Hi I like most Bushcrafters have to rely on modern transport to get to the nice places.
I have taught bushcraft and run bushcraft activities for around 10 years and on about 30 different sites.
About half of the sites were off road and difficult to get close to with my car full of kit.
I have to carry a fair bit of kit to each event, demo kit, display cases, H&S kit, tents, and punter flint napping kits (including flint stones), are especially heavy!
so hw do you move a load of kit in minimal time with minimal dificulty?...it's been a sharp learning curve.
My first events were always in public parks and I just parked next to my area, but I now travel to other towns and cities and some of the sites are really arkward, one I did was in a small room upstairs in a shop!
At one of the sites I worked at, I heard this rather depressing phrase:
"The area is through the narrow passageway,(
) you can't park/stop on the road at all, ( ) & parking is 100yards away"(....:tapedshut
)
...but of course, customer is always right, and they had no choice, so never mind, and a couple of friendly types helpped me move kit!
Didn't matter what sort of car or trailer I had there was no way around the problem, man handling or nothing!
Knowing I have hurt my back in the past (and I'm getting older) I've tried to find a cost effective solution to move all my various boxes and bags efficiently and reliably. I have tried various methods from ammo boxes with wheels to a table with detatchable wheelchair wheels I used as a sack barrow, I also used a lightweight sackbarrow but it wasn't really up to the job, each system had flaws, and none looked very professional.
Then it just got silly, I had to do a session, that was 200yards down a muddy track (barely a footpath) the other side of a large horses field at the back of an old farm, tricky!
Just carrying the boxes and bags tent poles etc individually would take the best part of an hour, then I'd set up the displays including a huge tent, not easy.
I'd started looking into what other people had done to carry loads usually some sort of 2 wheeled cart, but 3rd world wooden wheels weren't an option and so I researched a little and found to my suprise Armies over the years have also used handcarts, I found a few but all were based on 2 wheels, were just far too big and based on more than one mans strength.
This is an interesting bit of research on the subject, Google: "combatreform.org/atac" then click on: "All Terrain All-purpose Cart-Sleds (ATACS)"
Then I got lucky, I was helping a friend tidy up his farm stables and spotted a rust covered frame with some wheels, covered in straw and in need of a bit of work done.
I figured out what it was and that I'd be able to fix it, sadly minus the folding side walls (we could only find one and it was beyond repair).
He said he was going to chuck it and I could have it for free...BONUS!!!..
It is an older version of this:
well after some fixing and a new OG paint job, I now have a perfect working version of this cart, I use it as a sort of flat bed truck, which I can also use as a sort of table to display some of my kit!
I can get all my kit onto it so an average would be a large ammo box 2ft x2ft and several other bags and boxes, I can tie the lot on an I've made 2 cages between the wheels to hold H&S gear, and 1st aid. I only have a family estate car as transport but I've made ramps so the truck can be pushed into the car!
when I go to a smaller venue I just take a lot less!
When everything is strapped on to the truck it really will take a pounding over rough ground and will easily take the weight of an adult or 2 if needs be and the 4 wheels make the whole thing stable, because of it's long steering bar(whatever you call it) it is easy to move around obstacles, 2 people can pull at once, and give it a bit of welly up slopes, (the version below has a tractor tow hitch too). the only thing I'd really like (which is never going to happen) is a hand brake, for when it's not in use.
For Bushcraft and camping in general I would say this sort of kit is way too heavy and bulky and just not suitable, but for those like me that teach and need to get to inaccessable places with a shed load of kit, or for moving heavy/bulky kit from one side of a camp site to another it's pretty good!
This is similar to the one I was given...except mine was free!
http://www.screwfix.com/p/handy-par...tracking url&gclid=COKwnLzZ_tECFcMW0wodmiIL6A
I have taught bushcraft and run bushcraft activities for around 10 years and on about 30 different sites.
About half of the sites were off road and difficult to get close to with my car full of kit.
I have to carry a fair bit of kit to each event, demo kit, display cases, H&S kit, tents, and punter flint napping kits (including flint stones), are especially heavy!
so hw do you move a load of kit in minimal time with minimal dificulty?...it's been a sharp learning curve.
My first events were always in public parks and I just parked next to my area, but I now travel to other towns and cities and some of the sites are really arkward, one I did was in a small room upstairs in a shop!
At one of the sites I worked at, I heard this rather depressing phrase:
"The area is through the narrow passageway,(
) you can't park/stop on the road at all, ( ) & parking is 100yards away"(....:tapedshut)...but of course, customer is always right, and they had no choice, so
never mind, and a couple of friendly types helpped me move kit!Didn't matter what sort of car or trailer I had there was no way around the problem, man handling or nothing!
Knowing I have hurt my back in the past (and I'm getting older) I've tried to find a cost effective solution to move all my various boxes and bags efficiently and reliably. I have tried various methods from ammo boxes with wheels to a table with detatchable wheelchair wheels I used as a sack barrow, I also used a lightweight sackbarrow but it wasn't really up to the job, each system had flaws, and none looked very professional.
Then it just got silly, I had to do a session, that was 200yards down a muddy track (barely a footpath) the other side of a large horses field at the back of an old farm, tricky!
Just carrying the boxes and bags tent poles etc individually would take the best part of an hour, then I'd set up the displays including a huge tent, not easy.
I'd started looking into what other people had done to carry loads usually some sort of 2 wheeled cart, but 3rd world wooden wheels weren't an option and so I researched a little and found to my suprise Armies over the years have also used handcarts, I found a few but all were based on 2 wheels, were just far too big and based on more than one mans strength.
This is an interesting bit of research on the subject, Google: "combatreform.org/atac" then click on: "All Terrain All-purpose Cart-Sleds (ATACS)"
Then I got lucky, I was helping a friend tidy up his farm stables and spotted a rust covered frame with some wheels, covered in straw and in need of a bit of work done.
I figured out what it was and that I'd be able to fix it, sadly minus the folding side walls (we could only find one and it was beyond repair).
He said he was going to chuck it and I could have it for free...BONUS!!!..
It is an older version of this:
well after some fixing and a new OG paint job, I now have a perfect working version of this cart, I use it as a sort of flat bed truck, which I can also use as a sort of table to display some of my kit!
I can get all my kit onto it so an average would be a large ammo box 2ft x2ft and several other bags and boxes, I can tie the lot on an I've made 2 cages between the wheels to hold H&S gear, and 1st aid. I only have a family estate car as transport but I've made ramps so the truck can be pushed into the car!
when I go to a smaller venue I just take a lot less!
When everything is strapped on to the truck it really will take a pounding over rough ground and will easily take the weight of an adult or 2 if needs be and the 4 wheels make the whole thing stable, because of it's long steering bar(whatever you call it) it is easy to move around obstacles, 2 people can pull at once, and give it a bit of welly up slopes, (the version below has a tractor tow hitch too). the only thing I'd really like (which is never going to happen) is a hand brake, for when it's not in use.
For Bushcraft and camping in general I would say this sort of kit is way too heavy and bulky and just not suitable, but for those like me that teach and need to get to inaccessable places with a shed load of kit, or for moving heavy/bulky kit from one side of a camp site to another it's pretty good!
This is similar to the one I was given...except mine was free!
http://www.screwfix.com/p/handy-par...tracking url&gclid=COKwnLzZ_tECFcMW0wodmiIL6A
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