24 hour gear...

[BlackHawkHarlequin]

Hey there, I've been on some extended exercises where my kit has not been adequate and as I have got funds coming in at the moment Im considering buying a lot of new kit.

So I want to know what some of you guys lug around on exercises and your opinions on...

• Tentage (civilian or military issue?)
• Bashas (as opposed to a tent)
• Ground sheets (what sort best retains heat?)
• Bivvi bags/Sleeping bags
• Bergens
• Cooking equipment

Any other related gear would be worth a mention and sorry if there has been a thread like this before..I have searched

 

Many thanks

 

 

[morpcat]

My choices...

 

- Basha rather than a tent, because it's more compact, and less hassle to set up and take down. Make sure you have plenty of bungees to set it up properly

 

- Roll mat or folding kip mat. Roll mat can go on the outside of the begen, folding ones go inside and take up more room.

 

- Sleeping bag dependent on conditions. I have an army gulf issue one and the normal army 4 season.

 

- Bivi bag as an extra layer and if there is any chance of rain. Quite expensive but keeps you warm and dry and stops you ruining your sleeping bag.Again, army issue gore-tex OD bag will do.

 

- British army bergen, there are very few things with more room.

 

- Cooking could just be a hexi stove but I've moved on to gas. Take hexi as an emergency tool. For gas cookers you might want a simple MSR, or you might go fancy and get a jetboil. Avoid multi person cookers as in an inf. situation they take up too much room and weight and use up a lot of water. Also try get hold of an MRE heater to use to warm your food if tactical situation prevents a fire from being lit.

 

 

 

 

[Cannonfodder80]

Pretty much as above, but I'd pay a little more and get a load of the self heating meals. I found they take up less space than meals and cooker and will cook just as quickly. A nice extra is that you can use the heating pouch as a hand warmer afterwards if it's really cold

[morpcat]

Pretty much as above, but I'd pay a little more and get a load of the self heating meals. I found they take up less space than meals and cooker and will cook just as quickly. A nice extra is that you can use the heating pouch as a hand warmer afterwards if it's really cold

 

They aren't as effective for heating water for drinks though. You can't properly boil some water for drinking in one of those bags. Not essential for a 24 hour game where you will have a plentiful supply of safe water, but there are other situations where not having a cooker can be a real disadvantage.

[Cannonfodder80]

True, I was thinking of saving space but I know what you mean about a hot drink

[BlackHawkHarlequin]

Thanks guys you've been a great help

[thewallhitme]

for me, ive only done a few overnight excersises with the CCF, but i think i can add some info. i use a short bergen to carry my stuff, and anything else goes in my webbing. ill start with what i carry in my webbing.

 

obviously i have ammo, a full water bottle, mess tins with hexistove inside them and possibly some food if i can get it to fit. i also carry an mre in my combat jacket.

 

in my bergen i put in my 4 season sleeping bag, food, extra water, a poncho (to double up as a ground sheet), a jumper and track suit bottoms just in case i get completely soaked, and a dinky little box with plasters and the like for blisters. then once all thats in i lash a sleeping matt rolled up to the side/ put it under the top cover bit on the burgen. then any other possible space is taken up with chocolate bars (but for an airsoft 24 hour event it would probably be batteries and chocolate)

 

however, considering that its only 24 hours, i would be suprised if you needed more than 3 meals. i can get by on 2 but im only small. also 2 litres of water in the burgen, and one bottle in your webbing would be sufficient i think.

 

ive waffled on long enough.

[Superkenster]

I went on a 24 hour event just the other day and this is what I took with me. I'll list only the bits you've asked about.

 

Please bear in mind that I live in spain and it will be kinda different from what I'd use in England.

 

No tent - You do not really need a tent to keep warm and dry during the night, there are much less heavy ways of doing that. What I do is (because my mate always brings an entrenching tool) dig a hole in the ground, only something like 6 feet in width and length and about a foot deep, and make sure the edges are sloped. You don't have to dig just look for a little depression in the ground. The ideal area do want to do this with on a shallow slope with trees around. Place the corners of the hole as close as possible to the trees. Now you get a ground sheet a bit bigger than the hole and then tie the corners of the ground sheet to the bottoms of the trees with string. The ground sheet (one with a little bit you can tie string onto in the middle) needs to be between 6 and 12 inches from the ground except on the highest side of the ground sheet which should be on the ground. Finally, put a bit of string through the bit in the middle and tie the other end to a branch above you so the middle is a little higher than the rest of the ground sheet, this will ensure that any water drains off and dosent turn into a massive puddle in the middle. It may seem time consuming but between 3 or 4 of you it takes the same time as a tent to set up.

 

I hope I've explained that correctly but If you want me to explain it further PM me .

 

With that method you can fit 2 people plus all their equipment comfortably in an area that is defendable and very hard to spot especially at night.

 

Sleeping Bag - Get an all weather one, that will keep you comfortable in whatever weather, and make sure it is breathable otherwise whatever the weather you will wake up in the middle of the night sweating like a bishop in a brothel.

 

Bergens - I have a 115l pack, it fits all my guns, ammo, and everything else in it comfortably. Also there is no such thing as 100% waterproof even though it might say it is. However most keep the water out for as long as you need it too. Not that we get much in spain lol.

 

Cooking Equipment - Use a hexi stove, they are about the size of a big box of matches and cook things pretty fast. For 24 hours take about half a dozen of the tablets. All of this together still weighs next to nothing. Foodwise whatever you do, don't take any MRE's. They are absolutely repulsive, neither me nor anyone I know likes them. It's much more fun to make MRE-Bombs and then use them as grenades lol.

 

I hope I've been helpful.

 

Regards,

Chris

[thewallhitme]

i love MREs. perhaps its just the british ones...

[Superkenster]

i love MREs. perhaps its just the british ones...

 

Make an MRE-Bomb with them, thats much more fun (and safe lol) that eating them

[Zmarre]

- surplus german 65ltr rucksack

- surplus german army tent

- surplus german army foldable sleeping mat

- sleeping bag I found in my attic

- my knowledge of fieldcraft/survival

- a zippo lighter

- food my mother prepared for me so I just have to heat it up

- beer, preferably belgian ones

 

Perfect combo that helped me through very extensive weekends (not only airsoft-related ones)

[thewallhitme]

i can back up that duvel is pretty awsome stuff.

[patton45]

i really like that hole in the ground idea alot. and theres no tent to carry.

[Windibob]

I 2nd the Duvel! It's like hangover in a bottle!

[M0ldyM!LK]

You don't need a tent, just take a military poncho and 550 cord or bungees.

 

Find 2 trees, run the 550 across, tie off the hood on the poncho, drape it over the cord, and use small sticks as tent stakes on the side grommets.

 

Bungees are easier to use, just loop them around the trees and hook them into the center grommets.

 

The hooch will be about knee high, so put your mat and bag in there beforehand.

[Phatvortex]

No tent - You do not really need a tent to keep warm and dry during the night, there are much less heavy ways of doing that. What I do is (because my mate always brings an entrenching tool) dig a hole in the ground, only something like 6 feet in width and length and about a foot deep, and make sure the edges are sloped. You don't have to dig just look for a little depression in the ground. The ideal area do want to do this with on a shallow slope with trees around. Place the corners of the hole as close as possible to the trees. Now you get a ground sheet a bit bigger than the hole and then tie the corners of the ground sheet to the bottoms of the trees with string. The ground sheet (one with a little bit you can tie string onto in the middle) needs to be between 6 and 12 inches from the ground except on the highest side of the ground sheet which should be on the ground. Finally, put a bit of string through the bit in the middle and tie the other end to a branch above you so the middle is a little higher than the rest of the ground sheet, this will ensure that any water drains off and dosent turn into a massive puddle in the middle. It may seem time consuming but between 3 or 4 of you it takes the same time as a tent to set up.

 

That's such a bad idea. If water runs into your little hole when you're sleeping, congrats, you've just woken up in a puddle.

[Superkenster]

That's such a bad idea. If water runs into your little hole when you're sleeping, congrats, you've just woken up in a puddle.

 

That is why the ground sheet is bigger than the hole! I'm pretty sure i mentioned that in the explanation.

 

[CaptWilkes777]

With the hole in the ground it might be a better idea to use the soil you've dug up to form a small wall round three of the sides (leaving the 4th open so it can still be used as an OP) this stops water coming off the poncho from coming back in the hole and would give you extra defence, as an airsoft structure it would act like a fortified position with a slight gap at the front, finally cover the poncho with grass and foliage as best you can. In the morning push the walls into the hole to re-fill and its as if you were never there

Alternatively this can be used strictly as an OP, or a firing position, during the day or night and so is more versatile than a tent.

[Superkenster]

With the hole in the ground it might be a better idea to use the soil you've dug up to form a small wall round three of the sides (leaving the 4th open so it can still be used as an OP) this stops water coming off the poncho from coming back in the hole and would give you extra defence, as an airsoft structure it would act like a fortified position with a slight gap at the front, finally cover the poncho with grass and foliage as best you can. In the morning push the walls into the hole to re-fill and its as if you were never there

Alternatively this can be used strictly as an OP, or a firing position, during the day or night and so is more versatile than a tent.

 

Only one thing, by filling in the three sides that gives u only one field of fire. With the other way u have three immediate fields of fire, and with the top side u can just prop it up with a stick and then u can fire in all 4 directions. Also i dont think i mentioned it but if its not a dark coloured or camo groundsheet then we throw some camo net over it.

 

Regards,

Superkenster

[CaptWilkes777]

ahh but because its like a ramp on the 4th side (I presume) you can crawl out a bit further to gain a larger arc of fire alternatively you can just peak over the walls seeing as the poncho is 6-12 inches off the ground. You can still see all around.

[Superkenster]

I think i must have misunderstood your post. I thought you said you build up the little walls until they meet the groundsheet.

[CaptWilkes777]

I didn't say that, sorry, just enough so that you're covered in the hole or so that rain water doesn't get in so about 3 inches high.

[Superkenster]

I didn't say that, sorry, just enough so that you're covered in the hole or so that rain water doesn't get in so about 3 inches high.

 

We make the groundsheet about 4-5 inches bigger than the hole on every side, although that is untested against rain because it has only rained 4 times since i have been here lol. And i've been here since september.

 

[Mat]

Hi there,

 

Well I can give you my experience of lightweight hiking we used to do in summer/autumn time, this might not be for everybody, but it worked nicely for me.

 

Left combat trouser pocket: basha (usually german), a slection of groundscrew pegs (for use if insufficient trees to anchor bungees to

Right combat trouser pocket: Lightweight Hammock (rolls up to about fist size), small groundsheet (optional) with eyelets at corners.

Belt: made up of bungees.

 

Sling hammock between two trees, pitch basha between same two trees above hammock, sleep in hammock, store kit, boots, guns on groundsheet under hammock.

 

Bedroll optional, we used to take a thermal liner only if we knew it might be a little chilly. Now that I'm airsofting and our club runs 48 hour + events I'll probably go back to this method but will have the parts in one of my general pouches.

 

Food was never really an issue as we used to divert our routes to pass farms, shops etc and would eat there and carry a small ammount of food, either that or as we had mess tins in our small packs and I used to be a dab hand at survival skills, I'd make us something hot and green, nettle porridge was one of my more dubious creations, lol. Of course sometimes we were camping where we definately shouldn't and so fires weren't advisable unless you could outrun shotgun blasts of rocksalt and farm dogs, in those instances the stash of kendal mintcake and self heating coffee in our small packs really helped, lol, one night without hot food was never really too bad, the first cigarette and coffee in the morning generally banished any woes.

 

While being adept at the outdoor life there are certain things that are a must, one of these is a waterproof resealable bag filled with the softest toilet paper known to man, it makes alllll the difference.

 

As I said, not 100% what you were asking for, but I always stayed dry and warm... admittedly no-one was likely to be shooting at me (other than the aformentioned angry farmer) so I don't know how this would measure up to skirmishing, however with the hole in the ground idea, why not pitch A-framed basha and hammock over the top and sleep suspended half in, half out of the pit, all you need to do is roll out of the hammock to find yourself in good cover... alternatively you could do what my mate Adam did and pitch your hammock and basha at least 20 feet up... as long as you don't move much in your sleep or wake up thinking, "Where am I?" alot this always kept him out of the Midnight Men's 200 metre angry farmer dash.

[pumba1504]

patrol pack or bergen, with basher, tent pegs and bungees, warm kit, sleeping back and bivvi bag, food and water, cooking stuff.