Survival survey for a paper due

Ashton

Newbie
My lady is having to write a paper for a final about survival skills and experiences, and to that end we developed a little questionnaire that will hopefully gather a pool of information and ideas we can research and use to fill our paper. We will take all the ideas and determine the most used and talk about the different techniques when it relates to 4 main points:
1. Food and Water
2. Shelter and Fire

Here is the survey, any answers provided can be useful. No names or other identifying information is presented, just the ideas and techniques. Muchly Appreciated.

If you are planning for an extended hike into back country, or on a self reliance trip, what are the main food sources you pack with you, or plan to acquire along the trip?

How do you pack enough water for an extended hike or self reliance trip, or how do you plan to find the resource and use and store that water for later?

How many calories do you expect to burn on an extended hike or self reliance trip and how do you plan for replenishing those calories when you are out there? What planning and training do you do to prepare for the nutritional and hydration challenges of an extended hike or self reliance trip?

How do you pace yourself on a extended hike or self reliance trip? Do you plan your pace to match the amount of food and water you have brought, or plan to collect?

When planning your shelter and fire needs for an extended hike or self reliance trip, what are your go to supplies and plans?

What tools do you include for firestarting and what are your go to methods for fire building? What properties of wood are you looking for to get the best chance of success in starting your fires?

What supplies do you bring to maintain shelter during an extended hike or self reliance trip? Do you pack in supplies with you, or plan to find materials?

When you set up camp for a night, what is your process for shelter and fire building?

How do you prepare and use your supply of firewood, if it is wet or limited?
 

shifty98

Observer
1. I usually pack freeze dried meals (usually homemade). If I am in a hurry or desperate ramen or backcountry pantry.
2. I usually avoid having to pack enough water because that would be a lot of weight. I prefer to find a place with a potable water source nearby and pack either tablets or a filter. I have occasionally had to pack water in and hiking it is nearly impossible to pack enough to not be dehydrated after a 24 hr period. In a vehicle it takes planning but is totally possible. I have a 16gal tank on my M1101 for times like this.
3. I plan on 3,000-4,000 calories per day when in backcountry. I pack lots of calorie dense foods to help accomplish this.
4. I usually pack my nutrition to match my pace, not vice versa. If I am peakbagging I pack different food than if I am just hanging out in the woods with friends.
5. I have a fixed blade knife for procuring firewood and start most fires with a bic lighter. Dryness is the most important characteristic.
6. Duct Tape, Tenacious tape. I pack in all necessary supplies.
7. When in groups one person sets up shelter, other person builds fire and starts supper.
8. Split firewood. Rarely is a log soaked the whole way through so if you can get to the dry center it will burn. Then use the wood that is burning to dry off the wood that may still be wet. If wood is limited we ration it in logs per hour.

FYI, your survey format is challenging. I would suggest a tool like google forms or surveymonkey. I am happy to respond though because I posted a survey on here a while back for a paper I was writing the the Expo community helped me out so I wan to pass it on.

Hope this helps!
 

Tswhit15

Member
Some good questions. I've done quite a bit of backpacking and one of the things I've found is that planning/needs/necessities are very environment dependent. Obviously research must be completed thoroughly ahead of time. Some very simple math is needed to determine the amount of water needed for cooking once you're used to it, like pasta or freeze dried meals ect, then the rest is drinking water. However, in the desert you actually have to carry all of your water, sometimes for more than one day. And in those drier climates you need to increase your water intake. In colder climates you burn more calories.
 

gorillamel

Dirty Blonde
If you are planning for an extended hike into back country, or on a self reliance trip, what are the main food sources you pack with you, or plan to acquire along the trip?
I pack freeze dried food (Mountain House types), jerky, Cliff bars/blocks, dried fruit if I am doing solo backpacking
How do you pack enough water for an extended hike or self reliance trip, or how do you plan to find the resource and use and store that water for later?
I carry a Nalgene and a 3L osprey water bladder. If I think I will need more water, I bring a filter with me and make sure my route will involve water I can filter.
How many calories do you expect to burn on an extended hike or self reliance trip and how do you plan for replenishing those calories when you are out there? What planning and training do you do to prepare for the nutritional and hydration challenges of an extended hike or self reliance trip?
I live in the high desert and often exercise in high heat, low water conditions. I honestly really suck at counting my calories and have effed it up in the past being really hungry on some backpacking trips as I neglected to count the extra burned cals while working out.
How do you pace yourself on a extended hike or self reliance trip? Do you plan your pace to match the amount of food and water you have brought, or plan to collect?
I plan ahead my planned places to camp and estimated mileage and elevation gain/loss. Of course, ******** happens and stuff may not go to plan and adapting is key. I am a type 1 diabetic, so I monitor my blood sugar closely and use Cliff blocks to snack on when I feel low. I also cut back on my insulin intake while on these trips.
When planning your shelter and fire needs for an extended hike or self reliance trip, what are your go to supplies and plans?
I rarely if ever make a fire. Most places I backpack in have fire bans, i.e. almost the entire state of Idaho or Rocky Mountain states. So I bring a backpacking camp stove and small propane canister. I also carry an ultralight Big Agnes 2 person tent with an adaptable footprint that I sometimes use for added windbreak instead.
What tools do you include for firestarting and what are your go to methods for fire building? What properties of wood are you looking for to get the best chance of success in starting your fires?
I carry flint, matches in waterproof container, lighter and lint in case I do need to start a fire. I look for old man's beard (a mossy type thing that grows off trees) that is a great firestarter and smaller dry sticks built together with larger dry wood used as shelter/wind break and add gradually. I HATE starting fires and really try to avoid needing one.
What supplies do you bring to maintain shelter during an extended hike or self reliance trip? Do you pack in supplies with you, or plan to find materials?
Food is the primary limited supply for me. If I run out of food, game over. I'm out. On long trips Ive been on with a group, we used pack animals to bring in supplies. I am not knowledgeable or trust myself enough to forage for food. Although I can find good plant material for TP. :)
When you set up camp for a night, what is your process for shelter and fire building?
Level ground. Find level ground as best you can. Sleeping at an angle really sucks. Depends on the terrain I am on: snow? rocky outcropping? low lying water area? I want dry ground, away from any signs of ground squirrels/rodents (they are the biggest **************** of the animal world when backpacking). Finding respite from windy areas is a plus, too. Most places have rules about how close to water you can camp/go potty.
How do you prepare and use your supply of firewood, if it is wet or limited?
Most places prohibit bringing in your own firewood, so finding it where you set up camp is important. Since I do not make fires, I cannot really advise you on this one.

Note: my answers were based on me solo backpacking in remote wildernesses without cell signal. I hope that helps.
 

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