What three things would you WANT in your pockets?

P

Plainsman

Joined
Apr 5, 1999
Messages
1,160
If for some reason you had to grab a handful of items and be in the woods in a survival situation, what three items would you grab?

Lets keep it simple and make it things you could put in your pockets.

List yours then see what everybody else picked.



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Plainsman :)
primitiveguy@hotmail.com

You use what you have on you, then you improvise! :)
 
I would grab these three items on my dash out the door:

1) SAK-mine is an "officers" model with a short blade, long blade and saw blade among the many blades. With these THREE blades I have quite the working tool.

2) Firestarter-mine is a Mag firestarter at the moment, but I would like to try some of the others that have been often mentioned here and other places.

3) Finally CORDAGE!-This would be whatever I could grab, but something larger or stronger would be preferred. I could grab a roll of twine, a chunk of surveyors line, a 1/4" rope, or braided fishline. Most of these will help in shelter building and could be used as-is or broken down for snares and/or fishline.



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Plainsman :)
primitiveguy@hotmail.com

You use what you have on you, then you improvise! :)
 
Great question plainsman,

I would grab my folding blade knife, metal match, and parachute line...

Looks like we are thinking alike...

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Greg Davenport
http://www.ssurvival.com
Are You Ready For The Challenge?
Are You Ready To Learn The Art Of Wilderness Survival?

 
1. Metal Match
2. Fixed-blade Buck knife (it does fit!)
3. 550-cord

550-cord was my first thought for #3, but I wondered if I might be needing something else. I thought by looking at the other posts I might get something to jog my memory about a different third choice. But upon viewing Greg's and Plainsman's choices, I see I am in good company.
 
1. Leatherman tool
2. Something to make fire with (matches, lighter, magnesium fire starter, etc.)
3. Para cord

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SFC

"Is it easier to fight them or to kill them?"
 
1 - Pocket Knife or Leatherman
2 - Zippo or Strike Force
3 - Big Garbage Bag. Use this to make a sleeping bag, keep dry in rain time, carry water, tear into strips to make string, etc.
-CAman
 
Super question:

I came up with firestarter first, cutting tool second and cordage third.

The question is exactly what type of each fits lifestyles so that they are always in the pockets or on the person.

I've begun carrying around various firestarters - and I have to admit that the Blastmatch and StrikeForce are just too heavy. A smaller type I got in Canada may fit the bill better. I'm still looking for perfect.
For years I've carried a Gerber bolt action pocket knife - light and handy - but now I find that I always have a Leatherman. I need the leatherman to fix computers and stuff, so it's more "politically correct" than carrying a large knife.
I usually carry some string and thread but a few ideas of how to "build" good cordage into a belt would be good.

I guess my answers are pretty standard, but I'm interested in exactly what other people carry always - and why they chose what they did.

Jimbo



 
I guess mine fit well within the standards everyone else picked.
1) SAK Ruck, or Leatherman Wave, whichever I found first
2) Paracord
3) Any one of my firemaking pieces. I'd probably skip the matches since all the ones I have would probably be useless after one soaking.

As for WHY...the SAK or Leatherman because they combine a knife and a saw in a convenient package, the cord for lashing and improvising, and the firestarter because making a bow-drill (my only really primitive method of making fire right now) just takes too much time and effort.

Jimbo asked what's always in your pockets too, so currently I've got the Leatherman (simply because it's newer than the Ruck...later I'll probably switch back and forth) and a small magnesium rod with some sort of artificial flint embedded.

cj
 
I really like the consistency here. The overwhelming majority would choose a Leatherman tool, para cord and something to make fire. Several people have mentioned SAK's or using the blades or saws on the Leatherman, but none so far have mentioned pliers (for some reason I use these more on a day to day basis than any of the other tools on the Leatherman, blade included).
 
Where am I, and what is the goal of my surviving?

Let us assume I have on the clothing I was out playing in the snow in today, minus the pocket contents, that I have lost myself out in the woods somewhere, and am expecting to be rescued in due time, and it's the current situatiuon in the Fairbanks/Tanana valley area ( Low -- -5 - +10, high -- +20 - +30, 2 - 3 feet of snow on the ground).

I want:

Sleeping bag. (e-blanket if not)

flexible water container or cookable water container (ie camelback or pot)

strike force firestarter.


With these, I can stay warm as it drops in temp at night, I can make water to keep myself hydrated, and I can make a night signal and a smoke generator (The prime thing that Rod could have done to be found sooner, and only thing I would have done different in his case, as I hear the story now)


Stryver


-- Added in edit --

Jimbo:

Why not make a small flint and steel kit that fits into an Altoids tin. Make sure you have an altoids tin with real altoids around too though... These are small, flat and unobtrusive, though the pockets of the pants I go play in the snow have no problems consuming a strike force...

Daily basis --
knife & lighter. Mini kit, plus arctic clothing in car (Should have my bag in there, but I can't stuff it in it's sack and leave it in my car, just too cruel... It'll go if I leave the traveled roads...) When I go play outside, knife, swisstool, mini-mag, strike force, lighter, dry gloves, e-blanket or two, H2O, headlamp, and other supplies depending on the toy of choice for the days travels


Stryver, edited

[This message has been edited by Stryver (edited 02-06-2000).]

[This message has been edited by Stryver (edited 02-06-2000).]
 
A knife (big is good, bigger is better
smile.gif
)
A firestarter
A large sheet of lightweight plastic (like those space blankets or disposable tablecloths, several is better)

Priorities being 1, w 2-3 interchangable depending on terrain and weather conditions
 
Large Camillus Two blade trapper or SAK
Metal Match or Life Boat Matches
Decoy Cord

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Lee

LIfe is too important to be taken seriously. Oscar Wilde
 
You ask "what would you grab" to put in your pockets? I think the answers are all pretty good just the premis of the question is incorrect. I believe it should be "What do you have in your pockets." I always carry a SAK climber,butane lighter,bandanna and at least 20 feet of 550 cord in my pockets. Even when going out to a formal evening. Also in my wallet are a "credit card knife" thirty feet of tripwire in two coils and four large straight pins. As well as a leatherman in a pouch and a minimaglight.
If I have to grab anything going out the door it will be a OME long range recon pack loaded, a Khukri, and a long gun. I will not list the items in the pack. There are plenty of knowledgeable people here who have thier own ideas of gear.

I do not mean to diss anything. The question is good just wanted to make the point that I believe most of us are better prepaired than average.

Cheers,

ts

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Guns are for show. Knifes are for Pros.
 
Chris,

Actually the things I listed are in my pockets when I go out, or very near to them. The knife might change, usually I have more than one. I think Plainsman knew exactly what he was asking, not what extra we wanted.

He wanted to know , if somethign were to happen, what 3 things would you want in your pockets. Most of us will answer this with things we are probably currently carrying as we have thought about this prior, but not all can carry these thing all the time because of different restrictions.

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Lee

LIfe is too important to be taken seriously. Oscar Wilde
 
I'm suprised nobody has mentioned a cell phone. I'm sure that many times wilderness locations are too far removed from cell repeaters, but that is not always the case. I've been miles into the high Sierras and been able to get a dial tone. (Of course, I couldn't persuade dominos to deliver to my location!(
smile.gif
).
 
MisterE, last winter, a man and his son were caught in an avalanche in Utah. They were both buried but the man had enough room to get his cell phone out and call 911. Even in the mountains, sometimes you can connect! Rescue came and they were saved!

Bruce Woodbury
 
In my pockets I always have:
Victorinox Huntsman or Farmer
butane lighter wrapped with duct tape
KEYS! (with Victorinox classic)
Pen
Bandana

Usually have multitool, cord, solitaire flashlight, and wallet, but these are in my bag o'crap and not in my pockets.
 
Gents allow this newbie to the forum to add his ideas.
A. 3 things on my body.
1. Leatherman or something simular
2. 550 cord
3. Fire starter (as Murphy proof as you can make it)
B. Whenever you head out to the woods/field you should carry on your body a small survival kit preferably tailored to your environment just in case you're separated from your gear.
C. As BMWGS80 stated, whenever I have to head out I'll grab my ready patrol pack (which I frequently inspect)and my rifle. What's in it like he said are my preferences depending on METT-T(c) (for those of you who don't think that METT-T is enough and believe anything that comes out of Bldg 4.
You know who you are.
biggrin.gif



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Walk softly and carry a big stick. TR
 
Hey PJ11B3VF7, I know what METT-T is. Why don't you tell this recently retired Logistics Colonel, and the rest of us, what you 11-bullet stoppers at the school are up to with METT-T(c)?

If I told you I worked Combat Developments at the QM school in the mid-'80's and was responsible for putting the "Tobasco" sauce in the MRE's, would you explain to the rest of us what METT-T(c) is? Thanks.

Bruce L. Woodbury
COL, QM, IDARNG
 
COL Woodbury, METT-T as you know stands for Mission, Enemy, Troops, Terrain and Time. Well the "C" was added to remind all of us dumb grunts apparently that there are civilians on the battlefield. Hey, I always thought that civilians would be covered in my mission statment, but I guess with the military's role changing ie peacekeeping ops, someone has to remind us of the civilian presence on the battlefield.

By the way. I love the tabasco, but why didn't you arrange for a cheese packet in every MRE, heck, while I'm dreaming why not cheese and peanut butter.

Peter Johnson
SSG, USA
 
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