There are spots in the woods where you just stop and stare. A wide clearing covered in thick, springy moss, surrounded by tall pines that filter the light into soft green columns. That is exactly the spot my bushcraft buddy Flo (@fitdad_flow85) and I found on this overnighter. We both carried the same shelter, and our setups still ended up completely different.
Setting Up Camp on the Forest Floor#
Flo inaugurated his brand-new Carinthia Observer Plus that evening, poles included, fully pitched as a proper bivy tent. I had left my poles at home. So mine simply became a bivy sack: sleeping pad in, zipper closed, done. And honestly, that worked very well. The moss underneath was so soft that I did not miss a single gram of extra setup.
We picked our spots a few meters apart, rolled out the sleeping pads and took a moment to enjoy the silence. No trails nearby, no road noise, just the odd bird call and the creak of pine trunks in the wind. Flo and I agreed: one of the best camp spots we had found in a long time.
Steaks, Vegetables and Mulled Wine by the Fire#
With camp standing, the important part began: dinner. I set up the X-Fire 19 fire basket and got a proper fire going. The X-Fire lifts the fire off the ground and builds a concentrated bed of embers right where you need it. With the fire blowpipe I had the coals at an even temperature in no time.
While the embers settled I started prepping: zucchini, leek, peppers, all chopped on the cutting board right next to the fire. The vegetables went into the hunter’s pan first, sizzling in a bit of oil over the open flame. Carbon steel holds the heat and gives everything a proper sear. Once the vegetables had good color, I set them aside and dropped two thick steaks with garlic into the same pan. The sound alone was worth the hike. A few minutes per side, then resting on the board with a pinch of coarse salt. Simple, rustic and really good.
We ate on logs next to the fire, cut the steaks with our knives and shared the vegetables straight from the pan. Flo had brought mulled wine, which we warmed in a pot over the remaining embers. There are few better things on a cold evening than hot spiced wine next to a crackling fire while the forest goes dark around you.
Morning Mist and a Quiet Walk Out#
I slept surprisingly well in the Observer bivy sack. The moss gave a gentle cushion and the night stayed dry. Waking up in morning mist drifting between the pines, still zipped in with only my face out: you do not get that feeling indoors. Flo was already awake, sitting next to the cold fire pit.
We packed up slowly and left the spot exactly the way we found it. Then we walked back through the misty morning forest. Good company, a solid shelter, a warm meal and a quiet spot in the woods. That was all this weekend needed.
