If you could only take 5 items, what would it be?

Greg Davenport

Greg Davenport

Joined
Nov 29, 1999
Messages
632
Your environment: Temperate forest, fall, snowing, 2 inches on the ground (or it could be the jungle, or the arctic, or the desert).

Lets say you can bring 7 items (5 was an error) on your person that will help you meet your needs (outlined below)

Your objective:

As a survivor your objective is to stay alive. To do this you must prioritize and meet the "five survival essentials" for the situation you are in. The "five survival essentials" are needs that must be met in any envirnment...the only thing that changes is the order in which you prioritize them and how you improvise to meet them.

These "five survival essentials" are:

1. Personal Protection (clothing, Shelter, fire)
2. Signaling
3. Water and Food
4. Travel
5. Health (mental, environmental, traumatic)

Each is important but a survivor must prioritze them based on the level of importance for the situation they are in. Thus when I say seven items, I am referring to items that will help you meet your needs in any environment.

I realize that in some situation you may not act on certain needs. Example: Food is of a low priority in almost all survival settings. Example: you may choose to stay put and thus no navigation (travel) will be done.

Prepare for the worst but hope for the best. Does that help you understand what I am hoping to discuss here?

------------------
Greg Davenport
http://www.ssurvival.com
Are You Ready For The Challenge?
Are You Ready To Learn The Art Of Wilderness Survival?

[This message has been edited by Greg Davenport (edited 05 December 1999).]
 
Hummm..a very good question. I would have to say A knife, Probably my basic 9. Next would be a good pot. A metal match(Preferably the one i just ordered from you greg!), my bow and arrows(if they arrows count as individual items them i would make my own),a blanket, tarp, and a hundred feet of chute cord.
I am kinda new at this survival thing, natural of course though cause i am only 15 years old. You guys please feel free to tell me if i am thinking screwy here and give me some good advice. it would be much appreciated!
By the way, I was thinking that i would already be wearing warm boots with boot socks, Heavy jeans, a t shirt with a army jacket over and a hood.
Again, feel free to correct me. thanks!
 
Hey Greg...

Is it five or seven ??Your header says five your post says seven,, Anyhoo...

1. SAK RUK
2. 50 ft 550
3. Doan Tool
4. mini kit
5. 10X10 4 mil plastic sheet

6.lrg fixed blade knife
7. my bow or your book,,just in case this is
a trick question
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)

That is my Final Answer!

Eric...

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Eric E. Noeldechen
On/Scene Tactical
http://www.mnsi.net/~nbtnoel

 
I think you can see this question in two ways: Objects to bring or tasks to be performed. I'm not sure it's always best to bring objects which will be multiple use, can we perhaps as an alternative exercise come up with a set of objects which will fit inside a small box of a given size and not mass more than a given amount?
As an example of how different the answers can be is that in one case one might list a waterproof sleeping bag with sort of an integral tent, in the other case a large heavy duty plastic bag will have to do. (Both will let you save energy and thus need less food.)

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Urban Fredriksson
www.canit.se/%7Egriffon/

"Smooth and serrated blades cut in two entirely different fashions."
- The Teeth of the Tyrannosaurs, Scientific American, Sep 1999


 
My list is as follows:

1-Canteen of water
2-Suunto MC-1 Compass
3-Busse Steel Heart II
4-Springfield M-6 Scout, 22LR-.410 GAGE
5-Lifeboat Matches
6-8' x 10' Tarp
7-Photon II LED Light (White)
 
I am in the Northeast and plan mostly around that. I would bring:

1. Small Khukuri
2. Matches/lighter/candle
3. a metal container (coffe can) for water/cooking
4. Plastic bottle/canteen.
5. 100 yards of good nylon string like those used for surveying
6. 8 x 10 sheet of plastic
7. compass
 
Hello all,

I would bring or want.
1. Swiss Army Knife Rucksack model
2. My WSI flint/Magnesium/ceramic fire starter
3.50-100' paracord
4.Snare wire
5.Big Plastic Garbage Bags
6.water purifier
7.plant idetification or survial book(bushcraft by richard graves)

Good stuff

Jeff
 
Hi Jeff...

A "Doan" tool is a magnesium firestarting block. Same as issued to US NATO Forces...

They are called that because Doan out of Ohio makes them..

Hope that helped..

Eric...

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Eric E. Noeldechen
On/Scene Tactical
http://www.mnsi.net/~nbtnoel

 
Simonich SRT w/ Parasite
300' 550 nylon cord
10x10' nylon tarp
Strike Force firestarter
1 to 1 1/2 qt Sigg pot
Rectangular sleeping bag that unzips completely, so it can also be used as a "blanket"
Ruger 10/22T w/scope and 1000 rds ammo
 
In my experience the best things to take are one a knife large or small your choice, two plenty of tarred twine or para cord, three a flint and magneisium, four a water bottle or the like, five a poncho. Thats really all you need. Poncho for shelter, knife to make fishing/hunting tools, flint to start fire which can be used to signal, bottle for water, twine for bow string or fishing line. Thats what I take anyways. Thanks Geoff. I'll post more info later if you'd like.
 
Seven, that's guite a few items in my thinking.
smile.gif


I'll keep my picks GENERAL!
1)Knife
2)Firestarter
3)Cordage
4)Water carrier
5)A cooking container
6)Shelter-i.e. poncho/tarp/plastic sheeting
7)Water purifier

WOW! I really had to think on that one!
smile.gif
Usually people ask about 1-3 items but 7!
redface.gif


I really struggled on #7 since I can boil water and strain it first through a piece of cloth, I wasn't sure if I should add it. But then I got to thinking about other things that could be in the water and wanting to keep my HEALTH up! I almost said another knife or another firestarter.

Thoughts!
EDIT: After thinking on this a while, I think I'll CHANGE my #7...
#7) TINDER!

Without fire some of the others don't do you much good as you need fire for warmth, security (mental and physical) and cooking/boiling.

------------------
Plainsman
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primitiveguy@hotmail.com




[This message has been edited by Plainsman (edited 05 December 1999).]
 
I'm going to focus on the "on your person" part, meaning the core objects and not everything you might pack in your backpack.

In a small survival box I'd pack:

A small knife. I used to favour SAKs or the smallest Leatherman, but I've begun to think that the backup knife (the larger, which isn't very big either, is probably strapped to the backpack, which may have been lost), should be better as a knife, so it'll be a Delica or something similar.

An aluminium foil blanket.

A few lengths of coated steel wire.

A magnesium fire starter and some pieces of dry birch bark.

Some pieces of hard candy.

A couple of safety pins and/or a piece of linen thread and a leather piercing needle.

In most places water sterilization tablets and a water bag will be useful.

A small button compass will at least help against walking in circles.


I don't count very well, do I (especially since the box itself can be useful and should thus be counted)?
But I still submit this as my answer, partly because depending on where you are some items could be left behind and partly because it's smaller ans lighter than some of the other suggestions.

------------------
Urban Fredriksson
www.canit.se/%7Egriffon/

"Smooth and serrated blades cut in two entirely different fashions."
- The Teeth of the Tyrannosaurs, Scientific American, Sep 1999


 
I would want:
1. My Sogwinder that I wear around my neck using parachute cord
2. Butane lighter
3. Magnesium/Steel fire starter
4. Large Rain Pancho
5. Canteen w/ Water (how about a filled 30 gallon water barrel w/ bung pump
smile.gif
)
6. Snare and/or small connibear trap
7. And the most important, a Lee Oskar major diatonic harmonica, Key of D to chase my blues away and keep me sane.

If I could add an 8th, it would be my Macarri-tuned FWB124D spring piston air rifle with Bushnell Trophy 4-12x scope and backup open sights and box of Crosman Premier 7.9 grain pellets.
smile.gif
smile.gif


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AirMojo the Airgunning Harmonica Man

[This message has been edited by airmojo (edited 06 December 1999).]

[This message has been edited by airmojo (edited 06 December 1999).]
 
At first thoguht my 7 items would be.

1. Kabar marine Corp Knife
2. Wool Blanket
3. Folding handle Corn boiler
4. British LIfeboat matches or flint and steel
5. 200 foot spool of decoy cord
6. Photon MIcrolight Red
7. Pilots Survival tabs

[This message has been edited by MichLee (edited 06 December 1999).]

[This message has been edited by MichLee (edited 06 December 1999).]
 
Here's what I would want.
I'm assuming that my location is the Pacific Northwest forests.

1. Any decent knife (from SAK-Rucksack, to big fixed blade-CS TrailMaster).
2. Sharpener for knife
3. Compass
4. Fire Starter (like Gerber Strike force or similar)
5. Para-cord
6. EPIRB
7. batteries or generator for EPIRB

Build myself a shelter, a nice fire and sit back and enjoy the scenery until the chopper arrives.
 
1. Big solid fixed knife ( J.Tanazaque survival).
2. magnesium fire starter ( XL ).
3. GPS device with lithium battery pack.
4. Big portable tent ( himalayan style )
can be transformed in a back pack.
5. Stainless steel can to boil water.
6. Water container of about 5 liters.
7. Long range sniper rifle ( Stoner .243 with scope and ammo and cleaning tools ).

This should do for me.
( This is my first actual reply, before this I was merly an observer ).

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The cheap list: One carbon butcher knives
One carbon Machete
One Quart Pot
One Surplus Ruck Sack
One Military poncho
One three quart canteen
One 50" roll of binder twine

Carbon steel blades can be sharpened on a good creek rock, Fire starter bow made if no flint found, other items can be made as needed. This is very hard core and not my choice but I have done this in the past.If it would not count as another item I would like the pot to have a lid to keep the critters cooking in.

My kit as it stands now is:

One Operations Mission Essential Recon pack
The pack has a 120oz. water carrier inside.
One Busse Basic 9 on right side with pocket that conatins a strikeforce w/extra fuel tabs
and a DMT "butterfly" diamond Sharpener.
Left Side pocket Contains Katadyn water purifier with extra pre-filter and hose.
Back top pocket first aid kit with extras.
bottom back pocket contains cord,wire,tape,esbit stove and fuel.
Lashed to bottom is Poncho wrapped around pop flair.
Inside food for three days and odds 'N ends.

More than seven items less than fifty.

I have gotten by with just a butcher knife but I hate cleaning out guts to carry water.

Cheers,

ts

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Guns are for show. Knifes are for Pros.
 
Okay, I'm going to keep my list to things I actually currently own.

1) Kabar
2) Plastic tube tent
3) 2 lbs. coffee can
4) Flint/magnesium block
5) 100' chute cord
6) Snare wire
7) Edible plant identification book

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Megafolder Fans Unite!

Mike Melone

"Praise be to the LORD my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle. " Psalm 144:1
"One loves to possess arms, though they hope never to have occasion for them." Thomas Jefferson


 
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