Personally I do worry about looking military, or to be precise I worry about looking like a forty year old who's playing at soldiers. My neighbours once teased me about "going on manouvers" when I was going out badger watching one night, I was wearing DPM jacket and trousers. <img src="images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> That made me think a lot about how others might see me. I'm lucky that I can walk out of my front foor and be in the countryside within ten minutes, but that ten minutes means walking through the village. So normally the only stuff that gets carried on the belt are my camera bags, and a small pouch with survival type gear, to be precise it's my "get myself noticed to be rescued" gear.

I suppose I coudl travel as light as you talk about, but at forty I do like my comfort so a thermarest has to be included. Bivvy bag as well if I'm using a tarp. And I like to try out different stuff, eg learning to use an axe safely means I've got to carry the axe somewhere safe for me, so not on a belt. I also don't want it to be noticed so I need a pack. ALso I've got to have somewhere to carry the camo gear if I am going to be taking pictures of wildlife, particularly fallow deer which apparently have good colour vision.

Now as for attaching the side pouches to the yoke, you need the specific yoke for that, apparently the standard yoke doesn't have the attachments. I got my yoke from Strike Force Supplies He's a good bloke, you have to order by phone to make sure stuff's in stock.

Cheers
Justin