Bushcraft is about getting what we need from nature and relying more on knowledge and experience than kit. As most of us have found out, to get that knowledge and experience we need kit. To learn which kit suits us we need to try a lot of different kit. A lot of kit takes a lot of money and in these times many have little and some simply have none.
It’s all a bit of a catch 22.
Bushcraft is also a spirit!
To use nature but not to mis-/over-/abuse it.
To pass on what we have learned as others have passed their knowledge to us.
To take care of each other the same way we take care of nature.
“Kit” is essentially just a vessel which contains knowledge, experience and the ability to get into the spirit of Bushcraft.
I not only have more kit than I need, I have more kit than I can use.
So this is what I have decided to do with it:
From my excess I have put together a “basic starter kit” and the beginning of an “arctic kit”.
I will send these, at no cost, to the first of what I hope to be a long line of “caretakers”.
This is the agreement:
- As caretaker you do not own the kit, you have not borrowed the kit. You are taking care of it until you pass it on to the next caretaker.
- You are to use the kit. When you have gotten the knowledge and experience out of it that you needed to get your own, or find that you at the moment are not able to use it, then pass it on. You can always ask to be caretaker again at a better time.
- You will improve the kit before you pass it on. This can be by repairing something, adding or upgrading an item or simply adding instructions for something that can inspire the next person.
- You will add something to the “caretaker’s logg”!
This is a note book. In it you are to write something to amuse, teach or inspire those who come after you. Share a lesson you learned, a tip on how to do or make something, a poem, a story (not necessarily true), a drawing. Something for others to read by the campfire and to keep sharing the knowledge and spirit of Bushcraft.
The (first*) basic kit contains at the moment:
- Fiskars ax
- Mora clipper knife
- Basic Trangia stove with meths burner and gasburner
- Two Trangia stainless/aluminium pots
- Swed army nesting cutlery
- Plastic kuksa
- A couple of magnesium block fire steels
- A Silva compass
- Maglight with belt holder
- Multitool with belt pouch
- Foldable spade
- A few feet of Para cord
- First aid bandage
- A caretaker’s logg
The (first*) arctic kit is for those who want to have a go at the snow and cold!
At the moment it contains:
- Karrimor condor high volume, heavy duty rucksack
- Swed army folding shovel with additional snow blade
- Arctic style head lamp with battery pouch for under clothes carry
- Swed army shell mittens with removable lining and harness
- Emergency waterproof storm matches
- Caretaker’s logg
* My hope is that others can chip in with an item or two and that we will eventually have several kits being passed around and more people actually getting out there.
What is missing right now is obviously a small backpack for the basic kit. Anyone have something lying in the shed?
Use it, take care of it, pass it on, share what you learned!
Who will be the first caretaker?
It’s all a bit of a catch 22.
Bushcraft is also a spirit!
To use nature but not to mis-/over-/abuse it.
To pass on what we have learned as others have passed their knowledge to us.
To take care of each other the same way we take care of nature.
“Kit” is essentially just a vessel which contains knowledge, experience and the ability to get into the spirit of Bushcraft.
I not only have more kit than I need, I have more kit than I can use.
So this is what I have decided to do with it:
From my excess I have put together a “basic starter kit” and the beginning of an “arctic kit”.
I will send these, at no cost, to the first of what I hope to be a long line of “caretakers”.
This is the agreement:
- As caretaker you do not own the kit, you have not borrowed the kit. You are taking care of it until you pass it on to the next caretaker.
- You are to use the kit. When you have gotten the knowledge and experience out of it that you needed to get your own, or find that you at the moment are not able to use it, then pass it on. You can always ask to be caretaker again at a better time.
- You will improve the kit before you pass it on. This can be by repairing something, adding or upgrading an item or simply adding instructions for something that can inspire the next person.
- You will add something to the “caretaker’s logg”!
This is a note book. In it you are to write something to amuse, teach or inspire those who come after you. Share a lesson you learned, a tip on how to do or make something, a poem, a story (not necessarily true), a drawing. Something for others to read by the campfire and to keep sharing the knowledge and spirit of Bushcraft.
The (first*) basic kit contains at the moment:
- Fiskars ax
- Mora clipper knife
- Basic Trangia stove with meths burner and gasburner
- Two Trangia stainless/aluminium pots
- Swed army nesting cutlery
- Plastic kuksa
- A couple of magnesium block fire steels
- A Silva compass
- Maglight with belt holder
- Multitool with belt pouch
- Foldable spade
- A few feet of Para cord
- First aid bandage
- A caretaker’s logg
The (first*) arctic kit is for those who want to have a go at the snow and cold!
At the moment it contains:
- Karrimor condor high volume, heavy duty rucksack
- Swed army folding shovel with additional snow blade
- Arctic style head lamp with battery pouch for under clothes carry
- Swed army shell mittens with removable lining and harness
- Emergency waterproof storm matches
- Caretaker’s logg
* My hope is that others can chip in with an item or two and that we will eventually have several kits being passed around and more people actually getting out there.
What is missing right now is obviously a small backpack for the basic kit. Anyone have something lying in the shed?
Use it, take care of it, pass it on, share what you learned!
Who will be the first caretaker?
Last edited:
Great idea
