This page of the Kittchen Sink press will offer a brief overview of my current entire rig and some of the thought process that went into its construction.
It is worth noting here that this page is intended to be an overview/rough primer into my rig systems. In the coming pages I shall break it down into its units so that 'all' the components and the contents of can be examined and you can see the rationale behind it all.
My rig system comprises of:
1) Heavyweight system.
2) Light Heavyweight system
3) Mediumweight system.
4) Light Mediumweight system
5) Lightweight system.
6) Ultralite system.
7) Baseline line survival system.
All of these systems are whole AND independent. They are self contained - that is to say, if I had to take any one of the seven at any given moment, each unit will provide me with shelter, fire, water and food (that is to say each system covers all my basic needs). All will hopefully become clear when I write the subsequent pages up, of which I am working on now when time allows, and also when I get round to Making the videos on each system.
IMPORTANT: Don't forget also, that my You Tube channel (in early 2011), will begin to contain videos that are designed to be viewed in conjunction with these pages.
(I thank you in advance for your patience in this department by the way).
(I thank you in advance for your patience in this department by the way).
As I've stated before, I never - or very, very rarely, ever buy outdoor equipment without giving it some serious research and consideration. I firmly believe that everyone should apply that principal wherever and whenever possible, simply because it avoids future disappointment(s) and keeps your costs to a minimum by not having to make repeat purchases after mistakenly investing in crap gear or gear that you discover in retrospect, is not fit for purpose. Remember, research is free, so why not go ahead and abuse it I say! particularly when making expensive purchases on main items of kit.
If your a gear head (which probably includes most of us in all truth), then you will know that it's all too easy to be 'sucked in' whilst online shopping or get lost on Ebay bidding on that item you've been waiting ages for, then snapping up all kinds of other stuff that you didn't intend to along the way, purely because it's in front of your face and it 'appears' cheap or a bargain and there's only two minutes left to go. Acquiring your kit this way will lead to misery unless you have done your research first. I have let umpteen items go by on Ebay simply because I know I have not thought them through thoroughly beforehand. If I do make an impulse purchase it is always for a 'make do' item that never costs more than a few pounds and 'only' because the item I really want has not been up for bidding for a long time.
When it comes to outdoor gear you will notice there is an absolute plethora of kit available, and If you are completely new to it all, it all can be very overwhelming as to where to begin.
This is the epitome of why I stress - do your research.
Don't just know what you want - know WHY you want it!!
Now obviously I am not privy to what equipment that you personally require, why you require it or what you intend to do with it when you get it. I can however take an educated guess and safely say that it will pretty much be for the purpose of Backpacking, Camping, Hiking, Trekking, Bushcraft or Survival, (given the fact you arrived here at the Kittchen Sink).
Baring this in mind, this page will walk you through the kit that I use to carry .......well, my kit.
This is not an in depth page on any of the items contained herein, rather, it is merely an overview of my load carriage system(s).
As I said earlier, if you are looking to invest in outdoor equipment as a new hobby and are a complete noob to the outdoors, then ideally the logical place to begin would be with your load carriage. It makes perfect sense to purchase the item you will carry all other items in, from the outset, and most people do exactly that. This is why it is so important to understand what it is you are looking to buy (that is to say 'all' the gear that you plan on putting in your pack), because you want to make sure it will all fit. And the items you require will obviously relate to whatever it is you intend to do once you are - outdoors.
The following load carriage system(s), or 'rigs' as I call them (it just rolls off the tongue easier that's all), will hopefully offer up ideas of the possibilities available for various outdoor activities, one of which I will assume, you intend to or currently partake in.
I built my system after a lot of research into various outdoor pursuits (other than backpacking), that I felt I may engage in at some point, but more specifically, I am a backpacker of many years who began to take an active interest in his life chances after a University education and also the discovery of and a lot of research into "Bug Out Bags" (I use the term holistically here). I wont go into the theory and rationale of why I did it, as there are a few lengthy explanations for that, suffice to say the equipment I already owned, when not in use, was exactly that.... not in use!
My original targets and goals (of which I have drawn up plans and have a relatively lengthy primer on and of which the rig system that follows is closely based around) was to construct a rig (initially for my own personal use), that would adapt my current backpacking equipment into various systems/units, any of which is capable of sustaining me (for more than 72 hrs), by providing for the four basic human needs - shelter, fire,water and food. Thus, my outdoor equipment now, instead of just sitting useless in the cupboard waiting to be aired again, is now seven fully functional, ready to go, emergency/ bug out survival systems. After a great deal of thought, the logic/rationale of which I will go into detail about at a later date, if you already own outdoor equipment but aren't particularly into survival like me ( I know, I know, it doesn't appear that way) , then you simply may as well utilise it in this fashion, if only for the fact that if you do not and the shit really does hit the fan one day, your going be so pissed at yourself for not doing so.
(Pardon the French there folks but I just needed to drive the point home).
(Pardon the French there folks but I just needed to drive the point home).
So then, I have not gotten around to actually manufacturing the concept/prototype rig that I have designs and lengthy documentation for (Basically because I have no idea how to use a sewing machine, and even if I did I very much doubt I would have the ability to construct the prototype of the pack I have designed). So, what follows is a practical and actual system that incorporates many of the techniques and applications of said rig.
I firmly believe this system is useful to anyone who wants to use their gear for more than one type of outdoor activity. Furthermore, it is a system that can be adopted by anyone creating a bug out / survival system. It can be adopted and adapted by anyone from all the aforementioned outdoor pursuits and even by Joe Schmo the couch poh-taa-toe who simply wants to put together a bug out system and dump it in his cupboard and leave it there for a 'just incase'.
I am very much open to comment and I welcome and encourage constructive criticism. I know I have been into the outdoors almost all my life but I'm not so arrogant as to presume I know everything, have considered everything or that I'm actually right. So I encourage input, good or bad, as it offers scope to research and rethink. This is, after all, how humans progress.
Once again, I'd just like to take this opportunity to say thank you for visiting the Kittchen Sink when I know you could be a million other places. I appreciate you chose to spend some of your time here. Enjoy your wilderness.
Cheers very muchly ;)
PS: If you get to wondering why all the kit in the photos looks immaculate and unused etc, that's because I take photos of all my possessions and store them on a flashdrive (that's not kept in my home), for insurance purposes. Should my house ever burn to the ground (god forbid), then its somewhat easier to prove you owned a £220 backpack when all that's left of it is ashes. This is a practice I strongly recommend to anyone. You know it makes sense!
Cheers very muchly ;)
PS: If you get to wondering why all the kit in the photos looks immaculate and unused etc, that's because I take photos of all my possessions and store them on a flashdrive (that's not kept in my home), for insurance purposes. Should my house ever burn to the ground (god forbid), then its somewhat easier to prove you owned a £220 backpack when all that's left of it is ashes. This is a practice I strongly recommend to anyone. You know it makes sense!
Fig: 1
Fig: 1 above is every load carriage system I currently possess. I do not foresee any reason to change or alter this kit ever, apart from one last remaining consideration of a 30 Litre backpack in exchange for the rockets (Fig: 2 items 4 and 5) in the medium weight division. So far I see no justification for that as all equipment can be stowed adequately in the two (or three) rockets which actually create a twenty / thirty litre backpack. The change to a proper sack instead of rockets would purely be for comfort purposes only. Other than that, the only consideration for me would be in order to carry my tent instead of a hammock and tarp set up when utilising lighter rig systems.
Fig: 2
Fig: 2 (above) shows all the load carriage components which consist of:
1) Karrimor Sabre 60-100 Bergen.
2) Karrimor PLCE Side Pocket }
3) Karrimor PLCE Side Pocket }(*Yoke not seen in image).
4) British PLCE Side pocket.}
5) British PLCE Side pocket.} on Yoke system.
6) Vanguard British Army current issue webbing belt.
7) '95 Pattern utility pouch (I replaced the original & useless clasp with a snaplock).
8) BCB Crusader Cook System. (I wish this was olive and not DPM. I may spray it).
9) Snugpak Response Pak.
10) '95 Pattern British Army issue Trauma Pouch.
11) Yega Holster Utility Pouch. (to be replaced with an olive British utility pouch).
This system breaks down as follows:
(AND REMEMBER.... each system is independent and complete - any one of them the way they stand in storage right now, provide shelter,fire,water and food. So from a survival / Bug out perspective, I can grab any or all of them relating to the catastrophe/scenario/time-frame I find myself placed in and be out and away - IN UNDER 60 SECONDS!
System 1: Heavyweight rig
This system breaks down as follows:
(AND REMEMBER.... each system is independent and complete - any one of them the way they stand in storage right now, provide shelter,fire,water and food. So from a survival / Bug out perspective, I can grab any or all of them relating to the catastrophe/scenario/time-frame I find myself placed in and be out and away - IN UNDER 60 SECONDS!
4 minute warning indeed.......Ha! how I mock.
Seriously though, consider that flexibility and versitility for a moment -
from 130+ litres to a tobacco tin, in under 60 seconds!
WELCOME TO PREPAREDNESS
(Corresponding You Tube video ideologies to follow (scheduled for Jan 2011))
System 1: Heavyweight rig
Fig: 3
Fig: 4
System 2: Light Heavyweight rig
Fig: 4a
The Light Heavyweight system (See Fig: 4a), is simply the Sabre zipped down from 100 litres to 60 Litres and the 30 litres of rocket pouches removed. This is an available option though I personally choose never to use in any circumstance. Even if I did the rockets would remain on even though empty and the yoke in the bergen. Then i have the option of a 30 litre daysack should i need to make the bergen redundant. This obviously would provide me with a backup of a 30 litre rig when coupled with the yoke. Therefore, if there was any circumstance in which I ever needed to make the Bergen redundant then I have with me a load system that can carry select key kit from the bergen itself. Also, the extra weight of two empty rockets and a yoke stuffed in the lid compartment is negligible.
System 3: Mediumweight System.
Fig: 5
NB: Pouch contents and explanations will be covered in forthcoming videos.
Fig: 6
Fig: 7
The Mediumweight rig (Figs: 5 & 6 ), can be further adapted with the addition of
another rocket pouch. This usually houses my sleeping bag if required.
System 4: Light Mediumweight system.
Figs: 8 & 9 - The primary rationale behind this adaptation is that I could ditch the
rockets (or PLCE daysack) and carry my hammock & tarp in a S10 using a belt only. I can however lash them to the base of the Snugpak. Snugpak is the current configuration (Although i much prefer the S10 as you can get a hammock and tarp plus loads more inside).
System 5: The Lightweight System consists of sections 6,7,8 and 9 (See Fig: 2)
System 6: The Ultralite System consists of sections 6 and 9
(where 9 is the S10 respirator pouch. See Fig: 12 for the S10)
Fig: 11
Fig: 12
Finally, System 7: The baseline survival system
Fig: 13
Fig: 14
This consists of a triple pouch which can be removed from the Snugpak's front pocket or S10 and pushed in a jacket of leg pocket should it become necessary for whatever reason(s) to make the webbing belt redundant.
NOTE: I cannot even begin to imagine what would necessitate redundancy to this extreme, therefore I built in that very redundancy because of that fact.
Finally, and before i recieve any responses to the contrary - it goes without saying that system seven, unlike all the others, is the only system which does not incorporate food in the equation of Shelter, Fire, Water and food. It does however, necessitate means to acquire it whilst incorporating the first three necessities.
I hope this series of blog posts along with the corresponding You Tube videos (scheduled Jan 2011 all being well), has proved useful, informative, even remotely educational, incite full, thought provoking, and above all enjoyable and FUN.
Once again, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for gracing my Kittchen Sink with a portion of your precious time. I look forward to all constructive criticisms, ideas and thoughts.
As we all know by now, when it comes to the outdoors, there's only one constant, and that's compromise! No system is ever one hundred per cent efficient and every last one of them 'could' be better. I therefore look forward to hearing your retort.
Stay safe and enjoy your wilderness.
Kind Regards Ian
©Kittchen Sink 2010. All rights Reserved
Trade your DPM Crusader bag for a olive one.
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