Old Style Haversack Kit (with modern equipment)...

[othello32]

Like many others on these forums, I've been trying to slim down my day-hike kit. I've found over the years (and because of these forums) my kit continues to grow as the number of tools, knives, and gadgets I carry increases. Many times by day-hike kit weighs 20 lbs. or more and I never use anything inside. So, I decided to try a haversack or shoulder bag kit to go along with my return to wool garments.

The kit is centered around Frost River's new Grand Marais shoulder bag that measures 13" (tall) x 11" (wide) x 3" (deep, at the bottom). The bag is very simple in construction, using quality canvas and a double D-ring and strap closure. The bag, like all my Frost River gear, is very well made. :thumbup: My only criticism of the bag thus far are...(1) The bag narrows towards the top and I wish they had maintained the 3" depth throughout the height of the bag, (2) when full the flap is almost too short to reach the strap, and (3) I wish they'd gone with a leather strap/buckle for the closure. Overall, the bag carries well and you'll soon see that it carries a substantial kit.

Second, I'm interested in a creating more of a belt kit to compliment my bag, so I used my Kifaru Stash-It as an organizer/belt pouch, along with the front pouch on my JK knife's Spec-Ops sheath. Clearly, this kit is still a blend of the old with the new, but it works well.

Here are a few photographs...

Knife: JK 6" Camp Knife
Kit: Swedish Fire Steel/Scraper
Magnesium bar
Small folding knife
Small flashlight
Whistle
SAK Trekker

Kit: Kifaru Stash-It pouch
Petzl Headlamp
survival drinking straw
small crowbar
flashlight
batteries
compass/whistle
lip balm
watch
Bic lighter

Frost River Grand Marais Haversack
Red "tool" bag: Gerber folding saw, Strikeforce firesteel and tinder, Mora carving knife and crook knife (wrapped in Lowe's canvas tool belt), 4 aluminum tent stakes, 50' paracord
Tarp (far right): 8' x 10' Trek-light hammock tarp
Small black bag: rope and cordage (varying lengths)
Small blue bag: Trek-light Hammock seat, very comfortable to break out and use on day hikes.
Emergency blanket
SS cup
SS Guyot 32oz bottle
Bandana
Large Ziplock bag: Map, journal, pen/pencil, Plant ID card
Small Ziplock bag: Tea bags, oatmeal, sugar packets, water purification tablets, Guyot Designs micro-bites, bandaids, blister patches, pain pills

All in all the shoulder bag (with water) weights less than 10 pounds, a significant improvement over the 20+ lbs of previous kits. Obviously, it is still not perfect or purely minimalist, but these are all tools and things I use/eat on almost every hike.

Any thoughts or comments will be appreciated.

 

[Angus McGunnigl]

It lookslike you are well prepped and trimming down to 10 lbs was good.

Maybe dump the flashlight that you have in the pouch, as you already have a headlamp.
Replace that flashlight with a small sharpening stone ?

You be a happy sight to a lost/unprepared/injured hiker if you wandered up to them with that kit.

 

[othello32]

Thanks, great thought on the flashlight/headlamp. That is a bit redundant. It's amazing how small a good kit can become with some practice and thought.

 

[sicily02]

Othello32, Great looking shoulder bag. If you want a bag like you described just give
Frost River a call and have the do a custom one for you. I have had 2 packs

made in the last 3 months the way I wanted and they did awesome work. Just ask for Mark Bartell and tell him what you would like. Great guy to chat with and he really will try to get what you want done.

I just came back from my daily hike in the timber with my wife our Beagle.
Clicked into this forum and seen your post. I love sling or shoulder bags too. If you can keep the weight down with them though lol.
Speaking of keeping the weight down. there is a fellow by the name of
George Jasper he is a former Army Ranger. He wrote one of the best
survival books I think called Six Ways In and Twelve Ways Out.
On page 121 George writes that a "Great knife, a large wad of 550 cord, 2 dozen fish hooks, a butane lighter, 6'X6' of plastice sheet and a mylar space blanket will probably get you out of just about any hell hole on the planet."

Throw in a little first aid kit, a hand saw,a small flash light,small binos a pair of leather gloves, a snack and a Stainless Steel water bottle like I do and you really got a great and light hiking kit, that fits real nice in a Military butt pack with a attached shoulder sling

and it have a nice light set up for hiking in the woods down by the river near where I live.

This is the kit I took for todays walk in the timber.

Since you posted that pic of your shoulder bag that gives me a idea too. I will have to chat with Mark about one of them but have a couple of small pockets added to the outside of the front of the bag , plus what you said and that would make a great shoulder bag.

Again, neat kit you have.

Bryan

 

[TheGame]

I just saw a pack that looked like that a few days ago and thought it would make a nice shoulder kit. I may go back and get one after seeing this. Good looking kit :thumbup:

What is the flashlight in the third pic? Looks familiar but I can't remember the name of it?

 

[jds1]

Nice bag othello. I've got a Frost River Knapsack that I'm very fond of. They make some nice stuff.

Jeff

 

[mtwarden]

I like I had a Filson small field bag that I wish I would have kept, would've make a nice light & fast rig, I see they now have wool ones that would be pretty slick

I'd consider replacing the emergency blanket w/ a AMK heatsheet (or bivy)- considerably more durable

larger heavy mill garbage sack can come in handy and when folded take up very little room