What did you do today?

[Bloffy13]

And the fire by night.


Cheers
Bloffy

 

[MongooseDownUnder]

And the fire by night.
View attachment 25183

Cheers
Bloffy

Will be doing this Saturday night!!

 

[Le Loup]

Nothing so far except answering emails! Later today I will be doing a wood chore; getting fire logs for both houses. Not sure about tomorrow, Sunday we will be cutting more wood.
Keith.

 

[Bloffy13]

Had such a good night's sleep last night, I'm planning on doing it again tonight, but the weather has turned well for the worst so sitting around the Bush TV maybe not so much. Besides it's all repeats. Lol.
Wish I could join you MDU but working all weekend. Time for another moot of the Western Australian chapter, methinks.

 

[darren]

Saw this

 

[MongooseDownUnder]

Doing a business (lol) trip this weekend, getting photos of new products and gear testing. We definitely need to organise a WA moot @Bloffy


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Bloffy13]

I've got a great way to test gear. Give it to me.....unless it is a knife, then give it to Thrud to test for sharpness, then give it to me....

 

[Edward]

Hi All. I'm new to the forum. I am a bit of an equipment/ gear nerd. Lately I've been focusing on minimalist 72 hours gear options for rucksack camping. I'm currently looking into various lightweight shelter systems (mainly bivvy tents and tents). Cheers, Edward.

 

[Le Loup]

Hi All. I'm new to the forum. I am a bit of an equipment/ gear nerd. Lately I've been focusing on minimalist 72 hours gear options for rucksack camping. I'm currently looking into various lightweight shelter systems (mainly bivvy tents and tents). Cheers, Edward.

I find the oil cloth is the easiest to set up & the most versatile Edward.
Keith.

[video=youtube;fUHU1WgLjbA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUHU1WgLjbA&t=1s[/video]

 

[Chigger]

In the warmer months use a so called army houchi which I bought from one of those rambo army disposal stores. Somewhat longish and could be a bit wider. If it rains it is essential to peg the sides down so as to stop rain from blowing in.



It can be abduled that is set up as a open sun shelter in really hot weather.

 

[Edward]

I find the oil cloth is the easiest to set up & the most versatile Edward.
Keith.
View attachment 25213
[video=youtube;fUHU1WgLjbA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUHU1WgLjbA&t=1s[/video]

Hi Keith,

That's a real traditional set up. Nice job. I recently looked into oil cloth tarps after I saw Dave Canterbury using one. I like the natural ambience they create when the light filters through them. At the moment I have two budget friendly (un-issued) Australian Army Auscam Hootchie Tarps I'm looking forward to using. Cheers, Edward.

 

[Le Loup]

Today two of my sons & I will be cutting firewood, hauling it back on the truck & stacking.
Keith.

 

[Edward]

Today I put together some of my gear I'm trying out. I really like the pack.

A German Army Mountain Rucksack, an old wool blanket, an Australian Army sleeping bag, and 2 Australian Army tarps- I mentioned above.

German Army toiletries bag improvised as a cook kit bag (has a trangia spirit stove); with Australian Army mess kit and Army stove and KFS set. While I prefer open campfire/grill cooking these are good to have in some situations where you cant have a fire. I kept the cook kit compact, so I could use it in a haversack or satchel as well as a pack.

Australian/ British Army Mess Kit in its canvas bag I found on Ebay for a few bucks fits perfectly

 

[Edward]

In the warmer months use a so called army houchi which I bought from one of those rambo army disposal stores. Somewhat longish and could be a bit wider. If it rains it is essential to peg the sides down so as to stop rain from blowing in.

View attachment 25214

It can be abduled that is set up as a open sun shelter in really hot weather.

Hi Chigger,

What a classic set up. I originally preferred olive drab for all my gear to fit in with the bushman theme and for its versatility, however all of the tarps I saw in O.D. were Vietnam era and had had their day unfortunately. I settled on the camo ones you see above.

You may know this already but most of these military army tarps can be matted together using existing snaps. My two can. So you may be able to find another one to join to the one you have. Mind you I notice the extra weight with the second tarp, but nothing to worry about if you consider it vs a tent I suppose. I guess its a different story with an oilskin tarp I guess, as Leloup mentioned in his video. Cheers, Edward.

 

[Chigger]

Hi Edward,

Yes those Army houchi's can be quite versatile and mine has the press studs so it can be extended. Still one is usually enough although one has to be a bit imaginative in wet weather.

Actually think I will go the the local disposals store and buy another the same as I have so should there be a need for a larger shelter will have it on hand.

Thanks for mentioning it.

The setup Keith demonstrated with the cross pole is a good idea and something to keep in mind.

Happily a very cold spell with -7.0C or worse has passed so think I will organise a night camp and give the houchi's a run.

 

[Edward]

Waxed canvas care on a 1942 WWII Waring and Gilbert Gas Mask Bag, using some natural U.S. Otter Wax. This is a great product, but expensive. I'm looking into making my own in future, now I know how.

 

[Edward]

Hi All,

As some of you know I have been considering a tent and appreciated the help. Well I found one. This tent reminds me of an old green 2 man pup tent my dear old mother and father brought me back in the early 80's. The poor thing leaked, but it still managed to keep my school mates and I dry enough during bush-craft-holiday showers, even without a fly!

I decided on the F1 Commando un-issued french military 2- man tent. The weight is respectable at 2.7kg, BUT I plan to get the 'trail weight' down to 1.7-1.8kg, by omitting stakes, pole springs, replacing guys with dyneema ones, stuff sacks and the like! This means the tents trail weight will be only 100-200grams heavier than the legendary Hileberg Akto 1- man tent, which has a (packed weight) of 1.6kg! OK add 300grams more if you include the fly as well, but that's still quite impressive for a 2 man army tent, at least from what I've seen so far.

These tents are rare with genuine military issue fly sheet. A You Tuber from the UK helped me find one and I am indebted to him.

I cant say this tent is perfect out of the box, and will require seam sealing. I also found a tailor whom may sew in some fly-screen doors for me, depending on price (not cheap- but I like this tent and think its worth it!). Besides the tent cost me only about $160 AUD landed here from the UK, so cant complain, hey! Maybe when I man up, and or if when it gets warmer down here, I will start using the tarp and wool blanket job, but for now its this tent!

I cant wait to get out for an extended camp (both car and hiking) this winter. I'm planning to test some of my new unused equipment, alot of which Dingo and others have been kind enough to share on 'the Tube'. I will take pics and document the trip for you all. Some of us never grow up I guess. A jealous, control freak boss once claimed I was immature. Seems the (1diot) was right ...No regrets!! Ummphff!:linguino:

 

[Aussie123]

Looks like a good setup.
If you use trekking poles, you could consider using them as tent poles ?

 

[Edward]

Looks like a good setup.
If you use trekking poles, you could consider using them as tent poles ?

Hi Aussie123

Thanks. Good idea, they would save weight for sure, and the Americans seems to like them. I thought of them for ther very purpose you suggested. I don't mean to sound uncouth... But I saw them years ago on T.V. and recently on You Tube, but I don't know anyone who uses them in Australia and never have. At least not where I'm from. I was born and bread in the Outback and we simply never used them. The way I see it, bushcraft for me and for many of the true 'bushmen' skills I knew from the 60's 70' and even into today, sprung from farming and purpose as opposed to recreation. 'Homestead' skills as they are called now, are what I/we just called/ call 'farming skills' or 'bushmans skills', and these were sort of carried over to recreation in the bush (by some who had time or by a consequence of droving/ringer-work) when we had time, at least for me and those I know in Australia in 4 states! If we had to walk with anything, in the bush, and I have, it was usually a a big stick, or very occasionally and when called for a rifle. I used a Mauser 48A in the Territory! I guess I'm just a simple Bushman, mate:non sono stato io: Cheers and Peace, Edward

PS. Today I did a waterproof test of the Russian Army Veshmeshok Issued Backpack I brought recently from the baltic states. I ran is under what would qualify as probably 10 times a monsoonal downpoor in concentration (my shower) for a good 30 seconds. EVERYTHING inside was bone dry. Here it is after the fact drying in the sun in our hottest day in 7 weeks. I will use this as a foraging, kindle, wood collection bag AND a pillow on my hikes. I will carry it in my German Army Mountain 'Gebirgsjager' Rucksack, the thing packs down to a negligible and convenient size envelop size and is 'fairly' lightweight, at least as far as traditional standard go.


Before applying U.S. Otter Wax

Veshmeshok after applying U.S. Otter Wax (It doesn't really look this aweful! lol. Its the light)

Veshmeshok just after the torrential test!

A close up of the pocket. YES, everything is completely drenched, fellas:triste:

Everything is COMPLETELY bone-dry inside, including the newspaper and the inside of the cute front pocket. Sorry, photos don't do justice, but the saying 'water off a ducks back' is befftiiting. Incredible for old, natural technology!

 

[Thrud]

I made char cloth for the first time. Took less than 10 mins
Used cotton make up pads, aluminium foil(about three ply) and stove.

Don't know why I didn't do this years ago!