Northern Ireland Outdoors Forum - Hiking, camping and more
Outdoor Activities => Northern Ireland Camping and Bushcraft => Topic started by: Redknight on October 16, 2013
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Has anyone ever been on any of these guys courses?
http://nisurvival.co.uk/ (http://nisurvival.co.uk/)
Any feedback or recommendations?
EDIT: NI Survival Courses, £150 for 2 day course, £55 for 1 Day Course we need 10 people to get a course started. Is anyone interested?
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I haven't done anything with 'NIsurvial' but I there are some here have and seemed to really enjoy it.
The guys from NIsurvival ran a couple of days for ppl from the forum under a different guise a while ago (before NIsurvival started)which I attended and I thought they were brilliant. I found they really seemed to know what they are talking about and it's not just coming out of their mouths parrot fashion. They also project an almost infectious enthusiasm for it too!
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Sounds Great! I think I'd really enjoy a days learning or even an overnight fend for yourself thing.
When you say you've done some "here" do you mean via the guys on this forum? Is there anything organised by a user here?
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The NI survival guys are on here...
I'm sure there's a few ppl here would happily spend a day bushcrafting and know their stuff. I like to dabble as I don't have time for anything more than that :(
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I've been on the courses offered by NI Survival School.
Andy and Paul are very knowledgable, enthusiastic and flexible.
They'll also look after you in terms of sourcing/offering bushcraft kit for sale.
They sorted me out with a Swedish blade at a reasonable discount.
It's well worth looking at the courses offered
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Greyfox is involved with nisurvival.co.uk and has run a couple of courses for NI-Wilders. Everyone seemed to have fun and Greyfox is a top chap. Not sure what their current status is though.
You can PM Greyfox here:
http://www.ni-wild.co.uk/forum/profile/?u=538
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NI Survival Courses, £150 for 2 day course, £55 for 1 Day Course we need 10 people to get a course started. Is anyone interested?
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I have nothing against survival or bushcraft courses, but feel they are somewhat useless for anyone who doesn't have a specific skill they wish learn.
No matter if it is run by some eejit self expert or the kindest most intelligent person an all round type course will do nothing but scratch the surface. For that sort of thing and that sort of money you are always best getting together with others and just sharing your ideas and skills. While I understand running these things properly are not cheap, even if you had to offer to pay someone else's travel expenses you will still be in pocket compared to most course costs when simply camping out somewhere together.
I have been on one beginner type course before and most of it is common sense, and the subject is so vast you simply cannot cover any detail in the time given. Generally you will find it covers things such as safe (and efficient) knife use, basic fire types, basic shelter types (though you won't have time to really make a full one), and if you get a good instructor then some basic food things perhaps with a bit of game butchery. From there it is up to yourself to take this out and use it.
Most of the things taught will be forgotten quickly simply because of time constraints on the course meaning they cannot spend too long on each task. You find you will have to go out and the act of doing will trigger memory, but this is useless without enthusiasm. For that you don't need courses or knowledge.
The higher advanced courses really are no longer teaching you things as much as testing the skills, at which point you are already using them anyway so whats the point?
I will say certain specific things are very good to do and on my own personal list such as:
Fire lighting (all types)
Foraging
Fungi hunting
Trapping/hunting
Tracking
But these are things you need to spend a full day/weekend at each if your paying for them to really glean any information from the teacher.
Redknight I don't know what sort of skills or experience you have of woodsmanship etc but for £55 I would say get a mora knife, some cheap gear and let experience teach you a little at a time. The biggest issue with courses from a personal point is that these skills take a long time to develop and no time to vanish when not used. So unless you will be using them 2-3 times a week or more you have to consider the value factor.
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Certainley good points there Rich and often you can pick up a book for a tenner and learn as much if not more, but £55 for a days enjoyment isn't bad, especially if you learn something and go on to use it for more days of free enjoyment, spend to save :)
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Getting some specific instruction on the basics is a very good idea, especially for someone who is largely a novice. Just because someone can't teach you everything you need to know in one session doesn't make the experience of no use. Learning to light a fire by friction using a book you downloaded from the internet is tough, having someone with experience show you is much more effective. As a starter for 10, courses like this are excellent when they're run by people who know their stuff and although I haven't been on the course I have camped with Greyfox and know people who have attended all of whom felt it was a useful and fun experience. From a cost perspective, it depends on what you want from your time. I spend £70 to go to a concert and consider it money well spent, spending £55 for a fun day out learning bushcraft doesn't seem wasteful if you've had a good time.
You can see some info on the last course NI-Wilders were on here:
http://www.ni-wild.co.uk/forum/meets-places-trips-and-reviews/bushcraft-course/
I have nothing against survival or bushcraft courses, but feel they are somewhat useless for anyone who doesn't have a specific skill they wish learn.
No matter if it is run by some eejit self expert or the kindest most intelligent person an all round type course will do nothing but scratch the surface. For that sort of thing and that sort of money you are always best getting together with others and just sharing your ideas and skills. While I understand running these things properly are not cheap, even if you had to offer to pay someone else's travel expenses you will still be in pocket compared to most course costs when simply camping out somewhere together.
I have been on one beginner type course before and most of it is common sense, and the subject is so vast you simply cannot cover any detail in the time given. Generally you will find it covers things such as safe (and efficient) knife use, basic fire types, basic shelter types (though you won't have time to really make a full one), and if you get a good instructor then some basic food things perhaps with a bit of game butchery. From there it is up to yourself to take this out and use it.
Most of the things taught will be forgotten quickly simply because of time constraints on the course meaning they cannot spend too long on each task. You find you will have to go out and the act of doing will trigger memory, but this is useless without enthusiasm. For that you don't need courses or knowledge.
The higher advanced courses really are no longer teaching you things as much as testing the skills, at which point you are already using them anyway so whats the point?
I will say certain specific things are very good to do and on my own personal list such as:
Fire lighting (all types)
Foraging
Fungi hunting
Trapping/hunting
Tracking
But these are things you need to spend a full day/weekend at each if your paying for them to really glean any information from the teacher.
Redknight I don't know what sort of skills or experience you have of woodsmanship etc but for £55 I would say get a mora knife, some cheap gear and let experience teach you a little at a time. The biggest issue with courses from a personal point is that these skills take a long time to develop and no time to vanish when not used. So unless you will be using them 2-3 times a week or more you have to consider the value factor.
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All great points. I think for me if I'm honest, it's for fun! I totally agree that you're never going to gain long term life skills from a 6 hour course, but for me I'd get more fun from lighting fires and things in the outdoors under instruction than spending the same money on a fancy meal out.
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I've done courses with nisurvival and they are great and trust me you have to pay for that info that you would never know. I will do the next course in a heart beat.
Regards to NISURVIVAL
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that's 2 ;) Just 8 to go :P
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Andy and Paul are legends, so can't wait mate ;D
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Hi Guys
Sorry have t been on in a while. Just reading the posts with interest. Thanks for that ! In response to what Richard says. Well we have had lots of different people on our courses some experienced outdoors people some with no knowledge at all. One thing all have had in common is they left us with new skills and new ways of approaching the outdoors. I don't think it's fair to what I feel is run down something that you haven't experienced, we do a lot more than scratch the surface with what we teach we would say we start you on a journey. It is fair to say that you should practice the skills to keep them fresh. We have had groups who spend lots of time practicing who have left us dwelling we filled in the spaces of knowledge they couldn't get from Internet or books. I learned to ride a bike from being taught first hand, I learned to swim the same way. Not sure I could have achieved these without a guiding hand. . To immediatley deem bushcraft courses useless isn't really fair after all how many have you attended you certainly haven't been on ours. We pride ourselves in value for money and we tailor and change our courses on the feedback from our students. Really it's all about interest and drive some people want things quickley some have the drive to practice and develop themselves. Some like to add little skills to their outdoors toolbox others want to fully immerse themselves, no matter what you want we will do our best at Ni Survival to fulfill your needs you won't be dissapointed. Incidentally we have written a book on friction fire influenced by our students which we have included all the bits they say are missing from other online material. It's available from amazon at a very minimal cost!
GF
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I've been reading this article, not exactly bushcraft, (you'll understand if you read it), it's a bit crude language wise and i definitely wouldn't recommend trying it, but the ingenuity and resourcefulness behind it is remarkable:
http://goo.gl/r5NiUS
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Wouldn't want that to melt in your pocket :o :o
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Or hold it clenched in your teeth...............