Critique my kit.

troutfisher13111 said:
I really like that pouch(#4 in pic). Do you know what it was used for?
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Not sure. It came bagged with a commercial tag on it. "Fox Outdoor Products" Item No 40-85 "2-Pocket Canvas Ammo Pouch." It was $4.27 plus tax at my local army/navy store. Not bad at all. It has a real wide belt loop on the back that will fit a 2 1/4" belt if needed. Best one I could find that would hold what I needed.

They had them in OD, Black, and woodland camo. Not a big fan of black because of heat absorption and it shows dirt so quickly.

Charles
 
I've got a couple of those pouches, too. They were listed as ammo pouches and the closest things that I've found that were ever issued are Belgian ammo pouches. One word of warning...I've taken to putting cotter pins through the holes on the snap closures because they are very easy to accidentally pop open.

I also soaked my pouches down with a waterproofer.
 
CShepherd said:
Not sure. It came bagged with a commercial tag on it. "Fox Outdoor Products" Item No 40-85 "2-Pocket Canvas Ammo Pouch." It was $4.27 plus tax at my local army/navy store. Not bad at all. It has a real wide belt loop on the back that will fit a 2 1/4" belt if needed. Best one I could find that would hold what I needed.

They had them in OD, Black, and woodland camo. Not a big fan of black because of heat absorption and it shows dirt so quickly.

Charles
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Those are nice little pouches- and amazingly they've held their own, marketwise at least, since the mid-1990's to my knowledge.

That looks like a pretty good kit you put together. I would loose snake bite kit. It looks like you've got one of the lance and squeeze units- like the one sold by if not from Wal-Mart. When I researched that method last summer I found that one of those would probably do more harm than good, and there is still a good argument going about the Sawyer extractor, which still provides questionable performance despite inflicting a hikkie-like bruise pattern from use.
 
I really like your kit...I would suggest some NON-essentials, maybe a deck of playing cards..REI has some, that have different knots on each card..a great way to fight deppression and learn if stranded. Also, I would suggest 2 compasses, I carry 3..a lapel compass, a small silva in my pack, and my silva ranger. Can never have to many ways to get home..they can easily be broken in a fall or lost while digging for something in the dark. And the only advice that I can say with any authority is, go around the SAWZ-ALL blade, and get a small folding saw, like from buck or gerber...after you buy the handle and blade..you are only a few dollars from one of these saws. I am a Carpenter by trade, and I chew through these blades all day long sometimes...they cut fine for a while, but part of that is the speed and energy of the resipricating saws action....using one by hand...even in a handle would prove frustrating in a life or death situation...I wouldn't want to have to consider..."well I break my saw, when I saw with it???" Spend the extra money...I had a gerber lightweight folder for years..my buddy asked for it before he went to Iraq..I said sure thing..I know he carries it with him, as he's a sniper, they need to make little holes in things all the time (doors, whatever). Anyways, I got off track...dump the sawzall blade plan IMHO. Gene
 
Well, the snake bite is gone. Holdover from my old school days. Will give me some more room. I defintely want to add an orange bandana (signaling, bandaging, and whatever else). Will have to find me one of those pocket chainsaws. They look great. I've already got the sawzall blade and the jig saw blade so I'll try anything with that anyway. The jig saw blade I picked up shows the most potential though.

Still trying to find the 9x9 3mil painters plastic tarp. Have to check wally world. Bet they'll have one. Home Depot didn't this morning.

I am thoroughly enjoying this discussion and learning lots. I'll have to do the same thing once I get my BOB together.

Charles
 
You have the basics in there, anything else would be personal preference or items unique to your areas of travel.
 
CShepherd said:
Well, the snake bite is gone. Holdover from my old school days. Will give me some more room. I defintely want to add an orange bandana (signaling, bandaging, and whatever else). Will have to find me one of those pocket chainsaws. They look great. I've already got the sawzall blade and the jig saw blade so I'll try anything with that anyway. The jig saw blade I picked up shows the most potential though.

Still trying to find the 9x9 3mil painters plastic tarp. Have to check wally world. Bet they'll have one. Home Depot didn't this morning.

I am thoroughly enjoying this discussion and learning lots. I'll have to do the same thing once I get my BOB together.

Charles
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You can pick up 35"x35" silk bandanas in a variety of colors from Dakota bandana's.
 
If your mindset is to rely on the kit (which is excellent), what will you do without it? Keep in mind (pun intended) that the best survival kit is in your head, your attitude, clear thinking.
 
Well you asked for it and you shall have it. If it would have been up to the GF she would say its not cute enough to be seen in public. You also have no idea how to cordenate colors.

I think you kit looks fine...... but im a man so dont take my advice


sasha
 
sasha said:
Well you asked for it and you shall have it. If it would have been up to the GF she would say its not cute enough to be seen in public. You also have no idea how to cordenate colors.

I think you kit looks fine...... but im a man so dont take my advice


sasha
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Funny thing you should mention color. Now my wife is no girly-girl or anything like that and like to shoot my Glock 23, but I've been trying to get her to consider a pistol for herself and getting a carry permit just in case, but she's pretty much not into it, until....I mentioned I could get a Glock 19 with a purple slide. Now she's all interested. :)

Charles
 
Women are funny. I took my GF camping to the desert. Guess what she does? she put on a nice dress and make up. Im what are you doing did you forget where we are going her answer she is still a women and wants to look good for me..... no complaints there. After all she can start fire with fire steal picks up on survival things very fast. but it better be cute and intresting or she is off somewhere else .

sasha
 
jh205, of course the medical establishment will always condemn those like Dr Klenner ,I've seen that many times ....My only test of vitamin C was on a friend who had been bitten many times by gnats or some other type of bugs.
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Do you seriously think that your bit of anectodal evidence trumps the exhaustive randomized double-blind testing of medical science? In the above statement, you can't even tell us the condition that was treated (was it "gnats" or "some other kind of bugs"?) and you think we should trust that your remedy works? Get real mate.

The last thing this forum needs is fairy stories about this or that BS home remedy, especially when the subject is a life and death matter such as snakebite. Stop spreading misinformation.
 
far more people die from bee stings than snake bites. this is fact which is why i carry a sawyer extractor. even though i'm not allergic to stings i tried it out once when i got stung by a bee while putting on a pair of pants fresh off of the clothes line. i could see the poison coming out of my skin:cool: when i removed the extractor i had a small red bump on my leg but no pain or inflamation. worked for me so i keep it around.

i would not know about snake bites and its effectiveness however.
 
jh205, I do not spread BS.But further discussion is OT so PM me if you want to continue the discussion.
 
Things I would add:

DEET insect repellant (small packet or wipe).

Sunscreen (small packet or tube).

100 MPH military duct tape.

Bright colored bandana.

Plastic poncho and/or HD trash bags.

Safety pins.

Flagging tape (for trail marking).

HD aluminum foil (mainly to make a cover for your skillet).

SAK or Multitool with a woodsaw (instead of Tinker).

Photon I light (back up to larger light).

“Trick” birthday candles that don’t blow out (for fire starting).

HD space type blanket or bivy sack.

Assorted bandages and an alcohol prep pad or two for the first aid kit.


Other things to carry:

Cell phone w/spare battery.

Topo map/Compass (GPS optional).

Flashlight and/or headlamp.

Fixed or strong locking folding knife with a 3-5” blade.

Bladder, canteen(s) or water bottles (2 liters water min.).

Sunglasses.

Extra socks.

Knit watch cap (winter) and/or wide brimmed hat (summer/year round)

I would keep the BSA compass (I like to always carry 2 good compasses) and lose the snakebite kit.




- Frank
 
Hey CS...

Haven't read through all of the replies,,so if it has been said already I apologize..

I'd like to see you improve your fire kit a bit, it seems like it's lacking a little..
I would add, several different types of tinders including PCBs fatwood and at least one other good tinder...

A good solid Ferro rod like a Swedish Army model and a good Scraper..

Looks pretty good though...

ttyle

Eric
O/ST
 
CShepherd said:
Do the condom canteen really work and hold up well? If so, they wouldn't take up much space at all.
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They work well enough, but they are a major pain to fill. I like a gerber breast milk bag (the baby food gerber, not the knife gerber) or turkey roasting bags. Both fill easier, both hold more for most people, and both are stronger.

As for aluminum foil, didn't see a major need since I had the cook pot.
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Fishing and snare lures (most critters investigate shiny bits), cooking of snared/hooked critters, to make a pot cover, to make a windbreak or firelay until your kindling is lit, to improvise an envelope to keep found tinder dry, to line a wet watchcap to keep your head warmer, to wrap a chemical heat pack in to prolong its life (won't be quite as warm, but the oxygen debt will make it last longer).....

Yeah, it's versatile.
 
+1 for aluminum foil. A simple-as-dirt reflector made from it will really help a little tea-candle light up your personal space.
 
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