Simple Bushcraft Kit
Welcome back to another Gear Series, everyone! This month I’m bringing you all a very simple load out, that is filled with my necessities and not much else. It’s pretty much become my standard load out for time spent outdoors, whether I’m bushcrafting, hiking, camping or trekking. I even use this kit as my go-bag in my car.
Mountainsmith Day Lumbar Pack
The pack I chose to test this month and next month is the Day Lumbar Pack from Mountainsmith, in the HOPS color configuration. I purchased the optional Strapettes to go along with it as well. I personally see the Strapettes as a worthwhile purchase and a necessity in order for this pack to be as comfortable as possible.
I’ve always been a fan of military butt-packs but never could find a comfortable way to wear one. The Day Lumbar Pack manages to give you the military butt-pack experience and then some.
This pack boasts 13 liters of capacity with plenty of organization and seems to be really comfortable, again with the Strapettes attached. I have high hopes for it, but as always, time and testing will tell.
Fallkniven F1 Knife
I have wanted to give the Fallkniven F1 Knife a shot for quite some time now and I finally got my hands on one. It is the VG10 Version with the Zytel Sheath. I also secured one of the optional Leather Dangler Sheaths, which I’m really excited about.
I have yet to use this knife in the field (*). I have however done some simple whittling and bushcrafty projects with it (making toggles, tent steaks, etc) and it seems promising so far. Rest assured I will have it out for some intense testing within the next week and a full review will surely follow.
*My Process: All gear is first shown off here so you all know what I’m currently using/testing. It is then thoroughly field tested for at least 1 or 2 months. Updates about my gear can be found on Facebook and Instagram. Then a full written review is posted here on the site.
FallKniven F1 Review To Come
If you are wanting to hear some of my first impressions here’s what I’m currently thinking of the Fallkniven F1:
- The Fallkniven F1 knife is an incredibly handy size. I feel like it is thick enough to withstand a lot of hard use, but compact enough to remain usable for a variety of bushcraft, survival, and EDC (everyday carry) tasks.
- The Zytel Sheath is what I see most people complain about with the F1. But you have to keep in mind that this sheath (and knife) were built to withstand harsh, cold weather by the Swedish Airforce. And for that intended purpose, the sheath makes total sense. The knife has enough wiggle room to not get frozen and stuck in the sheath when it contracts in cold climates. I personally plan to find a way to rig my Zytel sheath onto the shoulder strap of my Mountainsmith pack.
- The leather dangler sheath is incredibly nice and a steal at $25(ish). It’s very thick, looks stunning, has excellent retention and it drops the knife to the perfect level on your side. I see it as a must-have if you carry a pack with a hip belt. And if you are one of the people who are unhappy with the zytel sheath, this is the one I’d recommend picking up.
- I’m admittedly a smell-test kinda guy (lol) and this has to be the best smelling leather I’ve received yet, #noshame.
I’ll share more about this knife in the coming weeks on my Instagram. So be sure to follow me there for updates!
YNOT Wildland Packing Pouches
I have been wanting some great pouches for quite some time now. So I snagged a couple of the YNOT Packing Pouches and they fit the bill perfectly for me! These pouches are extremely lightweight, are made of a durable 400D ripstop nylon and hold a ton of stuff (7 liters and 3 liters). They also lay relatively flat, even when crammed full. Which is super nice since I want to get the most use of my pack space.
If you aren’t familiar with YNOT, check them out. They are based in Toronto, Canada and judging from these pouches, they seem to make incredible gear.
Stanley Adventure Cook Set
As always, I will be carrying my trusty Stanley Adventure Cook Set with me. I just reviewed this cook set and I couldn’t recommend it more. Here are some other misc items that are included in my bag for cooking….
Everything you’re seeing above (minus the grill) fits very nicely into the side water bottle pockets of my Mountainsmith Day Lumbar Pack.
Paria Sanctuary SilTarp
I just added an 8 x 10 foot Paria Sanctuary SilTarp to my loadout. Like YNOT, Paria is another small business. But Paria is based out of Colorado, here in the USA.
The Paria Sanctuary Tarp folds up relatively small and could probably condense down even further if I got a compression sack for it. It is going to be the perfect companion to my hammock. And it weighs very little (15.5 oz.), or 20.5 oz. with the provided tent stakes/guy lines.
There is, of course, a lot of other misc gear in my bag such as a new Silky saw, food, gloves, a med kit, etc. But I wanted to highlight a few of the main items that I’m really excited about in this article!
If you want to see more, stay with me on Facebook and Instagram. I post several times a week and will always keep you all up to date on gear tests/updates there!
Read Next: Updated 2018 Minimalist Haversack Kit • Fallkniven F1 Review
