What is a bushcraft haversack and what is it used for by survivalists

What is a bushcraft haversack
If you are just getting into bushcraft and starting to learn a few things on how to survive out in the wild you may have just come across the therm “haversack”. A haversack is really just the name for a shoulder bag with a single shoulder strap. They were used quite a bit by military forces around the world and have been for centuries.

Haversacks are not a full blown backpack and they are only meant for carrying just a very few essential items, mainly meal rations and must have gear like your compass or knife.

During American Civil War times the proper name for the haversack was a “forage bag”, or “ration bag”.

Many stores sell haversacks, or modern versions of these classic carry-all bags. It is also possible stitch up your own haversack, as the layout of the bag is very simple and easy to reproduce. You can also add custom pockets to a hand-sewn haversack and flaps which are uniquely designed in a way that you like best . For the most part, sturdy materials like canvas and nylon are used to make a haversack, with the best hope that it doesn’t fall apart in the wild.


If you don’t want to make your own haversack you can find many different styles of them here.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *