VivoBarefoot in the Woods

Last time I said I was going to wear VFF’s in the woods to further this ideal of "barefoot bushcraft", However, mine are too low cut on the heel and ankle and I thought impractical as this is the area that sneaky stinging nettles or brambles can bite. Nevertheless, I was keen to see how a barefoot shoe would cope in the woods so I wore some old Vivobarefoot moccasins. To get the whole barefoot feel I wore shorts and a t-shirt with an idea of getting close to nature. A rookie error to romanticise a wild wood! I soon found that the woods were thick of biting flies and mosquitoes making the walk uncomfortable and not very enjoyable. I had to move as quickly as possible to my covert camp to start a fire. A valuable lesson learnt!

The Vivobarefoot shoes did enhance my movement though. In boots my feet feel clumsy and “stupid” but in the moccasins I felt I was able to walk quietly, and I was able to weave my feet through all the noisy obstacles on the floor. I noticed with interest that in these thin flexible soles, the foot naturally points down toe first snaking through the obstacles to find solid ground, rather than in boots when the  heel goes down crunching through the undergrowth and snapping branches. I realised I wasn’t going to move fast through these wild woods anyway, so the barefoot shoes allow a more considered walking style, definitely quieter and I did get close to deer really easily. The weight difference between normal boots and the barefoot shoes was also a positive factor in this too. The whole experience, aside for the inappropriate clothes, was very positive.

So, my conclusion is that I am going to get some barefoot boots, probably the Vivobarefoot trackers, as the benefits to tracking through the woods was very evident to me. I had looked at the Vibram Five Fingers Trek but again they don’t look too practical. At the end of the day one doesn’t want to buy style over substance as nature really shows you quickly what is practical and what is not. Especially when swarms of flies and mosquitoes are trying to drink your blood!

Going proper barefoot still has its uses of course, where the environment allows. Nothing like exploring a fast flowing river barefoot! I think "barefoot" doesn't have to be the "be all and end all". In the end common sense should prevail. And that's what bushcraft teaches us anyway!

Barefoot Bushcraft?

I thought I had come up with a new thing "Barefoot Bushcraft", mixing my barefoot interests with my love of the outdoors and bushcraft. Well... it’s not new....it's been done before. As have most things, I guess.

I suppose I remember that scene in Crocodile Dundee when Mick Dundee is walking barefoot through the bush keeping an eye on Sue, and then pervs on her and her skimpy swim suit just before the fake crocodile comes out to eat her. That idea of walking barefoot through a forest appeals to me...No, I'm not influenced by films at all.

So, there I was in the middle of a unkempt wood. Lots of deer. It was hot. I had to light a fire to keep the mossies away and then I thought…no time like the present to do my barefoot thing. I cooled my feet and then went off for a wander. Every thorne, biting ant, spikey thing, mosquito and biting fly was attracted to my feet. And then there is Lymes Disease to consider. I covered about 3 yards, maybe 4 before deciding that this was neither practical or comfortable.

Which leads me back to the whole barefoot thing. Is it a fad? Another way of “identifying as”, or a good training routine to strengthen tendons and muscles? What I think is yes to all of the above. It is good for training purposes, it is good to be barefoot as and when the environment allows, it is also a bit of a fad and certainly a mode of identification (I even identify as such on my Instagram and Twitter - why? because it makes me different I suppose, it makes me a slightly more interesting nobody).
 

But barefoot is still a minority thing, and let's face it, Barefoot is a total commitment where you must re-learn how to run or walk without shoes, and as I have found out (having recently picked up an injury through barefoot running), it isn't always good for your health.

I think the main benefit of barefoot is as a training exercise, as a way to do a lower limb work out and even as a contemplative exercise (nothing like stepping on a sharp stone to bring you back into the “now”.). Barefoot Bushcraft doesn't really work, can you imagine dropping a knife through your foot or swing an axe into your big toe? Having said all that I might wear my Vibram Five Fingers into the woods to see if it can bring me a different bushcraft experience. Will I be able to track deer better with barefoot shoes? Can I incorporate running and bushcraft? Will I invent a whole new barefoot bushcraft running experience? Watch this space!

I customized the handle on my Casstrom Woodsman bushcraft knife! UPDATED 2021!

OK, I admit it, I got fed up with the feel of my Casstrom Woodsman knife and in an idle hour decided to carve the bog oak handle with my Mora Precision into something which felt more comfortable in my hand. (Scroll to bottom for update!)

I did it on a whim, maybe it was in a fit of Lockdown Frustration and I admit I did go a bit too far and cut off a bit too much. This was mainly because I adapted the grip according to what my hand was telling me was comfortable rather on aesthetics and the outcome was... well... not pretty, in fact it was surprisingly odd looking but at least more comfortable to hold for extended periods of time as the prior handle design gave me cramp after extended use.

I always found the blade of the Woodsman a little short and far too much damage occured on the handle closest to the blade, so much so that I kept dinging the edge making it look unsightly and making it feel nasty to the touch...so I shaved these off and made a groove for my thumb ala Benchmade knives.

There was a ding at the other end near the lanyard hole so I gave it that cola bottle shape  and cut off the leather thong.

Changing the shape  has made me like this knife a bit more, and means I will keep using it and not replace it with a No.10 Casstrom in O2...well I can't sell it now I have changed the shape of the handle and some might say totally messed it up...

I must admit I did have that feeling of "what have I done I have just cut up my £100 knife". But hey ho. It's done now. I blame COVID19 and Lockdown. I should have spent more time considering how to change the shape, as I have carved off too much wood in places and exposed the liner. A rookie error perhaps, but I just got so frustrated with the design. 

Do I regret buying the woodsman knife? I kind of do actually, it is a very safe and dependable knife and does the job, but I can't help thinking that this is an ugly knife and the design is not right for my large-ish hands - I need a more sculpted handle and a longer blade. But thats just my opinion - others may love it, and they probably do, given what I have seen on the internet! But for me the thrill of this knife soon jaded, eclipsed by far cheaper knives like the Mora, the more rustic like the Helle Viking and of course by the superlative No.10 Swedish Forest Knife with its amazing handle design.

UPDATE - Opps I did it again. More customization for my Woodsman knife! This time cutting the damaged oak out and adding a piece of white seasoned birch to make a satisfying contrast!

Update 2021: Having modified the handle with the white wood, it has really changed my appreciation of the knife, perhaps because of that prehistoric sense of "making special" or perhaps the handle is a bit more comfortable for my hand?

In any case, my regrets of buying this knife have been replaced by a renewed admiration for it. It is short enough for discrete use and yet beefy enough for splitting wood and even prying nails out of old pallets. The knife blade itself has changed shape as I have honed it and removed various dings making the whole knife becoming "worn in", or perhaps customised, to me. Long story short, it is now one of my favourite knives. I love my little customization of the birch contrasting the bog oak I like how the blade shape has subtly changed... Now...I feel curious about the Lars Falt knife, my next purchase perhaps?