I think a heathland may be what we call lowland scrub brush. I recently picked up a Karrimor 45L, and love it so far. Does yours have metal stays in it? I need to bend mine, but am a little afraid to...

yes

Jim, Great pack and kit! Just some thoughts FWIW, alcohol pads vs. Betadine pads, Betadine pads can be put into a liter of water for wound irrigation purposes and alcohol pads are flammable for fire starting. I'd keep a small bottle of Purell, it's just too convenient not to have, and if you have a traumatic injury to deal with (read bloody), I promise you'll be glad to have it along. The other thing that occurred to me was an axe or hatchet. Can do more then your knife or saw and do it faster when time is of the essence. I really like Gransford Bruks stuff. I carry their hatchet in my work bag and their Small forest axe in my 72hr+ bag three seasons and trade up to their Scandi forest axe in the winter.
Have you taken or do you have available to you a wilderness medicine course? This would tweak your abilities not only in the wilderness context, but also on the street. Do you know about Remote, Austere, Wilderness and Third World Medicine ( www.medtech.syrene.net ) or Global Medical and Rescue Services LTD ( www.gmrsltd.com )? Might be worth a look. Regards, Jim

PS sorry I can't seem to get the raw&twm link to connect, but it is the correct address, or just Google the full name. Jim

Actually, I'd keep the wipes and the Purell. Purell can do double duty as tinder/fuel if it has to.

All in all, it's a good kit, and not all that dissimiliar from what I take out on the trail with me when I'm hiking. Biggest difference is you're lighter on water, but I go through 4L a day sitting on my backside at work. I like how you've slimmed your FAK down from what it was before. I've only got one question- where did you find a cup that fits on the bottom of a mini-Nalgene?

I've been hunting for one for over a year to put into my ditch kit. I like having a cup in the bottom of my Nalgene pockets to make "reholstering" easier by touch, particularly if there is more than one bottle in there.

Leigh,

There is bug-repellant in there and the poncho isn't an 'Emergency-poncho'.I think it's PVC or something like that..

The saw is good enough for my purposes, and it's very lightweight. When I get some more $$, I'll look for an better one.

Heartig,

I already carry a Army Fire-steel on my belt, together with the leatherman:



And matches and Spark-lite in the PSK

Aligator,

A axe is one of those things that is on my list. As is a wilderness-EMT course.
Problem: No courses in The Netherlands.
Allthough I'm learning to become a nurse, I feel that we don't get enough First-Aid classes at school. And to much psychiatric lessons, but that's another subject...

I would really like to take a WEMT-course, but only when I got the time and money.

Ironraven: The Nalgene cup. I just went to my local outdoor-shop and asked for a metal cup with a diameter of 7cm. Don't know where they got it, but When I looked at the ticket, it said: 'Zweibruder 9830' 7cm cup. Maybe you could do a google on this?

I would say "YES" !

For my own day-hike kit, I use :
- a 1.5L (?) platypus with pipe, in order to drink while walking
- two 1.5L water bottles, to replenish the Platypus
- one 1L Sigg-like (alu) flask (my emergency reserve)

+ Micropur tablets, just in case....

ooops ... I forgot to mention the wine bottle(s) !
Depending on the planned menu for the midday break, I usually have one Chassagne-Montrachet or Pouilly-Fuiss? 75cl bottle.
Add a Pachenrec half-bottle, if there is any foie gras sandwich for Entr?es ...

Dehydration is too serious a risk, not to prepare seriously against it !

Jim, all good,the wilderness stuff will help you with your nursing too.

Wilderness Medicine: either you can't get your patient(s) to a higher level of care in a reasonable time, or there is no higher level of care to get them to. Any scenario that fits in this definition is wilderness medicine.
Due to lack of equipment, being limited to what you can carry along with whatever else( sustainment gear/weapons) you need, their very big on assessment. The resources I gave believe in taking an individual with no medical background and if they have interest, bring then up to speed. Some of the skills taught would be considered practicing medicine and problematic if put to use unless you have an MD behind your name, but I think knowledge is never wasted, and it's the assessment skills and depth of knowledge(the why's, when's and when not's) that is priceless and universally applicable. This is the stuff that probably all through your career, when you asked why, you were told you don't need to know that or it's outside your scope of practice. Here's where you can get your questions answered. The reason GMRS classes are taught in Belize aside from the "classroom" being primary rain forest, is because the knowledge and skills taught cannot be taught to "civilians" in CONUS. And the principal Kieth Brown MD (AKA RESQDOC) is a gem.
Regards, Jim
PS. I have no affiliation with the above institutions aside as a student. Jim

Now THIS is my type of camping!! I find, though, that a full bottle of wine would probably make the trail start spinning. Too bad that half-bottles are so bloody pricey!

I could talk wine for hours (or just listen), but, alas, it's the wrong board for that....