Its slightly worrying how many of us are poorly or in bad shape one way or another (myself included) maybe all that damp air n smokes taken its toll.. lol
What to buy
- Thread starter charlesr
- Start date
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I went for a walk recently up a hill. Three old men trailed at the rear. Me, Mesquite and one "Mors Kochanski". On the way back I had the unsurpassed joy of scrumping some apples with Mors
Old men?????? If you please, only to the youngsters Red.
And you forgot about picking the blackberries as well
i have a firesteel that im not usign either, so i will trade you that for pics of your fire that you start using it and the feather sticks. Now you dont really have an excuse
PM your details if you want.Small tarp or insulated mat to sit on. A poncho just incase the weather turns.
Bags for collecting wild grub, and a takealong book to identify the grub in the first place
Water bottle, make sure you take something to drink!
Bags for collecting wild grub, and a takealong book to identify the grub in the first place
Water bottle, make sure you take something to drink!
Mora knife
Small first aid kit (field dressing and plasters) to go with your knife.
Water bottle
Then it depends on what you want to do. Just day trips or sleeping out. Maybe the best idea is to find a local meetup and see if you can go along for the day and get some ideas there.
Small first aid kit (field dressing and plasters) to go with your knife.
Water bottle
Then it depends on what you want to do. Just day trips or sleeping out. Maybe the best idea is to find a local meetup and see if you can go along for the day and get some ideas there.
Hi Lodian I use the woods at muirshiel country park, Safer there and a nice walk from my house
I guess it would depend on your skill and how much money you have but the main thing is a good knife. my personal prefrence is a fixed blade knife about 3-4 inches for general campcraft chores such as skinning animals, cutting branches and other such tasks but a good quality knife could set you back £40+ so it may be better to stick with a good quality penknife (just don't go for the fancy ones as they tend to break easiely) most people would probably suggest a swiss army knife or leatherman style multi tool but in my oppinion most of these tend to be of lower quality than a good single bladed knife (though there are exceptions but they tend to cost a few quid)
you may also want a tarp or poncho if you intend to camp out but if you're only working on perfecting your general skills then this won't be nessacary straight away. but if you do buy one and you're on a real budget one of those simple blue builders tarp will do the job in all but the worst weather and for a lot less than a good quality camping tarp.
a back pack is also a good idea, the size will depend on your planed trip but I advise looking in army surpless shops as they tend to have very cheep ex service packs (I got a 100 litre webbing set with back pack and smaller belt pouch that can double as a day pack for only £10 and teh only damage was one of the clips that held the belt flat at the back when you adjust it for you waist)
I also suggest a good field guid such as SAS survival hand book (good all round book) or ray mears bushcraft (or essential bushcraft which is an abridged version giving only the nessacarys for survival) I own both and can say the SAS book is very informative but a bit dry (like reading an instruction manual) while ray mears book is a lot more intresting with a lot more personal experience put into the book.
a good pair of boots are always a good idea if you're planning to go far from town as they will support your ankels better on uneven ground (something trainers don't do)
I'll probably think of more later but I don't have much time at the moment, but you'll find a lot of people will have diffrent oppinions on diffrent kit for example I like more simple basic kit while a lot of people rather use the newer flashy gadgets, my only tip is to try out diffrent kit and see where it leads you. you may find some things better than others for your particular situation and where possible I suggest going to army surples shops as they tend to have cheeper kit which is as good at the high priced stuff you'll find in camping and outdoor stores so make a list of what you plan on doing then think about what you'll need for those tasks then shop around. I know what it's like to shop on a budget so my best tip is to try and buy things that occomplish multiple tasks rather than picking one item for one task and another item for a simalar task (such as buying an axe and a saw when one or the other would surffice for the task of cutting firewood and making a shelter) also you could try to juryrig or make the item you need out of something else (there's plenty of infomation on here about making kit all you need is the time and patience)
you may also want a tarp or poncho if you intend to camp out but if you're only working on perfecting your general skills then this won't be nessacary straight away. but if you do buy one and you're on a real budget one of those simple blue builders tarp will do the job in all but the worst weather and for a lot less than a good quality camping tarp.
a back pack is also a good idea, the size will depend on your planed trip but I advise looking in army surpless shops as they tend to have very cheep ex service packs (I got a 100 litre webbing set with back pack and smaller belt pouch that can double as a day pack for only £10 and teh only damage was one of the clips that held the belt flat at the back when you adjust it for you waist)
I also suggest a good field guid such as SAS survival hand book (good all round book) or ray mears bushcraft (or essential bushcraft which is an abridged version giving only the nessacarys for survival) I own both and can say the SAS book is very informative but a bit dry (like reading an instruction manual) while ray mears book is a lot more intresting with a lot more personal experience put into the book.
a good pair of boots are always a good idea if you're planning to go far from town as they will support your ankels better on uneven ground (something trainers don't do)
I'll probably think of more later but I don't have much time at the moment, but you'll find a lot of people will have diffrent oppinions on diffrent kit for example I like more simple basic kit while a lot of people rather use the newer flashy gadgets, my only tip is to try out diffrent kit and see where it leads you. you may find some things better than others for your particular situation and where possible I suggest going to army surples shops as they tend to have cheeper kit which is as good at the high priced stuff you'll find in camping and outdoor stores so make a list of what you plan on doing then think about what you'll need for those tasks then shop around. I know what it's like to shop on a budget so my best tip is to try and buy things that occomplish multiple tasks rather than picking one item for one task and another item for a simalar task (such as buying an axe and a saw when one or the other would surffice for the task of cutting firewood and making a shelter) also you could try to juryrig or make the item you need out of something else (there's plenty of infomation on here about making kit all you need is the time and patience)
I find this funny
I paddle a kayak and of course when I started out it was tee-shirt underpants and a canoe I swapped for a stack of old CD's.. As I progressed and got better and more experiance I saved and bought little pieces to make my new hobby more comfortable.
Like a wet suit a life vest and a hat!!
Bushcraft to me is an extension to kayaking and camping which I have always been into, so I kind of had a lot of gear kicking around anyhow that I can use whilst bushcrafting.
So bascially what im getting at is this. When you start out on a new hobby you don''t have the experiance to get the right gear So .. That leaves you with learning by other peoples vast experiance (this forumn has lots of experianced people that a willing to offer advise) or learn the hard way
To go out and learn in the woods shouldnt cost anything!!.. I think; well for me anyhow the reason I go to the woods is to get back to nature, that is the one basic thing that you need no money for.
The rest of it the stuff that costs money is only to make your hobby more comfortable except maybe a knife.
But I do personaly think there is a mimimum.. and this really depends on what you want out of your hobby.
if you want only nature tracking and walking etc then it costs nothing.
if you want to cook or make tea then you need something to cook on and with
if you want to sleep out you need to get something to sleep in on or under.
Cooking can be done on n open fire where allowed and costs a box of matches
Tea can be made in an old tin can costing nothing
A lean to can be contructed or you can take a blanket from home and a plastic bag for the ground that costs almost nothing depending if you have these items at home.
For most a knife is important. I have a frost clipper it was about 7 quid it works great I use it for .. preparing food, cooking, batoning wood, any woodcraft there after..
I have a folding saw I use in the garden.
The rest well its just for pure comfort..
I paddle a kayak and of course when I started out it was tee-shirt underpants and a canoe I swapped for a stack of old CD's.. As I progressed and got better and more experiance I saved and bought little pieces to make my new hobby more comfortable.
Like a wet suit a life vest and a hat!!
Bushcraft to me is an extension to kayaking and camping which I have always been into, so I kind of had a lot of gear kicking around anyhow that I can use whilst bushcrafting.
So bascially what im getting at is this. When you start out on a new hobby you don''t have the experiance to get the right gear So .. That leaves you with learning by other peoples vast experiance (this forumn has lots of experianced people that a willing to offer advise) or learn the hard way
To go out and learn in the woods shouldnt cost anything!!.. I think; well for me anyhow the reason I go to the woods is to get back to nature, that is the one basic thing that you need no money for.
The rest of it the stuff that costs money is only to make your hobby more comfortable except maybe a knife.
But I do personaly think there is a mimimum.. and this really depends on what you want out of your hobby.
if you want only nature tracking and walking etc then it costs nothing.
if you want to cook or make tea then you need something to cook on and with
if you want to sleep out you need to get something to sleep in on or under.
Cooking can be done on n open fire where allowed and costs a box of matches
Tea can be made in an old tin can costing nothing
A lean to can be contructed or you can take a blanket from home and a plastic bag for the ground that costs almost nothing depending if you have these items at home.
For most a knife is important. I have a frost clipper it was about 7 quid it works great I use it for .. preparing food, cooking, batoning wood, any woodcraft there after..
I have a folding saw I use in the garden.
The rest well its just for pure comfort..
I have an image in my head of being hunched over the Bic thinking "I'm still cold"
Seriously though, keep it cheap to begin with and select a few items that you would really like. A tarp might make a good present (depending on budget). Even if you are not overnighting it makes a good shelter if you stop for lunch and the weather is less than perfect.
Selective watching of Lidl/Aldi can be useful. I have picked up a cheap cook-set and some drybags this year.
Cheers,
Steve
Flask of tea/coffee or soup!
Nothing raises the spirits more than a nice hot drink. Make a fire, build a shelter and sit back and take in your surroundings with a mug of tea. Oh, and you gotta have a poking stick for the fire!
Andy >>>>>------------------------------------<>
Nothing raises the spirits more than a nice hot drink. Make a fire, build a shelter and sit back and take in your surroundings with a mug of tea. Oh, and you gotta have a poking stick for the fire!
Andy >>>>>------------------------------------<>
I am not so experienced in bushcraft and survical skills and I like gadgets and equipment. In order to avoid to buy wrong things, I always try to think about this simple rule :
You can get in trouble when you are :
3 seconds stupid (1)
3 minutes without air (2)
3 hours without thermal regulation (3)
3 days without drinking (4)
3 weeks without eating (5)
This should help you to focus on priorities following your experience and body priorities / habits.
You can get in trouble when you are :
3 seconds stupid (1)
3 minutes without air (2)
3 hours without thermal regulation (3)
3 days without drinking (4)
3 weeks without eating (5)
This should help you to focus on priorities following your experience and body priorities / habits.
Water bottles can be old pop bottles, costs nothing again. Waterproof kit with sturdy bin bags, minimal cost. I picked up an acrylic watch cap from the local surplus store for less than two quid, they are the places to go for cheap kit as well as dead shops.
that's the first survival book I had and what got me really started in bushcraft and I can say it's a great pocket guide for everything you need to know and much more (too bad I lost the little penknife that came with it *pouts*
also as spamel said old pop/watter bottles are great as makeshift waterbottles, they're light, cheep and can be squashed up when empty to save space. painting it with black or silvered paint can also reduce the buildup of alge which means you can use it for longer before you have to dispose of it (both eco friendly and wallet friendly lol). or a better option is to wrap it with duct tape that way you protect the bottle from cracks and leaks as well as reducing the amount of alge build up over time.
hardware and craft stores are a good sorce of cheep string which is always useful for building shelters, making nets/traps, and teh 1000 other tasks that it can be use for in bushcraft
Another tip, join your local Freecycle group and see what you can get hold of (steel flask, wool blankets, blow up mattress, tent and innumberal items I missed)
ask for good quality sleeping bag or boots for presents, they are items you really cant skimp on.
another small item I find useful is a a few small carabiners...Ill throw some in with the book.
ask for good quality sleeping bag or boots for presents, they are items you really cant skimp on.
another small item I find useful is a a few small carabiners...Ill throw some in with the book.
When starting out it's all about priority and balance.
If you have woods available to use, a tarp of some despcription could be worth while. This gives you shelter, quickly. Yes, you can built a debris shelter but it takes time. Do you want to get wet building a shelter or do you want to learn/practise other skills in the dry?
Sometimes it's also just nice to spend the time in the outdoors, doing not a lot but relaxing and recharging.
Also, be careful with the budget. Yes, you can make stuff, recycle and get by. It's very satisfying. However, there is also a reason some items of kit are so highly recommended. Lapland & Silky folding saws, Gransfors axes. Yes they are more expensive than alternatives but they are good. At the same time, Alpkit produces very good kit at very good prices when you are looking at getting kitted out for camping out.
Most important of all is just getting out there and doing stuff. A small bag of some type and Frost Clipper or Mora. An old drinks bottle with some water and some sandwiches. If it's dry and not raining, what else do you need to go and play
Beyond that, think about what you want to do and then prioritise kit accordingly.
Andy
If you have woods available to use, a tarp of some despcription could be worth while. This gives you shelter, quickly. Yes, you can built a debris shelter but it takes time. Do you want to get wet building a shelter or do you want to learn/practise other skills in the dry?
Sometimes it's also just nice to spend the time in the outdoors, doing not a lot but relaxing and recharging.
Also, be careful with the budget. Yes, you can make stuff, recycle and get by. It's very satisfying. However, there is also a reason some items of kit are so highly recommended. Lapland & Silky folding saws, Gransfors axes. Yes they are more expensive than alternatives but they are good. At the same time, Alpkit produces very good kit at very good prices when you are looking at getting kitted out for camping out.
Most important of all is just getting out there and doing stuff. A small bag of some type and Frost Clipper or Mora. An old drinks bottle with some water and some sandwiches. If it's dry and not raining, what else do you need to go and play
Beyond that, think about what you want to do and then prioritise kit accordingly.
Andy
