Real-world 'GO' Rigs, whatcha packin' in your pouch?

rlacan71 said:
What about an aluminum collapsable drinking cup. Biggest I could find online for a while was 5oz. Small when collapsed, has a keyring attatchment. Found a 10 oz one as well...maybe can boil water cook in the larger one?
Click to expand...

The mess kit that i have in my bag has a pot, a cup and a canteen all together. I looked a the collapsible stuff, but i decided to go with simplicity. It's pretty hard to break a stainless steel kit.
 
Interesting...I wouldn't have guessed that I'd see Double Decker Tacos in this thread...then again...you never know. :thumbup:

FWIW a pouch can be attached to any good kydex sheath with ease and to many good cordura sheaths => like blt-2-drg posted. :thumbup: It's easy, reconfigurable, and customized to your liking. I like pancake style kydex sheaths best for the rivets on both sides. Run some cord through the rivets and attach a molle type pouch of your choice. Then run some shock cord thru rivets and around the pouch and use cord-lock(s) to cinch it down good.

The Spec-Ops basic modular sheath works well this way if you like Cordura. I like many of the sheaths available such as the Combat Master, but doing it this way allows more versatility for me.
 
Last edited:
The point about water and cooking is a good one. The way I handle it instead of packing one more thing on my knife sheath is to carry an old army canteen with cup on my opposite hip, I keep a small bottle of iodine water purification tabs in one of the pockets just incase I don't have time to boil the water. They taste awful but do work.
 
For heavy duty rubber bands, save the ones off bunches of broccoli. They also make for the ultimate low-weight, low-profile 'wallet' -buddy at work uses one.
 
sqchram said:
For heavy duty rubber bands, save the ones off bunches of broccoli. They also make for the ultimate low-weight, low-profile 'wallet' -buddy at work uses one.
Click to expand...

Or just make ranger bands from bicycle inner tube. Works Great! I've even used it for beltloops on kydex sheaths, & even used it as an outside tensioner on a homemade kydex sheath I made for a frog gig once when I didn't have any rivets. that was about 4 years ago & the innertube is still goin' strong.
 
Here's what I "Pack" when out hiking here in AK.

IMG_20120630_133127.jpg


4" Redhawk, .45LC with 325 Buffalo Bore Heavy .45 Colt +P - 325 gr. L.B.T.-L.F.N.(1,325fps/M.E.1,267 ft.lbs.) & Ratmandu in Mashed Cat kydex.
 
cricketdave said:
The point about water and cooking is a good one. The way I handle it instead of packing one more thing on my knife sheath is to carry an old army canteen with cup on my opposite hip, I keep a small bottle of iodine water purification tabs in one of the pockets just incase I don't have time to boil the water. They taste awful but do work.
Click to expand...

I do the same ... but the OP seemed to want to focus on the Spec Ops style of sheath/pouch ... for myself I like to "layer" my gear so that if I carry my knife "solo" ... I cover off these needs ... and if I carry it as part of my webbing gear I have more gear to get by with which is also covering off these needs but with better capability ....
 
Peter -- regarding the folding cup idea, have you come across Orikasco? They basically make origami folding plastic crockery including cups. It's light, hardly take up more space than tin foil, and is reusable.

Obviously the issue is whether they would melt/burn.... possibly they might be protected from this by wrapping in green leaves?

Btw, in what way do you layer your gear?
 
joshiecole said:
Peter -- regarding the folding cup idea, have you come across Orikasco? They basically make origami folding plastic crockery including cups. It's light, hardly take up more space than tin foil, and is reusable.

Obviously the issue is whether they would melt/burn.... possibly they might be protected from this by wrapping in green leaves?

Btw, in what way do you layer your gear?
Click to expand...


Well, I start off with "a pocket system" like this ...

P1010531.jpg


A legal slip joint folder for the UK for EDC and a fire steel and pencil sharpener for tinder capable of working with the fire steel. For serious bad wet weather I carry a lighter with an inner tube wrap around ... this works even in a down pour ... and a small bottle of energy drink which is pocket friendly. Good for energy on the walk and makes a decent water bottle in an emergency. The whistle also helps in an emergency as does a small candle. These easily fit into any jacket or cargo pants pockets.

Pine cones, birch bark and lichen work great with the knife and ferro rod ...

P1010536.jpg


If it is wet you can use the knife to baton some sticks to get to inner dry wood and use the pencil sharpener to get a fire and kindling built ...

P1010546.jpg


P1010547.jpg


Lately I have been wrapping the candle in a tin foil tart dish as an emergency water boiler ... this gear can get me by if need be and is easy to "plastic bag" it and slip it into clothing for a walk without even noticing the weight ...

Next "layer" is to carry a small fixed blade ... presently I use a Phil Wilson ... carried in a leather sheath with a second fire steel and usually just using a lanyard to carry it under my windproof ...

PhilWilsonSmokeyCreek005.jpg


If I carry this I often team it with my Stanley 8 oz aluminium flask ... able to be suspended by a stick using the hinged top over small flames this will boil water better and more reliably than a tin foil pie tray ... you might need to cover the hinge and top with wet mud to protect the plastic seal washer and hinge arm but being a flat design and still holding 8 oz's this gives a good drink and well able to keep you going on a practical level for needing to take on board water. Let it cool and clean the top and re attach and you are ready to go. Combined with the small plastic bottle which can take the boiled water from the pie tray you have a decent amount of fluid to carry with you for a reasonable mileage before needing to brew up again.

001-1.jpg


The flask in the pic is actually my booze one which is clean ... the one used for fires is now all blackened and mucky so I keep that in a plastic bag and is in my stalking jacket ... the needs I really identify the most are "fire" and "water" ... "shelter" is up there with them but you can make a decent shelter without any tools save your feet and hands to break off branches ...

Warmth and water are the main ones you need some gear for ... sort out these needs and you are good for about a month without taking on board any food ... no water though and you are only looking at about 3 days ...

Direction I can sort without a compass ... usually I wrap up the stuff in plastic bags with rubber bands ... ideal for hinges for carved impliments ...

These bits and pieces are carried easily enough without webbing or a rucksack.

Next up would be my belt webbing. On this I have my Basic 9 and another ferro rod, Leatherman, a British Army Water Bottle, a MSR Titan kettle/ cup with lid and a Ti-Tri multi fuel titanium stove inside, my PHD light weight down jacket in a pouch , a midge net and insect repellant , some gloves, a first aid kit and heliograph mirror and multi vitamin tablets, a washing kit /shaving kit / cammo cream/ wet wipes and a spare pair of socks / dental filing paste and applicator/ old tablet tube with fishing hooks and line and needles and thread, lead weights and a few floats / lock picks / head torch and spare batteries/ tin of nikwax for boots and finally attached over the top of the pouches my Aussie Army Tarp. All these fit into two kidney pouches and a water bottle pouch. This leaves two mag pouches free for .22 ammo and 12g cartridges. You can get by with the gear on your webbing indefinately. I usually stuff into the water bottle pouch a meal satchet and this still lets the water bottle fit. Food wise though I tend to carry this in my smock brest pockets. You need to eat on the move and these are the best place to get to the food when tabbing with a bergan on. You have'nt got time to stop and undo pouches on webbing etc until the end of the day ...

In the bergan I carry my rifle broken down and rifle ammo ... tool kit ... laser range finder ... ballistic claculator ... bino's ... and sleeping bag and sleeping mat ...hammock if needed ... and user specific gear for where I might be ... body armour is a good example ... I prefer to wear this when conditions dictate rather than all the time ... often I carry some form of "comms" ...

This sort of gear is more military use but survival is often the same ... your rucksack/bergan you need to be able to ditch if in a "contact" ... and you need to be able to survive off your belt gear.
 
I wonder if any of our talented sheath-smiths are following this thread and could chime in on sheath ideas. Like I say, sorta like the larger poocket pouch sheaths, but I'd probably want a better/wider belt loop.

BOSS
 
BePrepared said:
LoL... i have 3 bags almost exactly like that one, a full sized duffel of the 3600 cal meal bars, and i have 3 full size duffels full of MREs

I also have 30 boxes of Ramen noodles (600 servings), and 5 5-gallon water bottles.

i hope i never need em, but i can live in my house without walking outside ONCE for 2 weeks...much longer if i manage to get my bathtub full of water before the power goes out.
Click to expand...

Dude, what brand are those ER bars. I've checked my local outdoors store and all they have are these freeze dried gourmet meals (like I'm going to give a crap if I have Alfredo Fetuchini when I'm starving).
 
Thanks Peter, really helpful as usual!

I really like the idea of layering as you've laid out... when thinking about 'preparedness' sometimes it can be tempting to build a collection of cool survivally things in a large kitbag, without a great deal of thought for process and needs.

Do you ever spend a few days roughing it like this in the UK, or is it more for when you're abroad? Would you still take the Basic 9 in the UK? Not really legal... but you could probably get away with it in remoter places?
 
taiChiFighter said:
Dude, what brand are those ER bars. I've checked my local outdoors store and all they have are these freeze dried gourmet meals (like I'm going to give a crap if I have Alfredo Fetuchini when I'm starving).
Click to expand...


Google Emergency Ration Bars... mine are the 3600 ones, they make 1200 and 2400 depending on how much weight you want to carry
 
mine are from amazon and are about 3 years old. It doesn't matter what kind you get. They'll all keep you alive, and they all taste like flavored cardboard.
 
BePrepared said:
LoL... i have 3 bags almost exactly like that one, a full sized duffel of the 3600 cal meal bars, and i have 3 full size duffels full of MREs

I also have 30 boxes of Ramen noodles (600 servings), and 5 5-gallon water bottles.

i hope i never need em, but i can live in my house without walking outside ONCE for 2 weeks...much longer if i manage to get my bathtub full of water before the power goes out.
Click to expand...

Your water will still work even after the power goes out. You won't have hot water once your water heater is empty, but most water supplies are gravity fed. Water towers create enough pressure that your pipes are going to put out water for a while.

Even in EMP, country wide power outage, you should still be able to fill containers and your tub etc.


We have about 3-4 months of food etc. Liquid fuel stove that is portable, and gravity fed water filtration system.
 
joshiecole said:
Thanks Peter, really helpful as usual!

I really like the idea of layering as you've laid out... when thinking about 'preparedness' sometimes it can be tempting to build a collection of cool survivally things in a large kitbag, without a great deal of thought for process and needs.

Do you ever spend a few days roughing it like this in the UK, or is it more for when you're abroad? Would you still take the Basic 9 in the UK? Not really legal... but you could probably get away with it in remoter places?
Click to expand...

The thing about the OP's idea of "real world GO rigs" is that being "caught out" can happen very easily when you're not expecting it ... particularly if you live in the more remoter parts of Britain ... and particularly if you live on your own so that there is no one around to realise you are'nt coming back ...

I live up on the Moors ... it is beautiful but you need to be careful ... very little cover and hypothermia is likely if you're injured and unable to walk out ...


100_0424.jpg



Britain being what it is on knife laws you need to know them very well if you want to carry a knife ... that is why my first "layer" is based on a legal EDC and the stuff carried is "pocketable" so you have it with you. My plastic bags with the little bits of kit in get dropped into an old fruit bowl with my wallet and keys ... walks to the pub or walks in the hills for a bit of exercise always have me picking up this stuff for my pockets before going out the door ...

The fixed blades, whether Phil Wilson or my Basic 9 are legal to carry "if you have good reason" ... the onus is on you to show that ... but when mixed with a day sack and walking gear /short stay camping gear/ maps etc the liklihood is that you are perfectly entitled to have these with you. So on that basis I have two Basic 9's ... the second one I keep in a day sack with all the relevant gear to get by akin to my webbing but including a bivi bag and PHD down lightweight sleeping bag. I also have a camelback bladder on the outside. Carry this around and you are good to go in any emergency and it is light ... so easy to pick up and shoulder on the way to the pub.

This set up enables me to do a decent walk over the hills to some of my favourite pubs for a night out and then just crash out up in the hills. My Bivi bag and thermarest air matress and tarp and bag enable me to sleep like a King with some brilliant views when I wake up. So yes ... I am often out for a few days ... :D
 
Last edited:
Has anyone ever tried/considered Ensure liquid replacement meals as an option for survival rations?


Bigfattyt said:
Your water will still work...
Click to expand...
Not in Vancouver British Columbia bud...
The type of earthquake that we are overdue for is the worst type of +9 subduction quake known to man and this could happen at any time (pressure has been building for around 300 years and we are the last in a predictable rectangular pattern of Pacific subduction earthquakes) . When (not if) this happens water mains will certainly be destroyed. (I have this covered, at least as well as it can be)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top