Old Marine here, served as a 0331 M-60 Machinegunner in the early 1980s. Back in the day we were taught bushcraft in each climate we trained in, wether that be the jungles of the Philippines, the Mountains of the Sierra Nevadas in both winter and summer, or the deserts of 29 Palms, California. We always assumed we would be undersupplied and over stretched since we were facing and training for a global thermal nuclear war with Soviets. When our equipment failed, we fixed it the field, when are uniforms ripped, we stitched them back in place, when our cloths were dirty, we washed them in the field, when we needed a home, we dug it with an entrenching tool. We were self-sufficient. Something that has been lost in the modern armed forces. Now retired as a DEA Agent I live in Mexico, and hike the jungles, coastlines and mountains of Mexico, when I’m not doing CrossFit. I’m 62 years old.

Former Wilderness SAR, I found out real quick that all of the light weight plastic gear doesn't hold up once you start bush wacking so I started learning about Bush craft clothing (wool, oil cloth/waxed canvas). Now that I have both I mix it up depending on what I think I'll use.

0311 turned lightweight backpacker. All great points. A healthy combo of skills from grunt, backpacking and bushcrafting is a win.

Yes on field craft. We need more Eagle Scouts. “Be Prepared”

Years ago before I got hurt I found that going on workout type hikes to build stamina . If you go with other people in about the same shape and stride so everyone can stay together. If you turn it into a social event where everyone is talking while they are hiking it makes the miles go by faster and everyone is breathing correctly also.

I was just thinking about how this outdoors stuff is like a martial art. You can cherry pick things from each art. Bushcraft, survival, stealth camping, backpacking, and combine them to ultimately achieve whatever you want out there in nature while staying alive and comfortable.

11 B from 1983-1988. I always tried to go with as little as possible. I learned this from an SF squad leader who had extensive combat experience in Central America. Worked well for my tour in the DMZ in South Korea

Good points. I'm a light infantry combat vet but have been a backpacker from a young age. You touched on the biggest determining factor a backpacker can go resupply. If they need to wash their socks, they have time. They can pick their our gear their not stuck to a timeline. In the military, you are mission oriented, not enjoying the outdoors. It's like working on your car are you in the garage with all your tools or the ability to go get what you need or on top of a mountain with what's in your pocket and its getting dark and you have to work tomorrow. A little bit of a different mentality. But you need both thought patterns to make it through what is coming.

Great points! I'm an old grunt (Rakassan) and a backpacker. We can definitely learn from each other. I've found the grunt attitude is one of the greatest assets I bring on backpacking trips. And, it weighs nothing!

As a veteran myself , I’ve learned a lot from hikers on the AT and PCT ..etc. Always something to learn from others! ❤️

agreed on water, the military has forgotten how to source water. filters, tablets, etc.

I do remember reading an ultralighter thread on water purification tablets. The poster was actually weighing them to find the lightest brand. Some take it way overboard.

I've become a huge fan of the Grayl filter. It doesn't require chemicals, there's virtually no waiting time (8-15 seconds), and it also allows you to carry a small quantity of water with you between stops. If you pre-screen with a kerchief of other cloth as you fill from a raw source it will extend the life of the filter cartridge. One extra pair of good wool socks is sufficient; you can wear one pair while you wash the other and allow them to air dry (rain excluded of course) by hanging them off your pack as you ruck.

Great points. Got into backpacking as a soldier (and even more into it as a veteran), largely because I recognized weak points in my capabilities. Everyone you cross paths with has something to teach you, if you are receptive to the lesson and present in the moment.

Brother, You NAILED this one. I never hike without a filter/purifier. However, (long ago) when I was humping a ruck I didn't even know they existed. Something as small and light weight as the Sawyer Squeeze is a real game changer when it comes to water.

As a veteran an now avid backpacker, I’m loving this series. I’ve noticed many of the same things you mention, on both sides of the spectrum. As you mentioned, the redundancy was one of the hardest things I had to overcome with transitioning to UL backpacking. And yeah, don’t get me started on water, lol! Even though a water filter was one of my first purchases for backpacking, I still always felt like I didn’t have enough water with me. Now part of that was growing up in West Texas where water isn’t nearly as available as it is on the Appalachian Trail.

Mind set is the main one for me. It's very easy to get out and be so 'on mission' you don't even stop to enjoy nature. Another great video. Thanks

I was an avid backpacker in Scouts prior to going into the Army. I often found myself humping on a patrol and actually enjoying myself when all of the other guys were merely sucking. I think mental attitude was a big part of that. I had experiences climbing a ridgeline and it was fun before I had experiences in the Army climbing a ridgeline. I also noticed I was generally dryer and warmer than most of my buddies because of tricks I had learned backpacking. I tried to pass those on to my squad mates and later on to my squad.

Good points. I follow a little bit of everything (grunt, bushcraft, day hikers, thru hikers, survivalists, preppers, sportsmen). Everyone has different perspectives and goals, different gear, and different mindsets. It's nice to see what all is out there to do what I want to do and in the way I want to do it.

GWOT Marine here 0311. No we were not trained in fieldcraft and survival skills. That was definitely one of many things that surprised me while I was still in.

When you brought up feeling good with a 35 lbs patrol pack until mission essential equipment is added..1990 in 3Bde 101 preranger class when we emptied our pockets to turn in ammo and pyro I had 7-8 belts of 7.62 blank with me! 50-60 lbs of blanks! Ball even heavier. The guys suddenly realized how the young LT was having trouble keeping upright when we went to the knee.

I was a Para at Ft Bragg in the early 80s. We spent a great deal of our training time on survival. This also included the olde JOTC in Panama. Our SERE was run by the 5th SFG and was hell. Olde school Grunts had to make it happen with no external support. Our packs, which we jumped, were very overloaded. Especially as I was on the M60 MG team. We were Hardcore. We did all weather training in every season with minimalist kit. We suffered but Grunted through it all.

I knew it. You spend so much time teasing backpackers that I had a feeling you're really a backpacker at heart.

The best thing about real military gear is that it's durable, but lots of times too bulky or heavy. There are usually lighter and better options for most things. That's the benefit of the civilian market. lighter boots, lighter sleeping kits, water filters, etc.

Well said Randal. You definitely hit the nail on the head especially about fieldcraft. Seems like it is reserved for SOF LRP these days but everyone needs it. Bunkers would be very cool to see. Nate

Topo guy here made maps for the guys busting caps. You have help me get out of my slump after getting out and going from my father figure to a dad bod and working my way back to my father figure . Thank you for all you do Essayons

Water is heavy. Love that he is talking about it. If I'm hiking and camping in the temperate forests I almost never cary more than a litre of water. My little portable filter works great for streams. And it saves me several pounds of weight allowing me to cary beer and wine!

Backpacked for years before I joined the military. It gave me experience that helped in many areas. I remember in basic training the rucking was hard on a lot of soldiers but I loved it. 90lb. ruck marches during AIT. Backpackers share a lot of the same skill sets as a grunt.

In my day we didn't call it a ruck, it was a force march. The average pack was 90 lbs. Before and after my army time I climb/ed mountains. My average pack out now is 70 lbs. I'm 65 and disabled. I carry one change of socks and underwear and seasonally appropriate clothing. I have a butane stove but rarely use it. I think a combination of my army fieldcraft, hiking experience and bushcraft serves me best. Where I am it can snow in August or be 80 degrees. It's best to prepare for anything and I do. Ultralight is for ultra easy areas. Off trail is more my style. We call it bushwhacking and it's also good training for the other kind of bushwhack. Stay frosty.

Per repair work in the field: I once sat under a tree and with 550 cord from my bootlace and a sail needle from my wallet I sewed my PRIMARY pack strap back together and since I had time I went around a tear along the fingers of my gloves. 15 years later both of those repairs (made with an inner strand of para cord as thread) are still holding strong. And guys? Remember pretty much all rope is basically thread if you take the time to unravel. (just don’t f up climbing rope)

Well said toward the end: we can learn from each other.

100% my words. thank you gruntproof!

I was a homeless wanderer for o er 12 years in the US, Canada and Mexico. I learned a ton of stuff and how to cover miles hitchhiking and freight riding. I should write it down in a pamphlet but some of it would help cops and as$holes hunt us so I have to leave that out.

I have been looking for a series like this. Yes, I watched the first one.

Always something to learn and needs to adapt to. Good stuff brother!

79 in Panama we had to get water from grungy, muddy jungle puddles. Filter it through your scarf, drop in your purification tabs and shake for 20 minutes. Yummy iodine. I still to this day carry purification tabs. In AK youir first week on post you had to attend a week long survival course before heading to your post. You learned arctic survival, improvised shelters, cold weather training, etc.

You are bang on! As a former grunt, 11c 7ID light, and an avid backpacker, we can learn from each craft to maximize our efficacy in the field. Empower those around you, build strong capable brothers and sisters.

Excellent and straight to the point..agree 100% with everything you said 👍

I don't even want to elaborate on the details, but I had a battle buddy that I could out run in the flat spaces, but once we transition to rough terrain, he could out hike me 💀⚰️ I found that the stare climber in the gym helped

Thanks for this and for your previous video about veteran grunts going into the woods. Very interesting. Appreciating you.

Spot on about the water. Great video. I'm in the Stuttgart area and I love getting out in the woods here in Deutschland. So much cool history here.

With regard to field craft, it appears the Marine Corps has reintroduced field craft to SOI in their new Infantry Marine Course, and yes, this should be fundamental and grunts cannot rely on logistical miracles to sustain them if they're going to be more broadly dispersed in smaller units.

Old timer Grunt here. 25 years of doing infantry stuff and now a hiking enthusiest since retirement. I love the fact I could shed 50 lbs of gear and enjoy my time in nature instead of fighting with it. It boils down to, Grunts don't hike along trails and Hikers never go off trail. Mountaineers and adventures are off trail most of the time but as a hiker enjoying a mostly groomed trail, having a base weight of 16 lbs for a 57 year old Marine is a blessing.

Great Content Randall, thank you for sharing 🇺🇸✌️ Cheers 🍻

As an old Currahee, I figured out I don’t need to carry 10 tons of extra 💩 for “just in case.” 😂

Outstanding! One of your best, in my humble opinion. You didn't try to hide your suckin' wind on the upgrade- keepin' it real! Excellent. We ARE all in this together: Damn straight. Thank you! God Bless!

I was never military (not from a lack of trying, just too much of a trouble maker) but was raised by a straight Tennessee ridgerunner. I love the outdoors and spend 2/3 of my waking hours in it. I watch backpacker and military videos for new tips and tricks. I love my life outdoors and can always learn even at my 58 year milemarker. Just earned yourself a new sub. Thank you for your service. PS; nice tip on the rucking pace, I'll put that into service.

The water section reminded me of Charlie Beckwiths struggle to stand up Delta. There was a cross training event with Green Berets and SAS guys and the US guys canceled the exercise because they couldn't bring in water, the SAS guys found their own. And Beeckwith was embarrassed in front of his old SAS buddies

love thease videos! My buddy who got me into backpacking years ago was a ranger and he loved how creative I was. I grew up poor so sometimes I had five big contractor or normal garbage bags. In a nicer weather I was stuffing two of those bags full of material for a bed just depended on where we were going how I felt about it the time of year. But I always had garbage bags with me I went on a two-week backpacking trip where they actually saved my life just some lightweight nothing garbage bags stuffed with dry material during a freak snow storm doubled as rain and snow gear, when it was 70+ out for the first 5 days. He had some cool ideas and I learned a lot from him too. He always brought this lightweight filter you can either drink right out of the creek with it or fill up his empty canteen and our bottles as well. So much fun ! Most times I would always bring a little pocket still can a fuel cell in my camp stuff for food water warmed whatever you wanted.

Enjoy your videos, buddy! All great points!

That’s is very important point an excellent advice I highly appreciate thank you very much stay safe out there

Hey Randall, I love this channel , no Bulls*t ...lots of wicked Awesome tips grateful for all the Gear you test, so lots of us in the Audience don't waste money on low quality products! I've learned alot watching your channel grow. So thank you for all you do ! Dont change a thing ...one of the only Real good shows on loop tube !!! Maybe incorporate some more good infantry stories into the context once in a while , well I know you do , just enjoy how you don't edit out any truth or normal stuff ...that some people do. Also the PBR is much welcomed sponsor of your show 🤣😎👊🤙Have a great weekend Brotha! CHEERS from Beantown

Your points are spot on. Great video. Backpacking community is just happy to be there. Very few politics, everyone is trail dirty, and we get excited over the little things like snacks and trail critters. Water and fire are very good points. Always need to be able to find and filter/purify water. Fires are not always a necessity. I really enjoy the light weight (not UL) backpacking community. Most of my veteran friends fit into this group quite nicely. We are generally a nice blend of skills and gear without being on one extreme or the other.

When I was in the Army a route march distance, pace, stops and patrol order was set by the Section Leader. As a Hiker I walk as fast and far as I want, decide what to carry and if I want a break I take one.

I watch a lot of your military buddies on KZfaq and they show a lot of bushcraft survival and they are awesome at what they do.

I don't know why the ultra light thing took off on long hikes. That light rain gear gets ripped up eventually needs replacing. I always bring water and a filter. I go places that a spring is unreliable. Good video

On water; I’ve switched over to a Grayl filter and love it. It takes 30 seconds to open, fill and filter. I still carry the purification tablets, but those are now my secondary way to get clean water.

For 20 years I have drank water straight from the ground. Adapted my gut bugs to it. Have seen many do it. Best or not. It saves a lot of dealing with the water situation. That said I will still carry water at times. And very mindful of source/quality.

Spot on. Very accurate, excellent helpful content. I'm ex Brit army, I hike and I learned to put aside the regulations and travel lite a long time ago. What you say is practical and just plain common sense. Keep up the great video's

Thank you for this video. Excellent information and insights. Fielding an army that relies absolutely on regular resupply for water appears, to my civilian eyes, to be a recipe for disaster. Hypothermia kills in hours, dehydration kills in days (Without water, even a well-conditioned, young man under ideal circumstances is pretty much useless in 40 to 60 hours.), starvation kills in weeks.

Great motto, throw out the bad and keep the good 💯

Great video. The big lesson is take the knowledge and skills and apply appropriately. Same goes for LE and Mil. LE sometimes learns from Mil and start applying skills and equipment which are not required in a permissive environment. Again great content. Still waiting on your fitness PDF/book!

You make a lot of good points. My biggest gripe with the backpackers...especially the ultralight gaf's, is the elitism, and cost of that stuff, not to mention the fact that I am a big guy and 6'6"... I'm not a wispy boy like the ultralights. Most of those packs simply don't fit me. I like military surplus because it's inexpensive and durable, plus some of it actually fits! Some of the bush crafters, irritate me because they seem to think, that everyone should be able to survive in the wilderness with a bic lighters and good knife (I know I am overexaggerating.) The Marines and Army overload the crap out of their soldiers. I'm surprised that they don't teach fieldcraft or have at least dumbed it down. There has to be a happy medium somewhere. I will say that the ultralights are pretty efficient. I do believe that one is none and two is none. A meeting of the minds maybe? BTW what's your thoughts on the three line principle aka 1. EDC, 2. H-harness, but pack or day pack, 3. your rucksack? Thanks.

Late 97 to early 2018 there definitely was a loss of field craft for support units/ rear echelon....supply types. "In the rear with the gear" you kind of do expect everything to be handed you on a silver platter.

I’d have to agree with this one, well done sir.

The 5 C's of survivability are a must for anyone that goes out their door.

This was a great video, as was its predecessor. You’re sharing a lot of great info here. As a grunt (99-05) and now a full time ultralight thru-hiker, I feel like I have been spending the last 4 years trying to combine those worlds. I truly believe it’s possible. A close friend I finished the PCT last year with is active duty NSW, and was doing the trail with ultralight gear to specifically show people in his community that UL backpacking gear works, so I know I’m not alone on this quest. Having a UL mindset is more important than the gear as well. Having the capability/experience to do more with less, being comfortable being uncomfortable, and having multi use gear is more important than the gear itself. On the other side, just because gear is UL doesn’t mean it’s good. 90% of my UL gear is custom from the ground up, made specifically for me and what works for me, but that’s come after 4 years and 7000 miles as well as my military background. The more miles, and more time you spend walking with everything on your back, the more you learn what works for you. I always say, start with what you have, and go from there.

Grunts ARE backpackers... at least that's what my recruiter told me. Lol. He also said going to the field was basically camping.😅 but, I have to thank him.... like I tell people who ask me what the army was like... I just say that it drastically increased my misery threshold. The other very important lesson the army taught me is: there's a fine line between "hard" and "retard." 😂

In my 50s, not a vet and love hiking and canoeing. I only take an extra pair of socks if I plan on being out overnight. I think the era of have extra boots, etc comes from our Vietnam experience. Trenchfoot was a real thing. As a former diver, I was trained in redundancy. I used to carry multiple knives, lights, hatchet and rope. This year I got serious about reducing my pack weight. Replaced the axe with a saw. Replaced the rope with paracord. Got rid of a knife and Increased my carry food/water to last 2 days. In my region most of the local water is contaminated with chemicals so I'll go with bottled. I shaved a few pounds off the pack. Then I added more ammo. You can never have enough ammo. I believe that conditioning is paramount. I'd rather train harder than sacrifice a few pounds of kit. While my kit weighs about the same, I believe its more efficient. For me its that balance of efficiency. Training with your kit is paramount. You'll quickly figure out what works and what doesn't.

The problem with not having redundancy when going on a day hike or back packing overnight is the concept that nothing can go wrong. Nope, not going to buy into that philosophy. Yes, you might get away with it for decades, however, Mr. Murphy likes to make his entrance at the worst possible time and that might be a life or death event. In which case, you only get once chance to have it right. An acquaintance was in Colorado and decided to go for a run. Weather was suppose to be good. He put on his shorts, shirt, running shoes and left his day pack behind. He was only going to be out for about an hour or less. Then the blizzard hit. It took his wife hours to convince SAR to look for him. He was less then 1/2 mile from his vehicle, didn't know where he was, which way was North and was running in place to try and stay warm. This happened over a decade ago and you will never convince him to be unprepared again. Do not confuse garrison duty with war zone. When in garrison duty 1969-'76, yeah, we would be told what pack type to carry. Most of it was not needed, but designed to give weight to the pack. In Vietnam, all those extra socks gave way for ammo and other munitions. An extra pair of clothing (you had to have something to put on when washing clothes). No extra boots, no shelter half, no extra cover (hat for civilians), rations to last until next expected resupply. No sleeping system unless you think a poncho liner and poncho is a sleep system. No one was checking to see if I had 7 pairs of socks in Vietnam. But the moment you stepped foot on American soil, it all changed. Bushcraft is something most ultra-light backpackers are lacking.

“This hill is kicking my ass” says the guy still able to talk😂

Great talk. My pack is 21ish pounds, there is room for food and stretch to water source if necessary.❤

That hill ain't gonna ruck itself! Great hat to be rucking the hills of das Vaterland with. Great discussion also. I would like to see a video on the bunkers. Been to Germany twice(central) and miss it.

Community = common unity

Great video buddy good points.

Excellent information. Enjoying your videos. 👍🇺🇸

Yup yup. Remember you can learn something from everybody what to do or what not to do. Good information, brother.

Nice quality wool socks on sale. Sleep in the spair pair if cold, wash and hang, but carry a small amount of potassium permanganate to treat feet.

Good advice, I'm willing to learn from whoever is willing to share. I'd be interested in seeing a video on the bunkers. 😊

Side note, you might look into the Osprey Hose Magnet kit. Basically a magnetic quick detach that joins the hose to the sternum (or shoulder) strap. Works really well so the hose doesn't have to be tucked in tight but also doesn't flop around.

Man thats really cool seeing all that history just right there. We have plenty of neat in the good Ole U.S. but it's just different. Would you consider sharing some of that field craft if you haven't already?

This was actually the exact idea that got me started in Bushcraft and I really appreciate this about you Randall, the learn from anyone mentality you have. My first unit (Fox Co 2/7) only taught Fieldcraft when I went to mountain warfare school, but I knew a lot of it from my grandpa who was a Boy Scout Troop Leader. I was rucking and took what I use, which was an ALICE pack with a bunch of other military type kit that I used for camping. My kit probably weighed 50#, which isn't bad for a military ruck loaded for 3 days, but I thought it would be way cooler if I could cut that in half. Started by looking at the ultralight community, the far opposite of the community from me at the time, then worked my way back to my comfortable middle ground. My usual three day load out now weighs about 35# with food and water. I do have a fire when I camp but I won't die without one.

Did the Army Arctic Small Unit Leader course and was an instructor at the USMC Mountain Warfare Training Center in the 70s. All our issue gear was from the 50s, while the civilian backpacking and climbing communities were entering the space age. We adopted as much from civilian backpacking and climbing as we could afford individually.

Colin Fletcher's book The Complete Walker is a good tome on efficient packing and keeping things light. First published in '68 and updated thru 2004, it's still a good starting place. Fletcher was a Royal Marine and has had some amazing hikes. Grand Canyon and the Sierra Trail to name two.

Thanks for taking the time and efforts to deliver helpful and life saving information.👍😊

SF GUY here 1977 class. Socks 3 pair rotating them, Woodcraft skills taught with the A Team and additional classes like NBC (Nuclear, Biological, Chemical) School, always had water tablets, heat tablets, and wished now I had the striker tool, compass and I had a LEO flashlight not that crap the Army gave us, didnt have body armor so me my Mom sent me a Second Chance vest lol. Good post, wishing I would have stayed in shape ....... tought to do it now at 70 yrs .....

Hi There. Thansk so some good advice. stay safe. ATB

You made some great points in this video. Very interesting and informative. Thanks 👍

I did 3 rucksack hikes last week when the weather was good. You definitely have to have an open mind and a respectful demeanour when it comes to learning anything. You also have to accept a real master is never done learning.

my unit had a packing list we had to follow you could add extra gear but I didn't had two packs to carry I always carried tablets for my water now I carry a life straw filter as well.

good points. loving the unreal tournament music in the outro

love the GOA hat. Went to there national convention in 2007 and saw Ron Paul speak! Great info.

hitting us with that foregone destruction in the outro? incredible

Nice video, thanks for taking the time to share your ideas on this subject. My two cents. 1. Long distance hikers and socks. Most of them have 2 or 3 pair. Generally the 3rd pair is for sleeping. They normally have a daily cycle of wash one pair and wear the other. Sometimes short water supply prevents a daily cycle. 2. Old school backpackers modified everything. Not so much the case anymore. I think this comes from all the throw-away products newer generations grow up with. Not many people fix or modify anything anymore. Def some exceptions, but no longer the rule. To most modern hikers, modifying your pack means buying add on accessories, not actually modifying the pack. To be fair, some of the hi-tech materials need special knowledge or equipment to work on. Not like the old days with low tech materials. 3. Some of the light weight gear is crap. Some is not. Often it has strengths and weaknesses you need to be aware of in order to use it effectively. Dyneema is a good example. Massive tear resistance, but week on abrasion (really prone to micro abrasion). So great for a tent, but need special care if used on the tent floor. Thanks again for both the videos on what each group can learn from the other. ~S

The bunkers are cool. I'd love to see your take on them... As for hiking and backpacking from a grunt/ultralight/backpacker perspective. I think they all offer pluses and minuses. It's up to the individual to figure out what works for them, use it and discard the rest, or at the very least keep the rest in the back of your mind as a potential modification or workaround. Adapt, improvise, overcome.

Backpacker here - I found the bit about soldiers being required to bring a spare pair of boots completely insane, but it's not far off from my preferred system. I'm on the minimalist footwear train, and it's hard to find genuinely waterproof boots that fulfill my other requirements (light, flexible soles, zero-drop). So the solution for me on a backpacking trip in Scotland, where we were hiking through sodden heather, was to bring an ultralight pair of sneakers (basically ballet slippers for hiking in) to wear when wet feet were guaranteed, and have three pairs of merino socks on the go - one to wear when on wet ground, two to stay dry. Then after you got back on dry ground, you could immediately swap to a dry pair of socks and dry boots, and the sneakers would dry in a couple of hours. Also, I had a lanolin wax-based foot cream I'd put on before wet days, which helps keep moisture in your feet so they don't crack after a couple of days with sodden feet, also really good for preventing blisters. Buy newspapers when you go through towns, and stuff your boots with crumpled up pages at night to help dry them from the inside. The minimalist shoes plus cream plus socks and newspaper are probably lighter and less bulky altogether than a single pair of heavy hiking boots, but wearing minimalist shoes is definitely something you need to build up to, otherwise you're at risk of injury. It was a flawless system, and I had a much better time than my friend who only had one pair of constantly wet boots. In addition, instead of gaiters I used puttees, which are extremely old-school but infinitely more comfortable. The wool wrappings keep your lower leg toasty, protect against ticks really well, act basically like a compression sock, and are pretty effective at repelling water and mud. Even when they do get wet, they stay warm. You look a little weird, but they were genuinely the most comfortable bit of kit I've ever worn.

Good video. God bless. From Glenn CATT in Massachusetts.

Well, I never served myself, and I'm not a backpacker, and I don't do a lot of bushcrafting yet, but I was a boy scout, so I do remember our motto.....be prepared !!! I'm 65 now, and I can carry a good load if I have to, but time has taught me to only take what is necessary for the task, but the boy scout in me says be prepared, so I improvise with just a tiny bit more gear, but a lot of knowledge and ingenuity sprinkled with a liberal amount of acquired skills,and I press on. A fire is nice to have, but if you have a headlamp, a reliable backpack or Esbit stove with enough fuel for either, the appropriate clothing and cover for warmth, and your weapon of choice for protection, then your 80lb. ruck becomes a 20 to 30lb. patrol or day pack. If I need to go beyond those two, I have a contingency plan and the gear to move it all without compromising my freedom of movement. But if that is the case, then I'm most likely in a bug-out position and situation, and it's good to know that I have the extra gear and I can get from point A to B, C, D, etc, and not be taxed to hurry and do it, or worry about having it all still in my possession when I get to where I need to go. The objective is all that matters. Getting to where you are headed, and all in one piece. How you accomplish this is up to you. Take all my gear away, and I'll still be okay as long as I draw breath, because I still have my brain, and that's the best piece of gear or kit yet, because I havve skills and knowledge that I have aquired all this time, and that makes me still one of the top predators because.....I KNOW THINGS. I CAN improvise. I CAN adapt. I CAN overcome. All I have to do is take a deep breath, realize that if I'm still alive, then I'm still in the fight, and start putting one foot in front of the other, and repeat. I can pick up or fashion gear as I go from there, and eventually I will have pretty much all of the main gear I started out witth in the first place by the time I get to where I'm going, if it's a far enough trip. If not, it doesn't matter. The point is I make it to where I want to go.

Random thoughts by bullet points: - Elitism. Everyone is guilty of it to some degree. See it all the time in the military. See it in the outdoors community too. I think it boils down to, "you don't do what I do". Admittedly, i'm guilty of it myself. Most recreationlists, (hikers, backpackers, OHV riders, etc) I think of as tourists. Personally, I just get as far away from everyone as I can, just do my own thing, and not worry about what other people are doing unless it's going to screw with my hunt. - As doing things goes, there's something to be learned from every outdoor community. It gives you some "outside the box" perspectives. Sometimes you'll find someone figured out a better way or a better system. I take what I need that is relevant from each community.. Bushcrafter, survival, backpackers, hikers, tactical, military, firearms, other hunters, etc. I'm mainly a backcountry or mountain hunter, so everything is relevant in my view. - Camo. It is my default, but there's a time and place I won't wear it. Mainly during summer when aforementioned recreatioanlists are out in force. While I will still bust out a pair of woodland BDU's once in a great while, for the most part I've abandoned issue clothing except for maybe a watch cap and a 5 button wool sweater. If I feel the need for BDU pants, i'll wear some straight OD green ones, with maybe a harness leather belt. Looks less military and more forest service. Doesn't alarm people. Modern "technical hunting clothes" has it's perks and does a better job then issue clothing. In my view it's all about weight, wicking, and warmth. As synthetic vs wool goes, I'm a late convert to synthetic, but I'll still rock a pair of wool pants during deep winter. - Gear. I think as you get older, weight is more of a concern. I'm 49, I pay far more attention to weight then I did when I was younger. Durable and lightweight gear is not cheap. I think I'm at the point now where I'll keep rolling with what I have until I can roll no more. Sometime after I'm dead, my daugther will either use my gear somehow, or sell it at an estate sale with little to no idea how much consideration, thought, experience, and money went into my gear selection. (edit: on the subject of age, at some point, your going swallow your pride, and give in the Pussy Poles. I'll bet on it. ) ( edit 2: This will make the transition easier for practical reasons, you'll probably like this. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/iNeThKuX25-5Zmw.html )

Ouch, that hit hard, "if you tell a bushcrafter he cant start a fire"... We use a fire for everything, boil water, keep warm, comfort. Without a nice campfire it's just not the same.