Getting Geared Up

 It has been a bit hectic around here, but I have a few moments to update my blog.

First let me thank you for reading my blog. I would sure like some comments to liven things up around here. Please, leave your comments, thoughts and/or opinions.

So, you want to get geared up, but you are running a little short of cash. No where in the rule book does it say you need to buy all of your gear. If fact, it is in your best interest to be able to build at least some of your gear. With simple tools, such as a bench grinder, a drill and some emery cloth you can build a serviceable knife. With a sewing machine, scissors and fabric you can build packs, gear vests, scabbards, knife sheaths and even clothing. With a wire welder, welding helmet, chipping hammer, angle grinder and some metal you will be in a position to build or modify items for your vehicle or gear trailer. With a saw, cordless drill, drill bits and screwdriver bit and some 3/4" plywood you can build chuck boxes or gear boxes to organize and protect your gear.

Building your own gear has its advantages. The biggest advantage is the gear fits your needs. You need a sheath for your homemade knife, then you build a sheath that fits your knife. You need a roof rack to fit your 1965 Bronco, you build a roof rack to fit your Bronco. The largest factor in building your own get is your time. If you have the time, building your own gear is no problem. The stumble comes when you have a need or mission that is time sensitive and you do not have the time to do your own work. Then you must either pony up the cash to buy it from a store or have it built for you.

I personally do not enjoy making clothing. It is usually too damn finicky for me. However, I enjoy making custom gear vests. I think of them as mission specific packs, not as a clothing item. The vest to the left in digital desert camo, is designed to hold the essentials for a M-1 Carbine. This vest will hold 3x 15 round M-1 Carbine magazines in the 3 pouches on the upper rightside (as you wear the vest.) As well as, 3x 30 round M-1 Carbine magazines in the 3 pouches on the lower rightside. The pouches on the leftside (as you wear the vest) hold things like a folding Gerber Paraframe 1 knife, a magnesium fire starter, a first aid kit, compass, gloves, multi-tool and a small GMRS radio. You will notice the upper right shoulder is free of pockets or pouches so you can shoot with the vest on. This vest took about 2 days to build in my spare time. Now I just need to track down an M-1 Carbine.

Other gear can be modified or purchased surplus to fit your needs. This old Canadian Forces winter parka is a good case in point. With the newer Gore-tex parkas on the market, the value of old school gear has dropped. Not that the gear is any less valuable, but the demand is not there like it was in the early 1990's. So, if you are a frugal shopper, keep an eye on army surplus stores - they may have the answer to your problem of good gear for less cash.

As you may notice this parka is pre-loaded with winter gear. I highly suggest this practice. In a crisis, if all you grabbed as you fled your stalled vehicle was you personal weapon and your parka that is pre-filled like the one shown you will have an above average chance of survival in winter conditions. I am assuming you have adequate clothing/footwear for the winter climate and a knife on your belt. Grab and go!

Speaking of Grab and Go! Maybe next time I will speak about bugout bags and escape packs.

Til then, keep your powder dry and your toque on!!

Mountainman.

Base Camp Comforts

 Comfort and Camping, to many this is a paradox, you can have one but not the other - well not at the same time, anyways. However, when you establish a successful base camp there is no reason in the world why you can't be comfortable.

The first piece of quality gear you need is a good tent, quickly followed by a good tarp. This combination provides a dry living and sleeping space. This is the first step to being comfortable, anywhere you setup camp.

To many, sleeping on the cold, hard ground takes the fun out of camping. So, don't sleep on the ground. Get some cots and sleeping pads to get you up off the ground. Next you will need a quality sleeping bag. If your sleeping bag does not provide the warmth your require consider getting an overbag or a second sleeping bag. Then place one inside the other. For example: if you have a 0C bag and a -10C bag, you should be comfortable to -20C if the bags are placed one inside the other. Which works well for Autumn hunting trips to the mountains. With this combination you have two choices for the summer as well. For hot days near the lake, sleep on top of your 0C bag or use your -10C bag if you are camped near the glacier peaks. The point is, if you use a two bag system or a two bag system + a Gore-Tex bivy bag you have flexibility and options. If you only purchase a -30C sleeping bag, you will survive some very cold weather for sure, but the rest of the year it will be too warm to sleep in. One last point on sleeping bags, especially, down-filled sleeping bags - always use a bag liner or wear a full set of poly-pro long johns (L/S top and bottoms) this thin layer of fabric will keep your body oils off of the sleeping bag fabric. The bag liner or long johns are much easier to wash and clean than your sleeping bag. Remember, each time you wash your sleeping bag it loses some of its thermal qualities.

Base camp comforts also include the use of "Chuck Boxes". On the frontier, the chuck box was a valuable survival kit for those folks traveling by wagon across the continent. No different today. Your chuck box holds all of your cookware, eatingware, utensils, food prep, and cooking appliances. (The only draw back to using a chuck box comes in the form of bulk and weight. If you have a utility trailer or pick-up or large SUV, you have the space and capacity to take your chuck box to your base camp.) The chuck box does allow for comfort by keeping full-sized plates, bowls, mugs and KFS (knife, fork spoon) at your finger tips. You get to have the kitchen cupboard of spices, kettles, pots and bakeware. I, also keep my Coleman lantern in my big chuck box. The chuck box keeps your base camp kitchen organized and prepacked for each trip. Thus, chuck boxes also work well if you ever have to evacuate your home and head to the hills.

Light and heat in your tent. I have a canvas wall tent, which has no floor. This allows me to hammer my 48" Sheppard's hook into the ground inside my tent to hang my Coleman lantern. The lantern provides light and heat inside my tent. To increase the warmth I also use a rug to insulate the ground between our cots, to provide somewhere warm to stand. The Sheppard's hook is an excellent holder for the lantern as it is off the ground and if bumped, the lantern will swing instead of falling and breaking. Thus the fire hazard is mitigated. Since there is no floor, having enough oxygen in the tent is not a problem, the air flows in on all sides.

One last point, hand washing. Keeping our paws clean at camp can sometimes be a challenge. To ease this, I like to use an empty laundry detergent jug that has the dispensing tap on it. I put a couple of tablespoons of Sunlight dish-washing detergent in the jug and then add at least half a jug worth of water. This mild soapy solution is ready to use. I set the jug at edge of a picnic table and you just open the tap and wet your hands, rub together and then dry on a towel. Presto - clean hands. If you still have liquid in the jug when you want to break camp, just pour it out over your campfire. Add dish detergent and water at your next base camp.

That's it for now.

Just cuz your campin' doesn't mean you should be sufferin'!

Mountainman.

We Who Write About Emergency Preparedness

So, 10 years have past since the September attacks.

We remember and we prepare for the next engagement on our home turf.

I have spent the last couple years working on my book, The G.O.O.D. Plan (Get Out Of Dodge). Since finishing writing the core material, I have spent a year editing and having a sample copy self-published by the fine folks at Island Blue Printers in Victoria, BC.

As I wanted to keep up with the popular belief on emergency preparedness, I have invested a few hours reading all the books I can. The most recent, Handbook to Practical Disaster Preparedness For The Family 2nd Edition by Arthur T. Bradley, PhD. Now Mr. Bradley presents some useful information and I beg to differ on some of his material, but it did get me to thinking about emergency preparedness and survival. All the authors of the books pictured have a slightly differing opinion on how best to survive, but all the authors are doing their best to help the reader to be prepared for everything that can effect "normal" life. Some take the stand from survivalist point of view, others are preppers, some claim to be using just plain old common sense. But all agree that taking a stand and being prepared beats the hell out of being a victim waiting for government aid.

I will follow up on this soon.

Be Prepared,

Mountainman.

My Flag & Avatar

You may have noticed my beautiful flag that I designed a few years back. That would be the rebel side of my personality shining through.

The design blossomed in my mind during the recent dark days in Canadian politics a few years back. An oppressive, Eastern based politic regime kept our country suppressed and hobbled; fiscally, militarily and politically. Personal freedoms were being erased and the voices on the average person were not being heard. From this I designed a flag that reflected the rebel spirit. I hope you like it, as much as I do.

Keep your powder dry,

Mountainman. 

Update:

Some have asked where I was inspired to this design??

My Rebel Canadian flag is based from the Saltire or St. Andrew's Cross, the flag of Scotland, and those brave explores and adventurers who explored, mapped and connected Canada from coast-to-coast-to-coast. These same brave people were also the ones who made peace with the First Nation's peoples who occupied Canada before the wave of Europeans arrived. It was the common warrior society structures of the Highland Clan and Native Tribes, that allowed these first encounters to bridge the gap of the unknown.

The thirteen maple leaf's symbolize the ten provinces and three territories that make up Canada. The blood red triangles symbolize the blood that has been shed to defend our nation and to defend freedom around the world. 

This is a flag that symbolizes being a Rebel to status quo and a resister to the Global Cabal, the Global Elites and the enslavement of Planet Earth.

To the unity of Canada, this flag also has the red, white and blue of the two countries that fought to explore, exploit and claim this country as their own - England (Union Jack) and France (Tricolour). 

Thanks for asking,

Mountainman.

From the Mountainman

Near Toby Mountain by Mountainman

Well, this is a new adventure. I hope to keep it interesting. Most definitely, it will be controversial. If you were looking for a politically correct Blog, this will not be the one for you to follow.

I spent more than a decade in a combat uniform defending the Rights & Freedoms of my country. Now I plan to exercise my freedom of expression, with no apologizes. This will contain raw, open, honest expression(s) on current events or topics that interest me. I do invite the followers of this Blog to put their two cents worth in, as well.

See you on the trail,

Mountainman.

25 August 2021 

It has been ten years since this first post!!

https://mtnmanblog.blogspot.com/2021/08/happy-10th-anniversary-mountainmans.html

The link above takes you to my reflections a decade later.

Thank you readers of Mountainman's Mantra!! I hope you have enjoyed the posts.

Here's to ten more years!!

Mountainman.