I always carry a minimum of 3 liters of water with me when I hit the jungle. Doesn’t matter if it is just a day trip, I drink loads. As for food, I usually buy something like nasi lemak, cake (‘kuih’) and tapau into the jungle. Other food stuff already in [...]]]>

My kind of food!

I always carry a minimum of 3 liters of water with me when I hit the jungle. Doesn’t matter if it is just a day trip, I drink loads. As for food, I usually buy something like nasi lemak, cake (‘kuih’) and tapau into the jungle. Other food stuff already in the minimum kit are a few sachets of drinks and soups.

Though I have some chlorine tablets to treat water, I wanted to start fire and use that to boil my drinking water. There were enough dry materials around (mostly above ground) to start fire. Some dry bamboos provided shavings as fire tinder.

Bamboo shavings

Started fire using lighter and some small pieces of inner tire tube. Dry wood was plenty, so had no problem keeping the fire going. I boiled water and kept at it until I filled my Nalgene 1.5L water bottle. With the hot weather, my body is loosing water through sweat and I have to drink lots.

Boiled as much water as possible while there is still light

Food was my biggest concern. I had some ‘kuih’ towards the evening and left with some pieces of bread for dinner with mushroom soup. No breakfast for following day (wasn’t planning to overnight), so I decided that perhaps exploring the stream for some food would be a good idea. Manage to catch some river prawns. Cooked them in boiling water.

The river prawns were breakfast on day 2

By day 2, the little amount of food I had throughout was starting to get to me. Worse still, friends around me were starting up their stoves to heat up the MREs and cooking instant noodles. So…with a gurgling tummy and blown ego…I caved in and shared food with my friends. Lesson learn? Bring more food next time!

Cooking food in the jungle

We never go into jungle without a minimum kit. This is especially true if it is just a day trip. It is a kit that contains some must have items with us. Something we adopted from one of our previous jobs and [...]]]>

Part of my minimum kit each time I head out into the jungle

We never go into jungle without a minimum kit. This is especially true if it is just a day trip. It is a kit that contains some must have items with us. Something we adopted from one of our previous jobs and it has stuck with us ever since. While some of our friends thinks it is simply overloading, we find it necessary…even when we are with a group of friends. So…here’s a little bit on our minimum kit.

Opinions on the contents of a minimum kit varies tremendously and we suspect it is due to influences of geographical locality/ environment, local laws and most of all…individual preferences. When it comes to individual preferences, the mixture of ideas and opinions is limited only to one’s imagination. So…this is OUR minimum kit, a kit that we carry on day trips whenever we step into the jungle. If we knew it was going to be an overnight trip, we’d carry more stuff definitely.

The objective of (our version) minimum kit is quite simple…to be able to sustain ourselves for a night or two just in case we get stuck out in the jungle. We could be stuck out there for many reasons. (Touch wood) We could be lost, we could be absolutely tired or a member in the group is injured and not able to walk…a host of reasons why our day trip into the jungle could end up being extended into an over night trip. So…our minimum kit ought to have enough to see us (at least for one person) through the night. For both of us, we carry a similar kit to each.

The stretcher hammock I have in my minimum kit

During a recent over night trip to a nearby jungle with friends, I (Keong) decided to try out my minimum kit. From the very beginning, the group planned to overnight, but I thought I’d treat it like a day trip and see how I do with only the stuff I have in my pack. Generally, on a day trip, my kit would consist of the following (and often times a little bit more):

Parang
Fire starting kit (usually a lighter with some inner tire tubes)
Coils of ropes
Lengths of strings
A pot with several sachets of instant drinks/ soups
A small knife attached to a whistle and a smaller fire starting kit
Water purification tablets
FA Kit
A stretcher hammock
A multi tool with pliers
Head torch with spare batteries
A spare LED torch
A pair of spare specs
A 3m X 2m flysheet
2 units of 1.5 liters drinking bottle

All the above packed into my favorite pack.

My min kit all packed in the Blackhawk Patrol pack

So…this was the challenge I set for myself. Spend a night in the jungle with only the minimum kit. More on this in the following parts.

Adidas kampung- shoes for the tropical jungle

The Adidas kampung is a popular shoe when it comes to choosing the right shoe for tropical jungle of Malaysia. This cheap yet practical piece of footwear has decorated the feet of Malaysians for generations, especially among rubber tapers and estate workers for [...]]]>

Adidas kampung- shoes for the tropical jungle

The Adidas kampung is a popular shoe when it comes to choosing the right shoe for tropical jungle of Malaysia. This cheap yet practical piece of footwear has decorated the feet of Malaysians for generations, especially among rubber tapers and estate workers for as long as the independent of Malaysia perhaps. Its light, fully water resistant and simple design makes it even more attractive among those venturing into a jungle that is constantly wet and humid.

Adidas Kampung is up for anything. They are shoes for jungle hiking. Great footwear for tropical water paddling and they make excellent tropical shoes for river crossing and general camp wear.

There are a number of designs for this rubber shoe. The one characteristic that makes the shoe stands out is the fact that it is wholly made of rubber. Some comes with fake shoelaces (they are actually rubber, part of the shoe itself) and some do come with simple cords.

Why is shoe called Adidas Kampung? Well, there is this one particular model that comes with studded soles. The entire shoe is still made of rubber and the sides are painted with 4 yellow stripes. Because of these stripes and the fact that they are the only ones normal kampung folks can afford as soccer boots…hence the name Adidas Kampung. The name was so popular that it is used to blanket almost all the similar types of rubber shoes available.

Looks familiar? The four yellow stripes that makes an Adidas Kampung

There are a number of reasons why this rubber shoe is the preferred choice by many locals for the tropical jungle. Its construction of being 100% rubber makes it fully water repellent, easy to drain out water and easy to dry. Compare this with any of the boots we can find in the shopping mall, to dry a pair would probably require only some dabbing with a piece of dry cloth! But of course, the rubber wear is by far not a perfect shoe. There are a few things one got to remember when using them.

For jungle use and river crossing, some people would actually recommend making two small holes on the sides of the shoe to help drain out water. Some models already come with ‘holes’ but more often than not, they are sealed tight out from the factory. But it is easy to solve this. Just grab a scissors or a knife and make the holes yourself. Very easy.

Use a sharp knife to make them holes

In the Malaysian jungle, crossing rivers and being drenched by constant rain makes any pair of our normal shoes a nightmare to walk in. The only setback I would say with these rubber shoes are its lack of ankle support and not so durable soles. The shoes are no hi tech bit of gear, they are simple and very basic. Their soft soles mean that they get eroded or eaten in much faster than usual shoes. This is especially when one walks on tarmac.

I have two pairs . One pair I use as my tropical jungle footwear and the other I keep in my motorbike’s storage box. I change into them whenever I travel in the rain to keep my work shoes dry.

Honestly, I don’t think anything beats the Adidas Kampung for light or medium walk in the jungle. For longer expeditions and trips, perhaps the more robust jungle boots would be much more suitable.

Thinking of those Cr*@s sandals? Well, if you can afford them to be thrashed in the jungle, then go ahead. Also, Cr*@s do not give you the traction you need, no matter what they claim. Have seen them worn on tracks, you can see how they ‘slide’ when it rains.

This new pair of Adidas kampung for my wife costs only RM4.80!

But with prices ranging between RM5 and RM10 per pair (yet another reason why they are the best jungle shoe) as compared to the hundreds of ringgit for a pair of Cr*@s, the decision is more than obvious I think.

Where to buy adidas kampung? If you are in KL town, some hardware stalls around Chow Kit or Jln Ipoh sells them. The Pasar Malam opposite Sunway Pyramid every Wednesday nights have them too.
Out of K.L? Head to almost any hardware, sundry or shops selling agriculture products and you are likely to find them. This is especially true with places where there’s many rubber plantations.

So…to summarize:

Pros:

• Water-repel, easy to dry.
• Cheap…really cheap
• Practical (use it to walk, camp use and rivers)
• Easy to obtain
• Field proven
• Almost zero maintenance

• May not provide the support needed for tough climbs/ treks
• Soles wear out pretty fast
• Soles are soft, vulnerable to punctures. One can literally feel what’s been stepped on
• Shoe may ‘slip’ when descending steep slopes

Go to Outdoor Gear Malaysia for more information on Adidas Kampung rubber shoes.

Looking for outdoor gear? Try OGM-Online!

This is my jungle boots, another one of my gear for tropical rainforest Malaysia.  I have tried many types of shoes but have found only two types that are suitable for the Malaysian rainforest jungle and terrain. For easy to medium type of [...]]]>

The pair of jungle boots I use for longer and tougher treks.

This is my jungle boots, another one of my gear for tropical rainforest Malaysia.  I have tried many types of shoes but have found only two types that are suitable for the Malaysian rainforest jungle and terrain. For easy to medium type of terrain in the Malaysian jungle, you would have got to go with the Adidas Kampung (that’s another story though). But if you are going into the jungle for longer period of time, then the jungle boots may be your best option.

Here I have a pair of boots which I believe to be from the Vietnam War era. I got this from a surplus shoe vendor in K.L. He got it bulk from the States and I believe this particular model has been superseded with newer (and better perhaps) models.

Anyway, for less than RM100, I can’t complain. The boots are almost brand new and were in perfect condition. My pair of jungle boots is size 11.5 and it has a marking ‘RO-SEARCH’ (I have not a clue what this means) engraved on the soles. What goes well with this pair of jungle boots is a pair of leech socks to keep em blood suckers out.

The RO Search markings on the soles of the jungle boots

I have worn this pair of boots into the Malaysian jungle before. On one particular trip, I walked close to 8 hours in total through rivers, slippery mud and some steep terrain. That and some observations, I have come to the conclusion that they are one of the best boots/ shoes for the Malaysian jungle. Here’s a few reasons why…

Jungle boots are adapted from real life experiences of the people (army) that spent time in the rainforest jungle. Whether it is the American army during the Vietnam war or the British in then the Malaya jungles fighting the guerillas, I am sure the type of gear they come up with is well suited for that environment.

Upper canvas and durable yet flexible soles

Take for instance the upper cotton canvas. This canvas is heavy duty and is easily water permeable. This makes sense as in the Malaysian jungle, it is wet all the time. You’d either be crossing water ways or walking in the rain. Either way, you are bound to get wet. The single layer canvas is thick and strong; it absorbs water but is also easier to dry than other types of insulated linings found on other shoes/ boots. I believe it will also provide me some protection from snake bites (though I am not looking forward to testing that out).

Compare to some shoes/ boots that claim to be ‘waterproof’. Undeniably, these shoes are well built and I wouldn’t mind a pair myself if I am heading to colder dry environments. But these shoes/ boots if worn in the Malaysian jungle can quickly turn into a ‘flooding’ nightmare. Especially if worn on a long trek. Imagine wading through rivers or when it is pouring buckets. As sure as the shoes are in keeping water out, they too will keep the water INSIDE the shoes from escaping out. One would have to remove the shoe each time and pour out the contents constantly. That would mean many stops in between and higher possibility of damage to the feet.

My jungle boot’s soles have this peculiar design that is rather common these days with other military boots. I once wore this jungle boot on a trip to a waterfall with a couple of friends. The trail was rather steep and it was muddy because of the rain. My friends slipped and fell no less than 5 times each, partially because of the shoes they were wearing. I am happy to say that on that trip, I was the only one with a clean bum at the end of the day!

In the Malaysian rainforest jungle, you will get wet. That is a fact. There is no point trying to fight that. You’d better off being prepared (mentally and physically) for it. That is why I feel that this jungle boot best suits the Malaysian rainforest jungle. This pair of boots comes with bits and pieces that are already made for the wet conditions. The water draining holes at the sides of the boots is a good example. These holes serve as ‘outlets’ to allow both water and air to pass through…both ways. Crossing water bodies with this boot means water gets in and later drains through these holes.

These holes acts as breathers as well as water outlets

In addition to that, the holes also allows for the needed ventilation. The air circulation I think (though as minimal as they may be) helps to ‘air’ the feet. God knows my feet need them!

Ah…the part I like (or am amazed) most about this boots is the inside soles. It’s a sole that’s made of plastic netting, works like a strainer. There’s layers of them with the sides all burnt and sealed together. Here’s a picture of them insoles.

The insoles of my jungle boots are porus so that it does not keep the water in for too long

According to wikipedia, these soles are “…ventilating insoles made of fused layers of Saran plastic screen, first invented in 1942”. Am not all that sure if it’s the same one but they sure are cool. Have a close up look a t the insoles. I took the picture below against the bright sky. Can literally see through them.

Two sides of the insoles. I wonder why someone would wanna boil the insoles of their shoes.

Well, this insole definitely does not absorb water. Unlike the conventional insole. Also, one side is rather rough and the other side is smooth. The rough side actually presses against the inside of the boots, creating a friction that stops my feet from sliding front and back.
The downside? Without a pair of socks, stepping barefoot onto this ‘Saran’ insoles isn’t the most comfortable. They give this ‘needle’ sensation that really keeps you on your feet (perhaps that’s what they are designed to do!).

To summarize (based on my personal experience)…This may not be the most comfortable shoes/ boots for the feet to walk on but they are built to suit the environment. Perhaps there are newer designs/ models available that are built with better comforts. But compared to the typical designer looking shoes you’d find in the market that claims to be ‘outdoor’ worthy, this pair of jungle boots doesn’t slip, helps keep them leeches out and are damn practical!

Just one word to describe this pair of jungle boots I think…awesome.

SEE also other entries on outdoor gear by clicking on the following links:

• The practical camping stove
• Adidas kampung
• Jungle boots
• Leech socks
• Parang Ilang of Sarawak
• Choosing backpack for the Malaysian jungle

The above list will be updated periodically.

Compare the size of the tick to my [...]]]> I reckon I have to come up with a list of gear for tropical rainforest waterfall Jeram Perlus trip this coming Sunday, 26th October 2008. The last time I was at Jeram Perlus, I befriended a couple of leeches, loads of thorns and a huge jungle tick.

Compare the size of the tick to my lense cap!

It has been raining these past few weeks. If the jungle is wet, my blood sucking friends will be crawling all over the place and walking isn’t gonna be easy either as the trail is mostly slippery mud and soil. These ‘challenges’ will be there to greet me for sure.

So, perhaps I should be gearing up to be more prepared for what’s to come. The leech socks with my long pants all tucked in will hopefully keep the leeches out. A small pack of tobacco in hand will unwillingly force the leech off me (if they somehow manage to get on).

My shoes of choice this time would still be my jungle boots. Have not much chance to put it into good use. A few more wears and I should have it broken in. Something I need to do in preparation for long hikes in the future.

New toys I am putting into this Jeram Perlus trip is my new Garmin GPS Map 76CSx and my (not new) Yaesu VX170 VHF radio. Since this will be a trip with John, we may put the radio into good use for communicating between the walking party.

Other gears would be my standard lot. My minimum kit and my Macpac Tekapo 45+ standard pack.