Over the years, I have made more changes to my kit than I can remember... These vary from ultralight, to canvas and leather everywhere. I thought about other peoples load outs and thought what the hell, may as well see what I use myself in the winter months.
So, here goes.
Swannie thick wool jumper
M65 field jacket and liner
Keela salopettes
Danner hunting boots.
Not in the shot are boxer shorts, socks and some icebreaker base layers
The clothing is on me and does not get packed... If I am away for a period with a lot of travel, I would pack spare base layer and underwear - nothing seems to get through the outer layers. not in the last decade anyway.
Sleeping bag is a MASSIVE fleece lined fishing thing... it takes the entire big section of my sabre 45 but I love it. It isn't so heavy but it's just insanely bulky.
Thermarest Dreamtime... sure it doesn't fit in any known pack and is damn heavy but it's thick, has open foam on top and on that is a fleece cover, it is as comfortable as my bed at home but probably warmer.
In the leather is my brew kit... various coffees, hot chocolate, sugar and other packets of things like ketchup, brown sauce, salt and pepper.
In the mesh is food. This weekend I'm experimenting with loads of the "look what we found" foods, there are lots of meals in there.
Top left: Pot/me scourer, dry wash, tooth brush, deodorant in one pile... can't find my travel tooth paste so i'm grabbing one on the way to the woods.
Top right: Possibles pouch, in it go the spare head torch batteries, some plasters, alcohol wipes, lighter, pen sharpening stone and anything that takes my fancy.
Middle Left to right: Pocket sharpening stone, belt knife, fire steel, micro torch, neck knife for food, spoon and fork, Mors pot, gas and wind shield, large folding cup/bowl, primus micron stove. All the cooking stuff goes in the pot.
Bottom left is a head torch and a marker light for my tent.
Everything but the clothes (that I will be wearing) and the thermarest goes in my sabre 45, not in any photos are my fleecy fishing hot water bottle or my thermarest pillow cover, those go on top of my sleeping bag in the main compartment.
The cooking and eating hardware go in my mors pot, on top of that goes the brew kit and on top of that goes the food. That takes up a side pouch.
In the other side pouch is a Vaude Terraquattro 3P, the poles for which go between the side pouch and main.
The possibles pouch and personal items go into the top of the pack.
The only other items not shown are my large knife for heavy work or axe - I haven't decided which i'm taking yet this weekend. Or my water which is a us 2 quart thing.
If there is rain forecast, I usually shove an umbrella between a side pouch and the main one on my pack too.
That's it really.
Any suggestions i'm happy to hear... I know I have a few luxury items taking 90% of the room, to me it's worth it. I like sleep and the huge bag and huge thermarest make every night pure luxury.
The tent gives me maximum protection from biting winds and can take a good dump of any weather in its stride and I have found that it does not need any pegs on annoying guy lines that get tripped over.
So, here goes.
Swannie thick wool jumper
M65 field jacket and liner
Keela salopettes
Danner hunting boots.
Not in the shot are boxer shorts, socks and some icebreaker base layers
The clothing is on me and does not get packed... If I am away for a period with a lot of travel, I would pack spare base layer and underwear - nothing seems to get through the outer layers. not in the last decade anyway.
Sleeping bag is a MASSIVE fleece lined fishing thing... it takes the entire big section of my sabre 45 but I love it. It isn't so heavy but it's just insanely bulky.
Thermarest Dreamtime... sure it doesn't fit in any known pack and is damn heavy but it's thick, has open foam on top and on that is a fleece cover, it is as comfortable as my bed at home but probably warmer.
In the leather is my brew kit... various coffees, hot chocolate, sugar and other packets of things like ketchup, brown sauce, salt and pepper.
In the mesh is food. This weekend I'm experimenting with loads of the "look what we found" foods, there are lots of meals in there.
Top left: Pot/me scourer, dry wash, tooth brush, deodorant in one pile... can't find my travel tooth paste so i'm grabbing one on the way to the woods.
Top right: Possibles pouch, in it go the spare head torch batteries, some plasters, alcohol wipes, lighter, pen sharpening stone and anything that takes my fancy.
Middle Left to right: Pocket sharpening stone, belt knife, fire steel, micro torch, neck knife for food, spoon and fork, Mors pot, gas and wind shield, large folding cup/bowl, primus micron stove. All the cooking stuff goes in the pot.
Bottom left is a head torch and a marker light for my tent.
Everything but the clothes (that I will be wearing) and the thermarest goes in my sabre 45, not in any photos are my fleecy fishing hot water bottle or my thermarest pillow cover, those go on top of my sleeping bag in the main compartment.
The cooking and eating hardware go in my mors pot, on top of that goes the brew kit and on top of that goes the food. That takes up a side pouch.
In the other side pouch is a Vaude Terraquattro 3P, the poles for which go between the side pouch and main.
The possibles pouch and personal items go into the top of the pack.
The only other items not shown are my large knife for heavy work or axe - I haven't decided which i'm taking yet this weekend. Or my water which is a us 2 quart thing.
If there is rain forecast, I usually shove an umbrella between a side pouch and the main one on my pack too.
That's it really.
Any suggestions i'm happy to hear... I know I have a few luxury items taking 90% of the room, to me it's worth it. I like sleep and the huge bag and huge thermarest make every night pure luxury.
The tent gives me maximum protection from biting winds and can take a good dump of any weather in its stride and I have found that it does not need any pegs on annoying guy lines that get tripped over.
