Kit I need, your recommendations?

[Nightwalker]

Below is a list a kit I need to get either because I dont already have the item or the one I have got isnt good enough for the job and needs replacing. I've just finished my summer-job and im looking for full-time work; so im between jobs which means I need to ration my cash and not buy all the gear in one go I think the most important kit I need to get next is; Bag, Tarp & Sleeping-bag, so I'll probably pick them up in the next month. I'd greatly appreciate comments / recommendations on individual items of kit.

Kit I plan to get:

• Bag/Rucksack (Got one on the way thanks to Tengu!)
• Knife (Im falling more and more in love with my Mora knife, so wondering If I need to get a another one at all)
• Walking Boots
• Cooking/pot set
• Cutlery (Titanium?)
• Head-torch (Petzl XP Tikka, coming Xmas!)
• Hat
• Titanium mug?

Recently Purchased:

• Sleeping bag (Vango NiteLine - Down from £40 to £20)
• Tarp (3x3 Cotton Version from www.outdoorcode.co.uk)
• Folding Saw ("Bahco 396 Lap Laplander Folding Saw" for £14.75)
• Fire Steel (Light My Fire | Swedish FireSteel)
• Sleep roll/mat (Nice military one with holding-straps)
• 1L Platypus waterbottle (Collaspible)

Not Sure / Optional:

• Hammock (Not sure yet)
• Fire Bag/Tin? (Currently got a few plastic tubs with tinder. Maybe a hand-made leather one?)

 

[Tengu]

I too, am perpetualy short of money.

I go to car boots a lot.

What sort of sleeping bag are you looking for? I have a 58 pattern down mummy bag, which is good in the cold but not on hot nights. Something like that might be a start. They are readily availible and should not be too expensive.

Cutlery set...cant you just `borrow` one from the canteen??

for a cook set I have mess tins (Id like that Lidis set but cannot afford it as its not a real priority)

you seem to have gone down the `best you can afford` route, thats a good thing, especialy for boots and rucksacks

 

[Graham_S]

check the pound shops for mugs, and stuff, i got a 1pt s/steel mug for a pound. bargain.
other stuff, surplus shops are your friend.
you can get a decent sleeping bag in there.
for cutlery, all you really need is a spoon, and you can carve one of them.

 

[Doc]

In Asda the other day, I noticed they have 65 litre rucsacs in a fairly eco-friendly green colour, for £19.95. I didn't check out the quality in detail, but if its ok that seems a good deal.

There have been various threads about highlander rucsacs with some conflicting views, but I think the majority opinion was that they are very good for the price.

I like my 58 pattern bag and they can be obtained very cheaply - but anyone over 5'8 will need the long version, and used ones can smell of ripe squaddie. They are also a bit bulky and heavy, but will keep you warm in winter. As mentioned, perhaps too hot for summer use.

Snugpak softie sleeping bags sometimes go for lowish prices on ebay. They pack very small. The temp ratings are too optimistic, but the softie 9 would be ok April to October. If you sleep warm a softie 6 might suffice.

Cooking wise, its hard to beat the Swedish army trangia. £7 to £15 new.

 

[big_swede]

Kit I plan to get:

• Bag/Rucksack (60-80L in size? I like "Vango Sherpa 60+10" [All Green] )
• Tarp (Helleberg XP 10) ??
• Sleeping bag (No idea; never bought one, need help!)
• Knife (Dave Budd's new Bushcraft knife for Xmas?)
• Cooking set
• Cutlery
• Head-torch (Petzl XP Tikka, coming Xmas!)
• Hat

Not Sure / Optional:

• Hammock (Not sure yet)
• Fire Bag/Tin? (Currently got a few plastic tubs with tinder)
• Walking Boots

I would go for another rucksack, most certainly a external frame one. Always worth it. Since your winters can get quite wet and rainy (my small experience of it at least) I would buy a good synthetic fibre filled sleeping bag, one for winter/autumn and a summer bag, if you need one in the summer. Go for a known brand, sleeping bag is a long term investment.

Further on, I would reprioritise (is that a word?) and save money on the knife and tarp, by buying some cheaper ones (a mora is more than enough, and hilleberg tarp? naah..).

Cooking set: buy army surplus or trangia, good enough unless you need to melt snow or cook in well below zero.

I don't know how you intend getting around, but for me, walking boots are always higher prioritised than hats. Fullgrain leather, vibram or skywalk soles, and high rubber edge should do the trick, unless you're after silent, smooth tracking boots. Most important concerning boots though: NO GORETEX MEMBRANES!!

"well that's like, like, uh uh, like, your opinion" -The Dude in big lebowski

 

[Nightwalker]

I should clarify a few things;

"What sort of sleeping bag are you looking for?"
- Im not sure, I've never bought one in my life! Im pretty sure I want one that is high quality (branded), synthetic fibre filled and packs small.

"I would go for another rucksack, most certainly a external frame one."
- Why? I've used numerous sacks all of which have been internal frame and have been fine for my use, I cant see what more a external frame could do for me, whats the benifits?

"Further on, I would reprioritise (is that a word?) and save money on the knife and tarp,"
- Sorry I didnt say; the list of kit isnt listed in priority. There is stuff on there that I already have (so therefore isnt a priority) but I just want a better one. ie. Like a new knife; I already have a cheap one, but it is far from my perfect ideal of a bushcraft knife, so my other half will be kind enough to get me Dave Budd's one at xmas. So I dont need to worry about spending on that.

"I don't know how you intend getting around, but for me, walking boots are always higher prioritised than hats."
- Again its not in priority and the reason I dont need them urgently is because I already have a pair The reason a new pair is on my list is because my current ones are like six years old and well used, could do with replacing

"save money on the knife and tarp, by buying some cheaper ones (a mora is more than enough, and hilleberg tarp? naah..)"
- Being a Cornishman, I love to save money, mostly im one of those people who gets the cheaper of everything and dosent care much for branding as-long as it does the job. However with the remainding bushcraft-kit I still need I see them as important items and want to get high quality ones: Tarp, Sleeping-Bag, Rucksack. I have read good things all over about the "Helleberg XP 10 Tarp" and at first when seeing the price tag I wasnt willing to pay that much, but now I realise how an important item it's going to be to me (seeing as im not going to purchase another tent) I am now considering paying that price-tag for the reassured quality of build & brand etc.

Thanks for your recommendations on boots & sleeping-bags big_swede! & for everyone's help!

 

[kb31]

i don't know if ya got a BLACKS out door shop near you but they were doing
karrimor kbs boots for £40 cos there's a new ones out- i paid £110 for mine! nearly 2 years ago n there still going strong
if ya go in outdoor shops in jan n sep ya see stuff half the price.
don't go in summer (only to see how much ya going to save but don't buy nout ) i don't know why-old stock i would say but it's the best time to buy stuff ...karl

 

[rik_uk3]

I got KBS shoes for £19.99 at lillywhites in London this year, great walking trainers where ankle support is not vital, the boots were not much more, going back to London in November, I'll see what they have in stock then

 

[Bjorn Victor]

I have a Hilleberg XP 10 tarp. Love it. I can recommend it.

Look at Lowe Alpine for backpacks. I have 10 year old Alpamayo 70+20 (now discontinued) and it has seen any abuse you can name and it still looks new...
I do not know why people still go for external frame packs. Maybe it is more convenient if you need to haul logs or barrels or something huge and bulky, but I never needed that. Internal frame is great for me.

Knife: try a fallkniven F1 or H1 (or Mora is money is tight). You can consider getting a small swiss army knife to complement the fixed blade. Scissors and bottle opener can come in handy from time to time...

Flashlight: I have a tacktikka. Very nice. I like the red filter.

Sleeping bag: I would go for synthetic. Down is lighter and packs smaller, but you need to baby them too much. In a damp rainy climate, the bag soaks water from the moist air. You loose insulation and so on... Not a real problem if you are away for 2-3 days, but after a week you will notice a difference.
Buffalo, Ajungilak and Nanok are held in high regard here.

Boots: your choice actually. Try them all and pick the comfy one. Gore tex will keep your feet warmer (= sweaty). I like them without the gore membrane. I feel it breathes a bit better and my feet are cooler. Vibram soles on the boots are a good sign.

Cookset: where are you going and how long? Travel in the world and methanol is hard to find (look for multifuel burners like Primus). Stay closer to home and be fine with a Swedish trangia.

Cutlery: one pot and 1 spoon or spork is more than enough.

Hat: if the jacket has a hood, do you need one?

Just a remark: "Get the best you can afford" is good advise, but also watch the weight of things. If the best is also the heaviest, you might want to reconsider some items...
Military stuff is good and cheap, but some civil items are (a lot) better. Swedish special forces use Hilleberg, fallkniven, Mora and Primus. I believe that says a lot.

Hope it helps.

Bjorn

 

[cyclist]

meth. spirits may be hard to find in arabic countries, in other parts of the world I´ve had no probs. so far.
If money is an issue try to make the burner, pot holder & windshield yourself www.zenstove.net

Maybe a woodstove (like Kuenzi Magic Stove etc. - links at zenstove) is what you´re looking for? That way you don´t even need to carry fuel

 

[scanker]

Cyclist makes a good point - I've an primus omnifuel, Swiss volcano stove, Tatonka/clikstand and others, and by far my favourite is the cat stove I made myself. Instructions are at the link above.

 

[drstrange]

You might find the kit-list thread helpful, lots of the guys and girls have put the entire content of their bags on there, some with prices and comments.

 

[Nightwalker]

Thanks for all your input.

I've got my mind between two tarps at the mo; "Hilleberg XP 10 tarp" for £75 or the "3x3 Tatonka Tarp" for £44 from www.outdoorcode.co.uk

Regards a knife; I've already got one that I've had a long-time and want to change for a better designed knife, and in theory all I have to do is weight until xmas for one to come from my other half, however now your tempting me to spend my own money on getting the F1 aswell!

Thanks for a lot of useful info Bjorn.

And I'll find that "kit-list thread" now, thanks drstrange.

 

[addyb]

A random question:

How is a Woodlore or a Dave Budd knife any better designed than your average Mora knife? (Other than the price difference)

Adam

 

[scanker]

I have no knowledge of a Dave Budd knife but I think you could argue that the Woodlore, being full tang, has certain advantages over a Mora.

 

[big_swede]

- Why? I've used numerous sacks all of which have been internal frame and have been fine for my use, I cant see what more a external frame could do for me, whats the benifits?

First of all, I didn't know you already had some kit, so that's why I recommended bying boots and all that. Thought you started from scratch

My love for the frame-rucksacks is based on their versitality. And the fact that you can cary much heavier loads if you have a rigid, stable frame. It's hard to explain but the weight gets distributed in a more comfy fashion, and usually the center of gravity gets higher up on the back.

You can almost always remove the bag and carry bulky loads attached to the frame, for example firewood, jerrycans, kayaks, game and so on. The ability to strap ANYTHING on the frame, with or without the bag is something I wouldn't trade away. I mean, the tent, sleeping pad, hide, shovel and axe, everything just snap right on there. Another great benefit is the cirkulation. Since there is a great deal of free air between the frame and the back you don't have to accept the sweaty back syndrome, you can actually wear the field shirt for more than a walk before you have to dry it.

(and another important factor, here I can get used ones or issued ones for around £10 for a 70-80 ltr)

 

[Spacemonkey]

- Again its not in priority and the reason I dont need them urgently is because I already have a pair The reason a new pair is on my list is because my current ones are like six years old and well used, could do with replacing

My Danners are 15 years old or so, and get regular bashings. Still fine though, and the Goretex still doesn't leak!

Go for the Tatonka 3x3. The synth one is considerably lighter and apart from aesthetics and spark potential (realistically? In the UK?? I've never even come close to this problem) a better bet. I love mine and it's plenty big enough for diamond formation above hammock or square for a bivvy bag. Add some long thin bungies and you'll have it up in seconds.

Bag? I, and a few others, can thoroughly recommend the Karrimor Sabre 75. See here: http://72.36.134.230/community/showthread.php?t=13043 Scroll down to one of my posts and find the link to my gallery for shots and mini reviews of the Sabre 75 and also shots of the Tatonka tarp on action. I have just bought the Karrimor side pouches and this takes it up to 100 litres and the possibility of a small day pack too. I have also bought the Sabre 45 as I liked it so much and this is great for non camping weekends away.

If you don't mind surplus gear, then head down to Plymouth to that big surplus store (can't remember the real name-we call it Bogey Nights for some reason..) on the waterfront as they have some amazing stuff in there and very cheap. Last weekend I picked up an unissued SBS 35l pack for £15! The abused ones were £10 so a result! They have bergens etc in there too. The top bargain of the day was a pair of surgical retractors for 20p!! I normally have to pay about 20 POUNDS for these! Lots of drysuits in there at the mo' for £25... Best to pop in after the ships roll in for obvious reasons....

 

[Nightwalker]

A random question:
How is a Woodlore or a Dave Budd knife any better designed than your average Mora knife? (Other than the price difference)
Adam

I have used a few knifes and there are many attributes to their design that affects how "good" one feels to my use. I am currently looking for a overall smaller knife, and I want it to look and feel exactly how im comfortable with. I havent used a F1, would love to give one a try The main knife I use is one that my other-half bought me many years ago:

16cm full tang hollow ground blade with spear point. Nickel silver fittings, oiled contoured hardwood grips. Stitched leather sheath.
The knifes (flat) bottom edge is about 10cm. It has served me well but I wish to undertake new more crafty tasks; so overall the knife is a bit to large and clumsy.
A Fallkniven F1 or dave budd's GreenMan Basic or GreenMan Pro look perfect, currently got my set on one of Dave Budd's knifes for xmas, but of course open to your input.

Thanks for all your input on other kit, I'll be browsing soon!

 

[sandsnakes]

Kit is odd stuff.

I have gone from expensive northface to surplus. From a hand made tanto to a cheap knife.

So my knife is a 'Drop point bowie' off of ebay for about £9 at auction. Looks nice and is nice in the hand. Has lasted and works well, if it gets lost its cheap and I can get another.

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Clarendon-Imports-SWORDS-KNIVES-UK

German army surplus goretex suit with badges removed. I like the splodge pattern camo for no other reason than its a splodge pattern.
USA tricolour desert rip stop camo dyed deep green so its one colour, light tough quick drying.
Goretex bivvi bag and a milletts eurohike two season bag.
I did not get on well with a hammock so I use an inflateable sleeping mat in the bivvi bag.
Standard uk desert pattern tarp, i like the pretty colours!
I got rid of my berg rucksack and went for a cheap adjustable from ebay £20, its actually more comfortable!
German hexi stove.

So there you go, its just what you like and suits your needs.


Sandsnakes

 

[wanderinstar]

Would second the Tatonka 3x3 Tarp. I bought my rucksack of ebay. A Regatta Survivor 85 for £10. You can get some bargains, just find out what things retail for first. Sometimes s/hand items sell for more than you would buy new for.