Put a new kit together today. (pictures)

I have my backpack with all my gear and such for weekend trips and beyond, but I wanted to put together something more for dayhikes/survival practice in areas I am familiar with. So, I went out today and got some gear together. I had to start from scratch since I'm away from home right now (doing the college thing).

First the pictures:











Now the list:

Eddie Bauer Bag
2 Lexan water bottles (came with bag)
Steel Cup
Leatherman Blast
50ft paracord
7 ranger bands
2 Steel quick links

Inside:

Motorola Talkabout T6500
Princeton Tec Quest headlamp with LED bulb
Buck Diamondback Guide Fixed Blade
Three Ziploc Freezer bags (contents of each bag listed below)

Bag 1:
Small metal candy tin filled with cotton/Vaseline balls
Six spare Lithium AA batteries
Two Spare bulbs for headlamp
Rite-in-Rain Pad
Fischer Bullet Space Pen
Doan Flint/Magnesium Bar
Stick style diamond knife sharpener
Industrial formula Sharpie
7 Yellow Zip-ties
DR Pocket survival Pak supplemented with
-2 gaff hooks
-Victorinox Classic SD
-4 eye hooks
-6 Katadyn MP1 Tabs

Bag 2:
Silva Guide Model 426 Compass
Under Armor Gloves
Charmin (Toilet Paper) To-Go Pack
Adventure Medical Kits pocket medic supplemented with:
-Nitrile Gloves
-Benadryl Liqui-gels
-Imodium A-D
-Aspirin tabs
-roll of gauze
-medical tape
-Lip Balm with SPF 15

Bag 3:
Emergency Poncho
2 Garbage Bags (55 gallon size)
2 bright blue bandannas
3 coffee filters
2 Snickers Marathon Bars
PowerBar Gel
Jelly Belly Sport Beans


Items I want to add, but couldn't find today:
Heatsheets Emergency Bivvy
Small GPS (that uses AA batteries)
Spare pair of socks (when hiking)


Keep in mind, this supplements my normal EDC, so I've already got some basics covered (Knife/Fire/Light/Whistle/Bandanna/ect).

Also, interestingly enough, it cost me around $300 to assemble this kit using all store bought items (Though there is a bag of stuff left over from the items that had to be bought in bulk like the gloves, cotton, hooks, other radio, ect.) Amazing how fast stuff adds up. Makes me wonder what my backpack with more (and generally higher quality) gear cost me to assemble. <img src="/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

"...Makes me wonder what my backpack with more (and generally higher quality) gear cost me to assemble..."

Trust me, you do not want to know...

Looks like a pretty good kit, but why do you carry 2 spare bulbs for a LED-headlamp?

You are right on that. It down right scared me when I added my EDC, BOB, big kit, and long tearm supplies up.

The headlamp was originally a standard bulb style, but I took the standard bulb out and put an LED bulb in. That left me with two regular bulbs leftover, so I keep them in the kit. They don't really take up any space or weight, and they have a better throw than the LED bulb.

Very cool kit. A few questions?

1. What are the details on the steel cup and where did you get it?

2. Is the expectation with the talkabout radio that you'd be with someone else with the other one, or that you'd be likely to reach someone with them? I have a pair of them also but never considered including them in any of my kits. (Mostly because they recharge from a special charger and the batteries would probably be dead when I needed them.)

3. [This is a general question, and should probably be asked in its own topic...) I noticed you have an AMK med kit and a DR PSP kit inside the Ziploc bags. I also see the emergency poncho inside its OEM sleeve, toilet paper in the Charmin packaging, etc. Where do you fall on the -- keeping things in original packaging vs. taking things out of their packaging and combining them to save weight and bulk -- scale?

4. Where will you put the heatsheet, the GPS and the socks when you get them? (Is there enough spare room in there?)

5. How does it feel to carry it -- does it drag on you or fit relatively well?

6. (This is a general question -- not specific to Paul810) And since most of the kit is for incidental/survival use, is it better to have it packed into a separately carry-able fanny pack, or in a single "drop-in-the-bottom-of the day pack" kit that will rest alongside more water, food, a towel, sunglasses, camera, kids' stuff, bug repellent -- the usual things you need to reach for frequently when hiking/walking...

Thanks for sharing the deets on the kit -- again, very cool.

Nicely done. Can I assume you carry a jacket ( warm and/ or waterproof) elsewhere?

I'd add a map of wherever you are, & more water treatment tabs.
Also a signal mirror, 20' of flagging tape and a fleece or wool cap.
No cell phone?

Why did you buy all new? Try ebay or goodwill for nearly new gear. Much cheaper.

teacher

Echo that, OGB. My dad asked me once about my "morbid hobby", and I replied by asking him how much he spends on golf gear every year.

Wow. This really isn't healthy.

nice..but i would say ditch the Snickers bar and take
a lot more real food..you will be hungry and weak a lot
faster than you will need a space pen and TP.

I see a lot of you carrying these...any special reason?

I mean...is it the novelty or true function?

re: the carrying of spare bulbs for LEDs. I do this in a few lights. For instace, while I changed over two of my 3D mag lites to MaxStar5 - 5 Watt Luxeon TLE-6K2 LEDs (from batteryjunction.com), I also have Mag drop in LED replacements as my spares in the cap should something ever happen (probably physically) to the primary bulbs.

But, in other areas I have different LED lights.

Looks fairly comprehensive. Might I suggest adding a small bottle of bug repellant and sun block? Food wise, snickers are fine, as are mar's bars and m&m's. Caffine pills might come in handy as well. I know from personal experiance that things rub together in any bag. This causes a degree of wear & tear. Leaving them in their packaging helps to reduce this.

I prefer granola type bars. They can't really get stale, worst that happens is that they get broken up, which makes them easier to eat anyway, you just tear the wrapper open at one end and shake them into your mouth...

1. What are the details on the steel cup and where did you get it?

--It's a normal single walled steel camp cup (16 ounces I think?), just big enough that the bottle nests inside it. I removed the obsessively large handle it came with and I will replace with a smaller handle made from wire.

2. Is the expectation with the talkabout radio that you'd be with someone else with the other one, or that you'd be likely to reach someone with them? I have a pair of them also but never considered including them in any of my kits. (Mostly because they recharge from a special charger and the batteries would probably be dead when I needed them.)

--Generally, when I go out with other people we all carry them. I also like it because it gives weather reports. Plus there is always the possibility you might be able to talk to someone on the other end, so before I head out (and I leave my information about where I am going), I will also write down that I have a GMRS/FRS radio and the channel it is on. It might help to narrow down a search if need be.

3. [This is a general question, and should probably be asked in its own topic...) I noticed you have an AMK med kit and a DR PSP kit inside the Ziploc bags. I also see the emergency poncho inside its OEM sleeve, toilet paper in the Charmin packaging, etc. Where do you fall on the -- keeping things in original packaging vs. taking things out of their packaging and combining them to save weight and bulk -- scale?

--The medical kit and survival kit I left in there original packaging because it is more weatherproof than the ziplock bags (and it keeps all that small stuff together), and if something happens to me and someone needs to take my supplies for some reason everything is easily identifiable and there is some degree of instructions. The charmin I left in its original packaging because toilet paper is pretty easily shredded and squished, and it provides some weather protection. Nothing worse than soggy shredded toilet paper. <img src="/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

4. Where will you put the heatsheet, the GPS and the socks when you get them? (Is there enough spare room in there?)

--To the left and right of each bag there is enough room that I can squeeze more stuff in. The socks would just lay on top where the radio is (I'll take that out and clip it on my belt.)

5. How does it feel to carry it -- does it drag on you or fit relatively well?

--It's a little odd, as I'm not used to having weight on my waist without shoulder straps, but it seems fine. I wont really know until I wear it for a day.

6. (This is a general question -- not specific to Paul810) And since most of the kit is for incidental/survival use, is it better to have it packed into a separately carry-able fanny pack, or in a single "drop-in-the-bottom-of the day pack" kit that will rest alongside more water, food, a towel, sunglasses, camera, kids' stuff, bug repellent -- the usual things you need to reach for frequently when hiking/walking...

--My kit isn't just for emergency survival use (though there survival specific gear). That is pretty much all my gear for an overnight if the weather is nice enough. It would work fine for longer trips as well with some clothes, food, and a bivvy bag, which I can tailor to the individual trip.


Nicely done. Can I assume you carry a jacket ( warm and/ or waterproof) elsewhere?

--Of course. Layered clothing, a full brim hat, and sunglasses.

I'd add a map of wherever you are, & more water treatment tabs.

--For maps, I usually add some that are specific to the area I'm traveling in. Generally this gear will only be used in areas I'm already familiar with. As to water purification, the bulk of my water purification is done through boiling. The tabs are pretty much for emergencies/on the go purification. I will probably end up adding more, but I used the rest that was in the pack to restock the gear in my truck.

Also a signal mirror, 20' of flagging tape and a fleece or wool cap.
--signal mirror is in the kit (and the compass has a mirror) and I have the cap. I will add some flagging tape, (as it would have come in handy in the past now that I think about it).

No cell phone?

--That's in my EDC gear.

Why did you buy all new? Try ebay or goodwill for nearly new gear. Much cheaper.

--It was a bit of an experiment. I wanted to see how difficult it would be to put together a kit in one day from local stores and see what it would cost. I plan on teaching some survival techniques to college kids when the weather gets nicer and I wanted the bulk of my gear to be stuff that can be bought locally in case they want to assemble a kit. Plus, as I use stuff I like being able to go out and replace it easily. I find that sometimes I don?t like using certain gear because it is impossible to replace without buying it off the internet.

nice..but i would say ditch the Snickers bar and take
a lot more real food..you will be hungry and weak a lot
faster than you will need a space pen and TP.

--I can always add more/carry more. That?s just some basic energy stuff. Usually food is the last thing I put in before I leave.


I see a lot of you carrying these...any special reason?
I mean...is it the novelty or true function?

--It?s a good water/weatherproof pen and it takes up very little room. I always carry a pen and paper on me, I?ve used it quite a few times in the past. Usually to jot down directions, notes, ect or even burn if I have to. Sometimes I?ll sit down at night and write down what I?ve seen and done that day and make notes on my experiences or mistakes. For me it?s kind of a comfort item.

Might I suggest adding a small bottle of bug repellant and sun block? Food wise, snickers are fine, as are mar's bars and m&m's.

--Interestingly enough, I haven?t used either in years. I always wear long pants and a hat so I never get burnt and I find fire/smoke is better at keeping bug away than bug spray. Sometimes it seemed as if the bug spray attracted bugs. Oh, and the Snickers bars aren?t the regular candy bars. They are Marathon bars, which is snickers new protein bar (similar to a Powerbar). Just for clarification.

hey paul thats a nice setup...i have always liked the buttpack and waterbottle combo....i was thinking it might be a good idea to put the modified D.R. survival pack in your pocket rather than your buttpack just incase you become seperated from your main kit...never have all your eggs in the same basket. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />.. this is the same survival theme of the S.A.S ,you have your survival tin in your pocket ,belt kit around your waist and your rucksack...vince g. 11b inf...

Like the set up.

FYI: I've found a pair of heavy suspenders (non-elastic ones like construction workers will sometimes put on their tool belts) hooked on the fanny pack come in pretty handy (keeps from pulling your pants down).

They also provide a platform for attaching stuff like mini maglight holsters, etc.

I was thinking about that. The US military uses a similar setup (suspenders, belt, gear bags). It would definately help to evenly distribute the weight.

Seems to me that you might as well have a small daypack if you start doing all that. But then I don't really like fannypacks anyway. To each his own...

True, it's just a thought. The thing that I like about it, is that, I can still carry a daypack with more gear if I wish (clothes, food, bedding). This just holds my basic gear in a compact package. It would take all of 10 seconds to switch the gear over to a daypack too if I wanted.

"... can still carry a daypack with more gear if I wish..."

That's not a bad idea...

Use the ones the carpenters use. I was in the army and now I work construction. The ones the construction workers use are sooooooooo much more cofortable.

'Specially if you are going to wear a pack on top of the suspenders...

I use a Maxpedition Devil Dog as my small BOB and due to the fact that It's probably loaded more heavily than intended and the fact that I suffer fom no butt, I use an Combat H-Harness (or H-Suspenders) to hold it up. This setup has the bonus of adding attachment points to the back so I can add my ThermoBak, backpack or other pouches to it, as well as the front so I can clip on other items.

Any time I go hiking I take it with me. It gets the odd look or two from other hikers with traditional backpacks or buttpacks with no suspenders.

Before everyone harps on this guy for using snickers bars let me point out they are snickers MARATHON bars. They are significantly different. I've had them. Not only are they quite tasty (which to me is pretty important) but also have extremely high nutritive value. They provide excellent long term energy and good caloric/protein intake. Here's the nutritional info:

http://www.snickersmarathon.com/nutrition.asp

Plus, they're not anything really like the chocolate bars you see in stores so they hold together much better too.

"...so they hold together much better..."

Thanks, never heard of them, I had a mental pic of a squished gooey chocolate mess in a wrapper...

Ah, someone else who has a ditch kit for every day, and an empty or emptiable rucksack for those times when things are likely to go screwy.

I like what I see, but I would suggest trying any aftermarket handle for that cup BEFORE you leave the dorm/home. You might be suprised how unreliable coat hangers are after a while. I would also say look for a can that fits over it, and using a side-cutting can opener, make yourself a pot lid for your cup.

Also, no socks?

Looking at that, they almost seem like an update on the old WWII D-bar . ANyone tried these in a high tempurature enviroment? And how big are they?

It's on my list of things to add. Problem is I've got precious few pairs of good wool socks with me right now. I've got to pick up a few more. Seems as though when winter rolls around a few of my nice warm clothes like to walk away from the laundry room. <img src="/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />

I took my homework down to the laundry room and stood gaurd, the brought my wool gear back to the dorm room to let dry on the bungie cords I had strung on the bed springs of my roommate's bunk. Our beds stacked in the dorm I spent most of my time, and I always got the lower bunk, so I took advantage of the space.

I also invested in a five dollar drying rack that folded up and stashed in my closet when not in use. I used to rent it too my roommate for fifty cents per load he did on it- considering the driers took about two bucks to dry what the rack did in a day, it was a good deal for everyone.

Luckily drying is free, but they charge you an arm and a leg for a wash. <img src="/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

By the way, I filled up the water bottles and added a pair of socks, then I weighed the whole bag on the scale. Came out to be almost 9lbs. Not sure if that falls under "good" or "bad" (as I don't usually look at the weights of things). But I thought someone would like to know.