Which one of these is best for trekking. I think they are all period correct. However, I would think that the simplest one, the one that fits the best and moves the least would be good. Which one do you guys like and why. As usual pictures would be great.

Depends on your persona and time period I would say. I have never used a snapsack but it looks like it would be great for foot treks. Here is a link to making one : http://www.southernrangers.org/snapsack.htm

I have used a small haversack and like any bag hung around the shoulder it can get in the way. When trekking in with a bedroll, horn, shooting bag and mabe a canteen it can be a mess. Now being an 1830's RMFT trapper you didn't do a lot of walking. So the gear was a bit different. If you were walking you lost your mount so maybe you were able to grab some of your gear.I made a cloth type saddle bag that was described in one of the journals. I've tried it on a shorter trek and it seemed to work fine. I will do more with this and report my feelings.

I like the Haversack. It is a simple bag and can work for any period. I use mine to carry the gear that I do not want in my shooting bag.

P.

Lots of good things said here. Another option would be a market wallet, which were used as suitcases as well as market bags. There are references in the "had on took with them" ads for runaways where they took a market wallet stuffed with goods from the house.

I've heard one gent (18th century) who kept his stuff in one half of the market wallet and fodder for his horse in the other half!

Sparks

I think it depends on what you want to do, and how light you want to go.

A knapsack or rucksack (yes they are different) does the best job (imho) in giving you the most support of the gear by putting the weight onto both shoulders. Knapsacks can be very complicated. My British knapsack is two compartments, seven closing straps, and has room for the blanket/match coat in the center.

A snapsack is much simpler to make (so was probably much cheaper to buy) and I have really only seen it illustrated for use by soldiers. This use spanned from the late 1600's to the F&I, but still only soldiers. It's rather small compared to the rucksack or the knapsack, which is good as it uses only one strap, so is rather hard on the shoulder when carrying lots of stuff. You will naturally go lighter with a snapsack.

A haversack could be used for gear, but it's really a military/militia ration pack. Like the snapsack it rides over only one shoulder. I like mine to keep my emergency stuff in, and coupled with my rifle bag if I get prevented from getting back to camp, I can still survive the night.

The market wallet just hangs over the shoulder. It's really not intended for the cross country type stuff that you get when trekking, and as it is only closed by twisting the center 1/2 turn..., it's very hard on the shoulder when going any distance.

You neglected to mention the happas or tumpline, as well as the blanket roll. The tumpline is very similar to the snapsack, in that most guys carry it over one shoulder, BUT you can carry the single strap over the tops of both shoulders, OR use a head strap (if you have practised how to do this). Folks using this generally travel the lighter than a snapsack.

The blanket roll is the long tubular tied blanket that goes from the Left shoulder to the right hip. It's worn like a sash. Very nice in cold weather, in warm weather it bakes you like a pot pie under a broiler. You see alot of souther CW reenactors using this rig. It's often as light as the tumpline.

The market wallet should be used with the timpline or the bedroll (imho). What do ya do with your gear if you have to use the blanket that forms the tumpline or bedroll as a matchcoat in the cold or the rain? The stuff goes everywhere! So..., I made a shortened, waxed for waterproofing, market wallet that fits inside my tumpline, so when I unroll it, the stuff doesnt roll away down hill. I can easily slip the wallet and its contents inside my hunting shirt if I need to walk while wearing the blanket/matchcoat.

LD

I like the swiss backpack,

leather construction, tanned hair on with compartments and a large center compartment for food, cooking utensils, etc. All bagged and situated as to amount of use on the trail, or setting up camp. I use the long roll like a sausage with the pack. Drape it over the top like a big upside down "U" and tie to the pack. It has lumbar pads (leather squares) and rides on my hips and shoulders up high. I can still use a haversack for items readily needed on the trail but like to keep it small and light along with my gun pouch and horn. The haversacks main duty is a receptacle for tinder that is found on the trail or small game that may be bagged and trail food.

The pack is great doesn't impede movement, can shoulder and shoot firelock and helps with balance. When I bend over the big weight doesn't shift to one side or tother. Keeping good movement and circulation in arms and hands a plus as I am getting on the edge of carpal tunnel syndrom.

One thing I've noticed is that since trekking with my Son, is sharing the load of shelter and blankets has become a plus. A fur bundle or cargo box can be carried between us and as packing in wood and or "trade goods" has added a real sense of purpose to the trek. Sharing the load between two partners means some things that wouldn't be brought in are. We typically pack into a camp and scout in loops around the area. This added dimension of a trapper base camp with the job of running a trap line is a realistic way that it was done. Your trekking is still done but lighter with a hard initial pull into camp and back out. But while on the hunt a minimum amount of gear is dragged along. Increasing the fun of exploring. Just another angle to dangle out there for you folks to ruminate on. Alot of trapping was done "Brigade" style.

regards, stump

I picked up a heavy canvas plumbers bag at the hardware store, what they used to call a safe cracers bag. The bottom is heavy leather with
leather straps. I painted mine with watered down house paint with geometric plains designs.
That bag holds a ton and looks period (carpet
baggers). You'll never wear it out.

Ah Uh ! Oracle so thats how you are packing around 65 Lbs of stuff on a trek! How do you carry this civil war looks like plains indian plumbers bag? Sounds like you could use a mule for that pannier.....

bufflerub-well said!! I'm still trying to see how much gear 65lbs adds up to!! maybe he was packing bear traps?or an anvil? perhaps we will never know....
I carry either a bedroll/tumpline setup or a snapsack-I recently made up a bag about average haversack size to carry "basics" needed to survive-probably weighs about 6 or 8 pounds,contents are compass,journal,firekit,fishing/sewing kit,various lengths of "twine",extra knife,file,sharpening stone,jerk,half blanket and on the back a small axe...I carry it whenever I hit the woods.

my aunt made me a backpack from the hide of a doe i killed for my first deer a few years ago. it has the hair on the outside and padded with thick leather for straps. i dotn use that particular pack for deer season... obvious reasons...

hide_pack.JPG (65 KB, 186 downloads) backpack from doe

I like the haversack for light jaunts in the woods, I tie a bedroll with ground tarp to the strap on the back side, if you want to carry a shelter I guess another tarp could be worn rolled or tied as well, one thing most of us do not have that nearly every longhuter, frontiersman or mountain man had was an extra 4 legs ( horse or mules) to pack the majority of the gear.

When yur walken on shale rock with thin mocs
everthin yur carr'n feels lik 65-pounds.
Let's breaker down. My standard trek accouterments:
*queen size brass bed with mattress.
*nuff food fur two weeks.
* cast iron cookware
*fire irons
*shooting supplies (lead, mold, 2-cans powder,
pick, brush, knap hammer.
*camp axe
*nice clothes
*toiletries (basin, soap, shaving mug, brushes.
*First aid kit
* shelter (Whalen tent or diamond)
* buffler robe (med 48=sq feet)
*huntin horn
* fire makin tools (tinder, flints, steels, fat wood, lighter)
*Book (to read)
*bear traps (2-man & 3-man)
*rifle, pistol, 2" swivel gun
* jug of Skull Varnish (first aid kit)
* fishin tackle
* trade goods (coffee, beads, blanket, ribbons)
* xtry mocassins.
* heavy capote
=============================================
= 64.82-pounds

That would be a canopy Queen bed I assume?

Oracle,
Is the brass bed frame hollow or solid?

You can never have too much food and it should be packaged well--like in cans. I like to trail a beef "just in case."

You can economize weight by selecting shirts you can wear with several different ties.

As much as I like to read, there are a lot of words I don't know. So I carry two books, one being the Random House Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language.

And one should always be able to communicate with others if the need arises. In flat country I prefer semaphores, but with that 2" swivel gun you might consider bringing a few launchable flares.

Sparks

Dang Nabbit!
I fergot the most important thang on my comfort
treks, "room service" and that don't weigh nothin.

"YOO-HOO, the camp, Oh GARGOYLE!!
Mr Nesbitt will you bring over a rack of roast hump ribs, a carafe of champagne, and two fine dollar cigars. Charge it to the CAMPFIRE."
Napolean Swineheart Futch (NSF)

It's better to look good than feel good.

Sparks,
I've found that if I've forgotten my large square Belarussian feather pillow, my RH Dictionary serves adequately as a pillow if it's wrapped in my frock coat. That way, I can sleep on any new words I've learned.

Dick

Dick,
You're certainly thinking there! It's wonderful to have items along that can serve more than one purpose...economizes the entire trip.
Sparks

Heavens to Betsy Oracle...what you need are mules and mantees not knapsacks or bedrolls ! I've had to pack guys like you into the Bob Marshals when I worked a summer/fall out there Montana way .