hi guys do you find that if you got a larger pack you tend to add more gear? its just a bit of a conindrum to me.cos am nowhere near as fit as i used to be. and dont think al manage to haul my 65 litre pack any further than 100 yards on flat ground. lol when i did my service years ago in my spare time i would go for a weekend in the woods with just the contents of one half of a 58 pattern kidney pouch set. plus a water bottle and a poncho and manage fine over two days foraging hunting etc. now it seems ive to cram as much gear as poss into a 65 litre pack and it weighs about 40lbs not including water and stove fuel.. whats happened? is it cos ive gotton older? and therefore more reliant on safety stuff med kits etc. or perhaps ive lost confidence in my own rescourcefulness and bushcraft ability its just become really worrying that i think i should need so much gear. how do i go about sorting this ? what sort of weight and pack size do you use over a 48 hour period? any help guys...
travelling light.
- Thread starter blackfeather
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Same boat. The more room, the more I pack. I filled my salient recently for 2nights in Scotland. I didn't carry any food or water! I'm now just going to use the bare minimum for overnights and have a bergan for multi day trips.
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I take the same size pack all the time a big roomy bergan, but I compress the straps down and am very strict on what kit I pack. I take a bigger pack just because its easier to carry stuff I find while out like bits of would for carving or what have you.
cheers guys its a right mystery just this morning i picked up one of my old uncle ray books the bushcaft book. and near the front when it got on about something to carry kit in, something to sleep on in and under something to ccok in eat out of etc.
but found myself telling my self well i need my med kit lanterns axe saw shovel spares for this that and the other multifuel stove extra pans sleeping bag liner kip mat and a host of other stuff before i knew it. id kitted up to find dr livingston. and the only way am going to lug this lot is put it in the back of my van. get close to destination, from there transfer the lot to a carp fishing barrow. and struggle to push it ten yards to my camp site. i know the last bit was exagerated but guys do you get the drift?? i see carp fishermen all the time with barrowloads of kits and ive took the water lol what do they need that lot for. they are not looking for nessy!!!! but found myself doing the same thing for an overnight bushy chill out am getting it wrong somewhere!!!
but found myself telling my self well i need my med kit lanterns axe saw shovel spares for this that and the other multifuel stove extra pans sleeping bag liner kip mat and a host of other stuff before i knew it. id kitted up to find dr livingston. and the only way am going to lug this lot is put it in the back of my van. get close to destination, from there transfer the lot to a carp fishing barrow. and struggle to push it ten yards to my camp site. i know the last bit was exagerated but guys do you get the drift?? i see carp fishermen all the time with barrowloads of kits and ive took the water lol what do they need that lot for. they are not looking for nessy!!!! but found myself doing the same thing for an overnight bushy chill out am getting it wrong somewhere!!!
I take a first aid kit what ever, and a sleeping bag, roll mat and bivve, then a tarp if I think it may rain, and a pot to cookt in, water bottles x2 and a metal cup. The rest to me is a nice to have
I'd ditch the lanterns, shovel and extra pans for a start, that's base camping/canoe tackle rather than hiking.
Take a headtorch and use it when needed, enjoy the night time sky/glow of the fire when you don't.
Take a small trowel instead of a shovel, or just use a stout stick.
Take one pan maybe two, take a lightweight meths stove as backup if you can't get a fire going/not allowed.
What else are you packing, usually "spare" clothes are a popular one
Take a headtorch and use it when needed, enjoy the night time sky/glow of the fire when you don't.
Take a small trowel instead of a shovel, or just use a stout stick.
Take one pan maybe two, take a lightweight meths stove as backup if you can't get a fire going/not allowed.
What else are you packing, usually "spare" clothes are a popular one
The more you can get out, the better you will know how little you can get away with.
There is no point in carrying the smallest and lightest sleeping bag you have if you can never get a good nights sleep in it.
If you can sleep on leaf mulch or whatever most nights in your area then you probably don't need a mat.
If you can dig a hole with a stick then you don't need a shovel or a trowel etc. etc.
For 48 hours or a month I carry a 47 litre pack. Although sometimes I just carry what is in my pockets (but only for a few days, not a month).
There's a wealth of lightweight ideas on the web which I've been influenced by, you could visit USA www.backpackinglight.com for inspiration.
And have a look at what 'thru hikers' take with them.
Like Brit Chris Townsend.
[Im just reading his book atm. Grizzly Bears and Razor Clams. About his 1200 mle hike through the Pacific Northwest Trail.
He has all his equipment listed at the back] and there are a couple of youtube vids ofwhat he took with him:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc7PI1Y7AUQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2g5RqMpljsI
Or the American long distance thru hiker Andrew Skurka, who posts his full gear lists online: http://andrewskurka.com/how-to/
Or Colin Ibbotson who seems to take it to extremes: http://tramplite.com/
Im down to carrying 10-11kg for 4 days 3/4 season, including a 1.3kg very comfortable pack, with a frame.
..and I find very easy to carry.....which I am dead chuffed about...
And have a look at what 'thru hikers' take with them.
Like Brit Chris Townsend.
[Im just reading his book atm. Grizzly Bears and Razor Clams. About his 1200 mle hike through the Pacific Northwest Trail.
He has all his equipment listed at the back] and there are a couple of youtube vids ofwhat he took with him:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc7PI1Y7AUQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2g5RqMpljsI
Or the American long distance thru hiker Andrew Skurka, who posts his full gear lists online: http://andrewskurka.com/how-to/
Or Colin Ibbotson who seems to take it to extremes: http://tramplite.com/
Im down to carrying 10-11kg for 4 days 3/4 season, including a 1.3kg very comfortable pack, with a frame.
..and I find very easy to carry.....which I am dead chuffed about...
widu13
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
I do like to wash! so take a wash kit and have a set of long underwear to wear in bed and 2 pairs of clean socks. (One for bedtime, the other to dry after washing). However my ruck is a 65ltr 1.2kg Karrimor because it was cheap. Why 65 ltr? Because whilst a lot of my kit is cheap it isn't heavy but it is bulky because it's cheap. i.e. my doss bag I'm using was £40. I could get one literally 1/2 the size but for twice the money. I recently went on a trip with a mate and his 35 ltr bag weighed 19kg, my 65 ltr bag was stuffed to the very top but with 2.5 ltrs of water (an extra ltr for the dog), dog food, folding dog bowls and a dog blanket, I came in at 15 kgs carrying a 1.5kg tent. I was happy with 15 kgs knowing I was carrying wet food and could literally have halved it's weight and without the dog would have reduced the weight further to around the 11kg mark.
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I was in the same boat at the beginning of last year. I got rid of all my rucksacks after being given a Munro pack. This is all I have now so if I am not wearing it and it won't fit in the pack it doesn't go. I have found this approach works for me, i don't stay out when it's really cold ,but it's big enough for two nights. On your other point I have found as I get older I am thinking more about "what if" so try to plan for every eventuality. When your younger you just do things and deal with it. I think as we get older we are more aware of our mortality because we have more experiences to draw upon. When we are younger we haven't had enough experiences so worry less. Sorry to say this but I think it's a curse of getting older.
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"If we had some bacon we could have bacon and eggs, if we had some eggs"
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"If we had some bacon we could have bacon and eggs, if we had some eggs"
Ive had a few nights out recently and found myself looking closer at what i take.
Its been said before, when you get back take out anything that you havent used as you probably dont need it.
Obviously this doesnt include FAK.
i carry a 30ltr munro for two nights
Sleepingbag in drybag
orange foil survival blanket
roll mat
bivvy bag
tarp with cords
mess tins with dried food and drinks packed inside
honey stove
trangia burner and fuel
tatonka mug
1ltr nalgene
ortlieb waterbag
aquamira filter
Esee Izula knife
Light my fire steel.
Headtorch.
FAK
When the weather gets colder i will swap to a bigger pack so im able to get my cold weather doss bag and extra clothes.
I wear a Dutch smock and in the pockets i carry
Buff
Sunglasses
Bogroll in a bag
Some spare cordage
Lighter
Folding mug.
Its been said before, when you get back take out anything that you havent used as you probably dont need it.
Obviously this doesnt include FAK.
i carry a 30ltr munro for two nights
Sleepingbag in drybag
orange foil survival blanket
roll mat
bivvy bag
tarp with cords
mess tins with dried food and drinks packed inside
honey stove
trangia burner and fuel
tatonka mug
1ltr nalgene
ortlieb waterbag
aquamira filter
Esee Izula knife
Light my fire steel.
Headtorch.
FAK
When the weather gets colder i will swap to a bigger pack so im able to get my cold weather doss bag and extra clothes.
I wear a Dutch smock and in the pockets i carry
Buff
Sunglasses
Bogroll in a bag
Some spare cordage
Lighter
Folding mug.
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Age: As we get older we tend to have more people to look after, wife kids etc so if we have a bigegr stove/cooking gear/tent etc to look after them, we tend to use the same equipment on ourselves. Also as we get older, the amount of extra kit we have accumulated simply because of the years of kit buying, we are sometimes loath to leave some of the things behind that we found at a boot sale, bought at a bargain. Most of us had less kit when we were younger for the simple fact there was no online shopping, the ease of buying from heinnie, polimil or hundreds of low prices bushcraft stores nowadays does mean we tend to accumulate more kit.
Al
Al
thanks a lot guys it does seem more like basecamp / expedition than a couple nights in the woods. next weekend am going to have a real close look at what am carrying and why!! someone once said to me that if you ant used something for x amount of time you dont need it. just dont want to take my kit out. decide what am not using then out it or them or both. the trouble is i think if i dont get rid of the large pack i may take stuff out of it and just replace it with something else. i weighed it earlier and it camein at 38 lbs without water or liquid fuel. so something has to go lol. annd i guess your right we do draw on past experiences and would be could be if i dont etc
the shovel by the way. is one of the small gerber gorge thingys. it folds small but it is quite hefty and heavy for its size. the other weight just seems too much so al let you know how i go. cheers to all guys.
the shovel by the way. is one of the small gerber gorge thingys. it folds small but it is quite hefty and heavy for its size. the other weight just seems too much so al let you know how i go. cheers to all guys.
How long you out for?
How much food/water do you need?
Do you need gear to sleepout? Tarp/dossbag.
Do you need a warm drink or would cold drinks do. Time of year dependant.
Personally i dont like to brew on an open fire as it can attract attention.
How much food/water do you need?
Do you need gear to sleepout? Tarp/dossbag.
Do you need a warm drink or would cold drinks do. Time of year dependant.
Personally i dont like to brew on an open fire as it can attract attention.
Of course I'd prefer a cold drink; but I really don't want to carry ice about in a pack.
i can go light when i want or have to
but i'm out for fun and relaxing, and currently i don't get out as much as i would like so i usually have an assortment of new toys to test out.
equally a large pack does beg to be filled
but i'm out for fun and relaxing, and currently i don't get out as much as i would like so i usually have an assortment of new toys to test out.
equally a large pack does beg to be filled
Absolutely spot on.
If you want to doodle about and play then take the toys - but dont expect to walk too far.
I normally aim for a sub 8kg pack if I am walking multi days.
How the hell do you carry multi nights camping kit in a 30ltr bag it would have to be summer and a very small dossbag for a start.
I use a 35L and can do multi day trips.. think its a 2 season bag but have room left over so could get a 3 maybe 4 season bag inside.
My down bag, no problems but my synthetic 3 season bag takes up about 25l of space. What else are you packing and do you have anything strapped to the outside?
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