Like generals and wars, my emergency prep is largely based on previous failures I don’t want to repeat, but odds are the next emergency will be different, and as such my prep will likely always be less than ideal.
It’s an interesting topic that I’ve realised will never quite be settled science for me as my own physiology/capacity, activities and responsibilities changes with the seasons of life. Young, stupid and fit = not much thought went in to this at all. The big change came with the responsibility of kids, both keeping them safe in the backcountry when their with me, and also making it back home to them when I’m out there on my own.
One event that woke me up for real was when my twins were 8yo we were backpacking in the mountains and went on what was supposed to be a modest day hike from our tent site. Despite a good forecast the weather changed rapidly and we had a massive rainfall with very cold rain. With only a small supply of food and water, no rain gear or dry backup clothes things got a bit uncomfortable. Not enough to be dangerous, luckily, but unpleasant enough that my boy got so cold he become really scared and a significant dent in my own pride as a father who want my kids to enjoy the backcountry.
Since that incident I’ve as a minimum carried a Lifesystems ultralight survival shelter/bothy (mountains mostly) or a Helsport ultralight tarp (woods mostly) when going into the backcountry with kids.
Beyond that it really depends a lot on where we’re going, what we’re doing and what season.
Living in a cold climate where conditions change very fast I’m always on the lookout for good dual use systems, i.e. shelters and gear that can both increase the level of comfort to extend range / time outside in harsh conditions as well as serving an emergency function if my luck runs out. The bothy bags are light, compact and easy to use, which is quite important for the comfort part as the low effort required to deploy and pack down means it will be used more often. I’ve carried more complex solutions in the past, and they often end up not being deployed.
Now I have bothy bags in several sizes so I can bring a size appropriate for the group, which also include the more Scandinavian style of bothy called wind sack. This is an inverted style of shelter where the shelter has a waterproof bottom and you enter from the top, and typically use it just for breaks with the head or upper body sticking out. The sides are often just a windbreaker material, so these will breathe better than the typical bothy, but fares less well in wet weather.
I will sometimes bring what’s called a “Fjellduk” (mountain blanket) in Norway. It’s a modular shelter system made from a laminate material with mylar bonded to a waterproof fabric, so it’s heavier but also feels warmer than the siliconised nylon found in most regular bothies. They come in several variations (some even with embedded or zip-in primaloft insulation), but common for all of them is a system of zips and grommet attachment points to make them modular, so this single item can be used as a bivvy, tarp, poncho etc. If I’m out on my own, or just me and the dog in the wintertime I will be dryer, more comfortable and retain much more heat in my fjellduk compared to my 2 person bothy. That’s sometimes worth the added weight. I also have a fjellduk with embedded primaloft fill, but IMO it’s too heavy and bulky to make sense for anything but motorised camping.
Even though I’m a proponent of simple, easy to use shelters, I’m still on the lookout for a lightweight easy to pitch 3(+) person tent, probably something like a 4 sided pyramid tent that can use a ski pole or trekking pole as center pole. No floor or inner tent, just a barrier from the elements. This will be a bit more cumbersome to pitch just to take a break, but ut will be infinitely better if we need to spend a night out. I’ve realised most UL options are quite expensive so I haven’t spent a lot of time researching this, but it’s certainly something I want to have figured out before I start taking my kids on harder and more exposed hikes – and we’re almost there.
Finding appropriate shelters that are both useful and light enough that they’re always in my pack when I need them is really key for cold weather comfort/survival IMO. I’m not as weight conscious for one day activities, but it still adds up so each item should still be as light as reasonably possible.
In addition to a shelter I always bring shell and insulating layers appropriate for the season (incl. sun protection if applicable), closed cell foam pad, head lamp, water, means to make a fire, very basic first aid, food (when I’m alone: dried meat, cured meat, hard boiled eggs, macadamia nuts and/or similar ready to eat foods that are high in fat and protein. With kids/family I usually bring ingredients to cook outside). I don’t yet own a PLB or satellite communication device, but we have a few on my workplace that I’ve borrowed for solo winter trips. Most one day activities take place within cell coverage, with the exception of hunting, where we often start our day from a cabin or camp site with poor or no coverage and it just get worse from there on. I rarely hunt alone though, and when hunting with others we use VHF radios to stay in touch.
While on the topic of hunting, since a little incident last fall I’ve added a Mora Companion spark to my hunting backpack. I’m one of those weirdos that have converted to use folding knives for hunting as I find it more practical, but after a situation where I had to cut down a tree with my folding knife I realized the added weight of small fixed blade is wort it. This knife specifically is quite light for its blade length, affordable and adds another means of making fire with no added bulk. It has proven to be a very useful piece of kit that regularly find its way into my backpacking backpack as well.
