The evolution of the pack
It started out as a pack that would have been difficult to survive, to one
you can survive with. It was obvious that my father’s idea of a ‘survival’
pack was radically different than mine, but I have adapted it, and myself.
To his credit, he used what he had around the house to make his pack. This
did mean that he used old, broken, mismatched items that would not have let
him get his way out of a wet paper sack. Well, perhaps a dry paper sack. It
was actually very compact, but in an unwieldy way.
One of the first things I did to upgrade the actual pack was to go into our
supply of ‘stuff’ in the basement and find a pack frame of tube
aluminum. It was not hard to find as my entire family is made of 'pack' rats.
I asked all of the rest of the residents if they had a use for it before I
took it for my own use. I thought is was a backpack without the cloth bag,
but it turned out to be a kid carrier. A little sturdier with a great external
frame for the combat pack Thorbjorn had used for his pack. I got rid of the
odd combination of straps and belt that he had rigged up to carry it and tied
the combat pack onto the frame. It worked well.
I am fortunate that we are such a group of collectors, for I found items that
should be in the pack within the walls of our house and did not start spending
real money until I started to really use the pack. I had been surprised that
there wasn’t any food oriented items in the pack, except for the REALLY
OLD candy, but I think I mentioned how inept my father was in cooking. He
was a chemist- he knew the proper way of burning water. Waiting in the garage
was a selection of camping gear, including pots, pans and stoves.
My mother and I went through the collection of camping gear and donated most
of it to a local charity. I scrounged some old boy and girl scout all-in-one
pans and utensils. I am sure that they are supposed to nest within each other,
but I have a gap in the outer pan and lid when I have them together. Ah, well.
I also found a propane/butane canister stove. I have used it many times, but
when I went to get fuel for it, I could only find one place in town that had
the canisters, and they do not sell the actual stoves. I guess I have my father’s
luck when it comes to that type of thing. I actually keep the stove and fuel
in another bag. It just gives me the willies to have such things in a pack
on my back...
There are more things that I found at home that I have incorporated into my
‘pack, but with the passage of time, I do not remember all the details.
I am constantly ‘upgrading’ my pack. I go through it before a trip,
after a trip, when I come across something I think I may want in it, whenever.
It has been building and changing for many years now.
I unfortunately do have more in my ‘survival kit’ than will fit
into my pack. I call it my minivan. A hiking trip is something you can plan
for. A trip to a meeting of a social club isn’t the same planning. It
also shouldn’t take the same equipment.
