Gear for Long Term Wilderness Survival

A look at military gear for long term survival in the wilderness, plus a discussion of bushcraft and survival skills for the task. We discuss the advantages and disadvantages of old school wool and canvas gear vs modern synthetic military surplus gear for long term wilderness survival.

#survival
#bushcraft
#bugoutbag

[EnduranceRoom]

Old school gear vs modern? What are your thoughts?
Hope you are all doing awesome! Happy holidays, gang.

[rejectmodernity]

I appreciate your approach of knowledge vs latest/greatest gear. As a culture of consumers, we have become fatally dependent on buying our way to survival. Its an expensive error in money and possibly our lives. Your channel is one my favorites.

[mr.wildernessoutdoors]

A good mixture of the two would probably be the best in my opinion Great topic and very well explained

[elduendeoscuro]

Old school: canvas and wool; on the negative side: they weigh more and you will need more weight to be able to withstand low temperatures without fire; On the positive side you can combine them with fire without problems.
Modern synthetic materials: they will weigh less and provide you with more comfort at low temperatures for the same weight; but on the negative side do not bring them near the fire.
To this day I favour (for my bug out bag) the synthetic options (the weight is important for me), but I keep a light afghan blanket (that can cover my bivy or me) to get closer to the fire.

[thornporters]

Another cool vid Jess.👍
Like you I have a mix of the old school, wool and canvas and modern synthetic and each have their pros and cons. Personally, I tend to favour the natural materials for their out and out durability and their safety around a fire even if they come with a weight penalty; I just try and carry less kit.

[hailtothe_rooster]

West Texas high desert isn’t too forgiving when it comes to the winds, and terrain. Vegetation either since just about everything has thorns. I find a mix of new and old work best. Weight plays a huge factor when you’re constantly changing elevation just to navigate.

[Mat-krnf]

I love all my traditional kit, mainly military surplus, it’s cheap, durable and does the job. It may be heavy, but things like my Lavvus and my plash palatkas are 40 odd years old, and will outlast me (I’m 55). They have a certain romance to them, that modern hi-tech stuff doesn’t, plus, they are so versatile.😁

[marblemountainwoodworks]

This is solid, no nonesense information. So many of these YouTube bushcraft channels just try to sell you rei gear in the videos. This is truth through and through!

[sams]

The best tool anyone can have is between your ears. Without the right mindset you can have all the bells and whistles for bushcraft and still fail. Knowledge is the easiest tool to carry, and you always have it with you. Making your kit or putting one together is always better than buying a premade one. Great insight Jess.

[fixedG]

I appreciate that you don't try to be the one answer to this question. Even at first, it's easy to say "Obviously, it depends." It takes a lot more to discuss each primary concern and discuss how they might all differ depending on the person, the environment, the situation and all of these other factors. Very digestible!

[timothygourley]

Its basha, it's A like in apple. Love the video merry Christmas

[norseman]

I always feel its a tool box... Much like you'd deploy different firearms for different reasons... If you are on long hike with resup stops then ultra light could take priority... But my heart tends to lean towards canvas wool n old school... I also think members of the public can react differently to normal kit over camo kit... I think your appearance and demeanour can disarm potential difficult scenarios... I think older natural materials tend to usher in an interest in old skills too. I think also things are affected by the land you have permission on... I for example have to stealth camp under the wire and therefore it would be ill advised to build shelters as opposed to temp ones... So the 5cs becomes more difficult... I guess in the end we all do our best with what we have.... I like your channel and wish you a merry Xmas 🎄

[MilitaryHistoryGearReview]

I don't purport myself to be a survival expert by any stretch. I will say that in my experience, the number one long term survival element is...other people. Two people working together make tasks logarithmically easier. Two people can build a shelter more than twice as fast, can keep themselves warm with less than half the fuel, set and check more than twice the traps or lines, etc. Plus another person makes you smarter, plan better, avoid psychological pitfalls. Woniya at Buckskin Revolution talks a lot about this sort of thing.

[martinjott]

Canvas materials like the Plash Palatka cause less noise and are more durable. Good for stealth camping.

[johnburgin]

Great topic . It’s a balancing act . Durability vs weight vs cost . The latter two kind go together. Great pics shelters and huts . Merry Christmas

[thomasmusso]

A good posting 👍 .. thanks .. with much food for thought 🤔.
Old vs New .. it depends entirely on the playing field .. and that conjures up a considerable number of, and varying sets of circumstances.
I personally enjoy using old-school tried and trusted gear .. but then, within the limits of my physical capabilites and relevant expertise .. and the intended and/or sometimes unforeseen application thereof. One should remember that, at one stage, that 'Old School' gear was the latest in available technology at the time.
In a nutshell .. use what is going to be the most effective under the given and projected set of circumstances.
Generally speaking, the Military is not 'Survival Mode' from an Outdoors Perspective. It has other objectives with, inter alia, an organised logistic system to support them. One example .. modern 'lightweight synthetic gear' does not have to be compatible with huddling around a camp fire every evening .. one doesn't normally do, or train for this, in a combat zone.
Notwithstanding the Rule of 3's .. according to Mors Kochanski, "getting a good night's sleep" (and regularly) is a vital aspect of survival and appreciable energy should be directed towards this end. Secure, hydrated, fed, dry, warm, something soft underneath .. 👍. Without adequate sleep .. "Lutu" ..
'Surviving off the Land'. Sorry to have to throw a bit of a curved ball regarding this. Similar to a good, secluded surf spot. The wave can only accommodate a limited number of surfers. Too many out in the water leads to overcrowding .. less or no waves for many .. conflict and violence.
Hence Commercial Farming and Industrial 'Food' 😏 Processing. Without it, the majority of us would starve and die. The 'Outdoors', in itself is actually quite 'resource poor' .. being able to only sustain a highly select infrastructure .. and that does not include the masses.
Thus .. we are free go out and enjoy sightseeing, hiking, camping, bushcrafting, climbing, hunting, whatever .. however, always mindful of the impact that we have on the environment that we are utilizing.
Till next time .. take care .. stay safe ..

[ottawavalleybushcraft]

I read My Side of the Mountain in grade school. I credit that book and my time in cubs and scouts with sparking my own interest in the outdoors. I give Les Stroud and David Canterbury a shout out too for sparking my renewed interest in bushcraft and survival skills later on in my twenties. Great channel my man! Come explore the Ottawa area if you ever head up north 🇨🇦

[revanchartier]

The problem with modern gear, by and large is in the quest to save weight, they have massively sacrificed durability. Even the modern military, since they want every troop to essentially carry everything there is to issue, they've sacrificed durability of much of the gear, not to save the troop's weight, but to issue them more stuff for the same weight, with the intention of just replacing gear more often. BUT, it is lighter. I mean, there's no way you'll be as warm with say two heavy wool blankets (5 lbs each) as you will with 10 lbs of sleeping bag.

If you take an actual tarp versus a "basha" (poncho) that's supposed to double as a rain poncho, you can carry a 10 x 12 tarp for about the same pack weight. While not ideal for long-term, it will last long enough to build a long-term shelter.

For clothing, you can combine stuff if you're smart. A wool base layer, synthetic midlayer and a heavy duck or canvas shell works great. Get say a set of level 7 PrimaLoft ECWCS pants and parka, sized to fit over your wool anorak and pair of pants, and then something like an Alpenflage M70, or SAS smock, and lowers sized to fit over the ECWCS gear, and you have the best of both worlds. So, as with most things, the two extremes are usually wrong on some level, and the middle path is the way.

[A_Meek_lake_Dweller]

Good topic Professor
If canoeing and the portage is not to long (Old School).
My side of the mountain came out as a movie in the late 60s early 70s that my mother brought me to see.
That was the spark for me.

[joelareddola]

Would love to see ya on alone and win!