Camping with city folk dillema.

While I don't think you're crazy, I've done this before, and never really need all those knives. The last few times I've gone camping, be it car camping or a more involved hike in, I've pared the gear down to a 4 or 5 inch fixed blade on the belt and a hachet or saw and its been plenty.
I've found the conspicuous carry of my cutting tools, on the outside of the pack , or on shoulder straps tends to elicit more of a negative response than having them, and only pulling them out of the pack when I use them
 
Spongebobby said:
They act like I'm batshit crazy because I have a hawk and a 6 inch bushblade strapped on the back of my pack and a small fixed blade for bushcraft on my left shoulder in addition to my pocket knife, which they claim is all you need. Sure a minimalist could do it, but I enjoy being prepared. Am I batshit crazy?
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It really depends on your camping style and where you are. I honestly spent years backpacking with nothing more than a mid-sized Swiss Army Knife along for cutting chores and I know experienced campers who carry even less. If you use a stove, a free-standing tent, and pre-packaged food you really don't need anymore for day-to-day camping activities.

Of course, if your trip goes bad, if you need to construct a shelter or build a fire or made some game traps, that little SAK isn't near enough. Likewise if you are trying to routinly camp "bushcraft style" the extra cutting tools can be invaluable.
 
I would like to ask a question: This people you speak about, are they part of your group, friends or something? If they are (which seems unlikely), then you should have told them about your idea of being prepared. If they are not, and you are solo camping, then why worry about what they think. If you are camping in a public camping place then maybe you need to be careful about how other persons see you. If you act responsibly, mind your own bussines, are polite, then others can think what they wish.
 
No problem - every time you go out with others that don't get it, you can educate and convert a couple of them to the way! After they see you doing a good job with your blades, they'll come around...
 
You not crazy. I tend to be quite prepared each time I'm out in the woods too.
When people ask about the equipment I carry on most day hikes even, I just tell them that if something goes wrong, you want me around.
I have good outdoor skills, a good 1st aid kit, and an UH-OH kit that will make a difference.

I also have been lost in the woods before and I didn't like it. That one experience was enouigh for me.
 
If you feel like you need a handful of pocketknives inorder to camp, then you do need them. I had at least 3 on the JMT, and I was only sorry I couldn't physically carry a 10lb sack of various knives to try out.

It's nobody's business but your own. Keep on keeping on :)
 
Spongebobby said:
They act like I'm batshit crazy because I have a hawk and a 6 inch bushblade strapped on the back of my pack and a small fixed blade for bushcraft on my left shoulder in addition to my pocket knife, which they claim is all you need. Sure a minimalist could do it, but I enjoy being prepared. Am I batshit crazy?
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I'm a city boy and I think you are crazy. A tomahawk is a weapon, not a wood chopping tool. Unless you are expecting zombies, you would be infinitely better served by a hatchet, which is weighted in a way to chop wood. And even better served by a folding saw.

And with either the hatchet or saw, the 6 inch blade becomes redundant.

In my opinion...but you know us cityfolk.
 
It depends, right? If you're "car camping" you certainly don't need all that cutlery but if you are staying out in the woods somewheres for more than a few days i'd say it's cool. My preferred setup is small axe, small-ish FB 4-6" range and SAK. I'm pretty set.
 
When camping near a body of fresh water, I prefer to strap on a beaver and pack it in. While I'm setting up camp, the beaver is free to roam the shoreline, cutting down smaller trees for me to use as firewood and shelter building material.
 
Thinking on this, in my experience, I've taken more heat from the old timers who are totally at home in the woods for my cutlery choices than I have from the city slicker types. It was mostly good natured ribbing and all, but my older relatives and such think its funny that I'd need anything more than my pocketknife and an axe
 
crom said:
It depends, right? If you're "car camping" you certainly don't need all that cutlery but if you are staying out in the woods somewheres for more than a few days i'd say it's cool. My preferred setup is small axe, small-ish FB 4-6" range and SAK. I'm pretty set.
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Interesting! It seems there are a growing number of "bashing the bejeebus outta stuff in the woods within fifty yards of a gassed-up car with trunk full of beer" campers out there.

Nothing wrong with that.

If that's the case...then I say go knife crazy! Bring everything!

But if it's the "moving around out in the woods" kinda camping...I'd lean lighter and more mobile. More like the 3 piece setup already referred to.
 
sven65 - lol... :)

I guess I'm batshit crazy too... My last trip to my "city friends" cottage involved bringing a rajah II, modded CS spike hawk, spyderco military & gayle bradley, schrade multi-tool & SAK, modded kabar bull dozier, and CS True Flight thrower just for fun... Overkill? sure, but I was there to enjoy the great outdoors and practice bushcraft skills. AS mentioned above, it does really depend on whether you're trying to do a minimalist, ultra-light trip or just going to a remote location with a full load of goodies and staying put...

A 'hawk works just fine for chopping wood, it's light, fast and with a long enough handle gives decent power for splitting (and, the spike is great for zombies... ;)

In the end, I'd rather have too many items with me and not need them than the other way around...
 
I am no expert in backpaking. But I always believed that you should be very selective in what you take with you - not to drag everything that you just think may come usefull, just limit yourself to what is absolutely necessary. Otherwise you will look like one of the city folk who does not have enogh experience to distinquish between must have and nice to have.
Going backpacking is really a nice opportunity to try on all your nice big toys. It would be a pity to miss it. But the choice of weapons will significantly depend on the type of activity. So you may be right, or your friend's apprisal may be correct - it is difficult to say. But in general, I would think that a hatchet (one per group would be OK), one fixed knifee and one folder/multitool should suffice in most situations.
 
Dorito Monk said:
Batshit Crazy? Certainly not. Carrying too much crap? Yes, definitely.

When you know what you're doing, you don't need to bring fifteen different sharp objects to get the job done.
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Yep a pocket knife and a hatchet. I think most people who bring a lot of blades do so cuz they're car camping or just really like carrying knives.
 
marcinek said:
Interesting! It seems there are a growing number of "bashing the bejeebus outta stuff in the woods within fifty yards of a gassed-up car with trunk full of beer" campers out there.

Nothing wrong with that.

If that's the case...then I say go knife crazy! Bring everything!

But if it's the "moving around out in the woods" kinda camping...I'd lean lighter and more mobile. More like the 3 piece setup already referred to.
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This does seem to be the case. I have been backpacking for the better part of a decade and never needed more than a 3-4" fixed blade and a multi-tool. Less weight and more knowledge comes through experience. An actual SHTF situation is not one that happens when you are prepared it is when you least expect it.
 
I should clarify that when I am car camping all I need is the axe, small FB & SAK combo.
 
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