Shambling Shaman
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Not had time to read all this, at some point are modern kit may well be "the old traditional" stuff of the future,
whats your preferance ?
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Both.
But:
A few days walking through the mountains or on a LDP = a preponderance of modern, ultralight kit
A few days in the woods = the older, heavier more wear resistant stuff.
You could argue that these are entirely separate activities and thus require different kit lists - and you'd probably be right. The advantage of having both is that you get double the opportunity to indulge your kit fetish.
But:
A few days walking through the mountains or on a LDP = a preponderance of modern, ultralight kit
A few days in the woods = the older, heavier more wear resistant stuff.
You could argue that these are entirely separate activities and thus require different kit lists - and you'd probably be right. The advantage of having both is that you get double the opportunity to indulge your kit fetish.
Both.
Depends on activity, really. In the woods, its more traditional stuff coming along. In the mountains on skis or crampons, its more modern stuff tends to be used.
Depends on activity, really. In the woods, its more traditional stuff coming along. In the mountains on skis or crampons, its more modern stuff tends to be used.
definately a mix - sometimes modern techniques fall flat on their wee faces :¬
and even traditional crafts eg cordage may not be strong enough
and even traditional crafts eg cordage may not be strong enough
where possible I tend to go with the more traditional equipment but these days it can be hard to find. so I have to resort to some modern equipment (which isn't all bad) for example for fire lighting I use a modern synthetic flint with steel striker simply because real flint is hard to come by where I live and it's nice and compact and fits comfotably into the case for my penknife (which I made out of an old torch case)
but where cloathing is conscerned I like to use more traditional materials ecause I find modern synthetics uncomfotable. so I guess my answer is a bit of both. but mostly due to availability
but where cloathing is conscerned I like to use more traditional materials ecause I find modern synthetics uncomfotable. so I guess my answer is a bit of both. but mostly due to availability
I much prefer plastic clothing, cotton is comfortable but its just not practical, when its wet you are knackered, I seen few threads where people were showing off with prooffed cotton where they ended up being able to get it wet after long and extensive testing usually all in a day, most folk were impressed, i must admit i wasn't. If you were out in the middle of know where with this kit you would be soaking and misserable unless you could find somewhere to dry it. Plastic clothing drys very quickly, i went into a lake in onatrio 2 weeks after ice off, my clothes were dry by the time i got back to the camp, had i went in with all this cotton and wool stuff i think it would have seriously hampered my effort to even get back to camp it would have been too heavy and cold for too long. Down side is if you sit by a campfire you will look like a tea bag pretty quickly, plastic burns
I'm thinking of going to greenland for 2 weeks, no way will i be taking cotton clothing, i'm far to likely to fall in a river or get soaked in one way or another.
I'm thinking of going to greenland for 2 weeks, no way will i be taking cotton clothing, i'm far to likely to fall in a river or get soaked in one way or another.
I remember how impressed I was back around 1975 when I got my first fibre pile jacket (North Cape), it was warm and dried so fast compared to the ventile anorak I had, the fleece combined with a Blacks nylon cagoule just seemed so much better than the kit I had used for the previous 10 years; in reality it was better, kept me warmer and drier.
I'm not knocking older materials, but some of the newer technology does have a lot going for it,
That said, I've been dropping hints about a Barbour Commando for xmas, wonder what santa will bring
I'm not knocking older materials, but some of the newer technology does have a lot going for it,
That said, I've been dropping hints about a Barbour Commando for xmas, wonder what santa will bring
I think these days we have the luxury of going into the woods with old technology because we know that our lives do not deped on it. At most, we will get wet and have to go home or be uncomfortable. People who have actually had to place their lives in the equipment they carry, throughout history, have used the best available technology. There was a period in time when flint and steel was the cutting edge of technology.
I like to have the knowledge, so I can make it without equipment, but if I will be carrying something with me into the woods, it will be the best I can get. If I am going to carry a light, it will not be an oil lantern, but an LED light.
I like to have the knowledge, so I can make it without equipment, but if I will be carrying something with me into the woods, it will be the best I can get. If I am going to carry a light, it will not be an oil lantern, but an LED light.
I don't have a problem with old stuff and I actually think it's pretty cool but it has to work. If I wanted to walk around in the rain, I'd wear a modern jacket that's waterproof and not an old canvas jacket or something that's kind of waterproof but will eventually fail. I also use a flashlight (torch to you folks I guess) when I need to see in the dark and not a torch (as in flame on a stick torch) or a lantern because well... Flashlights are just easier to lug around and produce more light. Sometimes old is better like when sitting around a fire because you obviously don't want your clothes melting but sometimes modern stuff is better like if I don't feel like sitting around in my underwear while I dry my clothes because I got them soaked by walking around in the rain.
Mainly modern for me. I haven't found anything to compare to merino for baselayers, microfleece for mid and Event for shell. Goretex bivvi + tarp or Hex3 for shelter combined with sleep mat and bag. I'd love to master some of the traditional firelighting methods but I rarely, if ever, light a fire in the wild now and cook either with gas or alcohol. Food is also carried in and is usually dehydrated/boil-in-bag. I guess I'm more of an outdoors enthusiast currently though I find some of the skills talked about here, especially the traditional craftsmanship, absolutely fascinating.
I think we should be more clear by what we mean by modern and traditional.
When talking about an arctic environment it would be better to compare "modern" with the traditional clothes and techniques of the Inuit or Saami people - we don't have any tradition in those environments - ditto the tropics.
By "modern" we mean synthetic and industrially produced. Is rubber modern? metal?
So I am happy with my leather jacket outside in our temperate climate - picked it up cheap, keep it regularly oiled and it has 9 pockets. When its cold I wear woolens underneath. During summer I'll use a mixture of syntheic and cotton - though I'm moving towards synthetic because it dries so quickly - but in hot weather that's hardly an issue - except perhaps in the humid jungle.
The other parts of the kit have to do with independence. Much modern kit has dependence built into it - fuel for fires and lighters, which would explain the interest in traditional techniques which kept one independent.
In anycase - any "ideology" is just an excuse for a closed mind - we do use a mixture of traditional and synthetic.
Yeah - that's the way I feel too!
My grandad was brought up in the old days - did his apprenticeship as a stable boy at the turn of the century. He would point to the shoes he wore everyday and say that he had had them for forty years - just needed to be re-soled now and again. He enjoyed cleaning and caring for his shoes. My Dad recently asked me when I was going to buy a real pair of shoes - I like the synthetic sports shoes - though, in the tradition of my grandfather, I have a pair of leather hiking boots - kept well oiled of course and with stitched soles so that they can be replaced - the soles, though, are synthetic
When talking about an arctic environment it would be better to compare "modern" with the traditional clothes and techniques of the Inuit or Saami people - we don't have any tradition in those environments - ditto the tropics.
By "modern" we mean synthetic and industrially produced. Is rubber modern? metal?
So I am happy with my leather jacket outside in our temperate climate - picked it up cheap, keep it regularly oiled and it has 9 pockets. When its cold I wear woolens underneath. During summer I'll use a mixture of syntheic and cotton - though I'm moving towards synthetic because it dries so quickly - but in hot weather that's hardly an issue - except perhaps in the humid jungle.
The other parts of the kit have to do with independence. Much modern kit has dependence built into it - fuel for fires and lighters, which would explain the interest in traditional techniques which kept one independent.
In anycase - any "ideology" is just an excuse for a closed mind - we do use a mixture of traditional and synthetic.
Yeah - that's the way I feel too!My grandad was brought up in the old days - did his apprenticeship as a stable boy at the turn of the century. He would point to the shoes he wore everyday and say that he had had them for forty years - just needed to be re-soled now and again. He enjoyed cleaning and caring for his shoes. My Dad recently asked me when I was going to buy a real pair of shoes - I like the synthetic sports shoes - though, in the tradition of my grandfather, I have a pair of leather hiking boots - kept well oiled of course and with stitched soles so that they can be replaced - the soles, though, are synthetic
I notice my gear is getting more and more traditional but I have also just bought a Fiskars, plastic handled splitting axe because it simply out performs any traditional splitter I have seen.
But it still rubs me up the wrong way slightly.
But it still rubs me up the wrong way slightly.
At the moment I have mainly modern, synthetic equipment, because I think it can take more abuse than traditional equipment. However I'd like to move over to having more 'traditional' equipment once I have the skills to make it myself/repair it in the field, which is, to me, the advantage to more traditional equipment.
A lot of stuff that was "modern" in my youth is now "traditional"!
I tend to prefer natural fibre clothing - it is not so "sweaty" and does not pong as quickly as many synthetics and ( hopefully) has less long term detrimental impact on planet earth.
Research tends to point to the strange suggestion that the mountain kit used by Mallory was as good - if not better - than "modern" kit would be at keeping folk warm, comfortable and alive!
Plus - it all looks so much better!
I tend to prefer natural fibre clothing - it is not so "sweaty" and does not pong as quickly as many synthetics and ( hopefully) has less long term detrimental impact on planet earth.
Research tends to point to the strange suggestion that the mountain kit used by Mallory was as good - if not better - than "modern" kit would be at keeping folk warm, comfortable and alive!
Plus - it all looks so much better!
Silence me? never! I use dunlop volleys for my walks(canvas), as a fair few involve walking groin deep through creeks. Goretex boots become expensive foot buckets
And back onto the original track I go....
All right...I'll see your Dunlops and raise you with....
When approaching groin deep creek, stop, take off your Goretex boots and 1000 mile socks and apply light as a feather pair of Crocs that hang from rear of pack...ford the creek then stop and reapply warm dry socks and boots...continuing journey in comfort
Cheers
Sack
Well, as the results of the poll show, a mixture of the two is the most popular.
For me too.
I suppose another question might be to what ratio to you mix your traditional/modern kit/methods?
In summer I like cottons. And in the cold and wet I use modern fabrics.
As for methods...well, it all depends. Sometimes I want to get out the flint and steel, sometimes I just want a cuppa and get the gas stove going.
There's probably too many variables to give a meaningful answer - but a mixture of the two is what I use.
For me too.
I suppose another question might be to what ratio to you mix your traditional/modern kit/methods?
In summer I like cottons. And in the cold and wet I use modern fabrics.
As for methods...well, it all depends. Sometimes I want to get out the flint and steel, sometimes I just want a cuppa and get the gas stove going.
There's probably too many variables to give a meaningful answer - but a mixture of the two is what I use.
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