Possibles Pouch vs. Shirt Pockets

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TheViking

Native
Jun 3, 2004
1,864
4
35
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I have often wondered: would it be best to keep the small, essential items in a possibles pouch (which there is a thread on right now) or in the shirt pockets??? :roll: :wink: It's easier to check contents and keep stuff together when they are in one single pouch, but if you lose the pouch you've got nothing left. This wouldn't happen if they were carried in the shirt pockets. :wink:

I am actually wondering what to do. It's a great pouch I have made last friday, but thinking off the advantages and disadvantages, I'm starting to doubt. :?:

And I will put up a pic of it + contents later today. :biggthump
 

MartiniDave

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Aug 29, 2003
2,355
130
62
Cambridgeshire
I like a mixture of the 2 systems, but it does mean I end up with kit all over the place if I don't have a good sort out every so often. I'm planning to make some little chammy-leather bags to help keep stuff together in my pockets.

Dave
 

Tantalus

Full Member
May 10, 2004
1,055
136
60
Galashiels
i am about as disorganised as they come

just as likely to pull 15 yards of binder twine out of my pocket followed by a box of matches and a couple of old dog treats while searching for my library card

i find little "packs" a great help

specially the belt type packs

they dont stop me stuffing odd things in my pockets but at least a pouch on my belt doesnt get mixed up with general clutter

even carry my keys on a carabiner on a belt loop

i often wonder what that must look like to a passerby as i check my keys are hanging there before i close the door

Tant wanders outside his front door and grabs his crotch before closing the door everyday?? Must look even worse if i am wearing a big sweater that covers the keys

but what the heck, my biggest worry is locking myself out rather than what the neighbours think of me :nana:

Tant
 

Gary

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Apr 17, 2003
2,603
2
57
from Essex
Little Viking, I like a pouch as it will always contain the essentials no matter what I wear. The problem with pockets is if its hot and you take off your jacket you (in theaory have to empty your pockets) while a simple pouch can be worn with a jacket or t-shirt and short it doesnt matter.

You can of course carry your possibles in your day sack, lets face it in UK and such places your hardly going to be seperated from them, but it is good practice to work a system that will work no matter where you are in the world and again the possibles pouch means that even if you loose your pack and Jacket you will still have your 'survival' gear strapped to your waist.

Just a thought.
 

TheViking

Native
Jun 3, 2004
1,864
4
35
.
Gary said:
Little Viking, I like a pouch as it will always contain the essentials no matter what I wear. The problem with pockets is if its hot and you take off your jacket you (in theaory have to empty your pockets) while a simple pouch can be worn with a jacket or t-shirt and short it doesnt matter.

You can of course carry your possibles in your day sack, lets face it in UK and such places your hardly going to be seperated from them, but it is good practice to work a system that will work no matter where you are in the world and again the possibles pouch means that even if you loose your pack and Jacket you will still have your 'survival' gear strapped to your waist.

Just a thought.
Good thought. :wink: I can really see the advantages now apart from the ones i listed. While walking outside today with doggy, I figured out a system. SAK and big needle in it's leatherpouch in the belt. A SERE compass (Herbertz) and firesteel attached in loop around the neck. The rest in the possibles pouch. :biggthump

Some pics of the pouch I made in about 2 hours. It wasn't so painful as I expected, but it didn't get that beautiful either. But as Ray said to Gary on a Journeyman course about the knife: 'Don't worry about it. It's a tool, not a piece of art. :biggthump The same goes for this fellow.

I think the volume is about 1 litre or so. Just a guess. It's perfect size though. And no, I don't carry tobacco in the Watsons :wink: . It's charcloth and first aid kit. :p

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Cheers :uu:
 

Gary

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Apr 17, 2003
2,603
2
57
from Essex
beauty is in the eye of the beholder little viking and it looks a good pouch to me!

can you attach it to your belt?
 

TheViking

Native
Jun 3, 2004
1,864
4
35
.
Yeah, but it would be bulky if I did attach it. The thing is that it's only a thin leather string. But perhaps I'll find a way to do it one day. :wink:

Thanks, both! :D
 

Paganwolf

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Jul 26, 2004
2,330
2
53
Essex, Uk
www.WoodlifeTrails.com
Lovely job Andy!! The old French Canadian trappers used to carve toggles and use them to fit burl cups and pouches to them selves by passing the toggle up under the belt, Just an idea :wink: but good job matie :wink:
 

leon-1

Full Member
Andy, I think the approach that is used in the All Kitted Out post of Outdoors Magazine is more what you should be looking at, a steady progression of kit and items that work from your person (in your clothing) to the light carried items (a possibles pouch) and then further on each being a supplement to the other.

I always carry bits on my belt and in my pockets (jacket, if I am wearing it and trousers) and I nearly always have a daysack with me with usable items in it. :wink:
 

Nightfall

Forager
Sep 2, 2004
153
2
54
Nothren Califorina
I fall into the same frame of mind.I always have tinder, wetfire, knife and fire steel in my poctet. I have some of the same stuff in my possibles bag, day bag or rucksack.It may be overkill on some things,but on trail items get used, lost and sometimes broken. The pouch looks good Andy.
 

RovingArcher

Need to contact Admin...
Jun 27, 2004
1,069
1
Monterey Peninsula, Ca., USA
Depending on how I'm dressed, jackets have watch caps and gloves, shirts carry medicine, pants carry kit and an old Gerber folding Gator's belt sheath holds utility knife, compass, fire tinder and firesteel.
 

TheViking

Native
Jun 3, 2004
1,864
4
35
.
leon-1 said:
Andy, I think the approach that is used in the All Kitted Out post of Outdoors Magazine is more what you should be looking at, a steady progression of kit and items that work from your person (in your clothing) to the light carried items (a possibles pouch) and then further on each being a supplement to the other.

I always carry bits on my belt and in my pockets (jacket, if I am wearing it and trousers) and I nearly always have a daysack with me with usable items in it. :wink:
Well I have read the "All kitted out" article and I think there is too much! :wink: :roll: Sorry, I'm not the kind of guy that 'reads the book and make the kit' exactly as it says in the book. :wink: I like the military's setup: 1'st line, 2'nd line and 3'rd line. 1'st line is your uniform (my clothes). 2'nd line is your vest/basis (my possibles) and 3'rd line is your bergen (my rucksack). :biggthump
 

leon-1

Full Member
The Viking, so am I, I spent 13 years in the military doing this pretty much the same way. We worked clothing, belt kit and bergan, but we also had things for other eventualities. Part of the bergan would also be a grab bag, or possibly you would have a grab bag strapped to the bergan itself depending on where you were and what you were doing at the time :wink:
 

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