Minimal 72 hour bag

[neverready]

@Smudge...no, mine doesn't seem to have any kind of coating. I have boiled water and made tea with it a few times and not noticed any issues.

I have just decided to add my Bushcraft Essential Micro Stove EDC box back into the kit. I originally bought it hoping it would suffice as a wood stove and although it does work, the amount of energy you have to expend to keep it burning is a problem. However I have just tried it out again with a couple of hexamine blocks and got my half filled alu bottle to a rolling boil very easily.

[Devonian]

There will be a solution to the water hammock problem, something like masking tape really tight round it and a drip line before the tape so the strings too tight for water to soak its way along and just dump down the drip line? Im sure theres a simpler more tidy way if you google though

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Or you just use a karabiner between the hammock strings and the tree strops. Karabiners also make setting up and taking down the hammock a lot easier and quicker.

[Memphis]

Id definitely keep a backup cooking option, something ive been taught before is that the human body wont digest food until its warm, so you can eat your rations cold however you'll use up vital energy heating the food which you need the energy from. Also the fire or stove your cooking on will warm you so your body doesn't need to saving more energy.

That one is just an old wives' tale, there's nothing to it as the figures behind it make it negligible.
The amount of energy you would use to eat an entire meal even if it was frozen versus hot is a tiny percentage, probably the difference between licking the wrapper or not.

That was taught to me in training, just another bit of hearsay i guess.

I knew thered be a simpler solution to the hammock issue.

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[Yorkshire Andy]

thanks for the answers chaps, a bloke in a shop was trying to flog me one the other week after he sold me the dd tarp

[Wonderer]

I like it, having back problem myself. Where did you get your Schrade SCHF10 from ?, I'm started my own bob but not finished it yet I get carried away with buying lol

[neverready]

www.heinnie.com

But be careful...the site is addictive. Fast shipping and great customer service!

[Mally]

Just a few points here. None of it is a criticism as we all have our different styles.
I've used the method of relying on clothes often and there is a lot to be said for it. And a lot to be said against too!
I would recommend testing yourself with your set up over a longer period of time to show up any flaws in your system and also to show any flaws in your thinking. One night is simly a test of endurance,
Clothing........ Make sure your clothing is up to the job........ Don't sleep in clothes you've been wearing during the day. You'll probably need at leadt three changes of clothes....... Avoid cotton....... Go overboard with extremity protection ( look at my post on cold feet )......
Slerping bags....... A sleeping bag provides a great phycological boost to wellbeing and the potential for a good nights dleep....... Consider carrying a cheap, lightweight sleeping bag with an extreme rating of around -2. This will give minimal protection and comfort and can be improved with a heavy coat over you also. The weight would be minimal..
Be aware that in a shtf sutuation, it isn't an ideal piece of kit as you wouldn't want someone sneaking up on you while zipped up in your bag.
Hammock........ I've never used one so no real experience but doesn't sound ideal!......... In a shtf situatioj you need to be low profile. Better on a kip mat under a hedge........ I would imagine that with a hammock you couldn't bug out quickly if needed..... Also, one of your plans is to move in to a building if it's winter so you would need another sleep sysrem anyway....... kip mat...... sleeping bag....... bivi bag... very versatile.....
Torch......Get quality. You need to know that it's gonna last.

[neverready]

Some very good points there and if I was a younger, fitter man I would happily take all sorts of extra gear.

However I would much rather keep my set up light and portable and stay easily mobile. Also I don't see a need for sleep system for an indoor situation. If I felt the need I could pack something inside my double layer hammock to make a mattress. Or if I find myself inside some kind of industrial premises I can almost guarantee I could find a way to suspend a hammock.

Besides, I have slept on many a floor over the years and if I couldn't put up with sleeping on the floor for a few nights then I doubt I could survive anything anyway

But as you say, horses for courses and all that If I ever get my back sorted out I might well do a 180 and end up with everything and the kitchen sink in a giant bergen

I am hoping that next year, health permitting, I will get out for a full 72 hours to give everything a proper test.

[Mally]

Sounds like you have it pretty much sussed then. Your style is much like my own. I'm at an age now where I don't want to be carrying loads of gear and I do rely very much on my clothing.
My sleep system on it's own couldn't cope with anything like all the extremes that the british weather could throw at it but when used in conjunction with my clothing it performs well. The total weight is a little more than 4 pounds. Downside is that I could carry 4 pounds more woryh of clothing lol.
I'm also big on pockets much like yourself and also have the same problem with the cooker. Do I include it or do I leave it?

[neverready]

Reasonably sussed

As you say, you never really know until it's properly put to the test. I have the advantage that I am not really preparing for anything specific. Thus far my interest is just seeing if I can spend 72 hours in the woods maintaining a minimal, but acceptable level of comfort...living out of one, easy to carry and lightweight holdall.

As such I am not worried about escape and evade situations etc. Once I have cracked the 72 hour thing then I can put more thought into the more tactical aspect of it all. I'm taking baby steps

Many years ago I worked as a security guard. A bad one at that Therefore I know first hand that I am happy sleeping on the floor in empty buildings I did spend one very cold night sleeping on a pallet in a marquee which was fine apart from waking up a bit stiff

So that's why I'm focusing on the woodland side of things for now