I love that show and that was one of my favorite episodes.

We all kind of ran with a rumor here. Can anybody verify the truth of the original post?

Good point. I have a relative who is an ex-SEAL and I will ask him.

The original post makes inherent good sense, as in many situations, the need to write it down is very clear. When I was in my career, paper and pen/pencil was EDC, although not official policy.

My preference goes with the task.

Carpentry - Carpenters Pencil
Engineering work - 0.5mm Staedtler or Pentel w/padded grip
Automotive work - Decent Grease Pencil
In the Car or BOB - Decent #2 pencil

However I much prefer fine point gel pens for general writing. An never understood why people would want a large diameter mechanical pencil.

- Eric

Home Depot has some carpenter pencils by the cash register. I thought of this thread and almost bought a few "just in case" and for no other reason.

Carpenter pencils have advantages. The rectangular cross-section doesn't roll away. If you use it as a winder for string or fishing line the rectangular section winds up several times the length per wrap. The heavier wood section means if you use it for tinder you have more to work with. The heavy lead is tougher and less likely to break. If you know how to sharpen it, with a knife and into a flat knife edge, you get both fine and wide lines and the fine line lasts longer on rough materials. The wider cross-section is easier to grip if you are wearing gloves or your fingers are frozen while still laying flat in a shirt pocket.

Also remembered that pen and paper is my default 'distract a bored child' tool - games, drawing etc. Not survival, but good edc idea. Suspect the SEALs aren't playing tic-tac-toe though

Hmmm..... I read this and jumped up and tore off a piece of Reynolds Baking Parchment and pushed it down into a full glass of water. After I finished breakfast, I looked at it, and it was definitely soaking wet. The last time I had a box of this stuff, it was a different brand, and I tried the same experiment -- after an overnight submersion, the paper was still dry.

So, there is either a difference in manufacture, or the product is being cheapened. I wonder if Rite-in-the-rain has changed material sources?

Obviously, further investigation is required.

Sue

For kit use, I like the little victorinox gravity pencil, the one they sold with their SOS kits a while back. You can still find replacement pencils sold individually online last I checked. Fairly simple design with few moving parts.

I have adopted a waterproof paper (not rite-in-the-rain brand – can’t recall offhand which it was) and pencil. I experimented with various kitchen papers, bit I’d describe them as “water resistant” rather than water proof. Also I found the contrast between pencil and the parchment was not very good so it was difficult to read, especially in low light.

I also consider white paper as a potential trail marker – to be left on a gate or post etc, so white paper is more distinct than a grey, translucent kitchen paper.

I bought a thick pad of waterproof paper and have added several paged to each (family member's) kit. I didn't see the need to have an entire notepad each, about 5 sheets is enough (IMO).

With a pencil, the paper can even be written on underwater - or in driving rain.