Prepared to Survive

Has anyone bought the DVD Prepared to Survive? I have it and was wondering if anyone would like to discuss the contents.

Thanks!

I have it.. What's there to discuss? It's pretty straight forward.. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I would be happy to try and answer any questions you have with the program. I hope you found it useful.

I did like the little subtle acts by the actor/actresses when they were in survival mode.. For instance, the single blonde woman, at one point touches her pinky to her thumb to check for hypothermia, before starting a fire. I think the video would have been more valuable if a point was made to why certain actions were performed. So for instance, on that act, I knew why she was doing it, but my wife did not. I ended up explaining or expanding on certain things in the dvd to her.

That's a new one to me, can you exapnd?

Malpaso,

You can read about it in "98.6" by Cody Lundin.

If you have trouble touching your little finger to your thumb it is a sign that you may be starting to go hypothermic.

Thanks for being willing to share!

I bought the video ?Prepared to Survive? from Lifeview and got free shipping $7.00. Woohoo! <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Being the survival nut that I am, I watched it the same night it came from UPS. The video has great photography!

Doug Ritter has some really weird glasses. It looks like there are two giant lenses clipped to his nose and no ear pieces. <img src="/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I watched all of disk 1 and the survival kits and knives of disk 2. I hope to get some more time to watch the rest of it. My sons have been watching it on their own when they could be watching Star Wars. Must be good! One of my favorite parts is where Gretchen Cordy takes a piece of wet fuel size wood and splits it with her knife, splits out kindling and then shaves off tinder. She then has her assistant use a Strike Force to start the shavings. She has a slab of bark under the tinder to keep the tinder dry and uses a brace to lean the kindling on. Looks like a good setup. I wish she had used a row of sticks on the bottom like Doug has in the PSP instruction sheet.

Watching them use the Ontario TAK-1 made me want one. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

What is the possibility of us making suggestions and there being a version II of "Prepared to Survive"?

Thanks for the comments. We'd love to do Prepared to Survive part 2 for the more advanced enthusiasts. Our goal with the first program was to create a general awareness and interest in the basic principles of wilderness survival and the importance of being prepared for the unexpected. We've considered advanced shelter building, wilderness medicine and a few other topics for a follow up program.

But alas, it is very expensive to produce something like this. It'll be a while before we save enough pennies to make another one without a sponsor. When we do however, you can be sure that we'll solicit advice on this forum.

BTW- the TAK held up well despite hard use.

Based upon Doug's recommendation at Equipped.org and the above comments I've put the video on my Christmas wish list, which my wife sends off to Santa sometime next month.

I've been a good boy this year.

When I look at the specs of the Ontario TAK-1 it reminds me very much of the Becker Crewman BK10:

Blade Length:
TAK-1 - 4.25"
BK10 - 5.5"

Blade Width:
TAK-1 - 0.1875"
BK10 - 0.188"

Both have carbon steel coated blades. The TAK-1 has a micarta handle, but I guess I'm one of the oddballs that like the shape/feel of the Becker handle.

I have the BK10 and it is a nice knife, but now that I have the wonderfull RSK Mk3 the BK10 stays home. I think if I'm going to carry a thick-bladed chopper I'd go for a much longer blade to make battoning easier, but then again, that whole long & thick bladed knife package will be so heavy I simply won't carry it.

Ken K.

Thanks Craig. So it's a dexterity test. I was thinking it had something to do with sensory ability.

Yeap exactly.. My wife thought the lady was looking for a chipped hang nail.. <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I'd like to make some comments about the DVD but I don't want to sound like I'm nitpicking. It's like the book "Build the Perfect Survival Kit" by John McCann you keep saying to yourself: but why didn't he ... and I would have ... <img src="/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

Maybe others could post what they liked or didn't like about the video and what they would have added or taken out. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I was bumming over the the testing of tinder.

Gretchen gives her assistant a lighter and she has different sparkers. She does explain that the lighter is not going to work in a wind or wet.

She then proceeds to try different tinder. She gives half to her assistant and she takes half. The assistant lights most of the tinder with no effort. It is a very calm day, no wind. She requires several attempts to get her tinder lit. Only a few will light. She does not smash, crumple or shred the tinder so it will light with a spark. She does some fluffing. She does get some things lit. It was funny that when she put the fire paste on the bark it looked like bark fuzz caught the spark and lit the fire paste.

Ron Wood has a similar thing in one of his videos. He makes this super tinder bundle. It has three layers: shredded Juniper bark, fluffed cotton ball and magnesium in the center of the cotton. He was demonstrating how magnesium will start a fire. He used a Boy Scout Sparker. The spark hit the edge of the cotton and bark and the flame started there. The magnesium lit later. Good demo of why you don't need magnesium Ron! <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I took it from another standpoint. As Mike from lifeview mentioned, this is a beginner video.. I think it proved that, though Gretchen is the resident expert, she was having a difficult time starting a fire with sparks. I think it magnifies the importance of trying out your firestarters and making sure you know how it works and what to expect.. There is no magic pill! I think somewhere in there, she mentioned that the lighter could run out of fluid or something. I think she also mentioned the importance of carrying your own tinder, cause the real stuff can be hard to light with a spark.

As it goes, I think the video has it's place, and it has made my wife more aware. Tools are great, but "It's too late to learn to swim when you start to drown.." <- Something I live by.. Anyone remember who sang that? It was a song a couple of years back..

I agree.

I think she was showing that you can't just grab something and expect it to work. Plus if one thing does not work look for other things that might work. Don't give up on the first tinder even if it seem like it would be the best one like the bird's nest. I was thinking: "one spark and that thing is going to burst into flames" - wrong! The dry grass and pine needles worked then and there.

I have to watch it more than once to catch what is going on.

I had to edit a previous post because I missed some things she was saying. Then again I have 4 boys that love to distract me. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I do have one question.. Does anyone know what kind or where I can buy that clear match case she has? Its a flip top, and appears to be big/long enough for the REI Stormproof matches..

You'll enjoy this. That clear case is for shipping urine samples. Don't worry, it was new.
As you may know, our company produces videos for various health care clients. One was a drug testing company and the client came in with one of the sample containers. I took one look and thought hmm... leakproof, the lid locks and it's long enough for the REI Stormatches-perfect.
I asked and he provided us with a couple of dozen. I'm not sure where they came from initially but I suspect that laboratory supply companies would offer them at low cost.

Was it something like these?

http://www.globescientific.com/cpage47-tubes.html

Not exactly. The ones we have are used to ship the sample to a lab for testing. I found one here and it has US PAt. 4783056 stamped on the bottom. Also 234A is on the bottom. I'll see if I can find our client and ask him about them.

Cool, dual purpose!! <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Based on that, I did a search, and the closest thing I could find was :
http://www.poly-cons.com/productNum4.htm

But it's not exactly the same.. I think the one in the video looks more "solid" in the fact that the clasp and or hinge looked more rugged..

The vials are made by Capitol Vial in Auburn AL. Here is the web page:

http://www.capitolvial.com/dats/supplies.aspx?id=30

I'm thinking of offering several of their products on our website. They have a number of inexpensive, food-grade, leakproof containers that would work great for a variety of purposes.

Thanks for reminding me about the vials. My personal one was confiscated by TSA on a trip to Olympic NP. Apparently TSA did not approve of REI stormproof matches. Nor were they impressed by the container.

Yeap, thats the one! <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> But golly!! 700 per case!! That's alittle more than the 5 I was thinking of buying.. <img src="/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

Mike, please let us know if you plan to stock these.. I may be tempted to order other things as well.. (been eyeballing that BK10).. <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I'm filling out the forms now. But it usually take s a while to be set up as a reseller. I'll let everyone know as soon as we're set up with inventory.
In the meantime keep looking, we add items regularly. The next item is miniature 550 cord-which is really 100 cord. 100 lb tensile strength, built like 550 cord-(outer braid, inner strands, mil-spec) but much smaller. Perfect for survival kits, etc. The real name is Mil-C-5040 Cord Type 1.

For what it's worth, none of the fire starting or anything else in the video was staged or forced when we were shooting. That section of the video was shot in middle TN in May in very humid conditions. The bird's nest which usually works pretty well as tinder, had absorbed all that humidity and just wouldn't work. Ditto with some of the other natural materials.
We could have smoothed out the process while shooting and editing but we wanted to provide a realistic look at firestarting.

The emphasis( I hope) is: think about what can happen, prepare for it with some basic gear and knowledge and then practice using that gear to improve your skills.

Why do you like the BK10 better than the TAK-1?

I didn't say I like it better.. I think the price point of the BK10 is attractive. Is the TAK-1 30% better? I don't know, I never thought of the TAK-1.. There are so many knives out there, its hard to decide.. I currently have several knives, and have the cold steel SRK in my bob. I think the 2 things that attract me to the BK10 is the price and the storage area in the handle.

I usually do not participate in knife discussions because we sell them. This time, however, I'll throw in my 2 cents.

We used both the Tak and the BK10 during taping. Both did well on and off camera. In fact we chose those two to use because they are so tough.

It's hard to beat the price of the Becker. I can't think of any other knife that is as strong for the money. We beat it through wood, dug with it and generally gave it a real work out and it did fine. It is a large, wide-bladed knife that's a bit heavy for some.

The Tak received the same punishment and also did well. Note that Gretchen used the TAK with a Strikeforce firestarter and it still held an edge. It is less cumbersome to use for more detailed work and weighs a little less. It does cost more, though.


I believe the SRK would have done just as well had we used it.


I have a BK10 and a SOG Seal Pup Elite. When I hike, I usually carry a fair amount of camera gear plus some survival stuff. My pack can get heavy pretty fast. So, I'll normally carry the Seal Pup because it's lighter but can still do pretty much anything that's needed for survival.

Does anyone have thoughts on the shelter section of the video?

I am a fan of the Coghlan?s Survival Bag and was not happy that Gretchen cut up the bag to make an A-frame shelter. <img src="/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> I think a tube tent would have been better than an open bottom. When someone has a tarp, and no tent, I often see them turn it into a tube tent with one end closed. That is the case in our Boy Scout Troop and on our GCC Survival Class.

I like to put one stake the center of the closed end of the Survival bag and two in the open end. Then I tie the top, of the open end, to a tree or crossed sticks and then to the ground. I also bought some mosquito netting to attach to the open end. I think some clips might work well. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Does anyone here use an A-frame and open bottom for their shelter?

Thanks!

We've got the match containers in stock and on the website now. The link is:

http://www.lifeviewoutdoors.com/store/survivalgear/capitol-vial.html

The larger ones seem to be pretty handy as well.

Mike
LifeView Outdoors

Do you have any word on the status of Survival Inc.? I love their BlastMatch and StrikeForce. Once they are gone; that's it? <img src="/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

Thanks!

I haven't seen this video, but I love that approach versus giving the false impression that survival is a piece of cake.

That is why I like Les Stroud so much as he shows you his mistakes & how he is adjusting to the environment.

The green bag has food. Everyone at the camp-out, except my wife and I, used a tarp to make a tube tent or burrito shelter. We used a GI poncho over us and a tarp under us. What do you guys think is the best shelter?