I feel naked without my...

abo4ster

abo4ster

Joined
Aug 24, 2003
Messages
1,461
Well DUH! - my knife, everyone here would say that.

Outside of your knife(s), when you are off the beaten path, what is the ONE thing you have to have with you or you feel vunerable???

I am travelling this week and just spent the day in the Ouachita National Forest and I feel naked without my STAINLESS STEEL CUP. I have my little survival kit and can treat a couple of gallons of water wiith micro pur tabs, but I miss the security of my cup for boiling water for purification and latey I have been making teas. Going to northern Arkansas and the Ozarks tomorrow - damn I miss my cup.
 
when I am at home i always feel naked without my watch, knowing how much time has passed can really keep a guy sane, but its usually on me in the bush.
 
I always check for my cellphone & make sure it's charged. I've had a couple of incidents where my prosthetic foot broke, and the first time I was way back in local woods I had to crawl out of. On gravel. Through thorns. And poison ivy.

Even if it's just a walk down the trail, I carry a monocular, and any serious time off the beaten track, binoculars.
 
A good compass and accurate map of the trail system I am hiking. Countless people have gotten lost and found dead very close to either a road, trail or trail head.
 
Keith_H said:
you should invest in a titanium foot!
Click to expand...

it's easy to make a foot that won't break, and cheap, too. Ask Ahab. :) But it's difficult and painful to walk with. You need to be able to adjust it, and it needs to have some flex in it. My feet now actually use a carbon fiber foot linked to the end of a metal shaft.
 
Camera. I absolutely hate to be outdoors without it.

I used to live in Arkansas, and spent several years working in the Ouachita National Forest. Not many people get out away from the trailheads and developed recreation areas down there, so there's lots of places to explore.

The Ozarks are nice too, and I once did a weeklong solo backpacking trip on the Ozark Highlands trail.

Have fun and enjoy your vacation!
-Bob
 
Bob W said:
I used to live in Arkansas, and spent several years working in the Ouachita National Forest. Not many people get out away from the trailheads and developed recreation areas down there, so there's lots of places to explore.

-Bob
Click to expand...

Like the Winding Staircase on the Little Mo River or White Rock? :D
 
B Finnigan said:
A good compass and accurate map of the trail system I am hiking. Countless people have gotten lost and found dead very close to either a road, trail or trail head.
Click to expand...

Yep same here. If I get the choice of knowing my location with a map and compass and be lost with a knife it's an easy choice.

A knife is important but it is not remotely as useful as a map and a compass.

I used to compete in orienteering up to the age of 18, and I have never ever been lost. Imo opinion navigational skills is far more important than skills in fire-making, water-gathering, trapping, fishing, shelter-building and pretty much anything else I can think of. Not that these other skills are not important, surely they can save your life. But imo navigational skills is far more important.

Being lost:
...with a fire.
...with a lot of water.
...with a lot of food.
...with a good shelter.
...with a good knife.

Is for me worse (I imagine) then knowing my position and the way home with a shortage of all the above.
 
Tough question!

Most likely it's a firesteel or mag firestarter, they just feel necessary. After that I'd say it's cordage. I carry tons of cordage for some reason. Third is a good steel pot/mug.
 
Man, I always feel naked! Seriously though, I feel like I'm at the point where I'm still learning so much to yet be prepared. But I'd say my first aid kit. It kind of counts as more than one item though as it is definitely not minimalistic. But, lately if I had to pick one item other than my knife, I'd say its my chair! Yeah, its not very survivally. But I have a bad back, and so it very nice to be able to just sit down and relax, and really enjoy the outdoors while being still. FYI, my chair is a GCI Trail-sling Ultralight. I found it at Campmor for 50% off a while back.
 
Quiet Bear said:
Well DUH! - my knife, everyone here would say that.

Outside of your knife(s), when you are off the beaten path, what is the ONE thing you have to have with you or you feel vunerable???

ISTAINLESS STEEL CUP. I have my little survival kit and can treat a couple of gallons of water wiith micro pur tabs, but I miss the security of my cup for boiling water for purification and latey I have been making teas. Going to northern Arkansas and the Ozarks tomorrow - damn I miss my cup.
Click to expand...

I couldn't agree more. A cup for boiling water, digging, collecting water etc. is so underrated. You see a lot of people taking purification tablets, but without a cup?! That's strange at least?! How you gonna make safe drinkwater etc?

A knife and a cup....yep the ultimate minimal kit.

CZ
 
Good boots. If I have sub par footwear I'm naked. Even at work. Dunno what I'd do if I had to wear something like dress shoes.

next would have to be paracord. A man can do a lot with some cord.
 
I don't know if there is anything that would make me feel vulnerable if I did not have it (other than my clothes :)), but I sure do like to have my Camelbak with my stuff in it when I am in the woods. I like having clean water available whenever I need it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top