This is a good thread and thanks for bringing it up WE.
I think I've found a scientific solution to ensure redundancy is not overly redundant.
My redundancy equation!
(Weight plus space minus need) minus (likelyhood of failing divided or multiplied by chance or luck)= redundancy, or something along those lines. LOL! Redundancy should be zero or a negative #.
I don't have a lot of caches or BOBs, but...
I do carry several lighters in the car, cuz they can fail and I need fire at all times. Sometimes if I'm going for a long walk I'll carry two lighters with me.
(Very little weight and space minus a high need= 0) minus (high likelyhood of failing times bad luck= 10)=redundancy. 0 minus 10 = -10, so redundancy is a negative # which means carry as many as I can, probably 10.
Actually there is no real # equation, it's just a matter of how much does it weigh or how much space does it take up, how bad do I need it and how likely is it I will need another.
If I go hunting or fishing and it's a must do scenario I carry tools with me to fix my gun or reel incase it falls apart or jams, etc. It rarely does but I've been stuck up ****s creek before and don't wanna be there again.
When I had my canoe I carried two paddles or two batteries for the trolling motor+ 2 paddles. Once, I got racing up a creek to evade a lightning storm, swamp on both sides of me and in my haste I lost my paddle. i was literally up ****s creek without a paddle in a metal boat and a lightning storm. Then I got a trolling motor and a paddle. Motored way down the river and started back up, motor died and I was left to paddle miles up a pretty strong current, thru several rapids,it wasn't fun.
Every tool box I have has a knife in it. My tackle boxes all have knives and a multitool. My gun box the same, my car the same. I used to take a punch, phillips and flathead when I went hunting to strip my gun if needed, now I can do it all with a pocketknife. Wittle a punch, use a rock to drive out the pins and the pocketknife can be used as a flathead or phillips in a pinch. I still like to carry a phillips for my reels. The punch, lil hammer and flathead were overly redundant.
When I go shroomin I carry multiple bags. Will I need them all? i don't know, but one of my best shroom hunts I lost my only bag before the hunt began. I won't let that happen again. All the shrooms wouldn't fit in my shirt and I lost half of em on the long walk out
My redundancy is fire and knives and whatever else I can't live without. if it is crucial to my success I use redundancy. If I take the GPS or flashlight I take extra batteries with me and a compass and I maintain my direction in my head. Overly redundant?, hell no! I should have another compass and a map, and sometimes do. The stuff takes up almost zero space.
If I were planning a long hike I'd have extra socks, boots and shoes, because I can't live without my feet. they take up a lot of space and weight, but I may need them dearly.
I keep an extra coat in the car along with other stuff. I carry way too much stuff in the car, stuff I haven't needed in years, but it don't matter cuz the extra space and weight ain't a problem. Is it overly redundant? No! because the one time in 5 years I need one of those items I need them dearly. Or else I'm walking, maybe in the cold or rain, maybe on a busy freeway in the dark at 2:15 am. Who knows? but, I do know I don't want to be walking down I-75 in the dark, in the rain and cold wearing a dark blue flannel. It's much easier having tools to fix the problem, a gas can, a flashlight, extra batts and a bright yellow raincoat.... And a knife incase Dan Akroyd picks me up hitch hiking and asks me "you wanna see something really scary?" or visa versa http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPlp-WK0XBo
If I had caches they would all have knives, boots, socks, shoes, fire making stuff and whatever else I thought I may need and wouldn't want to live without.
when I made up my 2 week BOB I had all kinds of redundant stuff. After thinking things thru I was able to cut the bag down from 75 lbs. to 35 or 40. That much more room for food, water, etc. Carrying a lantern, heater, stove top, water and propane was a redundancy I didn't need. I can cook over fire and make wilderness lanterns/ torches. All I need is a knife, containers and firestarter. I can get wilderness heat, but not inside the tent, so I'm still on the fence about the heater. Where I live It's not a need, but a comfort factor.
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