Read a few posts about what to carry, why to carry, etc and it made me think of what we took with us in HS when we went camping in the Olmypic Mountains in Washington. Didn't have a lot of $ so the gear was pretty basic. In the early days our tent was a sheet of heavy plastic if we couldn't stay in a shelter. Backpack was a VERY cheap Camp Trails. Only clothes were what I wore plus a poncho for the rain. (Better have one in the Olympics!) Sleeping bag was a pretty good duck down bag from REI. Had to save alot for that. Knife was a Buck 105 that my BIL gave me. Great Knife!! Processing wood meant breaking it between 2 close trees. Never thought of bringing a saw or an axe. I would have said "Why? What do you need one for?" Boots were good leather work boots from the Family Shoe Store in Pt Angeles. 2 pair got me through HS. We lived to trout fish and I spent some dough on a Quick ultralight set-up. Wish I still had it. Because we spent so much time in the woods we got pretty good at it and could go year round. When I think of the 25 knives I have now.....plus a Hawk plus a saw plus a stove plus a Big Agnes tent and sleeping mat.....yada yada. But it was fun then and it's fun now ..........and a lot more comfortable! Rescue Riley has me thinking of calling up one of my buds and going minimal this summer. We'll see
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What I carried back in high school when we went backpacking............
- Thread starter utah_fish
- Start date
Days of innocence?
Day before marketing, brands and hype?
When I did not have a backpack, I borrowed one
When I did not have a sleeping bag, I used blankets and blanket pins
Lessons learnt but forgotten
The best equipment was make do, wooly sweaters, and raincoats from the house
My gear was a duck feather sleeping bag, a Karrimor framed rucksack, a Blacks Canvas Anorak and rubber soled Army boots
A space blanket as a ground sheet and a long piece of nylon sheeting
I had a set of punch thru grommets and made a 5x7 tarp ( although I have never heard the word tarp)
I pegged it down and tied it over my rucksack that stood upright and it was rain proof
I had a hexamine stove and a mess kit, and had rice or pasta, and a can of sardines for supper and porridge for breakfast
I would leave the house on Friday afternoon after school and take the train or bus out of London to the Chiltern Hills
And walk till Sunday when I would return home
I would sleep in the corner of a field that had a view or in small woods in the English countryside
It only cost me bus or train fare for weekends away
My folks did not believe that I was going rambling for the whole weekend
So one time, I took my mother for a day walk, and left her at a train station and went on to camp
Lovely times...
Day before marketing, brands and hype?
When I did not have a backpack, I borrowed one
When I did not have a sleeping bag, I used blankets and blanket pins
Lessons learnt but forgotten
The best equipment was make do, wooly sweaters, and raincoats from the house
My gear was a duck feather sleeping bag, a Karrimor framed rucksack, a Blacks Canvas Anorak and rubber soled Army boots
A space blanket as a ground sheet and a long piece of nylon sheeting
I had a set of punch thru grommets and made a 5x7 tarp ( although I have never heard the word tarp)
I pegged it down and tied it over my rucksack that stood upright and it was rain proof
I had a hexamine stove and a mess kit, and had rice or pasta, and a can of sardines for supper and porridge for breakfast
I would leave the house on Friday afternoon after school and take the train or bus out of London to the Chiltern Hills
And walk till Sunday when I would return home
I would sleep in the corner of a field that had a view or in small woods in the English countryside
It only cost me bus or train fare for weekends away
My folks did not believe that I was going rambling for the whole weekend
So one time, I took my mother for a day walk, and left her at a train station and went on to camp
Lovely times...
Really true Neeman. I could identify with much that you said. I remember we'd get the urge the summer after 9th grade to head out and if we couldn't get a ride we'd hitchhike the 5 miles to the trail head and walk the 3.5 miles to Lake Angeles. And if no one would give us a ride we'd walk the 8.5 miles.
Major food types were canned beans, PB, eggs, ramen, fresh trout, potatoes and maybe bacon.
You really don't need that much to be comfortable if you have some good skills. Water was everywhere so fire and shelter were the big two.
Major food types were canned beans, PB, eggs, ramen, fresh trout, potatoes and maybe bacon.
You really don't need that much to be comfortable if you have some good skills. Water was everywhere so fire and shelter were the big two.
PolygonalGuy
Gold Member
- Joined
- Aug 16, 2011
- Messages
- 651
Spent my HS years at the Northern edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Killing rabbit and squirrel with a Remington 22 Single Shot. Spent the summers noodling cats and Turtles. All these years later I still wouldnt trade any food on earth for a mess if friex turtle and Morrels! My blades were part of the time. A Buck 110 for cleaning and a Frost Dragon Bali for the teenager 
and I still cant stand Bruce Springsteen
and I still cant stand Bruce Springsteen Yeah, there's just something so classic about the Buck 110. That is a mans knife. Everything about it is right. I really like the ones from the late 60's and early 70's. Both the knife and the sheath were a bit slimmer. Gotta admit I've got a "few" in my possession now. 
I like to match them up with a 301 folder and a 105 fixed on some trips.
I like to match them up with a 301 folder and a 105 fixed on some trips.