Poor Man's Sling Bag

When I first started woods-cruising, I gathered together surplus U.S. military ALICE [All-Purpose Lightweight Individual Carrying Equipment] parts, specifically, suspenders, butt pack, 2 canteen covers, a compass pouch, and 2 magazine pouches. It was a great set-up. Well designed and thought out as most military equipment is, and it had lots of room to carry all the essentials for the trail.

I used this rig for about 2 years then switched over to a COLEMAN hydration daypack. Today I still use the COLEMAN for most of my outings. But sometimes I just want to go light and carry the absolute minimal gear when a-trail, and after awhile I got the urge to own a sling bag. I saw folks at a couple of survival schools carrying these modern haversacks....MOLLE bags with velcro sections for nametapes and patches, and lots of loops and compartments for stashing bits of kit. I admired how so many essentials could be carried on one's person in a small package.

I started pricing tactical sling bags by major makers and found them too pricey for my taste [I am very cheap] and started brainstorming a solution. I like making my own improvised gear anyways, and what I came up with was to make a "saddle" to convert ALICE clip gear to shoulder carry. I went to a nearby leather shop and purchased a piece of stiff cowhide from their leather scrap bin and formed a saddle:

Saddle for ALICE clips

 

With a little dumpster diving I came up with some hardware from discarded luggage to make the attachments for a shoulder strap. I purchased some locking oval rings at the hardware store, along with some Olive Drab nylon web strap. What I came up with was this arrangement shown below:

 

Sling rig for ALICE gear, disassembled

 

Sling rig, assembled

 

I found that I could slide a small knife sheath onto the saddle behind the canteen, where it was convenient, out of the way, and protected. I used an inexpensive little knife with a ferro rod in it's sheath, so I had a firemaking tool as well. I also added a homemade pace counter, which I made from beads my wife received doing laps at a Cancer Walk:

 



 Homemade Ranger Beads

 

Presently I am working on a larger saddle pattern:

Improved saddle pattern

 

This new saddle is going to be a little wider and thus will accommodate a USGI magazine pouch. I plan to place a disposable poncho and a space blanket in the mag pouch. There should also be enough room to place a sheath knife on the saddle as well. The leather saddle is somewhat flexible, and so it will bend and conform to the curve of the waist when wearing the rig. I'm also thinking of streamlining the attachments and just using small carabiners and plastic sliders for the shoulder strap.

 

If you've got some old ALICE gear and want to put it to work, this saddle is easy to make...just some cardboard for a pattern, and a Swiss Army Knife to cut out the leather and awl to make holes for attachment hardware and you are ready for the trail. 

 

Safe Hiking!

 

Goblin Ranger

Adventure Medical Kits Bivvy's

For several years now, I have used an Adventure Medical Kits [AMK] 2.0 Thermal Bivvy for my minimal gear camp outs as an ultralight sleeping bag. Basically it's a velcro closure "Space Blanket Sleeping Bag" that reflects body heat. It weighs 7 oz. or so, so you are sacrificing comfort for light weight and some protection, as it is also designed to be water repellent and provide a barrier against wind [to prevent heat loss from convection]. It was about $34 dollars when purchased new. The maker warrants them purely for emergency shelter, and it's meant for 50 degree + temperatures, but I've used it in temps down to the mid-upper 40's some nights.

AMK 2.0 bivvy

The main problem with this bag is that it doesn't breathe really well. It has gaps between velcro closures but those don't seem to vent enough to prevent condensation from forming. Although it is warm enough for the average 50 degree evening, if I close it up over my head condensation accumulates inside and later in the morning it becomes very clammy inside.

Again, the AMK bivvy is an *emergency* bag not intended for comfort...it is meant to keep you alive pending rescue were you lost or injured.  Reflecting body heat and keeping you from becoming hypothermic in cold weather, maintaining body heat to avoid shock from a traumatic injury, shelter from wet conditions, etc, all purposes which I think it can answer quite well. If you intend to use it for ultra-lightweight hiking and backpacking, then my suggestion is keep your head out of bag and wear a knit cap.

Often I'll just use a ground cover such as a cheap plastic poncho with a USGI wool blanket for a comfort pad.

Shelter: 5 X 7 tarp, poncho ground cloth, AMK bivvy, wool GI blanket

 

The AMK bivvy is remarkably rugged, but you should still clear sharp debris and if possible make a mattress out of boughs. I tend to be restless when I sleep [doze, toss, and turn] when camping, and I've torn a couple of seams, which I patched with GORILLA tape, Duck tape, and reinforced with some thread stitches. I just air it out after use, pick the leaf debris out of it, and spray with some disinfectant spray and allow to dry before storing away.

On a couple of outings my clothes [cotton] got damp in the bag and I started to shiver so I pulled the wool blanket into the bag and was instantly warm.  The wool sopped up the moisture and of course wool stays warm(er) even when wet, so it got me through the night just fine. I've thought about adding a fleece liner, but concerned that will just become saturated as well, and then that's heading back into weight and bulk...

On one outing a friend used AMK's lighter 3.5 oz. EMERGENCY BIVVY. Those are made out of a tougher material than the usual mylar emergency sleeping bag you can buy. It's reflective silver on the inside, and bright orange exterior with instructions for survival,  rescue, and signalling imprinted upon it. I have also noticed that the EMERGENCY BIVVY compacts down into a pouch about half the size of mine.  He reported condensation problems as well, but, I repeat again, it's intended as a survival bag, i.e., not for comfort.

After using it a few times and concerned about the condensation, I wrote to AMK to inquire about the condensation problems and here is their response:

"The version you have is the newest version of the bivvy (the 'SOL
Thermal Bivvy'). We got rid of the foot vent, because it added complexity to the
sewing pattern with no real benefit - extensive real world testing showed us
that the foot vent didn't reduce condensation by any noticeable amount. The best
way to avoid condensation with the bivvy is to keep the side vents open. By
design, the fabric is not breathable, since this is primarily an emergency
product whose main attributes are that it is totally waterproof and windproof -
as a result, condensation is a fairly inevitable result when using the product.

Let me know if you have any further questions, and thanks for your purchase!

Best,

Product Marketing Specialist
Adventure Medical Kits

Bottom line: AMK's emergency bivvy's are meant for emergency use. Yes, they can suffice for minimal pack gear. Be aware you may have condensation problems and be prepared to get up and re-warm/dry out next to a fire or towel off with your shemagh. Otherwise it should work fine. I will definitely use mine again, following those provisos, as the weight trade off is too good to pass up.

Now, a friend of mine [JASONHCC / BCUSA forum review: Bushcraft U.S.A. AMK SOL Escape-Bivvy ] has purchased AMK's latest emergency bivvy model, the Adventure Medical Kits "Escape bivvy" and he reports no condensation problems whatsoever. He has also purchased the very recently introduced olive drab model, a useful color for more tactical applications. I have not tested the Escape, and cannot validate his observations, but he is an expert woodsman and I trust and value his opinions. I may have to purchase one of these improved models for my own kit at some point in the future and relegate the old bivvy to a day pack kit or emergency vehicle bag.

If you are interested in AMK's products, visit their website at  Adventure Medical Kits.com. AMK offers a complete line of well designed, quality made, medical and survival related products for outdoors men and women which can be viewed on their excellent website. Locally a good selection of AMK gear is available at SLO CAMP N PACK. The store staff is very knowledgeable and can assist you in selecting useful gear for the trail.


Safe Hiking Trails!

Goblin Ranger

SCHRADE SCHF 23 "Tactical Survival Knife" batoning test

Using a ferrocerium rod with a stone

Rinconada PSK - CENTRAL COAST BUSHCRAFT Outing

In early April 2014, my Bushcraft group [CENTRAL COAST BUSHCRAFT/FACEBOOK] started planning for a PSK [Personal Survival Kit] outing to be held in May on the Rinconada Trail [Trailhead GPS Coordinates: N35-17.396, W120-28.490] in the Los Padres National Forest near Santa Margarita, CA. 

 

 

The main objective of the outing was as a "drill" to experience a night outdoors using only those items one should carry in their daypack in order to survive a lost/injured dayhiker situation [e.g., a Space... Blanket and Disposable Poncho shelter, 1 bottle water, 1-2 snack items, folding knife, fire tool(s)]. A secondary objective, if time allowed, was to practice priorities of survival [Protection, Signaling, Water Procurement, Food Gathering, and if safe to do so, Firemaking]. 

 

Participants were advised they should bring a backup pack with expanded survival capability [Trauma/First Aid, commo, extra water, food, etc]. Once at camp they would identify and break out the items they planned to use for the evening.
 

We started the hike on a Saturday afternoon in mid-80's temperatures. The hike in was rated MODERATE with 1200' elev. gain and about 1.5 miles in length. I was accompanied by JC and CV:

J.C. & C.V., Santa Lucia Range behind them

 

We had decided to use a primitive campsite that is located along the trail. The campsite has a stone fire ring and we had a U.S.F.S. fire permit in hand, just in case conditions allowed a fire [no FIRE DANGER warnings had been issued]. We got to the campsite and established out shelters for the evening:

 

The camp

 

Everyone had the freedom to choose equipment as they saw fit. J.C went with a tarp shelter and U.S.G.I. casualty blanket, along with some other bits of kit:

 

J.C.'s shelter 

 

Interior view

 

C.V. decided on a more traditional approach, opting for a canvas tarp shelter and a space blanket [he also brought a heavy wool cable knit sweater for additional warmth]:

 

V.C.'s canvas shelter

I used my sheath knife to dig a rump hole before putting my blanket down:

My well-used survival knife

 

For this exercise, I myself decided to use a rain poncho for a shelter, and my clothing and a GRABBER "SPORTSMAN" model space blanket for warmth during the night. The "SPORTSMAN" blanket is equipped with a hood and mittens sewn into 2 corners, to facilitate holding it close around you:

My poncho shelter set-up

 

GRABBER "SPORTSMAN" blanket

 

I have to say, it is a sinking feeling to look at a poncho and a single space blanket and realize this is your sole source of warmth and protection from the elements for an evening. On the bright side, overnight temps were forecast to be mild, in the upper 50's. "Were"...

 

[Normally in this situation, you'd pull up grasses or pull down foliage for bedding. We didn't want to destroy Los Padres vegetation for the sake of a drill, so we allowed the option of a ground pad in lieu of, if a member so chose]

 

Packs were suspended from a tree branch to keep them accessible, dry & clean, and reasonably bug- free:

 

Packs suspended via paracord

 

After making camp I set about making a meal. I went with Oriental flavor Ramen and added a foil packet of Tuna to give it additional taste and calories:

 

Swiss M71 cookstove fueled by ESBIT tablets

 

I had brought 2 quarts of water and used it sparingly, as I was not aware of any springs in the area. I was also suspicious of any water here because this area was heavily mined for Cinnabar [Mercury] and I worried the water would be tainted with toxic heavy metal. After dining we started exploring the area, looking over an old mining operation, and plinking at boulders with slingshots. It was a beautiful evening as the sun went down:

 

Santa Lucia sunset

 

As there was no wind, we deemed it safe to have a campfire. C.V. used some kind of granular firemaking powder to start the fire, after clearing all dry grass a safe distance from the fire ring. He boiled water in a steel bottle to cook his MOUNTAIN HOUSE meal in the bag:

 

MOUNTAIN HOUSE dinner

 

We all enjoyed the campfire that evening:

 

Evening campfire

 

About 9 or 10 p.m., everyone agreed they were bushed and wandered off to bed. The plan was to be up by 6 a.m. to hike out and enjoy the Memorial Day weekend with friends and family. The evening started out fine. I was quite warm and the ground wasn't too hard. I managed to catch some sleep.

 

Sometime during the night, a deer approached C.V.'s tarp and poked him with either a tine or foot. He woke up to see what hit him and heard it run off [he said he'd wished he had opened the tarp and got a picture].

 

The temperature dropped significantly early that morning, maybe 49 degrees by my estimate...10 degrees cooler than forecast. Wind gusts also picked up during the night. At about 4  a.m. I had to get up to use the privvy and being groggy, managed to trip over a rotten wood stake I'd driven into the ground and broke my shelter ridgeline...effectively wrecking my shelter and losing my only protection from the winds...fully 50% of my shelter/warmth retention system was gone.

 

Checking my watch I reckoned that I could ride out the last 2 hours until daylight with just the GRABBER blanket, and pulled it over my head. Being a small blanket, it had a gap on one side and it was impossible to sleep. All I could do was lie there awake and try to keep the gap closed.  About 5:30 a.m. I gave up and decided to watch the sunrise over the Santa Lucia range:

 

Sunrise!

C.V. was already awake and soon J.C. was up and we all set about breaking camp and loading packs for the hike out:

 

Loading up for the hike out

  

C.V. and J.C. led us out. Both had modified their hiking staffs to suit their personal tastes and needs. J.C. had installed frog gigging spikes in the end of his and a long removable bolt to prevent them from being worn dull. C.V. nad modded his with 1" measuring marks:

 

The hike-out 

 

Heading down the trail we saw some great views:

 

Looking east towards California Valley

Looking down into Pozo Valley

 

 On the way out we stopped to check out a section of the Rinconada Mine. The Rinconada Mine began operation in 1872. Cinnabar [a Mercury bearing mineral] was mined there for 90 years. In the photo below,  C.V. checks a hole that was drilled either for blasting or ventilation [not sure which]. His hiking stick went 3' in and still didn't touch bottom:

Deep drill hole

From 2003-2004, the site and the adjacent Rinconada Trail were closed to public access while the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) conducted a thorough environmental clean-up of the mine site. The trail re-opened to the public in 2005.

Possible ventilation shaft opening

Bats now inhabit the mine, which is cordoned off with a steel wire fencing and signs warning against entering the mine:

Protected Bats

After reaching the trailhead parking lot, we said goodbye and went our own ways, I lingered a few minutes to collect litter from the parking lot. It's important to "LEAVE NO TRACE" and carry out litter that would otherwise mar the beauty of our national forests and trails. Collecting litter is a way to "give something back" and show reverence and be good stewards of the great gift that has been given us.

Safe Hiking!

GOBLIN RANGER

 

Bushcraft Knives for Trail and Camp

5-in-1 "Survival Tool"...a useful kit item for dayhikers.

5-in-1 "Survival tools" have been around for many years.  Basically they are a match safe that incorporates several useful tools into it's design. They are usually molded in rescue orange-colored plastic and have a lanyard attached that allows them to be worn around the neck. Generally these tools cost around $4 to $5 dollars.

5-in-1 Survival tool

Besides the match safe function, they also include a whistle on one end and a compass on the cap end. Unscrewing the compass/cap accesses the matches. A ferrocerium rod is embedded in the body of the match safe, and a signalling mirror is located inside the cap beneath the compass.

Signal Mirror

 

The match safe will hold 30+ waterproof matches when arranged alternately head up/down. I placed jute tinder in mine at both ends to cushion the matches and provide some emergency tinder. Don't forget to include match striking paper, as their is no striking surface on the match safe itself.

The ferro rod is short and difficult to use, but not impossible. Using dryer lint, I found it worked best to wrap the tinder around the body of the tool in direct contact with the ferro rod and striking directly into it. Better still, carry a small tin with petroleum jelly-impregnated cotton balls for a synthetic tinder. Petroleum jelly soaked cotton balls are long burning and will ignite easily with sparks.

Petroleum jelly cotton ball tinder

 

In experimenting with the 5-in1, I found that the lanyard lock separates too easily, and the tool could become lost. I'd suggest putting a knot in it to prevent loss. Like any tool, practice makes perfect, so I would recommend that you try some fire making using the tool in advance of going outdoors. I did find the ferro rod wears down quickly, so you might not want to practice too much with it, or have 2 and dedicate one for practicing with.  

Also, practice with the signal mirror with a friend. This is easily done by having them stand 50 or 100 yards distant, making a "V" with your Middle and Index fingers, moving the sun's reflection onto the back of your hand, and then sighting the "target" [friend] between your fingers and flashing them with the mirror.

Finally a word of caution: I have seen some cheap copies of 5-in1 tools molded in blue and green plastic for as little as a dollar. Look closely and you will find the ferrocerium rod is missing. Those knockoffs are probably okay for training youngsters, but I'd recommend purchasing a quality one for your personal trail pack, and do make sure to buy one molded in bright orange so it cannot become lost if dropped atop leaf litter in camp.

Happy Hiking!

Goblin Ranger