Updated Woods/Day Kit

[michaelm466]

I posted my B.O.B. in this subforum a couple months ago asking for recommendations, here's the original thread...http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=670877 which I received and was very grateful for, So after a couple months of saving and purchasing, hours of reading product reviews and opinions on this forum and others, I've updated my kit, and actually its split into too because it was getting so big, one is this kit for woods use, the other more of a U.S.K. (Urban Kit) which I'll put up later. However I still have my larger Kelty Redwing should I need to combine the two, which shouldn't be too hard since they both have doubles that of eachother that I could leave behind. So here are the pics of woods pack a Osprey Manta 25, great pack that just came out this year, it comes with a built in rain fly and water bladder that has a plastic frame around it so that you can put it into a full bladder into a full pack with no problem and also puts pressure on the bladder so that there is a bit of water pressure, I like it better than the camelbak one bladders now actually. Not pictured are is the hygene kit, toothbrush, soap, toilet paper, etc, and extra clothes whatever they may be depending on season.

Edited to add: Here's the thread with my Urban Kit http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=744244

Pictured Above:
Zipties, safety pins, wax covered sinew, 50ft of paracord, one of two fox whistles, Victorinox Pioneer/Harvester, double sided diamond sharpener, and paracord bracelet (about 18ft althogether)

Pictured Above: Laplander saw, Condor Golok, BRKT Bravo-1, and Swamp Rat Swamp Warden.

Rip-stop Nylon Rain poncho, tarp/survival blanket, two 12-hour glow sticks, Zebralights H501 headlamp, 3 extra batteries and, headband and pocket clip for light

Guyot Designs Nalgene bottle, FAK customized, 2x Bandanas, Fishing Kit, Water purification pills, and 20 liter water purification straw, the plastic bag/bladder on the left was originally used to store cream from one of my jobs, nice thick plastic with stopper top, about 2.5 gallons, these things get thrown around and dropped on the floor sometimes without breakages or the top coming off. three 400 calorie food bars, hand sanitizer, 2 cheaper space blankets, Suunto Compass

ESEE Fire Kit with striker attached, Wetfire tinder, and coglans tinder both work extremely well, 5x magnifier, 2 bic lighters, and starflash signal mirror

Also have a choice of one of these four depending on the area I'm headed into, I usually just keep the Golok on their since it can do well with wood or brush.

So let me know what you think, any recommendations? things to add things to ditch? Thanks in advance.

 

[texastonydobbs]

I think you have some good gear that can handle alot.
I add maybe a Small file to touch up machetes & axes with gets dings out and then use your stone.Put an O-ring or ziptie around bic/under red button to keep fuel from being expelled on accident .
a Light stick holder since you carry light sticks. to clip to bag or hang or if needed cut the light off.

 

[OwenM]

So let me know what you think, any recommendations? things to add things to ditch? Thanks in advance.

What are you doing on your dayhikes? Are you clearing brush, or building trails as part of a trail association?

 

[Mannlicher]

Boy now THATS a day kit

I get by with a lot less though. This is an example of what I might have with me for a full day afield.

 

[PayetteRucker]

Good taste in tools. That Barkie Bravo with the black micarta sure is a classy lookin knife. You must live where it's consistantly warm, even on scorching days I've learned to take a pullover and usually a hat and gloves.

 

[michaelm466]

I guess this is more of a 24-72 hour pack or if I had to Bug out and could only grab what I could carry and I was going into the woods, I'd take the same thing +food/water if i were staying a couple days some where, and maybe a sleeping bag if its cold enough. Same thing in mind but an Urban version to follow, hopefully tonight sometime.

 

[michaelm466]

Also the machetes/axes are for wood processing if staying over night or building a shelter, etc. Mannlicher, I like the spydie, did you re-handle it? and how has it been working out for you? Also I find I get very warm when even just walking, when I go running even in the snow I just go in shorts and a t-shirt, If I start with a hoodie i'll end up taking it off after a half-mile or so anyway, But I do keep warmer clothes with me depending on the season usually anyway if not for me then for my GF who hikes with me sometimes.

 

[OwenM]

I guess this is more of a 24-72 hour pack or if I had to Bug out and could only grab what I could carry and I was going into the woods, I'd take the same thing +food/water if i were staying a couple days some where, and maybe a sleeping bag if its cold enough.

In that case I'll shelve my initial reaction(which was to ditch most of that stuff), and say add some wet wipes, and maybe an Esbit stove if you want to warm up something to eat, or make tea or coffee. The fuel could double as a firestarter-needs a ziploc bag for the fuel, since it stinks to high heaven, and maybe some aluminum foil for a windscreen.
I like the tape with the emergency blankets, since you could use them as a reflector, or make a bag out of one or both of them if necessary.
Insect repellant and sunscreen like Mannlicher showed in his pic are part of my kit, no matter how large or small, in warmer weather. I use a small spray bottle, and fill it up with Deep Woods OFF, since that seems to work best around here.
Maybe an Energizer L91 lithium AA or two in place of those Hybrids. I replaced my NiMH batteries with the same Hybrids, and got good service for awhile, but when they decided to stop working well, their capacity/performance dropped like a rock.
Oh, and something like a Victorinox Classic if you don't have tweezers and small scissors in your first aid kit. Very handy, and for more than just first aid.

So after a couple months of saving and purchasing, hours of reading product reviews and opinions on this forum and others, I've updated my kit.

btw, this was my favorite part of your post. You've got some really nice tools there:thumbup:

 

[shangchi108]

Wow, you have excellent taste in tools, and you like lots of stuff.

I can't help but notice that most of your stuff looks brand new, and I wonder how much of it you've used in the field. I think as you spend time carrying all that stuff around, you'll eventually pare it down to what you really need and what works best for you. You'll likely have a much smaller list of things that you will find essential, especially as your skills develop.

 

[Todd A]

Good taste in gear. How much weight is your normal load?

I am certain your kit will change over time.I know mine has,and does depending on what I am doing or who is with me.

My full set up for a solo overnighter....(comes in at ~15lbs w/ water and food))

What I carry on just a solo day hike...

But like I said, it still changes. I like to try new stuff, add and remove items almost every trip out.

I have been a woodsbum for about 34 years, and I am still looking for the perfect balance between skills/gear/portability .

 

[michaelm466]

Nice kit I was also thinking about building a kit around the maxpedition bottle holder those are pretty sweet, yeah most of the stuff since I recently got it hasn't seen much use, I have been camping all my life though, been in scouts since first grade got my eagle scout about 5 years ago, just hadn't really got into quality gear until about a year and half ago so I was just using gerber knives, Sak's and strike anywhere matches, basically everything from the camping section of Fred Meyer/Wal-Mart/Bi-Mart which is adequate usually just not as reliable. Also thank you for the other suggestions, I'll defintely have to put some bug spray in there, in some of the lake camping i've done, about a liter of bug spray per day was required to keep them off of you, don't really like the stuff though (smell and sticky feeling) I usually prefer to just stand in the smoke for a couple minutes and that seems to help. I'm really looking forward to trying out the Wetterlings and GB, to see which size I prefer, I bought the wetterlings first and my GF got me the GB for a birthday present, the F&F seem pretty on equal. Just got the headlamp two days ago and the pack about a month ago, of course it wasn't released until about two months ago.

 

[Mannlicher]

Also the machetes/axes are for wood processing if staying over night or building a shelter, etc. Mannlicher, I like the spydie, did you re-handle it? and how has it been working out for you? Also I find I get very warm when even just walking, when I go running even in the snow I just go in shorts and a t-shirt, If I start with a hoodie i'll end up taking it off after a half-mile or so anyway, But I do keep warmer clothes with me depending on the season usually anyway if not for me then for my GF who hikes with me sometimes.

The Spyderco is an amazing little knife. Great edge retention, and performs 'bushcraft' tasks well.
This was one of the reduced price ones, The handle is original, but I did strip it down, epoxied the cracks, and refinished it.

I have a much different set of gear for my emergency pack, the one that I wold depend on for 3 to 4 days in an emergency.

 

[Fieldtestornothing]

I'm not big on 'survival' straws. My recommendation would be to add some sort of water disinfecting method. A tincture of Iodine or Bleach has multiple uses besides disinfecting water. I use some in my dishwashing stations or in my hand washing stations when I'm out solo. Iodine can also be used in cleaning wounds (not internally of course).

The next thing is dealing with medical trauma. I am a big believer in an Israeli Trauma dressing if you plan on caring a big chopper out in the woods. Not that you would chop yourself, but I have seen it happen. The israeli has the advantage of being able to be used as a pressure dressing, a type of poor ACE bandage and tinder as a last resort. It is decently small and is multi use and if the need arrives in my opinion is pretty hard to improvise. The Bandana's are a decent substitute but require two hands to apply well.

Your Tinder is an excellent choice. One thing my buddy turned me on to is using Cotton Balls with a topical antibiotic. They burn as well as CB's with Vaseline but are certainty more useful medically.

Steel/brass wire has lots of uses and is good for hanging pots, fixing pack frames, Snares (Although I'm not qualified to advise there), Making racks to smoke/cook meat and fish and other things. 20 ft can do a lot.

Something that I carry which definately adds weight is a good 50ft rope and a carabiner. If you are qualified you can make a swiss seat and rapell, Hang animals for cleaning, assist in river crossings, making improvised rafts, and lots of other things. My set up weighs just under 3lbs and while a tad unorthodox is worth it in my opinion under the right circumstances. Of course make sure you get a rope rated to do with it what you want.

I find that a pair of Leather gloves are also useful and multi use.

These are more BOB out recommendations than for a day pack but just my .02.

Great tool selection by the way. The Bravo 1 is one of my favorite knives of all time.

Good luck to ya

 

[Rockywolf]

Good taste in gear. How much weight is your normal load?

I am certain your kit will change over time.I know mine has,and does depending on what I am doing or who is with me.

My full set up for a solo overnighter....(comes in at ~15lbs w/ water and food))

What I carry on just a solo day hike...

But like I said, it still changes. I like to try new stuff, add and remove items almost every trip out.

I have been a woodsbum for about 34 years, and I am still looking for the perfect balance between skills/gear/portability .

I like your stuff! I have almost the EXACT same setup!:thumbup:

 

[mtwarden]

good looking kit I'd second the comment on good tinder choice- wetfires are wonderful- regardless of conditions

couple of things I'd consider adding (mentioned above) is a set of sturdy (but light) gloves- constructing shelters can be a little hard on the hands

sunglasses, the obvious, but there are many brands (Smith for one) that allow lens changes- I keep a pair of clear lenses w/ them, I find I'm wearing them regardless of weather conditions- they do a great job of protecting the eyes when hiking off trail, also when the wood working gets serious

I'd get a bail setup for your bottle- gives you a little more flexibility in boiling water, maybe even a pot/mug to nest it in

I've given up on the cheap emergency blankets, have gone to AMK heatsheets and have never looked back- they aren't much more than than the cheap ones

also look at their bivy is smaller and lighter than the "sportsman" blanket

a silnylon poncho/tarp is a good multi-function piece that is very light/compact- throw in a couple of small stakes and w/ your cordage you have a nice shelter (and rain gear!)

bandanas are great, but Bufs are even better IMO- I use syn ones in warm weather and their merino ones in colder

btw I just looked up the Manta- wow! great looking little pack (I own a bigger Exos and love it )

 

[grayman19]

what I have seen used instead of a large bandage is simply a spare shirt and duct tape.
In the interest of weight shaving, you could ditch that machete if you are actually using this for survival or long hikes, and use that beautiful saw. If you are going trail clearing reverse it. You could also remove one of those knives, probably the paracord wrapped one. You have a large knife for battoning/camp chores and the SAK for intricate work. The zip ties can be removed, because paracord is more useful and you already have a lot of it.

I would ditch that SAK for a Leatherman Wave, or even a Super Tool. The pliers come in all sorts of handy.