I’ve been doing more thinking and planning than writing lately – I hope the fruits of this will appear here soon! In the meantime here’s something to ponder:
Since the earliest days of my involvement in bushcraft I’ve been interested in how bushcraft and primitive skills can help me reduce the amount and weight of stuff I carry. This is the guiding principle that launched a thousand cliches – “knowledge weighs nothing”, “the more you know the less you carry” etc etc. Look on any bushcraft website (now even this one) and you’ll see such wisdom.
This is often forgotten in the excitement of getting out and trying out all that shiny stuff. You’ll see many a sweating bushcrafter carrying a huge rucsack full of goodies that realistically they’re not going to use. I suppose all this stuff does ensure a certain level of comfort which is a good thing.
At the other end of the scale is the almost compulsively weight obsessed lightweight hiker. Relying very heavily on synthetic materials and accepting that comfort is a trade-off and probably not as important as weight is all part of the game.
Somewhere in the middle is a sweet spot. By carefully deciding what you actually need to take, using a hybrid selection of kit (sometimes the lightest, sometimes the most ‘natural’) and having the skills to improvise using natural materials along the trail you can have the very best of both worlds.
Photo by Pixelnino
Amen! I think the ‘bushcrafter’ and ‘ultralighter’ have much to learn from each other and that can only benefit both of them.
While I guess I classify myself as an ultralight backpacker there are several items I carry that are more ‘bushcraft’. My Bushbuddy Ultra wood stove weighs a lot more than my 6g ‘supercat’ alcohol stove but the benefit is I never have to worry about carrying fuel, which actually saves me weight on longer trips. This has required me to learn new techniques in finding and using suitable fuel sources, especially in wet environments. A spin-off of switching to the wood stove was the need to switch from a tiny 22g mini ‘swiss army’ knife to a heavier but much more usable bushcraft knife that allows me to batten wood. Lastly, I now use a traditional kuksa as my cup instead of a separate titanium mug or even just my cooking pot on trips when I’m counting every ounce. The kuksa has a weight penalty but that’s ok because it’s far safer to drink out of, it is constructed from sustainable material and above all it’s just a damn sight more pleasurable and enjoyable to use!
Quote: “When packing for the trail there must be a compromise between two principles; minimum weight and maximum self-reliance.”
Keith Burgess. Outdoor writer, 1992.
It was true 300 years ago, and it is still true today.
That sentence about sums it up Le Loup!
You’re dead right Joe, the bushcrafter and ultralighter do indeed have much to learn from each other. I’m finding this subject very interesting lately. I love the way a wide range of outdoors folk are adopting things like woodburning trail stoves. Fab.
BTW Get that spoon finished! Spoons are a great project, easy enough to make and once you can make one you’ll never be without a spoon again!
I’m definitely always looking for that sweet spot myself.
You might be interested in this site about the history of backpacking gear:
http://www.oregonphotos.com/Backpacking-Revolution1.html
“I believe that many of the classic companies and their products represent a Better Way than the curses of modern consumerism that are presently ravaging our environment, and peoples worldwide, whether they be rich or poor. The best of the classic companies built products that were meant to last a lifetime, and often did. They used no overseas “off-shoring” that hurt their country’s manufacturing base. They treated their employees like family in the truest sense of the word. They treated their customers personally and with great friendship and respect. The modern emphasis on Planned Obsolescence and Perceived Obsolescence* were unknown to them. Their adherence to keeping up with ever-changing “fashion” trends was minimal.”
Hey thanks for the link. I’ll take a read later.