M teens I'm not a bad guy, I'm not a bad guy, I'm not a bad guy, I'm not a bad guy, I'm not a bad guy, I'm not a bad guy, I'm not a bad guy, I'm not a bad guy, I'm not a bad guy, I'm not a bad guy, I'm not a bad guy, I'm not a bad guy, I'm not a bad guy, I'm not a bad guy, I'm not a bad guy, I'm not a bad guy, I'm not a bad guy, I'm not a bad guy, I'm not a bad guy, I'm not a bad guy, I'm not a bad guy, I'm not a bad guy, I'm not a bad guy, I'm not a bad guy, I'm not a bad guy, I'm not a bad guy, I'm not a bad guy, I'm not a bad guy, I'm not a bad guy, I'm not a bad guy, I'm not a bad guy, I'm not a bad guy so many times people are passing or communicating or communicating or communicating or communicating nevertheless Instead you can download the longer text that describes the things in my pack more clearly. What I hope you get from this unpacking up in my Rucksack are some ideas of the kinds of kit it is useful to have outdoors. I've been walking and camping in the countryside for over 40 years, and in that time I've been to have a corner of the land, over many day outings, and quite a few longer expeditions. What I have evolved to carry my pack isn't typical, and quite often it isn't useful just for me, but also for many people I meet in precarious situations a long way. Over time, as part of long walks in an alco-primitivism, I probably end up making a short video about each individual item, because each one is a wonderful journey of exploration in itself, both why I have it and how I use it. What I carry varies depending on whether it's winter or summer, I'm out for a few hours or an entire day, or if I'm just relaxing, foraging, or doing some serious photography work. At the core of my pack is a collection of basic and essential stuff that it always take with me, and is always in my bag, hang on it's storage hook, ready to leave at a moment's notice. Any extras I add to that are defined by the purpose of the walk. When really important of thing to get absolutely clear here, what you carry has to be relevant for you, but most importantly for your body weight. Ideally you shouldn't carry more than the core of your body weight long distances, or you can cause serious injury. For me, at about 6'100kg, that has a very different meaning to someone around the UK average, 60kg's woman, and 68kg's for men. After many years of practice I have found that walking outdoors cause upon many of the same resources, but not all the time. Some of what I take is basic common sense, other items are from my own specific pleasure, which most people would want to take anyway. It's possible to dispense a number of them to save weight, but you end up meeting people along the way who don't have that experience, and find it really useful if you can help them out. For example, on the day I made this video, I helped one last couple find their way back into town with my map, and I handed out one stick and plaster to someone who had cut myself. I learnt to camp with nothing. Literally, one of my first tents at a free festival was a big folded plastic sheet. Over the years, that has given me the appreciation for the basics, things that are cheap, simple, and the possession of which makes all the difference to enjoyment versus existence outdoors. I took last to list what's in my pack as excessive, and for many the way to loan will be a problem, but it works for me. For example, 3.6kg of camera equipment? It is overly heavy, but let's me do what I need to do. Likewise, while I take a Kelly kettle on the saucepan instead of a little camping gas stove, it's what I prefer. Being outdoors is not about copying traction, it's about enabling and extending the space for your enjoyment and personal creativity. There's no right way to do that. Or to put it more crassly, there's no authority but yourself. Too much of the outdoor industry is geared around selling people overpriced kit that is either over specification for the amount of use they're put to, or not good enough because its performance is overly hyped, all made for the single-use festivals market and so wears out easily. The point about going outdoors regularly in all weather and trying many different walking locations is that you can develop the skills to use a simple set of equipment very well. And by trying an era, after a while you can involve a set of simple stuff that works well for the activities you like to undertake, from sightseeing to wild camping to joining in on protest camps. Much of the equipment I have, I have had for many years. Often it is bought in sales to replace worn-out equipment bought at a sale some years before. For example, my 6.0L Rucksack is about 12 years old. Your turn to small rocksack I use for a quick, stripped-down day out and in summer is getting on for 20 years old. My slightly torn and wholly low rate raincoat is about 10 years old. Though the high-end, expensive equipment might be lightweight and working all-weathers, in part that's because it's made of toxic chemicals like Gore-Tex. The kind of stuff you might buy from farming equipment shops or construction industry suppliers can be equally good and non-glasting. It doesn't matter if I'm stranded at the railway station after missing the last train, or just decide to buy food or to shop along the way and cook it while looking at the view. Good equipment is anything that allows you to be happy, comfortable and carefree when spending time outdoors. Why do I happily carry 16 kilos, 8 to 12 miles in a few hours? Basically it's a really good way to keep fit when I want to go backpacking. When I can routinely carry anything from 24 to 30 kilos depending where I'm going and how I'm camping along the way. Also, as I don't drive a car, staying fit enough to travel while carrying everything I need is an important part of living in that car-based transport. You shouldn't try to carry heavy loads right away, you will hurt yourself. Carry in progressively more weight strengthens the trunk muscles and the carclidge and connective tissues in the spine and other joints become stronger and more elastic. If your body complains, particularly back ankles, knees and hips, then build up the weight and distance more slowly and take more rest. For example, after two and a half months of mobile embed at the end of 2018, I began in February 2019 with just 5 kilos where can my way back to comfortably walk in 12 miles. Then slowly up the weight each week until by mid April I carried 18 kilos for 16 miles. By the first of May I was able to undertake a free day self-supported backpack across the west-six towns. The point is, it is good equipment that allows you to go to lovely outdoor locations, confidently, comfortably and just relax and enjoy the experience. Ensuring the knowledge that no matter what happens, you can deal with it. Finally, the point about developing the skills to live simply with little stuff has a deep mission, one related to our ecological future. In a technically complex world, dependent upon industrial energy and resources, discovering an ability to live without those things must be advantageous for your future security. More importantly, being out here allows you to view the world differently. When I stop for a snack or camp overnight, I expect to leave the site of any indication that I was ever there. The South-East Blanetree leave no trace principle. Not because of the country code or litter laws, I do it in respect for the living earth upon which I walk. The reality is, the amount of damage I might do outdoors in the lifetime will be more than matched by a single large farm machine in one day, from head streaming to spraying chemicals to plowing. The land lobby currently trying to criminalise trespass deny this, but it is that I think the ecological mindset which is destroying the earth. Ordinary people must reforge a bond with the land. That is the only practical way we will change the current mindset that is destroying the earth. Spending time walking and camping with few resources is, I think, the best way to do that. By doing this regularly, you can prepare for the changes that must inevitably happen over the next decade or two.