Gubbinz Pouch
This originally came out of a need to put bits ‘n bobs someplace so they don’t clutter up my room or get lost. At some point, I decided to just take it with me in case it proved useful. Depending on how I’m feeling, it either rides in the front pocket of my Maxpedition Sabercat or in my Kifaru XTL.
The pouch itself is a Kifaru standard chamber pocket which came with the XTL. 425 denier nylon, plenty strong for small things.
Contents:
- Paracord and hair bands
- 2 boot bands
- Tissues
- Urban self aid kit
- Grimloc carabiner
- Clipper lighter
- Electrical lighter with torch
The 2 lighters serve different purposes. The clipper has a removable flint sparker so even without gas it is still useful. The electrical one has a small LED torch built into it, not the best thing in the world but when its the only thing you have you will be glad of it. The holster was made for me by V, features a belt loop and a clip to put on keys or what have you.
Camping lessons
So I’m back from my camp up a massive hill with V, tired but happy. Come away with a fair number of lessons.
- Camp discipline is important. Keep all your kit tidy and in as small a space as possible, back in your pack is best. This way means you have less hunting around for things.
- Don’t bring more kit than is necessary. My Sabercat was completely uneeded and only took up space and weight.
- Bring more food than you think you will need. A bag of bannock mix, some couscous and sauce is NOT enough. Noodles, pastas, snack bars, all are cheap and lightweight so bring plenty.
- The tip of my hiking pole is sharp enough to pierce my paratarp. Tip goes in the ground, ALWAYS. Also, the annex is pretty pants.
- Sleeping on a slope is a bad idea. Invest in a hammock.
- Bring cleaning stuff to make life easy when washing up.
- Chicken Mug Shot noodle things are utter shit. Avoid.
Boots
In my opinion, good boots and a good rucksack are the two most important investments that should take priority over everything else. With those two items, you are assured mobility, which allows freedom from those who would enslave you.
Much time has passed since PM said that but I am pleased to say that both have been acquired. Picked up a pair of Salomon Mission GTX boots this morning. I am well chuffed with them. Good fit, very comfy, waterproof, lightweight, all desirable features for a boot. They aren’t the most hardcore of boots, not gonna be climbing Everest with them but for every day use, trails and the occasional big hill they should work very well.
Now I need to make a new boot care kit. My old boots are partially leather so the kit is geared towards that. New boots are constructed from suede which won’t work well with black leather boot polish.
Will give the boots a good test at the planned camp Tuesday to Thursday, along with the rest of my kit.
First Aid Thoughts
I’m looking through various every day carry sources and I notice something that is very common. A lot of folk carry some form of first aid kit. A lot of them seem to have very redundant and in my opinion pointless items. I’m sure that there are even folk that carry portable defibrillators.
What do I do for first aid in an urban environment?
Nothing.
I have never had a reason to carry any sort of first aid kit when I’m in the city. The worst thing that has happened to me in the city is I graze my knee or hand if I trip and fall. Hardly something to break out a trauma kit for. I just curse a bit, wipe off any dirt and move on. I am considering putting a few plasters in a ziplock bag, just in case.
What about in a wilderness situation?
Very minimal.
I have had exactly one incident where I needed a plaster when in the woods. I was being stupid and cut myself with my knife. Again, hardly life threatening but I got a plaster from V, whacked it on and went about the rest of the day.
If you are in the wilderness and something truely bad happens, no amount of plasters or over the counter painkillers will help. The best you could probably do is make a splint for a broken bone, make yourself comfortable and attract as much attention as possible.
All I have in my wilderness first aid kit is a few plasters of various sizes. No painkillers, I find they do nothing for me. May add anti-diarrhoea medicine cause that seems like it could be useful. The complete kit takes up very little room. Less than a pocket pack of tissues.
Just some thoughts that popped into my head.
Discoveries
- A crusader canteen can fit (more or less) in the side pouch of a Maxpedition Sabercat Versipack
- Paracord can be used to attach a leather sheath to PALS webbing
- My work is issuing parking tickets and didn’t tell the staff nor do they have the permit system in place yet
Pillows
At home, I have a very nice (if a tad too large) memory foam pillow. This makes for very comfy sleeps. However, it is very impractical to bring such an object into the wilderness, thus a substitute needs to be found.
So far, I have tried many different objects to rest my head on: clothing “footballs” (see Patrolling s1e08 AWOL bag segment); cheap inflatable pillow and tried a camelbak last night. None of these provide the amount of support I am used to. Maybe I’m being too picky but I do find it affects my sleep while camping (wake up far too often, take ages to nod off and I always wake up far too early) so it is something I want to get sorted asap.
Suggestions?
Stop the world, I want to get off
The Children’s Secretary set out £400million plans to put 20,000 problem families under 24-hour CCTV super-vision in their own homes.
Source: http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/115736/Sin-bins-for-worst-families
CCTV. Inside houses.
Anyone outside the UK willing to put up with me for a while so I can get on my feet?
Off again
Off for another jaunt to London to see Avagdu, Peekok and V for fun and games. Staying at the Thameside YHA hostel. Internet access will be minimal if at all so best way to get a hold of me is call/text/tweet me.
Catch ya on the flip side
Charger Doodad
Due to an error on my part and a lack of preparedness, my phone had the camera application running all night and I neglected to bring the charger. Needless to say, my phone was almost dead. Thankfully due to packing a spare phone for the invasion I could get comms.
This morning, on a hunch I tried V’s USB battery charger thing. He got it as part of a deal with 2 camera batteries. The device is a clamp with a folding USB socket on one end and has two pins that can be moved to make contact with the battery terminals.
When connected correctly to the battery, a green LED on the USB plug lights up. A red one comes on when charging so you know it is working.
Writing on the bottom:
Input DC 5.0V +- 0.25V
Output DC4.8V +- 0.05V MAX 500mA
Suitable for charging original mobile phone batteries from manufacturer
Neat little device. Contemplating creating an urban possibles pouch of sorts with a few bits of useful electrical nicknacks like the charger.
London Invasion Pack List
All packed up for the imminent R4nger5 invasion of London to meet up with Avagdu. Squeezed a bunch of stuff into my 5.11 Rush 24 (proably too much thanks to the huge sleeping bag).
Front Left flap pouch:
- Nikon Coolpix S220 digital camera
Front Right flap pouch:
- Microfibre cloth
- Buff
- Grimloc carabiner on outside with boonie attached
Bottom front compartment:
- Notebook
- Nature and Walking by Emerson and Thoreau
- Bushcraft by Mors Kochanski
- R4nger5 Campaign Log 1 (may donate it to the 56a Infoshop)
- Pens, pencil and permanent marker
- Paracord on a carabiner
- Map of central London (which will be replaced with a proper one)
- Hair brush with hair ties
- Tissues
Strapped to the bottom is my self inflating mat. Top zip pouch has my sunglasses.
Main compartment
- Hygiene kit
- Towel
- British Army sleeping bag (which is far too heavy and bulky) Poncho liner (aka ranger blanket) and another synthetic blanket
- 2 changes of clothes (including Rant 10th anniversary shirt)
- EeePC and charger
- Crappy inflatable pillow
- Avagdu’s goodie bag
Whole lot is fairly heavy (22.4 pounds, less now that the sleeping bag has been removed), hopefully I won’t have to carry it around for long. Will be dumping the main compartment contents at Sloe’s place where we are crashing for the event. Grabbing the 9.55 am National Express train to London King’s Cross, arriving at about 15:50 if all goes to plan. Meeting with Avagdu the next day and then home the day after that. Repeat in August. Gonna be an accomplished nomad one of these years.