my minimal emergency kit

[jacob karhu]

Hi everybody,

I'm not here to talk about surviving, but being in the woods for a long time may be catastrophic (if the situation gets worst by climate or i don't know what else.)
For this reason a bushcraftman has to be aware on survival skills. And this is for that reason that i made a survival kit.

I based it on a survival french rule :
The "C" rule : Combustion, Couvrir, Corde, Couper, Communiquer, Contenir"

In english, approximately : Burning, shelter, rope, cut, communicate, recipient.
Obviously they are not more "C" but it's the idea about what you need in an emergency situation.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpf1/v/t34.0-12/10473753_10205056195984375_8743801328813100338_n.j pg?oh=9f9ea7877233860c8ebd1f35b82f6b65&oe=544F1666&__gda__=1414477961_2b0be683f359bc4200f0cfeedc3adc5 8

So let's see this kit ...

I have :

- aluminium foil for cooking, or something else to get on the fire.
-water purification tablets for drinking
-box lid is polished and can be used as a mirror
-a condom for containing water
-a lighter in a bicycle inner tube which is waterproof and can use as a starter.
-a sharp cutter knife for cutting the rope, animals, clothes, little pieces of wood.
-5 meters visible rope if i remember well
-an emergency blanket to build a temporary shelter.

All these items get on the sardine box which can be use to boil water. I have included wire to suspend it on the fire.

Doesn't take so much place ...

https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpa1/v/t34.0-12/10509728_10205056196504388_7106131173384489665_n.j pg?oh=2217c5d9ad8118885b6e42f3942c8b8c&oe=544EFAB7&__gda__=1414537988_01ec302882aacdb14ffbc42cb4da719 7


Any suggestions ?

[Silverback]

Not dissimilar to military E and E survival kits or items issued in liferafts and aircrew vests.

Dave Canterbury is one of the biggest 'popularl' exponents of the 5 'C' s of survivability these being: cutting tool, combustion device, cover, container and lastly cordage as these are the things it is hardest to get from nature without a lot of preparation

[midas]

Couple of fish hooks n it'll be perfect!!!

[jacob karhu]

5 'C' s of survivability these being: cutting tool, combustion device, cover, container and lastly cordage

It finally works in english too :oops:

I just add an item, communication. I also forgot to mention a whistle around my neck.

[jacob karhu]

Couple of fish hooks n it'll be perfect!!!

This kit isn't intended to survive for a many days. 4-5 nights maximum i mean. And your body can survive without eating, whereas it'll not without drinkable water.

[Silverback]

3 minutes without air
3 hours without shelter
3 days without water
3 weeks without food

[FishyFolk]

3 minutes without air
3 hours without shelter
3 days without water
3 weeks without food

This is why my survival plan consist of the following: A: Going home.

[Silverback]

This is why my survival plan consist of the following: A: Going home.

Absolutely ! I make sure I do everything in my power to avoid needing rescue (its very embarrassing)

[Ehecatl]

Absolutely ! I make sure I do everything in my power to avoid needing rescue (its very embarrassing)

I dunno - could be a bit of a reunion if you were rescued locally? But possbily embarrassing in the event you didn't take any booze with you! :happy-clapping:

[Silverback]

Been recued by my peers...quite an embarrassment....especially having 6 teams claim it as theirs ;)

[midas]

Been recued by my peers...quite an embarrassment....especially having 6 teams claim it as theirs ;)

It sure would...But your "red Face" would aid your rescue.lol.

[Silverback]

They knew where to find me..it happened right in front of them during training...

[Dan XF]

If I'm forced to live off the land then I'll choose the bit of land with a supermarket on it.
Actually I would worry if I had to live off my own body fat. There's so much of it these days I'd probably put weight on.

[katsomerhalder]

Those are basically what you need to survive. The rest, you just have to improvise if the need arises.

[SAS_14]

What about peices off cloth or bandage.

-ties for constructing shelter walls or stretchers etc
-first aid bandage
-separations between layers of a water filter

[jacob karhu]

I suppose you can do this with a piece of your tee-shirt ?

[SAS_14]

Ha- bear grylls style

[jacob karhu]

No, Bear Grylls use is underwear :tongue:

[saxonaxe]

This isn't really about survival, although I suppose it could be as the root cause of some survival situations is poor navigation.
Early December I was at my mate's house, his 12 year old Grandaughter was there too, I've mentioned her before in posts as she is a budding outdoors life/Bushcrafter fan. She asked about walking on a compass bearing and as there was a small scale map available and she had a Silva compass I'd bought her as a present some time before, I explained the drill to her.

Confession time!! She picked two points laid the compass base plate between them, lined the grid lines up and then I realised what she had done...and I had missed it..:ashamed: Between point A and point B there was the tip of a spur shown by the contour lines to be higher than both A and B !!! Ok small scale map, feint contours, not paying attention blah blah.. excuses..excuses. Fact is, she wouldn't have been able to see point B from A, the spur would have blocked the view and I should have explained that to her, Ok I know it was only a paper exercise but it made me realise I was rusty. Once I would have seen that without even trying, I used to teach cross country navigation skills to recruits and other course attendees.

Like almost all skills, if they're not used often or at least practised they first get rusty and then they get lost. Where I live, my wandering ground is the Sussex South Downs and surrounding area. The Downs run predominently East West, to the South is the sea while to the North are the flat farmlands known as the Sussex Weald, with that knowledge it really isn't possible to get lost. Stand on the high Downs, just look around and you can manage without a compass even..Just follow the spine of the Downs and you're headed East or West...:D

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk136/highandry_photos/DSCF0641_zpsf895f1c1.jpg...http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk136/highandry_photos/DSCF0640_zps1dd146e4.jpg

So, as a cure I'm off down West for a self imposed winter navigation exercise..a good excuse to go camping on the Moors for a week or so too.. See you in 2+ weeks..with some photos I hope...Sax :D

[FishyFolk]

I have a map and compass in my "going-out-for-a-walk" bag, that I never use. But once year at least...I take it out. Figure out where I am by cross bearing, lay out a marching route and see if i end up where I planned too without getting stuck in a bog or falling off a cliff. Also test if I still know how to find my grid reference by simply using my phones GPS to find my grid reference, then finding the same grid on the map. Usually the grid ref and my cross bearings match up, and I am happy as I figure I am not totally lost on the art.

Else it's pretty hard to get really lost on an island :-)

Else have to love the new "plastic" material maps. Don't have to worry about them getting wet, and they do not tear.