Historical Trekking/Re-enacting

  1. gryffynklm
    gryffynklm
    I'm more of an re-enactor focusing on 1750's to 1790' depending on the group I happen to be with. I am an artillery mamber of two 18th century units, Lauzon's Legion French marines 1780 to 1783, and John Lambs NY provincial Artillery 1775 to 1783. As a civilian long hunter my clothing is earlier around 1750.
    My emphasis has been on wood working, open fire cooking and period recipies.

    I also teach and lecture on printing history from the 16th century through the late 19th century. I currently am looking for an 18th century group to join. The town I moved to was founded in 1750. I would like to emphasize 1750 pioneer hunter, settler impression.
  2. Beo
    Beo
    We all do re-enactments, some of us do trekking too, so in doing this great hobby of ours, what is the gear you carry? I am just curious as I think I go lite, but maybe that's just my thinking and I could be wrong. Now while this is my gear it does vary depending on where we are going and the time of year.

    My gear for all this consists of:
    Hat: French Cap (TUQUE, blue) for cold weather sleeping.
    Shirt: Linen Hunting Shirt 3each usually only take one extra.
    Weskit: Linen dark brown or red.
    Hunting Frock: Linen Lite greenish color.
    Leggings: Wool (Dark blue trimmed in yellow), long Canvas gaiters (Brown) my new Deer hide leggings.
    Garters: Hand Woven & Leather Strap Type
    Sash: Hand Woven
    Breechclout: Wool, Dark blue trimmed in yellow & deer hide
    Moccasins: Ligonier Moc or center seam.

    Haversack or Snapsack: Canvas with 36-inch tumpline with the following items inside:extra leather thongs (36in. long 10 each), Tin Cup (2) Castile Soap (2) Candle (3) Sewing & fishing kit, Whetstone, Bag of parched corn & jerky, Tea Block, Pouch of tobacco and pipe, Patch knife, Forged fork & Spoon, Tin Boiler, salt and herb horn.

    Possibles Bag: Leather, holding the following items inside: Frizzen Stall,1-Bullet Bag holding 20 .62 cal. round ball, 1-Cow’s Knee, 1-Priming Horn, Leather Flint Packet (5 pieces of flint), 1-Tin of bees wax & tallow, 1-Hand Forged Screwdriver, Bag of tow, Loading block (tied to strap of possibles bag), Vent Pick & Brush, Pouch with different ramrod tips, tow strips, & paper cartridges (10 each), and extra springs.

    Belt Pouch: Holding the following items: Flint striker & char cloth, cattail fluff, dried moss, and bark tinder in tin, Candle (2)
    Powder Horn tied to hunting pouch strap
    Long Knife (8 to 10 inch blade)
    Tomahawk w/cover
    Flintlock: French Fusil de Chasse (Tulle) with flashguard
    Bedroll: Canvas Diamond shelter (waterproofed 10x10)
    Wool blanket (4x6)
    Canvas ground cloth (waterproofed 4x5)
    The diamond shelter is laid out flat with ends folded in, ground cloth is folded to fit next, then the wool blanket (if needed) and rolled tightly and tied with two leather straps, the leather shoulder strap is used as a tumpline (shoulder strap as we call it).

    Canteen: Round Gourd Canteen w/ leather strap
    This is what I carry for up to two weeks which is the longest trek I ever did, my son the same but the cups are split between us. We always go as lite as possible so this may not seem like much to most but I have used this set up for years and am very comfortable with it. Every once in a while I throw in an extra hunk of salted meat or bacon.
    Waterproofing Canvas: Nail it to the backside of a woodshed, paint it with an oil-based deck stain and be sure to look at ingredients: label-linseed oil and color pigment, after it dries, turn it over and paint the other side. Very Waterproof. Find a round smooth rock and rub it over entire cloth to soften up. The color of deck stain used should be dark or rusty in color, as it will come out lighter... No Smell No Stickiness as some have found with turpentine mixture, or beeswax mixture.
    Just what I carry, so tell me what you carry.
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