Bushcraft is about practical skills, understanding your surroundings and knowing how to use the equipment you carry. Buying more gear doesn’t replace those skills.
My time in the Royal Marines shaped how I look at outdoor equipment: choose it for the conditions, understand its purpose and look after it. Something that works well in one environment may be unnecessary, or unsuitable in another.
You don’t need to carry everything. You need a sensible setup for your trip, with the essentials covered and enough flexibility for changing conditions. Here’s how I would approach building that kit.
1. Start with a Reliable Pack
Choose your pack around the equipment you need, rather than buying the biggest bag and filling it. A woodland day trip requires considerably less capacity than an overnight stay with shelter, sleeping gear and food.
Look for durable construction, sound stitching and a comfortable fit. Try the pack with the load you intend to carry. Comfort in the shop is one thing; comfort after several hours on uneven ground is another.
Protect the contents properly. In the Royal Marines, we used two layers of waterproofing: a main pack liner, then individual items waterproofed separately inside it. Sleeping gear and spare clothing went into their own waterproof bags, while smaller items could go into suitable resealable bags.
That gives you a second line of defence if water gets past the main liner. Check bags for damage and close them carefully. Tough pack fabric alone won’t keep your kit dry.
You don’t have to spend heavily to start protecting your kit. In the Royal Marines, we sometimes used two heavy-duty trash bags, one inside the other, as a pack liner. Smaller items went into separate resealable bags. It was an inexpensive way to add layers of protection.
Purpose-made waterproof pack liners and dry bags are worth considering for regular use, particularly for their durability. Whichever option you choose, check for holes, protect bags from sharp equipment and close them carefully. Two layers give you a backup if one fails, but no setup guarantees dry kit in every situation.
2. Carry Cutting Tools That Suit the Job
A multi-tool was an essential part of our kit in the Royal Marines. It handled many everyday field tasks, and a larger knife wasn’t necessary in every environment.
For woodland trips, think about the work you actually expect to do. A dependable multi-tool can cover cutting cordage, adjustments and equipment repairs. A separate knife or saw may be useful for particular tasks, but each should justify its weight.
Choose tools you can control comfortably, with a secure grip and safe storage. Keep them maintained and work within your ability. Check the rules for carrying and using them where you’re going.
The useful tool is the one that suits the job and that you know how to use, not simply the biggest or most expensive.
3. Bring Reliable Fire-Starting Equipment
If you plan to use a fire, carry a dependable ignition method and a backup. Keep them protected from moisture, along with suitable tinder, and practise using your setup before the trip.
Check local restrictions and conditions first. Be prepared to cook and stay warm without an open fire.
4. Choose Shelter for the Conditions
A tarp can make a useful woodland shelter, but it isn’t the answer to every environment. Choose your shelter around the forecast, exposure, insects and the protection you need.
Practise setting it up beforehand. Work out which cordage, pegs or other attachments it requires, and pack those with it.
For overnight trips, think of your sleeping equipment as a system. In the Royal Marines, we used a Gore-Tex bivvy bag around the sleeping bag to provide waterproof, breathable protection. That’s an option I recommend considering for a practical woodland sleeping setup, alongside suitable overhead shelter.
Each part has a different job: the sleeping bag provides warmth, the mat insulates you from the ground, and the bivvy bag adds protection from the weather. Choose equipment appropriate for the conditions, and check a surplus bivvy bag’s fabric and seams before relying on it.
While carrying your kit, keep your sleeping equipment protected with a main pack liner and separate waterproof bags inside it. The bivvy bag protects your sleeping bag in use; it doesn’t replace proper waterproofing during transport.
5. Don’t Forget Paracord
We typically carried a length of paracord because it was compact, versatile and useful for many everyday field tasks. It’s a straightforward addition to a woodland kit.
Use it for shelter setups, securing equipment and basic camp repairs. Carry useful lengths, keep them organized and learn the knots you need. A tangled bundle is frustrating when you’re trying to put up shelter in poor weather.
Choose cordage for its intended use. General-purpose paracord is not climbing rope or equipment for supporting people.
6. Plan Your Water Supply
Start with enough drinking water for the outing and allow for delays. If you intend to refill from natural sources, identify likely sources beforehand and carry a suitable way to treat the water.
Learn how your treatment method works and follow its instructions. Clear-looking water is not proof that it is safe to drink.
Keep your water accessible. A bottle buried beneath everything else makes regular drinking unnecessarily awkward.
7. Keep Food and Cooking Practical
From my experience in the Royal Marines, food needs to deliver useful energy without taking up unnecessary space or adding excessive weight. That matters particularly when you’re moving for long periods. Choose food you enjoy, that agrees with you and that provides enough calories for the activity you’re planning.
A warm meal or a hot drink also has value beyond the calories. When you’ve been out in poor weather, getting something hot, even a simple cup of tea, can be a real morale boost. If the trip allows for it, a straightforward cooking setup is well worth considering.
Pack a compatible stove, fuel, cookware and utensils, and test the combination before leaving. Keep preparation manageable: think about cooking time, fuel use and how much water your meals require.
Carry some ready-to-eat food as well, so you can eat during movement or if cooking becomes impractical. Follow local rules for stove use and food storage.
The aim is simple: enough energy for the work, a warm meal or drink when practical, and a backup you can eat without cooking.
8. Know Your Route
Carry navigation equipment you understand. A phone can be useful, but have offline mapping, backup power and a physical map and compass you know how to use.
Plan the route and alternatives beforehand. Leave your itinerary and expected return time with someone reliable.
9. Dress for the Environment
Choose clothing for the weather, terrain and activity. Use layers you can adjust as conditions change, with suitable protection from rain, wind and sun.
In the Royal Marines, we worked on a practical principle: one set of clothing for movement, and a separate dry set protected in the pack. At night, we changed into the dry set for sleeping. Keeping that clothing dry was a priority, rather than letting every layer become wet during the day.
When conditions allowed, we put our working clothing back on for movement, preserving the dry set for the next night. That isn’t a rule to follow regardless of the weather: damp clothing won’t reliably dry while you walk, and your choice needs to account for temperature, wind, rain and your ability to stay warm.
For an overnight woodland trip, a dedicated dry sleeping set is a useful approach. Protect it in its own waterproof bag inside your main pack liner, and avoid exposing it unnecessarily to rain.
Military surplus can be a practical option, but judge each garment on its suitability, fit and condition. An issue label alone doesn’t make it right for your trip.
10. Carry a Suitable First-Aid Kit
Pack a first-aid kit suited to your trip and personal needs, including necessary medication. Check its contents and expiry dates.
Knowing how to use the equipment matters. First-aid training is a worthwhile part of your preparation.
11. Include Reliable Lighting
Carry a headlamp or torch with spare batteries or an appropriate charging backup. A headlamp leaves both hands free for camp tasks.
Pack with Purpose
Before adding an item, ask:
- What job does it do?
- Do I know how to use it?
- Is it suitable for the conditions?
- Am I unnecessarily duplicating something?
- What would happen if I left it behind?
Keeping weight sensible doesn’t mean removing essential protection or every backup. There is a difference between unnecessary duplication and a deliberate second line of defence.
Start with a manageable kit, use it on shorter outings and refine it through experience.
Gear That Earns Its Place
That practical approach guides Muster Point Outfitters. We bring together British and European military surplus with selected outdoor and preparedness equipment, judged on usefulness, condition and suitability.
My service experience informs those standards, but it doesn’t mean I have personally used every product we stock. Where I share firsthand experience, I’ll make that clear.
Build your kit around your environment and the trips you actually take. Learn it, maintain it and carry it with purpose.
Before You Head Out
This guide shares practical advice informed by my field experience. Adapt your equipment and plans to your skills, the environment and expected conditions. Follow local rules and equipment instructions, and seek suitable training for unfamiliar activities. No gear list replaces sound judgment and preparation.
Explore Outdoor & Military Surplus Gear at Muster Point Outfitters
