What do you carry/store your gear in?

The Glass Key

I have 35l rucksack that is with me all the time and has a good few basics in it. Its a Gelert rucksack I've had for nearly 3 years now, its kept full with about 10kgs of gear and goes out with me for a 1-2 hour walk everyday for the money I paid for it €30 you can't really fault it. Its not really big enough but I have to limit the crap stuff I carry with me one way or another. As noted in another thread I might add some sort of over the shoulder pack like a Maxpedition Jumbo for example.

I've also taken to carrying my SAK Cybertool in a belt pouch (I did myself an injury carrying it in a back pocket but that's another story) and this is a system I might expand upon with a slightly larger belt pouch, might even add a Leatherman of some kind.

Family bobs are in individual 60l holdalls plus there is a 50l+ empty rucksack (a mix of brands karrimor burghaus and gelert) for each family member. It just works out easier to keep the bob stuff in holdalls and still keep the rucksacks for other uses.

In each car there is one of those Lidl car boot tidies with velco on it so it doesn't slide around and that has most of the car bob stuff in it except large items like socket sets, battery packs (12V supply for jumping, accessories and light) and blankets. Just in case I keep an empty 85l gelert rucksack in my boot as well so I can throw everything in it if I get stuck. Again it sounds daft to have an empty rucksack but with all the pockets and its overall shape it doesn't fit well into the boot when full of gear but empty it passes almost unnoticed flattened out under a large plastic sheet used to keep the boot clean.

Then non lugable is the store stuff which is in very tough plastic boxes which can be shoved in a car or trailer if necessary. There's also a vague system that would make it relatively easy to find key stuff quickly in the boxes and pack it into rucksacks if required. For example all lighting gear is in one box (coleman, tilley and hurricane lamps, candles, fuel etc) cooking gear, non food and then the all important food in separate boxes. That's really all bug in stuff with a bit of thought applied in case we have to move quick.

So what do you use to carry/store your gear?

ShadowFox

EDC is in my pockets if im local or in a Maxpedition Pygmy Falcon 2 if im heading to town or off on a day trip some where

Day Hiking bag is a Maxpedition Typhoon (the old gearslinger one) only use this for a day hike or one night out if something goes wrong

Bug out bags (ive 6 made up) are 2 Maxpedition Vulture 2, 3 35lt Highlander backpacks and 1 25lt highlander backpack

Dog bag is a 25lt Highlander back pack

Camping Bag is a 120lt Bergan if the kids are with me and we go for a few days

In the house we store what we eat so most of that is on shelves in a walk in press or in 60lt tubs with a couple of empties for clearing the shelves in a hurry and moving it elsewhere. Not driving at the minute so no car bag needed. I picked up a trolley in woodies a while back and if needed can load that up to bring with us if we needed to bug out which would really be a last resort. The main reason Ive bug out bags made up is in case we have to leave the house due to a fire, flood or bomb scare

The Glass Key

The Trolley sounds a good idea, not really thought of it before but we have this one http://www.amazon.co.uk/HEAVY-DUTY-GARDEN-TIPPER-TRUCK/dp/B003ITYTU2/ that could be pressed into service.

ShadowFox

This is the one I have http://www.woodiesdiy.com/Product/ProLawn-Utility-Garden-Trolley/15220/4.2.11#.UtP-Rp4g7SQ Ill try find a link to a guy that gave me the idea for this one he added PVC pipes to the sides for extra storage and thin PVC bent over it to add a trap to make it look like a wagon

Also if your like me and change the flashlight you carry often I got one of these universal holsters http://www.ebay.ie/itm/Nite-Ize-Lite-Holster-Stretch-fits-most-torches-AAA-AA-L123-C-D-Maglite-/271348057105?pt=UK_SportsLeisure_Camping_LightsLanternsTorches&hash=item3f2d9ac411 saves time changing from one to the other

ShadowFox

Here is the link to the cart http://willowhavenoutdoor.com/bugging-out/bugging-out-with-children-the-last-ditch-bug-out-concept-wagon/

The Glass Key

ShadowFox wrote: »

This is the one I have http://www.woodiesdiy.com/Product/ProLawn-Utility-Garden-Trolley/15220/4.2.11#.UtP-Rp4g7SQ Ill try find a link to a guy that gave me the idea for this one he added PVC pipes to the sides for extra storage and thin PVC bent over it to add a trap to make it look like a wagon

Also if your like me and change the flashlight you carry often I got one of these universal holsters http://www.ebay.ie/itm/Nite-Ize-Lite-Holster-Stretch-fits-most-torches-AAA-AA-L123-C-D-Maglite-/271348057105?pt=UK_SportsLeisure_Camping_LightsLanternsTorches&hash=item3f2d9ac411 saves time changing from one to the other

Same chassis design as mine, I just preferred the plastic top, we suffer from salt in the air from the sea, so I have a fetish for plastic over steel stuff. I keep the steel frame covered in spray on white lithium grease.

The garden is over 200m long and its primarily my wifes garden trolley - and yes we do joke about her being off her trolley

I'm strange about torches (strange about lots of things :)) and while I always have one handy I try not to use it. I'm out most nights in the winter and the amount of light reflected off the sea makes it really rare to need a torch. Even when climbing over rocks you can see everything you need to get around safely. Only problem is finding 2 black dogs in the dark - the secret is also to have at least one white dog

Was out this afternoon and did a little test on a rucksack I picked up in the summer a Gelert Shadow Rucksack 55+10l (I reckon it was OK for the £36 I paid for it) and picked up a rucksack full of pine cones for the fire. They aren't all that dry so about 45l of pine cones was heavy and quite a good test. Its a cheap chinese rucksack and you get what you pay for, I wanted a few more pockets and option of a though compartment top to bottom or to have them separate, it does that fine but I need to use it a bit more to see what its really like. I'm still not sure about all the straps, the harness adjustment and the way the main top flap is attached (four points all with adjustable straps).

The Glass Key

ShadowFox wrote: »

Here is the link to the cart http://willowhavenoutdoor.com/bugging-out/bugging-out-with-children-the-last-ditch-bug-out-concept-wagon/

That's brilliant - I just love the rocket launcher on the side

Fries-With-That

ShadowFox wrote: »

Here is the link to the cart http://willowhavenoutdoor.com/bugging-out/bugging-out-with-children-the-last-ditch-bug-out-concept-wagon/

Chadwicks sell these for approx €80. Great ideas featured in that article. Even if it was just to be used around a smallholding as a tool carry etc.

The Glass Key

Fries-With-That wrote: »

Chadwicks sell these for approx €80. Great ideas featured in that article. Even if it was just to be used around a smallholding as a tool carry etc.

I spent a good deal of time researching these after I first saw them in the UK years back. It turns out there are 3 main sizes of the original chinese metal trolley/cart the smallest is often €80 and the biggest around €120. There are also different fittings with them some with liners and some with an extra cross shelf so its worth shopping around so you know exactly which one you are buying.

When you see the smallest around 3ft long (main bed) and the biggest one is 4ft (ST301 iirc) side by side the difference is easily appreciated but from a picture online its very hard to tell which one you might get if you don't check the actual dimensions.

They also make quite a good stable work area with a flat board put on top.

H.O.T.A.S.

Currently using my Berghaus Centrio 30L with MMPS 10L side pouches for hiking/BOB. Love it!

Stovepipe

For the backs of cars and other vehicles, army ammunition boxes (especially if the seal is intact) are tough, waterproof, stackable and can be converted to just about anything and have the glorious benefit of being cheap. Also, plastic rocket tubes, again army surplus, are waterproof, tough and easily fit into a car or van. Everybody should have at least a couple of jerrycans in his home..........have ye seen the Donky Bike? £499 to you for a modern-day reinforced Triumph 20 lookalike, with two load bearing carriers on it.

regards
Stovepipe

The Glass Key

Stovepipe wrote: »

For the backs of cars and other vehicles, army ammunition boxes (especially if the seal is intact) are tough, waterproof, stackable and can be converted to just about anything and have the glorious benefit of being cheap. Also, plastic rocket tubes, again army surplus, are waterproof, tough and easily fit into a car or van. Everybody should have at least a couple of jerrycans in his home..........have ye seen the Donky Bike? £499 to you for a modern-day reinforced Triumph 20 lookalike, with two load bearing carriers on it.

regards
Stovepipe

Where are they cheap? I used to get them for free thats cheap but they go for silly money now afaik.

Also excellent for making a pressure cooker out of again if the seal is intact.

Stovepipe

Hi there
Well, mine cost nothing because I was "in" but I've seen them going for Eu8 to 10. Anything more than that is a rip off. A lot of them are rusty and the seal is gone, which means that they are not good for secure storage......also available, if you are prepared to make the effort to get them is airline ATLAS containers. These are the grey aluminium boxes used for food/cutlery/catering storage and have a capacity for three plastic trays. They are about 14 inches wide and high and 18 inches deep. They are very sturdy and light, can be padlocked but are not waterproof. Airline flight kitchens have thousands of them and they usually get thrown out as scrap (ie, never repaired).

regards
stovepipe

The Glass Key

I saw the larger 50cal ammo boxes for an astonishing €25 each recently, they were all decent quality but still mad price for a waste item.