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What do you need to be prepared for an emergency?  The answer falls into two categories; 1) knowledge and skills and 2) equipment.  To answer the question of what do I take with me today, or on this trip, is going to be change depending on your knowledge and skills, expected or potential injuries, ability to carry, cost and availability of equipment.  To further complicate this, is that what you need is going to constantly vary, depending on activity, available resources, and limitations imposed by practical considerations.   I cannot give you recommendations for what you need in an emergency and I cannot evaluate your knowledge and skills.  I can however review equipment that can used in common emergencies that the average person, without advanced training can provide potential life or limb saving skills.  My intention is to discuss equipment options, reviewing costs, risks, benefits, considerations in using.

It is not intended to be a complete list of everything available, instructions in use,  just some of the common, available equipment and evaluation  of  them.  I admit that what works for one person may not be best for another person or situation.  The first topic to be considered is traumatic bleeding, in particular from the extremities (arms and legs).  I chose this because bleeding is the second leading cause of death in civilian trauma, accounting for about 40% of traumatic deaths.   It is common and results from knives, bullets, accidents, chainsaws, glass and many others.  It is extremely life and limb threatening very quickly; but, with few exceptions, can be controlled by most people with minimal training and /or equipment.  Bleeding involving the chest, abdomen, head and neck is beyond the intended scope of this article with the possible exception of two products mentioned later that can be of great benefit if used properly.

The first step in dealing with a bleeding arm or leg is to ensure that you and the victim are safe and secondly that their airway, breathing, and circulation are stable.  Next is to evaluate the wound and amount of bleeding, keeping in mind that not all bleeding may be visible and always keeping in mind the entire condition of the injured person.  If there is any question of  significant bleeding, one needs to expose the area in order to evaluate it; if it can be done safely.  This is almost always done by cutting off the clothing in order to avoid further trauma to the injury.  If there is no question of a fracture (broken bone) or a crush injury (a heavy object impacting the arm or leg), then direct pressure on the wound is preferred, using sterile technique if available or as clean as possible cloth.  Elevation of the limb should be considered also.

Please note that the precautions about a broken bone or crush injury concern the potential for creating further damage to the nearby artery, vein and nerves with direct pressure.  If there is a penetrating object such as a knife or any other object, it is best to leave it alone, in place and have it removed in the hospital.

If the bleeding stops or slows down enough, continue with pressure on the site.  If direct pressure does not work, if there is a penetrating object, a fracture or severe crush injury, then one must consider stopping the bleeding by other means; this can be direct pressure on the site over the main blood vessel of the extremity where it joins the body, a tourniquet if trained, or using one of the excellent products available such as QuikClot or HemCon.  My intention is not to provide instruction in the use of these, but to review each product and considerations with regard to it’s use.

HemCon and QuikClot are commercial products available to help control severe bleeding.  There are others but these two are the most common.  They both work well and have advantages and disadvantages.  Both have been used by our Military overseas with excellent results.  Complications are rare and with the newest product developments should be less.  They both act to help stop bleeding when applied directly to the site bleeding with pressure.  They require the addition of more product until bleeding stops and they need continued pressure.  HemCon comes as a stiff bandage which is applied.

Potential difficulty can occur when trying to place it in an small entry wound given the size and stiffness.  They report a smaller roll which is flexible but this was unavailable to evaluated by me.  Other considerations are it costs more, has a shorter shelf life.  QuikClot has changed it’s product and given it’s advantages I will focus on this since I feel the new one should be used given it’s advantages for those with and without training.   Although available in several different versions, they have a box of (5), 25 gram bags which are applied directly to the injury, using as many as required.  These bags may also be opened up and the product spread over an area similar to the original version.  Importantly, the new version does NOT produce significant heat and will NOT result in thermal damage.

The price of QuikClot is less than half of HemCon, is easier to use, has a much greater shelf life.  Although both excellent products, I vote for QuikClot for the reasons of much less cost, much longer shelf life, increased ease of use.

The last item I will mention as a means of controlling bleeding is the Tourniquet.  Our recent experience in treating traumatic limb war injuries has completely changed thinking about the use of tourniquets.  In battle they are a first line treatment which has resulted in saving many lives and limbs.  Please keep in mind that tourniquets have evolved significantly recently.  It has been shown that many of the old and improvised ones were ineffective.

Importantly, some are able to be self applied and all are highly effective and safe when used properly.  They sell for about 30-40 dollars or less.  If trained, they are an excellent option, light, effective, inexpensive and easy to carry. One last consideration is to remember to protect yourself as best possible against body fluid exposure.

God Bless, ejd

Obviously (for most of us) the first thing you’ll need is to stay hydrated – drink water. Of course, this assumes you’re wearing appropriate clothing, good socks and decent hiking shoes / boots. If you can’t get those things right, I really can’t help you. Once you’re properly dressed (include a hat) then you need to think about fueling your body and supporting its functioning needs throughout your hiking day. So, water. While sugared and flavored drinks taste better, water is the mainstay of your system. In today’s commercial hydration market there are other options available. BlackHawk HydraStorm, for instance, markets disposable bladders that are preloaded with a nutrient-enriched flavored powder. Just add water and you get a flavorful drink that provides your system with hydration and some nutrition together. When the disposable bladder is empty it can be refilled, or thrown away. It even burns clean if you need fire fuel (see below). The BlackHawk HydraStorm Barricuda system shown right is a good example of standard utility. It carries the water you need and allows a little additional space for other needs.

After hydration, your body needs solid fuel – food. Your hiking plan will determine how much food you have to carry. Remember that everything has a weight and the more weight you carry the faster you’ll get fatigued. So, if you’re planning a short day, take some snack foods and always take a little more than you expect to need. Then, in the event that you’re out longer than expected – for whatever unforeseen reason – you won’t suffer through those hunger pains. If you ARE planning on being out for a whole day then you should plan on taking at least two meals and some extra food for the unexpected emergency. For carrying full meals I recommend MREs or something similar. For emergency food rations I recommend SoldierFuel Bars. No, I don’t make any money off of either one. But my first experience with a SoldierFuel bar (back when they were still called HooAh Bars) was eating one during a two hour ride home from TREXPO one evening. I hadn’t had dinner and figured the HooAh Bar would hold me over. It took me nearly a half hour to eat the thing and I wasn’t hungry until the next morning. It REALLY stuck with me. As emergency food stores go, they take little space, don’t weigh much and feed you big.

Next on my list is communications. Many of the places we go to hike are still within cell phone coverage areas. Some aren’t. While cell phones are convenient, lots of the truly great views we can enjoy are so remote that there is simply no hope or reasonable expectation of cell coverage. That means you have to rely on something else. Radios? Maybe. But again, if you’re in such a remote area as to have no cell signal, what makes you think anyone will be around to get your radio call? To alleviate worries from being without communications, preparation is the name of the game. Plan your hike and hike your plan (the same thing is said of scuba diving: plan your dive – dive your plan). This prevents unexpected occurrences, AND if you file that plan with someone, along with your expected timeline, then someone will know when you’re overdue and when to come looking for you. By all means, if you’re going to be hiking someplace where cell coverage is possible, then carry your cell. If not, make sure you told someone where you were going in advance. On one “late fall” camping trip I took we checked in with the local Park Ranger before heading out. He knew what route we were taking and when we were planning on coming back. Better safe than sorry.

Proper communications implies having looked at a map because you can’t plan your hike without one. Take it with you. AND, take the compass you’ll need to orient yourself so that you can properly use the map. Come on. Neither one weighs much and together they can cut down on a lot of unnecessary traveling. Unnecessary traveling can cause you to burn food and use up water supplies faster than planned. Using up your resources due to a lack of prior planning and proper preparation is just plain stupid.

Now, I keep mentioning “unforeseen circumstances” – even if I say it a different way. While we might plan a nice morning hike of just a few miles with easily found starting and ending points, things happen that we can’t always control. “Due to circumstances beyond our control…” can really ruin your day – especially if it means spending a day when you planned on four hours; or spending two days when you only planned for one. What can make your life easier during an emergency? Let’s think about it…

Shelter: This might be as simple as a poncho that you can huddle under to keep dry or break the wind a little bit. While we dress for comfort during our hike, whatever we’re wearing may be completely insufficient once night falls and a breeze picks up. Add in some rain and hypothermia becomes a realistic danger. Water saps your body heat four times faster than dry air. Staying dry and out of the wind can save your life if you’re out overnight unexpectedly.

What else? In addition to staying dry, a source of heat would be good: fire. It’s easy enough to carry a few matches (or a lighter) and some vaseline soaked cotton batting… or even just a small fire-starter block. Bear in mind that even with materials to start a fire, you may have one heck of a time getting a fire started. On that camping trip I mentioned above, it snowed unexpectedly overnight and the temperature dropped much lower than expected. Our fire starting materials weren’t up to the task of drying and lighting the available wood tinder. We fought to get a fire started for hours to little avail. Carry a minimum kit as a rule, but recognize that it still may do you little good dependent on those unforeseen circumstances.

Now if you’re stuck out overnight a flashlight is simply a wonderful thing to have; but know how long your batteries will last and use the light conservatively. Light travels a long way and the flashlight can also be used as a signalling device.

That brings me to the last item of defense: on that camping trip mentioned above we were rudely surprised by a collection of drunk ATV riders at about 3 a.m. They rode into our camp and had a few unkind things to say. They implied that they might be interested in taking whatever we had that they wanted. I’m a relatively peaceful and friendly guy, but I was cold, uncomfortable, pissed that I couldn’t get a decent fire going and looking forward to getting what little sleep I could to prepare for the hike back in the morning. It had snowed four inches and the temperatures had dropped almost twenty degrees below what had been predicted. To say that I was grumpy would be an understatement.

The drunk ATV riders represent a potential threat – and are an example of what can occur virtually anywhere in our country today (unfortunately). If you’re not prepared to defend yourself than you may well become victim to two legged predators – or four legged ones. If you can do it legally, I highly recommend carrying a handgun with you on your outings. Whether you can carry a gun or not, carry a decent knife. The Glock Model 36 .45ACP and Timerline Zambezi knife shown right make a good team. The knife is strong and capable of most cutting chores, while the gun is compact, relatively lightweight and comfortable to carry. It also offers eight rounds of .45ACP ammo to discourage any predator that might want to victimize or make a meal of you.

There are a host of other items that I’d recommend you carry to make your life easier in an emergency, but if you’re just starting out on a hiking adventure, at least consider the above list. Paracord / rope, duct tape, toilet paper… there are many other things that you may eventually want to add into your “average” carry kit while you hike. The point here is to recognize that any hike is NOT just another walk in the woods. Things happen and if you’re not prepared, then it’s really ugly when the unexpected happens. If you ARE prepared then it’s just inconvenient.

First I should start off with his pack. He had chosen the CamelBak Transformer – a three part hydration system that allowed for customizing the amount of storage you carry based on your need. Since he was using this as his go to hell (as in, everything has gone to hell) bag, he had all three sections full. The 100 ounce hydration bladder was full of fresh water and the rest of his needs were packed according to how fast he wanted to be able to access them. I noticed that my buddy took this pack with him even when we left camp to go less than a 1/2 mile down river to look at some rock formations. When I said something he assured me that, since we could never predict when an emergency situation would occur and in what form, he felt it necessary to have this pack with him any time he ventured away from the security of the camp. Although I felt it might be a tad extreme, I couldn’t fault his logic and had to agree that being prepared was better than the option.

Inside his pack, for shelter, he had a surplus military poncho. I use this same shelter myself so I could appreciate the simplicity of it. Just as I do, he had four small aluminum tent stakes to go with it and a couple lengths of paracord (550 cord). If nothing else, he felt he could keep the rain off his body in a pinch. Since water saps body heat four times faster than air, staying dry in cold conditions can be especially important. The folded and squeezed down poncho was stored in a zip-lock baggy It didn’t take up much space and was at the bottom of the bigger storage section of his pack. He felt that he wouldn’t need to get it out to set up unless he was truly stuck out in the boonies someplace and had reason to go through or use the supplies packed on top of it.

And speaking of retaining body heat, such a small pack can hardly carry a sleeping bag, so I inquired as to what he intended to do for warmth (aside from build a fire – but we’ll get to that). He assured me that he had thought about that too, and that he had an emergency “space” blanket in the pack. These space-saving blankets retain much of the body’s heat and reflect it back to the user around whom it is wrapped. I’ve never seen on REpacked after it’s been taken out and used, but I suppose it could be done of need be. My buddy assured me that he’d never used one either, but he kept it in there just in case. His thought was, as he shared it with me, that even in fairly cold weather he could make a compact shelter out of the poncho and then cocoon himself inside of it in the emergency blanket. He felt that a small space with a double layer of insulation – one to keep moisture out – and both to help keep heat in – would be sufficient to simply survive. That was, after all, why he had packed and continued to carry the bag.

For an overnight food supply he carried two Hoo-Ah Bars (now called Soldier Fuel). These nutrition bars / food supplements have been reviewed before so I won’t delve deeply into them. Suffice to say that a single bar can provide you with enough food to maintain your body functions for at least eight hours and probably as much as triple that. Two of them, in my mind, equated to two days of food instead of a single overnight supply.

The next two items he had in (or on) his pack were a Sog Knives Team Leader 2 (SOG TLII) knife (actually strapped to the side) and a flint & steel fire starter “match”. The fire starter system was accompanied by a 35mm film cannister (hadn’t seen one of those in a while) that was black with a gray lid. Inside the cannister was four cotton balls, each saturated with vaseline.

As we discussed the knife he explained that he had chosen it because it wasn’t TOO big to be carried ALL the time; it had a true saw blade on the spine and the handle fit his hand exceptionally well. In other words, he was comfortable with it and confident it would serve his needs. The only thing he didn’t care for was that it was in a leather sheath and he worried that constant exposure to the elements would eventually break down, mold or mildew the leather. Thanks to its blade material and size, it wasn’t very heavy – and he had gone out of his way to keep the overall go to hell bag weight under 12 pounds. I had never thought about it but as I considered it he seemed pretty close.

That weekend camping trip was enjoyable but what I learned about his outlook and his pack were interesting as well. I hope you enjoyed the discussion as much as I did!

Happy Trails!

As fall will soon be arriving in the Mid-Atlantic area, and since I’ve got a weekend camping trip planned, it seemed the ideal time to go through my equipment to assess what was serviceable and what needed to be replaced. As I dug into my camping gear I realized that there is much I have some folks may not have or know about, and other stuff that all you readers might have or know about that I’ve never heard of. So, as I type today’s review, discussing how to go about inventorying and checking your camping gear, I invite you readers to send me feedback to tell me what I’ve missed, forgotten, unnecessarily included, etc.

First thing you have to know is whether you are driving or walking / hiking to your campsite. It makes a huge difference in what supplies you can have. If you’re walking / hiking then you need to get out your pack and check it over. Look at the stitching in all seams and double check the stitching where your shoulder straps meet the pack body at the top and bottom. The last thing you need is a heavy pack that you can only carry on one shoulder. Next, check your zippers. If they’re nylon / plastic then they should move freely without lubrication. If they’re metal (it’s a really old pack) then you need to put a drop or two on the teeth just below the manipulator… then run it up and down a few times to spread out the lubricant. Be sure to wipe off any excess so that it doesn’t stain any clothing or clean materials inside the pack.

Next, check your shelter material. If you’re driving then bigger tents make for more comfortable camping. Set the tent up and inspect it. Look at the support poles, especially if they are fiber glass shock-corded poles. These tend to crack with use and time. The metal attachment ends sometimes come unglued and the shock cord can break. If the poles are cracked you need to replace them. If the metal attachments are lose a couple drops of super glue or hot glue will usually fix the problem pretty quick. If the shock cord is broken you can find new lengths online or at certain hardware stores. Just like you did with your pack, check all the tent seams and look for frays or seperated areas. These can usually be taped and stitched back together. Since most of today’s tents are made out of nylon I recommend BOTH taping and stitching. Stitching alone tends to create potential tears in the fabric – and trust me, it will seperate on you at the absolute worst time. Check the zippers. Make sure they work smoothly. Look at the micro-mesh netting and check out any stand alone material that you have (room dividers, rainflys, etc.). Small holes can usually be taped over with a couple small squares of duct tape. One piece on each side should square it away.

If you’re carrying all your gear on your back it usually means a much smaller shelter such as a pup tent, tarp or poncho. These materials must also be checked to insure that they’re in serviceable condition. For directions on how to set up a tarp or poncho as an emergency shelter, check out this article. Check that you have the right number of stakes and that your cords aren’t overly frayed. Even paracrod / 550 cord frays and wears out. If you’re using a pup tent inspect just as was described above for larger tents.

Inside of your shelter you’re going to need to keep warm – or cool depending on the season. Since we’re discussing fall, let’s focus on warm. Your sleeping back needs to be checked out as well. First, it should be clean – and that doesn’t mean you washed it months ago and then stuck it inside a sealed plastic bag in your garage or attic since then. It needs to be opened up and aired out. If it has synthetic fill then it shouldn’t be stored compressed anyway. My preferred sleeping bag (at the moment) is the SnugPak B32 which is rated down to 32 Degrees Ferenheit (and if it’s colder than that at night I don’t consider camping “fun”). It stuffs into a sack that is about sixteen inches long and eight inches around.

With your method of transportation, shelter and sleeping bag taken care of, your next concerns are going to be food and water. No food you’ve had stored in your pantry more than 30 to 60 days – depending on packaging and storage methods – is any good. If you’re driving to your campsite then you have tons of options in food because you can bring a cooler along. If you’re carrying everything on your back then you want to have a planned and set menu primarily consisting of dehydrated and/or powdered foods. In either event, you want to have an emergency nutrition source available. Whether you like protein bars, trail mix, etc you need to have a day or two supply of “emergency rations”. I have a preference for Hoo-Ah Bars (now called Soldier Fuel). I know, from past experience, that one of them will fill me for six to eight hours. Two per day can maintain me. So, four to six of them – which don’t weigh much or take a lot of space – is two to three days worth of emergency rations. I prefer the Apple Cinnamon ones to the Chocolate Crisp, but trust me: if I was hungry enough, that Chocolate Crisp one would taste like a banquet at the Ritz.

With food taken care of water is your next – and probably biggest – concern. Fresh water weighs about 7 pounds per gallon. Many emergency managers say that you need one gallon per day to survive. That’s for drinking, cleaning and food preparation. Under true emergency conditions I’ll limit how much cleaning I do to bare necessity. If it’s that kind of emergency then I won’t need water to prepare food either. I’ll be eating those Hoo-Ah Bars listed just above. But if you’re driving up to your campsite then weight isn’t an issue and having more fresh water than you need is a good thing. 5-gallon collapsible water jugs with handles can be had cheap at many outlet stores. Get some. If you’re filling the bed of your truck to go camping and you’re not sure there will be a fresh water source, take plenty. On the last camping trip I took with my wife we filled six so that we had 30 gallons for the weekend. Extreme? Maybe. But it didn’t cost us anything and it’s better to have more than you need than not enough.

If you’re packing I would recommend that you plan a way to carry at least one gallon at a time. Most hiking trails – laid out by state or federal park services – have fresh water supplies marked on maps so you can plan your route and refill accordingly. There are an abundance of hydration systems available today that will carry approximately 3 liters of water, and at any surplus store you can find 2-quart collapsible canteens that are easily attached to your pack. Yes, I know I just mixed metric and imperial, but get over it. That’s how they’re listed, so that’s how I include them.

With all of the above taken care of you’ll only have to insure your ability to do two other things: build a fire (for cooking and heat) and see your way around camp. Light is easy if you’re driving. Once again, we see a market flooded with options for lanterns, flashlights, etc. Propane-fueled lanterns are available as well as duel-fuel lanterns such as the one shown to the left here. Such lanterns put off a great deal of light and just one can provide plenty of light for an entire camp. Two or three is even better and if you’re driving carrying such numbers isn’t a problem. However, if you’re packing then these lanterns are out of the question. There are candle lanterns made that are smaller (about 6″ long and 2″ in diameter) that you can get reflectors for. These small candle lanterns put out an acceptable amount of light – recognizing that the reduced light is a trade off for the reduced weight. Extra candles are recommended if this is going to be your sole source of light at night. After all, the hours of darkness are longer during the fall and winter months. You’ll burn your lantern more.

That brings us to the fire. Unless you’re a highly skilled lifelong Boy Scout, TAKE MATCHES. The white head strike anywhere matches are my preference but they can be hard to find these days. So, get some sturdy wooden matches and put them in a ziploc bag. If you’re driving, cheat. Throw a cup of lantern fuel or other flammable material onto your woodpile (be safe of course) before lighting it. If you’re packing, then I’d suggest a bundle of cotton balls with vaseline rubbed into them as fire starter. Use your knife or hatchet (last items on this list) to shave and chip small pieces of tinder that you can pile around your starter material. Pile it on three sides to leave room for air flow.

A good knife is mandatory, as is a sharp hatchet. If you’re packing, carrying one sturdy and well maintained knife is a better way to go. Of course, there are companies out there (Gerber comes to mind) that make camp cutting packs that include saws, hatchets and knives in fairly compact carry systems. At a bare minimum, you need to make sure that you have a good knife capable of handling all cutting and chopping chores you might require of it. Such a knife doesn’t have to be a Rambo-esque 16″ monster with fake saw teeth, a hollow handle and a custom tooled leather sheath. Most knives with a 5 to 6 inch blade and a polymer sheath will work just fine. Stick to proven manufacturers rather than buying the $10 “survival knife” you find at the hardware store clearance aisle.

Of course, there’s a ton of stuff not covered here. These are the BASICS. Travel, shelter, food, water, heat, light, tool. The bottom line is that, before you go betting your life and/or comfort on any of what you THINK is ready, you should actually take the time to inspect it and maintain it accordingly.

BE SAFE!

The usual components of a Load Carrying Equipment (LCE) system include:

• Web belt
• H-harness
• (2) ammo pouches
• canteen
• butt pack
• knife

In the picture shown to the right here there is also a first-aid pouch and an entrenching tool (looks green on the right side). The H-harness essentially forms the suspenders and is adjustable to fit length of torso. The web belt is so common that most everyone knows what it is and how to adjust it to fit their waist. Depending on how you construct the pairing of the H-harness and the web belt you can connect them directly or you can use the ammo pouches and butt pack to bridge them together.

In the past I’ve written a number of articles about “bug out bags” or “go bags” and, as I was looking at surplus LCE gear it occurred to me that a complete LCE – to include pouches – could also serve a similar purpose. Let’s take a look at the components and what fits easily to meet your needs.

The carrying system is comprised of the H-harness and web belt. Everything attaches to them or is used to bridge them together.

The canteen is obvious. In today’s world of hydration systems that are usually carried like a backpack and have a drinking tube, the 1-quart plastic canteens of yester-year’s military don’t seem as convenient. In reality, you can carry two canteens – one just behind each hip – fairly comfortably. To make drinking more convenient there are after-market conversion kits which replace the canteen cap and have a drinking tube included. You only need one such kit and you can carry two quarts of clean water ready to sip as you go.

The ammo pouches are actually pretty good for carrying various items. One of them fits my shelter kit (poncho, 550 cord & stakes) while the other could be used to carry emergency food supplies. Depending on which model of ammo pouch you have, it could carry an assortment of food bars, drink powder supplements, or even MREs.

The first-aid pouch, if you use one, is properly sized to carry ONE military pressure bandage. You may be better off putting a cell phone or compass in this pouch as both will usually fit – and a single pressure bandage isn’t what you need for emergency first-aid in the field. (see farther down about the butt pack for including first-aid supplies).

The entrenching tool and knife surplus bayonet are a given for use. Both are excellent for emergency survival. The entrenching tool – a folding shovel – is imperative for constructing shelter and can be used to chop wood if properly constructed and maintained. It also makes a formidable weapon (the Russians have – or at least used to – an entire fighting system built around the compact shovel). Surplus bayonets make excellent field knives if you restore and care for them. The end cap can be used to hammer in your stakes to use your poncho as an emergency shelter.

That leaves the butt pack. A number of different designs are available today but if you get a Vietnam-era military surplus canvas OD Green butt pack it is essentially an open pouch with a flap lid. I would recommend you get a two gallon zip-lock bag to line it so that whatever you put in it can be kept dry. The butt pack is the perfect place to put your spare clothing (clean underwear, socks, t-shirt), first-aid supplies (tourniquet and two pressure bandages minimum) and any personal hygiene items you want to carry. I’d also recommend throwing in a cyalume light stick or three. If you are going to carry a flashlight (which I highly recommend) you should also put some spare batteries in the butt pack.

Speaking of a flashlight, if you’re using a surplus LCE for your “go gear” then you should see about getting a flashlight that you can hook – via d-rings – to one of the front straps of the H-harness. There might also be room on the web belt for you to put a light pouch (depending on your waist size).

Other items can obviously be included. Signalling devices, simple medicines such as aspirin, and other items are a good idea to keep in your kit. Obviously water shouldn’t be left in the canteens for prolonged periods. A method for purifying water should probably be kept in the butt pack.

Given the above it’s easy to see how such a simple surplus (and therefore fairly cheap) system can provide necessities and conveniences if you’re unexpectedly trapped in the field. Just Google “surplus load carrying equipment” online and see what you get.

Happy Trails!

Bear in mind as you read this that I make a couple of assumptions up front and a very large consideration has to be made before you can start selecting equipment.

The assumptions:

• I don’t leave my house without a decent folding knife in my pocket; usually two (one on either side). Therefore, I don’t list a knife as part of the survival kit.
• I always have a lighter in my pocket (because I enjoy cigars here and there) so I don’t consider matches a mandatory part of my survival kit.
• I usually have a flashlight with me when I leave the house – either in my pocket or in my pack/bag. Therefore I look at including a flashlight in my survival kit the same way I do matches – not mandatory.

The consideration:

Size matters. Select a pack big enough for your needs, but no bigger.

How large do you want your survival kit to be? There has to be a defining line between a survival kit and a bug out bag. For my own purposes, I consider any bag or pack that I have to sling over my shoulder or wear around my waist to be a bug out bag. A survival kit is something I can include in such a bag, or keep under my seat in my Jeep, or (optimally) drop in the cargo pocket of my pants before I head out the door for a hike.

With that consideration given and the assumptions listed, the following is a list of items that I would consider either mandatory or at least nice to have in my survival kit. Obviously, if YOUR idea of a survival kit is what fits in the hollow handle of your knife, then some of this stuff isn’t going to fit.

An emergency or “space” blanket. These fold up pretty small and you can buy them in almost any outdoor store fairly cheap.

Matches. Yes, even though I carry a lighter, I’d rather have matches and not need them than to need them and not have them. I prefer “strike anywhere” white head matches carried in a water proof container. If you don’t have a small or compact enough water proof container, dip the match heads in melted wax and let them cool before packing them. Be careful to dip NOT just the match head into the wax but at least 1/4″ down the wood matchstick as well. If you don’t use strike-anywhere matches then you need to make sure to put a piece of strike paper into the container with the matches.

Versatility is good. A knife and fire-starter/striker in one tool = less space consumed without sacrificing functionality.

A compass. Keeping in mind that a compass is only any good if you either 1) have a map of the area you’re in, or 2) are already familiar with the area you’re in. If you don’t know what direction you WANT to travel in, then knowing what direction you’re going is a waste of time.

Signal mirror. Light can be seen for a long distance. Think about it. How far away is the sun? If you can reflect it at a search party, plane or helicopter, you can get their attention.

Signal whistle. If you have the signal mirror than why do you need this? It might be dark (duh). Or you might not be in a position where you can reflect light efficiently. Sound travels well too.

30 feet of fishing line. Odd as it may sound you can use fishing line (the right kind) to build snares too. So, this one section of line can serve you to gather squirrels, rabbits or fish. Food is food when you’re hungry enough.

2 fishing hooks. Um, because the fishing line is no good for fishing without it.

2 sinkers / lead weights. To keep your hooks and bait below the surface of the water.

Don’t confuse a Survival Kit with a Bugout or Go Bag. The KIT is small and very basic. The Go Bag is larger and can contain items to increase your comfort or extend your survival outlook. BASIC Survival Kit is small and has just that: BASIC necessities.

That’s my minimum list. Many folks I know believe in also carrying some first aid items. I think that’s a good idea depending on the space you have available. If you want to carry a couple of band-aids and a tube of antiseptic ointment, they fit pretty neatly into small spaces. If you want to be able to staunch serious blood flow and you’re not so worried about the scraped knee or minor cut on your finger, then a basic trauma kit might better suit your needs. (hunters should seriously consider this) For information about decent compact trauma packs check out the review of Tac-Pack Emergency First-Aid Packs on the Tactical side of the sight.

Now some of you may want to build your own kit. You may have a handy way of carrying it or simply want to tailor it to your own desires and needs. If you’d rather simply purchase a survival kit, then there are several available online that have those minimum items listed above plus a few other things in each kit.

LifeLine Ultimate Survivor In A Bottle: doesn’t have the fishing supplies.

Doug Ritter’s Pocket Survival Pak: has all of my minimum list and then some.

SAS Combat Survival Tin: doesn’t contain the emergency blanket, nor any first-aid equipment.

When you have decided what you want to have in your kit you have to find something to put it in (unless you buy a kit commercially). There is something to be said for having a waterproof container to hold your survival kit. Otter Box makes a wide variety of water proof cases. From their OtterBox 1000 (3.7″x2.35″x1″) to the OtterBox 3000 (7.6″x3.7″x1.2″) and many other sizes, OtterBox is sure to have a size to fit your intended or desired survival kit. Pelican Case also makes a wide variety of waterproof boxes and they’re available in an assortment of colors too. I don’t know that there’s an advantage to having your survival kit stored in a yellow, blue or red case, but if you see one, Pelican Case has a box for you. In general you can get an acceptable sized case for your survival kit for under $30.

Remember as you plan and built your survival kit, saving money isn’t always the best goal. In fact, saving money may end up killing you in the end. Most of the time you get what you pay for and since what you’re buying is what you’ll stake your life on in an emergency situation, don’t buy cheap. Buy reliable.

Happy trails!

The intended purpose of the pack and its contents has to be considered when you’re preparing it, and while a recreational backpack load can be set up in an hour or two immediately prior to the planned outing, a bugout bag has to be 90-95% complete all the time with just a few items thrown or added in as you’re bailing out of an ugly situation. Both packs have to support your basic needs for a given period of time, but the recreational pack only has to support you for the planned length of your outing, while the bugout bag has to support you for however long it will take you to get to a non-emergency environment.

There are two problems with that planning outlook:
1) Many a recreational backpacking trip has lasted longer than expected due to unexpected circumstances, and
2) You really have no way of knowing how long an emergency situation will last.

It is also a possibility to experience emergency circumstances within the time frame you are planning. Let me give you an example:
A buddy of mine (who I know will read this and laugh at my using this example) went camping one weekend a few years back. We were planning on being out two nights, within five miles of a park ranger’s headquarters, and the weather was supposed to be pleasant: no below the mid-forties and no precipitation. Well, it’s amazing what changes with about 1,500 feet of elevation. That first night got down into the thirties, snowed about eight inches and left us with absolutely no fire fuel. We were not prepared and the cold did present an emergency situation. Hiking five miles out might not seem hard to do, but doing so in the dark in snow might not have been a good idea. We made it through the night and were quite happy to see the sun come up the next day.

So, here are some recommendations for equipment you should make sure is in your pack no matter what – in my humble opinion. I’ve included a picture below from my old bugout bag (just haven’t taken photos of the new load out yet)…

Starting from the lower left corner and working clockwise…

The first item is food. I used to pack MREs (shown here), but decided they take up too much space as a food source. If I’m packing for a fun weekend, I’m NOT going to be taking MREs. I’ll get dehydrated food from the local outdoor shop. If I’m packing a bugout bag then HOO-AH Bars are just as good and take up a lot less space.

The next items are clothing and an emergency blanket. Both relate to warmth. For a weekend backpacking trip you should take a proper change of clothing and always (always always) extra socks. I tend to always pack a “boonie” hat – and it’s treated to be water proof. The bill goes all the way around to keep sun and rain off my neck and out of my eyes. The emergency blanket is handy even on reguarl weekends just because you never know what will happen.

Skipping over the pack, the next item is a fixed blade knife. For a recreational backpacking trip the fixed knife is mostly going to serve as a utility blade for cutting everything from lengths of cord to small sections of wood. It should be between five and seven inches long (blade length) and I like to have a serrated section. For a fixed blade knife that you’re going to keep with or attached to your bugout bag I’d recommend a blade length of at least six inches and some holes in the grip design for lashing it to a pole. Yes, I know it sounds hokey, but I’ve seen people spear fish in rivers and it’s hard to do that without the spear. Additionally, if you try chopping wood of any size with a five inch blade you’re doing a lot of work. Every little bit of added blade weight helps.

Next items are all other versions of a utility cutting tool: folding lockblade knife, multi-tool and a knife sharpener. Yes, I believe in backups. Even if you’re just going on a recreational outing, you need to be able to cut. Some chores don’t require that fixed blade and the folder will do. Some folks attach their fixed blade to their pack and don’t have that available when they need to cut something. Many times you need the tools available in the multi-tool but you certainly don’t want to carry around the tool kit. Versatility is key. All blades have to be maintained. The diamond dust sharpener from BlackHawk has always done a good job for me.

Next items are radios and a compass. As popular as GPS is today it depends on radios and satellites. Anything electronic can break. Learn to use a regular old compass and have the maps you need to go with it. Radios like those shown are great for basic communication with your camping partner during weekend outings. If you’re going to use them as part of your bugout bag you need to realize how many other people are as well. Not all of those people listening in will be friendly. Keep that in mind… and the fact that you’ll have to carry spare batteries – for all electronics you depend on. That’s what is in those round things under the radios.

Matches and a flint & steel fire starter are shown. I like strike anywhere matches but they are getting harder to come by. IF you can find some, dip the heads in melted wax and let them dry hard before you put them down. This seals the match-head and makes it waterproof. When you go to strike it the wax gets rubbed away and the match will light. The ability to make fire for heat and cooking not to mention boiling water for purifying is mandatory whether you’re on a weekend camping trip or an emergency bugout. NEVER think that running water is safe to drink no matter how clear it looks. I know a gentlemen who suffered quite a bit after drinking water he was sure was clean… but it wasn’t.

Take two lights and spare batteries. Two is one; one is none.

Below and right of the lights is a small first aid kit. SMALL is the operative word here. If you try to pack everything you could possibly need for every potential first aid emergency you need another pack. You can make splints out of sticks you find in the woods. Your spare socks can be used as ties. Make sure you have some simple items in your first aid kit: Motrin, band-aids, moleskin (if you’re backpacking), a pressure dressing and a tourniquet. Here’s the kicker: go out and get the proper training to use them. Learn how to apply a tourniquet and when to release it.

To the left of the first aid kit are two pistol magazines. Now I know not everyone carries a handgun with them on a weekend backpacking trip. I do because I’m a police officer (yes even in the federal parks if I get permission from the local park ranger). “911″ is my gun when I’m in the backwoods of anywhere. If you can’t legally carry, then I recommend you not. If you can then I recommend you do so on every trip. Handguns are for self-defense; not usually for hunting. Get a caliber that will stop people and rabid animals, not one you can hunt squirrels and rabbits with. The Government Model .45ACP shown right is a good weapon but is awfully heavy for a weekend outing. Perhaps a polymer framed handgun such as a Glock or S&W M&P would be better suited to the weekend backpacker.

To the left of the magazines is a pair of gloves. Again, this is something I’d have enjoyed having that cold night those many years ago. Having available protection for your hands is always a good thing.

To the left of the gloves is a military surplus poncho. Next to the poncho are a few aluminum tent stakes and above the poncho is some 550 or paracord. Using these three items you have the means to create an emergency shelter – a “hooch”. It won’t be tall and it wont’ be spacious but it will keep you dry from rain or dewfall. The only other thing left in the photo is the rope. Unless you’re a climber I don’t see that as necessary for your weekend backpack load out. For a bugout bag I view it as absolutely mandatory and include the locking D-ring carabiners shown attached to the pack.

Now, before someone freaks out and sends me an email telling me how stupid I am, I didn’t forget hydration. In this case the 100 oz bladder is built into the pack (a Force 5 from BlackHawk). HOW you choose to carry your water isn’t really important to me. THAT you choose to carry water is important. The general guideline is one gallon per person per day. Each gallon of fresh water weighs about seven pounds, so think about the weight you’re going to carry when you start determining how much water you’ll travel with. Most places you go backpacking – especially in developed parks – will have fresh water sources available. If this is your bugout bag, make sure you fill the bladder with fresh as the last thing you do on your way out the door and make sure you have a current filtration system built into the hydration system.

Other items I’ve been told I should pack include duct tape, sugar, coffee, etc. In a weekend pack you can include whatever you’re willing to carry. After all, you’ll be unpacking it in just a few days. In a bugout bag don’t pack anything you have to check on every week. You never will and that will be the first item you need once the emergency hits.

BE SAFE!

This design of rifle has been around for some time – more than four decades. Currently Henry Rifles is making the AR-7 Survival Rifle. The rifle, although long viewed as a “gimic” gun in some circles, gained some notoriety when Sean Connery, as James Bond, used it in the movie “From Russia With Love” released in 1963. The biggest strength of the weapon is its ability to collapse completely into the stock. The stock itself is primarily a foam filled plastic material that is watertight when sealed.

The rifle brakes down quickly and easily. Making sure the weapon is unloaded you unscrew the barrel from the receiver; unscrew the receiver from the stock; take the end cap off the stock and put the barrel and receiver in their places. Put in the two magazines that come with the rifle and put the end cap back on. What you end up carrying is just the stock which measures approximately 16 inches in length. It’s lightweight – about 2.5 pounds – and easy to carry on your canoe, boat, ATV, etc. Remember to obey all your local laws. My problem at 19 to 20 years of age is that I lived in Maryland and carrying a collapsed / concealed rifle was illegal.

Henry Rifles is manufacturing the weapons in a black teflon finish, a camo finish and a silver finish. Recommended retail is between $225 and $275 and the Henry Rifles website gives buying instructions as well as assistance finding a dealer.

Now, about performance… Given the nature of this weapon it shoots well and with few glitches. I learned early on with mine not to shoot soft lead ammo. The feedramp is non-existent on this weapon. If the bullet nose doesn’t line up with the chamber just right, a soft lead bullet will get hung up on the chamber edge. Jacketed or Jacketed Hollow Point ammo with a small cavity are mandatory for reliable functioning. The iron sights (windage adjustable rear, fixed front blade) provide adequate accuracy out to about fifty yards for small game. For a man size target you can easily engage out to a hundred or more yards. Benchrested shots from the AR-7 I had at hand resulted in five shot groups that ranged from one inch to about one and a half inches. This isn’t a “tack driver” rifle, but that’s not what it was designed for. For SURVIVAL hunting and defense it’s exceptional, especially in light of how portable and easily stored it is.

Standard magazines carry eight rounds. Two come with the rifle. You can get after market ten and fifteen round magazines, but remember that they will not fit in the stock for that convenient storage.

When you first handle the rifle it feels goofy because of how light the stock is making the weapon feel front heavy. You get used to it and because the overall weight is so light, once you’ve mounted the rifle, you don’t notice the weight distribution. Recoil in the semi-automatic system is as light as you’d expect from any .22lr weapon making follow on quick shots pretty easy. Overall length assembled is 35 inches which is still very compact for a shoulder fired weapon.

With proper ammo, as described, and just a little bit of practice, any competent shooter can become comfortable and efficient with this weapon. It stores easily and floats when stored making it ideal for boats, canoes, etc. The light 2.5 pound weight makes it great to drop into or strap onto your backpack (or bug out bag). As cheap as .22lr is to shoot, this can also be one heck of a fun plinker. Due to its dimensions it’s not too big for children, allowing you to use an easily stored system to train your family as necessary. Due to the nature of the design there is no real way to attach a sling, so obviously this becomes a hand carried weapon once assembled.

I encourage you to check them out. I’ve seen plenty at various gun shows and the links provided can help you find one through Henry Rifles.

BE SAFE!

A couple months ago I picked up a mini lock blade knife from Buck called the Bones-Small.  As you may have guessed, this happens to be the “Small” version of the Bones knife offered by Buck.  I specifically got this inexpensive knife because I wanted a small but, not to small lock blade knife for small or detailed tasks.  I also wanted a quality knife at a good price point.  I figure that this knife would come in handy if I would prefer to go ultra light with my EDC (Every Day Carry) kit.  This tiny knife could keep you from violating Gibbs’ Rule # 9.  “Never go anywhere without a knife.”

When I took the Bones out of the package I immediately commented on how tiny it was.  I then heard a familiar voice on my left say something you never want to hear when you’re thinking about the coefficient of coolness for a new piece of kit.  It was my wife saying, “Oh, that’s cute.”  Of course I laughed and told her to apologize.  I then noticed that the knife was made in China.  A number of Buck’s knives are made overseas but Buck still stands behind the product with their Forever Warranty.

The blade on the small Bones is a 2 1/8” long, straight edge, frame-lock tanto blade that is oxide coated and made from 420 HC stainless steel.  This is a good general purpose knife steel with decent resistance to corrosion.  It also holds a pretty good edge.  The handle on the small Bones is skeletonized (hence the name) and has an anodized finish on the aluminum handle.  A lanyard can easily be attached to the handle through one of the holes but, pick the right one because the edge of the blade is visible through some of the holes and could slice though your lanyard.  The skeletonized grip helps keep the weight to a minimum at 51.3 grams.  To get an idea, the total package equates to about 51 large paperclips which as you can imagine, is not heavy at all and you’ll hardly notice that you’re carrying it.  The closed length is 3 1/8”.  To get another idea of how small this knife is, it will easily fit through a loop of MOLLE on a vest or plate carrier.  The Bones comes with a stainless steel pocket clip that is secured in place with three hex head screws.  The handle is also held together with three hex head screws on the left side.

It’s VERY easy to carry on anything with MOLLE webbing.

Something I noticed about this knife was that it’s made to be operated one handed but, it’s extremely hard to do so because of it’s overall small size.  I have given up on thinking of this as a one handed knife.  Don’t get me wrong, once you get the hang of it, you can open and close the small Bones one handed but, it’s more efficient to just use both hands.  Once you open the blade and lock it in to position, the lock up is positive and feels solid.  The lock up is so good, it can be a little hard to close with just one hand also.  The inability to smoothly operate this knife is its biggest drawback.

Do you always need to carry a 3.5” or 4” folder?  No, you don’t.  For the average person there’s probably very few times that you’ve needed a knife that large but, why do we typically carry such large knives?  The simple answer is that they feel good in our hand for the few seconds that we need to use them.  Then think about what we typically use that knife for, opening boxes, packages, cutting webbing or cord, dressing out small game, etc.  Let’s face it, you can get away with a small folder with no problem.  Explore the option of switching out to a smaller knife like the small Bones.

The MSRP on the Bones-Small is $29.  If you’re in the market for a very small and very solid knife, check out Bones-Small from Buck Knives under their Tactical/Survival tab at: http://www.buckknives.com/