Post by Onnoashee on Jun 7, 2016 0:41:21 GMT
So I just recently went back and rewatched a bunch of episodes of a favorite show of mine called Survivorman featuring Les Stroud, and it made me think about preparedness and being ready for anything in general.
Let me preface this by saying that the list that will follow is a general purpose list, not one that is specialized for anything specific, certainly not the "zombie apocalypse" scenario that you see in pop-culture. I encourage those interested to post questions or even your own lists to compare in order to expand your knowledge of what it takes to be prepared.
Following will be my personal top ten list of absolute survival essentials. With a few, I'll be a little vague because it always come down to personal preference.
1. Multitool: This is any tool that includes pliers, some form of screwdriver, and a knife. This is an absolutely essential piece of equipment, because tools and tool use are one of the things that put us above animals on the food chain.
2. Water Purification: This could mean a variety of things, because water purification is accomplished a few ways; filtration, chemical purification, boiling, etc. Personally, I have a water filter, iodine tablets, and if I'm still unsure about my water, I'll boil it as well.
3. Fire Starter Method: This is any sutainable source of ignition for fire that is not dependent on a fuel source that includes some form of tinder. Flint and steel, matches, dryer lint, cotton swabs, and even Fritos are all great sources of fire for a survival kit.
4. Warm and Clean Bedding: This usually takes the form of a sleeping bag and pad, or perhaps a portable hammock. Personally, I have a zero degree sleeping bag, a Thermarest sleeping pad, and a waterproof Gortex bivy bag. I am, however, considering switching to a portable hammock instead of the Thermarest to save space and weight.
5.Rope: Rope or twine has so many different uses that it definitely warrants a spot on my list. A popular item in many preppers' kits is 550 parachute cord. Personally, I carry 100 feet of it in my kit, because it's light and strong.
6. Boots/Dry Socks: Any kind of footwear that is close-toed, protective, and waterproof. Your feet are one of your most important assets when trying to survive. If you can't walk, you won't survive, so take care of your feet.
7. First-Aid: If you get hurt while trying to survive, and you probably will, you need to be able to treat the injury. I have a medical kit with sterile bandages of all types, a tourniquet, a antiseptic(I keep vodka around, because it doubles as anasthesia), pain medicine(I keep aspirin and ibuprofen), and latex-free gloves. Anything that requires a splint or stitch I can make out of my para cord and a fishing hook.
8. Some way to gather food: This is a very broad subject. Normally, if you're trying to survive, there is some standing body of water or a river nearby. I keep a small fishing kit with line and hooks.It is also useful to know which flora can and cannot be eaten, and knowing how to make traps and snares can be a useful venture as well.
9. An Axe: Seriously. Just some form of axe, whether it's a hatchet or a full-sized Fiskars Woodsman II like I've got, an axe is an invaluable tool for survival. Being able to split or cut firewood, use the back end as a hammer, or use the edge as an emergency blade is a truly valuable ability.
10. Distress Signal: If you're in trouble, chances are it's not going to be some kind of zombie apocalypse or alien invasion. It's more likely going to be a situation where you got lost and need help getting home. In this case, you need some kind of signal to let people know that you are, in fact, lost. Most people carry a cell phone, I ertainly do, but in the case that it stops working or dies, my bug out bag has two road flares in it. If I were to spin off the side of the road and get stuck in a snow drift, I would be able to crawl out and pop one of those flares and toss it into the road so rescue workers knew I needed help.
Anyways, I hope this list proves helpful to somebody. Personally, I hope I never have to use my bug out bag, but it's there for when I need it. I was vague about my list, so feel free to get more specific with your lists if you decide to post them.
Let me preface this by saying that the list that will follow is a general purpose list, not one that is specialized for anything specific, certainly not the "zombie apocalypse" scenario that you see in pop-culture. I encourage those interested to post questions or even your own lists to compare in order to expand your knowledge of what it takes to be prepared.
Following will be my personal top ten list of absolute survival essentials. With a few, I'll be a little vague because it always come down to personal preference.
1. Multitool: This is any tool that includes pliers, some form of screwdriver, and a knife. This is an absolutely essential piece of equipment, because tools and tool use are one of the things that put us above animals on the food chain.
2. Water Purification: This could mean a variety of things, because water purification is accomplished a few ways; filtration, chemical purification, boiling, etc. Personally, I have a water filter, iodine tablets, and if I'm still unsure about my water, I'll boil it as well.
3. Fire Starter Method: This is any sutainable source of ignition for fire that is not dependent on a fuel source that includes some form of tinder. Flint and steel, matches, dryer lint, cotton swabs, and even Fritos are all great sources of fire for a survival kit.
4. Warm and Clean Bedding: This usually takes the form of a sleeping bag and pad, or perhaps a portable hammock. Personally, I have a zero degree sleeping bag, a Thermarest sleeping pad, and a waterproof Gortex bivy bag. I am, however, considering switching to a portable hammock instead of the Thermarest to save space and weight.
5.Rope: Rope or twine has so many different uses that it definitely warrants a spot on my list. A popular item in many preppers' kits is 550 parachute cord. Personally, I carry 100 feet of it in my kit, because it's light and strong.
6. Boots/Dry Socks: Any kind of footwear that is close-toed, protective, and waterproof. Your feet are one of your most important assets when trying to survive. If you can't walk, you won't survive, so take care of your feet.
7. First-Aid: If you get hurt while trying to survive, and you probably will, you need to be able to treat the injury. I have a medical kit with sterile bandages of all types, a tourniquet, a antiseptic(I keep vodka around, because it doubles as anasthesia), pain medicine(I keep aspirin and ibuprofen), and latex-free gloves. Anything that requires a splint or stitch I can make out of my para cord and a fishing hook.
8. Some way to gather food: This is a very broad subject. Normally, if you're trying to survive, there is some standing body of water or a river nearby. I keep a small fishing kit with line and hooks.It is also useful to know which flora can and cannot be eaten, and knowing how to make traps and snares can be a useful venture as well.
9. An Axe: Seriously. Just some form of axe, whether it's a hatchet or a full-sized Fiskars Woodsman II like I've got, an axe is an invaluable tool for survival. Being able to split or cut firewood, use the back end as a hammer, or use the edge as an emergency blade is a truly valuable ability.
10. Distress Signal: If you're in trouble, chances are it's not going to be some kind of zombie apocalypse or alien invasion. It's more likely going to be a situation where you got lost and need help getting home. In this case, you need some kind of signal to let people know that you are, in fact, lost. Most people carry a cell phone, I ertainly do, but in the case that it stops working or dies, my bug out bag has two road flares in it. If I were to spin off the side of the road and get stuck in a snow drift, I would be able to crawl out and pop one of those flares and toss it into the road so rescue workers knew I needed help.
Anyways, I hope this list proves helpful to somebody. Personally, I hope I never have to use my bug out bag, but it's there for when I need it. I was vague about my list, so feel free to get more specific with your lists if you decide to post them.
