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  • Today marks the 24th anniversary of 9/11. I pray that this nation does not forget the loss of lives from this horrible event. Yesterday conservative commentator Charlie Kirk was murdered, and I worry about what is to come. Please love one another and your family in these trying times - Spark

What works and what doesn't

Didn't work:
branch cut my pocket chainsaw in half
strike anywhere matches (the old kind) didn't
cheap "waterproof" containers aren't
cyalumes sometimes "lume", sometimes not.

Does work: simple stuff
canteen and cup
REI stormproof matches
Katadyne MicroPure tablets

AMK heatsheets and to a much lesser extent, the thin mylar WalMart space blankets do work. But you have to remember that convective and conductive heat transfer works better than radiative heat transfer. All a heat sheet does is reflect radiated heat back, so you don't even get 100% of the heat back. If you're trying to use this in an exposed spot on the ground it won't work. The ground will conduct heat through the heat sheet touching you, and wind will convectively cool the heat sheet, while the heat sheet is conducting it away where it touches you. Now, if you insulate yourself from conduction and convection, they will work. Either use it inside your car, or on top of a thick pile of leaves/conifer needles, with a bunch piled on top, etc. Also, IMO, figure on throwing it out after one use, even the AMKs. Might not work as well as wool or polypro, but wool blankets don't fit in a small PSK pouch, either.

As for the duct tape FAK, that can be a bad idea. The adhesive in duct tape gives some people's skin a real BAD reaction. I bring 2" surgical tape (just as strong, not as harsh on skin), a couple of rolls of gauze and some triple antibiotic ointment. You can cut the tape and gauze to make a band aid (BTW am I the only one to whom Band-Aids WILL NOT stick to for very long? Even around the house I don't use them).
 
Doesnt work-

-cheapo folding saws...Broke many of em
-lightsticks.....some do some dont
-monofilament fishing line on a spool....turns into a mess. Use spyderwire.


Works-

-Roman Candles cut down and sealed w/wax. Great signal device
-PJCB. Never has let me down
-Bandana......Are you kidding?? Great multi use piece of kit.
-Sun brand dry button compasses...great compass.
 
It's funny how many people have come to the same conclusions on our own, and how many absolute truths of survival are not true at all.

I have tossed all of my pocket saws, including the highly touted SAS saw. None of them have lasted for me. The pocket chain saw types do work with my limited use of them, but I don't care for the weight so they're relegated to car kit. I too use the Fiskars sliding saw, that I learned about here on WS&S a few years ago. They're thin and flimsy but with careful use are amazing saws and only weigh about 3 oz.

Light sticks are useless to me, too. They are too unreliable and now that I'm not in the military I don't have access to an unlimited supply of the good ones. A Photon Freedom is much more effective and you can turn it off to conserve the light. Smaller, lighter and reusable.

AMK Heat Sheets are the only way to go. The other blankets are way too fragile.

I'm not a fan of condoms for survival use. I use Ziploc double zipper freezer bags, Reynolds oven bags (are not sealable) and Aloksaks. Bigger and bulkier but easier to use and stronger.

I've given up on foil. I'm experimenting with the mini loaf pans. They fold flat and are much thicker but develop holes pretty quickly after folding and unfolding them a couple of times. My PSK has grown in size and weight because of a titanium pot and Fiskars sliding saw, but I'm coming to terms with that.
 
My mora 2k works as does my Becker BK2

IMO milkweed doesnt work too well. but is better than nothing...
 
Duct tape, plastic cable ties, large safety pins and paper clips for fixin' stuff.

If you have a small AA or AAA flashlight in your kit, use lithium batteries for longer storage life and cold weather performance.

I have a small one person mosquito net that hangs from four points, weighs nothing and compresses to the size of an orange. It has saved my bacon on many summer nights out.

Jeff
 
I found it to be very hard to strike a spark with very small handle-less firesteels.
There just isn't enough real estate to 1 hold it securely, 2 leave enough surface exposed, 3 not cut the tips of your fingers off.

If it's small enough to fit in an Altoids tin make sure you can actually use it!

For example the 3 inch or so one that came with my RAT Izula.
Very hard that is until I added a split ring to it, a finger though that retains it nicely.
 
Doesn't work:

- monofilimant line
- crappy space blankets
- that garbage called "goretex" - great for standing around movie sets, until you move your arm to drink your coffee. Then you drench from the inside out. Never mind hammering hard down a WET coast BC trail. Give me fast drying canvas or army Ventile cotton anyday. (oh i'm sorry, i violated the "cotton kills" rule didn't I. Boohoo bushcraft gurus! boohoo! :thumbdn: )
- any boot except handmade leather hiking or mountaineering boots.
 
while hunting i was lost for a night and almost two days,that was 5 years ago. i was able to build a fire and shelter and survive a winter night and find the truck the next day. if i had to stay longer my "survival" kit i carried would have been worthless besides my knife and fire kit.this is what i carry now;matches,mini bic,firesteel, pjcb's,a few bandaids,25' paracord,amk blanket,vic recruit,small fishing kit(in a little plastic jewlery bag),water filter straw,pocket mag lite,all-in-one whistle/compass/thermometer.this kit is TINY,i made it that way so i will always carry it and it covers all the basics of water,food,shelter,fire and signaling.
 
I have mixed experiences on Thermarest sleeping pads.
Basically they worked great but got puncture several times.
The problem is, for me it is quite hard to repair.

I applied patches and looked they're working great when I examined at home,
sinking the whole pad into bath or like that.
Then it turns out to be flat and my back gets deadly cold in the middle of the night.
Really frustrating experience in the high winter mountain.
 
That's why I use foam pads instead of inflatables.

Haven't met an inflatable I couldn't puncture in 1 night. :(
 
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