Coote wrote:Wow Mad Trapper, your gear is just beautiful. Those pictures would be worth framing.
Thank you Brother.
I usually make my own gear.
Think i made the saddlebags about 5 years back.
Saw a pic on the web of a set of original civil war saddlebags, i started drawing a pattern on paper, trying to match it up with the original bags, got as close as i could to the pic, then transferred the drawing to heavy card stock paper, cut it out, then applied it to some leather i had, sewed it by hand with heavy weight linen thread, waxed with bees wax.
Every time i take a long trip from home, i take the bags and carbine.
One bag holds a 50 round box of ammo, rifle cleaning kit, first aid kit,compass, fishing kit.
Other bag has a water filter, 1 lb of jerky, instant coffee, camp knife, fire starting kit with fire steel, matches and lighter.
Bedroll holds 2 emergency sleeping bags, 6x8 piece of canvas and a 8x10 bushcraft tarp.
A good friend gave me the canteen, he said it came from the Vietnam war.
I put a leather cover over it, laced it up and added a leather strip for a carrying strap.