It looks like you’ve put some thought into this, and you seem to have most of the basics covered or plan to get them covered! I’m glad you’re looking to get a fire kit – flint and steel is one of the first hard kit items that I recommend folks acquire.
Have you thought about whether you’ll be using a tarp or the like? There’s been a lot of discussion about tarps and bedrolls on the forum;
Greg wrote up a very well thought out examination of the subject.
Glaenry wrote:16. Water skin (not totally period)
Appropriate canteens tend to be one of the trickier things to acquire. As Elleth said, Ursus posted a
how-to on disguising one, and I’ve put together a
slight different take on disguising a bota, but the basic idea is very similar in both. It’s definitely a good way to make sure you have water out on the trail without spoiling the look if you haven’t decided on a more “correct†way to go.
Elleth wrote: Since our version of "historical trekking" springs mostly from 18th century historical trekking hobby of a generation or so ago, we've sort of inherited the copper corn boiler as a default trekking pot -
Greg really recommends Backwoods Tin:
http://www.backwoodstin.com/
( I believe item ck-19 - Corn Boiler)
I also really recommend Backwoods Tin (I have a bean boiler – ck-27), but the proprietor is currently not accepting orders, and while it’s one of the more available options and certainly doesn’t draw too much attention to itself, as Elleth said, the corn boiler may not be the best fit for all cultures of Middle-earth.
Elleth wrote:Taurinor has a redware pipkin from Townsends that I believe gives good service, albeit with more fragility and weight:
https://www.townsends.us/products/redwa ... 180-p-1214
Medieval models are as I recall pretty darn close. Someone more expert than I could go into differences in design and glazing, but I still think it works PERFECTLY for his "common man from Bree" impression.
I do have a pipkin that I have trekked with on occasion, but it’s not that one. Mine is (I believe) stoneware and representative of an earlier style. I like it, but it holds about four and a half cups, which makes it just a bit too big for solo use. I’d happily use it to cook for a group in a shared gear sort of set up, though!
For solo use, I’m talking to a potter about having a smaller ceramic cookpot made, something that’ll hold two and a half cups or so. One of the reasons I’m going the custom route instead of going with the Townsends pipkin (which I really do like the look of) is that I want something with a fitted lid. I’ve found a lidded cookpot to be way more user-friendly on the trail – water boils faster, ashes don’t get in the food (as much), and it just seems to help keep the whole unit together a bit better.
Elleth wrote: A cheaper faster option is Taberna Vagantis. I purchased a larger kettle from Merek there last year - a buddy of his in fact makes the things, and he's willing to take a bit of custom direction.
I asked for mine without paint, which I think has worked well - I prefer the fire-blackened look.
That is a really quite reasonable price for a 1L pot. Hmm, this is dangerous information for me!
Glaenry wrote:I really do want to go the Barding route, the only thing really holding me back, is how sad it makes me that I won't be able to call myself a Ranger.
It’s more work, but there’s nothing wrong with putting together more than one impression! Udwin portrays both
Aistan and
Tungo Boffin. I imagine there will also be some similarities in basic gear for both Bardings and Rangers, so I don’t know that you would need to pick RIGHT away (but sooner is usually better).