Your top 10 first items to get

[Idleknight]

I must admit a lot of the places I go, there is no fire, I don't need more than a folding knife as I am not processing wood. So my list would be similar to the others but I would the saws and axes and would add a book.

My view is that the first few times in the wild being alone for many people is strange, having a book is something you can read to focus your mind. Ideally if its a bushcraft book or ID guide you can learn more while you are out there. Another important thing is a Journal, record your thoughts and what you learn.

 

[GreenNomad]

I must admit a lot of the places I go, there is no fire, I don't need more than a folding knife as I am not processing wood. So my list would be similar to the others but I would the saws and axes and would add a book.

My view is that the first few times in the wild being alone for many people is strange, having a book is something you can read to focus your mind. Ideally if its a bushcraft book or ID guide you can learn more while you are out there. Another important thing is a Journal, record your thoughts and what you learn.

Insightful Idleknight, good advice

 

[Tonyuk]

I found this bag, what do you think?

http://www.surplusandoutdoors.com/shop/camping-equipment/rucksacks-bags/backpack-dutch-military-issue-763730.html

A well made bag more than likely but you would need to make sure it'll fit everything in and not be too tight, the 40L rating will include the side pouches.

Tonyuk

 

[GreenNomad]

A well made bag more than likely but you would need to make sure it'll fit everything in and not be too tight, the 40L rating will include the side pouches.

Tonyuk

Yes I just thought the price was good.

I'm going to collect all my kit before purchasing a bag, need to establish kit size first and see how I'll need to attach anything externally if needed

 

[Damo!]

Ideally if its a bushcraft book or ID guide you can learn more while you are out there. Another important thing is a Journal, record your thoughts and what you learn.

Thats actually a really good idea! I got a spare moleskin laying about somewhere, i'll be sure to add it to my pack.

 

[Dave]

You can go way over the top here. So much kit....You end up with cupboards full.

Or you can do it the way greencraft, neil and leon show. Very simple basic, cheap, a lot of myog. Thats the perfect way really.

[video=youtube;cRVEThNsJjA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRVEThNsJjA[/video]

 

[GreenNomad]

Great video

 

[Squidders]

Money no object for just myself...

1. Rucksack (Lowe Alpine AIRZONE TREK+ 55:65)
2. Tent (Hilleberg Allak)
3. Sleep Mat (Thermarest NeoAir XTherm)
4. Sleeping bag (Rab Ascent 900 Hydrophobic Down)
5. Cook set (Trangia 27-2 UL ALU HA alcohol stove grey 2016)
6. Torch (Fenix HL-50 Headlamp)
7. Knife (Ben Orford Nomad)
8. Saw (Silky Folding Landscaping Hand Saw BIGBOY 2000)
9. Fire Making (A hand full of proper Clipper or Bic lighters)
10. Chair (Helinox Chair One)

Of course, this list is what I personally would like... Everyone's different, nobody's wrong.

 

[Dave]

Out of interest Joe, why the affection for the nomad?
Have you used one?
Its a folder right?
So why?

 

[ceryni]

My limited advice:
Going somewhere you can just up and get in the car and give up if you've messed up, got cold, injured yourself and given yourself first aid etc?

Just go out and do it as soon and as often as possible and write down at the time, and no later, what you learned. Good and bad, what you would change. And do it again.

Just make sure you can get out of the situation before you rush in under prepared.

By no means am I saying to take risks .

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

 

[walker]

have a look on frontier bushcraft on the internet paul has lots of good advice on kit selection

 

[Squidders]

Out of interest Joe, why the affection for the nomad?
Have you used one?
Its a folder right?
So why?

I got one a few years ago and it's just fantastic, it does nearly everything I did with a fixed blade knife short of batoning. I have a small leather sheath that it goes into when its in my pocket - I wouldn't bother with it actually on my belt and I have a little kydex sheath for carry around my neck. I like that it's sub 3" and non-locking which is a onus probandi bonus!

It isn't my only knife, I have an Eban Parang by Ben Orford for the heavier stuff, it cuts so well it's a good alternative to an axe for me but for less weight and bulk.

The reason I included it instead of the usual first choice, and it's a superb one, which is a mora is that a Mora isn't my "top" choice as at some point, I'd replace it with the nomad.

 

[caorach]

Recently I've migrated from days out to doing a little overnight camping. I would generally be out 100ish days per year so I had everything I needed except for the tent and sleeping bit.

I made the decision to do it as cheaply as possible initially to see if it was for me as there was a very real possibility that I'd hate it or that it simply wouldn't add anything to my days out and so I'd not want to do it again. Doing it this way also meant that I was carrying a lot of weight (again I've got what I need for a day pretty much off pat so I wasn't carrying a lot of unnecessary stuff) as the inexpensive gear tends to be heavy and it was simply too heavy for me to enjoy the days out. So, over the winter I've been reducing weight and even spending a little cash and I've seen a significant weight reduction which will hopefully add to my enjoyment this coming season.

You may have this all sorted out already but it is worth considering that if you know this is something you are going to do a lot then start out buying lightweight gear even if it means more expense and saving up for a while. However, if this is just an experiment or you never intend to be more than a short distance from your car then there are lots of good surplus options, for example, that will keep the cost right down. As an example I used a Dutch Army Sting rucksack, it was heavy but very good and relatively inexpensive and I sold it on once I acquired a lightweight solution.

 

[bob_the_bomb]

Hi. I don't know if I would insist on 10 items. Priorities of survival are:

1. Protection. This includes appropriate boots and clothing. Plus waterproofs. As per the 'Rule of Threes' you can pretty messed up if you get caught in a downpour for 3 hours.

2. Navigation and Rescue. The ability to navigate yourself out of s****y conditions or signal for help if you can't. Includes map, compass, torch, whistle

3. Shelter. The ability to protect yourself if you can't walk out. Includes tent/tarp and sleeping bag etc

4. Water. Second 'Rule of Three'. Three days

5. First aid kit. Appropriate to your circumstances

6. Food and the ability to cook it. Don't carry too much cooking kit. Third of the 'Rule of Threes'...they say you'll be dead after 3 weeks with no food...IMHO you'll be pretty useless long before that!

7. Hygiene. Keeps you healthy

8. Change of clothes. Minimum one dry set to put on at night. Put the wet ones back on in the morning.

9. Consumables and repairs. Includes batteries, sewing kit and knife

10. Carriage. Once you've worked out what you want to carry, get a rucksack big enough to carry it comfortably, but not so big you get tempted to stuff it with extras

11. Redundancies. "Two is one and one is none". But see category 10.

Lots of room to choose specific items within each category. But remember Category 10.


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[Dave]

I personally dont have the kind of unfettered access to woodland that Neil seems to enjoy in that video. If I did, or owned my own. I'd probably be in it for half the year.
Yes, it s sensible if youre on a budget, to get the lightweight kit, if youre more into mountain trekking, up the lakes or long distance walks are your thing. Exploring etc.
Check out Shewies site for lightweight stuff. Trek-lite.com

 

[C_Claycomb]

I think about the things I bought when I started, and my reason for buying them, then look at how many of them turned out to be winners and are still with me. The number was small!

I bought a Basha type tarp. - used it but never had to live under it in rain. Small. It was horrible material and hasn't seen the light of day in years. Tarps are great, but buying one without having seen and handled any examples is asking for trouble. Better reviewed kit does reduce the risk. Bought the Basha before the recent explosion of quality tarps.

I got a Zebra billy can, which was great on a fire when I didn't care about weight, and a pain on a stove when I was trying to reduce pack weight. sold

Snugpak Softie Code Green No6 sleeping bag. Wasn't bad, not all that warm except in summer and retired in favour of a down quilt, but not a bad item.

Snugpak Rocket Pack back pack. Horrible. Bought it because it looked like a cheaper Sabre 45, which was what Ray Mears used on TV. The Snugpak back was so short in its back that it killed me every time I carried it, and I am 5'8" 155lb, so don't need a special fit. Sold

Snugpak Bivi. Bought from SASS Kit because their bivi was recommended to me, not advertised as Snugpak. Could fit me and my No6 bag in, fairly snugly. Could not fit a pad in, could not fit the Softie 10 I got for winter. Sold it after advertising for some one very thin! Made my own bivi that can swallow pad+winter bag+a quilt and still have room to move!

Thermarest Classic 3/4 length pad. Heavy, and required me to hitch my feet up on my pack or something else to avoid lower pack pain and cold feet. The Classic was thicker than standard, and bulkier. I knew nothing about the subject and simply went on a recommendation in some book and ordered the first Thermarest I saw! Since replaced with a full length first gen NeoAir and a full length RidgeRest.

Early winners were a Gransfors Small Forest Axe. Ordered from Woodlore without knowing anything about what alternatives there might be and never regretted it! Paramo Alta rain coat, too warm for summer use, but turned out to be a great coat through the colder months. Still using it about 12 years on. Meindl boots Still in use after 13 years.



If I had it to do again what would be different? That's hard. Times have changed, what is available has changed, prices have changed, the internet has expanded and opened up access and reviews to way more gear. I also know what kind of trip I enjoy and am likely to go on, so spending more on titanium cook pots, sil-nylon tarps, down quilts and super light sleeping pads is more easily justified. If I had spent on the top gear to start with I might have saved a bit in the long run. Writing it down like this, I do see a bit of a pattern, the stuff I bought because I was trying to save money has mostly been retired after not altogether happy times, and the stuff that I bought because I wanted the best is still in use and I have been pretty happy with. Still, I am sure that if I had tried to by the best of everything I would still have made bad some choices and had very expensive gear to upgrade, rather than just mediumly expensive!

If you are interested in hammocks, I can recommend Matt at UKHammocks. After many years with a Hennessey Exped Asym which I was pretty happy with, I got a WoodsmanX and really like it a lot!

 

[GreenNomad]

UKHammocks look great, loving the Woodsman X!

http://www.ukhammocks.co.uk/collections/hammocks/products/woodsman-x-hammock?variant=1055617964

 

[Herbalist1]

Lots of people have mentioned knife, axe, saw but only a couple have mentioned a first aid kit! If you're going off the beaten track with any sharps (even just for a short bimble never mind a weekend) make sure you have the means to stop bleeding and keep cuts clean. Also if you are going to be walking any distance esp. if you are not used to it, make sure you have the means to treat blisters. Nothing can make a day more miserable than having to trog back to base with blistered feet.

 

[barbourdurham]

My top ten things.........? mmm.

Number 1, a friend. Going out into the forests or mountains alone may not be a good idea in the early days. Having a buddy with you keeps your morale up if it gets tough. I camped a lot as a kid in the woods with my two closest boyhood friends. We had great fun, learning from each others mistakes and successes. I remember some big experiences. Carrying my friend on my back all the way home (over five miles) across fields and through woods because he fell on a snapped sapling and speared his leg. Not actually that serious but as a 13 yr old lad it was a huge deal!. catching my first rabbit. Loads of stuff.

Number 2 - dont take a watch. Nowadays, we are soooo concerned with time. 'got to get there, got to do this'. by not taking a watch, your pace naturally slows down, you relax more. Simple.

Number 3 - definately take a medical kit. It may litterally save your life.

Number 4 - take as much gear as to make yourself comfortable. And thats my only advice on gear.

Number 5 - use your senses. look, touch, smell, taste, listen. nature is all around you, even in an urban environment. a norwegian friend of mine said something profound to me once. he said 'feel the nature, in your heart'. i have endeavoured to do so ever since.

And finally, just enjoy it. its what youre there for after all aint it?

 

[Stevenm]

Ten asorted alcoholic beaverages