What I learned In The Wilds This Last Week

Kodiak PA

Kodiak PA

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I just returned from spending a week on Shuyak Island, Alaska. My brother and I flew out via bush plane to this remote island about 1 hour air flight north from the town of Kodiak. We stayed a week and I have the following observations I would like to share. These are just my opinions but I thought a lot about them this week:

**A regular can opener works better than the one on my SAK

**No matter how careful I am and no matter how much oil and Tuff-Glide I use my blue .450 Marlin still would sprout little rust spots on it....I wish I had the stainless version

**One can take too many knives in the wilderness with them

**Serrated knives do have a place in this world. They cut more aggressively and stay sharper

**That 5 micron water filters do work and everyone should have one. The stuff we filtered through the filter was really yucky but the filter did a great job and we didn't get sick

**Comfort food is wonderful.

**Don't ever, ever skimp on your weather gear. Gore-Tex is the best!

**Don't ever, ever skimp on you foot and hat gear. Gore-Tex is the best!

**20 degree sleeping bags are needed in Alaska in the summer

**Second Skin for blisters really does work and is worth the price

** Always check and make sure you take your battery pack for you VHF radio and not the nicad pack by accident.

**Take lots and lots of batteries

**Microwavable popcorn sux in the wilds....funny joke when wifey puts it in your pack. :)

**That a topographical map & compass is easier to use than a GPS and I trusted the $5 compass more than I did the fancy GPS

**When you're really gonna go remote take 5 minutes and let the Fish and Game ranger know your itinerary. It may save your life.

**That wearing a skirt in a Kyak is nothing to be ashamed of and in fact helps quite a bit.

**Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. And when you're done hydrating, drink some more

**Gator-Aid is yummy and beats drinking water all the time

**That most of the crap in the Coleman camping section in the sports shop just adds weight to your pack

**Always carry your identification

**That an axe works better than your knife for chopping

**That those cheap Gerber folding saws work better than your knife for cutting through wood

**That water/windproof matches are better than lighters

**A pillow makes sleeping much better. A ground pad keeps you warmer and prevents those little rocks from impaling you.

**Having a camping partner you really get along with makes the week go faster and is more enjoyable. In my case, my brother and I had a great time.

**That Scholler Dry skins are about the coolest, most lightweight, wind resistant and fastest drying pants I have ever tried and are worth the $140 you spend on them at LL Bean.

**Having a good first aid kit is an essential (try Adventure Medical Kits)

**Duck tape has many wonderful uses

**Thick cushion sole socks keep you comfy in your boots all day

**Poly P T-shirts are a warmer and comfortable wet than cotton T-shirts

**A good insect repellant beats a good scratch

**An nylon-elastic ammo pouch on your rifle stock is a better way to carry your spare ammo than carrying it in your pocket. About $15 at walmart

**Waterproof disposable cameras take decent pictures and are pretty efficient if the light is good.

**That bear balls really help keep the bears away. I mean the balls that ring not the bear's actual balls.

**If it is raining real hard, lay down and open your mouth. Especially if your water is running low.

**Respect the wilds....remember, they don't respect you.

We had a great time. We were cautious, made careful plans and no one got hurt. The mistakes we made were not serious and we learned a lot and had a lot of fun.
 
Sounds like you're having a more productive summer than I'm having. thanks for the information.
 
Thanks Greg. Reality stuff... Saywhen you say the Scholler Dry Skins pants are "cool" do you mean temperature or style?

Take care,
bug
 
Hi Bug,
Well, I guess both. They're windproof and water resistant and dry very fast hence the name, Dry Skins. They're a lot more comfortable than jeans and you feel cooler in them and they are very light weight and durable. I wore them in the winter too with poly p long underware and they were pretty warm then. Great pants but pricey.
 
Always interesting to see what people take camping.

Gore-tex works if kept clean. For bush work it fails. You are better off with rubberized stuff like Helly Hansen.

SOME people around here ( northern Vancouver Island ) say that only yuppies wear gore tex.... I wouldn't go that far myself

Another axiom for camping is that a bigger tarp is better than a smaller one. And have plenty of 1/4" rope to tie it up with. :D
 
Greg, thank you for posting your comments on your trip. Sounds like you had a great time! I'd love to visit your state some day.

I also like your writing style- very clear and to the point.

Re: your Marlin rifle- have you thought about a teflon or black chrome finish for it? I haven’t kept up with the prices, but I imagine either one is pretty expensive. A wilderness tips site somewhere on the net suggested using motorcycle chain lube on the exterior of firearms in wet environments- the idea is if the stuff will stay put on the mc chain it will stay put anywhere. I’ve also heard of using Johnson’s paste wax on the exposed metal. I haven’t tried either one as we don’t get that much rain where I live.

Re: Gerber saws- I bought 3 of them once at Wal-Mart for 6 bucks each, I think. They had marked down their hunting gear to make room for summer stuff. They do the same thing with their polypropylen long johns each year.

Re: bear balls - I assume you’re talking about bear bells lol. This reminded me of a joke about biologists being puzzled over bear droppings they studied- they kept finding these little bells in it.

Re: gatorade- Country Time or Crystal Light lemonade mix is pretty good too.

What brand of water filter did you take? Sounds like it did the job.

Thanks again for posting.
 
Bill,
I used PUR Water System called the Hiker Microfilter. I got it from LL Bean for $60. It filters 1.5 liters per minute and the filter is suppose to be good for up to 200 gallons before changing. Very easy to use.

The reason that I use LL Bean for so many things (hikers, filter, dry skins, tents etc) is that their guarantee is the best in the business. Absolutely no hassels for returns or damaged goods. They will even replace wear and tear on some items.

Speaking of water filters, my brother used the Exstream Mckenzie personal water purifier. Excellent system. Filters out even viruses. $45 from Bean.

Thanks to all for their comments.

Greg
 
**One can take too many knives in the wilderness with them

---

I applaud you for posting this truism, given where you are. I have seen it many a time. The record being six, iirc.
 
Yeah Erik, I over did it in the knife department.
I took:

Ed Fowler Proghorn
Ed Fowler Camp knife
Camillus EDC folder
Myerco Speed assisted Rascal
Schrade Tough Tool
Spyderco serrated military
United SEAL Machete
Becker Knife and Tool Super Machet
Becker Knife and Tool Campanion
Gerber Sport Ax
Gerber Folding Saw


I was afraid I was going to loose them all. I should have taken just one plain fixed blade (The fowler), the Military, the Ax and folding saw and perhaps one machete for the thick brush. I learned my lesson well.
 
I surprised you managed to keep your pants up with all that iron hanging off your belt. :) :rolleyes:
 
Do you know what the name or model # for those Dry Skin pants is? I could not find them on LL Bean's website.

Thanks for the help.
 
Not only could I not find the Dry Skins at Beans, but searching the entire web Scholler pants were only mentioned once. The mention was also very favorable. Help please.

Take care,
bug
 
I found lots of mentions of Schoeller fabrics, Dryskins and some other types, on the web. I couldn't find the Bean Guide Pants anywhere. I found a couple of great reviews of them including one from April, but none for sale. Cloudveil apparently made some great pants out of Dryskins, but now seem to be using a different Schoeller microfiber fabric.

I would love to see a pair of those L.L. Bean Dryskins Guide pants though. I've come to believe that nylon is great to hike in, especially if your gonna get wet and you can find some pants that don't make that sfwisss-sfwissst noise when you walk. Sucks around a campfire though. My first fleece pullover looks like it was attacked by an gang of BB machine gun armed maniacs.
 
HindSight is always better it seems!

Great time you had eh? ;)

Sure beats my last week in the Wilds....the Wilds of Ocean City Maryland USA that is :)

We, the family of three daughters and my wife, two daughters that needed to have the fellows CONSTANTLY being fought off, they must take after my wife in the looks dept!
We traveled to DC first for a short tour and then off to Ocean City for three days and two nights, walking the board walk...have GOOD socks and comfy sneakers, KNIVES? Always, but couldn't afford a Fowler so I just had my SAK Executive, William Henry Carbon Fiber Lancet and BenchMade 940 Osborne, green handle 693/1000 plain edge. Left the fanicer stuff home...wasn't sure how knife friendly DC museums were, turns out they didn't have metal detectors so I could have carried....

I'll take your list though and keep it for reference....

G2
 
..and if you use a mini mag lite, put some bright orange tape on it.
i learned this the hard way. was camping on the edge of a swamp in louisiana with a friend. dropped it somewhere near the tant and never found it. i swear...it just dissappeared. vanished. goen like a fart in the wind.
something bright colored woulda helped me find it. maybe not that night,but at least the next day.

one of these days im gonna go back there and find that thing.
 
Thanks Paul. The extra "e" in Schoeller makes a difference searching.

Take care,
bug
 
Kodiak

I've only gone out in the day and so can carry enough water. You mention you used a water filter and your brother used a water purifier.

When would you use one over the other?
 
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