Search results

I've owned goretex jackets that are years old and they didn't leak unless I cut them with a knife. Stopped being breathable if I got them dirty and didn't maintain the DWR. The ex-military jacket, 2nd hand when I bought it, has shed its seam tape, been soaked in diesel and engine oil, but is...

I'd miss modern medicine. Several times in my life I've had illnesses or injuries that in the medieval times would have killed or crippled me. Ditto one of my children. That's a very nice dagger, lovely design, very neat and elegant.

I'm with you on this. Once you have a diagnosis, you know where to focus effort.

Wrap it in some plaster of paris, bash that about a bit, and ship it as a piece of modern art.

I think the classic workman's donkey jacket would be pretty good. If you have a decent fire going, big enough to really worry about flames or sparks, then a bit of drizzle isn't much of a worry. A thick wool jumper or jacket is going to throw off light rain anyway.

I agree with kenchblaize. These can be made from horsehair for authenticity. Also, I forget the writer, but I had a book written by an author who wrote about the english countryside who talked of hunting with what was essentially a weighted club. He and his fellow reprobates made these by...

I've done considerable bow hunting in the past, in australia. Don't just restrict your characters to hunting rabbit. Other suitable small game include squirrels and birds. Birds can be shot out of trees, with care - in fact this is one of the best ways of bow hunting if you are trying to...

I wouldn't go for a well. No no - you have no idea what minerals are in it without expensive testing. Those are very hard to deal with. Rainwater in wales shouldn't have any toxins that can't be dealt with by boiling, but maybe consider getting a ceramic and charcoal filter as well just for...

Now that is really odd, because I would have thought that the kellykettle-style of 'boiler' was the most efficient way of capturing heat, and I did far more than bring a half litre to a boil with one tab. Temperature might well be the factor; what temperatures have you tried this?

That's useful info. I think with the loose washy flame you get that using these stoves with a big flat bottomed pan is more efficient than using something like a mug. A pan that you can eat out of for multi-purpose, definitely. The tabs are best used if you need something compact and don't...

Beg for some foil insulation from a building site

I can't comment about the stove, since I haven't used the old one. Agreed about waste afterwards, the bits of plastic left over are a nuisance. The new stuff isn't 'hard to break'; it is a gel, you can slice it with a butter knife. Once you've opened a container of the block, you can wrap it...

What is it about the hexi that you find better, Mike? Hotter? Burns longer? or something else?

I owned a Spacepacker with a cotton inner. Sadly on my first outing the pole was broken by gale-force winds. Saunders replaced the pole FoC, saying "The pole must have been defective, our poles don't break". I could never quite bring myself to trust it in extreme weather after that. It was a...

I disagree with the idea of contacting the police before travelling. Firstly, it creates the idea that taking tools to a bushcrafting weekend is something special requiring special permission. It is not, any more than a workman taking tools to a place of work. Secondly, notifying a local...

Pack them away so they are not 'easily accessible'. Bottom of a rucksack or similar. Take a ticket or print off a message acknowledging your invite to event if you have one. Keep this on your person.

There is almost no difference in weight. I'd forget worrying about things like that, just get yourself a cheap second hand bike and ride a bit. That will get your cycling fitness up a bit and help you learn what sort of riding you want to do. Older hardtail MTBs, particularly if they don't have...

I guess you are saying you can get hold of generic poles but you need to adapt them to match the specific poles on your tent. Is the tent symmetrical? The only frame tents I've erected have been slightly asymmetrical, making assembling the poles a right pain in the proverbial, let alone making...

So much depends on where you want to ride. I ride on the road, but the bike in the picture above takes tyres up to 38mm so in theory will handle dirt tracks. If you want to ride on bridleways and get out into the countryside that way, I would recommend looking into what is called '29er' bikes...

That's a full camping load; tent, sleeping bag, camping mat, cooking gear, food, change of clothes, even a towel and toiletries. I did buy a bottle of beer from the nearby village shop when I got to a campsite.