SERE Specialist's Pack Loadout | Two Weeks in the Field with Mitch Wiuff
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- čas přidán 14. 06. 2024
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What are the go-to items a former Air Force SERE Specialist and instructor carries in his pack to sustain himself for several weeks at a time? We link up with Mitch Wiuff of Agonic and Baer Solutions to go over the what, why, and how of everything he typically takes with him when going out into the wild.
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00:00 SERE All The Things
00:55 Meet Mitch
02:42 Pack Choice & Sizing
07:05 Detachable Tops
23:40 Main Compartment
37:17 Dry Bags
41:48 Sleep System
I'm a former Force Reconnaissance Marine, USMC Jungle survival instructor, Special Operations African Savannah survival instructor, and Rhino poacher hunter. This video nails survival packs. Some things I will touch on:
@5:53 - Mitch says he will not go over a 55-liter pack. He is a strong and fit man. I'm roughly the same size as him and I used to regularly patrol with rucks well over my own bodyweight. Like Mitch, I know how much of a toll it takes on your body. That's why I personally run a 40-liter pack. The smaller size requires me to limit the weight I can bring. I can always strap stuff to the outside if I need more space temporarily. I highly recommend people run a pack that can weigh absolutely no more than 20% of their body weight if you are fit, and 15% of your body weight if you are not. My 40L pack can weigh over 35 pounds with food and water. So, I know for a fact that I will break that weight limit with a bag any larger. I can live comfortably off my bag indefinitely with all the creature comforts.
Mitch's recommendations for super glue can't be overstated. I cannot count the number of times I have used super glue to close surprisingly large wounds. They are great for emergency trauma care on moderate to small wounds. Just be sure to clean the wound thoroughly and stop any bleeding before use.
I pack a version of all of these items in my 40 L pack, and there is no reason you can't too. These items never leave my pack, and don't change between the summer in the desert and the winter in Alaska. I regularly camp and hike for anything from day trips to weeks using these items to perfect my system and practice with my equipment.
Essential items for your mini go-pack. This should be a small bag that you can grab while leaving the rest of your pack. It should contain both your most used items, and duplicates of your most important items. Mitch's was his pack's lid. Mine is a fanny pack. It seems like a lot, but this stuff is all very compact.
- Poncho - rain protection, warming layer, shelter, water catchment, ground cover when sleeping, etc. Arcturus (Amazon) is great for the price/quality/weight.
- Multitool - Great all-around tool. Essentials are pliers, scissors, knife, saw, awl, screwdrivers. Pick your favorite. Roxon (Amazon) S802 has killer scissors & is inexpensive.
- Leather work gloves - warming layer, work gloves, and fire mitts. I like Wells Lamont (Amazon) gloves.
- Shemagh/microfiber tower - warming layer, heat shade, drying, filter making, charcloth, etc.
- Med kit - materials to cover every stage of M.A.R.C.H., booboos, and illnesses (constipation, diarrhea, pain, colds, allergies, infection, etc.)
- LED keychain button light - Surprisingly bright and long lasting. They last about 5 years of regular moderate use. Unclife (Amazon) is what I use.
- Fire kit - Ferro rod, lighter, charcloth tin, storm matches, etc.
- Cordage - 550 cord, bank line, jute.
- Collapsible water container - platypus, ziplock bags, crushed disposable water bottle, even trash bags will work.
- Compact emergency water filtration system - Sawyer, Lifestraw, tablets, H2gO, etc.
- Duct tape - compact roll for repairing gear, wound tape, fire starter.
- Sharpening stone - sharp blades are safe blades. Fallkniven DC3 is great.
- Compass - Suunto A30 is an industry standard that is cheap and light weight.
Items for your Main pack.
- Fixed blade knife - Scandi grind, 3.5-5 inches, full tang, high carbon steel. Strong enough baton but fine enough to whittle and fillet. Morakniv, Condor, BPS, hultafors are cheap and great.
- Axe - 18-24 inch handle, 1.7-2.5 pound head. Gransfors Bruks, Council Tool, husqvarna, etc.. Mitch said, "5 pound axe head" That is a flub. Professional lumberjack's double blade felling axes have 3-4 pound heads. Bushcraft or survival needs a head around 2 pounds. He's talking unscripted and from memory, we can forgive him.
- Saw - collapsable bow saw, Japanese folding saw, etc. Silky & Bahco are good.
- 10'x10' tarp - Shelter, warming layer, ground cover, pack cover, etc. Gold Armor (Amazon) makes a good one for the money. Tarps can keep you warmer in the winter than tents when used in conjunction with a fire.
- Sleeping pad - Insulation from the ground is important. SleepinGo (Amazon) is cheap, super compact, & has a great warrantee.
- Sleeping bag or quilt - Highly recommend down as its warmer, lighter, and more compact. AegisMax (Amazon) is unbeatable for the price. You don't need to get a super low temp bag when used in conjunction with the other warming systems included.
- Wool blanket - 2-4 pounds. Keeps you warm, and dry while still being breathable.
- Rain/wind jacket - Something small and collapsable that acts as a warming layer, rain layer, etc.
- Pack cover - comes with most bags, but are very compact.
- Down jacket - Down is lighter, warmer, and compacts smaller - Decathlon Forclaz is unbeatable for the price. It's a straight rip-off of the Mountain Hardwear ghost whisperer.
- Wool hat - Ears and head give off a ton of heat.
- Micro wool gloves - Live in the pocket of your jacket. Wool is more durable, stays warm when wet, and dries faster. Forclaz merino gloves are unbeatable for the price.
- Ranger Roll - Wool socks, and wool long underwear tops & bottoms rolled up together. Wool stays fresh longer and needs cleaned less often.
- Dry bags - Used to compress and protect your warming layers and sleeping system.
- Metal bottle with cup - Steel or titanium bottle and cup for making food, and boiling water. Gearland (Amazon) makes a great one for the price.
- Filter bottle - OKO or Grayl style bottle that is rated to filter out viruses. This is the primary filter system for daily use. I have both and OKOs are unbeatable.
- Cooking kit - 2 oz dutch oven, pan, pot, wok, etc
- Collapsable cup - something to put food or liquid in so you can use your metal cup and pot at the same time. Surprisingly helpful.
- Solar battery bank - to charge your headlamp, phone, gps, H2gO, etc.
- Radio - Communications are paramount. Baofeng radios are hard to beat for the size, power, and price.
- Fishing kit. - Backpack hobo reels are great. Compact and all inclusive. Ka-Bar makes a decent one.
- Food kit - 4oz steel screw top tins are great. One each for coffee, oats, pancake mix, mass gainer, lentils, and bouillon powder will sustain you comfortably for weeks in conjunction with foraging, fishing, and hunting.
- Camp chair - Not essential, but it fits in my bag, so why not. The REI Flexlite is pretty unbeatable.
- Carabiners - tons of uses. Climbing, rappelling, bear bag system, bag hanging, etc. Make sure they are climbing rated.
- Pocket knife - Quick grab item for simple cutting tasks.
- Rechargeable headlamp - with red and white light.
Thank you!
Thanks for the great info here!
Thank you for a great list. Gives me a good starting point for sure
Great stuff!
Love this list thx. One thought. Lots of small stuff in both his and your packs. He uses some dry bags, and other small bags for specific items such as first aid. But, I could see using modular color coded packing bags for a lot of the stuff so it's easily sorted and accessed.
Just to clarify; Sodium chloride is not bleach (bleach is a generic name for a cleaning/bleaching product). Sodium chloride (NaCl) is Table Salt (Salt). The H2go global takes that table salt and water mixture (Salt Water) and turns it into Chlorine (Cl). Chlorine (Cl) can be an active agent in bleach and it is this "Chlorine" that is made by the H2go and used to purify water.
My man. Cool to see a little portable salt cell, like that. Only ever seen them installed on pools.
Is it Salt specific?table salt or sea salt. Or any salt.
H2O2 is a bleaching agent. Rocket fuel. At light doses it's an anti septic.
Sodium hypochlorite is bleach not just pure chlorine but you are right about sodium cloride being table salt though.
I run a pool service and that's exactly where h2go stole their idea from. Salt cellls, in a regular salt cell there are platelets that energize the salt water turning it into a soft chlorine.
Always use dry bags in your pack. Fun fact: if you water proof your stuff in your pack, your pack will float, and can be used as a floatation device.
throw in a nylofume liner too. Weighs nothing and adds a second layer of protection to the stuff in your bag that absolutely cannot get wet (clothes, sleeping gear, etc).
Great tip so often overlooked
@@diversie509 might as well add a rubber ducky. helps keeps things happy and if you ever fall in a lake you can play around with it.
@@snuffying The rubber ducky is worn weight.
@@snuffyingwhen military hears rubber ducky we think of something totally different, which is even funnier then your comment, because it would be absurd to carry one in your pack😂
I taught my self to sew many years ago when I was homeless. Had to fix my clothes and pack from time to time. I always used dental floss. It's strong there's hundreds of feet on a roll and it's usually always waxed so it holds up well. I still use dental floss for repairs that have to be durable.
28:50 Water bottle trick from someone stationed in interior Alaska for 4 winters: flip water bottles upside down, so that if they freeze partially, you can still drink from it. The frozen portion will be at the bottom of the bottle when you flip it back up.
This guy was my sere instructor when I went through in 2016!! Holy cow, small world
@@kanekadn5533 You we’re in the Navy?
I’d hate to paint it though
@@KyleKalevrayou don’t have to be in the navy to go
Every branch does sere
@@IronSharpensIron127 every branch has their own version of sere. But I am specifically talking about SV-80A that I did in the Air Force
It's very cool to see the H2gO being featured. I was part of the development team at Aqua Research (a very small, boot-strapped team of about 4 people) and I designed the H2gO electronics and firmware 10+ years ago. They've been used all over the world by NGOs for disaster relief, but it's cool to see them show up more at home, and great to see that guys like Mitch are using them!
That's awesome dude!
Very cool! I’m definitely buying a couple when we get back to the US
A little back packing tip: put a contractor garbage bag in your pack before you put anything in. Boom everything is in a dry bag.
It's funny how SOF dudes took basically everything from alpinists and through hikers, but either didn't learn or forgot the details.
Sewing is a skill I learned in Scouts and have used thousands of times in my life since. From patching packs and making my gear to repairing holes in socks and fixing broken zippers, it’s a skill you’ll use way more often than you think.
Most underrated : all forms of wilderness, all forms of travel skill but I am an expert at it 😂
@@M.R.T.V.Videos Along with all the ‘tactical’ and outdoors applications, I also made the bridesmaids and flower girl dresses for my wedding. It surprises me that more men don’t have this skill. When a woman gets a hole in a piece of clothing, they buy a new one. Men just deal with the holes or rip till whatever clothing item it is falls apart and becomes unusable. Come on, guys. A couple pennies worth of string and a needle can add years, or even decades, to almost any fabric item.
@@KyleKalevra I can see patches and holes well enough, but I haven't learned how to fix or replace a zipper yet. Ally sewing is manual and the only machine I have is a 1960's Singer.
A skill I learned when my Drill Sgt would cut off my buttons because I forgot to button a pocket.
Good video!
Some advice from an old man that has spent a LOT of time in the ( Ga. etc) woods.: A TINY bottle of dry chemical "Pool Shock" can make hundreds of gallons of clean water ( instant bleach), keep a LONG time, and cost very little. ( more than you will ever use for $5)... 2 items that are cheap, versatile, and can be a life saver. (1) heavy duty black trash bags. I have used them for pack covers to raincoat. (2) Shower curtains. They are very small, cheap and light weight and come in clear, tinted and fabric. The fabric ones make great ground cloths. I started carrying a small Silnylon pack in my large pack MANY years ago from experience. Especially camping Georgia barrier Islands ( Cumberland). You need to leave your heavy pack behind and just carry short distance essentials - such as one thing you left out.... Binoculars ( or at leas a monocular). 10 power is best.
Hi Kerry. Please may you expand on that info. How much POOLSHOCK do you use...say, per 5L container?
Thank you Kerry. Pool shock, noted. As I was watching this I was wondering if he'd mention binos. experience wins over BS every time.
The best part is that almost everyone down in the comments is an outdoor expert S.E.R.E instructor who lives in the woods and gives advice to an actual instructor😂😂.. He just gives us some ideas guys and packs what works for him..
Also Regarding the waxed canvas, you can buy a cheap canvas drop cloth, a large double toilet wax ring, and boiled linseed oil, melt the toilet wax ring and add certain amount of boiled linseed oil then apply to canvas drop cloth, making it waxed canvas.
Hey... As a plumber that's genius... I've only seen it done with linseed and silicone tubes mixed up
💯 good idea
TOILET WAX... that's flipping ingenious
Tyvek house wrap is also great for this use. Very durable and light weight. Can be put in the dryer to make it more supple without ruining the waterproofing ability.
@@CalThompson-oj2kk I didn't know that's how they've been softened... I thought it was just from people using it a lot
I keep tyvek coveralls in my pack. Sometimes you just need a clean set of clothes or pajamas, or an extra layer of wind proof. A few ounces, but so useful/@@CalThompson-oj2kk
Great video! One thing I've added to my backpacking gear recently (idea came from the TA Outdoors channel) is a small pencil sharpener with a compartment for catching shavings. You can sharpen a small stick and use the shavings as tinder. The compartment is really good for protecting the tinder in windy or super wet conditions, and I also put some stick matches in there so I don't have to just use a fero rod all the time.
Smith's, the company that makes ok knife sharpeners, has a product they call the tinder maker that is much like you're describing: it's a fine grater as though for cheese with an attached box. Not too bad
@@STS767 Nice, and not too expensive. I'll have to try it out. I'm guessing the grated shavings might catch a spark better than pencil shavings.
I grew up in the Aussie bush and have spent the last 16 years trekking and camping in the woods and mountains of Norway so I am not an expert, just somewhat experienced. Here is my feedback on improving the kit as I have much the same gear but maybe a little more refined.
1. I understand his concern with overpacking his bag, however larger volume bags tend to have heavier duty hardware designed to take more weight, making it more robust. In my experience, you are better off using a 100 liter bag but cinching it in with compression straps. This way you have extra space and can use the bag to transport things like firewood or even larger game back to camp if necessary. I use a Norrøna Recon 125 liter pack, which without the side pockets attached is 100 liters.
2. I too use water bags however I have replaced all the bags with small opening to bigger opening bags. This makes cleaning and filling easier. I have given up on screw on water filters. The slightest mineral content and the filter blocks up and no matter what you do (vinegar, distilled water, bleach, etc.) nothing seems to restore the flow. I now boil or chemically purify the water exclusively after nearly dying of heatstroke up on a Hardangavidda during an especially hot summer when my filter wouldn't work and the streams were full of dead lemmings.
3. I like his handy little kit with alcohol wipes, anti-diarrhea, water purifying tabs etc.. You can easily make your own with Immodium, alcohol wipes etc. in a ziplock back for likely far less money.
4. I just carry a small bottle of bleach for water purification. It's lighter and there is nothing to go wrong. If I run out of bleach, I just boil the water. As far as bleach going bad, there are various types of bleach but in general the shelf life is 6 months once opened and it degrades by 20% potency each year even if stored in an unopened container.
5. I have a similar repair kit with needle and thread, but I also have a small tube of high-strength, flexible glue. If I'm going for an extended period, I may take a small bicycle tube repair kit as it can be used to patch a water bag, shoe or sleeping bag/mattress if needed.
6. Depending on where you are planning to go, a leatherman may be a little heavy. When I am trekking over the mountains, I take a small Opinel folding knife with me that's cheap, sharpens easy and is super light plus strikes a ferro rod really well.
7. Don't take a compass if you don't know navigation - stick to areas you know and have rehearsed travelling through. I was involved in search and rescue while employed as a firefighter and many times people got lost because they didn't know how to use a compass and map and wondered in the wrong direction.
8. The pad at 24:05 can be switched out with a closed foam mat that is 15*15 inch. This works as an insulated seat on cold days and a mat to lay things out onto. It also weighs nearly nothing and can be used under your hip on a cold night so you don't get the cold up through the ground.
9. The battery bank and solar panel is what I would call mission specific. If you only have a phone to charge, a small battery bank will be sufficient. A solar panel should be at least 28 Watts to take advantage of quick charging. This is useful in places where it's often cloudy since a larger panel will gather more energy and take advantage of any sunshine available quickly.
10. Sleep kit is important. It's worth the extra weight to have a good quality sleeping bag, mattress and pillow - especially in very cold climates where a sudden turn in the weather can kill you. Good sleep is crucial especially in high stress situations.
11. The emergency bag with the woolens and down jacket is perfect. I have the same in my kit : ) I have a woolen buff and wind-proof beanie also.
12. I don't use a hypothermia bag but I do carry a couple thermal emergency blankets.
13. I'm a huge fan of dry bags. I store my clothes, food and sleep kit in light-weight dry bags.
14. I love his first aid kit. I was a firefighter/emergency tech and EMT and I generally just make my own little generic kits.
15. I take a Silky Gomboy saw instead of an axe. The axe is a bit too dangerous if I'm a week away from anyone so I don't take the risk. The saw is also lighter.
16. Depending on where I'm going, I will take generic dried food - pasta, porridge, rice etc. rather than ration packs. They are just too rich for me. If there are lakes around, I take a small, telescoping fishing pole and small tackle kit to catch fish (they're plentiful in Norway).
He didn't speak about shoes and clothes but you better make sure you know what you're doing with shoe selection. Long treks with bad shoes will wreck your feet and the wrong clothes will get you killed. If in doubt, choose wool. If you made it to the end of this comment, then I hope you found it interesting. This is my kit break-down:
czcams.com/video/B_camOp3OBs/video.html&t
Walked up and down the North Cape for over ten months and never used a filter. Good water although the taste in Finland was more 'moorish'. Anyway one of the many adventures.
@@kayakcobber524 More inland in Norway, Sweden and Finland and the water can have a lot of tannins but in general if it's running it's ok.
@@kickinthegob never had problems, they call it 'colonisation resistance'... building up your immune system. Enjoy the outdoors!!!
I used an arcteryx 90 or 95 liters for years leaving it half filled. Though a few times have transported very large game animal hind legs in a 5 gallon bucket in the pack hiking a few hours. Handy.
This channel should make a Netflix series from the quality it has.
It's better than garand thumb that's for sure.
@@aniya8759I like them but they copy Mike hard
@@aniya8759nah
Ehh, i don't know about that. Hard to beat Micah and those gorgeous Idaho landscapes!
@@dirty-civilianok 👌
went thru Air Force SERE in 1975, we made our pack/sleeping gear out of the components of a parachute (MC1-1 if my memory is correct) and the only other thing I recall that we were issued was a small flexible plastic water container and some water purification tablets. We were out in the mountains a couple days and had to make some designated checkpoints each day using map and compass. We were divided into three-person teams, all the while we had an 'aggressors' who chased us trying to capture us. Only food available to gather were small strawberries.
My unit went through SERE at Ft Bragg run by the 5th SFG. Same setup. Aggressors chasing us. We had no kit. Boots, trousers and Top only. 1982 82nd ABN.
That's what I was thinking about this video... it's great and of great quality, but it seems to be all about survival. SERE stands for Survive, Evade, Resist, and finally Escape. The survival part of my SERE training in Ft. Rucker as a pilot is after a crash, I had to survive with what I have on me and what I can salvage behind enemy line. There's no "choice" of what I can have... I'm not sure the term SERE is used in the same context of what we went through.
@@derekmei6585They’re not saying that this is a “SERE Loadout,” just that a notable former SERE instructor has his recommendations for a pack setup! Can definitely understand that though.
let it go bro...time to stop living in the past.
Got it. Good info in the video. I would've loved to pack some of these items in my flight bag back in the day for shtf situations. Now I incorporate some of this in my go bag in my car. @@rooknado
One note:
Having a steel water container is great, but if you get an insulated (double-walled) container like the one shown in the video, you cannot use it to boil water over a fire; it will burst. This makes single-walled steel containers multi-purpose, as you can sanitize water through boiling if your other water purification/sanitization options fail or are exhausted.
Further, if it's so cold that you are worried about your water freezing, you want to keep that water close to your body anyway. This is for two reasons:
1) when you heat your water, you can put it against your body to help keep you warm;
2) aside from preventing the water from freezing, the water will stay warmer against your body, so when you drink it you won't lower your core temperature as much in an already cold environment.
I have used old army wool socks to insulate my bottles. It pretty well down to certain temps and depending on how stored.
WOAH. That water filtration system is next level, why haven't I seen that used with more people!?
One more thing to break?
I had no idea you could use bleach to purify water
@@scottpiper654Because the beauty of this water filtration system is that you *make* bleach. As stated in the video, bleach has a certain shelf-life. This is great long-term
Prepared Airman(?) did a video on it. Pretty good long term and you can do a lot of water.
I agree this is the first I've heard of it also! I knew about the bleach, but having something the size of a handheld gps that is the equivalent to a pool salt generator is amazing!!
I work in a large water treatment plant and just wanted to remind people that using chlorine alone won’t necessarily make water safe to drink. Things like cryptosporidium or giardia (aka beaver fever) can survive chlorination. You really want to use a fine filter (ideally 1 micron or less) and then add the chlorine to it to make sure it’s safe. Some of the Sawyer filters are very fine (0.1 micron) so also consider that if your water source is turbid (e.g. Mississippi or a turquoise lake in the rockies) that filter could clog pretty quickly and become useless (so pack a 2nd method or use a system with replacement filter components). Some uv systems can disinfect crypto and giardia without filtration (as long as the water is perfectly clear to the eye - no fine particles larger than 5micron - which is basically any that you discern by naked eye). Boiling 5 mins at a rolling boil for questionable water is also tried and true if you’re ever in doubt.
You really want to avoid parasitic infections because they can last for weeks and cause crippling dehydration. Hopefully then you’ll be leaving the anti diarrhea meds right in your pack!
good advice man, thank you
Aqua Mira has been shown to be perfectly effective against giardia for years without filtration. You just have to wait the allotted time for purification. Hell the military studied this too and showed clo2 was perfectly suitable.
@WYrfcook
He's not wrong. This is direct copy and paste from National Institute of Health
"In addition, pathogens of concern to the water industry, such as Giardia lamblia and especially Cryptosporidium parvum, are known to be resistant to chlorine at concentrations typically applied for water treatment"
Even the CDC says chlorine dioxide is a low to moderate effectiveness against giardia.
Iodine works a bit better than chlorine b boiling or a good filter is the way to go. Especially for Cryptosporidium. Which is harder to kill than giardia.
Filter and boil is simple and cheaper, while still being effective if you're worried.
What is your opinion on those p&g packets that use flocculation to make the smaller bits filterable by a T-shirt style cloth?
I’ve watched more hours of pack videos than I’d like to admit but every minute of this one was of value. Mitch is brilliant at his craft. The hypothermia bag really hit hard that’s a must have for me now in the truck
Yeah... I have it in the truck, but I'm putting one of the microfiber towels in the hunting pack after this video. Had everything else, thought ahead on changes and spares... but having a quick dry off solution at almost no cost on the weight is a smart decision and I just hadn't thought about it.
Yeah same, never thought of that until now. Will 100% be implementing that.
His is a pro, imagine child support services trying to get a hold of him
@@Dantick09they would not need to find him I think his offspring would be right next to him every step besides I don’t think Mrs big foot would take him to court like who else would he breed with
I got news for you buddy...it will never play out this way...people will be attacking others any chance they get..You will not have a chance to frolic in the woods like rambo..wake up.
I'm convinced Mike just sends a mass text out to everyone in his friend group that also does CZcams any time he does a new video to see how many dudes will also do a video to help provide more knowledge. Great video gents!
Haha it just so happened Mitch was with us for a few days then flew out to the Idaho boys. Great timing!
Clarifications it’s not “osmosis”, but electrolysis… also not “sodium chloride” aka salt what he was going for there is sodium hypochlorite..
50 yr old ex Ranger/SERE US ARMY chiming in here. First of all, congrats to this dude for being the first EVER youtube survivalist to include a sharping stone to their gear. However, I do not agree with this gear loadout. This gear, while impressive to civilian enthusiasts, is nothing more than a crap-ton of conviences. All of this WILL fail over time. NEVER rely on ANYTHING electronic..... EVER. Their must be a thousand bucks worth of Cushion Gear in that bag. One of the best US ARMY survival instructors to ever live was my teacher. He said, "Learn how to survive with nothing and go from there. All gear fails, but your mind will never let you down" .... '' Reliance on anything other than your trained mind will ALWAYS let you down... competent survival is your best tool and you will not survive, you will thrive" Don't get me wrong, I agree with 'Some' of the things in this bag, but the majority is just heavy crap in my opinion. And an Ax?? really? are you kidding me? And ONLY ONE PAIR OF EXTRA SOCKS?! This entire pack looks like someone in the Air Force packed it.... no offence to the Airforce brothers out there, but even they will admit they generally lean more to these types of 'Comforts'. Train your mind, take reliable, tested gear, and expect failure from anything else. I know I've been harsh here, but this is not what we were trained to do. Yes, the military now uses alot of electronic gear, but (hopefully) they never skimp on training the mind. Oh, yeah, and before I go, quit buying those expesive high carbon knifes you all think you need.... THEY ARE A PAIN IN THE ASS TO SHARPEN. (now, let the hate comments commence)
hey man can you email me a gear list of your recommendation
On that note, could you also send me a list of gear recommendations?
Post a response video of you packing a bag. Viewers eat that stuff up.
I would also like a list
I think I hear an ultralight backpacker screaming, "Nooooo! It's too heavy!"
ultralight backpackers depend heavily on resupply pickup points
@@surfingtothestars and this dude doesnt? he literally has no food or water, pretty sure ultralights have both most of the time
A cook pot, fishing kit and fixed blade knife would be great additions to that kit.
Retired Navy SERE Instructor, I run a 65 liter Kifaru pack(the Navigator) It is a panel load style pack and all my gear is in water proof modules that are marked. I also have modules I switch out or add to what is in the pack depending on the environment I'm going into and the season. Being Navy, I do have a dedicated fishing kit in my bag as well as a tarp, not just a poncho. The reason being if I use my poncho as a shelter and need to go out in the rain to check my traps and snares, gather water, firewood etc. I'm going to get wet unless I tear down my shelter. I also prefer a hydration bladder(3 liters) and a steel Nalgene bottle for mixing up electrolyte drinks. I like water filters and I've rigged my up to pump filtered water directly into my hydration bladder. I also prefer freeze-dried foods to MREs and keep a titanium ember lit stove and pot in my kit.
I am a kifaru fan myself, not familiar with the navigator, though I like the Mag series. Great packs and a great brand.
@@anthonybevers6066 The Navigator is a panel load pack. I like it because I lay the pack on the shoulder straps open the panel and all my modules are right there for me to pull straight out, no digging around for the items I need.
Nalgene is a polymer right? Not Steel.
@@bryanst.martin7134
No he was specific that it was a steel unit.
@@bryanst.martin7134 Nalgene is the company name and they do make stainless steel bottles
Great video, really appreciate the wealth of knowledge. Added suggestion here from a long-distance backpacker; weight is a critical consideration for any more than a day hike (prevent injuries, conserve energy, resources, etc.) so I trim weight wherever I can. One thing that has helped me in this is a 6' x 6' (or whatever size fits your needs) piece of Tyvek (house-wrap / vapor barrier). No, its not "tacticool", but you can do a lot with it:
- Weighs just a few ounces and folds up extremely small so I can keep it on me even when I leave my pack at camp.
- Costs next to nothing (can probably ask for a piece of scrap from a construction site if you're really in a pinch)
- Works as the changing mat / ground cover mentioned in this video; great for layout of gear, getting dressed, etc.
- I roll a bit of duck-tape around a black sharpie (for emergency tape), and keep that with this for writing in any condition, making signs, plotting, dank memes, etc.
- Easily seen from the air as a signal or cut into strips to mark a trail
- Footprint for a shelter
- Emergency shelter / lean-to / poncho. Can use the duck-tape on the sharpie to seal holes in it or fashion something out of the Tyvek.
- Rain-water catchment
- Additional sleeping-bag insulation (outside of bag)
- Sun-shade
There are more but those are off the top of my head. Hope its worth something to someone, thanks again for the great video.
I’m a backpacker who has done hundreds of miles at a time and I can tell you that that pack and gear probably weighs close to 50+lbs. That alone is going to stop you from getting anywhere and kill your feet, back, and shoulders. 2 weeks you don’t need an axe ever you’re not homesteading. Get a decent knife and small multi tool. The less electronics the better. Should just be your phone a head lamp and small battery bank. It’s all fine to have a tarp but get a light weight 1p backpacking tent that instantly gives you 360 protection from wind and rain. Then light as possible pad and sleeping bag for the climate. The bleach maker is cool but you will never catch anyone who does extended stays outdoors using one. Get a sawyer filter good for 100,000 gallons and used daily all over the planet and is small and lighter. About the only useful thing here is the proper base layer you keep separate and dry. You will get wet and cold no matter where you are. Trying not to rant but almost everything here is only good if you are staying in one place near your vehicle.
As an old 75th Ranger and 82d Abn Troop I can say listen to many such reviews. I learned more in three months on the AT hiking in my late 40’z than all my time earning Eagle in Scouts and as a soldier. Experience is a teacher of lessons you never forget. Yes, you can learn from videos, but an expert is truly defined as Ex= has been Spert= a drip under pressure. Live it, learn it, pass it on RLTW
You guys just keep cranking out the most high quality content. I thoroughly enjoy this channel
I got soaked in a storm in New Mexico in July 2017, temp dropped to 43, by the time I made it back to camp my fingers could barely grasp a match to start my camp stove
Thank you for this excellent presentation.
In several instances, I have found others who became slightly dehydrated, and then immediately fell victim to hypothermia or hyperthermia. I stopped to help them. It took a great deal of effort to bring them back from the brink. You are absolutely correct: Once the metabolism begins that slide into hyper-or hypothermia, bringing them back is almighty difficult. Also, either state---hypothermia or hyperthermia---will not only make the victim much more susceptible to another bout but will also make the victim much more susceptible to falling into the other state. If one's urine is not copious, clear, and light yellow, one is not sufficiently hydrated.
Again, thank you for this valuable, informative, and interesting video.
This was spectacular content. Thank you, gentlemen!
Back in 2001 as a 16 year old in the Air Force Auxiliary in San Diego, I had the honor of going to the Navy’s SERE facility in Warner Springs to spend a week learning the S.E. (Survival Evasion) components from the school. While a good chunk of that knowledge is still stored away in my skull, this video really worked magic to not only pull a lot of that back to the front of my mind but it inspired me to freshly engage in developing this skill set and gear. As a full time educator, I truly appreciate the way Mitch presented this content as systems with focus on principles, not just methods. This knowledge is priceless and I pray you are blessed for the equipping you are providing 🙏🏻
I saw Gerald Thumb’s recent SERE video and was saying “it’s good to know these techniques, but what gear should I have?”, and then this video arrived that perfectly answered my question.
Grand Thumb also has a vid on that. I recommend the U.S. RSOG packing list instead. It’s free on their website along with pretty much the rest of their field manual in tab format.
Mothereffin Gerald Thumb😂😂😂
Me and my battle were manning a LP/OP during an FTX, we started at it during the day, just moving there we got soaked from our own sweat (South Carolina Summer heat), we get into position and night comes, we are still wet, a little wind comes and I wanna say by 23/2400 we were starting to go hypothermic. We had no sleeping bags, bivy's or woobies with us. Luckily this was a training exercise and we were able to be brought to a place to get warmed up and dry. The cold kills, the heat kills. Just because its hot when you leave doesn't mean those conditions don't change.
It never ceases to amaze me the people who come out of the woodwork to correct a known expert in his field.
dry bags aren't just great at keeping water out, they can also keep water in. when water is scarce and you find a source, fill em up quick by dunking it. you can purify it later using a filter or iodine
Chapstick also makes a good Firestarter when worked into a cotton ball 😉
Clothes dryer lint and wax is a cheap fire starter.
So does Vaseline, and it can be used for a variety of purposes
@@kirstyzubrinich1012Chap stick and Vaseline are both petroleum jelly. They’re the same thing.
Mitch blew my mind on so many levels I can't even comprehend it.
As someone who is relatively new to backpacking, I have to say that this vodeo was immensely useful. The depth of knowledge and experience from Mitch is world class
Cette chaîne est incroyable en terme de contenu, on rigole, on voit des personnes de qualité et surtout on apprend des tonnes de choses. Beavo à vous les gars 👌
The H2GO is a game changer. It’s essentially a free chlorine generator, like a pocket public water treatment device, as regulated public water has to have a certain residual chlorine for sanitary reasons.
Well no. It costs salt and electricity.
Good set up. I gotta have a tent personally. So nice to have an actual shelter to get out of the wind, rain, snow
Lol, I started using an ALIC in the 82nd Airborne, I am thankful to be in the goldielocks zone .
The question around 35:05 about putting seasonal gear in and out was gold. In AZ we have different needs for different seasons. For example, we can have 120 something days and 3 months later it can be below freezing and we need to cover the tomatoes.
Same here in Texas. We've had 100 degrees, 45 degrees, rain, drought and wind and it's only been 2 month
I noticed that when I was in AZ. I miss the desert southwest. The skies are beautiful out there.
Stumbled onto you guys a couple weeks ago and have been loving it! Western hunting and specifically backpack/backcountry hunting has a ton of overlap with this sort of gear and mountain navigation/dwelling skill sets. Definitely worth the time to dig into something like the hunt backcountry podcast to pick up some useful mountain skill and gear philosophies and recommendations.
I like a lot of what he has going on. I'm also a combat vet and have been lucky enough to have several SERE instructor friends. I grew up a scout on Army bases. I have spent, and still spend, a lot of time outdoors. I'm absolutely, in no way, claiming to be the ultimate authority on all things outside, but I've done a lot of learning (often painful) over the years. I suppose that's the price of experience. There's still so much to learn...
I made a video which dovetails nicely with his theories; you'll see many of them repeated. I would say that there are many items he's carrying that really fall more into the bushcraft camp rather than employing better, lighter, stronger, more versatile options that are readily available, like using Dyneema blended line over paracord. It doesn't stretch, it isn't nearly as bulky, it is significantly stronger, and it can be used to stitch with smaller needles (this is important in many instances) as well as for fire starting, etc. I like cord from a company called GO! Outfitters because they blend polyester into it and it holds a knot really well, and it is cheap. Unfortunately it is yellow with reflective tape run through it (which is nice 99% of the time) but there would need to be some covering/color changing desired for clandestine operations.
I've made changes to the pack in this video, however the theory and general loadout is similar (at least as far as the type/category of item inside). It is scalable for whatever adventure, but keeping it small and light is paramount. Weight is calories, and calories make or break your fatigue point, and your fatigue point correlates directly with your ability to make sound decisions.
I'll opt for a shelter over a tarp every single time. For my GHB (or whatever variant) I employ a Six Moon Designs Gatewood Cape/Serenity Net Tent combination. It's a poncho which will cover your backpack, and pairs with the mesh inner with a bathtub floor to reduce condensation issues and keep critters out. In their dark green, it is absolutely invisible from dusk to dawn. A Lunar Solo by the same company, in the same color, is similarly invisible and a bit roomier. They both pack incredibly small and are under 2lb. They need a pole of some sort (they are designed to use A trekking pole, however they do sell poles that are smaller lighter, and you can always tie off to an overhead point or use a stick in place of the poles).
On down:
1. Never leave it compressed. This is also true for synthetics. It damages it's ability to 'loft' which is what provides the insulation
2. Down is much more compressible and is significantly warmer per ounce/gram compared to synthetics. It does cost more though, however there are some really good cost-effective down options available if you look for them. I absolutely recommend quilts
3. *maybe* synthetics do a slightly better job of retaining heat when wet, but at that point all bets are off and you're within millimeters of eachother on the hypothermia scale. IMO you're better getting a good DWR treated down which does a REALLY good job mimicking the synthetic properties, and conserving the weight (which translates to calories) and space by going with down.
czcams.com/video/6PISsWxXbnI/video.html
This reeks of “how can I promote myself on the coattails of someone else?”
@@amoledor nope, if you look at the channel you'll see that I'm in no way doing videos for anything like a career move. I just occasionally make one for use for training for my local group.
Two seconds of research and you'd clearly have seen that. Your post, however, reeks of Karen tribalism, and it's pathetic.
@@amoledorhe's right though
taking alot of tips from long distance thru hikers is one of the biggest things most 'bug out bag' guys miss.
Concur with your observations
The quality of this channel is amazing
I used to be a husquvarna dealer and personal did some research on their Axes, they are great and by traditionally blacksmith by one of the oldest smithy's in sweden (i believe sweden) common shape and style like the Granfors Burk but way cheaper not sacrificing the quality!
The boys were thoroughly shook by that H2go device and so was I. So efficient.
Until you see the Katadyn BeFree.
@silvermediastudio yep you’re right about that one
Absolutely incredible. one of the most valuable videos i've seen.
Was in a car accident and had one of those splints in my first aid kit. Reset my arm and splinted it before paramedics arrived! Adrenaline is one hell of a drug
Thanks for the video Specialist Jones!
great info, funny catch at 14:56, sodium chloride is salt. Sodium hypochlorite is bleach.
Yeah, that, I did chemistry once like 15 years ago 😅
With this salt and water. I will boil it and make SALT!!! LOLJK
My SERE packout was a canteen and a K-bar knife. Didn't need a lot to be starved and waterboarded at Warner Springs in 1975.
Right out of the gate, the branch part made me chuckle.
26 years humping rucks…spine and shoulders show it! Good demonstration! De Oppresso Liber
I’ve been working on and researching packs all week. This is absolutely incredible timing.
EXO, Stone glacier, Kifaru are going to be your top 3 just FYI
Dude same here! Been trying to figure out something just like this pack but not $700 but also not cheap as shit. It’s tough because I’m debating on like. 50L but I feel like that’s too small and might need a framed out like 65L pack
@@OneShotOkieget the contents you want, then find the pack size you need to fit them? You may be surprised and need less than you think?
@@aml8444 true I think I’m going to go with this Tasmanian tiger Raid pack mk 3. It’s a 48 liter pack for $250. Good tip though I do need to acquire all the stuff for it first
Granite Gear makes the best lightweight, multi-day packs for the money. The Crown series 60L pack is the sweet spot, in my opinion.
Osprey and Gregory are nice, but going to cost you more money and don't save weight. They are usually fussy with too many straps and pockets.
All three are better than REI house brand, but if you're on a budget, that's not a bad choice.
Love this type of content. Great work guys!
not gonna lie. i have watched alot of pack videos and i have to say that i actually learned stuff from this one. very cool, and great work. thank you
Good advice all down the line. I mentally ticked most of the boxes pertaining to my own Rucksack whilst watching and took a couple of tips along the way. The Monkey tail was one of them. Thanks Guys (Y)
🤟
14:55 I always thought sodium chloride (NaCl) was just table salt although he says that's what bleach is. I googled it and I think he meant sodium hypochlorite (NaClO).
You are correct.
Voted best youtube channel! You guys rock, camera and editing is top tier. Thank you!
👊🏼👊🏼
The best survival video I've seen so far.😮 This video actually made me take notes. Definitely deserves a 👍🏾
Very good video. Hybrid bushcraft and backpacking. All to often people try to put these two separate camps when the skill really do overlap more often than not.
@1:10... love how Mitch is holding back the laugh as he hears about the "blow up.... mattress"... Great video guys! New to your channel and am thoroughly appreciating your content!
Thank you.
It was about 80 yesterday here in TN, it's going to be low 30's tonight. Oh, and rainy...
This was an awesome video, a lot of great information about how to be better prepared! Is there a full list of all of his gear he uses in his pack?
A list of the stuff would be great for someone who wants to get some of these things. What were the battery pack and solar charger, for example?
Goal zero sherpa 15 solar
Goal zero sherpa 100pd
Roughly 160 pounds 👍
@@swiftlee5718The currency?
Loved your video. showed me a weak point or two in my gears and mindset... you have a new sub. Hope the supplemental knowledge helps someone along the way. Again, great video.
Thank you guys for putting this out. Much appreciated. :)
Hard to beat a bic lighter, stays in you pocket quick and easy, fixed blade knife 4 to 5 in blade, silky saw or equivalent safer than an axe more precise.
A saw and an axe are BOTH invaluable. The saw can cut chunks of wood and the axe makes quick work of splitting and shaving.
Folding Saw over an Axe - FTW
I always carry both, but I’m usually outside in more of a bushcraft capacity. For strictly firewood, a saw is definitely the tool to have
Yeah,, but the folding saw weighs practically nuffn,,, i wanna lug a 5# axe 🤣
@@tomcatt998 that is true, but at least with all the extra weight, just get some versatility with an axe
S needle is my fav strong sewing needle.
This channel is a gem.
Excellent setup. The only thing I would add to the pack if it is intended for more than 3 days is emergency antibiotics. Infections are a death sentence in these situations if allowed to continue for too long. Especially since you can get an actual prescription for them for emergency purposes online, and get emergency supplies of any non narcotic meds you take on a daily basis like insulin or blood pressure meds, or even epi pens.
Flannel is the common denominator
Waxed dental floss if used as thread can be heated to keep the stitches water resistant.
A thing to remember with wipes (which are great) is to keep them in a ziplock bag when you are in freezing temps bc they can in fact freeze on you.
Desert specialist here.
Packing is always about the environment your packing too things ive learned along the way are.
1. Water&salts 💧 is your economy
2. Carry less and be uncomfortable will do more than carrying more and being comfortable. The distance you can cover before diminishing returns or injury begins is fixed to the weight you bring. More gear/ weight can extend your trip at the cost of covering less distance equalling the same covered should you have packed less. That being said more gear can pseudo break equality to cover more distance at the cost of injury which ultimately will set you back eventually.
3. Cover all your skin always.
4. Light Flat shoes, never boots , never heavy, bring extra socks.
5. Infections & insects are worse monsters than wild animals & people.
Great video. That H2O Go thing is totally boss.
That 30 days before bleach becomes useless is crap though. It does degrade but 3-6 months untill it's not peak effective.
My husband had a military style Eberlystock pack, and it was terribly heavy! I agree that it wrecked his spine. He has moved to an Oprey pack now and it is much lighter and comfortable with heavy weight in it.
I've gotten so much great information from this one video, fantastic content
For sleeping bags. Above 20 degrees I like a synthetic quilt. Synthetic because it handles moisture better and a quilt because its more comfortable and can be vented. Below 20 degrees I like a down mummy bag. Down because it lighter and more compact and there's less moisture issues because everything's frozen and a mummy because you don't want any venting when it's that cold.
Same here, Enlightened Equipment for both. I also throw in a silk liner, gives another 3-5 degrees of insulation, plus it really helps keep the quilt/bag clean.
Consider that wool retains body heat, even while wet.
Vacuum sealed double wall bottles are great util you need to boil water. Something I feel like is super important to clarify. Also, I’ve ditched the 550 and started carrying #36 bankline. 440 lb tensile strength and 1 lb of it it just under 500 ft
I dont think he was ever boiling water, hence the H2go. But I agree with the bank line. That shit is super nice to have.
@@50shadesofcerakote you’re right. I would just have a hard time trusting that thing to work effectively in any long term capacity
His background is in SERE. In a SERE situation a fire is a beacon to your position.
@@spicysnowman8886 understood. Just think it should be clarified
Fantastic video, one of the best I have seen. Keep it up!
I have been waiting on a video like this for so long
Mitch Wiuff, the Leonidas of Survival. Seriously one of the best beards of CZcams. Thanks for sharing.
Back in my day...Showing my age, Dana Design Astralplane was my favorite pack. It was a little bigger than I needed, but for 9 or 10 day on the Ozark Highland Trail, it was the most comfortable. Of course, that was in the 90's. Not even sure if Dana is still around.
Lol...me too. Dana was good. I used Osprey packs before they moved to overseas production. I even went to the "factory" in Colorado once. I still have Wilderness Experience pack i bought in 1983..... yeah showing our age... i have all the packs i have bought over the years. hahah
I see a lot of Dana's design cues in this pack. They really boosted the load carrying abilities of internal frame packs.
We joked you could put an unconscious person in there and carry them all day.
Dana Design has morphed into Mystery Ranch.
Ouch, you had to say that... my K2 Longbed from Dana is still my favorite external and still doing great... I wish my back was doing as well!
I love the real, humble qualities you guys have. If I were to have friends you guys would be it. :)
"For falling out of hueys" ... those have been out of regular use in military for decades. I love those birds. I was in them in the 1980s
It's what we had for our RQS up in Fairchild AFB.
You guys make great content. I love the video but I really hope no one goes out and buys an axe with a 5 pound head and takes it out the in the woods. That looks more like 2 pound head and would be considered a boy’s axe. It’s a great size and generally what I take in the woods!
I went thru a 4 day wilderness survival training by a 30 year SERE instructor, trainer.
This is luxurious compared to what we had
Sure. But why would you make things harder on yourself intentionally?
@csolivais1979
It was called school of survival. Maybe that's why
I'm not going to question a 30-year retired Sere instructor
The third night, I was feeling pretty weak and didn't know if I'd make it out of the mountains. Thankfully, the olè boy in his shelter up from me had a copperhead crawl up in with him while he was sleeping. He jumped up and pinned him with a stick, n I got up n cut it's head off.
In an instant, we had a fire going the copperhead skinned and gutted, and cut up in about 6" chunks
We had gallon greenbean cans, added some water, so no sticking, and I watched for the largest chunk
The next morning, when we went down the mountain, I was like a banshee coming out of the woods. That small amount of protein was amazing
My point in doing these trips is for my family. To be able to pull off the side of the road and get out of the car and walk off in the woods, and survive
Be safe
Well no shit. This isn’t a video on survival training.
@damianchristopher205
Are you the author there, no shit?
@@shadythereok I don’t understand, author?
I worked with Zach recently after knowing him since 2014. Got me squared away with his Decon kits, those Aqua to go chlorine generators and his AR 1 water pump. I had my water decon pretty well good to go, but we got a nice rounded system here now for going full sustainment from our on site springs and creeks to sustain us for the duration of SHTF.
Who is Zach, and what is his website?
Keep up the stellar content guys. Phenomenal guest excellent teacher.
okay, so now you need to bring Mike as well then
In the works. ;)
I have a question for the SERE instructor. Since SERE is based on being in enemy territory, the axe is loud and fire is really obvious. This kit is more of a non hostile survival kit. I'm curious what his bag would look like if it was built actually for SERE or survival in a hostile/civil unrest environment.
So this kit is similar to the one I used when training students, however their actual SERE kits and such would all be different and the contents would be dictated to the AOR and items would be dictated by the Commander of the area. Short answer each kit would be specific for the environment.
@@agonicllc gotcha lol thank you for replying. That's pretty cool. Could you make a video about what u would carry in US woodlands if you were trying to be invisible and quiet and the area was hostile?Like the civil wars and protests going on in Africa right now. Where u don't want people to know where u are or that you've got supplies and food.
@@agonicllcYesl I agree would love to see that. True SERE is an art in itself.
@@AldoSchmedack Right! Sanitizing water in all weather without fire. Cooking without fire. Hunting, trapping, and building shelter silently. Self defense. Hygiene and medical. Etc
Yeah this is like bushcraft and randomness
'Hyperthermia bag', good idea I have not thought about and will incorporate into my system. Thanks.
Hypo- and Hyper-thermia kits for cold and hot abnormalities are part of my medical kit having endured extremes of weather in the UK on the mountains.
My uncle had the privilege to meet Colonel James N "Nick" Rowe then a Major, on a tour of the UK, lecturing in survival, Colonel Rowe was the founder with Sergeant Major Dan Pitzer, of the original SERE school. He also helped design the original SERE folder knife made by Al Mar. I mention this as a tribute to a superb soldier, a great survivor "Five Years to Freedom" was his book, a pioneer and innovator, and as my uncle said "a very nice gentleman". God speed and a salute to Colonel Rowe, Dan Pitzer, and remembering Rocky Versace. Great video. We also have SERE courses in the UK Survival Evasion Rescue Extraction.