Kit you would recommend

[beenn]

After having alot of my kit stolen for the second time... I was wondering what kit everyone would recommend

What rucksacks, tools, shelters, cooking equipment ect

I simply dont have the money to replace everything i lost so what is good all round kit?

I have bought a new crusader mug and bottles as they are what i use everytime im out in the woods but thats the most carried item as i always change packs, sharps and other kit
Thats not always consistent as i use the nalgene bottles and tatonka mug but i have not received them yet.
Ben

 

[Paul_B]

Were you not insured? Some households insurances allow for stuff stolen when out and about. Such as taken from cars (including on the roof like canoes).

If you have an insurance cheque to spend it is a chance to cut out the waste in your old kit and get yourself a good kit without waste if you know what I mean. We all have stuff that were bought on a whim but never impressed. First tip I'd offer is to get whatever of your kit you consider as go to gear. The stuff that would always be first choice even if you had alternatives. Then remember what else you had and if there is something better for that out now. I think I must have spent several thousands of pounds over the last five or ten years on gear and out of that I only really use a small selection of stuff over and over again. if I knew then what I know now I could have saved a lot and still ended up with what I use now.

Anyway I can't really think of what to recommend but if it's any use I will probably comment on your alternatives if you suggest them. Say you have two options for a piece of kit I'm sure we'll all comment on them and let you know which one we'd recommend. Other than that I'd take the opportunity to replace your kit with lighter stuff, especially if like me you are the sort to move on each day when out and about.

 

[udamiano]

The two thing That I never compromise on are boots and backpacks I took me ages to find the ones I was most comfy with, so my answer would be if your were really comfy with the ones you had then replace like for like on these. Everything else is open to the floor. really sorry to hear about your stuff getting nicked

 

[beenn]

Thanks

They said they would send someone out from the insurance company but its not looking good. At first i didnt think i was missing too much but its in the £1000's i think. I took a while building up my kit and all was trusted as anything i didnt trust was thrown away and unused kit was swapped.

Ive ordered some new kit from what was left of my pay but i dont work for alot of money as id rather enjoy my job than be high payed and stressed out

I am just looking for what people trust, would highly recommend and just enjoy using

 

[Tank]

with your luck mate you need something that comes with locks and or a tracking device. you will soon have a cursader cooker on its way as i am back in the office tomorrow so will get the bits out to you.

 

[beenn]

with your luck mate you need something that comes with locks and or a tracking device. you will soon have a cursader cooker on its way as i am back in the office tomorrow so will get the bits out to you.

Thanks mate and your right!
Lost my phone too the other night but that was through no fault but my own! One die ill get some good luck- then shortly later ill have a heart attack

 

[kINGPIN]

Whats happened to your kit this time Been?

 

[beenn]

Whats happened to your kit this time Been?

Garage and shed were both broken into while i was asleep the other night

 

[ged]

...I am just looking for what people trust, would highly recommend and just enjoy using

Sorry to hear you've been robbed again. Must say it sounds like on both occasions you haven't exactly made it difficult for them, and I think you should take a bit more time to think about security. I take a lot of trouble to avoid leaving my kit unattended and I'd never store valuable stuff somewhere like a garage or shed unless it had an alarm, or better yet a dog. But I guess that isn't immediately helpful.

I trust, I would recommend, and I enjoy using my Optimus 111B. You can't buy a new one now, goodness knows when they stopped making them, but I got mine for about eight quid, twenty years ago, at a flea market on the Barbican in Plymouth. To be honest there's not a lot that's special about the 111B; a lot of other kit of that era was made in much the same way and will give decades of good service. There are even things about the design which could greatly be improved. But now that the "bottom line" is the only thing that really matters to the bean counters in industry, sometimes it's not easy to find kit that isn't junk that will fall to bits in a fortnight, or just doesn't work, even if it's allegedly from the same maker of things that you've been very happy with. (I say that with feeling!)

Not only do I trust, recommend and enjoy using my Optimus, I also enjoyed finding it, and I enjoyed finding out about its maintenance, and I enjoyed finding consumables like the leather pump washer, and I enjoyed getting it back into top condition. It adds further to the enjoyment that it was an old thing that was probably otherwise going to finish up on the scrap heap, and that it didn't cost much. I've even enjoyed trying different fuels in it, checking out its performance, and badgering Shaggystu until he finally made the leather case that it now lives in.

I suppose my point is that there's a whole gamut of things about your kit that you can enjoy, above and beyond its actual use. If you can find the space it's worth keeping an eye out and picking up bargains that might come in handy one day. Flea markets and charity shops sometimes come up with the most amazing surprises. Don't rush yourself into paying top dollar just to get back into the woods in a hurry, take it easy and enjoy the whole journey.

 

[Scottishwanderer]

Mora 137 and highlander billy can thats all i'd recommend.

 

[beenn]

Sorry to hear you've been robbed again. Must say it sounds like on both occasions you haven't exactly made it difficult for them..

Thank you very much mate- the first time was my own fault as i left the kit unattended but thought the area was private.

but the second time i believe i was targeted. I have a roller shutter door on my garage with sensor lights and a security safe. My shed has a heavy duty lock and is very well made.
I believe they planned it as they had the equipment not only to get in but without anyone hearing a thing, and not a finger print

Ben

 

[ged]

... I have a roller shutter door on my garage with sensor lights and a security safe. ...

You mean they've had stuff out of a safe??? Stone me, you definitely need a couple of big dogs.

 

[beenn]

You mean they've had stuff out of a safe??? Stone me, you definitely need a couple of big dogs.

No safe was untouched. I do worry about security but dogs are out of the question due to family members hating them
Have been looking at cctv but its easier to keep valuables inside

No more worries about lead as i was fired for leaving it unattended in a garage. I think i should of camped out with it for them to be happy

 

[drewdunnrespect]

dd hammocks camping hammock
dd hammocks underblanket

true north out doors big tarp
true north out doors small tarp

gransfor bruks small forest axe

standard issue bivi bag
standard issue infantry bag

karrimor sf 35 ltrs rucksack
karrimor sf 45 ltrs rucksack
karrimor sf 60 ltrs rucksack
karrimor sf 80-130 ltrs rucksack

kelly kettle in any size

zebra billy can in any size

standerd issue water bottle and cup

crusader cup
crusader cup stove
crusader mess tins
a kfs set or spork if you like that kind of thing cos personally i hate sporks

first aid kit V important
mora knife
mora crook knife


snugpack sleeping bag and cos comfart is a personall thing which one is up 2 u but the antarctica re is always a good choice if u like cold weather camping in my opinion cos its my fave sack

this just my ruck sack/hike camping stuff if you want the base camping stuff just shout

drew

 

[ged]

...I do worry about security but dogs are out of the question due to family members hating them

It's got to be an alarm then. They don't have to be expensive. But there aren't many people that can resist the charm of a new puppy -- as long as they don't have to clean up the mess. They are expensive.

Have been looking at cctv but its easier to keep valuables inside

The trouble is CCTV won't actually stop them unless you're watching it 24/7, and they'll probably be wearing masks or something anyway, so you'll just know exactly when it happened and that's about it.

No more worries about lead as i was fired for leaving it unattended in a garage. I think i should of camped out with it for them to be happy

Oh, that sucks. Best of luck getting it all back together.

 

[bayleaf]

Garage and shed were both broken into while i was asleep the other night

Sorry to read about this,but a word to the wise....keep your kit close to hand.
Mine...such as it is,tends to live under my bed,or in a spare cupboard.Outside,be it shed or garage, will always be less than good,if only from the damp.

Recommended kit?....Britsh army bivi bag.Cheap and effective.Dutch army goretex parka.Fantastic....but find a good one.
I hope everything sorts itself out for you.

 

[drewdunnrespect]

i forgot the next piece of kit i would recomend is a thermarest bed roll

 

[Paul_B]

All the recommendations so far seem like bombproof and heavy gear. If you like to wander about more between camps take a look at the newer lightweight kit around. As good a time as any to get into light weight gear. Doesn't all have to be expensive neither.

Are you a heavyweight or a lightweight type? Really will help people come up with the best kit recommendations for you. I like the Rab survival zone bivvy and a lightweight tarp. The Alpkit rig 7 is supposed to be good and quite cheap really. Get yourself a mountain laurel designs trailstar if you are a ground dweller who wants lightweight but high performance shelter.

I can recommend a whitebox stove but even better is the caldera cone kits. I may well get a caldera keg full kit. That is windshield/pot support, can stove with primer tray attached, pot with lid made out of a fosters can, measuring cup, fuel bottle and a caddy to carry it in your sack all for an all in weight of 181g. My equivalent with the whitebox is 190g but it is not as efficient (is faster and more gas stove like performance) and less stable.

Have you thought of a down quilt instead of a sleeping bag? They might save youweight and are very good IMHO. Also PHD down sleeping bags are simply the best out there in the UK market. There is likely to be a sale coming up in a month or so I think. In that sale they will offer the minim 300 and 500 bags which are not standard and they'll offer it at quite a saving. The standard products are minim 200, 400 and 600. The 200 is too cool for 3 season, the 600 is a good winter one AFAIK but not for spring/summer. The minim is perfect for winter and 3 season if you are a cold sleeper or the 300 for 3 season and into winter if a warm sleeper. If you have the money (or the insurance cough up for it all) then you might as well take the opportunity to get as good as you possibly can. I did that when I got burgled on freshers week on my first year at uni. Got my camera with cheapo zoom lens nicked and since it was all bought separately I claimed for it al separately too. The money meant I got the full minolta kit with better minolta lens too in a full kit from the shop. If you can do that with your nicked gear through insurance then all good.

BTW sorry about your bad luck. My kit is scattered throughout my house. I would never leave anything in a shed without full insurance that I could trust to pay up if it was nicked. I might keep a bike in my shed once I;ve put a more solid door on it. I will of course insure it very well as a fully stated extra on my house insurance if i did. Bear in mind outdoor gear can be expensive so perhaps it should be declared in house insurance too. Also you never get full value back on clothing.

 

[Beardy]

... insurance too. Also you never get full value back on clothing.

Not had this with clothing, but having put a claim in for a £140 item on travel insurance with a £100 excess that costed £30 to take out the policy in the first place, this sort of thing really hacks me off. Total net payment to replace said item I got was £10. Typical.

May as well not have bothered with insurance at all to be honest.

Sorry to hear about your burglary.

 

[beenn]

Im working with my father now- not long term but saving a little bit

All kit was inside at first, but as i got more and more some went outside. Damp is not a problem as the shed is insulated and built very well


I am not a lightweight camper, i dont mind carrying weight, but i will keep weight down as low as possible as long as i am comfortable