Survival Gear

“You mentioned on one hike that you had to take 10 or so "survival" items on your body, not in your pack. Can you post them for us? I just heard from some friends who were snowmobiling in West Yellowstone over the holidays and got stuck on the mountain. They had to have search and rescue come get them, and almost had to have their snowmobiles airlifted off the mountain. They were not prepared for an ordeal like this. They were cold, wet, had no food, and were walking in snow up to their armpits with no maps. Makes me think I should be more prepared for an emergency than I am.”

“Ten Essential Items to Take when Camping

Firelighters

True, they’re not quite the proper thing for macho veteran campers or boy scouts, but if you pop them on the logs and twigs and then light up you’ll have a roaring blaze going in no time at all. Firelighters are extremely useful in cold, rainy weather.

Matches

It’s never easy making a fire with two sticks, so don’t forget the matches (waterproof if possible) or a lighter. Even better, take both.

A light

Always have a light handy, either a torch or a candle. Those little camping candles in aluminium holders are perfect. But if your journey’s overland, take a longer-lasting battery-or-gas-operated light.

A sharp knife

A Leatherman or Swiss army knife is useful because it’s small and multi-functional. But you’ll find that you also need a slightly longer knife, such as a streak knife or bread knife. It’s preferable to be able to slice a loaf of bread all the way through rather than hacking bits off it.

A basic first aid kit

Pack any medication that you use regularly at home-and don’t forget plasters, bandages, antiseptic, your tweezers and a needle for prising out thorns. Throat lozenges, paracetamol and Immodium are often needed too. If you’re bundu-bound, take along your own sutures, needles and cannulas in case you end up in some tiny, underfunded hospital. Pack sun screens and insect repellent, to be liberally applied. Take a whistle too, to summon help if you’re injured or ill.

Toilet paper

It shouldn’t be necessary to go into lengthy explanation of just how useful this everyday item can be.

A mattress

Pack the best, thickest, most insulating mattress you can afford. Even if you’re hiking, make sure you have at least a sleeping mat. Nothing is worse that spending a night trying to sleep on a pile of sharp rocks.

Washing-up equipment

Washing dishes in the sand is never ideal, so don’t forget your washing-up liquid and scouring pad. Always wipe the bottom of your pots with dishwasher before using them on the fires or camping stoves – it’ll save you hours of scrubbing.

Food and implements

Beside the basics, take along some olive oil, vinegar, fresh garlic, chilli herb seasoning to guarantee consistently delicious meals. And don’t forget that spirit-booster – chocolate. You’ll also need a kettle in which to boil water, a pot for cooking, a water canteen, plate, mug and cutlery and a chopping board.

A roll of nylon rope

This comes in handy when guy ropes are lost, as a washing line to dry clothes on, to tie a sleeping bag onto your backpack, to replace broken shoe laces or for rigging up an emergency shelter.”

“what the hell???”

“lol.. ain't my list.”

“What rad said.

It's always important to be able to slice a loaf of bread all the way through in a survival situation.”

“but elaborate upon the TP, pleeeeeaase??”

“Take Rad with ya, you don't need anything, girls.

Look Out Ladies, It’s The Real Deal”

“hey baby, how YOU doin'!”

“heh heh!

who IS that handsome man, with the brew in hand?!?!?”

“LOL!!!! "army of fun!"”

“1. Map
2. Compass
3. First-Aid kit
4. Knife (Swiss Army or multitool preferable)
5. Matches (in waterproof container) or lighter
6. Firestarter
7. Flashlight or headlamp (w/ fresh batteries)
8. Shell gear (rain protection) and hat
9. Sunglasses
10. Extra food and water

I'd add to that:
11. water purifier or tablets
12. whistle

Always tell someone where you plan to go and when you'll be back.”

“Would that bread be of the french variety?
Is France near bundu?”

“does rad have his boots on the wrong feet?”

“no, i have 2 left feet!”

“well, nobody's perfick.”

“I thought this was going to be yet another Darwin Award thread.

Darn.”

“Rad, is that really you? Or some other hottie?”

“a bag of tuna in one hand and a brew in the other...

hell yeah, it's me!”

“Pack your common sense. From what I have read over 95% of people in a "survival" situation caused "it" to occur. They went beyond their limits, were inadequately prepared and were unfamiliar with the area they were in.”

“I heard an interesting quote yesterday on NPR. It was something like:

Being in a good situation is the result of experience and experience is the result of bad situations.”

“I like the quote Rosey...”

“According to national SAR records the majority of people needing rescue assistance call themselves 'experienced' and 'very experienced'.”

“a more experienced person will tend to take more chances.

think back to when you first started...


good quote, rosey.”

“I thought there were 10 essentials + 4?”

“gordon, just cause they call themselves experienced doesnt mean they are.”

“Good quotes rosey & birch too.

I understand those recues have become quite expensive-
Anbody heard about this?”

“"chilli herb seasoning to guarantee consistently delicious meals."

TownDawg
01:35:46 PM
01/03/02

There 'aint no self respectin' chili cook that ever spelled chili with two "l's". And I bet you put beans in it too,,,huh?? Anyone who knows beans about chili (with on "l") knows that chili (with one "l") has no beans. Gee TD, I am going to have to take you behind the woodshed for this one.”

“What the hell do you need a Swiss Army or multitool knife for?
I've never been out there and said:
* Gee, I need a nail file
*Now where's that phlips screwdriver
* These twesers are AWESOME!
* Dang good thing I got this ittybitty saw!
* Yeah! A corkscrew! I gotta have that. Can't live without it.
* I use this toothpick ALL the time.
* These wire strippers are a must!
* I'd have dehydrated without my bottle opener

All you need is a blade!”

“Toilet Paper is one of my essentials.”

“Better add to that list some form
of personal identification just in
case all else fails.”

“Survival checklist
"Better add to that list some form
of personal identification just in
case all else fails."
landsurfer
10:18:03 PM
01/03/02

I thought of this the other day. I'm still using my Alaska driver's license, after two years back in NM. I thought what a wild goose (sorry goose) chase it would be if somebody had to try and track me down. I tossed in my work ID.”

“I wonder who decided there should be ten essentials??? I like to think I stand back from a situation and anticipate the real possibilities. If I am hiking a well known place I don't need a map but I can still break a leg so I need to stay warm and dry. If I'm in strange country I may need a lot more stuff to stay reasonably safe. The season matters too. I aim for the worst case scenario to be that I am mildly miserable--not dead.”

“chili36: we need to talk. where did that quote come from?”

“Oooo... oo.. now i know.. I lifted that WHOLE thing form some YAHOO search chili36.. not a BIT of that was my words.. that's why I didn't recognize it!!”

“To all those who chimed in about those who need to be rescued call themselves "experienced" I can guarantee my friends call themselves "experienced". Yes, they pushed the limits way too far. They got lost on the mountain, left the snomobiles in place because they were stuck, and later found out there was a GPS unit on one of the snowmobiles they abandoned. They could have found their way out quicker.

I don't know what the rescue may cost them, but I do know airlifting the snowmobiles out was going to cost them $3K. They eventually got them off the mountain with the help of the rescue crew, but not without additinal injury and damage to a couple of the machines.”

“Well I was one of the friends of smiley girls that was involved in the rescue out west. I can say that the 2 that had to be rescued only had to be rescued because I was very worried about them. It was completely an accident that caused them to be where they were. Mainly caused by my underpowered and stuck snowmobile. They knew where they were and were out to a trail by the time they were rescued. When I am backpacking I do take all those things with me but on a snowmobile I have never been in a situation in 10 years where you couldn't get one of them out. Thanks for all the responses of what to have on you.”

“On that same NPR report where I heard the quote, they said that snowmobilers were the number one reason for avalanche rescues in the West.”

“TD, a Yahoo search?? Well that expains it. Undoubtedly written by someone who is unfamiliar with the finer aspects of chili. LOL.”

“i hate them polluting noisy things and the lardasses that ride em”

“Noyce! I'm gettin' a brandy barrel for my pooch!”

“A BEER!!!

I'm outa here.”