IS WILDERNESS LIVING IN THE GREAT NORTH FOR YOU?

Do you long for wilderness living in the great north?

Is wilderness living in the great north for you? You may take a moment to imagine…

The bustle of traffic is fading into the distance. The rumbling engines, honking horns, and radios droning are somewhere off beyond the horizon. You are the master of your new domain. Free in a way that you never were among the crowds and urban sprawl. Here, among the wilderness you find peace, right outside your door, the possibility of adventure, should you choose it.

You walk out your front door and listen to the sounds around you, and all you hear is the sound of nature; the wind rustling through the trees,  bird songs and chattering of squirrels. The great outdoors awaits you. The night sky glows with the light of millions of stars unmasked by the urban glow.

The call of the barred owl in the night, the howl of a wolf in the distance, It is only then that you realize what you have been missing. This!  This is food for the soul.

Life moves at a different pace, on wilderness time, if you will, when you aren't living in the chaos of the city. As you meander down a path, you stop and smell the flowers, there are no muttered curses, or pressing of impatient bodies struggling past you on the street.  No longer do you walk briskly past hundreds of strangers faces instead there are a hundred ancient and familiar trees.

Homesteading folks are different in the bush, though they be 100 miles up or down the river, they will plod through the most hostile conditions to assist, should a “neighbor” need help. If you're unfortunate enough to get stuck in the snow or overflow, you can bet your boots, that some burly fellow with a big ole truck and chain, or snow machine will yank you out before you freeze. It's just the way of life out in the bush to prevent frozen hands and frozen toes.

I think this way of life develops for a couple of reasons. When you are far from urban conveniences you must be prepared, and you prepare not only for yourself but for those few around you.  As you are in a much less populated area, resources and services often need to be combined or shared. As you become more self sufficient you'll find there's a real feel good pride with conquering obstacles, not needing to call for help or waiting for another to fix it and hand you the bill.

When you no longer have a neighbor within earshot, you can set up a target range right in your own backyard, if you like. Hunt, fish or hike in your own back woods, Grow your own food, just steps from your door. Play guitar, sing with abandon, It's freedom in its truest form.

If you long for wilderness living in the great north, the tranquility of nature, the wild adventure of the wilderness, and the freedom to follow your own path, if you’ve been wallowing in the doldrums of discontent, dissatisfied with your routine and dull existence, if you’ve been contemplating and seeking a new direction, a life change that is challenging, fresh and lively, it might be time to take your path... Into the wild.

Make Clothing from Wilderness Materials

It is possible to make clothing from wilderness from materials.  The easiest clothing is from animal hide. In far northern regions, such as the northern parts of Alaska, Canada, Siberia etc the hide is simply scraped, dried and used. In warmer climates however the hide must be preserved to prevent it from rotting.

There are many ways to do this which has various outcomes.

The first I will mention is braintanning. It is the most convenient method because every animal comes with enough brains to tan its own hide. Brain tan is essentially an oil tan and the fatty matter in the brain is the oil in which the hide is tanned. After butchering the animal the brains are put in a container large enough to contain the hide. Water is added and the brains are squished and mixed into the water. The hide is soaked and stirred in this mixture for several days. It's a very pungent odor. After tanning has penetrated entirely through the hide, you check this by cutting a small piece to see if it has penetrated all the way through. If it has, then the hide is rinsed in water until it comes out clean. Next you will smoke the hide, but be careful not to cook it. Put it in a tent or other small area with the smoke blowing in and around it in a concentrated manner. This will give the hide some extra protection. Each time you wear this hide and wash it, it will become stiff when it dried. It is therefore necessary to pull the hide over the corner of a board or other fairly sharp corner or edge to soften it. If it is an article of clothing it can be worn wet until it dries and will become soft as you move around in it while it is drying.  If you wish not to use brains a vegetable lecithin can be used instead. The odor will still be pungent as lecithin, although vegetable matter,  is still very similar to brain matter.

Make clothing from wilderness materials without using brain, is a vegetable tan using oak and other similar plant matter that contains tannin. The vegetable matter is soaked to leach out the tannin into the water. It must be very concentrated so many batches may be needed to soak i. Order to acquire enough tannin. When a sufficient amount of tannin has been acquired the hide is soaked in the solution until it penetrates completely through the hide.  It may take several days. This products a very nice leather. 

You can also use alum, which is a salt tan and becomes very stiff when finished. It is more suitable for rugs. The alum is added to water and brushed onto the hide.

If you wish for the fur to be removed from your hide, while it is fresh you must soak it in wood ashes and water, which makes lye, to loosen the hair. After a couple days, when the hair easily pulls out when tugged on, it is time to scrape the hide. The hide must be laid over a smooth log or barrel etc fur side facing up and using the back edge of the large knife, not the cutting edge, scrape semi hard toward  yourself. You will be removing the fur and the top layer of skin. The part of skin you are removing will show coursness and as it is removed it will leave behind the next layer which is somewhat shiny. That is the part of the hide you will be tanning.

After you have made a sufficient amount of leather, 4 deer hides to make a shirt , 5 deer hides for pants, etc then it is time to cut a pattern.

You can buy a pattern to use over and over, or you can use an old piece of clothing laid out cutting one full inch larger than the article of clothing so that you have enough area for sewing.  You will need two sides to most pieces. Fringe is made by leaving extra material where the seems will go which is later cut into strips almost to the seem.

Needles can be made easily from bone, scrap metal or wire etc. The tenderloin area of a deer, caribou, moose, goat, sheep etc with have long strips ofmeat along the top done area. The nest can be cut out and will have a shiny sinewy layer on it. The nest can be scrapped off of this and the sinew can be washed then dried a couple days.  Then using your thumb and forefinger  You can rub it firmly and it will separate into threads. These threads can be used to sew your hides together into clothing. Thin tree roots or plant fibers can also be used for sewing as well. Antler and bone as well as sticks can be used for buttons.

You can make clothing from wilderness material as some plants are fiberous and can be used as clothing; such as large leaves, barks, reeds etc which can be crocheted, woven, or sewed to make garments. Although these are coarse and itchy to the touch.

If you have harvested a sheep or long wooled animal the wool can be cut and spun slowly feeding the wool pieces while using a twirling piece of wood. This"yarn" can then be knitted, crocheted, or woven into cloth or articles of clothing.

You can make clothing from wilderness materials from large fish, like salmon, which can be skinned and the the skins sewn into clothing.  Dried these make a very good rain jacket material. This can help protect you from the elements such as wind, rain, and dew in the summer time.

Rabbit skins fur on can be sewn together after tanning to make a very warm blanket. They make nice socks and slippers. Caribou leg skin left uncut can be used to make suitable socks by sewing just the narrow end. 

Moose hide makes excellent material for footwear such as moccasins and boots.

Many furs are good for coats. Fox, wolf, buffalo, caribou, wolverine (this fur does not collect moisture like frost and moisturefrom your breath making it a good choice for hoods, collars, ruffs.), coyote, beaver, muskrat, skunk etc make other items such as mittens and hats. 

Polar bear, grizzly and black bears make excellent bedding and rugs. 

How to find food - DONT STARVE In the Wilderness or remote homestead

How to find food - Dont starve in the wilderness or remote homestead....

One of the most important things a person needs to know when living in the wilderness is how to find food. I will explain some methods for collecting and preserving food without refrigeration. I will cover some basic knowledge that will help to acquire some food.

Don't starve in the wilderness! Wild plant edibles are many. Many mushrooms are poisonous. I recommend not eating them unless you have been trained in picking them. However there are many edibles available to you. You can acquire vitamin c in wintery areas by drinking pine needle tea which will prevent scurvy. Please take the time to read a book on wild edible plants and berries. There are hundreds of them and they can help sustain you preventing starvation. The layer of wood just beneath the bark on a tree can be eaten in pines, maples, and others.

Another method of how to find food and not starve in the wilderness is fishing: this method should not be overlooked as it is a year round food source. Fish offer some very healthful benefits. Some fish contain fats such as salmon. This fish carries large 600 lb bears through long winters and it can carry you through too.  Another benefit is that it can easily be preserved both pressure canned in jars, as well as soaked in brine (sugar and salt solution) then smoked, or just smoked and air dried.  Salmon are a migratory and seasonal fish, so must be harvested when they arrive. You must not wait! They can be caught with hook and line, nets, weirs and fish wheels. Please see the laws in your area. Fish traps can be made with sticks in a river or stream stabbed into the ground  that is wide at the opening and narrows down stream so that the fish swim in and become trapped. Fish such as pike, whitefish and others can be caught through the ice using line and hook and also nets put under the ice using two holes.  When fishing in the warmer months try fishing near trees that have fallen in the water, log jams, and on the quiet water side of bends in the river. Line can be made from strands of fabric pulled from clothing, vines, fine trees roots etc. Good can be carved from bone, sticks, and found wire or metal a simple tiny stick about the length of your thumbnail can be sharpened atboth ends and the line tied just off center. Baited. When pulled it will catch in the fishes throat and the fish can then be pulled in.

Don't starve in the wilderness, consider Trapping:  The advantage of traps vs. Hunting is that a trap is hunting for you even when you sleep. Having snare wire is essential in aiding in not starving in the wilderness. It is made into slip loops and placed where animal trails can be seen in the grass and snow. It can be hung from low bushes and should be about 2 to 3 inches from the ground. Traps must be checked every day. You can not survive only on rabbits as they do not have enough fat, making them supplemental meals only. Deadfall traps can be used for any animal size depending on the size of the dead fall trap. A trap like this is built by balancing a heavy object such as a log or rock on a stick so that the animal bumps the stick or pulls on a string tied to the stick activating the heavy object to fall with gravity. You can acquire larger or smaller animals this way. These animals will have fat and the bones can be boiled to extract the high calorie marrow.  Another relatively easy trap is digging a deep hole that animals fall into and can not escape.

Hunting:  hunting with spears, bows and arrows, and guns is most successful in the early mornings and in the evenings when wild animals move about the most. Finding a water source, an area of cover, or a feed source will give you the most opportunities to see animals. Being still and quiet, without fidgeting, will allow animals to behave normally and allow them to come closest to you without being alarmed. This gives you the best advantage for success in acquiring some major nutrients.  You will find it helpful to conceal yourself behind bushes, rocks, downed trees or other natural features which can conceal you from view.  It is also helpful to hunt with the breeze blowing into your face instead of your back. Having the wind in your face ensures that your own scent is being  blown away from the game you are hunting preventing them from being aware of your presence. The farther animals are from you the higher you must aim. Nest can be preserved in a cold stream, by air dying in the wind, by smoking, or pressure canning. During the winter months is can be hung from a branch out of reach ofpredators and left frozen until use.

How to find food in the wilderness requires knowledge about things like, Birds rarely fly at night. They become easy to grab by hand in the dark. If you see abird go to roost, in the dark you can often reach up or climb up and grab it. Same with Water fowl on the nest. The eggs can also be eaten. Again please know the laws in your area.

If you are near the ocean, freshwater can be found by digging a hole on the beach about ten feet from the high tide mark. The hole should fill with less salty water. In the forest you can acquire fresher water which from snowmelt, is healthier, versus rivers or lakes than can contain bacterias and protazoans.

Foods that are often overlooked by the average person are: white grubs from dead trees or wood, these taste kind of nutty. Porcupines which make a very nice stew and are relatively easy to catch. Crawdads along a creek edge are miniature lobster looking creatures. Earth worms, grasshoppers, which can be fried. Mice, snakes, frogs legs, Pine cone seeds, cattail roots (are similar to potatoes and are a carbohydrate.) Seaweed Sea urchin eggs, clams if you are near the sea.

These are just basic suggestions and should be studied through reading material, licensed teachers, etc. Always follow the laws in your area. 

WILDERNESS LIVING ,TAKES TIME! No Worries, No Hurries!

            One of the hardest things to get used to in wilderness living on a remote homestead ... is how long everything takes! As a people, we humans in the developed countries have become so accustomed to having instant gratification!  Our automated world is literally at our fingertips! From instant entertainment, to instant food, to instant money. Our desires are fulfilled without hesitation. 

NOT SO on a remote homestead!  EVERYTHING TAKES LONGER!

STEP 1
Let's take morning coffee or tea for instance... There's no expresso machine!
You get up, get dressed including your coat,boots, hat and gloves and go out to fetch some stove wood (which hopefully is already cut otherwise you have to do that too).  You come in and take off all your snowy gear. Drop the wood next to the stove, fetch the matches and firestarter (paper, kindling, firestarter cheat sticks) put the firestarter and wood into the stove, light it and squat there on the cold floor in a cold cabin blowing on the little flame to coax it to life.  Once there is a reliable flame you close the door, adjust the damper, and fetch water - that's the interesting part... its usually frozen. So you put the ice in the pot and WAIT for it to melt, then you WAIT for it to boil.
When the water finally gets hot enough your real coffee starts to percolate, or, if you're impatient like me, you pour the hot water into a cup of instant coffee. This whole scenario just to get that first cup of coffee takes up the first hour of your day!

This whole project happens over again if you leave your cabin long enough for the fire to burn out and allows the cabin to get cold.  So when you get home, you start from scratch with a new fire and there is no instant heat like with a thermostat electric or gas heat. It takes a long time for the wood stove to reheat the walls, floors, furniture and air inside the cabin. Patience is definitely in order there!

Cooking... Most rustic cabin living does not include microwaves!  There are no TV dinners, or store bought bread. A quick sandwich means going through step 1  then instead of heating coffee water you will either fry bread, bake biscuits, or begin a batch of sourdough yeast bread which adds a couple hours time to the chore to accommodate the bread "rising" before baking. As for meals, canned meats can really speed up the process as the meats are already pre-cooked and just need reheating, so I pressure can grouse, fish, venison etc. for various meals. Otherwise the meat has to be brought in and thawed out then sliced or ground up then fried, baked or boiled along with veggies, beans, potatoes, or rice until tender and soft. How long that takes depends on how hot your stove is. Often times baking a cake can take 2 or more hours if the oven temp is only 200* f. 

Laundry... well, that could take a long time just to type all that is involved but its already been well said by another blogger and she really hit the nail on the head.... check it out on her blog...SWEET HOME ALASKA (<=click)  http://remotealaska.blogspot.com/2010/06/doing-laundry.html

She says it so perfectly that she deserves full credit, and I couldnt have said it better! I do my laundry the same way except I wring out the clothes through a wringer attachment on my washing machine and hers spins them but takes time both ways, this job takes 2-3 hours and a little longer if you have to carry the water in 5 gallon pails any amount of distance.

If you want to take a shower or bath, you do not just "turn on" a faucet and jump in.  You have to follow step 1 above then fetch the water, heat the water  in quantities sufficient for the shower or bath which takes a couple of hours, "not super fast" like heating a pot of coffee water, but big pans and pots of water. It takes alot of wood to keep the fire going hot and steady, so there is the constant feeding of the stove in there as well!  Then you hook up whatever shower apparatus you have for your cabin, (there are many) either gravity fed which involves transferring the water from the stove to a container high above the shower unit, or a pressure sprayer then pump to pressurize, then shower some then pump some more etc etc., or the electric showers offered by Cabela's and similar stores, but that method involves having gas or solar or generator which must be turned on in addition to heating water... So, you see after all that work to get the shower ready, you are sweaty and definately in need of one!

One of the characteristics wilderness living will develop in you is PATIENCE! Some native tribes had wise elders who knew from long living this wilderness lifestyle that "IT TAKES AS LONG AS IT TAKES!" There is no hurrying in the wilderness. Hurrying causes carelessness which causes injury or death. The key to living in the wilderness is to live intentionally, with care and thought put into every action.

Wilderness Dwellers

I think that there is one chord that binds together almost all remote homesteading and wilderness dwellers, and that is the overwhelming inborn desire for freedom and liberty!  It is within this ideal that we pursue solitude, space, and freedom from the constraints that are required by society. The regulation that is needed to manage masses of people in a concentrated area become burdensome to those wilderness dwellers who require a higher level of individual freedom. Freedom that they are not willing to sacrifice for the sake of comfort, convenience and ease. So, it is with the blessing of Liberty handed down to us by our forefathers that we take hold of those freedoms and venture into the wilderness or homesteading self sufficient lifestyles.  Wilderness dwellers trade overstuffed sofas for rocking chairs and stumps, we trade grocery store aisles for forest trails....and hope we have success in finding our groceries. We trade forced air heat for forest 'ere heat. We do have running water, it runs for miles in both directions and is a brisk jaunt from the cabin, hauling ones water is great exercise  in place of going to the gym.  We leave "flick of a switch" lighting for   "light a wick" lighting. (Lighting -or a lack thereof, is a significant change from urban to remote living). For the most part we give up our wheels in favor of feet, we go less distances, but go further in many directions in our lives. Another thing that is often overlooked but is a significant loss to some is the loss of social outlets, no more friday night football with the guys, no more shopping dates with the gals. However, after an extended period in the bush, you will find that your interactions with others are much more meaningful as you find you now have a wealth of new experiences to share and are not reduced to the petty gossip that is common to urban groups conversationally for a lack of something better to talk about. Wilderness dwellers gain in the benefits of physical, emotional and mental health in being in a natural environment that heals the soul, inspires the imagination, strengthens the mind & body.  It creates a never-ending bond between man and the wilderness that creates more desire to go further, do more, see whats around the next turn in the trail. So much so, that what once seemed like a "BIG wilderness" upon arriving begins to seem small and creates a new desire to expand your horizons as your inner being expands, nurtured by peace and solitude and reflection and growing. So, Remote and wilderness living dwellers obtain more individual freedoms, but it does come at the  cost, often times of personal comforts. Most would agree though, THAT ITS STILL A GOOD TRADE!       

                              

What's the differences between the 1800's Mountain man and his family and the 2017 mountain man and remote homestead?

  What's the differences between the 1800's mountain man and his family and the 2017 mountain man and remote homestead?

     We are privileged to be able to "CHOOSE" Wilderness living in the great north and this wonderful primitive lifestyle, but there are some significant differences today that make it a "wonderful" lifestyle compared to the 1800's.  I'd like to clarify what some of these differences are so that those who are seeking this lifestyle and are leaving "modern" life to try it can know what makes it so inviting compared to what they read in books from the 1800's. We like to see it as a kind of "sifting" gleaning the things that made the earlier era so inviting and leave behind the pulp/chaff of what made it so miserable. Likewise, we "sift" the 2000's and glean the best of  this modern age for the things that make living now inviting and leave the chaff or pulp of this modern age behind... Through this process you can create a life for yourself that captures the best of all your choices creating a life that is fulfilling, satisfying, and solid in character. Here's what we decided on....

What did we choose from 1800's?

CANDLE LIGHTING with MIRRORS,
 Since bees wax is a natural by-product of honey making and honey can be produced at home eliminating our need to purchase sugar. The bees pollinate the fruit & vegetables, part of our food supply, beeswax candles are an obvious choice, plus, we like to roast marshmallows over our natural beeswax candle flames! The mirrors are really important in maximizing the light. This is the style in our experience that gives the most light throughout a room. It can be found at the Daniel Boone Trading Post We have tried all kinds of candle lighting and this exact mirrored candle holder produced the light of 3 or more candles with just one candle. It produced comfortable reading quality light.

MAPLE SYRUPING, 
This too provides needed sugars for baking, coffee/tea/cereal sweeteners, etc.

WOOD HEAT & WOOD COOKSTOVE,
 Again we choose this to eliminate heating and cooking expenses, no gas or electric purchases. This one was made in 1888. It works just as good as it did the day it was made. I paid $400 for this one. The unique thing about this one is that it completely disassembles into back pack sized pieces, or a package the size of the oven door.These were the type commonly sold and transported to very rural or remote areas on horseback or by dogsled teams.

GOOSE DOWN BLANKETS/SLEEPING BAGS
these allow us to burn less or no wood at night, so no one has to get up to stoke the fires during the night. Make sure you get all down and not down & feathers as is sold 

SHEEP HIDE MOCCASINS 
Cabin floors get really cold in the winter!


HAND PUMP WATER
To eliminate the need for electricity in the summer, and water falls from the sky in the winter...FOR FREE! 

HANDMADE FURNITURE 
We create our furniture by hand from wood,antlers, tanned hides etc. Nearly cost free, attractive and materials are readily available on our property at our own time and desire, no store shopping required.

OLD BEDS were made with ropes like this one. Over time the ropes would stretch and get loose making it uncomfortable to sleep upon. Hense the "Good Night" wish to have a "good night and sleep tight!" It referred to "tight Ropes" as seen here.

TWO MAN BUCK SAW-SHARPENED PROPERLY AND TEETH SET PROPERLY
This saw is very efficient for 2 people and does produce firewood in stove lengths very quickly. We use ours as a back up saw.

HAND DRILLS
We prefer these for tapping trees and screwing in screws with no electric. Make sure you get one with a big chuck opening 1/2" to handle Big bits as well as small ones. Many only go 1/4" and then are not big enough to handle the bigger bits.

BOOKS 1800'S DIARIES, 1800'S ENCYCLOPEDIAS OF FORMULAS & HOW TO'S
These provide us with alot knowledge and information that help things go smoothly without electricity and with products naturally available in the environment. They include things like how to make tools for lifting heavy objects by yourself, how to make paint, glue,soaps - you name it...Its in there! . How to build without nails or screws, where to find food, how to trap etc. These books of this nature are indispensable on a homestead! You can read this book online by clicking on the book.

TANNED HIDES & LEATHER
Used for floor coverings, quiet gun slings/sleeves, bags, hot pads for handling hot pots and pans, used as trade or profit source, shoes and sandals, blade guards, gloves etc.

HUNTING&FISHING

This harvest fed 7 people for 1 year 

95% of our meat comes from natural harvest. A years worth of meat. Yes, we ate it all!

BERRY PICKING
Provides 95% or our fruits and fruit products, jams, syrups, juice etc come from home raised or woods picked fruits.

GARDENING & NATURAL GREENS

Narrow Leaf Plantain

This provides our organic vegetables, and we try to utilize as many natural occurring greens commonly called "weeds" in the urban environment but hold a lot of nutritive value, such as dandelion, common plantains narrow and broad leaf, lambs quarter, wild asparagus, clover flower and  chicory. These all make good salads. Chickory root can be roasted in the oven then ground for a coffee like drink. 

Lambs Quarter 

Broad leaf Plantain

COFFEE FROM THE HOMESTEAD - Coffee type drinks can be made by roasting wheat, barley, oats etc grains in your oven til golden, then add molasses. Makes a very serviceable coffee substitute.

MAULS,SPLITTING WEDGES,AXES,HATCHETS,MACHETES,HEAVY KNIVES
We use these extensively. They are used in wood fuel production for the stoves, furniture making that we use and sell. Wedges help split difficult knotty wood, and help fall trees in safe directions etc. Heavy steal knives are utility and used for cutting, prying, screw driving, you name it.

MUZZLELOADERS AND BLACK POWDER
Additional harvest seasons, black powder is easy to come by, readily available. Can be easily purchased from individual in most areas.

BOWS AND ARROWS
This is our favorite method of hunting, it is silent, highly effective, and can be produced mostly from natural materials. (The string is still most effective made from modern material)

HEIRLOOM SEEDS/VEGETABLES - The heirloom varieties are important because their seeds have been proven for decades or centuries and consistantly produce dependable fruits and you can collect seeds from your own plants. Open pollinated are the best choice because they are easily pollinated by many sources and produces many fruits.


What did we choose from the 2000's?

COMPUTER
Access to knowledge 1800's books and diaries at alibris, gutenberg.org free public domain ebooks, ability to earn $ at home such as ebay, craigslist, access to hard to find primitive living items lehman's. Community Support and encouragement from like minded individuals striving for the same goals or ideals against the pressures of a society that is prohibitive, through resources like Blogger youtube etc.

CHAINSAWS
This is a huge time and bodily energy saver! It is one of the inventions that surely helped extend man's life expectancy. 

GASOLINE & PROPANE
For running chainsaws, generator, wringer washer, camp stove in the summer, occasional lighting for special needs where brighter light is requisite. 

4X4 TRUCK
Hauling supplies, seeing friends or family far away, moving wood/logs

EMERGENCY BEACONS
These are special satellite signal beacons that can be activated in an emergency and your exact location is alerted to rescue services such as coast guard, state police and other search and rescue groups.

CELL PHONES 
These marvelous little devices are both good and bad. You can communicate with loved ones far away and can be used as a tracking device, can call for help if theres a signal and your battery isn't dead. These should NOT be relied on as a safety measure in remote areas.

RIFLES, REVOLVERS AND AMMUNITION
For safety from man & beast, and procuring meat supply. More durable, longer shooting range, more powerful and most ammunition can be reloaded.

THINSULATE BOOTS & GLOVES
Thinsulate has been a wonderful invention that is truly effective in keeping warm in cold environments. 1600 gram thinsulate boots are perfect for the northern U.S. Canada and Alaska

FLEECE
Fleece is similar to wool but lighter, an inbetween choice  between wool and down. It is soft on the skin and retains body heat well and dries quickly. Sherpa fleeces are most effective, but remember to turn the puffy side of the fleece inward toward your body heat to retain this heat. Many clothing manufacturers produce the garments with the fuzzy side facing out which is not as effective in retaining heat in seriously cold weather or exposure, so just remember to turn these garments inside out when spending long periods of time in extremely cold weather conditions.

POLYESTER AND NYLON
We've found these materials to be a huge improvement to items like rope, bow strings, anchor lines, tarps. These items can handle much heavier loads than their 1800's counterparts made from hemp, cotton etc.