My hard kit for long treks (update)

[Wild Vins]

Hello my Lords,

This is the carrying system I will use for treks of 2 days or more (or if the weather is bad).









Carrying a lot of gear (and therefore a lot of weight) in a snapsack that pushes over one shoulder quickly became a comfort issue for me.

And, wanting to sleep in a fully enclosed tent (because of ticks) and warm in a real sleeping bag when the temperatures are cold, it became obvious that I needed to find another means of carrying all this equipment.

So I first thought about making myself a fabric backpack but that reminded me too much of Hobbits, so I finally chose the idea of ​​a backpack with a wooden frame, which, I think, could be a quick and easy way for a Ranger to carry lots of gear if necessary.

Indeed, a frame like this can be made very quickly and with minimal supplies using just 4 wooden sticks and a bit of rope.

With this system, I can easily carry 26 lbs of equipment, the weight of which will be perfectly distributed across my two shoulders.

The 2 straps are adjustable with a very simple system allowing (in my case) 4 different lengths (think about the thickness of your coat!).

The arrows in the quiver remain easily accessible if necessary.

When it rains, I use the beeswax fabric from the bedroll that I use with my lightweight setup to protect the pack.
The quiver already has its own cover.

So, here is the composition of the pack :
-I start by folding the tent.
-Then I put a bag containing clothes inside the tent, which I then roll up.
-On the wooden frame, I attach my tent (containing clothes) and my sleeping bag.
-I attach my quiver on the right side using a rope.
-Then I add my snapsack on top.
-Then my wooden plate and a small leather pouch containing my travel cards and my phone.
-And I finished the pack by adding my water flask on the opposite side of the quiver to balance the weight.

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"Et voilà ! ", I'm now ready to run longer distances without wanting to give up because of having 26 lbs of weight on one shoulder.


Ps : I'm sorry about the (ugly) modern sleeping bag that I'm going to make a linen cover for soon to make it look a little nicer.
The military tent is also not at all historic but once it's secured to the ground with hemp ropes and wooden stakes it doesn't bother me too much.





See you soon Rangers

Wild Vins, Lonely Ranger from Middle-France

[Elleth]

That looks very well thought out! Nicely done! Using the belt pouch as a back pocket is just clever.

You made the frame yourself, you say? Was there a particular historical model or reference you used, or did you just go with what looked right?

Looks like it was a wonderful time out!

(And I understand your concern about ticks, it's been horrific here the last few years,)

[Tom_Ranger]

It may seem strange to you and many others, but I take a minimalist approach. My coat is long and big with a large hood so I can use it as a tent. I just find a nice tre to lean back against. When hiking long dsitances, I can fold up my coat with a rope around the waste so my legs can move.

I wear a large cloth sash which can double as head cover if it's unusually cold in addition to a Ruana cloak. All other items I carry on my belts or a small pack, but that's really only for food and maybe a change of some of my clothes (socks and such).

It's light weight, and allows Rangers to move fast in the wild.

[Wild Vins]

That looks very well thought out! Nicely done! Using the belt pouch as a back pocket is just clever.

You made the frame yourself, you say? Was there a particular historical model or reference you used, or did you just go with what looked right?

Looks like it was a wonderful time out!

(And I understand your concern about ticks, it's been horrific here the last few years,)

Yes, I used this belt pocket at the last moment because I lacked space for my maps and it worked well.

Concerning the frame, I had the choice between 3 models (A frame, square frame and square frame with a rounded stick at the top).

I made my choice more for the practical side than the historical one.

I thought that an A frame could support a little less material on the upper part, because of its shape and attaching my quiver to one edge would have been complicated.

I don't really like the aesthetic of the square frame with a rounded stick at the top, so I chose a square frame.

Manufacturing is quick and simple and I am surprised at the robustness of the frame. 12-14 kg without problem!

Yes it was a wonderful moment, it was my first ranger camp with a superb full moon and the sound of the river below, very nice!

[Wild Vins]

It may seem strange to you and many others, but I take a minimalist approach. My coat is long and big with a large hood so I can use it as a tent. I just find a nice tre to lean back against. When hiking long dsitances, I can fold up my coat with a rope around the waste so my legs can move.

I wear a large cloth sash which can double as head cover if it's unusually cold in addition to a Ruana cloak. All other items I carry on my belts or a small pack, but that's really only for food and maybe a change of some of my clothes (socks and such).

It's light weight, and allows Rangers to move fast in the wild.

Nothing strange for me in your minimalist approach, on the contrary!
Your solution is much better, it's much more practical than mine. You wear almost nothing to be able to move quickly and freely but unfortunately this is not suitable for everyone

I am aware of moving away from the appearance of a Ranger by carrying such a big bag, but to sleep outside I am a little demanding, I absolutely need a tent (CLOSED!) and a sleeping bag half of the year, which forces me to carry so much equipment unfortunately.

However, if I'm only going out for the day, without sleeping there, I only take a bedroll and a small snapsack.

And you'r right, one object with 2 fonctions is the key!

[Wild Vins]

UPDATE :

I sewed a new haversack (in green linen) which I can also detach to carry it with me without all the pack.

In this haversack I put everything that is dry food as well as any finds made along the way.

I also made a small cushion with foam and a linen cover because the wooden frame of the packframe was leaving red marks on my lower back, rubbing against my spine.
This cushion solved the problem very well!

And I also sewed new covers for my arrows and my bow in a waterproof fabric used to make large garden parasols and tarps.

Although the fabric looks a bit modern, it's not disruptive for small accessories and it worked very well to keep my gear dry in the rain.

I was able to test the set yesterday during a 13 km walk with the weather constantly changing from sunshine to storms of rain and fine hail.

During the sunny moments, I carried my cloak on my right shoulder (and on the backpack) and when the showers started I placed it directly above the pack (and the quiver), which protected me and all my equipment very well.















Wild Vins, Lonely Ranger from Middle-France