Absolute minimalist?

F

Fonly

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Sep 24, 2006
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I was thinking about it today, what is the most minimal kit, that would still prove usful if it were all you had, in addition to your belt knife?

I want to know what you guys think. In a pouch 5"-6" tall, 3"wide and 2"-3" deep what would fit that would still cover the basis, but be a small enough belt kit to be able to put on and forget about?

Fishing kit (few hooks, 20-30yrds of 15 lbs line)
Brass wire
Whistle
mirror
ferro rod
insulating blanket ( whatever their called, the metal ones)
Freezer ziplock bag (perferably 3. For water storage)


Im going to pick up a small belt pouch tomorow fiting these demension to see what I can come up with.

So what do you think, whats the smallest kit you can think of to cover most of the needs,

1. Water gathering
2. Fire
3. Shelter/covering
4. signaling
 
I dont go for minimalist myself . Its been my experience that problems arise more from not having enough of the right gear when its needed .

Ill have a day pack with water in a bottle rather than a bumbag with a container for holding it after trouble strikes and I got to go find it when its needed

Ill have a couple bics , a magnify lense and a box of matches spread thru my pockets and day pack rather than of matches tucked into a tiny kit only .

but this is my opinion only , do not be put off from your quest just cos others allready had trouble from not having enough gear when they needed it .
 
Myal said:
I dont go for minimalist myself . Its been my experience that problems arise more from not having enough of the right gear when its needed .

Ill have a day pack with water in a bottle rather than a bumbag with a container for holding it after trouble strikes and I got to go find it when its needed

Ill have a couple bics , a magnify lense and a box of matches spread thru my pockets and day pack rather than of matches tucked into a tiny kit only .

but this is my opinion only , do not be put off from your quest just cos others allready had trouble from not having enough gear when they needed it .
Click to expand...


Yeah, and dont get me wrong, this is moreless a PSK, but how small befor the kit is useless?
Any thing is better then nothing.
 
true , I been grateful for the sheet of pain killers in my kit before , but sure as hell wishing I had three or four sheets instead of one ...

I think it is very dependant on what kind of situation you find yourself in when you are in the situation you got to rely on it
 
I dont think any kit is useless, A knife and your clothes is better than just your clothes, and I am sure some could work with less.

A becker necker wrapped in chord with piece of tire tube, around the sheath containing a bic and some saftey pins, would go a long way towards improving your survival odds.

Your kit seems reasonable if you are not planning to be out that long, I would include a garbage bag and some 550 chord, and mabey dome kind of tinder, such as a piece of inner tube.


I tend to put some kind of food, in any kit, wether it be a bar or packet of soup, etc. but I am diabetic and when my sugar drops too far it tends to quickly take my IQ with it.
 
Fonly said:
I was thinking about it today, what is the most minimal kit, that would still prove usful if it were all you had, in addition to your belt knife?

I want to know what you guys think. In a pouch 5"-6" tall, 3"wide and 2"-3" deep what would fit that would still cover the basis, but be a small enough belt kit to be able to put on and forget about?

Fishing kit (few hooks, 20-30yrds of 15 lbs line)
Brass wire
Whistle
mirror
ferro rod
insulating blanket ( whatever their called, the metal ones)
Freezer ziplock bag (perferably 3. For water storage)


Im going to pick up a small belt pouch tomorow fiting these demension to see what I can come up with.

So what do you think, whats the smallest kit you can think of to cover most of the needs,

1. Water gathering
2. Fire
3. Shelter/covering
4. signaling
Click to expand...


You need some way to purify the water that you gather. . . Either some of the tablets or something to boil it in. For something the size you're talking about, the tablets would probably work best.

Also, a few yards of cordage would be good. If you use the fishing line to hang your space blanket as a tarp for shelter, then you won't be able to do much fishing with it. ;)
 
Get some condoms or better yet an Oven Roaster Bag. A Reynolds turkey oven bag will hold several quarts of water, is heat proof (within reason), incredibly strong, and it will fold up even smaller than a Space Blanket. You can use them for water storage or for transpiration. A condom would be even smaller but less functional.

I'd also consider a Water Purification Straw (Nitro Pak has them for about $8.00). They are about the size of a large refillable pen and don't even require you to boil your water. If you throw in a purification tablet or two (just to be safe) you've got most of your bases covered.

If you do go the condom route, you can fill them with water, rubberband the end closed around your purification straw (throw in a tablet if you want), and then slip one of your socks around your new "canteen" to protect it from punctures (latex will tear fairly easy).

These days almost all survival situations amount to staying alive long enough to be rescued. You probably won't need a food source unless you are lost more than a week (in which case the odds of you being found alive are much reduced). For a minimalist kit I'd worry about shelter, water, and fire (in that order). Hypothermia and dehydration will get you long before starvation does.


Shelter: a 10'x10' sheet of painter's drop cloth- very thin so it folds up small / 20' of parachute cord / a couple of zip ties / a large bandana

Water: The Turkey Roaster Bag (or condom), Water Purification Straw, and few individually wrapped tablets

Fire: A mini-Bic lighter, and a small magnesium-flint rod / a couple of birthday cake candles


Optional stuff includes: a mini LED light in case you need to work in the dark, signal mirror, gatorade powder in an individual serving pouch (for electrolytes), a wool cap (since you seem to be in Canada), and obviously don't forget your knife...

Let us know what you pick!

-Rick
 
The Maxpedition pouch w/gear, shown with my BK-7 and both live on a HD leather and nylon work belt, along with a USGI canteen cover, canteen and cup, as well as my .45acp and spare mag.

Since the photo was taken, I've added a few pieces of gear like the Katadyn micropur MP-1 tablets, which come individually wrapped, one each of 1qt and 1gal ziploc freezer bags, a brass compass and a whistle were added to the pouch. The bottle of treatment tabs were removed from the Becker sheath.

beckerkit004.jpg
 
My minimal kit is a knife and a lanyard with firesteel, whistle, signal mirror, compass, spy capsule with tinder, mini LED light and a mini-tool or knife like a Leatherman Micra or SAK Classic.

The next things I would add would be water treatment/carrying and more shelter options, like a space blanket. From there I go to a more full-blown kit with snare and fishing gear, more fire starting options, first aid kit, duct tape, razor blades, wire saw, a few kinds of line, a hotel freebie style, sewing kit, sunscreen, bug repellent, alcohol gel hand cleaner, and bug head net.

This assumes that my usual hiking gear has been lost. I always have the essentials with me:

1. Map
2. Compass
3. Flashlight / Headlamp
4. Extra Food
5. Extra Clothes
6. Sunglasses
7. First-Aid Kit
8. Knife
9. Waterproof Matches
10. Firestarter
11. Water / Filter / Bottles
12. Whistle
13. Insect Repellents or Clothing
14. Sunburn Preventatives


My multi-day hiking kit:

the psk listed above
pack
shelter
ground cloth
sleeping pad
sleeping bag
three layers clothing
one extra day's food
stove and fuel
pot and eating utensils
rain gear
clothing accessories: extra socks, hat, gloves, gaitors
trekking poles
water bladder or bottles
water filter and treatment chemicals
LED headlamp
 
My old friend Tommy Tompkins, a noted Canadian bushman, carried his 'kit' distributed in several pockets, so if he lost a pack or jacket he'd still have the essentials such as fire-making materials, a knife, etc.
 
Fonly- the "signaling" says you may be lost or want to be somewhere other than where you are. Don't be without a compass, however small. :)ss.
 
Salamander42 said:
Also, a few yards of cordage would be good. If you use the fishing line to hang your space blanket as a tarp for shelter, then you won't be able to do much fishing with it. ;)
Click to expand...

Another point I wanted to make was alot of what you need can be made from natural materials. anything I can make from that, I dont pack, because it is just wasted weight to me.
 
What I came up with.
p8180274wv8.jpg

p8180276rd1.jpg

Dont know the exact weight, but I wear it on m left side, and forget its there. The only thing I need to look into is finding a small cube of chlorene(sp, I know:)) It leaves a taste, but purifies alot, and its thurough.
 
Water has been such an issue most every where I have been. so any "kit" I ever think of has to start with a canteen and a metal cup.
Kind of throughs a curve in the tiny kits.
 
Here's another one of those questions -- what is the kit for?
Is it just for woods bumming, or is it also EDC in the city?

In general, I'd carry
Space blanket
2 refillable butane lighters (cigar lighters)
water purification tablets
LED flashlight
50' 550 cord
Duct tape rolled around a small dowel
roll or two of gauze
Neosporin
adhesive tape
Motrin (anti-inflammatory/pain reducer/fever reducer)
Small compass (should have a local map somewhere on you as well)


In addition
canteen with cup (woods)/nalgene bottle (city)
EDC firearm & magazines/speedloaders(if any)
fixed blade (woods)/folder (city)
Multi tool (may fit in kit)

In either case it might be good to have a cell phone (depends on reception in the woods, but in a city, definitely)
 
Another handy item is cash. I keep a $20.00 bill in mine- it takes up no space, and I have used it far more often than my signal mirror.

It would suck to find your way back to civilization after days of hunger and thirst, find a gas station and not be able to purchase water or use the pay phone.

Hey Longbow,

Great kit! I use a BK7 as well. What do you keep inside the pouch on your sheath???

+ 1 on the Katadyn micropur tablets.
 
bikermikearchery said:
Water has been such an issue most every where I have been. so any "kit" I ever think of has to start with a canteen and a metal cup.
Kind of throughs a curve in the tiny kits.[/QUOT]

A Platypus one liter bladder with some Micropur tablets taped to it fits into a kit well. You're right about it being a weakness in an Altoids-sized kit. Yoou could just wrap the Platypus around the Altois tin with a rubber band. The whole water thing is why I went with a Sigg aluminum tin for a PSK, which has enough room to hold a good selection of gear and can boil water too. Sigg says it isn't for cooking because it has plastic fittings that would melt-- not a concern for me if the SHTF.

http://www.swissbottle.com/ViewProduct.asp?ModelNumber=7107.20
Click to expand...
 
Fonly said:
I was thinking about it today, what is the most minimal kit, that would still prove usful if it were all you had, in addition to your belt knife?
Click to expand...

I could get by with nothing if required by circumstances. Generally for woodsrunning, I carry a small shoulder bag with a pint water flask, some TP, some snacks and a few odds and ends like most of you mention for a PSK, belt pouch etc. But the bare minimum? I am reminded of a George Carlin routine where he points out the absurdity of "stuff".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvgN5gCuLac

Now wait, guys. Like all of you, I think toys are fun. Refining a kit with new gizmos, comparing kits like kids with their cigar boxes full of treasures, trying new things to overcome shortcomings of the ones in our kit...all of it is fun and entertaining, and very educational. I pack all I can into a G.I. surplus waterproof Decon box that fits into a jacket pocket. But even though small and light, it isn't the minimum of ... stuff I can get by with. Even a knife... (blasphemy here...) is not indispensable. I don't own a knife. I own hundreds. Maybe approaching a thousand now. But they are not indispensible. Anything you are not born with you can loose. And some things you are born with as well!

Codger the stick-in-the-mud :)
 
Yeah, Im really trying to save on space and weight here. Its and edc kit and woods kit, though to be perfectly honest Ive never had to use any of my kits. Sure I've taken things from them on a hike or what have you, but never been in a situation. Its hard to imagine, so im allways thinking of ways to make it more compact and make me want to take it.

This kit goes on my belt, along with a belt knife and flashlight. In addition to this on day spree's I have a "possibles" bag with me, has a cooking pot,tinder,coffee,tea, and some hard candies. Along with a mag bar, ferro rod, Vic OH fireman flashlight and glowsticks. plus all the odd'n'end's I would need. (brass wire,fishing kit,sewing kit)

What I meant by starting this thread, is that you dont need some of those things. I can make cordage, snares, and find freash water. But the amount of room it takes to throw in some tablets of whatever to purify water, whynot?

Where as a suffecient amount cordage would for me, be a waste of space when I can just make it. And like I said, this is just a bare bones kit to put on and forget about. In addition to this I have two other packs I take for overnighter's and longer. Gps,map other compasses, food depending on length of trip, TP. The whole kit and koubtle so to speak, where as this is there to get me by should everything else dissapear.
 
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