Working Stuff

A bit of delving and I find woodcuts and drawings of medieval folk using backpacks...sometimes made of basket weave, sometimes more like bound bundles, but others look exactly like a simple rucksack. *grins* I am not surprised, but it is nice to have proof. I can use them now with my St. Hubert's Rangers work as well as my ME Ranger activities.

The bedroll, or blanket roll, can stand alone for very lightweight needs. Admirably so. Yet for those who might want a bit more, a rucksack is a good thing. In that you can take a folding frying pan..the Romans had them, I might add, perhaps some extra bries or hose/socks. A journal, if you've a mind to. Just remember, the more carrying space you have, the more you will carry..and the heavier the load will be. It is a tradeoff, like most things. Weight vs. comfort and convenience.

I like minimalist kit because if I can get by with that I can easily get by with a bit more. Confidence builder. It does not mean I won't use a rucksack, just that I enjoy going as light as possible.

I have a design in mind; it will be made of heavy forest-green canvas...I will use elk hide to reinforce the bottom and bottom sides of the pack. It will have leather straps and incorporate a chest strap/tie. It will be made so I can lash my quiver to it, or a sword or what have you. Swords I tend to find heavier than they are worth for a scout, although they have their merits otherwise. I will design it so my bedroll can be slung underneath or carried on top. I need flexibility in the design so it won't be huge, and it won't pack a lot of stuff, but it will allow a bit more in the way of provisions and preparation items as well as the odd bit of additional clothing. I have noted some of the images seem to have a waist tie as well...this is a good thing in my opinion as it helps transmit some of the weight to the hips and off of the shoulders. With a permanently damaged left clavicle and shoulder, taking weight off them is not a bad idea.

I'm thinking my bowyer/fletcher kit in basic form would be a good candidate; I could repair arrows, rough out bows and arrow shafts, not to mention their use in camp making and whatnot. Again, it is a question of weight.

An additional pair of shoes is not a bad thing; the day shoes can be aired and dried by the night fire while one sleeps with the dry pair on the feet. In cold weather this helps a lot. You can rotate footwear to keep the feet fresh and happy. This is why I favor shorter footwear over boots.

The clothing is closest to 13th century, with the somewhat longer tunics common in the 12th and the bries and hose or pants found throughout. The longer tunic resembles a shortened dress, which for a gal is not a bad thing. Mine are not split for riding. It is comfortable kit, the inner can be more like a shirt and the outer short-sleeved in hotter weather or worn alone. Flexible.

That's where I am at the moment.

Eledhwen