Overview of my Camping Gear-Part 2-Shelter

Continuing from yesterday’s post, I want to take a closer look at the items previously listed as 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 in Part 1 of the post.



The first item is the GI closed cell foam sleeping pad. This is just your regular GI sleeping pad. I picked it up for $3 at an army surplus store. I have narrowed the pad by removing about two inches from each side. I find that I do not roll around too much during the night, so I didn’t need a pad that was so wide. This way it sticks out less from my backpack. I know some people also shorten their sleeping pads to 3/4 length, but I find that it is very important to have insulation under your feet. Because of that, I have left it the original length. This is not a pad designed for comfort by any means, but it does provide good insulation and is fail proof. There is no chance of it deflating because a spark from the fire fell on it.

The second item is the US GI Modular Sleep System (MSS). It is comprised of two different sleeping bags that fit together, along with a bivi. For most of the year I only carry the light weight bag and the bivi. During the winter, I add the cold weather bag. For more details on the system, you can see my post here. The bag is not the lightest, or most compact, but it is very durable, and has served me well for years. The bivi bag set up also has the advantage over a tent of being able to set up just about anywhere, on a very small piece of ground. The whole system retails for about $300.

The third item is the Kookalight inflatable pillow. I have a very hard time sleeping without one, and having to stuff sacks in order to make pillows was getting on my nerves. This pillow is incredibly light weight, and compacts to almost nothing. In turn however, it is not the most luxurious backpacking pillow out there, but it gets the job done. I like to place it between my bivi and the sleeping bag. That way I get the added padding on the sleeping bag. For more details on the pillow, you can see my post here. The pillow is not cheap, and retails for about $30.



The fourth item is the DD 10'x10' (3m x 3m) tarp. This tarp is made by DD Hammocks and I had to get it shipped from the UK. I chose it because of its light weight; it comes in at 23oz (650g). The tarp is made of coated polyester. I also like the large size. I consider my bivi to be my primary shelter. It is more than enough to protect me from a rain storm during the night. The tarp for me is a comfort item. Because of its large size, it provides good shelter in case I am stuck in the rain during the day. It gives good space to work and spend time. It is a much better way to spend the day than being cooped up in a tent. The tarp retails for about $50. There are other similar tarp options out there, but I am by no means an expert on them.

The last item is the GI poncho. There isn’t much to say about it. It works well as a poncho, and can also double as an emergency shelter. I like it more that any other type of water proof clothing because it also covers my backpack, removing the need for a separate pack cover. They retail for about $20. You can get them for less at an army surplus store.

One thing that I have found very useful with both the poncho and the tarp is to carry an additional plastic bag, which is large enough to fit the tarp or poncho, and that you can keep in the stuff sack. That way, if you actually end up using the tarp or poncho, and get it wet, you can put it in the plastic bag before putting it in the stuff sack. This will keep you backpack and the rest of your gear dry.

Overview of my Camping Gear-Part 1

I’ve been getting a lot of requests to make a post showing all of my gear. Even though I have mentioned from time to time certain pieces of gear that I carry, I’ve never gotten around to this post, mostly because the gear that one carries depends much on personal preference. I do however know that such lists can be very useful to people who are just starting out and are looking for direction. This first post on my gear will be just an overview of the items. I will have more specific posts on certain items in the next few days. So here it is:

First, there is the all important belt kit, now more correctly named pocket kit. I have done several posts on my belt kit and the continuous changes that I have been making to it. You can see them here, here, and here. What you see below is my current version of the belt kit.



The first item is my canteen kit. You can find more details about it here. The only changes that I have made is to replace the GI canteen with the Blakhawk canteen, and to add a shoulder strap in case I do not want to carry it on my belt.

The next item is my possibles pouch. You can see more details about it here. The only thing that I have changed is that I have gone back to using my large ferrocerium rod. It was just more comfortable. I keep it in my pocket with the rest of the kit.

The final item is my knife. It is the Kauhavan Puukkopaja Vuolupuukko. I will have a review on the knife in the next few weeks. The knife goes in my other pocket.

The picture below shows the rest of my gear. This is everything I carry in all seasons. The only thing that changes is the amount of clothing that I carry and the thickens of sleeping bag that I bring. For longer trips, I just add more food. The average weight of my pack, including food and water for an overnight trip is 35lb. I use a modified US Army CFP 90 pack. I have put a number on each item so they are easier to follow.



1. GI closed-cell foam sleeping pad. I have narrowed the pad by a few inches. It is still the original length.

2. US Army MSS sleeping bag and bivi. Here you see only the light weight bag and the bivi in a Sea to Summit dry sack.

3. Kookalight inflatable pillow.

4. DD tarp 10 feet by 10 feet.

5. GI poncho.

6. First aid kit.

7. Cooking pots (titanium; 1L and 2L)

8. Small MSR white gas fuel bottle with pump.

9. MSR Whisperlite International white gas stove.

10. Home made axe (1/5lb head)

11. Waterproof bag with random items-flashlight, bug repellant, compass, lantern, mosquito head net, mirror, whistle, toilet paper, toothbrush, soap and extra tinder.

12. Waterproof tool bag-rope, trowel, crook knife and multi-tool.

13. Food bag. You can find more information about the food I carry here, here, and here.

14. Trailblazer 24 inch collapsible buck saw.

15. MSR Dromedary 6L water bladder.

16. MSR Miniworks EX water filter.

17. Waterproof clothes bag-two pairs of socks, extra shirt, and whatever else I decide to put in it. There isn’t much more I can say about this. You can find more information about my clothing choices here and here.

18. Second clothes bag-gloves and hat.

Complete Guide to Home Canning

This is another interesting resource from the US Department of Agriculture. This is a fairly comprehensive guide to canning food on individual basis. While the skills outlined in the book are not directly related to the outdoors, the preservation of food is an important skill, and has held great significance throughout history. As such, I thought you guys might be interested in it.


To the best of my knowledge this book is in the public domain, and a copy can be obtained here, here, and a number of other places online. The book has several chapters, which can be downloaded as PDF files individually.

Fallkniven S1 Review

Here I will take a look at a knife which I have been using for a long time, the Fallkniven S1. It is one of the best overall knives that I have used, and I thought you guys might be interested in a closer look. Here you see a picture of it when I first got it several years ago.



As you can see from the pictures, other than the one above, the knife has a small rubber lower guard. I have removed it on my knife because I like to be able to hold the knife close to the blade. In all of the pictures below, you will see the knife with the guard cut off.



Specifications:
Knife Length: 9 13/16 inches (247 mm)
Blade Length: 5 3/16 inches (130 mm); cutting edge 4 5/16 inches (126 mm)
Blade Thickness: 3/16 inches (5 mm)
Blade Width: 1 1/16 inch (27 mm) closest to the handle
Blade Material: Laminated VG10 steel
Blade Hardness: HRC 59 on the Rockwell Scale on the cutting edge
Type of Tang: Full protruding
Blade Grind: Convex
Handle Material: Thurmorun
Sheath Material: Leather or Zytel
Cost: $130.00



This is an expensive knife. It is not as disturbingly expensive as some custom models, but it will be a significant hit to the wallet.

The blade is designed to take serious punishment. It is made of laminated VG-10 stainless steel. The VG-10 steel composes the core and cutting edge of the blade, which is sandwiched between two pieces of softer stainless steel on the sides. This allows the knife to have a very hard edge, while still being tough. The knife has a thin convex edge. There have been some reports of the VG-10 steel becoming brittle in cold weather and chipping when impacted (at least more so than 1095 steel), but I have not encountered that problem over the two or more years I have been using this knife. The blade is very thick when compared to the Mora 1, but since the convex grind starts very high on the blade, the final cutting edge is very thin. This is a 5-inch blade, making it considerably longer than the Mora 1.



The handle is comfortable, although I prefer the more rounded handle of the Mora 1. The knife is very controllable and I have done quite a bit of carving with it. It is much heavier than the Mora 1, but it is surprisingly nimble in the hand.

The Fallkniven S1 features a full concealed tang, which protrudes on the back. This makes it useful when you want to hit the back of the knife. You can do it without damaging the handle. That being said, I would have preferred it if the protruding tang had a plate/bolster on it to allow for more surface area when hitting.



Even though I have been using this knife for years, I put it through the usual tests, just so you can take a closer look.

The knife is great for splitting wood because of the thick blade. Here you can see it going through a 3-inch piece of wood without a problem. The knife is sufficiently thick, that I have not encountered a piece of wood that it can not split.



I also batoned the knife as you would when truncating. The blade is solid, and will perform the task without a problem.



Because the convex is so thin, the knife is surprisingly good at carving and wood working. You can see the beginnings of a feather stick here.



Since it is a full tang knife, you can see the tip hammered into a tree. The protruding tang makes the task doable without damage to the handle.



I purchased the knife with a leather sheath. It has performed very well. It holds the knife securely, but what I like most about it is that it is suspended from a leather strap. This allows you to carry the knife on your belt while still using a backpack with a hip belt.

Overall, this is one of the best knives I have ever used. With most knives I test, I usually tell you that I would not feel comfortable using it without also carrying an axe with me. In this case, you have a knife which can perform any task in the woods without failing. The additional length allows it to split larger pieces of wood, and also lets you perform more powerful slicing cuts without running out of blade material. The added thickness and full tang, makes this knife almost impossible to destroy in the woods. While it will not perform the role of an axe, this is a knife that does not need back up. On the other hand, it is still small enough so that it will work well in combination with a good axe.

As you know, I have recently switched to a smaller, lighter knife. The only reason for that is that I wanted a knife that I could carry in my pocket. The Fallkniven S1 was too large to place in a pocket, and due to personal preference, I wanted to stop carrying a knife on my belt. It is in no way a negative reflection on this knife. Other than wishing for a thicker, rounder handle without a guard, I can not say anything negative about this knife.