When one begins their journey into the study of survival, bushcraft, or long-term self-reliance, they tend to try to get off as cheaply as possible when it comes to obtaining quality gear. While this is understandable at the offset, thinking of the uncertainty of another hobby being a lasting one- where you look at the treadmill serving as an extension of your closet- it's a short-lived thought process once you get in some serious dirt time. Upon further reading, study, and training, you soon learn that cheap gear is simply cheap. It's nothing you would want to bet your life on or expect to use long-term in an extended off-grid scenario. With so many voices in the world telling you what's “the best,” it leads to a lot of confusion that typically ends up with many bad purchases as you strive to find what works for you. Allow me to share my experience that will help you get the right bushcraft gear for your budget by focusing on a few pieces of gear that will hopefully save you some headaches and prove to be invaluable pieces of kit for you over the long term.
There are three specific pieces of kit with uses well beyond their intended use that can be affordable or possibly made yourself that will last you for years to come that will be just as good as or better than any you can purchase on the market. It sounds almost too good to be true. Well, it's not, and when I share these simple pieces of kit with you, which you may have already considered, I'll expect you to reconsider them in light of this information. As a professional wilderness skills instructor, I get access to a lot of different equipment and get a lot of free and demo products. Many of these products are junk, plain and simple. It's not that the idea wasn't good; although some were not, it was the craftsmanship that ruined them. When looking for gear that works, you shouldn't always look for the latest and greatest fad but should instead investigate what has worked over time and glean from the examples of those that have gone before us. For example, we know that wool clothing keeps us warm, even when wet. This example has been tested and proven over thousands of years of trial and error; John the Baptist is even recorded as wearing camel's wool clothing in the Bible. So, we know the stuff works; we need to learn how to use it to get the most out of it. The following pieces of kit I'm about to share with you are quite simplistic and have been proven effective from those we read about in the Bible all the way to the Long Hunters of the American Frontier and even our modern adventure professionals.
“Three Pillars of Woodcraft: Haversack, Wool Blanket, and Oilskin Tarp”
The Haversack
Also known as a possible pouch, diddy bag, or day bag, it's probably one of the most valuable pouches ever conceived. The haversack has been considered a part of the E.D.C. (Everyday Carry) since biblical times (Luke 22:35-37). Ranging in standard usage as a way to carry snacks, money, shot, tools, wild edibles, and other such accouterments, its multipurpose uses are just as valuable. It can be used as a mat to sit or kneel on; as a pillow; as a way to carry water, and even as a means of splinting and immobilizing injured extremities. Styles range from finger-woven materials of burlap to leather and canvas which can be waxed or turned into oilcloth. I have used several styles over my years of wilderness tramping and even improvised a few out-of-feed bags and drum liners on occasion. Leather, while beautifully crafted, tends to be a bit heavy over the long haul. It stretches and molds to your body's contour over a short time and after a few rains and long treks on a hot day, it will require maintenance to keep it pliable and looking nice. While easy to repair with a quick stitch, it's not as versatile as canvas. Canvas is lighter than leather and can be waterproofed with wax or turned into oilcloth/oilskin, which, when it comes to its ability to shed water, is the best of all. A good quality waxed canvas or oilcloth haversack will give you quality waterproofing while remaining light and pliable. It will serve as a good ground cover, temporary head cover, or water baler in a pinch; still able to protect whatever items you decide to carry and is easily repaired if damaged.
“The Author's Haversack with a five piece Day Kit”
George Washington Sears, also known as Nessmuk, in his book Woodcraft and Camping, essentially stated that you should be able to make everything you need with the things you carry in your haversack. In the standard haversack, you can carry what we refer to as the 12 Cs or 12 Categories of items essential to outdoor kits. The 12 C's consists of things such as Cutting Tools and Containers to Circumvention tools and Cerates. The importance of a versatile piece of kit such as a haversack and what it can do for the wilderness traveler cannot be overstated, but it's rarely written about due to its simplicity. You can expect to spend anywhere from $20 on a basic cotton haversack that is untreated up to $200 for a quality leather-crafted bag. My personal preference is a waxed canvas version in a modern style specifically suited for outdoor pursuits, which runs anywhere between $30 and $95 depending on the style. Obviously making one is another option should you desire to learn how to sew canvas, then waterproof it or craft with leather. Whatever you decided, make the investment in a quality haversack that will last many years.
The Tarp
Tarps, too have been utilized since ancient times for a variety of uses ranging from sun shades and tent shelters to ground covers and gear haulers. Obviously, tarps are widely utilized today as a shelters over hammocks, as tent covers and various other styles of shelter set ups ranging in the dozens. Yet again we arrive at the dilemma of what type and style should we choose. For the modern ultralight backpacker, they'll opt for a type of dyneema or sil-nylon tarp weighing mere ounces. But this is not for those of us interested in long term self reliance. Once again we look back through the annuls of history and find a common theme appearing in the recommendations of all the great woodsman and pioneers of the past, that of the canvas or oil skin tarp. Widely recognized for it's resiliency against the elements, it's ability to be carried on the back or in bed roll form and to serve as either a ground cover or overhead shelter, oil skin is the only tarp that is weather proof enough to withstand the rigors of long term use off the grid. The only draw backs of oilskin tarps are that they are heavier than most modern options with a 10x10 weighing an average of 6lb vs a sil-nylon of the same size weighing around 22oz. Oilskin is also flammable, so special care must be taken to ensure that open flames are not put in direct contact with the fabric due to the solvents used in it's composition, typically boiled linseed oil and mineral spirits in equal measure.
In my experience, a simple spark will not affect the oil cloth as quickly as it will the sil-nylon. Many a hole have I discovered in my sil-nylon tarps after a good rain due to being too near a flame. Snags on limb tips have also destroyed more than one of my sil-nylon taps where as the oilskin versions have endured regular abuse. Add to this the fact that a good canvas oilcloth tarp can also be used as a rescue litter, hammock or water catchment and I believe the benefits far outweigh the disadvantages. There are few places that produce oilskin products however; Panther Primitives and Tentsmiths, both produce a nice quality line of oilskin tarp products. You may opt to forgo the expense of this $200 tarp and first try your hand at making your own. You may use a 100% cotton bed sheet with at least a 600 thread count or a cotton-canvas painter drop cloth available at most home improvement stores.
“The Author's Oilcloth Tarp- 9' x 9' by Deer Creek Outfitters”
How to Make Oilcloth
To make oilcloth, you simply need to mix in equal parts boiled linseed oil and mineral spirits. You'll want to saturate the 100% cotton cloth you use such as Egyptian Cotton or Canvas, heavily so it permeates the fibers as much as possible. Before attempting to saturate in this mixture, it's a good idea to wash the fabric to shrink it up a bit to tighten the weave which makes for a better-waterproofed end product.
After the baptism or painting on of the oil mixture, you will need to hang dry your cloth in a shaded area for two to three days. The smell will be strong, but will dissipate in about a seven to ten days. Once the fabric is no longer overly sticky, it's ready to use and you'll have a nice piece of waterproofed cotton material ready for use as a haversack, rain poncho or tarp.
If you're afraid to take on task of sewing your own tarp, just use a queen or king size flat bed sheet in your color of choice for your tarp. Sew on some tie outs made from either cotton lamp wicks or web strap or grab a cotton canvas drop cloth from your local home improvement store. You can add RIT Dye to color it to your liking during the washing process before being waterproofed. By making your own, the sky is the limit! You can save big money and still have decent gear if you invest the time to create a quality product for your long term use in mind.
The Author's Mom next to a massive handmade oilcloth tarp
You can learn step-by-step how to make an Oilcloth Tarp out of a bedsheet by checking out Jamie Burleigh's course here
“The man who goes afoot, prepared to camp anywhere and in any weather, is the most independent fellow on earth.” – HORACE KEPHART, Camping and Woodcraft, 1917
The Blanket
To truly camp anywhere in any weather with the ability to carry the necessary items with us in our backpacks and haversacks reminds of the the adage knowledge weighs nothing, the more you know, the less you need to be successful in the wilds. Sleeping bags, while nice, again lack the versatility of the quality wool blanket. In extreme cold weather I'll readily admit, a sleeping bag is very, very nice and necessary at times. However with a little wilderness ingenuity a quality nights rest can be had with a single queen size or 6 point wool blanket. The blanket also serves as a multipurpose item, it can be used to carry your gear by being slung about the body in a hoop like fashion; can be used as a shelter; water filter; and splinting for first aid or in rescue litter packaging.
“Wool Blankets can also serve as temporary shelters while afield”
Staying warm with only a wool blanket can be done by changing the fire lay you use, even in cold weather. By making a long fire, which is a fire as long as your body, you can lay within a few feet of the fire and remain warm and toasty all night while being near enough to feed the fire throughout the night. Another option would be to create a coal bed, where you dig a body size trench and burn a hot fire for several hours then bury it with several inches of dirt before laying on that spot. The heat radiated from the ground will last most of the night in that spot. Lastly, wool blankets retain up to 90% of their insulation value, even when wet. Cheap wool will typically itch more because it's coarser in it's construction and therefore more aggressive when it comes into contact with the skin. Finer wool's such as Merino are finer in their construction and, therefore less likely to feel itchy. I realize some have skin that reacts to any wool by itching, this can be remedied in most cases by washing the wool and allowing to air dry. Another option would be to add White Vinegar or Hair conditioner to the wash as a way of increasing the oils of the wool which mimics the effects of lanolin. The old standard Hudson's Bay Wool Blankets are still in high demand among outdoors people of all types. Other brands such as Pendleton, Early's of Witney, and home spun blankets by local craftsmen all ranging in cost from $100-$400 or more dollars.
Military surplus blankets, which are very popular are much lower in cost, ranging from $20 to $50 and for good reason, they have less wool content ranging from 50% to 90% which directly effects it's ability to retain it's warmth when wet. Surplus blankets also come in what is roughly a twin size, therefore you would need at least two to have a fair shot and being set for all season use. In eighteenth century America and beforehand, looms were expensive and typically small with villages often sharing a single loom that was only about fifteen inches wide. To make blankets, panels would be made at the desired length then sewn with seems to create width. In like manner, there's a simple machine called a Sweater Maker that can be purchased at most local craft stores which allows you to knit panels. With the purchase of an extension kit, you can create wool panels by knitting the material together through this machine then sewing the panels together to create width. Because the material is knitted, you can expect a 33% decrease in size once fulled to make a blanket. To full or tighten the weave into a blanket fashion, soak and agitate the blanket in hot water then remove it once the desired fullness is achieved. Yep, it really is that easy! In a full days work, you can create a Queen size blanket and have it drying before bedtime. On average a near queen size blanket will take about 6.5 pounds of wool to create and be roughly 132” x 132” (11'x11') before fulling to create an 88”x 88” (7'x7') finished blanket. Just remember to wring out the wool (use the spin cycle on washing machine) and lay it out flat to dry.
You can also find good deals on top quality blankets on your local Craigslist ads, eBay and Goodwill online from time to time. I picked up my 6pt Hudson's Bay blanket for only $50! Whatever your wool decision, choose wisely and invest in quality that will last for many years to come.
“Well done for wildness! Wild wool is finer than tame!” - JOHN MUIR, Steep Trails, 1918
Sleeping with a Wool Blanket
The key to staying warm with a wool blanket is in understanding how to wrap up in it. By using it the way shown here, you will have multiple layers of wool covering your body in a mummy style wrap. This will enable you to not only keep your feet covered, but be as warm as possible. If you're a restless sleeper, use two blankets in this fashion for extra space to flip and flop throughout the night.
Photo 1: By lying diagonally on the blanket you can flip the bottom over the top of your feet.
Photo 2: Wrap one corner over top your legs and pin under your rump.
Photo 3: Take the second corner and wrap it completely over your body and secure it under the opposite side of body.
Photo4: Then pull the top corner up over your shoulders, and you'll still have enough room to cover your head.
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