The Novice Survivalist
A novice outdoorsmen learning camping, fishing, bushcraft and survival. "KNOWLEDGE IS A SURVIVAL SKILL"
Watch “FosPOWER EMERGENCY WEATHER RADIO – A Must Have” on YouTube
This is a must have for your bug out list. Keeps you updated with weather and of course music etc. Something to boost your moral when you find yourself in a tough situation. Great for the solo camper and outdoors person. Home or outdoors.
SOLO SNOW CAMP WITH A TARP
Finally got to do it. Check it out.
My Daypack for all Seasons
Hey campers, with the coming change in season…I hope I needed to check my day pack for the coming season. Here’s how I minimize the changes for each season ….click via My Daypack for all Seasons
My Daypack for all Seasons
Living in a 4 season State means being prepared at all times for the change of seasons. That means every change in season means redoing my packs I use.. Whether a camping pack, daypack or my EDCC ( Everyday car carry bag) I need to repack them to suit the season.
As much as I do enjoy going through my packs on a regular basis, I find it can be a chore at times. Having to unpack, go through everything in it and removing and adding items I will not be needing and adding things I will.
It is still winter here in Minnesota, but FINALLY it looks as though the weather is warming up. Its been a tough winter for sure. Extremely cold in general, and late snow storms, Ok a lot of late snow storms will certainly extend it a bit more. (see previous post).
But I have to start preparing for spring. What that means is getting rid of the winter extras and adding what I consider to be essential spring items I should have in my packs. For my camping pack That means a lot of changes as well as my EDCC. However for my day pack I have devised a very basic way to minimize my changes I need for the new season.
Because it is the pack I use most (My L.L. Bean Maine Warden Day pack), anytime I go out doors for a walkabout and scout It is on my back. In it are the basic essentials for a 72 hr emergency situation. (see 10 CC’s of survival). Something I have in all my packs. Then the seasonal items I will need for the current season. This is what changes. To minimize the changes I need to make, I have come up with a basic setup that is all the things I need no matter what the season. That way I then only need to make small changes for the season. 
Below is a list of what I have in my day pack according to the season. As well as all season items. These are my preferences that I find suit me. Admittedly I am always looking to improve what I have.
As a Novice Survivalist you should always be prepared for an emergency. That’s what the 10 CC’s are for. Then add to it the basics for the season and only then any “extras’ for comfort you are willing to add to the weight and bulk of your pack. Keep in mind that adding these, can if not curtailed, turn a great daypack into a miserable bulky dead weight on your back. Choose your luxury items carefully. You may regret them later, when its too late!
Here are the lists I have …..Ok here we go, me and lists…. put together to show the all season, and each seasonal items that go into my day pack. Keep in mind that although I say I never change the all season items, you should make sure everything in it is in good working order.
All season must haves:
1 My things bag. Also known as the possible’s pouch. This is a German Army ditty bag I got at a local surplus store for a whopping 50 cents.
- Ferro Rod
- Small bic lighter
- Box of kitchen matches
- Home made tinder/fire starter ( Lint from clothes dryer smeared with petroleum Jelly)
- compass
- Water purification tablets
- Headlamp
- Buck folding knife (Spitfire)
- Wet wipes
- 550 cord, ducktape
- Bug spray
- Small ferro rod
- Bush Box
2 Leg Gaiters and Boots chains. The Leg gaiters all seasons and the boot chains most seasons.
3 Water Carriers. A military Canteen, cup and lid nesting in the cover which also holds a bush box and coffee/tea making in the small side pockets.
And a Kleen Kanteen 44oz stainless steel bottle and nesting gup (GSI)
4 Frogg Toggs. Lightweight poncho 2 from Frogg Toggs.
5 First Aid kit. Very basic first aid kit. I added a few of my own items.
6 Emergency Blanket/Tarp. This is not one of those flimsy, small, compact, tiny, one time use types. Its a solid thick well made reusable type. Both reflective on one side and emergency orange the other. Large enough to make a comfortable shelter and a large signal device as well.
7 Kitchen. For those of you who follow we on YouTube know I like to enhance my walkabouts and Scouts with a small meal and hot coffee or tea. For these needs I carry the Qunlie Compact cook set for 1-2 adults.
This is a wood system and on occasion Ill switch it with a single gas burner and put system. I do have the bush boxes in the ditty bag as well. I also have a Egoline wind protector for the cook system.
8 Other things. These items are my “luxury items” Knee and Butt saver pad, Hand Towel and trash bag.
9 Snack pack. This is a small Sea 2 summit Dry bag which I use to carry my planned meal or snacks.
That’s the all season Items I always have. Obviously this is in or on the Pack. I always have a pocket knife and camp knife on me. I own a Medium size Machete which transfers between packs as I need.
As the seasons change I add or remove a few items.
Winter.
The most important item that I add to my Pack is the Boot chains for my waterproof boots. These are a must when out and about in Winter in Mn. Ice on paths, rocks etc. can turn a nice day out in a very painful time after a slip.
These go hand in hand with my hiking staff. It is a self made staff from an idea I found online. It is a multitasking tool that can be used as a small 3 leg chair, tarp poles and has storage for basic emergency things. At my age I need all the help I can get.
Remember I am talking about what I carry. Obviously I dress according to the season. I do have an extra pair of Gloves, wool cap and socks in my pack in winter. Just incase. There is nothing worse than wet hands or feet in the cold.
Spring/Fall
These are my 2 favorite seasons. I am normally out and about on a scout or fly Fishing for the day. These seasons I reduce my pack by removing all the winter items. If scouting I still have my staff but just about all the other stuff goes into storage. I do keep my leg gaiters as after rains or dew covered grass I still need them. My wool cap is replaced by my favorite Tilly hat.
Summer
For me summer brings in a few concerns to keep in mind. Obviously the Sun, heat and humidity. I dress accordingly, depending on these factors. I always carry a rain jacket when Kayaking
or land fishing and I have my Frogg Toggs poncho. A sudden down pour in the middle of the day is all you need to get soaked and be miserable. A spare “Bush style” hat replaces my wool cap. Bug spray is replenished ( A lot). And sun tan lotion a must. I also increase the amount of water I carry by simply making sure I have my Katadyn water purification kit and an extra smaller Kleen Kanteen in the pack.
That’s the basics. remember this is a day pack not an overnight camp pack. It does have the necessaries for a unplanned overnighter should I need it. Its not a perfect system , yet. But every seasonal change, I work at reducing the changes with out making my day walkabout unnecessarily dangerous or just uncomfortable. I’m to old to not have some comforts …….
What’s in your pack?
Want to know a little more about some of the items in my pack, check out the “my things page” which has either a video or write up on products I typically use.
Remember Knowledge and a little preparation is a survival skill! Keep working to improve them.
The Novice survivalist
Watch “Day pack for all seasons – adjusting for seasons” on YouTube
How I try to keep changes for the seasons for my daypack to a mimimun…check it out
A tough Winter, Its not Over Yet!
via A tough Winter, Its not Over Yet!
Me whining about a little snow and cold weather….In winter in Minnesota, Shame on me. Read all about it. NS
A tough Winter, Its not Over Yet!
I find myself once again, at the computer. Well so what you ask, The date is February 3, 2019. That’s so what! Its Sunday, a day off, a day to be out and about doing those things I so enjoy. The last day of a 3 day off, break from work. And the average temperature out side right now is 7 Deg. F. Yet the sun is shinning and its 7 deg. To make matters worse the wind chill is -25 deg. Not a good temperature to be out wondering the bush.
This winter, my second full winter in Minnesota, has been tough for me. Surprising me not, alot of born and bread Minnesotans that I work with have agreed. That’s the worst part. Most people who hail from Minnesota are naturally hardy when it comes to winter. Growing up here winter is part of life. It gets cold and snows a lot. So what, lets go Ice fishing, snow shoeing and skiing.. BUT this winter well, its been tough.
A lot of Storms coming late in the season and dumping a lot of snow. Earlier on in the year, temperatures dropped in South Central Minnesota to a wind chill of -50Deg. Keeping even the less smart and hardier winter types indoors. The worst of it is the timing. The way to cold or blizzard conditions calendar has been set to my days off. This winter any decent day outdoors has been work days.
I enjoy the snow , especially fresh power out there and going out and walkabout in the quiet, truly beautiful scenes the snow leaves behind. Even (temperatures willing) camping over night. The joy. But this winter has seen little opportunity to get out.
Last winter walkabouts in the winter were aplenty, the snow on the ground manageable to walk in (With knee high gaiters) and access to most of my walkabout places open.
Yesterday I tried to take advantage a of reasonable temperatures and some sunshine to go out and complete a video review I had been chomping at the bit to get completed.
When I make a video review I like to not just show and tell, describe the pros and cons etc. I like to get outside and try it out. (My excuse to get outdoors) yes even I need excuses sometimes.
So I packed my winter Day pack up, Got everything together and headed out to the closed favorite place to do these review videos. To My horror There was a sign, Park closed!.
I tried to drive down the road a bit with hopes of finding a place to make the video and a quiet cuppa Coffee, one of my favorite things to do. Unfortunately not 100 Yards down the road it was closed. Totally covered in snow, It had not been plowed and a sign Road closed. Shocked I had to slowly maneuverer my truck ( No 4 wheel drive) around and head off to another favorite with the hopes of it being open.
It was. Fortunately The State Parks here can handle most weather conditions and this particular park is a local favorite snow shoeing park. I parked, got prepared (Gaiters, boot chains and pack together) and headed off to find a place to do the video. No sooner had I stepped out of the parking lot did I realize just how much snow there was on the ground. I come to this park regularly and am familiar with the trails etc. However, So much snow. First off it came up above my Knees (So much for Gaiters) and was slippery underneath to Boot. 50 Yards in I knew I was not going any further. Not without snow shoes anyway. Oh that’s right, I don’t own snow shoes. So trudged back to a bench and I assume a fire pit. The bench was almost under snow and the fire pit, well who knows where that was.
After clearing away a place to sit (set up my cameras), off the top of the bench/table ( about 2×2 feet space). I realized I needed some wood to try out my new Gizmo. Well this park has lots of small branches of wood lying about. ( In Minnesota you cannot cut
growing (Live) plants or trees, only use the waste from nature on the ground, dead wood only.) I looked around and realized I have another problem. The snow had covered it all. I was not about to start guessing where wood maybe and digging around in the snow. Fortunately I saw a small branch sticking up out of the snow. I raced off, Ok! trudged off to retrieved it and drag it back to my video spot. It was not easy.
I did get the video done, but truth be told it was not my best work. It was a poor presentation of the product and my ability to deal with the conditions, And the frustration level was so high I did not even make coffee when done. All in all, a bad outing. Something for me I seldom have. Any time outdoors is a good time, or so I thought. I considered coming back out and redoing the video, that is until I saw the temperatures I would be dealing with.
And so, I find myself once again, at the computer!. The weather channel on my phone is showing higher temperatures in about 2 weeks, I can always hope.
Hey But this is winter in Minnesota. Sometimes Good, sometimes bad. But always a learning experience for me.
Remember, knowledge learnt is a Survival skill.
Till next time
The Novice Survivalist
The Novice Survivalist 