Thread: Minimum pack contents

Good posts n interesting read.Walking around in the dark looking for deer,I always have a spare head lamp n batterys in my zipped pocket.

I used to carry opioid's but after a facial infection I took them out, Didn't happen in the bush thank fark but they took the edge off enough I delayed medical intervention. It dulled it enough and I wasn't thinking straight anyways, much longer it would have cost me my life.
My future self might hate my current self for that, but if its that bad push the PLB.

For the guys that wear glasses, in case I loose them I colour code my meds, in Vacuum packed pouches, Red for Ibuprofen, Green for Paracetamol, Black for Diastop and Blue for Antihistimines.

Foil bag, Cat Tourniquet, Israeli bandage, Inso tape, Meds, Mercator, Compass, Mini Steel wrapped with duct tape, Plb, Spare bootlaces, Earplugs, Rubber tube and lighter, chapstick and 3b/Vaseline

Ha ha, I read Tahr and BarrytheHunter's posts fully aware I carry too much and feeling utterly ashamed, so instantly resolved to cull a lot of shit... but then read Ranger888's post - especially the live alone bit, and the "oh yeah but what if's" started rolling back in... I will be forever haunted by @57jl's tale of woe recently (thank you for sharing that mate, you're my bloody hero! I hope you are recovering well!).

I used to carry a lot less when I was younger, fitter, and stupider, but I'm still relearning after 15 years off, and don't get out often enough to yet have the confidence to leave shit behind. Kit has got smaller and lighter - carrying it isn't a burden, so why not. Lastly, I know I'm brainless enough that if I take stuff out for one trip, I am guaranteed to forget to put it back in when I need it.

I massively admire the seasoned minimalists, but I guess we each carry what we're confident in carrying. If I fuck myself up, I'll either be relatively comfy, or won't need any of it.

Still bloody interesting to see what others carry, keep it coming!

Well I've been at the minimalist end of the scale for about 50 years (tiny survival kit of bike rubber, WP matches, triangular bandage, panadol and plasters plus a couple of other things I don't recall) but following my accident at Easter wallaby hunting (the final diagnosis was a lisfranc fracture) despite walking off the hill unaided it could have easily been worse/different etc and I going to seriously upgrade!

Originally Posted by Tentman

Well I've been at the minimalist end of the scale for about 50 years (tiny survival kit of bike rubber, WP matches, triangular bandage, panadol and plasters plus a couple of other things I don't recall) but following my accident at Easter wallaby hunting (the final diagnosis was a lisfranc fracture) despite walking off the hill unaided it could have easily been worse/different etc and I going to seriously upgrade!

Better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it I reckon. The energy cost of carrying a decent emergency kit is relatively small compared to the possible consequences of not having what you need in a dire situation.

Interesting reading. I have to say I'm with Barry the Hunter and Micky Duck. I was shown over 40 years ago by an ex culler, what I actually needed. He's a member with the patience of a saint. On my belt I have a knife, a PLB and a small canvas pouch. The pouch contains two of the half size bic lighters, a small piece of tyre inner tube, several recycled shoe laces, sufficient dunny paper in a dog poo pick up bag ( often replaced ), remnants of a roll of insulation tape, an old Silva compass and about 3 rounds of ammo. I used to carry a pull through but tape my barrel or suppressor now, so don't bother. In my pants pocket is a Victorianox Climber pocket knife. If I'm out in the evening I'll have a small headlight stuffed in the pouch as well. That's it. I've been caught out 4 times unintentionally overnight. 3 times I knew exactly where I was, the 1st time, up from Sids Camp, I had a rough idea. Trying to use a torch would have stuffed me completely. Mick Duck's comment is spot on. Sort your shit out before dark. Oh, and each time a fire improved the situation 1000%.

I'll repost my bigger kit. As I said, fits in a small belt pouch. I can justify why everything is in the kit. It looks a lot on paper, but a couple of tablets of each kind are no volume or weight. Aspirin may keep you alive long enough during a heart attack to get help. Two small pills seem like a small price to pay. Having has a couple of near misses with leg injuries (not hunting), I can confirm that codeine and all the others make your life better for a while. I could see myself removing the spare knife, not much use to me in a survival situation for me personally. Same for the matches/firelighter/tinder. Even with this stuff, getting a fire going in the wettest place on earth, Northland is a challenge!

What would you old timers take off the list? I'm all ears.

- PLB

- Opioid
- Aspirin
- Ibuprofen
- Paracetamol
- Dextrose tablets
- Aquatabs (spare)

- Celox
- Gauze
- Betadine
- Elastoplast
- Dermabond
- Medical tape

- Knife (spare)
- Foil sleeping bag
- Compass (spare)
- Torch/battery (spare)
- Matches/firelighter/tinder

ran into him back in my MSC days too..along with Chaz F great guys with huge wealth of knowledge
I BELIEVE it was Bob who told story of being at border in ???mexico??? and sucurity guard/border guard got his details..then went back into hut..came back out and asked him how he got on with his such n such revolver....the guard had same revolver on his hip in holster.... simple passport check had allowed him into acess ALL his details including what firearms were registered to his name THAT WAS 30ish years ago and its stuck in my mind ever since....especially now with register coming up.