The "possibles" pouch.....

[bombadil]

I've noticed everyone here always refers to a pouch full of useful stuff as a "possibles" pouch. It seems to have become a standard part of bushcraft patter.....what I'm wondering is, who first coined the term? :?:
I know Mr.Mears has a liking for it, and I have found it in a book which pre-dates any of his stuff by an author who's name escapes me. I always thought that the term is a little ambiguous, so I always refer to mine by the even more ambigous term of "ditty bag", (it has a more pleasing ring to it :hump: ).
Anyone else have a preference, or am I decending the slippery slope to analism? :biggthump

 

[tomtom]

i believe that the term comes from old american mountain men who carried with in their possibles pouch all those most important things with make life in the wilderness possible!

but i could be wrong..

 

[bombadil]

Nice one, Tomtom....sounds plausible...... :biggthump
Any advances?

 

[Gary]

Spot on Tomtom! :biggthump

Go to top of the class! :super:

 

[Nightfall]

Yes, as far as I know the term origanated with the mountain men. Bombadil, I havent heard the term ditty bag for a long time. My dad always carried a small ruck sack when we were hunting and thats what he called it.

 

[tomtom]

Spot on Tomtom! :biggthump

Go to top of the class! :super:

cant remember for the life of me who it was who told me that.. eh Gary??

 

[alick]

For curiousity since there are some similar terms around here, on an Australian swag, the small bag that hangs in front of the shoulder to balance the bedroll across your back is called a "dilly bag".

According to Richard Graves Bushcraft the dilly bag was traditionally a flour sack and along with the bedroll and a leather strap to fasten everything together was all you needed to carry your gear in the days before rucksacks.

 

[bombadil]

.....And is it just me, or do other people find that a ditty bag can just keep growing exponentially in content!?! Especially if you've got odd bits of cord, tinder, sharpening rods, or if you've just discovered "Starkies" (Cheers, Jake :shock: )
Mine's like a flippin' tardis, no matter what I stuff in it it always occupies the same amount of space in my pack

 

[tomtom]

im always having to limit the ammont of books in mine lol.. as it is somewhat of a possibles bag!! when i find its getting to much stuff in i put those bit which i dont use often in my pack and free up some space!

 

[RovingArcher]

FYI, the term ditty bag originated in the Navy and is what sailors carried their toiletries and other small items in.

 

[maddave]

.....And is it just me, or do other people find that a ditty bag can just keep growing exponentially in content!?!

Yup... Mine was full of allsorts and I'm toying with the idea of keeping most of my gear in the rucksack now and just having the essentials in this little jobbie I have lying around, and pop it on my belt.

The Tikka is for scale.

Wadda ya think ??

 

[Seagull]

Corblimey! for my tenpennorth the Ditty bag was used for toting around the mariners daily work tools , spike,palm,fid,wax and whatever, while he was 'on-duty.

Duty (ditty) bag. He wasnt allowed below decks, during duty times.

Anyway, that was what mariners were always given to believe!

seagull

 

[RovingArcher]

Yup... Mine was full of allsorts and I'm toying with the idea of keeping most of my gear in the rucksack now and just having the essentials in this little jobbie I have lying around, and pop it on my belt.

The Tikka is for scale.

Wadda ya think ??

I like it. I've been eyeing similar pouches on ebay. A perfect size for just the basics.

 

[Nightfall]

I think the belt pouch is great! I am looking for one. It will just be the thing to carry bits and pieicess of kit.

 

[R-Bowskill]

Maybe I'll get critisized for this, but this thread reminds me of some women I know and their handbags. It seems it is possible to get an entire modern life, including the office into one small bag which I suppose is an effect of the miniturisation of everything.

I tend to use my pockets for stuff, and it's always a nice surprise to find a tenner in one I'd forgotten about, unless I've just done the wahsing then it's ARRGH!!!

 

[RovingArcher]

Very true. Women seem to have a handle on the cool pouches/bags and can stuff them full with all sorts of useful stuff. Of course, they got the idea from the men.