Bushcraft Fashion Victims!!

[AUSSIE]

Guys I absolutely love this place but AW MY GOD IT IS GETTING SO MAINSTREAM & BLOODY SCARY!! Cause it just seems as if Ray don't wear it, carry it, promote it or sell it! It just ain't worthy!!!! This is so anal it ain't funny!!! I'd love to come to one of your Bushcraft Meets but I just am so scared as hell that it will be so full of all these Olive Drab garbed clones dressed in identical Swandris, belt carried "Possibles Pouches", Swedish Firelighting steels and RM Woodlore Knives!!!

 

[Goose]

Its not like that,trainees usually have moras....

 

[Kane]

Lol post (or show up) with alternatives mate I'm a complete beginner at this game (more of a wannabee - haven't done more than camp on this forum lol) and I'm interested in reviews etc of any kit people use

Kane

 

[Stew]

Ok, lets see if I fit your checklist:

Olive Drab garbed

Nope

dressed in....Swandris,

Still no

belt carried "Possibles Pouches",

That would be far to organised of me - no

Swedish Firelighting steels

Yep, you got me on this one.

and RM Woodlore Knives

Woohoo - I can say no again!

Oh well, 1 out of 5. I guess I'm a sheep.



Baah.

 

[lardbloke]

I am generally too poor to be able to afford all the expensive kit. Saying that I did purchase a Hennessy hammock, but have fashioned my own basha/ DD hammock type shelter as well. I generally try and get what I can afford that does the job. I am no bushcrafter (whatever that is), I like spending time out in our fair and green pleasant land to commune with nature and spend time by myself to gather my thoughts. If I find soemthing that will make my life easier then I am willing to give it a shot but will not pay the odds for it, if I can find a cheaper alternative (or make it myself) then I will give that a go first. But as with most things in life you get what you pay for........

 

[tomtom]

I'd love to come to one of your Bushcraft Meets but I just am so scared as hell that it will be so full of all these Olive Drab garbed clones dressed in identical Swandris, belt carried "Possibles Pouches", Swedish Firelighting steels and RM Woodlore Knives!!!

if that scares you, its probably best its probably best to stay away!
i dont see the point in the thread!

 

[arctic hobo]

I can certainly see where you're coming from. If people don't have woodlore knives, they have ones that are pretty similar. Many people have swanndri gear, and almost everyone has firesteels. I guess it's partly that as a community we tend to copy each other a bit, and partly just that it's good gear and suitable for what we all do. Come to a meet, show us a different bushcraft fashion

 

[innocent bystander]

If Ray happens to like using the same kit that we do, then that is his choice. Nobody force's him to...

 

[Stew]

Saying that I did purchase a Hennessy hammock,

but Ray doesn't use Hennessy - you're safe form the stigma!

Thinking about the fiesteel thing, that's like slagging off smokers for using matches. What's the alternative to using a fire steel if you want to start a fire with a spark? A traditional flint and steel I guess but then Ray using one of those too.

 

[sandbender]

So does this mean that we must stop using sabre 45 packs, Swedish firesteels, army surplus clothing etc. or risk being branded as clones and uncool?

 

[BorderReiver]

So does this mean that we must stop using sabre 45 packs or risk being branded as clones and uncool?

Nobody MUST do anything.

If you like a piece of kit and it does the job,******** to anyone else's opinion.

I've got a Swedish firesteel thingy but none of the other four "markers".However I do wear a lot of green,not just in the woods,because I like green.None of my clothes have been modelled by RM.

 

[Andy]

I wear lycra. Does this mean I'm cool for not following RM?

 

[weekend_warrior]

Now Chris McCandless didn't follow fashion - no axe, no woodlore knife, no firesteel, maps, compass, OD clothes, Sabre pack, Hammock, Tarp - nothing like that at all.

Mind you he, died of starvation 20 miles from a town in Alaska.

I guess that "tried and trusted" can be a good idea sometimes...

 

[innocent bystander]

No, beause he does mention lycra cycle shorts in the jungle....

 

[Stuart]

well peter you have made an assumption based only on what you have read on these forums, you haven’t had the opportunity to meet us, I think if you did you would form a totally different opinion.

remember that most of the posts about asking about kit on these forums are posted by people just starting out in the hobby of Bushcraft who have, up until now probably had there only source of information provided by Ray mears on TV.

those of us who have been involved a little longer have developed our own kit and individual ideas, and we are happy with what we use so we tend not to post asking questions we have the solutions too.

soon the inexperienced who are asking about the kit they see on tv will gain experience in what works for them and what doesn’t, and as they do their posts on kit will fall silent, to be replaced by posts from newcomers who what to know about the stuff they see on TV. hence BUCK has a lot of posts about the stuff the guy on TV uses. this however does not reflect the kit the majority of us use

the majority of people I have met at the Bushmoots dont own a woodlore knife or an ecohammock (in fact I have only ever met one person using an eco hammock) most of use Swedish fire steels but this is because they are the only fire steels available in the UK

 

[ScottC]

Well if you think about it Peter if it's good enough for Ray Mears then that say's something about the kit and that it is of a good quality and will last long it doesn't mean we are all trying to be clones of him I don't own a woodlore knife but I do have a swanndri shirt and a firesteel as alot of people do and it's not because Ray Mears told me to! I'm not sure I would spend that much money on a knife but to those that do that's fine nothing wrong with that those knives are bomb proof As has been said before don't make assumptions based just on what you have read here instead pop along to one of the many meetups. I can see where you are coming from , it does seem as if RM has been elevated to god like status and we are all his worshippers who buy everything he has and in some cases you are probably right to an extent but the majority of people on here aren't sheep to be herded around.

 

[andyn]

soon the inexperienced who are asking about the kit they see on tv will gain experience in what works for them and what doesn’t, and as they do their posts on kit will fall silent, to be replaced by posts from newcomers who what to know about the stuff they see on TV. hence BUCK has a lot of posts about the stuff the guy on TV uses. this however does not reflect the kit the majority of us use

Think that is one of the best descriptions of how this and any other forum works in terms of new comers. Think you hit the nail on the head there Stuart.

I am definately still learning and asking question about the kit that I hear about here, in books or on TV and then form my own opinion based upon other peoples experiences with them. Afterall it is a bit pointless buying something if you have no idea how it performs in the real world. I certianly don't have an endless supply of money to keep replacing shoddy kit.

 

[Graywolf]

Aussie,
As someone who had worked and lived in the outdoors during my early years, I have found what is comfortable or suitable for me to wear or use.But it is useful to have new gear reviewed by those using it.Now those people who have just got interested in the outdoors look to paces like this and programmes like Ray Mears for advice.Now I personally find that the gear woren by most bushcrafters is what I wore over twenty years ago,I wore swandris and army kit not because it was fashionable but because it was practical.I use modern waterproofs(Montane) not practical sitting round a fire but then I am just more careful with those stray sparks.I have always used tent or tarp but now have a hammock not because everyone else does but because I have a back problem and read on this forum that it would be better for me and it certainly is,I sleep much better no pain at all.My knife I have changed ,I had used a 7"hunting blade since I was 13 years old now I use a smaller knife and it is more practical.
Clayton

 

[Phil562]

Aussie, did Ray really invent bushcraft

Or was he the first backwoods man to be on the TV

I'll think you'll find that a fair few members of this forum where out in the woods when Ray was a mere spark in his old mans eye

 

[Big Geordie]

Great thread to set the keyboards rattling! Tell us what you would recommend for our purposes in our climate.
G