• If you are being asked to change your password, and unsure how to do it, follow these instructions. Click here

Survival kit

I carry different items determined by how far I travel from my truck. I always carry a knife, fire starters, compass / GPS, and water. As I move further away from a platform such as the truck I will start to carry more stuff on my person in a day pack. I will then have the ability to sterilize water, as well as emergency rations and a small first aid kid. My fire starting kit might get more robust as well as carrying more shelter making ability.

Wade
 
I carry different items determined by how far I travel from my truck. I always carry a knife, fire starters, compass / GPS, and water. As I move further away from a platform such as the truck I will start to carry more stuff on my person in a day pack. I will then have the ability to sterilize water, as well as emergency rations and a small first aid kid. My fire starting kit might get more robust as well as carrying more shelter making ability.

Wade

Good advice!
Think about what you need to survive short term. The 2 most important things are: stay hydrated and maintain your core temperature. Do that and you should stay alive long enough to get rescued. So, be able to store and disinfect water and be able to shelter from the elements. Like Wade, I consider my survival kit a comprehensive collection of things that I have with me at all times. A small kit is always in my pocket no matter how far I travel from my pack. That includes walking off to relieve myself or hiking down a short stretch of trail to get water.

Probably the most important tool is a good communication plan. Tell a responsible person where you are going (including route), where you plan on camping each night and when you will return to your car. Don't leave it up to them to decide what they consider overdue. I leave specific instructions, for instance, "If you don't hear from me by 6pm on June 21st, call this number and give them the following."

The "following" includes a copy of my driver's lic., a description of my vehicle and where it will be parked, my route and any meds. that I am on. The key to surviving is getting found quickly.

Ok so I know you asked about a specific kit. I use a modified Doug Ritter kit. Go to EQUIPPED TO SURVIVE - Outdoors Gear, Survival Equipment Review & Survival Information. I add to this kit seasonal things like a small dropper bottle of bug dope. I also carry spare disposable contact lenses and a wire saw (leave the machete at home unless you have a regular need for it). Don't let a survival situation be the first time that you open the kit. Practice with everything in the kit, in good weather and bad. Try starting a fire with only one hand.

Good luck and be safe.
 
Hunting, hiking, photography trips, or any time out in the woods. I keep large kits in all the cars because you never know what can happen and my small fanny pack for excursions from the car. Two large trash bags for rain ponchos or ground covers, wind stops, water collectors, and numerous other uses. They are very light and small. Hard candy and bite size candy bars, jerky, and dried fruit. Fire starters- matches, lighters, tea candles, and a prescription bottle of lint from the dryer. A water filter, I like the straw type for short term use and size. A small cable saw and 50 ft. of rope. The way I look at it you need three things to survive.....Shelter, fire, water.
 
Anyone carry a survival kit when they go hunting?


No..... Experience, common sense and good judgment will take you a lot farther and safer than a backpack full of survival crap that never gets used. If it makes one feel safer then yeah pack all you can carry. Start a fire stay dry and know where you are that's it.

In 55 years of high country backpacking, horseback hunting mainly by myself along with all the horse wrecks getting turned around in blowing snow storms that lasted into the night, it never would have a made a difference in the outcome to have a "survival kit" along. Many young people make too much out of what "might" happen rather than learning the skills to get along in rough country and avoid what "might" happen.

If in your pack or saddle bags you have the stuff to achieve what I said above start a fire, stay dry and know where you are you are set. Water in the high country is never a problem other then you may have to drop off a ridge to get to it. Now I know **** happens but with good skills the mountains are safer than a crowded freeway the only difference being there is no one around to save your butt if you screw up. Just my opinion!
 
No..... Experience, common sense and good judgment will take you a lot farther and safer than a backpack full of survival crap that never gets used. Start a fire stay dry and know where you are that's it.

If in your pack or saddle bags you have the stuff to achieve what I said above start a fire, stay dry and know where you are you are set. Water in the high country is never a problem other then you may have to drop off a ridge to get to it.

So there are survival items you carry but not in a kit form? Mine a is very small kit and every item I have can be used in different ways.

Now one spring I was fishing a cold trout stream in the north part of NM here. I was drinking out of the stream all day until I got to the dead, decomposing elk laying in the middle of it three miles from the road. Now from my experience, common sense, and good judgement along with a case of paramecia I have my purifying straw.
 
No..... Experience, common sense and good judgment will take you a lot farther and safer than a backpack full of survival crap that never gets used. Start a fire stay dry and know where you are that's it.

If in your pack or saddle bags you have the stuff to achieve what I said above start a fire, stay dry and know where you are you are set. Water in the high country is never a problem other then you may have to drop off a ridge to get to it.

Posted by: Red Sparky
So there are survival items you carry but not in a kit form? Mine a is very small kit and every item I have can be used in different ways.

Now one spring I was fishing a cold trout stream in the north part of NM here. I was drinking out of the stream all day until I got to the dead, decomposing elk laying in the middle of it three miles from the road. Now from my experience, common sense, and good judgement along with a case of paramecia I have my purifying straw.

Experence should have told you not to drink from the stream. If you know where to look streams are fed by springs easy to find and quite plentiful in the high country and clean where they come from underground. I don't drink from any stream anymore. I would have to be pretty desperate to do so but if forced a purifier would sure help these days.
 
I carry a small kit since my main pack has enough in it for two weeks anyways. When I go out for only a day or two I carry the survival kit rain gear, stove and three days worth of food. Water is not an issue here but giardia is so I take a filter and a bladder. The kit consists of the following:

Flare pencil and flares
Fire kit
Basha (light tarp type sheet, just stronger) for shelter
Small compass
Bullion and tea
Pain meds and Imodium
Water purifier tablets
Bandages for smaller wounds (my vest has a pressure bandage)
Smaller good quality wire saw (may pack has my hatchet
Tiny LED light and two light sticks
50' of Para cord and stainless steel wire
Signal mirror and safety pins and some fishing hooks and line

It's smaller than it looks as it fits in a 4"X6"X3" container. I also carry a signal panel in my back pack. I used to be with search and rescue here, they get out pretty quick when called.:)
 
Warning! This thread is more than 12 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.
Top