What I carry outdoors/hiking-kit

I descided that when hiking, I carry way to much 'nice to have' equipment, so I went back to basics.

On body carry:

- Clothing to suit the weather. (moderate seaclimate, but a lot of rain here)

- Usual stuff like watch, wallet, keys, cellphone, etc.

- Modified AMK SOL: http://forums.equipped.org/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showthreaded&Number=169916#Post169916


Hiking-kit in maxpedition jumbo. I added their M2 pouch, medium rollypoly and a countycomm PCC-pouch for my cellphone:



I braided 2 lengths of paracord and SRB's to make straps which can be used to attach a rolled-up jacket to the bottom of the Jumbo.




Contents of the bag:



- FAK (reviewed later)
- PSK (reviewed later)
- BIC-lighter
- Lightstick
- Petzl e+lite with spare batteries
- LMF Spork
- Esbit folding stove and solid fuel tablets (need suggestions for a more compact emergency stove.)

- compeed anti-blister stick (testing this stuff right now, so far it seems to prevent blisters pretty good)
- small MSR packtowel
- Purell hand-sanitizer
- Cordage (about 10ft.)
- Benchmade Griptillian
- Fenix EO1
- Gerber sharpener
- AMK Heatsheet bivvy and 2-person blanket (both in amk stuffsack)
- carabiner
- Rite-in-the-rain notebook and pencil
- Spare pair of socks (essential)
- chemical hand warmers (in colder seasons)
- some energy biscuits and dextro tabs.
- small roll of TP
- Nalgene 32oz. bottle
- Stainless steel metal cup
- platypus 1l.

Missing in this pic are sunscreen and insect-repellant which expired and still need to be restocked.

The FAK:



- Wound closure strips
- antiseptic wipes
- tape
- 2x3 gauze pads
- tweezers
- tick-tweezers
- needle
- burn-gel (x2)
- Azaron sting relief
- O.R.S.
- Compeed blister patches
- cloth adhesive bandages
- basic meds: ibuprofen, immodium, cetrizine.

PSK:



- AMK PSP with standard contents
- 7 wind-waterproof matches+striker strip
- 10 Aquaclear tabs
- 1qt. ziplock
- 2 utility-knife blades (replaces original scalpel-blade)
- CC SOLED flashlight
- CC SERE-saw

Let me know what you think.

How do you store your Esbit tablets? I know you can fold them inside the stove, but mine stink up my whole pack if I do that (yes, the tablets are still packaged in their original box that came with the stove, but they still stink). I've found a small airtight box (like an Otterbox, but a cheaper brand in my case) will contain the stink, but that adds a lot of bulk.

+1 Very nice, not too much, not too little. You might want to stuff in a wool watch cap and some work gloves.

Nice paracord work!

So why carry a spork if the foods you're carrying don't need utensils?

You're looking for something smaller than an Esbit? Wow, that's gonna be tough to do. You could go with one of the tiny little alcohol can stoves but you'll pretty much have to bring a windscreen and a fuel bottle to go with it which will negate the space savings.

I can't think of anything smaller than an Esbit that works worth a damn.

Let us know if you come up with something.

Otherwise, I like your kit a lot. Does that bag sling over one shoulder?

JohnE

You have a well chosen bit of kit from what I see.
As soon as I saw the spare socks I figured you have a good idea of what you are doing.
Tho only two things I am not sure of are the chemical hand warmers and that little folding hacksaw.
I tend to carry a pair of insulated gloves in summer and mitts for over them in winter.
I have been pretty disappointed trying to use those little jigsaw blades for metal cutting in the past, so how well does it work for you?
I take a regular 12 inch hacksaw blade and seal it with a layer of tape on both sides. The tape overlaps and seals around the edges of it. They are cheap enough and light enough and the tape is there if I need it.
My pack is a little larger than yours and has the magnesium stays in it, the hacksaw blade rides inside the right stay pocket.

I gave up on wood pencils because I was always breaking the point, or even the whole pencil, inside the bag. I use the fisher space pen that slides together (the bullet shaped one), a mechanical pencil (2mm lead 2b) and a sharpie marker.
It might be too much in the pens and pencils, but I seem to use them all. I keep an all weather notepad with them, I like the Rite in the Rain hip pocket pads, but it more often one of my survey field books instead. I find them easier for making map notes in.

The stove? Yeah, that is a problem. One person I know uses the fondue heaters with alcohol. He just buys them in the thrift shops and that is it.
On the other hand I end up paying the weight penalty for white gas, but I seldom carry a stove and am more inclined to just light a small fire.

Thanks y'all,

Gloves are a good idea, will add some. In the colder seasons I add a watchcap and some fleece. I'll remove the chem. heat packs.

The fuel tablets come packaged in a plastic blister-pack. I also placed them inside a ziplock. I did try google and I found the esbit emergency stove: http://gear.camping.com/item/esbit-emergency-stove-with-fuel/C10292/





Anyone have experience with this stove? It looks rather flimsy, but it packs flat


Haven't used the SERE-saw for metal cutting, but it cuts small branches just fine. In previous kits I either use short hacksaw-blades or Jigsaw replacement blades. Since I already have another SERE-saw in my AMK SOL, maybe I should put a short hacksaw blade in the PSP?


The paracord handle: Never thought I could do it, but it's really easy.

Nice kit - but why not just put it all in a backpack?

That's because I had the bag lying around. Also, I only need this basic equipment and it all fits in the Jumbo with room to spare. If I used a backpack, I would start adding unnessesary stuff to my kit.

I've never seen that fold-flat model of Esbit stove before. I have the standard hinged model. Since you have to carry fuel tables anyway, and they fit inside the hinged model, I think I'd like that better. Except for my "stinking fuel tables" issue. Maybe I have one in my set that has a small hole in the packaging. They look sealed,but I can sure smell them anyway.

Where do the slings put the weight then? You only have one support from your upper body to your lower, and that's your spine. Seems like a backpack would even the load left-to-right, but not back-to-front. A sling would screw up the left-to-right distribution, but could be adjustable to even out the front-to-back. A larger backpack can be adjusted to put weight directly on your pelvic bones (albeit that weight is skewed to the back of the pelvis) thus leaving a smaller load on your spine. Maybe one asymmetric weight distribution is better than the other???

So carrying my EDC backpack over just one shoulder is a good thing?

Great point. The bigger the bag the more stuff we're inclined to pack.

I used a backpack for years in school, then I started using a messenger bag to carry my laptop, and now I'm back to carrying a backpack. The messenger bag bothered my shoulder and my back. I've still got it, but it only gets occasional use.

I would suggest anyone who uses a similar bag should make sure to wear it often, that way they know whether they truly like how it wears or not.

Ahh yes. The old "angle of the dangle" argument

Some of us want that of course, more gear to account for different terrain and climate. I couldn't get away with a lumbar pack, I need a light backpack to carry some ground insulation (foldable foam pad) for an unexpected night out on the ground.

One can also rely on personal restraint to keep their backpack from being stuffed with nonsense.

The emergency Esbit stove can be found at bepreparedtosurvive.com under the stoves section.

Thanks for sharing. I always like see other people's set ups. I always find a new idea or better way to do something.

Nice kit there Jim, all except one thing.

I looked up and down the list twice and I can't find where you list the flask of fine scotch or the fine cigar......

I must have missed it so I will read the list again.

99% of what I carry is unnecessary. Meaning: I don't typically use it. The remaining 1% is pretty much summed up as "water and snacks". I can't say I've ever really "needed" a whistle, signal mirror, firesteel, compass, etc. The compass I use, but not because of need so far - more so to keep in good practice with it. To an ultralight hiker ALL my gear is probably unnecessary. But to me it's essential and mandatory. Depends on how you look at things.

I have a pack that is too large to be considered a normal day pack ("Deuter Futura 32 liter" http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/...20Chuck%20Kime/ ). But I load it lightly and wear it anyway. For me, it's much much much more comfortable understuffed than an overstuffed too-small pack.

With the solid fuel tablets you can try making your own stove. I have one made from a sheet of thin steel folded into a square "U" shape and stood on its end, forming 3 vertical walls. There's a low-down cross-piece to hold the fuel, which is roughly square with two tabs sticking out that go into slots cut into the opposite two walls. The pot sits on top. It seems to work reasonably well.

I picked that shape because I have a square tin that holds a PSK. The 3 sides of the stove fit inside the left, bottom and right sides of the tin, and the cross-piece lies flat across the bottom, so it takes up very little space.

Another approach is to use one of those round alcohol stoves, eg a Trangia, and keep it inside a steel mug, and cut a round tin-can to use as a support and wind-shield and put that in the mug too, and then make a lid to go on top.

In other words, instead of reducing the space the stove takes up, find ways of packing it efficiently so no space is wasted. With solid fuel tablets you really just need a platform for the fuel and something else to hold the pot, and to protect it from wind and keep it from scorching the grass.

Incidentally, the square Esbit-style stoves come in two sizes, the larger being about 4.5" at the longest side and the smalller 3.75". I usually find the smaller is a false economy because the space inside the larger is more useful - I keep a lighter, tinder and spoon in there as well as the fuel itself.

The fuel itself also comes in many forms. I prefer the British Army rectangular waxy style. It packs more efficiently than the Esbit blister packs.

I have a fold-up stove similiar to the Esbit one. I also have one of those emergency Esbit stoves (got it with a French RCIR 24-hour ration). They are pretty sturdy and can withstand several folding and unfoldings.

The fold-up stoves allow you to adjust the heat slightly but opening/closing the stove to different angles. The emergency stove really doesn't allow for that.

Matt,

Just wanted to say thanks for mentioning out site. I do a lot of work photographing our products so when I see a photo I've taken on a forum, I always appreciate out site mentioned.

Jim, By the way, nice job on the kit!

Thanks a lot for all the replies. I think it's probably better to stick to the folding stove because someone mentioned I was gonna carry the bulk of the fuel-tabs anyway.

Great kit, not too much, not too little. I agree with the need for a wool watch cap and gloves, they are year-round kit for me. Some may be able to use self restraint to lighten their load, not me. I have to have the smallest possible pack, or I fill it up with "stuff".
I have a Swede surplus Trangia alcohol stove, and an Esbit stove, and, well, too many stoves.
I made a simple windscreen/pot holder from pieces of sheet metal. I cut sheet metal to 3"X16" pieces, three each, and cut slots in the ends of each piece so they interlock with each other forming a triangle. This lets me use Esbit tabs, trioxane bars, the alcohol stove, or just small pieces of wood, for a fire and holds the pot up off the flame. When not in use, they come apart and lay flat in a stay or even bladder sleeve or the bottom of my pack, and weigh very little.
Just an idea.

Nice Kit Jim, I am going to "borrow" some ideas from you, Thanks.

Mike

Thats why I like the little wood burning stoves - pack things inside them and you can burn just about anything for fuel

Very nice setup. What about about replacing the folder with a small fixed blade? Recently I have read somewhere something like "whatever might break away will break away" . If I overlooked a mention of a fixed blade somewhere, I´m sorry.

Regarding the discussion about bag with one sling versus a backpack, well, give me a backpack any day for hiking an/or even for urban carry. I wouldn´t be able to stand carrying fully loaded bag over one shoulder even for 500 metres. Too much problems with it (not healthy, not practical for running or rapid movements, climbing etc). But it´s just me.

I don't think I'll need the extra capabilities of a fixed blade, so a folder will work fine. Also you could get some strange looks over here for carrying a fixed-blade knife.

Fortunately, the jumbo als has a belt-loop which you can use to take some of the load of the shoulder strap.

I prefer backpacks but shoulder bags have their place. For one thing, its easier to retrieve an item from a shoulder bag than a backpack as you don't have to take if off first, it can blend in with dress/business attire more easily, and I think they are generally less noticeable.

Jim, I like it. Mostly.

My concern is that it is a shoulder bag, and carrying my EDC in a Jumbo I know that after the first few miles it starts to suck. When I hike, I either put it all in a small ruck, or on a chest harness (I can prop my arms on the top of the two pouches, I look very content- a friend described it last weekend as the "happy budda of doom" look). BUT, your spine isn't mine, so...

In terms of gear, since you already have a SERE saw in your SOL, I might think about a wood saw blade in the kit rather than another hacksaw blade bit in the PSP. I know you have your multi with you, right? If not, a multi or a SAK and a pair of pliers.

On the topic of the stove, one possibility is to use a small coffee can that you've added vent holes to, and replace the Nalgene with a Guyoet bottle so you still have something to boil in. But that is why I have a bigger bag- I carry two Guyoets, a GSI space saver, AND the mini wood stove. :P

Hi IR,

Is that even with the belt-loop attached?

I do carry a multi-tool with a wood saw, so I replaced the SERE-saw in the PSP with a regulair metal hacksaw blade.

I might have deleted the belt loop because I didn't find it all that useful- one, I prefer to carry my bag a little higher than my belt line, and two, it interfered with my ability to swing the bag fore and aft as needed.

as of late, i have been vacuum bagging everything i can get my hands on! that would seal up that stink. when i say vacuum bag i am referring to the commonly known "seal-a-meal".

the last thing i vacuumed was a bunch of lesser used med stuff like 3x3 etc. worked great! turned it in to a nice little brick to pack in the car kit.

If you find yourself with back problems try a TRUMPLINE. This is AKA a burden strap in some period literature. It consists of a broad forehead band connected by two cords to your pack or item being portaged.
It's one of those native inventions that looks wierd nd actually works.

Fixed knives are like the old saying '4WD will get you stuck where you wouldn't be dumb enough to go in 2WD.'
In extremis a fixed blade is naturallly preferable. But for many good reasons, as the OP mentioned you can't carry one. If you can't do normal duties with a folder perhaps HOW they are being done needs rethinking.

if you try a tumpline you better have a neck like a football player.my Duluth pack came with one and they are a canoe country icon. transfering the load from shoulders to head/neck might have been fine for someone who carryed loads over portages before the modern style pack was invented but not we have less painful ways to carry gear.the first tumplines were not even attached to a pack but just slung under bales and box's.i no longer use mine.

Some minor updates:

First, I added some stuff to the key-keeper inside the bag.





- Gerber knife sharpener
- Fenix EO1
- Small firesteel
- Spy-capsule which fits a piece of tinder-quick perfectly
- LMF striker for firesteel


Updates to the PSP:



Added a different lanyard, more on that later.




updated contents:

- Replaced SERE-saw with piece of hacksaw-blade
- Replaced gray duct-tape with blaze-orange, rerolled on a tongue-depressor to make it a flatter pack.
- Replaced black SOLED with blaze-orange one. (happened to be around)


Ah, the lanyard. I changed it because this way you can also use it for using the hacksaw:



Don't know for sure if it will work, but it's worth a try don't you think?

Try using a trumpline WITH a modern pack suspension. You don't need to transfer all the load, just part.

Yeah, I understand Jim´s reason. But I thought Jim carried the knife not just for normal dutties but also for survival/emergency. What about battoning through wood and so on? Sometimes it´s not best outcome to be fiddling with folding mechanisms. But like I said now I see why Jim has chosen not to carry it. However to those who can afford it I still reccomend - ditch the folder, carry a fixed blade; ideally carry both.

I think the car comparison doesn´t make sense when applied like this.

Again, a robust fixed blade is the standard for survival kit.

So, imagine you've lost your knife (it happens) and only have a folder.

Now, since everyone agrees a folder MAY Fail, Nobody has ever tried any strategies for batoning wood with it successfully.

It's getting cold.

Fixed vs. Folding:

To quote from "The Little Prince" -

"'Nothing is perfect', sighed the fox."

There is a strategy for battoning with a small knife that could be applied to folder (crack the top of the wood by light batoning with knife, insert an improvised wooden wedge and batton it through the wood - I hope you understand, my English is not best :)). However it´s far from quick or straightforward.
If I lost a fixed b. I would surely call up the folder and try to improvise.

I think everyone here agrees on folder being a compromise. I was just surprised to see absence of FB in Jim´s hiking/survival kit. Without it the kit seemed incomplete, but since there are places where folder is not worth the trouble associated with carrying it, I understand. In that case I would add some kindling to the kit (one Maya stick or more for example) so one will not have to split (a lot of) wood if it ever comes to it. Jim mentioned rain and rain means wet wood.

This is even true if they see your folder overhere. People are way to scared overhere, and forget the importance of basic tools.
They even look if they see an alien if I use a piece of cord and knots to attach stuff.

I can remeber when I was a kid that my grandfather alway's carried a pocketknife wich was not a problem at that time.

Carrying a fixed blade in the wrong places, can even get you into trouble with the law overhere.

I think the items you listed are good items to have. There are a couple items that should
be added. First, you know when your body is under stress it goes through your bodies
vitamins, minerals & water much quicker than it would under normal conditions. Problem
is you cannot carry enough water with you. One of the largest causes of death in a disaster
is being dehydrated & out of fuel(vitamins). The young & the elderly are the first to have
problems.
So the two things, I have added to my BOB is a aquamira filter straw. Do not buy one off
of the aquamira website though because you can get them cheaper on other sites, just google
it.
The second item is called Lifecaps. They are capsules that have all the vitamins & minerals
even Iodine to sustain life. You can live off of the lifecaps & water alone. If you want
to learn more about them go to Lifecaps.net
After buying 25 bottles, I got a coupon code & got 75 more bottles. The coupon code is
“Healthcaps”
It will get you 30% off. Now with a water filter & healthcaps you can carry & fit much
more in your bug out bag. Easily carry enough food with the capsules to sustain life for
months. You cannot live without water.

That´s good point about the vitamins. And something like the mentioned Lifecaps could be smart addition to my own kit. I will see if I can find something similar at stores in my country.

I've got ORS in my kit, in a short-term survival/overnight situation you don't need vitamin supplements and iodine..

Knife paranoia isn't limited to Europe. I had to take a drug test for a job and emptied my pockets into a tray. The medical assistant got wide eyed- 'You carry a knife! uh, wh-wh -what do you do with it?' I replied 'I cut things.' I walked into the bathroom as she attacked a FED EX parcel shipping tape with her car keys.

later I testified in our local small claims court. I ( in spite of myself) haven't been in a courtroom in 20 years and forgot how things have changed. My knife set off the alarm and back into another tray it went.
After court I went to retrieve it and was informed it was in the sherrif sub station office BACK INSIDE. So I walked back into court, the officer handed it to me and lectured me to leave it in my car next time. I'm standing there, with the knife and asked how I was supposed to leave? He sarcastically sugested walking. So I did, past all the Judge Judy types with my knife, past the checkpoint to my car.
We live in a sometimes illogical society that doesn't logically reflect the real world. you just have to -be equipped to survive it.

Does anyone else smell a commercial?

You mean how his first three posts all mention Lifecaps or whatever that magic space food is?

Seems a bit fishy, doesn't it?

-Blast

and in fact, almost identical wording about his LifeCaps.

Yeah, have fun scarfing vitamins (and Iodine! wow!) and forgetting the food. There's a reason vitamins come in micrograms and food comes in pounds you know.

Stop pushing the AquaMira stuff too. Though that's probably a bit more useful.

Well, I might rethink my strategy for my survival kit. I looked up how fixed blade is received in various countries in Europe and on other continents and it doesn´t look good. Looks like good folding knife with middle-sized blade is predominantly safer choice when traveling abroad. And sometimes carrying multi tool is even better because it looks less dangerous than a knife.

The only problem is, locked blades are in some countries in Europe considered as a fixed blade.

So that rules out almost all of the nice knives, and also a great number of multi tools.

For this reason, my edc is a leatherman pst2 and a CRTK edgie.

Very nice kit, but still a lot of 'nice to have' stuff in it.

Not what I would call a basic kit by any means.

Thanks for your post - your "hiking-kit" style load-out seems well thought-out.

Personally, I might add a few longer term, severe-medical and survival related items;

Zithromax
Prescription Pain Meds
Modafinil or Caffeine-Ephedra tabs
Quick Clot Combat Sponge/Bandage
Surgical Tubing
SOG Hunter Revolver Fixed Blade Knife
A Glock
PLB