Here's your exercise : A friend is going hiking with you next Saturday. Likely 3-4 hours at a national park. However, they are arriving with no gear. (Assume appropiate clothing and an empty day pack)

Given a $25 budget -- and no lending of gear --what do you bring for them?

Please list items with prices

Teacher

Start with a couple of one liter bottled waters, cost $3-4.
A cheap fleece blanket in a hideously bright color, $7-10
Enamel camp cup, ~$2
Hot chocolate packets, probably free from me.
Bic lighter, ~$1
2 Trash bags, probably free from me (taken from the dorms).
Flashlight, ~$10

Total $23-28

This gives my friend water, shelter from cold and rain, light and a fire. Plus they can make themselves hot chocolate to stay calm and help stay warm. They can signal with the flashlight at night or the hideously bright colored blanket at during the day. This would be okay for a short summer day hike. In the winter, I would be hesitant about them being out with just this stuff. But then I don't usually see people carrying what they'd really need to spend the night in winter, and this is better then what most people carry on a day hike. I'd also assume we're carrying food, since I almost always like to stop for lunch or a snack on a day hike and always have food left over. Not necessary if you're stuck, but a great psychological boost if you do have it.

Looking at the prices even wally world knock-offs $25 won't get them more than a cheap canteen, a real cheap knock-off multi tool, and maybe enough left over for some cheap cheese crackers for a snack.

Swedish Frost Knife – $7.00
Perry whistle – $1.00
Compass - Base Plate Compass Silva copy - $5.00
Map of Park Area Copy is printed off on a Colour Laser – Costs Nothing
British Army Hexamine Stove and Fuel – $3.00
British Army type Mess tin – Aluminum – $2.50 (Bit of a cheat here as a set costs $5.00 but gets 1 pan)
British Army 24hr Ration Pack – $4.00
Re-used PET Bottle with Water – Costs nothing
Polypropylene Groundsheet/Tarp (Orange) with a length of 25' Paracord - $4.00


Total Cost $26.50 , Darn I've not been able to keep to the budget.

With the British Army Ration pack - has over 4000 calories will allow me to keep the hunger at bay for 3-4 days. The ration pack has matches and water purification tabs also. The Hexamine stove and mess tin will even allow me to have hot meals even if there is no wood or combustible materials around. The Swedish Frost knife allows a multitude of obvious survival tasks. With a map a compass I shouldn't get lost anyway and the whistle allows the obvious signaling option. The Brightly coloured Groundsheet/tarp is used for protection against the elements. The Re-used 1.5 litre PET bottle is cheap (costs nothing) and is robust. The bottom of the mess tin can be polished to improvise a signal mirror. I would like to have included a flashlight but the money ran out, I'll just have to build a big roaring fire and tuck into the ration pack during the night whilst under the stars.


In the British 24hr Ration Pack we have the following;

1 x Breakfast meal (in foil boil-in-a-bag packet, encased in a sealed polythene bag for added protection)
1 x Main meal (in foil boil-in-a-bag packet, encased in a sealed polythene bag for added protection)
1 x Dessert meal (in foil boil-in-a-bag packet, encased in a sealed polythene bag for added protection)

1 x Soup, powdered form, in sachet (varying flavours; Beef & Tomato, vegetable, Cream of mushroom, etc, manufactured by "Chequer Foods Ltd")

1 x Meat Pate, such Turkey and Herbs, Chicken and Herbs, etc (in small, ring pull opening, can)
1 x Oatmeal block (A slight exaggeration! It is really just a small Oatmeal biscuit, in metallic green foil packet)
1 packet x Biscuit Browns (approximately 6 in metallic green packet)
1 packet x Fruit Biscuits (approximately 6 in metallic pink or green packet)
1 x Milk chocolate bar (usually a bar manufactured by "A. Gandola & C. S.p.A. of Italy", but sometimes a brand called "Duncans of (Bellishill) Scotland")
1 x Milk chocolate with raisins and cereal bar (usually a brand called "Duncans of (Bellishill) Scotland")
1 packet of Boiled sweets (various fruit flavours, manufactured by "Chequer Foods Ltd")
1 packet of Wrigley’s chewing gum (usually Wrigley’s Extra, but sometimes a smaller packet of Wrigley’s chewing gum in tablet-like form)

1 x Drinking chocolate mix sachet (manufactured by "Eurogran of Kalundborg")
2 x Coffee sachets (manufactured by "Chequer Foods Ltd")
2 x Beverage whitener sachets, for coffee (manufactured by "Chequer Foods Ltd")
4 x Instant white tea sachets (manufactured by "Premier Brands")
8 x Sugar sachets (Manufactured by "Single Service")
1 x Orange or Lemon drink powder sachet (manufactured by "Eurogran of Kalundborg")
1 x Vegetable stock drink sachet (manufactured by "Single Service")

1 packet x Kleenex Tissues (manufactured by "Kleenex")
6 x Water purifying tablets
10 x Water/windproof matches with striker (matches and striker sealed in separate polythene compartments, to prevent accidental striking during packing, handling, and transportation)

Great, I even have some tissues to wipe my nose.

Bentirran
Where do you get the Brit ration packets? I've only found them on Ebay from the UK. Know any other dealers?
Thanks.

I can't resist:

Coughlin Survival-Kit-in-a-Can-$10-Academy Sporting Goods
2 bottled waters-$4-fm any grocery store
Falsa blanket-$7-fm most convenience stores (southern USA)
US Army mess kit-$5-fm army surplus store
TOTAL=$26.00

DONATED ITEMS
1 35gal garbage bag-$0-fm pantry
1 55gal garbage (polypropylene) bag-$0-fm work
2 MRE's-$0-in stock @ home
2 US military meal accessory packets (knife, fork, spoon,
condiments)$0-in stock @ home
2 Triox tablets-$0-in stock @ home
1 Bic lighter-$0-in stock @ home

There is much more personal gear to be loaned AND some community gear that should be included, as well

Real simple:

1. Emergency Ration Pack VI BCB International $17.00
2. but pack with water bottles from Wally World $5.00
total $22.00

extra goodies 3.00

So a 3 hour tour in heavily traveled area...

2 1L bottles of water -$3.00 for 2 (high, but...)
1 mini bic -$2 for three (I keep 2)
1 medium box of raisins -$2.19 (just checked reciept)
3 33gal bags -from the roll of 50 in my trunk
ok-ish whistle -$2
fauxton -$2
package of asst zipties -$1
hank of clothes line -$1
bottle of generic iodine tabs -$2
ok-ish bait or paring knife -$4
red T-shirt, customized by the sharpie in my pocket, saying "Darwin picked me last" -$4 (shirt; shapie ink is free)
note from me explaining, in vivid detail, what will happen them if I have to explain to thier spouse/parents that I(!!!!) lost them on one side, and on the other side the "STOP" acronym -effectively free

Razzing them about this for years
priceless

Re MDinana

I think it is quite difficult to get the 24hr Ration Packs in the US. (the gear practice asummed a UK-US currency parity, as everything in the US is cheaper and the US has less sales tax etc, although at the moment the dollar/sterling rate is quite high).
In the UK the it is much more easy to get the 24hr Rations. I am quite lucky in that I can get the ration packs at Tams Army Surplus nearby.

http://www.tams-army-surplus.com/products.htm

The main problem is the postage and packing costs from Internet Suppliers. The cheapest can be had on ebay but they can also be brought from some internet retailers for about £3.50/ration pack but once you include the postage and packaging the price works out about the same as Tams and I know that the packs are new.

I don't think it would be economic to have them sent to the US from the UK.

Trade Volume discounts may be available at

http://www.farsm.com/ration_pack.aspx

But I suspect that the shipping costs would be very high and you may have to deal with USDA as well.
You may occasionaly get the odd seller on Ebay in the US.

Well, the list for carry is about the same as usual:

Shelter - trash bags and nylon string
Signalling - whistle
Blade - lend (unless you can buy a Mora quickly where you are, almost everyone on this forum has multiple reasonable blades available :-))
Fire - Bic plus some kind of tinder
Light - Led light of some kind
Water/food - Bottle of water, puritabs, tin of food plus dried fruit (tin can be emptied and used to cook in. Knife with a can opener would work best!)
Medical - Something to patch bleeding, some band aids and wipes, and maybe a handful of OTC meds (painkiller, anti-spasmodic, anti-histamine)

Not rocket science, but a useful collection and apart from the blade, all pretty cheap.

Big issue is giving the un-equipped tools does not equip them - needs more than a bic to start a fire etc. So they probably need more kit (e.g. if you think they can start a fire, no need for puri-tabs. If they can't, then a tablet might help with dehydration. Likewise food - they don't need it, but it is very comforting and helpful for the panicked soul)

I'd be tempted to print Dougs instruction sheet for the PSK - good crash course if needed.

I'd go for a whistle, $1 fauxton, trash bags, string and water. Maybe a bandanna and a roll of marker tape.

I figure that if he doesn't already have the stuff then he probably isn't into preparedness and wouldn't know how to use it. I wouldn't bother with a knife or fire-starting, for example, or a compass. If he gets lost a little bit, the whistle should get him found again. If he's lost for days, then he needs water and shelter to survive, and markers to make him more visible to search parties. He may need first aid, but again if he's not trained I wouldn't give him more than a bandanna to bind wounds etc.

I was thinking the same thing, except that I could have a friend fly up for something else and come see me. They might not have their kit if they flew up with just carry on (no lighters, no knives) and they just might not have expected to go on a hike. That said, I didn't include a knife because I don't see it as vital to survival if they're just spending the night out. Better to give them a blanket then a knife.

I think arotc has the best list so far. A bic lighter or two, several one liter water bottles, and some some extra lage garbage bags leapt to my head quickly. I like the idea of the enamel cup, cheap fleece blanket, and hot cocoa. I'd also like to include a box of cookies, some fruit or other snack. All of this would keep us relatively warm, dry, and happy, which I feel are probably the most important aspects to survival. The only thing I'd really like to add, but would probably put the cost above 25$ is a small first aid kit.

Personally, I don't think a flashlight or knife is essential gear on a dayhike. While I like to always keep a knife on me, I think that one could go and survive even a possible overnighter without it. As for the flashlight, while it's very nice to have, I think anything cheap enough to stay under budget probably wouldn't be worth much. Cheap flashlights break even when one doesn't need them. The only potential use I could see would be looking for firewood at night, which I would try to avoid doing anyways. I wouldn't trust one to provide enough light to safely walk through the woods at night. Better to just wait the night out by the fire, sipping cocoa.


I find it interesting that a number of people seem to have the impression that if if the person is coming without anything, that they are not interested in being prepared. Personally, I can think of a number of situations where a person could be left without gear and would have to make up a daypack on the spot. It's happened to me before, where I've flown out to visit someone, my luggage has been lost, and I've been left with nothing but my computer and the cash in my wallet.

I agree with AROTC's list but I'd replace the flashlight with a chemlight (Cyalume) which are fairly cheap. I would always take a flashlight on a day-hike in case it goes wrong.

My Camelback Mule has a quart bottle of water (bladder was removed), compass, 3 trashbags, 20' paracord, 3 green cyalume chemlights, UK 4AA eLED flashlight, SAK Trekker, small FAK, ferrocerrium rod, Bic lighter and a film cannister w/ tinder. It's lightweight and not at all restrictive.

If you knew they were flying in, it wouldn't a suprise. I see this as someone who either had a total "duh" moment and forgot thier gear, or a friend (possibly of the appropriate gender) who is wanting a clue, just doesn't know it yet.

This topic has been kinda scary... not because of the responses, they are great... no, the scary thing is realizing I can't even pay for my EDC with $25, let alone what I put in my daypack for a hike. Better make sure my wife never sees this forum!

The flashlight alone goes over $30 The Camelback was $60 IIRC, fortunately this practice session had an empty pack as a given. $25 is a very restrictive target price.

I'm thinking of someone visiting. In reality, I wouldn't spend any money, because I already have the spare gear on hand. I don't go hiking or camping with someone that I don't know.

Ha, I didn't think of chem sticks, but I think that'd be a lot better then a flashlight. Cheaper, better signal, and they last longer. Now with the $5 I just saved what to get my friend? Probably first aid stuff, like a triangle bandage.

Small can of bugspray: $2.00
two disposible orange ponchos: $2.00
2 liters water: $2.00
Compass: $4.00
Whistle: $3.00
Metal cup: $3.00
Bandana: $2.00
Six Snickers Bars: $3.00
lighter: $1.00
Birthday candles: $1.00
two lightsticks: $2.00
slap upside the head: free

-Blast

and the value of the slap up side of the head: PRICELESS!!!!

I'd have to give them the $25 and tell them to go see a movie while the prepared people go for a day hike.

"I find it interesting that a number of people seem to have the impression that if if the person is coming without anything, that they are not interested in being prepared. Personally, I can think of a number of situations where a person could be left without gear and would have to make up a daypack on the spot. It's happened to me before, where I've flown out to visit someone, my luggage has been lost, and I've been left with nothing but my computer and the cash in my wallet."

True. But the challenge is to buy for someone else, and that implies they can't choose for themselves. I would have different choices for me or for friends ( I wouldn't presume that they caould start a fire in adverse conditions, or build a brush shelter for themselves)

Execllent responses. Lots of ideas I hadn't thought of.
Essentially; you'd want to carry water, shelter, signal making, first aid, tools, fire making -- the essentials.

The imitation coin-cell Photons cost under a dollar now. Mechanically they are fine, but they are bright because they are over-driven, and I've had the LED in one fail. Even so, they are small enough and cheap enough that I would think it foolish to go with nothing at all if one is available. Better to carry two.

Maybe I care more about light because I live and work in an urban environment. It's less important outdoors. However, light is one of the things for which there is no substitute. If you have to perform any kind of first aid, for example, I wouldn't want to be doing it in the dark.

You're right. I've just had really bad experiences with cheap flashlights. I've bought a number of them and used ones others have bought, and now I find it hard to justify wasting my money on these things. They always seem to break, die, or not put out enough light to see by shortly after being purchased. I just really dislike the idea of buying something that won't do what I bought it for.

On that same note, I don't think it's necessary to spend an exhorbitant amount of money on a flashlight either. My brother bought me a an $8 aluminum penlight from energiser that I EDC and have been very happy with.

Hm, this is an interesting thread. I think I'll have a go; but I'll be semi-cheating and thinking of two or three different stores where I'll be buying the junk, er, gear:

Dollar Tree:
Cheap rubberized flashlight - $1
Batteries for said flashlight - $1
2-Pack of butane candle/grill lighters (or 4-pack of disposable Bic knockoffs) - $1
2 Liter-size Bottles of water - $2
Dish towel, preferably in garish color (in place of a bandana or kerchief and for signaling and tinder) - $1
Nail care kit (includes clippers, scissors, tweezers, and file and sometimes even a small plastic mirror) - $1
Mini sewing kit (includes needles, thread, safety pins) - $1
Disposable poncho - $1
Box of plastic trash bags - $1
Roll of speaker wire (not as good as 550 para-cord, but whataya want for $25?) - $1

Evil Empire (AKA WalMart, my favorite store in the world):
Winchester or Ozark Trail fixed-blade knife - $8
Johnson & Johnson pocket-size first-aid kit - $1
Tube of Equate bacitracin triple anti-biotic ointment - $2.50
Box of Quaker Chewy Granola Bars - $2.50

Total from Dollar Tree - $11
Total from WalMart - $14
Total crap, er, kit - $25

I went with cheap crap on all of this, because this is, apparently, meant as single-use, light-duty stuff in case of emergency, and because of the limited budget.

Hey, that's a great idea.

-Blast

That idea applies to many other "dual purpose" items. Just my recent experience: Tyvek coverall full suit is much better than many Sauna sport suits. But "Sport" word multiplies the price by x2, and "Sauna" - by another x2. If you add something like "Nike" to that...

For those interested, I added a new practice scenario under
4th of July practice scenario -- Music fest

teacher

Hmm... they brought an empty daypack and 25 bucks? Sounds to me like they were fully expecting "lending of gear".