Posted on 11/04/2009 8:11:03 AM PST by ChocChipCookie
I've read dozens, and I mean dozens, of lists telling me everything I need to have with me to survive. Usually there are no surprises. I know a flashlight, pocket knife, and water are musts, but every now and then I come across something that makes me say, "a-ha!" Here are thirteen of my favorites.
Lightsticks. You can pick up one of these every time you wander into a Home Depot. They don't need batteries and can be hung around the neck with a string making it easier to spot everyone in your party when it gets dark.
Wool socks and sweaters. People have literally frozen to death wearing their layers of cotton knit tees and hoodies. For true survival conditions, nothing beats wool.
Upholstery needles and thread. What if a sleeping bag or tent rips and you have no way of mending it?
Roll of quarters. Handy for phone calls, but if you put it in a sock and wield it like a sling, you have a handy-dandy weapon!
Pencils. Forget the pens. They can run out of ink and freeze in cold weather. With a pocket knife, you'll always have a sharp pencil.
Super glue. Professional hockey players always have this on hand to seal up small cuts, and the glue itself is harmless. Unless you get it in your eye, like I did. But that's a story for a different type of post!
Rubber bands. String just doesn't cut it when what you really need is a rubber band.
Tampons in a cardboard tube. Did you know a tampon can be fit snugly into a bullet wound? Guys on the battlefield carry these with them. Honest! I've also heard they're good for kindling.
Paracord belt. It's an accessory and survival tool in one!
Waterproof wrist watch. Makes perfect sense. I had just never thought of it.
Animal repellant trash bags. Use these when you're camping and animals will stay the heck away from your trash.
Safety pins.
Dental floss. Besides helping to keep your teeth clean, I've heard it makes sturdy thread for mending.
What have I missed?
When was the last time anyone saw a payphone?
Add Det Cord to that...many uses...including entertainment.
Though knife sharpener is handy, its just added weight, and something to keep track of. There are plenty of flat stones that can do the trick. (unless of course, you’ve never sharpened a knife with a sharpening stone or regular stone)
They'll buy you things like a gallon of gas or bullets, should the fiat currency go worthless.
I’m not Magyver! How to you make a compass from a watch?
In an emergency, rave parties should be among the last things on the list.
Ping
Necessity is the mother of invention. Just ask Macguyver.
Antibiotics
It's sorta like a negative sundial...
I have a friend who gave me something called a head sock. Sort of a neck gator/hood combo. Unless worn at 0 or below, that would cause my core temp to overheat in just minutes. Works great for EXTREME weather conditions.
A watch makes a handy light when stumbling around in pitch black conditions. It can be used as a compass when the sun is out. It can give you an idea how much longer before sunrise or when it’s your turn to sleep. You may even want to celebrate your birthday after the the zombies have taken over the world, it’s hard to keep track of the days when you are in the field.
If it were a roll of silver quarters, it may have some barter value.
:)
Wow, got some crankiness here. The title of the thread was “13 Survival Must-Haves You May Not Have Thought Of”......key words......May NOT HAVE THOUGHT OF.
Everybody has ideas on what to pack in your supplies, but it’s a great idea to talk about the stuff that you may have not thought of or have forgotten.
Hey, pimp your blog all you want. I’ve visited before and you’ve got some great info.
Wow, got some crankiness here. The title of the thread was “13 Survival Must-Haves You May Not Have Thought Of”......key words......May NOT HAVE THOUGHT OF.
Everybody has ideas on what to pack in your supplies, but it’s a great idea to talk about the stuff that you may have not thought of or have forgotten.
Hey, pimp your blog all you want. I’ve visited before and you’ve got some great info.
Actually, a wool sweater would still be good. Its not always going to be warm. Especially after night fall. If you’ve been in warm weather all day, and temp drops to 80 at night, it can feel cold. Add wetness to that, and it can be worse. Thousands of people die of exposure even in warm weather. Never take the environment lightly.
Hand charged flashlight.
Prepaid phone card.
Cliff bars or other meal bars.
How about the right stuff? I'm going to start by disagreeing with your first item. Lightsticks are OK for once-in-a-while use. They can freeze, and not work. They are expensive. They are one-time use, and they degrade with age. I used them extensively in the Air Force while doing equipment setup after dark and in a hurry, and they do have advantages over a flashlight, especially if you have a relatively large budget, but for long-term use, they are not really practical. If your survival situation is one or two days, maybe. A week or longer, get a rechargable-battery lamp with a built-in dynamo to recharge it. Or a 12VDC bicycle generator.
Add bicycles to your list, as well.
Also guns, ammo, and training in their care and use.
WRM, MSgt, USAF(Ret.)
The rest of the list is pretty good.
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