Next week I’m going to field test my PSK.
I’m not going to set snares because it is not authorized by law.
I also am not go to test my water treatment kit because I use a the same type on normal hiking trips.
I want to at least make a shelter and a cooking fire and cook some water above it.
That are all the ideas so far from my site.
Now my question is what should I test further in the field?

Rick

you may use the same thing, but do you use the same container ? test the water container in your PSK.
can't think much more than that. making a shelter is good, making a water container which is suitable to boil water is good, making fire to warm your self, dry your clothing, boil you water and if needed cook food, but thats the last on the priority list of survival. Where are you going to try to light a fire ? i thought "staat bosbeheer" fine people for that. GOt any secret place to light a fire in the wild legally, on public land ?

Hi,

That's a hard question... Personally, I like to test all my gear under controlled conditions... because I bring all of the gear to it's limits... Most of that can (if not SHOULD) be done without even leaving home.

For examply, I test flashlights and batteries on how long they last, I test knives for their toughness, edge retention, I test cord, wire, straps, packs... you name it... All of that is separate testing, and a lot of the tested gear ends-up in the trash, broken, torn apart, tortured... Once I've really seen how much it can endure, I know if it's tough enough or not, period.

Testing a PSK in real life conditions, IMO, is not really useful. Worse, many components of your kit won't be tested to their limits because you'll actually need them for your stay.

Just my humble two cents worth...

David

I'd suggest you either break a finger or sprain an ankle. Also, rub some poison ivy under your left armpit. Drink some liquid dish soap to simulate a nice intestinal parasite. Finally, dump 16 ounces of water over your head and don't dry off.

That's a "realistic" test!

But seriously -

1. First Aid KIt - even if it's a "simulation" can you handle
a) sprains/breaks
b) burns (liquid and fire burns)
c) insect bites
d) diarreah (corrolary - do you have personal sanitation items?)
2. Water
a) Do you have enough water to use what you carry exclusively for the test?
b) If not, can you make/procure clean water with what you are carrying (I've had pond water cleaned up by a filter - worked great)?
3. Shelter
a) Can you stay warm and dry even if it's raining hard?
b) Can you actually REST in your shelter - maybe not sleep, but not be clinging to a tree branch for fear of falling either.
4. Signaling
a) Can you be seen and heard?
b) Do you have a means of attracting attention if you can see help and they can't see you.

This is the basic requirements, food comes much further down the line, perhaps some granola or crackers, but for the 72 hour scenario, you'll be hungry, but not likely to starve or anything.

I'm going to the Ardennes in belgium and I stay on private propertiy.
And I also have the same container in my normal hiking bag as a container for food items. It is a small steel box of just under a liter/quart.