Basic needs tools

[BENESSE]

do you plan on eating him later??? If so i have a recipe for long pig!

I'm a vegetarian...so no threat to pigs or other animals. But watch out dandelions!

[Beans]

One item for each need or one item for all the needs?

My one item for first aid would be a quart of JD. It cures anything that ails you. It is also the only one item first aid kit I now of.

I'll share it with Canid if we can drink it in the RV.

I am not sure a quart of JD would cure you, but after drink the quart you wouldn't care if you were cure or not.

[sthrnstrong]

fire- Ferrocerium rod
water- gallon jug
food- vitamins ( I will gather and hunt the rest)
shelter- Blue Tarp
First Aid- First Aid kit

[TheWoodsman]

Cool, looks good, i'd like to hear from more poeple to se if i'll change mine. Thanks

[TheWoodsman]

What are your takes, a fire piston verses a ferrocerium rod. Thanks

[crashdive123]

What are your takes, a fire piston verses a ferrocerium rod. Thanks

I prefer a ferrocerium rod. More reliable and less to go wrong. Additionally, more options on starting a fire with one.

[Batch]

What are your takes, a fire piston verses a ferrocerium rod. Thanks

What natural materials in you area have you used in your fire piston. I just have a feeling that too many people rely on char cloth and don't try natural materials in the areas they travel.

fire-ferro rod
water-container
food-knife
shelter-Hennessee Hammock
first aid-bandana
That is if we are supposed to choose only one item. If I can just say my truck, then I don't need five items.

But, like everyone else has said. Where am I? What am I doing? What are my objectives? How long is it going to take to achieve my objectives?

How about this, what is the very minimum you would need to accomplish each item in your environment right now.

Could you make fire with nothing but what is found natively in you area or where you camp?

Maybe in your area there are springs or other clean water sources. Down here I would find a solution hole or dig back from on the bank of water source and clarify it. With fire I could heat rocks and with palm frond stems set them in the hole to heat the water.

We have many edibles in our area. Because we a subtropical, some plants fruit year round. Fish are plentiful and there are traps and fishing methods that can be made by hand with out a knife. Obviously we can set traps for small animals as well. This is way down on the priority list though.

We have many, many vines that are suitable for shelter building. Down branches are easy enough to find and palm fronds make an excellent shelter. Longer term I am going to use cypress and build off of the ground a little. All much easier with tools. But, quite doable without.

First aid is a skill and not a kit. Knowledge of what local indians used is a good start. I go to places that have placards near boardwalks and photograph the plants that were used along with the placard. Then I can look at that photo album and then google and read about that plant. Then when I go out I look for a specific plant and try to learn as much as I can about it. Then when I get home I google it again and I find that each time I do that I learn something more on the plant.

I know none of us would go out without a first aid kit we feel comfortable with. Some sort of shelter from the elements. A reasonable number of calories for longer than we expect to be out. Adequate water and some means of water purification. I carry a Aquamira Frontier emergency water filter system in every kit or bag. Some Micropur MP 1 tablets. Quantity depending on the kit size. I carry a water proof windproof butane lighter, Bics, ferro rod, some kits contain mag rods or blocks. But, I don't use them much. I also carry my favorite man made tinder, petroleum jelly balls either in tin foil, in straws or in an empty airborne container.

[TheWoodsman]

thanks all

[Batch]

thanks all

I was trying to add to the conversation not end it. LOL

I wonder if people use natural tinder. I was also kind of hoping if people would share ways they had heard of people in their areas solving these problems. Also if they themselves had ever solved these problems with just what was found.

I see some folks can make fire with a bow drill or hand drill. Hard enough to learn as it is. But, what about with no knife. What about cordage. Most of us have made some sort of cordage. But, I have never used my cordage on a fire bow.

Sorry if I hijacked your thread. It wasn't my intent.

[canid]

well, i don't much like the premise, as i can't imagine any circumstance where i would have access to my preferential equipment/supplies, but somehow still be limited to one thing for each need. in addition, need changes dramatically with circumstance.

that said; here are some ideas:

fire: prepared tinder. if it's dry enough that carrying prepared tinder isn't all that helpfull, it'll be much easier to start fire in the first place. if it's too damp to reliably find it in the field; you're going to spend a lot of energy trynig to find, reach or dry it.

water: this one is a tough call. most of the things that make water procurement or treatment really handy are pretty limited, either in quantity (such as a supply of safe water itself, or a bottle of chemical treatment tablets) or quality (filter pumps can break at worst, or become quickly clogged at best, and it's faster the dirtier the water). in ether case, they don't last indefinitely, though the need for water will last the rest of your life. i am torn between two options: an initial supply of safe water itself, since some circumstances will not present an opportunity to find even unsafe water to treat, or a durable pot or kettle, which can both carry water and withstand the heat of boiling it.

food: i'm on the brinding low weight, low moisture, high caloric density foods with you bandwagon, since the available foods, and methods of procurement will be entirely dependant on circumstance. snare wire would be great, but i would not bet my life/health on it in quire the same way as i would a nice supply of summer sausage, jerky, flatbread, etc. fishing equipment is only so helpful if you find yourself in dry hills in the summer.

shelter: i like to go for versatility here. the two big items on this agenda are isolation [keeping elements such as heat robbing air movement or water, or heat elevating sun out] and insulation [keeping heat in]. there are many circumstances where only one will be necessary and there are others where you can't live or can't remain productive for long without both. in most elements i play in, isolation is the more important, and insulative materials are abundant in the field so i usually have at least a rain/wind fly. this is not much help in an extreme cold, vegetationaly barren environment.

first aid: this is a tough one. i suppose the one most likely to be life-saving in a serious injury or illness - assuming all other needs are at least minimally met - would be a broadly effective antibiotic such as doxycycline. in a more minor situation, it can be pulverized and prepared as a topical treatment for many minor wounds. in reality, the use of such an antibiotic often requires specialized knowlege and sometimes other accompanying medications. for example; it is an effective antimalarial, but on it's own it has delayed efficacy which necessitates a front line treatment first. first aid is quite complicated and there are no easy choices. sterile gauze or bandages might be the safe choice. hydrocodone is also a contender, since while it won't treat the injury or illness, it can very often mask enough symptoms to remain productive long enough to elevate your circumstances [would you want to fetch water on a compound fracture without it?]

in all; my overriding point is that there is no easy choice for most of these needs. you can't know the circumstances you'll be in before the emergency occurs, or at least not all of them. do you select the item you are most likely to find usefull, or the one most likely to save your life should the need arrive?

my conclusion is that you should only limit your preparedness for two reasons: that you can't obtian the resource in the first place or that such preparation is becoming prohibitive in itself.

[LowKey]

Would you take the stainless steal pot over a dutch oven as less likely to break?

[rwc1969]

...I see some folks can make fire with a bow drill or hand drill. Hard enough to learn as it is. But, what about with no knife. What about cordage. Most of us have made some sort of cordage. But, I have never used my cordage on a fire bow...

That's why I had knife and firesteel on my list.

My first ember with the bowdrill was using all natural materials cordage included, but it was mostly luck and I had a knife to cut and shape the wood.

You could substitute a knife easily with a sharp rock, piece of glass or the like, but it would take much longer and require more patience.

Natural plant cordage is great for tying things down or together, but it kind of sucks against heavy abrasion or friction.

I just tried to reconstruct my bow drill ember today and failed miserably after spending two hours making a thick piece of doubled over dogbane cordage.
Frustrating!

[canid]

i've never broken either. i would likely take a stainless or enameled pot over a dutch oven for weight consideration, but at the end of the day; i would take whatever was suitable from what was available.

i love cast iron cookware, but i love it less the more i have to carry it.

[hunter63]

well, i don't much like the premise, as i can't imagine any circumstance where i would have access to my preferential equipment/supplies, but somehow still be limited to one thing for each need. in addition, need changes dramatically with circumstance.

that said; here are some ideas:

fire: prepared tinder. if it's dry enough that carrying prepared tinder isn't all that helpfull, it'll be much easier to start fire in the first place. if it's too damp to reliably find it in the field; you're going to spend a lot of energy trynig to find, reach or dry it.

water: this one is a tough call. most of the things that make water procurement or treatment really handy are pretty limited, either in quantity (such as a supply of safe water itself, or a bottle of chemical treatment tablets) or quality (filter pumps can break at worst, or become quickly clogged at best, and it's faster the dirtier the water). in ether case, they don't last indefinitely, though the need for water will last the rest of your life. i am torn between two options: an initial supply of safe water itself, since some circumstances will not present an opportunity to find even unsafe water to treat, or a durable pot or kettle, which can both carry water and withstand the heat of boiling it.

food: i'm on the brinding low weight, low moisture, high caloric density foods with you bandwagon, since the available foods, and methods of procurement will be entirely dependant on circumstance. snare wire would be great, but i would not bet my life/health on it in quire the same way as i would a nice supply of summer sausage, jerky, flatbread, etc. fishing equipment is only so helpful if you find yourself in dry hills in the summer.

shelter: i like to go for versatility here. the two big items on this agenda are isolation [keeping elements such as heat robbing air movement or water, or heat elevating sun out] and insulation [keeping heat in]. there are many circumstances where only one will be necessary and there are others where you can't live or can't remain productive for long without both. in most elements i play in, isolation is the more important, and insulative materials are abundant in the field so i usually have at least a rain/wind fly. this is not much help in an extreme cold, vegetationaly barren environment.

first aid: this is a tough one. i suppose the one most likely to be life-saving in a serious injury or illness - assuming all other needs are at least minimally met - would be a broadly effective antibiotic such as doxycycline. in a more minor situation, it can be pulverized and prepared as a topical treatment for many minor wounds. in reality, the use of such an antibiotic often requires specialized knowlege and sometimes other accompanying medications. for example; it is an effective antimalarial, but on it's own it has delayed efficacy which necessitates a front line treatment first. first aid is quite complicated and there are no easy choices. sterile gauze or bandages might be the safe choice. hydrocodone is also a contender, since while it won't treat the injury or illness, it can very often mask enough symptoms to remain productive long enough to elevate your circumstances [would you want to fetch water on a compound fracture without it?]

in all; my overriding point is that there is no easy choice for most of these needs. you can't know the circumstances you'll be in before the emergency occurs, or at least not all of them. do you select the item you are most likely to find usefull, or the one most likely to save your life should the need arrive?

my conclusion is that you should only limit your preparedness for two reasons: that you can't obtian the resource in the first place or that such preparation is becoming prohibitive in itself.

Well said, good post.

I guess I don't buy into the, "only one of"? If you have time to chose, why only one?
Intresting answers but, a limit of "one of" not really realistic.

[Asger]

1. Fire- Fire steel with knife
2. Water- Military cup to boil water for pine tea and stew in (http://www.raymears.com/Bushcraft_Pr...-Crusader-Cup/ like this one)
3. Food- Stew with lamb, potatoes and local greens
4. Shelter- Cold climate sleeping bag
5. First aid- Klorhexedin (Anti infection)

My local forrest is rather big, there are many different trees, the most 'important' would be birch and pine. I have been able to start a fire many times with birch bark, and with pine i could make tea and water proof shelter, which is why i chose a sleeping bag that can hold me warm. A stew is a great meal, it will keep you warm, it tastes great, and theres lots of nutrition in it. I would cook my stew and tea in that cup, since the handle doesn't get very warm, but it has worked great for me many times for making coffee.
Last, but not least, i chose klorhexedin for first aid, because an infection is the last thing you need in the woods.

If i were to survive in my local woods, it would be something like this (Say, i set up camp at 17:00, and it turns dark at 18:30):
1. Gather pine branches, moss and other isolating material for my debris shelter.
2. Gather birch bark, small dry twigs, and medium sized wood, so i can light my fire easily.
3. I would build my shelter first, and make sure its damn warm.
4. Find some quick running water, fill my container, and try to find a hallow wood for carrying further amounts.
5. I would find all the fire wood i need. (I would use a small fire on some stones inside the shelter to keep me warm.)
6. Light the fire, and boil my stew.
7. Find a long branch, make out of a speer of it, for self defence. (No predators around here, but should i meet a bad guy, that might scare him off.
8. Crawl inside my sleeping bag and get some sleep.
9. Wake up, make pinetea.
10. Clear the camp, so i don't bother the wild life nearby.
11. Navigate my way out.