1) Knife, medium sized (5-7") clip or drop point carbon steel blade of very good or better quality, with a strong butt
2) Ferrorod, a nice thick one 4 to 5" long
3) Multitool, with saw and file
4) Metal cup/pot, .75 to 1L capacity
5) Cordage

note: if by "survival issues aside like... fire" you mean we don't need to worry about a ferro rod, bump everything else up, and it becomes a toss up between good local maps or a spool of wire.

It would depend alot on the situation and location, but I think this is pretty basic if I need to rebuild edc immediately.

1)knife
2)Fire starting material
3)rope, or some other lashing material
4)blanket
5)raincoat or poncho

By the way, this list will remain the same for most situations except for differances in form.

In the woods it could a sharp rock for the knife, a fire spindle, wild grape vines for expedient lashing, a brush shelter for protection against rain, and leaves and grass for a blanket. There are other things I would want, but these are my first five concerns in most situations.

Outside my house, it could be supplemental stuff that I keep inside

Really the idea is to keep me warm and going until I can gather other things I may need (a pot to boil water, food, medical supplies, flashlight, ect.)

I think that this issue has been talked about but I nothing
receintly I've found. So here goes..


If you were stripped of everything except the clothes on your back, what items would be your first priority to aquire?

I take this to mean that you have nothing but the clothes that are on your back, literally

Survival issues aside, like water, shelter or fire. We all know the priorities. Items that will suit a wide range of conditions and/or environments.

I take this to mean that survival priorities are not to be confused with those items that you would want to acquire or look for as in: water, food, and shelter are not provided

Perhaps I am reading this wrong or I am guilty of "interpreting" DLR's post incorrectly (I am out in LaLa land again, wandering around behind the cattle).

Please re-read the original post carefully and tell me if I am wrong.

OK,

Thanks for the replies all. You all have pretty much the same ideas I have. Knife, fire starter of some sort, cord/rope, canteen or cup.

Yes, wildman800, you got it right. I'm asking about actual, physical items you want to get first. The tools you need to get what you need.

Let me put it another way. You are suddenly thrust into a situation. You can only have 5 things. What are they?

Hear's a kicker: You have no idea what that "situation" is. It could be artic plane crash, maybe local, door-to-door civil unrest, You stop your car to take a leak in a remote wilderness area and the car catches on fire and burns to the ground (Seen it happen). Or [insert sudden situation here], whatever.

Anyway, I hope that's clear as mud.

DLR

Interesting question, and I find my reaction to it interesting, too. My first thought was of a knife or multi-tool, but honestly, is having that the top priority? I also realized that my approach to survival is influenced heavily by what I am honestly likely to run into in my region. If you told me I was headed out into the high desert or the Costa Rican jungle, I might tweak it just a bit.

Anyway, in no particular order:
1. folding knife or multi-tool (take your pick, opinions vary)
2. military-style poncho (for shelter, catching rain water, etc)
3. water bottle (filled, preferably)
4. bic-type lighter (or firesteel, again, opinions vary)
5. 40' of 1/2" nylon rope

Why the rope? In many emergency and near-emergency situations there is a need for a length for rope to climb, lower, secure, rescue, restrain, protect, anchor, etc., someone or something. I chose the 1/2" nylon because it's strong enough for a lot of applications, but 40' is not too heavy to carry, and it's easy to splice. You can also unlay the strands and end up with 120' of cord, should you need to.

I thought long and hard about cup vs. water bottle, but opted for the ability to carry some water with me. I'll have to work out how to boil it along the way, I guess.

Since I opted for no compass or map, finding that way will require some careful thought. In my region I know the night sky well enough to hold a rough course for most of the night, if it's clear enough. I also know the prevailing wind patterns, so a steady breeze is likely to give me a rough bearing.

No signalling equipment - I am assuming I am mobile and uninjured, or else I would trade a cell phone or at least a whistle for the rope.

You know, I thought the same thing.

I'd like to have both. And, with our interest in multi-use items, maybe we can come up with something.

I'm thinking a metal water bottle (Alum, steel or Ti), that doubles as a cook pot with a removable top. Maybe there's something out there already?

Maybe something like a nalgene bottle that un-screws at the top shoulder. Remove the o-ring and cook away...

Heck, it could even be a metal pot with a plastic lid with a canteen top built in.

DLR

Not a bad thought!

For sheer utility, though, it would be hard to beat the military-style canteen nested inside the folding wire-handled canteen cup. That would be 2 items under the rules of this particular exercise, but for real world use, I wonder if it might not be the best way to go?

1. Knife (probably a multitool in an urban environment, fixed blade in the wilds)
2. Firestarter (probably a good lighter, even a bic - that constant flame beats a ferro rod for me)
3. Flashlight of some kind
4. Shelter (poncho would be most versatile, heatsheet would be second choice)
5. Signalling kit (whistle etc)

Bonus things - metal cooking pot, waterbottle, first aid kit, cordage, cash etc.

But short term - shelter, flashlight and whistle are probably most vital

1. Poncho
2. Bic lighter
3. Knife
4. 3# metal coffee can (nice if it was full :D)
5. Compass

my kit more urban, so...

1. cell phone
2. cash
3. pen
4. sunglasses
5. jacket