weather I take my 3x3 dd tarp for shelter but most of the time the highlander does a perfect job. I only take what I need, if I stay out for longer than 2 nights I use my 3x3 dd and that still fits in my 45lt
to be honest the artic bag was the main bulk of things

 

[abominable_scouse_monster]

The simple sounding answer but the hardest to do is, cut the crud out of things you don't use. It's the hardest to pull off but works best in the long run.

But when I was training as a game keeper, I carried a folding bucket in my bag. Say half the day I was using A Saw, Axe and Bill hook they would go in the bucket along with a few other odd's and ends for easy access. The rest would stay in the bag till needed let's saw Hammer, Tape measure, Fencing pliers, Take down Brock rifle (god I miss that ) they would go back in the bag after each use.

You get afeel for your bag's weight and know if anything is missing.

 

[Thoth]

It's easy to say "just take out less kit" than it is to do it, but that is the key. If you had to carry a full (heavy) pack far you'd soon realise that it is not much fun. Don't take stuff you know you don't really need unless you are prepared to offset the extra weight/bulk with the extra effort needed to haul it around. It's clear from those with a military background that discipline is the flip-side of the coin. Hanging always seems to need more kit than a bivvy, but you makes your choice . . . If I keep my key kit (sleeping/shelter) small & light I find I can manage more other bits & bobs. It seems to me that 'bushcraft kit' and 'lightweight backpacking kit' are not entirely separate, but lightweight kit tends to be less robust. Some 'bushcraft essentials' are a bit weighty but can help you to live in the wild for longer periods of time, almost indefinitely even, and so pay-off in the longer term but less so for shorter trips.

 

[copper_head]

If anyones interested in some light-weight philosophy this guys site is very good and is more geared towards the UK climate...

http://www.backpacking-lite.co.uk/

Not that I'm really into 'ultralightwieght walk a 1000miles with a 2kg pack thing' but definately has some lessons we can all learn from.

/thread jack

 

[greensurfingbear]

Ive used a net hammock if I'm out for over nighters... But its another bit of kit. Started to strap stuff to sling which I loop around tree which keeps things off the ground.

I actually think I am tidier when camping than in the house..... Pls don't tell the missus !




Orric
http://rangerorric.blogspot.co.uk

 

[Dave-Jefferson]

I use a number of methods which work really well for me:
1. I always use colour coded dry bags so i can separate my gear and know what is what bag..
2. I always pack my bag in sections ( I have a bit at the bottom that can be made into a separate area and I tend to put all my sleeping system in here as it something I usually use first)
3. As soon as I have picked my spot I always tie my bag up to a tree with a little para cord to keep it off the ground
4. Then once my sleeping system is up all my sleeping gear goes into my hammock/tent
5. My knife, multi tool and head torch always stay with me
6. The rest I use and replace back where I got it from
7. I always carry a bag to put my dirty cooking gear in if I don't have time to wash it...

The best way is to just try and be organised and give everything it's own little place....

I hope this helps... Cheers Dave

 

[Johnnyboy1971]

Im a bit ofma tidy freak with my kit. I sorted all mine into a modular system and only remove the pooch that i need at any one time.
Im using a Lowe Alpine Strike and inside i have two side pockets and one on the outer. One has camp setup, tarp, bivvybag groundsheet, cordage and the other has food, brewkit, cook kit. The last one has FAK torch and a few othe little bits.

 

[Thoth]

Once I'm out I always try to keep the same things in the same pocket. At this time of year the lefthand pocket of my sleeka has got a warm hat, buff, fingerless gloves in addition to a foraging bag. The righthand pocket has a head torch. Trouser pockets hold phone, small camera, Swiss Army knife, some paracord. Belt has knife, saw, pouch with FAK. Then I know where these smaller things are and have them when I need them.

 

[dwardo]

An assortment of dry bags for various odds and ends all which can be clipped to my ridge line.
A tripod is a godsend for keeping your pack off the damp and dirty floor. Its easy enough to find three chest hight stick and bind them at the top. When your pack is hanging from the tripod it makes it easier to get to from within your hammock.

 

[al21]

A place for everything and everything in its place, as the saying goes. Pretty much what others have said really. It doesn't matter how much kit you have though, if you don't know which pocket/pouch etc you keep it in you'll end up scattering stuff everywhere to find the object of your desire.

Simply get into the habit of putting things back in the same place when you're finished with them and after a while it'll become automatic.

Plenty of others have said the same but I wanted to add my voice to those who find this simple system works.

Al

 

[Elen Sentier]

I found THIS by Paul Kirtley useful.

 

[Elines]

you might find some additional ideas here:

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=84825