Day Pack - Overnight

[theBushman]

I like to think I'm not the odd one out, I keep certain items in my pack that I haven't yet needed to use.

On a given day I'll have supplies to spend the night (or longer) 2 miles South of Nowhere. I cover Fire, Shelter, Water, and Food comes from extra lunch supplies. Poncho, Foil Blanket, rubber sleeping bag, First Aid, Katadyn pump, AquaTabs, matches, butane torch, knife, saw, paracord. All stuffed into a 25l backpack with my lunch.

So my question is, am I going to have to share that one fateful night?

[Casper]

Walk-ins must be nice. And you're probably not allowed to have all that on a heli-block, the most likely case where you could be stuck on a block. Don't you think it's useless to have all this gear everyday ?

[theBushman]

Actually, I'm normally alone or in very small groups. I've never been a planter, I brushed last fall and before that I worked in timber cruising and regen surveys. My bag came brushing and stayed with my fuel, wherever I hid it that day. I'm always concerned about getting stuck, broken down or seriously hurt, because no one's looking for me for a long time. Concerned to the point where I have my own SPOT communicator, my own VHF radio and a backup GPS.

I must be the odd one out.

[Casper]

oh ok I thought you were a planter, sorry. In your case, it seems like it make more sense to bring all of this. I suggest a map and a compass, technology can fail.

[Scooter]

I sometimes bring some fairly massive supplies on blocks where walking out isn't possible, just in case something goes really wrong. It would suck to get stuck on a block overnight because the chopper can't fly in a storm to pull people out, and you don't have food or fire. I've never had to deal with that kind of a situation, but I've come close a couple times due to weather problems.

[theBushman]

When I do get out to the plant camp in a few weeks, I think I can trim some weight. No heli work in the contracts this year, no Hagglund blocks we know of, and safety in numbers.
Between now and then, I will be packed for the zom-bear apocalypse, I have a course to take to learn new solo bush work.

[TasseTina]

Walk-ins must be nice. And you're probably not allowed to have all that on a heli-block, the most likely case where you could be stuck on a block. Don't you think it's useless to have all this gear everyday ?

I walk-in/fly with my "you have 3 days to find me" kit.
It is sealed in a little 1L camping pot (in which you can boil water), and has everything I'd need.
Extra duct-tape, rope, matches, a cube of chicken broth, a candle, a pocket saw, an extra whistle, an orange garbage bag.
I also carry a whistle, a lighter and a leatherman or swiss army knife attached to a carabiner, at all times.

It doesn't weigh much, doesn't take a lot of space.
Even though I haven't had to use it while planting, the one day I do get stuck, it'll be worth the planning.

Testing out your gear before the season is probably a good idea.
Know what you have & what you can do with it.