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Hi there. I thought I would share some photos and a bit about my kit from our Oct 2012 Kaimanawa trip. Thanks for a great web site guys. Please comment or reply with ideas or thoughts. Dave

As you can see by the full pack, I tend to carry a lot of gear in the bush but am working at reducing the amount.

The pack is a French Macor. This is a great pack, strong, comfortable, well designed and made of a silent fabric for hunting.

The hootchie (NZ Army surplus) kept me dry in heavy rain but let the water drip through when I rubbed against the inside fabric. These hootchies repel water well but only if pulled tight and not touched on the inside. 

The bivy bag (folded on top of the pack) is an old and worn NZ Army goretex item and let a small amount of moisture soak through (not a problem for a short trip but on a longer trip my down sleeping bag would start soaking it up)

The blue ground sheet is a cheapo from The Warehouse, back pack has Ridge Line wet weather trousers strapped to the bottom, US Army plastic canteen poking out of the side pocket (holds 1litre), in front of the pack is my belt kit (carried in place of a day pack)

Our campsite on the edge of the Kaimanawa Ranges between Turangi and Waiouru

My cook kit includes steel wool with soap (it only takes a piece the size of a 50 cent coin to clean my cup), army can opener, tooth paste and airline tooth brush, US Army canteen and cup (electrical tape on the handle helps me hold the hot cup and makes for less rattles when traveling)

The belt kit is a Ridge Line waist belt (not a full photo sorry). I always wear it in the bush. Carries my survival kit plus first aid, shelter, food and water. The hiking pants are light weight "on sale" pants from Katmandu. They dry incredibly quick, offer good wind resistance and hold in the warmth when combined with a cheap pair of polypropylene long johns. I don't wear them anywhere near a camp fire or I will probably go up in flames

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Thanks Joe. I have seen the Nixwax all over the place so will get a bottle for my hootchie, thanks for that.

I have since put the army bivy bag on the shelf and bought an SOL Escape Bivy. Looks like a good piece of kit that is designed as an emergency waterproof but breathable sleeping bag. I have tried it out (in the untamed wilderness of my living room) and I can fit my 3 season down bag into it. Its a bit restricted for space with the sleeping bag in it but not as bad as I thought. Will be giving it a try in the bush soon. It has reduced the weight and size of my sleeping gear.  

It does slip down a little but only when wearing a pack which ends up sitting on top of the belt. Not too much of a problem for me as I just do minor adjustments as I go.

The hunting stores have a good range of Ridge Line, Stoney Creek and imports, with and without suspenders. I Think suspenders would be a good improvement on this one and could be fitted with a little work. Another option is army combat harnesses and vests.

I have added some pictures to give an idea of what this belt can carry for a day trip for me. It is geared up for survival rather than bush craft but has room for most anything needed.

The water bottle and cup are smaller dutch copies of the US Army canteen and cup and fits right into the pouch. The US canteen will fit but the US cup will not. The black cord loop on the belt loops over the water bottle neck to hold it in place as the the zipper does not fully close now.

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