Jonas Vildmark Featured in the Magazine Överleva

The other day I got the latest issue of the Swedish survival magazine Överleva (Survive) offered by The Swedish Survival Guild. An interesting mag with a lot of nice reading on bushcraft and survival in the outdoors. It's an honor for me that The Guild also decided to do a piece on me and my Jonas Vildmark's Method for Survival Training (JVMS). You can read about my plans for this summer's adventure "JVMS 6, 60, 60 - Midsummer Survival". Thanks for an inspirational magazine.

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Skrylle Nature Reserve

Place: Skrylle, Lund, Sweden
Coordinates: Lon: 13.35872, Lat: 55.69255
Time: 1 day in May

The Skrylle Area is Lund's biggest green outdoor activity area of 565 ha. During a visit to Lund me and my little Sonia took the opportunity to explore Skrylle Naturreservat and the National Park of Dalby Söderskog. Bus 159 from the central station of Lund takes us out to Skryllegården in about 35 minutes. Skryllegården, the restaurant and Naturum is situated in the northern parts of the Woods. From here you can start hiking, jogging or cycling the different trails of Skrylle. We mainly stick to the Yellow Trail witch fits our sulky wagon just fine. We share our pleasant walk through the green forest with a couple of runners, bugs and a lot of beautiful singing birds. Skrylle is a really nice recreation area not so far from the city; perfect for some relaxing walks. After we finished up our picnic in the grass it's time for us to head off to Dalby Söderskog; another forest just near by.

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Backpack Aether 70 from Osprey

Volyme: 70 liters
Weight: 2140 g (according to producer)
Price: 2 200 SEK (Sweden 2013)
Plus: High quality, Robust, Comfortable
Minus: A couple too few small zipper pockets

When I'm heading out for a couple of days I usually bring what I call a Weekendpack; a backpack holding around 70 liters. Osprey Aether 70 falls into this category nicely. I've been using the Aether 70 for some months now and I'm very pleased with it. My erlyer experiences with Osprey's products has been with the Poco Premium Child Carrier which has given me many inspiring kilometers in the great outdoors. The Aether 70's carry system consists of a light weight frame with robust, comfortable and easy to adjust harness and hip belt. You can't adjust the carry system in relation to the sack. Instead Osprey offer the backpacks in different sizes. The Aether series is offered in three different models (60, 70 and 85) and these you can get in four different sizes (S, M, L and XL) to fit our different backs. My tips to you is to try out your backpack for a perfect fit. The carry system's effective hip belt is equipped with two smaller zipper pockets for stuff like keys, cellphone and compact camera. The shape of the belt is possible to reshape, using a heat oven at your dealer's, for a custom fit. Personally I haven't done this as I like the original fit. Between the carry system and the sack a pocket is situated for mounting a hydration system (optional). The Aether's biggest compartment is accessed through three different pockets; the main top opening and two access zippers. I really like the big zipper that allows easy acces to all the gear inside the main compartment. When needed you can divide the main compartment into two compartments allowing you to perhaps store your sleeping bag in the lover compartment. On the outside of the bag you have elastic pockets without zippers for stowing for instance sandals, rain jacket and water bottle. The top lid of the pack can be removed and used as a hip bag offering two zipper pockets. The Aether 70 is equipped with effective compression straps for jarning down on the filled pack or just making it smaller in situations when you don't need all the 70 liters. Outside the pack you also find several smart attachment possibilitys for gear like sleeping roll, ice hatchets, sled, ski poles and add-on bags. Aether 70 is offered in three different colors and in Europe the bag comes with a removable rain cover.

I really appreciate this backpack's high quality. The bag is robust yet slim and feels great on my back. The choice of material is good and some nice ideas has been put into the Aether's design. If I have to think of something to wish for I'd say a couple more small zipper pockets on the bag wouldn't hurt. Check out the Osprey website for more detailed specs. I've had a number of Weekendpacks
throughout the years, you can read about some of them here on Jonas Vildmark, but now my favorite in this category is the Osprey Aether 70. Looking forward to further adventures together with my Aether and getting back to this post for updates. Also check out my Advice on Gear.

Welcome to read about Jonas Vildmark Bushcraftcenter's classes in  Bushcraft - Survival - Jägarexamen - Motorsågskörkort

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Backpack Sumo 95 from Haglöfs

Foto: haglofs.se

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Size: 95 litres

Weight: 3400 g (empty)

Price: 3300 SEK (year 2009)

Plus: High overall quality, Good carry system
Minus: A bit pricey

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One of my bigger backpacks I've been using is the Sumo 95 from the Swedish Company Haglöfs. This pack has been Haglöfs biggest expedition backpack for some years but is now replaced by LEX 80 and LEX 110. Sumo 95 is a robust bag with clever solutions, like for instance the top lid that can be removed and used as a separate hip bag. Sumo 95 have a high profiled shape and is equipped with a strong and comfortable carry system, this product is made for heavy loads. After a couple of months of usage Haglöfs contacted me and advised me to return the pack cause they had detected a quality issue on some of the Sumos. Although my bag hadn't shown Any signs of failor, I took the offer and sent Haglöfs my Sumo 95. The Company stood for the costs and returned my backpack after additional sewing had been done to strengthen the weight distribution system called Spear. There's always sad when quality campaigns is needed, but my hat off  Haglöfs for a well executed campaign.

I have used this Sumo 95 for some years now and I'm very pleased with it. This is a big and robust pack but once fitted on the back it feels slim. I've heard some complains on the height of the pack and the risk of  bumping the back of your head into the bag while hiking, but this is nothing I've experienced. I like the good quality, the easy to reach pockets and the nice carry system's high capacity. Below you can see a more detailed technical specification that I borrowed from my friends at Tradeinn.


Features

- Contact™ Pro Adjustable System. A velcro adjustable shoulder harness system for tuning the torso length. Featuring extra wide, extra thick shoulder pads to support expedition size loads.

- Spear™ load transfer rods. 7001 aluminum tubes that distribute the weight of the pack to the hip belt.

- 1,5 mm HDPE frame sheet with dual 6061 aluminum stays.

- Pivoting hip belt.

- High loft back panel with ventilating dual density foam.

- Large head space cavity.

- Ample front pocket with water resistant zippers.

- Pack accessible via zippered side panel opening.

- Wand pockets to accommodate water bottles, tent-poles etc.

- Divider in main compartment.

- Sleeping bag compartment with large funnel opening for easy in/easy out.

- Top-lid converts into a lumbar pack.

- Hydration system compatible with internal sleeve and hose routers on shoulder straps.

- Dual ice-axe loops and shaft retrievers.

- Carrying handles on front- and backside.

- Spindrift collar with unique one motion opening system.

- Sled hauling loops on hip belt.

- Reflective printing and trims.

- Weight: 3400 g


Fabrics

- 420D Double Ripstop Polyamide

- 420 denier high density polyamide ripstop fabric with good abrasion and tearing strength. PU-coated in three steps for improved waterproofness. PFOS/PFOA-free water repellent treatment.

- Water column >1200 mm

- Weight: 245 g/m²

630D ATY Polyamide:

- 630 denier polyamide fabric with extremely good abrasion and tearing strength. PU-coated in three steps for improved waterproofness. PFOS/PFOA-free water repellent treatment.

- Water column >2000 mm

- Weight: 365 g/m²

630D HD Oxford Polyamide:

- 630 denier high density polyamide fabric with extremely good abrasion and tearing strength. PU-coated in three steps for improved waterproofness. PFOS/PFOA-free water repellent treatment.

- Water column >2000 mm

- Weight: 265 g/m²

840D Ballistic® Polyamide:

- Extremely rip-resistant and anti-pilling 840 denier polyamide fabric. PU-coated in three steps for improved waterproofness. PFOS/PFOA-free water repellent treatment.

- Water column >1500 mm

- Weight: 390 g/m²



Welcome to read about Jonas Vildmark Bushcraftcenter's classes in  Bushcraft - Survival - Jägarexamen - Motorsågskörkort

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Snowshoes from Jula

Foto: jula.se

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Foto: G. Denstedt

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Size: 715 x 215 mm

Price: 399 SEK (Sweden 2010)

Plus: Good price

Minus: A bit fragile plastic details

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In 2010 I got these snowshoes from Jula. At that time this was the cheapest snowshoes I could find on the market. Today (three years later) there's offered a wider range of low price snowshoe products on the market. I've tested these snowshoes during a 20 km hike in rough terrain and -20°
C (-4°F). The shoes gets the job done quite well, especially regarding their low price. The full-rotation bindings holds the shoes nicely in place and allows the heal to lift from the frame in each step. This combined with good spikes underneath the frame gives a  comfortable walk. Unfortunately I've noticed a small crack on one of the binding's plastic locks. Let's hope it doesn't brake.With the right conditions snowshoe walking is really a great way of exploring the lovely winter landscape. During winter hikes I keep the snowshoes strapped on my backpack within easy reach to facilitate a pleasant adventure. Today Jula no longer have this exact product in stock. Instead they offer the Kayoba Snowshoe.

Please see more on our new website jonasvildmark.com

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The Delsjö Area Nature Reserve

Place: The Delsjö & Kåsjö Area, Gothenburg, Sweden
Coordinates: Lat: 57.69824, Lon: 12.09196
Time: 1 day in May

I'm visiting Gothenburg and have a day off for some refreshing outooring. Sonia and I've packed the essentials and are now on our way out to the beautiful nature surrounding Delsjön (The Del Lake). Delsjön is divided into The Big and The Small Delsjön. The lake is situated in the Delsjöområdets naturreservat (The Delsjö Area Nature Reserve) just East of the city. You can take rail bus number 5 from Korsvägen and The Fair if you don't wanna walk the 3 km's from the city. From the Delsjövägen it's another 2 km hike before you'll reach water. The area is about 25 000 ha and offers a wide range of vegetation. You can do a lot of activities like mountain biking, paddling and fishing in the area.
The longed for spring sun warms the nature that finally can explode in powerful green colours.
The trails are easy accessed even for Sonia's sulky. There's just a couple of stairs on the Bohusleden (The Bohus Trail), between Lillön and Lyckans beach.
Our food taste great down by the water. Sonia is really enjoying all the exiting stuff she find when crawling and running around; cones, dirt and stones. She also loves the other trekker's dogs and shouts out in laughter; "Vov! Vov!". There's about a 10 km hike if you wanna pass bout The Big and The Small Delsjön, it's a really nice hike and a good exercise to. If you want more beautiful water I can recommend you take a stroll through Knipeflågsbergens naturreservat (The Knipeflåg Mountain Nature Reserve) and visit Kåsjön (The Kå Lake) 5 km North East of Delsjön.
Thanks for a great day outdoors celebrating Spring time! Bout Sonia and I'll be sleeping peacefully tonight.

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Elmia Game Fair 2013

Place: The Elmia Fair, Jönköping, Sweden
Coordinates: Lat: 57.78849, Lon: 14.22798
Time: 3 days in May

After a good night's sleep on the back of my pickup truck by the lake Vättern it's time to take on the Elmia Game Fair 2013. This is my first time here and I'm expecting a nice mixture of happy faces, interesting lectures and inspiring gear. My old Primus stove has just filled my bottle with hot coffee and my comfy shoes are on, so let's do this!

Besides dog shows, test shooting, trick shoot shows and great fishing stories the exhibition also offer a number of interesting presentations regarding hunting; Mikael Tham talked about the growing Swedish Wild boar population. He stressed the importance of well organised hunting communities to maintain the wild life balance. Mikael made comparisons with Germany and their problems with their large wild boar population. Thomas Ekberg tyred looking into the future and talked about what he wish for in tomorrow's hunting. Unfortunately Thomas was worried that the infected debate on wolfs in Sweden is jeopardizing a creative and reasonable balance between Man and Predator in the countryside. Thomas hoped for a cooperation between hunting unions to spread correct information. This could help give a more balanced picture of the predators to the politicians and the media. Rasmus Boström sheared his experience in bear hunting. A couple of his tips was to be a flexible hunter and keep your gun and shooting skills in shape, cos bear hunting is action hunting!

Some other highlights on the fair was; Promoteq showing their new first aid kit for hunters, flash lights from Fenix and some new stuff from Benchmade. Karesuandokniven told me about their new projects. Wetterlings had brought their nice axes to the exhibition. Always nice to visit Mora of Sweden's stand. At Fondprodukter's stand I found some interesting news from Buck, and Stabilotherm AB offered a nice chat about their nice blades. As you know I'm an edge lover so I hope I'll be able to get back to you regarding the above products for some testing and reviews later on here on Jonas Vildmark's Knives - Tools & Art.

Elmia Game Fair 2013 was a really nice event. I got to meet some good old friends and I also found some new acquaintances. I hope you got just as inspired as me now looking forward to the upcoming hunting season and outdoor adventures.

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Sonfjället

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Place: Sonfjället, Härjedalen, Sweden
Coordinates: Lat: 62.28447, Lon:13.54070

Time: 1 day in July

Map: Gröna kartan 173A Sånfjället

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On my way home after visiting a good friend in Östersund I get this craving for some Fjäll (mountains). Therefore I take the road through Vemdalen and Hede, park my Jeep by the foothills, put my boot on and start climbing the 1277 m high Sonfjället. I stop for a well earned chocolate bar in a small cabin down in Sododalen (The Sodo Wally). The wind and the rain lets me have the hole mountain to myself. Down in the wally the temperature is +11°C (+52°F). During my descent the wind settles and it gets all quiet. The only thing I here is the Cuckoo spreading it's peaceful song in the magical surrounding. Four horus and 10 km later I'm back in the car heading South now with a even bigger smile on my face. Visit Länsstyrelsen Jämtland's website for more info on Sonfjället.

Please see more on our new website jonasvildmark.com

 

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Whistler Longhorn 75

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Foto: wistlersportswear.com

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Load volume: 75 litres

Rec. price: 700 SEK

Plus: Good zippers

Minus: No compression straps

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Whistler Longhorn 75 is a mid size Canadian backpack made of Polyester. The pack has a adjustable carry system that's very soft and works OK with lighter loads. Good quality zippers from YKK manages the practical situated pockets. I miss some compression straps to tighten up the bag when it's not fully loaded. This is an OK backpack for these kind of money but I don't recommend this bag if you're planning on carrying a heavy load. I've used the Longhorn 75 for some years now and the repairs I've been forced to do is replacing the top closing line and some plastic buckles.

Please see more on our new website jonasvildmark.com

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SÖS Basic Summer Training

Foto: C. Thunell

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Place: Fränsta, Medelpad, Sweden

Time: 7 days in July

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The Swedish Survival Guild (Svenska Överlevnadssällskapet, SÖS) was founded in the early 80's and the organisation's mission is to educate us in the art of bushcraft knowledge and survival. SÖS offers both theoretical and practical knowledge. This gives a great opportunity to test one's limits under safe conditions. It's interesting to see how one reacts in tough situations without food and equipment. During one week me and seven other outdoor enthusiasts participated in SÖS Basic Summer Training. The training was lead by four experienced instructors. One of the instructors who also was a Medical Doctor monitored and documented our physical status. This gave us interesting data regarding starvation and sleep deprivation. As the moment of surprise is a big part of this course I don't wanna revile too much of the contents of this training, but I can say that this week gave me interesting knowledge regarding eatable plants, making fire, water purification, first aid, building shelter, navigation, psychology, signaling, hunting, fishing and much more. This is priceless knowledge for all, and especially for us operating in remote areas. I can recommend you to visit SÖS's website and SÖS's Facebook group to be inspired and sign up for one of their courses.

Please also see more about Survival on our new website  jonasvildmark.com/overlevnad/

 

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Spring Feelings

It feels great that Spring finally is here! Apparently it's not just us Humans who get all tingly by this longed for weather. During this weekends activities out at, and around, the Cabin I observed a lot of sun worshipping wild life; several Roe Deer, happy Grass Snakes and not the least the above proud Capercaillie.

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The Archipelago

Here you have some pics from my weekend in the archipelago. I've just started using a new camera, a Olympus TG-2, and feel inspired to approve my photo skills. The archipelago is a fantastic surrounding in which you can get to now your camera and it's ability to capture perspective motives.

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