The frontiersman had to carry everything he needed with him. Many of them carried it all on their back. but some were fortunate enough to own a horse that they could load. In either case, you either had to carry it with you, or be able to find items that filled the need.
On this page, we look at items that would be common for an individual to carry on his back and person. The majority of people who participate in Living History don't own horses, so we will focus on an individual's equipment.
What they carried includes everything from the Firelock for their protection and the clothes they wore, to the cooking and eating utensils, and all of the little items that allowed a man to be independent and self reliant.
We will post patterns whenever possible to make it easier for you to create your own period correct clothing and other gear.
We will begin with a brief look at the Clothes that people wore in the 18th Century. Most of this focuses on what settlers would wear, but we will be expanding this as time allows.
Next, we will look at some of the Bags and Packing Methods used to carry the gear and supplies that one needed to safely travel on the frontier.
Finally, we will examine some of the items that were commonly carried for Bedding, Cooking, Trail Food, and the little Miscellaneous items in the pack.