Going backwards?

[Joezilla]

With the multitudes of information you have gained, whether on the forums or through books, magazines, and whatever other medium you chose, have you gone backwards? I’m sure like everyone else, I wanted to buy the coolest stoves back in the day, but have completely hopped from canister stove, to the pepsi can stove, to “whats a stove?” And I’ll still hop and skip over the newest tent design, even though I’ve gone from nylon, to canvas, to even 4 mil drop cloth if I’ll use a tent. Cookware? GSI mug cup or coffee can (though I love my expensive dutch oven, see disclaimer). Sure I’ll still use my custom knife, but I could get by with a Mora, hell even a good kitchen knife.

But with all you have learned, do you find yourself understanding that you could go backwards in your gear use? Not “minimal” but improvised or very basic. If so, what was your favorite aspect. Do you love the cofee can, or the drop cloth, or something else? Tell us about it.




Disclaimer:
Get over the fact that you still buy nice things. You are a knife-holic, probably a gear-aholic. This is a knife forum and that is what we do and talk about. I’ll be the first to say that I’ll tote using a Mora or a Condor bushcraft basic 4 inch, but not bat an eye at a $200 knife. There is no problem with buying nice stuff, and even the most frugal of us can understand it. We understand you and except that, that is one of the reasons your are here. If you don't, thats ok too. No reason to brag about it. On with the discussion! -rant over.

 

[Pritch]

Joe,

You haven't gone off your meds again, have you?



-- FLIX

 

[Joezilla]

 

[Joben]

I bought some crappy knives.
Then I bought some good knives, a RAT and Becker: "Oh this is what good knives are like, they cost money." I said to myself.
I bought a Mora: "omg, this is good and it's 1/6th the price of my Izula?!?"
-----------

I never went deep into lighter mania, but i have several.
A Zippo, a butane Ronson, a WWII brass Trench Lighter, an IMCO.

But what do I EDC now-a-days? A Bic Mini.
Why? Because it's light, small and reliable.

Also I got a little sick of evaporating fluid, and the rate at which jet flame butane lighters run through fuel.

 

[kgd]

Nice disclaimer. I have a $500 tent, designed for hard mountaineering. I find myself attracted to a military poncho shelter.

I have a great MSR filter system and more often than not just stick with chlorine dioxide tablets.

A have a lot of great knives, but most times I just bring 3 great knives

 

[Joezilla]

I just bring 3 great knives

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

 

[PayetteRucker]

I have never purchased a stove. Even in the high arid climate of the foothills I can find burnable material to last me the night. I think I have a comfortable balance between necessary camping equipment and roughing it. I don't bother with sleeping pads but bring a bag and a tent or a bag and a hammock. I don't bring stoves or purchased tinder. I bring enough cutlery to survive on if shit rolls downhill, and to make a shelter or gather firewood. I bring matches and a lighter in case I get seriously cold or injured, otherwise I strike my own fires. I go backpacking to get away from the cushiness of society, why take it with me? What is different about cooking on a bunsen stove and cooking on a rangetop? not a whole lot. I like nice tools, I'm not a Busse bitch by any means but my RC5 and my Koyote Leuku are real, quality tools. I have my fiskars saw, ontario machete and HB Forge throwing hawk. I'd rather bring the tools necessary to make what I need than bring what I need and leave the tools at home. I have the 4 season 2 person north face tent that fits in a compression sack, but I sure as hell didn't pay retail for it, I bought it 2 years new old stock for 99 dollars instead of 400. I have 5 400 dollar packs but instead choose to carry the 75 dollar Mountainsmith Maverick. I have my balance of necessary equipment and primitive work for the type of terrain and environment I have here in Idaho, and I don't think I'll be changing that much.

 

[milani74]

I find myself looking at new water proof goretex and other "new" material clothes. I once bought a $150 jacket on sale and thought that I got a great deal. Then I picked up a mil poncho and it did the same thing, only it covered more area and can be used in some many other applications.

 

[dawsonbob]

Hi, My name's Bob, and I'm a knifeaholic.

Okay, I'm not a great knifeaholic, not like some of you, but I do like the few that I have. I'm the same way about gear. I have a cheap tent that I got on sale for $39. Sometimes I use it, sometimes I don't bother and use a tarp. Coffee cans and old cheap frying pans for boiling and cooking are just about all I've ever used. I actually do own a Coleman stove that my ex GF made me buy, but I can't remember the last time I used it. I mostly use a grill (cut down to size) salvaged from the back of a shopping cart. Works fine over a wood fire.

Funny, but when I used to go out with my dad when I was a kid, we slept under a tarp. I always envied the neat tents and super gear that other people had; my dad (a career Marine) scoffed at them. Later, when I was serving in the Corps, I got to the place where anything more than a poncho was a luxury. Now, when I see some of the fancy stuff that others bring, I just shake my head. I think I've become my dad, or at least I understand him now.

I'm not knocking all the fancy gear some other people bring with them. I've never seen the reason for it for myself, and I couldn't afford it even if I did. It's pretty much a knife, a folding saw, and some coffee cans for me. The funny thing is, I like really neat stuff; I just don't want to carry it.

 

[tholiver]

Well i've vacillated between Big knife vs Axe/hatchet for years.
And lately this summer for the first time i used a Fiskars saw and Tramontina Machete quite a bit, so thats yet another way of doing things, lol!
Did the same thing with guns, went from a fascination with high tech tactical kinda stuff to more traditional types with wood stocks and nice grain.
Whenever i find myself begin to discount something i usually take a step back and say-
"wait a minute why don't i like this? Is it because of utility or merely a prejudice based on aesthetics and/or preconceived notions? I better try it out first before i judge it".
Of course that kind of thinking usually leads to more toys!

 

[hdglock]

Well since I am just getting back into camping and hiking I really don't have a lot of gear. I have a used large military Alice pack for camping ($30) a new German Mountain ranger pack for hiking ($15) and a bunch of odds and ends that I already had to help fill in some needs. I am still buying stuff but I am not trying to get the ultra cool gear just something that is dependable. I think the most expensive piece of gear I own is my water purifier ($150) which is supposed to last 1 million gallons which fits in with my criteria well.

Its all about having fun anyways, so whether it costs alot or very little or is simple or fancy doesn't seem to matter. Sometimes you can do more with less

 

[Joben]

Camping never appealed to me until I started reading about the 'primitive' and 'survival' type stuff.

I saw the campers and trailer parks and tents and sleeping bags and lanterns and grills and propane stoves and portable showers and air mattresses, and electric pumps to fill the air mattresses and, honest to God, even folding toast racks and thought:

"Wow what a huge amount of bother to be slightly less comfortable than I am right now. I could have the same experience if I turned off the AC and took the screen out of my bedroom window to let the skeeters in."

The whole thing seemed like some sort of large scale ironic prank played on society.

When I realized you didn't NEED all that crap, and could actually just get out and experience the outdoors and live differently for a while it was a major epiphany.

 

[T. Erdelyi]

In most suburban/rural areas if your well skilled in Bushcraft and have a good knife the woods will supply the rest.

I can remember as a kid playin' in the woods, we found everything we needed in the weeds to build forts we made a woodland forge outta junk we found scattered through out the clay pits and rail road tracks.

I remember we drilled a 1" hole through the middle of a 2' thick tree with nothing more than a hot barrel fire and a 1" pipe, (I have no idea why we just did, we were stupid kids).

My point bein' we'd spend the weekend in the Jersey Pine Barrens with nothin' more than a knife, and a few other needed items, (a compass, a couple of blankets and a few garbage bags, the weeds provided the rest.

 

[Shotgun]

I'm not going backwards but I prepare to be backwards. That only kind of makes sense and I'm the one that said it.

 

[hiwa]

With the multitudes of information you have gained, whether on the forums or through books, magazines, and whatever other medium you chose, have you gone backwards? I’m sure like everyone else, I wanted to buy the coolest stoves back in the day, but have completely hopped from canister stove, to the pepsi can stove, to “whats a stove?” And I’ll still hop and skip over the newest tent design, even though I’ve gone from nylon, to canvas, to even 4 mil drop cloth if I’ll use a tent. Cookware? GSI mug cup or coffee can (though I love my expensive dutch oven, see disclaimer). Sure I’ll still use my custom knife, but I could get by with a Mora, hell even a good kitchen knife.

But with all you have learned, do you find yourself understanding that you could go backwards in your gear use? Not “minimal” but improvised or very basic. If so, what was your favorite aspect. Do you love the cofee can, or the drop cloth, or something else? Tell us about it.




Disclaimer:
Get over the fact that you still buy nice things. You are a knife-holic, probably a gear-aholic. This is a knife forum and that is what we do and talk about. I’ll be the first to say that I’ll tote using a Mora or a Condor bushcraft basic 4 inch, but not bat an eye at a $200 knife. There is no problem with buying nice stuff, and even the most frugal of us can understand it. We understand you and except that, that is one of the reasons your are here. If you don't, thats ok too. No reason to brag about it. On with the discussion! -rant over.

Joezilla, this is the best thread idea I've read since I joined ! Now I don't have anywere near as many cool knives ,customs, maxped packs, etc , like some of you lucky fellas, but my collection of gear is nothing to sneeze at.

I have actually made trips to the woods without my better blade(s), and used a Mora or beat-up old Boning knife , or whatever. I leave my $350 sleeping bag home a lot , and take my bedroll with wool blankets and a cotton sheet.
I bring candles sometimes , instead of packing a lantern . I take my beat-up old Carrhart jacket ,instead of my $400 Crap-tex parka , and wear my old wool sweater instead of some hyper-wicking,space-age , glow -in-the-dark wafer-thin top layer. Wool socks always come with .

Mr.Billy-can suits me just fine. No freeze-dried schmeel for me. Just wrap some salami and cheese in waxed paper , my G.I. canteen/mug , couple of tea-bags , little bottles of sugar and salt , couple cans of sardines for back-up , one spork, and I'm good to go.

If I bring only ONE gun , it's my old Remington single-shot .22 bolt-action. It's amazing how much fun shooting a box of 50's is , when you don't go through it in one minute ! If I ramp-up the knife carry a notch , I might ( and usually do ) substitute my Mora 510 with my modded Ontario pilot survival knife . ( Flat-top,no saw teeth, top guard ground off ) And this, being Boreal forest zone , an axe , or at least a hatchet, is always coming along for the trip.

My small 2 man tent provides good shelter , weighs a couple pounds more , but so-what , keeps me dry and allows a good nights rest and freedom from insects.

The above gear selection is greatly increased when my 7 yr.old and his Mother are coming along , but when I am by myself , or with people other than my family , my gear choice goes old-school , and I am more than comfortable , if not more so and with less hassle , than bringing the whole enchilada. :thumbup:

 

[Wandering_About]

I'm not going backwards but I prepare to be backwards. That only kind of makes sense and I'm the one that said it.

I know what you mean. I like camping in my nice Marmot tent, with a good warm North Face sleeping bag. I also like having my custom Breeden knives or a RAT Cutlery blade along as they cut better and I trust them more than any of the cheapo knives or folders in my arsenal. My nice MSR cookstove works very well for a lot of what I do, especially backpacking above treeline or in parts of Nebraska where firewood isn't necessarily abundant.

That being said, since reading this forum, I have began practicing skills that make me much, much more confident and comfortable in the backcountry in case one of those pieces of very convenient gear fails. And who doesn't have fun making traps and fires? And there are tons of other skills I haven't applied myself to that are very neat, and could be very useful as well.

This forum and research inspired by it has also made me much more prudent in choosing what "fancy" gear I do carry, and what clothes I wear while hiking. These have all served to make being outdoors much more enjoyable for me, and I hope I can pass on some of this knowledge to others and help them enjoy the wilderness as well.

 

[Bushman5]

to answer your question Joezilla,

yes!

 

[never too sharp]

I’m sure like everyone else, I wanted to buy the coolest stoves back in the day, but have completely hopped from canister stove, to the pepsi can stove, to “whats a stove?”

I've decided I don't want that Trangia. Or the Coleman. I'de rather not pack anything(fuel) that's already out there. I like building a fire way too much. I recently picked up Wildwood Wisdom, by Ellsworth Jaeger. It was published in '66 and is full of ideas for maximising your outdoor experience using what is available in the woods. Even then, the author warned of getting caught up in all the gadgetry. Imagine Mr. Jaeger's displeasure if he were to walk into Gander Mountain today!

It's just this kind of reasoning that set me on the primitive archery path. Although I cheated and bought arrows, the satisfaction of shooting a bow I made supercedes the thrill of launching a carbon arrow at 340 fps. Soon, hopefully, I will make my own arrows from shafting I collected, fletched with feathers from a bird I took.

 

[Ramm9]

But with all you have learned, do you find yourself understanding that you could go backwards in your gear use?

Yep, for me it was getting older and backpacking in the mountains. Cutting pack weight and not having the energy after a day of hiking sure changed things as did the surroundings. When your camping in a huge tinder box open fires tend to give way to the alcohol stove. But... before we break our arms patting ourselves on the back for "really roughing it" don't forget "camping" is all inclusive so sometimes there is a time and place for some of the comforts.

Camping never appealed to me until I started reading about the 'primitive' and 'survival' type stuff.

I saw the campers and trailer parks and tents and sleeping bags and lanterns and grills and propane stoves and portable showers and air mattresses, and electric pumps to fill the air mattresses and, honest to God, even folding toast racks and thought:

"Wow what a huge amount of bother to be slightly less comfortable than I am right now. I could have the same experience if I turned off the AC and took the screen out of my bedroom window to let the skeeters in."

The whole thing seemed like some sort of large scale ironic prank played on society.

When I realized you didn't NEED all that crap, and could actually just get out and experience the outdoors and live differently for a while it was a major epiphany.

Joben, I know what you are saying but giving it broader thought I hate to see anyone turning down their nose at what you describe above.

Your epiphany was really that there was a different way to go about "camping" than what you knew. The folks you are describing should still be applauded for getting into the out of doors. Some of that stuff is great for a canoe fishing base camp or for a family having an affordable vacation together.

 

[cssims]

I know what you mean Joe as I know what you've gone too. (BTW nice setup you had at PWYP. I assume you'll be bringing the same stuff or similar to the Falling Leaves Rendezvous.)

Since I've gotten deeper into various reading material, I can see how having less is more is a good thing. Perhaps good for the soul and some romantic inclination to way of life the Cowboys of the old west lived and for the way Nessmuk lived.

While I am still not practiced at many of the primitive skills, the main reason I'm going to Falling Leaves is to put it into practice, because I don't have the time otherwise. Heck I'm having to take vacation time to do it.

While I do like my comfort I would like to start going more minimal to a point. I want to try tarp camping, which is why I just bought the Campmor Versatile Tarp. I have items I've bought to use while camping, but never do. (Sleeping bag that I don't use cause I feel too confined in.) I've been using fleece blankets which are just enough, but I'm still on a sleeping pad and in a tent. Still searching for wool blanket to try. As for knives, I honestly don't understand spending $$$'s on expensive knives when sub $100 gets you some great ones. Mora's are nice, but I've found that abusing them is not the way to go. Therefore I'll stick with the Beckers for abuse and my Fallkniven F1 for everything else.

As someone else mentioned about all the comforts they see others using. I don't like staying in state parks here in Georgia, because it almost seems like all the camping sites are made so you almost have to visit your neighbor.(They are all too close together and some folks can be rowdy.) The only exception to this for me so far was when I went to the Okefenokee last year. There was hardly anyone there, which really helped the ambiance of the place. I would rather camp where the sites are few and far between.