Minimalism a lost art?
- Thread starter Harold Godwinson
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I actually think this humorous scene captures some of the essence of this discussion.
There was a time when I was more minimalistic than I now choose to be, I wanted to cook over a stick stove, or a self made Coke can stove. I didn't want a tent, just a tarp if I had to sleep on the ground. Even if I was within walking distance of the car, no chairs, tables, lamps. In those cases I drew the line at dehydrated trail food, but cooking was still a far simpler affair than it could have been.
This last year I camped with two little tables and a chair, and it was SO much more comfortable and enjoyable than kneeling or sitting on the ground while I cooked and ate.
I think that there was a wave of enthusiasm for "bushcraft" and lots of people (mostly blokes), in their 20s and 30s at the time, liked the idea of testing themselves with minimal kit. That wave passed, those that were in it are older and have either proven what they wanted to themselves, or discovered more aches and creaking joints and now enjoy setting up with a bit more comfort. Also, with time comes accumulation of kit, and often a corresponding reduction in the opportunities to use it! So when an opportunity arises, there is a strong incentive to bring everything out to play!
Well I suppose it depends on your perspective.
Some people want an experience where they have to rely 100% on bushcraft for a night, or a period of time.
Some people want an experience where they can enjoy being out in nature and during that time they will practice one or more bushcraft skills, whilst enjoying some modern comforts.
Both are bushcraft, but it depends on how one chooses to experience it.
Some people want an experience where they have to rely 100% on bushcraft for a night, or a period of time.
Some people want an experience where they can enjoy being out in nature and during that time they will practice one or more bushcraft skills, whilst enjoying some modern comforts.
Both are bushcraft, but it depends on how one chooses to experience it.
I think if anything 'bushcrafters' are inclined to be pragmatic.
We do like knowing how to do stuff, how to make stuff, how to be self reliant, if necessary. Nothing says we have to be uncomfortable in the few days most folks manage to get out of doors with no responsibilities.
The UK is sodden wet and cold right now. Short days and long wet nights don't really inspire us to camp with nothing but a knife and a bit of tarp.
Maybe if we had dry cold continental winters
but we don't, it's always damp in some way or other.We used to sleep on the shingle with just a bit of oilskin beneath us, a wool blanket over us.
For me, those days are long gone.
Could I do it again ? well, yes, but would I want to ? when I can have a down mat and a decent sleeping bag and a good tent ?
Each to their own
M
This diagram was created by Stuart, one of the original moderators here (See Survival is all about a good cup of tea)
It was created during a big get together of many of the greats of bushcraft in the US, trying to find how to define it without excluding any related group. Still the most thoroughly reasoned out definition I have seen.
It should not be surprising to see that through their lives people may drift from one area of interest to another. As has been demonstrated here, "minimalism" is not an objective condition, but is subjective. To my buddies with a caravan and Nissen hut size tent, my little tipi and titanium gas stove is minimalist, to me it is luxury compared to my tarp and twig stove.
Years ago three of us visited Mors at his home for winter bushcraft/survival instruction. We took a tipi and small packable stove that wasn't up to keeping the frost off the walls. After a few days, Mors told us to just come and cook our food in his kitchen after he and Diane were done, then said we might as well sleep in the living room. He said that this would give us more time to talk, to read from his library, to discuss skills and examine artefacts and equipment. He said, you know how to cook on a fire, and melt snow, but these things will take so much of your time that we won't get to do as much other stuff. This from a guy who's motto was "The more you know, the less you carry"!!
Here is another funny thought. I have taken three long trips overseas, camping/fishing road trips. My luggage is maxed out. Colleagues who stay in hotels look askance when I describe how much stuff I take...but if you want to travel minimally, stay in hotels and eat in restaurants! No tent, no sleeping bag, no mat, no pots, no stoves, warm cloths for the night.
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I watched a YouTube video the other day and the guy said, "everyone wants to be a minimalist, until it's time to be a minimalist!" which I thought was quite good.
Have also heard it said that there are bushcrafters and bushcampers... So maybe minimalist is a wrong term these days, maybe bushcraft is a dying art while bushcamping is the norm?
Anyone remember the old TV series tracks? On it Ray Mears once said, "the ideal of a bushcrafters is to go into the woods with just a knife, a blanket and a Billy can and to live comfortable" - judging by this thread and the bushcraft industry that now exists we are all very much lost when it comes to the idealogy of bushcraft, or simply to proud to admit that we just go camping in the woods like any other camper who visits a campsite, we are just missing the showers and toilet blocks
Have also heard it said that there are bushcrafters and bushcampers... So maybe minimalist is a wrong term these days, maybe bushcraft is a dying art while bushcamping is the norm?
Anyone remember the old TV series tracks? On it Ray Mears once said, "the ideal of a bushcrafters is to go into the woods with just a knife, a blanket and a Billy can and to live comfortable" - judging by this thread and the bushcraft industry that now exists we are all very much lost when it comes to the idealogy of bushcraft, or simply to proud to admit that we just go camping in the woods like any other camper who visits a campsite, we are just missing the showers and toilet blocks
I imagine we all dream of being able to do as Ray Mears suggests there, but how many of us have access to an area of land where we can turn up with a knife, build stuff, gather drinking water and food and stay there comfortably and legally? All well and good if you have a television production company to organise all that for you, but even Ray with the support of a TV crew never truly went minimalist. He always had some creature comforts.
I think due to the practical restrictions of the country we are in, we have to practice bits of bushcraft at any one time, but not all of it.
Yes. I have the booklet you got if you sent away a self addressed envelope. I used to have some recordings of it as low quality MP4’s.
Much like friction fire lighting ended up with matches/lighter/ferro rod.
I think bushcraft is a broad kirk.
I know, because I make stuff, just how long it takes to make from raw materials. Even something as simple as making a decent bit of cordage to make a firebow cord takes a lot of work....that work takes time.
We simply don't have time to make everything from first principles while living that life.
Doesn't mean I don't make cordage, or cloth, or work clay, stone, wood, light fires, though.
Just reality.
I know, because I make stuff, just how long it takes to make from raw materials. Even something as simple as making a decent bit of cordage to make a firebow cord takes a lot of work....that work takes time.
We simply don't have time to make everything from first principles while living that life.
Doesn't mean I don't make cordage, or cloth, or work clay, stone, wood, light fires, though.
Just reality.
Ive just found a book called `The Happy Campers` by Carr and Heyes in the Book exchange.
I wont reveal their Essential list.
Im sure they take a juggernaut camping
I wont reveal their Essential list.
Im sure they take a juggernaut camping
I always used to find it amusing where people did posts or youtube vids about 'can i survive for 24 hours in the uk with nothing but a knife or/and an axe'... or similar.
We could go outside right now with nothing but the clothes on our backs, sit back against a tree and let the time pass us by, and pretty much guarantee we'd be home this time tomorrow. Even without eating or drinking. Even the UK winter doesn't pose much threat for 24 hours... outside of freak weather events... so long as you're wearing the proper clothing.
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Any photographs of this booklet, I still think his Tracks segment’s were not far off being Rays best stuff. That’s what my memory tells me anyway and remember really enjoying them at the time. I’d love to watch them all again for a second time.
I’ll need to dig it out the loft. I must have the recordings on a back up disc somewhere. The canoe segment inspired me to build my own wooden canoe.
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You’d think that the BBC, which the public pays for, might be a bit better at saving and making available some of these important educational videos.
It’s not like we are asking for a copy of Tellytubbies, this stuff is important documentary information on skills which are becoming rarer and rarer.
It’s be great to get these videos back in the hands of people who want to learn and share this important knowledge.
It’s not like we are asking for a copy of Tellytubbies, this stuff is important documentary information on skills which are becoming rarer and rarer.
It’s be great to get these videos back in the hands of people who want to learn and share this important knowledge.
Hmmm ... lets say 3-5 days in the middle of nowhere covering 30 to 70 klicks. First I take anything kind of necessary food, stove, tent, sleeping bag, map. Then some redundancy items that depend on the season, then something nice to have and finally I look at weather, region, season if something for emergencies is needed. Could I get by with less, certainly, even without going into some kind of survival situation.
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