Your most essential bushcraft tool

[Brown Bear]

Often overlooked by the people with the most kit and the most knowledge is the importance of physical fitness. Imagine having a piece of kit that allowed you to walk further, carry more and generally expend less effort than the average man.....well you can have it, and it's free!

I go wild camping and treking with a group of mates and I have an obvious benefit over the lads that have 'let themselves go'. I don't want to sound like an over keen fitness instructor (I hate gyms), but if you are prepping for a bit of outdoor adventure, don't forget to get your fitness in order as well as sharpening your knife.

 

[JohnC]

I walked/scrambled up Ben Vorlich on Saturday, and this is very true. While never having dancing purple spots before the eyes, my legs were pretty sore, and I was puffing a lot. Having my oldest boy (12) coping admirably on his first munro kept me going however.

 

[Ben Trout]

The realities of Munro bagging! That's a nice evocative picture.

It's a good point. I kind of take my level of fitness for granted. I cycle a fair bit and I'm on my feet most of my working day. Much of my own time I'm fairly active. With Ten Tors training and other walking I keep the legs and lungs busy.

I feel quite lucky sometimes that I don't sit in an office all day and then have to go to the gym to keep in reasonable shape. Moving up and down a steep site and collecting firewood just doesn't bother me.

 

[Toddy]

Bushcraft is a broad church though, some of the most capable people I know are technically 'disabled'.
Doesn't stop them getting out though, and it doesn't stop them participating, or creating or crafting either.

It might stop them humping great loads around the country, and it might well limit their ranging around, and it certainly makes for interesting inventions and methodologies to overcome physical frailities but it doesn't make them any less a bushcrafter than the superbly fit.

Trekking ? there's a difference, I wander and keep my eyes open and my hands busy. It's amazing the stuff that kind of collects along the way , walking just for distance or speed doesn't appeal to me at all.
Fit for what I do

As I said, a broad church.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[drewdunnrespect]

well said toddy i fully agree but i also agree if you do wan to get out in the wilderness it is best to be fit

 

[Prawnster]

Yes well said Toddy.

You don't have to be in the 'Wilderness' to engage in bushcraft. A bit of backyard bushcraft does me the world of good when I haven't been able to get away a few nights for a while.

I wouldn't say Mr.Mears was exactly buff either unless he hides those ripped abs with a bed roll stuffed down his shirt.

 

[jimford]

I wouldn't say Mr.Mears was exactly buff either unless he hides those ripped abs with a bed roll stuffed down his shirt.

<gasp> How can you say that about the 'Sainted One' on this forum?

Jim

 

[w00dsmoke]

Toddy :You_Rock_

That's spot on and I fully agree. /COLOR]

 

[John Fenna]

Yeah - fitness is good...
BUT
Those who have not got physical ability often compensate by gaining better technique!
I have various physical issues these days, all gained from over working my body or in accidents that occured while out and about - it is called "getting older" - injuries include....knee problems from dislocating my knee while crossing a fence during a Lands End to John O'Groars attempt (failed after 1000k - when I was VERY fit) and resultant spinal twisting from compensating for a dodgy limb, chronic Bells Palsy - left side of my face is paralised - from a martial arts sparring incident, tendonitis in both Achiles tendons and both shoulders from training incidents/wear and tear etc etc etc.
I have yet to do more than gently cut myself with a sharp knife when sitting under a tree, watching wildlife, foraging, whittling, firelighting and practicing the other Bushcraft Skills.
I have spent most of my life playing in the outdoors as an Outdoor Skills Instructor, Survival Instructor, Expedition Leader, Canoe Coach and lover of being outdoors...Super fit is great for getting you into interesting places but I spend more time now on the detail skills, rather than Yomping around at high speed and find that my Bushcraft Skills are improving as my fitness declines.
"Most Essential Bushcraft Tool" - I think not...that would be your Brain rather than your Brawn

 

[sam_acw]

<gasp> How can you say that about the 'Sainted One' on this forum?

Jim

People with that type of build can be very fit and tend to be a bit tougher. It's not fat, it's survival muscle!

 

[Doc]

A good point by Brown Bear. I remember once swithering over whether to buy ordinary 20 gram tentpegs or expensive 13 gram tent pegs, when I decided that losing a kilo of excess fat would be a lot more sensible, and cheaper, when it comes to reducing the weight I carry up hills.

One problem is gaining weight through injury. Like John Fenna, I had achilles tendinopathy and the enforced lack of exercise for a few months resulted in a bit of weight gain. Fortunately it was easy to lose when the tendons got better.

The same thing has happened this past 2 months when I developed a lumbar disc problem and lost power in my leg. I reckon I've put on half a stone in 2 months. Thankfully it's slowly getting better too, so I'm starting to lose it again.

This weekend I was helping ot at the Etape Caledonia cycle event and was really impressed with the fitness of the cyclists - 80 miles, in mountain country, at speed. My BMI is normally around 24.5 (upper end of 'normal'), but these guys (and girls) were distinctly lean.

Then again, a bit of body fat is an insurance against periods of starvation. I sometimes wonder if Chris McCandless would have survived if he'd been carrying a bit more weight at the start of his Alaska trip.

 

[sandbender]

I wouldn't say Mr.Mears was exactly buff either unless he hides those ripped abs with a bed roll stuffed down his shirt.

He is a strong bloke, I helped him hang this deer from a tree a few years back, I could barely lift it and yet he managed to move it around with little apparent effort.

But then I'm a walker not a lifter

 

[Tadpole]

Then again, a bit of body fat is an insurance against periods of starvation. I sometimes wonder if Chris McCandless would have survived if he'd been carrying a bit more weight at the start of his Alaska trip.

A little bit of body fat is no cure for stupid

 

[pothunter]

Hi John, reading your list of ailments is making me feel quite fit although not lean.

Pothunter.

 

[John Fenna]

Hi John, reading your list of ailments is making me feel quite fit although not lean.

Pothunter.

And I hardly got started on the full list!

 

[Tadpole]

And I hardly got started on the full list!

I know from where you come, People just never give you time to do the full list

 

[treadlightly]

I enjoy bushcrafting, walking and sport - especially a bit of football and I like being at least reasonably fit for my age.

So sitting here nursing my injured knee caused, I think, by trying to up the fitness level with a bit more exercise than normal, I find this thread very pertinent.

You don't need to be physically fit for most bushcraft stuff, except chopping and gathering firewood maybe. So I'm thinking that maybe I should be happy doing what I do with reasonable comfort rather than trying to improve my fitness which is what caused my injury.

 

[Tiley]

Those who have not got physical ability often compensate by gaining better technique!

This is certainly true. But being physically fit does enable you to break out of the back yard and enjoy the wilds. This does not diminish the great things achieved by the backyard bushcrafter; it merely presents a bigger playground to the more adventurous one.

However, this is all useless and, if I'm honest, can be fantastically dangerous without those most important commodities: judgement and mental strength. Being able to measure your abilities realistically, in both areas of physical fitness and technique, before throwing yourself into the clutches of the wilds, is vital. So too is being able to grit your teeth and put up with inconvenience and discomfort when it all goes pear-shaped.

 

[PJMCBear]

Sorry Brown Bear, this bear disagrees. :swordfigh The most essential bushcraft tool is the mind.

I'm ex forces and was superfit. Now, I've been out a while, I'm 40 years old and on the large size. Is my enjoyment of the outdoors compromised by not being superfit? Not at all. I've just gained more knowledge, slowed down, and enjoy the chance to look around me, rather than seeing the blur of the outdoors zoom past me as I tick off another distance/speed goal.

Some things I'll take longer over. I've no problem with that.

One other thing about the mind - you can use it to work smarter, not harder. Convince the younger, fitter people with you to do the harder stuff. I'll take it easy and tend the fire.

 

[Andy2112]

Drive to woodland, park car, carry gear into said woodland. Enjoy woodland. Yes, i'm unfit and overweight, so what ? I really don't fancy stomping around the mountains with a 100 litre bergen on, not my idea of fun, imho. Oh yes most useful tool is your mind and knowledge.