Thread: Underrated but Valuable Kit

Aly ,if youre lurking online and pick this up -iceaxe onTM auction 925778345 closing 1 1/4 hrs out to you


right hypothermia -if your are in any doubt whatsoever re a companions fitness to carry on stop immediately and do bloody something about it a break under shelter a feed and a brew is a good start and take it from there -inconvenience yes but nothing is quite as hellish as a human in a body bag! same bloody goes with hyperthermia- was on a T F exercise once when we hit real hot dry+++ temps in sth canterbury.
one young clown guzzled two water bottles as we decamped then 45mins later as we "crept' out of a ravine he came to a crashing halt-OC at time was also in St Johns -took one look stopped the whole company and ordered immediate caseuvac via iroquios chopper- a very fuckin sick soldier who was bloody lucky he didnt suffer brain damage or a complete organ shutdown as i was later to find out! myself Ive had 3times in my military career where i has called to deal with soldiers who.d gone psychotic-but that friends is completely different kettle of fish which we may fry another day!
remember the mantra -theyre youre mates and mates dont let each other down!

Originally Posted by kotuku

Aly ,if youre lurking online and pick this up -iceaxe onTM auction 925778345 closing 1 1/4 hrs out to you


right hypothermia -if your are in any doubt whatsoever re a companions fitness to carry on stop immediately and do bloody something about it a break under shelter a feed and a brew is a good start and take it from there -inconvenience yes but nothing is quite as hellish as a human in a body bag! same bloody goes with hyperthermia- was on a T F exercise once when we hit real hot dry+++ temps in sth canterbury.
one young clown guzzled two water bottles as we decamped then 45mins later as we "crept' out of a ravine he came to a crashing halt-OC at time was also in St Johns -took one look stopped the whole company and ordered immediate caseuvac via iroquios chopper- a very fuckin sick soldier who was bloody lucky he didnt suffer brain damage or a complete organ shutdown as i was later to find out! myself Ive had 3times in my military career where i has called to deal with soldiers who.d gone psychotic-but that friends is completely different kettle of fish which we may fry another day!
remember the mantra -theyre youre mates and mates dont let each other down!

@kotuku Thanks for the heads up but I've managed to acquire an ice axe myself now, got a pretty great deal through some mates same with crampons and a tent, saved a couple hundred dollars on them!

Very good points there! Haven't yet had issues with hyperthermia before or with others, even though I've done trips where I went 6 hours without water in heat - kept a cruising pace that worked very well until I could drink. My aunt who is also a nurse recommended those hydration salt packs to add to water when dehydration sets in - heard of those? I'm considering adding some to a first aid kit too if they're worth it.

yeah ive heard of em,but ive also got a guy i work with whose idea of fun is cycling through vietnam ,sth america ,and the afghanistan /tibet pass highway FFS whom im sure has A DIY mixfor rehydration!must have a yarn with him.
anyhow floss regardless all the best in your endeavours -i just hope my wee rotund jacksie is not squishing about in a stretcher you buggers are trying to lug out to safety -You'd wish youd never laid eyes on me! go well .enjoy

A drinking straw can be useful on occasions to get a drink out of shallow pools. Can also be used as a small water funnel when you cant get your water bottle into a tight crevis to fill. A metal paper clip can also be a handy item...weighs nothing but can be straightened out and you have a small piece of wire. Great for when your metal zip flap? breaks; just thread the formed paper clip through the hole on your zip and you have a new flap.

Originally Posted by 199p

Something i carry is one of those thermal bivvy bags instead of just the blanket. Its going to hold in much more heat,
Add that to a fly and your looking good.

Start a fire with innertube / cotton buds & petroleum jelly also good for chafing and your good to go

I carry one of those wee bags, saved my arse couple of winters ago when I got tipped up in a river crossing and fucked my back, couldn't get up the hill with my pack, so built a shelter as much as I could and climbed in the bag, had my hexi cooker so was able to brew up once every hr, long cold night, rain then snow then clearing and freezing. If lurking in the bush I carry a silky saw, cut wood for a fire, make a splint, build a shelter, make a walking stick, make a bar for hanging a carcass in a tree, clear tracks, so many uses, I wouldn't go in the bush without one!

+1 on the silky saw or, if on a budget, a Sabresaw blade with paracord wrapped around it for a handle

Also I always carry a few lengths of steel tying wire - it rusts but it is soft enough to do emergency repairs without breaking, the blue stuff is better than the galv stuff.

And big cable ties, you can undo them with the point of a knife and reuse them

Originally Posted by 308

And big cable ties, you can undo them with the point of a knife and reuse them

Or better still get the ones with a release tab built in.

You need to decide if you are after items to make your trip more enjoyable/comfortable, or are you seeking survival equipment? If it's comfort you're after, how heavy a pack are you prepared to carry? In 50 years of tramping, I discovered that one of the most vital pieces of equipment is a sound pair of boots. I had a sole detach from a boot on day 5 of a 10 day Fiordland trip. That was tricky! Now I ALWAYS carry alternative footwear. Ask yourself, what do you really need, and what can you truly do without. If you tramp with a group, you can rationalise equipment- you don't all need a tent- why not share? Remember, you can't carry equipment to cover every possible contingency, but you need to be warm, dry, well fed, and have the ability to cope if you are held up for an extra day or two. Ask yourself, what if...

Originally Posted by Ranger 888

You need to decide if you are after items to make your trip more enjoyable/comfortable, or are you seeking survival equipment? If it's comfort you're after, how heavy a pack are you prepared to carry? In 50 years of tramping, I discovered that one of the most vital pieces of equipment is a sound pair of boots. I had a sole detach from a boot on day 5 of a 10 day Fiordland trip. That was tricky! Now I ALWAYS carry alternative footwear. Ask yourself, what do you really need, and what can you truly do without. If you tramp with a group, you can rationalise equipment- you don't all need a tent- why not share? Remember, you can't carry equipment to cover every possible contingency, but you need to be warm, dry, well fed, and have the ability to cope if you are held up for an extra day or two. Ask yourself, what if...

Tricks of the trade, more or less. I'm a fan of packing to suit the location e.g) terrain type, snow, water resources, and length of time I'll be in that location, number of people I'm with (solo or partnered or group) etc.Interested in hearing tips from others from their own experiences - things that are both maybe comfort enhancing, or maybe different things that help in a jiffy so you can be self-reliant at best without being caught out.

I've seen people say that an inflatable pillow is a "pack essential" - that's just an example of what I'm not looking for I'd rather use my boots as a pillow than carry something that only has one non-essential use....

A small bit of closed cell foam (like the hydroslide matts) just big enough for your arse (some may need a bigger bit than others ) is bloody brilliant if you are going to be doing a lot of sitting and glassing, keeps ya butt warm dry and comfortable and weighs piss all.

One thing I take with me is rubber gloves. Only one use- wear them. But a heap of reasons / benefits. If gutting an animal away from somewhere to wash, it means you have cleaner hands to eat or drink afterwards, if cold, they are great at keeping wind out. Being bright yellow, if you have to wave someone down they stand out like dogs balls, and they weigh nothing and dont take up space either. Also very handy for first aid. Most cut type injuries that I have encountered occur on the hands. These will keep rubbish etc out of the wound and still leave some ability to use the hand still.

Another thing in my pack is insulation tape and a few zip ties and a few supermarket plastic bags (usually pak n save yellow). So many uses and yet no weight etc.

LandSAR - where you end up carrying your gear, enough gear for the person who doesn't have enough gear of their own, and some backup gear for when the gear you loan them needs to be used by someone else in the team who forgot their gear.

I am picking you will already be getting drilled on this - but multiple torches. Headlamp, handlamp and a spare torch to give to someone else. Get some of the reflective tape to wind around the torches - having watched a couple people drop black torches in the bush - a bit of a reflection helps when trying to find things.

Second the notion of a bivy bag over those survival blankets - especially if it's you having to sleep under/in one.

The thing you need to remember - it's possible you will come across someone with fuck all of their own stuff on them. If you need to wrap them up to shelter and keep them warm - you then need something for yourself. A two person tents (or three) suddenly makes a lot more sense.


One thing I found immensely useful (warning - about to plug a product I sell) - are the RIBZ Packs. One you get issues a harness/radio it's not as viable - but I found I could carry all my survival gear, maps, and and tracking gear in the one pack. The 'Alpine Orange' also gives you a bit more colour in the bush. RIBZ Front Pack - GEARLOCKER


Big, heavy duty rubbish bags. Like the MSC survival bags. Multiple uses, and for putting, well, things, you may find in the bush into.

Now these items may seem unusual (after 32 years SAR)(55 years hunting) 2 tampons....excellent for staunching blood flow in wounds, cuts, gunshot wounds, electric shock exit wounds....condoms say 3....wound covers, water carriers (inside a sock, try it before you leave home....try these..

Originally Posted by BruceY

Now these items may seem unusual (after 32 years SAR)(55 years hunting) 2 tampons....excellent for staunching blood flow in wounds, cuts, gunshot wounds, electric shock exit wounds....condoms say 3....wound covers, water carriers (inside a sock, try it before you leave home....try these..

How about replacing the tampon with a wound pad. Also excellent for staunching blood flow in wounds, cuts, gunshot wounds, electric shock exit wounds.

;P

Originally Posted by veitnamcam

A small bit of closed cell foam (like the hydroslide matts) just big enough for your arse (some may need a bigger bit than others ) is bloody brilliant if you are going to be doing a lot of sitting and glassing, keeps ya butt warm dry and comfortable and weighs piss all.

I do this. It doubles as the back panel in my pikau\day pack, makes glassing much easier and it's great to sit on around camp. Chuck it under the foot of your sleeping bag at night if you have a 3/4 length pad.