I think bushcraft knives are not good for bugout or survival and their main use, “batoning” , is stupid for anything other than making wicker furniture.
just like a modern woman tries fulfill the role of a man, so the survival knife tries to fulfill the role of the axe and in the process gets so thick you need an industrial apparatus to sharpen it at a low angle. women also get thick.
I agree every time I've heard of a Bush craft knife they were talking about smaller knives for carving and wood task not a large knife, what you have there is a machete.
It's true, the knife gets as thick as the axe. Neither need anything industrial to sharpen. But the knife can be carried anywhere at all times. The axe...cannot. So, if you learn how to use the knife (bushcraft) no matter the "bugout" scenario or the location...you can survive long enough to make it to the next town...or across the country if it's truly "red dawn!". And considering with just a little knowledge of ironcraft..you can make your own knife out of the local ditch water ...knowing how to use the knife is paramount. The axe, quite frankly...is a luxury.
@@TheRevoltingMan Wait do you listen to every idiot because you might get your assumptions challenged? I think not. Life is too short for that. You have to be selective.
First off an actual bushcraft knife has usually about a 4-5" blade and is more of a multipurpose knife. Batoning wood is just a way to get kindling if none is availbe for picking up, and as a way to get to the dry wood in the center to be able to get a fire going. It is not meant as a means to cut down trees for firewood, etc... most bushcrafters carry and axe with them as well . As for use in shtf or survival scenarios what happens if your axe/tomahawk is lost? Bushcrafting like many otherthings is a backup set of skills that are nice to have.
@@TheRevoltingMan what happens if you lose said axe? Is batoning a solid first level skill no axes, hatchets and tomahawks are a number one. But as a secondary skill in the case of a lost axe or only having your edc when shtf it is absolutely a skill to know.
@@wildlandoutdoors51if your lost your axe 🪓 chances are you lost most your gear and knife. In which case your running for your life. So let's say all you have are the clothes on your back and shoes 👞, what now? Thats why you needs to learn to use your shoe to Baton , and to chop wood.
@oscarbear7498 I'd say that's unrealistic seeing as I keep my knife on me. My axe is usually attached to my pack. So if you want to say I lost everything in my pack, then I would still have my knife to baton with. As far as using my shoes, the laces work great for a bow drill
@@oscarbear7498 Knives are more prevalent than axes. Even if you lost all your gear, you are more likely to find a knife than an axe. Imagine you are in a plane crash and somehow survive. There is probably a knife somewhere in the luggage or debry. An axe just happening to be there? Unlikely. So it's valuable to know how to compensate for not having an axe by using a knife to get the same job done, although slower and using more effort.
As soon as I saw him take his kid to a pawn shop for his birthday gift I new I was in for a amusing time! And how is someone that has never even owned a bushcraft knife in their life supposed to tell people that bushcraft knives are silly? Let me enlighten you on something. There's people out there that can do thing's with a bushcraft knife Exp. Make traps, snares, weapons, tools, lines and so on. The list goes on and on, that would blow your mind! With persion and skill that someone else that's less experienced would be lost in. So everyone has a right to express their opinion but before you judge something as a whole, you might want to do a little more research and background work further than your local pawn shop, mcfly!!! BACF if I've ever saw one!
I don't think I've ever heard a bushcraft knife defined as a knife meant to replace a tomahawk or hand axe... quite the opposite. Its a tool meant to compliment larger cutting tools by giving you something that does fine detail work. Most bushcrafters agree a good bushcrafting knife is 3-5 inches of blade with a full tang handle, meant for carving, and maybe light batoning if its all you have.
What's the point of having full tang if only thing you are doing with it is cutting? It's just extra weight and cold steel against your hands. Most old antique knives have hitting marks on the spine. When you are crafting something sometimes you need to split something accurately and then you simply baton the knife. No steel knife is going to break splitting wrist thick wood. It's simply just another use for a knife. Edit. I live in northern Europe and I am definitely not from a big city.
At 54, second generation surveyor, I have been using a machete since I was around 10/11, for me a 24/30 inch machette has served me well in the woods, snake protrol and even a few mad dogs.
I WAS SENT A HAND MADE WOODSMAN PAL AS A GIFT FROM MY BLACKSMITH IVE HAD IT OVER 10 YRS USED IT AS MY DAILY DAILY AND STILL DO. HE LEARNED HIS TRADE AS A YOUNG APPRENTICE AT THE AGE OF 9 FROM OLD SCHOOL REAL BLACK SMITH HAVE A GREAT DAY BROTHER
@@NPCSN Buy Esee knives and go with esee 5 or 6. Lifetime warranty no matter where no matter who. Carpenters axe is good way to go if packing an axe (I tie mine up to my trekking pole loops on my Osprey backpage), and I carry a Gomboy Silky Saw. Think 230MM? All wonderful tools to have depending on what you want to do with you experience. I am not a thru-hiker. I like to do 12 mile hike (which kills me but is highly enjoyable) and camp out for a weekend either via car camp or dispersed. Winter camping believe it or not is actually the most fun. Best of luck to you in your future bushcrafting endeavors!
@@NPCSN I don't know where to start. 3:38 Bushcraft knife better for fighting than a Tomahawk. Bushcraft knives usually don't have a finger guard, so most likely u will cut yourself badly when thrusting the knife into something. And a Tomahawk got a serious advantage in length which is important in a fight. 3:47 Shows a Rambo knife as example which is clearly not a Bushcraft knife. 4:51 Talks about "what a survival knife is" But the title of the video is "Bushcraft knives are silly" 5:53 Picks something like a mini machete from that tree to represent Bushcraft knives. Which is clearly not even close to represent a bushcraft knife (look for the Ray Mears Woodlore). 6:08 Saws are the dumbest survival tool. They are not, a saw cuts down a tree very energy and time efficient. And again, the title of this video was "Bushcraft knives are silly"! 8:12 Picks up firewood from the ground. Try this in autumn after two weeks of heavy rain! Batoning is a emergency technique to get to the hopefully dry inner core of a log. To make kindling to get a fire started. If your out in winter and you know you will need a lot of firewood, then you better bring a axe for splitting logs and/or a proper saw to cut wood in reasonable size. 10:09 Big tree "Reasonable size to cut down for a barricade in an bug out / survival situation" Again, the title of this video was... 12:00 "with a Tomahawk l would have this tree on the ground in 20min" Just use a saw for this size of tree. Thats why people bring saws in the forest... 13:10 Rant about Bowie knives are not Bushcraft knives. Yes, Bowie knives are not bushcraft knives. And again, the title of this video... Bottom line is that in this video is so much stuff mixed up that doesn't belong together, plus poor knowledge. Today's modern Bushcraft is a hobby, basically like camping. Survival is a life threatening situation and you want to get out of it. In some situations the lines might be blurred but not as messed up as it is in this video. And don't forget if somebody on RU-vid shows how to get to the inner dry wood of a log, he might not have the time to wait for autumn with two weeks of rain before shooting the video...!
The big dorky bushcraft knife isn't good. I prefer to have a small actual bushcraft knife in my pocket or belt along with either a tomahawk or the ol' Estwing hatchet. Maybe a kukri if I feel like carrying it.
Depends on your area. In the Pacific Northwest, for most of the year, any wood on the ground is soaking wet and you have to cut something down (even most standing wood is wet). Sometimes you have to split the wood to find anything dry enough to burn. And saws are more efficient for their weight to calories.
@Hippy Dippy Swamp country is warm and flat. You need more heat when there are two or more feet on snow on the ground, or the temp is below 0 F. Also, carrying the weight of an ax in the mountains out west is not always a good idea. Maybe if you were a bit more knowledgeable you would know that different locations have different needs.
@@TheRevoltingMan There are too many fan boys for each - it is like a 9mm vs .45 discussion - to find a source than would change someone's mind. But as soon as saws became practical, the professionals (lumberjacks) who cut trees for a living swapped their felling axes for saws. And from personal experience, in my area of the Pacific Northwest, I find it much easier to cut with a saw than chop with an ax or hatchet. It may be different in your area, though.
You're like my pioneer ancestors. A kitchen knife was what the Injuns scalpers used. Axes 🪓 and chainsaws were for creating logs, mauls and wedges were for splitting wood 🪵 into kindling. I never used a hatchet axe 🪓 for anything. It was too short. I enjoyed throwing a 24" axe. Hmm I better try a hatchet for novelty. I own many knives because my grandfathers were ornamental black smiths and made everything that was iron.
Wrong. Have you ever heard of having the right tool for the job at hand? Sometimes that’s a hatchet, sometimes that’s a knife, other times it’s a saw. I bring all three into the wilderness. My fixed blade, small forest axe, and folding bow saw weigh less than 4lbs altogether so there’s absolutely no harm in packing them out. Why make things harder and limit yourself to one tool.
The axe, hatchet, tomahawk, etc... will process wood better than a knife there is no question of that. What you have to ask yourself what tool will you need more. In parts of the world you can travel for days and never see a tree. In other parts you can't see anything but trees in every direction. Don't pigeonhole your thinking with a predetermined bias and go for the tool that makes the most sense for the likely use and the weight carried. Biased assumptions is the reason we keep gathering bodies of people that actually believed that all you need to survive is what you have in your pockets or your woobie. Guess what if you only have flat ground with no trees, bushes, or scrub to build with or burn and a constant wind of 30+mph in the winter your equipment choices will be different than a eastern pine forest with little wind and temps above 0.
Exactly. This is what it all comes down to. Location and where you live. My area of Northern PA Appalachia, deep of winter January and February....batoning with ANY knife, even with large "chopper" blades that can handle heavy batoning for the F birds. Believe me, I've given it a try and it sucked. Summer works just fine but winters.....nope. I'll take my saws and GB Scandinavian Forest axe every day over any knife when having to split frozen hardwoods. Now if I'm traveling to my family in SC and want a compact, "one tool survival option" for that specific area... I'll absolutely choose my ESEE Junglas over lugging around my axe and saws in the pack no problem. This "debate" is all about where you live and the areas you expect to "survive" in. My other family in Arizona desert might as well be a totally different planet than where I am here in Northern Appalachia!
@@pennsyltuckyreb9800 One other thing is the size and weight of the tool and your limitations. No matter where the mission is a pilot will never bail out with a hatchet or axe because of the limitations on his gear. It is no different than someone swearing by a 7.62x39 over 5.56. Will the 7.62 hit harder sure, but at the cost of double the weight in ammunition and 2-4lbs more for the rifle. For essentially the same weight of the 7.62x39 you could carry a .308 giving you longer range and harder hitting power, again be honest on the needs and the limitations you have and not going on a preconceived opinion that is more emotion than facts.
@@wyominghomesteader5063 you picked some bad analogies to use there!!! Pilots often have the folding style lightweight shovel which can convert to an axe/pickaxe if needed as well as a decent sized survival blade. And your firearm comparison made no sense!!! Yes, 7.62x39mm is heavier than 5.56x45mm, but then to say you might as well use a .308 cal which is 7.62x51mm (12mm longer and heavier because of it!!!) I agree with the point you're trying to get across, "equip yourself appropriately for the terrain and environment" but that's only an option on a planned trip/excursion to known locations!
7.62x39 30rd mag is 1.8-2.2 lbs depending on the mag chosen and the ammunition. A 25 rd .308 mag is 1.9-2.3 lbs. Like I said basically the same. Size and weight along with the mission will dictate the gear. Btw never once were we ever issued an e-tool. I know the new artic loadout for the F-35 has an e-tool. So they found the space and weight to load a 2.5lb tool as part of the survival kit in that plane. There was a reason we had height and weight limitations. The size of the cockpit and limitations on weight both in the plane and for the parachute matter. So yes the comparisons work and the details matter.
Batoning is usefull if wood is wet, becouse it was raining. The wet part of the wood is outside part, when inside is dry. Batoning is just better than sawing down a piece of wood in half, vertically. Also if you don't have a lot of wood around you and you mostly have big branches, you can use it to make them smaller. Its really usefull in my forest, becouse its wet most of the year, there are a lot of trees, that grow high and its hard to get dry wood.
The batoning fad exists because people haven't spent time in the woods (IMHO). Dead wood is all over the place. No axe or saw is necessary to cut it up. It is easily broken.
Doug Shoe Bushcraft Yeah, knives, axes, and saws have much better uses like carving things. Batoning is stupid. I’ve seen someone banging the hell out of their axe head pounding in nails or pounding wood into the ground. Watch someone make a firewall, it’s funny.
I've been using my Ralph Martindale for the past 20 odd years now and it has served me better than any axe or saw. You are absolutely right about batoning and thanks for the tour of the shop.
what would you say your favorite tomahawk is? what brand and model. i bought an eastwing hatchet before and had a bad experience. i use to work at a park. and was using it to chop some wood and within one day it bend like a katana. so i never purchased from them again
For the work you were doing at the park I would have gotten a nice boy’s axe like the Hults Bruk Kalix. As far as tomahawks go Cold Steel is the gateway drug. Eventually you’re going to want a hand forged one though. They’re hard to screw up.
The bowie knife that Jim Bowie popularized was a style of knife which had existed for centuries. The term bowie knife was a marketing strategy employed by the Sheffield Company in England. To increase sales of their clip point knives in America, they capitalized on Jim Bowie's fame and attached his name to those knives. Jim Bowie did not invent the style of knife that bears his name. He merely had a blacksmith make a clip point knife, became famous using it in a duel, and subsequently had his name associated with that style of blade by Sheffield, who, incidentally, manufactured and sold a significant majority of the bowie knives purchased in the United States during the mid to late 1800's. Clip point knives are a comprise design that fill the roles of utility and fighting. They are neither the best fighting knives nor the best utility knives but are excellent for those, such as the Marines in WWII, who need a single knife to fill both roles. I liked your video overall and think you made some good points. However, I feel you have too narrow a view of the purpose and role of both batoning and survival knives. Under certain circumstances I can agree with your main points 100%. Nevertheless, under other circumstances I disagree completely.
it's actually unknown if the knife Jim Bowie used himself had a clip point.... the clip-point became a thing because blacksmiths just made go-to knives in the bowie-length, and the style came along overtime because most of them made ended up being clip points, and now we associate it with it.
Most modern saws are designed with hardened steel. You don’t sharpen them. They stay sharp longer and when they dull you change the blade. Saws are also much more energy efficient tools, which is something worth considering in a survival situation.
I would look into the Kukri, it's a large curved blade that works great for chopping, aswell as skinning bark from trees, splitting logs with and without batoning them, making feather sticks, etc. It works great and you could use it alone to process wood among other tasks. The agawa folding bow saw also works great in combination with it. it's not needed but its just so light weight and makes clean cuts on large logs very easy and far less work than a knife or axe.
Agree with everything except the fighting part...... A knife is basically an assassin's tool. Tomahawk's and Machetes tend to end fights in combat quicker than knives, allowing you to move on to the next enemy combatant faster.
Jim Bowie was famous for fighting, his weapon of choice was oddly enough a large knife. He even had one made to fit him, patterned I might add after a clip point seax. And then he created the Great Plains of Texas trying to supply firewood to the Texas Revolutionary Army! True story!
Agree 100%. For 30 years my woods knife has been an actual butcher knife. (cut down Old Hickory) Works for everything I need it for. Never saw a need for batoning.
Same I had a "survival" end up using it for just cooking 😂 I then ditched the survival knife and bring traditional cleaver knife, for all cooking needs. The Chinese were poor as hell and could only have 1 knife for cooking , that one knife out of thousands of designs ended up being the cleaver. For survival axe 🪓 and clever for cooking
Dave Canterbury is one of, “very few” individuals that refers to “woodcraft”, not bushcraft. As he’s stated in the past, the term bushcraft was brought to life by a man named Richard Graves, an Australian, military survival instructor. Dave emphatically uses the word woodcraft, not bushcraft. Bushcraft term is appealing to others, so at times, regarding some books he’s written, the term bushcraft was used. He’s recognized George Washington Sears, George Thomas Sutton & Daniel Beard, to name a few, for the term woodcraft. Plenty of other posers can be mentioned using the word “bushcraft”, Dave Canterbury ain’t one of them…
I'm 52 years old. Been spending time in the woods for over 40 years. Never batoned anything even once. Carried a buck 119 or a small folder. If I needed to cut down a tree (hardly never) I used an axe.
The Revolting Man technically speaking it is not, bugging out is the same thing as getting the hell out of dodge, that is getting away from whatever bad situation you are in, bushcraft is like survival, the difference between bushcraft and survival is that you are thriving with bushcraft and barely getting by with survival
As my RU-vid channel implies I’m a huge fan of the tomahawk but I do see the importance of a good knife. For general purpose a good 4 inch fixed blade can do a lot. However if guns weren’t an option a large kukri type knife and a tomahawk make a very formidable weapon combo. As for batoning it certainly has its place although it is generally over rated. In the woods surrounding my house it can be rather tough to find any dead wood that isn’t saturated to the point of being impossible to light. Batoning allows you to get to the dry center of the wood although this task can certainly be accomplished with a tomahawk. Just my thoughts and feel free to disagree with me. - TomahawKing (formerly VAPrepper)
Tbh if some had a knife 🔪 and I had time to grab a weapon. I would use a rock and long stick. You can throw a rock 🪨 and no Matter how it hits, if it connects its doing big blunt damage through clothing. Throw a knife and the tip has to perfectly connect, or the blade hit just right. With a higher odds of failure, with little mass too so no blunt damage. A stick is fast and hit anywhere in the face you win. Honestly I would jusy throw rocks , dude with a knife 🔪 will jusy hyper focus on knife
OK, I see where you’re going. The idea of a bushcraft knife is not only to be able to start a fire but also create camp tools from wood or bark. You baton wood so you can create shavings to use as tinder if you can’t find standing dead wood or dry material to make a bird’s nest with. So the test for a good bushcraft knife is batoning and making curls or shavings. You won’t be able to make fire using primitive methods with the stick you picked up off the ground because any wood touching the ground absorbs moisture. Also you’re comparing a tomahawk to survival knifes not a bushcraft knife. The blade of a bushcraft knife shouldn’t be longer than four inches. It’s more like the old trappers patch knife. Whether or not you baton with your knife, use a large bladed knife or tomahawk is personal preference. Finally, never bring a knife to a gun fight. If you going for a blade of any type, you’re f****d! It’s kinda like being a 50th degree black belt. I don’t care, I’m just going to shoot you!
I am very skeptical of this idea that “ground” wood is all wet and unuseable and rotten. It’s not. We frequently cook over wood we just scavenge out of the woods. But why can’t this floating wood that’s not touching the ground not be cut with an axe?
Hippy Dippy - maybe, to both. Knife abuse? Depends on what kind of knife you have. Knifes being better up close depends on which person is better trained. Just having a bladed weapon doesn’t make a person better skilled just like owning a pistol doesn’t make a person a gunfighter.
The Revolting Man - please note that I said fire starting using primitive methods. If a person is in a survival situation or enjoys learning and using primitive skills, choosing a piece of wood laying on the ground reduces your chance of starting a fire because wood absorbs water. And you can use a hatchet or tomahawk or camp axe or large knife but you should also have a “bushcraft” knife for smaller chores. I prefer Moras and batoning with a Mora is not a good idea. It’s a personal choice which you choose to carry with your knife. It’s kinda like the saying “cotton kills” so you must wear wool. That’s true if you live in cold areas. If you live in the desert, the jungle or where you and I live it’s utterly ridiculous. It never gets that cold here. If yo really want to go old school then you should carry a tomahawk and an Old Hickory butchers knife. That more resembles what the long hunters and mountain men carried than these new “bushcraft” knifes.
The Revolting Man - BTW I stopped listening to Nut-N-Fancy when he said no one should consider a nine pound rifle for use cause they’re too heavy. Pounds equal pain and all that. But if you’re a pilot then you’ve never experienced humping an M60 or extra ammo and batteries, or a base plate, etc. If someone is relying on him to make their decision on what they should carry they’re sucking hind tit, IMO.
Hippy Dippy - you make a good point and I agree with you. Why not collect tinder and keep it dry, which is what I prefer. I can baton but I think it’s an overrated skill although people do baton when doing a knife review because a weak blade will break. Still it’s not an important skill in the SouthEast where I live.
The right tool for the environment is the answer. In the PNW a axe or saw combined with a hollow or flat ground knife is an excellent combination. In the high desert in the southwest everything sticks your hand. A long knife to protect your hand combined with a small knife for fine work is a great combo. There are places in the south east where a machete would make a better option. It all tldepends on the enviroment and type of wood your dealing with.
@@TheRevoltingMan While a machete is certainly not a "crafting" tool, having been a land surveyor in Florida for 40+ years, my EDC was everything from a pocketknife to a chainsaw, but I've hewn, chopped, and split every wood in the state up to 3-4 inch dia with a machete and wood density made no difference in my choice of blade. I understand that "Girls just wanna have fun" with wood, but when time and efficiency equal money, "knoives" are best left to the whittlers. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Or that there's not a place for it.
I never expect to do any chopping at all with my “bushcraft” knives. For me it’s more about being able to carve for projects, and also being able to hold up to some fire processing. I feel like this is kind of just a shot at a strawman.
Some of the knives are good it's the idea that firewood needs to be pretty that's idiotic. Guys that advocate them over hatchets are splitting chainsaw cut logs with a knife.
I have always thought of a bushcraft knife as a smaller 3-4" fixed blade knife that had a great handle on it for general camp chores. As for big knives, I love my axes/tomahawks/hatchets, but I also love my traditional khukuri knives. As for battoning I have done it, even with some of my tomahawks I have but it sure as shooting is not a survival skill. To me a survival knife is the knife that is with you most of the time so mine is a little Buck folder that I have carried for years and cost me $10 CAD.
Its a good choice. Ever try the cold steel finn wolf? That sucker is beating my 110 out in the wood carving department for about a year now and is still as razor sharp as from the factory. Moras are okay I guess, but I love a good folder that is a workhorse.
None of those are "bushcraft" knives at all. Having said that, the bushcraft scene is just the latest marketing tool....like the Rambo survival knife. The one thing that most/all "survival" gear has in common, is that virtually nobody is using any of it to survive. They are using it to film videos in the woods, camping out, going hiking, etc.. Some of it is cool, most of it has it's own use (like exercise equipment), but let's be honest....the real survivors, meaning those who lived off the land, didn't have hardly any of this stuff. Think Ishi, or the fur traders of the early 1800's. It's a marketing thing....that's why Ray Mears is able to sell a basic knife for 300-400 dollars that won't keep you alive any better than a Buck knife from your local hardware store or WalMart. A lot of valuable information has been rediscovered and put out there, because this is an information age, and a sort of renaissance period. But again...mostly, it's a marketing gimmick, a way of making money...and it works. Over-priced knives for people with too much money at there disposal, so they can feel like they have the best.
@@TheRevoltingMan The only part I don't agree with is that the "bushcraft" knife that people are embracing now is really just a modified Puukko knife....smallish, aprox. 4-5" blade, scandi grind. It's a nice design, but nothing new really, just the latest trend. Apparently it has magical properties that enables one to survive.
"camping out, going hiking, etc" isn't that part of basic survival training? When you already have a shelter taken care of...a knife and small saw is more than ample tools to survive because the need to fell trees is not necessary. while I agree $300-$400 knives are ridiculous, some might say any motor vehicle that is not the cheapest is just fluff, if your fishing with anything other than a stick and line then it is just fluff...where do we draw the line? I honestly don't understand why people continuously have to knock on something....there are levels to survival and situations of survival are a plenty. (not directed towards you necessarily just venting I guess)
You definitely have some valid points. And I do agree with you about how companies use the term "Bushcraft " like it's some exquisite forum of using a certain type of knife to perform tedious tasks out in the bush or something? I'm an Ex - Navy Seal and learned how to use one knife to defend myself and do everything from digging to batoning to snapping razor wire with it. Believe me, we wasn't given two or three different knives to do different chores with. You used what they gave you and shut your mouth and made it work the best you could or it could have been your life! So what I've learned in the 52 years that I've been around is to try and get a quality carbon steel knife the best size that fits your hand and practice with it day in and day out and quit pretending that there's some awesome special knife out there that will make you some kind of expert knifesmen!
I’m not a fan of beating on a knife like it was a free, however, if you’re not going to carry an axe, you may have to. In a wet area, you’ll need an accelerant (fire starter) or dry kindling. I didn’t hear you talk about dry kindling that would take a spark, so must wonder if you carry a bottle of lighter fluid. In other words, while your system may work in your area, it likely isn’t effective everywhere. I carry a small axe and a ‘bushcraft’ knife-meaning a sturdy blade of about 4 1/2 inches that is easy to sharpen. Think I shall continue to do that.
I spent several years hiking and fishing in Alaska. I would carry either a large Bowie or small axe for wood processing, a six inch blade hunting knife and a small 3 bladed pocket folder. With these tools I could handle anything the Alaska weather threw at me. Only once did I have a hard time finding dry wood and that was on Kodiak Island when it was so windy the rain was coming down almost sideways for several days. I used my axe to split dry wood from a log's center, but my Bowie Knife would have done as well. I never carried a saw while backpacking, but always used a bowsaw to process firewood to heat my home. Thanks for the video; I don't 100% agree with you, but you really created a lightning rod for debate.
The only good reason i can come up with for batoning is making a fireboard for friction fire. A small saw would come in handy for processing firewood in an area that doesnt have pine trees. Try breaking up some hardwood limbs like you were breaking up that pine. It aint easy. I do love my hawk but it can get tiresome chopping anything with some size to it. With a mora sized knife, a good small saw, and a trailhawk, you would get by pretty good in the Georgia woods.
You'd baton a piece of wood if the bark/surface were damp and unlightable with a match or butane lighter. The INSIDE surface would be dry enough to light. You need to seek help for your substance abuse...
You can't get to the dry stuff with an axe? Don't get me wrong, I practice batoning. FOR EMERGENCIES. There's no reason to needlessly risk your blade just because you can.
@Hippy Dippy I get the allure. Head into wild country, create everything you need with just a knife and imagination. Romanticizing history brought a lot of it about. Even the old long hunters and explorers carried an axe, or a 'hawk.
@Hippy Dippy you might find the video. He carries adapters that allow different cartridges to be used, then shows how he glued old school film canisters end to end. One side is for powder, the other for wadding. He reprimes the shot shell brass and throws whatever he's got on hand for projectiles, including gravel.
I agree with you in general, I carry a kukri with a six inch blade and thick spine along with a tomahawk these accomplish virtually all my needs, I live in the often wet UK where batoning is a useful skill to reach dry wood
I completely agree with everything you said I got an auger in my kit for rockets and I’m looking to really learn outdoor builds I’m a good 23 years into all the standard shelters and make easier ones exp wise and I’m ready for big builds now haha covid made me realise I have a passion for out there and a lot to remember and re learn again cos it’s sensible and how it’s done brush ups etc so auger and pegs to join big downs I am going to need for the force to drive the pegs through though your thoughts?
@@TheRevoltingMan oh god yeah man it really is I’m in the UK so we don’t get as bad winds but we do get bad weather in general like terrible haha and it’s not heavy enough to to really worry about and don’t get one with a hole and make a stick like you I do things simple get the triangle or hex head ones and get a decent auger and a Rachet and a tough socket you’ll save the stick for firewood and a good ratchet won’t break my roll wrap is packed but still light :) and two logs at the apex of a semi solid structure to have as say a camping home ish more than a shelter straight through get that stick and tap it with the baton till you pegged in both saw off the end and wedge in the middle of the stick :) wedges are important
Well! I never heard such as this afore! Everyone know Jim Bowie invented the Bowie Knife to chop down trees. He came through West Texas on his way to the Alamo and cut so many they still aint growed back. Why I muhself have and Authentic Original Bowie Knife, (made in Pack E Stan) that I cut cord wood with ever winter. But yes cleaning and butchering is made possible with a Bushcraft Knife, but it is made easy with a Butcher Knife. Saws get dull and are difficult to sharpen in the bush, Axes get dull and are easily sharpened in the bush. But you don't have to hate on us knife guys with all that historical accuracy crap!
I can appreciate what your point is My 2 cents is that people should learn how to live off of the land first and not worry so much about all the bushcraft stuff I love camping, building shelters in the wild, fishing and what not, and I have the least amount of tools to do that when I do, but unless you know how to survive off of Mother Nature, you won't be around to "enjoy" anything If it's your thing to do bushcraft, do it, but don't come bother me when the shtf I will be with my family surviving
Uh I'll tell you I wouldn't have an ax with me in probably like 99% of survival situations since I don't carry a fuckin ax in my pocket and 99% of survival situations are situations you don't plan to be in so I'm more than likely to only have a knife to split wood. I'd say this video is like wicked bad. Alot of wrong information. Bushcraft and survival are two different things as is "buggingout". Bushcraft is basically primitive camping. I'd say that you claiming that bringing a hand saw to the woods is a terrible idea discredited you completely. I use a silky pocketboy at work all the time for cutting little branches in a controlled manner which works great for camping or cutting trees for shelter or camp wood if needed too. I know I use a chainsaw to cut wood for my house I don't just go stomping trees down. Maybe you live in the south where you don't need to stay warm
For bushcraft I don’t even use a big a knife, yes I have one but it’s easier to do my crafts with my knife, I find it harder to make my a Paiute deadfalls with a tomahawk, or for that matter a Mojave’s scissor snare. And I find it that more people use smaller knives for bushcraft rather than big knifes.
A bushcraft knife is a small carving tool not a survival knife, they're very different. it's designed to do a lot of jobs well but nothing specific, chill out and let people use whatever, we're all just overgrown kids with a bunch of toys playing in the woods.
Lol I use a knife, a tomahawk, and a bow saw. 🤷🏻♂️ I don’t understand any of this argument. They’ve all got different purposes. Batonning to get to dry wood makes sense. (Splitting with a tomahawk makes a bit more sense) Bucking logs with a saw makes sense. Because a tomahawk takes too long when the log is over about 6-8” in diameter. These all have their own purpose. So I’m not sure I understand…
The argument is that in a real survival situation your focus is to make due with whatever resources. There is no such thing as "the right tool for the job" in a survival situation. If you have access to fire wood you will always be able to expose dry parts of if, for example by breaking it with your feet, like he did in the video. Rendering splitting not only superfluous but also a waste of energy and time. I carry a small fold saw when backpacking because I can collect fat wood from death fallen spruce by cutting branches from the trunk. That makes it much easier and cleaner to start a fire. Would I ever be in a situation that that would be the only way to get a fire started? No. I would always be able to break a few branches and start the fire anyway. From that point on, that is taken care of.
I don't know about building a campfire needing perfectly sized bits of wood. But when I run out of Anthracite or don't want to waste expensive Mapp Gas for my forges, I baton wood into perfectly sized strips. I can't be using all odd different shaped pieces of wood when heat treating knives, I need all of them to be the same size. Batoning is faster than using an axe, it's more accurate and I can process a ton of scrap wood into evenly sized pieces for my forge. Using a saw, or angle grinder or another tool is just extra effort, batoning is fast and energy efficient and saves me time.
@@TheRevoltingMan Yeah, I dont think it's needed for campfires, I agree with your points, just wanted to give me only real world example of where I find it useful. When I go camping, and make fires as long as the wood is dry that's good enough. I collect small bits of wood to start the fire then put thick bits of wood on when the fire is roaring. I don't split the wood or remove the bark, just chuck it on. If it burns that's good enough.
To me a bushcraft knife is any knife you use in the "bush" that being said I love my tomahawk and axe...but there are things I'd rather use a knife for...Gerber prodigy is my knife of choice....for fighting, skining squirrels, and so on....I have batoned with it...mostly because I dont carry a tomahawk on my plate carrier...I have used a saw...I believe it's easier than an axe in some cases...living in Nebraska there isn't alot of firewood laying on the ground...they all have their place and if it's up to me I'd like to carry all three
I use both. The hawk and a becker bk-7. I just like having both. Around here..... If you want dry wood.... Your gonna get it out of the middle of the log and it only take a few seconds.
Get yourself an Ontario SP10 Marine Raider Bowie. It's all you need for anything. Complement it with an Ontario 18" military machete. That's all you need.
The typical bushcraft knife these days usually has a scandi grind and I, personally, don't care for that. It's perfect for carving, giving you better control over the depth of the cut, but terrible for other camp work like cooking. They say it's easier to sharpen, but I don't agree with that at all, finding a flat grind far easier to touch up without having to reface the entire scandi surface. My favorite carry for years has been a Cold Steel Trailhawk and a 4" fixed blade knife.
Long time no see. I hope all is well with you. I have used an ax, a hatchet, a machete and a knife. My favorite is my morakniv. I like what works and batoning makes great kindling. It's safer than an ax and doesn't harm the knife. Just my opinion. I'm old and if it makes something easier, I'll use it.
The whole point of the bushcraft knife is that you can accomplish everything you need with one very light, easy to carry and conceal tool. Keep a knife on you at all times and you can survive. I can't walk around town all-day and go to work carrying a tomahawk. Bug out, and survival are surprise situations. Unexpected. Caught off guard. If you are planning to go into the woods for fun or training I'd have to suggest multiple tools, as one tool, no matter how good it is..can be lost or broken. If you have time to prepare yourself for this Armageddon bug out situation then you should carry multiple tools then as well. So circling back around...the knife is small, light, concealable and can be used for everything. Always carry a knife. Carry a tomahawk and get tossed in jail arguing with the cops who showed up because Betty got scared. My knife is always strapped to my leg, above the ankle, under my pants. The only time i cant carry it is on a plane. 90% of people live in cities...not the styx. I cannot walk around with a damned tomahawk..downtown new york. In the woods... playing around while hiking and camping..i will have an axe, machete, knife and a saw., As well as a damn shovel. Oh..and the most important item of them all...a cellphone. This aint 800bc. There is a road within 10 miles of everything in the US, and 350 million people. There is no zombie apocalypse...
Just carry the metal part of the tomahawk. You can make a handle anywhere with just the metal part. Just the metal part is more Concealable than a big knife.
I agree almost completely, Brother. Use the proper tool for the job. That being said, I do practice batoning on ocassion. If I'm ever separated from my axe/hatchet/ 'hawk, or even saw, and I need a fire NOW, that's not the time to try to learn a new skill.
but batoning isnt a 'skill' that needs practicing. it requires little brain function and little physical energy. put the sharpened steel parallel to wood grain,hit sharpening steel with dense object till wood grains sever..if i can show my 6 year old in 5 minutes and trust him to do it unsupervised and without help..does it really require 'practice'? hammering a nail,typing,shoveling and riding a bike require more 'skill' then batoning.
@@Greatlakesprepper now do it at midnight, with no light, after soaking your hands in ice water to simulate a worst case scenario. Maybe then add a field splint to a thumb or finger. Now tell me it's not a skill that needs practicing. Anything you think you'll need to do, train to do it in suboptimal conditions.
@Hippy Dippy Ideally, that's the idea. But sometimes it's not our choice. Murphy is a cruel bastard. It's very swampy where I live, and although snow is rare, freezing temperatures aren't.
Im glad somebody finally made this video. I dont want to blame it all on cantebury because he was on that show with cody lundin the barefoot hippie, and lundin always carried that little mora bushcrafting knife which i believe created a misconception. I carry my old framing hatchet and a machete.
David Smith I have got four hatchets one is a nice wooden handle one it was a present the other one has a plastic type handle that's the one I use most what little use I have for it the other two I found in what you guys call a dumpster we call them skips here they'd been burned so I fixed them kinda one with a piece of old plastic water pipe the other with a copper pipe and don't laugh cement and water if your interested I'll tell you how that worked but here where I live there's not much use fir an axe or hatchet
@@halfcantan1208 This is what I'm talking about buddy www.amazon.com/Vaughan-28-Ounce-Builders-Hatchet-construction/dp/B00004Z2XT/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=vaughn+framing+hatchet&qid=1596947591&s=sporting-goods&sr=1-1
David Smith I get you David if you've a disposable email I'll send you photos f the ones I have including the two I fixed sorta and the back story which if I'm honest is more interesting than the actual tools , mind you I enjoy finding stuff that's been discarded and making it useful again it's my built in prepper mentality here we all have since the Gorta noir
You need to go watch this dude and you'll see what real bushcrafting means its not a survival thing it's a way of life...if you are going to watch someone that is a expert watch Ray Mears...its your loss if you don't..lol best regards pal
I agree that you dont need those huge knives. But a saw is actually a really good tool especially in a situation when you dont want to get caught, because sawing down a tree is a lot more quiet than chopping it down. Also batoning is where i am often necessary because everything that you picked up from the floor is oftentimes rotten and or wet where i am, so batoning and cutting down a tree or a piece of a fallen bigger tree to get to some dry wood is necessary to make a fire.
All very good Comments and input so far here! The one thing that’s really changed my mind to ditch the Rambo knife mentality and fairy tail from reality was when my younger eyes first saw the Documentary about Richard Proennke’ and how he went alone into upper Alaska with nothing but an Axe a few chisels a belt knife and a little knowledge and not only survived but THRIVED! The only large knife I use a lot is a Condor Hudson Bay knife with quarters game like a surgical lazer’ Nothing wring with the whole bushcraft thing and it’s brought a bunch of newer people into the life we love’ my original “BushCraft” knife is an 8 Dollar Green River knife’ To me that is the American Version of a BushCraft Knife’ I can walk off my back porch with that’ a Tomahawk’ and a Fire Kit’ and thrive for ever’ it’s all about the knowledge you posses and the heart you have’ I could also state that people paying 450$ for a so called “BushCraft” knife doesn’t come with the knowledge to use it’ I’ll stick with my Green River knives and Old Hickory knives’ this is why I love watching “The Rev Man” he’s not just making shit up’ he’s living the shit! And he’s a thinker and patriot! Really good family guy as well’ we need more like him.
All depends on your environment. Good luck finding dry wood for a fire on the floor for 6 months of the year here in the UK. I only use a saw or baton stuff if needed, but sometimes you have no option to get a fire going if its very wet.
So batoning isn't worth while in wet conditions when you're working with marginal tinder and are in need of 'fuel' that isn't totally saturated. Hmm.....
Why I think you may have missed the point of the use of quality fixed blade knife for survival: 1/. Survival is about just getting home safe and alive - bushcraft is something very different. Survival is probably only 48 hours maximum. So it's not about building structures to chop down trees; especially living trees. 2/. The purpose for batoning is obviously to access the dry wood if it's been raining for many days and everything is saturated. 3/. To have dry wood which has square/sharp edges is ideal, as the flame takes to it faster than round twigs, branches. In difficult weather conditions this can make a huge difference. Hence why batoning is excellent. 4/. A sharp knife with a Scandi grind can produce feather sticks. I take your point by having a folding knife in your pocket - but the point is about only having one knife to do all. 5/. Most survival situations are where hikers get lost on the trail, or wonder off from camp without your kit. And if they were to have even a lightweight Mora knife, as opposed to just a folding knife they would be in a far better position .....if all the dead wood is wet in the forest. I hope this allows you to see the point about an UNPLANNED situation. Most people just are not going to carry a hatchet/axe on a hike, especially in their pocket, on their belt.
I use a wedge I carved instead of my knife for the fine splitting tasks, It’s useless to have a knife that you rolled the edge on because you’re using the wrong tool for the job. (I carry a tomahawk, pukko style fixedblade, and a Swiss army for bladed tools)
Imagine saying a saw is useless in a survival bag. Dude obviously hasn't used a silky saw. Also weight is a massive part of the equation for backpacking/bushcrafting/survival. A hatchet weighs more and takes up more space than a knife and a saw combined. Lastly he wasn't even holding a bushcraft knife for the whole video. That was basically a kukri. The best bushcraft knifes are 5-6 inches MAX
This guy is talking about being lost and your on the verge of death and actual survival situation, not going camping with kids and using your $300 bark river to baton with, yes this is fun. He has good points there's piles of firewood you can gather with no knife whatsoever
Bout time someone spoke the truth on this subject. Growing up as kids going camping with the family we had to go collect firewood while our parents had adult beverages lol. Never did I cut firewood or see anyone else do it. If you need something broke off like a big limb stick it in the Y of a tree and use leverage. I love tomahawks but my personal favorite is a Bowie knife but like mentioned they are for fighting actually suppose to be held upside down with the clip point being used as the primary fighting edge.
I don't know where to start. 3:38 Bushcraft knife better for fighting than a Tomahawk. Bushcraft knives usually don't have a finger guard, so most likely u will cut yourself badly when thrusting the knife into something. And a Tomahawk got a serious advantage in length which is important in a fight. 3:47 Shows a Rambo knife as example which is clearly not a Bushcraft knife. 4:51 Talks about "what a survival knife is" But the title of the video is "Bushcraft knives are silly" 5:53 Picks something like a mini machete from that tree to represent Bushcraft knives. Which is clearly not even close to represent a bushcraft knife (look for the Ray Mears Woodlore). 6:08 Saws are the dumbest survival tool. They are not, a saw cuts down a tree very energy and time efficient. And again, the title of this video was "Bushcraft knives are silly"! 8:12 Picks up firewood from the ground. Try this in autumn after two weeks of heavy rain! Batoning is a emergency technique to get to the hopefully dry inner core of a log. To make kindling to get a fire started. If your out in winter and you know you will need a lot of firewood, then you better bring a axe for splitting logs and/or a proper saw to cut wood in reasonable size. 10:09 Big tree "Reasonable size to cut down for a barricade in an bug out / survival situation" Again, the title of this video was... 12:00 "with a Tomahawk l would have this tree on the ground in 20min" Just use a saw for this size of tree. Thats why people bring saws in the forest... 13:10 Rant about Bowie knives are not Bushcraft knives. Yes, Bowie knives are not bushcraft knives. And again, the title of this video... Bottom line is that in this video is so much stuff mixed up that doesn't belong together, plus poor knowledge. Today's modern Bushcraft is a hobby, basically like camping. Survival is a life threatening situation and you want to get out of it. In some situations the lines might be blurred but not as messed up as it is in this video. And don't forget if somebody on RU-vid shows how to get to the inner dry wood of a log, he might not have the time to wait for autumn with two weeks of rain before shooting the video...!
Oh my, where to start on this comment, let’s start with the good stuff first. Thank you for taking the time and energy to look so thoroughly in to what I had to say. That’s flattering and humbling. When it comes to a weapon I have to point out that tomahawks don’t have finger guards either and that their big advantage in reach and power comes at the cost of very big swings and slow strikes. A knife hit lighter but it hits hard enough and much quicker and from many more angles and avenues. Obviously a very small knife doesn’t have an advantage but they don’t have to get very big before they do. Wet wood I deal with in a subsequent video where I turn a water hose on grill full of ground wood and then light it while it’s lying in the water. You don’t have to baton to get lightable wood and it isn’t even the easiest way. The saw myth is just that, a myth. It can save energy if all you’re doing is dropping a small tee but you have completely lost that advantage when you remember that you still have to carry an axe for limboing and what not. Saws are very limited tools. They only do one thing. The tooth pattern has a very big impact on how well the cut different woods and when they get dull they’re useless and can’t be easily sharpened. I know they’re popular right now and I love them for homesteading but they’re not worth their weight when it comes to most things. Thank you for the excellent comment and quite cogent thoughts.
I just went to your channel and saw a bunch of videos with knives bigger than the one I pulled out. Intellectual consistency is an important trait friend.
I'm 65. I've spent a lot of time in the wilderness from Vietnam, the southern deserts, the pacific northwest, Alaska, the Carolinas and Midwest. I have never once had to baton any wood for anything in that time. Maybe it is because I'm prepared or just know what I'm doing. Typically I carry an 11" bowie and a 9" in the back country, a 7"-8" in a sheath that is part of my britches on the right leg, and a pocket knife (5" blade). No, that's not a lot. I been through Vietnam and a lot of other stuff and I will not be without. I usually take a Gerber Mk2 in my sleeping bag. Best little knife (6⁷/⁸") there is. I had to leave my first one in Vietnam. The one I have now is the same year of manufacture. So, I couldn't agree with you more. Besides, my children & grandchildren will be using them when I am no more. Spend all the money you want. I will spend once.
The problem is most companies try to make their knives all-in-1 products. And I believe batonning has its uses. As it's recommended to only use as a last ditch effort to process wood. So I would agree , batonning is something I would avoid doing if I don't have to.
About time someone made a common sense video that you don't need to baton to start a fire, I've made plenty fires never use my knife once, I'm damn sure not about to damage it doing no batoning. I'll just get a small ax if I wanted to do that
my favorite line is "well a baton every once in awhile to maintain my skills and make sure i dont forget how" have you ever heard someone go on a bike ride and tell you 'im doing this just so i dont forget how to ride a bike' have you ever heard someone hammer a nail into lumber 'just so they dont forget how to use a hammer' have you ever heard someone make their bed "just so they dont forget how to" various skills require more or less renewal based on a few factors: mental capacity they require,physical capacity they require,motor skills,etc morse code,land navigation,speaking foreign language require mental capacity using shovel,pushing a wheelbarrow,swinging an axe require physical capacity and motor skills putting a sharp piece of steel against a softer medium and beating the piece of steel with a dense object require little mental capacity,little physical capacity and little motor skills...similar to riding a bike,once you've done it,it doesn't require much refreshment..
Survival saws are the stupidest thing I've seen. Maybe if they came with the perfect file stored in the handle it would make sense. Saws need a higher amount of maintenance to function properly. I would recommend having a sawzall hand saw that takes sawzall blades. Instead of failing at sharpening a saw you could just replace the blade for a couple of dollars, wood is not the only thing you can cut, and you can get a folding one for less than 20$. Also just (saw) 😂 DeWalt has a razor edge sawzall blade. Id gut a deer with this tool if I had to.
Did he literally just say saws are useless? Dude you save time and strength using a saw meaning you could build a temporary shelter quicker and cleaner then using a knife or axe
I used to agree with this sentiment, and I also thought that anyone who used a stove couldn’t build a fire. But then I moved to S.E. Alaska in the biggest temperature rainforest in the world. It’s so wet there in the rainy season that you are not going to get dead fall to burn. I would usually carry an axe, but eventually just got to where I would carry a full tang Knife and a saw if I needed to make fire. And once even after cutting and splitting down a 6 inch diameter log it was still too soaked to burn. I also started carrying a stove when I lived there.
Brother you kicked a hornet's nest full of bushcrafters ! It's a cult thing. A country boy don't need such things . Some people.have to make things complicated . To each his own .
He sure did! But honestly it’s not complicated at all, but there is a lot to know that this man finds unimportant and apparently has disdain for. You can make due with cheap tools or the wrong tool for the job, like a tomahawk, and survive pretty well, but you’ll be better off with the right tools made with quality materials suited for bushcraft and survival. Writing off someone else’s methods as stupid is really shortsighted and produces a narrow and very limited tool box as we see in this video.
Look at Dave Canterburys 5 tool rule video or discussing tool options through time video. I think you should see more of his videos before judging him a fool. I think you would realize that you have more in common with him than you think.
bushcraft knives are usally 4-5 inches as the blade lenght the knife you were demonstrating in the video is not a Bushcraft knife thats a cheap chinese crap survival knife i think you should look into bushcrafting skills. i think batoning is a good technique to learn if you dont have a saw axe or a tomohawk. happy bushcrafting :)
Rev’ Man! I have been saying that and this for years’ I never understood the “Bushcraft/Batoning” thing? I can and always followed the rules of the Native Indians and Mountain Fur era men’ there is not anything that I can not do with a Green River Hunter knife’ a 6in Old Hickory Butcher or a simple Tomahawk’ everything else to me is nothing but Hogwash’ so much bad and useless information out there that is or will get people killed because they follow fairy tail hype’ Keep on keeping on my Friend’
oh yeah? lets see you do what a modified Crunch multitool can do. It's got an awl/drill blade, for making the screw holes in the different handles for the Cold Steel shovel and for sewing. It's got a couple of file blades for sharpening the shovel and the saw. Its got wire cutters and visegrip, modified to needle-nosed configuration right at the tips. it's got a scoop knife bladed with a gouge end on it, The flat file blade has a chisel end on it. That's 8 things that a smaller, lighter tool can do, plus the replacement carbon steel blade can cut things and I modified the tool to be taken down and re-assembled by hand. So the file blade can be removed and used to sharpen the other tools. I pair it with 3 saw blades, one for metal, one for green wood and one for hard, dry wood. Your knife can't do any of those things.
I have never understood batoning , 5 minutes of beating your knife to split a log?? I can split a log with my hatchet in one swing. Bush knives are good for trimming back brush. I use cold steel Bushman, machete, and hatchet for trimming back brush. When I go out to woods I only take the hatchet out of the three. God Bless
I agree about the saw. I saw many people take it on the alone series so they can make awesome shelters. But myself in a survival situation, I'm not building a log cabin. An axe or just a machete would be plenty to take out the smaller trees I would use.
54 years old and I been in the woods and mountains most my life. All those yuppies making vids batoning and cutting paper,wouldn't make much but bear food out here. I'll bet my flint they wouldn't make a week having to live out here in the wild
I don't get 'batoning' either. Just collect finger size sticks or pine cones for fires. Take three iron spikes with fender washers on 'em and a 3 foot 'swing set' chain to rig a plow point tent. A small knife, even a paring knife for getting supper together. I like Army duffle bags. It will double as a half sleep bag and carry your minimal stuff! That being said, what you WEAR is most important in the bush. Dress for the worst case. Wear oversize stuff. Make sure it has nice pockets. 50+ years of experience.
I learned about bushcraft from watching Virtuavoce’s RU-vid channel. He’s a knife and bushcraft expert. I thought bushcraft was mostly about making feather sticks with special feather bushcraft knives and learning how to make fires so you can cook.
I have 3.5 lbs of shelter/sleep gear, and 1.5 lbs of "extra" clothing, besides cammies and cap, that let me sleep ok from 110F down to 10F, without a fire. It's taken me years of testing to devlope this kit. The sleep shelter gear can all be worn as clothing. This includes a couple of 1/4 lb each, full body bugnet bags, and a 1 lb net hammock, 50x10 ft, that can feed me if need bey. All of the bivvies/bags open flat if I need them to do so and all can be worn as ponchos. Almost everyone would need 10-15 or more lbs to accomplish what I do with that 5 lbs. The extra clothing consists of gloves and glove liners, sock liners, and balaclava, all of polypropylene, and a drawstring hood and booties made out of SOL''s "breathable" mylar. With concealable armor, I can get down to 0F, actually. I can go 10F colder with either rocks or water heated in a discrete Dakota fire pit, or with a mixture of the UCO lantern's beeswax candle and exercising in the bags. Both of the civvies feature a 1 ft wide strip of clear PEVA shower curtain, which will admit the heat of a fire or the sun and then trap it inside of the bag. The PEVA causes condensation when you have no outside heat-source, so I normally leave it folded outside of the bivvies, clamped at each end. When you have to carry 5-10 lbs of food and water, and 20 lbs of guns, armor, accessories, night vision, passive IR scanner, solar and Biolite chargers, you realize that you need to drastically cut weight everywhere else, or you can't "run and gun". Depending upon how much food and water I carry and the choice of ammo and guns, this BOB is 40-50 lbs.
All of that crap and the only gear mentioned worth stealing from you is your food & ammo. You had better go get some training & fix your mindset cause someone’s gonna steal your gear, lock you in the trunk of your car and help your daddy look for you. 🤣 🤣 🤣
