Great discussion. Tikirocker, I know where you are coming from. In my hiking days I found each trip going lighter and lighter and lighter. Just to think, we started out packing a bottle or two of beer! ha
The we figured aluminum cans were lighter than the bottles
Then we realized, though it was nice to have a beer, or share one the first night out, just carrying the extra pound , uphill to the trail system, on day one, was enough to make you swear off beer forever. Our hiking shoes were the heavy weight vibram soled hikers, like cement blocks compared to todays selections.
Our only knives carried back then were pocket knives. No chopping, no extra expenditure of calories. Firewood was picked up, or broken by hand, or simply laid across the fire as a long piece, until it burned into to pieces.
I've carried a machete on 3 continents and can't say enough good things about them. i don't mean to knock those supporting the hatchet, I am with Longbow, if you like it, and that's what you use, then I support that.
However, in my case, I never once, while carrying a good machete wished I had a hatchet. I have, on occasion, wished I had the machete with me.
I have tried to outsmart , out-buy and out-think the military's approach to packs, and to gear in general, but, in a lot of cases, they really spent the time researching and testing. Example, pots and pans, and cook wear.
I've used it all, packed it all, now, where am I? Back to realizing that the good old canteen cup is about the best , lightweight pot/bowl/cup you'll need to survive. The fact it fits right under the canteen, even better. the great thing about military items is that they are typically affordable, as well.
Where am i going with the military angle? They don't carry hatchets.
They carry knives, bayonets, entrenching tools, but not hatchets.
Again, just making a casual observation, as a continue to re-look and re-think my own case.
Those little trioxane stoves mentioned above, military. Just another example.
I am not trying to draw a 100% direct correlation between hiking, bugging out, surviving and the military, but there are enough similarities it is worth looking at how backpackers/hikers such as Tikirocker handle their gear, just as looking at how a soldier is equipped, can be helpful.
Personally, I think that somewhere in between is a hybrid set-up, and that is what we consider the wilderness-survivor.
Equipped to survive. Equipped to stop and set up semi-permanent digs, but, yet, lightweight enough to pack it all up, and move along as necessary.
He is not so specialized that he will be caught without proper gear.
The soldier and the hiker/backpacker being more on the specialized end of the spectrum. The wilderness-survivor is not going to outpace the hiker. But, perhaps the hiker, when he runs across the wilderness-survivor will be most pleased that there is some water, food, and shelter to be shared.
