365-24-7 Bushcraft Clothing for the British Isle

[Emdiesse]

A lot of the time when packing my kit I like to think about what I'd pack if I could live wild 365 days of the year, if there wasn't this thing called modern life that forbids me to do so, and I'm pretty happy that I've ditched the dross now and now have only what I 'need'. Except when it comes to clothing...

After finally coming to the conclusion that many a bushcrafter has come to before me: that NATURAL > SYNTHETIC I have been putting some thought into clothing. Once made, I hope to ditch some of the rubbish clothing I have bought over the years too, or find a new use for... like charcloth.

This is what I have come up with:

Body: Merino Top, Cotton Shirt*, Wool KnittedJumper, Wool Bushshirt
Legs: Merino Bottoms, Cotton Trousers*, WoolTrousers
Feet: Merino Socks, LeatherHuaraches‡, Leather Boots
Hands: Wool Fingerless Gloves, Leather Gloves, Wool MittLiners, Leather Mitts
Head & Neck: Wool Hat, Merino Buff, Cotton Buff*,


Other: Waxed Cotton Poncho†

*I'd probably only wear this as a layer in the milder months, or on their own in the warmer month; favouring wool for the chillier months.
†I'd plan to ditch the waterproofs in favour of this which I can wear if it rains when I am on the move, and if I stop I can put it up as a quick shelter (It's a polish lavvu half)
‡Don't you hate wearing boots ALL day, you can put up with the stinging nettles just for the lovely sensation of feet that can breath!

So, I'm pretty sure that the above, would cover 365 days of our lovely British weather?

At any one time, the bulkiest bits of kit would be the Wool Trousers and Bushshirt but i'd expect these to really come into their own when I plan to ditch the sleeping bag on the odd occasion favouring the simple wool blanket and a sensible fire.

Any thoughts on my plans?

Some of this kit, I hope to make myself.

 

[rg598]

Interesting choices. You can live in any set of clothing 365 days a year under the right conditions. If you plan on moving anywhere with your gear and carrying the clothing with you, this list may be less than ideal because of the excessive weight and bulk (assuming the wool bushshirt is thick enough to to serve as a belay jacket in winter). If you have to spend time out in the rain with this list of clothing without being able to go back into a heated shelter of some sort to dry them out, you will certainly have a problem. A thick wool shirt can take days to dry out without direct heat.

Without more details on how you plan on living for those 365 days a year, it is hard to say much more. If you plan on living in a heated tent, you can do it in blue jeans and a cotton t-shirt. If you plan to traverse the Alps, obviously different choices would have to be made.

As a side note, stating that natural materials are better than synthetic materials has to be wrong just because of the absolute nature of the statement. With so many natural and synthetic materials available, it is impossible for all natural materials to be better than all synthetic materials. In my opinion it doesn't even come down to "better". Each material has properties that have to be taken into consideration. Knowing the deficiencies of each material and compensating for them is key. That is why people often mix different materials in order to take advantage of the different strengths they possess. "Best" materials exist only online.

 

[Shewie]

I like the list but agree with Ross, there'll come a point when it hasn't stopped raining for a week and you're soaked to the bone. I'd add a decent set of waterproofs to the list.

 

[Dogoak]

Personally I'd want an super warm insulative layer (down?) as well when it's -20 up here during the winter.

 

[sandbender]

+1 for a merino base layer but even with regular washing they and other items of clothing will start to fall apart before half the year is out.

When I was a little younger I once considered walking out of my front door early on the 1st of January and simply walking for 365 days to see how far I could get, that plan didn't come about however there was a bit of planning put into it and Buffalo clothing was the way I planned to go for the winter stages, light, quick drying and it keeps me warm in all weathers (not so pleasant to put on when its wet on a winters morn though).

For summer, a pair of football shorts, Rohan safari shirt and a pair of sandles have taken me on some quite long journeys.

 

[Emdiesse]

Cheers, I don't plan on living out there 365 However I do like that to be the idea behind my kit.

describing natural materials as better, was the wrong description. I just tried to condense a huge post into something more readable and what I meant was 'preferable, to me'; like many a bushcrafter before me natural materials have grown on me - there is something more appealing about natural materials and bushcraft, it just feel much more aligned to my own, and many others, back to nature interpretation of bushcraft.

I'm looking purely on a typical kit that'd suit the 4 seasons here in the UK in the less extreme parts; Just for the general bushcrafting in and around the woods.

I'm looking to the past for inspiration as opposed to the present, I've got a lovely set of waterproofs but I just want to get more into the traditional way of doing things.

In line with Man of Taniths Daniel Boone Challenge.

Just trying to think, if natural materials were all that was available and I lived in the UK in the time where the majority of it was wilderness and I could live 365... then what would people have worn?

Not to climb nevis and sleep up there mid winter or anything mad, but the sort of thing you'd wear if you were just simply living in the wilderness.

Then, when I come to my pathetic weekenders then I can just live a dream a little

 

[Shewie]

I choose cottons and wools because they're fairly hard wearing and more spark resistant than my modern synthetics, well suited to bushy trips. Back in the day folk would've worn what was available to them, skins and woven fabrics I suppose depending on how far we're talking. If they had the technology to make waterproof shells then they would've used it

 

[Emdiesse]

I choose cottons and wools because they're fairly hard wearing and more spark resistant than my modern synthetics, well suited to bushy trips. Back in the day folk would've worn what was available to them, skins and woven fabrics I suppose depending on how far we're talking. If they had the technology to make waterproof shells then they would've used it

Yeah, another of my reasons to want to use more natural materials.

But it just feels a little cop out to stand there looking at my waredrobe deciding what I should wear on this weekend...

I mean, did otzi do that?
and many other historical figures...

They must have been able to live 365 in their environment and make do.

So, my choice of natural materials is for two reasons:

• Fire and Ember resistant-ish (as in they won't have huge melted holes from every ember)
• Back to nature!

So as the tribes of the ancient britain wandered around hunting and gathering they must have had clothing for all seasons and carried it from camp to camp...

So forgive my naivity here but why can I not also carry everything I need with me from camp to camp throughout the year...

Or is it because I don't have a horse?

Or is it because most of us are unwilling to walk around looking like we were born 10,000 years or so too late?

 

[Uilleachan]

I like the list but agree with Ross, there'll come a point when it hasn't stopped raining for a week and you're soaked to the bone. I'd add a decent set of waterproofs to the list.

It can rain for months at a time where I am. One year we had 11 day where it didn't rain, if we discount snow. That was during the great late 1980's deluge, that lasted 5 consecutive years.

 

[Emdiesse]

I guess the answer is, we didn't camp, we lived... in dwellings, and spread out far and wide, always in dwellings...
so no one ever lived 365 in the wilderness.... except in Africa where we are possibly all from and the climate there would require much less clothing...?

So to dream up the idea that I could build up my kit based on a 365 principle is madness?

I'm forever bound to a wardrobe... no one stop shop for the average uk climate.

 

[Uilleachan]

Yeah, another of my reasons to want to use more natural materials.

But it just feels a little cop out to stand there looking at my waredrobe deciding what I should wear on this weekend...

I mean, did otzi do that?
and many other historical figures...

They must have been able to live 365 in their environment and make do.

So, my choice of natural materials is for two reasons:

• Fire and Ember resistant-ish (as in they won't have huge melted holes from every ember)
• Back to nature!

So as the tribes of the ancient britain wandered around hunting and gathering they must have had clothing for all seasons and carried it from camp to camp...

So forgive my naivity here but why can I not also carry everything I need with me from camp to camp throughout the year...

Or is it because I don't have a horse?

Or is it because most of us are unwilling to walk around looking like we were born 10,000 years or so too late?

Thats the biggest consideration for me.

When I'm wandering the winter hills it's a combination of synthetics and natural materials, wool socks and mid layer, synthetic everything else.

If there's going to be a fire, synthetic base layer and natural fiber mid and shell, wool and cotton.

 

[rg598]

Well, seems like the question has changed, or at least it is different from what I originally inferred. From what I understand the question now is "If I had to live out in the woods, without a permanent shelter all year round, in moderate climate, and could only use materials available prior to the industrial age, what should I use?"

If that is the question, then the answer is easy just because of the posed limitations. You clothing would have to be made from the available materials, wool, cotton, and fur. Fur was probably widely used as it offers more insulation than wool, but is not easy to get these days.

There isn't much of a point in discussing the merits of different clothing systems, if the constraints of the question have already removed most of the option. If all you have to chose from is cotton, wool and fur, then you have to use them no matter what their limitations might be.

As far as practical considerations, as it was mentioned, people never actually lived out in the woods 365 days a year. They had dwellings, and traveled between different dwellings. When clothing got wet, they went inside to dry it out, when it got damaged, they repaired or replaced it.

To answer the issue about carrying your gear, I don't think you realize how heavy and bulky such a large amount of wool and canvas clothing actually is. A wool coat that will keep you warm at -20C will take up your whole pack and then some. When you are active, your body will produce a lot more heat, and you will have to take off layers. When you take them off, you will have to put them somewhere (your pack). By carrying such heavy and bulky clothing, you have significantly increased the amount of energy you will use up and the amount of other gear you will have to leave behind. That is not to mention if your outer coat is actually soaked with water.

 

[Emdiesse]

Well, seems like the question has changed, or at least it is different from what I originally inferred. From what I understand the question now is "If I had to live out in the woods, without a permanent shelter all year round, in moderate climate, and could only use materials available prior to the industrial age, what should I use?"

If that is the question, then the answer is easy just because of the posed limitations. You clothing would have to be made from the available materials, wool, cotton, and fur. Fur was probably widely used as it offers more insulation than wool, but is not easy to get these days.

There isn't much of a point in discussing the merits of different clothing systems, if the constraints of the question have already removed most of the option. If all you have to chose from is cotton, wool and fur, then you have to use them no matter what their limitations might be.

As far as practical considerations, as it was mentioned, people never actually lived out in the woods 365 days a year. They had dwellings, and traveled between different dwellings. When clothing got wet, they went inside to dry it out, when it got damaged, they repaired or replaced it.

To answer the issue about carrying your gear, I don't think you realize how heavy and bulky such a large amount of wool and canvas clothing actually is. A wool coat that will keep you warm at -20C will take up your whole pack and then some. When you are active, your body will produce a lot more heat, and you will have to take off layers. When you take them off, you will have to put them somewhere (your pack). By carrying such heavy and bulky clothing, you have significantly increased the amount of energy you will use up and the amount of other gear you will have to leave behind. That is not to mention if your outer coat is actually soaked with water.

I think, you have managed to summarise my aim in a short, simple, concise question. Thank you for that
Also many thanks for your input, I realise that my wool blanket and canvas lavvu alone is very heavy so I can only assume that the rest would easily triple the weight which as you have described is simply impractical and not pleasant.

But, in the same way some of us will choose to hang a dutch oven over fire instead of an alu/ti pot, and some of us will choose to substitute our sleeping bag for a wool blanket, I guess I just want to find out how we managed to cope with the weather year-round.

But I guess, we possibly never did except hundred of thousands of years a go when we probably lived in Africa?

I'll scrap the 365 idea as, for reasons you have mentioned it'd be impractical.

So, I guess i'll just stick to having to select the right clothing from the wardrobe for each trip I plan.

 

[rg598]

I think, you have managed to summarise my aim in a short, simple, concise question. Thank you for that
Also many thanks for your input, I realise that my wool blanket and canvas lavvu alone is very heavy so I can only assume that the rest would easily triple the weight which as you have described is simply impractical and not pleasant.

But, in the same way some of us will choose to hang a dutch oven over fire instead of an alu/ti pot, and some of us will choose to substitute our sleeping bag for a wool blanket, I guess I just want to find out how we managed to cope with the weather year-round.

But I guess, we possibly never did except hundred of thousands of years a go when we probably lived in Africa?

I'll scrap the 365 idea as, for reasons you have mentioned it'd be impractical.

So, I guess i'll just stick to having to select the right clothing from the wardrobe for each trip I plan.

My intent was not to discourage you. It is a fine project. Even if our ancestors didn't do it themselves, so what? Doesn't mean it can't be done.

What I was trying to say is that when it comes to actually being in the woods, especially when we are talking about longer trips, the gear selection has to be based on utility for the conditions that you will encounter. By that I not only mean weather conditions, but all of the requirement of the trip. It is not about what we like, or how we like to look, or anything along those lines.

For example, I like dutch ovens. I have nothing against cooking in one. The reason why I carry a titanium pot, is not just random choice based on preference of materials or aesthetic considerations, it is the product of the conditions that I most often encounter on my trips. I backpack into the woods, and there is a limited amount of weight I can lift. There is no way I can carry a dutch over for ten or twenty miles up a mountain; and even if I could, how many days of food will I have to sacrifice in exchange for the added weight of the dutch oven; and if I sacrifice that food, will I have enough to reach my destination?

Online we often talk about gear in a vacuum, and we can afford to make purchases based on how something looks, or who made it. When in the woods however, especially if you are doing it for extended periods of time, the conditions will dictate what you bring.

 

[bigbear]

But maybe you just live differently, as in go out only when you must if it's really wet in winter. Have enough fuel and food stored to do that, or go hungry. Be aware of the risks if getting wet in terms of drying time for clothes, risk of illness, hunger if no stores laid in, I think it was probably a very different mind set to ours.
We are used to going out in the warm drying off ourselves and our kit, get a old or even flu, well it's not life threatening is it ? Just take some Beechams powders, a day or two off and live out of the freezer or microwave.........
Those folk thought and lived differently, think like them and you have cracked it !

 

[rik_uk3]

Cheers, I don't plan on living out there 365 However I do like that to be the idea behind my kit.

describing natural materials as better, was the wrong description. I just tried to condense a huge post into something more readable and what I meant was 'preferable, to me'; like many a bushcrafter before me natural materials have grown on me - there is something more appealing about natural materials and bushcraft, it just feel much more aligned to my own, and many others, back to nature interpretation of bushcraft.

I'm looking purely on a typical kit that'd suit the 4 seasons here in the UK in the less extreme parts; Just for the general bushcrafting in and around the woods.

I'm looking to the past for inspiration as opposed to the present, I've got a lovely set of waterproofs but I just want to get more into the traditional way of doing things.

In line with Man of Taniths Daniel Boone Challenge.

Just trying to think, if natural materials were all that was available and I lived in the UK in the time where the majority of it was wilderness and I could live 365... then what would people have worn?

Not to climb nevis and sleep up there mid winter or anything mad, but the sort of thing you'd wear if you were just simply living in the wilderness.

Then, when I come to my pathetic weekenders then I can just live a dream a little

'Otzi) used state of the art kit for when he was alive, that does not make it applicable for today. I like some wool but prefer synthetics, they don't absorb water like wool or cotton, dry easier and are only less spark resistant if your one of the types who poke a fire all the time, they won't melt on you or burst into flames If your close enough to a fire for your clothing to melt or ignite then really you should not be camping with a box of matches or other ways to light a fire.

Use clothing you like, if you like wool then go for it but pack a good waterproof like Goretex jacket and trousers, pack a tent in your in doubt of your next location (two man dome on sale in Tesco now for £8 which is fine for woodland camping, not the best but just fine).

 

[Macaroon]

Threads like this almost always fail in one respect, and that is the condition in which the majority of people in pre-industrial times endured. If you were wealthy you would be able to take off wet clothing and put on dry stuff for as long as it took to dry it; in fact you'd have had someone to do this for you and you'd have had access to warm and dry accomodation in which to do this. The vast majority, however, would have had to have worn their clothes until they dried and that would often have been for long periods of time. Most would have suffered from all sorts of arthritic ailments and suffered constant pain and discomfort as a result. Your life expectancy would have been less than half what it is now, and the quality of that life beyond most of us modern folk to endure.

I'm old enough to remember my grandparents going to the fields in the winter to dig tatties , pick sprouts and suchlike in all weathers; if you didn't go, you didn't eat. They would come home draped in soaking wet sacks and whatever else they could find, sodden wet, and sit by the range for an hour or two to eat and get the worst of the wet gone, then sleep with most of that damp clothing on them - they'd be up and out to the fields again at daybreak and often did this repeatedly in whatever the weather threw at them. Men and women were old at 30, wrecked at 40, and almost always in constant pain and discomfort. Had they had access to the modern clothing we have, they'd not have hesitated. It's easy to ignore the realities and look back on an idyllic time of natural fabrics and food straight from the ground etc., but the reality was far different for the vast majority of people.

 

[redandshane]

I agree with Macaroon on this

 

[Emdiesse]

Yeah, I guess I realise this all now. It's not going to stop me giving it a go, I'm sure i'll succomb to the weight of it all as described. I'm always looking to try new things, I could buy more and more new fandangled kit better in everyway every so often (money permit!)... but my own preference is to work backwards and learn how to do without.

One day, i'd love to be able to say I have made my own kit from raw materials, sharp edge, I've a few microliths in a tanned rabbit pouch Well, that's my own ambition and direction in bushcraft.

There are many others I have seen on here declaring their preference to natural fibres, I'm just another, but a relative new comer and just trying to work out what people wear through the seasons. Perhaps adding the 365 criteria is where I went wrong, but I'd hoped there was some sort of idyllic layered clothing setup someone has discovered for a bushcrafter who prefers the natural fibre.

I'll forever keep working on continuous improvement, hopefully one day I'll be able to say I've worked it out. However, more likely i'll be older, wiser and more realistic and hopefully my bones will still be up for my next challenge!

We're always going forward, modern life is always going forwards, I'm bored of the norm, I just like going backwards

It's just a shame that as a species we seem to require soo much stuff!

Thanks, all of the stuff everyone have said has been taken on board and i'll bear it all in mind but of course I won't be disheartened, lifes too short not to try (Please note, I truely have been listening but I learn best by experience, but also experience backed up by the wisdom of the collective).

See you in the woods! One day hopefully, even if it's for a brew to warm up my bones damp to the core

 

[rg598]

If you are interested in clothing systems prior to synthetic materials, take a look at what people like Scott and Nansen used: http://woodtrekker.blogspot.com/2011/12/early-20th-century-cold-weather.html

Just be aware of the limitations of the clothing.