So you’re wondering, “what’s the difference between practicing bushcraft and going backpacking?”

Or maybe you’re wondering how they compare as a skillset and practice. Like two different hobbies in a cage match.

Bushcraft VS. Backpacking

Here is the short and sweet answer but keep reading and we’ll discuss them both, their differences, and how they compare in the wilderness.

Answer:

What is Bushcraft?

Simply put, bushcraft is a popular term for wilderness survival skills. The phrase originates from the bush country of Australia but it has become popular in the UK and North America as people are wanting to connect with nature, learn a new skill and test their skills in the wilderness.

“Many consider practicing bushcraft an
art and it takes a certain kind of rugged mindset to enjoy it.”

What is Backpacking?

Backpacking is when you fill a backpack with camping gear, go hiking somewhere, and camp overnight. You can keep hiking to different spots and do as many or as few nights camping as you’d like. Usually when talking about backpacking some common questions people will ask is, where did you go, how many nights did you stay, and if you hiked back out or made a loop. Not much survival skill needed because of you back in all the camping gear, food, and water you’ll need to stay a comfortable night in nature and make it out alive.

A bit more about bushcraft

It started with people living on the edge of society or even deep in nature. Survival skills are technically as old as people are and as old as people have been surviving in nature with limited resources and tools to use.

More recently as tools have been made specifically for survival and as more knowledge has been shared, bushcraft is essentially having limited supplies and tools and using the natural environment survive.

What you can expect to do when practicing bushcraft.

Common skills involved in Bushcraft:

Ropes and cords
Knots and lashing
Huts and thatching
Campcraft
Food and water
Fire making
Animal habits
Travel and weather
Time and direction

These are things you’ll need to know to survive.

But…

Modern bushcraft isn’t just about surviving, it’s about being able to do all those things in many ways and in many kinds of conditions. Winter, summer, rain and all.

As you’ve probably seen on social media, people that get good at bushcraft build a camp and have everything they need to enjoy nature comfortably. They make it look so nice and fun. And if you enjoy practicing bushcraft then it is.

It’s not just about being able to survive. When it becomes an art it’s about creating a beautiful and usable camp where you can comfortably stay.

You can enjoy a fresh cooked warm meal in the woods and mountains.

You can enjoy the sunset, stars, and sunrise.

You aren’t surviving but thriving in a “from scratch” made camp in the great outdoors.

And that is where backpacking shares a common enjoyment.

So what are the differences between backpacking and bushcraft as well as some things in common and what would be best for you and for certain occasions?

Well as we already discussed, bushcraft is more minimalist. You don’t hike in all your necessities to survive but instead, you build them. That’s where the difference in tools come it to play as well.

When you need to build a fire, shelter, and cooking supplies the tools you bring are different when you don’t need to do any of that.

When you’re backpacking you pack in all the things you need including shelter, water, food, cooking stove, and cooking supplies.

The main differences are that when practicing bushcraft you don’t have a tent or a cooking stove and need to build shelter and make a fire and cooking arrangements.

Over the last decade, there has been a crossover of tools made for bushcraft that could also be used for backpacking. There is a lot of crossovers but keep in mind the main distinction is that bushcraft should be a skill to survive and backpacking requires almost none if any skills to survive because you have all the things you need to survive. The biggest things you need is shelter, warmth, and to be able to cook.

So with bushcraft, no tent or gas stove

With backpacking, whatever you want to back to camp.

No backpacking is different a major way.

Backpacking Differences

When backpacking you want to have as light of a pack as possible while including all the necessities. Backpacking gear has been engineered and manufactured over the decades to be as useful and light as possible.

Think small lightweight tents that keep you dry in a rainstorm and can provide good shelter.

Sleeping bags that keep you warm but can compress down very small and light.

Clothes, dry food, stoves, small gas tanks, backpacks themselves all are made to be as efficient and light as possible.

One difference when practicing bushcraft is since you are not backing in a lot you can carry some heavy items like a cast iron pan to cook in. Sure it’s 5 pounds compared to the backpacking cooking set and a gas stove which is under 5 pounds but you don’t have the stove, gas, or tent.

To understand backpacking and bushcraft differences a bit more, here is a list of commonly used bushcraft tools followed by a list of backpacking supplies.

Bushcraft tools:

Necessities

• Backpack
• Backs and sacks to group items
• Several knives
• Cooking knives
• Fillet knive
• Wood Carving knives

You want to keep your eating knives clean while you use a carving knife for woodworking

• Water Filter
• Hatchet and/or ax with a hammer back
• Tarp shelter
• Working gloves
• Rope, string, twine
• Warm clothes and hiking boots (what you hike in wearing)
• Blanket
• Wood saw
• First aid kit
• Compass
• Metal canteen for boiling water and carrying water
• Cooking pan and/or pot
• Toiletries (paper, toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant)
• Food for backup (canned food, veggies, fat rich food items)

Note: If you are in bear country, make sure you have bear mace and hang all smelling items 100 yards away from where you are sleeping and hang everything in a bag 10 – 15 feet in the air.

Optional but nice to have bushcraft supplies

• Headlight or other electric light
• Sleeping Pad
• Sleeping bag
• Wood stove for cooking
• Biodegradable dish soap for cleaning dishes
• Flint and fire starting kit
• Survival kit
• Cooking utensils
• Extra pair of clothes and long underwear

Many of these items you will also have when you go backpacking. The main differences are dropped all the knives and ax and add a gas stove and tent. And you’ll need most of the “optional but nice to have” supplies too. Not just the necessities.

Places to practice bushcraft

You may think you can go into any forest or part of nature to practice bushcraft. Think again. Most wilderness areas people visit are protected and designated wilderness that has left no trace regulations and laws to protect the natural environment and so it stays pure for all those who visit.

If you hike to a camp and build a structure, cut down trees, and build a camp, you are breaking the law. At least if you are in these protected wilderness areas. National forests, parks, state parks, and wilderness areas usually fall into this category. So how can you get out to practice?

Well, the best way is to find the grey area between wilderness and national forests they are two separated and overlapping designations. You’ll also want to make sure you take down your camp every time and leave the area as close to as you found it as possible. Make sure it’s okay to cut down shrubs and trees. It’s hard to find places in the US.

Imagine if there were thousands of people going into the wilderness to practice bushcraft and cutting down vegetation and building structures?

It soon wouldn’t be wilderness anymore but more like hobo camps.

Backpacking, on the other hand, is enjoyed best in the places just described.

National parks, national forests, and wilderness areas are the best places to go backpacking and is where most do so.

You may need a backcountry pass for a small fee of around 20$ or so to camp in most national parks but you don’t need one to hike in and camp in a national forest.

So there you have it. An analysis of and description of the art of bushcraft and backpacking. From the gear to the differences and how and where you can do both.

I’d love to hear any of your thoughts about bushcraft or backpacking in the comments below.

Where do you practice bushcraft?

What are some of your favorite pieces of equipment to pack in?

Let us know in the comments below.

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Till next time, take the time to connect with nature, experience new adventures, and Do-Life.

Here are some videos on the subject as well.