3 Essential Pieces of Gear for an Outing

Moosez45

Moosez45

Custom Antlers, Factory Knives...
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Since the wet, cold weather has moved in here in East Tennessee to stay for a few months, I been rearranging my gear, trading out items, so on. Wet and cold are my favorite times to be out and about. We only get snow in the upper elevations, and only a dusting here in the Valley.

I have been trying to talk my brother into going on a few outing with me, and his first question is always, "What do I need?" I love my little bro alot, but he ain't no woodsman. After I gave him the list of what I thought would be the essentials, I got to thinkin', thats a long list.

After going through all my gear of late, I found 3 things that never change, never leave, and always get used in the woods when I go.

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My Bk2 (your knife here), my firesteel (GG or LMF), and my canteen cup (battle tested).

No matter what time of year, or what the weather, those 3 things ALWAYS get used. So, it got me to thinin', which is never good, and I wanted to see what your thoughts on my 3 pieces of essential gear, and to show off your own. If you don't agree with me, good, if you do agree with me, great. Either way, I hope it makes some good conversation.

SO, what do you think of my 3 must haves?

Whats your 3 must haves?

Thanks to all. Moose
 
I think you nailed it. The only way I would change it is if the outing was a day trip and you were in a rainy area like the PNW. I would keep the knife and firesteel, but swap the canteen cup for some lightweight rain gear. (If I put raingear in the canteen cup could I count it as one item?)
 
For me it would be a Knife, firesteel, aand a good set of boots. Asolos have worked for me over the last 15 years so why change? Dont make me pick a knife though!
 
Not sure...I am pretty new to this but using a bow drill is easy around here. That said I might trade a length of para cord for the steel because of the versatility (and use the knife to make the bow, drill, and board). Para cord is just so dang useful!
 
I think you have the 3 out of five things you should carry no matter what when you leave your house. The other 2 items are cord and Shelter. With those 5 items and the clothes on your back you could sure make night or two out alot easyer to deal with.

Shelter, Cutting tool, Fire maker of some type, cord and a metal container.

Bryan
 
I agree with your picks. Someone mentioned boots and raingear but I kinda think you would be wearing them anyway so they are a given.
 
I'm with Bryan, an essential 5 items will keep you in good shape. Keeping an AMK Heatsheet or a contractor bag in a pocket along with a 10' hank of paracord isn't much extra to carry.


However, keeping with the 3 item theme, I'd certainly consider trading out the canteen cup for a tarp/shelter of some sort for my AO. Making quick shelter can be a lifesaver, and you could form a bowl shape with it to collect water, though it wouldn't be the best thing for it.
 
I'm primarily a backpacker and hiker in the rainy mountains of western Canada, so my gear will reflect that.

In order of importance:

1. Raincoat or Poncho (!!!)
2. Firesteel with striker
3. Folding Saw

(warning: long explanation incoming)

Yes, I don't include a knife in my top 3. Blasphemy, I know. But in my neck of the woods, a knife just isn't all that useful in a real emergency (broken bone, badly sprained ankle, sudden snow storm, etc). If I had to LIVE in the woods, it would be a different story. Then I'd carry a knife as my #1. But I don't have to live in the woods, and with our kickass search and rescue teams, I never will. So let's get real, guys. Start thinking about short term emergency situations, not long term living. You aren't going to be hacking trees up and building a shelter on a broken leg with that big "survival" knife. You aren't going to be making fire in a water saturated forest during a snowstorm with nothing but your 4" bushcraft knife. Forget the toys, and pack something that will work.

So, my top 3 are the things that will save my life in an emergency. Out here, there are only two things that will kill you. The first is hypothermia, and the second is mechanical injury. In BC, we luckily don't have to worry about bad drinking water or dangerous animals, so I don't need a pot for boiling water or a gun for protection, or anything along those lines. However, our terrain is dangerous and very wet, so that must be considered.

Hypothermia happens when you get wet, mostly. Around here, it kills more people outdoors than anything else. This means the most important thing to pack is a basic form a shelter to prevent it. A raincoat can be stuffed with debris for insulation, while a poncho can be used as a tarp. They're both good choices. Which one I decide to carry depends on the time of the year (or how much rain I expect). If I am hurt, or stuck in the woods with nothing else, a raincoat or poncho is what will keep me alive through a wet night.

Next up is the firesteel. Being dry is one thing, but being warm is another. I've been stuck on the side of a mountain during a total white out before, unable to make it out before dark. The only reason I stayed warm was because I was able to start a fire. Being able to start a fire also means being able to signal for rescue if you are unable to hike out. I don't think I need to explain why a firesteel is my #2 to you guys.

And finally, the folding saw. For my needs, a saw is more useful that a knife or anything else. It can be used to easily limb large branches from a tree for shelter, and it is the safest, most calorie efficient way of processing firewood. It can be used even while you are injured, unlike an axe or a knife. It's a bit harder to split kindling with only a saw, but it can be done (look up splitting wood with a saw on youtube). It also packs very compact and light weight. Which leads me to my next point...

Packing light will actually save your life out here. Yes, being prepared is good. But how good is your balance and stability with 60lbs of "survival" gear on your back? What if you are crossing a sheer cliff with loose soil on it, and lose your balance for just a second because a big gust of wind hits that huge backpack? What happens when your legs give out because they aren't strong enough to carry so much weight for such a long distance? I've seen it happen to people who thought they were in good shape before. They just went down without warning (after hiking for 8+ hours on steep terrain, let's see how solid your legs feel). Luckily we were almost off the mountain... but still, that would have been had had it happened when we were crossing some rock fields an hour or so earlier. Like I said before, mechanical injury is a big killer. People slip and fall down a cliff, and that's it. So pack light, and pack smart. Your body will thank you for it, and it will carry you out before anything bad can happen.
 
NothingCoherent said:
I'm primarily a backpacker and hiker in the rainy mountains of western Canada, so my gear will reflect that.

In order of importance:

1. Raincoat or Poncho (!!!)
2. Firesteel with striker
3. Folding Saw

(warning: long explanation incoming)

In BC, we luckily don't have to worry about bad drinking water or dangerous animals, so I don't need a pot for boiling water or a gun for protection, or anything along those lines.
Click to expand...

Some interesting points made for sure, however, I disagree on the dangerous animal point. Grizzly, and less so black bear, cougars, moose, have all been known for pretty vicious attacks. That said, I've never carried a gun in the bush(due to legal restrictions), and as of yet, I haven't come across a situation that I'd need one, but I certainly wouldn't say BC doesn't have any dangerous animals.
 
I always find a use for a bandanna, usually more than one. I'd add that to your list, all of which I agree with.
 
Tough to list 'five necessities' when if you're planning ahead anyway, there are several more items of extreme utility. But if I had to pick three in winter, it'd be an axe, a billy, and a firesteel.
 
A knife can facilitate the making of shelter and fire but if you want to boil water, a metal canteen or cup seems pretty critical.

I'd go in this order for my top 4:
Knife, metal cup or canteen, fire steel or other fire starter, poncho.
 
Snow said:
I always find a use for a bandanna, usually more than one. I'd add that to your list, all of which I agree with.
Click to expand...

Bandannas are great but I like Shemaghs even more. They'll do everything a bandanna will yet are large enough to function as a small blanket, sling, etc.
 
Well I have to say theres more than three. Two of the three you mention I edc. However, if I were to go out on a hike, three things I would be sure to grab on top of me edc would be;

A bottle of water.
A hat.
And some sort of plastic. Garbage bag, tarp, etc

My edc is a small knife, fire steel, whistle, flashlight, bandana, and band aids.
 
I think you've nailed it, Moose. I would say exactly those three items, although I would want to throw in a fourth item; my Silky saw (hey, I'm old, and I like to make things easy on myself). Anything else I might need, I can construct in the field with those four items.
 
6shooter said:
Some interesting points made for sure, however, I disagree on the dangerous animal point. Grizzly, and less so black bear, cougars, moose, have all been known for pretty vicious attacks. That said, I've never carried a gun in the bush(due to legal restrictions), and as of yet, I haven't come across a situation that I'd need one, but I certainly wouldn't say BC doesn't have any dangerous animals.
Click to expand...

Eh, I don't know. Bears get a bad rap around here because people don't understand them. People provoke them without realizing it, or attract them with yummy smelling food or even things like scented deodorant, then freak out when a bear is pawing around their camp, and get themselves attacked. A little bit of knowledge on bear behavior will go a long way preventing any issues. They're basically big raccoons. As far as I'm concerned, you're MUCH more likely to die on the drive to the trail than by a bear on the trail. How often do you get in your car? And how often do you see a bear? Right.

Moose, I definitely agree. According to Les Stroud, the bull moose is the most dangerous animal in Canada; get between it and its mate, and you're done. However, I've never once seen a moose in the mountains where I hike. I don't think they're that high up. I'm not worried. If I hung out in the valleys more often, then I would definitely consider them a threat.

And Cougar? I don't worry about at all. They don't mess with humans, and are long gone before you are anywhere near 'em. I've heard Cougars calling many times, and I've seen their tracks, so I know they're out there... but I've never seen one, and I don't know anyone who has. It's very rare to hear about a fatal cougar attack on a human.

BC really is an easy place to go and play outside in safely with regards to the animals. We don't have big elephants, hippos, and lions that are going to run you down. We don't have alligators and boa constrictors lurking in the dark areas, ready to snap your neck. We don't even have poisonous little bugs and scorpion things that will sneak into your boots when you aren't looking. If bear is my biggest concern in the woods, I'm living large.

PS: I'm more worried about Black Bears than Grizzlies. Size isn't everything.

Jeez, I am long winded today. Sorry, lol.
 
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sicily02 said:
I think you have the 3 out of five things you should carry no matter what when you leave your house. The other 2 items are cord and Shelter. With those 5 items and the clothes on your back you could sure make night or two out alot easyer to deal with.

Shelter, Cutting tool, Fire maker of some type, cord and a metal container.

Bryan
Click to expand...
You forgot the most critical piece of gear IMO. You need a signaling device. With a good signal device, you may not need the other gear.
 
NothingCoherent said:
PS: I'm more worried about Black Bears than Grizzlies. Size isn't everything.

Jeez, I am long winded today. Sorry, lol.
Click to expand...


True enough. I've never seen a grizz around here(lower mainland), but I see black bears a few times a year, and it's not all that uncommon to see a momma with her cubs. Moose, I've never seen either, don't think we get em this far south. Cougars again, I know they're around here, though I've never seen one, and don't consider it a big issue.

I've definitely never felt unsafe being out in the bush, but I do take possible animal confrontations into consideration when I go out(bear spray, bangers, etc.)

Whereabouts in the province are you?
 
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