Top ten most important survival items

Hikeeba, You are right. That is what I meaant about the LED lite. The batteries have a ten year shelf life, but they do have a very long burn time.
The pocket ultimate saw comes in a small ballistic nylon case and works very well. In actuality I keep my kits in a small Gregory and/or Lowe day pack with side pockets as this provides easy access to quikly needed items, yet allows me to have all that I need with minimal weight and ease of carrying.
I also carry an MSR GXK stove as it will burn any flammable or even semi-flammable liquid. I have used mine for over thirty years with minimal maintenance. They are not cheap, but they are worth the price.
BTW can you guess whaat the ultimate long term survival food is? It requires only water to prepare, will store for years and has all of the essential nutrients, yet is light in weight.
Regards,
revbob
 
Just finished reading these 7 pages (wasn't a member when it first appeared)- quite interesting. One thing I noticed is very few people mentioned nets, and the people that did, identified them as gill nets (this is absolutely not meant as a criticism :( ). Nets are extremely useful tools -for fish (gill nets, seine nets, lift nets,etc.), turtles, birds, as containers, carrying devices, hammocks, etc. The point I'm trying to make is that given the efficacy of nets, it is a worthwhile skill to develop (net making), and it is really quite easy. With this knowledge, and longbow's ball of jute :) , your survivability will be enhanced.

Doc
 
Sak Trekker

Mag Firestarter

Kelty Backpack w/hydration filter

BK 10 (unless the RD9 or Dogfather come in sooner)

TP Roll

Neosporin

Tarp

Sleeping Bag

Steel Mess Kit

my dog!
 
1)fixed blade 4-5 in
2) leatherman wave
3)100 ft of paracord
4)Waterproof tarp
5)sleepingbag
6)my 20gauge shotgun in a waterproof case with mixed ammo
7)telescoping fishing pole w/mini tacklebox
8)first aid kit
9)1 galo ziplock bag containg flint an steel and cotton balls
10)Pot/metal mug
 
RR,

Great list, very close to what I would suggest.

EDIT: It is my list, proves there are no, or very few, original thoughts.
 
Assuming northern climate...

1. Clothes appropriate to the environment - synthetics and wool
2. Sleeping bag and mat
3. Tarp
4. Lighter or Ferro Rod w/magnesium
5. First aid kit w/2% tincture of iodine
6. Cooking pot
7. Small forest axe
8. 550 cord
9. Nalgene bottle wrapped in duct tape nestled in cup and carrier
10. 4" fixed blade knife, high carbon, scandi grind
 
Hey folks,

I posted a reply on this thread several months ago and like some others, I basically ignored the major thrust of the original question.

Here is another, somewhat more disciplined attempt...

10 and only10
Assuming proper basic clothing... for an undisclosed 30 day survival hop

List
1. Fixed &/or Folding blade
2. Butane lighter
3. Gore-Tex suit
4. 550 paracord, 200 feet
5. Katadyn Pocket H2O Filter &/or Polar Pure Crystals
6. Fish hooks, 50 ct.
7. Thermo-lite Bivy Sack
8. 10 cloves of garlic
9. .22 LR pistol & ammo
10. Roll of aluminum foil, large

Details of List
1. Fixed blade x 1, Cold Steel Trailmaster (9.5 in.) or Recon Scout (7.5 in.) bowie or Bushman (7 in.)
& folding knife x 1, Leatherman Wave or Charge Ti or Victorinox Hiker (Yes, I know that's two, couldn't help myself, I'm a confirmed knife nut. This selection of two blades covers everything you'd need. Does it count that I actually carry 3 knives on me at all waking hours?
Only one? - either Leatherman. - Grumble! Grump! How about, both?)

2. Butane lighter, a big one (Depending on where I land, enough butane to dry out some wet tinder and get an initial fire started. If I'm able to stay put, in an area with adequate food and fuel, I shouldn't need to start too many fires, just keep one going and banked for most of the whole thirty day exercise.)

3. Gore-Tex suit, full body, including gloves, socks & headgear (Take off in dry or temperate climate, without major "BUGGINESS," turn inside out, tie off pant legs or sleeves and use to carry water or food while moving. Pants can be used as a backpack with string for leg and waist tie offs. Use as emergency floatation device. Dry insulating material, leaves, etc. can be stuffed inside with cuff tie offs and worn in extreme cold weather.)
** Now, if this counts as "Proper clothing" and not gear... then I can have my fixed blade knife back, right? **

4. 550 paracord, 200 feet (equals additional 1400 ft total length of the 7 inner strands for fishing / sewing / suture / dental floss / snare & debris shelter construction / hunting or fire bowstring, etc.)

5. Katadyn Pocket H2O Filter & Polar Pure Crystals (Yes, I know that's two again. Only one? - the Polar Pure. Water treatment as well as first aid. In this case, clothing and "BLACK CHARCOAL ONLY" would be used to strain / filter water prior to treating & drinking. Clothing would also be dressing & bandage material. Mostly I would try to follow the #1 rule of first aid... "Don't get hurt!")

6. Fish hooks, 50 ct. (fishing & bird snares, sewing & suture needles, used with 550 Paracord inner strands) threaded onto 5 safety pins, in H2O-proof matchsafe.

7. Thermo-lite emergency Bivy Sack (Thermal reflective, H2O & wind proof, wrap food or transport H2O, sit shelter, sleeping bag, raft, backpack with clothing/550 paracord straps, to rock boil food & rock boil H2O for purifcation, emergency rescue signal (panel or kite), small bits cut off for fishing & bird lures.)

8. 10 cloves of garlic (for bug repellant, cut into small pills - swallowed 2-3 x per day for long term, rubbed onto exposed skin for immediate bug-a-boo, food seasoning & to avoid kissing ugly girls and ward off vampires, in case I get stranded in Transylvania.)

9. Walther PP .22 LR pistol & 200 rds. CCI Velocitor ammo (Small-medium game harvesting, personal protection. An empty .22 LR shell makes a, not great but passable, signal whistle. Sorry, but gun without ammo like arrow without bow, Cisco without Pancho, Abbott without Costello, etc. I'm gonna stand on this as a single item. Why 200 rounds of ammo... target practice on dragonflies and lightning bugs.)

10. Roll of aluminum foil, large, 18" or larger width (cooking utensils / fire windscreen / lures / reflective insulation / food & water transport vessels / rescue signalling)

... And a very large prayer that, this lightly equipped, I don't get stranded in the arctic!

... And, if allowed any extras,
(see next)


List
11. 100' spool of 24 gauge snare wire
12. Salt, pepper, sugar and a big bottle of Tobasco!
13. Immodium AD tablets (FAK)
14. Roll of Gorilla (duct) tape
15. Gallon metal bucket of water
16. Gallon metal bucket of food
17. Bug net suit
18. Large tarp, 10x10
19. Heavy Wool Blanket
20. Gerber Strike Force & Wet Fire
21. Ruger Redhawk & ammo
22. "Complete Wm. Shakespeare"

11. 100' spool of 24 gauge snare wire (I'm willing to trade off the fish hooks & put this one in the top 10 & use whittled wood or bone gorge (skewer) hooks for fishing instead, but wire does a lousy job for sewing/suturing, which fish hooks accomplish much better.)

12. Salt, pepper, sugar and a big bottle of Tobasco! (Salt & sugar can both be used for wounds.)

13. Immodium AD tablets (or a really complete 1st Aid Kit which includes the above and some other goodies, Ibuprofen, vitamins, Benadryl, sterile gauze 4" roll bandage (Kerlix) material or 2 large all cotton pillowcases which could be used for carrying, slings, cut in strips for bandage material, fire starting char cloth, comfy sleeping, H2O straining/filtration, etc.)

14. 1 roll of Gorilla (duct) tape, 105 ft. (1st Aid dressing / slings, shelter construction, fire starting tinder, rope, emergency Snow/sun glasses, etc. etc. etc. Think MacGuyver, The A-Team & The Red Green Show!)

15. 1 gallon metal bucket of water (metal, becomes cook/stock pot, arrowheads, tools, etc.)

16. 1 gallon metal bucket of food (Corn meal, sugar & bullion cubes, or 2nd gallon of water, if in the desert.)

17. Bug net suit (bugs & extra insulation layer inside Gore-Tex, minnow fishing net (pants), food transport, H2O strainer/filter, wrap to keep flies etc. off drying meat)

18. Large tarp, 10x10 foot or larger (Whelan shelter, modified lean-to, shade, food and water transport, raft, travois). Weight is not an issue for this tarp as this isn't, necessarily a trekking hop, even heavy weight treated canvas would be okay. For trekking, an ultralight Sil-Nylon tarp (augmented with natural insulation) of 10x12 foot would be better.

19. Heavy Wool Blanket (Ahhh... Soft Warmth!)

20. Gerber Strike Force & 12 Wet Fire tinder cubes (fire starting redundancy)

21. Ruger Redhawk, Stainless Steel in .44 Magnum or .45 Colt (preferred) in 5.5 inch barrel length, 30 rounds hardcast Kieth Semi-Wadcutters, 250 or 260 grain weight respectively, loaded to 1000-1100 fps, 6 in gun plus 4 speed loaders. (More for protection and peace of mind than for hunting, but certainly better able than the .22 LR to handle medium to large or dangerous game, two or four legged varieties. These are not "MAGNUM" level loads, just good, dependable, solid bullets and enough velocity to do most jobs short of pachyderms.)

Oh yeah...
22. My "Complete Works of William Shakespeare" for sanity and to study human nature during the more contemplative moments of my survival ordeal / adventure & a book I don't care about, like Michael Moore's self-loathing treatise, "Stupid White Men"... for Toilet paper.

Conquer yourself first, all else will follow.
KJM
 
List would change depending on what part of country I would be in :
Fixed blade knife 7 in bowie style
Folder
22 cal survival rifle and 2 bxs longs
25 ft 1/4 rope
1 0z super glu
4 Bic lighters
lined poncho
50 yds of 90 lb spyder wire (braided fishing line)
Metal canteen
Mini LED flashlight

Leon Pugh
 
I'd carry the following:
Rat-7
Tarp
Pur Water filter
Magnesium Stick
S.S. Kleen Kanteen
Para Cord
1st Aid Kit
Space Blanket
Compass
.22 pistol with a full mag of course :-)
 
You guys have given me fantastic ideas, some that I may not have considered. Thank you. However, as I was humping back to day I thought to myself that if I was really in a survival situation out here that a small pair of binoculars would be beneficial. Walking through deep snow, tripping over through brush, climping up slippery boulders, the cold, etc. is tiring and saps energy. A small pair of binoculars would save unecessry walking to investigate the terrain, or search for animals around me. ....Question : If I had binnoculars could I use them as a magnifying glass for firestarting, if all else failed. This may be another fire starting, back up, option.
 
upnorth said:
. . .Question : If I had binnoculars could I use them as a magnifying glass for firestarting, if all else failed. This may be another fire starting, back up, option.
Click to expand...
Binoculars can be used as a magnifying glass. The larger the objective lens, the better they seem to work.
 
I take the question to assume you mean what we could carry in a PSK which would rule out a Tent and Sleeping bag etc !
Water/windproof matches,
Petrolium Jelly soaked cotton balls,
Bottle of Iodine,
Space Blanket,
Large refuse bag,
Stainless mug(single wall),
Roll of Duct tape,
Paracord,
Cell Phone,
Scrapper 4 knife,
 
wade said:
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
Click to expand...
Don't see a PSK mentioned here, but it's late.
 
Thomas Linton said:
Binoculars can be used as a magnifying glass. The larger the objective lens, the better they seem to work.
Click to expand...

Cool. I picked up a tiny little 8x Tasco for cheap a while back and threw them in a drawer somewhere. If I ever see a sunny day up here ill try it out, thanks.
 
With a day pack as the original poster suggested, which I agree is the way to go, I HAVE to use two of my ten "spots" for a change of socks and a small soft comfy hand-towel. (unless you let me count a BDU or similar jacket as one spot, and stuff 'em in the pockets... sorry, that's just the way my brain works...)At home or in the boonies, being able to at least rinse and dry my face, feet and other parts (careful what order you wash up in! :D ) and put clean dry socks on, is a big morale booster. Plus it's just good hygiene like Mom taught ya! And each would be in a Ziplock, those are always handy.

If you overlook the ten-item rule and read this whole thread, I think y'all have covered just about everything a person might reasonably consider. :thumbup:
 
Wow, some good suggestions on here. Theres quite a lot of experience on this board. I'm impressed. But yea, it depends on METT-T. (the situation)
Wooded or desert? Or cold weather? Is the survival situation leisure camping, or when the balloon goes up in your neighborhood?
I have my LBE pretty much still loaded from iraq, but a few things were substituted for urban situations.. So I'd just take that, but, Ill keep it simple. But if these are to be individual components of a psk, Id probably take...hmmm (bare with me, as i still have a military mind. I gotta get out of that mindset) off the top of my head:

1. My issue survival fishing kit (a little 5"x4" aluminum case stuffed with fishing items)
2. A next generation Ka-Bar
3. 100' of 550
4. a packet of brit lifeboat matches (two tubes, with about 25 matches per)
5. my marlin model 60 .22 rifle and the brick of ammo sitting next to it (the brick was modified, to contain remington hypervelocity hollow points in LR, aguila sss, and aguila colibri in long)
6. my british 'basha' (like a u.s. poncho, but a little larger, with no headhole, a lot more waterproof, durable, and is in dpm instead of woodland. also has handles on it to use as a litter)
7. My E tool
8. my mini bino's
9. water purifyer
10. My waterproof sere manual.
 
1.) 1 liter Nalgene bottle.
1.a) A length of snare wire wrapped around the bottle.
1.b) A length of waterproof duct tape wrapped over the wire.
1.c) Minor first aid supplys ( Ibuprofen, small bottle eye wash, neosporin packs, etc.)
wrapped around outside of bottle with waterproof duct tape.
2.) Buck Knife, 112.
3.) Whistle. (Storm)
4.) Signal mirror, glass
5.) Sharpie pen (Can write notes on duct tape)
6.) Roll of life savers or other hard candy.
7.) flashlight

My survival kit is pretty specific for how I live, in hotels, and I spend a lot of time in a vehicle as well. Items like blankets and water are useually within close proximity. mostly this kit is geared towards if I have to leave the hotel because of fire or other emergency. I like the nalgene bottle because I can use the lid leash as a way to secure it to my belt.
 
KJ. Moulton:

For what is the boric acid used?

Maxi-pads as wound dressing - brilliant.


Thomas Linton - I've found multiple sites that say the Sigg aluminum boxes aren't for cooking. Have you tried to cook or boil water with yours? Does it seem to have a plastic coating or something? Is it painted on the inside? Is the rubber gasket removable so it doesn't melt while boiling water?


Let's see if I can use my 'prioritize it according to how fast it (or lack thereof) can kill you' skillz here:

1) Fixed-bladed knife (the RAT-7 is my current choice to buy)
2) Spark-lite firestarter (the little one-handed gizmo. I get the impression butane lighters don't work well in high winds...)
3) Pot in which to boil/store water (I want to get something with a watertight lid so I can use it for non-spillable water storage, or to store the contents of the kit until I need them. So far the only possibilities I know of are a coffee can and the Snow Peak titanium cook-n-save)
4) Tarp, 10x12. (This instead of bivy sack b/c have yet to find a bivy that will both keep out blowing rain and still vent to avoid drowning you in your own condensation)
5) Synthetic sleeping bag
6) 550 paracord (I realize cordage can be made, but I'm sharing the thinking of others in that, when you get dumped into the survival situation, you may need it NOW)
7) duct tape (repair, rigging, and medical tape)
8) Betadine iodine (backup water purification, wound disinfectant) [If allowed, I'd say First Aid Kit that includes the iodine and some tape, and sub insect repellent for the duct tape]
9) Fishing kit (can use line for snares, maybe)
10) Leatherman Wave (I bought a Surge for my dad; it's too big for me to use comfortably)


Other thoughts - can use the backpack and any leaves you can find for insulation under the sleeping bag. Sleeping close to a fire and piling (potentially non-existent) vegetation around me won't cut it for my 120 lbs when it gets really cold. I have a friend who weighs around 265 lbs; he can sleep in mid-50's F with light cotton clothing and a thin (not even fleece) blanket with no problems. In that situation I'd be hypothermic. Besides, if it's pouring down rain I'm going to have a hard time starting a fire, and waiting out the night under a tarp and in a bag may be my best bet.

Leaving out the map and compass, since I don't know where I'm going to be and thus can't download or buy a map beforehand...

Leaving out the signalling equipment (I'd normally carry a signal mirror and a whistle).

I'm also limiting myself to things that I already have or can reasonably afford.

Assumptions I'm making:
1) This is for more than a few days.
2) Unknown environment. I live right on the edge of a desert so I never just think 'woods' when I think of survival kits of any kind.
3) I'm already dressed in a reasonable amount of clothing - shell layer, insulation layer, base layer, hat, boots, socks.
4) The daypack doesn't count as an item.
 
DOC-CANADA said:
Just finished reading these 7 pages (wasn't a member when it first appeared)- quite interesting. One thing I noticed is very few people mentioned nets, and the people that did, identified them as gill nets (this is absolutely not meant as a criticism :( ). Nets are extremely useful tools -for fish (gill nets, seine nets, lift nets,etc.), turtles, birds, as containers, carrying devices, hammocks, etc. The point I'm trying to make is that given the efficacy of nets, it is a worthwhile skill to develop (net making), and it is really quite easy. With this knowledge, and longbow's ball of jute :) , your survivability will be enhanced.

Doc
Click to expand...

I agree 100% with you,nets are an often overlooked item and one that could often actually bag more food than a fishing line.I have not included it in my top 10 items however because I think obtaining food is a low priority in most survival situations given that most people are rescued within a week....obviously there are many exceptions to this!!!:thumbup:
 
pit man said:
I agree 100% with you,nets are an often overlooked item and one that could often actually bag more food than a fishing line.I have not included it in my top 10 items however because I think obtaining food is a low priority in most survival situations given that most people are rescued within a week....obviously there are many exceptions to this!!!:thumbup:
Click to expand...


I agree, but the original (first) post said it might be for a month and that would increase its importance. :)

Doc
 
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