If you've got an interest in winter camping, especially travelling in the boreal forest in winter, here are my 5 top kit decisions. This is as well as shelter, sleeping gear and cooking equipment.
Axe: Whether you are sourcing fuel for a wood-burning stove or making an emergency long-log fire, the power to use an axe to process dead, standing trees into firewood of a suitable size is exceedingly important. A good axe is a critical tool, more critical than a knife in this environment. If you've got your clothing, an axe and a technique of making fire, then you will be able to brave the conditions. An axe , however , is a hazardous tool. More so during time in a place that has conditions such that where you will be likely wearing gloves, standing on deep snow and possibly wearing snowshoes or skis on your feet. The snow-filled forest in winter isn't the first place for a novice to get to familiarity with wielding an axe. It is miles better to be taught how to use your axe efficiently and comfortably in the less complicated, warmer summer season then scrupulously apply your abilities to a frigid environment, bearing in mind the extra constraints and allied risk factors.
Saw: As well as an axe, a full size buck-saw or bow-saw makes the task of preparing wood for the fire both less risky and better. The mixing of axe and saw creates an exceedingly potent combo. For little jobs each member of the party should also carry with them a sheath knife and a folding saw on their body.
Snow Shovel: A much undervalued tool of the far north is a snow-shovel. There are plenty of occasions when the power to move snow efficiently and quickly is fascinating. A high quality snow shovel makes a great difference. Moving powdery or grained snow requires more of a sweeping motion than a digging action. An extendable handle helps achieve this motion while continuing to avoid back strain. A D-shaped handle lets you grip it even if wearing mittens. When working in enclosed spaces like hollowing-out a quinzee, the handle can be reduced to its minimum length. A metal blade that is shaped to cut into hard snow will make relatively easy work or carving away compacted snow when hollowing-out a shelter. Finally, customize your shovel by adding hockey-tape to the metal shaft to reduce the conductive heat loss from your hands when utilizing the shovel.
Ice Auger: This piece of equipment, while somewhat unwieldy and not so easy to integrate with the rest of your equipment, makes cutting through ice on lakes and brooks a relative piece of cake. Way more convenient to employ than an ice-chisel and a complete world away from excavating a wide depression in the ice with only an axe, this particular tool enables you to cut clean cylindrical holes directly down thru the ice. Formed rather like a cork-screw, there are 2 extremely sharp blades at the end of the device that cut into the ice. The device then draws the ice out of the bore as it descends. It can be a little stiff to get through the lower surface of the ice and once broken through, the bore rapidly fills with water. You then have to move the device to flush the bore a number of times to remove ice. While a full-sized auger is awkward, there are smaller models with hinged handles that are comparatively portable, certainly lightweight enough to carry on a sledge.
Brush: To finish is an everyday piece of clobber that makes a significant difference. A small stiff-bristled brush is helpful for removing snow from clothing and clobber. The removal of snow is crucial because otherwise as you enter the warm environment of a heated tent or cabin, the snow starts to melt and moisture is introduced to your clothing, boots, etc alongside the warm, dry space itself. Much better to brush all the snow off your boots, including the undersides, before you hang them up to dry than to have them dripping on you and your kit in the tent. A wooden-handled potato-scrubbing brush can be acquired for less than a buck. It is just a little larger than a nail brush and I keep it in a pocket of my jacket.
Axe: Whether you are sourcing fuel for a wood-burning stove or making an emergency long-log fire, the power to use an axe to process dead, standing trees into firewood of a suitable size is exceedingly important. A good axe is a critical tool, more critical than a knife in this environment. If you've got your clothing, an axe and a technique of making fire, then you will be able to brave the conditions. An axe , however , is a hazardous tool. More so during time in a place that has conditions such that where you will be likely wearing gloves, standing on deep snow and possibly wearing snowshoes or skis on your feet. The snow-filled forest in winter isn't the first place for a novice to get to familiarity with wielding an axe. It is miles better to be taught how to use your axe efficiently and comfortably in the less complicated, warmer summer season then scrupulously apply your abilities to a frigid environment, bearing in mind the extra constraints and allied risk factors.
Saw: As well as an axe, a full size buck-saw or bow-saw makes the task of preparing wood for the fire both less risky and better. The mixing of axe and saw creates an exceedingly potent combo. For little jobs each member of the party should also carry with them a sheath knife and a folding saw on their body.
Snow Shovel: A much undervalued tool of the far north is a snow-shovel. There are plenty of occasions when the power to move snow efficiently and quickly is fascinating. A high quality snow shovel makes a great difference. Moving powdery or grained snow requires more of a sweeping motion than a digging action. An extendable handle helps achieve this motion while continuing to avoid back strain. A D-shaped handle lets you grip it even if wearing mittens. When working in enclosed spaces like hollowing-out a quinzee, the handle can be reduced to its minimum length. A metal blade that is shaped to cut into hard snow will make relatively easy work or carving away compacted snow when hollowing-out a shelter. Finally, customize your shovel by adding hockey-tape to the metal shaft to reduce the conductive heat loss from your hands when utilizing the shovel.
Ice Auger: This piece of equipment, while somewhat unwieldy and not so easy to integrate with the rest of your equipment, makes cutting through ice on lakes and brooks a relative piece of cake. Way more convenient to employ than an ice-chisel and a complete world away from excavating a wide depression in the ice with only an axe, this particular tool enables you to cut clean cylindrical holes directly down thru the ice. Formed rather like a cork-screw, there are 2 extremely sharp blades at the end of the device that cut into the ice. The device then draws the ice out of the bore as it descends. It can be a little stiff to get through the lower surface of the ice and once broken through, the bore rapidly fills with water. You then have to move the device to flush the bore a number of times to remove ice. While a full-sized auger is awkward, there are smaller models with hinged handles that are comparatively portable, certainly lightweight enough to carry on a sledge.
Brush: To finish is an everyday piece of clobber that makes a significant difference. A small stiff-bristled brush is helpful for removing snow from clothing and clobber. The removal of snow is crucial because otherwise as you enter the warm environment of a heated tent or cabin, the snow starts to melt and moisture is introduced to your clothing, boots, etc alongside the warm, dry space itself. Much better to brush all the snow off your boots, including the undersides, before you hang them up to dry than to have them dripping on you and your kit in the tent. A wooden-handled potato-scrubbing brush can be acquired for less than a buck. It is just a little larger than a nail brush and I keep it in a pocket of my jacket.
About the Author:
Paul Kirtley is owner and chief instructor of Frontier Bushcraft, a leading bushcraft school. He also writes a highly-regarded bushcraft blog.
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