Zoltan's post got me thinking ( heres comes trouble) about our gear. Suppose you are about to begin a vacation hike, lost your PSK or essential carry items and wanted to replace them. Theres a country store that caters to the local farming/recreational community and a gas station/convenience store. What could you assemble with $50. This is not a game of making survival whistles out of .22 shells or a water filter with a sock and cigarette filters, nor of being cheap and saying " I can do what you can with less." We've had the leisure,the resources and luxury of acquiring the best. What is out there for folks with limited resources or time?

OHMIGOD, I’VE LOST MY PSK!!! And all I’ve got is $50!!<br><br>First step is relax. I’ll buy a bottle of water ($1.29 +8% tax rounded up = $1.40) (all else will be with tax included) and some candy (Altoids $2.16) and sit and think a bit.<br><br>Ahhh, that’s better. I’ve already got a refillable water container and something to keep my small items in. Plus I feel calm and refreshed. Now my emergency is a challenge. And I still have ($50.00 - 1.29 - 2.16 =) $46.55.<br><br>Now to shop. First I’ll buy a Coughlan’s 5-in-1 Survival tool, and thank my fortune that these store’s prices are the same as Campmor’s ($4.31 =$42.24) http://www.campmor.com/webapp/commerce/command/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=1034&prmenbr=226 Next, a space blanket ($4.31 =37.93) http://www.campmor.com/webapp/commerce/command/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=1051&prmenbr=226 And a swiss army knock-off ($13.99 =23.94) http://www.getsomething4everyone.com/images/8874.jpg along with waterproof matches ($2.15 =21.79) http://www.campmor.com/webapp/commerce/command/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=13536&prmenbr=226 and a mini-Bic lighter ($1.07 = 20.72).<br><br>To finish up my water section, I’ll get some purification tablets ($5.39 = 15.33) http://www.campmor.com/webapp/commerce/command/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=13497&prmenbr=226<br><br>So now I have some signaling ( whistle and very dubious mirror), shelter (space blanket) , fire (bic plus “waterproof” matches in safe with strikers from box and a “sort of” flint on match safe with a “sort of “ steel on knife), water (bottle plus iodine tabs), and a questionable multi-tool.<br><br>But what about first aid? I’ll buy a kit ($5.39 = 9.94) http://shop.store.yahoo.com/outdoor-world/cogfiraidkit1.html<br><br>For repair, I’ll get a sewing kit ($2.70 =7.24) http://www.campmor.com/webapp/commerce/command/ProductDisplay?prmenbr=226&prrfnbr=12189 and a small tube of super glue ($1.40 = $5.84)<br><br>As for the rest, I’ll keep it in cash, which has a signalling value all it’s own.<br><br>I know it’s cheap stuff, and I’d pray I wouldn’t ever have to rely on it, so I’d be extra careful. But it does cover the bases.<br><br>You may fire when ready, Gridleys<br><br>Peanut

As I understand the scenario, I assume I have lost all essential equipment (otherwise I'd just replinish from BOB), but I have supplies (food & drink). I further assume I'm in a state that does not charge sales tax (Chris forgot to mention it. HaHaHa!). The $50 limitation is severe. Here goes:<br><br>Kitchen utility knife, $5<br>Scripto disposible lighters, $1<br>Tarp, $10<br>Bottles of water, $3<br>Compass, $10<br>Leaf bags, $3<br>P-38, $1<br>Duct tape, $2<br>50' light rope, $3<br>Aluminum foil, HD, $4<br>Flashlight & batteries, $3<br>Mirror, $2<br>Chlorine bleach, $1<br>Whistle, $2<br><br>And that's all you get for $50, assuming very frugal shopping.<br><br><br>OTH, if my wife came along & pooled her $50, & allowed a few $ on the credit card, then: <br>Add SAK = +$20<br>Add hatchet, +$20<br>Add sharpener, + $5<br>Add petrolium jelly, +$2 <br>Add cotton balls, $2<br>Add pots, +$10<br>Add daypack, +$10<br>Delete P-38, -$1 (SAK has can opener)<br>Add blankets, +$20 (go to nearby thrift / military surplus shop)<br>Add matches, +$1<br>Add magnesium & flint, +$5<br>Add 2nd tarp, +$10<br><br>All that costs only $104 more (for a total of $154) & substantially improves camping / survival capabilities. <br><br>In the longer term kit, include:<br>Pliers, +$5<br>Saw, +$6<br>File, +$5<br>Wire, +$4<br>Fishing kit, assorted, $10<br>First aid kit, assorted, +$10<br>Food utensils & servers , +$20<br><br><br>Now, if only we can put in the next few years' budgets a visit to the used gun shop. Desiderata include:<br>Police superseded .357 Mag. revolver, $250<br>Military surplus 8 mm. Turkish rifle, $50<br>Used .22 rifle, $50<br>Used Rem. 870 Express 12 ga., Remchokes, rifled slug bbl., $250<br>Ammo & cleaning kit, $75<br><br>With all that (@ only $889), I might just take up permanent residence in the great wilderness. ;-)) <br><br>(It's hard to stop when you're on a roll.)<br><br>John<br><br><br>P.S. Go to " Plainsman's Cabin Forums" & search for "$100 Survival kit exercise" for a similar fun scenario.<br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br>

Peanut,<br><br>I have a feeling they'll go after me first. When you hear the shooting, run for it. My post may distract them long enough for you to get away.<br><br>John

[thumping chest while laser shines in forehead] "Why they ain't invented the electronic bullet that could kill me......."<br><br>Peanut

My personal experience leads me to think that the limiting factor in this scenario wouldn’t be our imaginations, so much as what’s available in your typical country general store and convenience store. I’ve had trouble finding Coleman fuel (or a reasonable substitute) in a large town right next to a state park (no stores in the park), and trouble finding something to replace an air mattress in an area with several campgrounds and at least two camp stores (that mostly catered to tin box campers). <br><br>Some things are easy- finding matches and lighters is a given, and in country stores you should find plenty of cordage, even if it’s just very long bootlaces (by city standards) or clothesline. Any general store is going to have a decent knife or two, and you could probably come up with a cheap women’s compact for a mirror- if the makeup can be easily disposed of to make a little storage, so much the better... if not, you might consider breaking the hinge. Without a camping store or surplus store, though, I think you’d be very lucky to find a whistle, or any way to purify water other than boiling, or a compass. In many towns your only hope of finding a compass is as an accessory in a store that carries auto parts. <br><br>I’m old enough to really appreciate “disposable” water bottles. When I started backpacking, we had to seek out either specialty Austrian-made polyethylene water bottles or genuine army-surplus plastic canteens. There were many imitations of the army canteen, some hard to tell from the real thing, and they all leaked from the cap- not a big deal if you’re carrying it upright, but a huge deal if you’re sleeping with it to keep it from freezing at night. Modern disposable water bottles are lighter in weight and seem almost as sturdy. Evian bottles in particular are designed to crush lengthwise for recycling, to a compact disk with a neck, and in a pinch can be crushed to save space and “re-inflated” to 80-90 percent of their capacity several times as needed. This can increase your water carrying capacity in a small pack without taking up much room.<br><br>Shower curtains make fine groundcloths and are not bad as a one-man bivouac tarp in a pinch.<br><br>IMHO, if you want the scenario to be a test only for cost and not also for availability, then you have to include a local surplus store as well- and that, in itself, solves many of the cost problems.<br>

i think i get it even cheaper... by buying some thingy's from those shops who sell all there things for 1 dollar (or euro's ) like dollarland / euroland and stuff.<br><br>a swiss armyknife like thingy( need to be sharped ): 1.5 euro <br>a sharper ( piece of sharpening stone or whatever ): 3 euro <br>disposible lighters ( 5 pack ): 1 euro<br>toy wistle: 1 euro <br>trash bags: 1 or 2 euro <br>aluminicum foil: 1 or 2 euro's <br>duct tape: 2 euro <br>p-38: 1.25 euro<br>flashlight: 3 euro's <br>some rope: 1 euro <br>small mirror: 2 euro <br>Chlorine bleach: 2 euro's <br>plasticbags: 1 euro <br>matches: 1 euro <br>space blanket: 4 euro <br>some fishing wire and hooks: 5 euro <br><br>and i still got money left <br>

You all did far better than I did. Is this a lesson or reminder of what some folks face? It took all of us TIME and MONEY to assemble our kits ( and I am working on mine still.) $50 is a LOT of money to many people. Finding a source to spend that $50 at often as difficult. Me? I looked in my pocket and found a $20 for this week's gasoline. I "hypothetically" bought 250 strike anywhere matches $1 An OLD HICKORY carbon knife ( no sheath and a plain clip point for ag work) for $12, 8 candles for another $2, 1 disposable lighter $1 a unit of bottled water $2 and some cordage for $2. Scary isn't it? But then we were all instantly better prepared than most.

To stop army issue canteens from leaking - cut a 3x3 inch square out of a plastic garbage bag. Put it over the mouth of the bottle. Replace cap and tighten. This also works with plastic Jerry Cans if the trail is particulary rough and you don't want to spill gasoline.<br><br>Mariner

Thanks, but… I’ve been told several times, from several sources, that many plastic trash bags have insecticide embedded in the plastic (to keep bugs from chewing in or out), and that because of this they should not be used to store food- apparently it's actually strong enough to contaminate the food and cause illness. That being the case, I’d hesitate to use them for a canteen seal.<br><br>I never had problems with the real US army issue canteens leaking, just with the imitations. It does take some faith in a bottle to go to sleep with it in your bag, outside on a cold night, though. :-)<br>