Welcome to this week’s Urban Survival Newsletter, sponsored by SurviveInPlace.com and Tim Larkin’s Target Focus Training “Lethal Weapons” package.
Here’s a question I got recently. It applies to everyone and I wanted to share it with you here:
“If you only had 5 items to help you survive, what 5 items would you choose? Please leave out your brain as one of the items because having one is not a choice. Using it might be, but everyone has one!” -Bob
Well, Bob, I have to include my brain. Everyone may have one, but I’m sure you can think of people who don’t use theirs…and in a survival situation you MUST keep your head.
In fact, your brain will be your single most important tool in a survival situation. Your ability to stay calm, remember skills that you have practiced and execute them under stress will trump any wiz bang survival items that you have.
I cover this extensively in the SurviveInPlace.com course, but if you lose control of your mind, you can die quicker than if someone is holding your head under water. It is absolutely critical to train your brain for survival.
And, by training your brain, one of the things I’m referring to is inoculating your brain to handle stress like you would inoculate your body to handle a virus. I also mean getting your brain to think of non-traditional solutions to problems, keeping focus under stress, and thinking up solutions that are both strategic and tactical. And finally, training your brain means learning skills so that you know how to do without as many survival supplies as possible.
After my brain, my focus would be on multi-use items that can help with as many of the fundamentals of survival as possible.
Specifically, sheltering my body, making fire, making drinkable water, getting food, providing security, and taking care of medical issues…trauma in particular.
By far, the most important tool to accomplish these goals in both a wilderness and urban environment is a knife. And the best possible knife? You might laugh at this, but it’s the one you have with you when your life depends on it.
This is common sense, but when you’re 5 miles from home on foot after a disaster, the cheap folder that lives in your pocket will always beat the $200 fixed blade sitting safe at home.
What that means for me is that I always carry a good, solid folder that I have a few of.
When I buy multiples of the same knife, I beat the snot out of one of them to make sure I can trust it. I use it to split wood, throw it in the ground and into wood, hammer with it, pry with it, and of course cut a lot of stuff with it.
The particular knife doesn’t matter and my opinion on brands doesn’t really matter. This is something that everyone needs to do for themselves so that they know…not because of what I’ve said or anyone else has said…but because of what they’ve seen and experienced they know they can trust their life to the knife that they’re carrying.
As a starting point, some common store brands that I’ve had good success with are CRKT (Columbia River), Kershaw, BenchMade, Spyderco, and Gerber.
With a knife and solid skills that you’ve practiced, you can take care of a lot of basic survival concerns.
After my knife, I almost always have a small multi tool on me or near me, regardless of where I am. They don’t do anything as well as a purpose built tool, but they do a LOT of things better than I can with my bare hands. I like Leatherman and Gerber multi-tools
The third thing that I always have near or on me is a small tactical flashlight. I keep it near me during the day and on me when flying or anytime I’m going to be out at night.
Those would be my first tier, and after that, most items can be improvised and they really depends on the environment, expected needs, and your skill set.
Here’s a few examples of what I mean.
In an urban environment, a lockpick set is right at the top of the list for me, but that doesn’t have very much value in a wilderness environment or if you don’t know how to use one. It’s also something that I can make a field expedient version of in a bind…especially with a multi-tool.
When I’m doing long distance trail running, I always carry a mylar space blanket, but that isn’t very necessary in an urban environment.
I usually have cord with me, in the form of laces, 550 cord, or rope, but I can make substitutes in urban environments with wire, torn bed sheets, or other items depending on the particular application.
Firecraft is important, but with all of the resources to make fire in an urban environment, it’s not nearly as important to carry firemaking materials with you as it is in the wilderness.
Even in the wilderness, once you know how to do a hand drill and/or a bow drill, you really don’t need much to make a fire, although a good firestarter and tinder bundle is VERY nice, especially when you’re cold, tired, and can’t get gathered tinder to light.
An important point to remember is that your particular top 5 is going to depend on your particular skillset, location, and even your physical and medical condition. Lockpicks are important to me because I know how how to use them, but they may have no value to you.
Lighters aren’t as important to me because I know several ways to make fires if I need to. I still carry lighters in my car, but I usually don’t carry one on me.
But my top 5 is going to be different from your top 5 and many other people’s top 5.
If you’re completely blind without corrective lenses, then they are going to be in your top 5. If you have a heart condition, one of your top 5 items will probably be a vial of nitroglycerin.
In GENERAL, you want to develop the number of skills you know and how well you can do them so that you need as little “stuff” as possible to survive, no matter what you face. At first, it’s natural to depend on “stuff,” because stuff is one way to help you survive until you develop the skills necessary to survive without “stuff” so don’t worry if your list of items that you need is 10 or 20 items long to start with. You can always develop more skills to pare that number down.
I’ll tell you this. It’s incredibly empowering to keep replacing the “stuff” that you need to survive with skills that can never be taken away from you and I encourage you to take consistent steps to do just that.
Unless you haven’t been on email this week, you know that Tim Larkin at Target Focus Training put together a “Lethal Weapons” empty hands combat training package at a 54% discount for my readers this week.
If you like the idea of being able to replace “stuff” with “skills,” you’ll really appreciate this training package. I was just telling a good friend of mine that even though I almost always carry pepper spray, a knife, and a firearm, I STILL consider my hand to hand skills to be my primary weapon.
The reality of the most violent attacks is that they don’t start with a standoff from 10-15 feet away. They start with you getting hit, stabbed, or having a gun pressed up against you.
I LOVE firearms, and they’re hard to beat when you have time to deploy them, but smart attackers are going to make you fight to even be able to get to your firearm or other weapons. Target Focus Training is the best system that I’ve found to take care of this gap.
I posted three videos from the training on the SecretsOfUrbanSurvival.com blog yesterday. If you missed them, go check them out. http://secretsofurbansurvival.com/368/reality-based-fighting-self-defense-and-martial-arts-for-survival-video/
So, what are your top 5 items? Let me know by commenting below:
God Bless & stay safe!
David Morris
SurviveInPlace.com
UrbanSurvivalPlayingCards.com
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WATER & FOOD???????
Yes, absolutely. You must have items that will help you get food and water.
Whether food and water would be two of your five items is up to you and your location.
In many locations and situations, it would make a lot more sense to carry the tools to acquire food and water for several days than to carry the food and water required for several days.
I would add guns, a 1911 with plenty of ammo for self-defense, and, if in a rural area or near one, a .22lr rifle for small game. A deer rifle or shotgun would be nice as well. Guns I count as one item.
My Top 5 are as follows:
1. Aluminum Canteen. Water doesn’t do you any good if you have no means to take it with you, and being aluminum you can use it to boil disease-infested H2O.
2. Knife. For the obvious reasons Mr. Morris has stated.
3. Magnesium Firestarter. They’re waterproof and very easy to use. Fire is as important as water in any environment for warmth and making things edible.
4. Backpack. On your journey, you need something to carry all of the items you either already have, or come across in the field.
5. Sleeping Bag. Nothing beats a good night’s sleep when life gets chaotic.
on guns……i am a definite 1911 .45 man. but…..practicality wins out i would choose a 9mm, ..worldwide caliber/surplus/availability. the majority of militarys and law enforcement carry nines.( “ours” included ) so you could “acquire” ammunition more easily. a good 22 rifle/ pistol combo with a suppressor if you can. ( light bulk ammo) and an air rifle in .22 caliber, again cheap/light bulk ammo to use for hunting just about any urban food source. and quieter than any powder arm out there. no flash no sonic pop. and don’t knock a stringed weapon, like bow or crossbow. or even a sling shot…wristrockets are formidable with steel ball bearings at 40-50 yards even against humans.retrievable ammo most times and you can make the missiles by hand with easily found materials in a pinch.
Great Post. My top five items are:
1) Contractor grade garbage bags – 40 or 55 gallon, at least 2 of them. This provides me with shelter and a good night’s sleep. One bag is an improvised rain poncho / overcoat (I stayed warm in sub-freezing weather with just a shirt, sweatshirt and a garbage bag for quite some time. The other bag(s) get filled with leaves or crumpled up newspapers to make huge “bean bag chairs” which provide insulation from the cold ground and a comfortable sleeping surface. I have slept out in the woods during winter using two bags filled with leaves under me and I was toasty warm.
2) Water filter bottle. Since water is more important than food, I want to be sure that I can have a clean, safe supply. While a water filter bottle will typically not take out VOC’s (they have to be boiled off), for a short term emergency, I am much more worried about dehydration. With a bottle like this, any subdivision with a retention pond is a potential water source for me. If I am really worried about surface chemical runoff, I can scrounge up a tin can from a garbage and boil the water before filtering it. That would take care of floaties, bacteria, viruses and VOC’s. Having decent tasting water to drink is important so you are not repulsed by the water and are reluctant to drink enough to stay hydrated.
3) I agree with the multitool, preferably the larger of the Leathermans. Cutting wire to make snares, cutting kindling, fixing, jerry-rigging… etc….
4) Fire – I want to have a lighter, matches (waterproof and in a pill bottle or a waterproof container), and a Swedish Firesteel, so I abide by the Rule of Threes and can make a fire reliably. With wire procured by using my Leatherman, I can catch cats or varmints with snares and then cook them, if I have to survive.
5) First Aid – a small kit with any prescription drugs, Vitamin I (Ibuprofen), Benedryl, etc…
Don’t get me wrong, while all this preparation is exciting (and quite necessary), I would much rather “rough it” at home, with power and no civil unrest!!
Thanks David.
Interesting topic to think on. I reached over and opened my “Get Home Bag” and found our list was pretty similar-Folding knife, tactical flashlight, small tools, lock picks, then I diverge with a compass (in case it is dark) a tactical pen (to take or leave notes, and double as a spike), a lighter, (I can rub sticks together, but why? I may need a diversion NOW!) and a large ACU pattern bandana for multiple purposes from first aid to camoflague. To get to 5, I would go knife, flashlight, tools, bandana, and lighter.
• A good pair of shoes & polypropolene/wool socks (www.kurufootware.com)
•A decent backpack-Osprey Aether 70
(www.opsrey.com)
•Military Gore-Tex Bivy
•MSR HyperFlow Water Filter w/ Camelback bladder.
•Game Seeker Binoculars-Fog Proof/Water Proof.
I always have a knife on me at all times, my phone’s camera flash serves as a make do flashlight, it even has a red night light.
I love your question, it was very difficult to limit to only five items. It really made me think. I know my concern is to lay low on the outside of a large community & plan my next move accordingly.
1) shades & /or glasses
2) food bar and small container of water (<4oz)
3) Indestructable Pen light
4) multi-tool with yellow hard to tear rope
5) bootknife in plastic carry case in a side pocket on pantleg
Practical Day to day Knowledge:
any hands only self-defense
tacfit bodyweight workout plan
Additional for car (if i drive a lot):
work gloves – fingerless
clothing with multipockets from SeVest
tactical boots
a 3 day/night pack
inflatable pillow and bed/or sleeping bag
3 days worth of food and water in small cooler
Instant tent for 2 (spacious enough for one)
survival books (survive in wilderness, etc)
and of course, extras for car function (jumper powerbar, one can of washer fluid, oil, trans fluid, etc)
shovel, plastic bags, plastic tough gloves
crossbow
maybe a phone, radio, mp3 (rechargeable from car lighter)
Don’t forget your WheelBarrel to carry it all in.
A drill that we go through is getting the “minimum” that we need, and then say, OK…if we needed to get rid of ONE more thing, what would it be? Or, if it was just me and I had to CARRY both of the boys, what would I “NEED.”
David
Good point, but Bill’s carry list was pretty light. The extra gear was for the car. And why not? Might as well carry as much in the car as possible. Sure, knowledge is key, but knowledge will usually be leveraged by stuff. If you have room in the car, more stuff gives you more options. I keep spare boots, change of clothes (with an additional pair of sneakers), ax, saw, toiletry kit, tools, more first aid gear, space blanket, water, gloves, flashlights, knife, walkie talkies, etc. in the car. I can think of more things that should go in there. It’s tucked away, but very much appreciated when needed. My EDC bag compliments all that. I’m working on my 72-hour pack now. There will be redundancy with that in case the car is destroyed (I live in a tornado area). There’s a big difference between the limitations on what you can carry on your person (the 5 essentials), what you can carry in a practical-sized EDC bag, and what you can carry in your car. Might as well maximize each.
you would be amazed what you can get into a gear bag/backpack/dufle. take a look at what marine snipers carry with them into the field..(everything but the kitchen sink saying comes to mind) an they get it all onto thier backs. preperation and packing is the key. you can get a buttload of stuff in a container if you pack it right.
I already carry a mini LED flashlight, a Gerber multi tool, a folding knife, a firestarter, and some toilet paper (in my car) at all times. You don’t know how much you miss toilet paper until you have to do without it. When I am not on Federal property working, I carry a pistol at all times also.
flash lights are great but batteries run out, consider a shake light or a servo crank as back up i have a mini crank 2 led light that is no bigger than two dies laid together and it was only 5 bucks. id rather carry several of them than 5 or 6 packs of batteries to use in the flashlight, even with LEDs most tactical on hi/bright setting have less than 2 hours of light. and batteries fail when packed for too long.
1. Knife
2. Ruger P85 9mm
3. Canteen
4. 12 x 12 visc. plastic
5. Camp mess kit
Great pair of walking shoes.( All weather)
knife.
Fire starter.
Good semi auto 22. MP 15-22 S&W. (Min) Cheap Ammo
Metal canteen with cooking essentials.
Like Col. Shelby says,…. “WATER”, to which I would include portable filtration/purification and storage (like those one/two gallon collapsable containers which are easy to store flat/folded.
Instead of Bleach, I’d carry granulated pool chlorine wich keeps longer weighs less and makes MANY MANY gallons of bleach solution.s
If you have a water well, adding a manual pump…or BETTER, a solar power system will ensure that when the lights go out, you will have water!
I would not try to get by with just five items and would, at seventy, need more if I were to survive. My husband and I would need…..
Our current meds, our glasses and warm clothing are understood.
A container to boil water in, with a “can of sand” filter, and a pocket striker.
A plastic sheet to make a dry shelter and trash bags for stuffing and covering up.
A knife, a 20 ft peice of rope, a tiny can opener and a spoon.
A first aid kit and a can of foot powder and a decent sized backpack.
We do not own a fire arm and do not contemplate buying one so
We need to know which plants are local and how to eat and make traps, and fish.
And the most importain thing to have is a “We can do this!” attitude.
Wow !! I hope at 70 I am still keen enough to have a survivial list and a plan for the “what if”.
Keep it up Mary.
I agree with survival time about water at home. The one I installed by myself (I’m 79) is at http://www.simplepump.com They have a video showing just how easy it is to install. It can be hand pumped or wih a 12 vDC motor that can use a solar panel.
all of the above is good and a good trauma kit is good to and one from chinookmed.com is good for all kinds of medical problems and having medical training is a good thing to know im a medical assistant nursing assistant and with my kit and knowledge i can treat any would and also carrying a lot of extra ammo helps to
Maybe i missed it but does anyone have a knife sharpener in there kit/,b.o.b.?? I do..Along with fishing line hooks, water tabs,fire starters,matches,magnifying glass,multi tool,snare wire,para cord,tin foil,all in a 50 cal ammo can..And many other things to include a 6 day supply of emergency ration bars and 2 ea 2 quart canteens..Sorry guys i kinda get carried away but i also have to mention a trusty old glock 21 and 3 mags of ammo and my kershaw folder..Literally all of the above i have in that ammo can except for the canteens,glock, and ammo..If you want i can start on my primary weapon and other items i have ready to go..
reply to Richard: I carry a knife with me constantly and also a DMT diamond knife sharpener. People never mention a sharpener or think of them until they are up against it with a dull knife. If you use it, it will get dull. Glad someone else feels the need for a sharpener. I would carry more than 5 items. I always carry a multitool.
WEAPONS AS MANY BULLETS AS I CAN CARRY
BACKPACK KIT WHICH WOULD INCLUDE MRE – PINK KERSHAW KNIFE FLASHLIGHT – BLANKET- TOILET PAPER -MATCHES -WATER COMB LIPSTICK TOOTH BRUSH TOOTHPASTE SORRY GUYS I AM COUNTING THE BACKPACK KIT AS ONE FOLD UP CAMO HAT GLOVES SOCKS CHARGER
CELL PHONE
MASK
Knife with serrated edge fire starting equipment self crank radio flashlight gun with extra ammo
why would you want to have a lockpick set?
and without a locksmith license, such a thing is a burglary
tool and illegal to have possession of.
Infowolf1
Hey InfoWolf,
Thanks for your concern. Fortunately, your information isn’t necessarily correct. You’ll need to check your local laws to see if it is legal or not to have a set of picks, but they are legal in most places.
In fact, many areas around the country have lockpicking clubs where people get together and practice picking locks on a regular basis in public venues.
I’ve sat outside a local cafe and taught law enforcement how to pick locks.
I’ve also had interactions going through Federal law enforcement security checkpoints where I’ve taken out my picks to go through metal detectors. The only thing that has happened is curiosity and pleasant conversation.
On the other hand, the second I pass the plane of a lock that is securing an area where I can’t go legally, I will have broken the law.
The important thing is that you need to know what is legal in your area. Making a blanket statement that lock pick sets are illegal is comparable to saying that carrying a concealed firearm is illegal, shooting a fully automatic rifle is illegal, and carrying a switchblade is illegal. All of these are legal in some places and not in others.
I appreciate you bringing this up and have posted your question on the blog so that others can learn from it.
David
Excellent stuff, Dave!
Interesting posts……
I always have my backpack with me, even when I’m grocery shopping. I’m a grandmother pushing sixty, realistically I’m not capable of hand to hand combat and so, In my bag,(I know It’s more than 5 items) I carry:
1. 2 Knives, one fixed, one folding.
2. hand gun (yes, I have a carry permit and I’m quite proficient!)
3. 2 Contractors trash bags (improvised rain gear and sleeping bag)
4. Extra pair wool socks (even though I wear flip flops all the time) Hiking boots, more socks and water shoes are kept in the car at all times.
5. Flash light
6. Hand warmers (they last a long time and will keep you warm in your trash
bag if need be)
7. Magnesium fire starter
8. Wool cap
9. A bottle of water + (small container of pool chlorine)
10. Granola bars
REALY IT ALL COMES DOWN TO EACH HIS OWN, OR HER OWN. FOR ME I STOW AT HOME THE LEAST NEEDED TO THE MOST , PLUS A BUG OUT BAG THAT I ASEMBLED MY SELF, THE PREPACKED ARE FINE BUT DO WHATS BEST FOR YOU. IN MY CAR I KEEP A LIGHT SHOLDER BAG THAT IS JUST A CONDENSED (B.O.B) . GUNS ARE GREAT I HAVE A VARIATY OF THEM, BUT IN MANY STATES OUR RIGHT TO KEEP AND CARRY DOES NOT APPLY. I FOLLOW THE LAW, SO IT REALLY NEEDS TO HIT THE FAN TILL I WILL CRANK IT UP AWAY FROM, HOME DEFENCE. I HAVE MARTIAL TRANING AND IT IS 10 TO 1 ON BLADED WEOPENS AND 4 TO 1 ON BLADES TO GUNS. AND AS DAVE HAS SAID AND SAID AGAIN IT IS THE SIMPLE TRUTH THAT WHERE EVER THE HEAD GOES THE BODY FOLLOWS. OK MY WORDS NOT HIS, BUT ITS ALL THE SAme. LIVE, LOVE, AND SURVIVE….
What I have on me right now:
1) Leatherman Charge TTi, 44 bits, belt pouch
2) ARC-AAA-P, GS LED Flashlight — or — Pak-Lite Super Glow White LED Flashlight,
3) Solo Scientific Aurora Fire Starter with Magnesium, tungsten-carbide-cobalt super alloy blade
4) Survival Resources Aqua-Pouch Plus, pre-filter, Katadyn Micropur MP 1 Water Purifier Tablets
5) Adventure Medical Heatsheets Emergency Bivvy
Right on, Robert. That’s exactly what I was looking for…stuff that you actually carry, not what you would carry if you knew you were going to need it.
Hello to all, this is my first post..
I’ll leave clothing and medication out of this, since I presume that’s not what David’s getting at. We assume clothing includes hat, sunglasses, prescr. glasses, leather work gloves, belt, and a bandana. I’ll assume outskirts of an urban environment, since night scavenging would be so profitable, but you
might want to quickly make your way to the safety of the forest if pursued. These are my picks, in the order of importance I think they rank, and I welcome suggestions and critiques. And David, another list that’d be fun to do after you run this one would be what 10 items would you try to scavenge first assuming you had the core 5 or 7.
1. Canteen, Stainless, 2 liter: Containing, transporting, and boiling water. Aluminum is marginally lighter, but toxic long-term. Besides, it loses heat too quickly, likelier to break or crack, and a couple liters of hot water is a delight in the hammock/bed wrapped in cloth and curled around, and would last
longer/warmer in a stainless than in an aluminum container.
2. Flint and Magnesium stick combo. Not the one with a really thin flint rod glued onto the rectangular magnesium block, but two hefty 1/2″ diam, 4″ long rods in a leather pouch around your neck, from Ebay. Fire is a weapon too, and when you need it, you need it fast. You can use it to corral enemy into a firetrap, or to create smoke with wetted grass to cover your retreat. And nothing creates a better diversion than fire. Which is why I would scavenge a few Bic lighters ASAP.
3. Big, sturdy multitool from the brands David recommended will give you more tools, and a good 4″ knife blade, which is all you really need for most applications. Want a Rambo blade, go scavenge one. The first thing you make is a 8′ long, 1 1/2″ diam staff, fireharden the but end, and firesharpen the
other end to a spear point.
4. 100′ hank of 550 paracord. Multiple uses. First thing you make are Argentine bolas, two sets for man-sized targets, another two for small game and birds. You’ll be amazed how quickly your accuracy improves with a little practice. And you really don’t want to be throwing your 8′ staff/spear at stuff, unless you want to build a fire every time you throw it to resharpen it. Hang the bolas from your belt. with the balls cinched up tight, not dangling. Later you can make a bola sling to wear on your back, which deploys them faster. If you’ll be afoot a long time, make a bow and arrows, use the cord for string, the finer cord for heads (stone sharpened pieces of autobody metal) and fletching (trimmed plastic vanes attached with thin cord), though I recommend wire as soon as you find some. Wire also critical for making animal traps.The cord can be unravelled to make fishline and hooks made with scavenged wire and the multitool, though I prefer fishing with a hammock if you have one.
5. Wind-up LED small flashlight. Essential for late-night travel and scavenging (safest time), blinding agressors, and quick getaways in the dark., Get the best you can afford, with a single high quality LED and a spare (they last forever, but can break). Make sure the winding makes little to no noise!, or go
for lithium battery type, with extras. With a single high quality LED, batteries should last a long time. Find a way to also hang this from your neck with paracord, but with cord long enough to place the flashlight in a top shirt/jacket pocket. Use a break-away knot, in case someone tries to strangle you with your own neck cord. Forget headlamps, you will often need to cup your hand over the light to reduce its glow, for stealth and escape purposes.
6. Good quality small binoculars. For scouting game, and Man. So you don’t blunder into trouble when deciding where to scavenge. VERY useful in scanning riverbanks at dawn and dusk from a distance to find where animals water, so you can set traps, also blinds up in the trees. Animals can hear you coming from far away, and won’t let you study their habits like you can from a distance with binocs. Essential for successful scavenging, hunting, and trapping. You’re kidding yourself if you think you can hunt or trap without these. One man in ten thousand just might. Not you.
7. Duct tape: The best 100 mph tape. Don’t skimp on this. Again, multiple uses. Buy the non-shiny brown or green kind, as dull in color as possible. From field expedient bandaids/bandages, faux moleskin for blisters, to splints, patches for tears on the tube tent, joining two scavenged leaf bags together for a vapor-lock (in severe temperatures, or punch holes to let vapor out in milder) “sleeping bag” in the hammock, grips for field-made tools, taping a scavenged plastic sheet together to make a tube tent once your first one breaks down, etc.
The above are the core seven non-negotiables. They work with each other to give you a fighting chance, if you can scrounge a place to shelter in urban areas. But you’ll have to find a place off the floor, unless you wanna star in “Dances With Rats”. The ability to clear out into the forest is important for escape/evasion/caching supplies, so in a prolonged situation I would insist on adding the following: (and in fact, I really do consider the first 13 items on this list indispensable, but I ranked them so you can choose the first 5)
8. Tube tent: Indispensable. Don’t buy the cheap orange ones. Make one from a clear 4 mil plastic sheet (8′x 12′) and duct tape the two 8′ sides together, with a tape strip inside AND outside. It will last MUCH, much longer. If you camo it with foliage once the tent is set up, you’ll find you can see out of it thru the foliage, but they can’t see you. This is a tremendous tactical advantage. Also, used carefully, it’s a groundcloth during the day. With a little paracord, and a little ingenuity, it can be shaped into a makeshift poncho. A must to stay warm and dry all night. Use paracord stretched between two trees, run a hammock inside, and smaller paracord pieces to cinch around circle-bent (hoops) twigs you’ll wrap the tube tent open ends around to make air windows 8″ diameter minimum). I use hand-whittled old-style clothespins to affix the tubetent material to the twig hoops. You want to be careful they can’t close on you while you are asleep, or you’ll suffocate. When done, the thing should look like a banana with the ends chopped off. Hang all this several feet off the ground, making sure the air openings aren’t pointing into the wind, and you are sheltered and critter-proof except for the larger mammals. You’ll be out of the wind, and even when wind is still, you’ll be 15 deg warmer than without it. If you are careful not to dirty the area inside the tent, in the morning you’ll find your breath has condensed on the walls and run down, giving you as much as a pint of clean water that’ll collect on the tent floor by morning.
9. Woven Nylon String Hammock, Dark Green: See-thru type, diamond shaped holes. Essential to keep you off the floor (avoid cold, wet, and critters) for your health. Allows sleeping way up in the trees in hostile territory ( don’t use the tube tent, just camo the hammock with foliage, and don’t forget to tie your belt to the tree in two places with paracord). Multiple uses, from a comfortable hunting seat up in the trees, to a terrific fishnet (propped open with two spreader sticks at each end and one end weighed down with stones). Works especially well when you funnel the fish into a catch basin with logs and rocks. It also doubles as a 300 lb backpack, worn over the shoulders, or as/with a tumpline from the forehead for heavy loads, essential for scavenging. Line it with tube tent or a leaf bag, and you can carry large quantities of water. Many other uses.
10. MSR XGK II Multifuel stove: Light, compact 25 year old design and still the best. With the included quart bottle full of scavenged unleaded or kerosene or almost any other fuel, for that matter) you can cook, melt snow, keep warm and with careful arrangement of the above items, you can do it all in the middle of a three-day blizzard, without giving your position away, in urban or wilderness environments. Stealth is life!
11. Katadyn Pocket Filter: 10,000 gallons of drinkable water on your hip. Expensive, but the best there is, and worth every penny. Most importantly, allows the preparation of water without fire, which gives your position away, uses precious resources and too much time, as well as progressively weakens your canteen. With this filter, I would try to swap for a 1 liter canteen, maybe even use sturdy oven-bag plastic bags for drinking/transporting. They are incredibly sturdy, can handle boiling water (for warmth while sleeping), and weigh next to nothing.
12: Perimeter alarm: A few hundred feet of non-shiny, clear or faint green, invisible fishline, a handful of tiny screw eye-hooks (or make ‘em with wire) and one of those battery-powered pull-the-pin-out 120 decibel alarms and you can rig a peace-of mind perimeter system that’ll let you sleep better, in urban or wilderness settings. Set it high, so that only bears and humans will set it off.
Tape a 8″ vertical strip of duct tape in the middle of each wall and then cut a vertical 6″ slit in it if you plan on shooting the .45 cal out from your tent if the alarm wakes you to a “situation.” Thrust the pistol out thru the slit and fire it outside the tent if you want to have ears that still work after it’s all over.
13. Glock, .45 cal. For emergencies and close range large game only.
Luxuries:
14: Snugpak Jungle Sleeping Bag (lightweight/highly compact) or a scavenged down comforter sewn up two sides with unravelled paracord threads, and carried inside leafbags. Now we’re into total luxury in hammock and tubetent with waterbottle.
15: Pocketsaw: Heavy duty manual chain saw (looks like a bycicle chain with sharpened links) that coils into a shoewax-sized can, not the flimsy wire saws. You prolly won’t need this if you have the Fuel Stove above. You’ll live longer that way, too, not giving away your position with cooking fires. But if you have the skills, the saw can be used to build more permanent living and storage structures in the trees, out of forest-cut or scavenged lumber cut to the right sizes with this. Find the right clump of trees deep in, and build with an eye towards camo, and you can have your very own “Fortress of Sillitude”.
16: Compass, glow-in-the-dark: (maps are easily scavenged from abandoned cars). Much more essential if you are on the move. Also, When scavenging, you must always have planned escape vectors (directions). You don’t want to retreat into THEIR lines. Easier done in daylight, at the price of them easily seeing YOU, but if you evade/retreat at night, you’ll be very glad for the compass.
This may be a little unusal but I always have a pair of good walking shoes in my vehicle.
My pocket knife is always with me.
The other items in my truck are crank lights, shirt pants, hat.
I’m new at this preparedness but I would be sure I had a type of water source, a container perhaps with a water filter attached. A multitool, =might come in handy to help make shelter or skin and clean an animal to eat. (just in case). I also lean toward a magnesium stick. Some type of poncho to use to keep your clothes dry or as shelter if needed. Some food bars for few days. One last thing i’d suggest is be sure if you are on medicatioins that you have a supply with copies of the scripts so they can be replaced.
Of course what you pack may vary based on if you ever plan to return or if things are such that it is best to move on.
We recently had our 72 hr bags in our vehicles and they were broken into and the bags were stolen. We had made a large investment in them. Now we are trying to start over. It is very frustrating.
Pamela
My concern would be who knew you had the bags in the 1st place and how did they learn. Or was it random theft? How many vehicles have been broken into around you? The police may be able to let you know something.
Just ideating here…. consider….Visually obvious Replacement could just cause another theft. One item at a time put in car beside you when you get in….drive to park(s)…open trunk and insert item. Use scruffy cardboard box in trunk to put identifiable items in. Have rags sticking out of one or two along with car wax.
Also if friends knew….. saying you are just fed up with it can cover up. Drop the conversations (if applicable)
That really stinks that some lowlife stole your 72-hour bags. One suggestion is to keep the bags in your house so you can grab them in an emergency. I don’t know how far your vehicles are kept from the house, or what kind of natural disasters could occur in your area. But something like a fire, tornado, or earthquake could destroy your vehicles and the emergency supplies inside. Better to have your kits within grabbing distance as you run out the door. You could always just take them with you every time you get into the car. A little bothersome, especially if they are heavy, but they would always be near you either in the house or in the car. Just suggestions; your situation might dictate another approach. Hope you’re able to rebuild the packs and keep them safe. Good luck!
Just a note. Don’t tell folks what you have. If they don’t have it….they know who does. Also, don’t make your Bugout Bag standout. Understand….this is an item on which you can count on to help you through a crisis. Preparing for any and all crisises cannot be done since there are way too many scenarios that can be played out. The most important item to prepare sits right between your ears…..the better you can assess your situation, the better the odds are you will pull out of a crisis in one piece…alive and intact. Yes, it hurts to lose an investment, but remember….it’s just stuff…..it can be replaced…..your life can’t. If you had the “Best” and can’t afford to replace it, then get Second or Third best. Remember, you need only certain items to assure your continued existence. Faith and a belief in your Creator go a long ways as well. Hope this helps.
Ah! What we carry with/on us!
I put the following into an Altoids can, that goes into the little “lighter pocket” most suit jackets have about a foot and a half below the inner breast wallet pocket. Kept closed by several thick rubberbands wrapped around a credit card and five $20′s themselves wrapped around the outside of the Altoids tin, which holds inside:
1. Plastic, adhesive-backed auto rearview mirror cut to fit inside of the Altoid cover
2. Military issue flint/magnesium bar
3. 2 trapezoid-shaped utility razor blades
4. 30 ft brass wire on a metal sewing spool
5. 25 ft fishline on a metal sewing spool
6. 2 gallon oven-bake plastic waterbag, folded tight
7. Chlorine granules in a vial
8. Coiled English Army wiresaw with thumbhoops
9. Several sizes safety pins, needles, paper clips
10. 4 quarters
Butane lighter with 12 flints (it can still spark even when out of fuel!) silicon-glued to the inside of flipcover, goes in left pocket along with button compass/thermometer, storm whistle, and Pak-Lite, all on a chain.
5 ft (or was it 4ft?) of duct tape wound flat around a rigid old credit card goes in my jacket’s handkerchief pocket.
16 ft paracord wound around a flat plastic card (4” x 5”) goes into my jacket’s right inner breast pocket.
Another 24 ft paracord card goes into my pants left back pocket.
Spider 4” folding knife in right pants pocket, along with keys.
Walther PPK in underarm holster, with 2 extra clips. That is, when I renew my recently expired permit.
None of this ruins the line of my work suits. I will admit I conceal my movements from my wife when I remove the paracord and duct tape cards and Altoid tin when undressing. I don’t want her thinking I’m crazier than she already thinks I am. : )
In my car, under the back seat, I keep a duffel bag with field clothes, as well as a poncho, hiking boots and rubber overboots on the side. Also, the 4 hammocks, 2 tubetents, canteens, big flint/magnesium sticks, extra paracord, extra duct tape, MSR XGK II stove and Katadyn Pocket Filter, perimeter alarm, axe, pocketsaw, and Glock .45 cal, Glock plastic belt holster, plus 100 rounds. The sleeping bags are kept unfolded in the garage, keeping them stuffed in the car would ruin them. So there’s a 1/3 chance I wouldn’t have them if TSHTF while I’m at work. But I’d be going home anyway to get the family. They have clothes/food/sleeping bag (72 hours worth of SOS bar rations each) bugout kits in the garage.
Multitool and binoculars in glove box. This is Seattle, it doesn’t get hot enough to damage them in work or home garages.
Having the tools and knowledge are critical. But the most important thing EVER has not been mentioned.
Your personal relationship with your Creator. Start on your knees, trust your conscience, continue your training, and use your head.
God’s input must be solicited (He doesn’t force his way) and safeguards used… but He can direct you through anything.
In the end it is His goal for us that’s important. And He is truly the ONLY one who Never Lies to us (intentionally or otherwise). Ora Et Labora
Amen, Mike. It’s not an “item,” but a relationship with Christ is one of the only things that can put life, disasters, and challenges in perspective.
One thing not mentioned that I keep in my car and go bags, is bungee cords. They have multiple uses, connecting things together, hanging things from them to keep them up off the ground, etc.
I like the bungee cord thingy…didn’t think of it my self. Kudos!
1. Marine K-bar 2. Folding knife (on me at all times) 3. Leatherman Surge w/ bit kit (also on me at all times) 4. First aid kit in car 5. 550 cord- 100 ft 6. S&W 9 mm, as much ammo as can be carried
Hi David, I just ordered the entire Target Focus Training “Leathal Weapons” course! I can’t wait to get the DVDs. I had to really scrape to get the money, but it is worth EVERY penny. Several years ago, I was mugged at knife point and was helpless to do anything. I’d had all kinds of martial arts training, but when it really came down to it, I realized that nothing I’d learned could TRULY protect me from these thugs. We can’t afford NOT to have this kind of information in this day and age. Thank you soooo much for giving us the information. I wish I’d had it years ago…
Also, I’m finally reading through and catching up on all my SurviveInPlace.com lessons…WOW! Amazing information! You have done an amazing job putting all this stuff together!
Anne S
Sales and Marketing
It all boils down to one thing——–The More You Know,The less you need—Period.
Yahoo!!!! Again, “stuff” is simply a way to compensate for a lack of a solid plan (or skills).
There are some things that are ABSOLUTELY necessary, like medications for some people, a wheelchair for people who can’t walk, or corrective lenses for people with bad eyesight. But most survival items are optional if you have the right skills.
Good answer Howie…However, knowledge must come from someone before who has had the experience and can help by passing on to Novices who want to learn. Can you give us some pointers and where to turn to for more advice or someone who can teach the skill. In this day and age, those of us here are very outmoded since we do not use computers, cellphones, Tweets, and what other nonsense that many of todays younger generation resort too. This is what will define the true Survivors from those who will be running around, frantically screaming and not a clue as to what to do. When the balloon goes up…I for one will go to ground….and wait….until the cordite clears the air…….then I will see what is left that can be salvaged.
Jerry you are right on all your comments. You asked as to where you could turn to for more advice. If you have an Army Surplus store around close by, drop in and ask for an Army Survival Manual. It has a lot of good survival stuff in it. I got a lot of my experiance while serving in the Military. Serving in the military has a lot benifits that you can use long after you’ve left. I spent 22 years in it and retired.
I’d like to mention just one little trick I learned while serving in Germany long ago if you don’t mind. In germany it gets extreamly cold there in the winter and was taught that one of the ways you can keep really warm at night was to dig a trench about a foot deep almost the legnth of your body and build a fire in it and keep it going long enough to build up a bed of coals the full legnth of it. Then cover the trench with with the soil you remove and in about 15-20 min. you will have a warm and cozy bed all night long. One caution though—make sure you cover all the coals good. After waiting for about 20min you should know if it is ok. I have done this on several occasions and it makes a good survival tool.
Understood. The part about the bed of coals I learned from reading some of Ron Hood’s articles and how to survive in unpredictable situations. Ron Hood and his wife have an extensive library of survival articles that they publish and sell from their website. Also, if you have to survive in the open, Christopher Nygeres is one of the most knowledgeable people who can show you which plants are edible and have other uses other than food. However, any and all information on how to survive which is shared by like minded individuals will always prove to be useful. Thanks for the help and input.
Your absolutely right about this Howie. Kudos on a great answer!
I carry a couple firestarters on me all the time, compass flash lite, space blanket and Multitool. I can make a sit shelter from my space blanket and stay warm in freezing temps using this method. Also plan to get a micro water pump filter, and I carry a stainless water bottle all the time.
Kudos Ric…your on the right track. I have a friend who often disagrees with me. He had the whole Enchilada as he use to say. The Bunker, the combat rifles, ammo and reloading, gardens, livestock, and wild game. He had all of this in West Texas. Including stockpiled food, canning supplies, stockpiled medicines, backup vehicles. And he lost it all….long story there. In any given situation where a disaster is impending, a person should be mobile and ready to go on the move at a moment’s notice. Too often people set up in one place and get attached for various reasons. Sadly, this has cost many of them their lives because they couldn’t “let go” for sentimental reasons. I have my memories…and a few small mementoes that can go into my pack. I have stash points and barterable items. Access to food and water also. These are critical points of interest.
the basic five things are 1.) shotgun, long gun,(ar ak mini 14 or other semi auto), and side arm 9mm/.40/.45 .38 or other pistal. with all the ammo u can carry, my suggestion is police hq has a bandalero that can be filled with magazine pouches from ar to ak etc. for the shotgun a bandalero from cheaper than dirt that will hold 50 shells and from tuff products a vertical mag holder to pull mags out easier and faster. 2.) two knives a folding and fixed blade like a bowie knife. 3.) a first aid kit from chanookmed.com 4.) a complete custom kit that will fit all the nuts and bolts of your own car. with all extra belts oil etc. plus a folding saw and ask like a fire ax and some thing to start a fire like steel wool and a 9 volt battery. 5.) extra clothing and boots or shoes and tolitries and toilet paper. and one more 6.) the tools to purify water and extra food like can goods that can be poped open and a mess kit to cook. sorry i went one over but its important to get it all ready before disaster strikes and just a remineder that sept is prepaidness month
Guns are nice and useful. However, selection of weapons must be considered. Ammo is a lot of weight and can displace something which is necessary..such as first aid kit, rations, water, blanket, etc. A good choice…AR7 Explorer(22 rifle) and a Ruger MarkII(22 cal). Compatible ammo and you can carry two bricks with over a 1000 rounds of ammo in your backpack..without a lot of weight displacement. Also, the quieter your weapon, the less likihood you will attract attention to yourself. Survival is about avoiding detection from those who might seek you out. My late father was a WWII and Korean War veteran who taught me that a survivalist does not engage the enemy. Many years ago I took Tae Kwan Do and the very first lesson we were taught was….to run. You engage only when you have no other choice.
Jerry, I like your selection of a .22 cal. It makes sense seeing how it is light carrying as well as the ammo and the ammo is very easy to get. I look at it as basically for using to get small game. Although, it can be used for self-defence. If I could only take just one gun with me this would be my choice. Another reason I would pick the .22 is because, a lot of people may not realize is that you can fire a .22 cal. one time out in the woods and unless someone is very close by no one can tell where it was fired from. Now if fired a second time they may be able to get a barring on you. So try to hit your target the first time. I have a .22 AR7 Survival model which breaks down small enough to fit into a backpack if need be. It also floats if it should accidently fall into the water.It all fits into the butt-end. It was modeled after the Air Forces .22 AR7. It was carried in the cock pit with them so in case they went down they would have a means of providing food.
Same here! Bought mine two years ago! Very reliable! If you need magazines, call the company which sells them. They will deal directly with you. I bought 10 extra magazines. What was truly amazing….the Henry Arms Co. is family owed and operated. The man I talked to who took my order…was the Co.’s Vice-President(they have some advertisements on the tube….and he is the guy talking about his family’s business!) He took the order since the person who usually does it was out sick that day! When I got my order, the invoice was hand written. Now that is what business should be all about! Made in Amercia by Americans! God Bless the Henry Arms folks and the great job they are doing!
Here’s what I ALWAYS have on my keychain:
Gerber LST ultralight 3.875″ folder
DMT diamond sharpener
Bison tude w/ 7 strike-anywhere matches
Photon Freedom microlight
Magnesium / flint / steel fire starter
Leatherman Squirt P4 minitool
Jet Scream whistle
Small pill canister with 2 lg. bandaids rolled around a tiny “tube” of antibiotic ointment and four 200 mg Ibuprofen tablets
In my backpack I keep:
1 liter Camelback lexan water bottle with bite-valve top
Katadyn Micropur MP 1 Water Purifier Tablets and neutralizer tablets
Five 250 calorie Clif Bars
MagLite Mini with spare bulb and batteries
Adventure Medical Ultralight . 3 Med Kit with
1 pair latex exam gloves
mini CPR shield
3 extra large patch bandaids
2 doses Benadryl
extra Ibuprofen
The “large bag” is in the trunk of my car, along with the “large med kit”, eight 1-liter bottles of Fiji water, and season-appropriate extra clothing.
Turns out the Boy Scout have been right all along: Be Prepared!
Ever see “Charlie Wilson’s War”? the scene where Gus tells him the story of the Zen master?
“…we’ll see…”
I also have a survival box in the back of the car with duct tape, rope, toilet paper, two first aid kits, a flare, meals ready to eat, some basic tools, matches, a lighter, packaged survival water, sleeping bag, a compass, vaseline, military style binocs, both rubber and work gloves, and spare clothes as well as extra shoes, with other odds and ends too numerous to mention. It gets rough up here in the mountains. Hurricane Ivan really tore the area up when it came through, and I have learned to be prepared.
Kudos to everyone here who gets one of the major items on their list and I wholeheartedly agree with them on it…..toliet paper! LOL. Great minds think alike!
I would also suggest some electricians zip ties,at least a foot long. They can be slipped together to make longer ones if needed. They are virtually indestructible take up almost no room and are light. They make great handcuffs, tie poles together and will fasten stuff together.
Dave,
I know you will eventually comment on this but, Hey! TALK ABOUT SURVIVAL??
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38807555/ns/world_news-americas/
What five items would you want if you were buried in a mine for four months??
I shudder at the mere thought…
Ready? We are…
Victor
1. common sense
2. determination
3. faith
4. physical fitness
5. a good knife
these are the only 5 things on my list needed to survive, anything else can be found or made to fit the senario. if you don’t have atleast 4 of these 5, what you have in some kit is worthless.
dave cantebury once said the lived by the 5 ” C’s” of survival.
1) cutting tool
2) combustion device
3) cover
4) container
5) cordage
and i think that pretty much speaks for itself and covers most areas. after all with the right tools in hand you can make anything else you really need.
Yup…in fact, he said it on the Friday, 13-Aug-2010 episode of Dual Survival that I’m catching up on on my DVR as I write this. Your timing was within 1 minute
I like a lot of the answers here….It shows that folks actually think things through….I’m really impressed. Ok…My (5)items: 1.Old Medium Alice Pack, 2. Combat Casualty Blanket, 3.Canteen(s), 4.S.A.S. Knife, 5. Matches dipped in “Willy Peter”. These are the primaries…included:extra socks, Chem Sticks, aluminum foil sheets, Stainless Steel Mess Kit(to cook over an open fire). My “Bugout Bag” weighs about 25lbs(along with some other minor items), but shouldn’t exceed 30lbs. Remember, you have to carry this! Hope this helps as far as generating more ideas(and yes, I’m an old Vet…Texas Army National Guard). Also, I’m a Native American, are there any others who think this way(I’m told I’m strange since I don’t get drunk, do drugs, or expect everyone to “owe”me…I don’t think that way and despise anyone who does…especially those who are suppose to be my own people!)
Runs-to-water would be proud.
Great post. I spend a lot of time traveling internationally and have put a lot of brain power into maximizing what I have on me. I have purchased jackets from scottevest that have a ton of pockets and minimize the bulk associated with carrying a ton of gear. I always have a multitool/knife, lighter, compass, water purification tablets, cliff bar, map of where I am at, and a small flashlight. That is the basic load out for being overseas…remember, most of those countries would have a fit if there was anything that could be considered a weapon. I also have a urban survival kit from serepick that has a lock pick set in it. I can always add to my basic load out as the requirements change. For instance…in Europe I am less concerned about potable water…on the other hand, in Africa it is my #1 concern.
Knife (at least 4 inch blade, folding, lockable)
Spare reading glasses (after 40 eyes went to pot for close up work)
S&W .40 with spare ammo
Steel 2qt water bottle with purification kit
First aid kit including matches/fire starter
Keep a list of “scrounge” locations for items not on list, junk yards, etc. amazing what you can get from a single abandoned car,or a complete pharmacy…
As to the lock pick…almost all buildings have windows. It is amazing how many people think they are safe in a home with windows. A brick, a club, shoot, a coat wrapped around a forearm and you are in.
1.My sping assist pocket knife.trueswords.com $10.00
2.Small LED flash light.Advanced Auto parts. $2.99
3.I’m a smoker.I carry 2 Bic lighters, 1 I use all the time,and a fresh new one for back up.My smokes make great tinder.
4.I have a case of water in my van,I use some.When I get down to 4 bottles I put in a new case.My van holds all the stuff I can’t carry with me,But I can get to it quick..
5.Springfield XD .45 Auto.13 in the clip+ 1 in the pipe,and 13 rounds for back up.
If you want to fight my.First you will feal my elbow cracking into your chest,as you fight to get that breath I just knocked out of you,my 45 will be in your face.Do you realy want to continue?
You need to keep day to day things with you.You should keep a bug out bag in your car/van/SUV. Good size duffle bag.Wal-Mart $10.00.
What to put init is up to you.I will tell you what I have in mine.
1.Army blanket
2.Fist-Aid kit
3.K-Bar knife
4.5 cans of soup
5.2 bottles of water.
6.Small flash light
7.2 power bars.
8.2 Bic lighters
9.2 packs of cigarettes
10.Shirt,pants,and socks
I know things that most people have no thought of.Just let people try and get into a Gander Mountain when it’s locked down.That place is like a fortress.A steal cage comes down,and locks into the floor.Good luck getting in.Your plans of getting a gun after the fallout are shot down.I don’t care about the guns in there.
All my guns use the same ammo that the Army and Police use.Dead Army guy or Police man.More bullets for me.LOL
Now after every one has tried to get into that Gander Mountain and failed.Let the dust clears,then find a Backhoe and rip the doors off the building.Fill shopping carts with ammo,guns,clothing,and hell take what you want.Load it all into a U-hall,and burn the place to the ground.LOL
One thing you’ll need but can’t just go out and buy is “Practical Experience”. How many people think they can just go to Gander Mountain and buy (or, apparently steal) whatever they need to survive?
How many people actually practice the skills they’d need in an emergency?
Reading it in a book, or even watching it on a DVD or YouTube will not do you any good if you don’t actually use the tools and get familiar with them? If you’re expecting to learn how to dress wild game and cook it when you really need it, I hope you’ve got lots of nice shiny and expensive gadgets. I’ll be collecting them off of your carcass after you’ve starved or frozen to death.
Hey there Dave,
I’ve been reading a lot of good stuff on here. I like to read and soak up new thoughts on survival issues but that aside, I’d like to mention something I haven’t seen anyone post yet. I sometimes try to come up with new things or ideas that would make my stay in the boondocks a little more comfortable without putting myself out much. Now in my grabbag I have all my clothing packed in plastic baggies and so forth but I went a step further. I never know while out in the woods when it may rain or the ground is wet from the rain or whatever reason things could get wet so I decided to spray down my rutt sack with that silicone spray, you know, the kind you spray on your leather boots. So I did that and I tried it out one day while it was raining (just to see how well it worked) and by golly it worked great. When I picked it up latter all the water just beaded off of it. I sprayed it all over including the underneath side especially. So I thought I’d just pass this on to those who might like to go a step further also.
I have already posted once today but I wanted to let everyone know another firemaking method I tried out. I seen this on ‘Dual Survival’ one night and I was skeptical about it but I thought it might be worth a try. I’m sure there are others on this site that seen the same thing.
It has to do with starting your fire with a flashlight lense, you know the chrome part. Like I said I was skeptical but sure enough it dose work. The key to it as I found out is that it has to be almost perfectly pointed at the sun. It took a little practice but it dose the trick OK. I stuffed some dry grass in the hole just like I seen it done on the show.
If anyone here had the chance to see Rudy Reyes(aka”Apopcalypse Man”) on the History Channel, He did someting amazing with a 9Volt battery and some old steel wool…..he created fire. Man, that blew me away. He showed how to utlize an old bicycle tire pump and extra hose to get diesel from a ground tank at an abandoned gas station which he used to star up the diesel generator at an abandoned hospital. This guy did some truly amazing things with stuff that was left behind. Kinda wished he had made more episodes. Really good and practical knowledge when all else fails.
You can polish the end of an aluminum can (soda type) with a bit of chocolate or fine mud and make a reflector which really will start a fire. Try it – some chocolate, a bit of cotton ball, some spit and patience. Polish polish polish. Use dry fine tinder. And the sun :}
in your experance has the kershaw vapor 2 a good out doors knife
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