Agent's 'kinda wild' U.K sit-x/survival...on a budget thread.

reply to post by AGENT_T


Just looking for the tape measure...

Its 9" long with a 6" diameter.

It can be compressed smaller at a push to 7" long with a 6.5" diameter

Not to bad for £25

reply to post by fred3110


That's similar to my own sleeping bag, could you provide a 4 season one with a small bag space? I would be most grateful as i've searched a lot and only found rather large bags. I realise i'm asking a lot here as warmth and size are always a trade off. I am however always trying to find people with more knowledge than myself on such things (that isn't hard) .

www.surplusandadventure.com...

Try this link.
If you click on 'more details' on the model that takes your fancy for price/spec.. it has a pic showing the kind of size it compresses down too.

Theres some great sleeping bags on there ATM I'm looking at the SNUGPAK Softie Premier 4 Sleeping Bag. Looks like it would keep you nice and warm during winter + its pack down size is great.

I've thought about getting some compression straps to see if I could squash a large sleeping bag down into a more managable size...till I get some £££ to experiment with though I'm sticking with the Gelert Lite

My bag.



I have used my bag in stupid cold temps in stupid cold places. Slot it inside a goretex bivvie bag and your looking at being so warm you can 'go commando' at minus 15.

(I run hot however... wussy run cold folks might need their PJ's)

reply to post by fred3110


w hat the??

Ecky thump.. you know I was talking about a boat!!
I think you could add a sail to this one..

[edit on 26-6-2008 by AGENT_T]

£399 for a 4-season sleeping bag??

...pah!

I bought an old wool army blanket, and a four-seasons prawn vindaloo for almost a hundredth the price...one fart under the blanket after that lot and you'll be melting snow for a 6ft radius round your bivvy...not to mention all manner of stunning any nearby blood-sucky bugs

reply to post by AGENT_T


Love the sleeping bag! It looks nice and warm but I cant find a minimum temp in the spec, its gotta be -30 to -50 looking at the thickness of it...I dont know why but it reminds me of a pupa!

reply to post by fred3110


I'd be terrified to buy it in case you returned from an outing to find Tutankhamen had taken up residency in it.

It's en extreme expedition class bag. I think it's got built in roll bars in case you slide off the top of Everest while you're kipping

You may want to add a good ole British Army Hexi stove & blocks to your list. Ideal as a 'back-up' stove.

They are extremely cheap, light, do not take up much space and one would be perfect for carrying around in a belt pouch.

Size folded = 11.5cm x 9.5cm x2.5cm.

www.surplusandoutdoors.com...

This reminds me, remember to break your survival travelling kit into separate entities, ie: What is carried in your rucksack and the ones that are carried on your person at all times - belt kit. You could easily be parted from your rucksack so the belt kit should contain the absolute vitals.

reply to post by Wotan


Love those hexi stoves too
The simplest designs are always the coolest.
The only reason I rate the trangia as the 'one and only' is cuz you can bung all your fuels,utensils,lighters,tinder etc inside a plastic pack and the trangia takes the lot n keeps it dry and in one place.

You hit on something I hadn't thought of..a 'belt back'.
I have a hiking Butt-bag that you would normally pack your minimal survival kit into.
It has a regular sports water bottle I want to replace with a 'filtered' bottle..
but a belt pack sounds intereting..
Can you recommend one that doesn't get in the way of your back-pack?..( and anything else that might be hanging off you 'Buckaroo' style..)

Whats the reliability on them stoves? I'm thinking about getting one but theres no specs available anywhere...

How long do the fuel blocks burn for and how long does it take to boil 1 litre of water etc?

Anybody know where to find this out??

reply to post by Wotan


how about a slim-line bandolier slung over one shoulder and across the torso along this design...



...half a dozen pockets would be enough to carry the essentials and could be worn out of sight under outer-garmets or even a shirt/sweater

As most British ex-forces know, the belt kit is simply the most basic kit you carry at all times. I cant remember the actual 'name' the instructors used to give it, something like field kit.

I would say have something like a knife, compass, water bottle and a pouch on your belt. The pouch could be something like one of the old pattern 58' pouches or the kidney pouches (there are 2 joined together).

Hexi stoves actually can chuck out quite a bit of heat and the 'blocks' last some time, certainly a pack would last a weekend - i know as i have used one on a RN Adventure weekend on Dartmoor when it was blowing a 'hoolly' once.

reply to post by Wotan


'belt kit' is the most common term of reference I ever came across in reference to PLCE. (personal load carrying equipment) i.e. 'webbing'.

It should contain every thing a soldier needs for 24 hrs if they should get seperated from their bergen for any reason.

If you were to actually go through a full set for an infanteer you would find alot of gucci kit that would make you get shiny object syndrome.





[edit on 28-6-2008 by Dan Tanna]

reply to post by Dan Tanna


Hehe, Belt Kit, thats it. Memory is a bit rusty nowadays.

Yeah, something like that should always be carried when in the 'sticks'. I am trying to get one worked out that doesnt involve all the webbing straps, yoke etc., the less 'military looking' the better IMO.

In my day (58' webbing, puttees and SLR), the 'bootnecks' were the ones that had all the Gucci kit, including an MOD allowance for Civi Boots and other items. Norgis were just becoming popular then ....... now standard issue i believe.



[edit on 28/6/08 by Wotan]

[edit on 28/6/08 by Wotan]

reply to post by Wotan



58s and the SLR. Wow wee thems a blow through memory lane Wotan.

That old 'large pack' for the 58s, coupled with the poncho roll... omg they were horrendous.


The olive drab PLCE kit is very civvie friendly, not a drop of camo in sight. Should you want other ideas, may i suggest a good olive drab belt, a couple of respirator pouches and a water bottle pouch ? because I see little need or use for the small ammunition pouches in SITX

Originally posted by Dan Tanna
reply to post by Wotan

 

58s and the SLR. Wow wee thems a blow through memory lane Wotan.

That old 'large pack' for the 58s, coupled with the poncho roll... omg they were horrendous.

The olive drab PLCE kit is very civvie friendly, not a drop of camo in sight. Should you want other ideas, may i suggest a good olive drab belt, a couple of respirator pouches and a water bottle pouch ? because I see little need or use for the small ammunition pouches in SITX

I was thinking along the lines of belt, Kidney pouches (as they are 2 joined pouches) and water bottle/pouch and of course my trusty old sword .... i mean knife.

The kidney pouches should be able to hold quite a load from what i remember plus it makes a good 'support' for whatever backpack you are carrying.

Yeah, I prefer the olive drab, one of ........ I am not really into the camo gear, though i still have my old smock somewhere. I dont like to run around looking like some movie extra from a bad war film.

Yeah, i loved the old 58' pattern gear except the large pack. I bet the boys are missing their putees now. Dammed useful they were, and as for the trusty SLR ..... enough said, dammed good rifle ...... you never stood up after being shot with one of those. haha, Dan, you are also forgetting the 'maggots', dang they were hard to roll up in the dark.

hahahahahahaha the maggots..... ROFL... no I just didn't want 3 am flash backs of cold and wet yorkshire nights...

As for putees, gaitors replace the need for those evil things..

As for the SLR.. you took a 7.62, you stayed shot. None of this 5.56 'tis a mere flesh wound Sir!' rubbish.

Well in my Yank opinion belts are best saved for hanging other "tools" (some have been mentioned). For easy carry access to essentials I like the old standard 20 pocket fishing vest. Price is very affordable next to free at many yard sales. Well the $2-$5 dollar range which given the exchange rate nowadays is next to free.

There are two schools of thought on having to bugout. Short term and long term. Which of course becomes a matter of long distance and short distance. The million pounds of gear types (be it weight or currency we are talking about) will give the more avid scavengers, er survivialists among us plenty of affordable additional items as they will cast off things rather rapidly.

Now if your Sit-X is total ecconomic meltdown (quite possible here in the States sooner than any of will like) Your number one (or at least my number one) choice to grab will be my journal.

A diary, why would anyone grab a flipping diary? Well, it isn't one really. All those nice tips and tricks for knots, snares, traps, improvised tools, kits, flora (medicinal and foodstuff) becomes hand written in my little book in painstaking detail. No power in the backwoods means no internet or libraries handy so unless you can remember everything, best to write it down. Of course getting out a practicing what you have wrote goes without saying in nice conditions that we have now. Let's you know which pages to tear right out and put to a more natural good use after squatting over fresh dug hole.

Nature has a way of getting you in the end even if you do everything right so the lucky guy that runs across my carcus in the woods and ruffle through my pockets might even be thankful enough to give me a slight burial.

As for must haves a good knife (already mentioned), a few basic hand tools like a file and saw, good tin snips, the old fence tool, a couple of spools of Spiderwire fishing line (you got plenty of time not doing the 9 to 5 thing so you can make your own ropes and cords--as well as getting them tasty fish), sewing needles of various sizes (can make but they are light and cheap and are very nice barter).

For short term, things that are usually found in your pockets can take you far. Add to it the fishing vest and start moving.

Yeah, I am a fan of the old coffee can stoves.