Back Blogging

           Back from my trip abroad. In my last post I described how baggage restrictions limited what I could take with me.

           Since we were restricted to cabin baggage only I was unable to take along my Swiss army knife, mini-leatherman or even the little penknife and can opener that usually rides on my keyring. I will admit that there were several times I missed these tools. I doubt a trip of more than a week would be practical without them. For one thing, my nails grow rather fast and need regular trimming.

           One item I did insist on taking was my medical kit, although I removed the haemostats from it just in case there were any objections. Most of my general emergency kit remained at home but I did decide to take my sewing kit from it and stow it with the medical kit.

           I think it is seldom that I have had a trip where the sewing kit was not needed. Something about being far from home seems to increase the likelihood of breakage. For this particular trip its use was more mundane. My girlfriend wished to modify her bikini to reduce the area of tan lines. She was initially dubious about the “invisible” thread in the kit but once she tried it was of the opinion that it was rather clever.

           As an amusing aside: One restaurant we frequented showed videos from a fashion channel, often promoting bikinis and swimsuits. My girlfriend is Brazilian and what many fashion designers regard as “daring” and “sexy” my girlfriend considered “massive” and “suitable for grandmas”.

 

           My little sewing kit fits in a plastic tube of about 1cm diameter. At the bottom are two generic white shirt buttons. It also contains five safety pins, one needle, one sailmaker’s needle, a piece of silk and a length of invisible tread wrapped around half a used matchstick. The sailmaker’s needle is magnetized so can be used as a compass. It is wrapped in the silk to keep it isolated from the other metal items and can be remagnetized by stroking it with the silk. The safety pins can be used as general pins to hold things together while sewing.

           Since my sewing kit saw use this trip I replenished it yesterday. To each needle I added about a foot of doubled invisible thread so they are ready to use in the future without any fiddling about. Sewing is easier if you keep a relatively short thread on your needles and you have less trouble with knots undoing if you simply double the tread and join the ends in an overhand knot. Several metres of extra invisible thread were wrapped around a new used matchstick and added to the kit to replace that used by my lady.

           A repair item that I did not have but would have liked is my little roll of electrical tape. My hand-powered torch from the 99p store got dropped out of the bag and the plastic lens holder broke. Having some tape and/or a small tube of superglue, as found in my larger kit would have been useful.

           The medical kit did see some use. My lady rather misjudged how much sun she got on the final day and was in considerable pain since the nearly empty after-sun lotion got left behind. She had also had something of an allergic reaction to something she had encountered while horse-riding this trip. We had to buy some expensive products at the Duty Free, one of which she informs me contains so much yogurt it is edible. Using yogurt for sun-burn is something one of our new Greek friends had introduced me to that very trip! The painkillers in my kit did provide some relief from her burns and the TCP in the kit had some effect on the allergy. I did suggest she try the Oil of Olbas on her skin too, but she stuck with the TCP.

           More details on my medical kit and other topics in future post.

         If you have enjoyed this article or it has been helpful to you please feel free to show your appreciation. Thank you.
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Are You Ready to Go?

            Here is a question to ponder over this weekend : Are you ready to go?
 
            Suppose, you are told at short notice that you need to go camping, leave the country or evacuate before the zombie swarm reaches you. How organised are you? How effectively can you lay your hands on things you might need?
             Regular readers will know that recently I had to prepare for a trip abroad on very short notice. This was relatively painless since most of the things I needed were already packed in my big black rucksac. I didn’t take that rucksac on this trip, but it was useful that I just had to reach into one pocket for my washkit, another for the medical kit and so forth. Even some of my “holiday clothing” was stored in this pack. (We will, of course, ignore the fact that at first I could not find this rucksac because I had forgotten I had stored it in my flatmate’s room!)
             My girlfriend wanted to borrow a tent for a girls-only camping trip the other weekend. All my tents and sleeping bags are on top of a wardrobe and easily accessed. My preferred “SHTF” kukri is already mounted on a belt along with a Puuko utility knife.
             On the other hand, last night I was looking for a mess kit and stove I wanted to show someone and this involved digging at the bottom of a cupboard for ten minutes. All the bits of the kit were together and I had a supply of fuel readily to hand to fill the fuel bottle, but was this kit truly “ready to go?” Not really! The interior should have had a brew kit, some Oxo cubes and a couple of blocks of instant noodles. The kitchen cupboard was also deficient of these items. I really should keep more food in the home for emergencies!
             This weekend I want readers to think about their level of preparedness and how easily they can gather necessities together at short notice. The useful tool of “Uncle Phil’s list” can be used to give us some guidelines here.

Uncle Phil’s List, with comments.
1) Shelter.
             If you own more than one tent, store them together and ensure each packed tent has sufficient pegs, poles and lines, with spares as necessary. When you buy a tent is often comes in just one bag. It is often prudent to place the inner and outer in separate bags and/or carry the poles separately. Place all the components in a larger storage bag or devise some other means that ensures components of different tents do not get mixed up.
              Other shelter items such as basha sheets, bivibags and such are probably best stored with the tents. You can thus choose the shelter best suited to expected conditions. Emergency shelter items such as survival bags may already be packed in rucksacs or emergency kits. Similarly you might choose to keep one tent in your car or with your bike.

2) Sleeping.
               Sleeping bags, sleeping bag liners, kipmats, blankets and related items should probably be stored with your tents. When not travelling sleeping bags should not be stored in their stuffsacs. Keep the stuffsacs close to the bags so they can be quickly packed when needed. Some of my stuffsacs are tied to loops on the appropriate sleeping bag. My tents live on top of a wardrobe along with several of my larger rucksacs. The sleeping bags are laid over the top of these.

3) Clothing.
               I will admit that my clothing needs to be better organised. My summer and winter hiking boots are at the bottom of the wardrobe. Easily located but may take some digging out. Not being a total idiot I have tied the laces together so if I find one I can soon find its sibling.
             To prepare for a quick bug-out you should probably have a set of clothes suitable for rough travelling stored with your boots. Don’t forget warm items, waterproofs, gloves and hats. You will need a hat suitable for sun and one for colder weather. A boonie hat, headover and some bandanas or keffiyeh are ideal. Some of my wet weather items live permanently in various rucksacs or daysacs.

4) Fire.
               My emergency kit/pouch contains several ways to make fire, including a source of tinder (Vaseline-soaked cotton wool). Many of my packs or daysacs have a disposable lighter tucked into a pocket. A lighter should also be in a pocket of your bug-out clothing.

5) Water.
               My larger Platypus bottle with the drinking tube either lives in my black daysac or the big black holiday rucksac. Various plastic bottles (ex-soda bottles) live in other packs. My emergency kit/pouch holds water purification tablets and a plastic bag that can be used to carry and sterilize water. There is room for improvement here. My canteen cup was hibernating in a bag of miscellaneous outdoor items! I need to organise something where my cooking utensils are all gathered together and more readily accessible.
               Activities such as camping may require items such as a folding bowl or larger volume water storage.

6) Food.
             I should really keep more food in the house! I injured my back recently and could not leave the house for several days. I need to stock up on dry goods. I don’t generally eat tinned food but I should really have some in the cupboard for emergencies.

7) Hunting and Fishing.
             Means for hunting, trapping and fishing are included in the emergency kit/pouch. Actually having some food I can carry out with me would be more practical!

8) Cooking Equipment.
             Over the years I have acquired a variety of mess kits, camping cookware and stoves. I need to gather these together in one place so that I can easily choose the items most suited to the anticipated journey.

9) Medical and First Aid items.
             My main travel medical kit sits ready in a pocket of the big black rucksac so is easily located. I should probably make sure that my suncream and insect repellant are in the same pocket. They currently ride in another pocket of that pack. My personal medications are in my bedroom so an appropriate supply can be gathered at short notice. The emergency kit/pouch contains some additional medical supplies. Some of my other rucksacs contain more basic medical kits (ie, plasters, alcohol wipes and painkillers).

10) Tools.
             I have lots of these, and I really need to separate the genuine working items from the various curios and collectables. As mentioned already, my field kukri and a companion knife are already on a belt in the same cupboard that stores a big chunk of my other gear. The machete, golok and entrenching tools should probably join these. Blades should be sharp and ready for use. Other tools such as my telescopic walking poles should also be here. Some items such as the penknife and mini-leatherman are always on my person.

11) Navigation.
             My best compass is with my emergency kit/pouch. It actually has its own pouch attached to the belt of the main pouch. A small Suunto clipper compass is always with my penknife and mini-leatherman. If you have any other compasses distribute them to useful locations such as the pocket of your bug-out clothing or in the pack you usually use for hiking. A map or street atlas of the local area is not a bad idea.

12) Signalling.
             A compact whistle rides on my keyring. The emergency kit compass mentioned above has a plastic whistle on its lanyard. One of my daysacs includes a little gizmo that combines a whistle, magnifier, compass, LED light, mirror and thermometer. Got it from a 99p store and it mainly serves as the tag of a zipper, but it has the potential to be a useful spare. Any spare whistles can be added to other packs or attached to your bug-out clothing.
             I guess the category of signalling these days also includes mobile phones. Most of you will count this as an item you always have with you. Hopefully you are not one of the people that seems incapable of going more than two minutes without it in your hand! Your travelling kit may need provision to keep your phone charged. I have one of those handcrank gizmos but the lead does not fit modern phones. There may be more up to date versions available. Your phone charger may be an item in everyday use. Make a note on your travel checklist so you do not forget to pack it.
             In some parts of the world signal gear may mean CD radios, satellite phones or pyrotechnics. The first two will require charged batteries or means to charge them.

13) Light.
             No matter how civilized the location of your trip may be take a light source. It is amazing how readily useful items such as room keys find nice dark places to hide! My keyring always has a Photon II LED on it. Several of my packs have torches in them. My mini-maglight got lost in the tent fire at Leeds Festival. I now have a couple of the Chinese-made hand crank LED flashlights. While not as robust as “survival flashlights” their ability to hold a charge is impressive and I don’t need to worry about dead batteries. If you do opt of a battery powered design either store it with the batteries separate or block one contact with folded paper. Even with this precaution, check occasionally for signs of corrosion.
             Larger or more specialised light sources should be stored with your tools so you can readily select them. This includes candles and nightlights, useful for camping in the darker months.

14) Toiletries/Wash kit.
             I will describe the contents and rationale of my washkit and related items in a future post. These occupy a pocket in the big black rucksac so are easily located when needed. Deodorant is usually an everyday item so it is easy to overlook packing this in the rush to get going. Make a note on your checklist or buy a stick to ride in your kit permanently.
             A roll of toilet roll has its own plastic bag to keep it dry. This item is duplicated in some of my daysacs. Numerous uses including blowing your nose and as tinder.

15) Documentation: Passport, Visa, Books, Tickets, Money and Writing material.
             Some trips will need visas, passports, healthcare entitlement forms, tickets, boarding passes and foreign currency. You may want something to read too and I like to travel with a notebook. As always, make sure this items are organised so they can be readily located.
 Some of these items will need to be checked or prepared in advance, which brings me to another point. Make yourself a checklist and use it! It is easy to overlook something or take something for granted. Use your checklist and refine it with experience.

16) Rope and Cordage.
             The emergency kit/pouch has a hank of paracord created as described here. I usually put a hank of string or even a whole ball into a pack for more mundane tasks.

17) Repairs : sewing kit, tape, glue, spares.
             The sewing kit is a component of the emergency kit/pouch. On my recent trip space considerations prevented me taking the full emergency kit so I added the sewing kit to my medical kit. A small plastic bag contains more general spares such as rucksac buckles, electrical tape and superglue.

18) Specialist items.
             What these will be will depend on your intended trip. It includes defensive weapons, climbing gear, cameras, gift for hosts etc.

19) Packs.
             Now that you have decided what to take, you need to decide how to carry it. As you will have already gathered, most of my packs are all in the same place so I can choose which is most appropriate.

The Books

 

Foundation Survival Kits

Many visitors to this blog are interested in putting together survival or emergency kits. Regular readers will be aware that I don't regard a little tin full of gizmos an ideal start.

If you have such a kit, one of the first things you should add to it is a mylar space blanket. These can be carried on your person at all times and can provide you with warmth and protection from the rain. And they only cost a few bucks!

Recent discussions with friends have made me reflect that many of the items in a suggested list of equipment fall under the heading “nice to have/ gadgets”. Your starting point in putting together a kit should be those items you might class as “really in trouble if your don't have”.

With this criteria firmly in mind, I would base any kit around three items. These would be:

• A blanket.
• A fire kit.
• A good knife.

You can use a sleeping bag instead of a blanket, but ideally it should be one that can easily be adapted as clothing. “Budget” rectangular bags may be more suitable than more expensive “mummies”, so keep an eye out for bargains and promotions at big stores. Poncho liners are an alternative to blankets and can often be found for a cheaper price. Both original style or versions with head openings or hoods are suitable. A couple of blanket pins added to your kit can help in making or blanket or similar into a cloak. (Not sure if you can magnetize blanket pins) If you have a spare space blanket throw it into the kit as extra insulation.

Fire kit is the basic kit described elsewhere. A pair of disposable lighters and some cotton wool. If you are female you might wish to replace the cotton wool with some tampons. As well as the intended use they can be used for tinder or as wound dressings. If you want you can put your fire kit in a little Altoids or tobacco tin and seal it up. Throw in some matches and/or some birthday candles if you wish. Fire drills, fire pumps and flint and steels are very nice but you can get dozens of disposable lighters for the same money. When you are cold and tired a lighter is simpler and quicker.

What is a “good knife”? There are a number of suggestions in my book “Survival Weapons”. In short, a full-tang fixed blade, single-edged and not less than seven inches. My first choice is one of my kukris. If on a budget look around the gardening section. A mass-produced billhook or machete is often more capable than more expensive smaller knives.

These three items constitute the foundation of any good emergency kit. The cost is reasonable so you can probably put several together within a reasonable period of time. The three items form a relatively compact package that can be placed in a daypack, the bottom of a wardrobe or the trunk of a car. For a kit for a young child you may wish to replace the knife and fire kit with a flashlight and whistle.

Friends of mine said they would add sewing kits, fishing kits and/or an AM/FM radio. Some of these are useful, some are nice to have but I do not regard them as essential, even though my sewing kit has seen considerable use over the years! If expanding the kit the next items that I would recommend are:

• A rain poncho.
• Bottle(s) of water.
• Roll of toilet paper in a waterproof bag.

The rain poncho can be worn or can be rigged up as a shelter or windbreak. It can be used as a waterproof wrap for your other garments when river crossing and if packed right can be even be a floatation aid. It can be combined with a poncho liner or blanket to form a sort of sleeping bag. You can even rig it to catch rainwater for drinking. Shop around and you can find rain ponchos at a price you can tolerate.

How much water to put in you kit will depend on your local environment. In some places where water is plentiful you may need no more than a litre bottle in your kit. Generally I would recommend at least two litres, perhaps four. Two litre soda bottles are a very good choice for storing water in a kit. They come “free” with the soda. Wash them out. Boil some tap water, let it cool slightly and fill the bottles with it. Loosely cap and let the water in the bottles cool to about hand temperature. Add a couple of drops of bleach to each bottle and seal. If you wish you can seal the cap on with wax and/or tape. The bleach breaks down into salt and water, which is harmless at this concentration. In fact this constitutes a trace amount of electrolytes.

Truly sterile water, which the above process should have produced, will be good for years and will not “go off”. Wrap the bottles inside your blanket to keep them out of the light, just to be extra sure.

FEMA estimate a person needs a (US) gallon of water per day, but half of this is intended for hygiene. If it really is an emergency you may have to forgo your daily shampoo and shave and let the pits smell a little. Priority should be given to washing wounds and cleaning the hands before eating or medical procedures. Used intelligently a gallon should last you a couple of days at least.

You can buy water bottles of about a gallon capacity for a kit if you want, but I think a pair of 2 litre soda bottles are easier to carry, as well as being cheaper. See my free knot book for how cordage such as string or paracord can be rigged as a carrier for a bottle.

The roll of toilet paper is a useful but very cheap addition to the kit. In addition to the obvious use, it can be used for cleaning wounds and fire starting. In one of my favourite movies a character stops a truck by running streamers of toilet paper across the road. The trucker is so surprised he hits the brakes. Appropriately coloured toilet paper can be used for signalling!

The above six items form the basis of a fairly capable emergency kit. Even if within a modest budget it should be possible to construct a kit for every member of the family. Relatively compact, a kit can be stored in the bottom of a wardrobe, form the foundation of a bug-out bag or tucked away in the trunk of a car. A warm hat/ headover, bandana and gloves are useful further additions. If we want to make the list a round seven, then a metal canteen cup or equivalent can be added.

Disaster relief organisations should stockpile such kits. I suspect certain governments have large surpluses of ponchos and liners that can no longer be issued since they are not in the latest camouflage pattern. If not, manufacture ponchos and liners in high-viz colours. This is a good option for kits to be sent overseas. Makes them harder to be used for military purposes. A fire-kit tin with lighters, tampons and matches can be put together for a couple of dollars. Bags of toilet paper and sealed bottles of sterile water can be mass-produced. Certain factions will doubtless squwit their britches at the idea of handing out knives, so I suggest these “agency kits” have a flint and steel of a design which still gives the survivor a useful cutting edge. Perhaps the striker could be the sort of credit card-sized tool that includes a can-opener and other tools.

If you have enjoyed this article or it has been helpful to you please feel free to show your appreciation. Thank you.
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Skin-Level Survival EDC.

Suppose that you are separated from your bag or rucksack. Your webbing gear, if you wore any, has become damaged or lost. All you have is the clothes you stand up in and whatever is in your pockets. This is your “skin-level” survival kit. 

Part of your skin-level kit is the clothes that you are wearing. Hopefully you were dressed appropriately for the climate. If you were chilling by the pool when everything went pear-shaped one of your first priorities is going to be to acquire some new threads.

Today I am mainly going to concentrate on what you have in your pockets, or carried on your trouser belt. This is what many people would call “EDC” or “everyday carry”, although the exact use of this term varies. Some people would include the contents of their daysac or handbag in their EDC. This article will assume that such items are not immediately available. Reaching them may be one of your objectives. Some people use the term “EDC” for all the paraphernalia they have on their person, while in other contexts it is specific for defensive weapons. This article intends to examine EDC for survival.

Look on the internet and you will find EDC lists that suggest you should always carry a solar still, fishing kit, gold coins, eating utensils and so on. This is not very practical. The heavier and bulkier your EDC kit becomes the more likely you are to not carry it all the time and omit parts you may need.

A good EDC survival kit is designed to have two tiers of readiness. “Lower level” is what you carry all the time. Many of these items are carried because they can be useful in daily life. “Higher level” are items that you add when you step up to a higher level of readiness. Your lower-level kit would be on you when you go down to the store. You would add the higher-level items if you were leaving town to hike in the woods.

For example, in my lower-level kit I have a lighter, which can be used for fire-making or illumination. The expansion to higher-level is a little pouch that adds a container of tinder, some candles and a spare lighter. I have little need for a fishing and snaring kit in town, so these items are higher-level.

Many ingenious individuals have had fun creating survival vests, survival jackets, survival walking sticks, survival pens, survival necklaces or survival hats. These are not the best way of carrying your EDC. Jacket pockets are better used for items such as gloves, scarves and hats. Your survival EDC should be based around your trousers. Everything should fit in your pockets, or on your trouser belt. Since you (hopefully) wash your trousers, items should be easy to transfer to a new pair, or to a pair of shorts if the weather permits. What you carry should not add so much weight that you have trouble keeping your trousers up. Nothing should be so bulky or hard-edged that it digs into you if you have to sleep clothed, bangs against you when walking or might injure you if you fall on it. Personally, I am seldom not wearing cargo trousers or shorts. If you have to dress more formally there are companies that sell suitable garments with extra, hidden pockets. 

Let us have a look at what I am carrying, and how I might expand it to a higher-level. Your up-level items should be stored together in a small bag such as a pencil case. Keep this with your knife-belt (qv).

Fire: The lighter in my left pocket is my primary source of fire. To up-level I will use a small fire kit that would be carried in my right cargo pocket. As described on other pages, this would have a spare lighter, a container of tinder, Fresnel lens (above), some candles and possibly some matches. Note that the spare lighter is in a different pocket to the primary.

Food: I don't carry any food on me, so this category is more about means to procure food. At low readiness that is money and a credit card. For higher-level I have a container of line, hooks, wire and other fishing items. The dental floss I have in my pocket pack could be used for snaring or fishing, the safety pins serving as hooks. If you are diabetic you may want to add a small supply of glucose tablets, hard candy etc. You could carry a tightly rolled sheet of cooking foil, but I personally don't currently do this.

Signaling: I usually carry a phone. As well as being able to call for help, many modern phones have useful applications such as a notepad, compass or GPS capability. Phones are useful but also delicate so should not be the sole thing you rely on. The photon light on my keyring could be used to signal. The keyring also has a whistle. My pocket kit includes a pencil and chalk, and I carry a pen (a retractable Zebra pen, since my belt pouch is rather small. I actually found this pen! Non-retractable, all-steel Zebras are suggested as a good alternative to more expensive “tactical” pens). Up-leveling would probably add a larger, but compact, pocket torch. A lightweight signaling mirror is another useful item. These are a good addition for tactical scenarios since they can be used to peek around cover. You may already have an item that can be used as a signaling mirror. Many compasses have a mirror and some phones or music players have mirrored backs. A mini-flare kit could be accommodated with the other items in the right cargo pocket, but I have never actually owned one of these. A larger whistle, on a lanyard, might prove useful. There are cord necklaces that include a flint and steel. If you can find them at reasonable price add a whistle, photon light and a snap-link.

Shelter: Most actual shelter items are too bulky for skin-level EDC. The exception is a space blanket. One permanently rides in my pocket kit. You may want to carry additional space blankets. Not only can they be used for warmth, but also as protection from the rain and for signaling. Penny for penny and pound for pound space blankets are among the best survival gear you can carry. Do not leave home without one.

Cordage: The dental floss in my pocket kit has already been mentioned. Either carry a couple of spare bootlaces or a arm-span of paracord. This can easily be carried in the bottom of a pocket and has numerous applications. If up-leveling, a larger hank of paracord can be carried on your person if you have room. Braided fishing line also has many uses.

Tools: My keyring includes a bottle-opener, mini-Swiss army knife, a P38 can opener and a little tool for removing SIM cards and opening CD drives. That last tool possibly does not have a survival application. The keyring itself is a carabiner. Several of my items can open bottles. The bottle opener is just a convenience, particulary in social settings. 

A small pouch on my belt carries by clipper compass, a pen, a trio of lock-picks (two Bogotas and a snake), money, credit cards and a USB drive. A second pouch has my Swiss army knife, mini-leatherman, pocket prybar and a sharpening card. The Swiss army knife includes a screwdriver that can repair glasses. 

A small bag in my pocket kit contains a few safety pins, hair pins and paper clips. These can be put to various uses. A length of electrical tape is wrapped around my pencil. I may add a needle with a metre of invisible thread. I don't regard a sewing kit as an EDC-level requirement, but the weight is negligible and a sharp point potentially useful.

If up-leveling my main additions would be a larger knife and compass. More of that later.

Water: There are water bottles that can fit in a cargo pocket or on a trouser belt. The bulk and weight of water means that you are unlikely to carry water at skin level unless the weather is very hot. A few sheets of water purification tablets can be included in your pocket medical kit. If up-levelling the water category, I might add a “survival straw”, ideally one that fits in a cargo pocket. A condom could be used as a water carrier, but I don't carry them, no longer being single.

Medical: Your EDC medical kit is mainly for minor injuries. Have a better kit in your bag. My pocket medical kit rides in my left cargo pocket. In addition to the items already mentioned it has alcohol wipes, plasters and pain-killers. There is some medication I have to take with meals so I carry a few days supply of this in my right cargo pocket. If you need to take medication regularly then you should carry a few days supply with you and make sure it remains in-date. If up-levelling a small container of insect repellent and/or sun-cream might be a prudent addition. This need only be a small volume, your main supply being in your bag or base. Chapstick or vaseline in winter, if you think you will need it.

Other items: If you are out in the wilds a few metres of toilet roll or paper tissues in a ziplock bag should be added to one of your cargo pockets. Make that a permanent part of your kit if you wish.I have a small bag with a few paper napkins for “about town” and a larger bag I add for “rural”.

A bandanna has numerous uses and is easily carried in a side pocket. Since I lack some hair I have used mine for head protection when caught out without a hat.

I wear photochromic glasses so don't carry sunglasses. These protect the eyes from both excessive light levels and more physical threats.

Non-survival items carried are a USB drive, travel card and music player, although the back of the latter is a mirror.

So far we have talked about pockets and belt pouches. In years past most of my EDC was in a compact bumbag. I have learnt to make more use of my cargo pockets and have replaced the bumbag with a couple of pouches. One is a repurposed pouch for a mobile phone. You should not add so many pouches to your trouser belt that it interferes with carrying a rucksack, or sitting in a vehicle. There are belts that are made of paracord, but if you unravel them to use the cord you have nothing to hold up your trousers, nor hang your pouches from! There are trouser-belts with hidden storage compartments, and various ingenious buckles. The original boyscout belt had a buckle that served as a bottle opener.

Earlier on I mentioned adding a larger knife and compass to the skin-level kit. My favorite kukri weighs just under a pound, but hanging it on the trouser-belt is a bit much. What you need is a second belt. This is effectively an intermediate level between skin-level and webbing. When at a higher level of readiness you should attempt to keep it upon your person. Your knife belt rides below the trouser-belt, like a cowboy's gun-belt. It should be adjustable, so that it can be worn over thick clothing when desired. Add a compass pouch to one side of the belt, and attach the compass lanyard to the belt. Add a carabiner or snap-link to the front of the belt. I carry my kukri on one side of the belt and a Mora puukko knife on the other. Not surprisingly, this belt could also be used to carry a handgun. If I need to carry a hatchet or entrenching tool I can slip it between belt and body. A folded rain-jacket, poncho or unfolded space blanket can be draped over the back of the belt.

Many police officers experience medical problems from the weight of their duty belts. Detaching the duty belt from the trouser-belt and wearing it lower like a gun-belt might improve matters.

The knife belt can be used to carry a litre or two of water. The best way to carry water is in bladders since this is lighter than conventional bottles. Rather than placing the weight on the knife belt my proposed “camelbum”concept would give more options.

I have mentioned carabiners and snap-links a couple of times. Use one as your keyring, add one to your whistle lanyard and knife belt. Also have them on your rucksac strap and/or webbing. When you need a hand free, or there is a risk you might drop a tool, attach the tool to the nearest snap-link. This is an extension of the idea to collect empty magazines described in my book “Survival Weapons”. Make sure your tools have loops or rings.

If you have enjoyed this article or it has been helpful to you please feel free to show your appreciation. Thank you.
The Books