Camping with Bushcraft Gear from Amazon - Is it any Good
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Date: 2025-12-12
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Comments and reviews: 20
m. h. english4773
Good for you Mike for NOT CHEAPING OUT on your sleeping bag! I myself use the same type of bag used by the US Military to keep warm when stationed above the Alaskan Arctic Circle, and like yourself, I keep warm. You can buy the, Made in China replica of the British World War 2 pocket knife for $15 when you can’t afford a real one made in Sheffield, just as long as you DONT CHEAPOUT on your sleeping gear. And personally, I think that should even extend to the sleeping pad you use to keep the ground from sucking all the heat out of your body, which is why I’ve gone with an ultralight camping cot purchased off of TEMU to avoid Helinox prices. Absolutely LOVE your videos! Just keep them coming as I’m a BIG FAN of both you and your father.
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Good for you Mike for NOT CHEAPING OUT on your sleeping bag! I myself use the same type of bag used by the US Military to keep warm when stationed above the Alaskan Arctic Circle, and like yourself, I keep warm. You can buy the, Made in China replica of the British World War 2 pocket knife for $15 when you can’t afford a real one made in Sheffield, just as long as you DONT CHEAPOUT on your sleeping gear. And personally, I think that should even extend to the sleeping pad you use to keep the ground from sucking all the heat out of your body, which is why I’ve gone with an ultralight camping cot purchased off of TEMU to avoid Helinox prices. Absolutely LOVE your videos! Just keep them coming as I’m a BIG FAN of both you and your father.
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TheSaneHatter
1. I’m delighted to see you finally test out that Missy Oak folding saw! Not only have I been curious about it for a while, but I’ve wanted to see you test out some brands that are more common on our side of the Atlantic, where it’s easier to find a Corona or Mossy Oak saw than a Bahco Laplander.
(It’s also worth noting that some of those alternate blades are intended, not just for different kinds of wood, but for materials like plastic and soft metal, they say)
2. I don’t skimp on either a sleeping pad OR a sleeping bag: I waited for the best sale price prices on the best products I could find before testing them out. That’s how I scored both a ZenBivy and a Nemo Tensor.
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1. I’m delighted to see you finally test out that Missy Oak folding saw! Not only have I been curious about it for a while, but I’ve wanted to see you test out some brands that are more common on our side of the Atlantic, where it’s easier to find a Corona or Mossy Oak saw than a Bahco Laplander.
(It’s also worth noting that some of those alternate blades are intended, not just for different kinds of wood, but for materials like plastic and soft metal, they say)
2. I don’t skimp on either a sleeping pad OR a sleeping bag: I waited for the best sale price prices on the best products I could find before testing them out. That’s how I scored both a ZenBivy and a Nemo Tensor.
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taoutdoors
I live, and go camping, in the Netherlands. I need to hang my tent and tarp to dry every time after a camping trip! Even in the middle of Summer. My tent gets wet from the inside, condensation, and most mornings there's dew on the tent and tarp (I use the tarp as an 'awning' in front of my small one-person tent. If I would stay in one place for several days and nights, the tent would dry if there's no rain. But often I pack and go on after breakfast.
Because of the 'condensation' I get my sleeping bag and mat unpacked too as soon as I'm home, so it can 'air out'. I don't want my gear to get mouldy!
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I live, and go camping, in the Netherlands. I need to hang my tent and tarp to dry every time after a camping trip! Even in the middle of Summer. My tent gets wet from the inside, condensation, and most mornings there's dew on the tent and tarp (I use the tarp as an 'awning' in front of my small one-person tent. If I would stay in one place for several days and nights, the tent would dry if there's no rain. But often I pack and go on after breakfast.
Because of the 'condensation' I get my sleeping bag and mat unpacked too as soon as I'm home, so it can 'air out'. I don't want my gear to get mouldy!
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BeatMeBloody
Im still on the fence about a better sleeping bag or sleeping pad myself. Worked for a major US outdoor outfitter and watched as many of the production videos of products, i love finding cheaper alternatives to expensive products. I myself can go with a lower R-value sleep pad but have watched many friends end up miserable on trips because the sleep mat or pad just wasnt insulated enough.
I honestly think knowing your own limits and skills is more important then how much you spend on equipment. Great video!
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Im still on the fence about a better sleeping bag or sleeping pad myself. Worked for a major US outdoor outfitter and watched as many of the production videos of products, i love finding cheaper alternatives to expensive products. I myself can go with a lower R-value sleep pad but have watched many friends end up miserable on trips because the sleep mat or pad just wasnt insulated enough.
I honestly think knowing your own limits and skills is more important then how much you spend on equipment. Great video!
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George7Baldwin
Stick attach to the cord. The clothes line you Set to have the tarp lay over. Set up the cord to the sloping Paracord. That stick in the middle of the tarp. Once the stick fell from the middle of the tarp. I wanted to make a comment about bank line. 330lbs test line carves circles in tree bark. Foresters get angry. Besides doing pushups on your cloths lines to drap over your tarp. Behaps next time use bank line to cloths line in order to drap a tarp over the bank line.
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Stick attach to the cord. The clothes line you Set to have the tarp lay over. Set up the cord to the sloping Paracord. That stick in the middle of the tarp. Once the stick fell from the middle of the tarp. I wanted to make a comment about bank line. 330lbs test line carves circles in tree bark. Foresters get angry. Besides doing pushups on your cloths lines to drap over your tarp. Behaps next time use bank line to cloths line in order to drap a tarp over the bank line.
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MichaelMurrayballb
Mike, its comforting and reasuring to see a pro like you have exactly the same issues lightjng a fire as i did at the weekend. I hold a monthly mens mental health bushcraft group in Bristol, tried to start a fire to boil a kettle, same technique as you: fire lay, birch bark and fatwood shavings, with a ferro rod but the weather and the birtch bark said no, difference is you got there, I got out a lighter and cotton wool!
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Mike, its comforting and reasuring to see a pro like you have exactly the same issues lightjng a fire as i did at the weekend. I hold a monthly mens mental health bushcraft group in Bristol, tried to start a fire to boil a kettle, same technique as you: fire lay, birch bark and fatwood shavings, with a ferro rod but the weather and the birtch bark said no, difference is you got there, I got out a lighter and cotton wool!
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michaelbrinks8089
Instead of a regular sleeping bag, I was just thinking about an idea for a lightweight more compact inflatable sleeping bag that was made out of a soft comfortable outer fabric with a tough inflatable inner core. That had a zipper like a regular sleeping bag. The inflatable air gap would provide warmth/insulation along with extra padding to sleep on. Without having to carry a big bulky sleeping bag.
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Instead of a regular sleeping bag, I was just thinking about an idea for a lightweight more compact inflatable sleeping bag that was made out of a soft comfortable outer fabric with a tough inflatable inner core. That had a zipper like a regular sleeping bag. The inflatable air gap would provide warmth/insulation along with extra padding to sleep on. Without having to carry a big bulky sleeping bag.
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SalomonKershaw
I have the exact cookpot but i got mine from Temu, most likely the same factory because it the exact one. It's been with me the whole years on atleast 25 campouts, hikes and day trips. Still like new, minus the soot and discoloring by now. It will do for me until i can get myself a titanium one. Best 4 euro i spent this year xD
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I have the exact cookpot but i got mine from Temu, most likely the same factory because it the exact one. It's been with me the whole years on atleast 25 campouts, hikes and day trips. Still like new, minus the soot and discoloring by now. It will do for me until i can get myself a titanium one. Best 4 euro i spent this year xD
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scottb379
Lovely video as always.
One question though: in this instance would a viable alternative have been to NOT use a ridge line, and to instead just tie the ends direct to the trees No need for prussik loops then. Why is the ridge line your default go to I'd really appreciate hearing your thoughts on that.
Cheers!
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Lovely video as always.
One question though: in this instance would a viable alternative have been to NOT use a ridge line, and to instead just tie the ends direct to the trees No need for prussik loops then. Why is the ridge line your default go to I'd really appreciate hearing your thoughts on that.
Cheers!
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jackypearcejustme
There was no link to the pot you used - any chance of posting it, please
I'm surprised you didn't use standing dead wood for the fire as it would have been drier. We didn't see you try using your feather stick. I keep some birch bark and King Alfred's cake fungi in my basic fire kit to help on damp days.
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There was no link to the pot you used - any chance of posting it, please
I'm surprised you didn't use standing dead wood for the fire as it would have been drier. We didn't see you try using your feather stick. I keep some birch bark and King Alfred's cake fungi in my basic fire kit to help on damp days.
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jimmyrustler8983
Nice little fly agaric spotted, I love finding those! You can make a medicinal tea from them
Those Hultafors knives are excellent for the price too, I bought the electrical fitters knife for whittling and it easily outperforms some of my expensive whittlers in terms of edge retention with harder woods.
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Nice little fly agaric spotted, I love finding those! You can make a medicinal tea from them
Those Hultafors knives are excellent for the price too, I bought the electrical fitters knife for whittling and it easily outperforms some of my expensive whittlers in terms of edge retention with harder woods.
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Aryeh-j5s
Pro tip : Take a pair of wire cutters / side cutters, and pop the button (and stem) off the top of the B ball cap. The next time you hit the top of your head under something, it won't feel like the pain is a bolt of lightning through your crown to your tailbone !
-- You're welcome ! .
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Pro tip : Take a pair of wire cutters / side cutters, and pop the button (and stem) off the top of the B ball cap. The next time you hit the top of your head under something, it won't feel like the pain is a bolt of lightning through your crown to your tailbone !
-- You're welcome ! .
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dercas79
So, I have that exact hatchet. I love it bunches and have given it a permanent home in my camping bag. However, I hate the blade cover and I would really like to find a nice leather cover for it that I can wear on a belt. Is there a certain way that you would search to find the right one
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So, I have that exact hatchet. I love it bunches and have given it a permanent home in my camping bag. However, I hate the blade cover and I would really like to find a nice leather cover for it that I can wear on a belt. Is there a certain way that you would search to find the right one
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Louicanthrope
hey, regarding the R-value of the inflating mat, do you think laying a milar blanket between the mat and the sleeping bag would help
would it be a lightweight solution to slightly raise the low R-value cheap mat to acceptable levels for autumn and early spring camping
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hey, regarding the R-value of the inflating mat, do you think laying a milar blanket between the mat and the sleeping bag would help
would it be a lightweight solution to slightly raise the low R-value cheap mat to acceptable levels for autumn and early spring camping
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scotbotvideos
That Trekology UL80 mat is one of the better budget mats. May have an R-value of next to nothing, but it's very comfortable. I pair mine with a reflective roll-mat from Tesco which goes on top of the UL80 so the reflective properties are closer to my body.
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That Trekology UL80 mat is one of the better budget mats. May have an R-value of next to nothing, but it's very comfortable. I pair mine with a reflective roll-mat from Tesco which goes on top of the UL80 so the reflective properties are closer to my body.
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davehumpleby3440
Birch is my favourite woodland.
Top tip - you could have repositioned the knot on the prussik so it wasn't at the very end. The cord would then have threaded through the tie-out point easily without the need to untie and retie any knots.
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Birch is my favourite woodland.
Top tip - you could have repositioned the knot on the prussik so it wasn't at the very end. The cord would then have threaded through the tie-out point easily without the need to untie and retie any knots.
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lildevilgamer
For the prusik knots you can have it asynmetrical so the knot part lands on the middle of the side of the loop. Then you have no problem with fitting the knot through the eyelet. You just have to fit normal loop of cordage through the eyelet.
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For the prusik knots you can have it asynmetrical so the knot part lands on the middle of the side of the loop. Then you have no problem with fitting the knot through the eyelet. You just have to fit normal loop of cordage through the eyelet.
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srw1591
Cracking video as ever Mike. As someone who lives in southern Hampshire, any pointers on good woodlands to 'explore' would be greatly appreciated! Trying to find one that isn't full of dog walkers and footpaths is becoming almost impossible.
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Cracking video as ever Mike. As someone who lives in southern Hampshire, any pointers on good woodlands to 'explore' would be greatly appreciated! Trying to find one that isn't full of dog walkers and footpaths is becoming almost impossible.
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Joecamptoomuch
I’ve got an old Gerber axe like the one you’re using. It came danger sharp from the factory. Been using it around the house for years and it’s still as sharp as when I first got it. Great meal, beats spag bol in a can.
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I’ve got an old Gerber axe like the one you’re using. It came danger sharp from the factory. Been using it around the house for years and it’s still as sharp as when I first got it. Great meal, beats spag bol in a can.
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jim-171
You don't need to tie the prussik loops through the eyelets. Just position the joining knot closer to the prussik, offset to one side of your formed loop, then you can still feed your loop through the eyelet and use your toggle.
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You don't need to tie the prussik loops through the eyelets. Just position the joining knot closer to the prussik, offset to one side of your formed loop, then you can still feed your loop through the eyelet and use your toggle.
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