Bushcrafting Skills

Bushcraft is a collection of wilderness survival skills that have been learned, used, and practiced over time to help people better survive or enjoy the wilderness environment.

For the Native Americans and even the pioneers, bushcraft skills were a way of life. For the modern bushcrafter, these are hobby skills that most people hope they never have to use in a life or death situation.

Tripod Lashing

One highly effective bushcraft skill is the creation of a tripod through lashing together three sticks of the same size. Tripod lashing is the process of wrapping some form of cordage around each of those sticks before connecting them. This lashing creates an extraordinarily strong tripod and if you are using sturdy sticks, you can do all sorts of things with them!

To begin tripod lashing, you need to find three sticks that are either the same size or make them the same size.
If you are going to cook with your tripod, you can use 3-4-foot sticks.
If you are going to make a shelter, you should look for 5-6-foot sticks.
Begin by wrapping one of your sticks with about 10-20 turns of Bankline or other cordage.
Using the same piece of cordage, run about an inch between the next stick and do another 10-20 wraps. Do the same for the third stick.
At this point, you could tie off your cordage on the third stick if you wish.
From there, you are going to set up your tripod with the lashed sticks, and you will be amazed at the strength these tripod lashing can create.

What Can You Do With Your New Lashed Tripod?

1. Cooking

The most basic use of the tripod is to hang a pot and do some cooking. This is straightforward. The tripod will hold a hanging pot that you can use to boil water, cook stews, or even prepare medicinal tea.

If you are going to build a tripod, you should also carry a length of chain and a simple bush pot.

2. Shelter

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While the typical tripod is not going to be big enough to seek shelter inside of, it can aid in the setting up of shelter in a couple of ways.

You could create a larger tripod and use this as a high point to set up a tarp. Your cordage can be tied to the tripod and then pulled taught and staked into the ground at the other end. This is a great way to set up a remarkably simple shelter with a tarp.

You could also build two tripods and create a ridgeline between them. This line could be used to hand a tarp to create an A-Frame style shelter or to create a lean-to tarp shelter.

3. Signal Fire

A couple of lashed tripods can be used to hold green, smoke-producing fuel for a signal fire. You can lean the fuel above the fire, rather than over the fire. This will create more airflow and even more smoke!

The signal fire is an essential bushcraft skill for those who spend time in the woods.

4. Water Filtering

Using a collection of shemaghs, handkerchiefs, or torn up clothing, you can create an effective water filter with your lashed tripod.

By tying three separate pieces of cloth to your tripod, one over the other, you create three separate levels of water filtration.

In the topmost cloth, you are going to add some pulled grasses and small stones. The next layer of cloth that should be hung about 4-5 inches below. This layer should be filled with fine sand from a creek or stream.

The final piece of cloth should be hung the same distance below the previous and inside that, you should have finely crushed charcoal as a finishing layer.

Running water through a filter like this would take care of a lot of things but I would still boil the water.

5. Preservation

Meat can be hung from your tripod and you can dry or smoke meat and fish here as a powerful preservation method.

6. Clothesline

The dual tripod lashing used to create a lean-to in an open field can also be used to create a simple clothesline if you find yourself doing some laundry during a long-distance hiking trip. You create that simple ridgeline we talked about earlier and use it to hang clothes.

7. Hanging Rack

One simple tripod can be used to hang everything from tools to light bags. These things make a huge difference when you are trying to organize your camp. The three spires at the top of your tripod are great for hanging bags, while the lashing area is great for hanging tools like axes.

Sky's the Limit

When it comes to tripod lashing and the use of tripods, the sky is the limit. The number of uses is as long as the user is creative.

Most people look at the tripod as a means of cooking over a fire. As you can see that is hardly the limit to what you can do with the simple method of tripod lashing.

Have you ever tried tripod lashing? We'd love to hear how you did it and what you used it for in the comments section!

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