Do Survivalists have it WRONG? Dave Canterbury Explains Kit Mentality Questions 

Ex soldier. 100L Bergan. Other than stuff we *had* to carry, we carried a sleeping bag, tarp, a change of clothes, and hygiene items. Add food and water and what else do you need? Never used a fire once, out for weeks at a time. Sleep system + spare clothes absolutely key to doing this safely. Buy the biggest, warmest sleeping bag you can. Lack of sleep kills.

I have been saying for YEARS that survivalists would be better served carrying a simple backpacker's sleeping bag over all the little gadgets and multifunction items. The line between actual, real-world "survival" and outdoor "living" has become way too blurry. All that heavy weight, unbreakable military style gear is missing the point. We seriously underestimate how durable and useful standard backpacking gear is. Long distance hikers figured survival out decades ago. The rest of us are playing pretend and "what-if" in the woods, from the trunk of our car. We're all having fun, but let's be honest about it.

People get hung up On the old saying “The more you know, the less you NEED. But all I need is to dress right and roll up in a ball and go to sleep, that doesn’t mean that what I WANT to do!

Ive always mixed ultralight backpacking stuff with bushcraft stuff. Just makes sense.

Routinely asking yourself, "how could I be wrong?" Is the true mark of a critical thinker

The old boy scout saying "Be Prepaired" rings truest to me. A comfortable nights sleep is right next to eating properly to wake up with a good attitude towards the coming days events. 70yo here.

Survivalists one size fits all approach to kits and gear is a problem. Furthermore, their approach to food i.e. the you can go 3 weeks without food, so let's not include enough of it in our kit, mentality is nonsense. If you are carrying 10 or more pounds forget about survival kits and go with an ultralight hiking kit. You will be much better off. I mean why would i want a bunch of gear to make improvised solutions when for 10 lbs or even less I can have a tent, sleeping pad, 0 degree quilt and etc. It makes no sense. And in the vast majority of situations I'm not tied to fire to stay warm which means I can get a better night's sleep. It is good to see you coming around on this issue.

I through hiked 900 miles on the PCT, among many week long adventures, and I completely agree. I’ve always had the idea that you should go on multiple day backpacking trips to know what you can carry and what you actually need. Backpacking not only keeps your body in shape but also keeps your mind focused on what is necessary, thus seamlessly transferring over to a survival state of mind. Backpacking is what encouraged me to want to learn how to tie knots, learn different ways to build tarp shelters and start fires with sticks! Your channels and many more have been a big part of this learning experience. Thanks for sharing!

I’m always laying my gear out so I can see everything at once. I will spend 2-3 days analyzing everything. I consider. Time, Terrain, weather, ect . Then I will weigh it. Then take a short hike with it. I’m a 60 year old retired Army veteran. Body hurts but I still love to go out

Even Nessmuk with his ultralight canoe and other lightweight considerations spoke famously of going out not to rough it but to smooth it.

Always good to question ourselves, in order to evolve. Love you, Dave!!!

Dave, I have been merging minimalist, lightweight hiking, and survival gear for about 10 years now. Hours of watching RU-vid and reading and my bag is absolutely perfect for me in my environment. It allows me to survive in all situations and it’s about 20lbs. I’m a 270lb man so I can take that weight easy. But I also use other means like a fold up wagon, if I don’t have to carry it I don’t. I’m situated in the Southwest part of the country and extreme heat so the main worry here. Love the Videos and would love to sit and talk about survival and my lightweight system with you are ever up to it. Keep up the good work!

One of the benefits of using contractor grade trash bags for a browse bed vs. an air mattress is that not only are the trash bags cheaper to replace, but also if they get punctured a piece of gorilla tape can be used to patch them up. Also they're less weight and take up less space in your pack when emptied and rolled up.

The older I get the more I NEED a really good quality sleep system and tent. In the "Old Days" like the 1970's I could get by with a Sheepherder bedroll which was a wool blanket and an oversize light weight canvas which could act as a ground sheet and tent. Not good in a bad storm but when you're young you can tolerate more. I also worked as a Wilderness Ranger in Eastern Oregon in the late 70's after I got out of the Marines where camp changed every day. My loadout was between 70 -80 pounds for a 10 day tour. Because most of my time was spent above 6000 feet you could expect low 70 degrees F. Down to below freezing with whiteout snow in any given tour. So I carried the extra weight for four seasons sleeping bag and tent and never felt bad about it. Fast forward I most likely won't walk more than 1 mile ever again so my 3/4 ton 4 X 4 GMC with trailer will pack my amenities and the tent if I so choose is 12 X 12 yurt that pops up in minutes... Cheating I know. What I didn't carry was water filtration and purification. That changed after a bad case of Giardia. Never go anywhere without water treatment. Great video.

I recently went camping with family. I didn't realize we were going, so I didn't bring my gear. I slept on the ground with a couple of blankets. Never again...

You operate with class, honor, and humility. Thank you

Now that I’m older with some physical limitations a good sleep systems sound very good, when I was in my 20-30 I could sleep anywhere. I have minimized my kit over the last few years and enjoy my hiking much better. Good sleep system is key , very good subject to ponder on, thanks Dave

As I have gotten older I have reduced my pack weight to allow me to stay out longer and as a consequence I have embraced some of the lightweight mentality alongside my bushcraft experience. I always have a good sleep system to ensure a decent nights sleep. Great video Dave.

What people really need to invest the time and money in is a backpack that fits their torso properly and research how to properly pack their items as far as weight distribution inside the pack.

There is no such thing as wrong when it comes to survival. I'm an old man and in poor health. When I was younger I geared my choices towards bugging out. I have no doubt that I can't walk very far due to medical reasons that I have no control over. Now I gear my choices for bugging in and defending my personal space and my family.

I try to keep my air pad inside my bivy. This gives it more protection from puntures and the air inside stays warmer. Great video.

Yesterday I changed from my winter sleep system to my warm weather set up. I keep a Snugpak Antarctica, German army elephant skin tarp along with thermarest mats and air mattress Etc. So now I switch to a warmer weather snugpak and accessories. Here in Canada if you have an emergency in the middle of winter you better be prepared if you have to evacuate. Beginning of April is when I always switch everything and then back again in late fall

This is something that drives me a little nuts. I was a lifelong boy scout, and back in the late 70s-late 90s it was very often the case that durable gear was heavy. Then I joined the military, and the idea with military gear is that it's, above all else, commonized and durable; hence the person conforms to the gear instead of the opposite. As hiking and camping and the aerospace/space industry have advanced, the materials used have also advanced. A strong shift into lighter methods to produce strong structures via advanced engineering has advanced exponentially. This all translates directly to a segment of outdoor life which has a strong division. For whatever reason, there's the survivalist/bushcrafting/para-military side of the house, and then there's backpacking/thru-hiking. The latter has placed a massive emphasis on lightweight and DURABLE goods which are often incredibly waterproof; the latter is somewhat intentionally nostalgic and/or still holds to the belief that heavier is more durable/better. An observation on bushcrafting ethos: Let's not kid ourselves, there's an intentional nostalgia to throwback days when men were men. Days ranging from skinning a buffalo and wearing its hide to flannel, jeans, and work boots while deer hunting. Y'all know I'm right. But let's take a beat and think about this: When flannel John was looking back at Grog the first ever bushcrafter, he was super happy that all his gear was uber-modern, lightweight, and readily available on a hanger down at the sporting goods shop. Flannel John Bushcrafter of the '60s WAS WEARING AND USING state of the art ultra-lightweight, high-performance gear. When, exactly, did that desire to advance gear change to making due with outdated, often dangerous gear? Now lest anyone think I'm hating on ye olde schoole bushcrafting style, I love nothing more than mid-40s through mid-60s design and tooling. While not always practical, it was certainly a beautiful period in Americana. On Backpacks: Even David said the phrase 'heavy duty backpack' a bunch of times. That's honestly the BEST place to change theory entirely. For example, a Durston Kakwa 55 weighs 2lb (my medium, which would be a large in most any other brand) literally weighs 2.09lb) is tougher than any pack I've ever owned, and fits amazingly well which makes it easy to wear for long distances. My Gregory Zulu 55 (which I got for $100 at Sierra... look there for deals, folks) weighs just 3.8lb and has a trampoline back, is equally comfortable, is incredibly durable and a little more compartmentalized (which some will love and some will hate, but is probably a better choice for folks here). The Gregory is actually pretty lightweight for a pack in its class, but even here you can see there's almost a 2lb difference just from what you're carrying your stuff in, and that either translates to being able to save 2lb of carry weight (and the burned calories attached to that which is critical in survival situations) or to fill that lighter pack with another 2lb of gear or food to make surviving easier. That's an incredibly delta right there and chances are you'll wind up with a MORE durable pack that is way more comfortable to wear. Now, I'm not a David Canturbury, nor do I want to be any YT presence aside from some short helpful tips here and there for my little band of brothers, but I put this video together a hint over a year ago. Already some of my gear has changed, but this is a really affordable setup. The food section is a little short, intentionally, and will change wildly depending on water availability. It isn't nearly as inclusive as I'd like, but the idea is sound. It'll upset some folks about redundancy and I'm not sure I sent quite the message I wanted to on that point, but I'll present this for your consideration as an exercise in thinking (more than gear). One element I just somehow forgot was that the quilt was to be used in conjunction with a poncho AND the UCO candle lantern (or something like it) to create a warmer spot pretty much anywhere (though is best when employed up against a windblock face you can lean against). The following video bridges some of the gaps, albeit clumsily, between bushcrafting theory and lightweight theory. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-6PISsWxXbnI.html

This video is right on time for me. Just wrapped up filming a new overnighter and I was questioning my sleep gear. It got a little colder than expected and I could've used more in the area of sleep. Thanks Dave! God bless!

I'm a little jealous of the UL crew when I'm walking along with my pack on. Soon fades when it's set up camp time though. That extra weight is guaranteed comfort when I need to rest.

Excellent point Dave! A good night sleep kit is extremely underrated part of any outdoorsmans pack. Anyone who has camped in the woods with inadequate sleep gear will tell you how it effects the next day. Too many youtubers are obsessed about weight in my opinion as well. Keep up the great content brother!

I'm a canyon backpacker and I LOVE my inflatable sleep pad. I only tore a hole once and a tent repair patch fixed it right up, still have that pad. and if it fails too badly I can rip it open and use it as a browse bed. Its waterproof so you could even used damp leaves and brush. I use the Ascend Deep Creek for winter and the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Xlite NXT the rest of the time.

Excellent observations. The different outdoor pursuits (survival, Bushcraft, dayhikers, section hikers, through hikers, etc.) have a lot to teach each other.

When I was in cadets, around 2 decades ago😅, we were using military surplus equipment: canvas rucksacks, down filled sleeping bags, rubberized hexagonal ground sheets, Coleman stoves and lanterns with NAFTA fuel canisters, as well as MREs all packed on our adolescent bodies. A typical set of gear with 1 set of spare clothes, a full military canteen bottle, and basic toiletries weighed over 40lbs. Some of the smaller youths barely weighed more than their kit, and the older kids tended to carry the fuel, jerry cans of water, and other heavy liquids, cookware and other kit. The reality is that anything you bring will add weight, but often it's worthwhile. A 3-4 season sleeping bag will be far more pleasant than a wool blanket or poncho. A tent or hammock will be better than a debris shelter. Having redundancies in a pack are also important. A poncho can only serve one purpose at a time, if it's covering your hammock, you're gonna get wet and vice versa. Having multiple ways to start a fire (ex: a lighter & magnesium block) is more kit, but redundancies are lifesaving. As well as having multiple fuels or ways to make fire are helpful in case of fire bans during a drought or all the surrounding wood is soaked. An alcohol fuelled camping stove is light is takes little space, and 99% isopropyl can be used for multiple purposes. Having a short camping spade with a sharpened edge negates the need for an axe, but the poll/butt of an axe makes for a good hammer, and a hammer is also a pry bar etc. But, I'd rather have a good axe than a spade or hammer when camping. Just as I'd rather have a sleeping bag AND back up wool blankets, than sleep on a garbage bag filled with leaves while shivering under a thin poncho. Camping/prepping is all about checks and balances. Having a restful night's sleep that allows your body to recover properly leads to better decisions and performance in the day. That will go a long way towards keeping you alive

I recently had a weeklong outdoor event in Central Eastern New York State near the Catslills which was more remote than I expected. I focused heavy on sleep gear/comfort. Slept like a baby, and was so engaged with everything during the daylight hours, I sometimes honestly forget I camped rather just having a great, remote, adventurous week with a few friends.

Dave, I really appreciate this video. I consider you the OG in my bushcraft and related skills experience. But over the years of watching you, I've also spent my own time in the woods. I have also done some Appalachian trail work, and spend time in that community as well. To watch this video and to see those two realities come together is pretty enjoyable. Thanks. Keep doing what you're doing!

I'm glad that you're having this discussion. From my perspective (50+ year minimalist camper with section hiking experience), if you're taking a kit that's 25+ lbs, take your full backpack. My minimalist "survival" pack that I routinely take in the woods weighs less than 15 lbs and fits in a 13ltr MountainSmith lumbar pack. It will easily see me through an unexpected multi-night situation. It has an emergency bivy sack (it's important that you are aware that you can use trash compactor bags, but there's very little value in intentionally carrying them imo), space-blanket, and poncho/hammock for sleeping. My three season backpacking carrying weight runs 20-30 lbs and has no limit on days, outside of food (One 8 day section in the Sierra, my pack-weight, including food and bear barrel weighed 26#). The secret is to take items that do many things. The poncho/hammock being a great example. It's not really being a "weight weanie," but things like only carrying a 700ml titanium cup with some heavy-duty aluminum foil instead of extra pots are the type of critical thinking that gets your weight down without negative impact.

IMO experiencing the different sleep modes in below freezing conditions as part of a controlled evolution becomes a valuable part of "what you know." That requires sufficent fitness to endure the planned modes ... Excellent video!

Good discussion & I'm really glad to see/hear your thought process as you rethink things. You know I'm a hiker with some survival skills so this resonates with me. It all depends upon the individual. Whenever I visit the school, I'm always surrounded by serious bushcrafters & survivalists that love rugged gear. On the trail, minimal has a different meaning and rugged isn't as necessary because no one plans to break bush. I carry more than most but less than a hardcore bushcrafter. I also walk further and take less breaks than my bushcraft buddies on the trail because of their load. It all depends on what you want to do on your outing. Your videos and products tell me that you are on the right path, and you might be able to expand your market to include backpackers by offering different materials. For instance, I carry a keychain ferro rod and switched to a syl-nylon poncho to cut weight and still meet my needs. Not sure if that works with your core competencies. Oh, 25lb is the limit for a backpacker on a thru hike but way beyond what the average Joe is willing to take on a day hike. We are lucky to get them to carry something other than a water bottle. Keep it up, brother! You always have new ideas & approaches so I'll always keep listening. Thanks for always being the leader that you are.

I "skip" on the sleeping part for a Get Home Bag, but still include emergency shelter components, as I would not expect to sleep for at least the first night while attempting to get home. My 72hr+ back does place significant emphasis on sleeping gear as it would not be being used for GHB and would require coping with getting some sleep, of course. The main issue as I see it with the thru hiker gear is that most of it is very ultra-lite and very expensive, so is out of the financial range of what the everyday person would be able to justify for their 3 day pack gear. Plus they always are focused on getting to a known re-supply point whereas "Survivalists" in most cases will be tending to prepare for unknown routes and destinations.

You’ve made some great points in this video, and I think it goes in all directions as well. All of us outdoors people tend to get locked into our spheres and miss out on a lot of great ideas for staying safe and comfortable in the backcountry. Survivalists, backpackers, canoeists, hunters, ultralighters all have something to learn from each other. As a canoe camper and backpacker I had never even heard of a swagman roll or woobie, which look like great options for winter backpacking and car camping trips - thanks for connecting our worlds!

Thank you for applying Reason. It’s nice to know YOU understand the importance of sleep, especially in a survival situation. lack of sleep makes it hard to think and reason out your next step to survive. Thanks.

Great video Dave! I have done a couple kayak camping trips where weight and balance of equipment on the "boat" is key and it really does work. I will be reviewing items within my kits and changing my outlook for my "foot" kits too!

I'm a retired disaster manager who has experienced a lot but also wrote a thesis on it. What most people get wrong is they focus on govt takeovers, earthquakes, maybe an asteroid hit...While car accidents are a fairly common disaster, home and apartment fires, and especially bad weather in general are clearly statistically at the top of the list. House on fire? Your EDC might be your barenaked butt and a blanket. If you're smart you've got some shoes ready to slip into. Focus on the main survival eventualities instead of the less likely ones IOW have some camping equipment ready in the car or in the yard and practice doing it...and I'm only a minute into your video. You the man, Dave. I know the rest will be good.

I am a thru-hiker as well as a bush crafter. My thru-hike base weight is 11-12 pounds, that includes shelter, backpack, sleeping pad, quilt, cooking gear, water storage and purification, clothing, compass, electronics -- everything except food and water. I agree the sleep system is the most important component of your kit, because you can't cheat sleep! It catches up with you.

Great video. Also really liked the last video on the M6 Scout. As a future video Idea I would really like you to demonstrate how to muzzle load it.

When ever my wife and go out of town i carry our blankets even if it is summertime. And some essentials for our daily living. We are both have maintenance medicine and we can no longer hike like before but Dave is right,i prefer have a good sleep than a full stomach . We always carry the 5c's if survivability. And cover to the elements are our top priority. Just sharing my thoughts we are from the island nation Philippines..😊

Dave wants to hike the A.T. Freakin awesome! Lots to be learned from thru-hikers for sure.

I’m glad you put this out I couldn’t agree more I keep my pack under 20lbs but also keep 2 trash bag liners a sleep Matt , poncho , swagman roll ,dice blanket than I have a down blanket I carry I’m not sure why anybody would skimp on a sleep system .

great thinking points sir, appreciate your wisdom and perspective

I agree Dave. I carry a Nemo Tensor insulated pad w/ a Tyvek ground mat, and a Wilderness Innovations poncho and Osni cloak on anything besides a day hike in familiar terrain. My total pack weight (including water, food, and an entire QRP HF ham radio kit and an HT) usually weighs in around 30-35lbs. It's totally doable, you just have to be smart. Edit: I just packed up, and my entire kit including food, and all of my radio gear, weighs 26lbs. That's in an Eagle Industries JUTE.

As someone who started out as a backpacker and that led me into a survival mentality... I have looked at some of these "survival kits" as a joke because of the weight... I think you hit the nail on the head with this video... calories are king, sleep is queen, but weight is the kingdom... keep it lite and stay mobile folks

I try to basically stay with the 10cs. Learning how to survive is learning the ways of the woods, and learning how to live off it. Thanks Dave for the video.

A good discussion. My background is a professional wilderness canoe guide, backcountry ski guide and avalanche instructor, and mountain guide, including glacier, snow, ice and rock climbing. All over Canada and Alaska. From Brooks Range to Boreal forest. I began this outdoor life as a Boy Scout and I learned all the "bush craft" or camp craft as a kid before venturing into backpacking. I would always endorse the "multi-functional" aspect of most any piece of gear and I always like your emphasis on that. Canoe tripping allows for a lot more luxury especially trips without portages. One other consideration in, say, the boreal forest, is bugs. Try sleeping with something without bug netting... not much sleep is possible. I would venture to say that mountaineering demands are very instructive for all of these considerations. When you have to carry a bunch of metal objects like ice axe, crampons, climbing hardware into the alpine environment where you could encounter snow storms and extreme environmental challenges, you learn to evaluate your gear choices with great care. You need to conserve body temp and maybe sleep on a bed fashioned from moving rocks around. Alpine mountaineering packs can get pretty heavy. Lessons are learned quickly and mistakes steer you towards better choices next time. Thanks for the video.

I agree 100% my backpacking shelter is only 2 pounds and I have experienced some heavy weather in it and stayed dry as a bone. I wouldn’t want to be stuck in it during a blizzard or hurricane but I wouldn’t want to be stuck under a tarp either.

Love these mentality breakdown topics

Excellent explanation. This guy knows what he's talking about.

Look up the Arctic 1000. It was a challenge by three guys including Roman Dial and Ryan Jordan in the mid 2000s. Their goal was to cover 1000+ km completely self supported without resupply - in Alaska. They used all the minimal gear strategies possible. If I remember correctly only Romain Dial finished the entire route, although he had a hamburger in one of the towns. A testament of what is possible when you combine skill, experience, fitness, and grit. Lots to learn from that one.

We always got it wrong when first started camping, tekking & exploring the outback but we learned through the years in prioritization & doing research before embarking on a mission. There's no perfect kit in any situation but knowing to improvise is an asset, that will only come in mileage amongst skills & experience. Cheers DC from Australia.

Well said. I follow a few general principles, "any preparation is better than no preparation", "no one can be prepared for everything" and "the best gear is what you have on you" so I'm mostly a generalist and I prioritize what I enjoy using because it's more likely that I'll have it on me than not. Sometimes counting ounces is fun, sometimes that extra heavy duty gear is more enjoyable (Saddleback Leather fan here) but either way a little knowledge, skill and a bit of gear can go a long way.

I’ve always carried a no name light weight mattress on multi-day backpacking trips and I’ve never had a problem with it or complained about the “added” weight. I’m getting too old to sleep on the ground and agree that a great night sleep is more important than the few extra ounces carrying it as part of my sleep system.

Appreciate the restful, restorative sleep systems. Here, to insulate air mattress from the ground while also adding a little abrasion/ puncture resistance, a mylar faced, foam core windshield reflector(s) can work - i.e , larger ones for vans and semitrucks - which also, when insoles are traced onto and cut from them, insulate shoe soles from heat loss to the cold ground.

Very good insight and it reminds me of the series you were doing on the "modern" woodsman kit. I feel it definitely has merit.

It’s cool to see the bushcraft/survivalist community being open minded and learning from hikers. I’m not an ultralight backpacker but I am very conscious of how much time it takes out of the day to substitute in skills and crafting in place of gear. How far are you trying to go in a day? How much daylight are you working with? How heavily are you trying to conserve energy? These are all questions we have to ask ourselves. I’ve built shelters and browse beds and stayed warm by Siberian log fires all night. Doing those 3 things on the same trip in the same day take substantial time and energy compared to blowing up a pad, setting up a tent, and settling into a weather appropriate sleeping bag. It’s important to hone survival skills but maintain the mindset of practicality, efficiency, and speed. And backpackers can learn from bushcraft guys that carrying a 40 lb pack shouldn’t kill rhem. It’s less about whether or not you should carry a 40 pound pack to begin with and more about what can you do with that 40 pounds. It’s true that with proper bushcraft gear and hunting/trapping skills a person could survive a long time in wilderness, but I promise you with 40 lbs of modern gear and food a person could live in the lap of luxury for a week or more, staying dry, comfortable, warm, and expending a minimum of energy. P.s. editing to say fantastic video Dave!

I’ll say it again; I appreciate the fact that Dave has the humility and wisdom to rethink what he has been doing in order to optimize what he could be doing- and teaching. Life isn’t static. So our thought processes and problem solving shouldn’t be either. As we age, we begin to realize the difference between how to “survive” in the outdoors and how to “thrive”. And that difference grows greater the older we get. Can I still spend a night sleeping on the ground without a thick cushion or cot? Yes. Will I be pain free the next day and be able to schlep my 28 pound pack over the hills and valleys with a smile on my face? Uh… no. So Dave’s message here is well placed, relevant and valuable to consider. And to me, that is; “Surviving” is what we have to do when there’s no other choice. Thriving is what we seek to do in every other circumstance.

Yep. I started off as one of these "Have it all" style survivalists, but thanks to Dave and others and gaining more experience I realized that everything I need can probably fit into a backpack and a single tote and as long as I can hunt/fish I will be just fine. Sleep is critical. I can save your life from almost any injury with stuff that can fit in a fanny pack. My "luxury" pack items are my gun and my axe. I like the axe compared to other tools but that's my guilty pleasure. If its a "bad scenario" that means that all the weight I want to reserve for ammunition. That's the X factor. Is this a conflict survival situation or not.

Thanks Dave I have been thinking along these lines for awhile. I have a lightweight sleeping system I tweak a little now and then but it is in keeping with what you guys teach. And the mentality aspect in all of it. I can say with confidence that the difference is phenomenal. This aspect is crucial to survival. On, under,, in..It’s simple and profound at the same time.

Dave, It’s great to hear a change in your thoughts. I’m a gram weenie myself, but I also go on a 5-6 day hiking trip each year on the AT. My pack for the last several years weighs 29 lbs all in, including food, water & fuel for 5-6 days. The bulk of that weight is food & water. If I wasn’t carrying so much food, I could get that down to 19 lbs or less. I take a 10 degree quilt, inflatable sleeping pad, piece of tyvek & a tarp for shelter & sleep. I’ve used the same equipment for the last 5 yrs running. I only carry a SAK for a knife. I only carry a mini bic w/vasoline & cotton balls for fire. I only carry a Pathfinder cup to cook in w/a BRS 3000 to heat food. I also don’t have any additional bags in the pack, except for one ziplock to use as a ditty bag. I do still take a map & compass, which many others do not. However, first aid supplies are to a bare minimum. There’s all kinds of ways to save weight. Ounces equals pounds & pounds equals pain.

Always lived by the saying… Better the have it and not need it than to need it and not have it ….. If I can carry it ….. it’s coming with me.

there's a video of this guy putting together a full thru-hike setup with

Yeah your right & this has been something I have been tuning into my Condor 3 day Assault bag. Light weight but takes some room. Hennessey Ham w/ bug net (200gr), Wingman trp, heavy dty reflc blanket, 30m poly, wool blanket, bivy & hvy garb bag. Takes room but I can adjust it & is less than 7 lbs. Gets hot, wet & cold in Canada. I've found the most common problem with sleep & setting up is human contact. I like your sleep system roll up. Even if I'm over wgt I can set up the hammock on the ground & use the insect netting. Everything is adjusted.

glad to see this I recently put a kit together for my truck google says it should be a 5 hour walk from my work home but my thought is that if I need to do so I may need to detour off the direct routes and I started the kit with poncho and tarp added a camping hammock and sleeping bag (winter kit also has sleeping bag liner and hammock under quilt) canteens always on the truck and a water bladder on the pack, ooh yeah the truck always had a wool blanket and a sweater and or hoodie it seemed heavier than what most were recommending but I would rather have my snivel gear and plan on sharing emergency campsite with old man murphy there is other stuff in the kit fire, mess kit ect but the main bulk seems to be sleeping, shelter and water oh yeah i also run a bit of emergency food but being diabetic a walk that long could wreak havoc on the bloodsugar so we plan by our needs

As we age sleep quality matters more and more. 😁😁

Interesting to hear you voice what I've been doing all along subconsciously. I came to the world of bushcraft after 30 years trekking on 5 continents. When I came across videos on sleeping in a wool blanket, I immediately asked myself, "Why?". They are heavier and bulkier than my sleeping bags or quilts and offer a fraction of the warmth. Why would I want to carry something heavier that leaves me colder? No thanks! The only thing I've really changed with my camping gear for bushcrafting is swapping out my plastic water bottle for a metal one. Other than that, everything else is still just trekking/camping gear. I strongly agree with your opinions on backpacks also. Some of mine are 40+ years old because they're made of cordura and at a time when the majority of manufacturers took pride in making products that were built to last. Your gear falls into the latter category, but there's a hell of a lot of lightweight gear out there that's just cheap, flimsy Chinese tat.

I learnt about the importance of good sleeping gear back in the eighties. A good nights sleep improves mood and function enormously. As important, it means you enjoy the whole experience more, therefore do it more and in time, normalise the experience. I feel similarly about back packs. I have used a modified LK35 for many years now. I have many other packs, which I do use from time to time but while not lightweight, I find the LK35 to be the most comfortable (for me). I take it out for long walks, with around 35lbs load and only start to feel it if I stop to chat for a while. In a survival situation you use what you have available. Otherwise, be comfortable. As Ray Mears said "if you're roughing it, you're doing it wrong" Good video.

If a person can carry 3lbs in ponchos (plural), they can carry a 17oz quilt rated down to 30° without a fire. "A man can stand almost any hardship by day, and be none the worse for it, provided he gets a comfortable nights rest; but without sound sleep he will soon go to pieces, no matter how gritty he may be." --Horace Kephart, Woodcraft and Camping

I’m in total agreement. Know how to do without, but don’t plan to do without.

First of all, I love your books. Bought them in my mid twenties just for grins, and they've been a great resource. That being said, I grew up playing outdoors, and spent most of the last 15 years, 3 season camping for recreation and work, with a couple of cabin style winters thrown in. My kit doesn't change much from car to backpack, so here's the breakdown. Miltec Bivy shell, 0° sleeping bag, 4R inflatable mattress, 10x10 nylon tarp, a 2 person hammock, and @100' of heavier Paracord (not 550, but a larger diameter). Mattress and bag get rolled into the Bivy and weigh @6#, the tarp, hammock, stakes, and cordage get thrown into a dry bag and account for another 3#. If it's REAL damned cold, I'll throw in an additional blanket at 4#. I also upgraded the hangers for the hammock, to heavier climbing clips for the sake of durability, and all of this straps to a frame, with a separate bag for food, and another for the few tools I take. Don't get me wrong, I love my wool blankets and canvas bedroll. However, if you're carrying this stuff all the time, this way is easier and thus far, their durability has matched the older kit, provided one accounts for proximity to fire. My bed kit has 1 year of adventure on it, with consistent use, for anywhere from 4 days, to 2 weeks at a time, and the prior mattress and sleep pad had been used for 4 years before the sleeping bag was packed out and I felt the need to get a warmer pad. The tarp and hammock have seen 3 season use for the last 6 years and are still going strong. I've always had a rule for my and my daughters camp time. We don't glamp. One pack each, that we can carry distance. If we are car camping, we do use a cooler and pack a bigger stove, but that's about it. Guys. For the love of Christ. Lighten up your kits and sleep well.

My current woods play system looks more and more like my army issue system these days. Cross training for that involuntary 4-seasons in a trench situation. Having the ability to round out my issue gear with private gear if the shit in the east kicks off is appealing. Having thoroughly tested the system up front matters. It's not a perfect system but i gotta work within the supply chains and uniform standards that we have.

I love this video and the evolution. I just recently read Walking with Spring by Earl Shaffer, the first AT thruhiker, and picked up on this merging of bushcraft and thruhiker mentalities. Great read.

I have alway's carried a sleep pad and I always will, if I am just out over night or a couple day's I would leave a tarp or tent at the house before I left my sleeping pad.

I think you made some great points on using backpackers as an example. There have been alot of advancements in technology with fabrics used in backpacking gear the last 10 yrs. Light and still durable. It's going to cost more, but if your serious about it, will be worth it.

Leave it to Dave Canterbury to make us think again, lol. But I do think we can learn quite a bit from Thru hikers as they do go 3-5 days before stopping in a town to resupply or take a zero day to refresh themselves. And the ultralight gear they use in a really durable backpack that a survivalist or outdoorsman would use makes really good sense. Thank you @DavidCanterbury once again for doing what you do.

As with many of us, I tend to over think about what should be in my kit. For example, I have a "self built" kit of small tools. It weighs a little over 1 pound. Do I really need plyers and others? I have a bevy sack TENT that I bought in the mid 1970's, sleeps 1 man. To this day I've used it once, ONCE. I have a lot of the super light stuff too. Do i really need all that stuff? Then there are the 5 and 10 "C's". Am I going over the top with that? Yes, a little. So, what I've found is a persons kit has to be built around the goal in mind. My goal is emergency prep, much more than camping and hiking, etc. I want to be able to actually LIVE outdoors for an extended period, generally away from people (Hide so to speak). What I've found is that I cover most the other kit goals in what I have. I just have to set aside what I don't need for short term. I also have health limits that come into play. Dave your info in videos like this helps us all to NOT over think our kits. Thanks. ;-)

I like to eat so if I'm carrying extra weight it's going to be some good chow. Good video, it gets the brain juices flowing. Thank you for sharing your time and knowledge.

I’m going to post an opinion… so flame away, what I’m about to say works form me, YMMV. I’ve had to walk a line between Ultralight backpacking and camping/bushcraft. They are two completely different mentalities. One is about the journey, the other, about the destination. Neither is wrong. I know your gripes about titanium cookware. I swear by it and use it all the time. I use a 1L titanium BOT (with a bail) as a canteen and cookware. This saves me weight and does the job. I CAN sleep on a bed made from trash bags and have demonstrated that. I don’t CHOOSE to. Usually I use a ThermaRest pumped with a FlexTail Zero Pump. I have a swagman roll. I have used it to sleep in. I also have several sleeping bags I use. Some are down and some are synthetic. I have built a shelter from branches/logs and slept in it comfortably during a rainstorm. I own a gatewood cape from six moons designs that works as both rain gear and a tent that I’ve also slept in. I’ll stop here and make my point. It’s all a matter of resources. Time is a resource. Sometimes I am in a situation where a storm is rolling in and I need shelter now. Sometimes I have time to build it. Sometimes I ONLY have specific resources (like trash bags) because my sleeping bag got ruined, dropped, is soaking wet…. The goal as I understand it, is to go out in to the woods… And come back. Kits helps and training helps. But of the two, a kit is useless if you don’t know how to use it. When you build a kit, it weighs something. You are going to spend energy moving it with you. OR you can spend energy building off the land… OR do both…

Respect that you always question assumptions. The scientific method.

My pack is 40 lbs. And I train with it. I plan to thrive not survive. Just living isn't enough....

Lot to be learned from the UL and through-hiker crowd. Lots to be learnt from guys like Dick Griffith, who completed the Alaska Mountain Wilderness Classic 17 times. With a very minimal amount of gear.

Depends on what we are surviving really. Where we are and conditions. So I preped 2 bags a 40 ltr bag with smaller tent, mats etc for summer use. Then a 65 ltr bag for winter cold. Both have filters, fire starter pan, saw / tools. The question is what pack do I put in my car. I'll always grab the 65 ltr if I can as its better gear.

Good point! I always question why do I need a 6"x0.5" fire steel if I can carry a little boy scout Light my Fire fire steel, it never fails me!!

Great content Dave! Really hit the nail on the head!!

I have two " Go Barrels " They are metal 55 gallon barrels that are food grade and water tight with large handles painted in camo and weigh in at 300 pounds each . They can be carried short distances by two men when they alternate sides . Or a long pole allows them to be carried on the shoulders They are for a family of six for 40 days and meant to be a storage cache .

The basic element defining the weight & volume you will carry for your sleep gear and shelter is the weather. The weather defines what sleep pad, sleeping bag/quilt and sometime the type of shelter you will need and therefore carry in weight & volume. However, should be fortunate to locate or know of a pine forest or an over-hanging cliff, cave, major rock formation or othe protective location from wind and the majority of rain and snow then your weight & volume can potentially be less.

This was great in 28 and got into bushcraft at 10 when I found you few years later I was hooked. But one thing I’ve always struggled with was pack weight. I’ve always tried to emulate through hiking philosophy with bushcraft and survival but always had a heavier pack due to my sleep kit but now I see it’s not such a bad way to be packing.

Love the video I concur I would rather be a mule hauling weight than not be comfortable, while sleeping.

I absolutely love this, old heads still willing to learn from other disciplines, see what they do "better" (for certain situations/scenarios). People who are willing to experiment, learn and change will always be one step ahead of dogmatic folks - That said though, as human beings, we have an innate ability to ritualise everything, so it is sort of natural to us, but stepping back from it can be really beneficial.

I always loved your videos, and I keep some traditional tools with me backpacking on the trail, but I moved into the lighter is better camp long ago and still think that's the right move. The same mindset applies to footwear. Heavier footwear does not protect you. It makes you tired faster and less agile and gives you blisters. Trail runners have enough protection to prevent stone bruising without tiring you out as fast and giving you the agility to catch yourself before a fall. Sometimes the best gear is lighter gear. For doubters out there, I bet you don't carry a 14" knife either.

Glad to see a pro say it. I have been already looking at thru hikers and Bushcraft side by side. It seemed natural as carry a compass and cell phone. I won't say my kit is right. I made some experimental choices. Not all worked. Still refining. But why wouldn't we take best of both world approaches.

My get home bag, designed for 3-5 days, is basically the idea of "well, guess I'm inconveniently camping/hiking now." Because if I'm trying to get somewhere, I'm not taking the time to bushcraft anything. My pack is meant for backpacking and my gear is as ultralight as I can afford. One caveat is that my down gear is stored uncompressed but ready to be shoved into the pack on a moment's notice. I do like your point on taking a more durable backpack, so I might look for one that's also designed for hiking. Something like an INCH bag would need a very different type of equipment and mentality. But for just a few days? - bring on the ultralight!

Thank you for the great info… absolutely great food for thought and advice

Good video Dave. I would also consider speaking with people that work trails. I have never been a thru-hiker but I have worked several seasons on the maintenance of trails and lots of similar gear is used, carrying and living out of your pack for 8-10 days while performing heavy labor constructing, rehabing, or moving trail with tools like crosscut saws, axes, and other tools. My pack averaged 80 lbs and filtered all my water. Rarely had fires. I generally used the cheapo thermarest roll/fold pad, light tent, and woobie when it's warm. But also, air pads were durable. The bulk of my weight was always food. Trying to eat as much as possible at the beginning to get the weight down also high calorie works. I mixed lots of survival and bushcraft theory in like making multiple uses of certain gear. If you can get some opinions of people that work trails and pick their brains, good resource. Thru-hikers ain't got nothing on trail workers, they miss all the good stuff because they go too fast. Slow is smooth, smooth is fast.

As always, well done. Thank you.

I appreciate hearing someone give a shout out to the “hiking community” I have been watching their videos trying to understand how to cut weight and the most important thing Ive learned from them is “You pack your fears” 🤔 l think people should lay out their entire pack and read that statement and I’ll bet they find items that are there just for a theoretical scenario that they could solve with skills if that item was not there.

My whole pack is probably 30 to 40 in the winter and more like 20 split between a small bedroll and haversack in the summer. Most of the weight most of the time is distributed between my belt (tools) haversack(cooking) bedroll (cover kit) and my ECW surplus bag for winter all tied to an aluminum pack frame. It’s a great camping kit and it’s a great primary. I think survival is broad. The bag is for a month max and you keep stashes full with more long term stuff.