Off subject a bit, but related.
Those wire saws are pretty useless. The
Pocket Chainsaw is lightweight (shipping weight is 4.8 ounces) and just works.
Sportsman Pocket Chainsaw - Best Survival Saw 2015 (YouTube 1:00Min)
I keep one on my belt when working on the upper 6 acres of woodland. One of the best inventions made for keeping the trail clear.
Everyone in my family has a backpack in their car. Just replaced the Mountain House FD food in each of them. We call them Get Home Bags (GOB). Each bag is set up to hit the trail tomorrow (just like backpacking) and get home.
Anyone with an emergency bag can easily test them out on the trail. Take a long weekend and just do it. You will learn quickly what works and what doesn't. A good reference for hikers has been
The Complete Walker IV. It is a bit granola like, however an excellent reference.
The most important attitude to have when setting up a bag is to get light weight. Cut down every ounce you can. I knew people years ago who would cut their wood matches in half. Some people are very OCD about it.
Just a few thoughts. YMMV.
Thanks. I'll have to check out the Pocket Chainsaw. Yes, those rope saws break and are pretty useless. I had one in my personal survival kit when I was an Air Force pilot. I used it on a trial basis twice, and both times they snapped.
Here are a few good items you can purchase on-line that I have found to be good products:
A Blast Match firestarter - sparks five times hotter than a lighter or regular match.
A cutlass Ka Bar machete - cuts through things with great efficiency and stays sharp, amazing quality.
5 gallon collapsible water containers.
Water purification tablets.
A good head lamp.
