View Full Version : Walking in the woods - don't die...
Prompted by this thread:
http://www.simplelivingforum.net/showthread.php?7151-Tragedy-on-Missouri-trail
To avoid death, here's the wee pack I grab whenever I'm going for a hike/run/dog walk through the woods here in the Pacific NW. Total weight is 8 1/4 pounds without water in the bottle(s), or lunch thrown in:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-eSHLwxQV8VU/UPXm8Eq0rjI/AAAAAAAAHI0/-XQzohdunbs/s640/IMG_1373.JPG
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-5MGuxmGpnik/UPXmw4bDH_I/AAAAAAAAHI8/dr2SOwS9vyk/s640/IMG_1374.JPG
Now, from the outside pockets to the inside:
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-G_xrOihU8c8/UPXmkY9CaCI/AAAAAAAAHIU/yjbG6nkPvLI/s640/IMG_1375.JPG
Metal water bottle and cup. Can be turned into an expedient cooking setup without much trouble.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-p8sAz7wNyRs/UPXmNwI1RjI/AAAAAAAAHIE/RhCTI-ULTWg/s640/IMG_1377.JPG
Outer compartment: (clockwise) gloves, headlamp, fatwood sticks for tinder, fire steel/magnesium block/tinder, binoculars, Mora knife, Condor multi-wrap (hat/neck warmer/bandana - many uses)
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-IWUo9LTmPu8/UPXlpvuaXBI/AAAAAAAAHHs/lb-ieVI0ZAg/s640/IMG_1380.JPG
Inside compartment: (clockwise) hat, bright orange 550 cord, compass, whistle, signal mirror, axe, medical kit, emergency bivy shelter, wind/waterproof parka
I am thinking that this would be useful for just about any time, especially when I have that long drive to my daughter's.
I already have some stuff in the car. It all fits in a medium tote, except for the litter.
gloves
those silvery space blankets, 2
matches
candles
compass (on dashboard)
thermal blanket
fluorescent orange fabric, ripstop nylon, two yards
scissors
knife, multipurpose
canned nuts
bag of dried fruit
granola bars
cat litter
flashlight and extra batteries
a box of lightsticks
first aid kit
plastic drop cloths, the light-weight ones, 9x12, 2
Blackdog Lin
1-15-13, 9:39pm
Nice kits, both of you.
Preppers get looked upon as crazies.....but we know, don't we, that having some supplies always on hand can make all the difference? It's just common sense.
Super posts, Bae and Jilly!
Whether we go out berry-picking, for a hike, fishing, or whatever, my husband ALWAYS carries-along a small day-pack with emergency/necessary items (like yours).
Another thing my husband did with all our boys, is take them out into the wilderness and hand them one match to start a fire. He'd play on the single match idea, telling them "one match was all they had", then he'd get them to try and start a fire.
When they failed (and they did), he showed them what to do and how to do it, what types of twigs and things to gather, how to find pitch on a tree, and where to look to collect a few ribbons of Birch bark.
He also taught them how to set-up camp, what sorts of warm natural plants (ferns, etc) to use, and how to make a basic covered shelter.
Where I live it is just for the bad winters and if I should get stuck anywhere on the road, any time of year.
When my daughter was young, we went on a day trip along with a friend and her son. The car broke down on the highway, not near to anyplace. All I had was a blanket in the car. I walked a half mile through a snow storm to a gas station, called home and my ex would not come to fetch us. I then called a fellow teacher and she and her husband came.
In the meantime, that one blanket was not helping much and when the local police happened by they took my friend and the kids to the station and I stayed in the car so that my other friends would not get to the car and wonder where we all were. I am so stupid, and I guess the police too, that I did not think of putting a note on the side window, but when the police came back to check on me I went with them, leaving a note. Lordy.
Anyway, that experience taught me to be prepared as much as possible. Now that I have a cell phone, calling for help would be much easier.
I also keep a GPS in the car in case I get lost or there is construction or something.
As for prepping, my daughter and her family are doing that in a very serious way. I think of it as them having a really big pantry.
Gardenarian
1-16-13, 4:10pm
Thanks for postin, folks. I have a hard time getting dd to even carry a poncho and space blanket. (The knife and hat are non-negotiable.)
13, and she thinks she's immortal. I guess I did too.
Fir you "space blanket" fans, I recommend you take one it on a cold, damp, windy night, and see how well they work...
Then once you've learned, update to something at costs just a few dollars more, and weighs only a teeny bit more, that actually holds together in the wind and performs.
I always thought that I would use them underneath me, whether it be in the car or stuck out somewhere. So, they are not good for that either, I am guessing.
What is the update thing?
Nice pack bae. A good precaution to have in the trunk, or on a hike.
When hearing of this sad story of the father and his young sons, the news people kept saying 'he was an experienced hiker' and all I could think of was, no, no he wasn't.
Well done bae. Ours are very similar. Substitute the knife for a Buck Folding Hunter (in the case on my belt) and the axe for a folding saw and you pretty much have mine. I loved seeing your headlamp and whistle. I made the kids wear a whistle if they were going more than 20 feet from the house when they were growing up in the mountians. We still carry them. I swapped out the flashlights and added headlamps a few years back. So handy to have both hands available when you need them.
My husband also packs a medium-sized Pruning Saw in his pack. An invaluable and lightweight addition to any outdoorsmans day-pack.
Fir you "space blanket" fans, I recommend you take one it on a cold, damp, windy night, and see how well they work...
Then once you've learned, update to something at costs just a few dollars more, and weighs only a teeny bit more, that actually holds together in the wind and performs.
Ha! Remember, I take an occasional walk in the park. In the daytime. Who knows why there's one in my back pack.
I have thought they would make excellent cat bed liners, to reflect heat and provide that satisfying crackling sound.
Miss Cellane
1-16-13, 10:58pm
Ha! Remember, I take an occasional walk in the park. In the daytime. Who knows why there's one in my back pack.
I have thought they would make excellent cat bed liners, to reflect heat and provide that satisfying crackling sound.
Veering off topic here, but the most favorite cat bed in my house is actually a dog crate liner. It has a special zipper compartment for a space blanket type thing that reflects the pet's body heat back at them. The only time my two cats would consent to sleep anywhere near each other was on a cold day, on that cat bed. And yes, it crinkles.
Veering off topic here, but the most favorite cat bed in my house is actually a dog crate liner. It has a special zipper compartment for a space blanket type thing that reflects the pet's body heat back at them. The only time my two cats would consent to sleep anywhere near each other was on a cold day, on that cat bed. And yes, it crinkles.
And here I thought I had an original idea for once. Oh well...
Bae. DH asked if you cut your own Fatwood?
Bae. DH asked if you cut your own Fatwood?
The local pines don't often seem to produce it of any quality, alas - the trees grow tall and straight, and don't suffer enough wind damage to produce even nice knots - when the wind blows hard here, it takes the whole tree down. Now and then I stumble across a suitable chunk, and make use of it, but it is rare. I got this last batch from a fellow in Oregon :-(
I just love the ability to get a fire going nearly instantly in any weather condition, and this method is less messy than most to carry around.
My husband also packs a medium-sized Pruning Saw in his pack. An invaluable and lightweight addition to any outdoorsmans day-pack.
Yes, those are excellent tools these days. The quality-to-price ratio is great, and for many tasks they are better and safer than an axe. I was tempted to throw one in, but I was trying to keep this minimal. I usually keep one in my pocket when I'm out around the property - I really like the Bahco Laplander, and the Silkys are nice too.
Thanks, Bae. I'll let him know. After you posted this thread, DH began hunting around on the internet for Fatwood sources.
P.S. Thanks for the inside info on Pruning saws (brand names)! I don't know what brand name his are, but he packs one in his hunting-pack, too. He swears by them.
Thanks, Bae. I'll let him know. After you posted this thread, DH began hunting around on the internet for Fatwood sources.
These are the folks I used. Super friendly and good customer service, nice prices.
http://www.greatgreenapple.com/hearth/fatwood/
Oh, wow! Thanks, Bae! He'll be thrilled!
Bae. What is your opinion on red strike-flares/fusees in an emergency/day-pack?
Hey...Bae...I still would really like to know what the upgrade on the space blankets might be. :)
Bae. What is your opinion on red strike-flares/fusees in an emergency/day-pack?
I carry some of these (or similar) if I am doing more than just hiking in my familiar woods around here, not for fire-starting, but for signalling, especially if I'm off on one of the smaller uninhabited islands:
http://www.orionsignals.com/components/com_aishop/images/products/363.jpg
Hey...Bae...I still would really like to know what the upgrade on the space blankets might be. :)
I've had good luck with this one, and some of their other products (like their "emergency bivy"):
http://www.adventuremedicalkits.com/images/products/147.jpg
http://www.adventuremedicalkits.com/product.php?product=147
Another little tip is to carry some very tightly bunched up cotton pads (or cotton tampons talked about in another thread) soaked in rubbing alcohol in a sealed container. They can be used to start a fire or fend off infections and can help purify water by acting as both a sieve and an anti-bacterial agent. Plus it takes up very little space. I also carry a few GU packets for a sugar blast as well as a portable (and very tiny) water pump. Also iodine tablets. Because I do trail running, I have to have things down to just the bare basics to keep weight down (but still need to carry lots of water) so even a small pack won't work for me, but as long as I remember to bring my "survival" fanny pack with me (which I often don't :-)!) then I'd do OK for a day or two. I was reading about a guy who got lost for 9 days on a multi-day trail run (ultra marathon - Marathon Des Sables) in North Africa (Sahara) and used a piece of mesh he had for something (jacket? face shield? tent?) to capture bats to eat and drink their blood (and his own urine) when he ran out of water (blech!!). He survived and did the race again the year after but probably had to get a few rabies shots.
The story of the family is so very sad..and scary. There but for the grace of God....I don't consider myself foolish or dumb, but I did the exact same thing once. Went on a long, multi-mile trail, but my friend and I packed only a picnic lunch and water bottle since we planned to walk only a short trail and loop back after a mile or 2. Guess we were talking too much and not paying attention. Missed the turn-off. Kept walking and walking the trail till it got dark. Spent the night along the trail, walked out the next morning. It didn't rain or freeze that night; otherwise we might have ended just like this family. Thanks for the words of advice, bae.
Thanks for weighing-in on this, Bae.
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