I use the USMC style fighting hole where you literally dig a pit and then put some branches, a camo tarp and some leaves over it. The roof should be high enough over ground level that you can point a gun out of it and see a target. I usually put that right where deer often travel. It's a bit muddy, it's ugly, it's not the most comfortable, but damn does it reel in the meat! Not having a tent is far lighter and compact. My shelter-making supplies are just a trench tool with paracord wrapped handle (for making a full-sized shovel), a hatchet with paracord wrapped handle and some mylar blankets (which weigh next to nothing and are handy in poor weather). P.S. I found a 3lb. version of your 10lb. backpack at a Salvation Army giveaway. I think it's REI brand. Probably not cheap, but I love it. I can shove 80lbs. of crap in there and it feels like 50. It's got a thin aluminum frame that is surprisingly sturdy.
If you're going to go glamping, just use dry ice, works best and lighter and cheaper in long run. Add some water to a tiny chunk of dry ice and beer and within minutes, you have frosty cold beer. Also, flash freeze your forest critters for extended stay trips. I've learned over the years, lighter is always better. Especially approaching my forties and I haven't been nice to my body over the years ✔🤣!
Thankyou for being a "dad guy" as my grandsons term you.... I'm grandma with custody since they were infants and they are now 11 and 9...i want them to have wilderness and survival experiences even if I'm a lousy candidate to teach it... i've encouraged scavenging and playing in dirt fishing and all because they are boys... I'm alone in my raising them so it's to men like yourself whom I turn to in order to share the man sides of life with them....i put them in boy scouts but it's expensive now and raising them on 236 dollars a month I want them to know how to have experiences free or very frugally... so you are a true Godsend... you just don't know how much your appreciated.... enjoy a safe and happy 4th of July with your family and thank you again!
You're doing right Beth. Boys need to understand that their nature is okay and not bad. Sounds like they will be just fine! Keep showing them the direction and let them explore what their instincts tell them and you'll have great boys to shove off into the world.
First time i went camping we just got new family tents and then used pillows/blankets from our beds and pots/knifes from the kitchen and bought food to put in a giant cooler filled with ice...good times lots of fun
That bit where you talked about how to get stuff done, one foot in front of the other really got me choked up. Those were my fathers last words to me before he died about a month ago. He was a wildlife biologist and we spent a lot of time in the woods together, it was his passion as it is mine. Here I am on Fathers Day and watching this and I feel like he's speaking to me again. Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart and I hope you had an amazing Fathers Day!
Great video! I also enjoy hearing about your professional/collaborative relationship with Joe,. Its good to hear that while there's still healthy competition between content creators there can also be a level of respect and partnership.
I will never go down the dark path. I see us competing against gaming channels to be honest. Do kids need to see outdoors stuff or some stupid gamer playing whatever the heck they do now? Inspiring kids to get out there is more important than trying to jack another outdoors guy.
Love the way you put this video together. Not just a survival with the stuff, but the talk about how you used it and progressed to better things so you could spend time challenging yourself on other tasks. Even as a veteran camper this video was great to watch.
Your editing and dialogue has gotten 100% better over the past couple months. Every video is more entertaining than the last. Keep up the great work, brother!
Thanks Matthew. I like that I'm learning and developing as a person. It wasn't long ago that people said I would never get on ALONE because I was boring as sh*t!
As a kid to my early teens my family and I would go camping once a year. Now you inspired me to go out and continue with my children to camp and enjoy nature to the fullest. Thank you.
Couldn’t agree more that you have to get out and camp to learn to camp. I always carry too many items & too much weight but I shed an ounce or two every trip out...I’m a slow learner 😉 Thanks brother!
I'm from Texas I bought the 20 dollar ozark trail walmart tent around 2 months ago. It has been fine and its easy to set up. I am also not scared to break it either I would just get another one. I would recommend it just to start off camping.
I'm going to pin this to show people that you can easily cut the bill $80 to get started...and yeah, just throw it out as soon as you have some issues with it. $20 is literally nothing these days. I think they sell those at Walmart too.
Yes Walmart has a lot of ozark products , these big box stores lack diversity , like sears has a lot of craftman stuff and Home Depot has a lot of black and decker stuff , in USA
partypenguin i’m from Maine and use the same tent. My wife is from NY and I am slowly getting her into camping. I am 54 and grew up camping. So yes I do bring some of the “ girly things” all is fun and have a great time.
Camping in Texas is pretty much off limits between May and October... Too damn hot, _bleh_ (At least if you have low blood pressure like me, and get overheated super fast and can get woozy/faint as a result)
I'll have stories with my wife and I this year. This is very helpful!!! I went camping with my dad a lot, but I wasn't sure how to introduce my wife to camping. She loves the idea of it, but has never had the opportunity.
Took my girlfriend camping for her first time last month. 90 dollar 6 person dome tent, cheap air mattress, 2 Coleman sleeping bags, 2 cheap camp chairs and a cheap tarp for under the tent. We had a great time. Channels like yours are inspiration for me to get outdoors more often, thank you.
Your videos are informative, creative, and consumer friendly which I absolutely love. Me and my girlfriend wanted to go camping, but I didn't know of any affordable camping equipment until this video. Thank you so much for the content, and I hope you continue making more of these types of videos in the future. :)
Chris I'm disabled and I enjoy the videos. They inspire me to do more outdoorsy things. I've got some summer plans lined up for me and my son this summer catch n cook lol thanks man for the inspiration.
One who has never known failure has never learned to adapt and overcome difficulty. If you can't screw something up then find a way to either fix it or do it better next time, then what are you doing? I hate screwing up, but I love to look back on my screwups and think "Yeah, I can do that right now. I overcame that."
I like your philosophy. Just get whatever gets you going, then decide what works for you as you go. Car camping is a great way to get started, and you can test things out that way.
@Bill Randall i bought a used hay tarp for ten bucks. Big enough to cut a hammock out of and still have a huge tarp to sleep under. My cousin paid 670 for an ultralight tent and four hundred for a cot. He said I was nuts.
recently i went out to the middle of nowhere in alaska this summer and i spent a good 2 hours piling rocks and large branches to make a chair with a backrest, and man ive never sit more comfortably in my life, there is something about the effort put in that makes the result that much better
Fantastic video with a great message. It's not a sprint it's a marathon. Can't believe how much I've learned over the last 10 years really. Went from not being able to start a fire (grew up in a big town, fire bad lol) to comfortable making fire anywhere. A few failed attempts in the beginning on 'god mode' then realising that you can bring gear with you and then learn from practice. Just one of the many examples. Nothing wrong with cheap gear as long as it functions and doesn't put you in real danger. You live and learn and my set up has evolved and grown up with me as I've gone. Got to say one piece of gear that has stayed constant is an opinel knife, just as good now as ever, its me that has changed and how I use it. Thanks again for another great video.
I bought a tent when I was about 8 or 9 years old. Some little escape tent, not a kids tent. Said it was a 2 man tent. Still have it, still works. Got me through a lot of years.
Do you know ! you always make me smile with the way you do things. thanks for the great content and reminded me of how we all used to doing things back in the day ....
just because something is cheap doesn't mean it crap. you can get a 3f ul gear lanshan 2 person for under $100 from aliepress and its a amazing tent unreal value.
Recently I've started going fishing in the woods behind my house and really doing anything outdoors. Whenever I reel in a fish and clean it and cook it myself it gives me a since of pride I've never felt before. I love testing myself and trying new things outdoors, watching your videos has really encouraged me to go outside and try new things.
I like hammocks with masquito zip up and a tarp on top. I just set up real low so i can take advantage of fire. P.s. get a folding stool like in ice fishing weighs 1 pound.
Just got into camping. Learning a lot from you. I show my son the things Iv learned from u. Keep making videos so we can continue to teach our children. Ur a great inspiration. Thank u.
Oh no you didn't! Just kidding, I am a "thrifty" fella. I improvise and adapt as much as I can. I don't carry much either, light load is a little more work when you reach your destination, but *THAT* is why I do it.
dude what you said at the end is spot on! when dad left i got into bushcrafting and the challenge is so so much fun. ive since built a bushcraft "fort" on the property and i love to go out there with just a knife and stay 2 or 3 days living on the land. thank you so much for these videos
You speak the truth which is why I love this mans videos as none of us can ever know when we may find ourselves homeless and struggling to survive where the beardsman is teaching us how to perhaps beat the odds.
ufological Is it true about the mass tent cities in the US, British media doesnt cover it, google filters my searches and YT algorithyms censor the good content. Any news I can share would be helpful?
I will soon be 67 and my wife will be 64. We still tent camp (in campgrounds) but have never done the wilderness thing. This year we were not able to camp at all due to medical reasons (open heart surgery for me - followed by a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer for the Mrs.) We have been sort of bummed about not being able to go, but I really enjoyed this video. Keep up the good work young man - even us older campers can always learn a thing or three. Great video!!!
Yeah I know. But I did show which items to skip. I never started with a full kit, in fact, I used whatever I could find around the house. Tent was a Christmas gift as was sleeping bag. Gotta ask for these before hand though.
“What is his guy doing? First he starts off backpacking, than catch n cook, than primitive hunting techniques etc..” That’s what I call a catalog of good content my man. Keep up the quality content!
I always feel so excited to see you on notification and forget whatever I am doing and learn about a thing or two about outdoors life. You are one of the finest out there I always feel that. Thanks for the effort you put and the trust on people to you out there and have fun. You are as real and grounded as it can be. Thanks again Chris.
Been watching you for sometime now and I love your videos.I am a 62-year-old womanAnd I’ve been camping for years. Yes it can be done very inexpensive.I started out with a Twin mattress down in the back of my truck, an old cooler and a portable Charcoal grill.Sometimes I missThose old days.Over the years the concept hasn’t changed....Just get out and do it....And enjoy all that nature has to offer
Listen here Joe Blow. Their we're several tents that we're abandoned and the rangers were piling everything thing up in a corner. You're only allowed at the spot for 2 weeks n they we're there way passed that supposedly.
Thanks for the videos, i took my family camping last weekend. We gathered materials to make a bow drill set, and got my first bow drill fire going using cedar spindle, willow bow, willow fire board and a hickory bearing block with green leaves crushed up for lubrication of the top of the spindle. Thanks for the inspiration. It wasn’t easy and had many failed attempts and minor adjustments to get it right, but was a very satisfying experience.
Im all about wallmart camping, but I have "mastered" the art of minimal camping. Bivy bag, small tarp, pad, sleeping bag, stove. Boom thats 80 percent of all you need to be comfortable. Love your videos btw. I have a 20 dollar tent that has gone with me on multiple trips. I stick with bivy bag now, but I kept that tent for years and it is still helping out all my friends that "rent" gear from me.
Thanks for the reply ye you're rite, We have a forest less than a km from where I live so my son and I built this www.thingiverse.com/thing:2735084 and we can take it on most trails and carry everything on it including a mini kitchen, We usually go to relax, we are not professional bushcrafters ;)
When I started out with folding saws, my first 2 I had were cheaper from Canadian Tire. Not very good brands, but did the job. Then finally after so many people's videos going on about Silky saws, I decided to order one on Amazon (don't sell them in stores here). I got the _silky F180 Professional_ (large teeth) and It was awesome! It even fits in my pocket. I still use that one all the time. I later got another one (same saw) for my car kit. Before that second one I had also bought a _Silky BigBoy Professional_ (large teeth) for cutting much wider trees. I am really happy with these Silky saws.
I almost fell out of my chair when i saw the fire being lit with a lighter and newspaper, but then i remembered him saying "this is how i used to do it" about two seconds before :-D This is one of my favorite vids on the bushcraft and survival subject, and it's just packed full of great knowledge and information. Keep up the good work!
I bought the starter pack for camping from academy for 149 bucks comes witha huge tent 4 sleeping bags and 2 queen inflatable matresses a cooler lanterns cook ware a 1 burner propane stove alot of other thing for 149 bucks
Buddy! Very cool vid! So many memories of how I camped when I was 18. Now 47 and still camping on the ground while all the friends have upgraded to trailer, cottages, etc. you sleep best when you are dog tired from foraging, camp work, and just experiencing the woods the way that it was meant to be... Open!
I have become sick and I am not able to do what I used to do. Now I have to watch guys like you and Fowler to be able to get the pleasure of being out in the wild. If you were to have known me before I got sick you would see someone who loved being out there living off the land.
I love your channel Woodbeard. your the only one who makes roughing it entertaining. good friends, good food, and all about family. I grew up in the woods of Maine, USA. fishing, trapping, and living off the fat of the land. my father taught me everything I know. he grew up in Pittsburg New Hampshire not a stone's throw away from Canada. We ate like kings and laughed all night, wondered at the beauty of nature in all it's infinite supply. Now I live in the city and have a hole inside my heart. I tell my friends about the things we did and the creatures we ate... they think I'm crazy haha... thank you for reminding me about how good it feels to get out there and make it your own way. to not depend on anyone else for supper and the taste of real maple sugar. kindest regards, Matt
I really appreciate your sharing your tips. I totally agree.. it's not about having the nicest and most expensive gear, it's about being out there and experiencing it. I probably don't rough it as much as you do, but I appreciate your insights! :)
I live smack in the middle of the city, but man, oh man do I wish I could camp. I've taken up woodchopping and cutting as a hobby/exercise and enjoy cooking meals over a bonfire at home. I'm from Newfoundland and my heart aches to go back out into clean air, woods, and the outdoors. Thank you for your channel and all your lessons, when I finally get back out there this city boy will have lessons in him and learn to become an outdoorsman again.
You just took me back 30+ years to my first camping experiences. Cheap tent, terrible kit, cold and hungry. Best days of my youth! Cheers chap! Hope to be out there this summer with my son.
I've been camping my whole life, my dad was always an extremist in terms of bare bones camping. While it taught me survival skills it wasn't comfortable and made going on long trips miserable. So this year my husband and I decided to start camping and have invested over $600 and counting, that includes a nice tent, sleeping mats, sleeping bags etc and a kitchen set up for four people. People think it's nuts and my dad hates it. While I see his point I want to enjoy being outdoors and kind of like the semi glamping set up we have for our family. I enjoyed your video and it was nice to see what we can shave off from our gear if we choose to ✌
To be frank, after watching your "living of the lands episodes" I was able to somewhat understand (and get a bit discouraged by) how hard it truly is to survive on your own of the land. This "How I was a complete n00b" and "how to camp for beginners" episode, I thing, speaks to a lot of people (or maybe it's just me), but your effort to educate put asside a lot of the fears/dangers I believed would happen because "nature". I think a lot of people who are just getting started could benefit from your experience. This is one of the best episodes you've created so far and further episodes could help people get started on "nature". I know it helped me in understanding "how to test if I'm prepared before going into nature".
I look back over 50 years to when I was a kid ....we always built camps or 'dens' as we English kids called them.....would take sausages and potatoes and a frying pans out into the countryside ....even caught a pike once , it was in shallow water and I killed it with a rock....we were only kids very young but it all came naturally. ..now in my sixtys after watching these types of videos I will be giving wild camping a go before the man comes to collect me.....thanks for your inspiration and knowledge have been subbed for a good while ....Ray
Awesome video. When I was in my early teen years I Hawaii me & my friend go camping at the beach & your video brought some nostalgic memories. Keep up the outdoor camping
“That’s the only time I’ve made a mistake in my life”!🤣, love watching your content man!. You don’t make believe s$@?$, real as hell and that’s why people probably like watching you. So entertaining!.
Hi, UK fan. Just watched this video and you've inspired me to go out and wild camp after my recovery of a knee replacement. So January is the goal and hope to update you on my progress, just getting my gear around me and working on keeping the weight down. Thanks a lot for tips here and you and Mr. Robinet are the best guys in this community. 👍👍
You have a great sense of humor. When you got to milk for the cereal in the morning I almost fell off my chair....I'm still laughing. Thanks I needed it!.
If there's red cedar trees where you live, it's the best tinder I've ever used. Misjudged it once and burnt the hair off my right arm to my elbow. Funny crap afterwards
Thanks for putting out these videos. My girlfriend and I went backpacking for the first time a couple weeks ago. It was incredibly challenging, and I loved it. It was work that I actually enjoyed. (My girlfriend is still not sure if she likes backpacking, lol.) We hiked about 4 miles into the Rockies in Colorado. 1,100 ft of elevation increase in 4 miles. Needless to say, the journey out was much easier than the journey in. We also brought our dog. I learned a lot. I made a lot of mistakes. #1 was not enough bug repellent. #2 was hiking out in the afternoon. It got too hot, and I ended up carrying my dog down the mountain once she refused to leave the shade. But it makes for a great story. ;-)
i had an uncle that was in the military, and when he got out i ended up with some miscellaneous kit from when he was in, and to be honest some of the stuff is old and bulky, but it works well, hand-me-downs are also a great way to start out, great video, i wish i'd had this kind of guidance when i was first learning, thanks for showing us newbies a good way to get started without breaking the bank
Having a pair of pants last you for 10yrs isn't embarrassing! that's awesome! a testament to your good sense in choosing such rugged and durable clothing.
Some good info here, I don't agree with all of it but there's a lot that's worthwhile. Another thing you can use for a cooking grid is an old cooling rack (for baked goods), they work really well and can be picked up cheaply. A good bow saw sheath is a piece of 1x3" pine with a kerf from your table saw running down the center, throw a couple of straps around it and you're good. I've always been a big fan of the Sven folding saw, great for backpacking due to it's light weight.
I'm from the Netherlands where it's illegal to make an open fire outside and where's almost no forest, but I''ll do what i can. I'm with the Scouting where I do on experience in bush craft, cooking on fire etc. I love to see you go out in the wild, keep on going!
