If you're shopping for duck canvas in the future, I highly recommend Big Duck Canvas. They sell it in every weight imaginable, all the way up to weights that would be too heavy for a bedroll. MUCH better canvas in more weights and colors than any local fabric store or Walmart.
And no matter how much work you put into a good bedroll, there will STILL be that one little rock you don't find until it pokes you in the middle of the back!
A tip: In addition to waterproofing the canvas, throw some of those spruce branches into a pile and lay your sleeping bag on top. Your body weight wil not push as heavily into the moist soil and the humid air will be able to filter through the needles and out beneath you.
DIY can be really cost efficient, but it requires a significant amount of research to find the best or cheapest solution available. That aside, awesome video and cool adventuring gear.
I've been told that if you want to use a cotton canvas tarp--quite cheap comparatively--boil the sucker first to tighten the weave. (Of course, I had an old copper wash-boiler.)
Longtime reenactor and new LARPer here with a shared interest in historical/fantasy trekking. Keep making the kind of content you're making, my friend, I am a huge fan and I am constantly linking your videos to my friends to try and convince them to come on adventures with me!
Love these aesthetic appearance of this medieval necessities. 💜 I complete much hiking which entails one night sleeping in the wild. Your complement of essentials is massive. Granted in those olden days they didn’t have the lightweight goodies around today. Having all the essentials tied to the outside of one’s pack like a pack animal is looking for losing probably something most essential which one only find out later when reaching said destination. I know as it happened to me.
Definitely a lesson I learned as well: Everything 1 step away from commonly sold items will tenfold the prices. With this in my mind, I actually find fun in trying to find items that are available for a dime and can easily be modified.
DIY projects offer great opportunities to learn and thank you for passing along what you learned & experienced. A DIY project got me into book binding and even though it cost alot of money to do the project myself, the experience I got from the DIY has become invaluable!
@@kellysouter4381 yes there are any amazing youtubers who make some awesome books and provide tutorials. I've been doing bookbinding for 3 years now and still watch bookbinding videos
Might have been better to leave the two layers separate. In scouting, I had a thin spring sleeping bag, a heavy canvas bag for the fall, and in the winter the spring bag was a liner that went inside the winter bag. Of course, whether or not I was inside the canvas bag, I had it with me just to lay on top of. In the summer, I often laid on top of the canvas and under (not inside) the spring bag. Plus, if you make the inside liner removable, you can clean it more easily.
Just waterproofed a canvas tent with BLO/Mineral spirits in a 1:1 ratio, left outside to dry for three days and I was all set! Definitely super cool to work with, would suggest experimenting. Great video.
I'm about to use BLO on a knife handle. I think it should dry faster, but I think using it on a big, time sensitive project scared me. Will definitely try in the future. This time I needed the bedroll ASAP haha!
Yup. Back when I used to rendezvous all the time I had a ground cloth I used to wrap up in my wool blankets and it was just a canvas drop cloth treat with BLO and mineral spirit in the same ratio as yours. A friend made a bedroll similar to what he made in the video and he treated the bottom of it to make tin cloth and the top he just did the oil cloth treatment. Although he added some copper sulfate to his mix to tame the red and give it a more natural camoflage.
Have you tried just doing the cowboy method? Rather than sowing it up you just used a larger canvas and a wool blanket. I’ve thought of developing a system where I’d used the bed role as a pack for my supplies like a small pan, extra pant and socks, a second wool blanket cut and styled to your adventure’s cloak. I’d also want some rope and a light rope hammock to hang under the tarp in the event of heavy rains. On the outside I’d hang a machete or camp axe and a pot for boiling water. I’d also keep a knife on my person. I like the simplicity of the water resistant bed role. For the most part, no tent is actually water proof, and for most situations you really don’t need to bother about setting up a tent. If it’s too cold for a bed role text to a fire, it’s definitely too cold for a stoveless tent. If water is pooling up or if there is no flat ground, or if the rain is unbearable a hammock under a tarp would be better anyway. I like the idea of two wool blankets. One for the bedroll and one cut to the adventure’s cloak from your video on it. The adventure’s cloak could double as a pillow in temperate climates, and another layer in cooler temperatures. It also is nice if it’s raining or a little chilly to put over yourself and the bedroll strapped to your back while traveling. Then you could leave it out to dry by the fire while you sleep in a dry clean wool blanket. It might even be able to use the regular wool blanket as a stuffed under quilt for the hammock in cold weather where you need a tarp over head. However I think for most hammock situations, a bed roll in the hammock would works fine enough in light rain. You are off the ground and the water will run off you. I’ve also been thinking about making a steel light weight water tight barrel that can be strapped to a pack frame and used as a water proof pack, a cooking pot for a lot of food and water, and even a floaty for fording large and deep bodies of water. So long at it floats while full because it’s mostly full of air, a water tight pack sized barrel can help you swim much larger spans without much risk to your packed supplies. When I watch people build more permanent structures, having a large water tight container for collecting supplies or mud or river sand or sea shells or limestone to make lime for concrete or lime washing a cob house is often one of the most used tools. I think a big light weight water tight survival pot could be very useful for preparing adventures to be settlers in a pinch. It might be worth the weight to sacrifice a proper backpack for a light steel barrel that you can stuff and seal all your stuff in. I’ve also seen people use things like this to boil water in for a hot bucket shower. I spent a year showering only with buckets of boiled water when I lived overseas and it’s actually not that bad, and the alternative of not bathing when the weather is cold can really cut down on moral for modern people. You can also use it to wash clothes in. Being able to boil a lot of water is a bigger deal to long term thriving than I think camp style bushcraft people give it credit for.
As this is an anachronistic channel, have you considered making a wool or canvas sleeve for a neoprene yoga mat and using that as your vapor barrier between you and the ground? I use a neoprene pad under my wool sleeping system and it keeps me warm and dry. As I don’t need my kit to look aesthetically correct, yet, I don’t have a sleeve for mine. I also have no canvas in my system. My system consist of a loose weave wool sleeping bag. (60”x 178” folded up 80” and sewn along the sides. Finished size 60x98) A loose weave wool blanket. (60” x 80”). And the neoprene yoga mat. Ground. Neoprene. 1 layer of wool. Body. 8 layers of wool. Head flap pulled over my head and shoulders then tucked in over my chest adding 2 more layer over my chest. I’ve slept comfortably in weather cold enough to leave frost on the ground well after sunrise without noticing the cold. It would add a bit more weight to your kit and certainly is not period accurate. However, you could ditch the current canvas and replace it with a smaller amount for the sleeve. Should come out only slightly heavier. But it should not look out of place when covered in wool or canvas. Grab your ketchup and crunch away my friends.
Absolutely critical piece of an adventurer's kit. This connects you to our medieval forefathers/mothers in a major way. With a bed roll, you can look up at the very same night sky, suspended above the very same Earth, on basically the very same cushioning and waterproofing materials. There is also a visceral, spiritual, existential quality to it, for me. There are some things that our primitive ancestors did terribly wrong (hygiene and sanitation, anyone?). But this is something that they did extremely well. It blew the lid off my modernist smugness the first night I spent in one. It impressed me with our ancestors' wisdom and expertise, from so many centuries ago. And by skipping as many modern amenities as is safe and practical, it bridges the time gap between us and them.
I did a 6x9 drop cloth and used the Scotch Guard camp waterproofing spray. I used the whole van for the drop cloth, but it works great, even in very heavy rain I stay completely dry in my canvas hammock. I’m 6’3”, so I used the whole drop cloth… The cloth was $12 and the waterproofing aerosol was $6, so not bad.
I made a simple bedroll from a self inflating backpacking sleeping pad and a $20 blanket from a truck stop. It's great for traveling because I can roll a change of clothes and some toiletries in it, and I have something comfortable in case, for instance, United cancels my flight and I have to spend the night in the Dallas airport...
Hello there, i had pretty much success with waxing the cloth. I used a mixture of 4 parts of parafine candle wax and 1part of beeswax and it worked just fine. Just rub it on and then melt it in with a hairdryer. Thats it. And the costfactor is nearly to nothing.
Hell yes dude. I was JUST thinking about making my own for my “fantasy ranger” kit. Now I’m motivated and inspired like I am after every one of your videos 🤘🏻 you rule man.
I agree, the price of supplies really adds up! I just ordered some 18 oz canvas duck to make my own but also using modern materials where it makes sense. I'm not going to waterproof it because I want it to breath well. I plan to sleep under a tarp if it rains. The bottom will be 1000 Cordura to help keep the canvas dry and clean. I will add a zipper on the side. I'm hoping to use mine next to a campfire which is why I want cotton. Keep up the videos!
I used regular old army blankets. One folded length wise, sown across the bottom and the same distance up the side. An a second blanket just folded around (or under it as an extra matras).
We were taught in Scouts that you want double over you as under you and if you see the way they do blanket sleeping bags you end up with double above. You really need blanket pins.
I did almost the exact same thing for a bedroll, except I used riveted snaps as I was going for a 20's-30's "period homage" bushcraft setup. For water proofing, I mixed silicon caulking with mineral spirits just as you showed, but mine worked out. When I waterproofed my cotton tarp (a king sized bed sheet from the Salvation Army Store,) I used the same method, but supplemented it with the silicone spray. FWIW, the spray and the DIY solution smell exactly the same.
Thanks for the wisdom! I'll keep in mind that there are some great options out there that are well made and end up being more cost-effective and less time-consuming.
Excellent commentary Kramer. DIY can be cheaper but I find the cost in failed attempts or trying different things to make it work for you is what really adds up. Keep up the great work. Nate
As someone who over heats easily at night I would be apprehensive with a 100% wool blanket plus a thick outer cover. ⛺️ It would be good during the winter and the cooler parts of spring/autumn. But I suppose it would be extra cushioning for summer time sleeping on top of the entire thing.
You would be surprised at how well wool breathes compared to synthetics. Actually, in Australia when the temperature is 110 F, a thermometer inserted under a live sheep's wool next to the skin is cooler by 6 to 8 degrees; the wool actually insulates the sheep from the sun's heat. Just be sure it's 100% wool and not half synthetic. Disclosures here: I had a sheep farm for over 20 years and handcrafted wool items; and I also worked in a polyester fiber factory. So I've had personal experience with both fibers. And I do not wear anything polyester!
@@coop5329 cool, thanks for the info. I mostly wear cotton myself. Though will go the wool route when it's below freezing, 🥶 close to or below 0° F, which is happening less and less frequently here in the Pacific northwest of the US during the winter. But in all honesty I don't really like temps over 65° and the colder it is the better I can sleep more soundly.
@@Blondie42cotton is really one of the worst materials. Linen and hemp stay cooler and last longer, wool stays warmer, even silk is warmer when woven right.
Great video :) you made all the right choices here, if you had waterproofed it with painted-on silicone liquid you would essentially have been making a cheap amazon bivy bag, I have used one and I threw it away, it has no breath-ability so you wake up wet in the morning on a warm night, or wet and cold in the middle of a cold night, I have no experience sleeping in period kit (something I have wanted to change for years) but given that waxed canvas and linseed oilcloth also do not breath, you would have had the same problem with them Because the waterproof spray will have gaps in (loose weave) it will breath but water should bead on it so hopefully your blanket won't get wet from dew and should be protected from rain on the trail, however if the ground is slightly damp (like when canvas tents leak if you touch the sides) water will soak through from underneath because of the pressure of your weight, so I would strongly recommend getting a thin and light piece of waxed tarp the same size as your bedroll to use like a tent footprint, there are a few Etsy sellers who make waxed canvas bush-craft gear who would probably be happy to do this as a commission and because it's relatively small it shouldn't be too expensive, I don't know if he still makes ground tarps but PNWBushcraft use a really nice lightweight waterproof fabric that I would recommend, it wouldn't add much weight to your bedroll apologies for the long comment
I'm planning on making something like this but am think of putting a space blanket between the canvas and wool blanket. Also probably going to add a sheep hide with the wool still on for winter use.
I wanted to pop in here and say that after watching this I found another video that attempted to do the silicone mix and was able to do it successfully using Naphtha as his solvent over mineral spirits. He used 3/4 the volume of the cloth in solvent and, like you, a 5:1 ratio of solvent to silicone (ie 10oz silicone into 50oz naphtha). if you ever want to attempt it again give the Naphtha a try, and if you want to watch the process the video I am referencing was done by NightHawk. Thank you for presenting your whole process, I'm sure many people have and will try and knowing how you would have changed your process is often more valuable than a successful attempt.
I learned long ago with leatherworking & sewing that new DIY projects like this are almost never a cost effective end product. The value is always in the learning and enjoyment of the process. Second time through maaaaaybe being cost effective but still not always.
nice tips, did mine similar way, but put water repellent treated cowhide for bottom layer ( nigh indestructible for ten years now) and use snap buttons for foot section (to keep it rolled up during colder autumn nights) . love your outfit too, would be nice to see it layered out ;) . just a tip; if you'll ever try to dissolve silicone, try acteone, but do it in well ventilated area
Sail suppliers are likely to be using modern artificial materials these days, unless they are very niche shops catering to Tall Ships. More accessible to most people would be truck tarpaulin suppliers/makers who may be willing to sell 'end of bolt' short lengths of water & fire treated canvas in a variety of colors (most of their stuff is going to be vinyl coated but most places still make traditional canvas tarpaulins). Silicone caulking and RTV rubber (aka silicone rubber - which is probably what you were looking for but getting misdirected) is water proof and may be fire resistant but is totally un-breathable, it would be like wrapping yourself in an enormous roll of cling wrap from the supermarket, you would end up like a steamed dumpling.
You can make the weave on these drop clothes much tighter by washing and drying them on hot. The cotton shrinks a lot. Just be prepared to loose upward of 6" total size.
Imho DIY projects in a lot of instances are done to learn and practice skills you find useful to have. Or to satisfy some VERY specific requirements. It's not always about being too poor to hire a professional to do it.
Coalcracker Bushcraft's channel has a great video on the Hutchins canvas bedroll. Might be something to look into. It's a great design with alot of versatility for a canvas bed roll.
Yeah, the only things about crafting stuff myself that's always a plus is the ability to say, "I made this." And it being custoade, at least that I have found. Lol
Good video. A couple tips... there's really no substitute for oil cloth ( linseed oil / cotton), wool is great for keeping warm but not a good wind break. Wash the tarp in hot water and dry on high a couple times before treating it, it'll close the weave up a bit. It's more multifunctional to use an oil cloth tarp and a wool blanket instead of a purpose built canvas cover. Traditionally I think they wrapped themselves diagonally in the wool blanket, making a good footbox. Keep it up.
I plan on one day doing some medieval camping, just haven't gotten around to it yet because of.. let's just call it personal problems with extreme anxiety. My plan is to go with a bedding made out of simple spruce branches, then a reindeer pelt, and several layers, both above and underneath me, by using a huge wool blanket I got from Etsy some time ago. Don't know how it would work, but I hope it turns out well. I have walked in the woods in medieval and fantasy clothing for half my life, but I've never actually spent a night in it. I'm still a newbie when it comes to medieval camping...
Might I recommend backyard camping? It makes for a great first time camping experience for someone. I've done it with my younger brother, and my foster brothers. (And just for the sake of checking out a new tent lol) Of course your backyard may be different than your targeted camping zone, but it might still be enough to get you over the concerns. You just may have to set up a little different. It has its own difficulties of course, but you always have your house to fall back too. My biggest concern when I do it is Urban noise keeping me up. That and urban bugs outdoor bugs can be a bit more cozy than the wilderness ones, a little less polite than an indoor one to lol. All else fails, try it inside. Maybe turn off the heater to get extra immersion. Might not bring the branches in though. Lol. (...Although, you could put a tarp down first) It might not be the same, but it's a step you can take to get yourself going :)
I just found your channel today, but I've been binging for the last couple of hours and loving it so far! For future reference when buying cheap bulk canvas: you can get a 4'x12' 10 oz canvas drop cloth from Harbor Freight for about $8. In my experience, the weave is sufficiently tight, and the natural off-white color takes dye perfectly. They also come in larger dimensions if you need something wider than 4', but I've always just pieced it together from the excess length. Edit for an additional thought: I have had pretty good success waterproofing with 1:1 beeswax & paraffin wax. Melt together in a double boiler, pre-iron your fabric (more to get it warm than and to open up the fabric than any concern about wrinkles) I like to double my fabric so any bleed-through just goes into the next layer and paint on with a brush or sponge. Repeat as needed, then lay a sheet of parchment paper on your fabric and iron in blocks to get the wax to really soak into the weave. This also removes the weird cloudy coating that will start to form as it dries. I've never used this method for anything as large as a bedroll, but it's relatively cheap and easy and has worked very well for the canvas hood and bags that I have made this way. Good luck!
I am sure you were going for the period style of wool around that time, but you can find 100% wool blankets at a local Army Surplus and they should be made in USA, unless like me, my current favorite wool is from Switzerland, but again it is a Swiss Army wool blanket that I found on one of my travels the price was around $35.00, I believe. Since I travel around the USA in my mini school bus, this blanket has been my turn to during those cold nights. Been down to 6 degrees one morning this past winter.
One of the great things about diy projects is that you can make them modular and or more versatile. Also, if you make it you can repair it. Grab your ketchup and crunch away my friends.
At Walmart I got a 6 x 9 thick sturdy canvas drop cloth for $10. A lot more tightly woven and thicker than the one in this video. If you want to be more historically accurate and don’t want to mess with linseed oil then use beeswax. Townsends use iron oxide powder to make a paint because it closes up the gaps in the canvas but beeswax should do that too
Ok I don't know if you have one around your state, but here in Michigan. We have a military surplus stores,they have wool blankets for cheap that work great for everything
It might have been the silicone I was using, because I did try Acetone as well, and it still didn't mix. Perhaps "100% Silicone" still has many different types that I am unaware of, and I used the wrong one.
@@LivingAnachronism I did cheat a little using a plastic-backed painter canvas to make sure my yurt was waterproof, but then the problem was mildew easily taking hold on the fabric side despite using tent silicone spray... I wish I had known and tried the acetone trick back then.
Cool project, looks like you learned a lot and have a really good skill of generalising those lessons. You will definitely benefit when you do future DIY. I think your bed roll is cool and your audience will learn a lot from your mistakes. I live in Australia where there are a lot of options fof canvas bedrolls that we refer to as swags. As a hiker however i've alwaus found them ridiculously bulky and heavy compared to modern materials. I would like to have a historical bedroll though.
This thing weighs more than my modern 3 person tent! But it does look cool. The reason why lots of these projects are "lesson" videos and not tutorials is because I'm figuring all this out for the first time too! But I think the process is definitely good to share. Sometimes tutorial videos forget to mention key things to avoid. Like that certain mineral spirits don't seem to work 😅
In your part of the country do they normally use the term "coming down the pipe"? I am more familiar with the phrase "coming down the pike" which refers to coming down the road (example: The Pennsylvania Turnpike) Not an important question, I was just curious.
I've found that several people have "cheated" by having a layer of "space cloth" between the first and second layer from the ground. It isn't as durable as a thicker plastic, but it reflects heat back up to you.
Beewax + Fish Oil + Beef Tallow (rendered fat) + Pine resin makes for a very good water proofing for materials, including leather and cloth-like. Check out Ole Time Woodsman Boot Grease. The Original 1800's Formula for Preservation Wax and Waterproofing.
I absolutely will check that out! I'm assuming the spray will eventually need to be replaced, I'll try this new method when I need to so I can compare them!
I use Obenauf's HD Leather Preservative. It's a wax solution made out of 7 different ingredients. I know they include beeswax, mink oil, neatsfoot oil, and propolis (bees oil), plus 3 others that haven't been disclosed yet. Smells pleasant. Slowly seeps into the leather fibers. Definitely darkens the color. Remains breathable for GoreTex garments. Was recommended by my boot maker.
What were the natural water resistant methods use in older times? There was a lot of coating of ships but I haven't heard of many for cloth till 1900s.
Lots of people make oilskin tarps with bedsheets made from natural fabrics. It’s thinner so it will be lighter and you can buy a thought thread count. I’m planning to make myself one, but it is pricy. Not as pricy as buying an oilskin though lol
Looking forward to further videos on the effectiveness of this setup, and whether the tarp ends up being replaced by a tighter woven one (which would add weight, I expect).
You should have washed and dried the drop cloth in high heat, it would have shrunk it and tightened up the weave. But it was an excellent effort. If you had just shown the bedroll without explanation i would have thought you bought it.
I took a canvas tarp (from my local Army surplus store) and Hudson Bay blanket to camp at 10,000 feet in August. I was still cold because it got down to the 30s. It probably would have been ok if either I was at a lower elevation or used a larger blanket.
I’ve done the linseed oil, iron oxide authentic way. It makes a very very water proof tough fabric BUT it is stiff, totally took almost a month to cure and is suuuuper heavy because there’s iron in it lol. But invest in a decent wool blanket for suuuure
Just remember everybody that most Duck fabric is cotton weaved like canvas, Old school canvas is linen made from flax and IMO is better but more expensive. Best of luck on everyone's project
Good video. I personally chose not to waterproof my actual roll and instead use a ground cloth that is already water proof. I got one a little larger so that I can place misc item on it as well as my roll. Then just roll it all up together. Roll is machine washable and ground cloth can be rinses off and done.
That sounds like a much better way of doing it. I'll probably do it your way, I don't expect the waterproofing on my bedroll to last for long. And replacing a ground cloth sounds much easier than having to replace a whole bedroll cover.
100% wool is expensive but if you look after it it will last generations. If the blanket is just going to be in the bed roll a more budget friendly option is military surplus wool blankets. They aren't 100% wool and some have markings on them but they are significantly less expensive.
stunned by the cost of a wool blanket when I can buy one for £3-4 in a charity shop here in Wales and often find them ready felted and extra thick cos some idiot has washed them too hot. I suspect for your price I could buy a second hand Melin Tregwynt origininal. Surely canvass can be bought most cheaply from a ships chandelers at the thickness required by the metre ?
Depends also where you get your drop clothes from, I find harbor freight has very good ones with a tight weave, but ace hardware are looser and more expensive. Its a matter of hunting if you want the best deal, but do agree with your starting comment.. diy does not always equal cheaper for sure..
I've seen the silicone paint made with just water instead of mineral spirits and the 100% silicone and a trash bag. Kneading it thoroughly with your hands. You might get better results this way.
Wonder if it would have been cheaper to get a higher quality cloth with a tighter weave and the sprays instead of trying the mineral spirits silicon stuff.
interesting video, good followup would be tarp/tent, as an option, you could use the canvas as a snapsack/cover for roycroft load. or as a browse bed or even hammock.
I may try to make my own tarp or tent, but, as I learned in this video, it might be really expensive. And the drop cloth is so loosely woven, I don't know I'd trust it as a shelter
@@LivingAnachronism perhaps try calico, i made a renactment tsrp and sprayed it, was about £4/metre and lightweight. for the weight to usuage, you dont need ultra durable.
Hm...how about using for external layer waterproof fabric? I have here a fabric, which is made from cotton and teflon threads, teflon on the outside make water mostly away, but not totally, so - no problems with breathing ))) And it's cheap. Normally this fabric is used to make working jacket/ and others
Oof, that's high pricing for a canvas drop cloth of that size. I frequently use the medium weight (different store/brand, probably) which seems to compare with your knapsack - and even the "extra heavy weight" is half the price you paid, roughly.
Maybe I'm getting a little confused, but is he saying he's sleeping with the sleeping bag directly on the ground? Why would you waterproof a sleeping bag? Edit: I think he is. The water problem you have in this situation isn't coming from the ground, it's coming from the air. It's condensation from the temperature change as your body heat gets sucked into the ground (and also condensed sweat if you waterproofed the bag). You need a separate, waterproof ground cover beneath your sleeping bag which keeps your body heat from going into the ground. The ground sucks out your heat way faster than the air. There's no need to waterproof the actual sleeping bag and to do so is counterproductive because it will trap in moisture. I would suggest just using a piece of painted cloth with a tight weave as a ground cover, and leaving the bag untreated. Maybe put some sort of stuffing in the bag, preferably down. When you're travelling, first roll up the bag, then roll that up in the ground cover. One benefit is that the ground cover is rugged and easily replaceable.
The sound is a little wonky int this video, I apologize. We've had 20 mph winds the last few days, I did the best I could to mitigate it.
Wasn’t an issue for me at all.
Audio sounded fine to me.
Audio sounded fine to me.
If you're shopping for duck canvas in the future, I highly recommend Big Duck Canvas. They sell it in every weight imaginable, all the way up to weights that would be too heavy for a bedroll. MUCH better canvas in more weights and colors than any local fabric store or Walmart.
And no matter how much work you put into a good bedroll, there will STILL be that one little rock you don't find until it pokes you in the middle of the back!
I'm hoping a good fur might help with that, but, they aren't the lightest or easiest things to transport.
Material: 2 GP
Fabricate spell: 7,500 GP
Leveling up: Priceless
A tip: In addition to waterproofing the canvas, throw some of those spruce branches into a pile and lay your sleeping bag on top. Your body weight wil not push as heavily into the moist soil and the humid air will be able to filter through the needles and out beneath you.
DIY can be really cost efficient, but it requires a significant amount of research to find the best or cheapest solution available.
That aside, awesome video and cool adventuring gear.
I can spend my whole budget easily at joanns xD
I've been told that if you want to use a cotton canvas tarp--quite cheap comparatively--boil the sucker first to tighten the weave. (Of course, I had an old copper wash-boiler.)
"Camping, if you are sleeping in a puddle you've done something wrong." Just picturing a gaming related graphic on a t shirt and... gimmie
Longtime reenactor and new LARPer here with a shared interest in historical/fantasy trekking. Keep making the kind of content you're making, my friend, I am a huge fan and I am constantly linking your videos to my friends to try and convince them to come on adventures with me!
Love these aesthetic appearance of this medieval necessities. 💜
I complete much hiking which entails one night sleeping in the wild. Your complement of essentials is massive. Granted in those olden days they didn’t have the lightweight goodies around today. Having all the essentials tied to the outside of one’s pack like a pack animal is looking for losing probably something most essential which one only find out later when reaching said destination. I know as it happened to me.
Definitely a lesson I learned as well: Everything 1 step away from commonly sold items will tenfold the prices.
With this in my mind, I actually find fun in trying to find items that are available for a dime and can easily be modified.
DIY projects offer great opportunities to learn and thank you for passing along what you learned & experienced. A DIY project got me into book binding and even though it cost alot of money to do the project myself, the experience I got from the DIY has become invaluable!
I've seen some beautiful books made on UA-cam. Book forge and a couple of others.
@@kellysouter4381 yes there are any amazing youtubers who make some awesome books and provide tutorials. I've been doing bookbinding for 3 years now and still watch bookbinding videos
Might have been better to leave the two layers separate. In scouting, I had a thin spring sleeping bag, a heavy canvas bag for the fall, and in the winter the spring bag was a liner that went inside the winter bag. Of course, whether or not I was inside the canvas bag, I had it with me just to lay on top of. In the summer, I often laid on top of the canvas and under (not inside) the spring bag. Plus, if you make the inside liner removable, you can clean it more easily.
They are separate, the blanket isn't sewed to the canvas so it'll be easier to clean and I can use the blanket for other things :)
@@LivingAnachronism I must have missed that in the video 👍
Living Anachronism and Clamavi De Profundis both uploaded today! It is officially a good day to be a fantasy fan!
"When the Hammer Falls!" Love those guys.
Just waterproofed a canvas tent with BLO/Mineral spirits in a 1:1 ratio, left outside to dry for three days and I was all set! Definitely super cool to work with, would suggest experimenting. Great video.
I'm about to use BLO on a knife handle. I think it should dry faster, but I think using it on a big, time sensitive project scared me. Will definitely try in the future. This time I needed the bedroll ASAP haha!
@@LivingAnachronism Fair! I love using it on wood handles and the like, best of luck!
Yup. Back when I used to rendezvous all the time I had a ground cloth I used to wrap up in my wool blankets and it was just a canvas drop cloth treat with BLO and mineral spirit in the same ratio as yours.
A friend made a bedroll similar to what he made in the video and he treated the bottom of it to make tin cloth and the top he just did the oil cloth treatment. Although he added some copper sulfate to his mix to tame the red and give it a more natural camoflage.
Add bee's wax for the bomb. Toilet rings work.
Have you tried just doing the cowboy method? Rather than sowing it up you just used a larger canvas and a wool blanket.
I’ve thought of developing a system where I’d used the bed role as a pack for my supplies like a small pan, extra pant and socks, a second wool blanket cut and styled to your adventure’s cloak.
I’d also want some rope and a light rope hammock to hang under the tarp in the event of heavy rains.
On the outside I’d hang a machete or camp axe and a pot for boiling water.
I’d also keep a knife on my person.
I like the simplicity of the water resistant bed role.
For the most part, no tent is actually water proof, and for most situations you really don’t need to bother about setting up a tent. If it’s too cold for a bed role text to a fire, it’s definitely too cold for a stoveless tent.
If water is pooling up or if there is no flat ground, or if the rain is unbearable a hammock under a tarp would be better anyway.
I like the idea of two wool blankets. One for the bedroll and one cut to the adventure’s cloak from your video on it. The adventure’s cloak could double as a pillow in temperate climates, and another layer in cooler temperatures. It also is nice if it’s raining or a little chilly to put over yourself and the bedroll strapped to your back while traveling. Then you could leave it out to dry by the fire while you sleep in a dry clean wool blanket.
It might even be able to use the regular wool blanket as a stuffed under quilt for the hammock in cold weather where you need a tarp over head. However I think for most hammock situations, a bed roll in the hammock would works fine enough in light rain. You are off the ground and the water will run off you.
I’ve also been thinking about making a steel light weight water tight barrel that can be strapped to a pack frame and used as a water proof pack, a cooking pot for a lot of food and water, and even a floaty for fording large and deep bodies of water.
So long at it floats while full because it’s mostly full of air, a water tight pack sized barrel can help you swim much larger spans without much risk to your packed supplies.
When I watch people build more permanent structures, having a large water tight container for collecting supplies or mud or river sand or sea shells or limestone to make lime for concrete or lime washing a cob house is often one of the most used tools. I think a big light weight water tight survival pot could be very useful for preparing adventures to be settlers in a pinch.
It might be worth the weight to sacrifice a proper backpack for a light steel barrel that you can stuff and seal all your stuff in.
I’ve also seen people use things like this to boil water in for a hot bucket shower.
I spent a year showering only with buckets of boiled water when I lived overseas and it’s actually not that bad, and the alternative of not bathing when the weather is cold can really cut down on moral for modern people. You can also use it to wash clothes in.
Being able to boil a lot of water is a bigger deal to long term thriving than I think camp style bushcraft people give it credit for.
As this is an anachronistic channel, have you considered making a wool or canvas sleeve for a neoprene yoga mat and using that as your vapor barrier between you and the ground?
I use a neoprene pad under my wool sleeping system and it keeps me warm and dry. As I don’t need my kit to look aesthetically correct, yet, I don’t have a sleeve for mine. I also have no canvas in my system.
My system consist of a loose weave wool sleeping bag. (60”x 178” folded up 80” and sewn along the sides. Finished size 60x98) A loose weave wool blanket. (60” x 80”). And the neoprene yoga mat.
Ground.
Neoprene.
1 layer of wool.
Body.
8 layers of wool.
Head flap pulled over my head and shoulders then tucked in over my chest adding 2 more layer over my chest.
I’ve slept comfortably in weather cold enough to leave frost on the ground well after sunrise without noticing the cold.
It would add a bit more weight to your kit and certainly is not period accurate. However, you could ditch the current canvas and replace it with a smaller amount for the sleeve. Should come out only slightly heavier. But it should not look out of place when covered in wool or canvas.
Grab your ketchup and crunch away my friends.
Absolutely critical piece of an adventurer's kit. This connects you to our medieval forefathers/mothers in a major way. With a bed roll, you can look up at the very same night sky, suspended above the very same Earth, on basically the very same cushioning and waterproofing materials.
There is also a visceral, spiritual, existential quality to it, for me. There are some things that our primitive ancestors did terribly wrong (hygiene and sanitation, anyone?). But this is something that they did extremely well. It blew the lid off my modernist smugness the first night I spent in one. It impressed me with our ancestors' wisdom and expertise, from so many centuries ago. And by skipping as many modern amenities as is safe and practical, it bridges the time gap between us and them.
The first pic you showed is also in my inspiration folder for my future bedroll. It looks so nice and warm. XD
Townsends is a great resource for early American gear, techniques, and culture
As a cosply enthusiasts, I can agree that projects like this can have a wildly swinging cost, and time commitment.
I did a 6x9 drop cloth and used the Scotch Guard camp waterproofing spray. I used the whole van for the drop cloth, but it works great, even in very heavy rain I stay completely dry in my canvas hammock. I’m 6’3”, so I used the whole drop cloth… The cloth was $12 and the waterproofing aerosol was $6, so not bad.
I didn't know those sprays existed!!! That's gonna be a game changer for rainy days at Renfaires
Thers is alot to learn here not just from this video but from all the others, this is a wealth of knowledge that will guaranteed come to use.
I made a simple bedroll from a self inflating backpacking sleeping pad and a $20 blanket from a truck stop. It's great for traveling because I can roll a change of clothes and some toiletries in it, and I have something comfortable in case, for instance, United cancels my flight and I have to spend the night in the Dallas airport...
Hello there, i had pretty much success with waxing the cloth. I used a mixture of 4 parts of parafine candle wax and 1part of beeswax and it worked just fine. Just rub it on and then melt it in with a hairdryer. Thats it. And the costfactor is nearly to nothing.
Hell yes dude. I was JUST thinking about making my own for my “fantasy ranger” kit. Now I’m motivated and inspired like I am after every one of your videos 🤘🏻 you rule man.
I agree, the price of supplies really adds up! I just ordered some 18 oz canvas duck to make my own but also using modern materials where it makes sense. I'm not going to waterproof it because I want it to breath well. I plan to sleep under a tarp if it rains. The bottom will be 1000 Cordura to help keep the canvas dry and clean. I will add a zipper on the side. I'm hoping to use mine next to a campfire which is why I want cotton. Keep up the videos!
I used regular old army blankets. One folded length wise, sown across the bottom and the same distance up the side.
An a second blanket just folded around (or under it as an extra matras).
Townsends is a great channel.
We were taught in Scouts that you want double over you as under you and if you see the way they do blanket sleeping bags you end up with double above. You really need blanket pins.
I did almost the exact same thing for a bedroll, except I used riveted snaps as I was going for a 20's-30's "period homage" bushcraft setup.
For water proofing, I mixed silicon caulking with mineral spirits just as you showed, but mine worked out.
When I waterproofed my cotton tarp (a king sized bed sheet from the Salvation Army Store,) I used the same method, but supplemented it with the silicone spray. FWIW, the spray and the DIY solution smell exactly the same.
just found this channel today and its pretty good
Thanks for the wisdom! I'll keep in mind that there are some great options out there that are well made and end up being more cost-effective and less time-consuming.
Excellent commentary Kramer. DIY can be cheaper but I find the cost in failed attempts or trying different things to make it work for you is what really adds up. Keep up the great work.
Nate
As someone who over heats easily at night I would be apprehensive with a 100% wool blanket plus a thick outer cover. ⛺️
It would be good during the winter and the cooler parts of spring/autumn.
But I suppose it would be extra cushioning for summer time sleeping on top of the entire thing.
You would be surprised at how well wool breathes compared to synthetics. Actually, in Australia when the temperature is 110 F, a thermometer inserted under a live sheep's wool next to the skin is cooler by 6 to 8 degrees; the wool actually insulates the sheep from the sun's heat. Just be sure it's 100% wool and not half synthetic. Disclosures here: I had a sheep farm for over 20 years and handcrafted wool items; and I also worked in a polyester fiber factory. So I've had personal experience with both fibers. And I do not wear anything polyester!
@@coop5329 cool, thanks for the info.
I mostly wear cotton myself. Though will go the wool route when it's below freezing, 🥶 close to or below 0° F, which is happening less and less frequently here in the Pacific northwest of the US during the winter.
But in all honesty I don't really like temps over 65° and the colder it is the better I can sleep more soundly.
@@Blondie42cotton is really one of the worst materials. Linen and hemp stay cooler and last longer, wool stays warmer, even silk is warmer when woven right.
@@dylanneely91 I do not care. I don't like wearing them.
Hello living anachronism it's been a while since I've watched one of your videos but I'm glad to be back
Glad to have you back Trent!
Great video :)
you made all the right choices here, if you had waterproofed it with painted-on silicone liquid you would essentially have been making a cheap amazon bivy bag, I have used one and I threw it away, it has no breath-ability so you wake up wet in the morning on a warm night, or wet and cold in the middle of a cold night, I have no experience sleeping in period kit (something I have wanted to change for years) but given that waxed canvas and linseed oilcloth also do not breath, you would have had the same problem with them
Because the waterproof spray will have gaps in (loose weave) it will breath but water should bead on it so hopefully your blanket won't get wet from dew and should be protected from rain on the trail, however if the ground is slightly damp (like when canvas tents leak if you touch the sides) water will soak through from underneath because of the pressure of your weight, so I would strongly recommend getting a thin and light piece of waxed tarp the same size as your bedroll to use like a tent footprint, there are a few Etsy sellers who make waxed canvas bush-craft gear who would probably be happy to do this as a commission and because it's relatively small it shouldn't be too expensive, I don't know if he still makes ground tarps but PNWBushcraft use a really nice lightweight waterproof fabric that I would recommend, it wouldn't add much weight to your bedroll
apologies for the long comment
Another factor that applies to DIY projects as far as cost is the old adage “time is money”
Duuude, the new intro is phenomenal!
Made for me by subscriber Justin Black. He really nailed it!
I'm planning on making something like this but am think of putting a space blanket between the canvas and wool blanket. Also probably going to add a sheep hide with the wool still on for winter use.
I wanted to pop in here and say that after watching this I found another video that attempted to do the silicone mix and was able to do it successfully using Naphtha as his solvent over mineral spirits. He used 3/4 the volume of the cloth in solvent and, like you, a 5:1 ratio of solvent to silicone (ie 10oz silicone into 50oz naphtha). if you ever want to attempt it again give the Naphtha a try, and if you want to watch the process the video I am referencing was done by NightHawk.
Thank you for presenting your whole process, I'm sure many people have and will try and knowing how you would have changed your process is often more valuable than a successful attempt.
I learned long ago with leatherworking & sewing that new DIY projects like this are almost never a cost effective end product. The value is always in the learning and enjoyment of the process. Second time through maaaaaybe being cost effective but still not always.
nice tips, did mine similar way, but put water repellent treated cowhide for bottom layer ( nigh indestructible for ten years now) and use snap buttons for foot section (to keep it rolled up during colder autumn nights) . love your outfit too, would be nice to see it layered out ;) . just a tip; if you'll ever try to dissolve silicone, try acteone, but do it in well ventilated area
Perfect I've been making plans for a medieval camping so seeing this is very lovely timing.
I've got at least 3 other videos you might find useful if you haven't seen them yet!
You might try marine supply houses for canvas, the kind used for sailing. Good luck 😃.
Good idea!
Sail suppliers are likely to be using modern artificial materials these days, unless they are very niche shops catering to Tall Ships. More accessible to most people would be truck tarpaulin suppliers/makers who may be willing to sell 'end of bolt' short lengths of water & fire treated canvas in a variety of colors (most of their stuff is going to be vinyl coated but most places still make traditional canvas tarpaulins). Silicone caulking and RTV rubber (aka silicone rubber - which is probably what you were looking for but getting misdirected) is water proof and may be fire resistant but is totally un-breathable, it would be like wrapping yourself in an enormous roll of cling wrap from the supermarket, you would end up like a steamed dumpling.
You can make the weave on these drop clothes much tighter by washing and drying them on hot. The cotton shrinks a lot.
Just be prepared to loose upward of 6" total size.
Imho DIY projects in a lot of instances are done to learn and practice skills you find useful to have. Or to satisfy some VERY specific requirements. It's not always about being too poor to hire a professional to do it.
I thought DIY would be cheaper in this case, that's why I did it. But you are right, the experience is invaluable if you allow it to teach you.
Awesome video. I’m about to start a Viking Osberg tent project and I need all of the canvas knowledge I can get
Best of luck Cole!
Coalcracker Bushcraft's channel has a great video on the Hutchins canvas bedroll. Might be something to look into. It's a great design with alot of versatility for a canvas bed roll.
I like Coalcrackers work, but the Hutchins name doesn't ring a bell, I'll definitely look into it
Yeah, the only things about crafting stuff myself that's always a plus is the ability to say, "I made this." And it being custoade, at least that I have found. Lol
That is definitely a good reason to do it! That accomplishment is part of the reason I do it as well.
Good video. A couple tips... there's really no substitute for oil cloth ( linseed oil / cotton), wool is great for keeping warm but not a good wind break. Wash the tarp in hot water and dry on high a couple times before treating it, it'll close the weave up a bit. It's more multifunctional to use an oil cloth tarp and a wool blanket instead of a purpose built canvas cover. Traditionally I think they wrapped themselves diagonally in the wool blanket, making a good footbox. Keep it up.
Love the new intro. And, as always, love the content.
I plan on one day doing some medieval camping, just haven't gotten around to it yet because of.. let's just call it personal problems with extreme anxiety. My plan is to go with a bedding made out of simple spruce branches, then a reindeer pelt, and several layers, both above and underneath me, by using a huge wool blanket I got from Etsy some time ago. Don't know how it would work, but I hope it turns out well.
I have walked in the woods in medieval and fantasy clothing for half my life, but I've never actually spent a night in it. I'm still a newbie when it comes to medieval camping...
Might I recommend backyard camping?
It makes for a great first time camping experience for someone. I've done it with my younger brother, and my foster brothers. (And just for the sake of checking out a new tent lol)
Of course your backyard may be different than your targeted camping zone, but it might still be enough to get you over the concerns. You just may have to set up a little different.
It has its own difficulties of course, but you always have your house to fall back too. My biggest concern when I do it is Urban noise keeping me up. That and urban bugs outdoor bugs can be a bit more cozy than the wilderness ones, a little less polite than an indoor one to lol.
All else fails, try it inside. Maybe turn off the heater to get extra immersion.
Might not bring the branches in though. Lol.
(...Although, you could put a tarp down first)
It might not be the same, but it's a step you can take to get yourself going :)
This is a swag in Australia. You can get some fancy ones nowadays.
I just found your channel today, but I've been binging for the last couple of hours and loving it so far!
For future reference when buying cheap bulk canvas: you can get a 4'x12' 10 oz canvas drop cloth from Harbor Freight for about $8. In my experience, the weave is sufficiently tight, and the natural off-white color takes dye perfectly. They also come in larger dimensions if you need something wider than 4', but I've always just pieced it together from the excess length.
Edit for an additional thought: I have had pretty good success waterproofing with 1:1 beeswax & paraffin wax. Melt together in a double boiler, pre-iron your fabric (more to get it warm than and to open up the fabric than any concern about wrinkles) I like to double my fabric so any bleed-through just goes into the next layer and paint on with a brush or sponge. Repeat as needed, then lay a sheet of parchment paper on your fabric and iron in blocks to get the wax to really soak into the weave. This also removes the weird cloudy coating that will start to form as it dries. I've never used this method for anything as large as a bedroll, but it's relatively cheap and easy and has worked very well for the canvas hood and bags that I have made this way. Good luck!
Thank you for your support and advice, Alexandra! I will try this method on a smaller project when next I get the chance!
Can't wait to see how it goes!
Personally I use a wool greatcoat as a sleeping bag and need a good way to waterproof it.
I am sure you were going for the period style of wool around that time, but you can find 100% wool blankets at a local Army Surplus and they should be made in USA, unless like me, my current favorite wool is from Switzerland, but again it is a Swiss Army wool blanket that I found on one of my travels the price was around $35.00, I believe. Since I travel around the USA in my mini school bus, this blanket has been my turn to during those cold nights. Been down to 6 degrees one morning this past winter.
One of the great things about diy projects is that you can make them modular and or more versatile. Also, if you make it you can repair it.
Grab your ketchup and crunch away my friends.
always love your videos
medieval camping is the best camping!
You want try finding sunforger canvas. Try finding someone that makes boat cover or tenst. Don't buy crap paint drop cloth.
Cool stuff! Einre vorph!
You have to look at army surplus. 9’x6’ heavy canvas tarp is like $50. Decent army wool blanket $50. 2 blocks of greenland wax $10.
For me the true meaning of adventure is to discover the unknown (nowadays, this would mean travel, like nomadic people do).
i used duct cloth for my own ranger kit, at my hometown store it usually goes for about $9.99 a yard, but often i can use a 50% off coupon for it.
Be great to get an update on this. Tnx.
At Walmart I got a 6 x 9 thick sturdy canvas drop cloth for $10. A lot more tightly woven and thicker than the one in this video. If you want to be more historically accurate and don’t want to mess with linseed oil then use beeswax. Townsends use iron oxide powder to make a paint because it closes up the gaps in the canvas but beeswax should do that too
Ok I don't know if you have one around your state, but here in Michigan. We have a military surplus stores,they have wool blankets for cheap that work great for everything
I've heard good results with the silicone sealant dissolved in acetone, and adjusting the mixing ratio can make it breathable.
It might have been the silicone I was using, because I did try Acetone as well, and it still didn't mix. Perhaps "100% Silicone" still has many different types that I am unaware of, and I used the wrong one.
@@LivingAnachronism I did cheat a little using a plastic-backed painter canvas to make sure my yurt was waterproof, but then the problem was mildew easily taking hold on the fabric side despite using tent silicone spray...
I wish I had known and tried the acetone trick back then.
Cool project, looks like you learned a lot and have a really good skill of generalising those lessons.
You will definitely benefit when you do future DIY.
I think your bed roll is cool and your audience will learn a lot from your mistakes.
I live in Australia where there are a lot of options fof canvas bedrolls that we refer to as swags.
As a hiker however i've alwaus found them ridiculously bulky and heavy compared to modern materials.
I would like to have a historical bedroll though.
This thing weighs more than my modern 3 person tent! But it does look cool. The reason why lots of these projects are "lesson" videos and not tutorials is because I'm figuring all this out for the first time too! But I think the process is definitely good to share. Sometimes tutorial videos forget to mention key things to avoid. Like that certain mineral spirits don't seem to work 😅
Did you prewash your canvas in hot water and then a hot dryer? It will shrink the cloth some but will tighten up the weave. Good camping to you.
With a good waterproof coat you'd actually stay surprisingly dry in rain (besides heavy downpour)
In your part of the country do they normally use the term "coming down the pipe"? I am more familiar with the phrase "coming down the pike" which refers to coming down the road (example: The Pennsylvania Turnpike) Not an important question, I was just curious.
I've found that several people have "cheated" by having a layer of "space cloth" between the first and second layer from the ground. It isn't as durable as a thicker plastic, but it reflects heat back up to you.
Beewax + Fish Oil + Beef Tallow (rendered fat) + Pine resin makes for a very good water proofing for materials, including leather and cloth-like. Check out Ole Time Woodsman Boot Grease. The Original 1800's Formula for Preservation Wax and Waterproofing.
I absolutely will check that out! I'm assuming the spray will eventually need to be replaced, I'll try this new method when I need to so I can compare them!
I use Obenauf's HD Leather Preservative. It's a wax solution made out of 7 different ingredients. I know they include beeswax, mink oil, neatsfoot oil, and propolis (bees oil), plus 3 others that haven't been disclosed yet. Smells pleasant. Slowly seeps into the leather fibers. Definitely darkens the color. Remains breathable for GoreTex garments. Was recommended by my boot maker.
What were the natural water resistant methods use in older times? There was a lot of coating of ships but I haven't heard of many for cloth till 1900s.
I've seen a few old Swedish canvas sleeping bags/bedrolls for sale, sadly non have been long enough for me but they look the part.
Lots of people make oilskin tarps with bedsheets made from natural fabrics. It’s thinner so it will be lighter and you can buy a thought thread count. I’m planning to make myself one, but it is pricy. Not as pricy as buying an oilskin though lol
Thank you.
the ground touching area is use painted with acrylics ... and sprays on top area
Looking forward to further videos on the effectiveness of this setup, and whether the tarp ends up being replaced by a tighter woven one (which would add weight, I expect).
I anticipate this setup will be improved in the future, but it is a start! And imo looks much more aesthetic than a modern sleeping bag!
You should have washed and dried the drop cloth in high heat, it would have shrunk it and tightened up the weave. But it was an excellent effort. If you had just shown the bedroll without explanation i would have thought you bought it.
I took a canvas tarp (from my local Army surplus store) and Hudson Bay blanket to camp at 10,000 feet in August. I was still cold because it got down to the 30s. It probably would have been ok if either I was at a lower elevation or used a larger blanket.
10,000 feet! Wow! You clearly survived, so that gives me hope that this will be more than comfortable at lower altitude and more middling weather!
I’ve done the linseed oil, iron oxide authentic way. It makes a very very water proof tough fabric BUT it is stiff, totally took almost a month to cure and is suuuuper heavy because there’s iron in it lol. But invest in a decent wool blanket for suuuure
Just remember everybody that most Duck fabric is cotton weaved like canvas, Old school canvas is linen made from flax and IMO is better but more expensive. Best of luck on everyone's project
Good video. I personally chose not to waterproof my actual roll and instead use a ground cloth that is already water proof. I got one a little larger so that I can place misc item on it as well as my roll. Then just roll it all up together. Roll is machine washable and ground cloth can be rinses off and done.
That sounds like a much better way of doing it. I'll probably do it your way, I don't expect the waterproofing on my bedroll to last for long. And replacing a ground cloth sounds much easier than having to replace a whole bedroll cover.
@@LivingAnachronism Someone actually suggested that I spray the bottom fill Flex Seal. I laughed at first and then was like HHMMMMMMM.......lol
100% wool is expensive but if you look after it it will last generations. If the blanket is just going to be in the bed roll a more budget friendly option is military surplus wool blankets. They aren't 100% wool and some have markings on them but they are significantly less expensive.
They are quite a few 100% and no markings that ive seen in uk for about £40, at least 6'x6' i have a feeling might have been italian or serbian.
@@neoaliphant You are right! If forgot about the Italian blankets! Thank you for the reminder!
@@danieltaylor5231 Also calico might be a cheaper canvas alternative, i used for a saxon tarp, was about £4 a metre
first cloak was army and i didnt check for wool %, it was horrid, learnt lesson,always 100% natural now, for everyday clothes as well
@@neoaliphant Excellent point! Always check the wool%. A lot will say wool but be as low as 50%.
Will you maybe make a camping vlog style video in the future?
stunned by the cost of a wool blanket when I can buy one for £3-4 in a charity shop here in Wales and often find them ready felted and extra thick cos some idiot has washed them too hot. I suspect for your price I could buy a second hand Melin Tregwynt origininal. Surely canvass can be bought most cheaply from a ships chandelers at the thickness required by the metre ?
Depends also where you get your drop clothes from, I find harbor freight has very good ones with a tight weave, but ace hardware are looser and more expensive.
Its a matter of hunting if you want the best deal, but do agree with your starting comment.. diy does not always equal cheaper for sure..
I can see why you opted for the expensive waterproofing method first. It was because you were looking for a more permanent solution.
Great vid!
Is there a follow up?
I've seen the silicone paint made with just water instead of mineral spirits and the 100% silicone and a trash bag. Kneading it thoroughly with your hands. You might get better results this way.
i love your videos
Wonder if it would have been cheaper to get a higher quality cloth with a tighter weave and the sprays instead of trying the mineral spirits silicon stuff.
Commenting for the algorithm.
interesting video, good followup would be tarp/tent, as an option, you could use the canvas as a snapsack/cover for roycroft load. or as a browse bed or even hammock.
I may try to make my own tarp or tent, but, as I learned in this video, it might be really expensive. And the drop cloth is so loosely woven, I don't know I'd trust it as a shelter
@@LivingAnachronism making it as oilcloth "should" close the gaps in the weave. Just be sure to add enough ferrous oxide.
@@LivingAnachronism perhaps try calico, i made a renactment tsrp and sprayed it, was about £4/metre and lightweight. for the weight to usuage, you dont need ultra durable.
Hm...how about using for external layer waterproof fabric?
I have here a fabric, which is made from cotton and teflon threads, teflon on the outside make water mostly away, but not totally, so - no problems with breathing )))
And it's cheap.
Normally this fabric is used to make working jacket/ and others
Oof, that's high pricing for a canvas drop cloth of that size. I frequently use the medium weight (different store/brand, probably) which seems to compare with your knapsack - and even the "extra heavy weight" is half the price you paid, roughly.
Maybe I'm getting a little confused, but is he saying he's sleeping with the sleeping bag directly on the ground? Why would you waterproof a sleeping bag?
Edit: I think he is. The water problem you have in this situation isn't coming from the ground, it's coming from the air. It's condensation from the temperature change as your body heat gets sucked into the ground (and also condensed sweat if you waterproofed the bag). You need a separate, waterproof ground cover beneath your sleeping bag which keeps your body heat from going into the ground. The ground sucks out your heat way faster than the air. There's no need to waterproof the actual sleeping bag and to do so is counterproductive because it will trap in moisture. I would suggest just using a piece of painted cloth with a tight weave as a ground cover, and leaving the bag untreated. Maybe put some sort of stuffing in the bag, preferably down. When you're travelling, first roll up the bag, then roll that up in the ground cover. One benefit is that the ground cover is rugged and easily replaceable.