TNT-Tips n' Tactics: Topic 10: Survival Kits and Gear

Beve · Post by **Beve** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 7:49 pm

I love survival gear and getting to practice using it too. Some stuff I hope I'm never in the situation that requires it.

Let's discuss what we all carry for survival gear....but we all know we need a first aid kit so some of that stuff may perform "double duty"

Also what other kayking, camping, and fishing gear serves dual purpose?

What's in your survival kit?

I'll post what I carry later when I get a chance.

Strider · Post by **Strider** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 9:10 pm

I have to say the first thing to consider while planning a padde trip is how to get rescued in case of trouble. Things you will need:

1. A good knowledge of where you are and where the closest help is.

2. A "walkout" plan in case for some reason you can't paddle to help.

3. A way to communicate with the outside world in case the whole plan goes to sh**.

The tools I pack for those scenarios are a map, a compass, a mobile phone, and #'s of people I know can help me. They are with me on every trip.

Kim

bowgarguide · Post by **bowgarguide** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 11:39 pm

The number one thing you can carry is a cool head, dont panick ,that kills more folks than anything.
Ron

deepseadweller · Post by **deepseadweller** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 1:48 am

Besides a PFD & a compass, rope is a necessity. Its crazy to me how few people carry or even know the purpose of a throw bag. Never can have too much rope.

hdcowboy · Post by **hdcowboy** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 8:16 am

I reckon a flare gun, a poncho, a flash light of some sort, sunscreen, and a first aid kit could be considered survival gear. Your probally allreday carrying fish gear and a knife which would obviously come in handy in a survival situation. Looks like the main thing your missing would be some sort of water purifying tablets and something you could use as a shelter.

WestTXwalkabout · Post by **WestTXwalkabout** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 8:21 am

I would reccomend everyone looking at the book '98.6 Degrees, The Art of Keeping your Ass Alive' by Cody Lundin. It is an easy read, enertaining, and full of good advice. No book however is a replacement for established skills. You should always practice the skills you are going to need in a survival situation. They should be second knowledge and as familiar to you as tying a knot and baiting your hook. It is your life, use it wisely.

As a former SAR (search and resuce) member, one of the more frequent reasons for people getting lost in an over reliance on GPS'. No piece of electronics is a replacement for a good old fashion map and compass.

hdcowboy · Post by **hdcowboy** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 8:33 am

WestTXwalkabout wrote:I would reccomend everyone looking at the book '98.6 Degrees, The Art of Keeping your Ass Alive' by Cody Lundin. It is an easy read, enertaining, and full of good advice.

Looks like the entire thing its availible online for free reading........

http://books.google.com/books?id=nrQxBf ... _0#PPP1,M1

twiceayear · Post by **twiceayear** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 3:07 pm

hdcowboy wrote:
WestTXwalkabout wrote:I would reccomend everyone looking at the book '98.6 Degrees, The Art of Keeping your Ass Alive' by Cody Lundin. It is an easy read, enertaining, and full of good advice.
Looks like the entire thing its availible online for free reading........

http://books.google.com/books?id=nrQxBf ... _0#PPP1,M1

I think they only give you the first 102 pages out of 209 online. You have to purchase the book to read the rest

Harold Ray · Post by **Harold Ray** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 4:18 pm

When I'm camping, the one I think of is weather and how to dress. Summer, for me, is easy; I go light, carry plenty of water, or on a river or stream, I carry a good water filter or purification tablets, the best, hot weather, broad brimmed hat I can find, and then when I reach my spot, I look for shade and a place where there is a breeze. Usually my packs are loaded or nearly so, so generally I'm ready to go when I get a chance.

In the winter for me, its a different story. The first thing I think of is staying warm. I layer clothes, and I think of staying dry. In cold weather, the place I can potentially stay as long as I want is in my sleeping bag enclosed in a small, one man bivy or a small tent. I used to use the low-to-the-ground, one man, rain proof, sleeping bag covers; I like them because they hug the ground, and even in extremely heavy storms, you are not going to blow away. You will not get wet either, if you bought a quality one to start. The same goes for the small, one man tent my son and I are using now. REI makes some really great tents that survive the elements, keeping you dry and warm when things get rough.

I can sit out really rough weather in either the tent or smaller unit, as long as you make sure you don't set up in a draw or waterway when you first set up. I like a quality groundcover under everything. The reason I keep saying quality is, as you all know, these things come cheap, medium and expensive as far as price goes. I buy the best I can afford when it comes to outdoors gear because, to me, it pays big dividends, such as dry and warm, and that's important if its cool or cold.

This is just a part of what I think of in getting ready to go, whether its backpacking or fishing, but its an important part.

Ray

Beve · Post by **Beve** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 8:20 pm

Thanks guys some good stuff posted.

Here is some of what I carry.

This is a dry-bag, compressed to the height shown, and it always stays in my front hatch, either on a short day-trip or multi-day excursion.

This is what it contains:

The contents up close:
Katadyn Hiker Pro water filter. Its reasonably small and doesn't take up much room.
It allows me to not worry about drinking water, which is one of the more pertinent survival issues.

In this photo:
Survival bivy/blanket
Hand sanitizer--double use--clean hands, etc and excellent fire starter
Waterproof and windproof lighter
Sewing Kit
Compass
"Survival kit in a Can"--contains impressively large amount in small can

Survival Kit Contents Up-Close

In this photo:
Toilet paper--for #2 and starting a fire
CD-cheap alternative for signal mirror
Gorilla tape
Rope
Kayak repair polyethelyne--I got this for free from Ocean Kayak. They sent me the two colors of my boat. It would have to be heated to 100 to 120 degrees to work with.

In this photo:
Butt wipes--for cleaning, fire starter, etc
Headlamp with spare batteries
Pelican "MityLite" Waterproof flashlight that can also clip to the side of my kayak
Heat Wraps
HandSaw

In large, fast water or with noobs/large groups I also take along a throw bag.

I also suggest reading good survival skills material like mentioned above and knowing how to use all this stuff.

friscotodd1 · Post by **friscotodd1** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 9:34 pm

Since my most "remote" fishing is along the buck creek on Ray Roberts, I don't think I need an elaborate survival kit.

Besides my cell phone I just keep extra base change of clothes including a base layer in the yak hold. In the event of cold water immersion, my survival plan is to get back in the yak, paddle immediately to the closest shore line and if my "dry" pants/jacket leaked I'll change clothes. To be honest, even if the suit doesn't leak I may still need to change

.

When I was a kid on the coast I managed to get soaked while fishing in G- Bay on a sunny, moderate January day. It was not too bad until a front arrived early. I was still wet and the that cold north wind was miserable enough to make a real impression on the importance of being dry in cold weather.

Beve · Post by **Beve** » Thu Jan 15, 2009 9:01 pm

I didn't think about this initially, but does anyone carry one of those personal GPS locators (SPOT?)?

Are they worth the $$?

Randy · Post by **Randy** » Fri Jan 16, 2009 9:18 pm

I carry the SPOT, since last summer. It is another tool in the tool box, either to back up the cell phones ( I carry 2) or the cell phones to back up the SPOT.
The SPOT is pretty accurate. I like it because I have my medical profile on it and it sends what meds, DR Name, and what the meds are for when the "Help" signal goes.

It doen't have a "Dead-Man" button so ya gotta activate it yourself or some one else can.

I also carry one bag that goes with my everytime even for 1/2 a day.
1 MRE, Whole Role TP in a ziplock,,,(even in case MythMan needs it) Extra meds in a zip lock, batteries and matches in a zip lock, Bug Spray, log starter in a zip lock, bottle of peroxide, maxi pads(wings not required), and a role of med tape in a zip lock, para cord, small mirror, and a tube of "water weld" in a ziplock

hookem fast · Post by **hookem fast** » Fri Jan 16, 2009 9:45 pm

Those are some nice pics of your survival gear.

Harold Ray · Post by **Harold Ray** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 8:34 am

but does anyone carry one of those personal GPS locators (SPOT?)?

Several of us have talked about getting one, but so far, I don't think any of us have.

As far as regular GPS units, I used to have my doubts about them, but a couple of years ago, my son, Erik, who is 34 and had no doubts about them, and I were with another friend, who was determined to plot our course on a 5 day 24 or 25 mile campout and backpack through a pretty rough area of The Big Bend using the GPS he had only played with a little before we began our trek. After 5 days, and 25 miles, not counting daily multi-mile excursions from base camps, up and down mountains, across salt and white rock flats, down and through ravines, through miles of off trail cactus and everything sticky and cutting, we came out at the end exactly where we were supposed to be.

And then, we jumped in our trucks, drove to the first Pizza Hut we could find in Fort Stockton and got the biggest pizzas we could buy!

Ray