What's the difference ?

[vamelungeon]

I think of an avid outdoorsman as someone who enjoys several outdoor activities as opposed to just hiking.

[beakerman]

You've just described everyone portrayed on the Nat Geo show Doomsday Preppers.

I disagree the doomsday preppers seem to be horders to me. Massive stockpiles of food, water and fuel. They do have some self-sufficiency skills because they usually can fabricate and or fix stuff when it breaks but I don't see them as outdoorsmen.

[beakerman]

So what is the trap door for?

the trap door is so you can pull out on the ice and open it, drill your hole and fish from the comfort of the RV.

[Old Hillwalker]

Putting this thread in the "Straight Forward" section is dumb!

[Tuckahoe]

I have always thought of the avid outdoorsman as one who can get along in the great outdoors. Sometimes there are the creature comforts and sometimes they rough it.

Those attempting a through hike do not necessarily know anything about the great outdoors, hiking or even camping and are probably pretty miserable along the way.

[rockerZ71]

Personally I backpack and I'm an avid outdoorsman. I'll pack a few silly things like a colapsable fishing pole and a decent knife (do not think rambo...just a decent folding knife) and plan my hikes to include a little fishing if possible rather than going for 7 days straight of walking and trying to hit 20 mile days...that's not for me. Or if I'm off the beaten path and I come across some decent mushrooms or other edibles I'll harvest some to augment the dehydrated stuff in my pack...fresh beat dehydrated every time. And if I end up in a prepared camp site with a fire ring I can start a fire.

Its not about how many miles I walk on a trip its about being out there in the woods. I fal into both camps which is why I take some offense at the bashing of the outdoorsman that the WB snobs seem to want to do.

Same here, backpacking to me half the time is about fishing in places I wouldn't get to fish otherwise. And just spending more time outdoors. I also kayak (fishing and recreation, no whitewater yet) and own a 19' boat with 150hp motor (mostly for fishing but also beer and chicks), and a stripped out 1976 camper with a couple futons in it that I keep at the deer camp along with that double burner coleman stove and cast iron skillets for cooking those gourmet meals.

I think of an avid outdoorsman as someone who enjoys several outdoor activities as opposed to just hiking.

+1 to that

[rockerZ71]

I couldn't figure out how to edit my post but wanted to add that don't think that hunters who sleep in campers and have directv at the camp should be considered less than outdoorsmen -- hikers sleep in tents and cook using lightweight gear out of necessity, while enjoying the outdoor sports hunters prefer does not require that. They can, however, identify game sign and a good spot to set up a stand/blind or maybe just a good tree to lean against while waiting for the turkeys to come down from the roost and then manage to call the animal to within 30 yards or so. To each his own, I'd like to experience it all.

[Spokes]

I disagree the doomsday preppers seem to be horders to me. Massive stockpiles of food, water and fuel. They do have some self-sufficiency skills because they usually can fabricate and or fix stuff when it breaks but I don't see them as outdoorsmen.

You ever see inside the backpack of an avid outdoorsmen? Talk about hording.

[beakerman]

So the avid outdoorsman pack differnent than you spokes...what happened to HYOH? Keep in mind the avid outdoorsman is not going 2000 miles but maybe 20 round trip for a weekend of fishing at a secluded spot along the lake or up a run to get away from the Texans (little NM humor there). They don't need dehydrated everything nor do they need to cut the handles off their toothbrush.

You will find that when they go try long distance backpacking they start out just like you did...with what they know and they know what worked for them on those shorter trips...hence what you find in the backpack of a avid outdoorsman that is new to long distance bp'ing.

I tailor my pack to the job at hand. my pack always ends up at right around 40 pounds full load. I'm not UL by any stretch, my budget does not permit it nor does my desire for comfort. My point is on a short trip I'll bring a chair and a small wire grill (steak on the first night out is so nice)...no way would I consider taking that kinid of stuff on anything more than 4 or 5 day hike forget multiple weeks or months on the trail.

Some folks camp to hike others hike to camp and where you fall on that spectrum will define how you look at things in your pack or in the packs of others....

[rocketsocks]

So the avid outdoorsman pack differnent than you spokes...what happened to HYOH? Keep in mind the avid outdoorsman is not going 2000 miles but maybe 20 round trip for a weekend of fishing at a secluded spot along the lake or up a run to get away from the Texans (little NM humor there). They don't need dehydrated everything nor do they need to cut the handles off their toothbrush.

You will find that when they go try long distance backpacking they start out just like you did...with what they know and they know what worked for them on those shorter trips...hence what you find in the backpack of a avid outdoorsman that is new to long distance bp'ing.

I tailor my pack to the job at hand. my pack always ends up at right around 40 pounds full load. I'm not UL by any stretch, my budget does not permit it nor does my desire for comfort. My point is on a short trip I'll bring a chair and a small wire grill (steak on the first night out is so nice)...no way would I consider taking that kinid of stuff on anything more than 4 or 5 day hike forget multiple weeks or months on the trail.

Some folks camp to hike others hike to camp and where you fall on that spectrum will define how you look at things in your pack or in the packs of others....

Well said there Beakerman,could not have defined it better.

[surfnturk]

You ever see inside the backpack of an avid outdoorsmen? Talk about hording.

I'm kind of a numbers guy and I'm curious as to how many "avid outdoorsmans" packs have you inventoried?

[Hennessy]

Something about this thread reminds me of my cousin. He has every knife that Bear Grylls ever put his name on. He has every stove from heavy to featherweight. If he sees a piece of gimmicky "survival" gear (i.e. paracord bracelet, belt knife) he just has to have it. He has probably spent tens of thousands on camping gear alone... and yet he never really hikes. He might go out on a boy scout expedition (he's a scout leader), but it's never anything major. He rarely if ever finds himself in a position where his "survival skills" which he broods about constantly can be put to the test.

[rocketsocks]

Well said there Beakerman,could not have defined it better.

And I should point out...I'm a big time hoarder,big time.But I'm gettin better now.

[beakerman]

Something about this thread reminds me of my cousin. He has every knife that Bear Grylls ever put his name on. He has every stove from heavy to featherweight. If he sees a piece of gimmicky "survival" gear (i.e. paracord bracelet, belt knife) he just has to have it. He has probably spent tens of thousands on camping gear alone... and yet he never really hikes. He might go out on a boy scout expedition (he's a scout leader), but it's never anything major. He rarely if ever finds himself in a position where his "survival skills" which he broods about constantly can be put to the test.

Your buddy is a gear head. Personally I think practicing your skills is important and I do so several times a year, not all at once and I always have back up just in case something doesn't go quite right. What I mean by that is I'll start fires primitive ways even though I have a lighter in my pocket or I'll trap a squirrel, clean and eat it even though I have plenty of food in the pack...just to keep myself in practice..tuned up so to speak. However i think putting yourself in harms way just to practice something is not the best idea. Its one thing to do it for a TV show but to just go out and get in trouble is not smart.

I also refuse to endorse anything Bear Gryllis does or uses. He's a complete idiot and is going to get someone killed. He does stupid things like jump into the tops of trees like Rambo in First Blood...stupid idea and a great way to break several bones...just what you need when you are lost in an alpine environment...hike the extra 5 miles and find a better way down. Les Stroud I can go along with...very conservative in his approach. One of the rules in survival is not to make your situation worse but doing stupid things.

[rocketsocks]

the trap door is so you can pull out on the ice and open it, drill your hole and fish from the comfort of the RV.

I'm gonna cut a hole in the floor of my wifes car,but not sure how I'll cut a hole in the dock where I fish!