Help Improve Coma's Kit

[comanighttrain]

Just my kit for your appraisal.. Any advice on next gear would be welcome...thinking bag and bivi could do with an upgrade. Also the Leatherman has caught my eye so going to get one...

Cutting

Combo Pukko

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs696.snc4/63685_10150330700280058_560950057_15877520_8341142 _n.jpg

Whitby Machete

http://www.shootingshack.com/ekmps/shops/shootingshack55/images/whitby-machete-1201-p.jpg

Wenger Evo Swiss Army Knife

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41yySwVjILL._SL500_AA300_.jpg

Wiresaws just incase

old mora...will be refitting it

Fire

Zippo

Magnesium type striker

BCB emergency fire kit (hexane block, cotton, striker)

Sleep

Voyager Lite Season 3

Cheapy green Bivi bag

DD 3 x 3 Tarp

Army style pop tent

Cooking

Antique Meths pressure stove

Usual pots pans and sporks

Flask and cups

Random

Thermal blanket/survival bag

Emergency vacuumed sleeping bags

Windup torch

[JEEP]

Beautiful Kauko Raatiniemi set! I gave Maria (my fiancee) the same set for christmas a few years ago - she is quite fond of it.

Personally I am not a fan of Zippos for lighting fires, I find it way too unstable. A box of waterproof matches or a turbo lighter would be my first choices.

How long have you had the windup torch? I have had a few, all has broken quite fast - aside from being noisy and inconvenient. A good Petzl headlamp (Tikka +2 or Tikka XP2) with a few sets of rechargeable batteries would be my choice here. Personally I have been considering getting a few UCO candle lanterns lately.

I see no mention of a first-aid kit. You do have one I hope?

I like antique stoves. Which model/make have you got?

[leon-1]

If you upgrade your bivvy bag have a look at the Alpkit Hunka, they're reasonably cheap, they pack down small and they work well. They are smaller than mil issue bivvy bags so you may decide to get the XLversion of it.

Whilst you are there you could always pickup an Alpkit Gamma headtorch. The gamma gives a number of facilities at a price which is more than respectable. They are cheap and they come with batteries included.

As JEEP said the zippo is a good lighter, but they are not overly dependable in many ways you would be better off with a cheap disposable lighter which has a flame adjustment on it. I am not a big fan of turbo flame lighters as the ones that I have owned have a.) broken very easily. b.) seem to get through a hell of a lot of fuel in a short space of time.

At some stage look at possibly getting a hammock of one form or another. If possible try before you buy and don't get a net one unless you are thinking of using it as a gear loft.

Some form of sharpening system that can be used to maintain an edge on your cutting tools, wet 'n' dry mounted on stiff board or small blocks of wood works pretty well and is cheap.

Wiresaws are good but can be damaged quite easily, folding saws are more robust, very efficient due to their teeth patterns and not so easily lost. They are also a lot safer than using a machete especially after a long day when you are tired.

If you carry cutting tools you should carry a first aid kit, some of the items you carry in there can be used for other jobs ranging from fire to water purification.

[comanighttrain]

Beautiful Kauko Raatiniemi set! I gave Maria (my fiancee) the same set for christmas a few years ago - she is quite fond of it.

Personally I am not a fan of Zippos for lighting fires, I find it way too unstable. A box of waterproof matches or a turbo lighter would be my first choices.

How long have you had the windup torch? I have had a few, all has broken quite fast - aside from being noisy and inconvenient. A good Petzl headlamp (Tikka +2 or Tikka XP2) with a few sets of rechargeable batteries would be my choice here. Personally I have been considering getting a few UCO candle lanterns lately.

I see no mention of a first-aid kit. You do have one I hope?

I like antique stoves. Which model/make have you got?

I love em! Handles are good and the blades are well made.

What type of turbo lighter? I had one before. It stopped working really quickly.

The wind up torch is new...will be getting a better LED type head torch soon as well

First aid - Have a travel life systems kit with the standard bandage, plaster, pills etc

The stove... I'll get back to you...its in my dads loft. All i can remember is it involves meths and pumping...

[comanighttrain]

If you upgrade your bivvy bag have a look at the Alpkit Hunka, they're reasonably cheap, they pack down small and they work well. They are smaller than mil issue bivvy bags so you may decide to get the XLversion of it.

Whilst you are there you could always pickup an Alpkit Gamma headtorch. The gamma gives a number of facilities at a price which is more than respectable. They are cheap and they come with batteries included.

As JEEP said the zippo is a good lighter, but they are not overly dependable in many ways you would be better off with a cheap disposable lighter which has a flame adjustment on it. I am not a big fan of turbo flame lighters as the ones that I have owned have a.) broken very easily. b.) seem to get through a hell of a lot of fuel in a short space of time.

At some stage look at possibly getting a hammock of one form or another. If possible try before you buy and don't get a net one unless you are thinking of using it as a gear loft.

Some form of sharpening system that can be used to maintain an edge on your cutting tools, wet 'n' dry mounted on stiff board or small blocks of wood works pretty well and is cheap.

Wiresaws are good but can be damaged quite easily, folding saws are more robust, very efficient due to their teeth patterns and not so easily lost. They are also a lot safer than using a machete especially after a long day when you are tired.

If you carry cutting tools you should carry a first aid kit, some of the items you carry in there can be used for other jobs ranging from fire to water purification.

Funnily enough i was just talking about rhe alpkit hunkas in another thread! I think ill be going for it.

I use a Fallkniven DC4 stone for sharpening my tools. Still practicing but i can make a reasonably good edge with it...not quite getting the gliding through paper edge yet.

Can you recommend any saws?

[Martin]

Why have I just ordered a new head torch when I already have two perfectly good ones? :confused2: :confused2: :confused2:

Martin

[comanighttrain]

Its an addiction Martin. I don't really need a leatherman right this second but...come friday it'll be in the post. Atleast it's a healthy addiction (or we can tell the mrs that anyway)

[Martin]

I suspect it's a more costly addiction than heroine. :(

Anyway, I can strongly recommend the Thermarest Neoair sleep mat. It's a blow up matress that packs down to the size of a 750ml drinks bottle and weighs next to nothing. It is however, very warm and incredibly comfortable. For side sleepers like me, I can get a proper night's sleep without constantly waking up because my hip bone is digging into the ground.

Obviously this is for use when in a tent, not in a hammock. ;)

Martin

[Fletching]

Fjällräven Greenland Trousers - breathable, waterproof and really high quality and you can impregnate then with more beeswax if needed.

[leon-1]

Can you recommend any saws?

Most people will say go for a Bahco 396 laplander, they have good points like they lock open and closed and you can get replacement blades for them at a reasonable cost. If you go that route then have a look on Amazon as they're one of the cheapest and you get free shippping.

I teach using cheap folding pruning saws like the faithful ones, they do the job and they're reasonably cheap.

I normally will be found using an Opinel folding saw, that's what I own and it's my preference, but they're expensive.

[Ivan]

all opinions of course i have a silky gomtaro 300mm if you dont mind one in a sheath . a bit expensive again but very good i was a tree surgeon many moons ago and most people of that profession swear by them

[comanighttrain]

Well I'd prefare a folder just for space economy... Can see an opinel no12 for £25 so its not too big a deal... is it worth getting the no18(the 9 inch blade)?

[leon-1]

all opinions of course i have a silky gomtaro 300mm if you dont mind one in a sheath . a bit expensive again but very good i was a tree surgeon many moons ago and most people of that profession swear by them

Don't get me wrong mate, I have used the Silky's and they are very nice, but as I was replying to a question on folding saws and not having experience of the pocket boys, Gomboys or Bigboy saws then I wasn't going to comment.

You have a valid point though.

Mors's idea on carrying a folding saw is "Yeah cos it makes life easier to make a bigger saw." So he would use the folding saw to then make a bucksaw and the Silky's fit into that niche somewhere between a bow and a folder very nicely, being capable of doing both jobs reasonably well.

[Ivan]

i think its all down to personal preference, its just nice to be able to ask a question on here and get an honest answer, if this site had been around years ago it would have saved us all a headache and a fortune, the tinterweb is an amazing thing , iam putting all my shoe leather in a jar and when its full i am going to buy a thermarest neoair mat as my bones poke through my skin nowadays, when i was a boy i could sleep stood up in a phone box ,all the best leon-1

[leon-1]

Well I'd prefare a folder just for space economy... Can see an opinel no12 for £25 so its not too big a deal... is it worth getting the no18(the 9 inch blade)?

You can get the No12 for just under £22 delivered from here (http://www.tooled-up.com/Product.asp?PID=172898)

There are down sides to the Opinels, the No12 if you damage the blade means you'll have to buy another No12 because there is no way to replace the blades and they don't sell spares. The No18 is a good saw, but if you damage the blade if you're lucky it'll cost £20 to replace the blade.

Opinels are nice to look at, they have a similar tooth pattern to an arborists saw, but they are expensive to buy and it'll cost you to replace the blade on the one where you can replace the blade.

This is one reason that the Laplander is popular. You get the longer blade that locks closed as well as open and replacement blades are cheaper, on top of that the initial cost is about £17 inclusive of delivery.

[mahikan]

Wire saws are a waste of time they always break and are also crap for snares.
We get human powered chain saws over here, sometimes called a can saw, it is possible to make one from a chain saw blade.
I carry a bow saw blade length of my arm, using my Morra or Skookum knife plus baton can quickly make the necessary frame to turn it into a 'bush bow saw'.
Folding saws are nice to carry when you have a vehicle of some kind to carry all that extra gear,dog sled ,canoe ,pulk ,4x4 truck or you just need it to do some finer saw cuts for crafting and don't mind packing it on your back.

For fire I just use a disposable lighter taped onto my knife with lots of duct tape (good for tent, tarp, clothing repair) water proof matches and Zirconium Rod.

I try not to use any pressure powered stove as there is more to break down I have always used the 'Trangia' Meths system when using store bought cooking systems.

[Ivan]

further to my last post, i went to the doctor about uncomfortable mats and my old bones , i asked him for HRT tablets coz i thought it meant hip right through, the tablets didnt help but you should see my breasts

[Ivan]

this post seems to have disappeared, if its because of my humour i apologise . on a serious note i want a decent sleeping bag not mummy style cost not to important just want to be warm and comfortable. must be machine washable thankks

[comanighttrain]

the hrt one? i liked it...i can still see it :P

[comanighttrain]

I carry a bow saw blade length of my arm, using my Morra or Skookum knife plus baton can quickly make the necessary frame to turn it into a 'bush bow saw'.


I seen RM doing this once.... didnt really feel convinced its as simple as bending some hazel around your blade....

[leon-1]

on a serious note i want a decent sleeping bag not mummy style cost not to important just want to be warm and comfortable. must be machine washable thankks

Have you had a look at Outwell Sleeping Bags (http://www.outwell.dk/Sleepingbag.aspx?b=Outwell&bid=2&lid=1&l=en-GB&SleepId=147&CatId=43&pid=2)

They would fit the kind of spec you are after, but I know little of them to be honest.

[leon-1]

I seen RM doing this once.... didnt really feel convinced its as simple as bending some hazel around your blade....

There are differing methods of doing this, one is making the saw like a bow saw, the other is to make a pack or buck saw. and the bow saw method can be used with a wire saw, but as said earlier they are not the most robust of things.

[Ivan]

thanks leon they look good Taunton leisure at Exeter are nearest dealer will ring them tomorrow, dont like it when they dont advertise prices though, i will be sitting down when i phone

[mahikan]

Good point you could use Hazel.
We don't get too much hazel here though we have other woods we could use and it is a quick way to set your bow saw blade up for limited use.
But the idea that you use a frame for the bush saw has a positive advantage that when constructed properly you will be able to use the FULL length of the blade when cutting through a six inch log. With bent over hazel at the front and back ends of the blade you are restricted in how far into the wood you can cut and end up using the centre part of the blade therefore restricting your saw stroke and wearing out yourself and (eventually) the centre of your blade, although with a leatherman/or other tool it is possible to resharpen it in the bush.
As Mors Kochanski would say,"it is all down to basic physics and practicality" so this would fall into the bracket of expending energy to save energy.

[leon-1]

thanks leon they look good Taunton leisure at Exeter are nearest dealer will ring them tomorrow, dont like it when they dont advertise prices though, i will be sitting down when i phone

I know what you mean. Prices from Amazon range from £35 to £45 having had a quick blast across the net.

[JEEP]

What type of turbo lighter? I had one before. It stopped working really quickly.

I have a Primus Power Lighter II. Expensive, but sturdy and as reliable as a turbo lighter gets



Why have I just ordered a new head torch when I already have two perfectly good ones? :confused2: :confused2: :confused2:

Because you need it...



Well I'd prefare a folder just for space economy... Can see an opinel no12 for £25 so its not too big a deal... is it worth getting the no18(the 9 inch blade)?

I used to have the no12, I found it too small to be significantly of more use than the saw of a SAK or multi tool.
I curently have the no18, which is a lot more useful around the camp. But, there is one big problem with it; in moist weather the wood of the handle will swell up, making the saw quite difficult to unfold/fold – you can oil the joint heavily to ease the problem, but then the blade becomes very loose, sometimes causing it to unfold in your pack

[comanighttrain]

Yeah so I just ordered the leatherman....damnit!

Thinking the hunka and head torch next month and that the temp will be up enough to go out with my season 3 bag and not die!

[comanighttrain]

Going to order the hunka tonight... The only colour of head torch left is pink :|

Toying with the idea of going camping in the highlands next weekend to try out some of my kit...might still be a little cold especially with some elevation.

[Martin]

Going to order the hunka tonight... The only colour of head torch left is pink :|

Toying with the idea of going camping in the highlands next weekend to try out some of my kit...might still be a little cold especially with some elevation.

lol, I got the pink one and it matches my eyes quite nicely. :D To be honest, it's not too bad and seems to be a lovely head torch and is very well specified. I'm sure I'm going to be using it when I go running tonight.

Martin

[comanighttrain]

Haha... I might just order it then...can say its pink for "high visibility"

[Martin]

Haha... I might just order it then...can say its pink for "high visibility"

I would. If you really can't deal with the 'Fandango' colour, I reckon it would be possible to dye the strap a darker colour but I won't be bothering. Oh and you can be certain which is your torch. ;)

Martin

[leon-1]

Who cares what colour it is. In the end you'll be using the torch at night when colour perception will be difficult to say the least and who can see past the light to see what colour it is.

[Martin]

Who cares what colour it is. In the end you'll be using the torch at night when colour perception will be difficult to say the least and who can see past the light to see what colour it is.

Oh Leon, you know what a vain bunch these bushcrafters are. ;)

Martin

[comanighttrain]

Alright sorted...Got the hunka, headlight, a military bergan, a hexamine cooker and a roll matt...totally forgot about the damn shovel i meant to order....

[comanighttrain]

Awesome. Went in to town today, got a cheapy folding shovel from argos, some jeep socks and a spare stuff sack from TK max

[Paul Webster]

Yeah so I just ordered the leatherman....damnit!

Thinking the hunka and head torch next month and that the temp will be up enough to go out with my season 3 bag and not die!
Which leatherman did you get and from where?

[comanighttrain]

got the wave from http://www.leatherman-store.co.uk/products/leatherman-wave-multi-tool .... would have ordered it from tooled up but these guys were doing the torch at same price

[Fletching]

You really need a SOG Seal knife now mate ;)

[comanighttrain]

Lol! I have about 7 knives :| 7 knives and one pair of decent outdoor trousers :| I think i have a problem

[Paul Webster]

got the wave from http://www.leatherman-store.co.uk/products/leatherman-wave-multi-tool .... would have ordered it from tooled up but these guys were doing the torch at same price
I posted about these a few weeks ago, I got one from millets for £49.99. Not sure if their sale is still on

[comanighttrain]

damn...wish i'd been looking for one then... was it the older model? I wouldnt care...it all does the same thing

[Paul Webster]

damn...wish i'd been looking for one then... was it the older model? I wouldnt care...it all does the same thing

To be honest, I'm not sure what the differences are between older and newer models. All I know is it was reduced from £100 to £50 and it's shiny!

[comanighttrain]

To be honest, I'm not sure what the differences are between older and newer models. All I know is it was reduced from £100 to £50 and it's shiny!

Well it just arrived, I now understand why it can double as a hammer, feels solid and well constructed.

[comanighttrain]

Bergan arrived - Solid bit of kit, big chunky zips and clips absolutely solid. Yoke and packs would easily pass for a day kit. I'll see how she does on saturday...expecting some rain so the waterproofing will be proved...

Alpkit stuff also arrived - Head torch feels good but we'll see how she does in practice. Bivvi is pretty cleverly designed but...as it packs into a ball shape might not be the best packer.

Also some socks came... I think we would need a whole forum dedicated to sock reviews....

[comanighttrain]

out flipping standing, i just fit my sleeping bag, bivi and tarp into the day sack easily. With a bit of ruthless packing I could easily pack a weekend into this.