What is bushcraft?

What is bushcraft?

Bushcraft is the art of living in the woods. It is immersing yourself completely in the wilderness by learning how to provide for yourself in a practical way.

Bushcraft is the art of living in the woods. It is immersing yourself completely in the wilderness by learning how to provide for yourself in a practical way, making use of all that nature has to offer: shelter, water, food and warmth.
It is neither camping nor survivalism, nor is it scoutcraft, though all share the same environment.

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1/ So what is it exactly?

And for starters, why are we hearing more and more about it? Probably because at some point we all feel the need to disconnect, the need to centre ourselves around simpler things. We go back to basics, cut ourselves off from technology and focus on nature. Back to basics!

To fully enjoy this experience, a series of techniques and necessary skills must be acquired, step by step, on the road to self-sufficiency in the great outdoors. These include building a shelter using wood or using a tarp or a hammock

.Lighting a fire using a firesteel flint or by friction. Selecting, cutting and preparing wood for the fire by chopping, batonage or making feather sticks. Finding water and making it drinkable, as well as foraging, tracking and hunting.

Before heading into the woods to rediscover our ancestral practices, we advise you to be well equipped. For this, you need to choose simple, versatile, efficient and durable equipment.

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2/ Camping and sleeping facilities: tarp, hammock... we'll explain everything you need to know to have a great experience.

There are many ways to sleep outdoors. To begin with, it's better to opt for a bit of comfort by going with a hammock for a wooded area or a tarp that can be adapted to any environment, along with a ground sheet.

You can then use green ferns, for example, to make a soft plant mattress. Around the hammock or under the tarp, you can use mosquito netting to keep insects from bothering you. In some regions of France and around the world, this is even becoming indispensable.

Then, of course, you need a sleeping bag, preferably with synthetic filling. When sleeping under the stars there is more humidity, and down will tend to lose its insulating power, while synthetic will not. Be sure to choose a temperature comfort rating lower than the expected overnight temperature.

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3/ What does a basic kit consist of?

Knife, axe, saw - what exactly do you need?

A good knife is indispensable for Bushcraft. At a minimum, it can be used for chopping wood as well as for a number of tasks around the camp. You need a strong knife with a minimum blade length of 10 cm. Its blade length defines the maximum cross-section of wood you can split. With a 15 cm blade, you can split 10 cm sections and have enough inertia with the weight of the blade for chopping. It can also be useful to have a small knife for precision work such as making feather sticks or cooking back at camp.

Likewise, a folding saw is useful for cutting wood and its blade length also determines which sections of wood can be cut.

A one-handed hatchet is also very effective for cutting trees and is compact enough to carry on your backpack.

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4/ Bits and pieces - the little extras that make all the difference.

Don't leave without a paracord! This rope is highly resilient, withstanding up to 250 kg of strain, making it extremely useful. It can be used to build a camp, tie up a tarp, carry wood, and so on. You can make wrist straps out of it so that you always have a few yards at hand. Our paracord has a special integrated strand: a firecord. Simply take a small piece and light it with your flint or lighter to get a small flame going and start your fire.

To complete your pack, we recommend bringing a first aid kit, a water bottle, a camping cup, cutlery, a lamp and a bag for waste. Remember to leave no trace of your presence. And above all to make the most of this respite from modern life!

A firesteel flint or lighter will also be needed to start a fire. Remember to be safe, for yourself as well as for your environment. Consult current authorisations/permit requirements and comply with them. Firesteel is a bar made of ferrocerium. By simply scratching its surface with a sharp-edged object, such as the scraper provided or the back of your knife blade, you can produce a spark to ignite your fire starting material.

5/ Is there a connection between bushcraft and hunting?

Although bushcraft and hunting are not necessarily related, there is a relationship between the two practices that represents a way to enhance the experience, the moment, and to be even more in harmony with nature. First you set up your camp, then you hunt, and whether or not you get a kill, you sleep there so that you can hunt again at daybreak.