Here is a slightly bizarre question. If you could only take one tool into a survival situation, what would that tool be? A pocket multi-tool, knife , brain for answers are excluded. Hmmmmmmm.....

If I couldn't bring a knife or my brain along...........most of the time that I would potentially be in such a fix, I would be in the Maine woods. I'd bring a reliable lighter along. Or some other means of starting a fire. But any lighter that uses a flint would at least make a spark.

A fire can provide warmth and maybe be used as a signal.

Maybe I'd bring a gun, instead, so I could shoot myself for being out and about without a knife and a PSK.

How about a PLB?

Seeing as the type of emergency is so undefined I'll answer with a multitool like my Leatherman Wave. Between it's pliers, saw and knife I could take care of a lot of urban/rural/wilderness emergency situations.

-Blast

If my brain is excluded, I'm kinda hosed unless Dr McCoy is around with one of his remote control thingies.

Thinking along those lines, can I change my tool choice to a sonic screwdriver ?

-Blast

I'm not quite clear on the question. Are you saying knives and pocket tools are excluded? Define "survival situation". Wilderness or city? Hot or cold?

I'd second a PLB. Or a cell phone. Or a FAK. Or a Bic lighter. Depending on the situation. If knives are allowed, maybe a OHT. Or a phasor. Yeah, a phasor would cover a lot of bases.

Kevin B.

Given the vaque parameters of the question I will define tool as anything I carry. The answer is a no brainer and I'll cut right to it. I'd want a premium sleeping bag. Odds are once in a 'survival situation' you are disoriented, perhaps fatiqued or injured. The STOP acronym is best done in the psychological and physical cocoon of warmth.

A good big knife is all you need to supplement your brains. Just think about a caveman survival situation - you'll see that at once Everything else is just to save your time...
Ah! A good knife must be excluded? Ok. Include a VERY good knife.

In light of Chris' claim that a sleeping bag is a no-brainer, I guess I'll be attaching one to my keychain.

My firesteel. Or a lighter that if empty could be used as one.

I would go one further and say a good bivy bag.

Ummmm, sure. It looks cools, and it is only $15 from here:
http://www.thinkgeek.com/geektoys/cubegoodies/8cff/
However, it does not make enough noise to be useful for alerting rescuers. Probably not good for much else. But if you want...

For all who have posted, Thank You!

Yes, this is a very vague question. Yes, a tool can be anything that one can use. I live in a very small town and our local Postmaster and his spouse lead a group of Girl Scouts. He and I have exchanged tidbits of info concerning backpacking/camping from time to time. The Postmaster and his spouse along with many other local adults (including myself) have had training outings with his troop. The young ladies asorb the training and info like a thirsty sponge. Things taught to them include primitive firebuilding, shelter building, foraging, primitive water purification, signaling, first aid, orientering etc... All in all these young ladies reguardless of their age are quite proficient in their skills.

One day while I was in the Post Office chatting with the Postmaster, a few girls from his troop came in. The eldest girl asked me this very question. I responded,"my gurkha kukri". I asked her what her choice would be. She responded,"My hatchet".

Twice a year the young ladies are taken into the local national forest or wilderness area for a 3 day outing to put their skills to the test. They are allowed only their knife, multi-tool, whistle, one light source, their personal survival kit (which they have put together themselves)and first-aid kit. Of course, many adults acompany them on these outings for safety purposes.

Interesting.......

In my environment, the biggest risk in a survival sitution would be hypothermia.

If I lost all the gear I carry except one, I would want to make fire so I could stay warm and signal for help.

I would hope I had a good lighter.

I guess I'll cheat a little & say a Multi-tool (LM Wave?) with a firestarting flint attached to the split ring.

If you're taking the sonic screwdriver, then why don't you ask for the entire TARDIS. Personally, I'd rather just take one of the doctor's assistants.

[quote=BrianTexas: If you're taking the sonic screwdriver, then why don't you ask for the entire TARDIS. Personally, I'd rather just take one of the doctor's assistants. [/quote]

Leela!

-Blast, who doesn't see a glass half full or half empty because there are too many dang beautiful women around distracting him...

well, just to stir the pot ...

... the "tool" I would choose (if forced to choose only one) would be a slightly oversize gen-2 goretex parka, knee-length with full hood and drawstrings everywhere ...

... it's practically a shelter in itself when you batten everything down ... it adds to the effectiveness of any clothing you have ... you can add insulation by stuffing in any semi-dry source you come across (grass, reeds, etc.)

... thinking back to my years of solo mountain backpacking, this would be the most critical item for me, hands down

(btw: this is a quite the admission from a total gear nut, knife/axe/multitool accumulator and flashaholic)

Ah, then I want a Nanoman. It's like a Leatherman, but it has a dry-nanite hive built into it, and a controller that can support up to 1024 parts, no more than 3cc's total volume. A two part tool, like a pair of pliers, is two parts; different screwdrivers, manual, are one part each; etc.

For a serious entry, a good dutch oven. You can use that for everything if you have to.

A Wiggy's sleeping bag vacuum packed wouldn't be small enough for a keychain carry but it would fit nicely into a bug-out-bag with room to spare I guess. But it's not inexpensive, $175.00 just for their exclusive vacuum packaging.

I would have to opt for the M-79 with 20 rounds of Willy Pete.

It will provide a nice warm fire while I await the arrival of the: ATF, FBI, DHS, USA, USANG, USMC, USAF, USFS, and every other government agency that can make a claim to defend us from terrorists,,,,and I know that they will bring all kinds of fancy cop equipment with them, taking 8x10 color glossy photos of my approach that got me lost, the north, south, east, and west views of my "waiting for help site", etc.etc.

With any luck, I'll even get a blind judge with a seeing eye dog who won't be able to look at the 8x10 color glossy photos.

But afterwards you could head down to Alice's Resturant for some good eating.

-Blasting the oldies

I'd pick either my Leatherman Wave or SAK Rucksack

in my part of the world i would say an axe..i could make
a shelter..get lots of fire wood..strike a spark..make traps.
..this is in northern pine forest lake lands..

Alices Restaurant???????

Isn't it just a half a mile past the railroad tracks, in an old church? I think, you can get anything you want at Alice's Restaurant, excepting Alice!!!! If I remember right????

I know that I am telling on my age, but Blast, you're showing yourself to be a 60's music fan!

Today, with all the identity theft concerns, that song may never have been written...

Think about it:
...we got a phone call from Officer Obie. He said, "Kid, we found your name on a envelope at the bottom of a half a ton of garbage and I just wanted to know if you had any information about it."

Shredders weren't every day items back then in Stockbridge I guess

I have many layers, like an onion.

-Blast

Some type of fire makings...Swedish firesteel fits the bill nicely.

todd