In life, it would seem that balance and moderation are always the right choice. We balance work with leisure, family vs alone time, exercise against indulgence, the list goes on and on. And so it is, that minimalist outdoor gear is no exception to this rule.
When it comes to lightweight bushcraft, people associate the concept of minimalism with a reduction in parts or form, which in essence is correct. The goal is always to carry minimal gear, with maximal function. However, the devil is in the details, and what constitutes minimal gear to one woodsman, may seem like overkill to another. By this I mean that "minimalist survival" is a relative concept that is more dependent on the user than the gear itself.
The ideal minimalist camping setup for a given bushcrafter is completely contingent upon their inherent knowledge base and skill set. And your gear is only as good as your ability to effectively deploy and utilize it to your survival advantage when need be. For instance, in the hands of a skilled bushcrafter, a small ferro rod might be a more ideal long term fire solution than a butane lighter; they can be smaller, work when wet, and last a lifetime. However, If you are a less experienced outdoors person with little ferro rod experience, and are not confident in your ability to utilize it effectively, then clearly a lighter would be the correct minimal choice for you.
There is no "perfect gear" there is only the the gear that is perfect for you. That being said, when it comes to designing minimalist outdoor gear, Bone Daddy Blade WerX has taken a reductionist approach, and have struck our own unique balance of minimalist principles in an attempt to appeal to the broadest range of users, regardless of skill level. Some of these aforementioned principles include form, function, utility, aesthetic, weight, ergonomics, etc. However, our exact formula is a closely guarded trade secret. 😉
Furthermore, as a result of 21st century machining and metallurgy advancements, BDBW has discovered key ways to improve upon the stone age tools from which our designs are inspired. Fully skeletonized, lighter, stronger, and more functionally versatile than their historical counterparts, our designs are nothing short of revolutionary and will challenge users the world over to rethink their entire approach to minimalist survival.
We believe that form should follow function which should be implicitly reflected in the simplicity of design. Are our products the lightest or the smallest that have ever been made? No... But as I've previously mentioned, that's hardly the point of minimalist bushcraft. Are our products the most elegant and harmoniously balanced with respect to weight and functional versatility? That one's easy... YES!