Survival Kits in the Field....

[Tahoma]

Good Evening everyone,

 

I'm curious to see who carries what in the field, as far as survival equipment. Do you carry a kit bought at a store? Self made one? Number of items? What's most important to you? Let's see some survival kits. 

 

[wiiawiwb]

I separately select items based on my particular needs which can be different than others. The most important are those items which will prevent death from occuring prioritized based on time or the nature of the calamity. Here's my "Dirty Dozen":

 

1) A way to get help - PLB and Satellite messenger (the latter might not be needed if you are in cell service) to call in the cavalry

2) A way to stop the bleeding - 2 Combat gauze and an Israeli bandage

3) A way to get/stay warm - 2 or 3mil painters tarp and space blanket - see Dave Canterbury video below for how to build shelter

4) A way to get/stay dry - Goretex/eVent jacket and pants and the same tarp

5) A way to make fire - 2 Bic lighters, a ferro rod, tinder

6) A way to have potable water - 2 filters

7) A way to see - 2 flashlights (small) and spare batteries

8) Two knives (neck and bushcraft)

9) Backpacker's Buck saw

10) Map and compass

11) Paracord

12) Power bank

 

Edited - Dave Canterbury's Pathfinder's school is located in Ohio and thus he designed this course for Eastern Woodlands. The concept is universal and will work anywhere where you are cold and could potentially become hypothermic.  He has fantastic videos regarding survival techniques. I considered traveling to Ohio to take one of his courses but couldn't work it out in my schedule. Here is the calender of courses offered this year:

 

https://www.selfrelianceoutfitters.com/pages/pathfinder-survival-school-calendar

 

 

Edited February 19, 2022 by wiiawiwb

[Madison5716]

I love talking about what I carry! I love gear   We usually are waayyy out in the woods, so I carry a full kit.

 

Things I wear: a bushcraft knife (BPS Knives, carbon steel full tang knife), a Garmin InReach Mini, a Bic lighter, 6 Bigfoot Bushcraft fire plugs, some sort of pocketknife, a ferro rod, appropriate clothing and footwear for the season, a hat for the season, a sturdy leather belt, at least one hiking pole and my Beretta gun.

 

I am working on getting a chest rig. I'll keep a minimum kit in it, that will always be on me, if we step out of the truck for a short walk and don't want to carry everything. It will have the Heatsheet, paracord, matches, an empty water bladder and water purification tabs, a mini flashlight and a 500-calorie Payday bar.

 

I carry it all in a 2-lb Outdoor Vitals Shadowlight pack, which I love!

 

Fire: Tinder kit with a few waxy fire starters, a few more BB fire plugs, waterproof Uco matches, some charcloth. In a mylar scent-free bag.

 

Water: A Sawyer Squeeze filter and extra bladder, a Lifestraw water bottle OR a plastic bottle of water that fits the Squeeze, some water purification tabs. In a mylar scent-free bag.

 

Shelter: A Coalcracker Bushcraft 10x10 silpoly tarp, 4 hanks of paracord, a SOL Heatsheet for a ground cloth and merino wool socks. In winter, I add a SOL bivy bag, puffy jacket, silk balaclava and vegetable plastic sacks from the grocery store, a silpoly rain poncho and sometimes rain pants and mittens; in summer just an additional long-sleeve merino Smartwool shirt. I have a Nemo 2P tent, but I'm determined to learn to use tarps. If I'm in a campground, I'll use the tent (or if I KNOW it's extra buggy where we're going) and a sleeping pad for my old bones. In a dry bag, except for the tarp, which has its own silpoly bag.

 

First Aid: First aid/CPR/AED certification, advil/tylenol/aspirin, poison oak wipes, lip balm, bug repellent in summer, sunscreen, hand lotion (I have ezcema), a tiny eye drop bottle, alcohol pads, antibiotic cream, a limited selection of bandages and pads and leukotape. In a mylar scent-free bag.

 

Cook Kit: Titanium mug & spork, MSR pocket Rocket & fuel cannister OR an Esbit stove & tabs, 2 Stowaway Gourmet meals (the best), a big 500-calorie Payday bar, a bouillon cube, 4 packets of coffee, I cocoa packet, another Bic lighter, a mini towel and my lunch for the day. If I'm fishing, I bring a tiny packet of salt, pepper, oil and a lemon pepper mix. Sometimes I bring my Kuska wooden mug and my teapot, both of which I love and don't mind carrying. The food is in a mylar scent-free bag and all is inside a dry bag. The teapot has its own bag.

 

Poop Kit: Toilet paper, a few wipes and a ziplock, hand sanitizer, soap sheets from REI, in a mylar scent-free bag, a titanium trowel, and a Kula Cloth on my pack.

 

Electronics: A FLIR camera, phone, audio recorders, a headlamp, extra batteries, all the cords and an Anker Powercore battery. In summer, I'll add a rolling solar panel. I have a tiny button light on the outside of my pack. In a dry bag.

 

Misc: Snacks! The smallest Silky saw, a hank of rope sometimes, a tiny notebook and pencil, red bandana, a small candle, a 5-inch piece of a hacksaw, reading glasses, signal mirror, paper maps or screenshots of where we are going, a compass, my fishing license, my wallet and a REI foam seat pad. Sometimes I bring my Helinox One chair and my hatchet if we'll be close to the truck or very far away from it. Sometimes I bring a fishing pole and a tiny bit of gear. I always bring one or two pretty stones as a gift for the bigfoots if we get any interactions or find anything that says to us "they were here".

 

In NorthWind's truck aka when I don't drive, I bring a carry-on with a full change of clothing, more food and first aid supplies, a solar light and a small battery lantern, a battery/winding radio, a small grill, leather work gloves, an emergency tarp and more paracord, a toothbrush, hair ties and whatever I've tucked into the nooks and crannies. And in winter, either a sleeping bag or a wool blanket. In my truck, which is old as dirt, I also carry an extensive first aid kit, another hatchet and sharpening stones, a saw, shovel, extra gas and water and fishing poles and gear and 2 wool blankets and 2 sleeping bags.

 

Did I forget anything? Now you know what I'm carrying in all my videos.

Edited February 21, 2022 by Madison5716

[Foxhill]

Has a lot to do with where I'm going, but if you're not very experienced it shouldn't.

Later on, today I'm going on a local day hike (1-2hr walk in the woods) I'll have a small knife/9mm.

 If I was doing a half/full day in a state/national park on a trail, I don't know well, I'd be kitted up for an overnight camp, very similar to items listed above, just no tent, always armed legal or not.

 The more I've gotten into camping/hiking the past 10yrs the less crap I carry, the most dangerous thing in the outdoors is yourself, the second most dangerous thing.... other people. 

[MIB]

On 2/18/2022 at 8:44 PM, Tahoma said:

I'm curious to see who carries what in the field, as far as survival equipment. Do you carry a kit bought at a store? Self made one? Number of items? What's most important to you? Let's see some survival kits. 

 

 

No "official kit."    After 50-something years I have a pretty decent idea what I might need and what I know how to use. 

 

For me it varies by season and location.    I almost always pack a water bottle or bladder plus a filter, TP and trowel, small knife, gun, ammo, usually a disposable poncho, camera, audio recorder, and my cell phone.   (Backup cam, plus some places I go do have service .. not many.   If I had to hike out, say someone stole my truck from the trailhead, then I'd want to be able to call in the cavalry once I had a signal.)   Usually map, compass, almost always GPS .. some places I know well enough to not need them but it can be nice to mark a waypoint to return to an exact spot.   Often a bit of food .. jerky, power bar.   If it is going to be buggy, a bug jacket and hood plus gloves.   If it merely might be buggy, then a small bottle of DEET spray.    Sometimes fire starter, sometimes not.   One of my areas gets over 100 inches of rain per year ... might as well try to ignite creek water.   Other times it is fire season, no fire allowed, and even an emergency fire / beacon might turn life threatening.    Often times one dry pair of socks.    Two flashlights .. a must.   Some way to tell time .. need to know whether I can get out with the available daylight or if I should use it to make a comfortable camp and settle in for the night.   I have started carrying an UL hammock and UL whoopie slings .. nice to nap in, softer than rocks.    If there's a chance of passing a place to fish, I'll have fishing gear of some sort appropriate to the location and the fish I think are there.

 

[Foxhill]

Most might know about this but a really nifty fire starter kit I often carry

cotton balls smeared with petroleum jelly 

waterproof matches in small waterproof container

miniature bic lighters

All this goes in a Ziploc bag in another Ziploc bag

 The cotton balls smeared with petroleum jelly and the miniature bic lighter are very handy starting a fire in the rain

[MIB]

Regarding fire starters ... yeah, the mini bic lighters are great.  I do recommend testing them now and then.  I had one kinda compressed inside something and I think it must have pushed the button just far enough .. it was out of gas.

 

Not a big fan of the magnesium rod that you shave shavings off of .. they work great but present an opportunity for getting cut especially if your hands are cold.   Plus if you consider how many piles of shavings, thus fires, you can make, they're clearly heavier than needed for 1-2 days use.  

 

The cotton balls smeared in petroleum jelly are good.    Sometimes I'll add smokeless gun powder ... dunno if it helps or just makes me happy.     

 

Another item for the arsenal is 0000 (4-ought) steel wool .. burns even damp.    Also some wind-proof / waterproof matches.  

 

One thing I miss from old days is the 35mm film canisters ... they'd hold all manner of useful stuff in a very compact package.

[gigantor]

17 minutes ago, MIB said:

Sometimes I'll add smokeless gun powder ... dunno if it helps or just makes me happy.     

 

 

[NorthWind]

39 minutes ago, MIB said:

Regarding fire starters ... yeah, the mini bic lighters are great.  I do recommend testing them now and then.  I had one kinda compressed inside something and I think it must have pushed the button just far enough .. it was out of gas.

 

Not a big fan of the magnesium rod that you shave shavings off of .. they work great but present an opportunity for getting cut especially if your hands are cold.   Plus if you consider how many piles of shavings, thus fires, you can make, they're clearly heavier than needed for 1-2 days use.  

 

The cotton balls smeared in petroleum jelly are good.    Sometimes I'll add smokeless gun powder ... dunno if it helps or just makes me happy.     

 

Another item for the arsenal is 0000 (4-ought) steel wool .. burns even damp.    Also some wind-proof / waterproof matches.  

 

One thing I miss from old days is the 35mm film canisters ... they'd hold all manner of useful stuff in a very compact package.

The Exotac Firesleeve is kinda neat as it prevents the button on the lighter from being depressed so the gas doesn't escape, and keeps it dry.

 

Exotac FireSLEEVE Waterproof Lighter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B011CLTF0G/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apan_glt_i_85MMAPJKPC7A73QHY7T5

 

[Catmandoo]

6 hours ago, MIB said:

One thing I miss from old days is the 35mm film canisters ... they'd hold all manner of useful stuff in a very compact package.

 

The 'old days'?

 

Still available on ebay; metal with screw lids, various colors and plain aluminum. 35mm canisters  are available. Sometimes 70mm metal with lid show up as surplus.

Edited February 22, 2022 by Catmandoo
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[Wolfjewel]

On 2/18/2022 at 11:44 PM, Tahoma said:

Good Evening everyone,

 

I'm curious to see who carries what in the field, as far as survival equipment. Do you carry a kit bought at a store? Self made one? Number of items? What's most important to you? Let's see some survival kits. 

 

@Tahoma— Don’t miss the mention of Madison’s Garmin Inreach Mini. Others recommend this device, too. A while back I had posted about safety, asking what’s your contingency plan if you’re hurt or sick in the Outback. Calling for help if you end up in bad circumstances is right up there with keeping warm, dry, and nourished. But hopefully you won’t need to.

[SasquatchPA]

Besides a GPS I keep a “Hudson Bay” Survival kit with me that I first read about in Bradford Angier’s book How to stay alive in the woods.

 

Outdoor Life had an article about the kit a few years ago as well.

Here is what’s in the kit:
28 tea bags
50 Vitamin pills
30 oz. Pilot Bread
16 oz Butter
14 1/2 oz Strawberry Jam
12 oz Klik (canned ham)
14 oz Condensed Milk
10.5 oz Chocolate Bars
100 Matches
1 Knife
1 Spoon
1 Whistle
1 two sided mirror
1 Fishing line
4 Fishhooks
1oz Snare Wire
2 Candles
Kleenex (small amount)
Camphor

 

[Doug]

I took a bow hunting education class and they said ALWAYS carry Benadryl or equivalent allergy pills. Having these in my pack saved a buddies life when he got stung multiple times by bees. Another person I know died from bee stings.

[Madison5716]

I've swapped out the Coalcracker Tarp for an Aquaquest tarp. i'm also trying to make my kit lighter, but it's tough when i like everything in it, LOL. @Dougthat's smart. Gonna check 7=11 for individually packaged Benedryl. 

[PNWexplorer]

I have a pack that sits in my SUV and has the usual gear such as a flashlight and headlamp, cottonballs soaked in Vaseline, couple of bic lighters plus fire starter rod, emergency blanket, folding wood saw, paracord, first aid kit, extra jacket and wool socks, jerky, ammo, etc.

 

I found these things a couple of years ago and they are awesome!

 

 

 

I gave them out as stocking stuffers a couple of Christmases ago to my dad and brother who are also avid outdoorsmen.  They love them.