Bare-bones Camping?

J

JNieporte

Joined
Nov 1, 2004
Messages
3,352
Just wondering how many people here have ever gone bare-bones camping. Maybe you use a different name, but here's how we've done it....

When you get a phone call from whoever you're camping with, you can only bring with you what you have on your person at the time. No going to the room for a gun or knife, no getting the cell phone off the charger. No bringing the backpack that you have in the trunk of your car. Just whatever you have on your person. This could be overnight, or it could be a four-day deal. But you can only bring whatever is on you at the time of the phone call. Of course, you can say no to the camping.

This is to replicate a real situation where you don't have time to scurry around the house grabbing things. I've done it a few times, and it gives a new meaning to the term "always be prepared".
I was curious as to whether anyone else has done anything like this.
 
I've never done it, but it sounds like fun. I would definitely be in a temperate climate if I ever did it though. No way I would be stuck up in North Canada with the few things I always have on me. I'm sure I could survive, but I sure would prefer to be comfortable. I could handle the woods of GA pretty well, I think.

Another thing I've heard on these forums is the 10 minus 2 trip where you take 10 items and the other guy chooses two of them that you can't take. That would be an interesting exercise in preparation and redundancy.
 
I have to say I've never done that.... Interesting... I've done minimal camping (everything in a butt pack) I usually keep everything ready to rock so if I decide on an impromptu adventure I'm ready to go... but....never anything as extreme as that, when I'm bummng arouns the house I'm usually in jeans and a t shirt,,, so I'd probably freez my but off if I couldnt grab a coat....
 
I'd say. "Hey, I can't talk right now... can you call me back in ten minutes?"

I'm usually wearing cargo shorts, a t-shirt, and bare feet if I'm at home. I do keep my Endura clipped on most of the time. I think in ten minutes I could dress for success. Mac
 
i've done 'light' camping but nothing like this. actually thought of it recently after an article in 'wilderness ways' magazine.
 
"funny you should call now, i was just trying on all my gear in the apartment" never done it with only what was on my person, but definately minimal gear.
 
heheh-- I'll pass! I like my nice cozy mummy bag, sleeping pad and the rest. There's a difference between camping and suffering, which I learned sometime around my first Boy Sprout hike. There's nothing noble about getting cold, wet, blistered and eating bad food! I'm all for a light load, a nice walk and a warm *dry* bed :)
 
if it were in the middle of summer, and i were bumming around in the backyard, i would say yeah lets go. otherwise, i would ask them to call back in a minute.

on me at all times i have my knife and some basic EDC gear. if i were bumming around in the backyard i would have my small hatchet on my belt. in the summer in my area i would be fine to crash out under the stars. i would get a little hungry, but i could stand to lose a pound or two.
 
I wouldn't call that bare-bones camping, I'd call it an intentional survival exercise. The idea of making do with only what's already on you is worthwhile, but it makes more sense to me to go maybe "minimal camping" with the addition of a few things you can add to your belt and maybe fit into a small sack or possibles bag like the old timers used. Notice the gear carried by the lead characters in the movie Last of the Mohicans if you want an example of this idea. Great movie! :thumbup:
 
We could all get together for a bare bones campout and see who can bring the least.:D. My two sons and I have been going to do that for several years. Seems like there is never time although I know that the only way to do those things is just to take the time and get with it.
 
udtjim said:
We could all get together for a bare bones campout and see who can bring the least.:D. My two sons and I have been going to do that for several years. Seems like there is never time although I know that the only way to do those things is just to take the time and get with it.
Click to expand...

Uh... Ya think? :D My strange old friend, Cole, would either show up buck naked or wearing his loin cloth and a knife.
 
I believe that I would be alright unless the call happened after I went to sleep, mainly because I carry on me from the moment I wake up till I go to bed my SOG Powerlock (multi tool), my benchmade rukus or sog vulcan (knife), a magnesium fire starter, and my lumi-nox watch. I still belive that the smartest and safest thing to do would be to at least pack light and have a cup or canteen for water purification purposes, what good is the fire if you can't put the water in something to boil?
 
I think Ive done it ... a fair number of times . Does being a homeless bum / drifter for a few years count ?
OK , it wasnt scooting off for fun , it was daily life for a while ...
But it is definitely educational what can be done without and what luxuries can be improvised
 
Myal said:
I think Ive done it ... a fair number of times . Does being a homeless bum / drifter for a few years count ?
OK , it wasnt scooting off for fun , it was daily life for a while ...
But it is definitely educational what can be done without and what luxuries can be improvised
Click to expand...

Homeless bum/drifter? Don't ya mean *free man*? :D Been there done that for a couple years myself. It aint easy, but I think that it's the most freedom a man can have.

However, while living the life of a responsible person (if that's possible), I used to do a lot of survival camping. Not as you describe it, because I always had a weapon, knife and other bits of gear for shelter, water carry, etc., but usually minimalist. Didn't always eat, but always had a great time.
 
The 'call-and-go' is an interesting concept. However, I am usually pretty close to a kit of small pack with some gear in it, and to not grab it would go against everything I've prepared for. Sitting in my office right now is a pack with a knife, first aid kit, a poncho, AMK PSK, and a few large garbage bags sitting between me and the door.

While surviving a night with only what you have on your person is great to practice, if I had to do it, I'd first insure my own personal safety, and then try to procure whatever I could to make my existence easier. fancy grill covers can make a nice cosy shelter.
 
In the course I teach. I get the students to bring "the minimal gear they think they will need". This usually includeds tarps, tents, sleeping bags etc....

When we get to the course site I ask them to dig out what they would carry for a 2 mile walk with their dogs.

They then are tasked to use only those items for the length of the course a night or 2.

Their packs are near me but not them and they arent touched unless they have to for emergency.

Its a shocking realization being out with nothing but your brain.

Skam
 
I grew up in WV and "survival" wasn't really a concept. We just called it playing in the woods and camping. We carried hatchets and pocketknives. Heck, we even carried pocketknives to school. My closest friend was 1/4 cherokee and we constantly "played Indian". We made bows, shelters, pots, arrowheads, stalking, and got good at building small fires. He was the best hunter I ever saw. ALWAYS brought home game. ALWAYS. And he never wore anything except his blue jeans and normal shirts and jackets. His only hunting implement was a 16 g single shot.

"Surviving" was not really what we thought of it. We didn't consider it minimalism because we rarely had more than a tarp, some twine, our hatchets, a knife, a canteen, a lighter and maybe a blanket.

We did have fun with learning winter camping. Any time we were out for school due to a blizzard, we'd go camping behind another friends house. There was never enough snow to make a true snow shelter, but we'd stack up the debris, maybe use a poncho or tarp, and sleep in a blanket and maybe another poncho. A small candle heated the thing well enough while we were awake.

I know some folks thought we were "disadvantaged". :) I wouldn't trade those memories for the world.
 
nemoaz said:
We did have fun with learning winter camping. Any time we were out for school due to a blizzard, we'd go camping behind another friends house. There was never enough snow to make a true snow shelter, but we'd stack up the debris, maybe use a poncho or tarp, and sleep in a blanket and maybe another poncho. A small candle heated the thing well enough while we were awake.

I know some folks thought we were "disadvantaged". :) I wouldn't trade those memories for the world.
Click to expand...

Similar history. Wontuldn't change it for the world. The thought of parents letting 8-10 year olds out in the bush for the weekend alone today is nuts.

Skam
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top