blanket back pack?

R

RSO66

Joined
Jan 17, 2005
Messages
18
i was on the facebook page of boss [boulder outdoor survival school] looking at there photo's of some of there trips & i seen of them have on blanket back pack & i thought that would be a good way to go lite but i can't find how to put one together or tie it up let us all know thanks
 
It's usually called a blanket roll and a quick Google search should pull up some pictures and instructions. Roll up your gear into as tight of a roll as you can. Use multiple ties to tie it together in several places along the roll. Tie the ends together into a horseshoe shape and toss it over your head and one shoulder. Done and done. It's a good thing to know as it could serve you well in a pinch.

A good wool blanket like the Italian military blanket is very multi-use and well worth the $20 asking price. Include a blanket pin from a horse supply store for a couple of dollars (or get a fancy one from some Scottish kilt site and pay a small fortune but look a lot more dapper) and it can easily be made into a wearable cloak. One blanket could serve as a pack, blanket for sleeping, cloak, wind break, etc.

Hope this helps.

Google pulled up this site with some illustrationsfor a couple of different ways to do it.
http://www.3rdalabama.org/blanket_roll.htm

Oh, yeah, if you roll it up with a military (or really any) poncho it's now a waterproof pack. The poncho has a ton of uses too, including rain gear, shelter, wrap it around your pack for a float, make it into a small boat, etc.
 
Last edited:
blanket pin from a horse supply store for a couple of dollars (or get a fancy one from some Scottish kilt site and pay a small fortune
Click to expand...
Or make them out of wire coat hangers.
 
I think he is referring to a Yukon Pack. If so, then usually you would
use a tarp, maybe they were just practicing with blankets. If you want
to tie one up, just spread the tarp on the ground, or blanket, and tightly
fold it over the contents to make sure it keeps water out. Then,take
a piece of rope and put a loop in the end.

Since you are not putting any weight on the line, any old
knot will do. So, start wrapping the pack from the bottom and
after every pass around slip the rope around itself to keep it
in place. When you get to the top, go ahead and start wrapping
it around the top and bottom. Finish with a trucker's hitch
to tighten it down. Of course this is the simplest way to do
it, you can get into making a frame out of wood and
a lot of other stuff that would create a more comfortable
pack. Then, you need straps.

So, just find a good place to attach rope or
webbing and put them on. Again, you can make
them more comfortable with some foam or other
kind of padding.

Well, I either just wasted a bunch of time
to write this up or helped you out a good bit.
Anyway if you did not know what a Yukon Pack
was before, I am sure you do now, or at least
mildy what one is. Damian
 
i think this the link to the photo i was talking about . i have never put up a photo.
 
Last edited:
RSO66 said:
i think this the link to the photo i was talking about . i have never put up a photo.http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?fbid=1196270386473&set][/QUOTE]


Let me help you with that. ;)
[IMG]http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs104.snc1/4891_1196270386473_1219873579_30553971_1023219_n.jpg
Click to expand...
 
PDE said:
I think he is referring to a Yukon Pack. If so, then usually you would
use a tarp, maybe they were just practicing with blankets. If you want
to tie one up, just spread the tarp on the ground, or blanket, and tightly
fold it over the contents to make sure it keeps water out. Then,take
a piece of rope and put a loop in the end.

Since you are not putting any weight on the line, any old
knot will do. So, start wrapping the pack from the bottom and
after every pass around slip the rope around itself to keep it
in place. When you get to the top, go ahead and start wrapping
it around the top and bottom. Finish with a trucker's hitch
to tighten it down. Of course this is the simplest way to do
it, you can get into making a frame out of wood and
a lot of other stuff that would create a more comfortable
pack. Then, you need straps.

So, just find a good place to attach rope or
webbing and put them on. Again, you can make
them more comfortable with some foam or other
kind of padding.

Well, I either just wasted a bunch of time
to write this up or helped you out a good bit.
Anyway if you did not know what a Yukon Pack
was before, I am sure you do now, or at least
mildy what one is. Damian
Click to expand...

This sounds interesting, I'm having trouble visualizing it. Any pics?
 
I used to use a blanket/tarp roll when I was a kid in summer camp as I couldn't afford a backpack. It worked pretty good but I have to admit I travelled pretty light in those days. Lay tarp with blanket inside , put small items in a stuff sack , then wrap a good piece of 1/2" rope around it and sling over shoulder. These days I'd rather use a backpack though to distribute the weight.
Here's a fellas post on what he did from another forum:

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=34559&p=448500#post448500
 
Last edited:
In order to make the BOSS style blanket pack you'll need paracord and cotton straps. I have yet to find any website or info anywhere regarding how to make it. If no one puts out any info I may just post a youtube video myself.

Not sure if posting instructions will make the process clear.

Can't say they are lightweight (I used a 5 lb. wool blanket). It depends on what you carry.

The straps are not padded so they will dig into your shoulder and your waist.

With all that said I still find it to be a versitile system.
 
I like the idea of the blanket backpack, but you gotta unroll it to sleep and take all the stuff out. If you have to bug out fast in the night for whatever reason, you have to roll it all back up and tie it again. Maybe in the dark. Chances are you're gonna lose some of your stuff in the scramble, or tie it wrong, or whatever. If it starts raining or there's a wild animal and you've got to move, you're either gonna have to come back for your gear or live without some of it.
 
other than doing it for the fun of doing it, what benefit can there be with a BOSS style blanket pack over a conventional modern pack?
 
I take it that people are interested in it for the same reasons that they like to make fire without matches.

More of a cool blast from the past, than survival necessity, though.


I had forgotten all about Civil War Era blanket rolls. Does ANYONE camp like that any more?
 
I don't go for period re-enactment, but I do like a blanket roll. Sometimes I do overnight trips with minimal gear and the blanket roll substitutes for my backpack. It's more for fun than anything else, but a good skill to know, along with the match coat and blanket pack.
 
Erasmus said:
I had forgotten all about Civil War Era blanket rolls. Does ANYONE camp like that any more?
Click to expand...

I tried it ages ago, the horseshoe round my body was way too hot
I then tied it a horseshoe on my back with rope as straps, and it was better

The best was a shorter empty horseshoe tied round a small pack
 
Can anybody post a pic of a blanket roll backpack, especially a pic of the contents?

Or at least a link?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top