It is highly desirable to carry a fixed blade knife mainly for those rare occasions when it is necessary to split branches to produce dry kindling and shave them to produce ‘excelsior’ (wood shavings) which are the best fire starter. Lighting a fire when it is very wet and cold is the most important time […]
Getting a fire going (in the rain and wet) is the most important thing you need to know – ever. If you don’t know it, one day you will die from your ignorance. It will always be unexpected. Folks are always heading off for a day’s drive wearing shorts and tee shirts into the High
Let it be a golden rule with you that you always carry some form of shelter with you when you are out and about. You can lose heat very quickly in cold. soaking rain and soon be in desperate trouble unless you have some form of shelter. The humble garbage (or trash) bag is quite
Or “Buckley’s or none”. These are (or used to be) two common sayings in Australia indicating that the chances of survival were pretty slim. I have posted some other remarkable survival stories here such as those of Hugh Glass, John Colter and Everts for example. William Buckley’s survival in the wilds of Victoria in the C19th
I just came across this interesting new poncho which doubles as a swag, the Helikon Swagman Roll Poncho. It would be lighter than the traditional wool blanket which (obviously) can be configured in much the same way (as I explained here). It weighs 1.64 pounds (743 grams). It is lined with Climashield Apex insulation. US$124
On a recent trip (Forbidden Wilderness) we ran short of water. It is something I am always prepared to deal with, as is the issue of finding water in difficult situations and desalinating it if necessary. I included this tip in that post: ‘Tip: I have learned this about water filters. When your need is greatest
The Gerber Folding Machete. What a brilliant idea! Length 15.1 in -38 cm (unfolded – about half that folded) Weight 18 oz around 500 grams. You can chop, split or shave with it, and it fits comfortably and safely in your pack (or on your hip via the included pouch) US$139 (Feb 2021). It is
Of course you could just go about with your hair looking like an untidy birds’ nest but few girls especially would want to. I have carried the same old comb below (3 grams) for twenty years. I own that I could probably have found a slightly shorter, lighter one but there is some sentimental attachment.
‘It is no trouble to light a fire with a large magnifying glass when the sun is shining in a clear sky, but it is a different matter if the lens is small or if only brief, occasional gleams of sun come through gaps in the clouds. It can be done quite easily, however, by
Some more great ideas from ‘Tim the Tinker‘. ‘Winter is coming’ as they say, so it is time to sharpen up your winter tent and tipis designs and complete your experiments in how to heat them effectively. It is a pure delight to be out and about in our wonderful Victorian fastnesses, (for example) chasing
