Who is NL Bushcraft
NL Bushcraft is the ‘nom-the-plume’ for Jaap Fresco, a 46 year old Dutch guy that loves the outdoors! In day-to-day, non-bushcrafting life, I’m a IT-guy, leading a team of five at a IT service provider for small businesses in Rijswijk, the Netherlands. I’m happily married and a proud father of two. Other than bushcrafting, I’m also a tambour in a marchingband in Leiderdorp, a fervent reader of scifi and fantasy and an AFOL.
Why bushcrafting
As a kid, although enjoying being outside at times, I was’t really the outdoorsy type. That didn’t really change when I got my first computer at age 15. The next few years were almost entirely spent behind a computer screen and mostly at night at that. When I had the chance to become a scoutleader, that really changed my life(style). The following years, every free minute was spent at scouting. In 2007, I met my girlfriend (my wife since 2010) and in 2008, I switched hobbies. Scouting turned into marching and music. Weekends sailing and evenings next to a campfire became streetparades, tattoos and musical events. But, the outdoors always stayed in the back of my mind.
In 2017, I decided to upgrade my (aging) outdoor gear. With those upgrades came more days spent in the outdoors and trying out new techniques. When a close friend suggested we should walk the West Highland Way, I jumped at the possibility. Because of Covid, it took until 2022 before could make good on that promise. Unfortunately, I am destined to return to the Highlands to finish the way.
Why then, this website?
Walking the West Highland Way (and before that, going out during Covid to clear my head) cemented my love for the outdoors and bushcrafting. So, at the beginning of 2024, I decided to see if I could, in some small way help others finding their path at bushcrafting by sharing my experiences on Instagram, Facebook, Youtube and this website.
Cheerful disclaimer: I’m in no way an expert on anything bushcraft; I’m an enthousiast that loves to try new things and fails often. But, with every fail, I come a little bit closer to my version of perfection.
Latest posts on Instagram
NL Bushcraft Disclaimer
I’m not affiliated with any of the outdoor brands, webshops or retail stores out there. All the gear that you see in my photos and videos on the respective platforms is bought, at retail price, by me personally. No sponsoring, no kickbacks, no affiliates. And I, respectfully, want to keep it that way.
That being said; I do prefer some stores. We all know the ads, on Instagram and Facebook particularly, that promise top-of-the-line gear at bargain prices. More often then not, those webshops are dropshippers, getting their stuff from AliXpress and Temu. I’m certainly not opposed to buying cheap gear (it has its place after all), but if you’re on a budget, please look at Amazon, AliXpress and Temu yourself and do not trust those god awful websites like Montario or the likes of them.
If you live in The Netherlands, Bushcraftshop.nl is a good place to go. Certainly not the cheapest, but they deliver fast, their warranty is hassle-free and they have a lot of products. But also, Bol.com or Amazon.nl are great websites for getting your outdoor gear.
If you’re on a budget or you want to give gear a second life, try marktplaats.nl for second hand gear and clothing.
Lastly; if you want to know if you can trust a specific website, please look them up at TrustPilot or Keurmerk.info (for NL) to see the reviews. That will tell you a lot about the website.