Minimal Survival Kit

[tedw]

Having not long returned from an excellent week's hill-walking and climbing in Wester Ross, I've been mulling over the reality of my survival preparations. Basically, if I have my rucsac I’ve got everything I need to survive in reasonable comfort for several days but if I lose it, I’ve got nothing! Even if my clothing has pockets, they’ll probably be empty to ease climbing and scrambling.
I think I need to plan on being alone, otherwise I could just borrow kit from my mates, and it seems to me there are 2 situations I need to cover. One, I’ve just lost my rucsac somehow on some bare hillside and need to walk out to safety, or, two, I’ve just lost my rucsac somehow and am injured badly enough to stop me walking out. I think my first priority will be shelter/warmth, then location/navigation, a light source and some sort of wound treatment. It’s got to be small and light enough to wear round my neck without getting in the way or becoming irritating, otherwise, let’s be honest, it’ll just be left behind.
I’m thinking of a foil/space-blanket (wrap myself in it or wear it like a poncho/cloak for walking), a button compass, an Inova microlight and a few big plasters in some sort of flat, easy-to-wear neck pouch.
What do you lot think? Any better ideas?

Ted W

[TheViking]

Hi...

A survival kit that fits around your neck, but still has to cover shelter, warmth, health and navigation.... :shock: :shock: :wink:

Think you got a lot of it right there... A mini compass, map in trouser pocket, SAK, firesteel, polythene survival bag and some big, big plasters and maybe a bandage... :wink: :-)

[ANDYLASER]

I would be be tempted to either get a belt pouch that will take all the items required. You are unlikely to loose this. Or peck all the items into a sealable bag and place into the large pocket that you get on army/cargo trousers.

[Ed]

in some sort of flat, easy-to-wear neck pouch.

Like a waterproof map case ;-)

Ed

[Gary]

The problem with survival kits is that to be of any use you need to carry a means of sheltering in it.

A hiker with a broken leg isnt going to be able to build a lean too or collect fire wood for a fire so you need a means of keeping your body temperature within safe limits.

Food isn't a worry and you should have water but if you dont you can muddle through for three days.

More important to you would be the ability to signal for help and the best of these is the good old whistle.

Of course if your only lost and still healthy then things are on the up and you can afford to worry about food and other stuff.

But hypothermia kills more people than anything else so be realistic and prepare for that above all.

The W.I.S.E kit is based upon the R.A.F kit but has been tailored to suit civilians more and as a ready made kit it is vacum sealed and will fit in a map pocket of your trousers comfortably or you can crack it open and spread it around all your pockets.

And remember K.I.S.S - in a highly stressed state fine motor skills go walkies so you need simple things if you want to survive.

[tedw]

Thanks, chaps - and a whistle was in my original list, I just temporarily forgot it whilst I was writing! :roll: Good call, Gary, :-) I’ve had a look and you’ve confirmed some of my thinking. I don’t expect to be fishing or making a fire on the hillside, but maybe a small mirror/heliograph for signalling, a nightlight & matches for warmth/morale (in a make shift shelter - Ranger Rick style) and a couple of boiled sweets would be useful additions. I’ve just got to keep it small and light or it’ll end up next to my survival tin in the bottom of the (lost) rucksack!

Ted W

[RovingArcher]

You are injured and your ruck is gone for whatever reason. Hopefully you have told someone where you would be and who to contact if you are overdue. That will start the rescue process in motion relatively soon after your failure to return. Of course, if you are on a week long trek and you are still on the first day when all of this happens, you could be in real trouble unless you have essential gear on your person.

I've always been a believer in the old saying, don't put all your eggs into one basket. For that reason, I'll carry basic gear in my pockets, as well as a vest or pouch and my rucksack.

What kills more than any other reason in the outdoors is exposure (hypothermia and hyperthermia). Add injury and your chances of survival get a bit strained. To avoid exposure, you will need to keep your body temperature constant. To do that you will need the ability to make fire, which includes not only an ignition source, but tinder and fuel as well. If the area you are in doesn't contain readily available fuel, having a stout wooden hiking staff along would give you some available fuel for the fire as well as the other duties one can perform, such as being the main support for shelter or helping you to hobble to a more favorable area. The ability to gather and purify water for proper hydration. We can only live about 3 days without water and dehydration isn't a very pleasant form of death. Shelter can be something small and easy to carry, like a compact poncho, or large barrel/drum liners, that will keep the wind and rain off of you. A compact first aid kit with normal field medical gear as well as pain medication that will not thin the blood, medication to stop unsettled stomach/bowel and their resulting dehydrating actions and an antihistamine of some kind. Plus when someone comes looking for you, some form of signaling device. A button compass, pocket knife, cordage and a keychain LED light take up little room in a pocket and are worth having with you at all times while out and about.

A 1.76oz/50g Altoids mint tin will hold a fair amount of gear for it's compact size and fits easily into a pocket. A belt pouch will hold even more gear and a travelers/photographers/fishing vest will hold everything you'll need and seperate the items for easy access.

[Wolfie]

To keep warm think about taking one or even two Body Warmer packs by Mycoal Warm Packs Ltd. Once activated they maintain a temperature of 50 degrees C for up to 24 hous. They're lightweight and don't take up much room (approx12cm x 16cm x 3mm) so will easily pack into a small survival kit. They're also pretty cheap about £2 each if I remember rightly. I always keep one in my rucksack pocket just in case.

For more info contact Mycoal Warm Packs LTD. at sales@mycoal.co.uk

[Adi007]

It's good to hear that others are just as paranoid about losing their main rucksack and their main gear. I tent to squirrel away bits on kit in pockets and pouches so that in the unlikley even that I'm separated from my main pack, I have a backup.

As a bear minimum I try to make sure that I have:
- Navigation
- Firelighting
- Cutting tool
- Signalling

[Adi007]

To keep warm think about taking one or even two Body Warmer packs by Mycoal Warm Packs Ltd. Once activated they maintain a temperature of 50 degrees C for up to 24 hous. They're lightweight and don't take up much room (approx12cm x 16cm x 3mm) so will easily pack into a small survival kit. They're also pretty cheap about £2 each if I remember rightly. I always keep one in my rucksack pocket just in case.

For more info contact Mycoal Warm Packs LTD. at sales@mycoal.co.uk

These are excellent and I can thoroughly recommend them as an emergency bit of kit. I also tend to have one or tw of those rechargeable hot packs (the ones in a plastic pouch that contains a saturated solution of sodium acetate - you just click the metal clicker and off it goes). These are a potential lifesaver.

[ANDYLASER]

I have always worked on the "belt, braces and piece of string" principle. Admittedly the weight does add up, but a few ounces divided around various pockets and pouches is soon "lost" and could mean the difference between life and death. Many years ago whilst in the Scottish mountains, I was well overstocked but as soon as it started snowing ( in June ) I was relieved to be carrying extra kit. Especially when we had to fashion extra guy ropes for the tents and couldnt move for a day and a half.

[ChrisKavanaugh]

O.K. once again, your invited to dig through our articles and forums about PSKs in all their forms @ www.equipped.org The tobacco tin-Altoid tin is british in origin. There is a point of diminishing return on minimal kit. I recall one post on another forum where an empty .22 case was the whistle and a highly polished SAK blade the mirror. That individual soon after disappeared from the forum, never to be heard from again. I would rather have a few key items of appropriate robustness than lots of cutesy multi purpose items. Rappelling down Hadrian's wall and suturing myself with dental floss is not my idea of being prepared. If you are dressed warmly, thermals and woolens, then a poncho or space blanket to keep off wind and rain will work suprisingly well at keeping the elements at bay. Forget water purification. Whatever bug you pick up can be treated in hospital. Just stay hydrated long enough to effect rescue. Whatever you assemble; necklace, Altoid Tin or pocketed items- test their use. Can you reach and use them onehanded?

[jamesdevine]

I will be honest i have never carried a survival kit. I have never lost a rucksack but with my knife and mobile on hand a snack, lifeboat matchs and map and compass always on my person if it did happen I would be pretty confident here in Ireland were you are never more then a days walk from a house or some for of civilization.

But saying this I have thought about adding a space blanket and a small first aid kit to my belt and pockets.

I would only be worried if I got seriously injured and our ill, but as I also leave a good route card etc. with some trusted people and if away for more then two or three days here I will usually arrange to call or text home at set times. If I was not ill or in any major danger I probable would not be any major rush home any. A bit of a challenge there I thing.

This is all based on being here in Ireland and if I was anywhere else I would change this.

my two cents
James