I found this UK site while surfing the net. Excellent photography and interesting equipment. I'd be interested to see what you think of his grab bag, or as he calls it, his "possibles bag", which include quite a few interesting items. How would you review it's contents for a bag kept in a vehicle?

http://www.ravenlore.co.uk/html/grab_bag.html

Lotsa stuff in there. Seems a tad topheavy on sharpening tools and blades, but then you can never have too many sharp knifes, as long as you are willing to carry them around. That barrel knife was intersting, never seen one of those before. A spork and stainless knife-fork-spoon seems a little redundant. No fishing kit, he must have been reading here and decided against one. Not sure why homemade bug juice instead of commercial, I wonder what his stuff is???

I agree with OBG. I carry 2 knives and thats it. I can use the same knife for whittling as I can for cutting cordage - thus my 1 sharpening stone. I guess if he uses the stuff all the time (?) then it works for him. I have a hiking style extra large butt pack that I use for my "jump pack". Leaves my hands free. I am still refining it so can't say that it works great, let alone is perfect for me or anyone else. He has a lot of eating utensils but nothing to eat. Sounds like a mental sabatage (sitting in front of a fire with spork in hand WISHING there was something to eat)

Looks like he had some commercial insect repellant there as well called Nordic Summer

http://www.raymears.com/Bushcraft_Product/284-Insect-Repellent-Nordic-Summer

His home made insect repellant was probably a small bottle of 100% Bog Mrytle essential oil to keep away the dreaded Scottish Midge.

http://www.amphora-retail.com/myrtle-essential-10ml-p-237.html

Agreed. Lots of edged tools.

"you can never have too many sharp knifes" Have to disagree with that. The large number of knives in this kit can be forgiven because it isn't, nor is it intended to be, a 'survival' kit or, as the writer points out, intended to be carried.

For field use I consider, subject to change at any time, three knives to be about perfect. One large for the heavy work, one small for finer work, and a smaller still backup in the PSK or first-aid kit. The large knife shouldn't bee too big. Unless it is a machete the largest should be about half the size of what Rambo carries.

People forget you can do big jobs with a small knife. In fact, often easier than with a larger one because of leverage and weight issues. You can chop down the largest tree with a pen knife. It just takes longer.

A small carborundum or thin credit-card sized diamond impregnated plate works well and is all the sharpening you need.

I also think that the redundant eating tools and the large number of fire making options and accouterments seems excessive.

Also he is dedicating a lot of effort to the ability of the Gerber to used jigsaw blades. Not entirely a bad thing but those blades look suspiciously like what you get in a discount store multi-blade pack. If so he may end up grinding through all those blades on the first simple task. If your going to pack saw blades high quality name-brand blades will give a better accounting of themselves.

Also, I have looked at the Gerber with its ability to use small saw blades. IMO those saw blades are much too small to do much real work. Unlike a knife, where a small one can do big work, a saw depends on length to get a good number of teeth across the work. A electrically powered jigsaw can move the tiny blades back and forth a thousand times a minute and get the job done quickly. Using such small blades by hand is pretty miserable about the time you get the blade moving you have to stop and reverse direction.

Even under ideal conditions a 4" saw blade is about the smallest saw blade I consider to be practical to use by hand. The saw blades on my Leatherman are about 2-1/2" and only good at a last resort. Even a 4" blade is pretty much short-stroking it and you end up working mighty hard to get anything done.

Anyone doubting this should try using one of a jigsaw blade to cut through something light, like a softwood 1 by 3 or #3 rebar. These are pretty much the minimum capability in my book. If you can't saw through these in a reasonable amount of time your better off reconsidering your options. A tiny blade will see your arm tired before the job is done. And don't be in a rush.

An 8" or 12" blade is much more useful if your intent is to get something done rapidly.

No matter which saw you use or what your sawing it pays to lubricate the blade with some wax to make it sawing easier. Makes a big difference. Beeswax is perhaps best but a wax candle, perhaps from your fire starting kit, will work.

It does seem heavy on cutting tools, except that they're mostly wood working tools. For someone doing carpentry, I don't think its out of line. Like some one pointed out, it doesn't really seem to be a survival kit, rather a collection of tools he uses frequently. If he had six knives in there and used one, I could fault him, but I suspect that isn't the case from looking at his site.

Different, but overlapping focus from this site. I like his kit and philosophy though, interesting fellow.

All kit reflects the 'mental template' of what the user THINKS or plans to have happen outdoors.If your going to take on a saxon personae with purty damascene axes and puukkos odds are you might hear Hearne the hunter after imbibing that funny dandelion wine or mead brits homebrew.

If you buy a Marlin guide gun with shorty .45-70 ported barrel eventually you will encounter an onery 'possum and waste him.

Build a a PSK and 4 years later in frustration you will probably utter and oath and stomp out of the house fully intent on deliberately getting lost for 72 hours.

Whats in your kit/mental template?

The oldest, mentally sharp, AND physically able people that I have ever known, ALL have 1 thing in common,,,,,,,

They all drank Scotch.

Jared, thank you for sharing the Ravenlore site. I really enjoyed looking through all the different pages. I enjoyed reading everyone's comments too.

The only thing I didn't really care for was the bottle lamp (which isn't in his 'possibles bag'). I could see how someone might like it and it might come in handy. But I would rather have something that I didn't have to watch closely to make sure the candle didn't burn down to the plastic. I like the Uco Candle Lanterns much better. Carrying the jug would be a hassle. http://www.ravenlore.co.uk/html/bottle_lamp.html

He said "There is a huge industry out there providing equipment for use in the outdoors. Some of it is useful and some of it is frankly rubbish." Well, I think the bottle lamp is rubbish when there are better choices.

Other wise I liked his kit and his taste in equipment. He uses a Kelly Kettle and a Millbank bag!

Just my thoughts.

Joy

Well, YoDuh, I don't know if we're tottering on the brink of politics, but I can tell you that the likeness of QEII is on my money, and my favourite tipple is MacAllan 12 yr. old, and both suit me fine.

Cheers,
Doug

This kit is a grab bag of stuff when footling around in the great outdoors, not a dedicated BOB remember

My wife was "cleaning up" and threw away a half of a bottle of 12 yr old MacAllan.

"You haven't opened it since last winter," she said. "I figured it was going stale anyway."

The police said that it could be considered justifiable homicide, but that I shouldn't really chance it.

The shame of it is that MacAllans has now been bought by another company, who is raping their stocks to increase cash. (sigh) No more 18 or 25 year old I guess.

No !!!

I'm not sure I catch your meaning. Of course person's kit reflects what they expect to happen (unless they're a moron). Are you saying that carrying a kit makes you more likely to seek out trouble or see trouble where none exists?

I don't disagree completely. We all know that they wouldn't sell Rambo knives if people weren't buying them, and not everyone buys them because they want them on the wall. The urge to build a kit can also stem from an inclination towards caution. People don't buy fire extinguishers because they wish to set fire to their kitchens.

I totally agree.

About the bottle light. We use to make luminara out of a plumber’s candle some sand/dirt and a paper bag. I upgraded it for use outside the house here by using a pop bottle and cutting the top off ( it makes a good funnel ) and putting the candle and some sand in the bottom, I have a candle lamp that is junk it chocks with melted wax all the time. I think if I am going to use a candle lamp I will use one that uses tea lights.

AROTC

People put together personal kit. Then people post it online and we pore over it expecting to find either some magic new item never thought of in the literature or snicker at assorted firepistons, kelly Kettles, AR 7s with folding bipod, snail drum magazine and infrared scope.
Come sunset we all crawl into our own brush shelter, Wiggy Bag, shower curtain or wool surplus blanket. If we wake up inth morning and walk out it's all good.

"...If we wake up inth morning..."

That's what I hope for every night when I lay my head down to rest. Everything else is just topping on the cake...

hmmm...where can I get an infrared scope for my AR-7?

John E

"...Happy BD, OBG..."

Thanks. But I decided not to have anymore of those...

Cradle robber.

Its easy to put together a decent survival kit for basic misadventures. I think most of us understand that. What I've noticed is that this site isn't about that anymore. After the first ten thousand posts, basic survival kits have pretty well been covered. What hasn't been resolved has to be left up to personal preference. After that we can go one of two ways. We can hunt for CBRN equipment, meteor shelters and tin foil hats. Or we can look for the very best (at least very best for us) equipment. Try new things. Basically, play. There aren't many expeditions to the Arctic, nor through the Congo. And when they do go, the system has pretty well been figured out. We're not discovering anything remarkably new.

Its a hobby. Once we realize that we can either quit, or embrace it. Survival tools and techniques, they are my hobby. A beneficial hobby. But a hobby none the less.