Dayhike setup (Izula)

PropThePolecat

PropThePolecat

Joined
Jan 31, 2009
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3,292
Hey guys

I went on a short dayhike yesterday, only about 1,5 hours. I remembered to grab my knife, match-cap and firesteel as i went out the door.

As i got home i started to think about a setup that i can throw in my pocket as i head out the door. If im only heading out for a short walk in the woods, i cant be bothered taking along a small pack. But instead i always end up filling my pockets with lighters, fatwood, firesteel, etc.

I decided on the Izula, as its pocketsized and comes with a good sheath. Besides ive never used this particular knife much, so i might as well give it a specific duty to fill out.

I took some bicycle-tubing and slid over the sheath. This gives me a place to store things, and rubberstrips is a great material for keeping your fire lit at the very beginning.

I added a Primus firesteel and a small piece of fatwood to cover my firelighting bases.

On the other side of the sheath i added the AH-1 arrowhead. This was another piece of gear that i hadnt had much use for. I made a small sheath for it of cardboard and heavyduty tape. I slid it under the rubber tubing, where the tension keeps it tight in its sheath. Theres no chance of this falling out or the AH sliding out if its sheath. The arrowhead will make a great firesteel striker.

Finally i attached a Ultimate Survival JetScream whistle to the sheath.

Im still on the fence, wether i should lose the paracord wrap and attach the micarta scales instead. I like the paracord as it fills my hand nicely. With the paracord the knife offers a full grip. But the cord collects dirt and grime, and when it gets wet it takes ages to dry.
The micarta looks nice and is easy to keep clean. But the grip isnt very ergonomical.

Anyways i like this setup and its still so compact to allow pocket carry. I finally think the Izula is going to see some carry time.

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That looks like a good setup. I have something very similar but I wrapped the cord around the sheath and put the micarta scales on my Izzy.

I'm also not toting the fatwood but that seems like it'd be a good addition.

:thumbup:

B
 
The izula is a good knife for that purpose, but I find too small in handle to be comfortable to use. Most of my play in the woods is of the dayhike/dog walk variety and I'm in a similar boat. However, most of my knifework is also during these scenarios where I take a rest, build a fire make tea etc. A neck knife just seems like a struggle for those kinds of things and I usually bring out a full size bushcrafter.

I did carry an izula for a long time until one day I decided to make a full bowdrill kit with it. I was able to do it, but it wasn't kind to the palms of my hands. Maybe the slabbed one would be a bit better for me, but I still prefer my full sized bushy.
 
good job- I like knife "kits" :)

most of mine are setup as kits, not so much for grabbing out the door to go for a hike (I always carry a pack of some sort, even for the shortest hikes), but more for a situation if I were I to ever get separated from my pack

the paracord wrap does give you some paracord :)
 
I do have other bigger knives i bring along for longere hikes and overnighters. I dont particulary like the Izula as i find it too small in my hand. I just had to find a role it could fill or sell it.

Since posting this thread i removed the paracord and mounted the micarta slabs instead. I just can stand how the paracord stays wet. Ill try out the slabs now and see how it feels.

Ive already had it out with me on some short walks. The kit works as intended, i was able to start a fire with what i had on me.
 
So how does it feel with the slabs compared to the wrap when doing some basic things like fuzz sticks or shredding bark off of twigs
 
kgd said:
So how does it feel with the slabs compared to the wrap when doing some basic things like fuzz sticks or shredding bark off of twigs
Click to expand...

It handles basic cutting tasks ok. It feels worse now than when cord-wrapped, as if the grip-area is even shorter than before, more so when wearing gloves. Its abit uncomfortable when i have to apply alot of pressure while cutting.

But i cant expect a knife its size to feel like a proper-sized one. I really want to like it, but i guess its dosent fit my hands that well. Either that or ive gotten used to bigger knives.

Ill keep using it for a while now to see if grows on me.
 
PropThePolecat said:
It feels worse now than when cord-wrapped, as if the grip-area is even shorter than before...
Click to expand...

I think I'd have to agree with that.

My kids have cord-wrapped Izulas and mine has the scales. Switching back and forth, the cord-wrapped knives definitely feel longer but I've really grown to love the handle slabs.

They're not uncomfortable in use and that ability to NOT get and stay wet for long periods of time is a distinct advantage with the cold, wet weather we're having right now.

Plus, carrying the knife around my neck and inside my coat with wet cord was pretty miserable at times. :)

I think you'll warm to those handle scales with a little bit of use. They're not better or worse, just different.

B
 
I really like the paracord wrap, myself. The only reason I have yet to get scales is due to the fact I like the wrap so much. It isn't a hand filler, but I don't find it uncomfortable to use.
 
That looks like a good setup to me small fixed blades are the bomb and as much as I hate to admit it they are way more practical for woods use than a folder.
 
That looks like a very efficient package without a lot of frills-very complete for such a lite weight kit. :thumbup:
 
I haven't really used my Izula I since I got an Izula II, so that might be worth looking into if you decide the Izula I has an insufficiently sized handle. I find that the full-length, flush scales of the Izula II are a lot more comfortable than the partial scales on the Izula I.
 
Woods Walker said:
That looks great. Does someone need to remove the coating off the spine to get sparks with a firesteel?
Click to expand...

I dont think its enough to removes the coating, because the spine-edges arent suffciently sharp. Im basing that statement on my experiences with my RC-3.

I removed some of the spine coating on the RC-3, but little did it help. The edges just arent sharp enough, theyre slightly rounded.
 

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I think the majority of Izula owners are using the blade to strike the steel, there have been some that have squared up a small section of spine and removed the coating
 
Nice looking rig, but I have a question (and this is honest curiosity and ignorance on my part, not intended as a slight of any kind)...

Do people with the esee kits actually use the arrowhead for anything? Surely, the idea is not that in a survival situation you would actually build a bow, craft and fletch a bunch of arrow shafts, and then attach that to shoot at something, when you might never get the arrowhead back??

Is it intended as another little cutting edge backup? A tip for a fish spear? A potential tip for a digging stick?

I guess I just don't get it. Seems like fish hooks or a little pointed prybar would be more useful. :confused:



edit: and another thought... it seems like the scales on the Izula should go all the way back to the end of the tang and leave that large lanyard hole as a cut out, rather than stop where they do. Seems like that would make it more comfortable and feel bigger in the hand. I've never held one... just thinking out loud. Maybe somebody's already got some custom scales like that...

edit to the edit: so I clicked on the best necker knife a couple of posts down... yep. Izula II & others already thought of this. Day late and a dollar short, I guess!

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