The only trouble is, how do I carry it? It doesn’t exactly fold up small, and it looks like I will have to strap on top of my rucksack, which is something I don’t like doing as it will snag on branches and the like. I’ll have to experiment with that one.

Not exactly the best time to try it out either, as temperatures have soared to 25 degrees C here in England. Apparently, reindeer hair is hollow which adds to the insulating properties. The fur is so soft and the actual skin is amazingly thick. This will definitely be an asset to wild camping. I can see the skin inserted into the bivvi bag with the sleeping bag on top for the best use. In the meantime… it’s in the hammock!

I was reflecting on the bushmoot and going through the pictures again when I realised just how many people brought along tents. I had success with hammock and tarp and in fact it proved more effective than some of the tents at the bushmoot.

But now that the autumn and winter is just around the corner, I thought it would be prudent to look for a proper ten to give me a fully sheltered (and hopefully waterproof) option. I was also concerned that not every location I could visit would have trees close enough to rig a hammock and where bivving would be unsuitable.

After dragging out the kids dome tent (they’ve both left home and there’s a distinctly musty smell filling the garden), I decided that it wouldn’t stand up to a quick shower let alone a weekend wildlife watching or bushcrafting in the UK. I browsed the Internet looking for suitable tents. The criteria were under £150, light enough to carry a short distance, enough room for me and kit, 3-4 season, green and suitable for bushcraft and wildlife watching and a reliable make.

To cut a long story short, I found the ideal tent for my purposes: the Vaude Ferret 1. It cost £90 (including delivery). Naturally, I haven’t field tested it yet, but I did sleep out in the pouring rain on a few occasions. Not a sign of a leak. So far here are my thoughts:

Great idea of side opening entrance as well as front porch entrance.
Great field of view (even sitting) from side opening
Side opening flap can be used for canopy with addition of two sticks or ali poles
Stacks of room
Pitching and striking very quick (two hoops and 4 anchor points initially)
Simple webbing strap system for tension (very good)
Decent sized porch (although not huge – enough to cook or leave out boots etc)
Outer can be pitched with inner (Good for quick bad weather pitching)
Inner tent pale yellow colour (avoids gloom)
All entrances have good mossie net options
Outer tent green
Option to remove inner (to make outer into tarp)
Loads of ventilation options for inside (including porch)
Pockets galor inside (all around inner tent)
Well made and thought out – German make (Vaude – Mountain Eqpt makers)
Max weight 3.1kg (Just manageable for backpacking)

As you can tell, I’m like a kid with a new toy. I’ve never actually owned a tent even as a kid – and my tenting experiences have only ever been with the military. I think I now have every shelter option available.

I’m conscious that I might be drifting away from my original ethos of using minimal equipment for bushcraft. (I think I’ve said this before) but…hey I might be looking at a mid life crisis here (or second childhood).

Until next time…