What do you carry in the field?

[glocker21]

Greetings from the Great State of Montana !!!

I was wondering what everyone carries in the field? For me , I wear BDU trousers, left cargo pocket carries my first aid kit from Atwater Carey, Right cargo pocket is the home of a Survival kit that I have created over the years. These two items never leave the trousers while I am in the field...they are for survival or first aid only.

My survival kit is triple reduntant...meaning that I have atleast three ways to complete one particular task. I have gear to make fire, fish, build & set traps, sharpening gear, bullion cubes, tea bags, soup, vitamin C tabs, hard candies, signalling gear, shelter making gear, sewing kit, tarp material, H20 purification gear...plus much more.

On my belt I carry my trusty Kbar or Rob Simonich Pikuni, my M1911 and spare mags.

What do you all carry?

 

[longbow50]

I've always got my leatherman on my hip, a photon style LED,P38 and SAK on my keychain.

For one day ventures into the wilderness here, I wear a multi-pocket vest with all the necessary items for a reasonably healthy and comfortable stay in the elements. I carry three ingniters to make fire and three different tenders. Fishing kit w/snare capabilities, small medical kit, water purification and carry, sharpener, TP, shelter in form of large HD leaf bag and space blanket, compass, minimag, liner lock blade, signal reflector, 50' paracord and gloves.

 

[logansan]

I always had at least two knives on me, one fixed blade around 4-5 inches and one folding knife. It was usually the US knife the military issued due to the fact that was what my students had but now I carry a Benchmade Balisong switchblade, only in uniform of course. In my pack I ALWAYS had a first aid kit, extra clothes, am emerg. shelter, water, and a way to start a fire within 10 mins. NO MATTER WHAT!!!!! This was mandatory gear, if we didn't have it with us we could get busted for not following regs. I also preferred an axe for big jobs but in WA state where we were we could be flexible to carry a pocket saw for big pieces and then use whatever else we had for the kindling and tinder for fire. The big pieces were for a long term fire or for shelter construction.

Granted I am in the AF and SERE but I don't feel comfortable in anything but BDU's. I have tried some of these preppy nice looking Columbia, Eddie Bauer, etc. pants but personally I would be pissed to rip one of these things I paid over $30 for when a set of BDU's will last me years.

Just mein zwei pfennig...I bet you thought I was gonna say dos centavos didn't you?

 

[longbow50]

I prefer the BDU's myself. Used to be able to get them reasonably priced from the thrift shops in the area (when Ft. Ord was in operation), now they are few and far between and I'm ready for another set. Just can't see buying the imports online or spending what our not so local (40 mile drive) Surplus store wants for them. The guys a crook I tell ya, lol.

 

[coyotlviejo]

I am admittedly under-equipped. Sometimes it's just my knife and me. (It's a beautiful thing! ) So, since I am probably the least qualified to tell you what to take, I simply have advice on how to take it - for what my advice is worth.

Rather than using your BDU leg pockets you might consider relocating your kits up closer to your waist. Your legs act as levers, with a certain pressure exerted to move your body along. The nature of a lever is such that a load placed further from the fulcrum (leverage point) bears a seemingly greater weight than a load of equal weight placed closer to the fulcrum. So a 6-ounce kit at mid-leg might feel like a 9-ounce kit as regarding the energy it takes to move it. On your ankle it might feel like a 1-pound kit. On your waist it will feel like 6 ounces, since your waist is the fulcrum of the lever, and therefore bears the burden at its true-weight value.

Scrutinizing over ounces and inches might seem silly, but after a long, hard day's hike you will definitely notice the difference. This advice would apply more to backpackers or trekkers, but can still be adapted by anyone putting in a good day's walk.

(Now I'm gonna have to start building a kit to carry...)

 

[Angus McGunnigl]

I carry the basics+. I am not out in the boonies without enough equipment to take care of myself and those with me. Call me paranoid, but I doubt you'll ever see me on the news having to rescued cause I'm out hiking in flip-flops, shorts, t-shirt( well it was sunny and warm when I left !). I see people when I'm out on dayhikes in the North Cascades and they are so ill prepared that there have been a couple times that I waited in my truck at the trailhead to make sure they made it out. FOOLS!!!!!

Thanks for listening to my rant.

BDU's all the way. Can't seem to kill 'em !!

 

[ThorTso]

I know I am waaaaaaaaay over-equipped and my wife mocks me when we go out into the bush (which is quite often down here). Well, I keep telling her that statisitcs belong in the classroom and not out in the wilds.

I carry about 6 knives of which 3 are fixed blades alone. I have two PSK's a mini and a maxi PSK. I have a large camera bag which I use to store all my emergency and survival equipment and gear. This includes a wilderness first aid kit, lots and lots of firemaking stuff, icluding matches, lighters, magnesium and metal match etc etc. I also have lots of water purification tablets which are rather important in the African bush which tends to be very hot and dry. Emergency rain ponchos, space blankets, bandannas, and I also have all the basic EDC like Photon 2, FOX40 whistle, compasses(yes, I have about 4 compasses!!!), Windmill Delta lighter, binoculars and my trusty Llama .357 Magnum with 6 inch barrel and 25 rounds hollow-tip 158 grain ammo just in case we stumble upon Tyranosaurus Rex!!!