My new three day kit

While fixing a knife I had an epiphany. I own an extremely high quality, one shoulder carried, backpack which I have been using as travel pack, when going on train and so on. I figured that with some mods it would make an excellent 3 day pack. When I slam my felt blanket in a plastic bag and hang it outside the backpack, or with a strap on my other shoulder, everything else I will need will go in there nicely.

Note that this is a late spring/summer/early autumn kit for leisure use. Not a BoB or anything like that.


This is the bag. Made by Savotta. Which basically manufactures all combat gear the FDF uses.
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_ZLDsoqZPBAg/TH...E/Kuva0174.jpg

Here we have my leisure firekit, a colt lighter, backed up with two full boxes of matches, which are wrapped in plastic, some natural tinder, A puukko (the one I restored) and a Leuku (the bigger thing), sharpening stone, map case(at the bottom), the blanket, fork, spoon and a knife, steel tripwire(can be used like paracord), a leather strap(for stuff) and a coffee pan(aluminium, doubles as a kettle. Also houses the fire making kit).
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_ZLDsoqZPBAg/TH...c/Kuva0171.jpg

Here, represented food(naturally I will carry larger amounts), steel thermos, a light tarp, water bottle and a space blanket.
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_ZLDsoqZPBAg/TH...k/Kuva0173.jpg

On my person (pockets) I also carry a firesteel, first aid kit, can opener, paracord, little snack, water purification tabs, tabs for viper bites, canteen filled with water and extra tinder.

Remember that the time of year I intend to use this kit there is food literally everywhere and water is never an issue here, as long as you can at least boil it.

I have yet to weight the kit, but all in all, it will be pretty light.

What you think?

Looks like it fits you needs. A good example that an individuals area/climate etc, dictates what "stuff" is appropriate.

I like it, it would work well here me thinks.

The only things I don't see are some means of signaling, mirror or whistle, or a compass.

For signaling, cellphone. You have reception everywhere except some remote places in Lapland, and I am 600km away from Lapland.

Compass, I have a country full of pine trees. you can tell north by looking at the bark color. Where the dark bark goes highest, theres north.

I was testing the set today. Went on some city wasteland and made some coffee. I noticed that my tarp was WAAAYYYYY too BIG. Didn't even care to open it up. I'll have to downsize it a bit. Maybe I just get one of those ponchos.

I have some pictures about my short test run(poor quality, I know, cellphone camera):

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_ZLDsoqZPBAg/TH...4/Kuva0186.jpg http://lh4.ggpht.com/_ZLDsoqZPBAg/TH...k/Kuva0180.jpg

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_ZLDsoqZPBAg/TH...4/Kuva0182.jpg http://lh3.ggpht.com/_ZLDsoqZPBAg/TH...0/Kuva0187.jpg

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_ZLDsoqZPBAg/TH...M/Kuva0176.jpg http://lh5.ggpht.com/_ZLDsoqZPBAg/TH...4/Kuva0177.jpg

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_ZLDsoqZPBAg/TH...0/Kuva0179.jpg http://lh6.ggpht.com/_ZLDsoqZPBAg/TH...I/Kuva0184.jpg

This is how I left the place:

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_ZLDsoqZPBAg/TH...o/Kuva0189.jpg

Good to get out and about. Thanks for sharing.

That was actually the first time I did the kettle holder like that. I usually just have one Y stick and a long stick...
Nevertheless that method was quick to do and worked like a charm. I really like the ability to adjust the heat by lowering or raising the kettle with the notches.
The only difficulty was that everything down there was damp, from ground to dead branches. Thank god for birch bark.

Living in a city I sometimes feel the strong urge to go in some bush where no-one can see me and just be there. This was a little bit about that too. I'm a country boy in the wrong place.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by NCO

I sometimes feel the strong urge to go in some bush where no-one can see me and just be there. .

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I feel ya man.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by NCO

That was actually the first time I did the kettle holder like that. I usually just have one Y stick and a long stick...
Nevertheless that method was quick to do and worked like a charm. I really like the ability to adjust the heat by lowering or raising the kettle with the notches.
The only difficulty was that everything down there was damp, from ground to dead branches. Thank god for birch bark.

Living in a city I sometimes feel the strong urge to go in some bush where no-one can see me and just be there. This was a little bit about that too. I'm a country boy in the wrong place.

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Ahhh. The lament of the city dweller.:thumbup1:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Old GI

Ahhh. The lament of the city dweller.:thumbup1:

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That's what you call it? We call it "being Finnish"...:smash:

Nice pics. Thanks for letting us have a look.

My pleasure. I've been enjoying the pics you guys have posted on for a long time without giving anything back, due to lack of a camera.
Now that I finally have something to take digital pictures with, even though crappy ones, I'll be posting a lot more stuff here.
I'm actually waiting to go to eastern Finland at the beginning of next week and will definitely get you guys some pics of real forest.
That bush on these pics is just city wasteland between two major roads. Just enough to go hiding...

Looks like you have everything covered!! The pics were just fine. Gives a nice view of everything. Thanks for taking us along.

I radically downsized the tarp I had. It was originally even bigger than I remembered. Something like 6m x 6m. The piece I cut out from it is about 230cm long and about 230cm wide. Perfect for a light shelter.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by NCO

I sometimes feel the strong urge to go in some bush where no-one can see me and just be there.

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I now live in a rural area but when I living in the LAS Vegas Area I would take my jeep or motorcycle and just go out in the desert area and sit. My son grew up that way and he still enjoys it. Now he takes my grandson out to the desert with him.

I would look for desert sheep, Jack rabbits Etc. Enjoying what nature presents even a surprise summer rain. Storms no, light summer rain yes
I still do it in this area, however we have much more wildlife here. Last summer I counted 21 mule deer under a large shade tree. I watched until they started getting nervous then I drove off. I didn't want them to leave the shade. The same day in a different area i counted 14 wild turkeys in groups of 3-4.

Put it to the test! Rep sent. BTW it was the heroic story of the Finns in WW II that got me interested in the original Arctic Warfare type biathlon. I still do it weekly in winter months. Is that what you are doing in your avatar?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Beans

I now live in a rural area but when I living in the LAS Vegas Area I would take my jeep or motorcycle and just go out in the desert area and sit. My son grew up that way and he still enjoys it. Now he takes my grandson out to the desert with him.

I would look for desert sheep, Jack rabbits Etc. Enjoying what nature presents even a surprise summer rain. Storms no, light summer rain yes
I still do it in this area, however we have much more wildlife here. Last summer I counted 21 mule deer under a large shade tree. I watched until they started getting nervous then I drove off. I didn't want them to leave the shade. The same day in a different area i counted 14 wild turkeys in groups of 3-4.

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I would do the exactly same thing IF I had a car.
The thing is that I cannot afford to have one. I'm a college(well, equivalent anyway) student, so there is not much extra money laying around.

I have applied and got in a new school though, a vocational school(or a trade school). Learning to become a boat builder!
Good thing is that this new school is in a much smaller city so I will be a walking distance away of some really nice forests!:tongue_smilie:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Alaskan Survivalist

Put it to the test! Rep sent. BTW it was the heroic story of the Finns in WW II that got me interested in the original Arctic Warfare type biathlon. I still do it weekly in winter months. Is that what you are doing in your avatar?

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Test, I intend to.

About the avatar, No, that's just me in the Finnish Defense Forces doing a 40km ski march.
Basic stuff. That was actually one of the best marches ever.
The snow was good all the time so it was really light and fast to move.
I actually don't have a clue about the AW Biathlon! What it has in it?

EDIT: Ok, just googled the biathlon thing and yeah, I know that sport! Just not the english translation.. :D

The modern sport has evolved into something with no resemblance to the original sport that was actually military training. I started in the 60's and never had any interest in the modern sport but still do it the old way, just by myself without competition. My clothing is similar to yours.

http://i540.photobucket.com/albums/g...o/IMG_0812.jpg

I suppose those are not over whites?
And yeah, that old version is still part of our training, in it's own form.
First you ski with your squad and you all are pissed about it, then you get ambushed. You react, judge the force of the enemy, either kill them or pull back. If you can kill them you do that, evacuate the wounded and dead and keep on going, if you have to pull back you do a fighting retreat and loose the enemy by going fast and furious for a good 10km, set a mine on the tracks, do a loop and counter ambush the following enemy. Basic stuff that you could learn by reading a Finnish war novel...

Yes, over whites over army parka. I used GPS to make a 5 kilometer loop that circles back to a field for shooting. Ski 5 km and shoot 5 targets at 100 meter, ski loop again shoot at 150 meters, again at 200 meters and at 250 meters on the last loop. It's a hell of a workout for an old man.