Posts tagged bushcraft clothing

Sealskinz socks. Kept my feet dry for 3 days. (Taken with instagram) Wool socks with waterproof, breathable membrane. They’ll not last long, but I bless them every time I walk through a bog or marsh.

Sealskinz socks. Kept my feet dry for 3 days. (Taken with instagram)

Wool socks with waterproof, breathable membrane. They’ll not last long, but I bless them every time I walk through a bog or marsh.

First-gen 40 Below Timberland Iditarod boots: I bought these boots in the early 90s, when Timberland was still an outdoor brand, and most of their gear was still US-made. They were designed for the participants of the Iditarod Land Race, so I’m sure they’re more than adequate for the Surrey Hills. These ones have sat in my shed for the past 6 or 7 years, and I’d forgotten about them. They’re still waterproof, and I just put the liners through a wash with Nikwax Tech Wash, so they should breathe fine. Am going to use the tomorrow; the inner-boots are perfect for bivvying. Shame this winter’s proving to be so mild. I was looking forward to a few sub-zero nights out.

First-gen 40 Below Timberland Iditarod boots:

I bought these boots in the early 90s, when Timberland was still an outdoor brand, and most of their gear was still US-made. They were designed for the participants of the Iditarod Land Race, so I’m sure they’re more than adequate for the Surrey Hills.

These ones have sat in my shed for the past 6 or 7 years, and I’d forgotten about them. They’re still waterproof, and I just put the liners through a wash with Nikwax Tech Wash, so they should breathe fine.

Am going to use the tomorrow; the inner-boots are perfect for bivvying. Shame this winter’s proving to be so mild. I was looking forward to a few sub-zero nights out.

The only cotton clothing I’d use when out hiking or in the woods…

The only cotton clothing I’d use when out hiking or in the woods…

Tog24 compression base-layers: These get the thumbs-up; shop around online and get them for around £7 a piece - and not £35! They replace old-school thermal tops, and do a much better job as a base-layer, keeping you dry and warm under a soft-shell jacket. Unlike my old thermals, these dry out fast. Not entirely sure about the marketing-speak about compression-vests enhancing muscle-strength and endurance, though. They’re antibacterial, so shouldn’t stink up readily. I suspect Frank Castle wears these…

Tog24 compression base-layers: These get the thumbs-up; shop around online and get them for around £7 a piece - and not £35! They replace old-school thermal tops, and do a much better job as a base-layer, keeping you dry and warm under a soft-shell jacket. Unlike my old thermals, these dry out fast. Not entirely sure about the marketing-speak about compression-vests enhancing muscle-strength and endurance, though. They’re antibacterial, so shouldn’t stink up readily. I suspect Frank Castle wears these…

Titan fishing smock (Taken with instagram): Picked up one of these online at a silly price, direct from the manufacturer. It’s got a good number of things going for it: Price - even at list price, it’s a bargain Entrant GII Waterproof  & breathable material (+5000mm head, with 9,000g/m sq/24hrs permeability) Insulated Soft-touch, rustle-free Massive pockets Made in the UK It’s odd that if it were made by a ‘mountaneering’ brand, the same item would easily cost another £100. Should keep me warm and dry in the woods through the Autumn and winter.

Titan fishing smock (Taken with instagram):

Picked up one of these online at a silly price, direct from the manufacturer. It’s got a good number of things going for it:

  • Price - even at list price, it’s a bargain
  • Entrant GII Waterproof  & breathable material (+5000mm head, with 9,000g/m sq/24hrs permeability)
  • Insulated
  • Soft-touch, rustle-free
  • Massive pockets
  • Made in the UK

It’s odd that if it were made by a ‘mountaneering’ brand, the same item would easily cost another £100. Should keep me warm and dry in the woods through the Autumn and winter.

Seeland Light Cap: Replaced my lost Hoggs waxed cap with a Seeland Light Cap from my local gun-shop. Bit gimmicky, but seems like a quality product. It’s made of a microfibre, and the LEDs and switch look good. It’s got a few light modes and 3 intensity settings. This may well replace my Cree head-torch for most night-duties. We’ll see.

Seeland Light Cap:

Replaced my lost Hoggs waxed cap with a Seeland Light Cap from my local gun-shop. Bit gimmicky, but seems like a quality product. It’s made of a microfibre, and the LEDs and switch look good. It’s got a few light modes and 3 intensity settings.

This may well replace my Cree head-torch for most night-duties. We’ll see.

Mountain Equipment Primaloft Compressor Vest: Picked this up in the sales for £30. Saved £70 off the RRP! I think it’s been superseded by a new model. Unbelievably light, and as its name suggests, it compresses into a tiny bundle (comes with a stuff-sack with carabiner-friendly straps). And Primaloft still insulates if it gets wet. And, like Alpkit gear, it’s made in England by people who love the outdoors. Not like some brands that are part of some designer-label multinational, masquerading as ‘authentic’. (Yes, you, North Face.) This is going to be my friend on those cold nights bivvying in the woods. My only concern is that due to its lightness, it may be a bit fragile. We’ll soon find out.

Mountain Equipment Primaloft Compressor Vest:

Picked this up in the sales for £30. Saved £70 off the RRP! I think it’s been superseded by a new model.

Unbelievably light, and as its name suggests, it compresses into a tiny bundle (comes with a stuff-sack with carabiner-friendly straps). And Primaloft still insulates if it gets wet. And, like Alpkit gear, it’s made in England by people who love the outdoors. Not like some brands that are part of some designer-label multinational, masquerading as ‘authentic’. (Yes, you, North Face.)

This is going to be my friend on those cold nights bivvying in the woods. My only concern is that due to its lightness, it may be a bit fragile. We’ll soon find out.

Fitted some zippits to my Magnums (Taken with instagram) Being that I’ve been recently injured, and getting boots on and off whilst camping is a special drag. These things are designed for emergency services crews to allow them to get boots on quickly. Works for me.

Fitted some zippits to my Magnums (Taken with instagram) Being that I’ve been recently injured, and getting boots on and off whilst camping is a special drag. These things are designed for emergency services crews to allow them to get boots on quickly. Works for me.

Just resurrected my old Magnums from the loft. Forgot how light and comfy, light and supportive they are. These are the basic Classics, as originally issued to the FBI. Nothing fancy. I’ve learnt that non-waterproof boots are fine, as long as they dry out fast; and Magnums do.  That combined with my currently sprained ankle means that I’ll be living in these for a few days.

Just resurrected my old Magnums from the loft. Forgot how light and comfy, light and supportive they are. These are the basic Classics, as originally issued to the FBI. Nothing fancy.

I’ve learnt that non-waterproof boots are fine, as long as they dry out fast; and Magnums do. 

That combined with my currently sprained ankle means that I’ll be living in these for a few days.

On today: Caterpillar steel-toecapped loggers. Holding my ankles together. (Taken with instagram) I do like these boots. Proper vibram soles, with screw-fixings, steel toecaps and shanks. Comfy, if a little heavy -in a solid, old fashioned way.
On today: Caterpillar steel-toecapped loggers. Holding my ankles together. (Taken with instagram)

I do like these boots. Proper vibram soles, with screw-fixings, steel toecaps and shanks. Comfy, if a little heavy -in a solid, old fashioned way.

Hunter Argyll Full-Knee Wellies: I’m not too proud to wear wellies when it’s wet out. First, these are the original rubber wellies from Hunter, made the same way since before WWII around old-fashioned lasts. The famous green wellies were introduced in the ’50s. The Argylls have remained unchanged since the ’30s. Second, they’re farmers’ boots. Made to be worn all day, day in, day out - so comfy. And cheap - these aren’t the Sloaney ones. You can buy these from farm-supply shops and old-fashioned rural hardware stores. In fact, you’ve more chance of finding a Scottish-made pair from those supplies. The new ones are made in China, and aren’t as well made (they’ve got an interior seam that splits). If it’s tipping down, and the ground is sloshy, I’ll wear these in the woods. They’re great.

Hunter Argyll Full-Knee Wellies:

I’m not too proud to wear wellies when it’s wet out.

First, these are the original rubber wellies from Hunter, made the same way since before WWII around old-fashioned lasts. The famous green wellies were introduced in the ’50s. The Argylls have remained unchanged since the ’30s.

Second, they’re farmers’ boots. Made to be worn all day, day in, day out - so comfy. And cheap - these aren’t the Sloaney ones. You can buy these from farm-supply shops and old-fashioned rural hardware stores. In fact, you’ve more chance of finding a Scottish-made pair from those supplies. The new ones are made in China, and aren’t as well made (they’ve got an interior seam that splits).

If it’s tipping down, and the ground is sloshy, I’ll wear these in the woods. They’re great.

Vostok Amphibia: The ultimate ‘beater’ watch. Pick them up for around £30 if you shop around. It’s a 1960’s designed Soviet military diver’s watch - automatic, shockproof, anti-magnetic and waterproof to 200m. Stick it on a NATO strap, and you’re good to go. Frankly, I don’t wear my Seamaster now that I have this and my Casio GW3000-b. 

Vostok Amphibia:

The ultimate ‘beater’ watch. Pick them up for around £30 if you shop around.

It’s a 1960’s designed Soviet military diver’s watch - automatic, shockproof, anti-magnetic and waterproof to 200m. Stick it on a NATO strap, and you’re good to go.

Frankly, I don’t wear my Seamaster now that I have this and my Casio GW3000-b. 

Icon mil-spec, hi-viz mesh waistcoat: As I get older, I get more aware of my mortality. So when I started commuting 200 miles per day on the Triumph, I got me one of these in orange. Because as cool as matt black and leather is, being flattened by a truck isn’t. The Icon Mil-Spec hi-viz vest is, as its name suggests, military spec. What it means is that it’s designed to be work on military bases where a high-visibility vest is required. And it looks sorta cool. In a high-visibility orange sorta way. The reflective strips are also useful, and it’s got a good number of pockets. It’s also got a little St. Christopher medallion built into one of the inside pockets, which is a cute touch. Now it occurs to me that on my more remote adventures, I should pack this, just in case I need rescuing off the side of a mountain. It’s mesh, so it’s packs small and light, so I only wear it if I need to. And it isn’t completely dorky.

Icon mil-spec, hi-viz mesh waistcoat:

As I get older, I get more aware of my mortality. So when I started commuting 200 miles per day on the Triumph, I got me one of these in orange. Because as cool as matt black and leather is, being flattened by a truck isn’t.

The Icon Mil-Spec hi-viz vest is, as its name suggests, military spec. What it means is that it’s designed to be work on military bases where a high-visibility vest is required. And it looks sorta cool. In a high-visibility orange sorta way. The reflective strips are also useful, and it’s got a good number of pockets. It’s also got a little St. Christopher medallion built into one of the inside pockets, which is a cute touch.

Now it occurs to me that on my more remote adventures, I should pack this, just in case I need rescuing off the side of a mountain. It’s mesh, so it’s packs small and light, so I only wear it if I need to. And it isn’t completely dorky.

Scottevest Outback Jacket: Want. This could be my next treat before autumn. 20 pockets in a discreet tactical jacket. US$150. Bargain.

Scottevest Outback Jacket:

Want. This could be my next treat before autumn. 20 pockets in a discreet tactical jacket. US$150. Bargain.

TravelProof Poncho tarp rigged with paracord (Taken with Instagram at Holmwoods): Handy piece of kit, this: a good-sized, lightweight poncho (big enough to cover you and your pack) for downpours, with a well-designed hood. The brass eyelets allow paracord to be rigged to turn the poncho into a small basha-style shelter. Packs really small, too! Get one.

TravelProof Poncho tarp rigged with paracord (Taken with Instagram at Holmwoods):

Handy piece of kit, this: a good-sized, lightweight poncho (big enough to cover you and your pack) for downpours, with a well-designed hood. The brass eyelets allow paracord to be rigged to turn the poncho into a small basha-style shelter. Packs really small, too!

Get one.