Improvisation | Pioneer Bushcraft

By Sean Fagan

Like an old, broken (but lovable!) record player - I'm going to repeat an oft-spoken mantra of mine: Improvisation is an important part of bushcraft and survival.

By its very nature, bushcraft is often about venturing into wild places with minimal kit.

And placing our bodies and minds at the tender (and not-so-tender) vagaries of wild places requires a flexible, mental attitude - along with a willingness to adapt and improvise.

Why? because nature is often unpredictable and challenging.

Sleeping on a discarded duvet blanket - and why not? (Photo: Sean Fagan, Southwest Ireland).

An Example...

Above, is a contentious photo for many bushcraft purists and campers...

It's a photo from last May when I camped in southwest Ireland and slept on a discarded, duvet blanket.

By Sean Fagan

A kneeling pad is a photographer's friend (Photo: Sean Fagan).

Kneeling Pads

When I’m out in nature doing some close-up photography I always bring a garden kneeling pad.

When photographing small, ground-surface features such as mushrooms, tracks & wild flowers, a kneeling position is often required to acquire good quality photos.

Using a soft, foam kneeling pad is a very comfortable way to get close to ground level, especially when the ground surface is damp, cold or hard.

But it's not just close-up photography where kneeling pads excel.

Learn how kneeling pads can help get your campfire going, keep you warm while sitting in the cold, and even help organise your rucksack kit.