- Joined
- Jun 29, 1999
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I came across an intriguing article in the Globe & Mail, a Toronto-based “newspaper” (using the term loosely, as it is mostly a left-wing rag), titled “The secret to well-being could be a walk in the woods.” Apparently, this practice has been around for some time; the author, one Gayle MacDonald, proclaims, “One such holistic discipline that is growing worldwide is called forest bathing or forest therapy, which has been informally practised by Indigenous peoples for millenniums for reasons of healing and spiritual connection. From Baja, Calif., to Nagano, Japan, people are signing up to become forest therapy guides and mentors.” No mention of soap or shampoo. Or bugs. You think twice before stripping down in bug country, which is most of Canada outside of Toronto city parks.
Who knew? I’ve been hiking, or forest bathing, ever since Scouts back in the Dark Ages before color TV and never realized I was engaging in a spiritual holistic discipline. Maybe there should have been a merit badge. I have yet to engage a consultant or mentor to steer me on the correct path to enlightenment, and I suppose now, seven decades along, it’s probably too late anyway. But it got me to thinking, what knives are most appropriate for forest bathing?
A few years ago when hiking the Chilkoot Trail, one fellow forest bather, in addition to his backpack was packing a very nice leuku on a belt sheath, which probably together weighed close to a couple of extra pounds. Which is a lot when you’re slogging up the Long Hill to the Scales at 3,000 feet elevation. Not to mention, you aren’t supposed to cut wood along the trail as it’s still regrowing after having been pretty well clear-cut by the pioneers. Judging by the broken shoes, various junk and tools abandoned along the way, a lot of the original Klondikers thought twice about carrying too much stuff. I digress, sorry.
So, something light and practical. I checked through my collection and came up with these choices to take along while on a forest bath:
Benchmade Puukko 200
D.H Russell Canadian Belt Knife
Marble’s Fieldcraft
Spyderco Mule
Dozier K2 General Purpose
Fallkniven A2 Wilderness Scout (I don’t have one and at $350 or more Canadian am unlikely to add one to my collection, but it sounds like it would fit.)
What would be your choice? (Soap and bug dope suggestions optional.)
Who knew? I’ve been hiking, or forest bathing, ever since Scouts back in the Dark Ages before color TV and never realized I was engaging in a spiritual holistic discipline. Maybe there should have been a merit badge. I have yet to engage a consultant or mentor to steer me on the correct path to enlightenment, and I suppose now, seven decades along, it’s probably too late anyway. But it got me to thinking, what knives are most appropriate for forest bathing?
A few years ago when hiking the Chilkoot Trail, one fellow forest bather, in addition to his backpack was packing a very nice leuku on a belt sheath, which probably together weighed close to a couple of extra pounds. Which is a lot when you’re slogging up the Long Hill to the Scales at 3,000 feet elevation. Not to mention, you aren’t supposed to cut wood along the trail as it’s still regrowing after having been pretty well clear-cut by the pioneers. Judging by the broken shoes, various junk and tools abandoned along the way, a lot of the original Klondikers thought twice about carrying too much stuff. I digress, sorry.
So, something light and practical. I checked through my collection and came up with these choices to take along while on a forest bath:
Benchmade Puukko 200
D.H Russell Canadian Belt Knife
Marble’s Fieldcraft
Spyderco Mule
Dozier K2 General Purpose
Fallkniven A2 Wilderness Scout (I don’t have one and at $350 or more Canadian am unlikely to add one to my collection, but it sounds like it would fit.)
What would be your choice? (Soap and bug dope suggestions optional.)
