Bushcraft fundamentalism; Are you a bushcraft purist or a techno camper?

[Kerne]

Both.

Because I'm usually going from somewhere to somewhere else rather than staying in the same place to practise bushcraft, I need lightish stuff.

 

[John Fenna]

Both - it all depends on what, where, when, for how long, who with, for why, with what objective etc etc

 

[nige7whit]

I think it's very easy to get hung up on the idea that something is or isn't "bushcrafty" but i think the whole thing is more about an approach or a state of mind that anything else.

I agree completely, I love the idea of 'getting out into the countryside', whatever it takes. If we were so hardcore, we wouldn't even take a knife, preferring to make something out of knapped flint we found on the way. To go out with a knife suggests planning, and if you have planned, then why not plan to take minimal food and shelter also?

Technology amuses me. I know how a gas burner works, I know how a Trangia burner works. The Bushcooker, with it's calculated airfow paths is brilliant ! I have one, and take great pride in telling friends that my camping stove 'runs on twigs'.

Many of us love the Frost/Mora Clipper knives, I have 2 myself, in carbon steel. Such a great value knife ! I have recently bought a Kydex sheath for it from rapidboy for £40, but despite being 4 x the cost of the knife, it just adds to the value of the knife as a tool.

I don't think it matters whether you sleep in a tent, or under a tarp. If you are making an effort to understand the natural environment, and use it to your benefit without damaging it unduly, then surely, this is all good.

 

[steven andrews]

I like to camp out in the woods, spending the evening in front of a fire and sleeping under a basha.

However, I light my fire with a Bic lighter , sit on a LaFuma chair, eat burgers and drink beer from an ice box and then sleep under a silicone-impregnated polyester or nylon tarp. After twenty-odd years of woods camping I have tuned things to make the experience very comfortable. If something has been invented that makes life easier and more comfortable, I will use it.
I don't make anything while I'm in the woods. I don't need to and I don't want to.

I simply get pleasure from being outdoors, sitting around the camp fire and getting ****** with my mates, or spending some time with my family.

Am I a "Bushcrafter"? No. But what exactly is a "Bushcrafter?

 

[rik_uk3]

Then after removing barking mad Robert, we would have installed an equally power mad despot who's only saving grace was the fact that he sold oil to us...

But the new guy may feed the people? Get an infrastructure going? Anything has to be better than what is there now.

 

[Mikey P]

I'm in the middle too!

Just because something's 'old-stylee', it does not mean it's better.

Just because something is new and technological, it doesn't mean that it's good.

For example, I am more than competent with a map and compass and I love OS maps; however, I have a small Etrex GPS which I use not only for route measurement and in poor visibility (yes, I can take a bearing and count paces, I use Naismith's rule, etc, so don't start...), I also use it to measure paths and key features so that I can upload them to Openstreetmap and provide free GPS mapping for everyone.

I have a mix of kit and of ideas and a fairly open mind- best way to be.

 

[drewdunnrespect]

yes i am in both camps two because i really want to lessen the load but need all the gear i take with me so cant as of yet but am gradually getting less so eventually will only have what i need.
drew

 

[locum76]

I'm a techno purist ) ) and a bushcraft camper.

 

[william#]

hey even a blade ie the first flint used to cut with was a modern piece of tech once
its all relative

 

[East Coaster]

I'm a techno purist ) ) and a bushcraft camper.

he he,,,,absolutely

Nuthin wrong with a bit of Joey Beltram/Dave Clarke/Weatherall et al on the mp3 when deep in the woods