Survival Equipment

"So, at the very least I'm sure I could have a fire going."

How much have you practiced with that firesteel? Fact is, the conditions where you would actually NEED a fire (cold, wet, you're hypothermic) make it very difficult to start one.

I often go out in miserable conditions and just see what I can do. Let me tell you, it's pretty darn hard to get a fire going in the rain with a firesteel if you don't have dry tinder with you. If you want to be survival-y I'd recommend also carrying a lighter even if you don't smoke, and some sort of tinder (an esbit cube, wetfire, whatever. One cube doesn't take up much space in the pocket and they weigh like .1oz).

"and maybe could fashion a snare if I needed to. Dunno about an emergency shelter though- never had the opportunity to learn how to build one."

There's a difference between getting through a "survival situation" and being a survivalist. I've watched many an episode of survivorman – the general theme is that he goes out, freezes and starves for a week and then gets picked up. I don't recall an episode where he ever successfully caught any wild game (I think there may have been 1 episode where he did managed to do some fly fishing though?)… If he can't do it, I think it would probably just be a waste of precious calories for most people to try.

I'd say being able to build a quick shelter is an infinitely more important skill to have than setting snares. We can go a long time without food so long as we have water. Getting yourself dry and warm, followed by getting yourself found, are the top priorities.

I prepare for the situation I'm going to be in. If I was going to be hiking in some remote area in the Canadian bush in late fall, you can bet I'd be carrying an 8oz+ fixed blade, a decent fire-starting kit, plastic whistle, compass, maybe a signaling mirror… On the other hand, if I was hiking the AT in summer, all I really need is a razor blade (and heck, you don't really even need that…).

I actually use my firesteel regularly. I'm a bit of a pyro (I even have a yoyo called the Pyro). Did a lot of irresponsible stuff in my younger days, but now I use my fascination with fire for good and not evil. Also, I live in the desert. Even though this was an exceptionally wet year, it's still pretty darned dry. Finding dry tinder is a non issue. I also practice with the fresnel lens, and even the parabolic reflector from a flashlight. I pretty much practice ever fire starting technique I've seen on your standard TV survival show. My failures have been when trying to start a fire with the fire plow, hand drill, and the clear plastic bag full of water.

If I were to go into the outdoors somewhere wet, I don't know what I'd do. I'm so used to the plants and animals of the desert, I think I'd be a fish out of water (but in water?) if I was dropped off in a jungle or swamp… I might manage in a forest-y type of environment, but I dunno…

BM

Wow, I never thought of a plastic bag with water! Pretty amazing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dtt-rybSG00&feature=player_embedded

But again there's the catch… If the conditions are good enough to start a fire that way, your life probably doesn't depend on that fire!

Seems like for survival in the desert your big problem would be finding and carrying water… Maybe keep a gallon ziplock in your pocket? :-p

Survivorman has caught wild “game” on several episodes. On most of them he has not. It can certainly be a calorie burning endeavor. And you don’t have any spare calories in a survival situation. Food is certainly last on the list.

When Survivorman was asked what he would take into a survival situation if he could only take one item it was a “bic” lighter. If not that? Matches. If not that? Flint striker. His comment, “What can I say, I like fire”.

My personal idea of a minimal “survival kit” is a whistle, fire steel, mini LED light and a “pen” knife on a necklace (the cord is something usable for a fire bow). I also always try to carry a “bic” lighter in my pocket. My wallet always has paper in it (good start at tinder).

Read "98.6 Degrees The Art of Keeping Your A$$ Alive" by Cody Lundin
2003 by Gibbs Smith Publishing.

at Amazon.com

"My wallet always has paper in it (good start at tinder)."

If I'm carrying my wallet on a hike, I keep it in a ziplock. Sucks for everything to get wet if you fall in a stream or something, and it would suck even more if you were depending on using its contents for tinder.

I've never had success making fire with a bow drill, even on a good day :(

I'm a big Cody Lundin fan though!

Well… Since you mentioned it, here is a shameless plug for the video I made of teaching myself to starta fire with a fire bow.

Video

"If I'm carrying my wallet on a hike, I keep it in a ziplock"

My wallet is a ziplock : )

I cut it down a bit and sealed it

I work outdoors and when I know I’m going to be walking much of any distance, I have a small (or large :)) pack that goes with me. However there are many times when my pack doesn’t make it with me as the “plan” is a quick peek over a ridge, check a spot on the river, etc. Realizing there is always a chance the “plan” could go awry, I first try to insure that my clothing is appropriate for the weather conditions. Secondly I always carry/wear a knife, a light, a paracord bracelet, analog watch and fire starting materials.

I’ve been using this pocket sheath for some time now that holds my knife, firesteel and five tinder tabs- it’s light, flat and unobtrusive.

"Well… Since you mentioned it, here is a shameless plug for the video I made of teaching myself to starta fire with a fire bow."

Hah! You have much more patience than I do! Cool video.

"My wallet is a ziplock : )"

Brilliant! Leave it to BPL…

"Hah! You have much more patience than I do! Cool video."

Thanks. I was properly motivated. It was for a contest sponsored by Suvivorman. The prize package was very nice. Although it was rushed and I wish I'd had more time, I did manage to win second place; which was the prize package I wanted. :^).

I always have my "survival keychain," with a Swiss Army Classic, Fenix E01 AAA LED flashlight, Bison "spy capsule" with Tinder Quick tabs, a Light My Fire mini firesteel, and a whistle. I also carry a 3.5" folding knife. When hiking I add a K&M match safe with REI Storm matches and a Suunto compass in the end cap. If I lose my pack, the stuff in my pockets and my brain are all I have, so I make sure I have stuff in my pockets :)

In my pack are more essentials and a few items for repair and improvising: a small first aid kit, 20' nylon seine line, a little wire, spare batteries, duct tape, a hotel "freebie" sewing kit, and backup chlorine dioxide tablets taped to a 1 liter Platypus.

It's kinda nice to see this thread on a site where most won't carry a knife bigger than a razor blade.

The kind of situation you describe is exactly what happened to this guy: http://www.twincities.com/ci_19196684

That's why I hike with a little Inov-8 waist pouch with some bare minimum stuff in it, since it stays on me even if I take off my backpack. It's listed at 4 ounces but I removed the unnecessary foam padding which frees up some space and gets the weight just below 4 ounces.

http://www.inov-8.com/Products-Detail.asp?PG=PG2&L=27&P=5050973243

http://testedtodestruction.blogspot.com/2011/08/inov8-race-elite-2-bumbag.html

I try hard to pack light, but my roots are in bushcraft/survival training (with lots of field time) so I it's tough for me not to throw a Mora into my pack.

Is Armageddon closer to folk in the US than the rest of the world?
My urban 'survival gear' is enough power in my phone to call for assistance.

"so I it's tough for me not to throw a Mora into my pack."

I always take a "full size" multi tool with me. But, that is certainly NOT an UL piece of equipment. I use it constantly, and after struggling with making a fire with a fire bow I wouldn't want to try it with anything less. ;^)

"Is Armageddon closer to folk in the US than the rest of the world?
My urban 'survival gear' is enough power in my phone to call for assistance."

We have earthquakes and active volcanoes in the back yard! Tsunamis are a reality in some areas too.

The first thing I learned in earthquake disaster planning is that you can't rely on fire and police response after a major earthquake. You need to be self-reliant, ergo my little pocket kit, a water bottle and an extra layer in my backpack or messenger bag when I go out in the city. Our cars have much more extensive kits.

When I worked in the city center, I realized that there was a waterway between me and my home, my wife's workplace, and the kids' school, with four bridges being the only way across. I added a cheap air mattress to my office disaster kit: I *could* sleep on it, or use it to get across the waterway when the bridges were impassible.

I would much rather be in the woods than dealing my fellow city dwellers after a big quake. The prospects of being stuck in an office tower with 100 certified yuppie sales people and no power or working plumbing was not a happy thought. We were told to plan on staying put. Granted, falling glass and masonry in the aftershocks would be dangerous, but my plan was to get out of Dodge as soon as possible.

When Mount St. Helens blew, the roads in Eastern and Southwest Washington were a mess. The ash would quickly clog the air filter in a car and could turn a good engine into a boat anchor in a few miles. If Mt. Rainier ever goes, we're in BIG trouble.

"I feel the earth move under my feet
I feel the sky tumbling down, tumbling down
I feel the earth move under my feet
I feel the sky tumbling down, tumbling down"
—Carol King

I carry a blind horse knives small tiger knapp around my neck with a very, very tiny firesteel and a small bit of cotton/pj tinder attached wrapped onto the sheath with some bicycle inner tube (the inner tube burns really well too).
I would always choose a tough little fixed blade necker over a folder because you can baton the hell out of the fixed blade. In a real situation, you would like to have an axe or saw to get a lot of things done, but with a baton and a sturdy knife, you could do anything you could do with an axe, just with more effort.
The main purpose for my knife would be wet weather fire prep (splitting kindling and making shavings) and for building a shelter. By batoning I can cut down some small trees for the main supports of my shelter and knock off bows for thatching and insulation.
The next best thing would be some kind of plastic for an emergency shelter. But I am probably not going to carry that on me (bulky in pockets). Sure, you can make a natural shelter and make it waterproof, but that takes a lot of time. If it started pouring on me, I might get soaking wet and possibly hypothermic before I could finish a natural shelter. So searching for a pre existing natural shelter (rock overhangs, logs, thick canopy) would be very important.
Mostly I carry the knife so I can go on short walks or go trail running in light mesh shorts and still have some means to keep me safe. I can also conceal carry the knife very well. Even with a kinda tight shirt it doesn't print.

As mentioned earlier, as with bear spray, survival equipment should be carried on your person at all times; not in your backpack. Murphy's Laws of Survival state that you and your pack will be separated when the need for same arises.

Separate kits for the home and each car are good precautions. You never know where or when something will go wrong.

Experts define the minimum functional requirements for any kit to be:

– a cutting edge

– firestarting capability

– water carrying capability

Each person selects the item that fullfills each of these essential functions, as well as any other items in the kit.

Kit contents should be assembled based on the geographical area in which they'll be used and the skill level of the supposed user.

@ Bob

I have fussed over the water-carrying part for a pocket kit. Other than a non-lubricated condom I haven't seen much and the condom never has seemed practical, just a better than nothing at all alternative. Platypus bladders are good until you get to the neck and cap and they then they seem to bulky, although I don't mind carrying a spare in my pack. What have you seen that works?

Here's my "Gollum" kit, as in, "what does it have in it's pocketses?"

A Hilleberg Bivanorak, Fallkniven F1, and swedish steel firestarter. See a trend here?

"A Hilleberg Bivanorak, Fallkniven F1, and swedish steel firestarter. See a trend here?"

I had an F1 and it is an excellent tool, but I just never really got around to carrying a fixed blade on a regular basis when hiking. The Benchmade Rant is a similar design that I like. The Mora Allround series knives are very inexpensive and tough enough. The folding Benchmade Griptilian is very tough and is much easier to live with than a sheathed knife.

I like the AMK SOL Emergency Bivy for backup shelter. It can give full protection and is easily adapted if needed.

I have to have a firesteel somewhere in the mix. I'll go for a lighter and matches for first choices, but when everything else is broken or wet, the firesteel is there.

all the matches, firesteels and lighters in the world are useless if you cant start a fire in adverse conditions

i would suggest an absolutely, totally foolproof way to start a fire … keeping in mind that when you really need a fire you have a very good chance of being hypothermic with shaking hands

"i would suggest an absolutely, totally foolproof way to start a fire … keeping in mind that when you really need a fire you have a very good chance of being hypothermic with shaking hands"

A road flare is the answer, but not very light. It will get the wettest crud on the forest floor burning and give you 15 minutes to do it. It also makes a handy signal device, seeing that it was designed for that :) I've written before that I want a super-waterproof 5 minute version of a road flare for fire starting. I think they would be a big seller for hiking and survival use.

This seems pretty good to me:

REI Stormproof Matches