Training Rucksack

This is the rucksack that I take out when I go on a hike to the woods or the South Downs, and which contains everything I need for a day out. This is not a Bug-Out Bag, although it could be used for that purpose depending upon the circumstances. It is there are ready when I wish to go out for a day.

This was a cheap molle-pack that I bought to try out to see if it suited me in size and ability to carry easily. So far so good, and it has been quite easy to use, except for the lack of a chest-strap which I had to improvise by making a strap up for this, but it works. This gets everything that I need, and more. It has two front pockets, a small top pocket, a large compartment, and a smaller compartment in front of this. At the base are two straps which take a small tarp. 

A knife, folding-saw, and a mini-shovel are carried in the front bottom pouch. These are handy to reach when needed. 

The small pouch at the top carries an ETrex GPS and batteries (2 + a spare), a lighter, a lock-knife, a blow-pipe (for fire-starting), a small candle, and a rucksack rain-cover (which can also be used for collecting leaves to cover a shelter, or for carrying small pieces of wood). 

A plastic water-bottle and a metal water-bottle are the heaviest items that need to be carried. These serve for a cup of tea, coffee, oxo, or a cup-a-soup, all of which I carry with me for the day. 

Small freezer-bags contain tea bags, coffee, two oxo cubes, and a cup-a soup; the other carries dog-biscuits for Sam, and I also carry a folding dog-bowl for water. 

The top photo shows everything that is in the bag, ready to pack and good-to-go. The bottom shows a light poncho, and a bag with a very small groundsheet, tarp clips and para-cord etc. 

The longer tarp goes on the base of the molle-pack, whilst the small tarp fits inside the smaller of the two central sections. 

I bought a new stainless-steel billy-can which fits inside an IKEA washing-up container for knives and forks. Two steel tent-pegs are used to hold the billy-can, and the fire is lit in the container. 

The billy-can comes as a set with a stainless-steel cup (with rubber to hold), a folding knife and spoon set, and the billy-can has a top to it. Having used an MKettle before this boils a can of tea in a shorter time. The whole thing fits into the billy-can together with a wiping-cloth which is handy. The cup could also hold small things such as tea-bags, coffee, etc. 

The billy-can fits into the IKEA container, but it is not quite big enough to get the handle down, but this does not detract from the set-up. 

Here you can see that this is not much bigger than the MKettle, and, as I said, boils the water faster, probably because there is more fire-space in the Fire-Container. The whole thing then fits into another, larger bag; this is done because it will get blackened on the fire and thus not make the inside of the rucksack dirty.

The reason for buying a new set was that the MKettle has given good service for many years now but the aluminium base has begun to warp (which they do) and makes it a little unstable. (It is still usable). The new set-up boils water quicker and can be used to cook food in too, which makes for a better overall use. 

Two survival blankets with camo-backing, for use in an emergency or for bettering a shelter. These have just been bought because the old cheaper ones I have are not so good now, though they have given good service. And lastly (below) a fire-starting box containing eco-friendly fire-lighters, one not-so-eco-friendly fire-lighter, and cotton-wool. On the top are two women's Tampax which are a good survival fire-lighter to carry since the cotton wool lights easily and they are small to fit in a tin or pocket.

All of this stuff fits into the molle-pack and there is in fact room for more stuff if I needed it.

Now I would like to look at some useful stuff which can help in emergencies; these are shown below -

On the left is a solar-powered security-light which I use when I camp out; it is useful since the sun powers it during the day and it can be put on at night, used for light for a while, or as a security-light. In the centre is a solar-powered torch that I was given at Yuletide; this has a torch with three settings, a hammer, and a seat-belt cutter and is thus useful in the truck (it may have other uses being quite strong and heavy). On the right is a solar-powered torch, but one that can also be powered by a winder, thus ensuring power even when there is no sun. 

Above is a Dokio 200Watt Solar-Panel which one of my son's bought when he started to live 'Off-Grid' in an old camper-van (until it broke down and was too dear to repair, which ended that experiment). He thus did not want it and was going to send it back to Amazon so I bought it off him, around £90.00 I think. Of course, this is not for carrying around, but it has served its purpose already in that the alternator packed in last summer and I had to wait a week to get it repaired. I had to use the truck for small jobs locally and this charged the battery back up to full each day for the week (we did have a lot of sunlight). The advantage here is that this is plastic and in a type of 'bag' set-out and is very, very light and portable. It has the Solar Charger Controller and all the wire set-up in a pocket in the front which makes it very easy to carry and use - just folds out.

This last item is a small solar-charger given to me by my son who did not want it after his 'off-grid experiment'. This charges a mobile phone a few times, but as with all these small solar gadgets it takes quite a while to recharge in the Sun, and I usually end up charging from the mains. But it is useful I have to admit, since it can be carried in the car (or rucksack if needed) when I camp out the night in the woodlands. 

The molle-sack is kept ready to go on a day-trip, but it could be used in an emergency if necessary as a Bug-Out Bag. I carry a thin sleeping-bag liner but this is for Sam to lie on and tuck round him since he gets cold in the winter months (whippets have little fur). But it could be zipped out and used for me too, and with the tarps and emergency blankets could make a small sleeping-kit. A small lenser torch is carried on the belt during the darker autumn-winter months.