Gear for a True Survival Situation

mrgreen

mrgreen

Joined
Dec 26, 2009
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313
A recent thread in Wilderness and Survival Skills regarding a dayhike turning fatal convinced me to start this thread.
I believe a there is a big difference between a Survival Situation and an 'unplanned overnight in the woods'. Of course, one could turn into the other, depending on your planning, preparation or lack thereof.
To my thinking, preparing for a survival situation anticipates an injury or other condition that interferes with normal physical ability. In other words I may have sustained a fracture that prevents me from standard fire prep or strenuous shelter construction.
My survival kit is assembled with this in mind;

My survival firestarter- compact highway flares designed for bushpilots.



My shelter packs small, is light and sets up with the single pole and a minimum of 2 stakes.
The unfortunately discontinued Integral Designs Sildome.



The idea is these give me a good chance of starting a fire and building shelter in difficult conditions, even if I'm suffering from a fractured leg.

Not my pics, but these are the exact items I use.

Please post your best, worst case survival items.
Thanks
 
My remote day hike emergency kit was simple and light, X large contractor garbage bag with one of those mylar space blankets, fleece watch cap and always a headlamp. those big bags make a excellent emergency shelter.
 
I like the way you are thinking, mrgreen.
This is good especially when you need shelter and warmth FAST.

I'm telling you, that accidental bottle of cough medicine made the difference in an unexpected cold in a week long high altitude camping trip some time back.

Mark
 
Mark, that sounds like an interesting story. And I think I might add Nyquil to my winter camping first aid kit.

Akula83, thanks for the reminder. I have orange xl contractor bags stashed in my packs for the same reason.
 
I just looked and there are an interesting variety of the old standby tube tents available now. The Coghlans style that I used on the AT back in ther early seventies is still out there at around $5. And some are now made like heat-sheets with foil liners for around $20. I don't currently have one but will be picking one up to go with the el-cheapo pvc rain poncho I keep in my drybox as a spare.
 
Reading about this tragedy made me think about how fire is the usual "survival" answer given for emergency warmth - lost in the woods and cold, build a fire. But getting a fire going and keeping it going in a driving cold rain storm like that while your cold and soaked? Not likely. That front rolled through my area the next day and it was nasty. Several hours of sustained cold rain and wind. They needed quick shelter to keep dry and at least sort of warm - a coated nylon tarp big enough for the three of them to hunker down and wrap themselves up in or something as simple as contractor bags to at least keep most of the rain and wind off of them likely would have made the difference. More so than any knife and fire making materials. Being on a marked trail, all they needed to do was make it through to the next morning.
 
Rain gear-pants and jacket. Two of the primary factors in heat loss are wind and moisture. Rain gear is shelter-not just wind and waterproof shelter, but portable, as well. The problem with a fixed shelter is that to do anything, or get anywhere, you have to get out of it. Ideally, you'd have both, but if I'm that worried about the conditions, I'm packing gear for an overnighter, anyway. With today's modern equipment, that's not cumbersome, either.
One thing....having it doesn't help if you don't use it. Waiting until you're wet and cold defeats the purpose of having something that will keep you dry and warm. That sounds like common sense, but I've observed people do it all my life, and have done it myself. Male pride, I suppose. That's something I've said myself, too, "a little rain never hurt anybody". Unfortunately, that's not true...
 
Two Army ponchos and five bungee cords. Four for the corners and one to pull the hood up to keep from sagging and collecting water.

For warmth? A storm candle. Put the other poncho on, place the hood on, then tighten the neck are as close as possible. Light candle under the poncho. Obviously, keep the candle between your body and the poncho so neither get burned. Tuck loose ends of poncho under you (sitting Indian style). Reason you keep your head out and the poncho tight around your neck is to avoid asphyxiation.

Voila. Survival in it's lightest form. Yes, I have done this, and it works.
 
tobii3 said:
Two Army ponchos and five bungee cords. Four for the corners and one to pull the hood up to keep from sagging and collecting water.

For warmth? A storm candle. ....
Click to expand...

pocket-hand-warmer.jpg


Why not a simple solid fuel hand warmer?

n2s
 
mrgreen said:
To my thinking, preparing for a survival situation anticipates an injury or other condition that interferes with normal physical ability.
Click to expand...

And the only way to anticipate that is to always be prepared for it. Maybe everything goes fine, maybe it's a cold, but other wise harmless, unintentional night out, or maybe you've broken your leg 8 miles from the trailhead. The gear that I carry (and just as importantly, the knowledge I have) isn't selected based on 'best case' scenarios, but on the fact that anything can happen any time, and probably when you least expect it. So I don't really have a separate "survival" kit - I just have a backcountry kit that has what I need, whether everything goes as planned or not.
 
Smithhammer said:
......anything can happen any time, and probably when you least expect it. So I don't really have a separate "survival" kit - I just have a backcountry kit that has what I need, whether everything goes as planned or not.
Click to expand...

Thanks, I think you just did a great job explaining what I tried to say in the OP. The only problem becomes how big do you let a "backcountry" kit get. Too big and you're "backpacking" even on day trips (or it gets left behind). Too small and it loses effectiveness.
 
mrgreen said:
Thanks, I think you just did a great job explaining what I tried to say in the OP. The only problem becomes how big do you let a "backcountry" kit get. Too big and you're "backpacking" even on day trips (or it gets left behind). Too small and it loses effectiveness.
Click to expand...

Agreed. I can only speak for myself, and my choices. As a bare minimum, I always have several ways of making fire, a good knife, extra layers, a decent first aid kit, and some emergency food. Beyond that, it really depends on time of year and the nature of the outing.
 
I usually pack two fire sources (a bic, firesteel), extra layer of clothing or water protection depending on season, a little extra food, water filter, a little bit of cordage, and two knives- a folder and fixed blade. One area I am lacking is emergency shelter, which I am correcting by getting one of those reflective emergency tarps. 11 ounces of insurance. I also pack my cook kit, even on day hikes. A hot meal makes those cold days so much better, and the whole set up weighs about a pound or so. I never go alone, so between me and my trail buddies we are typically equipped to make it through a night or two. Maybe not in comfort, but enough to survive. I think the emergency tarp/blanket plus a regular nylon tarp with fix that. I could build a shelter with what I carry, but to string something up is much easier and conserves energy.

The most important thing I do before heading out into the woods is to post where I am going as a facebook status update. No note to get lost, and nothing to be forgotten by whoever I tell. There is a public record in case I dont make it home that day. The best spots around here are popular, but a lot are dangerous.
 
tobii3 said:
Two Army ponchos and five bungee cords. Four for the corners and one to pull the hood up to keep from sagging and collecting water.

For warmth? A storm candle. Put the other poncho on, place the hood on, then tighten the neck are as close as possible. Light candle under the poncho. Obviously, keep the candle between your body and the poncho so neither get burned. Tuck loose ends of poncho under you (sitting Indian style). Reason you keep your head out and the poncho tight around your neck is to avoid asphyxiation.

Voila. Survival in it's lightest form. Yes, I have done this, and it works.
Click to expand...


With my luck I'd fart.....
 
Fire and shelter are important, but getting rescued hasn't been mentioned yet. What about a SPOT or even a basic signalling kit?
 
Let someone know where you are going and do not deviate from the plan.IMO.
Gear is a personal choice and what works for me might not work for you.
 
Greetings,

Good thread...those flares are not a bad idea for getting things going...I think the issue would be if you, as you say, had a broken leg, how would you get enough wood/fuel etc to keep it going for an extended period of time, especially if the the climate is wet/raining? Fire is nice, but it needs to be tended...a good shelter, unless is truly cold/freezing, is usually less labor intensive once its set up. A garbage bag or good quality space blanket or light tent that you can get in/under/set up might be your best bet if you can't haul firewood all night, along with the hand warmers, etc. Even bringing along a a Sterno can has merit. Not a criticism, just something to consider.

FWIW, I did recently re-pack my versipak that is my 'go bag' when I hit the trail for more than anything longer than an hour casual walk...among other things, I've got the military style kidney shaped steel canteen/stove, holding a small snowpeak stove burner unit, a compack GPS unit, small BIC lighter, magnesium firestarter, a small SAK, multi-tool, 3 space blankets (one ultra-cheapo, 2 decent quality ones), about 50 feet of cord, an emergeny orange tube tent, compact first aid kit, a head mounted lamp, a minimag light, a couple cellum. light sticks (if you're stranded overnight, you can't have too much light), couple compact rolls of TP, about 5 baby wipes in a ziplock, 2 compact cheapo emergeny ponchos, 3 one-gallon zip locks, 5 sandwich sized ziplocks, a couple clean sections of cloth, a couple pieces of heavy duty alum. foil, a couple carribeaners (not climb rated), and a insulated 24 oz. Hydroflask. There's enough room left over for several cliff/granola bars, packs of hot cocoa, and probably a compact freeze dried meal. It is my basic bag that would be able to cover myself and a partner on the trail if we had to 'overnight' it, twisted an ankle, or shelter in place we got caught way out and the weather came in. All in all without the food/water, it weighs about 8 lbs. And I'd have my NMSFNO or Tankbuster to my belt. I think combined with some basic field skills, and proper clothing, it meets the intended purpose. Its packed, ready to go and would get us through a night or two if needed.

One thing I like about the this versipack, other than the general utility, is that it can be worn under a coat or poncho, so if the weather does come in, no biggie to throw your parka or whatever over the top if it and keep it from getting drenched.

Also, I think 'survival' is going to be based more on software (ie being smart and making good decisions) than hardware. Anybody reading these types of threads and preparing accordingly will probably avoid the situations all together, and if they do find themselves in one, they'll probably make it through. No substitute for proper prior planning.

Cheers,
BOSS
 
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tobii3 said:
Two Army ponchos and five bungee cords. Four for the corners and one to pull the hood up to keep from sagging and collecting water.

For warmth? A storm candle. Put the other poncho on, place the hood on, then tighten the neck are as close as possible. Light candle under the poncho. Obviously, keep the candle between your body and the poncho so neither get burned. Tuck loose ends of poncho under you (sitting Indian style). Reason you keep your head out and the poncho tight around your neck is to avoid asphyxiation.

Voila. Survival in it's lightest form. Yes, I have done this, and it works.
Click to expand...

Great piece of advice from Tobii3; and the same applies for a solo warm up with one poncho and a survival candle. If you squat or have a stool of some sorts, (stump), get the poncho bottom to the ground and that candle will warm you up and get quite a bit of moisture out of your clothes. If there were a top 10 list of short term survival tips this would be one near my top...
 
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