Before I forget, Sierra Trading Post has a 30% discount right now. That link should get you the discount (which is an across the board discount). You'd then just do a search on UDAP, and the pepper spray, among other things, will come up. With the discount, the pepper spray's price is lowered from $34.95 to $24.46. Not too shabby, I'd say.

HJ

MostlyHarmless,

You bring up an excellent point: does one "reserve" one's PSK or other emergency supplies exclusively for emergencies or does one use them for normal everyday tasks? I do a little of both, but I generally leave my PSK intact. Because I keep the PSK intact, I do have to carry some redundant items. However, since I'm such a scatter brain, sometimes a little redundancy is better than not having something that I need.

Yesterday, for example, I went hiking to a place called Hermit Falls. I was getting a "hot spot" (pre-blister) on my heel. I took out some duct tape, and reached for my SAK. It wasn't in my pocket. Not good. But it wasn't a problem since I still had my fixed blade with me. I cut off a strip of duct tape, applied it to my foot, and went on my way, no problem. Thank God for redundancy.

HJ

"I think it's interesting that in all the episodes of Survivorman I've ever seen he always sets snares but I've never once seen him catch anything."

Survivor Man needs licenses for hunting/trapping in most cases. It may be why we don't see that on the show, or he doesn't set enough traps to catch anything. 1 or 2 snares isn't enough

or carry an airhorn...gives you another signaling device

Another signaling device wouldn't be bad. I once hiked with a guy who had a portable ham radio (pre satellite phone era) in his pack in lieu of the conventional essentials.

The bear spray, or handgun, is for defense. Unlike home emergencies where the ambulance can be at your door in less than 10 minutes, it’s going to take a good amount of time to get to you on the trail. Even more time if they don't know exactly where you are. I'd just as soon not get bit.

Preferably with water, you have at least a way to carry it (eg platypus soft bottle), and a way to boil it (eg small pot with wire hanger), depending on your size requirements, the boil pot could easily be the kit container. These should be independent backups of your normal water supplies. You of course know this, but the people reading your list may not. And let us not forget the ever-handy aquarium tubing for extracting from seeps.


Extra clothing: Work gloves of some sort should be carried at all times for the times you need to protect your hands, and extra socks (wool, natch) to protect your feet. Mittens are handy in colder weather, but an extra pair of wool socks can warm hands or feet. A watch cap, GI Poncho, and down vest are very handy to have as minimal emergency clothes.


Cards or dice can be a handy other essential to kill boredom. GPS could be considered an "other essential" nowadays, though it shouldn't take the place of map & compass, since maps seldom break, lose signal, or have dead batteries. Cheap painters drop clothes can be used for temporary shelters, but are really inferior to a tube tent, as they tear easy, they are however cheap, compact, and light weight.

Just some thoughts,

C.Rowe

Les Stroud never had much luck hunting, snaring, or fishing, but he did a good job demonstrating the technique. I doubt that many of us would be so lost for so long that we would need to snare something to survive. Where I live, fishing is easy, so I carry braided fishline and snelled hooks. The thing about snare wire is that it is lightweight, compact, and has a hundred uses besides snaring. I carry about 15 feet of it in a 4 inch coil.

Redundant is my middle name!When I go on overnighter's or longer treks,my total pack weight is 30lbs. minimum,& that's after Many years of cutting down!As I age,the logical step is to cut down further,since my bones will have less resistance to injury,however, my brain tell's me I've got it just about right,Mental Block? Perhap's!Stubborness?Most Definitely!I alway's seem to run into other hikers/campers that need a hand with something,& Most marvel when they see my "Redundancy" in action!When I've helped someone,I ask them to Pass it on,Hopefully,It keeps things in check as,There is not much worse than,having a Bummer in the Boonies!

Most folk's think of a snare to trap mammals,i.e. Rabbit,Squirrel,porcupine,etc.,Even under the Best of conditions,Lest you have a decent background of Mammalian Behavior,You will need to set MANY snares/traps,with bait,scents,masking scent,etc.Birds on the other hand,are Quite easy to watch,& since they can fly,are quite choosy where they habitate,usually their seed source is very nearby their coveyhole.Braided fishing line,& snelled treblehooks are Ideal for catching birds on their scratch-lines.Birds don't smell humans,they see/hear them,If you spook a covey from thickets in the morning,they will be back, come suppertime.Being a Byrd Hunter,I'm guessing it's just something you overlooked,since you'd otherwise have your gauge with you.

I don't know what's included in "personal meds" but I'd suggest adding a pretty good dose of antihistamine such as Benadryl or something quite powerful.

Good for treating bee sting for everyone.

This weekend while camping in sagebrush I re-learned how allergic I am and how vital anti-histamines are to my continued functioning in grasslands. (I'm fine in the mountains but not in hayfields and sage brush.)