Backpacking Survival Kits

I ask only because I keep maintain and use my survival kit on a regular basis. The most dangerous hunts I do are hound hunts where I wait for fresh snow and head for the highest altitude I can drive to then hike in on foot. Also these hunts are done at night. I have spent many nights in the cold looking for my hounds and making my way back to my truck. Anyways I recently looked online for a list of items and could not find anyone who had a good list. The reason I say this is either they have way to much to carry, or not enough to survive, and lastly not one single kit contained toilet paper. Not one! I don't go in the woods with out TP. I call it mountain money. All kidding aside though, what is in your backpack and what activity do you participate in that requires you to have such a kit? Can you carry your bag comfortably over miles of rough country with no roads or trails? I have found that my pack has evolved over the years and varies slightly from season to season. Oregon hunter

Good Question -- as with lots of outdoor stuff, this all becomes personal preference and needs.

I hunt in Virginia (not too far from humans EVER), and in Colorado where you can still get pretty remote. Also, I am a physician and prior military survival instructor, so my kit is probably weighted (literally and figuratively) differently than others might be.

As you often hear, the first tool of survival is your brains -- starting there, everything else is pretty much optional.

In Mine:
Water or way to purify water. I carry iodine tablets
Waterproof matches
Signal mirror
whistle
Toilet paper - in a zip-lock bag
space blanket
a fairly advanced medical kit (this is more for if I come across someone needing help)
several pairs of pocket hand/toe warmers -- the chemical kind that just start to get warm when you take them out of the pack
about 20 feet of 550 army parachute cord


Other things not in kit but they always go with me:
food - snacks and usually a denty moore beef stew with a pop-off lid.
GPS with extra batteries -- don't forget to mark the trailhead before you start of into the backcountry
cell phone (often I am where there is no signal, but sometimes hilltops can get a weak signal)
LED head lamp
Knife - I carry 2. One large (Buckmaster -- the knife I got for survival school in 1986 and it is still a great tool) one small (a Gerber multitool - knife, pliers, saw, etc.).
I almost always carry a firearm of some kind -- even when I'm just hiking
some type of waterproof outer shell
hat

A great reference is FM 21-76. It is the military Survival manual. Not something you can pack when you're on foot, but it's a great reference and kind of fun to read. It has improved a lot since my first copy. I teach my son a few things out of the manual each time we go camping. He thinks we're just doing cool "outdoor" things.

Good first aid kits that are light and complete for the non-medical person are Adventure Medical Kits -- google them -- many variations to fit your needs.

2007-08-13 20:26:46 by subgenius

Part 1 - This video covers the items in my Backpacking Survival Kit. This is a stripped down survival kit, with the goal being to survive through ...

I am making my boyfriend a college survival kit for graduation. I already have all of the basic school stuff (i.e. laptop backpack, paper, pens, ect...) but i need some more stuff. If anyone has any good ideas please let me know. I just need something that you would want for college that you wouldn't think of on your first trip to wal-mart. Thanks.
sorry everyone, I forgot to mention that he's living at home, so he doens't need all the personal care stuff.

Pictures of you,loved ones, write some notes for him to read later,and some condoms for when you visit....

2006-05-22 20:57:21 by ladybear1388

I'm going to bamboozle this may, on saturday and i havent been there, i have friends who have. But i plan on bringing, not a purse, but a draw string, gym backpack.

I'm bringing money and my digital camera. but are there any necessities or recomendations from others who've been?

Technically you're not allowed to bring cameras or backpacks. However, the security is far from strict. Your draw string gym backpack should be fine, I am actually bringing one. Keep your camera on the bottom of the bag under something when you go through security (they really don't care though)

Besides that - just bring a lot of money, (just make sure it's in a secure place) because food is very expensive, and you may want to buy merch. Also, one capless water bottle. That's all I am going to bring. (PS: wear sunscreen if it's sunny/warm that day!!)

2008-04-07 14:08:47 by Lane

I want to make a survial kit to keep in my car or backpack what kind of things should I put in it?

there are so many options, and it depends on what area you live. Some areas require more in the way of warmth than others, some require more water etc.
But a few basic items that should be in any kit:
1)fire making: flint and steel and a bic disposable lighter with tender (I use cotton balls soaked with petroleum jelly in an old film canister)
2) water: can be a canteen, a plastic jug, aqua blocks etc and a folded plastic water jug
3) a plastic tarp (shelter etc)
4) some cord or twine
5) basic first aide items and personal medications
6) I like tea bags, dried soup mixes, cocoa and instant coffee packets because they take up no room at all. And add a couple of MRE meals.
7)I keep a few large plastic trash bags to make rain poncho's and a million other uses in mine
8) a water filter
9) a signal whistle and mirror
from there I add what I need for my personal needs for my area, like a good leatherman tool, a good knife, fishing kit in an old tobacco tin. extra socks (which also make expediant gloves)
A wool blanket and an emergency foil blanket
a firearm and ammo
a light jacket for summer.heavy for winter
a small coffee can and lid (cooking pot, water container etc)
a pair of well broken in hiking boots reside in my trunk in case I have to walk any distance. And a shaker type flashlight that does not require batteries.
That's it in a condensed form. Like I said, there are other items I add or switch depending on the time of year, and specific needs. A word of caution, change ouyt the water source every 3-4 months, and in the winter, I keep the water wrapped inside my wool blanket and in the middle of the bag so it won't freeze.
People have a tendancy to add way too many items, trying to cover all the bases. But in reality it becomes to heavy and impractical to carry. Just think of th basics you need to survive for 3 days or so. a little food is nice, water is much more important, warmth,protection, light and go from there, within reason.
I also always have in my vehicle anyway, a folding shovel, a small hatchet, rope, an led headlight with extra batteries, a couple of blankets and some extra water.
hope this helps steer you in the right direction.

2008-11-30 15:54:10 by skapunk1993

Hi.
I am an outdoorsman and i love to hike camp fish survive and all that good stuff and i have a pretty large survival kit but i want to know what i should put in my backyard survival backpack. I know what to put in it but i just want to make sure i have everything. and also im a 13 year old guy. And how would i start a campfire in a small firepit about 3 feet across? What type of tinder and kindling do i light first and how do i set it up so i get a nice fire burning?. P{lease help!
-aaronportanova

Well if you wanted to fit your survival kit it in your backpack i would put it in a smaller pack. If you want to make a fire i would first grab small little sticks, then medium size, large size. Gather enough wood so it could last all night, a good rule of thumb is after you make a pile get at least 10 times more. Here is a good site that i found to make a survival kit.

http://survivekits.com/basic-wilderness- survival-kit-and-contents/

Hope this helps

2009-08-13 18:04:06 by Aaron P