The following post was kindly sent in this past winter by Woodlore customer Chris Rusby:
The Swazi/Ray Mears Tahr Anorak
Dear Ray Mears team, a little ditty for your day:
I recently purchased the excellent Swazi/Ray Mears Tahr Anorak and started to piece together a bare essentials bush-craft kit, after weeks of YouTube research. It all fits into a small satchel, plus, due to a forecast of 2 degrees, I took two sheep skins and a wool blanket in a water-proofed back pack.
The big day, I set off on an 18 km hike across a torrentially lashed, gale-force, foggy North Yorkshire Moors to an isolated woodland, where I was to rendezvous with a friend. Plans were flawed and this never came to pass, and after hours of EXHAUSTIVE searching for my friend in non-stop rain and wind in the dark, my self-preservation kicked in; tired, cold, drenched from the legs down and inexperienced (first time bush-crafter!) I set up a tarp/hammock camp and fire with the last of my strength. Everything then went well and I emerged bright and breezy the next morning. Sun-shine and everything!
It turns out my friend who came in a car (so I knew he would be OK) alerted Search and Rescue, but after my wife told them just HOW MUCH! Ray Mears I have been watching and that I had the Swazi coat they let me be. This all sounds irresponsible of me, and it was. I now have a deeply humbled view of nature and our fragile place on this planet. I thought this feeling, which Ray and others speak of, would slowly grow inside me as I made the transition from armchair bush-crafter, to hands-on practitioner, but it hit me in the face like a giant cosmic slap!
I guess this is kind of a confession and I do feel silly, but that coat saved my life! It was faultless in the most savior conditions! I’m humbled, inspired and cannot wait to get back into nature, I think I’ll drive next time!
On a serious note, I do understand the dangers, very, very much so.
Chris Rusby
Great effort Chris, it just shows that with some knowledge and a positive mental attitude this stuff really works! That said goin’ bush with good quality gear makes life a whole lot easier.
I have a Swazi Wapiti coat and it has kept me warm and dry on Sambar hunts in the Victorian Alps mid- winter -8 degrees, wind and rain. I won’t go bush without it.
Swazi gear is not cheap but you can’t buy better.
Kind regards from down under.
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I had an experience similar to yours the second time I went bushcrafting. Now Ten years of bushcraft later I look back on it and realise those wet windy 24hrs taught me a lot. My kit hasn’t changed much since them but my knowledge has increased greatly. Keep getting out.
Winner of ‘Comment of the Week’
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Just goes to show how much you can rely on your belongings if you take the time and effort.
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Great short essay there. Once you get a little nature you can’t get enough! 🙂 Glad you’re safe and well though, it’s surprising what can happen to you even comparatively close to civilization!
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Wow! That’an incredible story Chris, Wind & Rain is very tricky and quite dangerous weather and in the dark double so. You jumped right in a deep the deepend bud so the rest of your hikes will be quite more layed back i guess 🙂
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