The Best Bushcraft Kit...
I’m a big fan of kits. It helps me keep track of gear, address needs on a trip, and swap items out without unpacking and repacking the same bag. And more importantly I'm a big fan of having those kits with me as much as possible. It's a bit of a parallel of another good quote, but I believe the best bushcraft kit is the one you have with you.
I keep some basic survival supplies in my truck at all times, and amongst those are a few dedicated tools, a survival kit small enough to throw in a bag on a hike, and a dedicated “brew kit.” This brew kit serves a couple of purposes. For starters, as the name implies, it has everything I need to brew some coffee, tea, or broth for a guest and me. Secondly, I keep a small tin of general supplies stashed in it so that while the water boils, I can work on projects and practice skills. Lastly, while I keep the previously mentioned survival kit in my truck, the items in the brew kit can supplement it in an emergency, and that holds true for a winter kit that I add once the temperatures drop. Honestly, this kit gets used more than most of my gear because it’s always handy if I have some time to explore the woods, take it along fishing, or just break it out for some tailgate coffee. No matter the season this kit lives in my truck, and it's seen some great spots, and who knows how many cups of coffee.
Bushcraft Brew Kit
This kit is based around a generic MOLLE “bottle bag” that was actually gifted from a friend. They weren’t using it, and I saw some potential, so we worked out a trade. These are available from a number of tactical companies, and while any pouch that works with a shoulder strap could be used to carry a kit, I appreciate that the MOLLE allows me to customize the exterior, and it includes some pockets that happen to work well with the other gear. Speaking of the exterior MOLLE, I keep a small dump pouch, infinitely handy for gathering tinder, foraging, etc., and a small adjustable pouch that either holds a multitool or a small folding saw. Rounding out the pouch, more often than not I have a small fixed blade clipped
The main interior holds a 32-ounce stainless bottle, a nesting stainless cup, and a Wildo Fold-a-cup. This allows me to have two items that can be used to boil water over a fire, plus two drinking vessels if I’m sharing coffee, or I can drink out of the Fold-a-cup and eat out of the stainless cup if I want to whip up a meal.
In the exterior front pocket, I keep a Firebox Nano. This is a great compact stove that can be used with a gas or alcohol burner, with a fuel tab, or as a twig stove. I’ve used this for decades, and it’s served me well.
This pocket also holds whatever assortment of coffee, tea, and soup mixes I happen to be carrying. I also keep a ferro rod, some cordage, and a lighter in this pouch. The lighter includes some duct tape, waxed jute, and a piece of bike innertube so I don’t have to worry about getting a fire going. I also keep a small compass and a can opener here. Rarely needed, but you never know.
The bottom zip pouch is perfect for holding a small tin filled with some “bits and bobs,” thanks, Kelso, that I can use in a survival situation. In all honesty, those items are there so I can repair gear, improvise some fishing implements, and practice skills while I’m out. This pocket also holds a small supplementary baggy of first aid supplies.
This kit isn’t pretty. The cup is charred, the bag has some wear, and the contents of the tin are always jumbled up, but that’s because it gets used. Keeping it handy, not setting high expectations for an outing, and basing it around something I love, coffee, is a great way to grab some time in the woods to enjoy nature and practice some skills.