Response Pak show and tell

[Joff]

Wayland

Where did you get the star and sun charts?

Joff

 

[Wayland]

The sun chart was a freebie from a photographic magazine. I'm afraid I've never seen them anywhere else.

The Planisphere used to be given away with Tasco telescopes in a shop I used to manage. They always sent us too many so I got one or two from there.

They are available from Amazon

Although that one is a bit bigger than mine.

 

[Joff]

Many thanks

 

[Graham_S]

I'll try to put photos of mine up tomorrow.

 

[nipper]

I have just emptied my response pak and this is what I found. I have to say that mine is more geared more towards tracking rather than bushcraft.

Opticron Gallery monocular
Hand Gel
Fenix LD2 torch
Petzl e-lite
Bandana (loads of uses!)
Multi tool
Compass
Notebook and pen
Trail Tape
Castration rings
Lighter & matches
Mini light
Opinel knife
Whistle
Mobile phone
Paracord
Tweezers
Red Bull Stove
Foil Tray (folded flat, very useful)
Loaded strop

On the belt itself I have the following:
GPS in a Maxpedition Radio Pouch
Comms in a Maxpedition Radio Pouch
Carabiner
FAK

I usually take some food (Super Noodles and Rice etc) hence the foil container. Its much easier to carry that a mess tin.

My bag seems a little lightweight compared to you guys. I must try harder

Hope the pictures come out.

Nick

 

[nipper]

Just remembered, add this to the list:

Inova X5 (green leds)
Firesteel
DC4
Oxo cubes
Magnifying Glass
Lolly sticks
Mirror

It's getting heavier

Nick

 

[Mikey P]

I have just emptied my response pak and this is what I found. I have to say that mine is more geared more towards tracking rather than bushcraft.

Opticron Gallery monocular
Hand Gel
Fenix LD2 torch
Petzl e-lite
Bandana (loads of uses!)
Multi tool
Compass
Notebook and pen
Trail Tape
Castration rings
Lighter & matches
Mini light
Opinel knife
Whistle
Mobile phone
Paracord
Tweezers
Red Bull Stove
Foil Tray (folded flat, very useful)
Loaded strop

On the belt itself I have the following:
GPS in a Maxpedition Radio Pouch
Comms in a Maxpedition Radio Pouch
Carabiner
FAK

I usually take some food (Super Noodles and Rice etc) hence the foil container. Its much easier to carry that a mess tin.

My bag seems a little lightweight compared to you guys. I must try harder

Hope the pictures come out.

Nick

I am so going to regret this but...'Castration Rings'? What do you get up to outdoors?

 

[nipper]

Hi Mikey

Don't panic, Its nothing sinister.

As I said my passion is tracking, but if I go out for a walk I don't always take my trackpack and tracking stick. So, I tend to throw a few items in my response pack hence the mirror, trail tape, magnifying glass etc. The castration rings are so that I can knock up a quick tracking stick if I need one!

Hope this puts the record straight

Nick

 

[g4ghb]

what do you mean by a 'tracking stick' Nick?

 

[nipper]

what do you mean by a 'tracking stick' Nick?

Hi Graham

Good to see another Wiltshire bushcrafter with an interest in tracking

A tracking stick is simply a stick (as straight a possible) with a couple of adjustable markers on it. The markers in this case are a couple of castration rings.

Once you have established the size of the primary impact point the terminal impact point and stride, finding the next track is a doddle. I can track without one but it is a help when the going gets tough.

I also teach scout and explorer groups to track, so I find it an invaluable teaching aid for them, and gives them confidence to find the next track.

I used to take a pile of dowel rods from B & Q but now I usually get them to make a tracking stick so that they can take a break from tracking and practice some knife skills (it gives their eyes a rest after mornings tracking).

Hope this helps but if you need any further info let me know.

Nick

 

[Woodcutter]

A truley inspiring thread this one. So inspiring in fact that I have ordered a Response Pak from outdoor code, and am compiling a list of whats going in it.

I like the idea of the pak sitting in the top of my bergan, in it all those things I spend ages rummaging through my bergan for when camp is set up. It will be great to have one small portable PAK that I can access easily when sat around the fire.

Thanks guys, I'll post pics once its arrived and I have had chance to pack it, see what I can get in it etc.

ps where do I get castration rings from?

 

[nipper]

Castration ring shop of course

Any farm suppliers will have them. I think you can get a box of 500 for a couple of quid!

Nick

 

[Steve K]

I found the castration rings at Scats.

Cheers
Steve

 

[spamel]

Castration rings! All I could think was "This'll teach you for wandering all over the woods leaving the faintest tracks ever and making my life a misery!"

I read about the tracking stick in the bob carrs book, he uses o rings but I suppose anything that is stretchy and will grip the stick but can be rolled along for adjustment will work. Good idea!

 

[Eric_Methven]

I read about the tracking stick in the bob carrs book, he uses o rings but I suppose anything that is stretchy and will grip the stick but can be rolled along for adjustment will work. Good idea!

An old pair of marigold rubber gloves work well. Just cut the fingers into pieces so you end up with loads of thick yellow rubber bands. Easy to see in low light conditions. Recycle/reuse.

Eric

 

[Jedadiah]

ps where do I get castration rings from? [/QUOTE]


Woodcutter,

you can get 'Castration Rings' from a shop called 'Countrywide'. It's a commercial farming supplies chain with branches all over the country. You can also get crook knives, boiled linseed oil, axes, tarps, in fact most things bushcraft at reasonable prices, though somethings are useless. I found a pair of underpants for a sheep with a prolapsed uterus! I can think of one thing and one thing only that it could be used for and it's got something to do with a sheep and a specific medical condition!

Not a lot of use in a response pack, but, as i said, loads of other useful things at good prices!

By the way Wayland, i'm so impressed with your crook knife carry case. Correct me if i'm wrong but is it a plastic case for drill bits or industrial tap's? I've just popped into my garage and found one and guess what, instant crook knife case!

Top tip mate, well in!

 

[Goose]

Wayland

Where did you get the star and sun charts?

Joff

Could be worth trying the shops you have to go through before you are allowed to leave a museum , that is where I got my "planisphere"(star chart) from.

 

[Wayland]

By the way Wayland, i'm so impressed with your crook knife carry case. Correct me if i'm wrong but is it a plastic case for drill bits or industrial tap's? I've just popped into my garage and found one and guess what, instant crook knife case!

Top tip mate, well in!

Yes, well spotted. I half expected someone to ask because the idea came to me purely by chance.

 

[Graham_S]

My response pack.
Jingly zip pullers removed, photon light and grimlock added.

Open pack, Note the paracord loop stiched into the front pocket. it allows me to attach things to the bag I don't want to lose. not too full, I'm cutting back on the gubbins I carry around with me.

The contents.

from left to right,
Firesteel, esbit tabs, candle, string, swede 60 knife, leatherman wave, notepad+pencil (blister kit on top, lives in ziplock bag, not shown) first aid kit with petzl e+lite head torch attached.

matchcase, fenix p1, hexi tabs (in film tub) citronella oil, lipsalve, snares, crook knife, BRKT mini canadian skinner,

folding cup, cotton wool/vasaline, paracord, strop+paste, DC4, pack of tissues, folding saw, Ritter PSK.

 

[spamel]

I like the look of those saws, they are in B&Q for quite cheap and in two very different sizes!