Survival Sack: When things go bad...

JeepinBear

Explorer
I am familiar with Idaho 4x4 Scott. WHen I first bought my Jeep I had Tony L. (who built a really cool buggy) give me advice on some of the mods. I worked with his wife Roxanne when I lived on thst side of the State. I'm in IF ow and looking for a good group to hang out with. Problem is, more and more of the 4x4 clubs are getting really into rock-crawling and put pressure on the members to do it too. I like more of the trail rides / overlanding.

I have a buddy at work, FLYFISHEXPERT, that has a 4runner and he and I are going to start planning some trips.

Where did you live in Idaho? was it when you were in the USAF?
 

Jake5326

Observer
Bail Out Bag

Bail Out/Survival Bag-Kept in my rig for each outing
· 1 ½ day pack w/Camel Back
· $100 Cash and Credit Card
· Docs
· Map
· Phone Card
· 4 season Bivy (Sierra Designs)
· Integral Designs Puffy Suit (Jacket/Pants) in leiu of Sleeping bag
o Or Diamondbacktactical.com Mars puffy Level 7 suit
· Lightweight Rain Suit (Diamondbacktactical Mars)
· REI/Northface/Columbia Zip Pants/longsleeve shirt/dryfit tshirt
· Emergency Blanket
· Storm Lighter (Bruxton)
· Compass w/Mirror (Sunto)
· Garmin Rhino FRS/GPS w/Map Data
· Matches
· Gerber
· Saw
· Nalgene Bottle
· Ziplock of Ramen
· Baby Wipes
· Lip Balm
· Camel Back
· Head Lamp w/Strobe capability (Petzl)
· Xtra Batteries
· 2m Radio
· 10 Power Bars
· Water Purification Tabs
· Med Kit
o Suture Kit
o Imodium
o Ibuprophin
o Cold Packs
o Zpacks
o Bandages
o Bandaids
o Slings
o Chest Seal
o Quick Clot
o Breathing Tube
o IV Needle
o Tweezers
The only thing I update is the water
 

FLYFISHEXPERT

LivingOverland.com
I stole Patrick's spreadsheet format for my list. I keep my 'Bug-Out-Bag' in the 4Runner 24/7 and throw it in my wife's Rav-4 when we take it on trips. I also cary an trauma level First-Aid kit in the 4Runner and a first responder level in the Rav-4.
 

Buckru

Observer
I can't really add to what has already been said about a survival bag. I do have a few items that should also be in everyones first aid kits. Benadryl, epi pen and a couple of tampons. Benadryl if you have any sort of allergic reactions. Epi pen as a last resort. I carry one tampon in my backpacking first aid kit and two in my trucks first aid kit. It is an outstanding tool to plug a deep puncture wound. Most first aid kits have supplies for cuts/gashes but not deep punctures.

Buck Buchanan
 

JeepinBear

Explorer
Never would have thought of the tampons...good idea. Are they sterile? Or does it really matter all that much when you are trying to stop a gusher?
 

mattarm

New member
Maxi-pads also work real well. You can find them in sizes down to about a thick book of matches and super absorbent.
 

Shadow-Warrior

Observer
First, it’s important to have or make a plan, keep thinking, lack of is a KILLER. If you just lay down and do nothing, you will die! The best Survival tool everyone has is their BRAIN. THINK! Do not panic, panic kills more people every day than anything else.

I think every human being should be able to build a fire to keep themselves warm, gather food to eat, make a shelter to keep the weather out, find and gather water to keep from dehydrating. Sadly; most people don’t know how to do most these, it’s ashame. We have become very lazy in a world where we only have to flip a switch and we have light, or turn a handle and we have hot water. We have become overly complacent in our modern world on others and devices to make our lives better.


I have three different setups in my vehicle. I have a small “Pocket” survival pouch, a Medium Survival Belt pouch and a Large Survival Style Backpack. Let’s first talk about why 3 different survival systems, each has their own place.



The Pocket Style Survival Pouch​




This is a small little complete system that is very compact and very easy to go on a day hike or jump in another vehicle when riding with someone else. It’s not intrusive or doesn’t draw attention to it, but it’s a very complete thought out little system.

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1. Carry Pouch
2. Small Folding knife for Heavy Cutting
3. Small Folding Knife without serrations for skining small animals, etc.
4. Magnesium Fire Starter block
5. Tinder
6. Fishing Kit
7. Small S.S. Folding multi Tool
8. Strong Cordage for making shelter
9. Small Button Compass
10. Tin Foil - Water gathering


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Tinder – Tinder is used for igniting your materials to make a fire. This should be material that will catch a spark very Easley even in wet conditions. I prefer to make my own tinder. I know some like to use lint from the dryer, this will only work if you run ONLY 100% Cotton Materials through the dryer. Other wise your tinder will melt. I use cotton balls with Vaseline. This makes great tinder, it catches a spark very fast and burns even in the rain.

Fishing Kit should be made up of assorted hooks leaders and of course fishing line strong enough to last.



The Belt Worn (Middle Style)​



The middle Survival system is in the same category as the above pocket system, it is also very compact but has more tools and gear. This is the one that I move to vehicle to vehicle, I would also take this one with me if riding with someone else on a long trip. It’s larger than the pocket pouch but fit’s nicely on your belt and is more complete.

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1. Whistle (Signaling)
2. Tea Lite Candle (Lighting)
3. Instant Tea (Caffeine)
4. Coffee (Caffeine)
5. 100' Galv Steel Wire (Trip Wires, Snares, Building Shelter)
6. Aspirin
7. Instant Coffee
8. Carry Strap for bag
9. Tubing (Drinking or retrieving a shallow water supply)
10. Sugical Tubbing (Sling Shot)
11. Tabasco (MRE's)
12. Signal Flash Mirror
13. US Atlas - I travel all over, this will allow me to see what the highways are.
14. Pocket Poncho (Keeping Dry, gathering Water or making shelter)
15. S.S. Container for main Survival items to be packed in.
16. Main Carry Pouch.

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1. S.S. Asian Lunch Box (Container to boil water or cook food in)
2. Cold Steel Knife Very strong and large Pocket knife for making shelter, skinning game, etc.
3. Store Bought Tinder
4. Home Made Tinder (Cotton & Vaseline)
5. Fishing Line
6. Instant Coffee
7. Fishing Line
8. Strong Cordage
9. Bouillon Cubes
10. Sharpening Stone
11. LED Light
12. Button Compass
13. Salt
14. Hiking Compass (Compact)
15. Fishing Kit
16. Strong Cordage (Shelter Making)
17. Iodine for purification of water
18. Snare Making
19. Band Aids (Assort)
20. Platypus Water Storage container w/ Cap
21. Assort Large sewing Needles
22. Blast Match (Fire Starting) This is a great tool for using just one hand if injuried.
23. Knott Tying
24. Hand Chain Saw (Shelter Building)




The Large Vehicle Survival Bag​





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The Large Survival System is not as large as some that I have seen out there. I didn’t want to have to carry a full size backpack with a 150lbs of gear around in my vehicle. I do have a very expensive Expedition backpack which is capable of carrying that type of load. Murphy’s law of backpacking says if you have the room, you will fill it.

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The large bag is for extended stays for a major break down in the middle of knowwhere, having to hike out which may take days. This system is more has some of the same exact items as of the smaller bags. I know some will say I'm duplacating items, this is and is not true. Here is why, these are "Sperate" survival packs. I'm not going to grab all three, they each have their own use. Like I stated in the begining. So as you may see the same items in each of the bags, I'm only going to grab one bag and not root through a bunch of bages to make one bag, each one is ready to go. That is how I personaly like it. I do also want to state this is NOT my Vehicle Medical Kit that is carried at all time in the vehicle, it stays with the vehicle and is sperate from these bags. It too has alot of the same items that you would see in any medical bag.

1. Small Hammock (Used for Sleeping, Fishing in a stream, etc.)
2. Military Tritium Compass (Good incase you have to travel at night)
3. Star Flash Signal Mirror (can be seen up to 20 miles away)
4. Hand Chain Saw (Used for shelter making)
5. Small Gerber Camp Axe (Used for Shelter Making)
6. Diamond Sharpener
7. S.S. Cooking pots (Food Prep & Gathering Water)
.....a. Purification Tablets
.....b. Bandana (Water Purification, Keeping sweat off the forehead, tiying off injuries)
.....c. Razor Blades (
.....d. Snake Bite Kit
.....e. Betadine (Wound Cleansing)
.....f. Alcohol (Wound Cleansing)
.....g. Hydrogen Peroxide (Wound Cleansing)
.....h. Small Clear Tubing (Water Gathering)
.....i. Assort Boullion Cubes (Food)
.....j. Small Backup Compass
.....k. 22LR Cleaning Patches
8. Zip lock bag with the following items
.....a. US Army Survival Manual June 1992 Edition - This is a great resourse of information. In an survival situation it's sometimes hard to think clearly due to stress. Having a good resource helps eliminate some of the stress of having to try to remember everything about survival, shelters, wild plants, game catching, etc. This book, has Everything you need to know about survival and then some. There are colored pictures of edible and non-edbile plants, along with different shelter making in the desert, woods, or snow. Its a great resource to have on hand.
.....b. Thompson Self Locking Survival Snares
.....c. Rand McNally Pocket Atlas of the US
.....d. Assorted Heavy Duty Sewing Needles.
9. Full Tang Skining Knife
10. Blast Match
11. Automatic Fishing Reel - This free's you up to work on other tasks.
12. Complete Fishing Kit
13. Tea Light candles
14. Grid for cooking game over fire
15. Small S.S. Shovel (U-Dig-It) carried by park rangers, etc.
16. Survival Tabs - this is a complete 15 day food supply
17. Complete Surgical kit w/ assort size Sutures.
18. Pills
19. Space Blanket
20. S.S. Bailing wire (Shelter making and snares)
21. Duct Tape 50' (Field repairs, etc.)
22. Gerber Tree Saw w Bone Blade)
23. Assort size Sutures
24. Playtapus Water Storage Container
25. Screw Eyelets for Hammock or hainging Game from.
26. Zip lock bag containing the following:
.....a. Cold Pack
.....b. Heat Pack
.....c. Hydrogen Peroxide (Wound Cleansing)
.....d. Betadine (Wound Cleansing)
.....e. Bottle of Aleve for pain
.....f. Tube of Max Strength Tripple anitbiotic
.....g. Repel 100 Insect repellent
.....h. ichthammol Onitment
.....i. Surgical Tape
.....j. Large Wound Dressing
.....k. Large traumma Wound Pad
.....l. assort Buterfly Bandages
.....m. Quik-Clot
.....n. Assort Toilet Paper (from MRE's)

On the outside of the backpack attached to one of the straps is a small red medical pouch that has the following:

1.Military Combat Blanket Olive Drab (Space Blanket)
2. 4"x4" 12 ply Sterile Sponges
3. 3"x3" 12 ply Sterile Sponges
4. Assorted Bandaids
5. Assorted Butterfly Wound Closures
6. Assorted Antiseptic Cleansing Wipes
7. Tounge Depressor
8. Finger splint
9. Aspirin
10. Extra Strength Non Aspirin
11. Ammonia Inhalant
12. Excedrin Extra Strength
13. Tripple antibiotic
14. Ibuprofen
15. Burn Cream
16. Off - Deep Woods Towelettes


There are a couple of other items that I also carry in the vehicle along with the packs to “Compliment” them. Here are those items:

1. Military Poncho – Used for staying dry of course, but also used as a shelter to keep bad weather out, also used to gather rainwater. It can be used for many different situations.

2. Hat – This helps to protect your head from heat and the direct suns rays or in winter helps to keep you warm since the largest % of body heat is lost through your head.

3. Canteen – I carry a couple of 2 quart Military style canteens with me. A five-gallon jug is not practical in a vehicle. This is only good for filling up your vehicles radiator or pouring your water out for drinking. If you have to leave your vehicle and “Hike Out” which could mean days, this is very impractical way to carry your water. This is why I always carry canteens; I can hook them to my belt and walk out anywhere.

4. I also carry in the vehicle my Water Purification setup. It is the high end filter made by PUR. I think it is now being marketed by another company.



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4. Survival Knife – I don’t want this thread to get into a knife debate, I want to keep this on a basic level of what you will need and the differences of the types of knives that are out there. First off, there are a lot of “so called” Survival Knives on the market. You have the Rambo types that have a hollow handle that is used for storage of matches, fishing kit, etc. These are garbage, stay away from them. A real survival knife has a “Full Tang” this means the blade is one solid piece that goes all the way to the end of the handle.

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A survival knife needs to be able to take a lot of abuse, such as chopping, prying, and lots of cutting. Hollow handles are very dangerous. They will not hold up to the type of abuse that a real survival situation would call for. They look cool, but are not made to take the abuse.

There are many good survival knives on the market, some are cheaper than others, but most will hold up to any abuse that you put it through, such as a military K-bar series of knives. These are good quality strong knives that can be picked up just about anywhere. I use an old Gerber Survival knife that was made years ago and is considered to be one of the best knives that they ever made. You can still find them occasionally on e-bay, but they fetch a hefty price. It’s not about cost it’s about quality; you want a tool that you can depend on in a life-threatening situation.

I want to give just a little background history of serrated edges on knives. I know this question will come up. Most people don’t even realize that the serrations on all most 95% of the knives on the market including pocketknives are on the wrong side of the blade. The largest part of the human population is “right” handed. The serrations are made for left handed people, know your asking yourself, why would they do this?

The answer is not what you would expect, they put the serrations on the wrong side so when they advertise the knife taking pictures, they don’t have an ugly clip, on them and they can all be turned and photographed laying the same way.

There are only a few companies that actually make their knives for real use and not to look pretty in picture. Most of these are custom hand made knives such as Mission Knives which make knives for the US Navy SEAL’s. Anyways, which ever knife you choose, be sure it will take the kind of abuse that is needed in a survival situation.

5. Weapons – Again, I don’t want this thread to turn into another gun debate. A weapon is nice in a real survival situation but some may not feel comfortable totting a weapon in their vehicle, that’s fine, for those that do like me, I do consider it a large part of my gear.

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A great little survival weapon is a Rugar 10/22, they are fairly cheep and are very well made. They are very accurate also. They don’t take up much room nor does the ammunition. I do carry a large sidearm in my vehicle as most of you that know me know. The 10/22 is a great little weapon for gathering small game on the trail. I have added a S.S. Folding stock to mine to make it more compact for storage. I also stay away from blued weapons for survival and only use Stainless Steel. This helps to keep the weapon from corrosion especially if you live close to the ocean.

6. Another item that can be carried in your vehicle is a small radio wind up type. It takes up very little room and can be of great help and comfort in an emergency situation. These are fairly cheep and are very durable.


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As in the picture, I keep mine wrapped up in a heavy duty zip lock to keep any water out.

Continued.
 

Shadow-Warrior

Observer
I consider myself VERY “Self-Sufficient”. I don’t believe in handouts or depending upon others to help me out in a tight spot. I prefer to blaze my own trail so to speak and not follow the pack mentality. There was a saying when I was in the ARMY, Lead, Follow or get the Hell out of the way! I have always liked that and lived by it.

When putting a gear bag together, it needs to have a balance of items, you can’t be heavy on just medical items, you need to think about food procurement, shelter, water gathering and cleansing, food preparation, navigation, etc. all of these in equal consideration. Yes it would be nice to carry a tent, stove, full size medical bag, etc. But this is unrealistic. Keep the K.I.S.S. principle in front of you. Try not to double up on items, as most of you can see, these items can be used for double duty.

Now with all the above equipment and tools, it's very important that you know how to use these items. Some are easier then other to use. I like the blast match better than other types of fire starting devices because it can be used using only one hand. If your injured, it would be bad if you can't use one hand to start a fire. Most of all the other types of device require you to use two hands. This is why, I prefer the blast match.

FIRE: Fire is used for food preparation. It is also used for keeping warm along with boiling water that may contain organisms in it for drinking. It also keeps away wildlife. It is used for signaling too by throwing some green branches on it will produce dense smoke that can be seen for many miles. But I think a Fire is also best for a good psychological value for moral. Remember were talking about a survival situation. This is a very stressful time.

WATER: Every human needs to drink water, if not death will occur within days, you can go a lot longer without food, but lack of water will kill you quick. It’s important to have a means of purifing, carrying water and retrieving water from natural resources.

SHELTER: You need to be able to make some type of either short term or long-term shelter depending on your geographic region. This can be done using the natural surroundings such as in the desert, rocks. If your in the woods, you can use tree branches, in the snow a snow cave. All of these take time to make and some experience using tools. Take the time to get to know each of the tools.

FOOD: Gathering food can be demanding if your not use to it, there are many different ways to gather food. Again this depend s on your geographically region that your in. You could gather plants, but be careful only pick whish ones that you know are safe to eat. If in doubt, take a tiny piece and place on your tongue, if it burns, spit it out. If it makes your tongue tingly, spit it out. You can trap small game using snares along a game trail. Be careful of snares,, they catch anything, so you don’t know what your going to catch, be ready to kill it quickly and humanly. You can also fish, but it is very time consuming, using auto fishing reels helps if your around a body of water.

I should also point out that depending on what time of year it is, I add and take away from other items that I carry in the vehicle, this includes a Military Extreme Cold Weather Sleeping bag. If I’m up north in Wyoming or Montana or even Minnesota. The temperatures get way down below freezing. We have all seen every year people that freeze to death in their vehicles because of lack of preparation. During the fall, I’ll ad the sleeping bag to the back of the vehicle in case of an emergency.


I use all of the above items from time to time, it's important to familiarize yourself with these items, don’t wait until an emergency to try to learn how to use a particular piece or tool. This is not the time to find out it doesn’t work when confronted with a serious life-threatening situation. I hope this information helps some of you, everyone has different opinions on what to carry, this is my opinion only. I have lived off the land for months on end over the years. I have tried a lot of different products and some work, while others do not. This is why, I like to put together my own equipment.

I hope some of you can come away with some useful information. :)
 

1leglance

2007 Expedition Trophy Champion, Overland Certifie
Hey Shadow since the thread on fjcruiserforums got deleted I will add my thoughts here….hopefully this one won’t turn ugly….
I see you made some changes in your commentary or there are things I missed the first time, either way I still feel the same on a number of issues…

The basic rule of 3’s is something to keep in mind…..
3 hours without shelter in bad weather
3 days without water or less under stress
3 WEEKS without food….so we know we won’t be happy but we will survive hungry

www.equippedtosurvive.org is a great resource for this type of stuff
Adventure Medical makes some great items that save a ton of space and are very well thought out at a decent price…..like the pocket survival pack which is small enough to fit in a back pocket and will make nice starter….
http://equippedtosurvive.org/psp/index.htm


1) It is great that you have gear at all, that is more than many folks do, also a planning and training also make a big difference
2) A SPOT Global Messenger is a cheap option for what you get and should be part of any emergency setup
3) What do you carry on your person as everyday stuff (EDC –every day carry)? That can make a big difference in what you need to add with the packs. Also it is good to teach people that they should always be prepared and empty pockets are a waste.
4) You still seem heavy on the catch/kill/eat thought process and nothing for medical on the small pack. Skinning animals is a risk for injury and it would be nice to have at least some small basic stuff.
5) On the medium pack you have aspirin and band aids….not sure of the caloric value of Tabasco, maybe change those out for an energy bar and more med stuff…at least a 10ml syringe for flushing wounds and some triangle bandages. Also bandana’s work pretty well and making one part of your everyday carries will save space in your pack.
6) I still wonder about the space and wgt of the pocket atlas, the level of detail would not be of much value. If you are really in an unknown area stats show you are better off staying in place vs. hiking towards a highway/place that is difficult to nav towards with a pocket atlas. A blank note pad to keep records, be fire starter and leave notes if you do move is a good idea. Or a pocket guide to edible plants (you mention previous training so that might not be needed by you but useful to others, easy to catch and kill a plant vs. catch/kill/skin an animal)
7) Those little foil blankets can serve a ton of uses and while they aren’t perfect they do work when used correctly
http://www.redflarekits.com/pc/1037/s/Heatsheets+BLANKET,+Two+Person++Emergency+Survival++by+AMK
Personally I like a cheap 3mil contractor grade garbage bags for all the uses you can get out of them and the heat they will hold in as a makeshift poncho.
8) The snake bites kits have been shown with research to not be a good option.
9) Another pocket atlas in the large pack….see above thoughts on a pocket atlas in a survival bag
10) Maybe add a LED headlamp to the large pack so that your hands are free and you can’t always make a fire for light
11) I still feel the same about sutures and surgical kits….unless you are very used to sewing on people, unless you think you can sew on yourself you are better off with good wound hygiene and direct pressure on clean bandages. If it is serious enough for sutures you need to get to medical help…oh and then there are the chances of nerve & vessel damage and creating a wound pocket for infection….Steri-strips would be a good choice
12) Chorhexidine to replace betadine as many people are allergic and you might use your kit on someone else
13) Imodium might be a good thought as the strange diet or water bugs in a survival situation can cause diarrhea and mass fluid loss is bad
14) Benadryl would also be a must as an allergic reaction could be a life or death thing especially if you are eating new things or getting bit by strange things

Last after looking at your vehicle in person and on the forums, reading what you write and talking in person I know a Ham radio should be in your future. I nice little handheld would be a nice addition and even though I highly recommend the SPOT ham also has a place. Plus you can do some mods to a radio that while illegal in normal use would allow you to talk with aviation, police and other folks in a life & death moment.
 

Shadow-Warrior

Observer
To answer a few of your questions Lance. I too agree about the SPOT, this is one piece of Survival Equipment EVERY vehicle should have that goes off-road. I am at the moment studing to take my test to get my HAM license. CB's are ok with a group of vehicles on the trail that are fairly close, but after that, they aren't much use.

Lance you have to understand the Geographic region that a person is in is how and what they carry in their bug out bag. You live in AZ, I can see you carrying lots of food stuff's in your bug out gear, I live in a more Jungle type area where game is very plentful along with plants and even water vines that hang from the trees. I think it foolish to carry a bulk of food stuff's myself when it's gone in three days, it took up 40% of my pack and now I have to resort of hunting or gathering. I could have used the space for more Real survival items instead.

Don;t get me wrong I do carry, MRE's and some energy bars in the vehicle, but this dosen't go inside my kit, these items can be shoved inside my clothing.

I have seen plenty of gear bags on line that supply 72 hour bugout kits, they contain pouches of water, meals, lighting, etc. This is fine for an Office Emergency kit or a winter survival kit to keep in your car if you go off in a snow bank knowing someone will find you within a day or so. This is not the kind of SURVIVAL kit I carry. I carry one that I can survive for long periods of time on end. You say I take a risk of injury by skinning an animal, I disagree, let's face it, we don't live in a closed off box, I have been using knives all my life everyday. Just because I'm in a survival situation dosen't mean I'm going to slice myself up now. I can see someone from the city trying to do the same thing and injurying themseves.

I have lived for over two years off the land, NO running Water, NO electricity. I had to make a fire every night to keep myself warm in the winter in the snow, make shelters, catch and trap game, bath, etc. I do know what I'm talking about. My kit is made for ME, and only me. Someone from a different area of the country will have a different setup than I do. There is no ONE KIT. You have Artic Areas, You have Desert Areas, Jungle areas, etc. All of these require a different mind set and survival requirements. Mine is perfectly fine for the temprate climate I live in. If I moved to Alaska, I would have a very different looking kit. I hope this helps you better understand of why I carry what I do.

PS, thanks for toning your wording down over here. :)

And by the way, I carry the Pocket kit on my belt everyday to answer your question Lance. :)

Mike
 
Last edited:

teotwaki

Excelsior!
1leglance said:
Hey Shadow since the thread on fjcruiserforums got deleted I will add my thoughts here….hopefully this one won’t turn ugly….
I see you made some changes in your commentary or there are things I missed the first time, either way I still feel the same on a number of issues…

Yes, please be careful with this one and keep in mind that this is a friendly "round the campfire" discussion. PLEASE avoid strong opinions that are easily misinterpreted or continually harping on certain points such as eating small animals. That could go in a different thread.

1leglance said:
www.equippedtosurvive.org is a great resource for this type of stuff

all I can say is $30 for this??????
psp_in_pouch_250w_ds.jpg


1leglance said:
4) You still seem heavy on the catch/kill/eat thought process and nothing for medical on the small pack. Skinning animals is a risk for injury and it would be nice to have at least some small basic stuff.

??? Depends on where you have to survive, right? Coming through an earthquake devastated city is one thing but I think there are more critters available to eat where Mike lives. Just having a knife is a risk for injury but I'm not leaving mine behind.

My impression was that his small pack was meant to be SMALL. The bigger pack has
.....j. Large Wound Dressing
.....k. Large traumma Wound Pad
.....l. assorted Buterfly Bandages

1leglance said:
Another pocket atlas in the large pack….see above thoughts on a pocket atlas in a survival bag

Doesn't require batteries, gives you a sense of overall topography and can be used for tinder. Better than nothing and is useful if you travel across country a lot, never knowing where something major might occur. At some point you cannot just sit around waiting to be rescued, SPOT toys or not.

1leglance said:
Or a pocket guide to edible plants (you mention previous training so that might not be needed by you but useful to others, easy to catch and kill a plant vs. catch/kill/skin an animal)

Some folks would much rather cook and eat a small critter than haul around a bunch of nasty-tasting Power Bars. Anyhow, he listed the US Army Survival Manual....

1leglance said:
Maybe add a LED headlamp to the large pack so that your hands are free and you can’t always make a fire for light

Agree MUCHO! LED headlamps are so darned useful and just keep getting better.

1leglance said:
….Steri-strips would be a good choice

I don't know diddly about sewing human flesh so Steri-Strips are my choice too!

1leglance said:
12) Chorhexidine to replace betadine as many people are allergic and you might use your kit on someone else
14) Benadryl would also be a must as an allergic reaction could be a life or death thing especially if you are eating new things or getting bit by strange things

Great points so I'll be adding them to mine

1leglance said:
Last after looking at your vehicle in person and on the forums, reading what you write and talking in person I know a Ham radio should be in your future. I nice little handheld would be a nice addition and even though I highly recommend the SPOT ham also has a place. Plus you can do some mods to a radio that while illegal in normal use would allow you to talk with aviation, police and other folks in a life & death moment.

I would not publicly advise this. Some Sheriffs Dept. gave a SoCal Ham a lot of grief for (legitimately) calling for help on police frequencies. Still searching for the original article.

Exactly which ham radio can be modified to transmit on VHF AM for Aviation??? I doubt it is possible but would love to have that radio... :hehe:
 

teotwaki

Excelsior!
Here are a couple of things that I have in my kit

Goretex bootie inserts for wet and cold weather if I am caught without the right shoes. In a pinch can be used to scoop water up.


Below is a combo that has worked well for ultralight backpacking and mountaineering.

A North Face Polarguard insulated jacket that compresses smaller than fleece, blocks wind (Pertex shell) but is breatheable and will still insulate while wet.


Packs down small into its own stow pocket.


Combine it with a North Face "Elephant's Foot" bivy bag. Made of Polarguard and Pertex, the lower half is insulated and the upper is a tube shell. Note the "tongue" with zipper halves on each side. In this photo it is not stretched out full length.


Zip the jacket in for a complete package!


The Foot packs down very small into a stuff sack
 

haven

Expedition Leader
Costco.com has an emergency food supply for sale. It's a 10 gallon bucket packed with 275 dehydrated vegetarian meals (lots of soy powder protein, no doubt). The regular cost is $85, but now it's only $75, shipping included.

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Produc...11219554&ec=BC-EC877-CatHome&pos=9&lang=en-US

Here's the description of the contents

275 Servings
All Meals 100% Vegetarian and Vitamin Fortified
Sealed in convenient Weather-Proof bucket for easy transport

30 Servings - Potato w/ Bacon
25 Servings - Corn Chowder
25 Servings - Ala King
25 Servings - Cacciatore
25 Servings - Western Stew
25 Servings - Country Noodle
25 Servings - Rice Lentil
45 Servings - Whey Milk
25 Servings - Blueberry Pancakes
25 Servings - Barley Vegetable

Total Weight: 23 lbs.

The product has a 20 year shelf life if stored in a cool location. I suppose the shelf life is a lot less if you keep the bucket in your truck.
 

timmer2008

Adventurer
One Item I would never go with out on any adventure trip is a .45 acp sidearm. with which I can deter a mountain lion or wild dog. Harvest a deer, pig or any other small game. clip fruit out of trees and signal from a distance.

And Yes I am licenced, permitted and practiced. so also should you be if you intend to utilize such a tool.

I also love squenchers in liquidpack form. you can do wonderous things with those little metalic bags they come in.
 

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