Utility Belts Aren't Just For Batman: The Bushcrafters Kit

Like many trades or hobbies, there is a usually a list of basic equipment needed to get started. Bushcraft is no different. The biggest question is: "What should I pack?". The answer to this question can be highly debated between practicing bushcrafters, however I have come to a solid conclusion: there is no "standard bushcraft kit". Essentially you need to find a system that works for you. I will start out by giving some thoughts to consider when making your bushcrafting kit, but, make no mistake, this is not the end-all-be-all definitive bushcrafting kit.

Missing: 5.11 Tactical Nylon Belt,

1L Nalgene or Aluminum Bottle

Tilly Brimmed Hat

Bushcrafting by it's very nature is minimalistic. My whole setup fits onto my "utility belt". When I created my setup, I used 6 basic items to gauge whether I should use it or not: Fire, Shelter, Food, Water, Warmth and Protection. If it can help provide one or more of those items I would take it. Then after a process of trial and error I found a set of items that works for me. My kit is as imaged (courtesy of Alphonse Photography) to the left:

• Belt: 5.11 Nylon Tactical Belt
• Hat: Tilly Canvas Full Brimmed Hat
• Hatchet: Truper w/ Hickory Handle
• Knife: Ka-Bar Hunter
• Container: 1L Nalgene or Aluminum water bottle
• Fire-steel: Light My Fire 3000 strikes
• Cordage: 24 feet para-cord in a bracelet

Here are my reasons for picking most of these items. 

• Belt: light weight & will hold all of my gear & won't rot. 
• Hat: Keeps my head warm & dry
• Hatchet: Split firewood, shelter making
• Knife: wild game & food processing, shelter & fire making
• Container: holds water, cook with
• Fire-steel: lights fire quickly for warmth, saves calories
• Cordage: shelter and fire making, game processing

For my kit, the hatchet and knife are two of my most important tools. If you chose use either of these (and I highly suggest you do) they should hold up to a torture test. My torture test is all wood preparation: Splitting, batoning, and cross cutting. Below are images of my torture test.

Splitting: Take your hatchet and drive it through a log (like a boss)

Batoning: Take a fresh wet thin & heavy log as a "baton" and use it to drive your knife through a seasoned log

Cross Cutting: Use previous "baton" and cut another log in half against the grain.






If your tools don't break after this torture test, then congratulations you have quality tools that will withstand the rigorous tasks involved in bushcraft!

Split like a champ

That wear is just character!