complete beginner wants advice on how to get started
- Thread starter chris p
- Start date
Never a fan of canoeing?But you can sail canoes with ease and style - can you paddle a sailing dingy and look anything but lost?
Seriously now - just have a good look through the site - do a "search" for comments on individual items, read the reviews and pick up the "vibes" of the site.
There is a lot of good info/opinion here to help you get started and the classifieds, swap shop and makers stuff is usually worth looking at for bargains.
Enjoy!
John
get the basics for cheap that will see you good to go. If you want to start out on day trips, that would be better as you can learn how to make your shelters but save on having to spend money on a sleeping bag, bivi bag, hammock, thermarest, etc.
So, for a day trip with a brew and some food, you may need a poncho to keep you dry and to use as a shelter. You could pick one up for a tenner. The german ones are pretty good. A cheap bag to store your kit in. 10 quid for an LK35 is a good starter. Next, maybe a Swedish Army Trangia, shopp around you shouldn't spend more than ten quid. Use a small pop bottle to stow your meths in. A mora knife, less then a tenner. Get down the local hardware and DIY store and look for a folding saw, I have a Spear and Jackson that locks in both the open and closed positions and cost three quid.
You can use a plastic beaker for your brew, won't break and they are cheap to buy. Shop around. Pick up a few bic lighters, three for a pound types. Grab a spoon from the kitchen drawer. You've now got a good outdoor kit for not much, and you can expand on it. Make sure you have a first aid kit of some sort if you are using knives.
So, for a day trip with a brew and some food, you may need a poncho to keep you dry and to use as a shelter. You could pick one up for a tenner. The german ones are pretty good. A cheap bag to store your kit in. 10 quid for an LK35 is a good starter. Next, maybe a Swedish Army Trangia, shopp around you shouldn't spend more than ten quid. Use a small pop bottle to stow your meths in. A mora knife, less then a tenner. Get down the local hardware and DIY store and look for a folding saw, I have a Spear and Jackson that locks in both the open and closed positions and cost three quid.
You can use a plastic beaker for your brew, won't break and they are cheap to buy. Shop around. Pick up a few bic lighters, three for a pound types. Grab a spoon from the kitchen drawer. You've now got a good outdoor kit for not much, and you can expand on it. Make sure you have a first aid kit of some sort if you are using knives.
Absolutely the best advice from the honourable Mr Fenna! (plus he makes cracking leather pouches )
This forum plus a few others are brilliant sources of info & advice. For specific advice PM the writer of the article and the vast majority would I am sure be happy to help, I know that I would, plus I am fairly local to you any way! There will be an Essex meet next year around Easter so watch out in the meet up and social chatter forum!
As for sources of gear I know most of the local suppliers, if you want specific places to get the best/cheapest kit locally.
Mike
)This forum plus a few others are brilliant sources of info & advice. For specific advice PM the writer of the article and the vast majority would I am sure be happy to help, I know that I would, plus I am fairly local to you any way! There will be an Essex meet next year around Easter so watch out in the meet up and social chatter forum!
As for sources of gear I know most of the local suppliers, if you want specific places to get the best/cheapest kit locally.
Mike
Thanks for the plug Mike E!
I also do a mean line in opinions... and occassionally have some gear to flog on almost brand new that has had national magazine reviews to say just how good it is.....
Chris P PM me and I will bung you a little xmas prezzie -and I mean little so don't get too excited - for nowt...
by eck that was a strong pint I just had!
I also do a mean line in opinions... and occassionally have some gear to flog on almost brand new that has had national magazine reviews to say just how good it is.....
Chris P PM me and I will bung you a little xmas prezzie -and I mean little so don't get too excited - for nowt...
by eck that was a strong pint I just had!
It must have been a pint of the "milk of human kindness" and thAT is POTENT!
Honest offer mate but dont wait too long or I might sober up......
Honest offer mate but dont wait too long or I might sober up......
Chris P,
if you've had a good read through as many threads as you can find and still not get the answer to your question, just ask. Don't spend too much until you've got along to a meet, I'm sure the guys there will let you try as many things as you want and be able to offer advice.
Oh, and welcome to the friendliest forum on the net!
ATB
Ogri the trog
if you've had a good read through as many threads as you can find and still not get the answer to your question, just ask. Don't spend too much until you've got along to a meet, I'm sure the guys there will let you try as many things as you want and be able to offer advice.
Oh, and welcome to the friendliest forum on the net!
ATB
Ogri the trog
I'll have a pint of what John's drinking,,,,,,,,, the man has gone soft in the head,,,,, free gifts indeed
A warm welcome Chris, come and get warm by the virtual fire side,
You have already started by posting.
I started out with little and really still have little. Initially I had a Swiss Army knife and an ordinary saw, and some cordage. With these and bits of scrap wood I made a bow drill, and hand drill and pump drill, and atlatls (spear throwers), how to light fires...
Initially I borrowed a 2 person tent and a rucksack. I had a sleeping mat and a basic sleeping bag. Later I did buy a cheap hammock and a bottom of the range tarpaulin from Homebase.
Some other bits have come along here and there but I have had fantastic value out of almost nothing.
Mind you, if you sign up to go camping in Norway in January then you need some more kit!
You have already started by posting.
I started out with little and really still have little. Initially I had a Swiss Army knife and an ordinary saw, and some cordage. With these and bits of scrap wood I made a bow drill, and hand drill and pump drill, and atlatls (spear throwers), how to light fires...
Initially I borrowed a 2 person tent and a rucksack. I had a sleeping mat and a basic sleeping bag. Later I did buy a cheap hammock and a bottom of the range tarpaulin from Homebase.
Some other bits have come along here and there but I have had fantastic value out of almost nothing.
Mind you, if you sign up to go camping in Norway in January then you need some more kit!
a) use the search function - its great and there is a load of top class advice
b) learn to make a brew in any weather (practise at home) - you'll need it
c) be able to laugh at yourself.
b) learn to make a brew in any weather (practise at home) - you'll need it
c) be able to laugh at yourself.
I agree with Rich in that you've already started your journey by posting and asking (no such thing as a stupid question, I say).
You could start by doing 24 hours away from home. Get yourself a shelter (tarp, bivi, hammock, tent). Get yourself some food to sustain you throughout ("oatsosimple" get my vote as well as noodles, pasta, cous cous and rice (with strong flavourings like minced garlic, birds eye dried chillis and tabasco. some means of cooking (camp stove, firelighting kit etc) and (most important) at least 3 litres of water if you're on your todd! (forgot to mention a rucksack/ bergen to pack it all in!) add to this a fully charged mobile, map, compass, GPS (increasingly irrelevant in this country IMO) and you're equipped for a test weekend - because experience is all - it enables you to then make informed choices with regards to gear!
Good luck and welcome
You could start by doing 24 hours away from home. Get yourself a shelter (tarp, bivi, hammock, tent). Get yourself some food to sustain you throughout ("oatsosimple" get my vote as well as noodles, pasta, cous cous and rice (with strong flavourings like minced garlic, birds eye dried chillis and tabasco. some means of cooking (camp stove, firelighting kit etc) and (most important) at least 3 litres of water if you're on your todd! (forgot to mention a rucksack/ bergen to pack it all in!) add to this a fully charged mobile, map, compass, GPS (increasingly irrelevant in this country IMO) and you're equipped for a test weekend - because experience is all - it enables you to then make informed choices with regards to gear!
Good luck and welcome
In one sense it does'nt matter what equipment you have, providing that it works!
Check it out at home first and make sure you understand it, (whatever "it" is); then workout what you are going to do if it breaks/is stolen or is wrecked in some other way. Do this for all your equipment - it passes the evening while the missus is watching her soaps!
Carry more than one way to start a fire (light your stove): matches, lighter, ferro rod, etc.; and carry an emergancy box of matches, etc. in an inside pocket; preferably waterproofed!
And remember the idea is to have FUN...........!!!!!!!!!!!
Check it out at home first and make sure you understand it, (whatever "it" is); then workout what you are going to do if it breaks/is stolen or is wrecked in some other way. Do this for all your equipment - it passes the evening while the missus is watching her soaps!
Carry more than one way to start a fire (light your stove): matches, lighter, ferro rod, etc.; and carry an emergancy box of matches, etc. in an inside pocket; preferably waterproofed!
And remember the idea is to have FUN...........!!!!!!!!!!!
Welcome abord Chris.
Advice, well thats a question, the best I could offer is, watch every programme Ray Mears ever made, read every word on this forum, buy a big hat, a large box of plasters and you will be part way there.
Oh, and don't ever be afraid to ask!!
Advice, well thats a question, the best I could offer is, watch every programme Ray Mears ever made, read every word on this forum, buy a big hat, a large box of plasters and you will be part way there.
Oh, and don't ever be afraid to ask!!
If you have a garden, don't under-estimate what you can do there. You can learn so much at home so that if, for example, you are out in the woods and it's tipping down with rain, you really don't want that to be the first time you've ever tried making a bow drill or tied the knots for your tarp.
Besides, as sheepdogbob said, it's far more fun and use playing down the bottom of the garden in the evenings that watching rubbish on the TV.
Geoff
Besides, as sheepdogbob said, it's far more fun and use playing down the bottom of the garden in the evenings that watching rubbish on the TV.
Geoff
If you don't want to shell out loads as in my list above, a mora knife in your back garden is an excellent way to learn. Knife techniques are very important, get it wrong and you'll have to ask somebody else to pick your nose for you!
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