What's in your pack, Wildland Firefighter?

H

hikeeba

Joined
Jul 20, 2006
Messages
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I saw this in the Feb 2007 Wildland Firefighter magazine. I thought others may be interested. It is somewhat of a PSK:
HotShotFFgear.jpg

Sorry if the type in the pic is small. Photobucket does an auto-resizing, and don't know how to alter it.
 
Having done a season or 2 as a Wildland Firefighter, that comes as a shock. Most of the guys out on the crew carry a knife or 2.. No big Busse's or Chris Reeves or anything expensive like that.. But Buck, Cold Steel, and LOTS of Leathermans are often seen. I can only guess that since most of the guys carry them ON them, it was not included.

Just my .02

Nothing against Busse's.. I am an INFI addict.. Just rather not have my precious HHFSH out there with the Illegal Immigrant Crews, Convict Crews, and people coming and going un-checked. Things have a nasty tendancy to grow legs when you are in the chow hall, in the Latrine, or even when you are sleeping!!
 
I have been doing this for almost a decade now....that packing pic looks very typical for line gear. Personally over the last few seasons I have been trying to get things lighter and lighter. You have to remember, this is just line gear, what you carry day in and day out. For me this is only a small percentage of my gear. I have been a heli-rappeller for the past few years. We also have what is called a 'packout' bag. This is what we carry our 72hr kit in when we go out of the ship onto a remote fire ( sleeping gear, water and food, stove, etc )

All and all with line gear ( like the pic ), rappel gear,tool, maybe a chainsaw or crosscut, and 72hr gear your looking at about 100-110lbs of gear.

To answer the knife question. I carry a griptillian and a leatherman wave....along with a good ol' time Pulaski. I have never felt the need for more sharps....
 
Metcalf said:
I have been a heli-rappeller for the past few years.
Click to expand...

That's a little different than us "Pavement Queens" (I believe thats what you call us) coming in with our Brush Rigs from all over the state and working the line for a couple weeks! We carry our 72 hr kit in a Ford F-650, with a 250 gallon water tank, foam, and 1200 ft of wildland 1 1/2 hose!

Metcalf said:
....that packing pic looks very typical for line gear.
Click to expand...
A couple years ago, I tried out True Norths gear.. LOVE IT!!


Heli-Rappeller.. Damn, now that sounds like fun!! Be safe this season..
 
Will do....

I was an engine captain on a type 4 BLM engine for a few years before getting in the air. My favorite term was 'pumper slug'....
 
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