GOING IN “LIGHT”
The attractiveness of the outdoor life, its health giving attributes and
its satisfying of the primitive in civilized man yearly draws hosts of
enthusiastic adventurers into the wilderness. If he is experienced the
woodsman sets about in a prosaic way to get pure enjoyment out of each
day’s routine and he is able to do this because he knows how. The novice
however is apt to be influenced by poetic dreams and his ideas of kits
and methods of woodcraft likewise theoretical and idealistic and sooner
or later he is to be rudely awakened to his lack of the elemental,
essential creature comforts which are so necessary to his welfare and
enjoyment.
The wilderness dweller, if he chooses to be a true disciple of the Red
Gods must ‘go light’. In travelling light of course one must necessarily
deny himself many things that under ordinary circumstances are deemed
essentials, yet it in no way needs to be a deprivation. On a back pack
trip he must put his outfit selection through a rigid exclusion test.
The equipment must be restricted to actual necessities such as food,
requisites for cooking, shelter for the night and a good bed--all suited
to the method of transportation. In camp and on the trail one will
astonish himself at the makeshifts which he will invent to overcome
camping discomforts as they arise.
The selection of any outfit lends itself to dispute because the choosing
of its component parts is not an exact science but is more a question of
temperament. The novice will suit himself as to what he will take, for
he naturally follows the dictates of personal desires rather than
absolute needs and usually he accumulates about twice as much equipment
as conditions demand. Sooner or later his experience will guide him into
the safe course: he will learn the science of smoothing it--of being
comfortable--when he goes out to ‘rough it.’
It goes unquestioned that the less you carry on your back the less will
be your fatigue at the day’s end: the smaller the burden you carry in
your pack the more must be your knowledge of how to employ the artifices
of woodcraft in utilizing nature’s primitive stores.
The weight and bulk must be accommodated to the means of transportation
at hand. Thus for a hike in the wilderness with full outfit carried on
the back you must boil the necessaries down to that irreducible minimum
consistent with comfort whereas were you travelling by wagon or canoe
you could be more indulgent. You will have “boiled” it down to the
essentials when you carry the outfit from season to season without
adding to or subtracting from it. This then is _your_ ideal kit for it
has withstood the “acid test” of experience. What one man calls a
necessity another calls a luxury, yet this same luxury if the second man
wants it bad enough becomes forthwith a necessity.
Having a proper equipment and enough courage for the undertaking it is
astonishing to see with what confidence and independence two healthy men
can cut loose from their civilized surroundings and with what comfort
and happiness they can live out of doors during a considerable vacation
trip.
PERSONAL EQUIPMENT
In choosing clothing for a wilderness hike, style plays no important
part: comfort and service are the main requirements. In general it is a
safe rule to adopt that kind usually worn in the locality where you go.
The coat is to be at once eliminated. One never needs it: it is
cumbersome, it impedes the swing of the arms and is no protection in
inclement weather. It readily soaks up water or if made of waterproof
stuff moisture is condensed inside. A good wool sweater is far
preferable and should be included in every individual pack: you won’t
use it much more than for a warmer at the evening camp.
The best headgear is an old felt hat of medium brim so the brush won’t
forever be snatching it off. It will stay on the head better if you get
the hat a size too small and rip out the lining so that the felt can
cling to the hair.
Wear a coat style shirt always of wool or flannel and of a gray or tan
color which won’t show dirt so badly as the popular blue does nor is it
so conspicuous. To allow for shrinkage get it a size too large in the
beginning and of medium light weight because if too heavy it becomes
cumbersome in your work: two military bellows pockets with buttons are
convenient for small stowaways.
It is quite advisable to waterproof all woolen items in the outfit after
the following methods: secure three ounces of anhydrous wool fat and
dissolve in chloroform. This is added to one gallon of benzine and the
garments soaked therein for three minutes and then hung up to dry in a
draft. The volatile benzine evaporates leaving the fibers of the wool
encased in the natural oil. This is of particular advantage to the
outdoor man since the woolen fibers thus treated do not soak up water
and swell but only allow water to fill up the air interspaces of the
fabric from which it can be readily expelled.
The trousers will be subject to great wear and should be chosen for
service rather than for looks or warmth, which latter will be taken care
of by the wool undersuit. Khaki is light and cool but it notoriously
displays dirt. Moleskin or whipcord withstands the hardest usage and is
windproof and warm. It is the choice of the Hudson’s Bay men whose
discrimination in matters regarding outfit is to be respected. The fit
of the trousers is a most important thing if one is to walk in comfort.
They must not draw at the knees which would mean speedy fatigue on the
march and they should be of abundant length with plenty of width from
the knee to the hip. The knickerbocker style formerly evolved a smile of
ridicule from some lookers-on but after trying all sorts and kinds one
must concede the “stagged” style the best for woods walking. If you have
long trousers cut them off half way up to the knee, slit them the rest
of the way up and fold over to a snug fit about the calf and secure with
lacing or buttons. The heavy wool socks should be brought up over the
pant legs and with this arrangement one is able to travel with more
comfort than with the long trousers. Suspend the pants from the hips by
a good leather belt.
The selection of the undersuit requires more care than the outer
garments. Preferably it should be a loosely fitting union suit of pure
soft wool regardless of season. Wool absorbs perspiration and prevents
chill. Cotton on the other hand retains perspiration and is a clammy
chill producer when the body begins to cool off. Never use thick
underwear even in winter: better have an extra undersuit, a size larger
than the one ordinarily worn, for doubling up in cold weather. Two thin
suits worn together are warmer than a thick one weighing as much as
both: this is due to the dead air interspace between the two.
In a pocket carry a good jack-knife with two blades of first class
steel: never take one of the many-tool kinds. Except on an extended trip
you will not need a sheath knife. One with a five-inch blade and housed
in a leather sheath with belt loop is best. A good butcher knife makes
an admirable implement for the purpose. The waterproof match box of
metal or rubber should always be carried on the person and see to it
that it is kept well filled. The supply for this pocket safe is to be
drawn from the moisture tight match can carried in the pack sack. The
usual blue bandanna handkerchief will occupy its place in the hip pocket
and the compass should be worn in a shirtpocket and secured to a button
hole by a rawhide thong. Or one may use a compass which pins on the
shirt front thus being always in view and giving the hands freedom for
use in other ways.