Kit thats come and gone ...

Goatboy

Full Member
Jan 31, 2005
14,956
18
Scotland
I fear that no matter what one calls a thread on BCUK we members being an esoteric bunch will find some way of melding it to our twisted wants! But that's why I love it here so much.

Apart from a few ramblings off for cake the thread has been pretty good evoking some fond and shocking memories from the gear of yore.


And it allows old crust types like me to reminisce about tricouni nails and dachstein mitts!!! (God the later is setting my teeth on edge just thinking about them.)


It's all fun and I've been enjoying this one, sad thing is have the stuff we're talking about is still lurking in boxes somewhere upstairs I fear!:rolleyes:
 

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
39,133
4,810
S. Lanarkshire
We have a genuine, post war, pre big orange plastic, definitely pre shiny mylar, double layered brown paper, survival bag :D

Heaven knows where it came from, it weighs quite a lot, it's solid enough to slip into easily, and it is warm. But, it's brown paper .....

Aye, things move along :)

M
 

outpost31

Tenderfoot
Jan 7, 2009
63
0
53
scotland
I posted the kit I no longer use and the reasons why, It's all just a matter of preference and opinion. if the inflatable mat and honey stove were the only items i had to choose from then that's what i'd use. there must be plenty of members who've had to make do and mend or borrow gear over the years. The way I look at it is if our ancestors managed with animal skins and stone tools then i can manage with the stuff I have.
 

outpost31

Tenderfoot
Jan 7, 2009
63
0
53
scotland
Yes Tom they do a friend of mine lives in anchorage and when it gets REALLY cold everyone starts wearing furs again.
 
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santaman2000

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Jan 15, 2011
16,909
1,120
68
Florida
see id never buy anything made form fur, but if i hunted, killed, ate and processed the animal myself id have no issues

Loads of people who'd never buy anything made from fur. But they have no problem buying synthetics made in a factory that displaced an entire species.
 

cbr6fs

Native
Mar 30, 2011
1,620
0
Athens, Greece
Not quite, i melt the snow, filter through the milbank and boil up for a brew. It doesnt get filtered twice.

It would be the same with a sawyer. Melt snow, filter then boil for a brew.

My milbank has a gallon capacity so it comes through rapidly due to the higher head pressure and before it can freeze

In terms of time its far quicker than my sawyer and is not subject to cold damage.

I also find if you use a bladder system sub zero the pipes freeze instantly and you are finished.

Thanks for the clarification.

On the bladder hose there are a couple of solutions.

1/ Blow the water back down the hose after you've taken your sip, there are still a few drops left that freeze but they don't affect the use of the system

2/ Pipe lagging, cheap and effective.

If the hose does freeze then i find if i shove the bite valve and hose down behind my neck between the rucksack and my back it doesn't take long for my body temp to thaw it out.

The Millbank bag is a simple, basic, lightweight, cheap, durable & effective particulate filter.

No more, no less.

Deriding it for its inability to do that which it is not intended to do is nonsense.

My initial point was that as it doesn't filter the water to point of guaranteeing it safe, it's pointless compared to modern filtering solutions.

As it's heavy, slow and only filters out lager detritus, a old sock is just as effective at filtering out large detritus and is also a fair but quicker.

I can understand that some folks who are stuck in their ways liking them, or in your case am i right in saying you sell them?
I don't understand why my opinion has come under such fire though.

Does it guarantee the water is safe to drink = No

So all it's really being used for is a water scoop, it's not even a good water storage solution as you can't reduce or stop it's flow/leaking.

I posted the kit I no longer use and the reasons why, It's all just a matter of preference and opinion. if the inflatable mat and honey stove were the only items i had to choose from then that's what i'd use. there must be plenty of members who've had to make do and mend or borrow gear over the years. The way I look at it is if our ancestors managed with animal skins and stone tools then i can manage with the stuff I have.

I can understand folks having a preference for older things, i've got garages full of old motorbikes and cars so i understand the draw.

It's great riding or driving these old cars, no ABS, traction control, no nannying electronics, a proper steering rack with a proper throttle cable giving a direct connection to the carburettors.

I love me old cars and bikes, i've owned some for nearly 30 years and still use them.

I'm also glad that most cars on the road these days have airbags, crumple zones, ABS, traction control etc etc as if i ever have the choice of a car i crash in it'll be a modern one.

To me that's just plain common sense and being honest with myself.
If someone tells me a modern car is faster, more comfortable, more efficient and safer i'll nod my head and agree 100%
I'd argue my old kit is more fun to drive but that's really my choice.

As i've said previously if folks turn around and say "i agree modern filters are safer, lighter, quicker and easier to use BUT i still love my Millbank bags" i'd say good on em.

It's all this silly nonsense of trying to defend them against modern water filters that's causing the problem.

They prefer it, ok
I can't see how anyone in their right mind could argue it's not a system that's had it's day though.
 

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
39,133
4,810
S. Lanarkshire
If all that's needed is a good, hard working, reliable filter to remove debris from water that's going to be boiled, then the milbank/bilbank bag is excellent.
It doesn't need hi-tech bits, it doesn't need chemicals, it doesn't need anything but water and a little patience.

It's like the jelly bags I use for making jam or filtering out bits of fruit debris when making wine. It's simple and it works.

It is not intended to be an allsingingalldancing remove every pathogen under the sun type filter, all it does is give clear water for boiling, and it does it quickly too compared to all the other modern ones.

It strains out the algae, leaf litter and fine sand/gravel.....the stuff you don't want in your tea :)

cheers,
Toddy
 

cbr6fs

Native
Mar 30, 2011
1,620
0
Athens, Greece
If all that's needed is a good, hard working, reliable filter to remove debris from water that's going to be boiled, then the milbank/bilbank bag is excellent.
It doesn't need hi-tech bits, it doesn't need chemicals, it doesn't need anything but water and a little patience.

It's like the jelly bags I use for making jam or filtering out bits of fruit debris when making wine. It's simple and it works.

It is not intended to be an allsingingalldancing remove every pathogen under the sun type filter, all it does is give clear water for boiling, and it does it quickly too compared to all the other modern ones.

It strains out the algae, leaf litter and fine sand/gravel.....the stuff you don't want in your tea :)

cheers,
Toddy

I can understand that.

My point is a Sawyer filter is not high tech, doesn't use chemicals has no moving parts, it filters out algae, leaf litter, fine sand/gravel is lighter, cheaper and easier to find, it does EVERYTHING the Millbank bag does PLUS it makes the water safe to drink.
 

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
39,133
4,810
S. Lanarkshire
.........and it's a b8gger to fill and it takes ages to get enough to boil up a kettle for four folks.....let alone to do the washing up or to clean oneself.

It definitely has it's place, and I'm glad HWMBLT has one so that he doesn't need to lug around so much water with him when he's out hillwalking, but for camping, especially when there's more than one person, it's too much of a footer.
The milbank/bilbank bags work fine when all that's needed is basic filtering, especially in any quantity. It never needs replaced after so many litres, it's as tough as, well canvas :) and it's reliable, no fuss, no skiddling around trying to keep tubes clear, etc.,

cheers,
Toddy
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,893
2,145
Mercia
I can understand that.

My point is a Sawyer filter is not high tech, doesn't use chemicals has no moving parts, it filters out algae, leaf litter, fine sand/gravel is lighter, cheaper and easier to find, it does EVERYTHING the Millbank bag does PLUS it makes the water safe to drink.

Actually Sawyer mini filter does not filter below 0.1 micron so does not render water safe to drink from viruses. A millbank bag and boiling is in fact more effective against biological hazards.

I'm not against either approach - but both have strengths and weaknesses.
 

ex-member BareThrills

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Dec 5, 2011
4,461
3
United Kingdom
I can understand that some folks who are stuck in their ways liking them, I don't understand why my opinion has come under such fire though.

I think the second half of the above is probably informed by the first.

I can assure you im not stuck in my ways, I own some of the lightest and modern kit available and use it regularly but where i see a need for something that modern kit cant accomplish, i will turn to something that works. I think the majority of people who posted in defense of the bag do use modern filter systems too and see the benefit of both.
 

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