I am a Park Ranger. I have spent the last decade plus of my life teaching outdoor skills. Over 14k people per year attend workshops in fire starting, medicinal and edible plants, making cordage, shelter, medicinal kit building, what to carry in a daypack, and in your vehicle, etc. thanks for showcasing these skills. I know way too many people who can’t even change a tire, and asking them to start a fire without some lighter fluid and coals is too much. I treat that as a teachable moment and give them some skills to whet their appetite in the hopes they will seek out more skills on their own. Rock on y’all.
I learned all my Outdoors back in the seventies I was a boy scout My True Believer song was a Army Ranger there was 35 Acres Auburn Pennsylvania he made me a bet he can find me a 15-day he didn't find me in 30 days I won the bet
Growing up in rural Mississippi was all the learning I needed to learn many of these skills. Was pretty common knowledge for us Gen X'ers. But there is much value here for sure! Of course, we didn't have any of the fancy stuff. It was bushcrafting and boiled water which was "filtered" through cloth. Often times the cloth was our shirt or pants . Dunno how we aee even still alive! Muddy Mississippi water builds character (and apparently immunities). 😂😂😂
You can thank feminists for that. They decimated the Boy Scouts instead of just improving Girl Scouts because they don’t want capable, confident men. I am SO grateful I grew up before all this psychotic BS.
Yeah I've been watching some of the videos these guys make and I know it's not common knowledge, but regardless everyone should be able to successfully pop a spark with a bow and drill and make a fire
@@Terrato45 Feminists destroyed Boy Scouts. They could have just improved Girl Scouts but equality wasn’t their goal. People claim not to understand why so many young men are lost while destroying everything that helps them. They know exactly what they are doing.
My father and I looked through the boyscouts manual, looked at each other and laughed. Yeah, we could have taught them something. And I was 12 at the time. Now I'm in Alaska and living a dream that most wish for.
I'm literally starting to take my son to the woods several times a year to toughen him up. He loves it and it is working. Cell phones don't even WORK where I take him. He is now obsessed with camping. Drives his momma crazy! Lol My wife was like.....Babe, you need to take him camping, he is going crazy! Lol
My dad did that with me growing up. Later in life after all the nonsense Ive dealt with and been through (ill spare you the details) the woods, hiking and camping is the only place I can fully decompress and get my mind right for awhile before I go back to daily life. I'm glad my Dad started my interest in this sort of thing. Survival and all it's facets is super interesting and has honestly saved my life and sanity. Getting your children out in nature is super important. We as humans have lost touch with where we came from and it exacerbates alot of issues.
One thing you guys missed was what bug spray does to your equipment. Do not mix bug spray with anything water proof! The chemicals break down the water tight seal, and will ruin your frog tog, poncho, and most tarps. If you have a tent it will destroy the rain cover. The general rule of thumb is to only apply bug spray 10 ft away from your camp site with your shoes off, no rain coat, no hat, no nothing. If you have a long sleeve undershirt you can spray it with bug spray and then after a few minutes you can put the undershirt on, wait another 2, and then put everything back on. When packing bug spray, you should contain the can in a bag. I have had leaks, and its gotten in my food. My final tip is to never plan to always have bug spray, and get use to the bugs. Sometimes the spray won't work no matter how much you apply, if you are in the woods for a ling time, you will run out, and as long as the bugs aren't carrying any nasty disease, you will survive. no hate, I just appreciate what you guys are doing here, and i just wanted to give my 2 cents too.
I replaced the foam insert in my Tilley hat with a bug head net that way its always with me. I also bring a pocket sized thin windshirt with me that I wear to protect my neck and arms from the bugs as well
Wines and fruit juices come in 3 and 5 litre boxes with a dispensing tap....the bladders inside these boxes can be repurposed by pulling out the tap and washing out the bladder....the tap can be reinserted..they fold up really small for fitting into your gear and make first class water storage containers
@@drummerdrummer I'm glad you like it....also if you cut off the two top corners you can insert a stick and hang the bag up...water on tap....great for washing hands and general camp duty....
@@Sniperaheadif you're referring to the magnesium block that sometimes has a small ferro rod on it, that isn't a sharpener. It's just for scraping off small shavings to catch Ferro sparks
Few quick things just as tips. 1. Hold your striker staionary and pull your ferro rod back. It will concentrate your sparks better into a specific area. 2. When making char cloth, you want to use 100% cotton. Synthetic material will melt. I figured most people know this, but just in case someone doesnt. 3. You can make your own fire starter cubes/tabs with cotton balls and petroleum jelly. Rub the petroleum jelly into the cotton balls and store them. They will take a spark super easy. 3. Certain snacks in your pack can be used as a fire starter. One that I've shown to a lot of people is corn chips. They will sustain a flame for a good while due to the oil in them. Great video guys! I love what you're doing with the channel and content your putting out! Some times we need to be reminded that the basics are what will keep you alive. Rules of 3!
@@ColinHeddle We're gonna start a pyro thread lolol... Save your dryer lint and old steel wool. Those will take a spark from a ferro rod (or bic lighter that ran out of fluid) like no ones business.
its important to remember not to rip all the bark off a tree, if you take off a full ring around the tree, you cut the trees circulation off and they will die, so if your going to take bark, take it off in a line only on one side of the tree.
I spent 3 years overseas in Nepal, Pakistan, & Israel...came back to the U.S. and got sick. There is ALWAYS something in your water that the locals have built up a tolerance for. I just didn't realize I was no longer a local.😅
@@blank_page_ aye. I'm sure again it's to do with the amount of natural resources there. I'd love to visit someday as i have never heard anyone leave and say they didn't like it
As a backpacker, I love this. Id argue the best water purifier is a sawyer squeeze + boiling the water + collecting from a flowing source far from contaminants
Boy Scouts taught us these basics and so many more. I'm glad I learned all I did in Scouts, it has saved, helped, and guided me through numerous situations.
A few critical observations; use an eyelet hook screwed into the tree to run the para cord through. This will not hurt the tree and will prevent para cord abrasions. Water filters are a luxury. Learn how to make a natural filter using strata. All streams and rivers have natural strata in the form of small rocks, pebbles and sand. Make charcoal and set up a filter sieve. More reliable and the knowledge is universal. Adopt all-weather fire starting methods; yours are good.
This channel is truly helpful. Not only is the gun content cool, but you guys are teaching average joes extremely valuable skills in an increasingly fatherless society where men no longer learn these things.
Huge Fan fella's. 8 months ago, I was thinking about starting my own channel for folks that dont want to "hear" the preppers, but want to learn self reliance. My heart wasn't in it at all. I found y'alls YT channel and almost exactly the content i wanted to make. I just recommend Dirty Civilian to all my city friends and focus my personal time on more personal hobbies (like teaching my kids this stuff instead of watching YT all day hahaha).
That intro was production level like my GOD. Whatever camera you are using is clearer than my eyes. The slowmotion is soooo smooth and even your guys' acting is on point. Props to all of you.
I always carry a waterproof case with 2 lighters, one traditional one butane, a striker, and waterproof matches. I found out about pyro putty around 4 years ago and have added that to the kit, some pretty good stuff.
Was lost after the great depression, once we started becoming dependent upon the government to start providing for people, and after WW2 and Korea, our father became more focused on feeding the system, vs stoking liberty and history. And has accelerated vastly as our generation has grown older during the GWOT ERA,
Great vid! One trick I've picked up is carrying tea light candles. Take up no space and u can get 100 of them for $1. Set up ur teepee of kindling, progressively bigger logs on top, light the tea candle and slide it under the pile. Doesn't replace it all, but just one more option.
3:48 if you cannot tie a knot, TIE A LOT! Also with flint steel rods like that. Try pulling the rod away from the steel like your starting a lawn mower vs pushing your steel toward your tinder along the rod. Keeps your sparks more controlled and less chance of bumping the tinder and knocking it everywhere. As well, if your using a knife for steel it keeps the sharp thing stationary. I learned this at age 12 and still have a scar at 26.
Taut line hitch for corners of tarps is awesome. Quick, easy and adjustable. 550 cord stretches so small bank line or something made for tarps won't stretch and is lighter. Hammocks and tarps are where it's at for me. Takes practice and fiddling around with but it's fun and once you got it your system is up in no time and you're off the ground. If anyone is interested in that go down the shugemery yourube rabbit hole. Guys entertaining and teaches everything hammock and tarp plus some. As usual great video guys. Thanks.
Dryer lint is another cheap/free fire starter. Pack it in used paper towel or toilet paper tubes, coat it in paraffin wax and cut it in slices and throw it in a baggie or tin. The lint catches quick, and the paraffin soaked cardboard will last to get that kindling burning.
On Outward bound in the Rockies, we would keep an eydropper full of iodine in our Nalgenes and give a few drops every time we filled up at a stream. Way cheaper than aquatabs. Solid video.
I read somewhere if you wrap foil around the cotton balls and cut a slit in the top you can pull the cotton out of it and use it more like a re useable candle, have yet to try it though
Sir, have you ever thought of having a few cotton balls with "Vaporizing Rub" instead of Vaseline? Someone said you could cover the cotton balls with aluminum foil, then pull out a bit of cotton, light it and make a small candle. That got me to thinking about using the Equate brand Vaporizing Rub which has Camphor, Eucalyptus oil, Menthol, Turpentine oil and White Petrolatum. If a person burned that as a 'candle' it ought to open up your sinuses and maybe help keep some bugs away. It's just an idea. If I remember, I'll try it to see if it works.
@@Ronnie-c3lI had not, there are cases of it exploding when heated. May not be a real issue but according to poison control its a thing and there are reports out there about it.
I love making fires in the woods with the familly and I've always been drawned to nature, but sometimes I'm fearfull in my aptitude. When I speak of such interest to my peers at school they laugh it off and only talk about wasting themselves. You are right much has been lost but I will not let this stop me. Thanks for what you do.
That intro was top notch. Had me rolling! First time watching you guys. This was a great video. Loved the presentation, how well you two work together. Sometimes 30 minute videos can be kind of grueling but you guys kept it simple with only three things you went over and then went over them super well. I’m an Eagle Scout but it’s been years since I went and did any “survival” style real camping. Been wanting to do something for years with some friends to keep skills up and learn but the few friends I have aren’t really into camping and such. My son however will be. Can’t wait to get him camping so I can teach him all the stuff I learned to love about the outdoors.
Great video. Poncho & life straw, canteen, jet boil, 550, knife, backpackers fitted air mattress cage. bringing back some memories.... 1 is none, 2 is one, 3 is two.
Theirs a great documentary on Sawyer. I used a Sawyer filter that screws on to any plastic drink ( think soda) bottle, in Central America for almost two months with a partner also using it, daily. Never an issue. Their technology and purpose is awesome. I swear by it and carry one always. This could also be a good video for you guys. Thanks for the great vid.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge in an easy- going manner. You have a comfortable presence; not talking down to the audience; matter-of -fact and encouraging. Even, a good voice pitch and level. I also appreciated the way you stressed the basic supplies, not having to buy "the fancy stuff" that some others try to promote. Keep the simplicity and peaceful way. Thank you. 🦋
75 year old female here. I've been preaching this for years. Finally have a couple of grandsons who are interested. I'm so glad that some of the younger generation are starting to get into this kind of thing. Also important....knowing wild edibles and wild medicinals.
As a backpacker, I highly recommend a hand pump with a good filter. They are wonderful, easy to use and if you aren't taking from dirty water will last a good number of liters. It gets clean water straight into your nalgene bottles in one step. Get one with a filter good enough to strain the giardia bacteria. It can be a little more expensive, but you don't have to treat the water or wait for it to become useful. The time savings and no extra messing around sold me on the method.
Hey Drew, a little tip, for the magnesium fire starter stick. instead of sliding the metal down the rod and risk hitting the char cloth (like you did), or the tinder bundle, hold the steel and pull the rod back toward you. That way when the rod slides out from under the steel, the pressure from the rod, makes it go up, instead of the steel hitting your ember and knocking it around.
I take dryer lint and mix it with petroleum jelly and then roll it up into small balls and put that in a tin or ziplock bag. They're great for starting fires and they last for awhile. Great tips, by the way. Thanks.
The 10 foot knot tying method was gold. Even with back to the basics videos you can learn something new. Just took my hanks of paracord and combined them with this knot.
I like the quick dip bag method to purify water, I have a pump water filter that I use as a gravity filter, i keep it in my camping gear cuz if I'm camping I'm not worried about being in and out of the particular water source so I'll dip out a big collapsible water bladder full and stick the particle filter and inlet hose in the bladder pump it about 4 or 5 times to get the filter full and clean water coming out of the outlet into the clean water bottle and ensure the water is flowing and go play with the kids for a while and when i come back ill have 5 gallons of clean water, i also picked up extra ultra fine filters and carbon filters when i bought it. I will say it works extremely well, ive ended up breaking it out when severe ice storms taken out our power and i had to haul water from a nearby creek to the house to filter it. Luckily we have a propane heater to keep the house warm but no electric meant no water so i used the filter to make the creek water safe to drink and thankfully none of us got sick so i would say that filter definitely passed the test.
I have done primitive camping since I was little and then stopped for thirty years…you absolutely lose them if you don’t use them…😊but they come back so get out and practice while you play…if you’ve never done it practice at home tell your confident…these are great basic survival skills you’ll be grateful you practiced at…more grateful when you teach your children and for them when they teach theirs❤️
I run a lodge in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and this is a solid video to share with curious and inexperienced guests to get them some basic info before they arrive. Thanks gents.
One thing you might try before hooking the filter up...open the tap on the dirty water and let most of the sediment run out. That way it won't clog up your filter so much
Modern gov't regulations have made modern man weak. You can't go hardly anywhere with someone wondering why you're there or asking for papers (permits). Everything is regulated. Surprised we can even breathe air without a damn permit. Edit: Awesome intro, by the way. 😂😂
@@williammcleroy558 yeah that’s nice and all, I imagine you boil that water every time you sit down at a restaurant? I’ll bet your immune system is so mighty that employees don’t need to ever wash their hands either or call in sick when they have highly contagious illnesses like Norovirus.
Nice, concise, and helpful to beginners. I subscribed to show my nephew because I also find these guys to be engaging, and "normal". Closer to his age, but old enough that I think he may look up to them a bit. Not a grating old guy like myself.
I love the fact that you guys spent all that time finding kindling and had to make sure you got all the pine needles out of the way before you started the fire. Just use the damn pine needles for kindling.
Nice video and thank you! I really appreciate the effort you guys put into this stuff, and none of my comments/suggestions below should detract from any of that. People simply don't generally understand how much time and effort it takes to put together something like this (particularly of this quality). Food for thought: A bunch of the stuff you guys tend to gravitate toward is military/para-military/surplus. There's nothing wrong wtih that, of course and is that most folks go to when thinking about these sorts of skills. With that said, being a combat vet myself, there are MUCH better options available for no more money that wiill often perform better in every regard. Looking at the 'thru-hiker' setups/equipment/mentality is extremely beneficial. As a rule, it's smaller, lighter, dead reliable, and incredibly durable. Lighter gear lets you be more agile, present a smaller silhouette and will save you energy. Energy = calories, so you can pack less food to go the same duration or more food without expending any more calories which will let you go longer. Here's some of the stuff I used in my GHB. My total pack weight, wet (1.5l water plus filter system) and 72 hours of food (minimum) is under 20lb. Disclaimer: I am in absolutely NO WAY affiliated with any product below that I mention. I've spent too much time and money making decisions that could have been better and generally ended up with the stuff below; I'd hope this might save some folks a bit of money, frustration, and time. I paid for EVERYTHING I listed below that I own with my own money. Shelter: The poncho is always a great idea. It'll hide your shape, blends well, can cover your pack and you, and usually packs small. While I like my military issue just fine, the evolution of that (though addmittedly somewhat more delicate) is the Gatewood Cape by Six Moon Designs. You can even get a mesh tent inner with a bathtub floor that fits inside which keeps bugs and critters out which keeps you far safer and allows better rest. It isn't super cheap, but it's readily accessible. One Tigris makes something similar, the Tentsformer which also has an inner avilable, the Mesh Teepee. This doesn't blend as well, is heavier, packs larger, is likely more durable, and is about half the price but not nearly the same degree of shelter. The Gatewood Cape is 10.7 oz and when combined with the Serenity Net Tent is a grand total of 20.5oz (or 581g for those inclined for metric measurements) and both together pack down into it's pocket, which is smaller than the poncho you used. It also provides MUCH better coverage and has a zippered door. It is a poncho as well. There are some other options here that work really well but as we're talking about things that are very compact and multi-use, this is probably the best option. Oh, and the green optoin is alarmingly invisible from twilight on; seriously, you better know where you left it. I do NOT own nor have I used the One Tigris system but it is generally liked and decently regarded for what it is. -SMD Gatewood Cape: www.sixmoondesigns.com/products/gatewood-cape?variant=14706758615082 -OneTigris Tentsformer: www.amazon.com/OneTigris-TENTSFORMER-Military-Bushcraft-Shelter/dp/B088ZQFF1F/ref=sr_1_1?sr=8-1 Cord: Please move from paracord/550 cord to a Dyneema blend cord. I like to use GO! Outfitters becuase it holds a knot better as it is a polyester and Dyneema blend. The reason for this is it can be used in every way paracord can, but it doesn't stretch. It is also MUCH thinner and vastly STRONGER than paracord while being MUCH lighter; the pack difference in weight and size is staggering. A trucker's hitch (IMO better for these applications than a clove hitch), and a taut line hitch is just about all you ever need, though a prusik knot is really, really useful too; all are dead simple to learn. go-outfitters.com/collections/all/products/go-line-ultralight-cordage-for-tarp-ridgelines-guy-lines-everyday-carry -Taut Line Hitch: ua-cam.com/video/EApyOMMZZFQ/v-deo.html -Trucker's Hitch: -Prusik Hitch: ua-cam.com/video/vMz8Qg1uBu4/v-deo.html Water Filtration: This is a new product for me, but immensly good. There's a Brit company called Pure Clear. It is a 42mm cartridge style that fits into Katadyn and HydraPak bottles (these are very good, I use the latter extensively). They not only filter out debris and bacteria but also viruses, and remove all taste. IMO this is precisely the correct filter to use. I also use CNOC bags for larger filtering operations, though HydraPak also makes some really great options. Also, a sport-water bottle cap will work to backflush your filter. -Pure Clear video: ua-cam.com/video/hEqRCDpJaPY/v-deo.html -Pure Clear website: www.pureclearfilters.co.uk/bottles/pure-clear-collapsible-squeeze/ Fire: I found these awesome little things called Firebiners. They're just a flint wheel (like on a lighter), but it's a carabiner (a genuinely good one and comes with extra flints). I typically have a carabiner with me anyway, so this is just a good backup and weighs less than a ferro rod. I have also got a couple of small ferro rods embedded in a magnisum block. They're very small and relatively light, but being able to shave the magnisum into the tinder and then hit it with the sparks from the ferro and you've got a much better chance of getting a fire lit. -Firebiner: www.amazon.com/OUTDOOR-ELEMENT-Firebiner-Carabiner-Screwdriver/dp/B075B23Y84/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1 -Magnesium/ferro block: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09H6KS77F/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Packs: I really like Gregory packs. They tend to be light for what they are, they're extremely durable, and fit exceptionally well. I'm also a fan of Camelbak and Mystery Ranch for these types of purposes. All of these brands are available through Sierra stores (Sierra.com if you're shopping online) for DEEP discounts. My Gregory Zulu line (I have a 30l, 40l, and 55l version; the 40 being the most versatile and easiest to pack) are my favorite and cross well between a military pack mindset and long distance hiking/bushcrafting. Weight very selldom relates to durability of materials anymore, and very often the lighter materials are far more durable than old school courdura heavyweights (plus they do a much better job of shedding water and don't collect as much). In this thought, the two-bag liner system is perfect for keeping gear dry that needs to stay dry and is 100% better than any pack liner. Knife: I've got too many knives. A high carbon knife is nice for throwing sparks but you can ABSOLUTELY throw sparks with stainless knives. IMO a knife you can beat on and not worry about is worth its weight in gold. I have found that the Morakniv (a well respected and very established Swedish company) sells a few great knives. The Companion is a favorite but I prefer the Craftline 546. It's a stainless blade designed for construction workers/craftsmen and has a very good finger guard/block to prevent your hand slipping forward. They make a high carbon version the 511 but it rusts VERY quickly (even here in arid CO in the mountains). They sell for under $18. Any of the Morakniv knives are excellent products at very good prices. www.amazon.com/dp/B00T3DY8XK?psc=1
I lost track of time watching this video. This is so fun I forget about other stuff and that's extremely important if your going to get more people into the craft. I love what yall are doing and know all of this but its fun to watch anyway. The attitude yall have with this video is what we need more than ever in the bushcraft/survival community. So many people out there are so pushy and demanding on products you have to have but the way yall are doing it makes light hearted and fun. Keep up the good work!
I love sawyer filters they are incredible. Just be careful not to let water freeze in them. That how they can break. A tip is that it can be hard to fill a bag in small water sources. You can use their squeeze filter with something like a plastic Smart Water bottle, and the sawyer filter can screw on to the top of it. If you do this, you'll want to spend a few cents to replace the soft O-ring in the filter with a rubber one from the hardware store. Otherwise you can get some leakage.
One fire starter spurce i use is dryer lint i take the lint from the dryer put chunks of the lint in cardboard egg crates, and i have a lot of paraffin wax on hand because i make my own nylon whips, and i let my whip waxing electric hot plate deal melt the wax and i dip a 1 cup measuring cup into the hot wax and pour a bit into each egg crate over the lint. It'll solidify, andnleave a bit of uncoated lint so it can easily catch the sparks from my ferro rod. It's nearly free material minus the wax cost
Knots- pitching a Tarp or Basha is a lot easier using "Jungle knots", doubled para cord lines girth hitched on to the eyelets with simple stopper knots every 6 inches, they work really well and basically are quick release lines with no clips or hardware to fail that are easy to use in the dark or when you're tired or it's raining hard.
also when looking for kindling, since you guys said it was raining try to find dead dry hanging branches instead of what is on the ground soaking up all that moisture… a lot less smoke for concealment and easier to get the fire going. love the vids
I have used a Dakota hole fire pit before! When I first ran across the video for one I tried it in the back yard, to see how good it would be. They burn hot and very little smoke. And if you’re in a situation that you need to be light disciplined just keep the flame below ground and you can stay fairly hidden.
When my friends and I go backpacking we have both water setups with the quick 1 L stuff and I bring the gravity system. On the trail they fill me up and then at camp I go get gallons so we don’t have to run for water all the time for cooking and stuff. Super useful.
When bow hunting, aside from a small first aid kit, water tablets, and paracord, I keep a few other things in my pack: a flint&steel and a snuff can full of vasoline and cotton balls. there's my fire starter. Also, I carry tampons in case I fall on my own broadhead or get some other puncture wound. tampons are small, compact, and as designed, great at saturating blood.
Birch bark makes great tinder. It's easy to find, at least in northern Minnesota. It burns even when wet, and it's easy to collect because the bark peels off the tree in small sheets. Pitch from pine trees works great for an "accelerant", if needed. As for starting a fire. I keep a bic lighter in my pocket at all times. It comes in handy even if I don't need to start a fire.
The best simple knot you can learn is a half hitch. You can use it for just about anything but it really shines for tightening thjngs down as it pulls itself taut and to undo it you just pull the end and it pops right out
See the gear skeptic series on water purification. There are some considerations with aqua tabs to keep in mind. They do not protect against viruses. Often a dual filtration methon between micro filtration with the sawyer and aquatabs or katadyn micro pur tabs is the best way to go.
Keep cheesecloth in your water filtration bag and use that to filter out the various floating bits (bugs, dirt, leaf debris, etc). Having two "dirty" containers will let you scoop with one, then filter through the cheesecloth into the second dirty container, then use the gravity system and filter that into a clean container. It's more to carry, but if they're the soft type like Drew used here, it won't take up much additional space and you'll both save your filter and speed up the process. Alternatively, you can attach a hose without the filter to the bottom of the dirty bag and let the settled sediment drain out before you attach the Sawyer Mini or other filter. It means you have to wait for the gunk to settle, but you can carry one less bag. Either way saves your filter. Thanks for the vids and the laughs. You guys are doing a great job!
Not a man, but married to an amazing one who was raised to be able to fix everything, and I was raised to know plants, fix anything, and make fire and food with next to nothing. We’re teaching our teens too. :) Teens nowadays are actually really wanting to learn this stuff.
Found this product recently called Aquamira. They have hydration packs and adapters for Nalgene bottles with inline filters. You can buy extra filters. Supposed to be rated for up to 200 gallons each. Packs with the reservoirs were around $100
Thank you! Really nice video. I am working on my fire making skills. And I am a knot job! Started out a year ago and love those knots! :) Char cloth is nice. I find this tip I found here on the tube about cotton cloth dipped in heated floating petroleum jelly, then protected and adding fire time by dipping a couple of times in stearin to be a super nice way to start fires. Made a couple of hundreds of them now. :D
I’m glad you guys showed water methods. It’s the one thing I’ve always been afraid to do on backpacking trips. In my mind it’s such a huge potential hazard and I never trusted any systems.
I carry a First Need water purifier, one cartridge treats between 75 gallons and up depending on how dirty the source. It's never let me down and the water source you used, mine would have been crystal clear and safe to drink without any extra chemicals added.
I use the gravity method whenever I'm camping more than two days. Water is heavy, but those filters work well enough to be confident you're not gonna get sick. I'll typically use up my carried water in the first two days, while using the gravity water I got during that time for cooking. Sometimes I'll run two just to have a surplus.
I remember watching PBS in the late 80's early 90's and one of the shows gave a demonstration for building a solar desalination system if you found yourself near a coast and needing drinking water, it required digging a hole in the beach and two plastic bags. My nieces watched a lot of "Fetch with Ruff Ruffman" (also on PBS) and one episode was devoted to wilderness survival and the shelter build section was very similar to this.
Nice video. It's not just a problem in the US but also in most western European cities for instance. I fully agree we skipped a generation (or a few) and for this reason I founded the 'Bushcraft Association' back in 2011. We teach the parents so they start enjoying spending time in nature or are at least more confident and less afraid so they can take their children outdoors and teach them. It's non profit to make it also accessible to low income adults/parents and we did have parent/child weekends also. But since it's non profit it's hard to find instructors.
A great video. I saw on another one you probably don't need to poke the hole in the tin they're usually not air tight the gasses can escape by the hinges. And I'm paranoid damp can get back into the tin faster via that hole. Some tins are of course air tight and you'll never open them again once you get a good vacuum inside.
I am a Park Ranger. I have spent the last decade plus of my life teaching outdoor skills. Over 14k people per year attend workshops in fire starting, medicinal and edible plants, making cordage, shelter, medicinal kit building, what to carry in a daypack, and in your vehicle, etc. thanks for showcasing these skills. I know way too many people who can’t even change a tire, and asking them to start a fire without some lighter fluid and coals is too much. I treat that as a teachable moment and give them some skills to whet their appetite in the hopes they will seek out more skills on their own. Rock on y’all.
Hello sir, where would i go to get taught these skills?
Never knew the park Rangers held classes...
I learned all my Outdoors back in the seventies I was a boy scout My True Believer song was a Army Ranger there was 35 Acres Auburn Pennsylvania he made me a bet he can find me a 15-day he didn't find me in 30 days I won the bet
Growing up in rural Mississippi was all the learning I needed to learn many of these skills. Was pretty common knowledge for us Gen X'ers. But there is much value here for sure! Of course, we didn't have any of the fancy stuff. It was bushcrafting and boiled water which was "filtered" through cloth. Often times the cloth was our shirt or pants . Dunno how we aee even still alive! Muddy Mississippi water builds character (and apparently immunities). 😂😂😂
You have the career that I want genuinely would love to be some sort of park ranger
Sometimes I forget that not everyone grew up in Scouting or similar programs. Glad to see the knowledge being shared.
You can thank feminists for that. They decimated the Boy Scouts instead of just improving Girl Scouts because they don’t want capable, confident men.
I am SO grateful I grew up before all this psychotic BS.
Yeah I've been watching some of the videos these guys make and I know it's not common knowledge, but regardless everyone should be able to successfully pop a spark with a bow and drill and make a fire
@@Terrato45 Feminists destroyed Boy Scouts. They could have just improved Girl Scouts but equality wasn’t their goal.
People claim not to understand why so many young men are lost while destroying everything that helps them. They know exactly what they are doing.
I learned so many skills in scouts, my kids are about to start cubs
My father and I looked through the boyscouts manual, looked at each other and laughed. Yeah, we could have taught them something. And I was 12 at the time. Now I'm in Alaska and living a dream that most wish for.
The production value of that intro was way too damn high for a simple DC video, what the hell.
🫡
Have you not been watching lately? Their intros would make Tarantino cream his shorts.
I KNOW. THEY GO ABOVE AND BEYOND!
Love the hell out of the effort tho😅❤
So so good!!! I was laughing so hard
I'm literally starting to take my son to the woods several times a year to toughen him up. He loves it and it is working. Cell phones don't even WORK where I take him. He is now obsessed with camping. Drives his momma crazy! Lol My wife was like.....Babe, you need to take him camping, he is going crazy! Lol
Doing it right sir👍
My dad did that with me growing up. Later in life after all the nonsense Ive dealt with and been through (ill spare you the details) the woods, hiking and camping is the only place I can fully decompress and get my mind right for awhile before I go back to daily life. I'm glad my Dad started my interest in this sort of thing. Survival and all it's facets is super interesting and has honestly saved my life and sanity. Getting your children out in nature is super important. We as humans have lost touch with where we came from and it exacerbates alot of issues.
One thing you guys missed was what bug spray does to your equipment. Do not mix bug spray with anything water proof! The chemicals break down the water tight seal, and will ruin your frog tog, poncho, and most tarps. If you have a tent it will destroy the rain cover. The general rule of thumb is to only apply bug spray 10 ft away from your camp site with your shoes off, no rain coat, no hat, no nothing. If you have a long sleeve undershirt you can spray it with bug spray and then after a few minutes you can put the undershirt on, wait another 2, and then put everything back on. When packing bug spray, you should contain the can in a bag. I have had leaks, and its gotten in my food. My final tip is to never plan to always have bug spray, and get use to the bugs. Sometimes the spray won't work no matter how much you apply, if you are in the woods for a ling time, you will run out, and as long as the bugs aren't carrying any nasty disease, you will survive.
no hate, I just appreciate what you guys are doing here, and i just wanted to give my 2 cents too.
As long as you stay away from DEET, most other homeopathic-type bug sprays are g2g for clothing and food i.e. citronella, eucalyptus
I replaced the foam insert in my Tilley hat with a bug head net that way its always with me.
I also bring a pocket sized thin windshirt with me that I wear to protect my neck and arms from the bugs as well
Cool info, good to know!
I didn't know that cool info good tip!
@@aaroncarapace8054 Bug net inside the Tilley Hat! Great idea!
Wines and fruit juices come in 3 and 5 litre boxes with a dispensing tap....the bladders inside these boxes can be repurposed by pulling out the tap and washing out the bladder....the tap can be reinserted..they fold up really small for fitting into your gear and make first class water storage containers
Very cool idea!! Will be trying this
@@drummerdrummer I'm glad you like it....also if you cut off the two top corners you can insert a stick and hang the bag up...water on tap....great for washing hands and general camp duty....
Wine box bladders make good pillows, too.
Put a pencil sharpener in your fire kit for making spark kindling
Three absolute necessities for survive,
Shelter, Substance and security
buy a magnesium sharpener, u can scratch the magnesium of it to use as fire starter
Good idea big 🐕
or you could carry a knife and save the precious space. lol
Pencil sharpeners appear to be the new dryer lint.
@@Sniperaheadif you're referring to the magnesium block that sometimes has a small ferro rod on it, that isn't a sharpener. It's just for scraping off small shavings to catch Ferro sparks
Few quick things just as tips.
1. Hold your striker staionary and pull your ferro rod back. It will concentrate your sparks better into a specific area.
2. When making char cloth, you want to use 100% cotton. Synthetic material will melt. I figured most people know this, but just in case someone doesnt.
3. You can make your own fire starter cubes/tabs with cotton balls and petroleum jelly. Rub the petroleum jelly into the cotton balls and store them. They will take a spark super easy.
3. Certain snacks in your pack can be used as a fire starter. One that I've shown to a lot of people is corn chips. They will sustain a flame for a good while due to the oil in them.
Great video guys! I love what you're doing with the channel and content your putting out! Some times we need to be reminded that the basics are what will keep you alive. Rules of 3!
You can also soak the cotton balls in rubbing alcohol and squeeze out the excess before coating them in petroleum jelly. Works fantastic
Doesn’t need to be cotton either, can also use any natural airy/non-dense carbon source. Paper, linen, burlap, spunk wood, inner bark 👍
Make waterproof fire starters. Round cotton make up remover pad thingies soaked in lighter fluid and wax.
@@ColinHeddle We're gonna start a pyro thread lolol...
Save your dryer lint and old steel wool. Those will take a spark from a ferro rod (or bic lighter that ran out of fluid) like no ones business.
I've got enough dryer lint to last me a century XD
I don't know why they needed to collect kindling when they started with such a fire intro.
Hahahaha nice
its important to remember not to rip all the bark off a tree, if you take off a full ring around the tree, you cut the trees circulation off and they will die, so if your going to take bark, take it off in a line only on one side of the tree.
I spent 3 years overseas in Nepal, Pakistan, & Israel...came back to the U.S. and got sick. There is ALWAYS something in your water that the locals have built up a tolerance for. I just didn't realize I was no longer a local.😅
We're very lucky where we are in Scotland. We have some of the purest water in the world.
@@BRH0587 common Scotland W
@@absoluteunit3278 it's gleamin mate. Straight from tap ice cold...it's gleaming
@@BRH0587 Sweden also feels pretty safe tbh
@@blank_page_ aye. I'm sure again it's to do with the amount of natural resources there. I'd love to visit someday as i have never heard anyone leave and say they didn't like it
As a backpacker, I love this. Id argue the best water purifier is a sawyer squeeze + boiling the water + collecting from a flowing source far from contaminants
Top 10 best UA-camrs, especially in the firearms industry and in survival industry.
Boy Scouts taught us these basics and so many more. I'm glad I learned all I did in Scouts, it has saved, helped, and guided me through numerous situations.
Came down here to comment the same thing, all of this seems obvious to us who had the good fortune to be in the scouts
One tip I learned is hold the steel still and pull the ferro rod, lets you control the sparks better
A few critical observations; use an eyelet hook screwed into the tree to run the para cord through. This will not hurt the tree and will prevent para cord abrasions.
Water filters are a luxury. Learn how to make a natural filter using strata. All streams and rivers have natural strata in the form of small rocks, pebbles and sand. Make charcoal and set up a filter sieve. More reliable and the knowledge is universal.
Adopt all-weather fire starting methods; yours are good.
This channel is truly helpful. Not only is the gun content cool, but you guys are teaching average joes extremely valuable skills in an increasingly fatherless society where men no longer learn these things.
Huge Fan fella's. 8 months ago, I was thinking about starting my own channel for folks that dont want to "hear" the preppers, but want to learn self reliance. My heart wasn't in it at all. I found y'alls YT channel and almost exactly the content i wanted to make. I just recommend Dirty Civilian to all my city friends and focus my personal time on more personal hobbies (like teaching my kids this stuff instead of watching YT all day hahaha).
All stuff we teach at the youth archery camp, glad to see the basics being showed…being former SAR guy simplest is usually the best!
That intro was production level like my GOD. Whatever camera you are using is clearer than my eyes. The slowmotion is soooo smooth and even your guys' acting is on point. Props to all of you.
This video ignited a fire in me and brought me out of early onset man-o-pause. I needed this. Thanks guys.
The best conversations are spoken around a fire , so true.
Something you could have done before installing the filter is just open the bottom of the bag and drain off the majority of the settled dirt
I always carry a waterproof case with 2 lighters, one traditional one butane, a striker, and waterproof matches. I found out about pyro putty around 4 years ago and have added that to the kit, some pretty good stuff.
Was lost after the great depression, once we started becoming dependent upon the government to start providing for people, and after WW2 and Korea, our father became more focused on feeding the system, vs stoking liberty and history. And has accelerated vastly as our generation has grown older during the GWOT ERA,
It’s wasn’t lost, y’all just got lazy and fat, weak and to comfortable
Great vid! One trick I've picked up is carrying tea light candles. Take up no space and u can get 100 of them for $1. Set up ur teepee of kindling, progressively bigger logs on top, light the tea candle and slide it under the pile. Doesn't replace it all, but just one more option.
Intro legit slaps 🔥🔥
3:48 if you cannot tie a knot, TIE A LOT! Also with flint steel rods like that. Try pulling the rod away from the steel like your starting a lawn mower vs pushing your steel toward your tinder along the rod. Keeps your sparks more controlled and less chance of bumping the tinder and knocking it everywhere. As well, if your using a knife for steel it keeps the sharp thing stationary. I learned this at age 12 and still have a scar at 26.
Dryer lent soaked in melted petroleum jelly makes a great fire starter for your kit.
Provided it is cotton clothing you dried. Polyester, nylon, or wool will not have the effect you're looking for.
Taut line hitch for corners of tarps is awesome. Quick, easy and adjustable. 550 cord stretches so small bank line or something made for tarps won't stretch and is lighter.
Hammocks and tarps are where it's at for me. Takes practice and fiddling around with but it's fun and once you got it your system is up in no time and you're off the ground.
If anyone is interested in that go down the shugemery yourube rabbit hole. Guys entertaining and teaches everything hammock and tarp plus some.
As usual great video guys. Thanks.
i stan hammocks as well
Dryer lint is another cheap/free fire starter. Pack it in used paper towel or toilet paper tubes, coat it in paraffin wax and cut it in slices and throw it in a baggie or tin. The lint catches quick, and the paraffin soaked cardboard will last to get that kindling burning.
Good video, guys. Every time that I start a bonfire in my fire pit I use a different starting method as practice.
A pine needle bed and bedding and making a "blanket" out of them saved my life one night in a forest. It was also a decent enough night's sleep, too.
On Outward bound in the Rockies, we would keep an eydropper full of iodine in our Nalgenes and give a few drops every time we filled up at a stream. Way cheaper than aquatabs. Solid video.
My packs have ziplock bags with cotton balls with Vaseline all over them for fire and skin care.
I read somewhere if you wrap foil around the cotton balls and cut a slit in the top you can pull the cotton out of it and use it more like a re useable candle, have yet to try it though
@@Jhardy64 That is correct
Sir, have you ever thought of having a few cotton balls with "Vaporizing Rub" instead of Vaseline? Someone said you could cover the cotton balls with aluminum foil, then pull out a bit of cotton, light it and make a small candle. That got me to thinking about using the Equate brand Vaporizing Rub which has Camphor, Eucalyptus oil, Menthol, Turpentine oil and White Petrolatum. If a person burned that as a 'candle' it ought to open up your sinuses and maybe help keep some bugs away. It's just an idea. If I remember, I'll try it to see if it works.
@@Ronnie-c3lI had not, there are cases of it exploding when heated. May not be a real issue but according to poison control its a thing and there are reports out there about it.
I love making fires in the woods with the familly and I've always been drawned to nature, but sometimes I'm fearfull in my aptitude. When I speak of such interest to my peers at school they laugh it off and only talk about wasting themselves. You are right much has been lost but I will not let this stop me. Thanks for what you do.
That intro was top notch. Had me rolling! First time watching you guys. This was a great video. Loved the presentation, how well you two work together. Sometimes 30 minute videos can be kind of grueling but you guys kept it simple with only three things you went over and then went over them super well.
I’m an Eagle Scout but it’s been years since I went and did any “survival” style real camping. Been wanting to do something for years with some friends to keep skills up and learn but the few friends I have aren’t really into camping and such. My son however will be. Can’t wait to get him camping so I can teach him all the stuff I learned to love about the outdoors.
Great video. Poncho & life straw, canteen, jet boil, 550, knife, backpackers fitted air mattress cage. bringing back some memories.... 1 is none, 2 is one, 3 is two.
Theirs a great documentary on Sawyer. I used a Sawyer filter that screws on to any plastic drink ( think soda) bottle, in Central America for almost two months with a partner also using it, daily. Never an issue. Their technology and purpose is awesome. I swear by it and carry one always. This could also be a good video for you guys. Thanks for the great vid.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge in an easy- going manner. You have a comfortable presence; not talking down to the audience; matter-of -fact and encouraging. Even, a good voice pitch and level.
I also appreciated the way you stressed the basic supplies, not having to buy "the fancy stuff" that some others try to promote.
Keep the simplicity and peaceful way.
Thank you. 🦋
Congratulations from Spain for your excelent work guys!
75 year old female here. I've been preaching this for years. Finally have a couple of grandsons who are interested. I'm so glad that some of the younger generation are starting to get into this kind of thing. Also important....knowing wild edibles and wild medicinals.
We just always used bungies for rigging up ponchos easy peasy.
Heavy and bulky. Used to use them, but stopped. Plus, not as multi-use as 550
As a backpacker, I highly recommend a hand pump with a good filter. They are wonderful, easy to use and if you aren't taking from dirty water will last a good number of liters. It gets clean water straight into your nalgene bottles in one step. Get one with a filter good enough to strain the giardia bacteria. It can be a little more expensive, but you don't have to treat the water or wait for it to become useful. The time savings and no extra messing around sold me on the method.
That was the best intro I've seen in a very long time on any video on UA-cam. Nice job!
Hey Drew, a little tip, for the magnesium fire starter stick. instead of sliding the metal down the rod and risk hitting the char cloth (like you did), or the tinder bundle, hold the steel and pull the rod back toward you. That way when the rod slides out from under the steel, the pressure from the rod, makes it go up, instead of the steel hitting your ember and knocking it around.
Ziplock full of dryer lint weighs nothing and is an incredible fire starter.
I take dryer lint and mix it with petroleum jelly and then roll it up into small balls and put that in a tin or ziplock bag. They're great for starting fires and they last for awhile. Great tips, by the way. Thanks.
The 10 foot knot tying method was gold. Even with back to the basics videos you can learn something new. Just took my hanks of paracord and combined them with this knot.
Climbers refer to that as "daisy chaining". Common for long webbing runs to keep them organized
I like the quick dip bag method to purify water, I have a pump water filter that I use as a gravity filter, i keep it in my camping gear cuz if I'm camping I'm not worried about being in and out of the particular water source so I'll dip out a big collapsible water bladder full and stick the particle filter and inlet hose in the bladder pump it about 4 or 5 times to get the filter full and clean water coming out of the outlet into the clean water bottle and ensure the water is flowing and go play with the kids for a while and when i come back ill have 5 gallons of clean water, i also picked up extra ultra fine filters and carbon filters when i bought it. I will say it works extremely well, ive ended up breaking it out when severe ice storms taken out our power and i had to haul water from a nearby creek to the house to filter it. Luckily we have a propane heater to keep the house warm but no electric meant no water so i used the filter to make the creek water safe to drink and thankfully none of us got sick so i would say that filter definitely passed the test.
Opening goes hard
I have done primitive camping since I was little and then stopped for thirty years…you absolutely lose them if you don’t use them…😊but they come back so get out and practice while you play…if you’ve never done it practice at home tell your confident…these are great basic survival skills you’ll be grateful you practiced at…more grateful when you teach your children and for them when they teach theirs❤️
BRO did u sing for the intro?! XD
Ex Dee
It was actually a dub lol
sounded like AJR to me
I thought it was PSR or something 😂
I run a lodge in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and this is a solid video to share with curious and inexperienced guests to get them some basic info before they arrive. Thanks gents.
i thot i was watching a music video.
I did too, I checked several times just to make sure lol
One thing you might try before hooking the filter up...open the tap on the dirty water and let most of the sediment run out. That way it won't clog up your filter so much
There are actual people in the comments that think that’s your song 😂
I love the middle ground approach to these things. This is the most practical way for most guys to practice the basics.
Modern gov't regulations have made modern man weak. You can't go hardly anywhere with someone wondering why you're there or asking for papers (permits). Everything is regulated. Surprised we can even breathe air without a damn permit.
Edit: Awesome intro, by the way. 😂😂
Yeah fuck the police state you describe, but government regulations can be good. Unless you like tainted alcohol and water being served
@@brianschwarm8267 Well, our water is tainted. Bottled and tapped. I mean, it's better than swamp water. I think... 🤣
@@williammcleroy558 yep because of LACK of government regulations
@@brianschwarm8267 Whatever. I know how to purify water. Learned that as a rural Mississippi gen X kid. Stills are good for more than makin shine!
@@williammcleroy558 yeah that’s nice and all, I imagine you boil that water every time you sit down at a restaurant? I’ll bet your immune system is so mighty that employees don’t need to ever wash their hands either or call in sick when they have highly contagious illnesses like Norovirus.
Learned this stuff from my dad and when I was on the military. Great content, I'm too busy prepping to make videos. Good for you guys.
This needs to be a full 5 minute music video instead :D
Seconded !
I was getting "I'm on a boat/ Dick in a Box" vibes 😂😂😂😂... they need a full length video as an outro
Nice, concise, and helpful to beginners. I subscribed to show my nephew because I also find these guys to be engaging, and "normal". Closer to his age, but old enough that I think he may look up to them a bit. Not a grating old guy like myself.
8:12 holy shit a talking head 😮
I love the fact that you guys spent all that time finding kindling and had to make sure you got all the pine needles out of the way before you started the fire. Just use the damn pine needles for kindling.
It's amazing how much we don't trust our Lord
Lol
Nah, we're just being the five wise virgins.
Nice video and thank you! I really appreciate the effort you guys put into this stuff, and none of my comments/suggestions below should detract from any of that. People simply don't generally understand how much time and effort it takes to put together something like this (particularly of this quality).
Food for thought:
A bunch of the stuff you guys tend to gravitate toward is military/para-military/surplus. There's nothing wrong wtih that, of course and is that most folks go to when thinking about these sorts of skills. With that said, being a combat vet myself, there are MUCH better options available for no more money that wiill often perform better in every regard. Looking at the 'thru-hiker' setups/equipment/mentality is extremely beneficial. As a rule, it's smaller, lighter, dead reliable, and incredibly durable. Lighter gear lets you be more agile, present a smaller silhouette and will save you energy. Energy = calories, so you can pack less food to go the same duration or more food without expending any more calories which will let you go longer. Here's some of the stuff I used in my GHB. My total pack weight, wet (1.5l water plus filter system) and 72 hours of food (minimum) is under 20lb.
Disclaimer: I am in absolutely NO WAY affiliated with any product below that I mention. I've spent too much time and money making decisions that could have been better and generally ended up with the stuff below; I'd hope this might save some folks a bit of money, frustration, and time. I paid for EVERYTHING I listed below that I own with my own money.
Shelter:
The poncho is always a great idea. It'll hide your shape, blends well, can cover your pack and you, and usually packs small. While I like my military issue just fine, the evolution of that (though addmittedly somewhat more delicate) is the Gatewood Cape by Six Moon Designs. You can even get a mesh tent inner with a bathtub floor that fits inside which keeps bugs and critters out which keeps you far safer and allows better rest. It isn't super cheap, but it's readily accessible. One Tigris makes something similar, the Tentsformer which also has an inner avilable, the Mesh Teepee. This doesn't blend as well, is heavier, packs larger, is likely more durable, and is about half the price but not nearly the same degree of shelter. The Gatewood Cape is 10.7 oz and when combined with the Serenity Net Tent is a grand total of 20.5oz (or 581g for those inclined for metric measurements) and both together pack down into it's pocket, which is smaller than the poncho you used. It also provides MUCH better coverage and has a zippered door. It is a poncho as well. There are some other options here that work really well but as we're talking about things that are very compact and multi-use, this is probably the best option. Oh, and the green optoin is alarmingly invisible from twilight on; seriously, you better know where you left it.
I do NOT own nor have I used the One Tigris system but it is generally liked and decently regarded for what it is.
-SMD Gatewood Cape: www.sixmoondesigns.com/products/gatewood-cape?variant=14706758615082
-OneTigris Tentsformer: www.amazon.com/OneTigris-TENTSFORMER-Military-Bushcraft-Shelter/dp/B088ZQFF1F/ref=sr_1_1?sr=8-1
Cord:
Please move from paracord/550 cord to a Dyneema blend cord. I like to use GO! Outfitters becuase it holds a knot better as it is a polyester and Dyneema blend. The reason for this is it can be used in every way paracord can, but it doesn't stretch. It is also MUCH thinner and vastly STRONGER than paracord while being MUCH lighter; the pack difference in weight and size is staggering. A trucker's hitch (IMO better for these applications than a clove hitch), and a taut line hitch is just about all you ever need, though a prusik knot is really, really useful too; all are dead simple to learn.
go-outfitters.com/collections/all/products/go-line-ultralight-cordage-for-tarp-ridgelines-guy-lines-everyday-carry
-Taut Line Hitch: ua-cam.com/video/EApyOMMZZFQ/v-deo.html
-Trucker's Hitch:
-Prusik Hitch: ua-cam.com/video/vMz8Qg1uBu4/v-deo.html
Water Filtration:
This is a new product for me, but immensly good. There's a Brit company called Pure Clear. It is a 42mm cartridge style that fits into Katadyn and HydraPak bottles (these are very good, I use the latter extensively). They not only filter out debris and bacteria but also viruses, and remove all taste. IMO this is precisely the correct filter to use. I also use CNOC bags for larger filtering operations, though HydraPak also makes some really great options. Also, a sport-water bottle cap will work to backflush your filter.
-Pure Clear video: ua-cam.com/video/hEqRCDpJaPY/v-deo.html
-Pure Clear website: www.pureclearfilters.co.uk/bottles/pure-clear-collapsible-squeeze/
Fire:
I found these awesome little things called Firebiners. They're just a flint wheel (like on a lighter), but it's a carabiner (a genuinely good one and comes with extra flints). I typically have a carabiner with me anyway, so this is just a good backup and weighs less than a ferro rod. I have also got a couple of small ferro rods embedded in a magnisum block. They're very small and relatively light, but being able to shave the magnisum into the tinder and then hit it with the sparks from the ferro and you've got a much better chance of getting a fire lit.
-Firebiner: www.amazon.com/OUTDOOR-ELEMENT-Firebiner-Carabiner-Screwdriver/dp/B075B23Y84/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1
-Magnesium/ferro block: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09H6KS77F/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Packs:
I really like Gregory packs. They tend to be light for what they are, they're extremely durable, and fit exceptionally well. I'm also a fan of Camelbak and Mystery Ranch for these types of purposes. All of these brands are available through Sierra stores (Sierra.com if you're shopping online) for DEEP discounts. My Gregory Zulu line (I have a 30l, 40l, and 55l version; the 40 being the most versatile and easiest to pack) are my favorite and cross well between a military pack mindset and long distance hiking/bushcrafting. Weight very selldom relates to durability of materials anymore, and very often the lighter materials are far more durable than old school courdura heavyweights (plus they do a much better job of shedding water and don't collect as much). In this thought, the two-bag liner system is perfect for keeping gear dry that needs to stay dry and is 100% better than any pack liner.
Knife:
I've got too many knives. A high carbon knife is nice for throwing sparks but you can ABSOLUTELY throw sparks with stainless knives. IMO a knife you can beat on and not worry about is worth its weight in gold. I have found that the Morakniv (a well respected and very established Swedish company) sells a few great knives. The Companion is a favorite but I prefer the Craftline 546. It's a stainless blade designed for construction workers/craftsmen and has a very good finger guard/block to prevent your hand slipping forward. They make a high carbon version the 511 but it rusts VERY quickly (even here in arid CO in the mountains). They sell for under $18. Any of the Morakniv knives are excellent products at very good prices.
www.amazon.com/dp/B00T3DY8XK?psc=1
If WW2 was fought today, we would all be speaking German.
Speak for yourself
Buddy I think the US is better off than Germany right now
🤣🤣🤣
I doubt it you don’t think there full of softies too
Sprachst du nichts?!
I lost track of time watching this video. This is so fun I forget about other stuff and that's extremely important if your going to get more people into the craft. I love what yall are doing and know all of this but its fun to watch anyway. The attitude yall have with this video is what we need more than ever in the bushcraft/survival community. So many people out there are so pushy and demanding on products you have to have but the way yall are doing it makes light hearted and fun. Keep up the good work!
Great idea going from bag to bag for filtering and having them labeled for sure.
For char cloth I've found using old denim makes some of the best char cloth you can find.
I love sawyer filters they are incredible. Just be careful not to let water freeze in them. That how they can break. A tip is that it can be hard to fill a bag in small water sources. You can use their squeeze filter with something like a plastic Smart Water bottle, and the sawyer filter can screw on to the top of it. If you do this, you'll want to spend a few cents to replace the soft O-ring in the filter with a rubber one from the hardware store. Otherwise you can get some leakage.
One fire starter spurce i use is dryer lint i take the lint from the dryer put chunks of the lint in cardboard egg crates, and i have a lot of paraffin wax on hand because i make my own nylon whips, and i let my whip waxing electric hot plate deal melt the wax and i dip a 1 cup measuring cup into the hot wax and pour a bit into each egg crate over the lint. It'll solidify, andnleave a bit of uncoated lint so it can easily catch the sparks from my ferro rod. It's nearly free material minus the wax cost
Knots- pitching a Tarp or Basha is a lot easier using "Jungle knots", doubled para cord lines girth hitched on to the eyelets with simple stopper knots every 6 inches, they work really well and basically are quick release lines with no clips or hardware to fail that are easy to use in the dark or when you're tired or it's raining hard.
This is an amazing idea, I'm going to try this out.
I've been wondering about water filtration, I've got an idea of what I'm gonna start with. Thanks guys!
also when looking for kindling, since you guys said it was raining try to find dead dry hanging branches instead of what is on the ground soaking up all that moisture… a lot less smoke for concealment and easier to get the fire going. love the vids
I have used a Dakota hole fire pit before! When I first ran across the video for one I tried it in the back yard, to see how good it would be. They burn hot and very little smoke. And if you’re in a situation that you need to be light disciplined just keep the flame below ground and you can stay fairly hidden.
When my friends and I go backpacking we have both water setups with the quick 1 L stuff and I bring the gravity system. On the trail they fill me up and then at camp I go get gallons so we don’t have to run for water all the time for cooking and stuff. Super useful.
When bow hunting, aside from a small first aid kit, water tablets, and paracord, I keep a few other things in my pack: a flint&steel and a snuff can full of vasoline and cotton balls. there's my fire starter. Also, I carry tampons in case I fall on my own broadhead or get some other puncture wound. tampons are small, compact, and as designed, great at saturating blood.
I enjoyed this a lot. The production is incredible, the context was well put together and cohesive
Birch bark makes great tinder. It's easy to find, at least in northern Minnesota. It burns even when wet, and it's easy to collect because the bark peels off the tree in small sheets. Pitch from pine trees works great for an "accelerant", if needed. As for starting a fire. I keep a bic lighter in my pocket at all times. It comes in handy even if I don't need to start a fire.
A stainless single wall bottle on a small fire is best...maybe a bandana or filter clothe for cloudy or particles..
The best simple knot you can learn is a half hitch. You can use it for just about anything but it really shines for tightening thjngs down as it pulls itself taut and to undo it you just pull the end and it pops right out
See the gear skeptic series on water purification. There are some considerations with aqua tabs to keep in mind. They do not protect against viruses. Often a dual filtration methon between micro filtration with the sawyer and aquatabs or katadyn micro pur tabs is the best way to go.
Typically when i go camping i being two ways to clean water. Both the straw and tablets, they dont weigh much and give me piece of mind
Keep cheesecloth in your water filtration bag and use that to filter out the various floating bits (bugs, dirt, leaf debris, etc). Having two "dirty" containers will let you scoop with one, then filter through the cheesecloth into the second dirty container, then use the gravity system and filter that into a clean container. It's more to carry, but if they're the soft type like Drew used here, it won't take up much additional space and you'll both save your filter and speed up the process. Alternatively, you can attach a hose without the filter to the bottom of the dirty bag and let the settled sediment drain out before you attach the Sawyer Mini or other filter. It means you have to wait for the gunk to settle, but you can carry one less bag. Either way saves your filter. Thanks for the vids and the laughs. You guys are doing a great job!
Coffee filters can be helpful as well. No weight and can double as fire starters.
Not a man, but married to an amazing one who was raised to be able to fix everything, and I was raised to know plants, fix anything, and make fire and food with next to nothing. We’re teaching our teens too. :) Teens nowadays are actually really wanting to learn this stuff.
Found this product recently called Aquamira. They have hydration packs and adapters for Nalgene bottles with inline filters. You can buy extra filters. Supposed to be rated for up to 200 gallons each. Packs with the reservoirs were around $100
You could also use a nylon stocking to keep the chunky stuff out of your water bottle.
Thank you! Really nice video. I am working on my fire making skills. And I am a knot job! Started out a year ago and love those knots! :)
Char cloth is nice.
I find this tip I found here on the tube about cotton cloth dipped in heated floating petroleum jelly, then protected and adding fire time by dipping a couple of times in stearin to be a super nice way to start fires. Made a couple of hundreds of them now. :D
I’m glad you guys showed water methods. It’s the one thing I’ve always been afraid to do on backpacking trips. In my mind it’s such a huge potential hazard and I never trusted any systems.
I carry a First Need water purifier, one cartridge treats between 75 gallons and up depending on how dirty the source. It's never let me down and the water source you used, mine would have been crystal clear and safe to drink without any extra chemicals added.
I use the gravity method whenever I'm camping more than two days. Water is heavy, but those filters work well enough to be confident you're not gonna get sick. I'll typically use up my carried water in the first two days, while using the gravity water I got during that time for cooking. Sometimes I'll run two just to have a surplus.
I remember watching PBS in the late 80's early 90's and one of the shows gave a demonstration for building a solar desalination system if you found yourself near a coast and needing drinking water, it required digging a hole in the beach and two plastic bags.
My nieces watched a lot of "Fetch with Ruff Ruffman" (also on PBS) and one episode was devoted to wilderness survival and the shelter build section was very similar to this.
Great basic vid. So many try to start with more advanced techniques and you guys had fun educating us. Thanks.
Another great tip for water, if you are going to be out for extended periods save some of your charcoal to use in building future water filters.
Been doing this for years. Maybe a decade but bro. Thank you. May God bless your message. Amem
Nice video. It's not just a problem in the US but also in most western European cities for instance. I fully agree we skipped a generation (or a few) and for this reason I founded the 'Bushcraft Association' back in 2011. We teach the parents so they start enjoying spending time in nature or are at least more confident and less afraid so they can take their children outdoors and teach them. It's non profit to make it also accessible to low income adults/parents and we did have parent/child weekends also. But since it's non profit it's hard to find instructors.
That intro is the society we live in today. 😢
And by the way I love the outdoors I’m a hunter, fisher, bushcrafter, and marksman!
Some scent less lotion n liquid smoke..keeps skeeters away n doesnt harm any gear!
A great video.
I saw on another one you probably don't need to poke the hole in the tin they're usually not air tight the gasses can escape by the hinges. And I'm paranoid damp can get back into the tin faster via that hole.
Some tins are of course air tight and you'll never open them again once you get a good vacuum inside.