Practice run .

[Psalm7]

I always recommend that you put your field gear on and go hiking or camping . This will show you the quality of your gear and any adjustments needed .
I went for a hike today in a heavily wooded area . Limbs and briars grabbing at my gear and clothing .

 

[Psalm7]

Yea I had to go back and fix all the mis types .

 

[tmttactical]

Yea I had to go back and fix all the mis types .

Been there and done that, every time. Left had types at half the speed of right hand.

 

[DrHenley]

I'm getting too old to climb cliffs.

 

[KateMTx]

I like to do this once in a while. It tells me whether what I think will work actually does.

 

[tmttactical]

Theory is great but testing works best. In theory the Titanic was unsinkable, Oh oops.

 

[Psalm7]

Theory is great but testing works best. In theory the Titanic was unsinkable, Oh oops.

Uhh . Putting on your gear and being active is testing . LOL

 

[tmttactical]

Uhh . Putting on your gear and being active is testing . LOL

I think that is more like a pre-test. Take the gear out and see if it gets beat up OR you get beat up. Then call us, we got some good old fashion medical treatment with leeches and maggots.

 

[Psalm7]

I think that is more like a pre-test. Take the gear out and see if it gets beat up OR you get beat up. Then call us, we got some good old fashion medical treatment with leeches and maggots.

Theres no point made there . Leeches and maggots have there place . Just admit to idle chatter without point .

 

[tmttactical]

Theres no point made there . Leeches and maggots have there place . Just admit to idle chatter without point .

Yes it was idle chatter, are you having a bad day?

 

[Psalm7]

Yes it was idle chatter, are you having a bad day?

No . Just a day at work .

 

[Mountain trapper]

Back on topic. I think it's a good idea to take your gear out for a test run a minimum of a couple times a year. I think it's at least as important to find out what you don't need as well as the things that you do need. I carry my bag with me every day; on the ATV, Jeep or tractor. This time of year my bag contains extra gloves, fur hat, wool socks, wool sweater, fire making stuff, food, rope, hand warmers etc. If I have to go on foot I don't want to be carrying any unnecessary items or weight. Every winter I end up getting stuck somewhere (more than once) and have the opportunity to try out a lot of the things in my bag. The last time I got stuck was at night and had to walk home. That's when I discovered that I didn't have a flashlight in my bag. I do now.

 

[KateMTx]

Back on topic. I think it's a good idea to take your gear out for a test run a minimum of a couple times a year. I think it's at least as important to find out what you don't need as well as the things that you do need. I carry my bag with me every day; on the ATV, Jeep or tractor. This time of year my bag contains extra gloves, fur hat, wool socks, wool sweater, fire making stuff, food, rope, hand warmers etc. If I have to go on foot I don't want to be carrying any unnecessary items or weight. Every winter I end up getting stuck somewhere (more than once) and have the opportunity to try out a lot of the things in my bag. The last time I got stuck was at night and had to walk home. That's when I discovered that I didn't have a flashlight in my bag. I do now.

Someone found out I didn't carry a flashlight in my bag. "I have one on my phone," I told them. They still gave me one for Christmas. But it's a really tiny but bright flashlight that hardly adds any weight, and I have actually used it a couple of times. Didn't think so much about cutting out things I don't use - I guess my fear would be that I might need them in a different (plausible) situation.

 

[Mountain trapper]

Last Fall the wife and I took a little hike to see just what kind of shape we were in, and about how many miles we could expect to cover in a day.
We took 1 quart of water between us, no food, no extra clothing and only the Leatherman on my belt for gear.
We ended up covering 30+/- miles that day, saw a couple bears and lots of deer, elk, antelope and no people. We kept a lake in sight most of the way and crossed a couple of creeks in case we really needed water. We managed to ration the quart and didn't need the lake or creek water. The route we took was in rough open country but no mountains to go over. We left our Jeep at one road and made arrangements to have someone pick us up on the next road 30 miles away.
We managed, and it was a good test to see what we're capable of, but wouldn't want to walk that far again unless we absolutely had to.
In full disclosure, I told my wife that we were going out to look for arrowheads and would be gone for only a few hours. She calls that trip a " blank blank Death March" and still hasn't fully forgiven me.

 

[tmttactical]

Good test BUT very bad idea to mislead the wife. Remember female pay back!!!

 

[KateMTx]

Last Fall the wife and I took a little hike to see just what kind of shape we were in, and about how many miles we could expect to cover in a day.
We took 1 quart of water between us, no food, no extra clothing and only the Leatherman on my belt for gear.
We ended up covering 30+/- miles that day, saw a couple bears and lots of deer, elk, antelope and no people. We kept a lake in sight most of the way and crossed a couple of creeks in case we really needed water. We managed to ration the quart and didn't need the lake or creek water. The route we took was in rough open country but no mountains to go over. We left our Jeep at one road and made arrangements to have someone pick us up on the next road 30 miles away.
We managed, and it was a good test to see what we're capable of, but wouldn't want to walk that far again unless we absolutely had to.
In full disclosure, I told my wife that we were going out to look for arrowheads and would be gone for only a few hours. She calls that trip a " blank blank Death March" and still hasn't fully forgiven me.

This made me laugh way too hard. It was a good plan and I'm glad you survived (your wife's wrath that is, the hike doesn't sound too terrible.)

 

[Mountain trapper]

Good test BUT very bad idea to mislead the wife. Remember female pay back!!!

Oh yeah. And she's been shopping ever since.