I have just returned from a four day border walk in Taman Negara with MyCat. Some of the other participants I’d been trekking with before, but there were a few newcomers as well who, as is almost always the case, had the heaviest rucksacks. I was exactly the same when I first started trekking and I think it is natural evolution that our bags get lighter as we refine our kit and leave behind stuff that we can do without.
Anyway, I thought it would be useful for me to list out all the items I take in with me, firstly because then I have a list to refer to for the next trip and secondly because it might help newcomers to jungle trekking to lighten their own load.
One particular item that can really weigh down your rucksack is, of course, water. A useful tip is to drink a litre or more of water just before leaving camp (rather than carrying it along). Another thing to bear in mind is where you are going – if you are following a river then there isn’t the need to carry more than a litre of water as you can fill up as you go along, whereas if you’re up on a ridge then you might need to carry 4 litres of water. The point is you shouldn’t be carrying the same amount of water throughout the trip but rather gauge how much you need depending on where you’re going.
In the video below I go through all the items I take in with me apart from first aid (which I’ll cover separately) and food. What food you take in is going to boil down to personal preference but most people tend to carry too much, I eat the same thing each day and I keep all my food in a separate DRY BAG 1:
Breakfast (per day)
2 x 3-in-1 Nescafe
1 x 3-in-1 Milo
3 slices of buttery/currant bread (this is a heavy item but I like it!)
Lunch (per day)
Power bar
Cup of soup (with lots of salt)
Dinner (per day)
Tin of sardines in tomato sauce
1 x onion
3 x chillies
Rice (take enough to fill yourself up)
I take in the onions and chillies fresh which, although it means a bit of extra weight, the taste is worth it for me. The problem with vegetables is that they sweat in plastic bags and tend to rot quickly and a good tip is to wrap them up in newspaper before putting them in a bag which will help keep them dry and fresh.
KIT LIST:
Wet Clothes
Trekking boots
Wool socks
Leech socks
Gators
Long cotton trousers (breathable and loose)
Cycling shorts (as underwear)
Cotton T-shirt (breathable and loose)
Sweat Rag
Glove (for left hand only)
(In DRY BAG 2)
Dry Clothes
Long sleeved shirt (can be synthetic as you won’t be sweating)
Long trousers (can be synthetic as you won’t be sweating)
Cotton underpants
Wool socks
Crocs (or other sandals…but Crocs are best)
Buff
Shelter
Hammock
Tarp (not in the dry bag)
Suspension system (not in the dry bag)
Mozzi net (I don’t take one in but most people do)
Clothes line
Camp chair
Small ground sheet (not in dry bag)
Anti-Mozzi stuff
2 x Mozzi coils
A small amount of anti mozzi gel
Bedding
Blanket
Underquilt
Blow up pillow (with pillow case)
Wash Kit
Small Tec Towel
Toothpaste/touthbrush
Soap
Tissues
Ear plugs (some people snore very loudly!)
Small first aid kit
(in small DRY BAG 3)
Electronics
Mobile phone
Ipod
Camera
Headphones
Battery pack
Adaptors
Torch (with diffuser and 1 spare battery)
The rest of the stuff I carry (below) is not in a dry bag but I usually keep in separate plastic bags for convenience and to keep relatively dry:
Water:
2x 1 Litre SIGG bottles
2x Platypus collapsible 1 Litre bottles
Sawyer mini filter and adpators
Plastic bags
Hydration powders (2 per day)
Fire and cooking
2 x Cricket lighters (with cap)
1 x fire steel (with fatwood handle)
Inner tube
Stove (gas or alcohol) with fuel
Titanium plate/frying pan with detachable handle
Titanium MSR kettle
Titanium Spork
Small plastic bottle of olive oil.
Salt & pepper
Collapsable mug
Tools
Parang
Very small knife
Sharpening stone
Navigation
Compass
GPS
Map
Other items
Flask of whisky
Cordage (not much)
Rubber bands/pencil/waterproof paper
Whistle
With my pack fully loaded (but excluding water and food) the weight comes in at 7.8KG.
I’m surprised you bring cotton clothing. My cotton clothing smells so bad at the end of the day I would want to throw it away.
Hi Bobby,
Thanks for the comment and I understand your surprise but cotton works for me and synthetics smell much, much worse at the end of a sweaty day. As I’m almost always camping by a river I simply jump in with clothes on once I reach camp and give them all a soak and a rinse.
Anyway, like all kit a lot is down to personal preference.
Cheers!
Paul
Good video again and a list of gear that really narrows things down to the basics – as it should be in the forest.
Regarding synthetics: I know it’s one of those marmite arguments but to add my two cents I would say that not all synthetics fabrics are the same and especially note that the weave of all synthetics is not the same.
If you wear a very tightly woven synthetic like soccer jerseys or those khaki, ripstop, full of pockets, ventilated jungle shirts that are continuously flogged to tourists; then I fully agree with your analysis of them being clammy and sticky and bloody uncomfortable when you’re active in a high humidity environment.
But, the loose weave type are a different ballgame. It took me a while to learn the difference but it makes an enormous difference for me when trekking and/or working on the farm in off the chart humidity and high twenties [˚C] temperatures. The type of weave is a kind of 3D textured mesh. Then you want a fabric that is a bit heavy and stiffer so it doesn’t cling. It’s hard to describe so I’ve linked an image of the fabric of one of my favourite hiking shirts.
I’ve sometimes found shirts like this in super expensive outdoors stores in brands such as the hellyhansen driftline polo (no affiliation – and feel free to remove the product mention if you wish). Or more often than not the second hand clothes markets on the street here in Madagascar. Summer cycling jerseys are also great for this [if a little colourful]. Again, in a kind of adidas kampung scenario – most farmworkers and bicycle transporters here only wear this type of material when working in the heat.
In fact, I’ve found that the cheaper the better works in this case as the mesh will be more open and the fabric slightly stiffer. My first test when buying is to hold up the fabric to the light and see how well I can see through it close up – but it should not be so see through from any distance. You should also be able to feel your breath through the fabric.
The material will snag on thorns a bit more than cotton and not last as long (but no complaints here for a $1 shirt). Also, I find no major smell issues (compared to cotton) if the weave is loose enough.
This makes all the difference for me in really sticky weather and now I cannot stand to wear cotton on my upper body when active in the daytime.
For trousers – I still find cotton best for strength, durability and leg protection. Another issue I’ve found with synthetic trousers is they melt too easily – if I spend any time around campfires they always end up with little burn holes in them from sparks.
For the food list – beef jerky is my go to forest food [instead of the sardines], ramen noodles and/or rice with any fruit and nuts I can get along the way and dried fruit packed for when there are no villages with fruit. Lots of coffee to shake off the cobwebs in the morning and cuppa soups for evening comfort food. If I bring muesli – coconut powder and water is great with it. Super simple and always tasty.
Do you carry a first aid kit?
Well, that’s my two cents. And remember that some people can learn to love marmite…
HI GP,
Many thanks for the very interesting comment (sorry for my slow reply, but been away) and I have to say I’m very intrigued about the shirts you describe (although I can’t see a linked image) – I have tried various and numerous different types of synthetic tops over the years as I can see the advantage of a top that dries fast and doesn’t rub in the way cotton can but have never found one I liked. However, I shall give it another go after reading your comment and see what they have in the cycling shops here that might work. I totally agree with the idea of holding something up to the light to see if it has large enough ventilation holes.
My problem with synthetics is that horrible feeling you get when the sweat is trapped between the material and your skin like a slimy film but, from what you are saying, that isn’t the case with the shirts you describe so I shall be on the look out for something like that to test out (maybe even try out one of the Helly Hansen shirts you mentioned which I could get from Amazon)
Also agree about synthetics not being so good around fires! A worry I share for my hammock and tarp so I put the fire a safe distance away (but always a risk from a fly away spark).
A lot of my fiends make beef jerky and take it in and it’s a great idea but I’m a bit too lazy to prepare it and too cheap to buy the commercial stuff – however, it is on my ‘to do list’ as it makes nice change from the sardines. Here you can also buy flaked dried chicken which is cheap and another alternative that you can either munch on as you go or add to something else to make it a bit tastier.
Anyway, thanks again for the tip about the shirts and I’m always open minded to try something new.
Cheers!
Paul
another great video…appreciate your packing list. I was wondering about your food. but you answered my questions before I even asked. Living in the same part as the word as you I have access to similar food items. I was wondering if you have tried coconut cream powder. I find that it makes a nice addition to rice and it is a bit sweet so It works for both breakfast and dinner, plus it’s pretty high in fat so it gives you a good amount of energy. I noticed in your video that you bring a little olive oil for frying do you catch fish while your out there? Keep those videos coming, there are scant few of us who do junglecraft videos and I always learn a tone from your stuff!!! Thanks James
Hi James,
Many thanks for the comment and great idea about coconut powder. I did take in some of those cartons of coconut cream they add to curries a couple of times and it is delicious (and, as you say, nutritious) but these days I’m very unadventurous with my cooking (or possibly lazy!) and just cook the same thing all the time!
I don’t catch fish when I’m in the jungle but some of my friends do (and most of the Orang Asal will) and it’s certainly doable…but I prefer my sardines in tomato sauce! Again…possibly just me being lazy but also an attempt not to impact the environment too much.
Anyway thanks again for the tip and very glad you like some of the videos.
Cheers!
Paul
Thank you for the soap idea. I don’t know why I never thought of it. I’m going to put a string on it to hang it from my neck when I’m washing up. You come up with some good ideas!
Dave
Hi Dave,
Glad you liked the idea…and I really like the idea of turning it into soap-on-a-rope. Thanks for the tip and I think I’ll try the same!
Cheers!
Paul
Hi Paul,
Been out for a week of traveling in southern Europe. Two videos when I come back, that’s great 😀
Anyway, thought I would share my rainforest gearlist with you guys:
0610 Sack+ Shelter
0180 KS ultralight Waistpouch
0110 DIY tarp + lines
0150 DIY bug net 0.7oz/sqyd
0170 DIY hammock 1.0+ lines
0835 Clothes
0250 Rubber+ neoprene trails
0020 nylon socks
0020 leech socks/ gaiters
0040 trunks
0200 pants
0200 long sleeves ny/pe hoodie Tshirt
0015 head net
0050 cap
0015 sun glasses
0025 thin gloves
0355 Rainforest Gear
0285 14″ Tramontina + Lansky sharpener
0009 DIY small cutter
0010 bic lighter
0002 compass
0005 1$ photon-type light
0000 needle and thread
0045 sawyer mini
0035 water bottle (empty weight)
0463 Other
0048 passport+ Visa card+ ziplock
0250 Camera+ DIY pouch+ charging cable+ AC/ USB charger
0150 hero 3+
0015 flashdrives + sd
0021 Hygiene
0001 SAK’s tweezers
0005 DIY toothbrush
0010 DIY dehydrated toothpaste
0005 Baking soda
2284 total including worn clothes
Notes on my gearlist:
– the waistpouch is a good fit for rainforest activities, but I would prefer a backpack as it’s more convenient in daily life.
– the tarp is made out of a survival blanket cut down with cardboard tape tie out loops
– the clothes can give me almost full coverage, but those clothes cant block mosquitoes bite for long, as they are thin. If needed to, I wrap myself in the hammock bugnet.
– the glasses are here for open areas with lots of sunlight
– very few tools, but I can do a lot with that.
For food I dont really bother, I just take take in food that I normally eat:
Biskut kacang
trail mix (peanuts, cashew nuts, dried fruits)
muesli-type cereals
dried mushrooms, jerky, seaweeds (And I dry them every time possible because each time you open the bag, humidity goes in!)
I’d like to be able to spot some good leaves to make cups of tea once in a while
Normally I would take 700g of food per day, but in hot climate, I dont eat that much, so 400g is plenty enough for me.
Thank you again Paul, I hope you can get plenty of jungle time!
Hi Wawa,
Many thanks for taking the time to list out your pack contents – I always find it fascinating to see what other people take in with them and I think we can all learn from each other as far as kit is concerned. It is also important for those who aren’t used to jungle trekking and unsure of what they really need and what they don’t as the temptation is to take in too much and then regret it when they’re struggling beneath an enormous and weighty pack!
Anyway. thanks again, very interesting.
Cheers!
Paul
Just wanted to say how much I enjoy your videos and your style.
You’ve disabled the comments section on your youtube side, and that is unfortunate because I am sure you would get a lot of positive feedback.
Thanks again for your outstanding videos.
Hi Faultroy,
Many thanks for the comment and support – much appreciated and sorry for this slow reply but things have been hectic over here.
I disable comments on Youtube as I wanted to try and keep them all in there same place (i.e. on the site) and also because I find it hard to find the time to reply to even the comments here let alone ones on youtube too!
Anyway, thanks again,
Cheers!
Paul