I'm sure y'all have discussed this topic a million times, but what are the very most important survival equipment? I mean the absolute minimum, with just the extremely important stuff.

I would say a good knife, a reliable way to make fire, and a method of holding and purifying water are the bare essentials.

Of course, there are a lot of items that aren't absolutely needed but can make life easier. Dozens of items... things like cordage, duct tape, and so forth.

Hello and welcome David.

That's a pretty broad topic and the answer can vary depending on who you talk to, where you are going, how you are getting there, weather conditions you might incur, etc. etc.

You might want to start here or here so you can see what I'm talking about.

Hutch4545

David, one of the first principles in survival is the STOP acronymn. I'm going to make you find it on the site here. It is also usefull for people newly interested in this subject. It's real easy to read about and see all this stuff and need it now- You don't. I want you to go r-e-a-l s-l-o-w, like your hiking a new trail with map and compass. Otherwise, you wind up with alot of stuff you may not need or not of the best quality. Farley Mowat's NEVER CRY WOLF gives a hilarious example of being over equipped. There is a '10 essentials' list ( and 10,000 variations on that.) I'd look it over. I bet you allready have most of it in one form or another. <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Mr. KAVANAUGH, I am a boy scout and in the Boy ScoutHanbook under the requirments for Tenderfoot you learn the STOP acronym. It stands for Stop, Think, Observe, PLan.

Adequate clothing is paramount.

It is almost impossible to predict what you are going to need if you get stranded.
If you end up in the ocean you would obviously need something to keep you afloat.
On snow and ice you would increase your survival chances with a shovel and a
snowsaw. In woodland you need an axe. A very sharp axe can also be used as a knife.
But maybe we should not forget the obvious like a good sleeping bag and
a tarp to keep you warm and dry. In every car you can find some room for a
cheap sleeping bag and a piece of plastic. The very compact bags you even can take
with you on a plane and can come in handy when stranded at the airport. Ad a bic lighter, a
bottle of water and a FAK and you can deal with a lot of common "emergencies".

I hope you don't mind me posting this <img src="/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

The ten essentials list is like Pachabel's Canon in D major: hundreds of variations on a very simple theme. I once listened to a remix of those versions played together. It was not unlike early Pink Floyd. Let me thow out a new list merging Bushcraft with ETS preparedness. 1. THE KNIFE No other single bit of kit inspires more discussion. People either carry a SAK or Excalibur with equally erroneous philosophies behind both. They're nice, have their place, but, a solid knife @ 4" in blade handles most everything well. Tape a flat diamond hone to the sheath. I don't care what wunder steel it's made of, knives go dull 2. FIRE Nothing else that is so BRIGHT and BIG in our priorities is produced with such small, often humble kit. I don't care if you use an Altlantian crystal powered by planetary convergences or handmade matches lovingly produced by scottish crofters by peat fires. If you can't carry more than one method AND a bit of kindling you deserve to freeze, which brings us to my #3. SHELTER How much space and wieght does a Basha, simple tarp or a few G.I. ponchos take up anyway? If you want to reconstruct an iron age hillfort, good on you. But for night one bring a shelter.4 WATER There are mechanical and chemical purifiers and I have both. But with # 2 we can boil the stuff. This is where ultralight hikers took their SAKs and trimmed off some grey matter along with map margins and toothbrush handles. Get a BIG old BILLY. It wieghs little, is handy for stowing everything inside that daypack and OH,gee, I can boil LOTS of water. If that water happens to be snow from a sudden blizzard I can use the thing for a SCOOP to dig a survival cave. 5. MIRROR AND WHISTLE We have #2 which is a great signal. Now we have 3. SEE #2 for redundancy . 6 COMPASS Don't wait to use it AFTER your lost. Consult the thing while your busy getting lost. Then your not lost, just misplaced. 7. TORCH now we have 4 emergency signalling devices, another potential means to make fire AND we can see where we are going ( or shouldn't) it's trite to suggest people just stay put in an emergency after nightfall. There are places in the world where high noon can be gloomier than my closet- and twice as dangerous. 8. FIRST AID NO! All these salves, plasters and potions are mechanical placebos. If your hurt, lots of #2 can clean things up. Dilution cancels pollution. A few plasters or moleskin yes, but we are not a M.A.S.H. unit. If your hurt, return to civilization ASAP. 9. Of course I'm wearing woolens! I get hammered by dress codes, fashion and convention enough in town. On my turf expect me to look like a Ringwraith in Flektarn, plaid and leather, which brings us to #10, food. That bear doesn't go hungry for fear I'll assault him, though statistically that is the real truth, poor beasties. So, why should I? this business of insulting the glory of nature with freeze dried, nutritionally balanced stuff that gets squeezed out of a tube has got to end. Real Bushcrafters and survivalists carry jerky, fruitcake, tea,coffee, cocoa and enough spices and condiments to turn a roadkill hedgehog and gathered mushrooms into cordon blue cuisine. Thats Kavanaugh's essential 10. "And if the band your in starts playing a different tune, I'll see you on the darkside of the moon."

originally posted by [color:"red"]Chris Kavanaugh [/color] at bushcraftuk.com click for link

David:

The Rule of Threes helped me organize my knowledge when I first started to learn about survival. It covers the things you need to keep alive anywhere, and puts them in the order you'll need them.

From the Rule of Threes, and from reading this site, I formulated my own group of seven categories, which is an expansion of the Rule of Threes. The mental process of creating your own categories will help you sort out what skills and gear you might want to have.

Here are the things I have in my backpacking survival kit. It's in a pouch that stays with me wherever I go in the forest.

Medical
- 4 medium bandaids
- 6 butterfly bandaids
- ibuprophen
- aleve
- benedryl
- immodium AD
- sinutab
- antacid
- personal meds
- glasses
- bug juice
- sunscreen
- lip balm
- toothpick
- ambasol or orajel
Shelter
- trash bag
- tea candle
Fire
- lighter
- MFS and striker
- tinder
Signals
- cell phone
- whistle
- mirror
- compass
- flashlight
- space pen
- waterproof paper
- ID and emergency numbers
Water
- iodine tabs
- 1qt water bag
Food
- none
Tools
- knife (SAK Farmer)
- wire saw
- cash
- credit card
- spirit tool
- sewing kit
- paracord
- toilet paper

Lately, I've been thinking I'd like to try to add a can or small metal cup as a pot. It would hold all the stuff, and fit inside some kind of cloth carrier.

It never ends, really. Have fun.

Bear

"I mean the absolute minimum, with just the extremely important stuff."

In the wilds, I do not leave my vehicle without:

My EDC stuff:

Leatherman Wave
P-38 can opener
Metal Match
12' Paracord
Photon 3
Bic lighter

I suppose I would consider this to be "the absolute minimum" along with a disposable poncho and a Mora knife.


But if I am going to venture any farther than 10' from my vehicle, I carry my Wilderness survival kit:

Mini Fox 40
3' Duct Tape
Starflash Mirror
Mini-Bic lighter
Rite in the Rain paper
Triox bar
Pencil stub
Trick birthday candles (3)
Space Blanket
Sparklite and Tinder
Disposable poncho
Aspirin (4)
20' Paracord
Ibuprophin (4)
Potable Aqua
Benadryl (2)
8 oz HD Ziplocks (2)
Immodium AD (2)
Beef Boullion (4)
Decaf Coffee bags (2)
Power Bar
snare wire
2' HD Tinfoil
#6 Fishhooks (4)
Small swivels (2)
25' 6# test
P-38 Can opener (spare)
Ranger bands (5)
Quarters (2)
Large needle
Safety pins (3)
Razor blade
Wire saw
Marbles pin-on compass

If I am hunting, then there are other items I always have, like an Old Timer fixed blade knife, a Wetterling hatchet, a Rino GPS/radio among other things.

Regards, Vince