Ain't no Bear gonna get MY backpack!
I work in the Department of Redundancy Department. Every year, at Christmas and Birthday times, I tell my wife and kids, "A man can't have too many knives or flashlights."
I carry multiples of: fire-starting means; knives; and, light sources. Why? They're VERY useful...they can get lost...they can get broken...they can be small, attractive barter items...they can be shared as merciful gifts to someone in need.
This post is not about a full-blown B.O.B. Rather, it's just one example (my humble example) of what an E.D.C "Survival" kit can/might look like. It's broken into three parts: the pant pockets kit; the belt kit; and, the cargo pocket (or jacket/vest pocket) kit.
The main idea here is to carry items that will add efficiency to a survival effort, relying on experience/knowledge/skills to: find or create shelter; to harvest kindling and fuel wood; to scavange or fabricate a container in which to carry and boil water; to scavange, forage, or hunt/fish for food.
Pant Pockets Kit:
In the left pant pocket I have a CRKT spring-assisted TRIUMPH; and, folding money clipped with a CRKT K.I.S.S. knife.
In the right pant pocket I have a Victorinox Trekker and my key ring. On the key ring (aside from keys) are the following:
- Victorinox Officer Suisse
- Firesteel.com firesteel tube
- Peanut lighter
- P-38 can opener
- INOVA LED flashlight
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7225/7...21cde88864.jpg
Pant Pocket Kit 01 by tjwilhelm148149, on Flickr
Belt Kit:
On my belt I carry: my 37-year old Buck 110 Folding Hunter; a Fenix LD20 LED flashlight (205 lumens powered by two AA cells!); and, a Leatherman Wave in the standard cordova sheath. Also in the Wave sheath are:
- a stick of soft magnesium, on the left, to be scraped for tinder
- a Firesteel.com firesteel rod, on the right, for fire ignition
- a carbide scraper, stored in the front pocket of the sheath
- a tight-twisted jute lanyard that can be fluffed for tinder
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7080/7...5ee0ef28dc.jpg
Belt Kit 01 by tjwilhelm148149, on Flickr
Cargo Pocket Kit:
This kit is contained in a "baby soda bottle" -- the injection-molded blank from which a 2-liter soda bottle is blow-molded. It's kind of like a large, unbreakable test tube, with a standard screw on cap. I wrapped the outside of the tube with multiple layers of: 550-paracord (cordage); jute twine (cordage and tinder); and Gorilla-brand duct tape (for repairing anything and everything, of course!). Wrapped in with the paracord is an INOVA LED flashlight. There are also a half-dozen rubber bands that can be used for rubber bandy things.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8004/7...0019a94845.jpg
Cargo Pocket Kit 01 by tjwilhelm148149, on Flickr
When the tube is held vertically in the hand, and the cap is removed, the first thing on top is a liquid-filled button compass.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7212/7...a2fd1f9ff8.jpg
Cargo Pocket Kit 02 by tjwilhelm148149, on Flickr
Inside the tube, under the compass, are:
- a small ziplock bag containing vaseline soaked cotton balls
- a standard sewing bobbin wound with 10# spider wire for snares or fishing line
- a Firesteel.com ferrocerium rod
- a P-38 can opener
- a small, folding razor blade
- a small, folding saw blade
- two fish hooks and two "fly" hooks
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7075/7...696c15bcc4.jpg
Cargo Pocket Kit 03 by tjwilhelm148149, on Flickr
...and that's all I have to say about that...