Top ten most important survival items

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wade

Joined
Sep 22, 2005
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If you were to coose ten items to have with you in a survival situation what would they be? Also keep it realistic, like what you might have in a day or hunting pack. NOT something like a well stocked travle trailer. Stranded in the outdoors for lets say a month, or long enough that you would actually have to use your survival equiptment and knowledge, not just go hungry for a few days and walk out or be rescued. So, with that in mind what would you want to take and ONLY TEN items?
Wade
 
Here is my top six:
Poncho / Tarp
Sleeping Blanket / Bag
2 -32 oz Nalgene Water Bottles
Metal Mug / Cup
Sturdy Fixed Blade Knife
Ferrocerium Rod / FireSteel
 
wade said:
. Stranded in the outdoors for lets say a month, or long enough that you would actually have to use your survival equiptment and knowledge, not just go hungry for a few days and walk out or be rescued.
Wade
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I think that these may be mutually excluve situation for your intent of the list you request. I wouldn't want to be stuck for a month with only the 10 items I carry in a small pack, and I think that 3-5 days would give you more than enough time to utilize all 10 items and skill sets.

My 10: SAK, fire steel, CMG Infinity LED (or suitable sub), whistle, handkerchief, water purification tabs, steel cup, tarp, para cord, and waterproof matches.
 
1: Flint and steel/car cloth

2: My bow and a dozen arrows

3: Opinel #8

4: 12x12 ultralight tarp (fits in a 1qt. Nalgene)

5: 1 wool blanket (4point or better)

6: 1 qtr. lb. spool of artificial sinew

7: Garlic salt and Pepper

8: 3 #1 glovers needles

9: Hatchet

10: 2# coffee can
 
Depending on environment but in general
[*]spare glasses(I`m wearing contacts)
[*]Good fixed blade (Becker Bk9)
[*]Shotgun with ammo(shot and a few slugs)
[*]Firesteel and Tinder
[*]100 feet paracord
[*]Compass (with mirror for signaling)-Only if I know where I am at and where to go, if that is not the case substitute it with a small first aid kit
[*]Poncho/Ex East German Army( its impregnated cotton and works as a tarp, too, or stripes could be cut off for treating wounds/bandaids )
[*]Canteen
[*]Stainless cook pot
[*]Sleeping bag or heavy wool blanket
[/LIST]
 
1. Satellite phone

2. GPS

3. Spare batteries

4. Waterproof bag for all of them.

;)

Seriously though.

This is my 11 essentials list, a bit more than ten items, but follows the general idea:

1. Map/Compass
I use a Sunnto similer to the MCA/MCB models. It's small, light, and the mirror also becomes my signal mirror. (multi-purpose)
I also carry a 2AA etrex Garmin Legend C GPS now.

2. Flashlight (headlamp)
Petzl MYO XP. Lightweight, 3AA batteries, 1 watt LED, 4 modes and a turbo button. A great headlamp.

3. Knife (IMHO, you really shouldn't need more than 3)

Used to be usually a Leatherman Charge and a Benchmade Nim-cub on my person, with a plain edge SAK one-handed trekker in my bag (when I travel with others I carry a SAK Soldier in my pocket, in case I need to give them a knife). But, I want to change the Nim-cub now that it was discontinued.

4. First aid kit (Varies way to much to list, but I assemble it myself in a small bag) Bandana/Triangular bandage included in that.

5. Fire starter
On my person I carry a BSA hotspark and a Permanent Match, with a little vas/cotten in a bag in my wallet. I carry more in a film or match container in my pack. Sometimes I carry a mini-bic too, since it takes up no space and is simple to use.

6. Signal device (whistle and mirror)
Whistle is Doug Ritters flat Fox 40 design.

7. Water purification/Water bottle
I carry a Camelbak with two nalgenes nested in a metal cup and lexan cup on the sides. With that I carry katadyn tabs and a survival straw also.

8. Insect stuff/Sun screen
100% deet with a permethrin mix right now, sun stuff I usually don't carry (around here).

9. Hat
military type full brim hat

10. Rain gear (big plastic trash bags are multi-use and excellent rain gear)
A few big trash bags. I usually precut one for me and my pack and just reuse them.

11. Toilet paper
Charmin, but re-rolled so no carboard center

Now, that list doesn't include spare clothing since that is a completely seperate list. I also didn't include weapons, since NJ isn't big on them and I do most of my stuff without them, but I would want something if I went a bit further out into the country.
 
Depends on the environment

100% deet with a permethrin mix right now, sun stuff I usually don't carry (around here).
Click to expand...

As far as I know, you're not supposed to be putting Permethrin on your skin. At least that's what it says on the can...
 
shpshooter,
I have heard the permanent match before. How well do they work? How often do you have to refill them? and about how big are they?
 
Burncycle said:
Depends on the environment



As far as I know, you're not supposed to be putting Permethrin on your skin. At least that's what it says on the can...
Click to expand...

I don't, 100% deet isn't supposed to go on skin either. I use it on my socks, shoes, pants, and hat. Sometimes the shirt, but I don't usually like to put it there.

Wade said:
shpshooter,
I have heard the permanent match before. How well do they work? How often do you have to refill them? and about how big are they?
Click to expand...

They work great, it has basically all the good aspects of a Zippo, without the bad. It is slightly smaller and lighter than a Zippo too. The only bad thing is they are made for two handed use, though you could do it one handed if supported with feet or something. Check them out, they arn't that expensive, if you try it and don't like it you arn't out much.
 
Can I cheat, and say something that includes multiple components?

Like a mess kit contains several halves, and utensils?

Can I say "water purification tablets", which assumes there are several, or do I have to count each one as one item?

;)
 
Tracker
SAK
12'x12' tarp
Katadin water filter
mess kit
A good sleeping bag
50' of 550lbs test paracord
good thick coat
irish setter boots
SAS survival guide
 
SAK Forester
Swamp Rat Howling Rat
Compass
WSI firestarter
Water purification tablets
Canteen/cup
Emergency blanket
Signal mirror
Fox 40 whistle
Photon III microlite

These are my short term basics.
 
1) Big waterproof container filled with wooden strike-anywhere matches
2) Really comfortable, roomy, waterproof sleeping bag
3) 8' X 12' nylon tarp (with grommets every foot or so around the edges)
4) Biggest Nalgene bottle available (wide mouth version)
5) MSR miniworks water filter
6) Busse Fusion Battle Mistress
7) Victorinox Trailmaster (Trekker)
8) Industrial sized pallet of MREs
9) Jumbo sized tub of Metamucil
10) Angelina Jolie
 
Sorry! I couldn't resist.

OK, in keeping with the spirit of this, take off items 8, 9, and 10 above, and let's substitute these:

8) Ruger Mark II target model with plenty o' ammo
9) Big roll of parachute cord
10) EZE lap diamond sharpener
 
5qt. lidded pot
chemical treatment
USGI poncho
M2K
FAK
500' 4 ply untreated Jute twine
heavy wool blanket
recurve w/quiver of 2dz arrows
fishing hooks and line
spark-lite firestarting kit
 
Decent Knife and Sharpener
Poncho with liner
Canteen with accessories (pouch, cup, MP-1 tabs)
PSK
FAK
550 Cord
Bug Repellant and headnet
Headlamp and spare batts
.22 with plenty of ammo
... Angelina Jolie
 
The stuff I do carry, in tropical Brazil:

BK-7 Kit knife, on belt
NRGS kit knife, around neck
US Army Canteen, Cup & Stove sleeve, on belt (Potable Aqua in pouch)
Poncho, pack
Poncho Liner, pack
Bivy Sack, pack
Paracord, pack
Recta DP-2 compass, in top pocket
PVC Water filter, pack
Yellow Bic, in pocket
60 ml syringe and 1 meter plastic tube (in dry season)

The two kit knives have lots of resources on them, too many to detail here but that is the way I carry my knife/PSK.

The essential tasks you need to be able to do: Fire, Water, Shelter, Navigation, Signals, Boiling water, Cut things. These are the things that minimum preparation will enable you to do far faster than trying to use natural resources alone. Mac
 
Coming from an ultra light backpacker that enjoyings mountaineering. My first question is region, terrain, season. But thats getting a bit into it:)

1. Knowledge of the area you are going into(mentally prepared).
2. good boots.
3. Just out of convenience, a full tang stainless steel knife(stay away from brittle blades, they won't last outdoors), partially serrated.

Minimal, the first 2. Shelter, food and water are easy to find nearly everywhere. Fire is a commodity. The reason I say shelter food and water are nearly everwhere is because every animal needs those to survive. All three can be found in mountains, deserts and forests. Navigation can easily be remedied through astronomy(assuming you took classes...). Fire can easily be made from rocks or wood(thats kind of how it started right?). Shelter is in your surroundings. Water can be collected from plants. Food comes from watching animals(snares can easily be rigged as well). As far as your knife is concerned, rocks are razor sharp when cracked properly. If not rocks, heat treated wood.

Good boots are really all you need to bring with you if it comes down to it. As long as you can move and are in motion, you are alive. Imagine how much you can accomplish if you had to walk around barefoot in any terrain.

How do I know this? try spending a lot of summers in Asia for boot camp. Then moving to the desert where it gets up to 124 degrees in the summer, then to the mountains...I suppose my behavior in my earlier years is what led me to find the one thing I truly enjoy.

Always remember, if you treat mother nature with with respect, she will care for you like a mother loves a child. She may get a bit upset at times, but she will always provide everything you need to survive.
 
It may vary very much what one needs for survival, depending on every persons level of knowledge and mindset. But some basic things to have with give you a lot more chances to make it. To have them with you are in a survival situation will very likely put some peace of mind on you. With my knowledge as it is right know I dont think I would be able to make it for more than a couple days without minimum equippment, maybe if the area and the climate is halfway decent, but not under real harsh conditions.To many things can go wrong and a good equippment by no means gives a guarantee for staying alive. I would certainly try, but I don´t have the illusion of beeing able to live with mother nature -especially long term -without any gear.The 10 items I posted are probably my minimum and i would like to have a few more even if it would be just a help to build up confidence.
 
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