Waco’s guide to field sustainment

[The Waco Kid]

Carrying it on the man (or women).

 In summary we’ve now got a small brew kit, possibly a small hygiene/first aid pack, bit of ground insulation and a tarp or poncho.

Example brew kit based on USGI canteen.

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Canteen carrier: This is a three row by three to four column molle foot print. A large utility or Admin pouch would serve as well. The size will work on a midsize chest rig. It is geared more to belt kit the rear of a vest.

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Contents are:

in main pouch USGI or Nalgene canteen; USGI metal mug, stove stand, mug lid. Foil windscreen; foil “cup” to hold burning fuel tab; coffee filter paper (water pre filter ) folded up behind pouch lid.

Side pockets have lighter; puritabs; drink powder; lighter; folding spork; tiny alcohol burner; duct tape.

Not shown but will also fit: fuel tabs/esbit; matches.

  This is a very compact system. Open top pouch is easy to access the bottle but crap will get in the mug.
  Can run on fuel tabs plus alcohol or sticks at a push. Pretty much unbreakable. Never going to be as fast as gas, let alone a jetboil however.

 

[The Waco Kid]

Example shelter system carrier based on USGI kit.

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MOLLE II waist pack (canteen for scale). This is about 7L can be attached to a pack or vest. It also has a built in waist strap so can be used with a chest rig as a quick add on or ditched, shoulder slung etc.

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Contents are:

Boot liners; spare socks; boo-boo kit (yellow) including painkillers; hand sanitizer; tissues; ferro rod; sewing kit; BCB fire dragon stove; single ration meal & extra drinks; paracord; foot powder; poncho and pegs; folded cut off bit of kip mat.

The kip mat is quite thick. Thinner dedicated sit mats can be had that save space. In service the poncho and accessories was often rolled and lashed to the outside of the butt pack.

This gives enough space to inside to add more food, a thermal top etc.

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Alternative MOLLE waist pack compared to a single PLCE Bergen side pocket (about 10L). These can attached to a yoke or webbing harness.

 

[The Waco Kid]

Thinking of actually sleeping in the game field? 
 

Taking part in an extended event where you need to be away from the safe zone for a day or two?

Missed out on DofE and now feeling sad?

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Go and buy a military bergen!
 

No!

Hold on before you pull the trigger. ?

Don’t get me wrong I have plenty of military packs…. By hauling a fully loaded out one for a game is not enjoyable.

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If we go from the previous basic set up you do not need much more to stay out for a night or two.

  Few game sites will be big enough that returning to the safe zone is out of the question. So carrying lots of consumables probably is not required.

  Mil/Battle sim events often cap ammo anyway so you may as well get food & water at the same time.

 

[The Waco Kid]

Additional things to carry if you are going to sleep/layup outside because you are not Les Stroud.

1) Insulation from the ground

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2) Something to trap body heat

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3) Means to keep dry

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[Cannonfodder]

Imo the best way to insulate yourself from the ground is to get up off it. If you're putting up a basha between trees then hang a hammock underneath it. They're relatively cheap, lightweight and more compact than a kip mat

 

[Tactical Pith Helmet]

Yep, a string bag hammock can fit in a pocket.  I also have a Jungle Blanket as recommended by @Jacob Wright a few weeks ago.  Bloody good bit of kit to wrap yourself up in.  Weighs nothing, and folds up fairly small.  Wind and rain proof too.  Even comes in OD.   

4D tarps are damn good, but the silver lined Ebay jobs lasted me a couple of years with reproofing until someone lost them.  

 

[Cannonfodder]

I should probably  add that I've never used one for a milsim, just camping, but the first time it did use it I probably had the best night sleep I'd had when camping ever. The trick is to lay on it diagonally so you get a horizontal sleeping position 

 

[gavinkempsell]

I'd be better off using a 40yr old sleeping mat, I'd end up on the deck anyway.

 

[Shamal]

13 minutes ago, gavinkempsell said:

I'd be better off using a 40yr old sleeping mat, I'd end up on the deck anyway.

Haha it never fails to be funny. Hammocks and people getting hit in the balls with balls lol.

I'm easily amused though.?

 

[The_Lord_Poncho]

Imo the best way to insulate yourself from the ground is to get up off it. If you're putting up a basha between trees then hang a hammock underneath it. They're relatively cheap, lightweight and more compact than a kip mat

....but, it must also be said that hammocks can be extremely cold, more so in some situations than sleeping in direct contact with the ground. The air circulates underneath you, and your sleeping bag is fully compressed  below you in exactly the same areas as the air circulates providing extremely limited insulation as a result. One solution is a sleeping mat inside the hammock (ideally a self inflating mat partially inflated), but these slip around and can be uncomfortable. The gold standard for insulation in a hammock is some form of underblanket e.g. https://www.outdoorgb.com/p/Snugpak_Hammock_Underblanket/ . The days of sleeping under a basha are well behind me, and I always go for hammocks these days - much more flexibility to set up over whatever ground conditions, comfortable (when rigged ideally - otherwise a nightmare), and fun!

 

[The Waco Kid]

   Personally my choice for camping, if there is somewhere to hang them, is a hammock with an under quilt. I have the DD expedition with built in mosi-net. ? I had a hammock instead of a bed for years and sleep better in them.

 

[The Waco Kid]

But keeping it simple there are some options for ground insulation or protection and some reasons to choose a specific one.

Sleeping pads often have their insulation valve noted as an R rating. Higher number the better with 5+ being more gear to winter use. Manufacturers have been know to be a bit “optimistic” on this, as with sleeping bags.

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A) Bundeswher ground sheet. Folds up and is lightweight. Moisture barrier only. Pros: low cost, not heavy and keeps you off a wet surface. Simple set up. Cons: Ground sheets can end up being a bucket channeling water onto you if sited wrongly, provides no insulation.

B) Thick wide military type roll mat. Pros: Cheap, light, easy set up, pretty good insulation and very robust. Cons:    Can’t be compressed for carriage so it will be on the outside of your kit.

C) Military “self inflating” insulated sleeping pad.  In this case a Multimat brand 38 (38mm thick winter pad). Pros: Compressible, usually* very warm, can be better for side sleepers. Cons: Some set up required, potential for puncturing, packing down is a bit more involved than a simple mat. Cost is a bit higher some very expensive options £££’s out there.

*There are inflatable/self inflating pads that have very little internal insulation. You then end up with a cold  pocket of air underneath you, this can be useful before very hot weather however.

D) Sportsman’s type blanket, foil lined tarp. Similar to ground sheet. Pros: Compact, not especially heavy, minimal set up as a ground sheet. Cons: Moisture barrier only unless something else is used to create and air gap for reflector side to work.

E) Bundeswher type military sleeping pad. Pros: Cheap, light, folds up

to fit in a (large) pack, robust. Cons: Not especially thick so more useful for warmer weather.

 

[The Waco Kid]

Trapping body heat.

 There are several options again with advantages and disadvantages. Some outdoor companies sell “sleeping systems” that use the R-rating for insulation although it is far more common to see season ratings for guidance. Generally a three season is sufficient for most used in the UK.

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A) Insulated clothing. Pros: You probably already have some, as you are wearing it you can just get up and go. Cons: Less efficient, takes time to change in and out of as it will need to be fairly thick to be of much valve and then too warm to run about in.

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Sleeping bags verses quilts. If you are lying flat in a sleeping bag the material beneath you is compressed. This provides next to no insulation as a result. Therefore a quilt of the same weight can be warmer when paired with a decent pad or mat. However, a sleeping bag can be used more easily when sitting up or resting in different positions.

 

[The Waco Kid]

Means to keep dry (and out of the wind).

If you’ve been reading the previous posts I’ve covered setting up a simple basha or tarp. If set up correctly and relatively close to the ground, they are very weather proof. 
 

Further options:

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1) Tent or tarp set up as one. Either usually need some sort of  support such as an internal pole. Most are more time consuming to pitch an strike. Options to see out and exit are limited so I am going to skip over this option (for now at least).

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2) Survival bags. Non-breathable foil blankets and large plastic bags. Pros: Cheap and very compact. Cons: Maybe single use, sometimes fragile, trap moisture so can make you colder in some situations.
 

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3) Bivi bags. Breathable fabric sleeping bag covers. Lots of variations made from Goretex, Pertex and similar materials. There are simple tubes with a closed foot, hooded zip opening, Odesa with built in big netting and designs with integral poles to make a tiny one person tent. Pros: Usually very weather proof, simple to set up (although there are exceptions) and can be used where other systems will not work. Cons: The more features and the lighter the weight the more they tend to cost. Some can be a bit flimsy. Can be awkward to enter and exit.

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[The Waco Kid]

Sample setup for Summer overnight events.

  Selection criteria are relatively low cost and light weight for warmer weather.

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  This example doesn’t follow the military three line system but does have three elements so items can be dropped off easily if needed.

1) Weapon and chest rig holding fighting load of ammo, smoke, bangs, water & radio.

2) Belt kit (molle waist pack). This holds shelter system, sit pad, precooked food and perhaps a light weight jacket and socks. As previously discussed.

Can be worn on it’s own strap or attached to the fight load with some extra clips. 

3) 25L pack. To carry sleeping system and some extras.

A) Lid pocket with first aid and admin stuff.

B) Main compartment with fold up mat, light sleeping bag, ground sheet/bivi bag and insulated jacket.

C) Side pocket with cook system.

D) Back pocket with tools and spares for gatt.

E) Side pocket with another canteen.

I’ll break down the specific choices and some options next.

 

[Tactical Pith Helmet]

E) Bundeswher type military sleeping pad. Pros: Cheap, light, folds up

to fit in a (large) pack, robust. Cons: Not especially thick so more useful for warmer weather.

I've had one of these for years.  Slept on all sorts of ground and used it as a range mat for HFT.  ALWAYS kept in the van in case of late night breakdown.  Not especially wide.  The lad once forgot his kipmat, and we had to share this one.  It was a bit cosy tbh. 

I've had plenty of nights on a half inch inflating mat too, can't remember the brand, but it was bought for daughter's D of E many moons ago.  About £15 on Evil Bay.  Gave up on roll mats a long time ago, too bulky and they get in one's way.

 

[The Waco Kid]

I do like cheap kit mat for a few things.  Making pads for belt kit, lining my hammock (double skinned base) and as an underlay for real cold or lumpy ground. ?

  These Chicom ones can be folded to go inside a bag and work pretty well for the money.

  Plus purple is the most tactical of colours. 

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£6.05 with tax and postage.

 

[The Waco Kid]

Reasoning of why I’ve suggested certain items:

This is intent as a “starter” set of inexpensive kit for summer use. At an event you will likely be “standing too” or stagging  on and off through the night so something simple to crawl in and out of is ideal.

1) I’ve suggest items that can be be built up from so remain useful if you decide to camp out in colder months.

And/or.

2) Cheap enough that if I need to temporally ditch stuff I am outgoing to worry about it. Pyro landing on a kip mat or sleeping bag is messy. ?

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  Key to get the most out of simple gear it is where you set up. I am assuming somewhere you can put up the basha without poles.

Checkist for campsite:

• Widowmakers. Check above you for dead trees/branches/roofing slates that might go bump

in the night.

• Not in on or next too and insect nest or animal midden…….

•.Not on boggy ground or a hollow in the ground. We do not need cover from shell splinters so you don’t need a fox hole.

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Tacticalness/field craft:

• Somewhere that offers concealment but ideally it not under the only pair of trees in the field.

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• Concealment is good but you need a  to also have good site lines and a route to exit.

I am sure others will chime in!

Detailed gear list:

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A) Pack.  In this case a Highlander Proforces 25, this has a reasonably well supported back and waist strap. Retail about £45 but you can often get something similar in a sale for less. A plain black civilian day pack can often be had for less and you can always get it make a cover. Go for something with some back support.

Volume of 20-30L should sufficient but 40L would give room for camo net or rain gear. British Army Surplus NI patrol packs are decent or if you have some money to spend the latest Berghaus Munro uses a system to add side pockets (not PLCE ones).
 

B) Garden waste bags/Rubble sack times two. Pack liner, boot covers multi use items. If you fancy some bushcraft stuff the bags FULL with dry leaf litter and put then under your sleeping system with the open ends rolled closed and facing each other.

C) Groundsheet. Any cheap fairly tough but like waterproof fabric. Not strictly needed but even in the summer in the UK the ground gets damp over night. Gives you more room to put stuff down but out of the mud. The one shown is a Bundeswher ground sheet and about twice the width of the sleeping mat. A cheap polyester tarp will do. £10. 

D) Sleeping mat. Foldy up Bundeswher one. Thin but packs well and robust. Apparently these were modelled on Michael Schumacher’s jaw line to get the shape. £20-25 new. You can get the Z folding chinesium ones online for £10, they are okay.

I tend to avoid roll up kip mats at they are bulky and usually need to go on the outside of your bag which is a pain when going through undergrowth. 

E) Sleeping bag. Cheap polyester (I think Highlander brand) zip up envelope type. Supposedly a two season bag but really one season. Cost £10-15. It’s on here as you may already have one, the simple design is easy to whet in and out of and can be used as a blanket if sitting up. I’m sleeping in it with my boots on so cheap is good. For  £20-30 you can get a more capable bag, usually with a hood, which I don’t use.

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Some  alternatives are:

• A poncho liner (left hand in the above). Not much more compact, no warmer, no zip and £40 for a copy. They are also shiny slide all over the place.

• Surplus patrol sleeping bag from the US MSS. A bit warmer and can be compressed to the same size. But more expensive, rapid open zip. Boot covers in this one. ?

F) Pillow. This is the sleeping bag stuff sack. Inside is a woolly hat and a cheap puffy jacket the stuffs into it’s own pocket when not in use. These get worn if it’s colder or I want to be head and shoulders out of the bag any way, which is normal for me.

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Hopefully you are working as part of a team with someone on watch at night. Therefore you can double or share up on some items. Being in the same sleeping bag is optional however. ?

 

[Jaylordofwaargh]

For sleep system I've got a tarp, hammock with netting bulky and old sleeping bag. For that added warmth i use a microfiber towel, sometime in the bag, sometime in the hammock. It works well.

Cook/brew systems is where I am lacking, normally I'm a pot noodle (or similar) with added biltong using the site kettle/hot water however....

I keep looking at some sites that are just out of Sunday (public transport) reach and figure an organised/sneaky camp on/near site would open up options for me so,what do you good people actually use? @The Waco Kid are these brew/cook kits personal experience? 

Does anyone have a goto not mentioned? 

It would only need to do one/two meals, the late night and morning as well as tea/coffee for both meals. Light and cheap options would be the preference. 

A chafing can with added bits would cover it off? 

 

[The Waco Kid]

A chaffing tin would do it but they are essentially a heavy(ish) tin. One of the beauties of them and solid fuel burners is that they are very quiet compared to gas. If you need to heat a meal quickly then a simple gas cart stove is not much slower than a jet boil really.

I use a mix of military USGI/British 58/Swedish M40 at least once a week.  The M40 is for when I cook spagbol for the family meal. ?

I have two jetboils which get used for brewing up at work. I half a dozen on my team who cannot function without tea and coffee NOW!

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Someone after my ration packs…

Do you have an under quilt on your hammock? Even a poncho liner strung under the hammock makes a big difference to warmth.

Extending the LARP factor

So perhaps you want to use your kit for a bit more than just airsofting or you are taking part in cadet training or DoE. 
 

What else do you need?