Re-inventing The Backpack - Part 1: The Mess Kit

Part 1. The Mess Kit

The Mess Kit is probably the most important kit that I will carry with me no matter what. It is in essence what I will ALWAYS have with me. A stainless steel round container with a rubber seal that contains the most essential items for a woodland trip be that for a day or for a month. I use it for having dinner, boiling up to 700ml of water, and generally as a food container with the means to start a fire, warm up some food and of course eat it.

The items included in this Mess Kit are...

1. Stainless Steel container.

2. Esbit Stove (plus solid fuel tabs). Other stove types may be used. Small alcohol stoves for example, or small tripods for regular fire, but I always keep in mind I may not be able to light a fire all the time (wet wood, rain, snow....).A portable tripod (I am working on a sturdy and light-weight one at the moment could easily be included as the Esbit(or similar) stove has its limitations.

3. Fire Lighting gear. Matches, a storm lighter (promotional from cigarette brands, costs nothing*), Firesteel with the tip covered in masking tape to prevent accidental sparks.

4. Spoon and Fork, stainless steel. It can be either a titanium spork or whatever expensive or inexpensive spoon/fork combo one may like.

5. An Opinel knife. I prefer a stainless steel blade. They are quite cheap, size 9 or 10 go about 8-9euros in Greece.

6. Water purification tablets. I use 8 tabs (for 8lt of water). I cannot always know where I will find water or if I'll have the ease to boil it.

7. Earl Grey Tea, 4 satchets. Because even if I go out for half a day I will definately have a cup of tea in the woods.

 I used to use an aluminum mess kit that I kept packed with stupid and useless things. The square size is a pain when trying to tidy things up (like getting it inside the round pot I use...) plus the aluminum is thin, the rubber seal disintegrated soon after I had bought it (waterproofing went down the drain...) and the food tasted like aluminum. Other than that, it was super light-weight but difficult to use regularly.

 Introducing the stainless steel, Greek made, mess kit. Feels like a kitchen grade pot. Quite sturdy, you can scratch it, put acid or salt in it without etching it**. The rubber seal is of very high quality and it cost only 2euros more than the aluminum one.

 I tried to keep the items simple, durable and dependable.

I keep all the items in sealed plastic bags. This is because the used Esbit stove (which I regularly put to the test) reeks of something utterly foul. So I don't want the food container smelling and tasting bad, especially if I am not sure I'll find running water to clean it up. So I keep the container washed and clean, and everything else bagged. Also I pack some big ziplock bags in there to stop the rattling and make sure all the stained items are packed away safe after I eat.

Now, these are the items I use and what I think there should be in the mess kit. If anyone has a better idea or suggestion please, by all means say so. But keep in mind that other things that may seem more important here are covered in the next Kits...

Next up is The Medical Kit....

The Fishing Kit...

Now, fishing is something that is very special for lots of people and it is also very boring for the rest. Fishing with a line is an option only for those that have fished in the past or still do regularly. The fishing kit i have and use is something that evolved during the summer when everyone does a bit of fishing here.

I live in a city near the sea, shadowed by a mountain(lucky me...Thessaloniki rules!) and there are many lakes in Northern Greece and they all have fish...So the fishing kit i show here is a kit that can be carried with you very easily and be ready to use anytime you like to throw a line and enjoy the sunset.

These are two kits that contain everything you need. the one on the left is a smaller one stored in a Kinder egg that can be used a floater and because of its bright color(they come in reds or yellows) you can easily see if the fish are biting the bait.

I am going to show the one i carry with me when i go fishing, that is the largest of the two even if it is still small in size...
Important : In some countries you may need a fishing permit to fish. Ask around and find out what you need. If you fish often it is worth it as the fines at times are rather steep. Here in Greece fishing permit is required only if you use any kind of boat out in the open sea and it costs about 40$ to get one.. And remember, you don't have to carry one of these kits with you, unless you know how to fish and want to fish when you go outdoors. Those "survival fishing kits" business is just a load of bull. Either you fish, or you don't, so get the right stuff.

The contents, laid out. From left to right we have, sterile surgical blades, fishing line 25 meters, some bit of cork, small light sticks for fishing, salt/fresh water lure (for small to medium sized fish), hooks on a bit of eraser(very useful that..), hooks pressed on sticky tape, those twirly metal thingys(i don't know what they are called in English...) and assorted weights (clamp style). The Japanese have the best lures and hooks and generally everything about fishing that is Japanese is perfect! Those guys really know how to do it...
My advice, if you want to really use this kit often is having it ready before you set out. Which means tying the line to a hook, tying off one of those twirly metal things, and practicing some fishing knots beforehand.

The line is ready and that's a closeup of the all-purpose lure.(it works fine on both water types and the tail can be replaced with spares...
They all fit inside here and that's a handy fishing kit for any situation.

As you can see i fitted some knot tying instructions around so i don't forget how to set up my line. The knots are somewhat specialized because nylon line is used and not rope... You can find excellent knots for fishing HERE. 

A little story of how i started fishing and liking it...When i was in the army i was stationed at the beautiful Island of Samos. Because my home was 22hours by ship away on my weekends off i went fishing with a friend whose father was a fisherman on an adjacent island. We started fishing squid from the docks down at the other side of the harbor (the waters around the island are among the clearest and cleanest of Greece) and there i learned of a little fishing trick. Colored line, especially blue/green or gray/blue are the best for fishing. Avoid the classic cheapo transparent/clear line because it shines in the water and startles the fish. So we fished and learned and at times called my friend's father and asked for help....We started getting results when we switched to colored line and good quality Japanese lures for squid...What we fished we took to the camp's cook and we organized ourselves small feasts. The cook was allowed to eat but only if he brought the wine...;) 

So after 6 months on an island i came to know and value fishing as a means of passing time but also getting enough food to fill you belly...And remember. a fishing kit is useful if you live near or around lakes or seas. If you live in areas where lakes and oceans are scarce then a fishing kit is useless but you might practise some game snares while you're out.

A little Gift from the Forest...

Studying fungus may have it's advantages...Like this young Horse's Hoof  fungus that I harvested this weekend from the forest i visited... Here in Greece it is a well known fungus to older people and people who use the forest, like shepherds and hunters, and the Greek word is pronounced "Ishka"... It has to be processed of course...but a telltale sign is its shape, the colours (those grey lines are unique) and its texture(it feels like dry leather and it dries very well...Tinder at the ready....

Cheap Ideas...

Ceramic sharpening baton from IKEA 7$.Cheap and effective.

Basically, to sharpen anything, the sharpening material must be harder than the blade or metal object that needs sharpening.

Map? Anyone?

I won't babble about maps again... Just a few tips when you decide to get one...Some maps on the market are already waterproof. If you like you can print one on some waterproof canvas like i did. Basically my maps could very well be used as an alternative tarp as they are completely waterproof and strong enough to be almost indestructible unless you use a sharp knife. (come to think of it i could install some grommets in the corners...hm...)

Only drawback is they get a bit bulky when they fold. Otherwise with a bit of image editing you can end up with smaller bits of map, always with the right readings on them....Photo on the previous post....

Where Am I?

I don't consider myself a woodlore enthusiast...That is i am not a techno freak obsessed with expensive equipment or that "genuine outdoor feel" of other bits of gear. I do believe however on careful planning and usefull knowledge. Sokrates said that wise is not someone who knows much but someone who knows useful things In the woods i feel like someone that was sleeping for along time and woke up from his slumber...Though i live in a big city i am apalled by the noise and behaviour i see every day. That is the reason i take to the forest, to find the peace of mind that is written in our genetic code from time immemorial...But as i said being prepared is a good way to actually enjoy every trip out there. Which brings us to the matter at hand and that is using a darn map! Recently, at the mountain range i am usually hiking and camping, came a group of so called hikers from another city in Greece and they went on the paths without consulting anyone and without asking for inforamtion from the local mountaineering association. Mnd you they were supposed to be experienced hikers from another association in their city. Long story short, they got lost and they were rescued the other day at 5:00 am... There are many maps you can obtain either from a local Forest Ranger or the equivalent public source or search for something similar from map making companies or local climbing associations. Make sure you know how to use them, and study the course you want to take. If you feel like exploring, mark your location on the map where you leave the trail (either with your gps or with traditional ways) and the course you are taking off the beaten path. The most suitable maps are those that show forest roads and recorded paths up in the mountains. I never leave my home without one.

Why Nylon?

Although i appreciate natural fibres i tend to prefer nylon cordage for a variety of reasons. First you can melt the edges and be done with it, whereas natural fibres burn and then split if you don't make a whipping. (Note that climbing ropes or naval ropes may need whipping as melting the ends is no use when there are multiple strand cores..)Most important of all is something that in my country's army slang is called "boot lace glue". We used to take the nylon black boot laces and melt them with a lighter and use the melting nylon to glue things together. I've glued a ripped pocket that lasted for 3 months. With practise and care(you dont want to burn yourself...) you can repair your tent, use it to light a fire,(nylon burns good even when wet), and more.

Quick Tip #2 : Water Bottle

Here is a good tip for a water bottle on the trail. You can use any type of bottled water bottle (?) as a compact and of course watertight container. I used an empty 1,5litre water bottle. Here all bottles like that are designed to be compressed as to take up less space for recycling and in the garbage bin. So find a suitable bottle and try it out. You can expand it and compress it at least 200 times before it becomes difficult to use. Plus the cap screws on so well and tight that you can carry a full bottle in the pack without fear of breaking open. Unless of course it gets punctured by something sharp and pointy....

The uncompressed water bottle.

The compressed water bottle. (Sorry for my hairy hand...)

Note that the bottle will retain its compacted form indefinately...So, there! Water bottle that is built to carry water and without any weird nylon smell. You can have an unopened water bottle like that in your backpack as extra water and a handy container.

Quick Tip #1

Always know your equipment! Even though it would be useful to know exactly what you carry, you should always know a thing or two about the bits and pieces you stuff in your backpack. A good example is knowing the load bearings of any type of rope you carry, and if possible limit the variety of rope and cordage to just 2 or 3 types. There are good, strong nylon strings out there. The one i use comes in a spool 30mm in diameter by 70mm in height, is only 1mm thick(!), has a set load bearing limit of 50 kg(!!)(it says so on the wrapper plus i tested it), does not stretch,and  is a good 50meters long...There! Thats enough strong string to put a tarp up, hold your tent against wind, and even hang your 20kg backpack by a tree. All that for 4euros or 5.50$. Do you know how strong, or waterproof is your poncho or tarp? What kind of steel is your knife? The load bearing on your karabiners?