WINTER SURVIVAL AND BUSHCRAFT - No Sleeping bag - No Food

Survival and bushcraft for two days in the woods. It's amazing how much you learn by doing something. I've done this before. I've read about it in countless books. But for each and every attempt you learn new details. Get new thoughts about improvements.

There are three basic long log fires. The Sami Nourssjo which I did in this video. The Swedish Nying (a big split log). And the Siberian log fire. Of course there are more long fires but these are the most used. The best result you get by using dead standing Pine. They all got their ups and downs but the first one is most efficient if sleep is a priority. In my opinion. The Nourssjo also comes in a version where you put two logs as a base. So you get like a pyramid shape from the three logs. This version is easier to ignite and puts out a lot of heat. Downside is it burns too hot and fast. My preferred first version as seen in this video have some downsides too but the reward is high. It is a bit harder to ignite. The surfaces need some axe work. Normally you cut out more. This time I tried to keep it at a minimum to have maximum burn time. I just rugged up the surfaces with some cuts. I would say fatwood is a big big help igniting it. And spending some time on your stomach blowing to get the embers to spread is a must. But once it burns calmly there is nothing like it. Wood selection is also a factor here that is not important in the other three long fires. It is tempting to use the thickest bottom part of the tree as the base log but with that comes a problem. There is a slight curvature in the bottom section of a Pine or Spruce tree and it can also contain more cavities and things that makes for an uneven burn with the other log that will be more straight and clean. It will work anyway but you need to work the fire more during the night with some blows here and there with the axe to even out the logs, so the surfaces have the right space against each other. So.. hard to ignite and takes some effort in the wood selection. It is better to use parts of the tree trunk that is a meter or two above ground level. The benefit with the second long fire is obvious. Since it is a split log, the two parts burning against each other will fit perfectly. It will be very easy to ignite since the inner driest core of the tree will get first contact with the flames. And the straight big surfaces will develop high heat in no time. You want a bit thicker tree for this. At least 30 - 40 cm in diameter. Easy to find the material but takes some effort to split the trunk and the felling will be more advanced. An even straight split is preferred. This structure will balance better initially and supporting stakes is not needed if the bottom log half rest firmly on the ground. Sounds like an easy choice but It does not burn as long as the Nourssjo. Then we have the Siberian log fire. This fire will have you up running all night adjusting those logs pointing towards you in a fan shape fashion. You get a great amount of heat towards your person here but the problem is the bottom log that - which the other logs rest on - burns way too fast in my opinion. Also this fire is hard to tend to when lying beside it. The first two long fires you can stretch out lying next to... and basically do some adjustments to it from a sleeping bag. That is harder with the Siberian fire lay. Two perfect matching Pine logs on top of each other and let gravity do the rest. It is a win for me.

I won't lie and say I had a good night sleep. But I got probably a good 4-5 hours maybe. And I actually felt rested the next day. The hunger was worse though. Not eating at home for two days is nothing. Doing it out in the cold working with heavy logs in unforgiving terrain is 10 times as hard.

I also decided to put in a demonstration how to survive a night with no axe or saw. Because let's face it... without an axe the Nourssjo fire is very difficult to achieve. I thought about the obvious comments that will come here about "do that without tools!" blaaaa blaaaa LOL. So I beat them to it, but mainly for demonstration purposes. Who watch more than 5 minutes before commenting will be revealing ;) Will do a more ambitious version of this next winter.

Had a lot of videos planned this year that involved snow and ice... but I think this was the only time I saw the white stuff this winter. Lakes are already open. Time to pull out the green pickle and paddle again. Thanks for watching! See you next time.

Swed