The SHTF, your headed for the hills...

tknife

tknife

Joined
Mar 18, 1999
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Your BOB is on your back, but as you run out the door, you want to grab one survival manual, which do you pick?
I probably have at least 20 different books on survival, but I keep coming back to Larry Dean Olson's book myself.
 
boy scouts handbook. It's the only one I got besides a too heavy to carry hardback copy of the military survival manual. :D
 
Untill last week it would have either been the Olson or J.Wayne Fears books.
Now it would definetly be the USAF Search & Rescue,Survival Training manual, AF Reg.64-4. The illistrations are the most complete and extensive I have ever seen in a single book.
Allan
 
SurviveAl said:
Untill last week it would have either been the Olson or J.Wayne Fears books.
Now it would definetly be the USAF Search & Rescue,Survival Training manual, AF Reg.64-4. The illistrations are the most complete and extensive I have ever seen in a single book.
Allan
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Ditto! I picked up the USAF manual at borders. It was $12 or $13, I thought it would have been more. Kinda big for putting in a bob, but very complete.
 
If you need to pick a survival manual at that point, you can just as well sit there and wait until the ripper gets you.

Train in survival (I said TRAIN, not only read) BEFORE the SHTF.

David
 
I too would go with the Boy Scouts Manual.

At my age I'm not running anyplace. A nice steady walking pace will chew up miles before the sun goes down.
 
SurviveAl said:
Untill last week it would have either been the Olson or J.Wayne Fears books.
Now it would definetly be the USAF Search & Rescue,Survival Training manual, AF Reg.64-4. The illistrations are the most complete and extensive I have ever seen in a single book.
Allan
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I don't have that manual, I will definitely check into it though, sounds like a winner.
 
tknife, the AF manual is great, lots of illustrations. Pretty thick. You might need to get another bag to carry it ;)
 
I have the Air Force survival manual AFM64-5 actually two copies as issued to me but given enough time the boy scout handbook also.
 
Actually, I agree with Moine. I'd grab the BSA handbook because if something happens to me, the wife will need to brush up on a few things after she got done kicking the heck outta my cold and dead body for leaving her alone. ;)
 
SAS Survival Guide, Collins Gem edition, by John Wiseman. Complete, concise, and quite small- what more could you ask for?
 
tknife said:
Your BOB is on your back, but as you run out the door, you want to grab one survival manual, which do you pick?
I probably have at least 20 different books on survival, but I keep coming back to Larry Dean Olson's book myself.
Click to expand...


I'd take any book that had the most complete listing of edible plants in my area. Other than that, I purposely DON'T carry a survival manual in my gear; I might be tempted to rely on it. If I'm relying on a survival manual for necessary skills after I've bugged out, I'm likely to be dead shortly....
 
I would take "Six ways in and Twelve ways out". It was put out by the United States Rescue and Special Operations Group (USA-RSOG). I got it from Buckshot. Its light, soft cover, and probably one of the most up to date manuals I have.
 
I have a few books in my kit, my reasons for doing so are:

1. My kit is always evolving and changing, for a couple of reasons.......when I find gear that better suits my needs...

When I find a better/quicker/safer ect.. method or skill of doing something...

In order for both of these things to happen, my kit has to do more than sit in a corner somewhere......I have to take it out in the woods and water and practice my skills...during practice they make referencing something easier than relying on memory, and also help me explain a concept or idea to my wife and kids also...

2. In a bug out situation or survival situation you are going to end up tired, stressed out, maybe even hurt or sick.... I would like to think my practice and training were up to the task, I certainly try to make them so...but pain, shock, fever, panic, or any number of things may make it hard to reason out a good solution to a problem that may seem second nature in practice....having a manual, or even photocopied notes may be the thing needed to spark the memory, or save time and effort by helping you get it right the first time....

3. Entertainment....hell, I just like to read them...some are as enjoyable as they are informative....I have the Pocket Gem SAS book by Wiseman, How To Stay Alive In The Woods by Bradford Angier, and Come Back Alive by Robert Young Pelton....I also have included a book titled Campfire Chillers. It's a vest pocket sized book with classic horror stories from Poe and others...good stuff !
 
Moine said:
If you need to pick a survival manual at that point, you can just as well sit there and wait until the ripper gets you.

Train in survival (I said TRAIN, not only read) BEFORE the SHTF.

David
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Well put. I agree whole heartedly. That said, a Peterson's guide for edible/medicinal plants in my area. Gotta eat, if you don't have the skill to survive before the SHTF a book most likely won't help you once it does but plants are hard to remember so a good guide can help. I would say though if you’re not sure don't eat it.

Ric
 
The air force manual is a lot of stuff you don't need... it's got stuff on rappelling which you should be trained in long before and not learning it from a book while trying to survive... It's got sections on what to do if you're a POW, something I think is very unlikely if you're a civilian bugging out. It's heavy and military specific... There are a few books out there which cater to a combination of urban and woodland survival. I think an edible plant and animals guide is foremost and some entertaining reading material is a close second.
 
Price,size and quality,it is hard to beat Lofty Wiseman SAS Pocket Gem edition.The only negative thing I could pick on is numerous spelling errors,but doesn't effect the grasping of the material.It is loaded with valuable information.
 
TOMBSTONE said:
Price,size and quality,it is hard to beat Lofty Wiseman SAS Pocket Gem edition.The only negative thing I could pick on is numerous spelling errors,but doesn't effect the grasping of the material.It is loaded with valuable information.
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They're not errors, it's just written in British vernacular.
 
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