October outdoor tip — gear for an evening around the campfire

In October, the days start getting shorter fast. The coming darkness can feel a bit daunting, but you can make the most of it. After a long, light summer, dark evenings feel exciting and even romantic.

What could be cosier than spending an evening by the fire? Across the Nordics there are plenty of lean-to shelters with fire pits. Remember, though, that public shelters are for everyone, so don't claim one just for your own group. Expect others to turn up and always make room for them. Share some of what you're cooking, and you might end up spending the evening with like-minded new company.

10 KIT TIPS FOR AN EVENING BY THE FIRE

A reindeer hide makes a cosy seat, but a closed-cell foam pad is the more versatile choice.

Sit pad

Shelter benches are often wet, and it makes for a long evening if you can't sit down properly. A sit pad is also softer and warmer.

Outdoor tableware

Proper outdoor tableware adds a lot to the atmosphere. Kupilka tableware, for example, is easy on the eye. Kupilka cups come in different colours and with various engravings. They handle knocks, last for years and go straight in the dishwasher once you're home.

Puukko and/or chef's knife

You'll usually need a puukko for carving feather sticks and splitting small pieces of firewood. It also opens plastic packaging and chops your ingredients. If you want to take your cooking seriously, pack an outdoor chef's knife too. And don't forget a chopping board.

You can often pick up an old axe at a flea market for next to nothing. With a bit of restoration, it can become a handsome bushcraft axe.

Camp axe

An axe isn't essential at a shelter, as there's usually a splitting tool on site or the wood has already been split. Still, if you own a good camp axe, you'll probably want to bring it. Shelter axes tend to be very blunt.

Fire steel

A nice way to start the evening is to light the fire with a fire steel. You can go traditional with flint and steel, or use a modern ferro rod, which is also often called a fire steel. It's a skill well worth learning, and the best way to learn it is to light every fire this way. If you're at the shelter with a group, teach it to someone who hasn't got the hang of it yet.

Clip your knife and gloves to your belt or a belt loop with a carabiner. That way your gloves won't go missing, and you can take the knife on and off without undoing your belt.

Fire gloves

When you're working around a fire, you often need to handle hot or sooty things. That's when a good pair of fire gloves really earns its keep. With good leather gloves you can grab a hot frying pan, move a pot off the heat or adjust the height of the grill grate.

Bring a strap or something similar so you can hang up your water container. It makes getting water effortless.

Water container

You usually need quite a lot of water, especially if you're cooking and washing up. It's also worth drinking enough through the evening. A water container lets you carry plenty in one go, and it's easier to pack in a daypack or rucksack.

Cast-iron frying pan

If you're frying anything, a cast-iron frying pan gives you the best sear. They're heavy to carry, but you'll thank yourself when you eat.

Head torch

Without a head torch it's really hard to get by in the dark. Everyone should have their own. At the shelter you don't need huge output. A wide-beam head torch on a low setting is enough. If the path to the shelter is dark, or you want to look for nocturnal wildlife in open ground, you'll need more power.

Many Petzl head torches come with a handy Shell Lt Pouch, which lets you hang the light from the shelter roof, for example. The white pouch works as a diffuser, softening the light and spreading it over a wide area.

Camp light

It's handy to have a light where you're cooking. Lanterns do the job well. You can choose a battery-powered one or a paraffin hurricane lantern. Lanterns also create a really romantic atmosphere.

If you're staying the night, always bring your own tent or other shelter. There may not be room in the lean-to for everyone who wants to sleep there. And if the shelter is busy, it's nice to have your own space for the night.