What did they take with them

[cheapsandwich]

Anyone know what the cowboys and drifters carried with them? just looking for information on their basic kit.
Any books or links would be helpful thanks

[timothy]

Thats a broad question but heres a few thing you migh have seen in many instances.
 
Canteen
Hankerchief
Pocket knife
Tobacco
Gloves
Bible
Matches
Rope
Firearm
Blanket
Cofee
 

[vacek]

A feedbag for when they could get some oats/grain.  It gave the horse a glycogen boost.  Fencing pliers.  Sewing kit.
 

[saddlebum]

A classic book is, "The Cowboy At Work", by Fay E. Ward
I have a nice first addition, but you can still get paperback copies at Amazon. Click to view the table of contents. The hand drawn pictures and detail are worth the price of the paperback. My first addition is worth about 140.00.
 
http://www.amazon.com/Cowboy-at-Work-Fay-Ward/dp/0486426998#_
 
Some pictures from a first addition online,
http://www.horsekeeping.com/Collectible_Books/CowboyAtWork/cowboyatwork100-1958dj.htm

[cheapsandwich]

   that book look awesome thanks

[saddlebum]

It's interesting to note that professional cowboys did not roam around with nothing but a small blanket tied to the back of their saddle, like in the movies. They had a "bed horse", or pack horse. It carried a pretty substantial bedroll with blankets and quilts and canvas outer cover that was big enough to protect them from the rain and snow. It also served as a suitcase for extra clothes and personal belongings. The book gives details of the construction of the oldtime bedrolls and how it was loaded on the extra horse. Some even had a mattress. Especially on roundups and drives when a bed wagon was used to carry all the beds. Lots of details in the book, but some of the common sense small items like knives, fire maker, utencils, shaving kit and personal stuff is up to you.

[ppine]

Good responses.  A second horse or mule was definitely required to carry their stuff.  One blanket only worked in the movies.  A proper bedroll of a large sheet of canvas had room for blankets and quilts or soogans.  I like Fay Ward's book.  Extra clothes and the shaving kit and war bag fit into the bedroll.  Some cooking implements besides a coffee pot, and few tools farriers tools, axe, etc.  Feedbags are easily made out of an old gunny sack like potatoes came in.  People carried staple food items like flour, canned tomatoes, salt and sugar.  It important to unlearn the mythology of the westerns in the movies. 

[Ranger99]

you ought to remember though,
unless a cowboy was going from
one job to another, most all the
sleeping, cooking, personal gear
was stowed on the chuck wagon
or usually the hoodlum wagon.
a cowboy on the job would have
of course his clothing , a slicker,
smoke or chew, canteen (maybe)
and 2 or 3 lariat ropes and pigging
strings (maybe)  50-50 on the
firearm. some outfits required the
iron stay on the wagon unless a
scout or foreman. some didn't own
firearms.