Doing bushcraft without a tractor and trailer

[springer5]

"Climate is what we expect, weather is what we get."
"Go to Heaven for the climate, Hell for the company."
"It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so."
"Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please."
"The trouble ain't that there is too many fools, but that the lightning ain't distributed right."

My favorite weatherman, Mark Twain.

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."

Any fan of Mark Twain has to be one of the good guys.

I can't believe how much I've learned listening to you guys over the last few weeks. I hope sometime some of us can meet for real on a trip and maybe I can learn some more.

To everyone on this thread :You_Rock_ big time !!

Thanks

 

[MrEd]

Ok, this got me thinking and i went routing through my kit today and this is what i take if im out for a couple of nights

The following is carried in (or strapped under) a swedish army canvas rucksack (approx 40 litres)
Sleeping gear:
1. DD hammock, with homemade slap-straps
2. Hammock underblanket (homemade from poncho liner)
3. wool blanket
I strpa as much as that as i can underneath the bag
additional sleep gear if its cold
4. Winter sleeping bag

Cooking kit
1. Tatonka burner and simmer ring and stand with homemade windshield
2. additional meths burner with homemade potstand
3. tatonka 10cm billy and lid
4. small 0.6l kettle
5. 2x spork
6. 1x cut down wooden spoon
7. small scouring sponge
8. tea towel
9. meths in small metal bottle
10. 2x 1l sigg bottles
11. 2x oval 'kuksa' (1 for eating and 1 for drinking lol)
(if im going light i sometimes leave the kettle/additional burner behind but i quite like making a brew and brekkie etc simultaneously)

Miscellaneous
1. Fixed blade bushy
2. millbank bag
3. torch
4. candle lantern
5. spare socks (depending on season i also add a spare top and a jumper)
6. Small FAK
7. book or other entertainment

Food items
for a few days i will take some pre-made bannock mix enough for however many days im going for, i also take powdered milk, teabags, instant coffee, dried noodles, packet soup and sometimes some veg (couple of potatoes and carrots and a onion lol) and stock cubes to make a kind of veg broth with, chorizo sausage, and choc bars, salt and pepper, oil, washing up liquid. most of that goes in doubled up sandwich bags or 125ml nalgene bottles then in a canvas pouch i made out of some old jacket pockets.

The following is carried on my person or in my pockets
Possible kit
1. lighter
2. ferrocium rod and striker
3. 2x slowmatches
4. 1x hex lump
5. whistle
6. 2x 5 metres of spare paracord (woven as lanyards on the whistle)
7. needle and 2 weights of thread (for repairing bag/boots etc)
8. EDC folder
9. DC4 stone
10. homemade leather strop
11. oval sigg bottle and cup 0.6l

Also depending on the time of year i will also have things like gloves or hat in my bag aswell. I dont tend to carry a compass or a map unless im going somewhere a) i havent been before or b) somewhere massive lol - usually im somewhere i know very well on the downs.

there are probs a few other things i have forgotten and if you want me to take photos of any of it i can do. The other thing i do is spread the load around by putting some in a shoulder bag aswell. i also take time to pack my bag so its comfy as it makes it easier to carry, and that amount is stuff is definately ok to carry although im usually in no rush and like to stop and look at things so put it all down regularly i also tend to carry it all in to where im going to camp then get set up and then wander around with my shoulder bag and camera, also if im going with a friend who is willing to carry share then we take more comfort items like beers......

does that help?

 

[springer5]

DD hammock, with homemade slap-straps....

....does that help?

Hi MrEd

Thanks for your post. Yes it certainly does help. That sounds like a pretty thorough list of kit. Excellent idea about the shoulder bag to share some of the weight and give you a lightweight carry-around for near to camp, or just exploring the local area. I wouldn't have thought of that.

Just a quick question. I have a DD Hammock as well. What are "slap-straps"...they sound "interesting" - nudge, nudge, wink wink - my Mrs. would love the sound of those - lol.

(Sorry I have a filthy mind, or rather she does !). Seriously though I'd be interested to know. What do they do ?

Also which DD do you have ? I have the Travel Hammock, but I'm thinking about trying out something with a breathable lining instead because I have been having a few condensation problems with it.

I love sleeping in my Hammock. If onloy we had more trees in the UK. There's a thought, forget about planting trees to reduce our carbon footprint or provide a home for wildlife or any of that stuff, just plant more trees so that we hammock lovers can sleep from them - lol.

Sorry I know this has gone way off topic, but I'd really be interested to know what they do. Maybe they are something I need and I just don't know it yet

 

[MrEd]

will take a picture for you and post tomorrow

 

[MrEd]

Ok Slap Straps
This is what they are, http://www.eaglesnestoutfittersinc.com/slap-strap.html now im not paying for a set so i made my own as per below.

First get your self some thick paracord or climbers accessory tape and 2 maillions from a climbing shop, alternatively use carabiners.

I used 10 metres total (i think). i cut it in half then folded each half into half again. Then i tied a series of overhand knots along the length about 2 hand widths apart

so i ended up with these

I then attached the maillion onto my hammock like so

The to rig the hammock pass the 1 of the knotted straps you made round a tree and feed the end through the final loop to for a big larks foot round the tree

Like this (pretend tree lol)

The attach one end of you hammock

repeat this for the other end and then clip the hammock as you see fit (loose or tight) i prefer mine tight and to do that i clip it as tight as i can then pull the trailing end of the cord and pass it back round the tree and secure it.

And thats it really. I find it easier than tying knots each time and having to adjust it in the night yada yada hassle hassle lol

packs up really small

Next post i will explain how i rig my tarp fast and tight

 

[MrEd]

Ok this is how i pitch my tarp, i like no hassle quick up and down setups so if its lashing i can get in the dry quick.

This is the method i use to taughten and attach my tarp quickly to the ridgeline.

I use 2 of these prussik or knots and carabiners on the ridgeline

It can slide along the ridgeline easily if you push on the knot, but when you pull on the loop in either direction it locks off and wont move

So tie your ridgeline taught between 2 trees, and then tie your prussik (directons below) and clip a carabiner on the loops and then clip that on the eyelets or straps on your tarp (1 at either end) then push the knot out away from the tarp, the tarp will drag behind it. set it at the point you want then go to the other end and do the same and pull the tarp tight. move the knot along and let it take the slack. let go of the tarp and the knot will lock and they tarp wont move.

You can do this either over the ridgeline (my method and works well) or you can habg the tarp underneath the ridgeline. When you come to pack up just push the knots in a couple of cm to slacken the tension, unclip the carabiners and remove your tarp. Leave the prussik knots and carabiners on the ridgeline (i push them into the middle and clip the carabiners together just for neatness but you dont need to as they wont come undone. then next time you can get your tarp up quick sharp and tension it properly.

Tying a prussik knot - you could do this in your living room rather than in the field then its all set up

Tie a loop of paracord or similar about 10-15cm or so and get a carabiner. I use a small one that isnt rated for supporting human weight but its good enough for tensioning a tarp

bring the loop up underneath the ridgeline like this

take the piece of the loop nearest you and thread it over and round towards you again like this

repeat that step^ so the cord is wrapped round the ridgeline about 3-5 times. any more and the knot gets harder to move, any less and it wont grip. If it doesnt grip then just add a couple more turns.

then feed the piece of the loop that is furthest away from you through the loop that (now smaller) you wrapped round the ridgeline. like this

then when you pull parallel to the ridgeline it will lock off, attach you 'biner to the loop. to move it let the main loop go slack then push on the knot body itself to move it along the ridgeline.

Hope that helps, its how i rig my tarp and means i can get it proper taught to shed water and stop it flapping around etc, works on the 'V' and normal and well as the various other ways you use a ridgeline and tarp. To tie the ridgeline i use a round turn and 2 half hitches at one end and a 'tarp tensioning knot' at the other end (basically an austrian butterfly in the ridgeine that you feed the trailing end though, then back round the tree pulling it tight as you go, then locked of with a reindeer quick release hitch thing

hope that helps.

NB: for that method to work you need to get your ridgeline pretty taught

 

[MrEd]

oh and i have a DD scout hammock i have had about 3 years, its very basic but works well and so far hasnt broken at all. costs about a tenner. only thing i did was replace the cords for some non stretch type climbers accessory cord and added in a few maillions (carabiners) to allow quick up/down and to prevent water wicking down the rigging lines

 

[wentworth]

Erm... you're using the ropes directly on the tree? no tree hugger or webbing?

 

[MrEd]

Erm... you're using the ropes directly on the tree? no tree hugger or webbing?

on the tarp yes, on the hammock no, i have some old material from a canvas bag that i put under the bit that goes round the tree - i have found it helps stop the rope slipping and doesnt rub the bark. This was an illustrative post so i left them out

on the tarp i have never noticed the cord causing damage, i did on the hammock hence the protection, perhaps its the weight of a person.

also depends on the tree, a knarly old oak is pretty sturdy and i have not noticed damage from either, but on a birch tree i did notice some 'rubbing' of the bark.

its horses for courses though, one nights worth of a hammock isnt going to kill a tree, all the trees i have ever pitched from are still standing. i pick sturdy trees to pitch from.

I dont reckon many people use 'treehuggers' not in most of the trip reports i hava read anyway

is that ok?

 

[MrEd]

oh and the cord is 9mm wide x 2 so nearly an inch, i then put the piece of canvas underneath it but its not that much bigger, i jsut thought it would reduce the friction hence minimise damage,

 

[wentworth]

aah now I getcha!

 

[springer5]

Ok this is how i pitch my tarp....

To tie the ridgeline i use a round turn and 2 half hitches at one end and a 'tarp tensioning knot' at the other end (basically an austrian butterfly in the ridgeine that you feed the trailing end though, then back round the tree pulling it tight as you go, then locked of with a reindeer quick release hitch thing

Hey MrEd

That looks like a pretty well thought out setup. The prussik looks easy enough for even someone like me to get the hang of, but do you have any more explanation of the 'tarp tensioning knot' with 'reindeer quick release' you mentioned please ?

Also...is there a reason why your using a ridgeline for your tarp, rather than slap-straps from each end of the tarp itself (as with your hammock) ?
On my hammock I attach the hammock ends directly to the tree - no ridgeline. Is that not such a good idea ?

 

[MrEd]

yeah i will take some pics of that over the next few days, i think its called an evenk reindeer hitch.

as for ridgeline on the tarp its so i can hang things from the underneath and i have found it just makes the tarp have a ridge in it, and it hangs better, its horses for courses though, what works for me might not work for others.

as for the hammock, i dont use a ridgeline with that, i just have 2 small loops of cord in either end with a carabiner clip, then i have 2 more lengths of cord (seperate) that i tie to each tree, then i clip the hammock to those.

my whole setup then looks like this

and attaching your hammock to the tree direct is fine, if it takes your weight and i comfy dont worry, these are just tips, there isnt a wrong way and a right way imo each to their own and that

 

[springer5]

Hey MrEd

On my hammock I attach the hammock ends directly to the tree - no ridgeline. Is that not such a good idea ?

Sorry, I meant on my TARP I attach the tarp ends directly to the tree without a ridge line.

You probably guessed what I meant though.

Yes, definately interested to see the knot images if poss. (I'm quite interested in knots generally - sad as it may be - always interested in learning new ones - a hangover from my sailing days !)

 

[rik_uk3]

This young gal does a good job

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VRtTdsRW2U

 

[springer5]

This young gal does a good job

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VRtTdsRW2U

Nice one. Thanks Richard.

I'll never be able to look at a clothes line in the same way again - lol.

You're right though, she knows some good knots there, especially that variation on the Trucker's hitch. I am definately going to learn that one.

There now, that's my evening sorted; a few pints of cider, a length of para-cord, and a table leg - who could ask for more !!

 

[rik_uk3]

You don't need to know dozens of different knots a few will cover the majority of your needs, the Evenk is very handy.

 

[springer5]

You don't need to know dozens of different knots a few will cover the majority of your needs, the Evenk is very handy.

Ok. Thanks for that. Too be honest it's more of an interest than a necessity, but it's very helpful to have guidance on which ones are most applicable to bushcraft.

Thanks again

 

[maddave]

An old camper with a very lightweight kit I met in Hayfield Derbyshire taught me a good method he called "The Rule Of Threes" (I know, sounds very "witches of Eastwick") Basically it goes like this.....

Before you load your pack, gather all the kit you are proposing to take with you and divide it in 3 piles. Pile one "ESSENTIALS" or things you think you REALLY can't do without. Pile two "NON ESSENTIALS" Stuff you think will make your trip more comfortable and enjoyable. Pile three "LUXURIES" Stuff you want to take that you want to fool around with or perhaps show off, gadgets etc.

When you have made all your piles of stuff, take the "LUXURIES" pile and put it back in the cupboard or wherever you store your kit. Now with what you have left, put it all in one pile and start again.... Then get rid of the "LUXURIES" pile once more. And then a third time, You getting the picture?? After doing the "rule of threes" you'll probably end up with about half the weight you began with. And ya know what....... IT WORKS!!

Course if you're car camping etc, fill yer boots, but if you're yomping, every ounce spared, is more comfort on the trail...

Have fun

 

[Miyagi]

This young gal does a good job

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VRtTdsRW2U

Love it - especially the Chooks prompting in the background.