Evie's Gear: Part One

All gear shown in this series of articles is in a continual work-in-progress state. Please keep this in mind as you read, and also bear in mind that all gear shown is not top-of-the-line, "teh awesomes" expensive stuff.  What I have is what I could afford, and I'm putting in the time and energy to either make it work or modify it enough to make it work.  Got it?

Okay, so I guess it's my turn to really start digging into my gear and showing y'all my setup.  I'll start with my Level 3*, or Bug-Out Bag.  You guys will recognize it from the article I did a few weeks ago when I had to do some repairs on it.  That's right, it's my lovely trusty Teton 3400 Scout!  It's a dual-task pack, because if that thing can stand up to the abuse I put it through hiking, it can survive as my bail-out bag.  I've been doing a lot of work, with the help of my fiance DR, in getting it set up to be able to handle both tasks and do them efficiently.

Now, my pack is divided up into several pockets.  There are two on top of the pack, two on each side, the main compartment and a lower compartment that is a third the size of the big one.

 Side Pocket 

• 2 Lara bars
• 1 bottle of Tapatio
• 1 emergency stove and fuel. This was the spare old stove DR had and gave to me. Never throw away still-usable equipment!
• 1 bandanna
• 1 adult sized poncho
• 6 gallon ziplock bags
• 1 fleece beanie
• 1 enamel cup

 Top Pocket 

• 1 gallon bag of feminine products, disposable
• 1 roll of toilet paper
• 1 quart bag of moist towelettes
• 1 wilderness medicine and first aid book
• 1 pack of playing cards

I want to add a first aid kit. However I'm told that having three kits in total is excessive.  For those of you who know how accident-prone I am in every day life:  yes, really.

Main Compartment

I freaking love this really big waterproof bag.  I have my spare clothes and current sleeping system in it, and should I need to put more things into the bag, they'll fit!  It fits almost perfectly into the main compartment.

• 2 fleece blankets
• 1 set of spare pants
• 1 t-shirt
• 1 long-sleeved shirt
• 1 full set of long johns
• 1 set of undergarments (in tactical purple, even... hey, I heard that!)
• 3 pairs of socks
• 1 fleece pullover 

Lower Compartment

• 1 Coleman's camping cookware set
• several dozen packets of Taco Bell sauce
• various Evie-friendly MRE's entrees (Yeah, that's about 3 of everything that you can possibly find in MRE boxes) in a large ziplock bag.
• Four cans of foods (soon to be more)  

Yes, I said canned food.  I have allergies, boys and girls; severe food allergies. This is why the gear in my pack seems so sparse: I have to have room for the cans.  Things like the canned chicken and tuna are small enough to fit inside of my cooking pots there.

Not Pictured

• A sleeping system outside of two small fleece blankets.  I'm waiting for a system similar to the one DR has, which is a sleeping bag, a poncho liner, and one of those rainproof covers... yes, what the military uses.  However, a lot of folks know how good those systems are, and finding a new or gently used set for a price I can afford right now.... well, let's just say I didn't skimp on the set of long johns!
• A sleeping pad. I have one, but it's in need of a patch as it got a small hole in it the last it was used.

And that is that.  It's ridiculously simple to many of you, I'm sure, but guess what?

It's better than nothing.


* In this context, Level 3 means "not as important as Levels 1 and 2."  Think of my gear as layers; this is what I put on last. And before you say "Hey Evie, you forgot critical things like a can opener/ flashlight/ lighter/ etc", wait until you read the rest of the series.  Odds are that the more important stuff is in Levels 1 and 2!