I thought it would be helpful to create a resource page of Bushcraft Gear and resources for people interested in Bushcraft may need, that you can always come to. I’ll add to it as I use and find more quality services and bushcraft products, but you’ll notice that in the future I will reference this page quite often. I recommend bookmarking it for your reference and convenience.
Note this isn’t all my kit, but the key items that make up my bushcraft gear
Disclosure: Please note that some of the links below are affiliate links and I will earn a commission if you purchase through those links (at no extra cost to you). These are products I have experience with, use on a regular basis and I am recommending because they are reliable, work or that I trust and have used, not because of the commissions that I may earn from you using these products. Please do not spend money unless you feel it’s for something you really need and will help you.
Fugitive Bushcraft Gear Essentials
The essentials for my Bushcraft Belt Kit
Fällkniven F1 with Zytel sheath (Alpha bushcraft have the cheapest price I have seen, and there is also the tactical black blade version available from Heinnie Haynes)
Fällkniven DC4 Sharpening stone
Metal mug and Water Bottle a BCB Crusader metal mug and cooker kit, with firesteel, and Osprey waterbottle. I also carry in the waterbottle pouch a BCB Commando Survival Wire Saw, a tea infuser, P38 can opener, millbank bag and Aquamarine water purifier, as well as a brew kit. The cooker part, is an essential for minimising scarring from fires (leave no trace) and good for covering your tracks as well as keeping the fire hidden if you need to light a fire while evading (stemming off hypothermia after a river crossing etc.)
Pouch and Contents: in constant evolution as new products are available you can read the current set up on the BRUSCA48 Challenge page. the contents are a mix of survival and bushcraft so includes emergency shelter for when i am on mountains or moor where there may not be any woods!
Fire Steel I have a few and have mixed opinions about them. For practical purposes and part of my field kit/essentials I like the Aurora fire steel, though it needs some practice to use the lid as a striker, but I normally use the back of the knife. What I do like is the steel has a cover and is o-ring sealed which stops corroding (having had a few survival tins over the years, I often found the firesteel had corroded or turned to a grey powder) and is great if I am likely to be crossing rivers (available from Alpha Bushcraft) Another favourite is one that I won in a give-away from Alpha Bushcraft, this has the ferro rod inserted into the handle of an opinel knife and the seam of where the blade folded has been filled in with some GITD (Glow In The Dark) material/resin so its easy to find in the dark or the bottom of a bergen. It also has a sheath with jute cord wrapped around for use as tinder. For teaching I use a large fire steel made by Primus, just so people can see what I am doing.
Battery Bolt from Alpha Bushcraft, this is a great heavy duty little container designed to store an AA battery, but has a host of other uses like storing meds, tinder, mini survival kit/fishing kit to name a few and lives on the reflective paracord lanyard to which I have added my Aurora fire steel. I use it to store two cotton wool tinder bundles a small escape type compass, sewing kit and survival fishing kit. The Battery Bolt also comes with a battery converter so you can use a single AAA battery place it in the converter to make it AA size, great for an emergency work around. I am quite amazed at how many uses this can be used for
Torch I generally carry three types of lighting with me one low powered/intensity and another high intensity that run on batteries, and another low intensity light that is covert and needs no battery. The low intensity light is for basic admin tasks and comprises of a Photon Micro Light and/or a head torch. The High intensity (short run time) and power hungry is used for emergency signalling and searches (missing persons or essential kit) The covert light does not affect night vision and is enough to read a map in its green glow. In addition I also have two micro lights designed for cyclists that live in my bergen, one white and one red, both turn on to a strobe light and I use them if I am walking down a road at night for safety (red light on the bergen/back, white light at the front)
Silva Expedition 15TDCL
First Aid Kit Israeli Emergency Bandage (6 inch) and a pair of Tough Cut Shears for any nasty accidents with cutting tools and these are bundled together with a pair of non latex gloves I also carry a small/cuts kit for dealing with cuts and burns, grazes and blisters as well as tick removal, wipes, steri strips etc. (can be carried in the water bottle pouch) I also carry a compact combat tourniquet TK4 (Tourni-Kwik 4) for use where hospitals are close to hand (not for wilderness or remote applications) This can be applied one handed and is for personal use
Bushcraft Kit
All of the above plus the following:
Bahco Laplander Folding Saw (396LAP)
Kelly Kettle Scout, for longer ventures being able to boil water is a must and although I am happy with my BCB crusader cook kit for a few nights, its hard to push it into washing clothes, personal hygiene, and washing dirty pots. Clean hot water is a must and the Kelly Kettle Scout holds/boils 1.3 litres of water and due to the chimney/jet design boils water very fast on little fuel in the way of twigs or natural tinder in rain or storm. It is also ideal for when I am teaching as there is surplus hot water for brews. The cook set packs away inside so I have plenty of cooking options and no worries of running out of fuel. the Kelly Kettle is very under rated piece or survival/bushcraft equipment. Kelly Kettle’s come in Three sizes the Trekker – small (1/2 litre), Scout medium (1.3 litres) and fits in my military PLCE bergen pocket. The Base Camp large is ideal for car camping and families
Kitchen Sink by Sea to Summit a 5 litre fold out bucket for pot washing, laundry or at a push storing water or dog water bowl in very hot weather
Multitool – Not found one to recommend as yet
Sleeping System
Modular Sleeping System from StrikeForce sometimes called MMSS (Military Modular Sleep System) or ECWS (Extreme Cold Weather System) This is basic sleep system the US Marines use and is designed for all climates. It comprises of 4 parts. A “summer” (patrol) bag (1/2 season?) that goes down too – 0 centigrade, a second “winter” bag (3/4 season?) that is rated down to -26, a triple coated Gore Tex waterproof bivi bag (Woodland Camo) and a stuff/compression sack. Some of this information is not as accurate as I like as opinion varies on-line and I have not been in the US forces, so can’t verify its full range of intended use. The two bags tuck into one another with press studs and make a sleep system suitable for Arctic conditions (down to -47 centigrade) when wearing appropriate thermal clothing! As far as I can find out the clothing is heavy weight thermals and the temperatures are the maximum (extreme) as opposed to comfort level. The two bags also press stud into the bivi bag, which is a nice touch and the bivi bag has a hook and loop panel that covers your face allowing you to sleep out in the rain.
Snugpak also do a similar sleeping bag system called Special Forces 1 & 2 that allows the two bags to be zipped together with the compression sacks but no bivi bag is included as part of the kit. The bags can be bought individually or as a kit. but you will have to add on a bivi bag. You will however spend quite a bit more than the new unissued US army surplus modular sleeping system at £149.99 as Snugpak SF Sleeping kit on Nightgear is £269 and on Snugpak own site is £299 and these are without bivi bags which would be an additional cost.
Now the down side is bulk and weight, but if you are heading for the Arctic! You don’t have to carry the two bags and these are military tough kit so will last you and when compared with the Snugpak you may save 300 grams in comparative weight and the system in no bulkier than an Arctic sleeping bag, just more versitle (currently assessing/reviewing)
Basha/Tarp I am using the UK MOD issue Multicam basha (2.55 meter x 2.15 meter) from StrikeForce. This is slightly heavier than most civilian models due to the incorporation of grab handles down the sides (and centre) so it can be used as a casualty stretcher. The Multicam is of course a great asset for stealth/gorilla bushcraft (£39.99 from Strike Force Supplies)
Therm-a-rest Self Inflating Mattress 3/4 length mines an old one which I brought when they first came out, despite my concerns of punctures, its never had one as yet despite finding thistles, brambles underneath the mattress in the morning
Load Carrying
Karrimor Sabre 75 (£170 from Nightgear) this is a great rucksack/bergen for bushcraft as its big enough to live out of, yet compresses down when a large rucksack is not needed or you need to stabilise a load. I don’t always use it at full capacity but if I am teaching, then a bigger medical kit goes in extra safety gear, and so on and it still copes with a winter load out. In addition it can take zip on side pocket (PLCE cost extra) and can increase the capacity to 95 litres. The Sabre 75 is designed for mountain use and has gear loops on the hip belt, twin axe fastenings, can carry ski’s, and crampon straps on the top pocket and is adaptable to accommodate helmet use. All that said, the breathable back and design is also good in arid conditions and jungle
Survival Kit
Silva Compass Ranger SL This used to be the issue NATO compass (it still may be) for pilots who needed to evade, comes with sundial, safety pin to fasten to clothes and mirror for sighting/signalling and luminous marks for night navigation. accurate to 1 degree marked in 5 degree resolutions and more, ideal as a standalone compass
Perry McGee Pro Tracker Tool Mk1 This has been a surprising find as it performs really well for a multitude of tasks you can also see the review video here The knife also comes with rules for measuring tracks and sign.
Everyday Carry Gear
Victorinox Swiss Army Knife Black
Fenix EO5 Torch A great little torch click the link for my review
Bic Lighter (mini) Compact and reliable standard lighter
Smart Phone As expected, but I also carry a simple non smart phone with long battery life, water resistant drop proof for emergency use
Tracking Kit
Fujinon 7 X 50 Marine Binoculars: built in Compass (with red back-light so won’t destroy your night vision) Graticule scale for measuring distance, Nitrogen filled and they float. Great for searching woodland and pathfinding during the day and night (ideal for scouting at night)
Most marine binoculars (7×50) have these features so search around. The 7×50’s (land or marine) are great asset for viewing at night and give better viewing in the dark than your own eye sight (this is actually a trick as you are focused on a narrower area and your eyes are not being affected by the contrast of the night sky, regardless it still gives a better, magnified view)
Perry McGee Pro Tracker Tool Mk1 This has been a surprising find as it performs really well for a multitude of tasks you can also see the review video here The knife also comes with rules for measuring tracks and sign.
Hammock For when I am out tracking on longer jaunts a hammock is indispensable for a weary tracker, especially if you need to sleep on the track. For comfort a properly hung hammock is indispensable to the tracker as you have probably had enough of crawling around on your knees and bending over. A good nights sleep is invaluable and they pack up relatively small size. I have been testing out a Hennessy Hammock Explorer Deluxe (classic) with their 4 season insulation system, the Supershelter and so far I am impressed with the build and quality of their gear and not sure how I can go back to sleeping on the floor
ESCAPE & EVASION KIT
Newt Livesay Neck Knife NRGS (difficult to obtain as Newt is not making many knifes these days)
Button Compass 
Universal Handcuff Key – Long Reach 
Silva Sere 40 Wristlet Compass
Seal Team 6 Kit (ST6) by Law Industries, this is a great compact kit that has all the essentials you need to get out of illegal restraints contained in a flip over Velcro wallet which can be fastened to clothing, gear or battle vests that has a Velcro panel. Law Industries make two versions one for Military/Law Enforcement that has some restricted items and another for general civilian use.
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