#packessentials

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||| PACK ESSENTIAL: SHEMAGH Marc ‘Scopey’ Cherry of MDA shares the latest Configeer’s item of the month – the humble shemagh. – bit.ly/ConfigeerItem03

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Pack Essential: Fire Maple Titanium Pocket Stove

With Winter weather or even during a colder temperature hike it’s nice to have access to a portable camp stove kit to make hot beverages/foods of your choice. Contributor Brian gives us his recommendation.

http://bit.ly/packessentials24

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Pack Essential: MOLLE Sticks.

Configeer #006, Clément Guerin, shares a more recent essential pack item that has adapted his carry to meet his needs.

bit.ly/packessentials20

[stephanie-d-williams]

ready to pack my bag for a long #Vacation ... #EveryOneIsInvited #LetsGo 🌎 #PackEssentials #Only 🥂 🌡🌞👅

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Pack Essentials: PDW AG Watch Cap

Type ‘The Deer Hunter’ into google picture search and one of the first images shows Robert De Niro in the iconic watch cap.

That was also my own first connotation when Patrick (Prometheus Design Werx founder) posted a photo on the PDW Facebook page. Finally! Perfect, the best ever interpretation of this very famous cap… the AG Watch Cap by Prometheus Design Werx!

It’s made of merino wool to ensure the best possible thermal comfort in any weather conditions. Knitted in California, it has a distinctive look and feel. The quality of fibre and craftsmanship is really THE best I’ve had in any of my winter caps… and if you consider that my drawer is full of 20+ knitted caps (at least half of them are made of merino wool) well, I can say something about it.

I’ve been carrying it in the woodland, the autumn mountains, when hiking, shooting, or just walking around. What I really dig about merino wool is the breathability combined with thermal comfort. It’s just right, not too hot, not too cool. At least in the range from +10 down to -5 Celsius. I haven’t had chance to try it below -5 so far, so I have to try it in harsh winter conditions (that will come in February), but so far I really like it.

It’s fit is quite snug, but it doesn’t compress my head as most fleece and acrylic fiber caps do. The PDW logo is quite discreet, but still visible for people who know what PDW is. It’s my default go-to cap now. It also looks ‘alpha male’ and make my beard grow faster, as least my wife and daughter say so ;) !

As I said, it’s been based on an all-time classic design. Worn in combat by US Special Forces and SAS guys. Used as a work cap for sailors, outdoorsmen and lumberjacks. Worn by guys like Steve McQueen, Lee Marvin or Robert De Niro. If that’s not a classic… what is? Get one as soon as it’s available again, they sell fast!

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More posts by Piotr

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Pack Essentials: Laplander

A forester in your pocket, the Bahco Laplander is an essential for anyone planning to spend any amount of time in a forest.

This foldable saw will cut through most wood like it’s made of butter. This is down to the fine and extremely sharp teeth. One of the first times I used mine was after Christmas, as I was taking out our tree to be recycled. I figured managing it would be simpler if I cut off the branches first. Holding the bottom of the stem upwards, I sliced through each branch with an intoxicating amount of ease. Admittedly I was a little disappointed when I’d finished!

Unlike the smoothness of a knife, the teeth of the serrated edge deals out a messy cut if you’re careless, so make sure you know how to be safe with it. Thankfully this saw blade locks in both the open and closed positions, meaning there’s less chance of an accident. I’ve felt the sting of its blade, and trust me, it teaches you respect.

At the Frontier Bushcraft course* I attended this summer we were issued these to aid us in sourcing wood responsibly. As well as instructing us in saw safety, they passed on an essential tip. The Laplander comes with a long leather lanyard attached for retrieval from a pack or pocket and to wrap around your hand when using. However Paul Kirtley (the course leader) made the very good point that, with it open in your hand, there’s a chance that this long lanyard could get caught on something in the undergrowth, especially when you’ve not wrapped it around your hand. If you don’t notice that it’s caught and keep moving, the result will be a misery inducing tear across your palm. The simple solution is to remove this leather or replace it with a short length of paracord. It’s handy to have use a visible colour in case you drop it or set it down somewhere briefly.

I’m always surprised when someone else I know either owns or has heard of these fabled saws, but I shouldn’t be. They’re low cost for what you get, the quality is outstanding. The tool is light and makes seriously quick work of most medium sized cutting tasks. Whether it’s fuel for the fire, shelter construction, gardening or fallen branches across the road, if you ever need to cut wood, from the width of a finger to a few inches short of the 8" blade, then get a Laplander.

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*The Frontier courses are full of tips like this that come out in their teaching in addition to the content of the course. I highly recommend attending one, or finding one in your local area.

Anything I post up will have spent time in my pack; either joining me for specific trips or being carried with me every day.

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Pack Essentials: ClimbOn

Blisters happen. There are endless tips and options for avoiding them and even ways to keep walking on them if they do rear their ugly heads. But this tropical smelling balm really helps sweeten the healing process.

While training for a long-distance endurance hike (mentioned here) I came across ClimbOn on a list of helpful blister remedies. The products description reads, "a multi-purpose product that can be used to soothe burns, cuts, scrapes, rashes, cracked cuticles and heels, tissue nose, road rash, diaper rash, abrasions, poison ivy...any skin issue that needs deep moisturizing and nourishing." It was originally designed to provide relief for rock climbers skin, but as you can see it goes over and above one function.

Since picking this up to slather it over my blisters, I've found it works great for my hands too. I tend to treat my hands hard and suffer for it later. They often dry out and can end up cracked and bleeding, especially after hiking or other outdoor activities. I tried various hand creams (against the wishes of my inner Ron Swanson) but found the effects either didn't last long or left my hands sticky.

I always check out reviews for new products I discover, so I looked up ClimbOn! and I was soon convinced. I think I paid around £10 (around $15), which I thought was a bit dear for a tiny pot, but I wanted to try it. Another great selling point is that it is 100% Organic (synthetic and chemical free) and a food grade product. Their message: "If you can't eat it, don't put it on your skin." I don't plan on ever eating any, but it's good to know I can!

An incredible smell hits you as you open it and the smooth beeswax composition has helped me (and my wife) sooth an array of cracks, blisters and flapping skin. After long stints of tying my next paracord creation or playing my guitar, my fingers are often left painfully torn up. Applying ClimbOn! means the next morning they both look and feel tons better. Not completely healed (it isn't quite miraculous) but the recovery process has definitely started.

It's a small, handy item to have in your pack, especially if you're going out for more than one day and might need something that can work fast. A great test for an essential is whether you'd buy it again. When what's left of my bar finally runs out, I will replace it and I can thoroughly recommend you pick some up too.

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Read more about the product here.

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Pack Essentials: Gorilla Tape

This troop of tape made my list of useful and affordable items.

Ductape. Improved. If you need more persuasion than that, you've probably never used ductape before. Duct tape is generally seen as a universal fixing tool. It can also be used to create things too. Wallets, hammocks even sofas. Nothing seems impossible for this tape and I've been in countless situations where duct tape has been the answer to unexpected problems. Since the origins of duct tape (originally developed during WWII as a waterproof seal to keep moisture out of ammunition cases) it's uses have multiplied astronomically.

Rather than list examples of suggested uses (there are endless lists online) I want to let you know why this particular product deserves your attention. The makers must have taken the basic, bog-standard duct tape and put it through the tape equivelant of the toughest military selection available. The result is Gorilla Tape. It is the strongest I've used and yet, perhaps crucially, you can still tear it with your fingers. It's grip is incredibly firm, even over time, and it doesn't leave awful marks when removed like some cheaper tapes do.

The bottom line is that Gorilla Tape will always be found in my pack. I've found the 1 inch roll to be particularly useful as it takes up less space and is more convenient for small tasks, as well as being tough enough for the heavy duty work. As you can see from the image above, I'm already on my third roll of the stuff and I have a full size roll too. Try it for yourself and let me know what you think…

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Anything I post up will have spent time in my pack; either joining me for specific trips or being carried with me every day.