The connection between bushcraft kit and our courses

For this week’s blog, I wanted to highlight the connection between our retail operations, and our courses and instructing team, with a specific focus on the kit we stock being used.

Woodland Ways have been operating Bushcraft Courses for over 20 years, and in that time we’ve done some incredible journeys to some amazing environments. Each journey, each environment and even each member of the team has required different pieces of equipment to make sure they’re safe, warm, dry, comfortable, and that tasks can be carried out efficiently. We’ve tried a lot of kit.

Our team now boasts impressive numbers, we’ve got a large pool of experienced instructors and apprentices, and our course offerings have only increased with that experience. It was decided by Jason some years ago, that rather than guiding people to the shops that sell the equipment we use, that we might as well run our own retail operation, and as such the Woodland Ways centre came to be.

Some retailers will stock items that have high margins, meaning more profit, that they know sell well, with little regard for after care, whether or not that item is the best item for the job or the individual. We aim to challenge that.

Instead, the Woodland Ways shop is stocked with items that the staff have used personally in a wilderness environment, or are items we think have a good chance of being the right item for the right individual. We have brands that we trust, so even if that particular model of Frost River bag hasn’t been tested by us, we know that brand well enough to stand by the items we pick. If you join us on our courses like our Bushcraft Weekend, you’ll see the kit we use to feed our clients, to carry out the teaching sessions, the clothing our instructors wear, are all brands and items we carry in our store. Right down to the AeroPress system we use to make our coffee!

 

In some cases, as it is with the Keela Heritage items, Jason or the Woodland Ways team have had an input in their design, collaborating with the brand to create items that are tailored for use in the bushcraft world. This could be the materials, the colours, the styles/accessories, but whatever it may be, it’s backed by years of experience.

Of course we understand that the kit we use is incredibly personal. No two people are the same, so even if they’re in the same environment carrying out the same aim, they’re not necessarily going to use the same kit. We’d like to think we have you covered, with a range of items on offer, we can provide something to suit most applications. It has always been Woodland Ways ethos to offer advice and guidance, even if it means shopping elsewhere. The kit could be something you depend on heavily, maybe even with your life, so we use our experience to offer completely impartial advice.

Since becoming retail manager in 2024, I have been exploring new brands, new items to expand our offering. We’ve included new axes and knives from Pöul, after I was sent a sample to test. Their Small Trekking Hatchet arrived in time for a Bow Making course that was taught in our Oxfordshire woods, offering the chance to put it through it’s paces for a weekend in the hands of the instructor and the clients. It then came with me to Canada on our Yukon River expedition, where it served as our kindling splitting tool, and it even carved a canoe paddle in the hands of one of our apprentices. This sort of testing cannot be carried out by all Bushcraft kit stores, certainly not to the same degree. Sure, anyone can chop wood with an axe, but that doesn’t test all of the possibilities of your trip. Will it get damaged in transit? Will the mask hold up to being thrown around in the bags? Will long term use offer blisters or hot spots, will the materials hold up to the test? How long does the sharpness last, and how easy is it to sharpen? What’s the most it can cut through, what’s the hardest job it will do successfully? All of these questions, and more you may not have considered, were answered by using the tool in the environment, and not just in the shop.

It doesn’t just stop with Pöul either, this year we added Fire Maple to our shelves. Their Star X2 gas stove accompanied me on the same Yukon expedition, and helped get some clients warm after a spell of poor weather, when the chips are down and you need hot drinks to prevent Hypothermia, is the stove up to the task? Can it boil water quickly, is the capacity there? Can it be operated with cold hands? Again, did it survive the journey? Absolutely. That same stove has since been to Sweden on our Canoe and Camp Craft expedition, we’ve used it at shows and courses in the UK. We really put the kit through its paces.

We stock a significant range of items, from a lot of different brands, but the running theme is that we can stand by those items. Kit you can call bomb-proof (though naturally I can’t say that’s literal!) such as the Grayl water filter systems, the First Need water filter system, Petromax, Zebra, Pathfinder, and Fire Maple stainless steel cookware, and obviously we can’t miss the DD hammocks and tarps. These are all used by several members of staff as their go to choice for their personal trips, the courses and expeditions we run.

People are often surprised to discover we have a physical store, with items on the shelves that you can get hands on with. It’s all well and good having dimensions on the website, but what does that actually translate to? Will it fit in this pouch on my rucksack? Bring the rucksack into the store and we’ll try it, and offer alternatives if you need them. Is this knife suitable for my 10 year old? Let’s get them in the store and get hands on some tools. We can use this as a prime opportunity to teach them safe handling of sharp tools, while we also give advice on sharpening and maintenance. We always recommend getting hands on with items of kit, as no two people are the same. The knife that fits my hands and is comfortable may not work well with your hands, and there’s only one way to know.

All of our staff, including those in store, teach on our courses. This means we have an unparalleled input into things often overlooked. We all pick up a knife, feel how comfortable it is in the hand, but what about the reverse grip? The reinforced thumb grip, the reinforced knee technique? All of these things may make you change your mind on that piece of kit, so come and speak to us!

“Have you seen this person on YouTube, they say this works well”, “This person on YouTube says this is the best tool”. We get this a lot. There are an increasing number of content creators offering their input on all the kit you can imagine. Some of them have some fantastic insight, some of them are absolutely correct in their views and interpretations of designs, and are trustworthy reviews. It can’t be denied however, that there are often cases where people have been sponsored to review an item, or have only tested that item, rather than the competitor brands. If you’re using YouTube or other social media platforms for reviews of kit you plan to rely on, please take that into consideration, is the person on the screen being paid to say those things? How much experience do they have to give credence to their input? What happens when things go wrong - is it something they’ve experienced with that item? We approach potential new brands and ask for a sample to test, it arrives, we test it, and if it meets the grade, it goes on the shelf. There’s no benefit to us for offering misleading information on an item, or hiding the pitfalls. We certainly don’t shy away from sharing the negative points, we want you to be able to make an informed decision.

If rural Derbyshire is too far to visit, come and see us at the Bushcraft Show, or the Wilderness Gathering festivals. We attend these each year with a host of activities, demonstrations and teaching sessions, backed by a selection of items from the shop. Come and speak to the team, or ask them on your next course with us, and you’ll get only honest answers. You’ll also find all of our kit online on our website, with questions answered by our helpful staff on the phone, by email or through the web chat. We sell through Amazon too, so if you’re looking at Bushcraft kit online, take a look at the seller, it’s often cheaper to come through us than it is through those third parties!

Make sure your kit is something you can rely on, without learning lessons the hard way. Come to us for advice to make a sound decision with all the information you need, to get the kit that works.