There’s something magical about camping in the great wilderness, where there’s no sign of human activity, where the true sound of the natural world is all you hear. I love experiencing the world waking; the soft light that peeks gently through the trees, illuminating the mountains. And I love the way the world awakens with the beautiful sound of songbirds. Few things are as amazing.

The hard truth is that we’ve destroyed majority of these areas of our world. Imagine how every sprawling city and mile of farmland used to look like. What plants and animals used to live there that we no longer have? This post isn’t meant to be a soapbox rant, but when I sat down to write this article, this is what naturally came out. It’s something that’s been on my mind for some time. The moral point is that we’re doing a great injustice by the way we live and if we don’t change, these amazing areas, our origins, will be gone forever. So if things continue as they have, I suggest spending as much time as you can outdoors. Who knows how long we’ll have the chance.
If you want to experience the natural world, grab a tent, pack a rucksack and start out to the wilder places. Find a place to stay, setup your shelter and build a fire with your hands and no gas or faux kindling. Use a solid pocket knife and a bow saw as you gather small twigs and wood, then light your fire with flint and steel. There’s something simple and fulfilling about doing it the right way. Then, stay up and wonder up at the stars. And wake early for the sunrise, and experience the earth wakening. You won’t regret it.

There are lots of precious gear that one should at the ready if they ever wander off into the wilderness, and a quality pocket knife is one. I like a lot of the big brands, which are available in most outdoor/sporting stores, but I also like to search out the lesser known companies who do great work. One of those companies is Golden, Colorado’s own Spyderco.
They sent me their Native 5 knife, which is a surprisingly lightweight and powerful knife. It’s light enough to go almost unnoticed in one’s pocket, yet strong and reliable enough for serious wilderness survival. I wouldn’t say I’d carry the Native 5 all by itself, as I always take a thicker fixed blade with me, but for the perfect pocket knife, it’s not far off. I found the Native 5 knife as being pleasing to the eye, lightweight (which is perfect for backpackers), and built well. It has a solid blade and perhaps the best feature is its ergonomic design.
If you’re interested in finding out more about Spyderco knives, click here.
Article written & Photos by Brandon Scott / Eye & Pen