The Minimized Kit List.

[Percy92]

So, we all know that the more you know means the less you carry when out in the 'wilds of the wanny'. But every one still has those personal bits of kit that they like or love and will always carry.

We all try to minimize our kit so we carry a lighter load on our anf for out back!

What's your personal basic kit list when out in the feild? What you can carry at all time's when out for more than one night? (Including those personal bits of kit you like alot, or love!)

Mine is at the moment, as has now been for a while:

- Rucksack or Bergen
- Sleeping Bag, Bivi Bag, Sleeping Mat (all fits nicely together in main compartment of rucksack)
- Paracord, 2x Bunjee's, Small one man emergency tarp (all fits in top pouch in flap/lid)
- Billy Can, Steel Cup, Steel Plate, Spoon (all fits inside billy can and then in top of main compartment)
- Firesteel, Cheap Lighter, Waterproof Box of Matches (all fits in one small tin, then on one of the side pockets)
- Folding Saw, Wire Saw, Folding Knife, Axe-(only when I feel I'll need it) and (all fits in one of the side pockets, then Axe attached to the front of the bergen when with me)
- 500ml Water Bottle (full), Water Purifying Tablets, Plain Bandana, 2L or 3L Foldaway Water Carrier-(if out more than one night) and (all fits nicely in one of the side pockets, alongside the fire kit)
- Wash/Dry Kit, Small Polish Kit-(for Boots), 1 Set of spare Socks, T-Shirt and Pants (all fits at the bottom of the bergen below sleeping kit)

Overall that's about it. It all has it's own place's in the bergen so I always know where it is. It is also located and took out for use pretty easily as it's oranged in a sort of order and packed for ease of access.

I only carry food and enough water if I'm out for the one night. If I'm out for more than one night (I usually am) then I forage, hunting and gather my food from the wild surroundings I'm in. And I collect and purify my own water, so it's drinkable and can be used for cooking and washing purpose's.

I usually make a natural shelter, so the tarp is rarely used. And I nearly always cook on an open fire, so there isn't much need for a stove of some sort or fuel, as I use wood, which is always around me.

Carrying no food, water or stove, also no main source of shelter save's alot of weight! And if you know how to forage, hunt (making your own natural traps and equipment), make good natural shelters, and cook on an open fire, why carry the unnessicary weight?

My pack only ever weights between 10 and 15 kilo's, more so 10 most of the time.

Any pointer's? Comment's, or anything to add to this?
What's your kit list and why?
It's fun to share things, gain new idea's and what not. So go on, throw them out there!

Thanks,
Regards,
Percy.

 

[Scots_Charles_River]

You don't seem to have many clothes ? No Belay Jacket/Synthetic down ? No poncho for heavy rain ?

 

[Shewie]

Don't forget the FAK too with those sharps you're carrying

 

[Percy92]

I only take extra clothing if the weather calls for it, I try to take as least as possible as you can wash clothing out there as you need to as long as you've got 1 set to change into when needed. If it's cold, wintery condition's I'll take base layers / under layers, and my woolly jacket that attatch's inside my flecktarn jacket. But otherwise I try not to take much, you don't need waterproof's as such if you try to avoid heavy rain fall (get under cover quick, quick errection of shelters, etc) and you can work on lighter rain / weather condition's with quick drying clothing. Or if you need to travel through the heavier bad weather condition's you can double you tarp up as a poncho, if warn correctly + it'll cover your pack as well. I hate wool lined glove's or simular for warmth, but if the weather is bad or looks it may turn bad I do take them, but try to avoid using them or taking them. I do carry a hat during the autumn and winter, but again I try not to use them, but if it calls for I'd rather be warm! I haven't included them in my personal packing list though as I try to avoid using them, or carrying them when I can.

Thanks for bringing that up though, it require's reason's for not taking them. =]

 

[Man of Tanith]

i have to agree with Shewie-first aid kit is something i feel you are missing it doesnt have to be a massive first response pack just a couple of FFD's and some sticky plasters incase of oops moments
as for the i dont carry food i forage/hunt thats great i think i would add a bag of rice or oats or bannock mix personally, just as back up incase i couldnt find anything

photos would be nice

 

[Tristar777]

Sorry but this goes in the "roughing it" section for me. Id rather carry extra wieght as the items you are missing for me would make it a miserable time out! Ill go the smouther route but thanks for sharing.

 

[Percy92]

Ah yeah sorry Shewie I didn't reply on the first aid kit, I do carry a small one. As you say Man of Tanith for those 'oops moments.' Got to have a small bandage, couple plasters and mebs an alcohol wipe or 2! + A few other things in the kit, but it's only small and packs away nicely at the bottom of a side pouch.

As for the rice, oats of bannock mix I'd say good idea if your gonna be pretty stumped if you miss out on a meal or something because there's nothing to hunt or pick! I've been in that position before, it sucks. I like to wonder about though, (keeping track on where I am obvcourse) and set up camp near a water source and where there's still the odd thing I can forage if all else fails. So I can nock um some rough soup or something to snack on.

And ah thanks for the note Tristar777, I tend not to fuss for much when it come's to kit, as I like to keep it as simple and minimul as convienient, I can't remember where but I seen a quote once "They say the more you know, the less you carry. Learn as much as possible and be more comfortable when you get there." As for walking every where, your carrying your kit on your back and a heavy load kicks the **** out of you when hiking about. So I enjoy it more when I'm not worn down from hiking with an over loaded pack. Though if I'm not travelling far, I do have varied bits and bobs I add to my kit list, and take out of it from time to time, for comfort.

And for the pics yeah I can't wait to get some up! I was going to ask in another part of the site what sub sites do people use to upload there pics? As it ask's for a URL to the pic? I'm working on getting some new one's, and I'm getting a few projects together, to upload with pics as well.

Thanks for the input guys =]

Percy

 

[plastic-ninja]

Photobucket works extremely well for loading pictures.
I'd be very grateful if you could post a few photos of your shelters.I always end up taking the tarptent as I'm no good at shelters.
It sounds like you could teach us all alot about foraging too so looking forward to your future posts.Amazing that you have never
come on here before really.
Cheers , Simon

 

[Percy92]

Ah thanks for the tip Simon! I will have a look in to PhotoBucket tonight, see how it goes.
And as soon as I've sorted PhotoBucket and some link's for photo's I'll be sure to upload a thread on shelters.
It's alot easier than people think, I think what put's most of though is it's time consuming (taking an hour to two of none stop work) gathering the wood, debris/bush, putting the frame up and then putting the rest on it. Then making sure it's waterproof so no need to worry, then making sure it's sturdy enough for the wind / bad weather conditions. But if you don't mind the hour or 2 and have the time, it's very rewarding!
I'll be sure to get some picture's up before the end of the upcoming weekend!
As for foraging it really depends on the time of year, and what not as you know. But there is the odd thing's you get most or all year around. I'll deffo's make a thread on foraging throughout the season's! Quite a few people ask me about it, so it'll be good to have a link to a thread to help them out more quickly.
Thanks for the tip on PhotoBucket, it seems like it'll be the one!
And I haven't really thought about venturing on to the internet for bushcraft, other than buying kit. A few friends kept telling me to get on a couple forums and maybe make a site though, so I thought why not? It'd be nice to meet some people in to the same thing as well and learn from them and help them out with things to.
So here I am.
Cheers Simon

Percy

 

[Tristar777]

Hi Percy. Just for info, my pack wieght is less than yours!

 

[rg598]

The more you know, the better you are at carrying the right gear so you don't have to spend your day constructing shelters and traps and then operating at a caloric deficiency. That way you can actually go somewhere.

Carrying less doesn't always mean carrying less items. It means carrying the right items so you can reduce your weight while still allowing you to function without being bogged down in endless tasks. I carry rain gear, shelter, food and everything else I need to actually move through the woods in a continuous and sustained manner, and my pack weight is less than yours.

Sorry to be a bother, but something is just a bit off here.

 

[ex-member BareThrills]

Here is my basic weekender in cold conditions

Pack - LA Strike
Outside pouch - Golite shangrala 5 tipi and ti cookset + brew kit
outside straps - Jerven Bag with bag liner rolled in (swapped out for UL bivvy bag if warm) folding buck saw
inside - golite pole, western mountaineering down bag, UL exped down mat, pillow, UL bathtub floor, spare UL groundsheet, possibles bag, wild woodgas stove, meths stove, small bottle meths
top pocket - FAK, gloves, merino beanie, merino headover, water bladder and filter

12kg without food

 

[copper_head]

Nice set-up there
I've been considering a bathtub groundsheet for the ground, are they better than just a standard one? I'm given to understanding they reduce draughts etc.

 

[ex-member BareThrills]

i like mine a lot. its not just the draft issue which to be honest isnt a problem when im in the jerven bag, but it stops crud getting in your sleep area too. it weighs next to nothing too so all good. i got a double version from bearpaw wilderness designs in the states. goes in all of my shelters so a good multi function bit of kit. mine has a hole in the middle with gusset so i can run a pole through it when i use it in my mini peak

 

[copper_head]

Cheers, I can feel my wallet twitching. Must mean I want one

 

[DavidJT]

I'd suggest including the following in the OP's list....

Small Torch / Head Torch
Bog Roll
Water Purification Kit
Sunblock + Mosi Repellant (In Season)
Hand Sanitiser (Especially for after prep of game etc).

 

[rg598]

That's a nice set up Paul. It's well thought out and a lot of utility for the weight.

 

[Man of Tanith]

i think if i was planning to use the OP's kitlist i would
A replace steel plate with crusader mess tin
B add a fixed blade knife
C Throw in a FAK
D include some grub even if its a basic bit
E include a poncho/wet weather kit
F use the tarp for shelter and skip making a natural shelter
G maybe replace stainless steel cook kit with lighter stuff......

 

[Highbinder]

Don't have details to hand but..

golite rucksack, DIY hammock (single layer, whoopies, w/o bugnet mostly, down UQ/rollmat), golite ponchotarp, rab down bag, whitebox stove, ti mug, 2x 2l plastic waterbottle, tikka2 headtorch, opinel, BRK Imp, firekit, fak, montane windshirt, summer/winter hat (plus wool snood and gloves as nec), change of clothes (camp clothes - wool base layers, socks, fleece jumper typically), and whatever else (map, compass, washkit, tp)

Under 7kg. I'm not fanatic on lightweight camping, but I've found what works for me. I never find myself carrying too mcuh weight (except in the summer with 6l+ of water), yet never find myself roughing it.

 

[presterjohn]

Where do you get to do all this stuff Percy? Places I can walk around with a knife, forage and light fires seem to be harder and harder to find these days. I can't think of any that I can do all those things in my area.