New Woods Bumming Kit

[bacpacjac]

I've been thinking about making a new little PSK for short lunch hour type dirt time. A Zombie Squad MBO Contest was the perfect excuse. Thanks for the inspiration!

I had no budget for new gear, so used what I already had. I started with a little Altoids tin kit, and then made a slightly bigger pocket kit with a little more shelter and water abilities. Then I put those in an old GI butt pack, with a few more pieces of kit and, viola! My new little woods bumming kit.

Thanks again for the inspiration!

Pics or it didn't happen!

Outside view of complete kit


I attached an old leather belt to a GI butt pack, to use as a belt carrier in addition to the standard nylon shoulder strap. The nylon strap digs in, so I need to get some sort of padding for it.

Inside Top layer

Bandanna, merino wool socks and my canteen kit. 3 of my favourite pieces of kit!

Inside view


Main Contents:

It's early Spring here, which means cold, wet and windy weather, with below freezing temps still very likely. This kit is intended to address my top survival priorities: Shelter, Fire, Water, Signaling and vigilance against hypothermia:

Canteen kit (canteen, cup and stove with mini BIC and tin foil)
FA & Hygiene kit (2 maxi pads, 3 tampons, pocket pack of Kleenex, Bandaids, lip balm and OTC meds)
Sea to Summit titanium spork
Nescafe 3 in 1 instant coffee
Cliff bars & PB crackers (I also threw in an MRE entrée for lunch on the road)
Mora LMF Fire knife
Alotoids tin PSK
Pocket PSK (black bag)
Hexi fuel tabs (Coleman, in plastic container with stormproof matches)
GI Poncho
black bin liner
bandanna
merino wool socks

There's even still enough room for my Bacho Laplander saw or my hatchet!

Contents of Black Pocket PSK



Resealable breast milk bags


GI can opener with eating thingy
small piece of fatwood


Heatsheets (1p)
duct tape (red - 8 ft)
jute twine (10 ft, 6 ft)
7 strand 550 cord (bracelet - 8 ft)
whistle
hair elastic
squeeze LED
ferro rod with magnesium block
small Gerber Paraframe folder
safety pins, sewing needles, fish hooks, fishing line, weights, leaders (in clear plastic vial)

Altoids tin PSK
*I like to carry a PSK on my body when I'm out. This guy will ride in a jacket/short/pants pocket.

Sealed with duct tape

The Guts


Fox 40 whistle
mini BIC
AMK Sparklite
TinderQuick(4)
MicroPUR tabs(4)
6 ft duct tape
birthday candle
mini AMK signal mirror
AMK button compass
razor blade
20 ft black thread
4 ft steel snare wire


I took it out for a test walk today and the weight is nice. Not too much. I hate the nylon shoulder strap so I just put the leather belt over my shoulder, and it rode nice. Only went for about 20 mins, and didn't do anything much, but so far so good. All the kit inside is well used, and includes many of my favourites so I'm confident that I'm good to go once I figure out the straps.

[Boondock]

I dig it. A lot. Thanks for posting.

[Woods Walker]

Looks good. Unless I missed it toss in a some water tabs and soon don't forget the bug spray and sunblock.

[colorsafe]

Like the kit and the nickname for it.

Maybe replace the birthday candle with a trick birthday candle (windproof kind, not the acme fire cracker type...hehe.)

[74 or more]

Looks good. I love simple kits like this.

Maybe add a filter straw to go with those MicroPUR tabs? Like a Aquamira Frontier or Frontier pro.

[bacpacjac]

Thanks for the feedback, guys. A filter straw, bug spray and sunscreen are definitely going in soon. I like the trick candle idea too. Think I'll stop by the party supply store and check them out.

We went for a short lunch time walk today, and I'm liking the bag very much. The weight is nice and for a not too strenuous walk, the belt is working well as a shoulder strap. I once had a sling pack that I hated because I kept flopping on me, but I'm hoping that a belt/shoulder strap combo will eliminate that. The nylon trap on this is too short to use it as a shoulder strap comfortably anyway, so I'm searching for more DIY ideas.

[motman241]

The nylon trap on this is too short to use it as a shoulder strap comfortably anyway, so I'm searching for more DIY ideas.

Simple fixes:

1. Make a shoulder pad for the strap. The most comfortable would likely be a closed cell foam pad, cut down and sewn over.

2. Get some 2" webbing and make a new shoulder strap. I used seat belt material and found some clips for it. Very comfortable. A little on the slippery side, though.

[colorsafe]

...Forgot to mention, the b-day candle in my b.o.a.t. melted into some of the kit once (pretty sure I replaced with a tea candle. I should break the seal and check...then swap it with a beeswax tea candle while I'm in there). Doubt you have to worry about heat like that up where you are though.

[Jeffcee]

I'm positively drooling over this kit! Lets see your ax!

[bacpacjac]

Here she is. (It's a Swedish something or other. Snagged for $7 at a flea market a couple years ago.) The axe head is loose, and the haft is cracked, so I haven't used it in the last co,uple of years. I usually take the other sharps below, unless it's a planned overnighter or camp, and then I bring my full sized Craftsman boys axe. I hope to work on this one this year:



And with my most common day hike sharps, my Mora LMF and my Bacho Laplander, which ride very nicely in this kit:



And with my Gerber BGUSK, which has done most of my fire prep batoning the last couple of years:

[Boondock]

It's a Swedish something or other …

Classic!

[bacpacjac]

I did look it up, once upon a time, but honestly, I don't care what it is. I think it's going to be a good little hatchet when I fix it up. I'm not much of an axe woman, but I'm getting there.

[bacpacjac]

I am really liking this kit! Thanks so much for the feedback! I've taken it to heart and:

-added a filter straw
-added a few MicroPUR tabs to my canteen kit
-moved the mini repair/fishing kit to my FAK
-replaced the birthday candle with a trick birthday candle
-removed the black PSK bag, along with the extra folder, mag bar, extra duct tape, squeeze light
-added a Buff in lieu of a winter toque (baseball hat season is back but we're still dropping close to or below freezing)

I'm still thinking about the straps, but the leather belt is working just great. It's the perfect length and the kit weighs little enough that it's really comfy slung over my shoulder. I think I may just leave it as it is.


Back to the hatchet for a moment... here's a little video about my usual day hike sharps. As it sits this morning, this little kit has only my Mora. (I've always got my EDC SAK too.) The others are living in my bigger kit, unless I plan on using them.



Until I fix by unsafe hatchet, I'm using the good old family hatchet:

[Jeffcee]

Nice AX!!!

[omega_man]

Sweet little kit there, Jac! Thanks for keeping it real !

[Mikeyboy]

I dig the red stained handle on the hatchet, very Lizzie Borden-ish

[ForgeCorvus]

The axe is a carpenter's hatchet.... And might be a Sandvik

It seems that the eye has been filled with a red plastic gunk (this is all too common with budget tools ), sometimes you can chip that out and reseat the head before putting in a proper wedge rather then having to replace the entire handle.

Nice of you to post your sharps, what sort of cash value would you say they have?

[bacpacjac]

There's $107 there, which doesn't include the cost of the Bacho. omega_man gifted that to me as a prize in a ZS Mock Bug-out contest. Thanks again omega_man! I absolutely love it!

I'm going to try to rehaft the hatchet, but when the kids asked about Mother's Day gift ideas, I did mention that I could use a new one. (It is a Sandvik, BTW. The sticker is still legible!) I'm getting the itch to use it instead of letting it sit on the shelf so much. Saw a little Estwing Shingle Hammer at the hardware store the other day, and the local surplus store carries Cold Steel hawks...

[Boondock]

Boondock gifted that to me as a prize in a ZS Mock Bug-out contest.

I think you've got me confused with omega_man. I'd never part with a Bacho!

[bacpacjac]

D'OH! I'm getting too old!! Sorry OM! (And I don't blame you, Boondock!)

[omega_man]

D'OH! I'm getting too old!! Sorry OM! (And I don't blame you, Boondock!)

I am going to have to start flooding your PMs with baby bug-out advice to get even

[bacpacjac]

I'm so sorry!

[acropolis5]

While not a homemade solution, the Timbuktu Strap Pad is incredibly comfortable and low profile. Due to the finish on the fabric cover they are also great at keeping the strap from slipping around.