sheeple or fashion?

[Gary]

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On a recent bushcrafting trip to Sweden we travelled around a bit by train and coach dressed in our normal bushcrafting gear but to my horror we were continually mistaken for soldiers. In UK were the army wear camo, have short hair, generally are young blokes and walk in step it doesnt happen (here if you dress like a soldier your just a sado sas wanna be) but there obviously the military are different and with the home guard ect I suppose it was an easy mistake for people to make.

So my point, if it happened in Sweden it could happen in a south america state or Arab one with deadly consquencies.

Thanks to high profile people like Mr Mears bushcrafters now wear a uniform as distinct to us and any other but I personally want to get away from this. There are now 100's of good items on the market from companies like Keela of scotland and Lowe Alpine ect ect so why do we still all look the same?

SO what do we do?

Is army lightweight trosuers, a green and brown check swanni and a ventile sas smock still the best combo? Are we all just sheeple and sad fashion victims?

What do you wear and why?

 

[weekend_warrior]

Its human nature that groups of like minded people tend to gravitate towards a uniforms - look at teenagers! We all have sterotypical views of how a teacher looks or a doctor for example. I can only speak for myself, but I tend to wear the clothing that others have recommended - because I lack the 24/7 experience that people, like yourself, have. So yes, I wear lightweights, woven woolen shirts etc..etc... (not the SAS Smock though!) A lot of this also because of limited budget too - army surplus is generally good kit and fair priced too. Bushcraft Uniform? maybe, but I'm still proud to wear it.. I'm always open to new ideas and recommendations though..

I'd never wear DPM or lightweights in South Africa though - I'm enough of a target as it is!

(off for a quick graze... Baaa... baa..... )

 

[Andy]

people will always be made to feel a bit odd if they are wearing something that is very different. Need we go back to the Ashdown jokes (for people that weren't there I was wearing a motorbike suit which was warm comfy practicle but not normal). I wear polycotton trousers anyway and think they really are a good choice, army surplus is just the easiest way for many people to get them cheaply. I do feel that there is a very strong idea that some bits are what you should have and anything else would be because you don't want to spend the money on that particular item
*GB axe
*sabre pack
*swannie

On the other hand these are all great bits of kit so I have no problem with people wanting them.

 

[PC2K]

i have been mistaken for a soldiers many times and i didn't even more any camo stuff ! just loads and loads of OD... Thinking of just adding some more tan or brown to it. But most kit can be more easily found in OD.

 

[jamesdevine]

What do they say about great minds thinking a like. I have been pondering the same thing myself the last few days. With all the recent threads on kit from ChrisKavanagh's fetish with tweed (sorry chris) and the old V new materials debate I have been wondering is what we consider to be necassary bushcraft clobber of any benifit to the skills we are tring to learn and preserve.

The voyager's of old were known for their bright colours, the mountain men sometimes decorated the cloths with beads and like as did the indians. Some Sami wear bright blue.

Do we buy swanni's and lightweight trousers in OD becuase they improve our bushcraft skills and knowlodge or is it becuase we wise to belong too the tribe?

The muted colours help when stalking for example but red check shirt were quite popular as were different colored Cabotes, was it their skill that was better and meant that what ever the color of their clothing they still but meat on the table.

Very interesting topic.

James

 

[weekend_warrior]

My friends in the USA wear fluro orange with camo stripes - deer can't see the orange. so maybe OD doesn't mater (maybe!)

 

[Stuart]

I dont think that fashion is a driving force in the clothes that bushcrafters wear, I feel that our choice of clothing is driven by practicality.

its not suprising that we look military though, the clothing requirements of a bushcrafter and a soldier are almost identical, the only difference is that we dont need the camoflage.

I almost exclusively wear khaki I find it a very adaptable colour and not one likely to be misconstrued

but in Saudi arabia the khaki uniform of the american boy scout leader is regularly mistaken as that of the local police/military. that doesnt mean that boy scout leaders are in danger, as long as you are not overtly dressed in camoflage and walking around some of the worlds most dangerous places, I dont feel that there is any need to be concerned about what you choose to wear

 

[jamesdevine]

I have heard this myself hence my question about weather it's neccasary to were OD at all. It helps I am sure but not being a hunter I have no experience to comfirm why.

I will still wear mute colors and probable by a swanni, but navy, khaki and even red check will be weclome in my out of doors wardrobe.

James

 

[Gary]

What do they say about great minds thinking a like. I have been pondering the same thing myself the last few days. With all the recent threads on kit from ChrisKavanagh's fetish with tweed (sorry chris) and the old V new materials debate I have been wondering is what we consider to be necassary bushcraft clobber of any benifit to the skills we are tring to learn and preserve.

The voyager's of old were known for their bright colours, the mountain men sometimes decorated the cloths with beads and like as did the indians. Some Sami wear bright blue.

Do we buy swanni's and lightweight trousers in OD becuase they improve our bushcraft skills and knowlodge or is it becuase we wise to belong too the tribe?

The muted colours help when stalking for example but red check shirt were quite popular as were different colored Cabotes, was it their skill that was better and meant that what ever the color of their clothing they still but meat on the table.

Very interesting topic.

James

Good points James all native peoples tended to celebrate life by wearing bright colours! .And isnt the saying great minds often think alike but fools seldom differ mate? LOL!!

My friends in the USA wear fluro orange with camo stripes - deer can't see the orange. so maybe OD doesn't mater (maybe!)

Most animals see in black and white and relie on other senses better than site - the hi vis gear hunters wear is to stop their mates shooting then not to hit em from Bambi!

 

[familne]

I think it's mostly to do with wanting to feel more 'in tune' with your surroundings instead of sticking out like an 'alien' in the natural environment. Saying that I do have a bright orange ventile jacket that I wear quite a lot.

 

[JimH]

Thanks to high profile people like Mr Mears bushcrafters now wear a uniform as distinct to us and any other but I personally want to get away from this.
...
SO what do we do?
...
Is army lightweight trosuers, a green and brown check swanni and a ventile sas smock still the best combo? Are we all just sheeple and sad fashion victims?

What do you wear and why?

There is an element of sad fashion victim in even asking the question, surely?

*Not* wanting to look like someone/something is indicative of just as much concern over other peoples' perceptions as looking like something, surely.

Note I'm not accusing anyone of anything, except possibly myself. I don't pay any attention to fashion per se, but that is not the same as not caring what I look like. I want to look like I am not trying to look fashionable, so to speak.

I dress as a Biker/lumberjack hybrid whilst being an office based senior IT bod. Partly cos it's comfy and practical but (mostly) because I relish confounding peoples' expectations, *especially* those I've only dealt with using my best posh 'phone voice previously.

Childish, but I enjoy it.

Regarding the 10,000 Ray Mears issue, perhaps his advice is good. I often wear a baggy old fishing jumper instead of a Swannie, but thin polycotton pants and a wool top are still a sound combo, I think. These sort of clothes mean a very limited choice of styles/colours, leading to the attack of the clones to which you refer, I reckon.

I'm less convinced about the ventile. I've a 200g pertex windshirt that does the same job, barring pockets, and folds down to a fag-packet. I don't wear it by the fire...

As mentioned in a previous fred, I draw the line at DPM and other overtly (in UK terms) military patterns/colours.

Jim.

 

[fa11en ange1]

It has been said before by others, but my choice in clothing is driven by praticality rather than fashion. That said though I do avoid choosing OD or DPM clothes. In general I just wear a t-shirt/fleece/water-proof jacket for upper body and khaki cargo shorts/black surplus trousers in most instances.

I may eventually end up adopting more of a 'uniform' later as I gain experience, but with my current limited experience I can't quite see the need for the 'military' look, although the fabrics are good choices.

 

[weekend_warrior]

Most animals see in black and white and relie on other senses better than site - the hi vis gear hunters wear is to stop their mates shooting then not to hit em from Bambi!

Exactly my point - so who cares about DPM or OD? The "muted blending in" must only be for the humans, not the wildlife.. I'm digging my bright red lumber shirt out again!

 

[NickBristol]

Maybe the BCUK t-shirts could be produced with the logo on the front and on the back in BIG letters "I'M NOT PLAYING SOLDIERS - I'M ONLY BUSHCRAFTING" above a nice picture of Ray Mears?

 

[tenbears10]

I think there is an arguement in this country for people not wanting to look like they are going hunting because of the general pubilc view of killing anything other than a flea. Once you are hunting dpm means you don't get seen so much by the easily offended pubilc. People may not agree with that view but if you look at many shooting forums it is a concern for people in britain.

Anyway that is off topic so sorry.

My brother and I often went climbing and hiking in the same kit only for the fact that we looked into all the stuff available (working for an outdoor retailer helped with research) and we decided that X was the best value, performance etc. so we both bought one. Why would one of us buy the second best one just to be different?

 

[leon-1]

Good Question Gary.

The answer is complex and really depends on the person, for instance do you have an M65 jacket or a Ventile because someone tells you "they are tops kit".

Or have you got both and use one for some things and the other for other things because you know they are both good, have used both and found that they both have specific characteristics which are good for slightly different conditions.

Same thing goes for knives (look at the woodlore), axes and just about every peice of kit that people buy, if you are buying it because it works for you then it's not being sheeple or fashion.

If you are buying it because that is what Ray uses or wears and because "such and such" has one, then that is sheeple or fashion.

It's horses for courses mate everyone is as much an individual as they want to be, all you have to do is see through the BS.

As for colours, well green is a nice subdued colour, it allows us a little more privacy by allowing us to blend that little bit better in whatever area we are working in. It also is a comfort thing, when you blend that little bit better then you feel that little bit more at ease, as if you are part of it all.

 

[flibb]

Think its worth remembering that many of us also fish and shoot, being able to use out gear for multiple hobbies makes sense. I am currently pondering knives in the sub £50 bracket, but want it to be of use for a wide varity of tasks including hide making and butchering game. Army kit is very practical as its hard wearing and has loads of pockets, also tends to be cheap.

 

[Moine]

I personally do not like to be mistaken for a soldier or a SAS/rambo wannabe. I do like to wear sudbued colors, however. I have a few OD items (swannie, poncho, etc.), but by mixing them with other colors (brown, black, tan, grey), civilian looking gear, and a wide brimmed hat (brown), I still look like a civilian... hopefully

Most decorative and higly contrasting patterns, apart from looking good, act as a perfect camo for most large game species. It still breaks your outline and makes it harder to identify you as a human. I'm under the impression that birds (especially predator birds), however, see colors perfectly well. But I have no solid biological data to back that up. Just my impression.

David

 

[Viking]

A mixture is often best, military green trousers with a nice coloured shirt takes the soldier out of you directly. There are many outdoors comapnies that make wool shirts for example in many colurs except gree. And don´t forget that you can buy some really good kit in ordinary stores. A know a guy who bought two thin woolen jumpers for just a few £ in a sailors shop (they were out of fashion).

And don´t forget "better red then dead"

 

[Gary]

JimH - your right worrying about it is probably as bad as wearing it but it doesnt change the question?

Leon I think I get where your coming from and yes it is courses for horses. As a retailer I like the fact the market is 'predictable' but it doesnt change my wish to stop looking like a clone and or soldier! My kit choices are made by trail and error (and mainly in pastel colours too) - and I no longer listen to the so and so said this was good brigade mainly because the so and so who said it probably sells it! (and yes I have done that myself in my naive past).

The arguements pro and against the mears look (or the bushcrafters uniform) are slightly off topic however (and my fault as I worded things wrongly) that said fashions change but the bushcraft uniform has been the same in the 8 or so years that I've been into bushcraft at a more professional level - but what I was hoping to ask (and using that as an example) was what people wear and why, not whether it was best to go out dressed like old Mearsy, buffy or coco the clown!