Gearing Up For The Urban Adventure (Thank You Lupa!)

[LUW]

mistwalker, VERY nice setup you got! That's exactly the kind of pack that I'm putting together, though I'll use a Maxped Fatboy. And I still haven't decided about a HEST or RC-3. It was going to be the RC-3, but after all the reviews that are coming up on the HEST I'm really on the fence now .

 

[ratamahatta]

good job buddy, I'm not a fan of the hest, but I do like the rc 5, and rc 4!!!!!! still good score!!!

 

[Mistwalker]

I borrowed one and I haven't given it back, and I am likely to buy one because of how much I like it. I believe it is a must have as well! :thumbup:

They're really versatile...rain gear, shelter, sun and wind screen, concealment, improvised litter...

Excellent pictures, mistwalker! Looking forward to seeing more.
and thank you for the kind words. My pleasure to help.

Thanks Lupa, glad you like the pics, and once again trhank you for your help and the great customer service!

Good job as always Mist..Looking forward to hearing more about this urban rig. Sort of kind of working on the same idea..you beat me to it!! best regards anrkst

Thanks Em, glad you liked it!

mistwalker, VERY nice setup you got! That's exactly the kind of pack that I'm putting together, though I'll use a Maxped Fatboy. And I still haven't decided about a HEST or RC-3. It was going to be the RC-3, but after all the reviews that are coming up on the HEST I'm really on the fence now .

Thanks, everyone's kit is always going to be a little different...everyone has a different idea of what will work best for them in their area, I am doubting this will be my only Maxpedition pack.

As for the knife, the HEST is exactly what I wanted, a little bigger than the Izula (though I may pick one of those up too soon, and a little thicker than the RC3. I'm still debating on picking up an RC4S but fearing that may be a little big for an urban kit under normal circumstances. I do happen to like having serrations handy in an urbanized environment so I may end up with an RC3S before it's overwith...just wish it was 5/32 thick instead of 1/8....so I'm still stuck debating.

good job buddy, I'm not a fan of the hest, but I do like the rc 5, and rc 4!!!!!! still good score!!!

Thanks bro! Oh, I like them all for different reasons...that's why I spent days looking at their site trying to decide which one. As far as the "smaller" production knives go I've been studying the RATs for some time and liking their looks, designs, and sheaths (I really like their sheaths for this) better than any others on the market. I've heard a lot of good things about them and only recently dcided which one I was going to buy first thanks to Pit starting the thread on the HEST.

 

[j williams]

Awesome!!!!!

I have a Lunada....grea pack. I wish I could see side by sides of our setups, as mine is pretty close to what your haulin Mist....I love this design. When loaded up, and strapped, it really is comfortable, and sits at just the right "sweet spot" for me. Ive done 3 or 4 rides on my mountin bike in some pretty gnarley places with the Lunada as my bag... It stayed put, and was a great companion. :thumbup:

What do you think of the loop and shock cord on the top pouch? I use it to stick a FB in sometimes, and have used it to stick Folding saws, my portable Radio/scanner from work, and even packed a Hawk in it one hike. Pretty neat storage capabilities. Your pack is a bit bigger....You think you could roll up that poncho small enough to store in that area? Perhaps through the loop, and/or shock cord? Id be interested to see that......

Good stuff bro. Im planning on getting out today and snapping some pics of my setup....

 

[j williams]

Oh....and I agree that twowolves absolutely rocks!

 

[LUW]

mistwalker, you just cost me money !
As I said, I was on the fence about the HEST and a RC-3, but after seeing your thread, what the hey, I ordered a HEST from KnifeCenter . I'll also get a RC-6 as general utility knife, so I would rather have two different knives. The HEST will be my "pack knife", to be kept in the Fatboy. I'll see if there is a way to fix the sheath to an inner pocket, so that I can draw the knife directly from the bag, without having to take it out the knife + sheath first .

It should be here in a month, just can't wait to post pics .

 

[Mistwalker]

mistwalker, you just cost me money !
As I said, I was on the fence about the HEST and a RC-3, but after seeing your thread, what the hey, I ordered a HEST from KnifeCenter . I'll also get a RC-6 as general utility knife, so I would rather have two different knives. The HEST will be my "pack knife", to be kept in the Fatboy. I'll see if there is a way to fix the sheath to an inner pocket, so that I can draw the knife directly from the bag, without having to take it out the knife + sheath first .

It should be here in a month, just can't wait to post pics .

Cool, but a month? Where are you?

 

[Joezilla]

If you are going to be hanging out with homeless people, maybe you could bring airline bottles for bartering or information! They may be able to give you some tips on dumpster diving or heated areas for sleeping, or just cool places in general.

 

[Mistwalker]

If you are going to be hanging out with homeless people, maybe you could bring airline bottles for bartering or information! They may be able to give you some tips on dumpster diving or heated areas for sleeping, or just cool places in general.

The air line bottles could be a great idea for making friends...as long as I do it in such a way as not to create a dependancy....thanks, hadn't even considered that

Actually....considering my teen years, and the very begining of my adult life, over twenty years in the construction industry (over half of it commercial and inside inside this particular city), and a LOT of time spent roaming this city in vehicles and on foot intentionally studying it from a survivalist's perspective...I'm going out there with the intentions of giving some tips , but I'm sure I'll get some too as far as specific locations go.

 

[LUW]

Cool, but a month? Where are you?

In Brazil .
They say it would take one or two weeks, but in my experience it's usually three to four weeks.

 

[A.L.]

Great, thanks for the pics!

 

[hoopster]

Do you have a lid for the GSI cup? I'm looking for a similar sized cup/pot with a lid.

 

[Mistwalker]

In Brazil .
They say it would take one or two weeks, but in my experience it's usually three to four weeks.

Ah, that explains that then. I bet you have some great wilderness to mess around in down there.

Do you have a lid for the GSI cup? I'm looking for a similar sized cup/pot with a lid.

Not yet, not sure what I will do there yet either.

 

[LUW]

Ah, that explains that then. I bet you have some great wilderness to mess around in down there.

I definitively can't complain .
Though I live in the South of Brazil, around here we have a temperate climate, and only what we call "Atlantic forest", which is WAY different from tropical or rain forest. Think of it as maybe a cross between what you guys in the US know as forest and a tropical rain forest. Trees are lower and we have a lot of undergrowth, and wildlife is scarcer. The only problem is that from my house I have to drive at least 50 km to find some pristine and unpopulated regions .

 

[mtwarden]

Do you have a lid for the GSI cup? I'm looking for a similar sized cup/pot with a lid.

the Snowpeak 700 comes w/ a lid, fits normal Nalgene bottles nicely- little spendy as it's titanium, but it is light

 

[DocNightfall]

I have to say I don't agree with the choice of packing a GI poncho in an urban kit.

The urban environment is full of man-made structures. No need to pack a shelter option aside from a couple of heavy-duty trash bags and some duct tape for weatherproofing a few gaps. In any case, the urban setting is going to have a pretty high population density even in a post-disaster scenario. A poncho lean-to just doesn't offer much security against two-legged predators.

You just need a good prying tool and a set of lock picks and you can mostly stay wherever you like. Bear in mind that many structures may already have occupants which you would have to "evict" if you wish to persist in claiming their shelter.

And if you want something wearable that's weatherproof, a good packable rain jacket will serve better. Remember that in the urban survival scenario, you want to blend in as much as possible and not look like at all like a commando. Joe Tactical is the first guy who'll get mobbed and have his gear stolen. This is also one reason that I disagree with the choice of pack. However, a tactical-looking bag is one more thing that can be remedied with trash bags. Just carry your kit over your shoulder in a trash bag when in public view. Looking like a hobo is one way to remain unseen and/or overlooked.

 

[haloblue]

Glad I'm not the only one that thinks a GI poncho is "must have" gear.

I'll echo that as well.

I've had one of these in some form or another since I was 13.

And if you want something wearable that's weatherproof, a good packable rain jacket will serve better. Remember that in the urban survival scenario, you want to blend in as much as possible and not look like at all like a commando. Joe Tactical is the first guy who'll get mobbed and have his gear stolen.

Excellent point as well. Change the color from woodland to basic black and you accomplish this.

Good looking setup Mistwalker.

 

[Joezilla]

I have to say I don't agree with the choice of packing a GI poncho in an urban kit.

The urban environment is full of man-made structures. No need to pack a shelter option aside from a couple of heavy-duty trash bags and some duct tape for weatherproofing a few gaps. In any case, the urban setting is going to have a pretty high population density even in a post-disaster scenario. A poncho lean-to just doesn't offer much security against two-legged predators.

You just need a good prying tool and a set of lock picks and you can mostly stay wherever you like. Bear in mind that many structures may already have occupants which you would have to "evict" if you wish to persist in claiming their shelter.

And if you want something wearable that's weatherproof, a good packable rain jacket will serve better. Remember that in the urban survival scenario, you want to blend in as much as possible and not look like at all like a commando. Joe Tactical is the first guy who'll get mobbed and have his gear stolen. This is also one reason that I disagree with the choice of pack. However, a tactical-looking bag is one more thing that can be remedied with trash bags. Just carry your kit over your shoulder in a trash bag when in public view. Looking like a hobo is one way to remain unseen and/or overlooked.

I agree with you 100% on the blending in with the urban environment. I'm not sure if that is Mist's goal though. Most of the time when I got traveling over sees or in a city I take an old north face I got for $3 that won't single me out as a gringo with mucho dinero. As far as the tarp goes, dirty up some tyvek and you are good to go. You can even put grommets in them.

 

[Mistwalker]

I have to say I don't agree with the choice of packing a GI poncho in an urban kit.

The urban environment is full of man-made structures. No need to pack a shelter option aside from a couple of heavy-duty trash bags and some duct tape for weatherproofing a few gaps. In any case, the urban setting is going to have a pretty high population density even in a post-disaster scenario. A poncho lean-to just doesn't offer much security against two-legged predators.

You just need a good prying tool and a set of lock picks and you can mostly stay wherever you like. Bear in mind that many structures may already have occupants which you would have to "evict" if you wish to persist in claiming their shelter.

And if you want something wearable that's weatherproof, a good packable rain jacket will serve better. Remember that in the urban survival scenario, you want to blend in as much as possible and not look like at all like a commando. Joe Tactical is the first guy who'll get mobbed and have his gear stolen. This is also one reason that I disagree with the choice of pack. However, a tactical-looking bag is one more thing that can be remedied with trash bags. Just carry your kit over your shoulder in a trash bag when in public view. Looking like a hobo is one way to remain unseen and/or overlooked.

I agree with your thinking completely, I've had my own experiences on the streets enough to understand exactly where you're coming from. However this isn't a post-disaster scenario kit. This is complicated to explain... I am gearing up to study the situation as it currently stands and blend in as things are in the city now. It is a college and tourist town. I want to fit in enough that the local "street people" don't fear me, but I don't want them to see me as one of them or "competition" either. At the same time I'd like to keep the local police from thinking they have "another one" they need to watch. While most of the local street population wouldn't know one pack from another the local cops will know and I won't scream vagrant. I have thought a lot about this and, for now at least, I want to blend in with the tourist crowd. Knowing the streets and their "occupants" as well as I do I'll have most would be predators at a disadvantage as I will know much more about what to expect from them than they will from me, I've dealt with them before. I want be able to roam freely and observe but knowing where I shouldn't go on foot. But I want to be able to enter any business down there from the Cherry street diner to the Big River Grill without drawing any attention. So...this is my starting point, I'll make whatever necessary adjustments as I go along.

As for the poncho, that was only put in there to see if it would fit. I'm still thinking the rain gear over and may still get a silnylon poncho. But, I already know that unless I have no choice I'll never sleep in an "empty" buildings again....it's just not worth the hassle and the stress. Unless it's a post SHTF situation and I'm part of a group so I can actually get some sleep. Other than than that I'd much rather find some deep dark patches of woods which most city people fear when it comes down to it, or I have some other tricks up my sleeve lol.

I agree with you 100% on the blending in with the urban environment. I'm not sure if that is Mist's goal though. Most of the time when I got traveling over sees or in a city I take an old north face I got for $3 that won't single me out as a gringo with mucho dinero. As far as the tarp goes, dirty up some tyvek and you are good to go. You can even put grommets in them.

Yep, that tyvek makes an awesome improvised shelter. I've used it on job sites to build shelters to cut and work under...pity it only comes in bright white.

.

 

[Mistwalker]

I went down town to pay a bill and look through a couple of our used bookstores yesterday so I thought it would be a great time to check the Sitka for comfort and mobility. I parked on the north shore and rode the shuttle across the river into town.I walked "serpentine" through an area of the city 12 blocks long and 4 blocks wide and there weren't very many people out and about.