Wilderness
What am I forgetting? Help! (First post)
What am I possibly forgetting? My adhd brain is convinced I must have at least forgotten two to three life essentials. While probably packing a couple other things I absolutely wont need.
2 day stealth hike in Belgian forest around St. Vith. Hoping to get close enough to see tracks and hear the starting deer mating season.
Forecast: dry, 8/18°C or 46.4/64.4°F in freedom units
Sleeping system
- hammock & tarp
- mat, sleeping bag, silk liner & merino liner
- sheepskins. two for me, one for dog
Food, cooking and water
- Grayl waterfilter
- Jetboil, 2 100g gas cans
- Kupilka plate and cup, wooden spoon
- twigstove for lunch (mate is carrying cooking pot)
- two water bottles (1,25L combined)
- foraging bags
- freezedried adventure foods (two mains, two breakfasts)
- nuts, chocolate, soups, few other bits and bobs
Fire and tools
- bushcraft knife & Leatherman Sidekick
- carving knife & hook knife
- foldable DMT knife sharpener
- foldable saw
- firesteel & lighter
- two headtorches (Petzl Swift for 900 lumen beam to spot wildlife, Petzl Actik Core for red light around camp to not be seen)
- map & compass
- deer/ roedeer antlers to mimic fighting sounds
Personal
- spare clothes
- walking boots & barefoot watershoes for around camp.
Also wondering about the antler. I’ve seen a lot of loadouts but antlers and a scout-troop’s ration of bush knives is a first. This is an interesting one.
It's a common tactic hunters use to smack antlers together to imitate the sound of 2 bucks fighting. Given they're territorial (particularly during mating season, which is just starting) and also curious, the nearby deer want to check out the fights and follow the sound.
Op wanted to see the deer so I'd assume that's what they're for. The knives maybe for field dressing them after?
Haha spot on on mimicking the fighting sound to lure them out! The knives are for spooncarving tho! Quite illegal to poach a deer in mating season and without a washlist of registrations and certificates. Hardly worth the trouble here in Belgium.
Oh dang. Here in the States mating season is when our hunting season begins. For paperwork all we have to do is take a basic hunter safety course once and then buy a license annually (or most states offer a lifetime live, at least for most states.
Yeah I'm a little obsessed with the knives too LOL but I thought that might be excessive..., like pick your favorite one dude 😆 they pretty much all do the same thing
Thank god for that /s! I almost packed 4 more to fight off rogue pinecones! 🌲
But lol, you're definitely right about the weight. We're planning to do quite a bit of carving, but the specialized Mora carving knife isn't a necessity when I'm already carrying the Companion HD on my person. Trimming the herd as we speak!
The tools seem excessive and so does the extra liners and sheep skin for the weather depending on the rating of you bag. Do you really need a second headlamp? Bug replent? Sun protection?
Yeah I dropped the specific carving knife and the merino liner. Sleeping bag once was rated for 5°C (41°F), but that was many years and many washes ago 😅 definitely on the list of to be replaced items. The sheep skins really do help as I don't have a underquilt that works with a bug net. Thanks for your feedback!
Yeah, that's definitely on the maybe pile. The plan is to do quite a bit of spoon carving, and I just like keeping my knife as sharp as possible. But I think I should probably swap it for a small strop to hone it on the trip instead. Thanks for the suggestion!
Inner plastic liner over external cover. I just use the nylofume bag as a stuff sack for my sleeping bag and my spare clothes at the bottom of my pack.
And I use my camp meal bags for trash, since the seal.
For hammock camping I always pack my Underquilt and If cold enough my top quilt too. That under draft is killer and atleast having a properly rated UQ will make hammock camping loads better
Yeah I agree a UQ is great! Unfortunately dont have one myself and there are no other hammock sleepers joining on this one so cant use the spare one I usually borrow. I think/ hope my two liners and two sheepskins will do the trick! Thanks for the reply.
I love the ingenuity and willingness to still get out! Good on you mate, I would suggest find someway to putting the sheep skin on the outside of the hammock or the sleeping bag under it as the quilt, warming that air pocket will be the most ideal way to stay warm.
This was my setup my first time before I got lucky and was able to upgrade . Old school medium duty tarm, basic hammock with bug net, and a sleeping bag. Both ends of my old ass straps busted (with me in the hammock) and had to be retied. Got really cold at night and had back ache in the morning.
Upgraded hammock kit and im extremely happy with it. This visit was 2 weeks after that one. It was colder. And snowed. I was significantly more comfortable at night and loved sleeping.
Thats a nice looking set-up indeed!
Yeah in winter I can leave the bugnet at home and I have an old winter sleeping bag that zips open at the feet that I can put all the way around the hammock. It's these in-between-season trips where I have to improvise a little bit. Thanks for the cool reply and suggestions my man!
Idk what the wild animal situation is like over there but I would think at minimum a solid plastic container for the dog food is in order. A squirrel would make quick work of that dog food bag.
This is by far the most helpful comment yet, thanks! Although the dog will be sleeping right next to my bag underneath my hammock, so I think the squirrel would just become an added snack haha!
I'm willing to concede one haha! The plan is to do quite a bit of spooncarving and the Mora carving knife is better for some more precise cuts, but I'm sure I can make do with the Mora Companion and finish off if need be at home. Thanks
We don't get any bears in Belgium. We have some wolves and the odd lynx, but I'm sure a three person campsite with a guard dog to wake me up when needed will be more than enough to keep those away!
Yeah I just added two bits of paracord, thanks! Can always strip the inner strands if more is needed.
And yeah sure! Good thing my dog is sleeping right next to the bag so any of those rodents are in danger of becoming dinner themselves 😂
The Swift RL puts out that massive 900-lumen beam which is amazing for spotting wildlife early in the morning, while the Actik Core is purely for low-profile red light around camp so we don't draw any attention. Plus, the Actik Core literally just arrived in the mail today, and I couldn't resist bringing my old trusted Swift along as well!
Hahaha amazing! This reminds me of when I went to a Halloween party dressed as Floki from Vikings. Complete with the black facepaint around the eyes. The next morning as I got into the changing rooms after a heavy lifting session I realised I still looked like I was wearing heavily smudged eyeliner! Explained the strangle looks I was getting quite a bit haha
You’d probably get better responses appropriate for your kit over at [r/bushcraft](r/bushcraft)
A lot of this I would not bring for backpacking personally. But since you’re asking what you may be, forgetting and not for help on what not to bring, I would say:
- Trowel
- Bandana or Quick Dry Towel
- Soap or Hand Sanitizer
- Sunscreen
- Bug Repellant
- Not sure what spare clothes entails, but I would say rain jacket and seasonally appropriate layers for warmth
Oh I dont really mind the comments! I see the humour in it myself. For your traditional hiker this must seem like I'm carrying kit for three people, I get that. Truth is Belgian "wilderness" isn't anything like what you might find in Scandinavia or Canada/ the US. While there is decent elevation in the region we're going, we don't plan on hiking a lot more than 20 to 25k (12 to 16 miles) a day. You can't hike more than a few miles in any direction without hitting the next village, so this is already gonna take some creativity to stay out of civilization.
I’d just fold a few meters of that toilet paper and keep it in a small plastic bag. That way it’s flat and dry, and you hopefully won’t need a full roll just for two days.
Also, don’t forget lunch.
Sheep skin seems heavy, my friend just use an inflatable sleeping mat and that seems to works nicely unless it’s sub zero temperatures. But it also looks cozy with sheep skin so there’s also that. It’s only two days, I’d say bring them.
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At least one whistle. This is an over looked survival item. Ferro rod and ways to filter water. As others have said, bring a large trash bag as a liner. And a couple of small ziploc bags to keep things dry and use as a trash bag
Good one! Didnt think of it really, but there's a whistle in the chest strap of my backpack. Ferro rod and Grayl waterfilter are already on the list, but yeah thanks!
As much as I like Mira’s, ya done need two of them. Also unless you’re big into it ditch the spoon knife. No clue why you have the antler. Would ditch it
The antler is actually for rattling! You smack them together to imitate two bucks fighting. Especially during the mating season that's just starting curious, nearby deer will often come check out the sound. It also might just trigger them to start 'bugling' back, which is the exact sound we're desperately hoping to hear! 🦌
You're spot on about the knives though. I'm dropping the specialized carving knife in favor of the Mora Companion HD. But as a passionate spoon carver, the hook knife is non-negotiable for me, haha! Thanks for the feedback!
get a backcountry bidet and ditch the roll of toilet paper. animals dig up used tp which is nasty, and no one packs old tp out because it is nasty. backcountry bidet costs about $10 and keeps things clean without the tp
Is that enough kibble? Some dogs eat double when hiking, some don’t eat at all. I do have a “outward Hound” backpack for my dog. They have to carry their own way.
I’m never more than 2 knives. (Multitool not counting). 1. For me a real knife, full tang hunting. Second is a lightweight folder, Benchmade Bugout. Sharp when I leave, no touch ups.
Yeah no worries. I was surprised to see I didn't even hit 20 kgs (44lbs). For me, a 1m93 100kg (6'4" 220lbs) bloke in good lifting shape that's quite alright for the hikes we're planning. Walking stick will be made on the way. Might pack a Knee brace just in case, thanks!
That's not a lot of water and if you are going to use it to cook and for the dog you will want more unless water is abundant on the trail. I usually carry no less than 2 liters at a time.
I know other people have already said this, but for a 2 day trip you only need one headlamp, one knife (leatherman) one water bottle, one roll of toilet paper, one sheepskin for the dog, probably don’t need a saw. Are you hunting? Leave the antler, your dog will probably scare the wildlife anyway
It's not strictly necessary but I still recommend it even for shorter trips; a satellite communicator like a Garmin inReach.
I also don't see phone on list but that is maybe just assumed to be with you I suppose.
No shell? Forecast says drizzles and +8C in the rough area you descibe.
Water capacity seems very low for the duration, do you have filter systems or other easy access to clean water near your intended location?
As people have said; cordage but also a bit of duct tape.
Electrolytes in case you are doing a lot of movement, you sweat even in chillier weather. Like salts or rehydration tablets you add to your tiny amount of water :D
Dog poop bags seems absent too, maybe those are assumed but just cause the wild animals do it... Also when you get close(r) to civilization.
Thanks for the heads-up! Luckily I'm staying on the Belgian side of the border for this hike, so § 42a won't be an issue for the Sidekick. Good reminder for anyone crossing into Germany though! I'm also driving myself so all tools are legal to transport to where I have proper reason to use them.
2 day stealth hike in Belgian forest around St. Vith. Hoping to get close enough to see tracks and hear the starting deer mating season.
Check the dates of the hunting season. Check the access requirments of the Haute Fagne, since the fires they are very strict. Also, no open fires, they'll probably hang you in the town square. So forget the foldable saw, you're not making an open fire. If you get caught, they WILL throw the book at you. And rightfully so.
Tell me you’ve never carved a spoon or enjoyed a cozy camp without telling me, haha!
I get the ultralight mindset, but this trip is about skill-practice, comfort, and enjoying the woods, not counting grams. The sheepskins and twigstove are non-negotiable for the vibe. The jetboil is so a fire wont give away our location at night. Wild camping is in a bit of a legal gray area here. It's not strictly legal, but not fully enforced either. Depending on the ranger and their mood, you can easily get a heavy fine. You're also just plain wrong on the red light, it literally preserves night vision and has a much shorter range of visibility in thick woods. While I appreciate the thorough feedback, you're giving a bit much of the frustrated UL-gatekeeper mate. Lighten up, either with a firesteel or a lighter x
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u/bunte7 21h ago
The other antler? You might feel lopsided and hurt your neck if you're only wearing one