Tag: equipment

Phillosoph

Camping Frying Pan Set

Post author By losophyp
Post date 27 August 2023

Today, I thought I would have a little show and tell:

In a previous post I showed one half of my Kephart-inspired cook-set. Today, the other part.

First Photo:

The first photo shows the kit partially packed up.

To the left is a heavy duty stuff sack that just happens to be ideal for carrying a plate-like object.

The frying pan sits on a repurposed, out-of-date triangular bandage. This has various uses, including as a tenugu-type dishcloth. In transit it is wrapped around the outside of the pan.

To the right are two bottles, one for detergent, the other for cooking oil.

In the pan we can see a spork and spatula resting on top of the cutting board. The white is the eating plate, and the green of the cleaning pad can be seen showing through.

Second photo:

The kit unpacked.

Top left, the cutting board, cut to shape to fit in the frying pan. This is a thin plastic cutting board sold as part of a set of several for kitchen use. Resting on this is a combined sponge and scrubber.

Top right, the spork and spatula rest on the plate. The plate is enamelled metal, and deep enough to hold liquids. Inverted it may be used as a lid or cover for the frying pan.

Botton, a view of the frying pan itself. Most frying pans sold for camping use are way too small.

Mine was made from a cheap non-stick item, and is just under nine inches in diameter.

The original handle was removed and replaced with a square-section fitting. This socket may be used to fit the frying pan to a pole or branch. It is also the mounting for the folding and detachable handle, which locks in the open position.

Third Photo:

The spatula and the inverted plate.

Camping Frying Pan Kit Spatula and Plate

The edge of the plate was drilled with a ceramic bit, and a hole made through the metal. This was used to add two wire loops made from paper-clips. These loops are used to lift the plate when it is used as a cover or lid.

The spatula serves as a turner, stirrer, scraper, server and many other roles. It is a cheap beechwood item that has been modified and treated with boiled linseed oil. Since the pan is non-stick, sport and spatula must be non-metal.

The handle has been shortened so that the item fits within the frying pan when packed. The cut end was reshaped for increased functionality. The cut notch may be used to lift billy lids or pick up hot billies.

A loop and hole was added so that the spatula may be hung up to keep it out of the dirt.

Tags billies, camping, cook-set, cooking, equipment, frying-pan, kephart, spatula

Phillosoph

Poncho-Liner Improvement: Pops and Zip

Post author By losophyp
Post date 18 August 2023

In my blog on foundation survival equipment, two of the items were a rain poncho and a blanket. Given how expensive good blankets are these days, many of you will have opted for a poncho-liner (aka “woobie”) instead.

Why a blanket/poncho-liner rather than a sleeping bag? A good sleeping bag is well worth having. In warmer conditions, however, a poncho-liner may be a better choice than that bulky five-season expedition bag you just had to buy, “just in case”. In colder conditions, a poncho-liner may be combined with a sleeping bag of more modest (and more practical) capabilities.

In case you have not worked it out, a more practical sleeping bag purchase would have been a two or three-season bag that can be combined with other items in colder weather, including another sleeping bag. Generally, several thinner layers trap more warm air than one very thick one.

The poncho-liner was designed to be part of a warm weather sleeping system. The instructions are that the poncho-liner is to be tied to a GI-issue rain poncho, with the rain poncho outermost. The soldier lies on one half of the combination and folds the other half over themselves. The snaps (poppers) on the rain poncho should not be used to fasten the opening if sleeping in a combat zone.

Tying the liner to the poncho may not be necessary. Threading the tapes through the eyelets may keep things together by friction alone.

Easiest knot is to make a loop at the base of the cord and pass it up through the eyelet. Make a loop higher in the cord and take it over the edge of the pooncho and pass the loop through the first. Hold the free end and pull the other side of the second loop to pull the first loop snug. This is very easy to tie and easy to undo with cold, wet hands. This is “two-thirds of a Highwayman's Hitch”.

The above method of using rain poncho and liner together has become known as a “ranger roll”, not to be confused with the packing method of the same name. It has been pointed out to me that this system resembles an Australian swag, with the obvious difference a swag uses heavier but breathable canvas,

Ironically, the best way I have found to pack a poncho roll is the other kind of ranger roll.

The poncho and liner (presumably as a ranger-roll configuration) is designated as a sleeping system for temperatures above 50°F (10°C). Put another way, if your breath is fogging, make more elaborate sleeping arrangements.

Rigging your rain poncho as a shelter, such as a ridge tent or lean-to, will trap a layer of air above while you sleep wrapped in your liner. You will be better ventilated and more comfortable than the ranger-roll. Where tactically possible, a fire may be built before a lean-to.

Insulating yourself from ground-chill will also facilitate sleeping at lower temperatures. Place hay, browse, bracken etc between yourself and the ground. Wreckage such as seat cushions may be used. If you have an insulated kip-mat, it may be used instead of or in addition to the previous measures.

If you want to use your poncho as a shelter you will need to carry some cordage, pegs and possibly poles. The two hanks of cord I recommended adding to your EDC will do fine. Since most ponchos or liners do not have a waist cord such cord may be knotted around the waist when wearing a rain-poncho and/or poncho-liner. Bungee cords are an alternative to cordage for shelters, and may also be used around the waist if your brought them long enough.

Pocho Shelters

Some ponchos only have eyelets at the corners, or even lack these. Fit eyelets to each corner and the centre of each edge.

There are alternate options, of course. One of them is a bivi-bag and a pair of poncho-liners.

A poncho-liner is a sensible thing to acquire, even if most of the time you just throw it over yourself when watching telly in the colder months.

Useful though the poncho-liner is, there is room for improvement.

Below is a video of “Green-Craft's” poncho-liner improvements:

Personally, I found some of the modifications described hard to fully comprehend. Long, verbal descriptions on a video are not the best means of communicating information. The video could have benefited from some more illustrations and written lists.

I decided not to use many of these suggested modifications.

For one thing, I do not like “hand-warmer” pockets. Move with your hands in your pockets and you cannot defend yourself nor save yourself if you fall. Essentially, hand-warmer pockets are diametrically the opposite of what this blog is about.

I also had concerns that some of these modifications would affect the packability of my poncho-liner.

And I am short on funds, so cannot afford all the bits needed for the modifications even if I did want them.

The Head Hole

Why did the inventors of the poncho-liner not include a head hole so that it could be worn under a rain-poncho?

Perhaps it was something to do with the commitment to the war in Vietnam? Warm clothing was not seen as a high priority?

Modifying your poncho-liner so that it can be worn as a real poncho is probably the most useful modification you can make, and it is relatively simple.

You will need:

• A 40 cm open-ended zip of suitable colour and finish

• About a metre of suitably coloured double-fold bias tape

• Sewing supplies. A needle, suitably coloured thread, pins, chalk, scissors/shears, a tape measure.

You do not want a zipper with shiny nor reflective teeth, so you will probably get a plastic zip. Colour and shades should be one that blends well with the basic appearance of your poncho-liner.

My poncho-liner is in German Tropentarn desert camo (aka “desert flecktarn” or “fleckdesert”), which is actually quite a good general-purpose pattern. Thus I brought a zipper described as beige.

I brought my double bias tape and the colour was described as “stone”.

If you have some scraps of suitably coloured or patterned material you can make your own bias tape by cutting it diagonally. Using different scraps will enhance the disruptive effect.

There are videos on how to make bias tape and how to join the different sections. You will need and iron and possibly a former.

The Cut

Decide which side of your poncho-liner will be the “outer” and which the “inside.” Also decide which part will be “front” and which “back”. My poncho-liner has a label in one corner so I arranged it so that this would be inside and at the back.

As evenly as possible, fold your poncho-liner width-wise. Then fold it lengthwise. The corner of the folds should be the centre of your poncho-liner.

Many blogs ago, I advised you to buy some chalk and add it to your EDC. You probably had several sticks left. Add some to your home sewing kit, it is times such as these it comes in useful.

Measure down from the centre corner 8 cm and mark a spot with your chalk. Make an 8cm cut through both thicknesses of the poncho-liner. Note that the cut you are making is lengthwise, going from back to front.

Unfold the poncho-liner. From the edge of the cut measure 19 cm and mark a point with chalk. I used a set-square here to ensure the line was perpendicular to a width-wise fold. Cut down the front 19 cm.

You now have a poncho-liner with a 35 cm hole in the centre. Check this fits easily over your head. Make it a shade bigger if necessary.

Fitting the Zip and Collar

Unzip your zipper into separate halves.

On the outermost side of the poncho-liner, place your zipper parts on either side of the head-hole.

Position them so that for each the teeth are on the opposite side to the opening.

You should be looking at the “back side” of the zipper and the puller should be on the front-side of the poncho-liner when fully down.

Pin each of the zipper halves so that the toothless edge is flush with the cut edge of the head-hole.

Note that your zipper is longer than the hole you cut. Make sure they are closely aligned. Try closing the zipper while it is still only pinned in position and adjust as necessary.

Fitting the Double Bias Tape

Once you are happy with the position of your zipper, you need to pin the bias tape into position.

I suggest you watch a few videos to familiarize yourself with how this tape is used. We are going to fold it all the way over the edge of the head-hole. If you look at the outer edges of your poncho-liner you will see a similar method has already been used to finish that edge.

Cut two lengths of bias tape about the same length as your zipper. Unfold the tape so that you are looking at its “inside”.

Place the tape, inside uppermost, over your zipper half. Align the inner edge of the tape so that it is flush with the cut-edge of the poncho and the toothless edge of the zipper. Pin in position and repeat for the other side.

You can remove the pins you put in to hold the zipper.

There should be pins securing both tape and zipper to the poncho-liner.

Note that if I was to do this again, I would use short lengths of bias tape to cover the top and bottom of the cut before adding the zipper. What I have done does not look too bad (on the outside!), but it could have been neater.

Sewing

I started off trying to use a “mini-sewing machine”. This was very cheap when I brought it. I notice the price is creeping up now!

After attaching the first zipper half I got sick of repeatably rethreading the thing, and realized I could probably do a neater job hand-sewing. Some sections would need to be hand-sewn anyway.

Sew along the crease of the bias tape that is closer to the hole.

Once this is done, fold the tape so that it completely covers the cut edge of the liner and the other crease touches the inside of the poncho-liner, the far edge of the tape tucked in.

Both creases of the tape are thus folded and both edges of the tape tucked in.

Sew just inside the edge of the tape so your thread passes through all four layers of tape, the zipper and the poncho-liner.

Finishing the Zipper

Close your zipper and tuck each end through the cut to the inner side of the poncho-liner.

Finish the ends of the bias tape so they are sewn to the zipper.

Since the top and bottom of my head-hole was untaped, I put a few stiches through the zipper and through the poncho-liner to close off any opening that remained.
Lastly, add a length of cord or tape to your zipper-puller.

This will stop it rattling. It also lets you easily work the zipper if your hands are cold and numb or wearing thick gloves.

If you can get some bootlace that matches the ties on your poncho-liner, that would be cool. I used a length of “desert-camo” 3mm budget paracord, which does not look out of place.

The Zipper Explained

Why use this configuration for your zipper?

When used as a garment, the teeth of the opened parts of the zipper will not contact your bare neck. You can roll the edges of the opening outward if you wish. This is shown in the photo immediately below.

There are other ways to prevent the teeth rubbing the neck, but the above method is one of the simplest and involves very little sewing.

The puller of the zipper is at the front when opened so that you can adjust the neck opening to vary ventilation or retain more heat.

The zipper I brought was described as beige but the actual colour was lighter and more yellow than I had hoped. Because very little of the zipper is visible on the outside, I got lucky and it blends very nicely with the rest of the poncho-liner. I think it may work better than the dark green zipper I also considered.

In practice, the zipper will usually be covered by a scarf or shemagh.

The zipper I brought was missing a tooth at the very top. This caused the puller to jam if the zip is fully closed. Fortunately, by tucking the very bottom and top of the zip, the last few centimetres of each end are not used, yet the opening can be fully closed. A combination of luck and improvisation!

Poncho-liner with zipper opening fully open

The bias tape I brought was described as “stone” in colour. I was expecting something with a hint of brown, but it proved to be a light, very neutral-looking grey. Not surprisingly, this colour and shade goes very well with both the zipper and the poncho-liner in general.

The camera flash probably creates a greater contrast than the naked eye sees.

Poppers

Once I had fitted the zipper, I went about installing some plastic poppers (aka “snaps”, “snap-fasteners”). These may need special pliers to fit.

You will need something that can poke a small hole through the poncho-liner. I used a stout sailmaker's needle I have in my home sewing kit. A set of these is worth having. The smaller ones go in you EDC or travel kits, the larger into your home sewing and/or repair kit.

You can chalk the needle to make the holes easier to locate.

Getting the Poppers Right

Lay-out your poncho with the inner side upwards.

Mentally divide it into quarters. We will be installing poppers using the following rules. The reason for this will be explained later:

• Each quarter will have the popper halves all of the same time. A quarter will only contain “male” poppers or “female”.

• If a quarter at the top has male poppers, the quarter immediately below will have female, and vice versa.

• If a quarter on the left has male poppers, that on the immediate right will have female, and vice versa.

• Quarters that are diagonally opposite will contain the same type of popper half.

I started off by installing the corner-most popper halves. Concentrate on getting these right and then it is just a matter of using the same popper type for each quarter.

I installed the corner poppers 40mm in from the side edge of the poncho-liner and 190mm from the top or bottom edge. If you are on the large side, place the poppers closer to the edge.

Next, fold your poncho-liner width-wise. Use the top and bottom poppers you have just added if you wish.

From the width-wise fold, measure down 240 to 250mm and install a popper 40mm in from the side. Make sure each quarter of the poncho-liner has the same type popper-half.

When you are wearing the poncho-liner, using this popper forms a sort of sleeve. The opening is generous enough to allow for bulky cold weather clothing. You can also slip your hand in and use it as a hand-warmer, “Fu Manchu”-style.

You will want to add a few more poppers down the side between the “sleeve” popper. I chose to add three more to each side.

With your poncho-liner still folded width-wise, fasten the sleeve and corner poppers. Make another width-wise fold so the corner popper touches the sleeve popper. Mark where the fold is and install a popper. As always, make sure each quarter of the poncho-liner has the same type popper-half.

Install additional poppers between the sleeve and corner poppers and the middle popper you just fitted.

Finishing the Poppers

The poppers I had purchased were supposedly “beige”. They turned out to be way lighter than expected, and had a gloss finish! When installed on the poncho-liner they appeared like they were white.

Luckily, I have some enamel model paints, several in colours close to that of the poncho-liner. I used these to paint the outer sides of the popper halves. I did not bother to paint the inners. I suspect the paint on the inners will either wear off too quickly or affect functionality, but try it if you wish.

For the record, the colours I used were Humbrol no.84 Stone and Revell no.83 Leather Brown. None of the poppers passed through green areas of the camouflage, so I did not use any of my green paints. These are not exact colour matches for the poncho-liner, but if someone is close enough to see the difference camouflage is no longer an option!

Like most painting, a second coat will improve it. You can stipple the surface to produce a more matt-effect, or even sprinkle a little sand on the first coat. However, given that the surface of the poncho-liner is quite smooth, the practical value of this is moot.

While you are at it, see if the poppers on your rain-poncho could use some paint.

Again, the flash on my camera probably shows them up more than the naked eye can discern them.

Below is a shot taken without flash.

Modified poncho-liner photographed without flash

You may not be able to avoid painting your poppers, but start off with some that are matt, medium shade and a natural or neutral colour if you can.

The Poppers Explained

Why did I insist such attention be paid to which popper half went in which quarter?

If you want to sleep in your poncho-liner, fold it lengthwise and tuck under the foot-end. You will find you can use the poppers to fasten the free long edges. Much more compact and less bulk than fitting a long zip on this edge!

Personally, I find sleeping like this a little restrictive and am more likely to use the liner like a conventional blanket. Part of the appeal of the liner as a warm weather sleeping system is that it does not confine you like a sleeping bag. Best way to turn the poncho-liner into a cold weather system is use it with a sleeping bag!

Obviously, if the poppers of the rain poncho on a ranger-roll should not be fastened in a threat environment, the same goes for the poppers you fitted to your liner when sleeping.

Wearing your poncho-liner? Two sets of poppers line up to create a sleeve-type opening. Those below can be used to close up the sides.

These simple modifications will take you less than a day, even if you have to hand-sew.

Tags cloak, clothing, equipment, poncho, poncho-liner, sewing, sleeping, soldier's load, survival, survival kit

Phillosoph

Original 30 Litre Travelling Article

Post author By losophyp
Post date 28 June 2023

My recent decluttering exercise turned up a number of unexpected bonuses.

One of these is that I found a copy of my original article on hosteling that was mentioned in a previous post.

Below is an OCR scan of the article, with minor proof corrections. I will reproduce it as it was originally written. Some of how I traveled in the years after this was written differed in actual practice.

When packing for some camping and hostelling in Germany, I was annoyed to discover that my capricious rucksack was nearly full, but I was taking virtually nothing. How could this be when I'd planned to travel “Light but Right”? I felt better when I discovered that the weight was only 15 kilos; and much better when I saw what some of my fellow travellers were carrying.

I recall one Canadian girl who carried a full-size pack with a sleeping bag on top, a daypack on her front and another in her hand: and she was just hosteling. Another girl admitted that she once carried 21 kilos in clothes alone.

Many male travelers are just as bad. For these people the following statement is made: You can travel around the world by hostel and only need a 30 litre daysac.

The following intends to explain how.

Bedding

Most hostels in northern Europe provide blankets or quilts, so the only bedding that you need is a sleeping bag liner or sheet bag. I have three tips concerning such items:

• If you are a restless sleeper who often gets tangled up in a bag then cut the bag liner from toe to mid thigh and resew so the bag has separate legs.

• Sewing a different textured cloth around the opening allows you to find the way in even in the dark. It also provides a means of identification. Ladies might consider a piece of lace for this purpose.

• Keep the liner handy near the top of the pack or in a pocket. No one likes the roommate that wakes them up by turning on the hall or bathroom light then pottering around for half an hour getting ready for bed.

In some countries the bedding is not provided or not safe. You'll be sleeping indoors so forget the 5-season Everest-expedition bags.

Usually a 1-2 season bag or a blanket will be sufficient. Blankets can be folded flat in a pack to act as a pad for the back. If the bag or blanket takes up too much room, it can be strapped to the top of the pack in a waterproof bag. This proves useful as a pillow or seat.

Another useful item is a set of pockets that can be tied to a bed frame.

These hold my alarm clock and ear plugs and keep my glasses from getting under foot.

Clothing

Clothing takes up most of the bulk because most people take lots of cotton.

Cotton is fine for hot, dry climates but takes ages to dry and is very cold when wet. It is to be avoided when possible.

All the shirts I now carry are silk. Silk is comfortable in warm weather and warm in cold. It also dries very quickly. Surprisingly, cotton shirts and silk are of a similar price at the moment.

Often I've been drenched in downpours yet remained comfortable and dried within the hour.

It’s also a wonderful feeling (and very practical) to walk in off a hike, straight into the showers and soap down the shirt before removing it.

Strictly speaking you need only three shirts: wash, wear and spare. On most trips I take two long-sleeved and two short-sleeved silk shirts. The latter resemble tee-shirts in that they only open down to the chest. The collars have been removed so they can be worn under a long-sleeved shirt for extra insulation.

It seems inevitable that you will end up with some cotton items. Some people like tee-shirts for sleeping-in and they make good souvenirs.

Trick is to have them as a reserve, not as a main garment.

Polyester tee-shirts can be had that are just as comfortable but much quicker to dry.

For underwear. I carry three pairs of nylon or polyamide swimming shorts. In addition to drying fast, they have another advantage. If I want to change “into” shorts all I have to do is remove my trousers.

For colder climates, merkalon thermal underwear takes up little room and is easily washed and dried.

I've met two different travelers who've carried fourteen pairs of socks! You don’t need more than four pairs.

Ideally these should be wool/synthetic but often I make do with cotton.

The trick is to rinse in very hot water and give them a good wringing out.

The best way to wash socks is to put them on your hands and wash your hands.

Sewing a loop to the top of each sock gives greater security when hanging them up or tying them to something. This allows them to be tied to the outside of your pack to act as pouches.

A few bandannas are useful to carry since they have numerous uses.

Denim jeans are fine for hot, dry weather but once wet they take ages to dry and if you're wearing them you'll be miserable.

Lighter cotton or polycotton trousers will be better, and maybe better still will be the “cotton-feel” synthetics.

It's worth remembering that trousers take a lot of punishment so a very lightweight pair may be a false economy.

If walking off-road, a pair of gaiters or puttees (spare bandannas?) will keep your trousers clean. Better still, wear breeches or shorts.

Carrying something clean to sit on (and using it) will save laundry duty. Another tip is to always place your bag on its base or front when putting it down. This saves soiling your shirt back.

That covers the basic everyday clothing.

To summarize, select garments that are versatile and easily washed and dried, preferably by the cheap method of dunking in a sink and hanging on a line.

A warm garment such as a jumper or fleece is needed for cold days, rest halts or walking around in the evenings.

A lightweight windproof jacket of something fast drying such as nylon will be useful for milder conditions and can be worn over the fleece.

An important garment is some form of waterproof. Wear it only when needed but keep it close to hand. A good place is under the pack flap above the snow lock. Remember these garments also serve as windproofs.

A good way to warm-up is a hat. Hats also keep the sun from your eyes and the rain off your glasses. Choose something that will survive being put-in a pocket, such as a baseball cap and a woolly hat.

Footwear

When carrying a rucksack I always wear boots. They've saved my ankles on both hillsides and cobbled streets. Depending on expected conditions, these will be either canvas hiking boots, leather walking boots or DMs.

The canvas boots are kept clean by my nail brush; the others require a simple cleaning kit. This is simply a brush, tin of polish and an old sock to buff with and keep them in.

You might like to carry another pair of shoes to give your feet a rest in the evenings. I favour espandriles.

I've never carried an iron since most of the creases fall out of T-shirts if hung-up, and silk only retains a few wrinkles that doesn’t look too shabby. Large creases can be removed from silk by smoothing with a damp flannel.

The Wash Kit

The choice of items is personal but I'll list my choices as a guide:

• A screw topped bottle of shampoo: 125ml but seldom fully filled. A 50ml tube proved adequate for most trips.

• A flannel: half of one would do.

• A hand towel: pertex is preferred.

• A bar of soap: used as an antiseptic, laundry agent and for shaving: hence no shaving brush nor foam needed nor carried.

• Razor.

• Deodorant.

• A “fit any hole” sink plug. I actually seldom used this.

• A small nail brush: used dry, this removes mud from clothing and canvas boots. Wetted with a little soap it removes any stubborn marks from clothing.

• A plastic bag of toilet paper: most hostels will provide paper but many of the sights you visit may not, so this in fact rides with your daytime items.

The Emergency Bag

Most of this is taken up by the medical kit which consists of:

• Various plasters in a waterproof film container.

• Painkillers and anti-diarrhoea tablets protected from crushing by cigar tins.

• Sun cream and insect repellent.

• TCP: liquid is better since it doesn’t mark clothes, lasts a long time if diluted to instructions and can be gargled for sore throats.

The sewing kit fits in a waterproof tube and contains a couple of shirt buttons, five safety pins (for zips), three needles including a sallmaker’s that will sew leather and canvas, and a piece of matchstick or straw wound with several metres of “invisible” thread.

Also in this pack is a lighter, small torch, string and a roll of dental floss that has various uses including heavy duty sewing.

The contents of the sewing and medical kit combine to treat blisters.

Hostels that have kitchens usually provide pots but you may need something to provide you with a hot lunch or drink when rambling. All one needs is something to boil up water quickly for tea, soup, noodles or a freeze-dried pack. An alcohol jelly stove or mini-Trangia is ideal.

Also needed for travel off the beaten track is a survival bag, compass and maps.

Female Travelers

Most of this article has a male bias, for good reason. When it comes to female clothing I can’t speak first hand, but have sought some advice.

According to fashion magazines one can go on holiday with just a swimsuit/body, large baggy tee shirt, white shirt, sarong and white chinos.

This is obviously not the whole story but has the right idea by having lots of versatile and mixable separates, preferably in silks or synthetics as already detailed.

A friend maintains she needs a long-dress for hot weather and that viscose is quite comfortable but should be folded rather than rolled.

Another says she would pack a dress suitable for going to concerts (and presumably suitable shoes since not everyone can pull off the look with walking boots).

I'm also told that tights are better than socks since they dry quicker. I'd imagine that stockings are better still since if you hole two legs you still have a pair to wear.

For shoes that don’t look right with socks, there are things called shoe liners.

As for males, swimwear can be used as underwear.

Packing

Knowing what to carry is only half the story. There is also the art of packing.

Most of the smaller packs on the market are designed for climbing and somewhat short on pockets. Pockets can be added on but in practice this may not be needed. A small pack is easier to remove and there is less room for things to go astray.

The front or top pocket of a small pack will hold a guide book, notebook and some sweets and chocolate. There may be room for a waterproof and some socks to change into when travelling overnight.

At the very bottom of the main compartment are bags containing the crushable clothes: underwear and socks.

Above is a padded bag or small box containing the items you don’t want creased such as shirts, trousers and dresses. Padded bags can be made from bubble wrap.

In my kit the shirts and trousers are wrapped around a stuff-sack of “smalls” and then rolled up in a short length of covered foam sheet.

The fleece or jumper is placed in its own unpadded bag so it can be accessed easily when needed.

Denser items are placed on top to compress the softer below. These include spare shoes, polish kit, mini-stove, lunch and a bag of miscellaneous items (things you don’t need now but will need in the future: home front door keys, guide book for the next country, presents, money, phone and travel cards for the country you're returning to, etc).

On top of these items is a bag containing the wash kit, towel, alarm clock, earplugs and sleeping bag liner (wrapped separately to protect it from damp wash items).

Everything needed for bed can therefore be grabbed in one go.

Nearer the top is the emergency bag and a small bag containing the hat, gloves, bandannas and scarf. If the top pocket of the pack is full, this bag can be pinned or sewn to the inside of the sack to prevent it falling to the bottom.

Also near the top of the bag is my All-Weather blanket: used as a ground sheet for picnics and as a waterproof cape.

An external pocket is useful for a water-bottle. If making your own pocket it must be large enough to take a bottle of locally brought water. Bottles are by their nature waterproof so a pocket can be something as simple as nylon mesh.

I also carry a GO Pure Cup that will chlorinate 500 litres of suspect water. The cup is useful for gargling and diluting TCP.

A thermos, if carried, will ride in the main compartment, insulated by the clothing.

Another use for mesh is to make a bag for drying damp items in. Pin this to the edge of the pack flap where it will ride high and is less likely to be soiled if you put your bag down. When it starts raining, you can push it under the pack flap as you reach for your rainproof.

A final note on packing.

The sack is lined with a waterproof bag and as many items as possible wrapped individually and distinctively, which protects from water and makes things easier to locate. Spare plastic bags are also carried.

There should be enough room in your pack for purchases made while travelling.

There are a few other items that I would take, but these are carried on my person.

They include my Swiss Army knife and passport. The latter should never be left in your rucksack!

In summary, the basic strategy is to carry a few low-bulk items that can easily washed, and more importantly are quick to dry. In many countries there are minimum charges at laundries so using them can prove very expensive.

Carrying a smaller pack also makes it easier to use public transport and means your pack will always fit in luggage lockers and racks. It also makes it easier on you should you need to sightsee with your pack on your back, as sometimes occurs.

When you reach your accommodation, the pack can be unpacked of any unneeded items and used as your daypack.

The Ideal Bag?

The ideal pack would be in two parts, the smaller fitting onto the larger.

The larger bag holds the things you carry when moving between accommodation, the smaller the stuff needed when walking around in the day.

The larger bag contains the sleeping bag, bed kit, shoe polish, miscellaneous bag, spare shoes, clothing, underwear, socks and laundry pouch. The capacity can be increased, and the straps covered to prevent damage from luggage carousels.

The smaller bag takes a hat, gloves and scarf in one pocket, a waterproof under the pack flap, a waterbottle in a side pocket, stove, lunch, fleece, emergency kit, and AW blanket in the main compartment and guidebook, novel,notebook, sweets and toilet paper in another.

Acknowledgement. Many thanks to Aileen Fyfe, a first rate traveler who provided invaluable advice and comments. I hope my comments will in turn lighten your load.

Philip West.

August 1996

Tags equipment, hostel, hosteling, travelling

Phillosoph

Some Thoughts on Possessions and Minimalism

Post author By losophyp
Post date 30 May 2023

Today I would like to throw out some ideas about minimalism.

This is more a collection of thoughts and ideas rather than a coherent article. I hope some of it will be of use or interest to you.

My blogs have touched on this or related topics several times already.

Creating a capsule wardrobe in neutral and natural colours is an example of minimalism.

My friend Sam had the concept of “Sam’s Van”: that one should not have more than could be moved in a single vanload, an example of quantity-limited minimalism.

In all honesty, I cannot call myself a minimalist. My girlfriend is probably having a hearty laugh at the very notion!

I have, however, attempted to make use of some of its techniques.

Don’t Count!

A very useful piece of advice I came across was “Don’t Count!”

“I only own n number of things” makes for a great blog title, but if many of us try to apply this in practice it can lead to unhealthy obsessiveness, or goal-post shifting.

Well done to those who have reduced their belongings to just n-items, but bear in mind a more productive application of the exercise is to reduce your belongings to only the things you need, rather than an arbitrary number.

Some possessions naturally begat others. I have knives and other edged tools for my kitchen, hobbies, toolbox, camping and EDC. It would be very foolish for me not to own at least one other possession to keep them sharp, for example.

Sometimes a simple single addition may make a lot of difference.

I carry my keys on a carabiner. Not all of my trousers have loops in the best position for this.

I brought myself a robust key-hanger that fits on my belt. The hanger even has a couple of stout press-studs so I am able to place it on my belt without needing to unthread it. Now the keys always hang directly over the pocket. An additional possession well worth having.

Clear the Decks

Another good tip I have encountered is to “clear the decks”.

Ideally, nothing should be on your floor except your furniture.

Once you have relocated or discarded the stuff that was taking up your floor-space, move on to the other horizontal surfaces and declutter them.

Minimalism for Preppers

Applying minimalist techniques can be a very useful exercise, especially for preppers.

You can apply them just to your backpacking or bug-out outfit, or to your life in general.

I come across a lot of lists of equipment. Many of the “essentials” are actually only conveniences or “nice to haves”.

I have read a minimalist list where the person owned one bowl, one plate, one mug and one glass. Presumably their mates never came around for a cuppa or a drink. Or perhaps their mates were all minimalists too and were expected to bring their own cups!

The same list included a set of measuring cups for cooking. Perhaps a single measuring jug is more minimalist than a set of cups? Perhaps they could drink out of the measuring jug! I was rather pleased to see someone offering a graduated drinking glass!

Kitchenware

If you are on the move, your minimalist cooking kit is a spork and canteen cup or mess tin. Many canteen cups now have non-stick coating, so use a non-metallic spork.

For a more leisurely camping kit, have a frying-pan, pair of billies, spork, spatula and a piece of plastic flexible cutting board. The latter is cut to size and shape to fit in your frying-pan. This is not a bad basis for your minimalist home kitchen.

Stephane Reynaud wrote a cookbook called “One Knife, One Pot, One Dish”. Not as minimalist as some would want, since the “pot” in different recipes may be a casserole, frying-pan, saucepan, baking dish, bain-marie or even a food processor.

If you want a very minimalist cooking outfit for home, a frying pan/skillet and a flameproof casserole is not a bad option.

Since you will be spending less money on kitchenware overall, you can probably afford quality examples of what you do select.

The casserole should be of the sort that you can use on either the hob or in the oven. If you use a halogen oven, you will obviously need a casserole that can fit inside of it and when filled is not too heavy for you to lift out.

An oven-baking dish is a useful supplement to the casserole. If you have a halogen oven, make sure your dish is of a size and shape that fits it. Most halogen ovens include a suitable baking dish with their accessories.

Select a spatula that can serve as a turner, server and a stirrer.

I like to cook and get a little creative in the kitchen, so I do not think it is too great a disaster if I have a couple of extra pots and spatulas.

A small saucepan will probably see lots of use. You will probably find you do not need more than two or three of varying size. Two frying pans of different sizes is sometimes convenient, although I use my wok and frying pans a lot less since I got the halogen oven.

If you do use a halogen oven, you will know that tongs are pretty useful for removing or turning hot food. You could use a pair of spatulas, I guess, but chances are your halogen oven came with a set of tongs, so why not keep these?.

You will need a chopping board and/or a set of flexible cutting board sheets for use with your knife.

I would opt for a Chinese cleaver, but you may then need a small knife for those rare jobs the cleaver is not good for. You should also have a serrated knife for cutting bread and fruit.

It is useful to have scissors and a spare penknife in the kitchen. Then again, my kitchen also has a buck-axe and Mora-knife!

I quite like the sets of measuring cups and spoons I have hanging up in the kitchen. I try to use them to stop over-serving myself portions. The minimum is probably a measuring jug.

Have at least one mixing bowl. Perhaps invest in an ovenproof one that may be used in the microwave or halogen oven.

Usually I drain food using the pot lid. A sieve, strainer or colander may sometimes be needed. The perforated steamer and mesh dishes from my halogen oven may substitute.

I could probably use a larger selection of storage boxes for the fridge, and make the ones I have more accessible.

For each person, there should be a bowl, plate, mug and drinking glass.

If you are a big tea drinker, you will want your mug made from glass. A glass mug is a good all-rounder for all kinds of hot or cold drinks.

For cold drinks you may want something taller with more volume and room for ice.

Ideally, have two sets of tableware for each person. You will need to wash-up less frequently and you can accommodate guests. If there are more than two of you, the extra plates and bowls are useful for serving. Bowls also get used for mixing, marinating and microwaving.

For each person, a set of utensils: knife, fork, spoon. All-metal, single-piece sets are more durable. The knife should be of a form that can cut cooked food and spread butter. Have a couple of spare sets for guests.

You may want a steak/cutting knife and teaspoon for each person or guest too. Personally, I like to have at least half a dozen additional teaspoons. A teaspoon is far better for spreading jam or marmalade than a knife, incidentally.

Adopt my methods of quick, economical washing-up and you will find it easy to maintain a stock of clean cutlery and dishes.

I have a dish-drying cloth, but seldom use it since letting washing-up drain and air-dry is cleaner and more convenient. It gets used more often to swat flies. Drying my hands is more common, and this only needs a small hand-towel. Same hand-towel is useful for handling hot dishes and pots.

What Do You Really Need?

It is foolish to think what applies to yourself is true for everyone else. That is quite a useful thing to remember in everyday life. Keep this in mind when you read minimalist lists.

Sometimes I find that I do not need some of the items on minimalist’s lists. Having a good penknife does away with the need for many other implements.

My girlfriend recently tidied-up a bedroom that had been used for storage.

“Transformed” is probably a better term. It was hard to believe it was the same room!

I was looking around for a rug with a two-metre high pile of junk swept under it.

One of the few items she declared surplus to requirements was a desk-lamp. She had absolutely no use for this, she declared. Neither had I, I realized.

I have two desk-lamps, both fitted with daylight bulbs. I only ever use them when I am photographing something.

I mention this, since several minimalist lists of belongings include desk-lamps or floor-lamps as essentials. Perhaps their home is considerably darker than mine and they do actually need them.

Most of us do our writing and reading on computers these days, so I would venture that many of us do not need a separate desk-lamp. I certainly do not need a lamp to “create mood”.

Sometime ago I got rid of a freestanding lamp since I never used it.

I think television shows create a false impression here. Often on the box we see an interior with multiple lamps, all of them lit in the middle of the day!

Don’t use lights you do not need, and reduce your energy bill. Sell or donate lamps you never use.

Another item that is surprisingly common on minimalist lists of “necessities” is bathroom scales. Personally, I have never owned a set of bathroom scales. I do not need a set to tell me I am carrying extra weight, I can see it! Similarly, weight-loss that the scale claims has no value. What matters is that which I and others perceive.

Wastebaskets? I have certain in-laws that cannot grasp not to use a bin without a liner. My rubbish for recycling goes into a repurposed plastic bag. This usually hangs from one corner of a kitchen chair, so I need no bin.

Foodstuff that might attract flies goes into a bag in the freezer until it is thrown out into the bins outside.

Not that I get many flies, since I fitted all the windows I might open for ventilation with insect mesh! Simple addition: big change!

Something I don’t see on many lists is a dressing gown. I spend most of my time at home wearing little else! One of the pleasures of a nice shower is drying off in a snuggly dressing gown!

My older dressing gown has fallen to bits, so I may replace it with a longer, hooded fleece gown for the colder months, and to wear when the other fleece gown is being washed.

The dressing gown is supplemented by a fleece blanket in the lounge. I spend most of my time alone, so heating the whole house if it is a little chilly is stupid. I often watch television or play video games with a blanket thrown over me. If it gets colder, I throw a poncho-liner over this too.

Constructive Minimalism

In an apparent paradox, if I have been reading a minimal list of belongings, it is more usual for me to think about buying something rather than discarding something.

This illustrates how minimalist lists can be a useful tool for making you concentrate on what are your essentials and highlighting where you might make improvements.

I have, however, taken to practicing a self-imposed “cool-down” period. I wait at least 24 hours before I click “buy”. I may miss the occasional bargain, but generally I save more money by avoiding spending it on stuff I can manage without.

Thinking of your possessions as “collections” or “kits” can be productive in rationalizing what you have.

Bedding

Considering bedding, it occurred to me my life would be a lot easier if I had two brand-new sets of sheets and duvet covers. Some of my older stuff did not quite fit the mattress I now have.

Two sets give me one new set on the bed while the other is in the wash.

I have an extra duvet and pillow, so I can use my older stuff for these, again giving a set in use and one in the wash.

Stationary

If I consider the topic of “stationary”, what do I actually need, compared to what I have?

Most writing is now done on the computer, so pens and paper are seldom used.

I have blank A4 paper for the printer (although the printer seldom behaves well enough to print anything! The device is mainly used for scanning.). That blank A4 paper can be used for various other things. A pad of lined paper and/or a notepad or two. Pad of post-it notes.

You may have uses for a highlighter, stapler or some paper-clips.

Seldom do I need envelopes these days. If I do need one, I can fold a piece of paper into one. I do occasionally send packages, so some tape is useful.

Ruler, protractor and a pair of compasses can be handy at times, and also serve in the “tools/DIY” category.

As an aside, the DIY tools I probably use the most are a tape measure and a drill. There are often screw-hooks that need putting up. A awl, gimlet or bradawl is useful for begining drill holes. The one on a penknife is good for many jobs, but the T-handle location means it is awkward in restricted spaces. To start accurately drilling metal, a centrepunch and hammer is useful.

I have plenty of knives, so I could do without a pencil sharpener, although there is little point in discarding the couple that I have.

I have some glue and blu tac, although these reside in my modelling supplies.

Erasers, pens, pencils, of course.

Go through your pens and discard refills or disposable pens that no longer work.

Some forms require you to fill them in in black ink, so make sure that some of your pens are black.

Recently I had to send a parcel and was unable to find a thick pen to write the address with. So I bought a pair of black Sharpies, adding one to my EDC and keeping the other for home use.

Sometimes it is a matter of organization. I had lots of pens and pencils, but distributed in various diverse locations. Pool most of your erasers, pencils and pens into a box or a large pencil case. You can still have a pen and/or pencil in places you are likely to need them, but if you do need something you only have to look in one place.

I have a pen and pencil in a box in the lounge, a pen and pencil in a kitchen drawer, and everything else in a large pencil case in my room. A handful of paper-clips form the zip-pull.

Scan It and Toss It

As mentioned, my printer is also a scanner. It can feed-in and scan whole stacks of papers automatically. Or at least, it did until Epson discontinued the software needed to do this for my model!

A scanner may be very useful for decluttering your life.

When I moved in with my girlfriend, I scanned scores of folders of documents, magazine articles and old papers. This allowed me to throw out several sacks of the old papers and makes it easier to find the information I want when I want it.

Bag and Box

Bag or box stuff when you can. You will save yourself time if these bags and boxes are transparent or mesh.

For example, stick all of your pairs of gloves that are not in jacket pockets in a mesh bag in a drawer or on a wardrobe shelf. When you need gloves, just one place to look, and no hunting for a glove hiding in with the socks.

Things that are wanted but seldom used may be tucked away on a high shelf or bottom of a wardrobe. Conversely, some things that you might make more use of may currently be hidden out of sight and out of mind.

Put your teaspoons in a small jar on the countertop rather than hidden in the bottom of a crowded drawer. Makes them much easier to find.

My final advice is to understand that decluttering is likely to be a “work-in-progress”.

Many times you will think that you are nearly done, but are not! Changing one thing will put other things in a new context.

Scanning the last of my old papers got me thinking about the various plastic and card folders they had been in.

I have lots of books and DVDs. While I like to call the exercise “decluttering”, there is no way my home will ever look uncluttered.

It might be argued that much of my minimalism is “below the surface”.

There is now less in the cupboards and drawers. What is in there is now more logically organized and more easily found.

It is quite probable that no-one will notice the difference except myself.

Psychologically, the place feels calmer.

Tags cooking, EDC, equipment, long-term survival, minimalist, sam's van, survival, survival kit

Phillosoph

Tools in the Office

Post author By losophyp
Post date 13 May 2023

A friend of mine asked me for suggestions for the contents of a small repair/utility kit to place in a locker at his office. In his own words, he wants to be “the handy guy”.

Every time I have moved office, I have virtuously left my tool collection for my successor, (not that I had much choice in the matter last time!) Each time I have regretted this, as over the next few months I have needed tools I no longer have.

What to have in such a kit will depend on the office, and the sort of equipment likely to be encountered.

I once returned to my office to find a pair of colleagues attempting to help someone remove a finger-ring. I quickly confiscated the hacksaw(!) and demonstrated that a needle-file was the correct tool for the job.

A dearly missed friend of mine was a craftsman of the old school. He brought the best tools he could and they served him well for his entire lifetime. Good job he was cremated, since he would turn in his grave at my next suggestion!

Bear in mind the likely frequency of use of your office tool kit. For items that are only likely to be used occasionally, it may be warranted to acquire some of these items from “budget” sources.

Images are for illustration only! No recommendation of particular brands or models should be inferred.

Office Folders

My starting point for an office tool kit would be to find a penknife and/or multi-tool.

If you are a regular visitor to these pages, chances are you already carry a number of useful items as part of your EDC.

It is also possible that you have a couple of older items that you have replaced with something better and more suited to your needs. You may have brought yourself a full-sized multi-tool, only to decide it is too heavy for constant carry and your needs are better served by something such as a Swiss Army knife and a mini-Leatherman Squirt.

In my kitchen drawer I have a couple of penknives donated from lost property. One is large and bulky and includes a set of pliers. Both penknives hang on a hook in the drawer and are useful for tasks such as tightening cooking pot handles.

If you have a surplus penknife and/or multi-tool, make this the starting point of your office tool kit.

Screwing in the Office

The next addition would be some “proper” screwdrivers.

There are some places that the screwdrivers on a penknife or multi-tool cannot reach, or are too big for. If you have to remove a number of screws, or they are hard to remove, conventionally handled screwdrivers may be more comfortable and effective.

Items such as phones or laptops tend to use quite small screws. You may encounter cross/Phillips/posidriv or Torx-headed screws.

Have a set of several small screwdrivers of approximately 3 to 5mm width for the flat heads, and the other types of similar size, such as PH/PZ 0 to 2.

Some items have very small screws! A set of precision/“jeweller’s” screwdrivers is worth having. This will also make you popular with spectacles wearers.

As an aside, the very small screwdriver that fits in the corkscrew of a Swiss Army knife is worth acquiring for your EDC. I once saw someone’s glasses fall to bits while they were talking to me in a pub. I repaired them there on the spot.

You should also have at least one fairly hefty large slot screwdriver.

Recently an important keycard was left in a cabinet and the key-holder was absent with Corvid. I was told to get into the desk by any means possible. Unable to pick it, I used a large screwdriver as a wedge and prybar and opened the drawer with negligible damage.

Having a crowbar at work might raise eyebrows. A large screwdriver or two is more acceptable and in many respects more versatile.

Pinching in the Office

Next I would add a set of pliers. By “set” I mean a kit containing several pairs of different forms, for example fine, long-nose, curved, broad and side-cutters.

These are for all the jobs the pliers on a penknife or multitool are not ideal for.

Insulated handles are nice to have, although you should not be working on anything with live electricity.

A number of times I have been called on to repair colleagues’ jewellery.

I have a nice little set of five tools, each about four to five inches long. I picked these up in a model-railway shop.

These are backed up by a pair of heavier duty long-nose and standard pliers of about six to seven inches long.

○ Precision screwdrivers and fine pliers would be among the first tools I acquire for an office tool kit.

Nuts Loose in the Office

It is probably not your job to fix the sink. Even if you do actually know what you are doing, there are numerous good reasons why this should be left to someone paid to do the job.

You may, however, come across loose nuts on furniture in an office environment.

Your tool kit should have a set of Mole grips or an adjustable wrench for such contingencies.

Cuts in the Workplace

In this day and age, the sight of a penknife blade may cause some of your colleagues to soil their underwear.

A Stanley knife/box-cutter may be a more acceptable tool should you need to cut open packaging.

More assaults are probably committed with Stanley knives and box-cutters than penknives, but hoplophobia is not rational.

Tape It!

Final component of the basic kit would be a roll of duct tape and a roll of electrician’s insulating tape.

Additional Items

• Reorganizing is a popular distraction in offices. Will the desk fit? I am often asked if I have a tape-measure.

• Sometimes items using allen screws are encountered, so a small set of allen/hex keys might be handy.

There is a joke that Mole grips or duct tape are for things that move that shouldn’t, and that WD40 is for what won’t move but should!

• WD40 is handy for a number of things in the office. As well as being a lubricant, it can be used for cleaning.

See 2,000 Uses for WD40.

• Modifying your office environment with a hammer will probably be frowned on. It may prove tempting next time the printer or photocopier plays up!

As a starting point for your office tool kit you may have used a pre-made home kit, such as the one shown below, which includes a hammer. A claw hammer does make a useful substitute for a prybar.

• A magnifying glass may be useful for dealing with those tiny screws.

• A magnet is good for finding any screws you drop or keeping removed screws going astray.

• If working with small parts, tweezers may be handy. So too might a plastic “spudger”. You can probably carve the latter from the less-brittle examples of plastic cutlery.

• A small sewing kit may also prove handy.

• I am inclined to suggest a small flashlight might be a handy addition. My step-son will probably just point out that most people have phones with lights.

Whatever you decide upon, keep your tool kit under lock and key. Useful things like tools have a habit of getting borrowed and not returned.

Other Utility Items for the Office

My friend said tool/utility, so what else might he want in his locker? His EDC should cover most of his needs.

No idea about my friend’s current lifestyle. He may still enjoy a wild night out on the tiles. He might want a toothbrush, toothpaste, a razor and deodorant in his locker.

Female readers may wish to keep a supply of hygiene items.

Your place of work should have a stock of medical items, but you may maintain a supply of personal medication, and other items such as your preference in painkillers and anti-histamine, for example.

Spare clothing, such as clean underwear, warm hat, bandana, scarf, gloves, jumper and a poncho/rain-proof. A spare lighter and a space blanket is always prudent.

This is venturing into the topic of “get home” bags. That is a topic for another day.

Tags EDC, equipment, office, swiss army knife, tools

Phillosoph

Sharpie Skinwriter: A Proposal

Post author By losophyp
Post date 24 April 2023

Many Combat Injury-Immediate First Aid Kits (CI-IFAK) include a Sharpie marker in their contents.

This marker has a number of potential uses. It can be used to write tourniquet information on a casualty, mark an individual that has been administered morphine, or to fill in a casualty report card.

This role does not require a full-sized pen. Something about half the size would be sufficient. Is it worth creating a shorter pen to save just a couple of grams?

Our service-people are overloaded as it is, so saving a little weight where possible is prudent. When we consider whole companies and battalions being transported, saving a little weight for each person becomes a significant saving in fuel.

Creating a new model of Sharpie for this particular application also allows some useful new features to be introduced:

• The hue of human skin ranges from pale pink to dark brown. The colour of the “Sharpie Skinwriter” should be one that shows clearly on any tone of skin. This would probably be a light or medium shade of blue.

• The Sharpie Skinwriter would be approximately half the length of a standard Sharpie.

• Given that the user may be gloved and have their hands wet from blood, rain, snow etc, the cap and body of the Sharpie Skinwriter would be designed for easy manipulation under such conditions.

• Rather than grey, the body of the Sharpie Skinwriter should be made of a colour that allows it to be easily seen within the contents of the IFAK, even in diminished light levels. Medical/daylgo green is a possible choice.

My girlfriend took a look at this blog and presented me with this non-brand pen below. It is apparently used by tattoo artists.

It is 9 cm loa. The ring on the top could be used for a cord-pull loop, making it easier to remove when gloved. The barrel could do with some checkering to make it less slippery.

Pen used by Tattoo artists.

I have passed this idea on to the makers of Sharpies. Let us see if something comes of it.

Tags equipment, marker, medical, pen, sharpie

Phillosoph

Shortening the Shovel

Post author By losophyp
Post date 21 April 2023

Back when I was much younger than I am now, I worked in many temporary jobs to support myself during higher education. Warehouses, bakeries, kitchens and hospitals, to name a few of the places that I worked.

I am above average height, so I soon became aware that many of the fixtures or tools I was expected to use were too small for me. Even in this day and age, items such as vacuum cleaners, mops and sinks are designed with the assumption that they will be used by average-sized women rather than persons of my size.

In many of the places where I worked it was not uncommon to see broom-handles extended with a length of pipe. Sadly many other tools were not so easily adapted.

A Little Off the End

Recently, someone was describing to me their early working life as a labourer on building sites.

From https://www.lilliputworld.co.uk/products/britains-navvy-standing-with-shovel-trade

“One of the first things you would do is shorten your shovel by an inch.”

Given my own early working background, it may not be surprising that I could not resist asking: “Which end?”

It turned out, it was not uncommon to shorten the shovel [spade] blade and resharpen the new edge.

Resharpening the edge made the tool more efficient and negated any neglect that a previous user might have inflicted.

It also lightened the shovel a few grams, and if you were expected to use a shovel all day, this weight saving was considered to be significant and worth having.

Of a similar ilk, cleaning the tool at the end of the day was considered important. A few millimetres of concrete drying on the shovel would add weight and make the shovel harder to use the next day.

This rather reminded me of the old adage about an ounce on the feet being like a pound on the back. A slight decrease in shovel weight may significantly decrease fatigue.

Less is More?

Logically, a shorter shovel/spade blade results in a smaller volume of material that is moved by each shovelful. Less volume means less mass, so each shovelful/spadesful took less effort to move. Thus a small decrease in blade-size might mean a significant reduction in energy needed to move each spadesful, since each spadesful would be lighter.

Of course, to move a given volume would take more actions with a smaller blade, but that may be more practical than moving it as a smaller number of much heavier loads. Are half-a-dozen light loads easier to move than three that are twice as heavy?

The following diagram may not be familiar unless you work in safety, or injury liability. It shows the recommended maximal loads that should be attempted by an average male or female.

Maximum safe lifting is with the load close to the pelvis. The further the load is from this point, the less that can be safely lifted.

About 37% of work-related injuries are due to poor manual-handling practices, with a surprising number occurring in office and “white-collar” environments.

Based on the above, a shovel/spade-load and the tool being used to lift it should be around no more than 5 to 10 kilos in total mass.

In my blog on “Easier Entrenchment”, we encountered accounts of 19th century soldiers throwing up useful earthworks using trowel-sized bayonets. A narrower blade should penetrate packed earth better. Specially designed trenching shovels tend to have long heads than may be only four inches/100 mm wide. Very different from the modern, issued entrenching tool!

Can a smaller, more efficient shape make that much difference?

1873 trowel bayonet from https://worldbayonets.com/Bayonet_Identification_Guide/United_States__19th_Century_/us_19th_century_2_page2.html

All this suggests the basis for a really useful time-and-motion or ergonomics study.

What is the most effective way to throw up an earthwork with manual tools?

If the work is easier made in smaller rather than larger bites, what is the optimum size and shape of shovel blade?

I notice that some of the titanium tools on offer on the internet are not just lighter, but use blades of 200 x 90mm dimensions on a 64 cm haft.

What is the best configuration and length of handle for a typical male?

Tags entrenching, equipment, shovel, spade, survival tools

Phillosoph

Webbing Gear and Ventilation

Post author By losophyp
Post date 10 April 2023

Recently I have been reading some new stuff on “cold-dry” or “snow” survival.

Dipping back into one of my older books, I noticed this caption on an image:

“Most soldiers trained in Arctic warfare prefer to keep their webbing attached to their backpack, rather than over their clothes, which restricts movement. ”

“Survival” (1988), Len Cacutt (p.124)

If it is acceptable to not wear webbing during Arctic operations, this suggests that it may be practical to do without many of the contents of the webbing during operations in warmer climes.

Given the date and origin of the book, the webbing referred to would be the British 58-pattern. Below is an illustration from the SLR-era. The following comments are still applicable to later systems and those of many other nations.

As can be seen from the illustration, webbing carried a lot of gear that was not immediately mission relevant.

Earlier in “Survival” there is a recommendation to “eliminate all non-essential items” (p.60). It then shows webbing loaded with wash-kit, stove, mess-tins, boot-polish, cutlery etc.

Part of the problem is the kidney pouches. Their large size is a temptation to load them up.

The pouches cannot be easily removed from the system when the weight they carry is not needed.

The position of the kidney pouches also hindered the use of efficient rucksacks that transfer the weight to the pelvis.

The consequence of all this is the webbing is heavy and bulky. It cannot be worn comfortably unless the belt is clinched tight, and it requires some system of yoke or suspenders.

In the SLA Marshall loadout recently described, a notable feature was carrying the ammunition only in bandoliers. No equipment belt is mentioned. Presumably there is one, since the soldier had to carry a water canteen and possibly a pouch for his pair of grenades. However, this belt would be relatively light without 80 rounds (about 5 lbs) of ammunition weighing it down.

Note in the photo below the GI wears a belt without any clip-pouches and does not use suspenders.

Reading about pulks produced a similar observation from a Dutch source:

“As a result, Marines are now carrying a heavy backpack while moving on skis in snowy areas. An additional disadvantage of a complete package on the man is that the function of the worn clothing is not fully utilized (breathing capacity).”

In sub-zero operations it is important to avoid overheating.

Condensing perspiration can soak into clothing, reducing its insulating capability and chilling the body. This moisture can even freeze within the clothing.

There are a number of solutions to this problem. One is to not wear too much insulation. Another is to pay attention to the permeability and venting of clothes. Sweat must be prevented or allowed to escape the clothing before it becomes cold enough to condense.

It should be obvious that venting, air-circulation and removing excess insulation will all be hindered by the torso being constricted by a system of tight straps.

Air-circulation and heat-loss remain important considerations in warmer or hot-climates too.

Not only is what we carry important, but how we carry it!

Webbing/Load Carrying Equipment should be reserved for immediate-use mission gear. Items that do not qualify should be removed to a backpack. A small pack, or the detachable side-pockets of a large pack, can carry items for a 24 hour or CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear) operations

Decreasing the mass and bulk of webbing gear to improve air-circulation will greatly improve soldier comfort and performance. As a regular reader so eloquently puts it, it “reduces sweating without the benefits!”

A simple chest/belly rig, as described here, should be used for the primary ammunition supply. This will have three two-magazine pouches and a couple of smaller pouches for up to six (standard size) grenades, for example, two smoke and four fragmentation grenades. The only other features of the rig would be a snap-link, map/dump pocket, small weapon-cleaning kit, flashlight carrier and a mounting for a pec-knife. comms and first field dressing.

An equipment/waist belt would be lightly loaded with an CI-IFAK pouch and up to two litres of water.

In sub-zero conditions, water might be better carried in a bladder worn under the clothing to keep it liquid.

Possible additions to the equipment belt would be a handgun, handgun-magazines, long knife and possibly additional grenades and rifle-magazines. Extra munitions may be better carried by other means such as a claymore bag.

This configuration leaves the back clear for the more comfortable carrying of backpacks.

Tags backpack, equipment, military, soldier's load, webbing

Phillosoph

SLA Marshall Soldier's Load

Post author By losophyp
Post date 24 March 2023

Over the years, this blog has visited the topic of Soldier’s Load several times, and published a number of equipment lists.

What to carry, and what not to, is of interest to any backpacker, outdoorsperson, prepper or survivalist. Although a list may have been written for a military context, understanding the reasons for any differences is often productive.

The following list is something of a “classic”, being taken from SLA Marshall’s book “The Soldier’s Load and the Mobility of a Nation”(1949). It seems to be obligatory to mention this work when writing about Soldier’s Load. How much notice is taken of its suggestions is beyond the scope of today’s blog.

Marshall, and many other sources, had concluded that the optimum marching load for the average man is not more than one-third of body weight. Marshall also maintained that troops would carry more food, more munitions, more everything into combat than there was any reason to believe they would use.

On this basis, Marshall proposed an optimum working combat of around 40 pounds (80% of optimum carried load).

SLA Marshall: “We can do it, as is shown by the following table of weights. Though we had many variations of combat dress in World War II, according to the climate, the present field uniform strikes a good general average insofar as weight is concerned.”

WEIGHT OF CLOTHING
Undershirt, drawers, socks…………..0.62
Shirt, flannel …………..1.13
Trousers, wool…………..1.69
Jacket, wool…………..3.02
Cap, field ………….. 0.25
Boots, combat…………..4.13
Belt, waist…………..0.19
○ Total for the field uniform…………… 11.03 [lbs]
Belt, cartridge 2/48 Rds M-1 ammunition………….. 2.29
Canteen w/cover and cup…………..2.69
First-aid packet…………..0.40
Helmet w/liner…………..2.82
Rifle M-1 w/o bayonet, w/sling…………..10.30
Two (2) Grenades (Fragmentation)…………..2.62
○ Light pack w/one (1) K Ration and mess gear………….. 7.79
Includes:
Haversack and carrier…………..2.46
Toilet articles…………..0.92
Change of underwear…………..0.43
Two (2) pairs of socks…………..0.38
One (1) K Ration…………..2.31
Mess gear…………..1.29
○ Total, field uniform and battle equipment…………..39.94 [lbs]

“On that figure, I am prepared to stand. One blanket, woolen, OD, would add another four pounds; one raincoat, another three pounds. During initial combat in hot weather, it is better to take a chance without them than to put that much extra weight on men just as they are about to undergo fire for the first time.”

Commentary

Unlike many later analysts, Marshall included the weight of the clothing in his estimate. This is often disregarded if the wearers are accustomed to wearing the items.

• Undershirt and drawers of this period are likely to be cotton tee-shirt and boxer shorts. Socks are presumably wool, rather than the cotton socks worn with service dress. Underwear can, of course, be varied with season and climate. “Drawers” may mean long underwear.

• “Flannel” is a somewhat ambiguous term these days. A M1937 wool shirt was in service at the time and this is probably that suggested. Woollen clothing is preferable if you are going to get rained on.

Incidentally, the prototype M43 combat dress had featured a “high-neck sweater” to be worn under the field coat or as outerwear in hot weather. The fatigue/utility shirt (M42 HBT/OG-107) would become the preferred hot-weather wear.

A friend of mine likened soldiering to an extreme sport, which did make we wonder if field gear should be made to more closely resemble sports and active gear.

Something modelled on a tracksuit top or hoodie may be a better intermediate layer than a conventional shirt.

Pocket configuration of hoodies/tracksuit tops is not ideal. Handwarmer pockets are a bad idea, since your hands should be out of them helping and defending you. Extra sleeve pockets and Napoleon chest-pockets are useful, as it a kidney-area pocket for soft items such as hats and scarves.

I prefer hoods that can be stowed away inside a collar. It is easy to snag a hood on a branch when moving through the woods.

Poppers to supplement any zip would allow for more versatility in ventilation.

I am undecided as to whether a fully opening or pullover configuration works best as field wear.

• Wool trousers (M1937) are suggested. Cotton cargo trousers had seen widespread introduction with the new 1943 field gear. Cargo trousers are a good modern substitution, since the pockets are ideal for carrying much of your skin-level EDC emergency items.

• “Jacket, Wool”, could be one of several garments.

It may be the M1939 wool field coat, or the ETO “Ike” Jacket. The latter had been based on British battledress and had been intended for both field and service wear. In practice, they had been in short supply so usually only officers had them and kept them for non-combat use.

By the time of Marshall’s writing, the M1939 had been widely replaced by the cotton and wool M41 “Parsons” field jacket and the cotton M43.

My experience with my desert parka makes me suspect that such an item is far more practical than a conventional half-length field jacket.

Being uninsulated and lightweight, it can be worn comfortably across a broad range of weather.

It appears to be a single layer, although the inside appears to have a closely bonded thin lining.

Vent zips and a roomy interior allows for good air circulation in hot weather and cooling via bellows-effect.

A loose cut allows room for the liner or other insulation when cold.

Its larger size covers more of the distinctive human body-shape.

Buy your parka on the big side. Mine is thigh-length.

I have modified the hood of mine so that it rolls into a collar secured by poppers when not in use.

The only other modification I might wish for is more and larger pockets.

The desert parka is a reasonably priced item, so is an easy way to modify a soldier’s appearance.

A parka intended for field use would be camouflaged and provided with textilage and attachment points for foliage.

Such a field parka can easily be replaced by another more suited in colour and cut for non-combat, service or parade wear. The latter may appear something like the frock coat/greatcoat look that is used in some Japanese anime.

The idea of using a “long” coat as basic combat dress has obvious echoes of the French practice of usually fighting wearing their greatcoats.

• A woollen watchcap, beanie or headover may be a more useful and versatile item than a field-cap. A hat with a brim does keep the rain off my glasses, however.

At least one type of gloves, and something to act as a scarf such as a keffiyah or scrim should also be part of a basic outfit.

• The belt listed is probably the item intended to hold up the trousers, rather than an equipment belt.

• “Belt, cartridge 2/48 Rds M-1 ammunition… 2.29” did give me pause.

The cartridge belt for use with the Garand M1 rifle has ten pockets, each holding an eight-round clip.

With the rifle loaded, the soldier’s basic ammo load was 88 rounds.

Marshall advocated soldiers carry less ammo, but only filling six pockets of the belt for 48 rounds seemed odd. And what did “2/” signify? Was it a transcription error in my PDF copy of the book?

Eventually, I learnt Garand ammo was issued in a throwaway cloth bandolier. This bandolier had six pockets, each holding one eight-round clip, for 48 rounds total!

Soldiers would often carry a pair of bandoliers in addition to a fully loaded cartridge belt, for 23 clips/184 rounds.

It seemed logical that Marshall was suggesting that a soldier just carry a pair of bandoliers instead of a ten-pocket cartridge belt. This would still give the soldier 104 rounds (2 bandoliers of 48 + 8 loaded).

The quoted weight of “2.29 lbs” is still a mystery.

A loaded Garand bandolier weighed 3.5 lbs, and a loaded M1923 cartridge belt even more, so the figure might be expected to be either 3.5 or 7 if a pair of bandoliers was intended.

This use of such bandoliers is a practical system for the Garand.

I would not, however, recommend the Garand for modern shooters.

There are lighter weapons with equivalent performance, and the need to have ammo in clips for the mechanism to fully function is an obvious potential problem.

The bandoliers used for the Garand were also used for the Springfield M1903, each pocket holding a pair of five-round strippers, for total of 60 rounds per bandolier.

Thus something similar might be used for a bolt-action rifle or for the loose ammo for a shotgun.

The bandolier was also apparently repurposed to hold six 15-round M1 Carbine magazines.

Few modern self-loading rifles can be loaded by strippers, so another arrangement for carrying their ammo must be used.

The above does, however, give a useful idea of the number of ready rounds carried that may be practical.

Substantially reducing the weight carried on the waist belt and eliminating the need for tight webbing suspenders would improve both air and blood circulation. This would be very welcome in hot or very cold climates.

• A canteen/water-bottle is a reasonable item to carry on your person. Since a cartridge/equipment belt is not listed, it is not clear how Marshall’s soldier carried it.

In a modern context, a flexible water-bladder may be preferred to a rigid bottle. Many modern examples have a sip-tube so you can drink without unpacking your water container.

The canteen cup should probably be carried in the pack rather than on the belt.

• The first aid package is probably one area where greater quantities are prudent. Bullets often make exit holes as well as entries. Optimising the CI_IFAK/Trauma kit carried is an entire topic in itself!

• Marshall suggest a pair of fragmentation grenades, rather than the five to eight some units encouraged soldiers to carry. Modern fragmentation grenades are a little lighter than their 1949-era equivalents.

While a civilian would not carry fragmentation grenades, legal smoke bombs have practical applications for defence and signalling.

It is not explained how Marshall’s soldier was to carry his pair of grenades.

The 1943 combat gear had introduced jacket and trouser pockets designed to take several grenades.

In the thigh pockets, grenades were difficult to reach and the weight was uncomfortable. Enough weight and the trousers would not stay up without suspenders.

The lower jacket pockets were difficult to access if wearing belt-gear and cast-iron weights swinging around your genitals was objectionable!

The above items constitute what some authors call a “fighting load”.

The “combat load” is considered to include a fighting load and an approach march load.

The “approach march load” is usually in a small pack that is dropped or cached before closing with the enemy.

The haversack Marshall describes is the approach march load.

• The suggested haversack contents are reasonable. Two pairs of spare socks and a spare set of underwear sounds about right.

On other pages, I have described effective wash-kits much lighter than those many soldiers carry. This should include a roll of toilet paper.

The K-ration can be replaced by modern equivalents. Marshall is telling us the combat load needs food for a day or so, not a week or more!

Rations such as MREs may include heating pouches, reducing the need for a stove and fuel.

The mess-kit can probably be replaced by a metal canteen cup and an emergency stove, such as the British Crusader or US Natick.

Pack the interior of the cup with packets of instant noodles and other useful items.

The only other eating item needed is a spork.

A plastic sandwich box makes a useful eating bowl. When not used as such, fill the interior with a brew-kit, spork and packet-soup and OXO cubes.

• The poncho-liner can substitute for the wool field blanket suggested.

A set of goggles and a flashlight are worth adding to the pack contents.

• The issue US army raincoat would be replaced by the more versatile and lighter rain-poncho.

Incidentally, another advantage of the desert parka is that it can be worn over a lightweight plastic raincoat, providing protection and camouflage while the waterproof stops water reaching the warm layers below.

Tags backpack, equipment, military, parka, sla marshall, soldier's load, survival, survival kit

Phillosoph

Daysac Backpacks

Post author By losophyp
Post date 12 March 2023

Recently I have been jotting down some thoughts on minimalism. I will share some of these observations in a future blog.

This is quite a useful exercise, since often it identifies deficiencies in what I have. It also inspired me to organize my current possessions more logically.

A Room of Rucksacs

One field I started thinking about was that of bags.

Part of my bedroom floorspace is taken up by several rucksacs, and more lurk on top of the wardrobe or in a nearby trunk.

Different models for different purposes: The Alaskan Packboard I built that I used to tour Germany, Holland and Austria. The internal-framed pack I acquired for Iceland, since I did not trust airline baggage handling with my packboard. The DPM Northern Ireland Patrol Pack and large Bergen that I treated myself to. The most travelled pack is one that converts into a soft suitcase and has six large external pockets.

Daysacs

A large rucksac is a useful thing to own, and like me, you may own several, each suited for different purposes.

A smaller bag, such as a daysac, is likely to see more use, however. It may be used weekly, or even daily. I notice many women carry small rucksacs in lieu of a handbag.

Smaller packs are less well represented in my collection. The one I have used most recently is rather small, and somewhat tatty. I acquired this from lost property at work (yes, it is amazing what people leave and never come back for). It only has one external pocket and I have had to repair the shoulder strap junction at least twice.

Elsewhere, I have told the story of why my beloved North Face daysac is no longer with me. The multi-pocked pack I brought to replace it proved to be far too small for my trip to Kos.

Given the use it will get, it makes sense to invest in a good quality daysac. Sadly, I have very little budget for such things these days. I have spent several days web-searching for a new daysac, only to find what I did not want or could not afford.

Following my recent article, I wanted something neutral and natural in colour rather than the ubiquitous black. A search for khaki backpacks turned up an item on ebay. Price had dropped and was within my budget. For that money, I would risk it.

The Sunrise Khaki Backpack

The bag arrived several days ago, and I am pleasantly surprised.

Compass and Mil-Tec Daysacs

It is a little bigger than I expected. Dimensions quoted on websites can often be misleading.

Quoted dimensions were 47 x 31 x 21 cm, and size was quoted as 31 litres. That latter figure seems to be external volume rather than internal capacity.

The bag is probably ideal size for a general-purpose daysac. When I am travelling my daysac serves as my cabin baggage or carries the items I may need when sightseeing. This bag is of a size that most airlines will permit as cabin baggage. When moving between locations the daysac needs to be small enough to fit inside my larger rucksac, so I have only one bag to carry and watch.

Colour is a nice khaki-coyote brown shade, not so light that it will show up dirt. The inside is lined with a black nylon/polyester[?], so better finished than I was expecting. This, however, is my single, very minor gripe with this bag. A black interior makes things more difficult to located within a bag. More manufactures should utilize lighter materials such as the bright lime green used inside my girlfriend's theft-resistant bags.

Unlike my old North Face, the main compartment has a padded pocket that can take a laptop computer. I could have used this a few months ago while I was hot-desking!

Interior is large enough to take my soft-core pack with plenty of room left for other items.

The main external pocket is quite large. The interior seems rather bare. This could use some internal pockets for smaller items. One can only expect so much for this price, however. Interior pocket is something I may add when I have time.

On each side is an open-topped, elasticated pocket suitable for carrying a waterbottle or collapsible umbrella.

Very little needed to be done to bring this pack “up to speed”.

The shoulder straps each have a plastic D-ring, so adding a snap-link to the left one took an instant.

The zippers needed pull-tails, and short length of “desert-camo” paracord I had proved to be ideal length and colour. The main compartment zipper is two-way, that of the exterior compartment one-way.

The other addition I made was to coil a wallet chain around the grab-handle. This is a trick I have borrowed from my girlfriend's theft-resistant bags. When stationary, feed the chain around a chair or table leg to deter sneak thieves. Obviously, this precaution does not mean you can wander off to the toilets and leave your bag unattended! Even if you added a lock, a thief could cut through part of a bag if left unwatched.

This is not the highest quality bag you can find. You can easily spend ten times as much on a daysac. Whether or not you will get ten-times the bag is for you to decide.

This is all I can afford at the moment, and nicely demonstrates some of the features you might look for in a bag, and some of the modifications you might consider.

This particular bag is has the brand “Compass, Sunrise Bags” and model number “BPC108-KK”.

Mil-Tec MOLLE Multi-Pocket Backpack

While I was researching this blog, I discovered something new about my small black multi-pocket daysac. Other than its small size, this really is a nice bag, well-made with lots of nice features.

The bag is made by “Mil-Tec” in Germany. I discovered the same design is produced in two different capacities, 20 litres (“small”) and 36 litres (“large”). There is also a 14 litre kid's pack.

A number of sellers offer copies/knock-offs of the Mil-Tec design, many claiming to be “30 litres” The dimensions claimed for some of these suggest that even the exterior volume of the bag is less than 30 litres.

I suspect that I in fact brought the 20 litre version of the Mil-Tec, assuming it was the same as the “30 litre” bags being offered elsewhere.

The genuine 36 litre Mil-Tec can be found for quite a reasonable price, although out of my current budget, sadly. Based on my examination of the 20 litre version, the 36 litre may be a very good choice for anyone looking for a slightly larger daysac or patrol sack.

Tags backpack, daysac, EDC, equipment, mil-tec, rucksac, sunrise, survival, survival kit