Truck Kit...

[Mistwalker]

There is a contest going on on the ESEE Forum about people using their car kits. Today I went out and "played" with my "kit" some. Ok, I know...I don't really have a truck "kit" yet. I do usually have my back pack with me...

However knowing how things can go wrong, sometimes terribly wrong...I do keep some items stored in the truck at all times also. I hope to consolidate them into a small pack soon...I'm thinking the ESEE pack when I can afford one...I want one that will fit in the cubby hole of my rear door but I haven't liked any I found locally or any I've seen other than the ESEE pack I looked at at Blade, and wish I could have bought. For now the items are scattered between two cubby holes in my doors and my console.

Together the items are a a Heat Sheet, a light powerful small light, one of my ESEE fire-starters, my RC-4S, a boonie cap, two pairs of safety glasses (yellow ones for night use), a bandanna, my coffee cup, two small fishing kits (still working on these), my Izula, The nanostriker that stays on my key chain, a P-51 can opener, a small bar of magnesium, a few pieces of fatwood.

This is one of the fishing kits I'm working on, but not the one I used today. Today I just some line and a small hook from the other kit.

This is where I was at today...a dirt and gravel road out away from everything. It was reeeeally hot today with a temp of 97 and a heat index of 102 if I heard the disc jockey right. You can see all the clouds from all the moisture being sucked from the ground, river, creeks, and me I think. I know it sure was nice whenever one of those clouds would pass between me and the sun.

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[Mistwalker]

If I had been stranded in the middle of nowhere the heat sheet would have been good for making a marker visible from the air. Yes I'm using an older one I have.

As it was I used it to create a shady spot where I could stay near the truck without the green-house effect as i would if I were in the middle of nowhere. The amount of heat being reflected by the blanket was amazing. When I stood in front of it to take the one picture I felt like I had just stepped in front of a radiant heater...and the temp was already in the mid 90's. I have got to remember to try this thing as a reflector this winter. There was definitely a big difference in temperature under the blanket

Right off the bat I found some wild edibles in the area. I ate some Blackberries, I could have used to bandanna, the hat, or the cup to collect some if I wished.

I also found wild carrots, and used the RC-4S to whittle a digging stick.

I was also near a water course...as luck would have it. Hard not to be near one here really.

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[Mistwalker]

I did have the guyot with me today...on days like today I have to make sure I stay hydrated. However I went about this scenario for the most part as if I didn't. I guess some of you are wondering how much good my coffee cup could do me in this situation...maybe more than some of you think. It works somewhat like my guyot and cup, or canteen and cup. And I can use it to both improvise a filter and to boil water in if needs be.

I used the same stick I dug up the carrots with to improvise a "fishing pole" to make sure I didn't get cut by the spiderwire. I used some old crackers I had in the truck as bait.

The way I used the crackers for bait was to wet them and form them into a dough.

And it worked pretty good too. I turned those old stale crackers into some usable protein...though I really didn't like the idea of being near a fire long enough to cook them today.

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[Mistwalker]

In the end, just to prove I really am nuts...err, I mean just to show that I could do it if I really needed to purify the water or to cook the fish, I started a small sustained fire...barely sustained in this heat. For this I chose a piece of fatwood I found as tinder and used the Izula to both prep the fatwood and spark the ESEE fire-starter. Even with the showers we have had the last couple of days fire was easily achieved.

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[Rockywolf]

Good times. I like the little kit. I have a full kit in my car trunk at all times....just in case.

 

[Mistwalker]

Good times. I like the little kit. I have a full kit in my car trunk at all times....just in case.

Thanks Rocky, I like the items I've put together so far but I definitely want to get a small pack I can leave in to truck with all of it consolidated and easily portable. Looking at the article Len did on the ESEE pack in the last T.K. I am thinking that is really what I want to go with.

 

[TheGame]

I saw this over in ESEE and was wondering when this was going to show up here. Looks like you are set should something happen. Getting food, having the ability to get water, and being able to stay warm/cool.

Makes me want to get out and use my fishing kit.

 

[Mistwalker]

I saw this over in ESEE and was wondering when this was going to show up here. Looks like you are set should something happen. Getting food, having the ability to get water, and being able to stay warm/cool.

Makes me want to get out and use my fishing kit.

Yeah, I couldn't just leave only there...there is no chatting in that thread so no way to spark any discussions...

I had intended to use some of the spider wire and split rings from my key chain to make up a snare...but I was up there for five or six hours as it was. By the time 5:30 rolled around I was ready to head out, and needed to get home and cook supper. If I were still up there right now I'd probably be standing out in the storm we are getting right now

 

[hiwa]

Great idea on the truck kit. In my jeep I keep a 10Ltr. water jug full , a blanket , extra coat , a small emergency battery powered compressor, green tire goop for flats in case I can't change a tire , tarp , rope , and always a FAK. I have flashlights and knives everywhere. Bolt cutters too ,in case I get "fenced in " somewhere. I plan to add road flares also. My bush survival kit travels with me always but I don't leave it in the truck in case of theft.
Good post as always Mist :thumbup:

 

[XMP]

MW, great pics. You have a very good kit, and the best part is that you've actually used it, so you know what works well, and what could be improved.

 

[TheGame]

By the time 5:30 rolled around I was ready to head out, and needed to get home and cook supper. If I were still up there right now I'd probably be standing out in the storm we are getting right now

Dinner.. you shoulda cooked up the fish

Nah, I don't blame you, especially with that heat. Glad it moved away from us -- albeit only temporarily. The rain we got today felt good. Although it may mess with work a bit, it was in the mid-upper 90s with little/no rain all last week.

 

[fnc]

I am sorry, from the title, I thought this was about a "truck kit".
My mistake.

 

[ROCK6]

What an outstanding tutorial! Thanks Mist, this really shows putting the tools into practice and using your noodle:thumbup:

ROCK6

 

[dullblades]

great pics and writeup.

 

[erichsen]

Is the kit all in the backpack, or spread all over the truck? Overall, a good kit, but I would like to see more first aid items and water treatment/water storage containers. If you have to bail out of the vehicle in a rush, you'll want it on one thing you can grab and go. A blanket would be good too.

Also, fire extinguisher for your truck. Having had an old Range Rover burn on me once, I can tell you it's horrible to watch something burn when you have nothing to put it out with.

-E

 

[WILLIAM.M]

MW, great pics. You have a very good kit, and the best part is that you've actually used it, so you know what works well, and what could be improved.

Exactly my thoughts

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

 

[Fletcher Knives]

Awesome post broski!!!

 

[Boondock Saint]

Agreed, awesome post!

 

[Mistwalker]

Great idea on the truck kit. In my jeep I keep a 10Ltr. water jug full , a blanket , extra coat , a small emergency battery powered compressor, green tire goop for flats in case I can't change a tire , tarp , rope , and always a FAK. I have flashlights and knives everywhere. Bolt cutters too ,in case I get "fenced in " somewhere. I plan to add road flares also. My bush survival kit travels with me always but I don't leave it in the truck in case of theft.
Good post as always Mist :thumbup:

Yeah...I have several tools in my tool box for such things, but mainly I am wanting a small minimal kit I can hide in the truck in a place where it is less likely to be noticed if the truck is ran sacked by people looking for valuables. I plan to "camouflage" it. One that if where whatever reason I have to ditch the truck (which will really tick me off) and beat feet with my daughter in tow I can manage to carry easily and deal with her at the same time. When I get the right pouch for it it will have all of this plus a small fak, and then with the pouch on the water bottle carrier I'm getting I'll have several items to make the ordeal more manageable. I'll still have my back pack in the truck the vast majority of the time so if it is manageable I'll take both letting her (or my wife if she's with us) carry the smaller pack. The older Alayna gets the more will be manageable. Soon I'll have her carrying her own pack...light to start with.

MW, great pics. You have a very good kit, and the best part is that you've actually used it, so you know what works well, and what could be improved.

Thanks man, yeah...these are all items and ideas I have tested before...good to know if something will actually work. 25 years in the construction industry has taught me that just because it looks good on paper......

Dinner.. you shoulda cooked up the fish

Nah, I don't blame you, especially with that heat. Glad it moved away from us -- albeit only temporarily. The rain we got today felt good. Although it may mess with work a bit, it was in the mid-upper 90s with little/no rain all last week.

Yeah..I know, but I already had some things thawing at home I needed to cook.

The rains we have gotten last night and today...even more tonight...have been really nice. I just stood out in it earlier today.

I am sorry, from the title, I thought this was about a "truck kit".
My mistake.

Actually it's my fault man...I could have titled it a little more accurately. It is about a "truck-kit"....just not and all out, full-on TRUCK KIT.

What an outstanding tutorial! Thanks Mist, this really shows putting the tools into practice and using your noodle:thumbup:

ROCK6

Thanks Bro, glad you enjoyed it. I like to practice when I get the chance.

great pics and writeup.

Thanks man, glad you liked the post

 

[machine26]

I carry a 3 day loadout in my Ranger, along with a small tackle box, fishing rod, axe, shovel and spare wool blanket.

After chopping through a 2' diameter tree with a dull hatchet(tree fell while I was farting around in the woods, blocking the road) I thought itd be best to be a bit more prepared.