Bushcraft on YouTube

[Kav]

lI’ve enjoyed, and despaired watching. There was the era of obnoxious banjo music and a site logo with crossed tomahawks, an animal totem and title. We saw endless displays of ‘ my kit’ and
Poured over the same stuff everyone carries, worried a scotch auger not carried in the desert brand us inadequate. Once we used the kids university funds
For THE KNIFE, challenges of assembling a kit at a bargain outlet followed by CAUGHT IN A BLIZZARD with the beloved dog and only three items challenge.
Now, It’s footage of the host hiking in, not a compass to be seen . Tying a ridge line followed by collecting wood, feather sticking and scraping a fire steel.
This, under the latest must have tarp, polish palatka OR the ‘SECRET’ shelter bigger than a recreated Celtic hill fort with ramparts, dugout and stone hearth that clear cut a hector of forest.THEN we get a cooking session in a Azerbaijani pressure cooker as the host reclines on a reindeer hide drinking spruce tea in a kuksa.
I am starting a channel. I will pack in a Hamadan rug. I will make fire with lifeboat matches and awe people demonstrating how to strike the things. I’ll brew up loose leaf tea in a teacup issued for the King George Vl coronation. I will demonstrate how to assemble the latest Grand Duchy of Fenwick surplused border guard man and woman shelter WRONG, because those Fenwickins know how to stay warm at night and it’s different.
It’s going to be great. I willrecoup my investment in bushcraft gear, oh, in three weeks and get invited to NAKED AND EMBARRASSED

 

[SaraR]

Seems about right.

As an antidote, have a look at Simon A bloke in the woods' YT channel.

 

[Wander]

Although it does beg the question - why, if you find them so risible (which they are), do you waste your time watching them when you could be doing something more constructive with your time?

 

[Kav]

1. Longterm subscription with Simon
2. Because, more than once I’ve
watched people do something stupid, or make recommendations that will get someone killed; including native flora and fauna

 

[Kadushu]

Isn't that the definition of bushcraft? Dropping 2k on gear so that you can have a fry up in the local woods?

 

[Laurentius]

Dunno about the Grand Duchy of Fenwick, but if you are ever in the Ruritanian back woods, fencing is a very necessary skill, and I don't mean the kind you make with willow hurdles.

 

[SaraR]

My pet peeve (one of many to be fair) is YouTubers who do a how-to tutorial about something that they actually know nothing or very little about. While I have no problem with people doing a video documenting their first attempt at something or showing them making something rough and ready for immediate, temporary use, many don’t actually make that distinction clear.

As an example, the number of willow basket weaving videos that are made by people who clearly have no actual understanding of how the basket they are making ought to be constructed, yet are billed as actual basket weaving tutorials are annoyingly large. And the reason it’s annoying is that they are missing out on stuff that is important for the structural integrity of what they are making.

There is definitely a place for the ”here is me making something that will let you carry more than you can fit in your hands using some bits of cut off greenery” videos, but don’t pretend it’s the proper thing.

 

[billycoen]

I've noticed that a few "bushcrafty" vids seem to throw in a bit of the paranormal into the mix,it's mostly clickbait,all they need is Yvette and her crew then it's Most Haunted with a stew on the go...

 

[Kadushu]

My pet peeve (one of many to be fair) is YouTubers who do a how-to tutorial about something that they actually know nothing or very little about. While I have no problem with people doing a video documenting their first attempt at something or showing them making something rough and ready for immediate, temporary use, many don’t actually make that distinction clear.

As an example, the number of willow basket weaving videos that are made by people who clearly have no actual understanding of how the basket they are making ought to be constructed, yet are billed as actual basket weaving tutorials are annoyingly large. And the reason it’s annoying is that they are missing out on stuff that is important for the structural integrity of what they are making.

There is definitely a place for the ”here is me making something that will let you carry more than you can fit in your hands using some bits of cut off greenery” videos, but don’t pretend it’s the proper thing.

I watched a good one the other day on making split hazel baskets. It answered a few questions I had about basketry. Typical Zed video so very thorough but lengthy.

 

[Scottieoutdoors]

I think a lot of "this niche" keep cards close to their chest. It's not so much because they don't want to share knowledge, it's just more because if you don't ask the question in the right way, you won't get the answer because so much is open to interpretation...
And again, because so much is open to interpretation, its quite hard to find the "right" way...
For instance, go to the classifieds here, there are you guys selling and buying knives for a phenomenal amount of money. Zero judgement from me, but because typically knives are not something I personally collect, I look towards the cheaper end of the scale, so my "bushcraft essentials" videos (if i did some) wouldn't even touch knives, but yours might?
Equally, gear is in the eye of the beholder, I've mentioned before, I wear fjallraven vidda pros, they are expensive to buy new, but at 6'6" tall, I have little luck finding an outdoor trouser that's comfortable, hard wearing, and isn't halfway up my calf...

But for the more faith in humanity side of things, I watched a video of a guy who set up camp somewhere on dartmoor and lit an open fire, he was harangued in the comments about it and replied that he wasn't aware and didn't know it was bad/not allowed and I believe hasn't done since...so the community can aide folks...

But at the end of it all, people see very good cinematic and money and so it's a niche business now...

 

[Kadushu]

I recall Miles Irving on Paul Kirtley's podcast saying you meet these people who are experts in their field and they sound like gibbering idiots, or words to that effect. He was talkng about identifying wild foods and he's right. People who have a deep appreciation for the intricacies of identifying plants and more especially fungi are full of pragmatic doubts. They know the caveats, they want to get it right and they're very aware of the gaps in their own knowledge. The flipside is people who learnt 10 species from a book one weekend and think they've mastered it.

 

[Ystranc]

My pet peeve was the YouTuber who battoned his knife with the back of his axe…talk about lacking respect for his tools, I mean, he had an ‘kin axe for fluffs sake….why not use it?

 

[Kadushu]

If you want a burr on the spine of your knife that will scrape a ferro rod...

 

[Jared]

People that take an axe, but not a saw, always has me suspicious.

 

[FerlasDave]

Seems about right.

As an antidote, have a look at Simon A bloke in the woods' YT channel.

Antidote? I thought the OP was referring to his channel!

 

[Scottieoutdoors]

Antidote? I thought the OP was referring to his channel!

So just to be clear.... not a fan then?

 

[Kadushu]

Simon does have one of those Azerbaijani time bomb pressure cookers. No complaints from me though.

 

[Kav]

I do not wish Ill of these folks( well there is......)
It’s not easy making a film and I have no desire to confirm my own
Shortcomings.

 

[Lean'n'mean]

Whenever a bushy Youtuber transforms into a sales person for this or that brand....I'm outta there. Likewise when a fella swaps his rucksack for a massive 4X4 pick-up & "must have" power bank.... I don't hang around either.
I tend to avoid the big names on YT, they're always selling something or other & concentrate on the lesser known peeps, who are just doing their thing & who are the antithesis of gear junkies.

 

[Ystranc]

Every person who ever posted online (whatever the subject), filmed a demonstration or published a book has done so for a reason, for many the reason is that they want to monetise a new skill, for some it’s a driving need for recognition and for a very few it’s a true love of what they’re showing us in an effort to perpetuate a skill or craft.…it will take a wiser head than mine to separate them and their motives.
Some are obviously in it for the money, others are more subtle but as long as the information that they pass on helps people in a safe, responsible way then any problems that I have with them are exactly that, my problems alone.
Every bushcraft or survival book that I’ve ever read has been a regurgitation of past books going right back to Army instruction manuals, it’s no wonder that mistakes creep in and many of the subtleties of those techniques described have been lost in successive edits. Eventually the misinformation and mistakes are repeated as dogma...beyond being challenged.