Experience with packs

**crashdive123** · 03-04-2009, 07:53 AM

Originally Posted by MatthewnOK

Heh! I did it crash!

do i get a cookie?

Sorry, no cookies. I've got half a dougnut left though.

**bulrush** · 03-04-2009, 03:05 PM

I used an internal frame, mid-price backpack that could be converted to luggage. Shoulder straps were nice and padded. As soon as I figured out how to put more weight on the hip straps, my shoulders thanked me. It was a great pack, no problems with it. I still use it for luggage and (car) camping.

You should carry the weight on your hips using your hip straps, not your shoulders. The shoulders only serve to balance the load and keep the load in place. That's what worked for me anyhow.

**Norse&Native** · 03-04-2009, 03:11 PM

Originally Posted by Rick

Run?! You are clearly doing something wrong! If you see me running you can rest assured I've just discovered I'm #2 on the food chain. I can't think of any other reason to expend that kind of energy. Run.........silly boy.

Shoot, that ain't nothin'.

**sh4d0wm4573ri7** · 03-04-2009, 05:30 PM

My old standby:
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And my newest addition:
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**crashdive123** · 03-04-2009, 05:36 PM

Originally Posted by sh4d0wm4573ri7

My old standby:
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And my newest addition:
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Is that top one a Kelty? I've got the Kelty Redcloud 5600 and like it.

**Nativedude** · 03-06-2009, 01:44 AM

Boy, y'all wouldn't survive my course. For my basic course All you get to take is:

1.) A bedroll
2.) A water container
3.) A metal knife

For my hardcore survival trips you get to take:

Zip! Zero!! Zilch!!!

You use only what is in Mother Nature for 7 or 14 days.

**Geronimo!** · 03-06-2009, 08:09 AM

Originally Posted by Nativedude

Boy, y'all wouldn't survive my course.

Until I came across crash in the bush washing his face in a sink.

**crashdive123** · 03-06-2009, 08:12 AM

Originally Posted by Geronimo!

Until I came across crash in the bush washing his face in a sink.

Just waiting for the fuel truck.....RV ran out of gas.

**RichJ** · 03-06-2009, 05:37 PM

"Boy, y'all wouldn't survive my course. For my basic course All you get to take is:

1.) A bedroll
2.) A water container
3.) A metal knife"

You teach a course where it's necessary to learn the skills without an adequate kit. But once you are confident you can survive without a kit, I say gear up! I know I can survive, but I don't want to just survive, I want to live as comfortable as my conditions will allow me to. That means bringing whatever kit I can comfortably carry and and exploiting whatever else I can along the way. I know I could survive on worms in a lean-to if necessary, but I'd rather bring along a few MRE's and a tent.

**wildography** · 03-06-2009, 06:03 PM

Originally Posted by RichJ

"Boy, y'all wouldn't survive my course. For my basic course All you get to take is:

1.) A bedroll
2.) A water container
3.) A metal knife"

You teach a course where it's necessary to learn the skills without an adequate kit. But once you are confident you can survive without a kit, I say gear up! I know I can survive, but I don't want to just survive, I want to live as comfortable as my conditions will allow me to. That means bringing whatever kit I can comfortably carry and and exploiting whatever else I can along the way. I know I could survive on worms in a lean-to if necessary, but I'd rather bring along a few MRE's and a tent.

I think that is the whole point of this entire forum... to learn the basic fundamentals of survival - even without a water container, a bedroll, and a knife - and then add your skills, knowledge, equipment, etc from there... you can have a fully stocked, fully loaded F-150 carrying every survival thing that you need... but if you find yourself in a situation where you get separated from your supplies - the only thing that you have left is your body and your brain...

Try to skip the fundamentals of survival - or take "short-cuts" - and you (and/or your family & friends) may pay the price...

Once you get the fundamentals down, then you can start depending on things that make survival easier and more comfortable... like using firearms, fire-starters, GOOD "survival" food, packs, etc...

Me, there are some areas of the whole survival thing that I'm a rank novice at... there are a few other areas - like security, the use of weapons, and stalking - that I consider myself to be an expert in...

that's why me - and a lot of others are here... to learn stuff that we're not good at, to improve upon those things that we are good at, and to help each other learn... learn what to do and what NOT to do...

**RichJ** · 03-06-2009, 06:22 PM

but this was a thread wanting to know about packs, not a thread about not needing a pack because you can survive without one. Maybe I took it the wrong way but what I heard was a dig on guys who gear-up instead of going minimalist. It's all good in the woods man!

**crashdive123** · 03-06-2009, 06:39 PM

Nah. No diggs. Native Dude just walks around barefoot in the snow. Rough winter

**SARKY** · 03-06-2009, 08:10 PM

Look, it comes down to this, you carry what makes you feel comfortable. Can I start a fire with nothing but what nature gives ?....Yes! Do I want to spend hours making cordage, finding a fire board, a bow, a drill, etc.? ...NO! Do I like foraging? Yes I love it! Do I like being hungry? NO! Just because I caryy it in my gear doesn't mean I am dependent on it, it means I have options.

**Nativedude** · 03-07-2009, 12:21 AM

Crashdive123 wrote:"Nah. No digs. Native Dude just walks around barefoot in the snow. Rough winter

Crash is right, no digs intended, just surprised that some on the forums carry so much gear.

I have multitudes of students that show up with 5, 6 & 7K c.i. pack all the time. I weed through their packs and whittle down the gear to just the "necessary" items. And while they (my students) grouse about not being able to take their "batt. operated heated socks". Once I get them in the back-country and show them they don't need their, 'proverbial' various security blankets, and they get more comfortable at their ability to sustain and survive with the "bare minimum" they are cool with it.

RichJ wrote:"but this was a thread wanting to know about packs, not a thread about not needing a pack because you can survive without one. Maybe I took it the wrong way but what I heard was a dig on guys who gear-up instead of going minimalist. It's all good in the woods man!"

Rich, once you get to know me and read other posts of mine, you'll come to see that I live very simple, rustic, primitive (aboriginal) lifestyle. But I do have a military fanny pack (about 200 c.i.) with survival gear in it that I use to demonstrate to students about gear that they can carry, if they so choose, with them to survive.

As my tagline says: "Doing More With Less!"