Bushcraft is a set of skills learned to enable you to live or spend time in a forest type environment. Some people practice bushcraft occasionally for fun and for others it can be a way of life.
The main parts of bushcraft people learn first are:-
Shelter building (Often using a tarp)
Making a fire (Often without regulr matches or a lighter)
Cooking (Often without using a regular gas camping stove)
Survival (Foraging, first aid, improvising, navigation etc)
A bushcraft tarp is a tarpaulin sheet designed to make shelter building easy. They are normally lightweight, waterproof, and have attachment points for para cord, bivi poles and tent pegs etc. a 3m x 3m tarp is a popular size and allows you to make a multitude of different shelter types.
A bivi pole is a bit like a tent pole and is used to help make an improvised shelter from a tarp or other sheet of material. Bivi poles are normally telescopic so they are convenient to carry in a rucksack
A bivi and basha are essentially different words for the same thing. They are both improvised shelters.
A bushcraft is optimised for shelter building. It is also relatively thin and lightweight so it can be easily carried. Other, general purpose tarps, tend to be much heavier for their size and without as many attachment options for guy lines and poles etc.
A good bivi pole should be compact, lightweight and strong. Telescopic aluminium poles offer all these features and don’t rust the same way as steel poles can.
That depends on the size of shelter you want to build but 3m x 3m tarps are the most popular size and are suitable for shelters for 1-2 people.
Bushcraft tarps are made from lightweight synthetic materials such as nylon or polyester and are normally coated with PU (Polyurethane) to make them waterproof.
Yes, most bushcraft tarps are waterproof and some feature taped seams to stop water coming through the stitching.
A fire steel, sometimes called a ‘flint’ is a metal made from ferrocerium or similar material that when ‘struck’ generates a fierce series of sparks which can be used to start a fire.
Para cord is a strong cord, normally made from nylon, that is popular in bushcraft and outdoor activities. It’s name comes from it’s historical use in making parachutes.
Para cord has an outer sheath that covers a number of inner cores. A popular type of para cord is ‘550’ para cord which normally has 7 inner strands, an outer sheath and a 500 lbs breaking strain.
