Missing “essential” items: backup light, whistle, and fire starter

"How essential can something that has only been invented in the last hundred years or a bit more be? Humankind got by without flashlights for most of our existence as a species"

Yes… and humans have been dying in the wilderness for a million years or better… natural selection, you know. Yes… the species got along without the 10 essentials… but millions of individuals did not…

bill

lol..They used fire to light their way at night more than a hundred years ago. It's not like they stayed home because they didn't have battery operated light.

Whistle–invaluable when backpacking with kids. You should see them come when I blow two blasts, which means dinner is ready! It sure beats yelling! I think that what the SAR folks here are trying to point out is that it's a lot easier for them to find someone if the lost/injured person has a whistle!

Extra light–has been handy several times when Icouldn't find my headlamp in the dark, including the time my dog was sleeping on it! Most of the time I'm not sure why I have it, but it's so tiny that it's no big deal.

Mirror–nice to have when traveling solo and I get something in my eye or a scratch on my face. IMHO, signalling with one is pretty iffy. Mine is really tiny–one of those Coghlan mirrors cut down to 1/4 size. .

Fire starter–I no longer take kitchen matches; the last few boxes I've bought (for the fireplace at home), over half the matches were defectiveand woouldn't light. I take a Mini-Bic, a paper match book, and several of those REI emergency matches that burn almost forever and can't be put out. Plus half an Esbit cube for tinder. Of course I rarely build fires when backpacking.

"Mine is really tiny–one of those Coghlan mirrors cut down to 1/4 size."

hard core light person – cuts down something that's already light to 1/4 the weight : )

I don't think anyone is wrong to carry or not carry a signal mirror. When it comes to emergency equipment, though, I don't believe that what your friends have experienced is the key to making the decision. I don't have any friends that have deployed a PLB but I still carry one because I believe the benefits exceed the costs. I have a reasonably good idea of the risks I face outside and I've seen reports of a PLB being of great benefit to people in dire straights, even thought I don't know them personally. To be sure some brought it on themselves but plenty of others didn't.

Cherrypicking the 'conspiracy nuts' from the multitude of stories of successful signal mirror use doesn't disprove the argument.

I have never carried a whistle, and have never met a situation where I needed one or where it would work. Marketing toy.

I have never carried a whistle, and have never met a situation where I needed one or where it would work. Marketing toy.

I have never carried a whistle, and have never met a situation where I needed one or where it would work. Marketing toy.

I read that three times to try and understand how carrying a whistle would be a marketing toy. someone please explain.

Signal mirror would be handy when the rescue copter is heard coming to find you.

My choice of fire starter is the Spark-Lite.

http://www.fourseasonssurvival.com/Spark-Lite-Outdoor-Survival-Firestarter-Hunter-Orange_p_109.html

while a reliable spark source is certainly needed, when the chips are down- some carried tinder can make the difference between starting a fire and not- I carry 3-4 tinder tabs and a wetfire cube- a few grams total

for the small weight, I'll continue to carry a whistle and a small signal mirror and keep hoping that I don't ever use either :)

I've found a photon on a lanyard is mighty handy in the dark around camp

For tinder, I carry Tinder Quick tabs stuffed into a spy capsule, which goes on the keyring with my firesteel. There is an AA flashlight and a Fox 40 whistle on the same ring. I carry a K&M match case with UCO hurricane matches and a compass in the end in the other pocket.

Hey guys,

Headlamp:
For 1-2-3 nights and no night hiking in new moon I use Photonlight Freedom. I do also use it for extended trips when I'm familiar with the surroundings. Here in Israel it is hard to get lost. Much higher chance to find yourself dehydrated (this does happen a lot). For night hiking in new moon I'd use Zebralight H501. In full moon I actually trail run WITHOUT light at all. Just give your eyes 15-20 minutes to adapt.
Ah, my backup light is my Nokia 1280 cell phone which has brilliant light! It's not a smartphone (I don't have one), some of its features: 1 charge in two weeks (!! Oh!), bright enough light which I accidentally forgot to turn off and found that in the morning it is still that bright! The phone weighs 76 grams which is good for ,multiuse and dependable device that:
0) cell phone for emergency
1) backup light
2) my watch (I hate wearing one on my arm)
3) my alarm clock

Whistle:
Each of my kids have one. I do also checked a dozen to choose the one that is really easy to blow through for kid and is loud. +1 for codes like "two short – dinner", "one long – danger" etc. It is also fun when you hike with kids. I would carry one in solo for the reasons mentioned above.

Mirror:
For solo hikes you need one. In Israel we have those tasty cactus fruits. I love them. But it's a bit hassle to take off all the prickles and when you eat it you might get some on your face. Mirror is essential tool for it. If not soloing, then it is not that essential IMHO. Signaling with mirror for greater distance is not that helpful in my opinion. Anyway I carry one. I use 1 laptop HDD plate at 4 grams not a big penalty.

Emergency firestarter:
After buying and testing several options I chose Sparklite firestarter + 6 tinder tabs. This is 10 grams (even 9 :)

Just my thoughts.

Kind regards,

Greg.

Terrain might have something to do with the choice. In woods-covered terrain a mirror isn't going to accomplish much, but the whistle will alert ground based SAR. In open country, a mirror might be better to alert helicopters overhead.

I hike a lot in the woods. My compass does have a mirror on it, and if needed, could be used for signaling, but much of the time it works much better for checking out how bad my bed hair is. A whistle would be more reliable in those circumstances.

Thanks for all of the great comments and suggestions.

What are the pros and cons of a bic vs. firesteel?

I completely see Pete's point. For many years I never carried a whistle. I have carried one for the past 5 or so and never have a use for it.

What I consider essential is a quick source of fire, a bandana, and a knife. That about covers everything in my book and I have had some extensive wilderness survival training. I can make friction fire, I can make knives from stone. But why go to the effort when the essentials are cheap and light weight.

My fire starter of choice is the Sparklight system with quick tender. I have used it several times and once in a hypothermic situation In the rain. The system works.

Fire steels are not bad either, but I prefer the Sparklight because of light weight and compactness. Tender included.

Carry both. I use the bic for ordinary stuff and the firesteel is for when everything else fails. I have no problem with the extra weight of redundant fire starters.

Firesteels are weak fire starting tools. They are always reliable but they need very dry and flamable tinders or a bunch of prep to work. If you have ever done a splitwood fire with a firesteel then you know what i mean. With a lighter you can light up a bunch of wood curls/feathersticks instantly. With a firesteel you need to make tiny scrapings on a flat surface. It complicates things in situations where you are desperate and stressed out. Mastering a firesteel requires a lot of practice.

A firesteel with some easy to light manmade tinder is the best firestarting method. But you need stashed tinder for it to be effective and quick in an emergency. A lighter is much more effective when working with natural tinder.

So i carry both. I carry a kneck knife, firesteel, and tinder around my neck in case i get seperated from my pack. I use my bic for most tasks

"What are the pros and cons of a bic vs. firesteel?"

A Bic is quick and easy, can be used with one hand (let's say your other hand was trapped under a boulder!), and doubles as a light. You can also generate some heat in pinch if you CAREFULLY! run it under a loose parka or trash bag. That is a trick every serious caver learns from people who have done it. A candle is better yet, but a Bic works in a pinch. Even if you run out of butane, the sparker can still light a canister stove. When ever darn thing is wet, you can eventually light a stick on fire by holding it over the Bic. But in those cases, you really want a square of wax paper, a small candle, or ear wax smeared on belly-button lint.

The fire steel works immediately after pulling it from a puddle, which a Bic does not. And, in conjunction with a Bic, you have redundancy. I once arrived at first campsite with no Bic. My best guess is that it slipped out of a pocket while double-checking gear in the hotel room. A fire steel would have been SO much easier than a fire drill carved with a SAK Classic!

For me, bringing only one: Mini Bic.

But for how important a fire can be when things start going badly, a fire steel SOMEWHERE ELSE in your system is worth it to me.

If I'm doing a hike that is less than a few weeks I'd rather take a bic and a backup bic for all of my fire needs.

David said "But for how important a fire can be when things start going badly, a fire steel SOMEWHERE ELSE in your system is worth it to me."

agreed, I don't think redundancy is necessary w/ many things when hiking, but fire ignition would be the big exception imo

I've always considered fire to be recreation, not survival

If the conditions are bad, like raining and windy, it's very difficult to get a fire going, and if you can manage to keep the fire going in the rain, you' get cold and wet faster than the fire will dry/warm you

Better to get into sleeping bag inside tent. Or hike out to your car.

Of course you need a shelter before a fire. I like a tarp because I can have a fire while being sheltered from the rain.
I have spent rough nights drying out wet clothing and stoking a fire all night while under a tarp. I get out of my sleeping bag every couple of hours and put more wood on the fire. I did this every night for a week long trip once (I didn't plan on doing it). It's not fun but it's better than being cold. You can't do this with a tent.

You can't carry a tent and sleeping bag in your day pack, so for day hiking a fire becomes the primary way to keep warm during an unexpected overnight. The most important emergency items in my day pack for wet weather are a folding saw, fixed blade, and a tarp. If you get a fire going you might even be warm enough to get some sleep.

For the backpacker, a fire becomes a tool to compensate for compromised insulation and/or temperatures far below expectations. Also if you are hungry, sick, or recovering from extended exposure your body can have a tough time generating heat and an external source can really help.

Trying to build a fire on top of an exposed ridge or mountain in a storm is pointless. You are better off crawling into a bivy and waiting it out.

I don't know if this is useful, but I struggle with fires (i'm practicing). The following have happened to me resulting in not having a fire:

1) Didn't practice enough with the firesteel, 20 minutes later I gave up and went to sleep.

2) Brought matches, forgot match paper and had toothpicks.

3) Filled my Zippo, but the Ronsonol evaporated or spilled, anyways, no fire. I eventually dropped that anchor anyways.

4) figured out the firesteel, stuff was wet and I had no tinder, no fire.

I carry mini-bics but I prefer matches for my wood stove. I like the SOL wheel firestarter, because it's Max-proof. I am learning from my mistakes, but if it's relevant to you, don't throw in "backup" firestarters unless you can use them to, you know, start a fire.

Cheers

P.S. I couldn't signal with a mirror in a funhouse. I wish I grew up with the Scouts…

"4) figured out the firesteel, stuff was wet and I had no tinder, no fire."

Building a fire in the rain:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c90jBC31lrU
The one stick fire, the foundational skill for wet weather fire starting:

without the right tinder it is quite hard for the average person to start a fire with a firesteel even in perfect conditions … basically youll need cotton balls, very often PJ ones, or something similar …

a lighter is much easier for most people to use … and even then good luck for the average person to start a fire in the pouring rain with one without some good firestarting material, like PJ cotton balls ….

the trick with fires is to start planning for one BEFORE you actually need it … if yr lost and you dont think youll make it back, start collecting twigs and other fun stuff, dry em out if you can …then if you need it yr all set

;)

Good info from Justin and Eric. Justin has obviously put in the time to develop the skillz.

Running a fire in wet conditions has been very useful to me. It is a significant confidence booster when despite your best planning, you can't be sure how things will turn out. This is doubly true on marathon dayhikes where you don't have a sleeping bag, and if you do have a foam pad it is a bare-minimum piece.

Mors Kochanski is right: it is better to be warm and wet than cold and dry, or cold and wet.

+10 on carrying foolproof tinder. PJ infused cotton balls are my favorite. You gotta stack the odds in your favor.

If you think that a firesteel will light anything in the forest, you are wrong.

Again, stack the odds in your favor: Bic + firesteel + PJ balls + skillz = power & confidence. That's a big rate of return on a couple ounces of weight.

I for one am disappointed that we have not been able to somehow mention GLBT or Six Moon Designs issues in this thread. Surely we can do better.

I carry one because A) it really isn't that heavy B) I'd rather have something with me that could help me or someone else out in a bad situation C) I'm too lazy to replace the whistle on my sternum strap that's part of the clip then replace that clip with something that weighs 0.0002 oz lighter.

I see a whistle right up there with a seat belt. You can go years without an accident but it's that rare case where something happens out of your control where the presence of a simple device means you live or die.

After getting "monkey butt" this past week while on a 6 day backpack in Utah's Coyote Gulch I realized I had forgotten to bring a tube of Polysporin or Neosporin in my FA kit.

It WON'T happen again! It was "sorely missed". ;o)