Training with your gear...

[SirThrivalist]

Been looking into PTing. Came across this one site so far:

• http://www.abc-of-hiking.com/hiking-...into-shape.asp
• http://www.alpineinstitute.com/artic...g-expeditions/
• http://www.climbalaska.org/training-expeditions.html
• http://www.fas.org/blog/secrecy/2012...aineering.html

If anybody has any other suggestions, I'd appreciate the input.

Thanks.




[The last link has direct links to USMIL Field Manuals for Moutain/Desert/Jungle/Cold Region Operations.]

[JackBauer2218]

I plan on doing a couple of winter outings this season to evaluate my winter preparedness. During the summer and spring I do about two trips a month into the woods to camp and live off the land.

[Survivalist01]

That is what I do when I have a big expedition trip planned. I usually load my pack up with about 30lbs about three times a week and hike around and hit some trails for three weeks then add 20lbs and do that for about a month then add ten more pounds and do that for a month and I also weight train and ride my bike in there also.

It helps me so much in the mountains. My friend and I was hiking in the mountains in Colorado and we were doing a two day expedition trip and we hiked about 6 miles and he asked to take five and looked at me and said...."are you even ****ing tired, your hardly sweating and not breathing hard". I just laughed, he prepared for it but he just did a little running and riding his bike and it was apparent that I had the better conditioning. Here is a pic from the hike we were at about 7500ft:

[sigmund]

Yeah you have to train with a pack. Im in good shape, physical job up and down ladders all day.Havent done any backpacking in years. Thought it would be nothing, after all I work hard right?

Man carrying a pack is totally different than walking thru the woods. Kicked my ass. And when the woods get thick its alot easier to carry the pack and rifle in your hands. I have alot of work to do this winter.

[ilgar]

u are right... i'm guilty of not doing trips enough times, which i blame on family and work obligations. i've been working out every day lately so proud of that, but want to go to the woods more often. granted, i have to drive for at least a half hour to be somewhere decent, since the closest "preserve" to me has graffiti on the trees... 'nuff said...

[Dragunov]

Originally Posted by SirThrivalist

I've been playing with my gear and it hit me recently:
I should train with my equipment (not just practice with it).

When I say train, I mean be active with my gear in different scenarios. For example,
I can hike with my ILBE, but can I climb with it or can I run with it at a quick pace and
evade if I had to? Do I know how to drop it immediately and come back for it if I had to?
Etcetera...

So, I'm going to put myself on a regiment of actual PT with and without my ILBE.
I''m going to run with it, scramble with it, climb with it and work with it and master
it like I master my tools and other gear. That way, if anything ever happened that I
had to didi from a 4 or 2 legged animal, I could do it knowing exactly how my body would
react to the weight, to the pack shifting, to what my personal capabilities were with the
pack on or if it being off me would be a better option in certain situations & circumstances.

I kind of got the inkling of an idea from doing squats with my pack loaded (with only 50lbs).
I thought to myself "what if I were chillaxin' by a fire with my pack on and I had to get up quick?
Could I do it?" At first, it was awkward to work with it, but like anything in life pretty much,
there is a method to everything and your body has to develop the muscles & movements
needed for certain actions that only come from developing them through use and practice.

Along with that, I'm also going to condition my body as well. Winter's going to be a great time
to do it too as I'll be able to burn calories at a much higher rate plus if I can do it in the cold first,
it'll be an easier transition to working out in the heat. Then again, I'm a creature of the outdoors when
it comes to working hard physically. I'm open to any suggestions or ideas you guys might have.

Is any of your "gear" wearing out? If not, you're not training hard enough with it.

The person who has the best chance of surviving outdoors is the person who brings the best jar of preserves with them. Not the best "gear".

Preserve energy.
Preserve calories.
Preserve water.
Preserve heat.
Preserve sanity.
Preserve life and health.

Anything you can do to preserve any of the above will go a long ways towards your well-being.

I once showed a fellow one of my "primitive arrows" and he scoffed at it. Even though I have some well made willow arrows with antler points, and beautifully fletched feathers, all tied on with real sinew, I showed him an arrow that was made with an old, broken, fiberglass fishing pole, a bone point, and cammo duct tape fletching, all tied together with dental floss. I just blinked at his stupidity and lack of resourcefullness. It takes me about two hours to make a willow arrow (If I do one at a time), and to make it "perfect". It takes me fifteen minutes to make one that works just as well from an old fishing pole, duct tape, a piece of bone or glass, and dental floss. FAAAR less calories and time expended.

I have a fire steel because finding the makings for good tender is far less of a calorie and time investment than constructing a bow drill and fireboard, or a fire saw. I have been known to carry hexane also, but only when I'm going to be out less than a day.

Even though I can, and have built my own recurve bow from osage orange or serviceberry, I have a 60lb pull, takedown bow that will probably last a lifetime. I don't need to build it, I don't need to grease it, I don't need to till it. Both calories AND time saved! Best of all, it was FREE! Money saved. Always a plus!

Even though I make some of the finest gut, yucca and sinew bowstrings that can be had anywhere (I have a friend who hunts exclusively with my gut bowstrings and has kilt' many a deer with them), I prefer to use the paracord for my bowstring because:

Good sinew, gut or plant fiber cordage is worth it's weight in gold and is more valuable for other things. Not only that, it's time consuming to make and do right.

Calories saved, time saved.

I make my arrow and spear points from antler or bone because knapping flint, although I am pretty good at it is time consuming and stone points and blades can and will shatter if you drop them (Sanity LOST!!!). Bone and antler do not. Time, calories and sanity saved!

On the other hand, I prefer to make my own hatchets and hammers from stone. This way I don't have to carry a steel one with me. Saves calories. Besides, if I break it, it doesn't take much time or effort to make another serviceable one.

I carry a mess kit. Although, I know how to burn out a bowl, cup, canoe, or anything else, I save a crapload of time by just carrying a quality, WWII army mess kit I picked up at a surplus store for $3.99.

I don't carry a tent. I'm proficient at building shelter out of what I have at hand and never have to sleep on the ground. A tent is just extra baggage to me. The only amenities I do take? A couple of good quality knives, a whetstone and a firearm. I COULD live without them, I HAVE lived without them, but I don't WANT to live without them..... Period! Sanity saved.

I don't need a canteen where I live. There is plenty of bamboo and carrizo cane here to make canteens, tubes or just about anything else from a house to a sewing needle with. 'Nuff Sedd about the "'Boo!" Sanity saved.

The more of your environment you learn to utilize properly, the more relaxed you'll be, and the less you'll depend on "gear", if you're forced out into the wilds!

Jus' the way I do things, I guess.

[Dragunov]

Originally Posted by ilgar

u are right... i'm guilty of not doing trips enough times, which i blame on family and work obligations. i've been working out every day lately so proud of that, but want to go to the woods more often. granted, i have to drive for at least a half hour to be somewhere decent, since the closest "preserve" to me has graffiti on the trees... 'nuff said...

You have to make the time. Start by being resourceful. Do you have a yard? You can practice and train all you want without being in public. If you screw up, you ain't gonna' die, starve or embarrass yourself. This is what I call "Dry-fire" survival training.

No yard? do you have family or close friends with one? utilize it. There is NO shame in practicing your skill in a place where you have backup resources. It doesn't diminish your skills, or what you've learned, and it works. You can become a near expert survivalist from just learning in your back yard. I'm not kidding you. I don't understand why I don't see people here giving that advice more often.

[ilgar]

you're right! but i'm in a concrete jungle... i re-worked my working out schedule where one day is an actual hike vice a gym workout. we'll see...

[Tanner1234]

I agree If you don't train with your gear how do you know if you can handle it when the time comes. Me and several buddies ruck marched the boston marathon last year to raise money for the wounded warrior project and thats only 26.2 miles and it took us like two months to prepare. Imagine if you had to do it everyday? Train how you fight.

[SirThrivalist]

I joined this Survivalist Boards after being a long time lurker.

Initially, I didn't want to to join because I lived in the city and felt it'd be foreplay that led to nowhere.
It'd be like torturing myself since I was City-Locked. When I broke away and made it out west to the
mountains, I felt delivered & born-again. And now, I'm going to be born-again-again. I've been on SB
for 9 months. Haven't gotten out as much as I wanted to for personal reasons, but that being sorted out,
I now can get out. In fact, I have to get out. I have to leave the womb of the forum. 9 months is a pretty
convenient time to do that. Everything fell into place. Fate. So, I'm going to start my "training" now.
I'm going to hunker down for the winter and as time allows, get outdoors.


I've been looking into training with schools and instructors. I stumbled upon my local SAR unit so I'm
definitely engaged in that. However, I've decided to train myself as much as possible. I mean this "is"
about becoming self-reliant, right? SAR training is going to definitely give me the basics, but I'm going
to be responsible for working on my own education after that. I'll take advantage of good instructors and
courses when convenience permits, but I'm not going to wait until it comes to me.


With a high of 30 and a low of 20, tomorrow is as good a time as any to de-flower myself.
I apologize for posting so much. I'm sure it's been tedious and I appreciate all the help those
of you who've answered my questions have given me. Friday, I'll post pictures of my night out.

[Bushcraft101]

Originally Posted by SirThrivalist

With a high of 30 and a low of 20, tomorrow is as good a time as any to de-flower myself.
I apologize for posting so much. I'm sure it's been tedious and I appreciate all the help those
of you who've answered my questions have given me. Friday, I'll post pictures of my night out.

Cant wait to see your report. Lots of pics or it didnt happen. Lets see some vids too. Test out your cook set and see what you like and dont like. Hike for a good 10 miles too so you can find out if your pack weight will be ok.

[SirThrivalist]

Originally Posted by Bushcraft101

Cant wait to see your report. Lots of pics or it didnt happen. Lets see some vids too. Test out your cook set and see what you like and dont like. Hike for a good 10 miles too so you can find out if your pack weight will be ok.

No more cryin' wolf from me. Doing it tomorrow. Definitely will include pics.
I have some ideas for tarp shelter configurations I want to try out. And I'm
doing it very close to home. I'll save the trek for some daytime activity. I'm
just going to head out in the afternoon tomorrow, do an overnight with no fire
and just my MSS and head back in the morning.

[Wild 1]

Originally Posted by SirThrivalist

No more cryin' wolf from me. Doing it tomorrow. Definitely will include pics.
I have some ideas for tarp shelter configurations I want to try out. And I'm
doing it very close to home. I'll save the trek for some daytime activity. I'm
just going to head out in the afternoon tomorrow, do an overnight with no fire
and just my MSS and head back in the morning.

No fire and a MSS in 20 degrees? I call that environmental castration I did that in a nylon tent with ventilation and froze my ****ens off even with level 2 polypro and a bunch of other stuff. I love my MSS but without a liner, a good pad and such, it is probably only comfort rated to around 40's.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

[twyggy]

Originally Posted by SirThrivalist

No more cryin' wolf from me. Doing it tomorrow. Definitely will include pics.
I have some ideas for tarp shelter configurations I want to try out. And I'm
doing it very close to home. I'll save the trek for some daytime activity. I'm
just going to head out in the afternoon tomorrow, do an overnight with no fire
and just my MSS and head back in the morning.

Bed down where the sun shines, and you'll gain a whole new perspective on why cultures long past have worshipped the sun, lol.

[twyggy]

Hey dood! So how was your fist night in the woods?! Where are all these pictures I was promised!

[SirThrivalist]

Originally Posted by twyggy

Hey dood! So how was your fist night in the woods?! Where are all these pictures I was promised!

Didn't do it yet. It never got colder than my first months in the streets with nothing but clothes,
so it would've been cheating for me to go into conditions like that with shelter and a sleeping bag.
I would've proved nothing to myself. I've "been there/done that" for 20 degree nights outside.

BUT!!! Tuesday looks perfect!

High:14°/Low: 05°
WIND: WNW at 20 mph

[twyggy]

Lookin' forward to hearing/seeing your experience!

[Doc_Shane]

Not training with your gear is the same as not training at all........... you have to know your gear and limitations so the only way is to get out and use the stuff.

[LuniticFringeInc]

There is a reason in the military we have a motto of "Train like you fight so you can fight like you trained". Learning while you burn is not a good way to train...