Good first kit items?

[Elswyth]

Aight, so far I have a tunic that I just need to do the neckline of, a quiver, a knife, and a few other oddities but... not a lot else. I have plans for a lot of items (a LOT), but do you lovely folks have any advice on what items to prioritise? A shiny sword is nice, but honestly I should probably start with pants for example.

I plan to portray a Dúnedain ranger, and the goal is to have a kit that is comfortable, and practical to use for hiking.

(I hope this is the right place to put this btw).

[Elleth]

Hrm... that's quite an interesting question.

If I'm understanding your intent, what you're after is a greater sense of immersion on woods walks - which is great!

I think the biggest subjective difference in how it actually feels to physically move through the forest comes from your outer layer and your footwear. Changing a goretex jacket for a wool cloak and modern hiking boots for something with a turnshoe sole (or at least a thin/soft/pliable moccasin sole) makes all the difference in the world.

So that's where I'd start.

Are you planning on doing overnights or mostly dayhikes? If the latter you can postpone cookware and even a pack/sack for quite some time, but you'll still need a water carrier of some kind, and you'll probably want a belt pouch for other small goodies.

For water, I think a cheap bota is close enough to get the feel of things until you can replace it with something more period-correct. (obviously the old adage of "buy quality and buy once" is a good general truism, but I think especially when you're starting out it's far better to get into the woods with a 60% solution than to stay home until everything's perfect).

For the pouch - a simple one is a fairly easy to make with rudimentary tools, and unlike a generation ago there's tons of inexpensive ones on the market now. Look for something with as little hardware as possible and ideally a rather soft/thin veg-tan leather body.

Finally - and I think most important - isn't kit at all. Rather, it's what's in your head.

It sounds like you're already experienced out there, but making a point of learning your local flora and fauna makes a world of difference. Likewise study at least the rudiments of tracking, fieldcraft, fire-making with flint and steel, etc. All are things you can learn and practice with comparatively little cost at home, but will give your experience in the wild a much greater depth.

Happy trails!

[ForgeCorvus]

As you said pants are a good start, basic clothing in the right sort of fabrics (natural fibres rather then plastic, linen and wool ideally but cotton and woolblends for budgetary reasons).
A cloak if its cool or cold and headgear...... Hoods are easy to make and can be tweaked for climate.

I recall the LARP event I switched my army boots for a set of simple moccasins..... It was a lightbulb moment as I started moving totally differently.

For day rambles, all you'll need is water and a pouch or small bag to put stuff (like your modern kit as well as Period gear ) in

[Harper]

I would concentrate on "Soft Kit" (as we break it down here on the forum).

Leave the "Hard KIt" (with the exception of a canteen of some sort) until later. Weapons, and armor (if any) can be quite expensive. You already have a knife. You said that you have a quiver but didn't mention a bow and arrows. If you don't have those, a staff is both a fine weapon and bushcraft tool.

i think that you should look to footwear and a haversack next as have been mentioned.

[Taurinor]

I took a stab at putting together a "first 10 bits of kit" list a while back - you can find it here, if you're interested!

There's no one-size-fits-all answer, though, so YMMV! A big part of how you put your kit together will depend on what you want to do in your kit (and where you want to do it), as has been well stated already.

[Eofor]

Not much to add here, Taurinors first ten bits of kit list is pretty solid but I would suggest a few changes in the order of priority based on some local issues.

We've already semi discussed soft kit and fabric choice, I'd suggest a light linen hood for sun protection that you can then wear either with or without a cloak.

Water is going to be a big issue for you, we did a four man overnight hike in summer and went through 24 or so litres, there are various ways you can do it from authentic canteens through to modern bottles in a leather cover or even purification tabs.

I wouldn't rush to invest in any fire related items at this stage as places that you can have a solid fuel fire in Australia are getting thinner and thinner.

A simple pilgrims pouch can be made from a linen pillowcase in no time at all and would serve as an excellent starter day pack that can even hide modern water bottles etc.

[Elswyth]

Thank you everyone for the comments and advice so far!! Its amazing to be able to ask people more experienced than me about these things. I won't reply to each piece of advice as it would all be variations on "thank you, sounds like a great idea" but know that I appreciate every one of you :D

You said that you have a quiver but didn't mention a bow and arrows. If you don't have those, a staff is both a fine weapon and bushcraft tool.

I technically have 2 bows and 3-ish arrows left over, but I don't really count them amongst my "kit" as... well, they're ok for starting, but they don't have the right vibes. A staff is a wonderful suggestion and I badly want one now xD

I'd suggest a light linen hood for sun protection

It's at this point I realised I completely forgot to mention the hood I made from a little bit of leftover linen from my tunic. It should probably be a little deeper for full sun protection, but otherwise it's quite serviceable. So good advice, so good that I followed it even before it was suggested xD

places that you can have a solid fuel fire in Australia are getting thinner and thinner.

I understand why, but it's very upsetting :(

A simple pilgrims pouch can be made from a linen pillowcase in no time at all and would serve as an excellent starter day pack that can even hide modern water bottles etc.

I haven't considered it as something to use in a ranger kit, but I made an embroidered pilgrims bag (14th century specifically, our definitions may differ) a while ago for reenactment events... its a bit small for what you're suggesting though I think, so perhaps I should make another one.

Now I feel like I should think about what other handy items I left out of my kit list xD

I took a stab at putting together a "first 10 bits of kit" list a while back - you can find it here, if you're interested!

Fantastic, thanks!


Parting note: I appreciate everyone who named shoes as a priority - my ranger instagram & tumblr both use the handle @astrangerinbrownleatherboots, as I consider proper boots an integral part of a wanderers kit. Will definitely be getting some the moment I find a decent source that actually ships to me.

[Eofor]

I understand why, but it's very upsetting

There are ways around it, we seem to cook on a jetboil as often as not which is a shame but it's the price we pay to enjoy the national parks on offer.

The pilgrims pouch I refer to is also known as a market wallet. Is that the same thing?
It's kind of a sack sewn at both ends with a slit in the middle that you can put items in.
You can then sling it easily over a shoulder. They're a great beginner bag option.

[Elswyth]

The pilgrims pouch I refer to is also known as a market wallet. Is that the same thing?
It's kind of a sack sewn at both ends with a slit in the middle that you can put items in.
You can then sling it easily over a shoulder. They're a great beginner bag option.

I don't think it's the same thing no, though I think I know what you're talking about. Mine is just a rectangle that's been sewn up the sides.

IMG_9044.jpg (55.02 KiB) Viewed 5723 times

It isn't that big, but I have used it before to carry a small water bottle, my phone, and some food. I made it for my first medieval event and yet STILL haven't gotten around to lining it properly lol

The market wallet is a bit like if you sewed the top of two medieval ladies pockets together yes? I only recently learned they were a thing. Using a pillowcase is a great idea, I'll see if I can find any linen candidates next time I go op-shopping

[Greg]

Definitely solid advice here already. If I didn't already know you were in Australia, I would say the number one priority were I to begin again from scratch would be starting with a fire kit and a water-carrying system. One is an absolute necessity in all walks of life, and the other will develop an absolutely necessary set of skills. Too bad about your fire restrictions.

Beyond that, yes you're on the right track! Work on common clothing (pants, tunics, hoods) that will feed into more Ranger-specific garb. So many of us go straight for the cloak and then work our way back, but that just sets us up to look (and feel!) incomplete, often until we've literally made EVERYTHING. Boots, pants, tunic and hood will get you there much quicker, and it'll only get better as you add more pieces and details.

[Elswyth]

Speaking of pants, has anyone got any suggested breeches* patterns? Preferably fairly simple, I am yet a novice seamstress. I have a few trouser patterns from viking finds already, but I like to look around.

*whatever Tolkien presumably meant by breeches, I'm imagining just some loose pants?

[Udwin]

Speaking of pants, has anyone got any suggested breeches* patterns? Preferably fairly simple, I am yet a novice seamstress. I have a few trouser patterns from viking finds already, but I like to look around.

*whatever Tolkien presumably meant by breeches, I'm imagining just some loose pants?

When I'm not wearing a loincloth, my go-to olllllld timey pants are 'Thorsbjerg trousers'. They're fairly simple--only about 4 straight seams and a waistband--and a nice little project once you get a little more experience sewing. This site will help you collect measurements and draft a pattern to fit your body.

[Iodo]

Speaking of pants, has anyone got any suggested breeches* patterns? Preferably fairly simple, I am yet a novice seamstress. I have a few trouser patterns from viking finds already, but I like to look around.

*whatever Tolkien presumably meant by breeches, I'm imagining just some loose pants?

I just made a modern pants pattern (that I got from measuring some I already had, I refuse to buy patterns) and made it in thicker upholstery linen, and added a few inches of fabric on each side of the fly for buttons instead of a zipper, Udwin's approach the the problem is much more authentic, but I just wanted something that worked that I could also use with modern clothing to save some money

[ForgeCorvus]

*whatever Tolkien presumably meant by breeches, I'm imagining just some loose pants?

Breeches can be close or loose fit, they are normally shorter then trousers (or 'Pants' as they say in the States) stopping just below the knee (often closed with buttons or buckles, sometimes laced). Breeches were standard men's clothing* up to the late 1700's to the early 1800's, but were retained as formal wear (in Britain, I not sure about anywhere else) until quite recently

Sub types include Plus Fours (four extra inches in the leg) and Plus Twos (Two inches), these were very common during the Victorian and Edwardian Periods as sports clothing for pastimes like golf and shooting. Some people say that Jodhpurs are breeches with a long cuff.

Oh....... Thats probably way more information then you wanted.......Sorry about that

In the Sources, Breeches are probably short trousers (Pants) that start at the waist and go down from there as opposed to Hose (or Hosen) that start at the ankle (or even the toe) and go up.


*Also worn by women under the Riding Habit

[Tom_Ranger]

A Rauna Cloak. is my first recommendation. Literally you can wear that like a Tunic over your normal street clothes and it transforms you.

Footware can be important also but that is often the most expensive part. You can implement a solution as many have.

For your legs, Sweatpants are a great start

Shirt, stay away from the button down dress shirt because they really don't look right. Often a shirt with no collar but a few buttons down. Actually, here is a video that contains some great tips.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwxiuBkpdAw