Survival kits info.

[mbarnatl]

Here is my personal opinion/review of R/Rick's kits.

[Sarge47]

Here is my personal opinion/review of R/Rick's kits.

Very good reporting!

[Sarge47]

OK, not to "diss" R.R., but there is, what I view in my opinion, as a "down-side" to his little survival kits. 1st, however, I truly believe that any of his kits would be better in a real "Survival Situation" than no gear at all. IF, and that's a big "IF", I were to carry one I would never, ever carry it around my neck. Mbarnatl has linked a site that shows how the saw cuts through the plastic tubing. Think about it. You've used the necklace for awhile and the saw has cut through a significant portion of the tubing. as you walk through the woods you "mis-step", you're foot slipping down a 15' gourge, with you following. You probably would be OK if your necklace hadn't hung up on a tree limb right before you fell. The necklace doesn't break, instead it cuts right through your neck. i would probably carry the stuff in an Altoids tin in my BDU pocket. That is if I carried it at all. Compass experts always tell you to carry a compass with a maximum of two degrees per tick mark on the compass dial. Those "cute" little button compasses that look like they came out of a box of "Cracker-Jacks" just ain't gonna cut it. The best they can do, if they're reliable at all, is to point North. There are many ways to find North that don't even require a compass. Add to that the fact that you should always carry a Topo map of the area you're going to be traveling in and you're ahead of the game. (BTW, raise your hand if, like me, you already have Topo maps of any two counties that surround your home.) Forget that "Dog-tag" blade; too tricky to handle if your hands aren't able to grasp things normally. I suppose this is all "in the eye of the beholder". And any "Ranger Rick Groupie" will probably swear by his stuff, while others will swear AT it. The point is that, according to other experts like Dr. Ron Hood, Cody Lundin, John D. McCann, J. Wayne Fears, just to name a few, you're a lot better off making your own. I think that The Ranger's best product is probably his manuals. I haven't read any of them yet, nor have I read the "Ranger Handbook" to see if that's where the material originated. but, keeping an open mind I will check that all out at the 1st opportunity.

[Ole WV Coot]

Sure wished you had endorsed that FINE???? equipment. I spent an hour or so going thru my junk drawer in the workshop making a dozen of those kits. NOW thanks to you I probably can't sell them on E-Bay. I sure could have used that extra $20. I was counting on.

[Beo]

I have come to the conclusion that it all boils down to personal preference, while I don't like the survival necklace personally others might, I like the key chain option better. It does have some flaws but show me a survival product that cover every single situation. I pack really lite going into the woods, everything fits into my snapsack and cross slung on my back. Of course the Survival Necklace would be better than nothing if that's all one has, and that is what its for emergencies. I have done a ton of reading by people and sites that rated the necklace and all said it was worth the money and (like all survival products) can be fitted to each individual. I apolgized to RR for my remarks because I was wrong in calling him dufis, actually he has made a good living using the skill he was taught and that he taught to others. Kudos to him I never thought of it (damn) that makes him pretty smart. I would make the wire saw capable of coming out of the sheath instead of cutting through it. I would put a better knife on it other than that I would leave it alone. Now many of you will say "why is Beowulf65 backsliding on what he said" well the answer is simple.
I gave an opinion on a product I had never tested myself, now since my neighbor and good friend has one we put it to the test and it seemed to work pretty well. The wiresaw cut through a two inch branch in pretty quick time and the wiresaw did not break on us, once through the plastic it may cut your neck but who would put a bare wiresaw back around their neck anyway.
The whiste glowed in the dark and was easy to find and the sound had a good range although I found the squeal to be spine racking for me (but that's just my hearing) although I would use it to signal help if it were in sight. The signal mirror worked well once we caught the light, the knife I just don't like (but for the price of the necklace you can't beat it, great price) the spark striker lit our tinder quickly and gave a good shower of sparks. Overall the necklace is pretty good in a pinch, and real good for day hikes, I would probably carry it in a pocket but that's just me. I put a better compass together but then again this compass is better than no compass. It did find north for us.
This just my opinion on the necklace, after testing it with a friend who had it for a year and had never used it and we tested it at night. So on this product I was... damn here I gotta say it again... I was wrong, it works fairly well. Sure we could all probably find the pieces somewhere in our homes but let not forget people buy these for handy quick survival options and some people who don't have survival skills can use them with a fair amount of ease.
Beo,
P.S. The manuals all got real good ratings on the web from companie and people that have read them. I haven't but was told the info was also in the Ranger Handbook along with even more info, while I have a Ranger Handbook I don't have any of the RR manuals.
"Also after reading the history of Rick Tscherne known as Ranger Rick I have to say he is a most impressive Ranger and survivalist. So to him I do owe an apology for the remarks" I meant this, his record is very impresive, so "Lead the Way Ranger Rick" and "fight on to the Ranger objective and complete the mission, though you be the lone survivor."

[Rick]

Beo - It's a wise man that can look back at his tracks and realize he has taken the wrong trail.

[Stealth]

it still doesnt change RRs way of handling the situation though...

[Beo]

True, but I was just doing right by me. Made me feel better to be able say I tested the product and this is what I found out, right or wrong that I was. It was for my piece of mind.

[Proud American]

Thaks Beo,
I guess I ow him a apolagy to. By the way Beo wered you find the read on RR.

[Beo]

Just googled reviews of his necklace.

[Sarge47]

My thinking is that it's just too bad it took "negative press" to bring "RR" to our forum. I would like to think that he would have been more interested in helping people here learn about Survival. Still, we could probably e-mail him if we need to know of any good ski resorts in the Alps.

[mbarnatl]

The point is that, according to other experts like Dr. Ron Hood, Cody Lundin, John D. McCann, J. Wayne Fears, just to name a few, you're a lot better off making your own.

You are correct on this, but ... I see people hiking and geocaching all the time without any survival kits. They go out with a bottle of water, a cell phone, gps, i-pods, maybe carry a stick they picked up. I would rather see them at least carry a RR kit than no survival kit at all... agree? If they know how to use it is a different thing.

[Sarge47]

You are correct on this, but ... I see people hiking and geocaching all the time without any survival kits. They go out with a bottle of water, a cell phone, gps, i-pods, maybe carry a stick they picked up. I would rather see them at least carry a RR kit than no survival kit at all... agree? If they know how to use it is a different thing.

As I posted earlier, it's better than no Survival kit at all. Plus you make an excellent point about "knowing how to use it". If they never had any training or skill sharpening they could be in a world of hurt.

[Smok]

Well , well I,m gone a couple days and look what you guys have gone and done .I started this poast about RR becouse I liked he's gear and I thought you would too and you go and make him mad .my my ,Bad Dogs, Bad Dogs no bisket LOL LOL

[Nativedude]

". . .I would rather see them at least carry a RR kit than no survival kit at all. . .agree? If they know how to use it is a different thing."

Carrying a survival kit that you do not how to use, is just as dangerous as not having one at all!

[Sarge47]

I ressurected this old thread on "Survival Lists"; check out the cool "Survival Vehicle" on the 1st page.(scroll down) I've got a lot of "Lists" of things you can include in any SK, particularly from Paul Tarwell's 1st book: "Camping &
Wilderness Survival". However, while looking for info on "Fuzz- sticks" I came across this in my copy of the 1984 Boy Scout Field Book. It dedicated a whole chapter to Survival and this is what it suggested for a Boy Scout SK:

1.) Rescue Blanket; (I'd use the "All-Weather Sportsdman's Blanket by MPI.)
2.) 50' of nylon cord; (I'd make that 550 cord.)
3.) Hard candy, chocolate, meat bar; (I'd sub a full MRE.)
4.) Matches, Metal match, & 0000 Steel wool;(I'd add my flint & steel &/or my
Magnesium/flint block.
5.) Candle/fire starters.
6.) Plastic Whistle;(Fox 40, my choice.)
7.) Small glass signal mirror;(BSA has a "steel" mirror quite low-cost, but the
"Starflash" would be my choice.)
8.) Pen light with spare batteries.(maybe a "Beta" light?)
9.) Small, sharp pocketknife;(Swiss Army is what I'd go with.)
10.) Metal cup or plastic water bottle;(Nalgene bottle and a canteen cup.)
11.) Water purification tablets.
12.) Plastic sheet or an emergency shelter; (How about Duct Tape and some
55 gal. trash bags?)

Kinda skimpy, but would do in a pinch. Any thoughts?

[trax]

I Am From Saskatchewan And It Is Spelled-s A S K A T C H E W A N And Don't Say- Saskatchewaaan- Say It As- Saaskatchewin!

oh yeah, Saskatchewan, hard to spell....easy to draw

[Rick]

I just say up north. To danged hard to spell.

[Rick]

I don't want to get all hung up on semantics but aren't we talking about a Bug Out Bag rather than a survival kit? I mean, my survival kit is itty bitty but my BOB is wedged into the back of the semi.

The only reason I mention it is because some of the less experienced folks on here might not understand the difference. If I'm pickin' fly poo out of the pepper, I'll go back to sleep.

And here's another question. It's all fine and dandy to have a BOB on the stand by but what is your better half and kiddies gonna do? I don't see anything relative to them on the post. And how about Bowser, Kitty, and Silver? What have you got in store for them? Answer me that one....

[Borelli]

the basics always start with a knife, a whistle, and ussually a flint or matches