psk thoughts and philosophy- what is prepared?

koyote

koyote

Joined
Mar 29, 2007
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I go out hiking, or just daywalking, with people, including my family.

I see a lot on here about PSKs, but very few seem to include the necessary elements for getting other people who may or may not be geared up through an event. Or even an exercise.

Now, for me in particular, I have a 4 year old, a 10 month old, and a wife who isn't...well, she's getting better, at least she carries an SAK and most often has water and emergency blanket.

Whenever I'm going out I carry 5 emergency blankets, my first aid kit is "group sized" anyhow, since I use it daily- I prefer tyo have my 'psk' be more of a daily living tool, that way I know what's going on with it.

Since I carry liquid iodine for first aid and water purifying, I've got enough for a group for a time.

I do plan food stores and such based on people, and sometimes have to argue a bit to get someone going with us on a day hike to toss something in a bag to carry.

How do others handle this?
 
I am in the same boat. I've been on trips where several people where WAY under-prepared. So my PSK evolved into a group kit. I carry an adventure medical .9 ultralight first aid kit that I've added to quite a but. I'm still working on putting it together as I'm still learning more about wilderness first aid (I highly recommend a Wilderness First Responder course for anyone who is doing group leading www.nols.edu). Right now I know more about first aid than I do about personal survival, so I'm still piecing this together. My goal is to have a great first aid kit / personal survival bag. Had I known then (when I bought my first aid kit) what I do now, I would have just built my own from scratch.

My son is almost 3, and my wife is very good in the back country. But I still feel like being over prepared (within reason) is good.

I'm still looking for a good pack for my family/small group kit. I'd like a fairly simple fanny pack style, but all the modern ones are to expensive and look fairly weak. Anyone have any recommendations?

L
 
Depending on the demographic of the group, you might also ask/encourage/force others to carry - in a small backpack or fanny pack - supplies that you have brought. Just a thought.

:thumbup:
 
I leave the family home. :D

Actually the wife is too busy with work and babies, the daughter is too busy with school, work and babies, so I manage a morning here and there where I can get away and do some communing with Ma Earth.

I normally carry select items with me as everyday carry (EDC) and will grab the added gear (PSK) when I leave the house. It is either contained in a small belt pouch, which holds a minimum of essential gear, some of it will duplicate a few items of my EDC, or it is carried in a small shoulder bag, which contains additional gear for when I will be out for several hours on a hike, etc. I will usually have a canteen of water with me in the PU.

When the wife and I hiked together, she has her PSK and I have mine. I usually carried enough water for both of us, because of the added weight and if we were going to be gone for more than a few hours and weather was unknown, I would also carry a pack with appropriate gear and food.

Each of our vehicles contain emergency preparations so that if we are separated from each other, we have the ability to make due until we can join up.
 
I *do* leave the family at home often, but we also go out together often, and most of the time without cars. We even bike camp with the kiddos!

Naked- for bags my all time favorite is a marmot highlander, we have three. One is stock, one has clips for use on a bike rack, and one I'm playing with adding suspender style straps to with a few tie points on the back so I could easily pack on a spare bag or tarp for picnicking.
 
To me, the answer is found in the philosophy/tao of the psk, or as it is sometimes called, tin-fu or tin-jitsu (as opposed to the sport/art form of tin-do). :) The P means pocket.

A PSK is what YOU carry in YOUR pocket in case YOU are misplaced. Everyone should have one, they are individualized to needs and skill. If you are in the woods and aren't old enough to carry at least water, a SAK and a very basic PSK.... Let's face it, the leashes for little kids are humiliating for everyone, but they exist for a reason. :)
 
Ironraven has a good point about kids carrying their own stuff. Doug Ritter has some good info on his site about what kids should have etc.

L
 
P for me has always meant personal- and mine is mostly modular. There's stuff I don't carry all the time.

I suppose where my philosophy is going is that "personal" means that I need to work wiyth my environmenty- and my environment might include a 10 month old, a 4 year old (who does carry his own snacks, water, flashlight and knife), or even unprepared persons.

Hence the thread, right :)

I have no problems tyossing ziplocks with a small sak, blanket, and assorted odds and ends at people who go out with me, but I also am realizing that often I *do* have to think about the responsibility for doing so. I know *I* can make fire, or handle my local enviroments with nothing but a bag, tarp, and iodine. (fire isn't really important even in winter unless I go up east a ways)- but other people who are with me are part of my environment, and I have a social responsibility that comes with me education and skills.
 
I always take some time when I'm hiking with the kids to familiarize the with their kits. The have to carry their own water and a small kit. We practice making a small fire, signalling, or building a hasty shelter... whatever. It makes the day seem a little more fun for them because they get to practice with all their cool gear a little. But they all carry their own stuff... whistle, orange bandannas, whistle, signal mirrors or CD's, flashlight, light sticks, power bar or two, water, blanket, a trash bag or two, hat, cordage, duct tape, a couple of bandaids, and fire starters for my older ones. I carry an extra show and tell set for them to practice with.

My five year old carries his stuff in a fanny pack with two wee little canteens. He loves it. But he doesn't have enough butt to hold it up so I added a woven paracord shoulder strap. You can also stick a toy or two in there and maybe some trailmix. Anything to keep them happy and interested in what you are doing.
 
As my kids got older, I made up PSK's in Nalgene's for family members. There are lighter, smaller options, but that made it easy to get it all in one bomb-proof container--- "here, put this in your pack, and it's only for emergencies." We have trained the kids to stay put and make noise (whistle) if they got lost. They have always had the essentials in a pack even when day hiking. They know how to start a campfire,gather wood, etc. We taught them to make noise and make themselves look bigger if a cougar was seen and what to do with bears. That and having them stay close is about it.

Your ideas with small kids are great-- carrying enough space blankets for all, etc. As they get older, you'll need to have them take their own-- the little monsters like tostretch boundaries and getting separated from the group is my main concern. Hiking with one adult up front and one behind is our way of dealing with it, other than teaching and warning.

Good thread!
 
my family each carry their own items, I have my PSK, my son likes to carry his own items makes him feel like a big person,wife has hers,and if for any reason we become separated(etc fallling into water) sit still, don't call out, blow the jet whistle in your kit and try that walkie talkie(midland family set) .
 
ironraven said:
To me, the answer is found in the philosophy/tao of the psk, or as it is sometimes called, tin-fu or tin-jitsu (as opposed to the sport/art form of tin-do). :) The P means pocket.

A PSK is what YOU carry in YOUR pocket in case YOU are misplaced. Everyone should have one, they are individualized to needs and skill. If you are in the woods and aren't old enough to carry at least water, a SAK and a very basic PSK.... Let's face it, the leashes for little kids are humiliating for everyone, but they exist for a reason. :)
Click to expand...

How much equipment you carry will constantly vary based on many factors. Some of which have been touched on here. But IMNSHO my PSK is for ME.
 
DaleW said:
As my kids got older, I made up PSK's in Nalgene's for family members. There are lighter, smaller options, but that made it easy to get it all in one bomb-proof container--- "here, put this in your pack, and it's only for emergencies." We have trained the kids to stay put and make noise (whistle) if they got lost. They have always had the essentials in a pack even when day hiking. They know how to start a campfire,gather wood, etc. We taught them to make noise and make themselves look bigger if a cougar was seen and what to do with bears. That and having them stay close is about it.


Good thread!
Click to expand...


Dale, you are 1000 times ahead of most sheeple when it comes to kid prep could on you;). A couple less kids SAR might have to look for sounds like.

Skam
 
I hear what everyone says about PSKs and I get it, but I have always felt a very strong sense of responsibility for anyone who is with me, old, young, big, small, woman or man, and I therefor carry way more than I have to whenever I go into the woods. Many "Experts"(I use that word lightly) have pointed out to me the flaw in my thinking, and how a true survivor must look out for themselves first. I am not going to fault someone for thinking that way, and I fully believe that everyone should be taught the skills needed to stay alive and they should also be able to carry their own supplies, but I also believe that you can never fault someone for being over prepared and looking out for others. It's always funny how when one of those people who are always making fun of me for all the stuff I carry get in to trouble, the first person they send for is guess who, ME! Another thing guys, I always love to hear about others taking their little ones out into the woods with them, there aren't too many kids brought up with parents willing to take the time to do the kinds of things that matter any more, and believe me it will pay off in the long run.
 
it is great to have more people thinking about kids, and I have definitely got some ideas for adding to my son's carry around pile- a bandana and a whistle, for starters. His flashlight is one of those shaker-style rechargeables, too.
 
If you have the proper TOOLS in your PSK, many items can be fabricated for others if necessary.
 
I'm not going to carry proper hiking shoes, a wide brim hat, and extra rain coat, extra food, for anyone who didn't bring their own; nor will I carry extra survival gear for them.

If you are talking family then you must make sure they carry the right gear, to not do so is not educating them and allowing them to mature. Teach them what gear to carry and make sure they carry the gear and don't carry it for them. Exception is made for the children as you as a parent already do that in their daily life.

If you are leading a group you write a list of what gear they need and check their gear before you hit the road. No gear? No go.

With a knife, fire tools, and skills you can make emergency shelter for a small group.
 
I think I see where you are going, Koyote. For that, you need more than just what you can put into your pocket, it's turning into a pack. Emergencies with an infant are always an order of magnitude worse.
 
I carry a day pack whenever I'm out and it's really light weight and yet I feel I can get a group of people through a rough patch. The problem is when you can't help them and that's where the problem of stressing about everyones gear. The problem is most people wouldn't know what to do with it. Skills is what's needed for most people not a PSK. So, when my girlfriend comes with me I make her take a knife, a water bottle, and the PROPER CLOTHES. IMO the number one thing that will get them through a survival situation is that they have the right clothes. What a difference a simple poncho makes in the NW.:)
 
I take into account for my wife if she is with me. I usually have two kits in the truck. One is for just me and the other is for when she is with me. These are butt packs are fitted with a shoulder strap. No, I do not carry a kit the size of an Altoids Tin. On my person I always carry a four to five inch fixed blade and also a folder. I always have a firearm! There are always two methods of starting a fire, a compass and a Photon on my person. Eveything else is in the day bag.
There is no perfect PSK. Each and everyone needs to be fitted to the user and their need. If this includes someone else, so be it.
 
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