I'm on my way (gauihu) to Claystrand.
It's definitely good to have a spear or axe if you're going to bash things, or at least a hand ax, or a staff, rather than say a stick. Staves can be found in the woods as well as sticks. Sticks are much better for making campfires, useful for when you actually kill something and want to eat it. And it's good to get the hafting skill when you can, so you can make your own spears and axes. (They tend to break at most inopportune times.) The foraging skill is also really useful so you don't try to search for things when resources are scarce.