Your Gear in Action. Field Pics and Reviews Only.

[Woods Walker]

This thread is dedicated to showing your gear in action.

You may include pictures of everything from a single gear item to your whole system, links, field experience and reviews or anything else you want but all submissions must accompany pics of the gear in actual use. Please refrain from discussions or comments on previous posts. If you would like your gear critiqued please feel free to start a new thread.

If you would like to comment on someone else's gear please start a new thread or send the poster a private message. Please keep discussion out of this thread. The moderator can remove your post from this thread if the guidelines above are not followed.

[Woods Walker]

Here is my Kifaru 4-man tipi weathering a winter storm during a trip on the Appalachian Trail. This was setup as a base camp for dayhikes in the area. Like all shelters it’s best to setup before the weather moves in. During a storm sometimes it’s necessary to police a shelter as all are subjected to stress in any environment.



Dug out the next day.



Any shelter should never be purchased then forgotten about. Yea don’t want to discover it’s full of fail when needed most.

[mk_ultra]

Here is a couple I have in my PB account . These are from a week long BWCA canoe trip last year

Kifaru Zulu.



Bombproof . I have mine set up with a County Comm EOD bag on the front set up as a E&E/possibles bag . I also have a USGI FAK and a TT utility pouch that I use to hols a Nalgene and sundries . The cordura fabric and good construction have held up very well to the wet conditions of the BWCA twice and has done a surprisingly great job of keeping my kit dry whil being thrown into and out of canoes all day . Easily the most comfortable pack I have ever owned .

Bark River Bravo 1




For a pure bushcraft knife this is hard to beat . Well made and tough as nails . The convex ground blade is a delight to use and I think the size and weight are just about perfect for a camp knife . My only complaints are the scales are too slick for my tastes and the factory kydex sheath sucks balls . I replaced it with a leather one .

Also pictured are the Firefly LED lantern cap on a Nalgene which is a great piece of kit and rocks to illuminate the inside of your tent . Also , the MSR Dromedary which is an absolute esscential piece of gear on long trips .

[Glitch20]

heres a couple pictures of my current set up.
Camp set up my UM21 SPEAR bag and my tent to the left and to the right Karnedge standing in the way

cook set in action, red beans and rice with spam and mac & cheese yum.

the 1.1L MSR Stowaway pot is awesome and practicely bomb proof.
more information in my BOB topic here:http://zombiehunters.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=56344&p=1183945#p1183945

[Chef]

I also have some field cooking shots. On a recent outing, I built a small fire and brewed up some Earl Grey and cooked some basmati rice (with sea salt, ghee, and bay leaf).



I used my USGI canteen cup to make the tea in. It also made a tidy resting spot for my Snowpeak titanium spork. I cooked the rice in a GSI Glacier cup; the lid is recycled from a food can but fits almost perfectly.



Lunch is served!

[ninja-elbow]

My truck - gets me where I want to go and not too thirsty gas-wise:


REI Half Dome, been using it for 5 years now. Great little 3 season tent:

Pack and some "summer" gear to the left. This tent has survived giant hail and thunderstorms, snow, easy summer nights and an outdoor wedding were it was ripped into by a dog looking for some Chinese food I left in it. REI fixed it for $20. It packs down pretty small but is a bit heavy at 6 & some odd pounds. I goes up really easy and I like the clips to poles way better than sleeves feature. I can use the poles with just the rainfly too if I want to go with just that.

[ninja-elbow]

My main water making tools:

Steripen, GSI SSteel cup and Nalgene (with pre filter on top)

Collect from spring




I trust the Steripen though I was skeptical at first. It was an Xmas gift a few years ago. Took me awhile to remember the somewhat intricate process (intricate if you are out in the woods) but once I got it down I was in. It does drain the batteries though. The main pro is that I have sterilized water in 2 minutes.

I carry Potable Aqua chlorine dioxide tabs as back up and there's always boiling.

[ninja-elbow]

My boots:

in the water, along the Columbia River, while hiking Warrior Point.

Damn good boots - Vasque Clarion. Have had them for 6 years now I think? Another REI purchase. My only regret is I got these right before rubber over the toe became standard. I wash them with warm water and apply Obenhouf's to them pretty regularly. Fit just fine with both summer and winter socks. They've never leaked or failed me yet.

1/03/10 ETA: I'd like to rescind any recommendations on this boot. Doing some research I found that many people have complained about the quality of Vasque products (with evidence) since it was bought out by Redwing 2005-2006, or somewhere thereabouts. I bought mine right before this in 2003-2004. Apparently, Vasque Clarion boots, the mainstay product of the company, produced after the buy-out by Redwing have been wearing out in rough use: soles are not durable, soles splitting exposing the bottom of the foot, Gore-Tex not being very much like Gore-Tex (either letting water right in or not breathing at all), uppers creasing and causing pinch points and the leather and stitching failing.

None of these things has happened to my pre 2005-2006 boots but I've seen too many post 2006 reviews of these boots typically doing what $170 boots should not be doing.

[wyominglostandfound]

my 5 man in a snowstorm with the stove going.






www.wyominglostandfound.com

[madwolf]

I dont' have an "in action" pic, but...



Here's a pic from COZS Wintergeddon '09 where we built a pine and snow shelter in the woods in sub-zero temps at 10,600ft of altitude. All of the pine boughs for the shelter were harvested with my Tramontina machete. The sub-zero temps provided some nasty nicks in the blade from frozen sap-wood, but, she performed admirably.

ETA: I love my Tromontina. And, I'm totaly jealous of the "tepee and wood stove" crowd. Some day...

[zippoxiii]

This is how I cooked my meals last winter for an 8 day camp out. Granted this stuff isn't a brand name ultra light field cook set, but it worked, flawlessly I might add, and that is what is important. Some will probably find this odd, but the cook plate was actually a piece of 1/4" thick aluminum skid plate for a dirt bike that I hammered flat. It would bake a potato in no time. I'm quite sure it would have worked well as a grill for meats and such also, though I never did try. Perhaps another time.

[Apollo-11]

Kelly Kettle (this is the Large size, suitable for 2.5 pints):

Pros: Relatively light. No fuel necessary as long as you have dry tinder and small sticks available. Extremely efficient design utilizes almost all the heat from the fire.
Cons: Very bulky. Must be careful not to tip it or run it dry. Expensive. Aluminum construction, which means that you must clean it carefully after use to prevent corrosion of the fire pan. You can only heat water in it, not soup or coffee... because there is no way to clean the inside. At all.
Notes: they are now available in stainless steel, which is heavier but more durable.
They now come with the option of a pan holder above the chimney, and you can buy a pan to fit it also.

Canteen cup and stove ring, used with Hexamine or Trioxane or Esbit fuel tabs:

Pros:
Extremely light and space efficient, if you are already using USGI canteen and cover.
Cons: not too fuel efficient, must carry specialized fuel. Have not tried it with "found" fuel such as dry wood.

Eureka Timberline 4 tent:


Pros: Very good in bad weather. Can buy replacement parts such as fly and poles. Tents can be linked together with optional annex accessories. Relatively inexpensive. Design has not changed much in 20 years. Good color.
Cons: Heavy and bulky compared to some. A-frame style limits headroom compared to a dome.
I also have the Timberline 2. Used it for many years and decided to get the 4-man version for car camping and emergency use. Good for vehicle bugout. Not so good for bugout on foot.

[Blackdog]

McHale backpack, the best, most comfortable and versatile load hauler I have ever humped. Patagonia PCU jacket, an all purpose military soft shell, could use another pocket but fine all the same.





Integral Designs Salathe bivy. Used here mostly for a little additional warmth. January nights get a wee bit nippy. Nice, dry and versatile. Also useful for keeping my lard arse from sliding off the sleeping pad.



kahtoola Microspikes. I have really gotten to love these little packable pieces of foot magic. If you are out in the winter get a pair.



My favorite beat up Tilly hat, keeps the sun from cooking my already damaged brain and the rain from messing up my cool hairdo. My only piece of Kifaru crack is hanging on this rig, a GPS pouch.

[congochris]

A $15 wal-mart nylon hammock with one of my 5 for $25 poncho's from sportsman's guide over it. My ten or so year old Kelty Morainne stashed underneath. Didn't sleep in it, just took a nap before eating some lunch and then getting bored and heading home. Pic Taken on Barr Trail.

[Mags]

Integral Designs Exp Unishelter, TNF Golith Bag, widemouth 32oz Nalgene, Thermal 20oz mug, Esbit Stove, rolled foil windbreak, British mess kit tin, Renyolds HD foil bag as lid, and a Ti spoon & fork with P38 opener.

[Mags]

MSR Blacklight Gourmet cookset w/ pot lifter, Optimus Nova Multifuel stove w/ windscreen, Krylon camo'ed Optimus fuel bottle 20oz, MSR folding spatula, MSR SS Alpine plate, Leatherman Wave, cartain of egg whites, bacon, hash browns, & white cheddar cheese.

[teotwaki]

from a recent winter snowshoeing trip

Outdoor Research sage green Gortex hat and mil-issue PCU Level 5 softshell (Patagonia) with Zombie-Hunter patch on right sleeve


You can just see the orange SPOT unit on my pack.....

My tracks and no one elses' tracks!!

[Dubbya]

Fresh back from our winter camping trip I present a couple of reivews on new and not so new gear.

First up will be my most recent aquisition. T.A.D. Gear F.A.S.T. Pack PS v2. This pack is to replace my Blackhawk! OPSEC pack. The over all quality of the T.A.D. pack is far superior to Blackhawk or most other packs I have seen. This much was expected due to the high price tag. MOLLE webbing and PALS webbing are in no short supply which gives me the option to move gear normally stored in the bag to the outside. The pack has 2 internal zipper pockets one above the other. The top pocket is gussetted which allowed storeage of things like energy bars to my Panasonic DLSR. The bottom pocket swallowed up my Goretex parka and pants. Though there is a hydration compatable pocket, there is not much in the way of securing it from movement. The pocket is far too deep for a 100oz bag which leaves it hanging. Not a huge problem, but a small annoyance. Empty weight of the bag seems a little heavy, however once loaded up and worn the pack rides very close to the back with the weight of the pack placed on the hips. Fully contoured shoulder straps keep them where the should be. All in all there are no regrets with this bag.









Next up is the tent. Marmot Halo 6P. This is our comfort camping tent. Far too heavy to pack anywhere. The tent boasts tons of room. Pictured inside are 2 Slumberjack XL cots with enough room to change clothes or move about in the middle. I am 6'5 and can stand up with room in the middle if the gear loft doesnt have anything in it. The tent has 2 vestubles which would allow easy storage of 4-6 backpacks. I recorded temps down to 32 F while camping. The tent had very little condensation but at the price of being a bit chilly. The last day it sleeted/rained faiirly hard and not a drop in th tent.

[Canadian Guy]

Here is some of my gear in action;
Kifaru 6 man Tipi and a MEC tarp in the background in Algonquin Park when I hiked into the interior, I have a Kifaru large stove for it but thats only for winter! ;


Next is Eureka's 6 man Outfitter tent again in Algonquin on a backcountry canoe trip, heavy duty tent that sleeps 4 comfortably, not a lightweight tent but bombproof;


Optimus 111T I got off ebay brand new. It is a multifuel stove that is rugged but not lightweight, great for "basecamp";


Here is myself in a Nanok SF -25 sleeping bag in an arctic tent on an operation up in Canada's north. Great synthetic military bag that has a removable boot bucket in it and a 0 degree bag that accompanies it that fits over it for more warmth;


Last is my Dropzone "Mutha Rucka" bergen style rucksack which has a white cam cover on it but the photo below shows it. Holds at least 120L and has a much better suspension/harness then the British issue bergen, great pack;

[the_klenzer]

The many uses of a Cold Steel Bushman:


Carve a bow:


SLice out a wicked arrowhead out of metal:


Carve a wickeder set of feathers out of a beer can for your arrows:


The Bushman CAN NOT be used as a bandage when your metal feathers slice your thumb open when shooting your arrows.


It can be used as a spear by some chick you got drunk and convinced her to paint herself with mud:


If you had any skill with that spear, you might end up eating this for dinner... but if you were me, you'd just buy it from the butcher before going camping:


Finally, the next morning, the Bushman can be used to carve up a tin box to turn into a hobo stove so you can make some coffee to fight off the damn hangover from all the beer the day before:

[Kip]

Buck 110 on the way up a small mountain.



And a view from the top of said mountain.

[CLEAR CUT]

People, please refrain from general commentary within this thread. This thread is for posting pictures of personally owned gear in action. Any posts not containing pictures of personal gear or posts asking questions or are of a general comment nature will be deleted.

If you have any questions regarding a post within this thread PM the poster in question and ask via PM or feel free to generate a new thread in the appropriate area.

Thanks

[northernxposure]

Hennessy Hammock, red CandleLantern, Fiskars hatchet and trowel, LoneWolf Hand Climber.

NXP

[Nilsson]

Coocking noodles