Mountain walk

Here are a few pictures from a walk today. In total the walk was 2.58 miles

I did not make fire or take a stove and I had the tarp and hammock with me but they were not used today.

Thank you for reading.

Garden bushcraft

Sometimes its nice to get out for an hour and just light up the stove, have a brew and enjoy the peace and quiet- but on the other hand most places out of the way take over 20 minutes to get too so after the journey you have 20 minutes before having to head back.. this is why I sometimes enjoy a little 'garden bushcraft.'
You do not need a big grass lawn, plants and trees, just some outdoor space to relax.

Here are some pictures from today.. I split some wood up, lit the stove, made a brew then just maintained the fire for some warmth..

Hope you enjoy the photo's... even if its just an hour- get out there!

Day out

Here is a couple of pictures from a trip out today..

Only a few pictures for today but I hope you enjoy. The only kit with me today was the tarp with cordage and pegs, hammock and cook kit with windshield and firesteel.

Thank you for reading, Ben.

Maxpedition cook kit

Here is what I carry in my Maxpedition 10x4 pouch as my cook kit:

In the main pouch I carry the pathfinder bottle and cup set accompanied by the pathfinder stove and a cup with cosy on top for an insulated mug.

In the front pouch I carry a titanium spork, brew, meths and my homemade meths burner from a old vaseline tin.

I am very impressed with this kit and would recommend to anyone.

Thanks, Ben.

Tools

Recently I have slimmed down my tool kit and I am now at a stage I am very happy with. I have a tool that will do every job I need but I also enjoy using all of these tools which is important to me.

Over the years I have purchased many knives, saw, tomohawks, spoon knives and axes and the majority of them have been used and good tools but never made it into my kit full time.

These are all the tools I currently own now:

Mark Hill Full Tang Knife. Skandi ground.

Full tang knife with skandi grind made by Grumit.

Rob Evans Neck Knife. Skandi Ground blade.

Bahco Laplander Saw

Leatherman Charge

British Army Clasp Knife
Joker No74 UK Legal Knife
Alox Swiss Army Knife Farmer
Spyderco Bug

Thank you for reading, Ben.

Every Day Carry

Here is my Every Day Carry (EDC)

Contents:

• Phone - Samsung Galaxy Young
• Wallet with cash, cards and id
• Torch
• Zippo Lighter
• UK Legal knife - Joker No74 or swapper for the Alox Farmer Swiss Army knife
• Keys containing Spyderco Bug and Silver Gripper tweezers

This is what I carry most days, I sometimes just have a phone and wallet but this is my favorite carry.

Thank you for reading.

Lightweight cook kit

As you may of seen, I have been trying to make my kit more compact and lighter recently so here is my cooking kit.

I carry a MSR Titan Kettle, 500ml ClipLock tub with homemade cosy, Alpkit tanium spork, Evernew burner and trivet, windscreen and meths. I am trying to find a more suitable windscreen but other than that I am very pleased with this cook kit.

For carrying water I use Platypus water bottles.

If I am out on a longer trip or can have a fire I also carry the EmberlitUL Stove. This is a very light stove that can be used with fire, meths and hexamine. Burning wood is free of course and also saves carrying your fuel so removes weight from the kit.

Hope you like the kit and thank you for reading.

Lightweight kit

I have been playing around with lightweight kit for some time now and have nearly got to a stage I am fully happy with.

The only thing I plan to upgrade are the sleeping mat and sleeping bag and then maybe the rucksack.

The full kit not including food and water weighs in at 3.6kg.. remember the rucksack weighs around 1kg alone!

Contents:

Berghaus Munro Rucksack - Aprox 1kg

4 Season Foam Multimat

Alpkit Rig 7 Tarp

Alpkit Hunka Bivy

Sleeping bag

Cordage and tent pegs

MSR Titan Kettle

500ml Clip lock tub with cosy

2ltr Platypus water bottle

Evernew burner and trivet

Alpkit Spork

Basic first aid kit

Petzl Zipka headlight 

Lighter

Meths

This is everything I need excluding food and water and using this pack I have plenty of room left over. Most of the room left over is because I usually have my Multimat inside but I either want a smaller packing mat or I will be using the foam mat and strapping it to the outside of the pack.

If you have any recommendations for a rucksack, sleeping bags and mats please leave a comment.

Thank you for reading.

Lightweight kit test

Starting to enjoy a light load..who doesn't?

Today I took my lightweight overnight kit to see how comfortable the weight is and to put a post together.
This kit is not complete as I need to add a bivy but the one I would like is currently out of stock. There is room in the pack for the bivy and space left for some clothing and more water.

The Kit is carried in a 35L Berghaus Munro - 1KG

Contents of the top pocket: Meths, Evernew titanium stove with trivet, titanium spork, Petzl Zipka headlight and first aid kit.

Contents of the pack: 

Sleeping bag

Multimat adventure - 475g

Alpkit Rig 7 Tarp - 514g

Cordage and tent pegs

Platypus water bottle with 1.5L of water

Windscreen

500ml ClipLock tub with cosy

MSR Titan Kettle

This kit in total weighed 5.4 KGs. The bivy will add an extra 525 grams and for an over nighter I may add an extra liter of water so my full weight will come in at under 7KGS.

Food and coffee I store in the pot seen here with the cosy.

My cooking set up is very simple. The MSR Titan is only used for boiling water so always stays clean. When the plastic pot is used I add a little hot water, shake it and its clean again.

Fruit and nut porridge

Coffee after the porridge

The Alpki Rig 7 tarp, great tarp and packs so small!

Some beautiful views where I hiked and the pack was comfortable to carry. When thinking of going lightweight I was skeptical because I thought would have to compromise comfort but I couldn't be more wrong! Much more comfortable when hiking and all it requires is a little more money on times, a little more research and planning.

Thank you for reading.

How I choose my day kit

Here are a few pictures of past day kits...

How I pick the kit..

Rucksack- Something not too big but fits all the kit nicely.

Cook kit- This includes a water bottle, metal container to boil water and cook and usually a stove.

Fire lighting- This can be a lighter,  firesteel, matches or traditional fire lighting kit with natural or synthetic tinders.

Tools- If I intend to stop in the woods I will carry a knife and a saw, if I am just going for a walk I will carry a folding knife to be more discrete.

First aid kit- Always packed, never used. 

Bandana- Too many uses to list but can be a pot lifter when hot, filter debris out of water, clean pots and so much more.

Brew kit and food

Utensils- A folding mug is nice to have and a spoon or spork is very handy.

Tarp- Not always packed but if there is a chance of rain carried for fast shelter.

Hammock- Also not always packed but if i'm going to be stopping somewhere with trees I carry the hammock.

Extras- I sometimes carry a torch, whistle and signal mirror just encase I get caught out.. Also it is a good idea to carry a basic toilet kit.

I do not carry all the kit above everytime but this is how I structure my kit.

Thank you for reading.