light,lighter. lightest-right righter rightest

[Man of Tanith]

as i've said my biggest downfall is shiney kit syndrome i see toys i have bought and have to take them.
i think my bushcraft resolution is to go back down to a 60 or 70ltr pack and no more(part from water my permission has no fresh water)
John i dont plan to travel light freeze at night just avoid carrying excess junk i never use.
time to start listing the kit i take and what i do or dont use.
and as for lending kit i will still do that but only if they can fit it in their pack

 

[dwardo]

What you describe is my experience to a tee! Except that I've decided not to try and fight it!

In my early days (influenced by the Army) everything was canvas, wool and stainless steel (weighed a ton!). As technology and the internet "educated" us I went down the ultralight route with synthetics and aluminium followed by titanium. Great if you wanted to run up the side of a mountain (which I was want to do in those days) but it slowly dawned on me as I got older that synthetics made me sweat (and stink!), made me sound like a bag of crisps as I moved about and didn't give me a good night's sleep. Aluminium and Titanium was great for boiling water but, for me, not much good for anything else (I can still taste the aluminium in water boiled in it and titanium is rubbish as an all round cooking surface - try frying on it - some bits of the bacon will be burnt black whilst other bits will still be raw).

So...I recognised my advancing years and went back to natural (heavy) fibres and stainless steel. I'm not saying my way is the best way - there are still plenty of young lads and lasses on this forum who like cantering up the sides of mountains and keep old f*rts like me abreast of the latest gear - and one of my greatest pleasures is when some young "newbie" points me in the direction of something wonderful - be it practice or gear, long may that continue. But...I've slowed down and am happy to admit it. Cotton, Wool, Ventile and Canvas is heavy but silent and doesn't make me sweat unduly (my unframed canvas backpack is the most comfortable I've ever had). Stainless steel cookware is consistent and has a solidity that will last anyone forever. I rarely reach double figures in milage in one day (8 miles is the longest trek I have to one of my sites). I find more the pleasure in being there rather than getting there - if that makes sense!

Well that saved me a whole lotta typing, me too. Thanks fin

 

[sandbender]

"...was curious as to how folks load outs have changed since they first began on their bushcraft wanderings?..."

Packs:

In the eighties I used a Lowe Vector Commander, a huge rucksack covered with pockets and with no shotage of internal dividers and attachment points, into this I would add additional pouches, bags and stuff sacks that would allow me to keep everything neatly organised. It weighed a ton. I remember once I walked at speed from Applecross to Strathcarron in order to catch the last train home, when I took the pack off I felt like I was walking on the moon.

These days I use a 47 liter pack, things are stuffed into rubble bags rather than specialized pouches, I count the grams but I'm not so serious as to cut my toothbrush in half. Carrying less weight means I enjoy my walking environment more. When I travel in far off places I take as little as I think I can get away with, I buy things locally as the need arises. I try to travel with nothing that I wouldn't mind losing, giving away or being stolen.

I do however have a Kifaru X-Ray with lots of accessory pouches, all filled with gucci outdoor gear. It sits in a wardrobe and occasionally I take it out for a play.

Knives:

In the eighties I went through several Gerber blades, including a Gerber BMF. These days, I get more done with a Mora, or even a Benchmade folder.

Clothing:

I used to use a lot of Buffalo clothing and I still do, but I do wear more woollen stuff these days, especially for shorter trips.

 

[jeffz]

This is the lightest/smallest I've gone for a 2 day & night trip when I was last out in the US:

18-litre, 10lb Kit for the Topanga trip (top left, clockwise):

• Poncho-tarp - will use as a groundsheet
• Snowpeak titanium mug
• Sleep-mat
• Quechua S15 ultralight sleeping bag
• Alpkit Hunka bivvy-bag
• Silk liner
• 2-litre bag of water (the heaviest item here)
• 550 and Dyneema cords
• Taco Bell (!) spork - they’re great, and lighter than titanium
• Maxpedition EDC pouch with Opinel No.8, LED Lenser P3, firesteel, Gerber sharpener, Stanley screwdriver set, jet-lighter, nail-clippers, CRKT Eat ‘n’ tool, first aid kit, small signalling mirror
• Nit-Ize keyring with Buck Nano, Exotac firesteel, Refrakter LED torch, USB key (with ID and medical details), Silva compass & thermometer
• REI Flash 18 ultralight, minimalist pack
• Carabiners (load-bearing)
• Alpkit sil-nylon pouch containing cordage, tinder and 10 titanium pegs

Whole lot fits in the REI Flash and my pockets. Will also carry a bottle of water, brew-kit, pouch of dehydrated food, a few snacks and a map in a bum-bag.

The first time I went out to the woods in the early 80s, I must've had an 80-litre, framed pack, full of heavy gear.

 

[Retired Member southey]

I tend to carry the same kit all year round with only a few changes depending on expected temperature, by that I mean in late autumn to mid spring I have a nice big warm arctic gonk bag, where as warmer times im in a buffalo 4s outer, but the rest of the non clothing kit is always the same

 

[Man of Tanith]

post up some pics southey?
i am leaning towards rearranging my load to allow a similar idea of standard stuff for all my expolits
but i am also thinking of going through Mr. Kephart's kit lists given in his book and making a homage to it out of my stores.

 

[Retired Member southey]

Will do dude, off out for most of next week so will get a pic while out

 

[Man of Tanith]

oooh anywheres nice? cheers dude.
the eternal jiggling about of kit one of the best parts of this hobby i reckon.(please note i say one)
more i think bout copying kephart more interesting i think this could be

 

[Retired Member southey]

just some local woods for Sunday, Monday, Tuesday then home for a family visit then out for a walk and camp on Friday, Saturday

 

[BillyBlade]

This is the lightest/smallest I've gone for a 2 day & night trip when I was last out in the US:

18-litre, 10lb Kit for the Topanga trip (top left, clockwise):

• Poncho-tarp - will use as a groundsheet
• Snowpeak titanium mug
• Sleep-mat
• Quechua S15 ultralight sleeping bag
• Alpkit Hunka bivvy-bag
• Silk liner
• 2-litre bag of water (the heaviest item here)
• 550 and Dyneema cords
• Taco Bell (!) spork - they’re great, and lighter than titanium
• Maxpedition EDC pouch with Opinel No.8, LED Lenser P3, firesteel, Gerber sharpener, Stanley screwdriver set, jet-lighter, nail-clippers, CRKT Eat ‘n’ tool, first aid kit, small signalling mirror
• Nit-Ize keyring with Buck Nano, Exotac firesteel, Refrakter LED torch, USB key (with ID and medical details), Silva compass & thermometer
• REI Flash 18 ultralight, minimalist pack
• Carabiners (load-bearing)
• Alpkit sil-nylon pouch containing cordage, tinder and 10 titanium pegs

Whole lot fits in the REI Flash and my pockets. Will also carry a bottle of water, brew-kit, pouch of dehydrated food, a few snacks and a map in a bum-bag.

The first time I went out to the woods in the early 80s, I must've had an 80-litre, framed pack, full of heavy gear.

Now there's a man who has hit the nail on the head for how it should be done! Great set up jeff

 

[Man of Tanith]

forgot to say like the set up jeff. a little more light weight than i personally would want to go for but most impressive

 

[ged]

... how it should be done! ...

Nail clippers?? okenest:

 

[rik_uk3]

In terms of items I took far less 40 years ago than I would now if still hiking, but a lot of stuff is lighter these days, my Hex 3 is 20lb lighter than my old two man mountain tent for instance. In fact the 10-15 item trip was not a challenge, its all we needed back then.

 

[jeffz]

And here's my rig for my Boxing-Day/Night trip (4.53kg):

- Sigg 1-litre bottle (145g)
- MSR Pocket Rocket stove in red case (113g)
- SnowPeak titanium mug, containing tri-mix gas-cart and brew-kit (441g)
- Sil-nylon dry-bag containing paracord, Bic lighter and 12 titanium pegs (360g)
- Silk sleeping-bag liner (148g)
- Mountain Equipment Primaloft Compressor Vest (260g)
- Poncho Tarp (302g)
- Karrimor X-lite sleep-pad (350g)
- Ultralight groundsheet (178g)
- Quechua S15 Ultralight Sleeping Bag- as inner-bag (680g)
- Blacks Ledge 200 Goose-down bag & Alpkit Hunka Bivvy (854g)
- Alpkit Gordoun drybag rucksack, fitted with 2 litre hydration-bladder (700g)

Will carry rations in my Snugpak response waist-pack.

 

[lannyman8]

i know what you mean Sam, all my kit is military issue so not so light or small but does what it says on the tin, last for ever and very tough....

id like to have lighter kit but cant afford it, im also a beast when it comes to tabbing it out so im not so bothered, its food and water that makes things heavy anyway.....

regards.

chris.

 

[SimonM]

I have a mix of traditional gear and ultra lightweight, usage depends on what I'm doing, where I'm doing it and who with.

I did a stint with the TA and carried 58Patt webbing and large pack, bought my own bergan and eventually into PLCE, so am (was) happy enough tabbing with a heavy pack on my back. Having said that, I got into this bushcraft lark following a course (BELA) where I found myself carrying 18Kg...which wasn't a problem (at the time), but I wanted to get back to the simple camping that I enjoyed as a young Scout.

I'm redoing my BEL Award, starting next month, and am aiming for less than 10kg this time round.
For fixed camps with Scouts and Meets - I need a few journeys to the car to get all the cast iron, parachute, chairs etc.

Simon

 

[jeffz]

i know what you mean Sam, all my kit is military issue so not so light or small but does what it says on the tin, last for ever and very tough....

id like to have lighter kit but cant afford it, im also a beats when it comes to tabbing it out so im not so bothered, its food and water that makes things heavy anyway.....

regards.

chris.

It's not expensive to go light if you take time to shop around. I think the most expensive single item in my winter kit by far is the goose-down bag, which I got in a sale for £58.

 

[lannyman8]

It's not expensive to go light if you take time to shop around. I think the most expensive single item in my winter kit by far is the goose-down bag, which I got in a sale for £58.

blimey thats good, but still out of my price range....

im really having to toy with the idea of spending £20 on a new pot for my cooking system, but it will save fuel/money in the long run...

 

[Retired Member southey]

Here you go Sam, the food I take is dry stuff( pasta and rice meals) with maybe two days fresh, its from my face book page so might only work for Sam.

http://m.facebook.com/media/set/?se...er=live&_ft_interface=m_basic&_ft_c=m&refid=8

 

[Man of Tanith]

i feel special having it all to myself
looks good and some ideas to pinch/mimic