Show us what's in your survival kit.

mneedham said:
BTJR,
The zip ties in my kit are for attaching my ATAX to a handle (a lot of other uses too..)
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Well, name some. I use the suckers every day and they're one shot deal in the telephone world. Paracord and rope would be better in outdoors. You can't run back to the storeroom for more zip ties if you run out or they're not right size for the job.

"Some are made with a place you can press to release. The rest can be opened with a small, flat blade - like the tweezers on a SAW or very small screw driver."

You mean a SAK? Yes, you can pick them open, but what happens when the little metal piece breaks?

Just asking. Every site has people singing about zip ties. But, nobody can tell what for.
 
bltjr1951 said:
Well, name some. I use the suckers every day and they're one shot deal in the telephone world. Paracord and rope would be better in outdoors. You can't run back to the storeroom for more zip ties if you run out or they're not right size for the job.

"Some are made with a place you can press to release. The rest can be opened with a small, flat blade - like the tweezers on a SAW or very small screw driver."

You mean a SAK? Yes, you can pick them open, but what happens when the little metal piece breaks?

Just asking. Every site has people singing about zip ties. But, nobody can tell what for.
Click to expand...

Considering the weight and space a few zip ties takes up, a person doesn't need to come up with more than one or two uses to bother including them. I don't carry them, but find them useful for building shelter and 'furniture' in an expedient and strong way. Also very good for lashing gear together when you need to, or for fixing broken gear (ie fixing a backpack strap- sewing can take a long while). Building traps (when cordage can't be spared, or is too hard to come by).

Under any circumstances, that's more than enough reason to not rag on everyone for their gear choices. Everyone's got different needs, environments, and experiences that lead them to how they design their kit. If you don't find it useful, that doesn't mean everyone else should conform.
 
Here's a few, some older than others; a couple are simple Pocket kits (PSK's), a few others are a little larger either for day hikes or a Get-Home-Bag for my truck in case of a remote break down or other catastrophic situation that may force me from my vehicle:

RitterPSK-1.jpg


RitterPSK-2.jpg


RitterPSK-3.jpg


RitterPSK-4.jpg


BF-CanteenLayout.jpg


BF-KnifeContents.jpg


Get Home Survival Kit:

ScoutBack.jpg


ScoutLayout.jpg


Urban Survival Kit?:D

UrbanKit-1.jpg


ROCK6
 
No pictures, but mine includes a Mora 510, a space blanket, and a firesteel. It's all I've ever needed.
 
bltjr1951 said:
. . . "Some are made with a place you can press to release. The rest can be opened with a small, flat blade - like the tweezers on a SAW or very small screw driver."

You mean a SAK? Yes, you can pick them open, but what happens when the little metal piece breaks?

Just asking. Every site has people singing about zip ties. But, nobody can tell what for.
Click to expand...

Yes. SAK. Kant tipe.

Some don't have the little metal part - all nylon.

I think they are an answer to an inability to tie knots.
 
Thomas Linton said:
I think they are an answer to an inability to tie knots.
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Anybody in a wilderness survival forum that can't tie knots should correct that forthwith. There are no cheaper, more effective, or older tools than knots if you need to tie, lash, restrain, attach, lower, raise, carry, ..........well, you get the idea.

BTW, TL from reading your posts, I'm sure you agree. ;)

Doc
 
SpookyPistolero said:
Under any circumstances, that's more than enough reason to not rag on everyone for their gear choices. Everyone's got different needs, environments, and experiences that lead them to how they design their kit. If you don't find it useful, that doesn't mean everyone else should conform.
Click to expand...

I wasn't ragging on anyone. I wanted an answer to my questions.
Like I said, on every site people say they carry zip ties, but they can't tell me what for? I had a zip tie put on my arm, pulled tight and my arm started to turn blue. I didn't waste time trying to pop it loose, I cut it off with pair of side cutters.
 
Doc, knowledge of knots and lashings is declining as relatively fewer boys go through Scouting. Even those who tent don't need to learn the taut-line because of the mechanical contraptions that come on the end of tent ropes these days.

Heck, cordage is an often-omitted item in PSK's.

Like I said, on every site people say they carry zip ties, but they can't tell me what for? I had a zip tie put on my arm, pulled tight and my arm started to turn blue. I didn't waste time trying to pop it loose, I cut it off with pair of side cutters.
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Useful accessory for field amputations.
 
Thomas Linton said:
Doc, knowledge of knots and lashings is declining as relatively fewer boys go through Scouting. Even those who tent don't need to learn the taut-line because of the mechanical contraptions that come on the end of tent ropes these days.

Heck, cordage is an often-omitted item in PSK's.

Amen, I'm a Cubmaster... Learning these type of skills is exactly why boys need the scouts....
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Thomas Linton said:
Doc, knowledge of knots and lashings is declining as relatively fewer boys go through Scouting. Even those who tent don't need to learn the taut-line because of the mechanical contraptions that come on the end of tent ropes these days.

Heck, cordage is an often-omitted item in PSK's.
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Well that would make me an exception as I never went to scouts but I love knots. In fact, Coote and I emailed back and forth for quite awhile discussing knots. By the way, Coote is alive and well, and living in New Zealand. :D I expect him to be back here, one of these days.

Recently I went off on a tangent (yes, another one :D) and it has to do with toggled knots - I think they're great and I try to find all different applications for them. If anybody's knot :rolleyes: sure what I'm referring to, check out a Marlinspike hitch or a Toggled bend. In fact I've been thinking about starting a thread about toggled knots, but I think I'll wait for a bit to let my Photobucket account cool off.

Doc
 
Knots are a lot like land nav to me, in that when you don't practice them regularly you lose your touch pretty quickly. Such is the case with me sadly!

I try to pick three or four versatile knots and practice them semi-regularly.
 
ROCK6:

Those are some great kits! Would you be so kind as to list the components of your Urban Survival Kit?

Thanks!
 
SpookyPistolero said:
Knots are a lot like land nav to me, in that when you don't practice them regularly you lose your touch pretty quickly. Such is the case with me sadly!

I try to pick three or four versatile knots and practice them semi-regularly.
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I practise them weekly. In fact I had to go for a CT scan today, and I was doing some knots in the waiting room. Some old babe sitting next to me says, "Navy?" - I say no. "Boy Scouts?" No. She got up, walked away muttering............. :(

Doc
 
Mneedham, that is a great idea, let your dog carry the illegal knife. So he gets busted :D

(It looks like a dagger)
 
bltjr1951 said:
Like I said, on every site people say they carry zip ties, but they can't tell me what for?
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Don Paul's book Everbody's Knife Bible, he goes into detail about the uses and many applications of them. Check it out, although don't get caught up on the knife mods. :)
 
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