Survival Kit for the woods

epic4444

New member
say you get lost in the woods...your not sure how long your gunna be out there..what are the five things you would wish to have on you most to survive??
 
Alway have the following...

COMPASS (& knowledge to use it)
Space blanket
matches (old fashion strike anywhere) or butane lighter (without the kid proof lock)
TP
Mini-mag light with fresh batteries ( as replace old with new as you are packing)
Reese's peanut butter cups or planter's peanut bars
 
in the northeast:

water proof satellite phone with a water proof handcrank battery charger
quality knife (or even better: quality hatchet)
firemaker of any kind, but waterproof is a must, so probably magnesium one
double barrel shotgun with plenty of both birdshot and slugs for ammo
water proof cold weather clothing, head to toe

with these five things and knowledge, you can live a long time. 95% of short-term survival is keeping warm (or cool in the desert). you can survive a week without water, and a month without food.

read 98.6 degrees, the art of keeping your ass alive. BEST survival book I have ever read, and I have read a lot of them.

$11.53 at Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/98-6-Degrees-...bs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1203921551&sr=8-1
 
jroth and scrap have nailed it.

My .02:
Compass and map.
Firearm capable of taking game native to area.
Fire starting kit.
Good knife and possibly an axe.
Snack bars and water.
Mirror or other highly reflective surface.
 
May I recommend the knife?

If I had to assemble a small, light survival kit--and one that would be used only for survival--I would pack a mini-Emerson CQC-7 combo black/black chisel grind.

"Wait a second there, Chico, that's half serrated!"

Yes it is. As you know I only recommend serrations for aggressive cutting and for wet and slippery things, like ropes on boats. A survival situation is something different. And this mini-Emerson is small, light weight and an aggressive cutting tool.

DSC00218.jpg
 
Add a light ax.

Check what Canada requires for private aircraft flights into their 'sparsely settled' area. Or, check the Sierra Club's 10 essentials for packers (the Club is not all bad!).
 
Last edited:
survival/ emergencey kits

I recomend Kotex pads not only for there intended use but for absorbent dressing and as dry tender for fire starting, cloth tape, cloth bandaids, cause they last longer in adverse conditions, triple antibiotic ointment, 1%hydrocortisone ointment. long shelf life for all the above. Triple antibiotic ointment does not freeze, not sure about hydrocortisone. Bndage scissors, sturdy knife, spider wire fishing line for sewing and fishing large sewing needles for less fumbling around. magnesium flit fire starter, nothing is as comforting as having fire, find small bag roughly wallet sized to fit this minimum kit. small and light will be more likely to be with you and several kits can be assembled at a low cost, put them everywere car house garage and use them even for minor injuries this will help keep one aware that your stuff is there and will help one to remember to check the supplies every now and then for damage and such.
another idea is make small kits useing altoid tins one tin for medical one tin for survival taped together.
 
Last edited:
Gerber camp axes

For those trying to get more than five items, you can make one of the five a Gerber camp axe. That way, the handle will also contain either a decent knife or a workable mini-saw, depending on which model.

Does a first aid kit count as one item?
 
Most rescues are made within 72 hours

In that time the things you will need most:

-Water, or means to "extract" water
-Equipment to bear the elements: Space blanket
-Sleep (You'll die of sleep depravation before you die of food starvation)
-Foolproof communications. I would take a magnesium/aluminum firestarter and a good knife over any gun, cellphone, sat-phone, etc. You can see a fire for a long distance, and batteries get wet and go dead. Also, a whistle is well worth it's weight, and it can be heard far longer and with less effort than your screaming voice.
-Navigation equipment: compass (and a map if applicable)

...at least that's what the military teaches it's students for survival.

-NJ
 
Been there, done that.

Sturdy knife (doesn't have to be a huge knife, just a dependable one that will take some abuse).

Method for starting fire (in my case a couple of butane lighters and a small "match safe" with strike anywhere matches).

Large super heavy (lawn n' leaf type) trash bag (windbreaker, stuffed with leaves makes decent insulation, rain jacket, tarp, ground cloth on and on and on) and packs down into a tiny package.

Whistle and compass (I have a combo thing so this is one item)

Reliable flashlight (I prefer LED based ones for the long runtime)

50ft of Paracord.

The MOST important thing is to get your method of signaling location up and running ASAP (be it a smoky fire or whatever). Get attention from rescuers fast enough and the rest doesn't matter.
 
Knife
fire starter
water purification tablets
mini fish kit
snare wire

Ones first concern in survival situation depending on weather is shelter. In certain environments the weather can be deadly in hours.

Second concern is water. Depending on how hot the climate the body can begin to degrade in as little as one day. Loss of motor fine motor skills, difficulty concentrating, and then death. One to five days for water making it #2 concern.

Last is food. Weeks without food.

My kit includes a mini fish kit. Things like braided fishing line and hooks can be used for many purposes including shelter assembly or tool making.

Same for the snare wire. Can make traps or use for shelter, tool making ect.
 
Swedish Fire Steel
Good Quality Multitool
10'X10' Waxed Canvas Tarp
Gransfors Bruks Small Forest Axe
250' of MIL-C-5040 Type III Paracord

This assumes none of the "kits" I've put together can count as a single item. It also assumes one of the items cannot be a functional GPS device. I assume that because you said "lost".

I also assumed I was lost in a forest similar to the ones in my local area.
 
For my old Boy Scout 'Survival' merit badge, we were required to pack a kit for 3 days. The kit had to fit within a quart sized zip lock bag, and the only non-bag items allowed were a belt knife and a sleeping bag.

Since here we're reduced to five items, I suggest the following:

- Large hunting knife
- Space blanket
- Fire starter (your choice of operation, I like mini butane torches)
- Spool strong twine or string
- Signal mirror / Water bottle (again, choice is yours, my choice is mirror)


If limited, these would be the items I would prefer the most. Since I'm lost, I'm assuming a chance of rescue, not EOTWAWKI here. As previously mentioned, you can go a month without eating so I don't need a rifle. Finding water and adequate shelter is most important in this type of situation.
 
A bottle of The Macallan - for sustenance
Heidi Klum - for warmth
Angie Everhart – for when Heidi is sleeping
A Padron Dimplimatico – for “after”
A satellite phone – to order more scotch and cigars
 
grymster2007 said:
Heidi Klum - for warmth

Once again, we disagree. :D I'm more in tune with one of the Jessica's. Any of them. Most of them. One that likes the smell of chrome polish.

Angie Everhart – for when Heidi is sleeping

...well, okay. You redeemed yourself...

Back to the thread. While I'm beginning to warm to the idea of a camp axe as part of a regular list of stuff for a camp out, I don't see the added weight when in "survival mode."

My opinion is that if you realize that survival is the key element, then you are either lost, injured, out of food, being chased by predators or trapped by rapidly changing weather.

In other words, this is a condition where the best objective is simply to get out the area you're trapped in, not go sight seeing.

Now, I admit, I've never been that lost. However, conventional wisdom is that you must be equipped and prepared to tough it out for three days, if necessary. I carry most of that stuff in my truck on a regular basis, but lighter stuff with me on a hike.

I don't intend to get stranded or lost, it's an unforeseen problem. Perhaps I should re-think that proposition, but I have never taken an axe on a hike. I do always carry a knife.
 
EDIT: opps, I didn't read the part about five items.. :D
Ok my five items are: my tomahawk, my .22 with ammo, a bic lighter, a small knife, and a heavy field jacket.


MY ORIGINAL POST:
For fourwheeling/wondering the woods in the greater NW, in my Jeep I bring:

1 Dual Fuel camp stove
1 Dual Fuel lantern
2 cans of soup
2 cans of ravioli
3 Gal water
2 Gal gasoline
3 cup noodles
1 4" knife, fully serrated
1 7" knife, non serrated
1 Tomahawk
1 4lb sledgehammer
1 claw hammer
1 camp axe
1 camo net large enough to cover the entire Jeep
1 tarp
1 Sleeping Bag
3 signal flares
1 high CFM 12v air compressor
2 MRE's
1 shovel
1 machete
1 first aid kit
1 3D cell LED maglite with extra batteries
1 storm whistle
5 bic lighters
1 M65 field jacket
1 roll duct tape
1 pair of jumper cables
1 recover strap
1 four sided tire iron (good for helping others as well)
1 set of socket wrenches/screwdrivers
1 torque wrench
2 pairs of extra socks
2 pairs of underwear
2 undershirts
1 pair of extra boots
1 roll of duct tape
100ft of nylon rope
100ft of paracord
1 box of tampons (for bloody noses only)
1 tire patching kit
1 road cone
1 slingshot
1 deactivated cell phone with car charger (only good for dialing 911)
1 CB radio with PA horn installed
1 set, sway bar disconnects
1 bottle of brake fluid
6 spare U-bolts for axles
1 jug of coolant
2 bottles motor oil
1 spare rear axle shaft (only if wheeling)
2 boxes .22lr
5 boxes 7.62x39
1 box .380
1 box 9mm
1 shotgun bandoleer with buck/bird/slug shells
1 12ga shotgun


If exploring new territory, I also bring my 14" bar Stihl chainsaw and an extra gallon of bar oil and 2stroke fuel for blown down trees that often cover my trail.

Don't forget to bring non perishable food!! Starvation is a miserable situation to be in!! :D
 
Back
Top