bergan packing

[stryker]

Hi all,

I'm in the ATC and i need to pack a 60 Litre Bergen for a weekend of camping, trouble is I've got absolutely no idea how i go about doing this. Any hints and tips or websites that i might find useful would be greatly appreciated!!!!!

 

Cheers!!

 

stryker

 

SPELL CHECK PROVIDED BY SNAPPER. COULD DO BETTER, SEE ME.

[Mark]

Would not your CO tell you at cadets :?

[LeeEnfield]

normally, with rucksacks,.........heaviest items to the bottom, or near to, anyways.........but as Marks asked, has your CO/NCO not shown the correct method ??

[morris c8 fat]

:-D dont forget to put every thing into plastic bags then them into at least two black bin liners its wet out there

[ArtistsRifles]

Get a heavy duty bin liner and use this to line the bergen with. Look at whats to pack and consider what you are likely to need quickly (easy access) vs what's heavy. If it's heavy and not an "easy access" item it goes to the bottom then work your way up. In my day sleeping bag and poncho were the last things to go in then wrap the top of the bin liner over and tuck in in as water proofing. If you have side and front pockets then these can be used for small "easy access" items and rations.

 

Mine used to go thus - inside the bergen, top to bottom:

Poncho

Gollock

Sleeping bag

Spare mags

Belt of 7.62mm for GPMG

NBC suit complete

Housewife kit

Spare trousers,shirt socks and jacket (all wrapped in their own bags as extra water proofing)

 

Left side pocket: Rations, hexi cooker and tablets, spare knife

 

Right side pocket: boxed rounds for whatever personal weapon was carried, torch

 

Front Pocket: Gloves, hat, socks (again in bags)

 

Once packed it was customery to jump up and down whilst wearing it to ensure nothing rattled - if it did the bergen was repacked slightly to stop any rattles.

 

Hope that helps!!!

[hardyferret]

Hi,

 

simply remember KISS Keep It Simple Stupid,

 

I was on a recruit training team, and this funnily, ended up being an unofficial lesson!!

 

1 think logically do I really need this or that item? how important is that item to A; my survival B; to my task objective? C; do I need this item instantly?

 

So straight off you can work through your Bergen, getting everything in order.

 

You will need to pack in waterproof bags, and not just one big bag!! By grouping your kit in individual bags it makes finding an item east in the dark and quick.

 

You don't want to have all your kit, strewn out like Ali Baba's boot sale looking for a pair of shreddies, and you get "we move in 5" :shake: good way of p*ss*ng people off.

 

Also consider when you stop and you want to basha up, keep it just under the top flap of the bergen, quick everything else stays away.

 

I have packed bergen's many ways weight near top in bottom, still prefer my A frame, feels natural, doesn't catch branches, but this is individual choice.

 

I won't tell you what to put in, that depends on what your up to and where.

 

One thing split your rations, so some in bergen,and some in your webbing. So you always have food, hexi cooker or whatever in bergen, get a metal water bottle mug and keep couple of hexi tabs and a SMALL brewkit in your webbing.

 

But... HAVE FUN!!!!!!!!!!! :-D :-D :-D :banana: :banana: :banana: :rofl: :beer: :nut:

 

[rambo1969]

Don't pack to much stuff, ive seen cadet's loaded down with gear they did'nt need.

Make sure you can get at your water bottle and sweets easy. Don't forget your loo roll!, take the cardboard centre out and squash flat, then put in a frezzer bag.

 

Tesco's are doing camo wheel along cases at the moment, but I don't think your snco would approve!!! ;-) :whistle:

[Jack]

Hi all,

I'm in the ATC and i need to pack a 60 Litre Bergen for a weekend of camping, trouble is I've got absolutely no idea how i go about doing this. Any hints and tips or websites that i might find useful would be greatly appreciated!!!!!

 

Cheers!!

 

stryker

 

SPELL CHECK PROVIDED BY SNAPPER. COULD DO BETTER, SEE ME.

 

 

Evening Stryker.

 

Will send you up something tomorrow that will be of help for you with your weekend and anything that you may get upto with the ATC 8-) ;-)

[hardyferret]

Oh please Sir Im off with the guides the weekend, have you anything for me??

 

JACK, I didn't know you were a barber??

 

something for the weekend indeed!!!!

 

 

:-D Hardyferret :evil: :whistle:

 

 

[Jack]

 

 

JACK, I didn't know you were a barber??

 

something for the weekend indeed!!!!

 

 

:-D Hardyferret :evil: :whistle:

 

 

 

 

Actually Mr HardyFerret - you might not be that far off on one of them :dunno:

[sas pinkie]

Make sure you know where everything is, only get it out if you need it, and check everything is there before you move off.

 

I like to chuck in a few mars bars as a bit extra. I put my sleeping bag in a bivvie, and do away with the compression sac, it is a lot easier and quicker to use the top part of the bergan as the compression sac and it tends to take up less space this way as it fillls all the little gaps and it tends to stop the annoying rattles. On top of this is my basha.

 

If you have a good bivvy bag, a basha is very often not needed, I only put it up if it is teeming down to give me shelter when cooking and doing admin, or sentry..... I tend just to use the bivvy when sleeping.

 

Ther are a few different ways to do it, experiment until you find a way that suits you.

[Snapper]

As Stryker is Son of Snap I would like to thank you all on his behalf for the advice. I remembered enough to get him through - but we used advice from all of you. I agree that they are asked to carry far too much stuff. He is doing a "Falklands Competition" within his Squadron which is basically some sort of RiffRaff survival course with a nice tab at the end and a bit of shooting with old No8 .22s thrown in. He is over the moon to be doing this stuff - the local scouts were Sh1te.

 

 

The Bergen was supplied and does not have any of the add on pockets, but he has managed to get his sleeping bag, changes of clothes, extra footwear, wash kit, grub, camera and waterproofs into it in a useful manner. All this for.....36 hours away. They learn. Southend ATC is a bloody good organisation.

[sas pinkie]

I think I have a pair of side pouches at home, and may even be able to lay my hands on a cheap bergan if interested (I am talking up to about anything up to £15......). I may even be able to get some cheap PLCE webbing as well if needed!! :-D

[ArtistsRifles]

<snipped>

 

The Bergen was supplied and does not have any of the add on pockets, but he has managed to get his sleeping bag, changes of clothes, extra footwear, wash kit, grub, camera and waterproofs into it in a useful manner. All this for.....36 hours away. They learn. Southend ATC is a bloody good organisation.

 

 

Yeah - I started out in 2048 (Dagenham Squadron, ATC - was - is - a great organization for young lads (and lasses now, I believe!)

[Snapper]

We would definitely be interested in a Bergen and bits Karl - thank you.

 

The boy returned today, covered in mud, scatches and blisters but he is all the better for it. He's learning. I wish I'd been doing that sort of stuff when I was his age. He's learning about caring for his feet, knows he has to get fitter and is learning not to be so finecky with his food. A good education. I salute him.

 

Thanks to everyone for their support.

 

You're right Neil, they do have girlies, too, these days. The squadron boss is a lady.