I picked up a new lid for a one quart Nalgene bottle that has a compass built into it. The lid is made by Nalgene and the compass by Brunton (the compass is labled with both company's names - a pretty good partnership in my opinion). The compass is fairly basic but has a rotatable, graduated ring.

I already carry a Silva compass but this seemed like an easy way to carry two. Combined with the cup nested on the bottom of the Nalgene bottle (purchased from Campmoor) I have the start of a "quart-bottle survival kit" (maybe for inclusion in my BOB). A PREMAC water filter looks like it might fit inside - does anyone have experience with these?

I'll experiment with it a bit and report back what I come up with. Any other suggestions are welcome.

Terry

I too am experimenting with a Nalgene bottle survival kit
Here's the contents list. Any suggestions ?

1. 32 oz lexan colored nalgene bottle
2. Olicamp space saver cup to fit bottom

Cutting Implements
3. Atlas SAK lock blade with saw, file, awl, pliers etc
maybe a small scalpel blade/ shapening stone

Signalling / Orientation
4. ACME tornado whistle
5. Princeton Tec Pulsar II led
6. Suunto Clipper Compass
7. 2x3 signal mirror

Repairs
8 sewing kit with 1 large needle, 1 small needle 10 safety pins
9 Duct tape - flat roll (dunno length)

Fire
10. Coghlan's emergency tinder kit(permanant match with 8 waterproof tinder cubes)
11. 2 tea lights
12. 1 disposable lighter
13. 1 box storm matches

Food
14. 10 assorted fish hooks, 5 swivels , 20 split shot, 30m braided fishing line 40lb test, 10m leader line 20lb test
15. 30 water purification tabs (aqua tabs)
16. 20 feet stainless wire
17. 2 -3 premade snares
18. 2 candy bars
19. some hard candy
20. 2 cup a soup/ seasoning cubes
21. 2 tea / sugar

Medication
22. 10 paracetamol, 10 diphenoxyate/atropine, 10 polaramine, 10 cipro 500mg
23. Assorted bandages / tape
24. 30ml providone iodine

Folding stove with 2 esbit tabs
space blanket
30m paracord braided and wrapped around bottle.

All this goes into a stuff sack. Any thing I missed ?

The Nalgene bottle kit is a great idea. I especially like the ability to include a cup for cooking etc. Thanks for working this out -- it's now in my list of lists.

Thoughts about the kit...

Do you wear glasses? If so, maybe you could add a spare pair of glasses. Maybe a Fresnel lens for general magnification, too.

Tweezers?

You might have room for a neckover. It's not much, but small enough to consider for added thermal protection for your noggin. It could go outside the bottle inside the sack, or maybe in place of the sack.

I didn't see any writing stuff -- pen or pencil and paper for leaving notes and stuff. You could include a cheat sheet, ID, etc.

Money?

I sometimes include glucose tabs in place of candy.

That's all that occurred to me.

Bear

Bear,
I've got some tweezers are in the SAK.

DOH! <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> Forgot about the pen and paper as well as the cheat sheet! Thanks for reminding me!
I forgot about the fresnel too.....

A neckover is a good idea too.
Thankfully, I don't wear glasses <img src="images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

That's the good thing about posting on this forum. We constantly remind each other about what's missing and needed and come up with better suggestions!

That's a great list! I'll go through my kit and see if I have anything to add. I have to have my tea along also. The water bottle and nesting cup will go along with me on snowshoeing trips (if we ever get enough snow) and an Esbit stove boils up a quick cup.

Although I still pack along an inexpensive space blanket, at Chris's suggestion I have gone to an oversized orange plastic bag for emergency shelter (Coglans markets one). I still think the space blanket will serve multiple purposes including signaling (large reflective surface area), trail marking (cut strips to hang on bushes instead of plastic ribbon) and first aid (they're large enough to fold into a sling). There are doubtless other uses I haven't thought of besides the original use.

Terry

What is the best compass for your money?

Rusty, There are three basic types of compasses;military lensatic, orienteering and engineer's. The first two are the most commonly encountered. Your question should be " how much compass do I need for my use?" One degree of error in a mile equals 92'. Are we trying to find our way to a major landmark, or calling in an airstrike? High end compasses have luminescent dials. So, how many of us will be navigating in the dark? Will we be in snow ( avalanche) country? An inclinometer to measure angle of recline of the snowpack is invaluable. Will this compass be used in one hemisphere, or do we intend to traverse both poles? There are units designed for worldwide accuracy. When do I need a compass? If you are lost, staying put is always recommended ( unless in immenent danger or travel considered the only viable option.) Do you have a good "sense of direction", which can be learned, or have you ( like me) gotten lost in a Christmas tree lot? There are some good books; BE EXPERT WITH MAP AND COMPASS by Bjorn kjellstrom, FINDING YOUR WAY in the OUTDOORS by Robert L. Mooers,jr. and MAP READING AND LAND NAVIGATION, FM 21-26 U.S. Army

how do you fit an esbit stove through the neck of a nalgene bottle?

i dont think he got a esbit stove in it, but a other type of folding stove that bruns on esbit. An esbit can hold much more than 2 tabs in closed position.

It's actually a folding wing stove which can hold an esbit tab.

It folds flat and seems the right size to fit in.

Chris

The short answer is "the one you use". Chris suggested some great resources. Look up contact information for a local orienteering group to get more experience. It's a lot of fun and can be good exercise too!

I use a Silva Ranger compass almost every day in my profession (no, I don't get lost all the time <img src="images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />). Suunto make one almost identical. The important feature for me is the ability to set the declination. This is important when locating land boundaries or performing simple mapping measurements. It also has a built in clinometer (or "inclinometer") which can be used to measure slope gradient.

I like the "sighting" type compasses the best. They have a mirror on a hinged lid which enables you to sight through a notch over the compass while looking into the mirror and aligning the north arrow. I've always thought the mirror would make a good signalling device as well. I know it helps when you get something in your eye. If I recall correctly, Silva makes one called the Guide which runs about $15. While you cannot set the declination it does have a declination scale which allows you to easily account for it.

Remember to bring a map with you too. If you're lost you can usually figure out a bearing to follow to get you to a road or stream. Trust your compass. Lots of stories are out there about people who had a compass but didn't trust what it told them. That needle is going to point to magnetic north unless you're standing on one of the poles. I'm not so sure about a GPS unit, however (and I teach folks how to use them as part of my job!). Electronics and batteries fail, coordinate systems can be tricky, and most of us refuse to read instructions anyway. Even if you carry a GPS unit I encourage you to carry a map and compass (and know how to use them). I'm a map nerd anyway. When the weather's bad outside I curl up with a good map and dream of where I want to go next.

Terry

Doug Peacock, inspiration for Edward Abbey's George W. Hayduke carried a map of his old backpacking haunts in Vietnam and did the same imagineering. As a Coast Guard Quartermaster, I was known to slip in bogus charts with stylized Tolkien seadragons and warnings of "Mer Incognito." First time compass and chart users should get their local area. You can easily translate local landmarks with the maps- assuming they haven't been 'developed.' <img src="images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

Maps and compass go together like ham and eggs. Actually, if I had to choose between the two, I would rather have a map, at least for the country in which I do most of my rambling, the SW United States. In most areas here, it is very easy to orient yourself by visual references without recourse to a compass. In general, a USGS topo map, 7.5 minute series is the best for foot travel. But about every five years or so, descending fog or something restricts visibility and renders a compass an absolute necessity.

There are many ways in which a compass needle can be influenced to give an erroneous reading - locally carried ferrous objects (like the screws in your eyeglasses!) or local bodies of ore. Specifically, if you are climbing Orizaba, your compass will be out about 70 degrees. I had a long discussioon with my climbing partner who was using his compass, that was only settled when I pointed out the location of the North Star. But yes, basically the compass needle is usually right, and definitely right far more often than ones instincts.

I currently carry a Suunto MC-2 which has an inclinometer and mirror. The mirror definitely works well for signalling and even for shaving. Accurate, compact, and light.