Evening Walking Kit

This (other than the Sigg water bottle and Canon G9 which is taking this image) is my daily walk bag. Over the past 2 years and 4 months my wife and I have walked daily after work and on the weekends….we have not missed a day yet. Much of the year we are walking in the dark after work, but weekends and from late spring to early fall we have some daylight. Our path is either along Lake Washington or the Sammamish Slough which feeds into Lake Washington. Herons, Ducks, Geese, Beaver, Muskrat, River Otter, Bald Eagles, Red-Tailed Hawks, Cormorants, Belted Kingfishers, Racoons, and Rats are some of the critters we see often. Flowering trees, fungi, fallen leaves, cones, weeds and a host of other debris are usually along the path.

While the point of the walk is some exercise and mental decompression, we like to have our binoculars and camera along just in case something good passes buy on those days where we still have some daylight left.

The LensMate with polarizer for the G9; an extra battery; memory card; and cleaning kit; plus a tiny table top tripod round out the bag. The binoculars do not ride in the bag but under my right arm. The G9 does ride in the bag (in a nylon half liter water bottle pouch from Outdoor Research). We usually do not take a water bottle except on long weekend walks in the hotter months. This new aluminum oval Sigg bottle fits better than the round 600mL I usually took. The saw is for grabbing pieces of downed wood that may be interesting for carving.

The surplus Swiss gas mask bag seems near perfect for this minimal kit. It rides well and the heavy cotton does not slip around on my hip. It holds this junk and does not totally have that armchair commando look of most surplus stuff. Even though the strap is only 1” wide it does not cut in as the total weight of this kit is pretty light.

I almost always have my Polecat walking stick to use as both a bino and camera brace. Its rapid extension to eye level makes a perfect bino rest, and braced against a tree or other object provides a quite good makeshift tripod for camera shots.

Add a Tilley hat for sun or rain, this small kit, and we are ready to go.

I grabbed this heron shot last night on our walk at just about dusk. 400 ISO, maximum optical zoom, braced on my walking stick and my breath held.....cropped very hard.




This gull I shot last fall just after buying my G9.

Hi Schwert

Very interesting article from you again and the pictures are superb too. Thanks!

When I looked at your first picture, I had to cut of a little grin. This is because you are using almost the same pack as I do. Instead using a gas mask bag, I use the bread bag, because it’s slightly bigger. That way I can pack a thin rain jacket as well.

The aluminum cup of the bottle I use often as a cooker to make tea, coffee or even soup. A little wood fire or a can stove can be used for heating.

Have fun
Pius

That is almost a twin setup. I like the old Sigg bottle and cup arrangements. I saw one of those in the surplus store a while back but the stopper was missing. I have another modern version from Sigg in stainless. Nice but a bit heavier.



I also have a popcan alcohol stove setup that I take in my larger daypacks if a cup of tea is likely. I have not seen the bread sack pack. It looks like it would be a good one. I cannot squeeze much more in this gas mask bag.

I like your Wenger choice with saw. I carry a Victorinox Farmer in my pocket.



Can you still get Sigg kettles over there?



This super light spun aluminum Sigg pot is one of my favorites, but they have not been available for decades over here.

Hi Schwert,

I see you like Swiss products. But knowing you also as an author from an outdoor site, I’m not really surprised.

The bread sack is in fact part of my old Swiss army rucksack, which can be taken off. I don’t think you can buy it anywhere. But it fits the job nicely. The bottle and cup is my old Swiss army gear too.

About the Sigg kettle I know nothing. I believe that Sigg has stopped their kettle production. But I will keep my eyes open for you and tell you if I find something to report.

These days when I go on longer hikes I use a Jet boil. I’m very happy with it, as it is reasonably light and I can cook real meals with it.

Weight is a very important issue to me while going mountain hiking. For that reason I’m also very pleased with my G7, it’s almost a perfect camera for my adventures.

Best..Pius

I agree on the G7/G9. Really a perfect camera for most walks. I take my DSLR on most walks where I know photos will be the prime goal, but the G9 goes everywhere else and serves more than as a backup camera. My very first camera of quality was an Olympus XA...very very close to the same form as a G9. It went everywhere with me too.

I just bought a Gigapower stove for the same reasons you have the jetboil. It is just so right to sit with a cup of tea or soup.

Swiss items are almost always "just right". That first image I put up with the black oval water bottle I had titled "Swiss Perfection" where I originally posted it. Right too, great bottle and cup, excellent pen and in my view the best possible knife...the Farmer. Even the gas mask bag is an understated bit of perfection. Nothing extraneous and carries way way better than bags I paid a load of money for. I am not sure these can still be found in surplus stores or not, but they definately work well for this use, and I bet worked fine as for gas masks too.

I think I may visit a couple of surplus stores and see if they happen to have any bread bags.