Basic kit for beginner

[Queequeg]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to Bushcraft and to the forum. I have been building up a few bits of kit when I can afford it mainly using some of the recomended stuff in the SAS survival guide (not sure if this is a good or bad thing). Does anyone have any suggestions for a basic kit/setup for a beginner and any must have items. Alot of stuff recomended in this book doesn't seem practical for me camping in local woods starting out and learning.
I have put together a small tin of nessecary bits and bobs. And have a few cooking utensils mess tins and a trangia. I am thinking of buying a knife kit as I am quite creative and think i would enjoy making the handle up. I have a decent sleeping bag which copes with temps down to -19 ( I hope it doesn't reach that here).
But thats it, I still need shelter, and lot of other basics.

Any help or a basic kit list would be brilliant and a great help. Can exchange for some fishing suggestions as I'm a keen sea angler.

Kind regards

Adam

PS: Not sure what section this should have been posted under so feel free to tell me off and move it.

 

[maddave]

Ok lets look at some cheap and cheerful kit
A decent knife would be a frosts mora or clipper... You should get one for under £10... They are HIGHLY capable tools

A decent cup is the US army metal mug at about £4.00 every bit as good as a crusader

Highlander make excellent rucksacks and the Forces 55 should be very capable at about £35

Decathlon do a 3x3 tarp with poles for £20 and people rate them as a good buy. See here.... http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/tarp-3243880/

A cheap set of eating irons can be bought from most camping shops, but if you have a knife, you can carve a spoon and chop your food to bite size before cooking.

For a stove, why not make one ?? plenty of ideas here..... http://wings.interfree.it/html/main.html

Hammocks can be easily made to start with. you'll need some fabric, a bit of rope, someone who can sew, and these plans.... http://www.uniqueprojects.com/projects/hammock/hammock.htm

You say you have billies and a sleeping bag. I assume you have some sturdy boots and clothing. If not check out German army boots, cheap and bombproof. A decent wide brimmed hat is great for getting the worst of the rain, fanning your fire and using as a pot lifter for hot pans.

A bandanna or shemagh doubles as a neckerchief, towel, hat, triangular bandage, wound dressing, headband, flag for attracting attention, water filter, foraging bag and has so many other uses that it's really daft not to have one . Hope this gives you a start. i'm sure others will be along soon to help further

 

[TomBartlett]

This thread (http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=54388) is a fun read. A guy with all the gear realizes that at 28kg it's a bit too much. Some good advice on what you need and what you don't.

 

[Laurentius]

Clothes would be a good start, you can't do bushcraft nekkid now can you ?

 

[MrEd]

Clothes would be a good start, you can't do bushcraft nekkid now can you ?

yeah you can, although i wear my borat sling and high heels

 

[Queequeg]

Cool. I knew this forum looked good from the start. Thanks for the quick reply.
I have a folding Opinel but i want a good fixed blade knife for hunting and fishing which I already do alot. But Mora make some great knives.

The mug is something that I need. As well as the bags. I have an old Eurohike backpack but it's a bit limited and not waterproof (discovered this in Yosemite park going up glacier in the rain, nice .......).
I have eating utensils. But cooking wise was unsure on what I should use I only have two mess tins, a small kettle and an emergncy stove that uses those tablets.

The same with shelter wasn't sure if I should go for a light weight tent or Bivvi and and a basha, don't like the idea of a hammock.

Ok the clothes I usually wear are my camo hunting clothes. Dutch military jacket and fleece, british goretex jacket and goretex trousers (if wet). But boots are definalty needed as my current ones aren't too good.

The hat I usually wear a a german traper hat or a just a beanie but the hat and bandana sound like a great idea.

 

[Barn Owl]

Once you try a good hammock you may surprise yourself.

 

[maddave]

Cool. I knew this forum looked good from the start. Thanks for the quick reply.
I have a folding Opinel but i want a good fixed blade knife for hunting and fishing which I already do alot. But Mora make some great knives.

The mug is something that I need. As well as the bags. I have an old Eurohike backpack but it's a bit limited and not waterproof (discovered this in Yosemite park going up glacier in the rain, nice .......).
I have eating utensils. But cooking wise was unsure on what I should use I only have two mess tins, a small kettle and an emergncy stove that uses those tablets.

The same with shelter wasn't sure if I should go for a light weight tent or Bivvi and and a basha, don't like the idea of a hammock.

Ok the clothes I usually wear are my camo hunting clothes. Dutch military jacket and fleece, british goretex jacket and goretex trousers (if wet). But boots are definalty needed as my current ones aren't too good.

The hat I usually wear a a german traper hat or a just a beanie but the hat and bandana sound like a great idea.

Mess tins are fine to cook with and sit nice and stable on a couple of parallel logs over a fire. If you fancy billy cans, check out the local pound shops and hardware stores for small stainless steel coffee jars or biscuit tins. 5 minutes with a small drill and some wire coathangers for handles and you have a cheap functional billy set. If you're thinking of a Bivvy, the british army goretex ones are hard to beat for the price and you can usually pick them up from ebay for about £30. The plain olive green ones seem a bit more robust than the later camo ones. A lightweight tent is a good option too, look for alloy poles rather than fibreglass and check out the hydrostatic head information which is a test of how much water pressure it takes for a tent to leak (you want about 3000/4000mm). A double skin tent is heavier than a single skin but suffers a lot less condensation. A good idea too is to look in the meetups and social gatherings section of the site and see if there is a meetup locally that you could get to. Not only will you meet some great people, they usually don't mind if you have a try out of their kit to see if it suits before you buy your own. That combined with the stuff you can learn it's well worth the trip out. Most of all have fun, don't be scared to ask questions and enjoy the forum:welcome1:

 

[Paul_B]

I do think what you get for shelter also depends on where you are most likely to be going. If you are thinking of going to wooded areas then I think hammocks are ok also tarps and bivvies on the ground. If you are talking of fells and mountains then IMHO a tent is probably better. Tarps are good in better weather but a tent is better in all conditions. personally I own a heavy two man (about 2kg) for car camping, a light (about 1-1.3kg) single skin for most of my backpacking and a basha with a Rab Survival Zone bivvy for better conditions (about 700g total weight).

I reckon you could do with a bivvy on its own in the hills but I do think a tarp makes it more comfortable. You can get very small and light tarp that can be used in a flying V to just protect your upper body, gear and to cook under yet is very light. Look at Backpackinglight.co.uk, they do some very nice kit of all kinds. Also very light weight which will make your walking to the pitch site better. Can I recommend the whitebox stove that they sell? It is a very good meths stove that is made out of aluminium drinks bottles and comes with a V light reflector and windshield. It is probably the best performing meths stove IMHO. It boils almost as quick as a can top gas stove, fuel efficient and very tough too from the look of it.

if you are carrying your stuff some distance such as when backpacking then I suggest getting as lightweight gear as you can. Try Winwoods Outdoors online stove as they have an ultra lightweight section and sell Anti Gravity Gear products such as their 3 cup Ally pot. IMHO one of the lightest ones out there. It is about 30g lighter than my titanium Vargo Ti-lite mug pot that is also about 750ml capacity. You can use it in a pot cosy that they also sell. You use as little fuel as poss to get the water to boil then piut the dried food in and put the whole thing in the cosy away from the stove an the insulation keeps heat in so it continues to cook without further use of gas or meths.

I think if you can search throuugh the site you should find better and more useful information than I can provide. Gear is of course a personal choice.

 

[Paul_B]

Oh and you really must make a pepsi can stove or a hobo stove. Try to make a keg pot and a caldera cone type of windshield to use with a can stove. If you are practically minded. I'm not so will only be making my first one soon. I am hoping I will keep my fingers intact while I'm doing it.

 

[maddave]

Paul B has the right idea. Check out Waylands site here http://www.ravenlore.co.uk/html/projects.html He's a clever bloke and very patient. His site has tons of good info and instructions on things to make and do !!

 

[FreddyFish]

I am thinking of buying a knife kit as I am quite creative and think i would enjoy making the handle up.

I got one of these knife kits a couple of years ago and had great fun making it. Also if you fancy doing a course I would recommend them (no link just happy customer)
http://www.survivalschool.co.uk/knives-saws-and-blades/diy-scandinavian-knife-kit.html

 

[Queequeg]

Right, managed to get a Bivvi bag today just in case. Still not sure what shelter to go for. I don't think a hamock will be ideal for where I'm likely to be camping as I kayak to alot of places they don't always have trees and are usually on small beaches. Not sure if I should go for a tarp or tent. I like the idea of a tent for the coziness etc and if want to take my son when he's older, but they seem to be quite expensive for a decent quality light one.
I have a highlander rollup mat and like I said before my sleeping bag is good.

Thanks for the links especially enjoyed the Ravenlore site, I like the idea of the grab bag and it's contents on there, would be handy when kayaking, are you able to carry them like a rucksack also?

Is it worth me buying a decent axe?

Sorry for all the questions.

 

[nigeltm]

It's worth building your kit up gradually and buying bits as your skills need them. So for now rather than buy an axe consider a folding saw. That way when you hit the woods you can concentrate on a couple of skills rather then everything at once. Take your time, learn the basics (choosing a campsite , firelighting, how to sh*t in the woods ) and when your comfortable with those move on to axework and the more advanced skills.

Stuart69's thread (http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=54909&highlight=laplander) has info on a cheep deal for a Laplander saw. When you're ready for an axe rather than dive in and spend £55 on a small forest axe (which the stylish bushcrafter is carrying this season, because it actually quite good!) consider buying a £10 cheepie from B&Q. It'll get you through the basics and it won't matter if you damage it in the process.

What about firelighting? It's worth buying a few disposable lighters for everyday use and a Scout ferro-rod (around £6) and some cotton wool (or other tinder, I use cheep tampons, lots of cotton wool compressed in a waterproof package) to practice lighting a campfire.

It's also worth checking out the £5 sharpening kit (http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=11571) for when you need to freshen up your knife.

PS: forget about the Lofty survival tin. It's a fun distraction when you have some time but you'll probably find most of the things you put in the the tin you'll have in your pockets or a possibles pouch anyway!

Oh yes I almost forgot, welcome!

 

[drewdunnrespect]

deceant axe is a must along with folding saw and a deceant knife and when i say decaent knife i mean like the moras Maddave posted about.

now i am going to open one hell of a can of worms but its just my opinion

first of all you pay for quality

now then in regards to a decent folding saw
you can by them from B&Q but i never have one because there not as good quality as mine and also i dont know whether you can get replacement blades easy enough.
now mine i baught from Lurch (of this site) and its a laplander saw and i am lead to believe that there the best and having had mine for a year i would fully agree.

Now axes are a personal choice and it depends on what you want it for
because my personal choice is the jack of all trades master of none


Gransfor and Burks small forest axe
but there are many makes that are just as good and yes i would say that granny burk are the best but thats just my opinion. now admittedly u will pay for a decent axe but as is said above you pay for quality and Granny Burks are all hand forged now if that isnt quality what is


sorry theres no links in this but will post links tomos when i have more time cos i am dashing out to work

drew

 

[maddave]

What Drew is referring to is the Gransfors Bruks Small Forest Axe. Seen here
http://www.woodsmithstore.co.uk/sho...xes/Product/Gransfors+Bruks+Small+Forest+Axe/
The small forest axe (or SFA) is a good tool. I have one and like it, but they're like marmite, ya love em or hate em, but shelling out around £50 on your first axe is a bit steep. If you can get one there is an amazing axe being sold by ARGOS at the moment for £2.99 see here http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/7001545/Trail/searchtext>AXE.htm

Loads of folk including me have bought one and they are fantastic for the price. You'll have to spend a short time with a file sharpening it because they aren't the sharpest when you buy them, but the steel is good and the handle is comfortable.
It's well worth £2.99 to get you started, and if you lose it, or chip it or drop it in the lake when you're canoeing, so what?? It's only the price of a pint of beer!!

 

[phill_ue]

I get concerned watching people who have had no formal training, swinging a sharpened piece of steel on a stick all over the place! I don't consider an axe an essential item for a beginner.

Personally, I'd start off suggesting free stuff: a large catering can without the plastic insides and a wire arm as a billy can, a few pop bottles for carrying water, a few blankets from home wrapped in a builders tarp (try to blag one, if not they are only a few quid) and tied into a Hudson Bay pack or onto a Roycroft frame. A mora would be my knife of choice, an Opinel if I couldn't find a Mora easily or couldn't buy online (Look in Decathlons for Opinels) and you can borrow a pan from home to cook in.

If you do have some money to spend, then you can do a lot worse then getting surplus gear, you aren't going to be travelling in Africa or the Arab states if you can't afford alot of kit so surplus gear is just fine in UK. Lightweight trousers are good, a norgee and a HD Jumper will keep you warm in the most extreme conditions when coupled with a half decent windstopper/waterproof shell. Regatta have cheap stuff on their website.

Issue tarps are fine, they are a fairly good size and robust enough. Not as bulky as a builders tarp and blend in better, but it really shouldn't be an issue of needing the same kit as everybody else. I'd be more in awe of a fellah who tips up with a knife, pot and blanket for the weekend then somebody who carts loads of gear in.

 

[Queequeg]

deceant axe is a must along with folding saw and a deceant knife and when i say decaent knife i mean like the moras Maddave posted about.

now i am going to open one hell of a can of worms but its just my opinion

first of all you pay for quality

now then in regards to a decent folding saw
you can by them from B&Q but i never have one because there not as good quality as mine and also i dont know whether you can get replacement blades easy enough.
now mine i baught from Lurch (of this site) and its a laplander saw and i am lead to believe that there the best and having had mine for a year i would fully agree.

Now axes are a personal choice and it depends on what you want it for
because my personal choice is the jack of all trades master of none


Gransfor and Burks small forest axe
but there are many makes that are just as good and yes i would say that granny burk are the best but thats just my opinion. now admittedly u will pay for a decent axe but as is said above you pay for quality and Granny Burks are all hand forged now if that isnt quality what is


sorry theres no links in this but will post links tomos when i have more time cos i am dashing out to work

drew

I have about three axes here that i use for chopping firewood and clearing trees where we live but they are awful. They don't keep and edge at all and are annoying to sharpen.
Think I'll purchase one of those saws as i've been looking at them for a while.

I like the idea of the £5 knife sharpener.

Now for shelter and some sort of carrying system

 

[Queequeg]

I get concerned watching people who have had no formal training, swinging a sharpened piece of steel on a stick all over the place! I don't consider an axe an essential item for a beginner.

Personally, I'd start off suggesting free stuff: a large catering can without the plastic insides and a wire arm as a billy can, a few pop bottles for carrying water, a few blankets from home wrapped in a builders tarp (try to blag one, if not they are only a few quid) and tied into a Hudson Bay pack or onto a Roycroft frame. A mora would be my knife of choice, an Opinel if I couldn't find a Mora easily or couldn't buy online (Look in Decathlons for Opinels) and you can borrow a pan from home to cook in.

If you do have some money to spend, then you can do a lot worse then getting surplus gear, you aren't going to be travelling in Africa or the Arab states if you can't afford alot of kit so surplus gear is just fine in UK. Lightweight trousers are good, a norgee and a HD Jumper will keep you warm in the most extreme conditions when coupled with a half decent windstopper/waterproof shell. Regatta have cheap stuff on their website.

Issue tarps are fine, they are a fairly good size and robust enough. Not as bulky as a builders tarp and blend in better, but it really shouldn't be an issue of needing the same kit as everybody else. I'd be more in awe of a fellah who tips up with a knife, pot and blanket for the weekend then somebody who carts loads of gear in.

Yup totally agree.
I love the army surplus, as I hunt a lot I tend to visit them a pick up some greats stuff. I have a fleece and camo jacket that keeps me warm, and a norgie which I wear fishing and hunting as they seem to be amazing at keeping the heat trapped in. I have a set of waterproofs that were from military base where my old boss used to work, although i split the trousers when i fell into trench onto a road pin (missed the jewels by a couple of iches uuuuugh). So i'll definatly need to replace them as it likes to rain down here. I have a surplus trangia but might make a stove. I'll keep an eye out for a tarp. Can they be put up quite low so they cover you when you sleep?

 

[maddave]

Yup tarps can be pitched as low as you feel comfy with. This setup was one of the lads at Rough Close last weekend. About 3ft high