going out with nowt?

[hammock monkey]

does anyone here ever go out for the night with nothing but the clothes on their back? It makes me laugh when i hear tales of my Grandad sleeping 'under the hedge' (most likely on the way home from the pub) years ago, as well as his exploits rounding up war criminals after WW2. Sounds like people were made of sterner stuff back then.
I've been out and only used a lighter and sleeping bag makes me wonder if i'd do ok with nothing. i reckon i could (on a good day) get a working bow drill together with just a shoe lace (albeit of paracord - starting to cheat already) and just snap the branches i need- possibly using a piece of flint to help with the hearth - maybe just waiting until i can find a suitable piece of wood ('Y' shaped willow etc). Tricky, definately, but possible. Anyone ever done this?
I'm going to try it, i'll let you know how i get on.
I'm no hardcore survivalist - i find the term reminds me of that guy Mike from the tv show 'spaced' - i'm a wildlife nerd, but it strikes me that the chances of having a knife on you if you were in a plane crash etc are slim to nil - especially these days!
I'd be interested to hear all your expert views!
all the best

 

[moduser]

Regularly when I was at college, usually on the way home from the pub or a party or missed the last train home from a gig.

From a bushcraft perspective yes a couple of times in the height of summer and apart from a bit chilled no problems. Some bracken or whatever to lie on and under is always nice and comfy, as long as you don't mind sharing with the odd insect or two.

David

 

[OldJimbo]

Tom Elpel in the US has some neat online stories about going out with almost nothing.
Hollowtop

I think I've linked to the right page, just scroll down and look for the earlier stories. Over the years he has promoted the "less is more" philosophy, and it was some neat reading.

 

[hammock monkey]

i've spent several nights out in amazing storms (for the uk) using one of the orange plastic bags as a bivvy, and the feeling of insignifigance as the trees swayed around and the roots moved me around was worth it many times over. The whole place felt more alive than ever. well recommended if you dont mind the damp, once you've gotten up for a walk in the morning you'll be warm and already drying out. one of my fave experiences of being out for the night was like this, its too easy to stay home if the weathers bad i find. Its great having a large fire roaring as the rain howls around you too, wonderful!

 

[leon-b]

i have slept out with my mate with nothing than a sleeping bag once, and i have also done it on my own but that time it was in the garden lol
leon

 

[scaleyback]

one time in the army due to no fault of mine, my burgen got left in a AFV and i had 3 nights on salisbury plain under a mates basha, but i had no doss bag only a shemagh, lol luckily it was may time and very pleasent, but i recon you can manage with a bit of knowledge and forward planning,

 

[Zammo]

I got drunk one night and managed to get on the wrong train. I ended up kipping in a church doorway and used my coat as a blanket, mind you I thought I was going to freeze to death.

 

[alex905]

most recnetly in germany went out to a cravan park to meet some freinds. passed out (guess form what) and found myself in the morning lieing ontop of a bench in a tshirt and shorts. very cold night but luckly i couldent wake up to fell it.

 

[Rebel]

The few times I've done it I was too cold.

Even in the summer your body starts to feel cold when you are sleeping outdoors.

I'll usually start to wake up and have a disturbed sleep around three or four o'clock in the morning and curl up in the foetal position to try and stay warm.

In the tropics you need some kind of cover too. Unless mosquitoes, flies and other insects don't bother you. This is were the native sarong comes in useful, it can be used as a kind of light sleeping bag and although it doesn't keep the mosquitoes off you altogether it does reduce the amount that bite you.

 

[dommyracer]

I dunno about going out with nothing at all, but I'd love to be able to go out with just a knife, a small axe and some cord and see how I get on.

The trouble is finding somewhere where you could realistically cut down enough wood for shelter, bed, fire etc.

 

[Toddy]

Not *wild* sleeping out any more, did it a couple of times as a teenager (unpleasant company camping, better away from them without raising any questions by taking a bag), but I regularly curl up in the garden on a mat to sleep at night in summer, too damned hot in the house, even in just a sleeveless linen gown. Only the cat and the dawn chorus to wake me well......hedgehogs are noisy blighters and I had a newt crawl across my feet once There's a beautiful calm just as the sky lightens that seems to set the day right. I do agree with Rebel but it was wonderful to wake up cool after the muggy stickiness of the heat this summer.

Cheers,
Toddy

 

[hammock monkey]

i think the challenge is going to be getting a fire going. that'd sort out most things... i've not heard of anyone doing it without a knife before in a uk forest, but plenty of people must have. agreed it'd have to be a fine day, but i reckon the feeling of acheivement must be pretty good! has anyone managed it?

 

[hammock monkey]

i've found pretty good shelter under a holly bush before, almost rainproof in fact. bit prickly at first but its surprising how quickly it becomes comfy. I was out watching wildlife and although its not as comfy as sitting against a nice thick tree, once youve gotten settled its fine....almost too fine, its easy to drop off

 

[Toddy]

There's an old Scots phrase, "Better a wee bush than nae beild", basically better under a little bushy shrub than no shelter, but it's really pointing out just how practical it can be. It breaks the wind, is usually drier ground and it provides some shelter from rain and trespassers

cheers,
Toddy

 

[rich59]

i think the challenge is going to be getting a fire going. that'd sort out most things... i've not heard of anyone doing it without a knife before in a uk forest, but plenty of people must have. agreed it'd have to be a fine day, but i reckon the feeling of acheivement must be pretty good! has anyone managed it?

I have never tried over night, but it is a regular pass time of mine to try and get a fire going in an hour or so starting with only what is routinely in my pockets.

Have I achieved it? Yes once I think. Hand drill was the technique. But it is a real faff finding the materials, getting a notch made, and shaping the end of a stick you have broken off.

Having said that, if I carried reading glasses, SLR camera or binoculars then it would be a doddle really if it was sunny. Or, maybe that coke can and chocolate method would really come in handy.

 

[hammock monkey]

wow, i'm impressed, i'll be asking you for advice at some point then
the little magnifying glass on my silva compass has always been an easy fire starter on a sunny day. nobody ever really seems to mention them.
i've never seen the coke can thing work (was actually checking out the sun fire cooking thing again earlier and wondering how small it could be made). it kind of becomes a pastime in itself, the feeling of achievement when even a bowdrill works easily still gives me a buzz. i think i'll work on my handrill technique again and see if i can get it going without a knife. as much as i love kit and toys, there's nothing quite like the feeling of 'making do' and shedding more baggage eh?

 

[gregorach]

Well, if you count the everyday contents of your pockets in with the clothes on your back, I'm sorted - I smoke, so I've always got a lighter on me.

 

[rich59]

Just back from my allotment where I created a coal with only what was there. I broke off a dead elder branch for the drill. Straight dead upright stems are often flimsy and thin but down at the base they often have enough wood on the stem to make a good drill. I found some dead ivy wood in a pile. I found some flint stones to shape things with... and I used a paving stone to wear a point to the drill and to wear down the notch in the hearth. To make a flatish hearth I used the end of the ivy branch that broke off with a step shaped end. I started the socket with the pointy end of a flint stone. I got the hearth flat to the ground by putting a stone under the other end and a small stone under the notch to collect the char.

Without a paving stone it would have taken longer to wear down the drill tip and hearth notch with smaller stones.

 

[hammock monkey]

i'm impressed, thats excellent! if i can avoid work and house moving plans this weekend i'll see if i can re-create your success. sounds great, to me this is bushcraft at its essence. thanks for letting me know!

 

[PatrickM]

Great stuff rich59