In just over a week, I will be in the woods of Kentucky with some like minded individuals portraying hunters in the backcountry. I've been thinking as I put my kit together and look at all my gear laying all over the back deck of the house about how a simple starting point can help you build all manner of impressions for the Backcountry, but I want to highlight two different looks that I think are important for our purposes here. I've also, in the lead up to the event, gotten several inquiries about attending. I had to give the usual speech about this not being your average 18th century event at Fort Harrod or Boonesborough. That the standards are a bit higher, and offered help in the direction of what could be done to improve. And so I thought that it would be good to maybe revisit some basics.
The base layer is very simple and with this layer, a person could come to an event, borrow a few things from his comrades, and boom, he's attended his first event and can now make more purchases or make some things. That base layer is two garments. A shirt and a pair of trousers. You can purchase both these things "off the rack" from South Union Mills. I've seen their trousers in person and they're really solid and the best option currently on the market. My wife made both the shirt and trousers pictured here.
With these as your base you can do a lot. I decided I'd show two looks that I think are the easiest to achieve with a little sewing or commissioning (or again, purchasing from South Union Mills). The first is what I'll call the Virginia Farmer Going to the Field. He's got some work to to do out in the area around his cabin and he's bringing his firelock, bag and horn along just in case of danger. He'll pick up his axe, saw or whatever tools he needs for the task at hand as he leaves the house or cabin and a jug of water to stay hydrated. He wears a small round hat cocked up on one side and a linen jacket that he'll shed once he starts to sweat. He's wearing buckle shoes, that depending on what he's doing he might kick off and enjoy the freedom of the backcountry.
Later that week he's been called up for service on an Indian Campaign. The Natives are on the move and he's been asked to defend the frontier. He's now wearing a hunting shirt, a pair of woolen leggings and moccasins, his firelock bag and horn are with him still and he's added a bedroll suspended from a tumpline.
All of this is the average amount of clothing and accoutrements I take to a public event. I usually throw most of it in my knapsack and then I have options depending on what's going on. Now, for an immersion like what is coming up, I'll be a lot more selective and limit myself to the outfit I feel best reflects the scenario and what the person I'm portraying in the past would've done in the same scenario.
One good thing about the backcountry is that you can do a lot with relatively little. One thing I want to stress is what Kobuck is always saying. These aren't "brands". "Hunter" isn't a brand. "Farmer" isn't a brand. These are occupations and the clothing doesn't necessarily indicate the occupation, although "Hunting shirt" would definitely be an exception. Jackets and trousers were universal garments worn by everyone. Laborers, farmers, sailors, hunters and every other occupation you could imagine. There's no such thing as a "Longhunter Kit" or a "Farmers Kit". There's just common clothes, and different tools and accoutrements for each job. A versatile backcountry kit is one that can be both farmer, hunter and soldier with a simple adding and subtracting of layers specific to the job at hand.
I hope this gives some of the folks who are wanting to get out with us at future immersion events something to chew on and to really put some thought into simplicity and versatility. Less is more and common is best.
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