Hey guys. I am a contract faller (retired full time FF) so my line gear is a bit different. I have to carry wedges and a light weight nylon belt and nylon wedge pouch since my Nomex pants have unusable back pockets. In addition I carry my saw stuff and an extra 36" chain. I also carry two water bottles and two fuel bottles and chaps on top my pack. Like you two, most of my water is in a bladder. I ALWAYS carry toilet paper and Ibuprofen and some sort of electrolyte powder and power bars. My war bag half filled up with baby wipes. And Ibuprofen. God bless the man that invented the shower trailer.
Cody: Could you give your guest a proper introduction please? He has been in the last few videos and I still don't really know who he is. I don't mind it. I just want to know who he is.
I basically never post comments here, but I decided to today to share the same comment and was surprised t find these other comments sharing my thoughts. He is a pleasant addition, but I share the thought that it would have been nice to be introduced. It would also perhaps give him some form of credibility as well. For now he's just some guy that has all of a sudden just appeared out of nowhere.
I started doing Wildland Firefighting in Ontario Canada and we do not get issued a fire shelter, bc the exact reason that Cody stated it gives people a false sense of security there shouldn’t even be a situation that you need to use one of those if you have your safety zones and escape routes established the main thing we stress over in Canada is safety!! They are just trees at the end of the day the main thing is getting crews safely home.
I've watched a lot of EDC/ bugout bag videos, and it's always one guy showing his gear without much explanation. I love the concept of gear comparison, where you can banter back and forth justifying or discriminating against certain selections/choices/logic Etc. And when you're surprised you have some of the same stuff, it means so much more.
suggestion: get a neoprene tube insulator for your hydration packs. the uninsulated tubes act like a solar collector and heat up your water. the insulators really help keep your water cool. I also suggest tying a piece of paracord around your chem lights. then you have it handy to tie onto the light and swing it in a circle. you can take that little chem light and make a 6 to 8 foot circle of light if you twirl it on a string. this is a very effective siglal for aircraft even at a great distance.
+HardWayLearnt Funny you mention that. I have one on my hydration pack, but for some reason +Wranglerstar didn't on his; might be due to it being a replacement hydration pack, or it just didn't come with that model pack. I have been shocked at how well the sleeve helps!
+Alan M. Thornton true. I didn't see it on yours but it probably just blended in. looked like Cody had a camel back bladder. I have found camel back makes the best valves and mouthpieces but their bladders are second to platypus bladders. I mix and match by putting camel back mouthpieces on platypus bladders. nalgene makes great bottles but I hate their bladders... all that to say when I run a truck (SAR not fire) there is no excuse for your water leaking on everyone else's gear. You don't load it if it isn't locked down. :)
I ended up buying the MIL spec camelback unit for my pack for obvious reasons. They are more expensive, but worth it. I am guessing that Wranglerstar has the normal one that most have. Their valves and all are awesome like you said. Platypus does make an awesome bladder: very fast to fill and solid closures.
+HardWayLearnt Waste of money and weight. What you do instead is open it each time after you use it and let the water drain back into the reservoir so it doesn't stay in the tube. Had a friend teach me this in Daytona FL during college nationals where everyone carries around a pack full of alcohol LOL! Mission accomplished better than insulated tube and it is lighter.
David Bowden "open it each time you use it?" umm that defeats the purpose of wearing a hydration bladder. You can blow air back in to the tube if that is your wish however, the plastic tube still collects solar radiation and converts it quite efficiently into heat that does warm your water. allowing air to fill the bladder can also make it harder to tell how much water you have left in your pack.
I had my red card back in the 90's when I interned and worked seasonally for the NPS. I never got out to any big western fires but had many friends who did. It was great training and after 20 years I still remember so much. I still keep a perimeter around my property and that was very comforting when we had a large (WNC scale) fire here in the mountains last year that was way too close to the house. Love your Videos, Keep up the great content!
Here in Australia we don't carry the fire shelter bc we are always with in 500m of an engine and the engine is build to with stand sitting inside a fire for 24 hours
We don't carry them here in Canada either. They don't improve chance of survival in an entrapment situation, per statistics. We'd prefer to jump into one of the many water sources throughout our forests.
Thank you for what you do. It takes a lot of dedication and drive to fight wild fires. I was in Glenn wood Springs when Storm King Mtn happened. A very sad time for all of us. Thank you and God Bless you and your family.
Lost 19 of our HotShots at one time here in Arizona. Winds shifted and they were absolutely trapped. They deployed their shelters, but unfortunately the fire was too hot. Be safe and smart out there guys/gals. Lots of respect to you all...
Really love the detailed explanation of why you carry the items you do, it has shown me items that I could carry in my pack. I just work in the suburbs in a warehouse but still like to be prepared for anything I may need during the day.
Cody, someone may have already said it, but Camelback now has a flow meter you can put inline with the tube. They are around $30.00. Boy Scout leaders often have the same problem with the Camelback, etc. You cannot monitor how much a scout is drinking. When you are responsible for their safety, you need to know they are drinking enough. With these flow meters you can tell how much has been consumed.
Spare boot laces are fine, but it you carry parracord (which hopefully you are) are shoe laces. Instead of spare laces, carry a mini tube of superglue (appros 1.5 " in length) Simply measure how much cord you need for a lace. Apply an inch dab at the end point. Wait a minute or so for drying, then cut half way between the glue mark. You now have a stiff end to run through the eye of the boot. Superglue has many uses from sealing minor cuts to applying them to the paracord laces.
-Web gear is the term when main compartment is removed -shelter casing is a must for protecting the shelter -never and always aren't the right words regarding flat vs terrain. Usually there's terrain -FS canteen lids fail even though cheap/free and yes aren't BPA free -reliable carabiner, yes. Rappel use, no. Sling loads are always in a cargo net -med kits should be external for access and labeled. I have 3 pairs of nitrile gloves since they're durable and sanitary -Dust masks are great around chippers. -Sportiva de-lam yes, Scarpa improved glue and best grade Vibram rubber. Ironically mentioned when discussing field repairing traditional boots. -signal mirror is better accessed from radio harness -Gold Bond ok (arguably carcinogenic) vitamin A&D+ zinc ointment is better.
Package Tabasco can be found in in restaurant supply store or check with a local eatery and see if they can get you a box. You will have plenty to share.
Have you ever consider using Smart water bottles? They are all the jam on the trails. Most stores carry them and they last same 1 Liter. Also huge fan of the sports top pairs well with sawyer squeeze.
We get firestorms in BC and Alberta . The last one was in Fort McMurray and it turned into a firestorm. So it's mandatory for Canadian Firefighters to have fire shelters.
Great video guys!. About the fire shelter, if you have to use it, someone has made a major mistake, and things can't get any worse. The shelters we use in the Florida forest service are 10 pounds.
I like to use first aid dry bags over Aloksaks after trying both. They are just more durable and its easier for me to pull the contents out and put them back in. They do come pre-marked first aid and in bright colors, usually red or green. Or you could just grab a regular dry bag and make do.
When we had fires in the BWCAW a few years back I was ferrying firefighters up to the fire and they were marveling at the novelty of fighting a fire while surrounded by water on all sides.
I have zero knowledge on fire fighting. But I was glued to this video from start to finish. You guys complement each other very well. I enjoyed the video very much
I've had so many of those LokSak bags fail on me Cody. The black plastic zipper always tears wide open so the thing is completely useless. A working LokSak is way better than a ziplock, which will slowly leak air, but in my experience the ziplocks don't have catastrophic failure near as much.
I do not work on the fireline however i work out in the woods for the last 4 years. You have convinced me to buy a pair of Whites. Thanks Cody you have taught me so much.
Alan, find the widest drinking straws you can. Melt one end together, pour in some tabasco and then melt the other end. Should give you some lightweight single shot uses.
Most new MREs will have the supplementary packet with tp, gum, etc. but they will also have tiny bottles of Tabasco, we would always horde them for times they would be like gold.
"There's a ... tremendous philosophy behind this particular hat" "Of course there is, it's you". This is so true ! ^^ Thank you for this very interesting video. I'm soon heading towards Vancouver BC and planning on hiking around and your packs really teach a lot about what one should have (even though yours are especially thought for firefighting).
I cannot see if it has been mentioned but a better option for the hydration tube is to have it running under your arm (no it doesn't chafe and after about 20 minutes you don't notice it) that way the mouth piece is clipped in upright and can often be accessed simply by dipping your mouth down to it.
You mentiond Gatorade; just thought I'd let you know something I started getting Powerade instead, because, not only is it cheaper but it has more useful vitamins and minerals in it such as Potassium and whatnot All things Gatorade is lacking Fantastic video though My father is the Battalion-Chief for the Golder Ranch Fire District out here in Arizona; going to send this video to him to see if it would be of any use to the Booters in the Wildland division
Try the MSR Dromedary bags. They're considerably more durable than your usual hydration bladders, can be easily patched, and can be used in multiple configurations. I've pretty much swapped to those exclusively.
You two are hilarious together, along with being very instructive. The fact that both of you seemed to be on the same wave length as far as having almost the same equipment. Extremely informative. Two coffees next time, one for either of you. As a Canuck long haul trucker, I'd go with a Timmy or two, but they can't be found south of the border. ; ) Keep up the great work!!
A heads up to any other wildland guys. I went to order a new set of Nick's hotshots, before I had my old Whites rebuilt and there is currently a 14 week wait for boots. So any one on a crew in R1 or R4 starting May 15th, you should put your orders in now.....
the eternal debate between wide mouth and narrow mouth bottles... I'm on the wide mouth side for that one, my reasoning comes from wild/stealth camping not from wildland or whatever like that but, here's my reason, they fit (screw on) on a water purifying manual pump and, I don't mind having one bottle less and carry the pump (even if I never had to get rid of a bottle to bring the pump and probably never will have to) also, if you get the fancy ones, at night you can put warm water in throw it in the sleeping bag and have a really really warm night (way better than taking rocks by the fire plus you have water in the morning)
+Alan M. Thornton thanks but, it's not an original idea, I have to give credit to the smart people with a lot more experience than I do who took the time to teach me their camping tricks
Fire shelters haha we call them shake and bake bags in Canada and don't use them setup your safety zones and be proactive those things arent to be relied on. We have a an aerial view though being a helitac crew. Plus we are fighting in boreal forest so lots of water. I carry in my bag: water purification tablets, a first aid kit, gold bond, toilet paper, extra batteries, a survival blanket a headlamp, dry socks, waterproof matches fly repellent, a bug net and sun screen and 8 bottles of water. Being initial attack we only are on a fire typically for a shorter period of time then sustained action. On my person I carry on my chest pack two rolls of flagging, two rolls of electrical tape, a change or radio batteries my radio, a compass and a mora knife. My pockets I carry a camera, gloves and more electrical tape. Different environments for fighting for sure we never fight fire on slopes all flat and usually swamp.
Great video. Allen has been a great addition as of late. He helps to share the extra insight. Very interesting to see how experience has helped both of you develop your packs in such a similar fashion. Thanks
Same principals apply for wilderness SAR. So many team members dont show up prepared for an overnight stay. There is not always hot coffee and donuts at the rally point. LOL
don't forget, your hard hat is a great spot to put gear. toilet paper, e clip, spare bar nuts, guitar sting for reaming out drip torches, a bic lighter and a bag of powdered gatorade stay in mine all the time on the line. great vid
Really like the setup of both of you! It's especially interesting because I am not very familiar with wild firefighting in general. However, I can provide one tip from my own experience. You both use Gorilla tape which is interesting, however Gorilla tape, in my experience is simply slightly glorified duct tape. I'm not sure if you feel the same way, but I would recommend possibly making a switch to a PVC tape such as PASCO pipe wrap which is overall a much more durable and versatile adhesive in comparison to cloth tapes like Gorilla tape. Love the videos! Good luck!
We dont use fire shelters in Canada anymore either. I work in B.C. and B.C.F.S was the last province that used them and they got rid of them in 2005. Just with our fuel there is no point we would almost everytime have direct flame if we were to deploy. thanks for all your videos love watching.
I am a firefighter and I understand the packs and there is a reason for everything you put in it. Granted you have to tailor you pack to your situation, but could you put the pack itself and some more of the other little goodies on the webstore? In the past I have just used a old bookbag from school (Not for firefighting) just as a grab and go type of pack but I need to start over. It is nice to see some of the reasons why you have your bags laid out the way you do. It comes from experience as well as trial and error so this gives insight and gives some with not as much experience a head start, so for that I thank you.
Hi Wranglerstar, I did wildland fire for many years. Been retired since 2013. I agree with you about fire shelters. I would never trust my life to one. They get bigger and bulkier every year. Good video.
i would go more for an army style modular molle rigged vest style for more modification and some adaptability. there are so many different types of pockets for molle vests and of course that stuff is made to last some action!
Hi Cody, I was curious, but then pleased to see your opinion on the fire-shelter. I am an Australian forest firefighter, and as you say we don't use them. For exactly the reasons you stated! You should not get yourself into that situation, and the shelter will give a false sense of security! Enjoyed the vid, cheers
Hey Cody don't know how often you do it, but I would not keep the chem lights around for a long time, get new ones when you can. When I was in the military sometimes they won't glow as bright if they get old. Love your shows.
Awesome video Wranglerstar.... like you said I am a wildland fire fighter from Australia and I would never carry a fire shelter. 90% of our work is done nea our trucks or on the urban interface all our trucks are fitted with spray bars and fire blankets there are some really cool videos on youtube showing their use thankfully I have never had to deploy our sprayers on the fire line.
It is amazing how similar people pack their gear. I carry nearly the same gear (minus fuzees and shelter) but about double the water for Australian conditions
About the Nalgene bottles; even the 'regular' colored ones are all of ~$10. The really nice thing about them is they're damn near indestructible. Naturally, if you drop it 50 yards onto granite, it's probably going to crack. Did have a friend who used to work ground crew at our airport, chocked a 747 tire with his. Still uses it.
That's unfortunate, I've always had good luck with mine, and I've run them pretty hard. That said, I have to say I don't use them primarily anymore either. I use a couple of Kleen Kanteens. Affordable, like nalgenes, but stainless!
Great vid. Heaps of differences to hear in Australia. Your thinking on the shake n bake is spot on - we don’t use them with the idea being if you need to deploy it, you are in the wrong spot in the first place, dont put yourself there. Also “ there are no wildland fires on flat ground”, so true 🤣
Ever since I was a little kid I wanted to be a firefighter and as of last week I officially am one. I've only been on 6-7 calls but I now know this is why I was put in this earth.
I'm really enjoying the videos with both of you. May I suggest an introduction video for Alan with info about who he is and what he has done and is doing now. Thanks and I'm looking forward to the next video with the two of you. You both work well together and are having fun.
Talkimg about nalgene vs rectangle water bottles, round shapes roll... Square ones don't. If youre working in a very steep environement, its a thing to consider. I'm on your side Cody. Thx and keep on
I've punched small holes in the side of my camelback with metal grommets inside them . going up in 1 inch increments . It doesn't compromise the bag that much, plus you can use them for tying things off and it makes it only a quick glance to check H2o levels
I thoroughly enjoyed this...and learned quite a bit. Thank you. And please, let me add..."boys and their toys..., er, um, tools". So thankful for heroes...and both of you are....
RE John Deere hat, my last name is O'Brien. When my dad was in the navy back in the 50s they would choose "volunteers" by going down the roster. As they listed last name first without fail every single time their eyes were drawn to the two capital letters in O'Brien. My poor dad got every crap detail that came along...
@Skeatlez Yeah, at least mine is real well built. The best thing about it is the low weight thanks to the plastic handle. But I have to admit, I got myself a Gränsfors splitting axe and now thats all I use.
"war" bag :( I think back to the video series on making the fantastic carpenters bench. I got so much from them, the best videos I've ever found on you tube.
I never get tired hearing of how people load out their packs, no two ever seem totally alike. I liked seeing the differences between Alan and Cody's loadouts and reasons why they built their packs that way. As a structural guy, I don't have any illusions about being a wildland firefighter, even though our department is good about sending us to more NWCG classes than the 130/190 that some departments stop at. We just don't have the experience to back up the training since most of our incidents are so infrequent and of short duration. I've deployed to a single state-wide incident in my career back in 2011, and that was as part of a Structural task force. Since our focus in on first response to IA incidents with Type 5 engines, our choices are a little different. We carry front mounted shelter packs on our Type 5, and carry our personal equipment and PPE in line packs on our Structural Engine while on duty. Accordingly, the large compartment of my line pack contains my Wildland PPE as well as a change of dry clothing.
+COWs of Suffolk I have asked that same question, but there is always the reply.... "well, can you just help me for a second?". Then Ginger Snap does her cute thing....it's a mess.
Bandanas: I always carry at least one on work in summer. When it is really hot, I soak it in water and put it around my neck. It cools the whole body down. At least it feels like it does.
Just a thought, why don't you string your gloves through the sleeves of your shirt and around your neck under your shirt? My mom used to make me do that when I was a child to avoid losing my winter gloves. That way if you do take off your glove its still attached to you.
I actually have a coaxsher sr1 endeavor search and rescue, brand new with the tags still on it , it just doesn't fit my needs its a great pack though, I'm probably going to find someone who needs one and let it go do like $170.00 -$180.00 I already have about 20 plus high end packs that I use in a circulation really good video, I love those packs
+omega survival That is really nice of you. THere is a Facebook page that is made for selling wildland fire gear :facebook.com/groups/472102999567295/ See about posting on there. I bet someone would love to start out with a great pack.
Hey guys. I am a contract faller (retired full time FF) so my line gear is a bit different. I have to carry wedges and a light weight nylon belt and nylon wedge pouch since my Nomex pants have unusable back pockets. In addition I carry my saw stuff and an extra 36" chain. I also carry two water bottles and two fuel bottles and chaps on top my pack. Like you two, most of my water is in a bladder. I ALWAYS carry toilet paper and Ibuprofen and some sort of electrolyte powder and power bars. My war bag half filled up with baby wipes. And Ibuprofen. God bless the man that invented the shower trailer.
+prescribedfire1953 Here is the real deal,
@@wranglerstar what about canned food?
Cody: Could you give your guest a proper introduction please? He has been in the last few videos and I still don't really know who he is. I don't mind it. I just want to know who he is.
+Cabin Creek Seconded.
That's Allen, the neighbor that house sits I believe! Although I do agree and love the videos with him in it
+Gregory Steele Alan
I basically never post comments here, but I decided to today to share the same comment and was surprised t find these other comments sharing my thoughts.
He is a pleasant addition, but I share the thought that it would have been nice to be introduced.
It would also perhaps give him some form of credibility as well.
For now he's just some guy that has all of a sudden just appeared out of nowhere.
Isn't he the Uber driver from a while back? :)
I really like the new Cody & Alan Show
Go Bears !
+8RedBear5 ???almost like the American version of The Red Green Show???
me too
+Barry Girky Not enough duck-tape.
PyroShim why need duct tape when you have the osis survival kit
Hey Cody: tell your buddy he can order the mini tabasco bottles through amazon. That's where i got mine and i added them to my kit
+Daniel Soler Looking now. Thanks!
I love how Allen raise is eyebrows when you mention the metric system.
I started doing Wildland Firefighting in Ontario Canada and we do not get issued a fire shelter, bc the exact reason that Cody stated it gives people a false sense of security there shouldn’t even be a situation that you need to use one of those if you have your safety zones and escape routes established the main thing we stress over in Canada is safety!! They are just trees at the end of the day the main thing is getting crews safely home.
wow. keep alan around. he's a great guy and I love watching him
Likewise
I've watched a lot of EDC/ bugout bag videos, and it's always one guy showing his gear without much explanation. I love the concept of gear comparison, where you can banter back and forth justifying or discriminating against certain selections/choices/logic Etc. And when you're surprised you have some of the same stuff, it means so much more.
suggestion: get a neoprene tube insulator for your hydration packs. the uninsulated tubes act like a solar collector and heat up your water. the insulators really help keep your water cool.
I also suggest tying a piece of paracord around your chem lights. then you have it handy to tie onto the light and swing it in a circle. you can take that little chem light and make a 6 to 8 foot circle of light if you twirl it on a string. this is a very effective siglal for aircraft even at a great distance.
+HardWayLearnt Funny you mention that. I have one on my hydration pack, but for some reason +Wranglerstar didn't on his; might be due to it being a replacement hydration pack, or it just didn't come with that model pack. I have been shocked at how well the sleeve helps!
+Alan M. Thornton true. I didn't see it on yours but it probably just blended in. looked like Cody had a camel back bladder. I have found camel back makes the best valves and mouthpieces but their bladders are second to platypus bladders. I mix and match by putting camel back mouthpieces on platypus bladders. nalgene makes great bottles but I hate their bladders... all that to say when I run a truck (SAR not fire) there is no excuse for your water leaking on everyone else's gear. You don't load it if it isn't locked down. :)
I ended up buying the MIL spec camelback unit for my pack for obvious reasons. They are more expensive, but worth it. I am guessing that Wranglerstar has the normal one that most have. Their valves and all are awesome like you said. Platypus does make an awesome bladder: very fast to fill and solid closures.
+HardWayLearnt Waste of money and weight. What you do instead is open it each time after you use it and let the water drain back into the reservoir so it doesn't stay in the tube. Had a friend teach me this in Daytona FL during college nationals where everyone carries around a pack full of alcohol LOL!
Mission accomplished better than insulated tube and it is lighter.
David Bowden "open it each time you use it?" umm that defeats the purpose of wearing a hydration bladder. You can blow air back in to the tube if that is your wish however, the plastic tube still collects solar radiation and converts it quite efficiently into heat that does warm your water. allowing air to fill the bladder can also make it harder to tell how much water you have left in your pack.
You two are great together. A little humor goes a long way to lighten the load.
I had my red card back in the 90's when I interned and worked seasonally for the NPS. I never got out to any big western fires but had many friends who did. It was great training and after 20 years I still remember so much. I still keep a perimeter around my property and that was very comforting when we had a large (WNC scale) fire here in the mountains last year that was way too close to the house.
Love your Videos, Keep up the great content!
Here in Australia we don't carry the fire shelter bc we are always with in 500m of an engine and the engine is build to with stand sitting inside a fire for 24 hours
I wonder what is left of the engine after 24 hours of fire, it would end of life it I guess. shorter periods would it get a refurb?
pros
Rgamer that's cool but even though it may keep a temperature low enough to survive wouldn't all the oxygen around you be burned ?
Robin Pohl this comment would be perfect for Kevin hearts "really" stand up.
We don't carry them here in Canada either. They don't improve chance of survival in an entrapment situation, per statistics. We'd prefer to jump into one of the many water sources throughout our forests.
Thank you for what you do. It takes a lot of dedication and drive to fight wild fires. I was in Glenn wood Springs when Storm King Mtn happened. A very sad time for all of us.
Thank you and God Bless you and your family.
Lost 19 of our HotShots at one time here in Arizona. Winds shifted and they were absolutely trapped. They deployed their shelters, but unfortunately the fire was too hot. Be safe and smart out there guys/gals. Lots of respect to you all...
Cody, the other guy is hilarious! You guys complement each other perfectly. Keep up the good work.
Really love the detailed explanation of why you carry the items you do, it has shown me items that I could carry in my pack. I just work in the suburbs in a warehouse but still like to be prepared for anything I may need during the day.
Nalgene bottles you can mix gatorade in. Which what I used it for in the military.
Cody, someone may have already said it, but Camelback now has a flow meter you can put inline with the tube. They are around $30.00.
Boy Scout leaders often have the same problem with the Camelback, etc. You cannot monitor how much a scout is drinking. When you are responsible for their safety, you need to know they are drinking enough. With these flow meters you can tell how much has been consumed.
Spare boot laces are fine, but it you carry parracord (which hopefully you are) are shoe laces. Instead of spare laces, carry a mini tube of superglue (appros 1.5 " in length) Simply measure how much cord you need for a lace. Apply an inch dab at the end point. Wait a minute or so for drying, then cut half way between the glue mark. You now have a stiff end to run through the eye of the boot. Superglue has many uses from sealing minor cuts to applying them to the paracord laces.
Leathers us best. Paracord melts
-Web gear is the term when main compartment is removed
-shelter casing is a must for protecting the shelter
-never and always aren't the right words regarding flat vs terrain. Usually there's terrain
-FS canteen lids fail even though cheap/free and yes aren't BPA free
-reliable carabiner, yes. Rappel use, no. Sling loads are always in a cargo net
-med kits should be external for access and labeled. I have 3 pairs of nitrile gloves since they're durable and sanitary
-Dust masks are great around chippers.
-Sportiva de-lam yes, Scarpa improved glue and best grade Vibram rubber. Ironically mentioned when discussing field repairing traditional boots.
-signal mirror is better accessed from radio harness
-Gold Bond ok (arguably carcinogenic) vitamin A&D+ zinc ointment is better.
Package Tabasco can be found in in restaurant supply store or check with a local eatery and see if they can get you a box. You will have plenty to share.
I love the square water bottles, I bought 2 of them for boy scout backpacking. I don't like how hard it is to find them though
Where have you found them to buy ?
Your friend helped tie this video together. So much enjoyment watching this. Great job you two.
Have you ever consider using Smart water bottles? They are all the jam on the trails. Most stores carry them and they last same 1 Liter. Also huge fan of the sports top pairs well with sawyer squeeze.
We get firestorms in BC and Alberta . The last one was in Fort McMurray and it turned into a firestorm. So it's mandatory for Canadian Firefighters to have fire shelters.
I love this dude. No idea who he is...
What kind of jacket is your friend sporting Cody? I’d like to buy one.
Fantastic dynamic with both of you! Hope you guys do another video together in the future!
Great video guys!. About the fire shelter, if you have to use it, someone has made a major mistake, and things can't get any worse. The shelters we use in the Florida forest service are 10 pounds.
I like to use first aid dry bags over Aloksaks after trying both. They are just more durable and its easier for me to pull the contents out and put them back in. They do come pre-marked first aid and in bright colors, usually red or green. Or you could just grab a regular dry bag and make do.
When we had fires in the BWCAW a few years back I was ferrying firefighters up to the fire and they were marveling at the novelty of fighting a fire while surrounded by water on all sides.
I have zero knowledge on fire fighting. But I was glued to this video from start to finish. You guys complement each other very well. I enjoyed the video very much
I've had so many of those LokSak bags fail on me Cody. The black plastic zipper always tears wide open so the thing is completely useless. A working LokSak is way better than a ziplock, which will slowly leak air, but in my experience the ziplocks don't have catastrophic failure near as much.
I do not work on the fireline however i work out in the woods for the last 4 years. You have convinced me to buy a pair of Whites. Thanks Cody you have taught me so much.
Alan, find the widest drinking straws you can. Melt one end together, pour in some tabasco and then melt the other end. Should give you some lightweight single shot uses.
+snoopycomputer Interesting idea. I'll try that, thank you Snoopy
Most new MREs will have the supplementary packet with tp, gum, etc. but they will also have tiny bottles of Tabasco, we would always horde them for times they would be like gold.
"There's a ... tremendous philosophy behind this particular hat" "Of course there is, it's you". This is so true ! ^^
Thank you for this very interesting video. I'm soon heading towards Vancouver BC and planning on hiking around and your packs really teach a lot about what one should have (even though yours are especially thought for firefighting).
I cannot see if it has been mentioned but a better option for the hydration tube is to have it running under your arm (no it doesn't chafe and after about 20 minutes you don't notice it) that way the mouth piece is clipped in upright and can often be accessed simply by dipping your mouth down to it.
You mentiond Gatorade; just thought I'd let you know something
I started getting Powerade instead, because, not only is it cheaper but it has more useful vitamins and minerals in it such as Potassium and whatnot
All things Gatorade is lacking
Fantastic video though
My father is the Battalion-Chief for the Golder Ranch Fire District out here in Arizona; going to send this video to him to see if it would be of any use to the Booters in the Wildland division
Try the MSR Dromedary bags.
They're considerably more durable than your usual hydration bladders, can be easily patched, and can be used in multiple configurations.
I've pretty much swapped to those exclusively.
You two are hilarious together, along with being very instructive. The fact that both of you seemed to be on the same wave length as far as having almost the same equipment. Extremely informative. Two coffees next time, one for either of you. As a Canuck long haul trucker, I'd go with a Timmy or two, but they can't be found south of the border. ; ) Keep up the great work!!
This ought to be mandatory training video for newbie woodland firefighters. 👍
#1 Item- is a reflective object generally a small mirror a CD etc.
little tobasco bottles are in the US Army MRE's for the record. Probably 1/2 - 2/3rds of the meals have them if looking.
JP in JC - They need it!
A heads up to any other wildland guys. I went to order a new set of Nick's hotshots, before I had my old Whites rebuilt and there is currently a 14 week wait for boots. So any one on a crew in R1 or R4 starting May 15th, you should put your orders in now.....
Alan (the guest) has a pleasant, calm voice. He should be a narrator!
the eternal debate between wide mouth and narrow mouth bottles... I'm on the wide mouth side for that one, my reasoning comes from wild/stealth camping not from wildland or whatever like that but, here's my reason, they fit (screw on) on a water purifying manual pump and, I don't mind having one bottle less and carry the pump (even if I never had to get rid of a bottle to bring the pump and probably never will have to) also, if you get the fancy ones, at night you can put warm water in throw it in the sleeping bag and have a really really warm night (way better than taking rocks by the fire plus you have water in the morning)
+christopher bacon Smart man.
+Alan M. Thornton thanks but, it's not an original idea, I have to give credit to the smart people with a lot more experience than I do who took the time to teach me their camping tricks
Fire shelters haha we call them shake and bake bags in Canada and don't use them setup your safety zones and be proactive those things arent to be relied on. We have a an aerial view though being a helitac crew. Plus we are fighting in boreal forest so lots of water. I carry in my bag: water purification tablets, a first aid kit, gold bond, toilet paper, extra batteries, a survival blanket a headlamp, dry socks, waterproof matches fly repellent, a bug net and sun screen and 8 bottles of water. Being initial attack we only are on a fire typically for a shorter period of time then sustained action. On my person I carry on my chest pack two rolls of flagging, two rolls of electrical tape, a change or radio batteries my radio, a compass and a mora knife. My pockets I carry a camera, gloves and more electrical tape. Different environments for fighting for sure we never fight fire on slopes all flat and usually swamp.
Great video. Allen has been a great addition as of late. He helps to share the extra insight. Very interesting to see how experience has helped both of you develop your packs in such a similar fashion. Thanks
Same principals apply for wilderness SAR. So many team members dont show up prepared for an overnight stay. There is not always hot coffee and donuts at the rally point. LOL
don't forget, your hard hat is a great spot to put gear. toilet paper, e clip, spare bar nuts, guitar sting for reaming out drip torches, a bic lighter and a bag of powdered gatorade stay in mine all the time on the line. great vid
STILL the greatest multi part series IN RUclips history with the greatest intro.
Really like the setup of both of you! It's especially interesting because I am not very familiar with wild firefighting in general. However, I can provide one tip from my own experience. You both use Gorilla tape which is interesting, however Gorilla tape, in my experience is simply slightly glorified duct tape. I'm not sure if you feel the same way, but I would recommend possibly making a switch to a PVC tape such as PASCO pipe wrap which is overall a much more durable and versatile adhesive in comparison to cloth tapes like Gorilla tape. Love the videos! Good luck!
Cody is a master "one-upper". Alan was cool as a cucumber.
We dont use fire shelters in Canada anymore either. I work in B.C. and B.C.F.S was the last province that used them and they got rid of them in 2005. Just with our fuel there is no point we would almost everytime have direct flame if we were to deploy. thanks for all your videos love watching.
when Rhett & Link are older & into camping
I'm enjoying the two of you doing videos together
I am a firefighter and I understand the packs and there is a reason for everything you put in it. Granted you have to tailor you pack to your situation, but could you put the pack itself and some more of the other little goodies on the webstore? In the past I have just used a old bookbag from school (Not for firefighting) just as a grab and go type of pack but I need to start over. It is nice to see some of the reasons why you have your bags laid out the way you do. It comes from experience as well as trial and error so this gives insight and gives some with not as much experience a head start, so for that I thank you.
Hi Wranglerstar, I did wildland fire for many years. Been retired since 2013. I agree with you about fire shelters. I would never trust my life to one. They get bigger and bulkier every year. Good video.
Loved that you had a "co-host" and loved this video. Your show has helped our family start on a self-sufficient lifestyle. Thanks for your vidoes.
i would go more for an army style modular molle rigged vest style for more modification and some adaptability.
there are so many different types of pockets for molle vests and of course that stuff is made to last some action!
love these videos. I am not wildland certified. I am a volunteer firefighter for structure fires only right now.
Hi Cody, I was curious, but then pleased to see your opinion on the fire-shelter. I am an Australian forest firefighter, and as you say we don't use them. For exactly the reasons you stated! You should not get yourself into that situation, and the shelter will give a false sense of security! Enjoyed the vid, cheers
They sell packs of the Tabasco Minis in the Tabasco Country Store online and on Amazon. like $13 for a 10pack.
I’m bringing this back! Where can I get some of those water bottles?? The square ones.
I love the fact that you guys are collaborating!!
Hey Cody don't know how often you do it, but I would not keep the chem lights around for a long time, get new ones when you can. When I was in the military sometimes they won't glow as bright if they get old. Love your shows.
You should carry a fix played with the fire steel and is in a Mylar blanket you should also check out the wildland fire first aid kit
Mrs W. -Redundancy is Key, bags=more potable water containers. all the Twine. and Well the comfort food. and the referral to Orsis..."is that a Comb?"
I don't normally comment but in this case I'm very impressed of your bravery in having a friend. Keep being a man and helping us.
Awesome video Wranglerstar.... like you said I am a wildland fire fighter from Australia and I would never carry a fire shelter. 90% of our work is done nea our trucks or on the urban interface all our trucks are fitted with spray bars and fire blankets there are some really cool videos on youtube showing their use thankfully I have never had to deploy our sprayers on the fire line.
It is amazing how similar people pack their gear. I carry nearly the same gear (minus fuzees and shelter) but about double the water for Australian conditions
Forget the deat all you need is Permethrin 40 good old fashion military spray that goes right on the clothes. Its great and works like a champ
Thanks for your service too the both of you thats hard work and life threatening.
About the Nalgene bottles; even the 'regular' colored ones are all of ~$10. The really nice thing about them is they're damn near indestructible. Naturally, if you drop it 50 yards onto granite, it's probably going to crack. Did have a friend who used to work ground crew at our airport, chocked a 747 tire with his. Still uses it.
+MLD Smithy I seem to have an uncanny ability to break them. :) Half full one busted out recently - froze even though not full. MrsW
That's unfortunate, I've always had good luck with mine, and I've run them pretty hard. That said, I have to say I don't use them primarily anymore either. I use a couple of Kleen Kanteens. Affordable, like nalgenes, but stainless!
Nice Expedition Overland hat. I love that channel!
+Brett Bjorgum One of my fav channels as well. Great group of explorers. Learned a lot from them
Brett Bjorgu
Great vid. Heaps of differences to hear in Australia. Your thinking on the shake n bake is spot on - we don’t use them with the idea being if you need to deploy it, you are in the wrong spot in the first place, dont put yourself there. Also “ there are no wildland fires on flat ground”, so true 🤣
Thank you so much!! These videos help me a ton and now I know what to bring! Thank you!
Ever since I was a little kid I wanted to be a firefighter and as of last week I officially am one. I've only been on 6-7 calls but I now know this is why I was put in this earth.
+USMC1345VET congrats!
I'm really enjoying the videos with both of you. May I suggest an introduction video for Alan with info about who he is and what he has done and is doing now. Thanks and I'm looking forward to the next video with the two of you. You both work well together and are having fun.
I secon, third and forth this comment. It would Be a great courtesy to all of us
Talkimg about nalgene vs rectangle water bottles, round shapes roll... Square ones don't. If youre working in a very steep environement, its a thing to consider. I'm on your side Cody. Thx and keep on
Awesome video concept man! It's always a fun exercise to put these bags together because it gets the gears turning, thinking about future situations.
I've punched small holes in the side of my camelback with metal grommets inside them . going up in 1 inch increments . It doesn't compromise the bag that much, plus you can use them for tying things off and it makes it only a quick glance to check H2o levels
Thanks to the guy with the John Deere cap and to your friend for this very interesting documentation.
Great video with Alan - always good to see what other fire guys take with them. Thanks for the ideas. Stay safe and God Bless!
You can also tether your work gloves to your person similar to ski gloves so that you DO NOT loose them.
I thoroughly enjoyed this...and learned quite a bit. Thank you. And please, let me add..."boys and their toys..., er, um, tools". So thankful for heroes...and both of you are....
When you are editing the price part out, you might want to consider changing from the dreaded litre measurements.
Really enjoying the commradery of the two of you!
RE John Deere hat, my last name is O'Brien. When my dad was in the navy back in the 50s they would choose "volunteers" by going down the roster. As they listed last name first without fail every single time their eyes were drawn to the two capital letters in O'Brien. My poor dad got every crap detail that came along...
but I bet he was one of the best because of it
Aha! I see that Fiskars in the background! You love it! :)
@Skeatlez Yeah, at least mine is real well built. The best thing about it is the low weight thanks to the plastic handle. But I have to admit, I got myself a Gränsfors splitting axe and now thats all I use.
"war" bag :(
I think back to the video series on making the fantastic carpenters bench. I got so much from them, the best videos I've ever found on you tube.
Well to a firefighter that might be really boring too. I think this was a very good video
I never get tired hearing of how people load out their packs, no two ever seem totally alike. I liked seeing the differences between Alan and Cody's loadouts and reasons why they built their packs that way.
As a structural guy, I don't have any illusions about being a wildland firefighter, even though our department is good about sending us to more NWCG classes than the 130/190 that some departments stop at. We just don't have the experience to back up the training since most of our incidents are so infrequent and of short duration. I've deployed to a single state-wide incident in my career back in 2011, and that was as part of a Structural task force.
Since our focus in on first response to IA incidents with Type 5 engines, our choices are a little different. We carry front mounted shelter packs on our Type 5, and carry our personal equipment and PPE in line packs on our Structural Engine while on duty. Accordingly, the large compartment of my line pack contains my Wildland PPE as well as a change of dry clothing.
Why is that Uber driver always hanging around? Why don't you pay him and send him home already?!?!? lol
Alan the Uber guy!!! I love it. You should use that as your handle on wild land fires. LOL!!!
+COWs of Suffolk that's where I've seen him..... thanks
+COWs of Suffolk I have asked that same question, but there is always the reply.... "well, can you just help me for a second?".
Then Ginger Snap does her cute thing....it's a mess.
+Alan M. Thornton lol
Bandanas: I always carry at least one on work in summer. When it is really hot, I soak it in water and put it around my neck. It cools the whole body down. At least it feels like it does.
Only place I get the little Tabasco is out of MREs. Only thing that makes them taste great.
Very nice video, thanks for showing the equipment. Greetings Sebastian from Germany
CODY I'm not sure if you would like it, however camelbak make a flow meter which tells you how much you have left in your camelbak bladder
Just a thought, why don't you string your gloves through the sleeves of your shirt and around your neck under your shirt? My mom used to make me do that when I was a child to avoid losing my winter gloves. That way if you do take off your glove its still attached to you.
I actually have a coaxsher sr1 endeavor search and rescue, brand new with the tags still on it , it just doesn't fit my needs its a great pack though, I'm probably going to find someone who needs one and let it go do like $170.00 -$180.00 I already have about 20 plus high end packs that I use in a circulation really good video, I love those packs
+omega survival That is really nice of you. THere is a Facebook page that is made for selling wildland fire gear :facebook.com/groups/472102999567295/ See about posting on there. I bet someone would love to start out with a great pack.
Great video guys. Will use some of your ideas for my families camping gear.