I put paracord lanyards on almost everything (pocket knife, lighter,..) with a small pear shaped carabiner on the end to attach it to the larger 'beaner secured to my belt.

For my knife I can clip it's small 'beaner to the split ring on the end of the knife to make a wrist loop should I need. So I can use the knife while it's secured to my belt or my wrist if I need longer reach.

Also makes it easier to pull it out of my pocket.

The three little 'beaners that hang from the big one on my belt have little tactile markers on them so I can tell which one I'm grabbing without looking.

1) Lighter has a knot on the 'beaner end of the lanyard
2) Inova light has a rubberband wrapped around the 'beaner shaft.
3) pocket knife is attached to a braided paracord.

Hey Art,

The youth group I work with uses the old naptha 2 burner Coleman stoves. Often the fuel tank pump leather washer is dried out and will not make a seal, so you can't pressurize the tank. Just rub a little Chapstick into the leather and your back in business!

Mike

Yes, another good use for lip balm.

While it seems wimpy to be concerned with issue that are often considered minor discomforts, beneath notice for real men, IMHO minor comfort issues are often harbingers of bigger problems down the road.

There is a saying that says: 'It isn't the mountains that wear you down so much as the pebble in your boot'.

Minor issues like a sunburn, badly cracked lips, or a stove you can't get to work right, can make you miserable, and rob you of sleep, strength and focus. Only made worse when the situation is a real emergency.

Pen, keys, CASH, power bar...

Several relatively useful items depending on the adventure and the environment:

spare bootlaces
spare thermal socks
empty H2O proof closeable envelope/pouch
rescue throw bag (rescue on the river, ...)
climbing rope
weather station (or watches with weather monitoring)
fire extinguishing spray
pepper spray/bear pepper spray
pocket knife sharpener
binoculars
Morse code chart
ear plugs (when you want maximum loudness from the whistle)
something inflatable (usefull as a float or pillow)
titanium/stainless steel mug/bottle (e.g. for boiling a saline water in order to condensate the water vapour and make a fresh water - fresh water can be then captured by placing a cloth above the mug with the boiling water)

While prepping for a birthday party this weekend, I snagged a blaze-orange balloon. Signaling, water carrier, amusement for the kids...

The problem with Morse Code charts is that when you stop to look things up, you WILL have problems sending/receiving to the point it'll just be "noise" - some of your dit's will be longer than your dah's etc

I learned code well enough to get my ticket (5 wpm) and then didn't prectice - I have a hard enough time doing code, and I can still do it in my head. I's say forget the chart

Code appears to be something that, unlike swimming and bike riding, you can forget. My wife was a radioman in the Navy, she and the other two women in her class were the three fastest in code school. Today all she can say is "screw (or something like that) you," and she really has to think to even do that...

I mean no disrespect, but is that conclusion empiric?

Some people's kit has a more urban orientation, and there's often a lot of cross-over between urban and wilderness survival kits, every day carry items, and work tools. In any case, there are no precise definitions or boundaries.

Coins operate vending machines, mini-mart tire inflators and the increasingly rare payphone. But, when held in the fist, they dramatically improve the effectiveness of a punch, and can be placed in a sock or other sack to make a pretty good defensive weapon or tool to, for example, bust out a laminated window. Oh yeah, it'll also pay for lunch.

Jeff