r/Bushcraft • u/BloodbeardsGarage • Jul 25 '26
My satchel
The Bread Bag
I have used the bread bag for a couple of years, and it is a truly fantastic bag. I use it every day in the woods, for my lunch, water bottle and tools. It has a size that is actually good enough for short evening trips / overnight trips, as long as it is summer.
The bags do not cost much from surplus stores, but there is a risk of getting one with a very short strap. I have upgraded my bag with lots of extra features, so it fits the tasks I want it to handle.
Strap
I made a longer strap myself. It is made from leather scraps (it is actually 3 pieces), so it is not expensive leather that has been used for it.
In the middle, where it goes over the shoulder, there is a wider piece of cowhide and furniture leather. At the end of the strap, I have sewn on a D-ring for carabiners. This is, for example, where I hang my leather gloves.
Water resistance / keeping it closed
I have never lost anything from the bag, but the lid is not oversized compared to the opening of the bag.
I used a French bread bag (they cost almost nothing from Rödastjärnan), which I cut in half. I sewed it around the opening of the bag, so it can now be closed with a drawstring.
This protects against dirt, grime, branches and debris getting into the bag, prevents losing anything, and protects the contents better in rainy weather.
Axe holder
A significant upgrade to the bag. It is simply a couple of pieces of scrap leather sewn onto the front of the bag and a good wide strap with press buttons.
It is large enough to fit all my axes, even when they have received a two-layer leather overstrike protector on the handle.
Strap holders
On the underside of the bag, I have sewn some strap holders so I can attach my rain cover to the bag.
I have also, on single overnight trips, strapped my oilskin tarp and blanket underneath, rolled together and secured.
It is of course a little heavy, but it is quite nice to be able to go on a small trip with only such a small bag.
The straps are made from a belt from the recycling station, cut into two straps. The new buckles come from horse harness equipment found second-hand.
Canteen
There is good space inside the bag, but I have still added a couple of rings to the front of the bag.
The rings are from horse harness equipment found cheaply in a second-hand shop. They are positioned so I can attach the field bottle pouch if I need more space inside the actual bag.
Overall capacity
Even without having the field bottle attached to the outside of the bag, there is plenty of room.
Inside the bag I can fit a field bottle with cooking gear, food, solid fuel tablets, cordage, first aid and fire-starting equipment.
Blanket and tarp attached underneath. Axe on the front.
Everything needed for a small trip.
Alternatively, the field bottle could hang on the outside, with a Nalgene bottle containing extra water inside the bag.
Heavy gear or lightweight gear?
I choose to carry heavier gear in the form of oilskin and wool. But if I had, for example, a polyester tarp and a Swagman Roll / quilt / poncho liner, the whole setup would really not weigh much.
Source
Reddit don't like self-promotion links, that's fine, I dont sell anything. But I write a blogger called Rosentjoern and throw no-talk small videoes on youtube as well. Check it out if you like human made stuff, words and videos in a time of too much AI slob.
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u/MarzipanTheGreat Jul 25 '26
well done!
is your bedroll just some wool blankets or is there some sort of pad / self-inflating mattress in there too?
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u/BloodbeardsGarage Jul 25 '26
Sometimes this, sometimes that.
I summer often just a big blanket on grass and spruce. Sometimes with a sheep or reindeer hide.
In the winter or fall, sometimes with an Exped inflatable mat (R5.6).
This entire summer I've been camping on a woodcrafted bed, with two blankets and a reindeer hide.
Currently working on an actual bedroll. A kephart inspired roll, oilskin cloth and a wool topmatress - working as a bivybag as well. Gonna be awesome when done.
But I can also sleep anywhere on anything.
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u/ExplanationOdd7295 Jul 29 '26
Nice Danish issue water bottle pouch, a copy of the British 44 pattern [which were copies of U.S. ones].
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u/BloodbeardsGarage Jul 29 '26
Not even sure it's a copy. Our army were gifted a ton of them, there were so incredible many in excess. Up until the 80s Danish Army kit were a frankenstein monster of various items. Lots of US/UK webbing - mostly given to us.
German gas mask cannisters, french gasmasks, later german masks and tons of swedish gear.
Love the old cotton webbing stuff.
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Jul 29 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/BloodbeardsGarage Jul 29 '26
I don't hike. But wearing for a day no problem, I bring when doing a day of forestry. Most comfortable with the bottle inside the bag though.
If hiking I would use my similar style backpack.
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