Old Marine here, served as a 0331 M-60 Machinegunner in the early 1980s. Back in the day we were taught bushcraft in each climate we trained in, wether that be the jungles of the Philippines, the Mountains of the Sierra Nevadas in both winter and summer, or the deserts of 29 Palms, California. We always assumed we would be undersupplied and over stretched since we were facing and training for a global thermal nuclear war with Soviets. When our equipment failed, we fixed it the field, when are uniforms ripped, we stitched them back in place, when our cloths were dirty, we washed them in the field, when we needed a home, we dug it with an entrenching tool. We were self-sufficient. Something that has been lost in the modern armed forces. Now retired as a DEA Agent I live in Mexico, and hike the jungles, coastlines and mountains of Mexico, when I’m not doing CrossFit. I’m 62 years old.
Sir, thank you for your service 🙏 I am keen to go to Mexico and fish Cabo, I'd like to camp out, I'm used to wild camping. Asides from snakes, how safe? 2 leg predators?
Former Wilderness SAR, I found out real quick that all of the light weight plastic gear doesn't hold up once you start bush wacking so I started learning about Bush craft clothing (wool, oil cloth/waxed canvas). Now that I have both I mix it up depending on what I think I'll use.
Ultra light gear is great, but it does have its limitations. Bush craft has no limitations. The more you have (know) the better you are prepared. Not true with gear.
I use to be of the lightweight mind until I really got out spending more than just the weekend romp out in the woods. I now take more of the bushcraft mentality and carry less of the same thing but it lasts so much longer, instead of multiple lightweight pots and pans I carry 1 cast iron skillet, instead of diff types of layers of clothing Im only taking 1 pair pants and 1 shirt and a wool jacket and undergarments and 2 pairs of wool socks 1 for the day and 1 to sleep in just depends on summer or winter temps.
I was just thinking about how this outdoors stuff is like a martial art. You can cherry pick things from each art. Bushcraft, survival, stealth camping, backpacking, and combine them to ultimately achieve whatever you want out there in nature while staying alive and comfortable.
I've become a huge fan of the Grayl filter. It doesn't require chemicals, there's virtually no waiting time (8-15 seconds), and it also allows you to carry a small quantity of water with you between stops. If you pre-screen with a kerchief of other cloth as you fill from a raw source it will extend the life of the filter cartridge. One extra pair of good wool socks is sufficient; you can wear one pair while you wash the other and allow them to air dry (rain excluded of course) by hanging them off your pack as you ruck.
Have you tried Seychelle filter bottles? They have a "rad" filter that filters out radiation. DoD contracts. Makes me feel sorry for all the other filter companies.
@@corporaterobotslave400 I took a look. I assume it filters out the heavy metals that would be radioactive. But then the particles would be trapped in the filter, and if you weren't aware you'd be carrying around a potential radiation source, albeit probably low energy particles.
Good points. I'm a light infantry combat vet but have been a backpacker from a young age. You touched on the biggest determining factor a backpacker can go resupply. If they need to wash their socks, they have time. They can pick their our gear their not stuck to a timeline. In the military, you are mission oriented, not enjoying the outdoors. It's like working on your car are you in the garage with all your tools or the ability to go get what you need or on top of a mountain with what's in your pocket and its getting dark and you have to work tomorrow. A little bit of a different mentality. But you need both thought patterns to make it through what is coming.
Thats something I hope one day to get on is the AT, Im slowly working my way to afford the time off but I would love to hike the whole thing one day or at least just a part of it at a time.
@@TheLawrence1999 that’s awesome. I hope it works out for you. I am 69 and wish I could do the AT also. I am healthy and fit enough to do it. (I run every day etc). It’s other logistics that prevent me from a four month commitment. Fun to watch the videos! Hope it works out for you! 👍
Great points! I'm an old grunt (Rakassan) and a backpacker. We can definitely learn from each other. I've found the grunt attitude is one of the greatest assets I bring on backpacking trips. And, it weighs nothing!
Was you a Rakkasan before the merger or after. I understand everyone was consolided. I heard they are called "Iron Rakkasan" I was there when they called them Battling Bastards Bravo company
11 B from 1983-1988. I always tried to go with as little as possible. I learned this from an SF squad leader who had extensive combat experience in Central America. Worked well for my tour in the DMZ in South Korea
Smart wool socks were my favorite back in the day. Worked on the flightline in South Dakota and for hiking and skiing. Wool/poly blend socks can't be beat. They'd be good for a year or so before they finally crushed down so much that they wouldn't keep you as warm. You could wear them in warmer weather at that point. Never threw away a pair because they fell apart.
Backpacked chunks of the Pacific Crest Trail in WA as a teenager. Joined the Canadian Light Infantry after I was one of the first half million REI Seattle Coop members so I had a handle in lighter weight backpacking kit! It sure came in handy in my tenure at 1st Bn PPCLI Calgary. Retired now at 66 but still hiking with my grand daughters and teaching them bushcraft in the natural classroom. I’m blessed! Peace Be The Journey!
Years ago before I got hurt I found that going on workout type hikes to build stamina . If you go with other people in about the same shape and stride so everyone can stay together. If you turn it into a social event where everyone is talking while they are hiking it makes the miles go by faster and everyone is breathing correctly also.
Brother, You NAILED this one. I never hike without a filter/purifier. However, (long ago) when I was humping a ruck I didn't even know they existed. Something as small and light weight as the Sawyer Squeeze is a real game changer when it comes to water.
As a veteran an now avid backpacker, I’m loving this series. I’ve noticed many of the same things you mention, on both sides of the spectrum. As you mentioned, the redundancy was one of the hardest things I had to overcome with transitioning to UL backpacking. And yeah, don’t get me started on water, lol! Even though a water filter was one of my first purchases for backpacking, I still always felt like I didn’t have enough water with me. Now part of that was growing up in West Texas where water isn’t nearly as available as it is on the Appalachian Trail.
I grew up in the Boy Scouts and we were always taught carry either chlorine tabs or some kind of water filter, we never really boiled water just because of those but Ive gotten more and more into the bushcraft mentality and Im more boiling water than ever now but its def something Im glad I grew up learning so if I am out and about and run out I can always purify and have something to drink.
@@TheLawrence1999 I agree. A good stainless steel or titanium canteen/cookset can go a long way with minimal space and weight. I still carry tabs if a fire might not be reasonable at that moment or need to stay on the move.
Old timer Grunt here. 25 years of doing infantry stuff and now a hiking enthusiest since retirement. I love the fact I could shed 50 lbs of gear and enjoy my time in nature instead of fighting with it. It boils down to, Grunts don't hike along trails and Hikers never go off trail. Mountaineers and adventures are off trail most of the time but as a hiker enjoying a mostly groomed trail, having a base weight of 16 lbs for a 57 year old Marine is a blessing.
Great points. Got into backpacking as a soldier (and even more into it as a veteran), largely because I recognized weak points in my capabilities. Everyone you cross paths with has something to teach you, if you are receptive to the lesson and present in the moment.
I do remember reading an ultralighter thread on water purification tablets. The poster was actually weighing them to find the lightest brand. Some take it way overboard.
Cold war veteran here (British) seeing as we were just sitting in Europe waiting to be overrun by the soviets we had to make sure we could operate and had to have the fieldcraft skill set to make sure you can operate when needed. Fieldcraft was not just about war fighting but, as you have said, keeping yourself going and your kit in working order, repairing of uniform if it ripped. We was always told that the line of logistics can and will be broken so we have to find and treat our own water. Many times I had combined a recce patrol with water replen by filling a day sack up with empty bottles and if we came across a water source we re fill on the way back. Each bottle had two puri tabs taped to it so in theory the bottle was 3 ltrs not just 1. You drank it re-filled it and treated it. One thing I found is that map reading has just been used to show your route where it was also used to identify possible resources like water, food etc. But I'm old now and just plod along but plod along with a sense of smugness because I'm benefiting from doing it hard back in the day.
Well said Randal. You definitely hit the nail on the head especially about fieldcraft. Seems like it is reserved for SOF LRP these days but everyone needs it. Bunkers would be very cool to see. Nate
I was looking for this comment. They (or could just be my unit) don't teach any field craft or survival. Not in basic and not on the line. So I went straight to the backpacker and bushcraft youtubers for my questions, forget the grunts. (Not trying to start a fight, just venting) I've learned more from RU-vid than I have from the army, it's frustrating.
Good points. I follow a little bit of everything (grunt, bushcraft, day hikers, thru hikers, survivalists, preppers, sportsmen). Everyone has different perspectives and goals, different gear, and different mindsets. It's nice to see what all is out there to do what I want to do and in the way I want to do it.
I was an avid backpacker in Scouts prior to going into the Army. I often found myself humping on a patrol and actually enjoying myself when all of the other guys were merely sucking. I think mental attitude was a big part of that. I had experiences climbing a ridgeline and it was fun before I had experiences in the Army climbing a ridgeline. I also noticed I was generally dryer and warmer than most of my buddies because of tricks I had learned backpacking. I tried to pass those on to my squad mates and later on to my squad.
That hill ain't gonna ruck itself! Great hat to be rucking the hills of das Vaterland with. Great discussion also. I would like to see a video on the bunkers. Been to Germany twice(central) and miss it.
You are bang on! As a former grunt, 11c 7ID light, and an avid backpacker, we can learn from each craft to maximize our efficacy in the field. Empower those around you, build strong capable brothers and sisters.
I was a scout, ROTC, Army, USMC, ecology student, river guide, mountain guide, dad, backpacker, marathon runner, schooner captain, now OG guy who passes young guys lol. Enjoy life, train hard fight easy. Oooorah MF’s
When you brought up feeling good with a 35 lbs patrol pack until mission essential equipment is added..1990 in 3Bde 101 preranger class when we emptied our pockets to turn in ammo and pyro I had 7-8 belts of 7.62 blank with me! 50-60 lbs of blanks! Ball even heavier. The guys suddenly realized how the young LT was having trouble keeping upright when we went to the knee.
Bushwhacker here I live next to a desert and hike it all the time but not much people are lucky enough to have green vegetation that is also very important to make sure how to survive in every land areas whether it's snowy,muddy,flooded, scorching desert and even pine forest it's also very important of what wildlife also inhabits those areas because that can be useful and can save your life.Ive learned the hard way from mountain lions to coyotes, rattlesnakes, venomous animals and all that good stuff
I was a Para at Ft Bragg in the early 80s. We spent a great deal of our training time on survival. This also included the olde JOTC in Panama. Our SERE was run by the 5th SFG and was hell. Olde school Grunts had to make it happen with no external support. Our packs, which we jumped, were very overloaded. Especially as I was on the M60 MG team. We were Hardcore. We did all weather training in every season with minimalist kit. We suffered but Grunted through it all.
Hey Randall, I love this channel , no Bulls*t ...lots of wicked Awesome tips grateful for all the Gear you test, so lots of us in the Audience don't waste money on low quality products! I've learned alot watching your channel grow. So thank you for all you do ! Dont change a thing ...one of the only Real good shows on loop tube !!! Maybe incorporate some more good infantry stories into the context once in a while , well I know you do , just enjoy how you don't edit out any truth or normal stuff ...that some people do. Also the PBR is much welcomed sponsor of your show 🤣😎👊🤙Have a great weekend Brotha! CHEERS from Beantown
Water is heavy. Love that he is talking about it. If I'm hiking and camping in the temperate forests I almost never cary more than a litre of water. My little portable filter works great for streams. And it saves me several pounds of weight allowing me to cary beer and wine!
In my 50s, not a vet and love hiking and canoeing. I only take an extra pair of socks if I plan on being out overnight. I think the era of have extra boots, etc comes from our Vietnam experience. Trenchfoot was a real thing. As a former diver, I was trained in redundancy. I used to carry multiple knives, lights, hatchet and rope. This year I got serious about reducing my pack weight. Replaced the axe with a saw. Replaced the rope with paracord. Got rid of a knife and Increased my carry food/water to last 2 days. In my region most of the local water is contaminated with chemicals so I'll go with bottled. I shaved a few pounds off the pack. Then I added more ammo. You can never have enough ammo. I believe that conditioning is paramount. I'd rather train harder than sacrifice a few pounds of kit. While my kit weighs about the same, I believe its more efficient. For me its that balance of efficiency. Training with your kit is paramount. You'll quickly figure out what works and what doesn't.
GWOT Marine here 0311. No we were not trained in fieldcraft and survival skills. That was definitely one of many things that surprised me while I was still in.
Topo guy here made maps for the guys busting caps. You have help me get out of my slump after getting out and going from my father figure to a dad bod and working my way back to my father figure . Thank you for all you do Essayons
I was never military (not from a lack of trying, just too much of a trouble maker) but was raised by a straight Tennessee ridgerunner. I love the outdoors and spend 2/3 of my waking hours in it. I watch backpacker and military videos for new tips and tricks. I love my life outdoors and can always learn even at my 58 year milemarker. Just earned yourself a new sub. Thank you for your service. PS; nice tip on the rucking pace, I'll put that into service.
Your points are spot on. Great video. Backpacking community is just happy to be there. Very few politics, everyone is trail dirty, and we get excited over the little things like snacks and trail critters. Water and fire are very good points. Always need to be able to find and filter/purify water. Fires are not always a necessity. I really enjoy the light weight (not UL) backpacking community. Most of my veteran friends fit into this group quite nicely. We are generally a nice blend of skills and gear without being on one extreme or the other.
In my day we didn't call it a ruck, it was a force march. The average pack was 90 lbs. Before and after my army time I climb/ed mountains. My average pack out now is 70 lbs. I'm 65 and disabled. I carry one change of socks and underwear and seasonally appropriate clothing. I have a butane stove but rarely use it. I think a combination of my army fieldcraft, hiking experience and bushcraft serves me best. Where I am it can snow in August or be 80 degrees. It's best to prepare for anything and I do. Ultralight is for ultra easy areas. Off trail is more my style. We call it bushwhacking and it's also good training for the other kind of bushwhack. Stay frosty.
My bug out bag was the Mystery Ranch 3DAP - Now it's the Kelty Redwing 44. I've made a lot of changes after coming back from Ukraine. Being invisible is one of the best things... Also, buy a can or two of surströmming ( baltic rotten herring ) and when SHTF, take a blanket, rub it all over it and use the blanket around you... nobody will approach you in a crowed... you are the sticky homeless for them.
Outstanding! One of your best, in my humble opinion. You didn't try to hide your suckin' wind on the upgrade- keepin' it real! Excellent. We ARE all in this together: Damn straight. Thank you! God Bless!
Nice video, thanks for taking the time to share your ideas on this subject. My two cents. 1. Long distance hikers and socks. Most of them have 2 or 3 pair. Generally the 3rd pair is for sleeping. They normally have a daily cycle of wash one pair and wear the other. Sometimes short water supply prevents a daily cycle. 2. Old school backpackers modified everything. Not so much the case anymore. I think this comes from all the throw-away products newer generations grow up with. Not many people fix or modify anything anymore. Def some exceptions, but no longer the rule. To most modern hikers, modifying your pack means buying add on accessories, not actually modifying the pack. To be fair, some of the hi-tech materials need special knowledge or equipment to work on. Not like the old days with low tech materials. 3. Some of the light weight gear is crap. Some is not. Often it has strengths and weaknesses you need to be aware of in order to use it effectively. Dyneema is a good example. Massive tear resistance, but week on abrasion (really prone to micro abrasion). So great for a tent, but need special care if used on the tent floor. Thanks again for both the videos on what each group can learn from the other. ~S
Oh, the socks. Lol. 😂 I prefer darn tough socks year round and in everyday life. Lifetime guarantee, I have a 10 year old pair that is still functional, but can be replaced for free. I am not a fan of smart wool. They don't wick as well and make my feet feel colder with sweat.❤
Oh, the socks. Lol. 😂 I prefer darn tough socks year round and in everyday life. Lifetime guarantee, I have a 10 year old pair that is still functional, but can be replaced for free. I am not a fan of smart wool. They don't wick as well and make my feet feel colder with sweat.❤
With regard to field craft, it appears the Marine Corps has reintroduced field craft to SOI in their new Infantry Marine Course, and yes, this should be fundamental and grunts cannot rely on logistical miracles to sustain them if they're going to be more broadly dispersed in smaller units.
You make a lot of good points. My biggest gripe with the backpackers...especially the ultralight gaf's, is the elitism, and cost of that stuff, not to mention the fact that I am a big guy and 6'6"... I'm not a wispy boy like the ultralights. Most of those packs simply don't fit me. I like military surplus because it's inexpensive and durable, plus some of it actually fits! Some of the bush crafters, irritate me because they seem to think, that everyone should be able to survive in the wilderness with a bic lighters and good knife (I know I am overexaggerating.) The Marines and Army overload the crap out of their soldiers. I'm surprised that they don't teach fieldcraft or have at least dumbed it down. There has to be a happy medium somewhere. I will say that the ultralights are pretty efficient. I do believe that one is none and two is none. A meeting of the minds maybe? BTW what's your thoughts on the three line principle aka 1. EDC, 2. H-harness, but pack or day pack, 3. your rucksack? Thanks.
love thease videos! My buddy who got me into backpacking years ago was a ranger and he loved how creative I was. I grew up poor so sometimes I had five big contractor or normal garbage bags. In a nicer weather I was stuffing two of those bags full of material for a bed just depended on where we were going how I felt about it the time of year. But I always had garbage bags with me I went on a two-week backpacking trip where they actually saved my life just some lightweight nothing garbage bags stuffed with dry material during a freak snow storm doubled as rain and snow gear, when it was 70+ out for the first 5 days. He had some cool ideas and I learned a lot from him too. He always brought this lightweight filter you can either drink right out of the creek with it or fill up his empty canteen and our bottles as well. So much fun ! Most times I would always bring a little pocket still can a fuel cell in my camp stuff for food water warmed whatever you wanted.
79 in Panama we had to get water from grungy, muddy jungle puddles. Filter it through your scarf, drop in your purification tabs and shake for 20 minutes. Yummy iodine. I still to this day carry purification tabs. In AK youir first week on post you had to attend a week long survival course before heading to your post. You learned arctic survival, improvised shelters, cold weather training, etc.
Man thats really cool seeing all that history just right there. We have plenty of neat in the good Ole U.S. but it's just different. Would you consider sharing some of that field craft if you haven't already?
On water; I’ve switched over to a Grayl filter and love it. It takes 30 seconds to open, fill and filter. I still carry the purification tablets, but those are now my secondary way to get clean water.
Great video. The big lesson is take the knowledge and skills and apply appropriately. Same goes for LE and Mil. LE sometimes learns from Mil and start applying skills and equipment which are not required in a permissive environment. Again great content. Still waiting on your fitness PDF/book!
I always hated how my command forced us to pack extra boots and pairs of cammies in our pack for ever field op, even though it just sat in the pack as dead weight, unused, every time. So annoying. Love that I can pack whatever tf I want as a civilian when I go on backpacking trips.
Spot on. Very accurate, excellent helpful content. I'm ex Brit army, I hike and I learned to put aside the regulations and travel lite a long time ago. What you say is practical and just plain common sense. Keep up the great video's
I have more to say on this topic, great points, but I'm at work n my time is limited. I'm a bit of a hybrid of vet, bushcrafter, n backpacker. Clothes are my #1 item when backpacking, a clean set to sleep in is a nice treat at the end of the day.
Grunts ARE backpackers... at least that's what my recruiter told me. Lol. He also said going to the field was basically camping.😅 but, I have to thank him.... like I tell people who ask me what the army was like... I just say that it drastically increased my misery threshold. The other very important lesson the army taught me is: there's a fine line between "hard" and "retard." 😂
Your recruiter left a lot out, obviously. I grew up tromping through nature as a kid. The military has a way of taking fun stuff and making it not fun. Camping is fun. Going into the woods, setting up a 360 in the pouring rain and maintaining 50/50 all night because some imaginary OPFOR might be inbound inevitably makes military "camping" not fun. Shooting guns is fun. Occupying a range in January at Drum and qualifying while proned out on a slab of ice is not fun. It took me a few years after I retired to re-discover the true fun that comes with being out in nature. As far as Grunts comment about thru-hiking during OEF/ OIF, my military career was bracketed by the Gulf War and the War on Terror. I enjoyed my time in Afghanistan because I WASN'T a fobbit. I was outside the wire pretty much every day in Helmand and Kandahar. It wasnt until Obummers active troop surge in late 2009 when I got shifted back to Kabul and had to interact with higher ups who spent their tours hiding behind Alaska barriers that it got frustrating. I was still spinning up for a third deployment in 2012 when a family death and a divorce took me out of the game. Even back then we could see where Afghanistan was headed once we pulled out, but speed of the collapse did surprise me. Pulling back into the major FOBs the last couple of years meant that too much of the country was uncontested and the Talibs did their homework leading up to the final big push. Too many higher ups over too many tours looking for positive bullet points on their OERs and didn't want to hear how things really were out in reality. I came home realizing that that must have been how things were in Viet Nam when the higher ups only wanted to hear inflated enemy body counts. Off topic, I know.....
@@tc556guy I was surprised last year, as well, but also not surprised. If that makes sense. My unit began the ANA training. The teams running the training were very frustrated. Some things went well, some not. OIF was the beginning of the end for success in Afghanistan to me.
Backpacked for years before I joined the military. It gave me experience that helped in many areas. I remember in basic training the rucking was hard on a lot of soldiers but I loved it. 90lb. ruck marches during AIT. Backpackers share a lot of the same skill sets as a grunt.
Side note, you might look into the Osprey Hose Magnet kit. Basically a magnetic quick detach that joins the hose to the sternum (or shoulder) strap. Works really well so the hose doesn't have to be tucked in tight but also doesn't flop around.
The water section reminded me of Charlie Beckwiths struggle to stand up Delta. There was a cross training event with Green Berets and SAS guys and the US guys canceled the exercise because they couldn't bring in water, the SAS guys found their own. And Beeckwith was embarrassed in front of his old SAS buddies
Well, I never served myself, and I'm not a backpacker, and I don't do a lot of bushcrafting yet, but I was a boy scout, so I do remember our motto.....be prepared !!! I'm 65 now, and I can carry a good load if I have to, but time has taught me to only take what is necessary for the task, but the boy scout in me says be prepared, so I improvise with just a tiny bit more gear, but a lot of knowledge and ingenuity sprinkled with a liberal amount of acquired skills,and I press on. A fire is nice to have, but if you have a headlamp, a reliable backpack or Esbit stove with enough fuel for either, the appropriate clothing and cover for warmth, and your weapon of choice for protection, then your 80lb. ruck becomes a 20 to 30lb. patrol or day pack. If I need to go beyond those two, I have a contingency plan and the gear to move it all without compromising my freedom of movement. But if that is the case, then I'm most likely in a bug-out position and situation, and it's good to know that I have the extra gear and I can get from point A to B, C, D, etc, and not be taxed to hurry and do it, or worry about having it all still in my possession when I get to where I need to go. The objective is all that matters. Getting to where you are headed, and all in one piece. How you accomplish this is up to you. Take all my gear away, and I'll still be okay as long as I draw breath, because I still have my brain, and that's the best piece of gear or kit yet, because I havve skills and knowledge that I have aquired all this time, and that makes me still one of the top predators because.....I KNOW THINGS. I CAN improvise. I CAN adapt. I CAN overcome. All I have to do is take a deep breath, realize that if I'm still alive, then I'm still in the fight, and start putting one foot in front of the other, and repeat. I can pick up or fashion gear as I go from there, and eventually I will have pretty much all of the main gear I started out witth in the first place by the time I get to where I'm going, if it's a far enough trip. If not, it doesn't matter. The point is I make it to where I want to go.
old service member here,dont own a ar15 style rifle..but i do own and run a m1 carbine and other rifle /shotguns....some time id like to see you talk about working with what you got..alot of us older guys dont fit with the AR play book.
Backpacker here - I found the bit about soldiers being required to bring a spare pair of boots completely insane, but it's not far off from my preferred system. I'm on the minimalist footwear train, and it's hard to find genuinely waterproof boots that fulfill my other requirements (light, flexible soles, zero-drop). So the solution for me on a backpacking trip in Scotland, where we were hiking through sodden heather, was to bring an ultralight pair of sneakers (basically ballet slippers for hiking in) to wear when wet feet were guaranteed, and have three pairs of merino socks on the go - one to wear when on wet ground, two to stay dry. Then after you got back on dry ground, you could immediately swap to a dry pair of socks and dry boots, and the sneakers would dry in a couple of hours. Also, I had a lanolin wax-based foot cream I'd put on before wet days, which helps keep moisture in your feet so they don't crack after a couple of days with sodden feet, also really good for preventing blisters. Buy newspapers when you go through towns, and stuff your boots with crumpled up pages at night to help dry them from the inside. The minimalist shoes plus cream plus socks and newspaper are probably lighter and less bulky altogether than a single pair of heavy hiking boots, but wearing minimalist shoes is definitely something you need to build up to, otherwise you're at risk of injury. It was a flawless system, and I had a much better time than my friend who only had one pair of constantly wet boots. In addition, instead of gaiters I used puttees, which are extremely old-school but infinitely more comfortable. The wool wrappings keep your lower leg toasty, protect against ticks really well, act basically like a compression sock, and are pretty effective at repelling water and mud. Even when they do get wet, they stay warm. You look a little weird, but they were genuinely the most comfortable bit of kit I've ever worn.
This was a great video, as was its predecessor. You’re sharing a lot of great info here. As a grunt (99-05) and now a full time ultralight thru-hiker, I feel like I have been spending the last 4 years trying to combine those worlds. I truly believe it’s possible. A close friend I finished the PCT last year with is active duty NSW, and was doing the trail with ultralight gear to specifically show people in his community that UL backpacking gear works, so I know I’m not alone on this quest. Having a UL mindset is more important than the gear as well. Having the capability/experience to do more with less, being comfortable being uncomfortable, and having multi use gear is more important than the gear itself. On the other side, just because gear is UL doesn’t mean it’s good. 90% of my UL gear is custom from the ground up, made specifically for me and what works for me, but that’s come after 4 years and 7000 miles as well as my military background. The more miles, and more time you spend walking with everything on your back, the more you learn what works for you. I always say, start with what you have, and go from there.
I did 3 rucksack hikes last week when the weather was good. You definitely have to have an open mind and a respectful demeanour when it comes to learning anything. You also have to accept a real master is never done learning.
The bunkers are cool. I'd love to see your take on them... As for hiking and backpacking from a grunt/ultralight/backpacker perspective. I think they all offer pluses and minuses. It's up to the individual to figure out what works for them, use it and discard the rest, or at the very least keep the rest in the back of your mind as a potential modification or workaround. Adapt, improvise, overcome.
The best thing about real military gear is that it's durable, but lots of times too bulky or heavy. There are usually lighter and better options for most things. That's the benefit of the civilian market. lighter boots, lighter sleeping kits, water filters, etc.
