How I Pack for 5 Days in the Woods With One Arm, by One Armed OutdoorsmAn on YouTube. 13 min 46 s.
- Video length
- 13 min 46 s
- Time to do it
- 45 minutes
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Steps
- 9
What you need
Steps
Start with a pack that fits your back and holds everything. This is the base for every trip, from a short hike to five days out.
Build the hiking layer first. It never leaves the bag: headlamp, folding saw, belt knife, notebook, emergency blanket, poncho tarp, cordage, canteen and first aid kit.
Tie the emergency blanket grommets to cord before you pack it, so you can rig it as shelter without fumbling in the cold.
Pack the orange poncho with the cordage so it doubles as a tarp. Keep the bank line in one bag so you always know where it is.
Mount the rip away first aid kit on the outside of the pack. Another person should be able to tear it off without asking you.
Check the full hiking layer closes the pack with room to spare. Most of it is comfort gear, so keep the balance deliberate.
For an overnight, add the 10x10 nylon tarp, oversized bandana, fire kit, neck knife and haversack. Leave the tomahawk home in summer.
Pack food in the canteen pouch. A pound of rice plus jerky and dried fruit feeds one person for three days without a resupply.
For winter trips, add the tomahawk for processing firewood. Take it out again for summer hikes.
Tips and common mistakes
Keep the same pack for every trip so you always know where each item sits.
Test that the first aid kit pulls off cleanly before you rely on it.
Weigh the loaded pack and keep it near twenty pounds so it stays comfortable.
In cold weather a lighter may not strike, so warm it in a pocket or hand before use.
Questions
How much food do I need for three days?
About a pound of rice plus jerky and dried fruit feeds one person for three days without a resupply. Pack it in the canteen pouch so it stays separate from your tools.
What stays in the pack all the time?
The hiking layer stays in permanently: headlamp, saw, knife, notebook, emergency blanket, poncho, cordage, canteen and first aid kit. You only add the tarp, fire kit and other items for overnight trips.
When should I carry a tomahawk?
Take it on winter trips for processing firewood. Leave it home in summer when you do not need the extra weight.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
