just when I think I had it figured out.

You know.

after reading the last post a buddy of mine made here I have come to do some hard thinking about the things I carry. He summed it up good that you never know what is going to go wrong but chances are it may NOT be what you expected. In the end survival = coming home alive, regardless of what went wrong. as such there are items . matches for example that may be of use in other situations than what we had intended them for. far too often when I think about a survival senario I think about being lost in the woods like he stated in his post but it never occurs to me that my chances of being lost are a hell of a lot less than most other things that can go wrong. I guess there is no way to plan for everything but some things like matches can have other uses than lighting a fire for survival. I normally carry sparking tools instead but it couldnt hurt to have a couple on hand in case of the unexpected. granted not everyone needs to light time fuse either but there are items in my psk that I really need to re-evaluate in terms of use. I keep a mini back up knife in my psk because everyone else I know does but really, WHY? That space could be occupied by something far much more likely to be used. I carry a folder, a fixed blade and a multi-tool in the field so what are my REAL chances of breaking all of them and relying on the mini knife? I also carry a mini button compass to back up my big compass which is a back up my GPS. is this really necessary? I carry a mini fishing kit out of habit but I have yet to even HEAR of one saving a persons life. I also carry a mini vial of pain killers in case I get hurt but pain never killed anyone, hypothermia however kills lots of people where I live. I bet I could carry 12 extra matches in that space. A needle and thread? a sewing awl ? honestly, You never know when you may need to do some tayloring while waiting for rescue. I read books about making your own clothing and stuff but I hope it doesent come to that if I get lost on a hike. even if i do I could improvise an awl or a needle and about half the other stuff I THINK I need to have with me always. I bet tape will cover the hole in my jacket just fine.

The sad part is I was one of the guilty ones who made fun of taurus for packing matches in a psk geared for the sand box. I asked him why the hell he would need them in a place where its is so warm. he replied with some smart ass comment along the lines of. I can ALWAYS find a use for matches, in mostly any situation, but what the hell are you going to do with your fishing kit in the sand? I may or may not find a use for the matches but I know for sure you wont use the fishing kit. you may agree or disagree with this statement but it sure as hell got me sitting here thinking about how I am going to tear apart my psk and rebuild it from the ground up.
I think the truth about what I carry now is that only half of it would actually be of any use to me.

so there it is.

just when I think I have my psk the way I wants it now I realize that half of it can be better. There are items I need, there are items I simply think I need. back to the drawing board.

screw you taurus. half way across the glob and now you got me changing my mind and tearing apart my gear.....again!

The question I am asking myself as I sit here is what items do I absolutely NEED to cover MOST situations that I MAY be faced with? and what is just for making me FEEL better?

so here I am with my stuff laid out scratching my head.

I guess its safe to assume that a few matches can help.

If you are constantly thinking about what you are carrying, then you have the opportunity to make it better, to update it because of changing conditions, and to check the expiration dates.

Regarding fishing stuff in a PSK: There was a USAF pilot quite some years ago (70's? 80's?) who bailed out over the Sierra Nevada. He wound up in the high country of the sierra. He couldn't go down river because of sheer rock and waterfalls. He couldn't go over the icy/snowy sides of the deep canyon (the Sierra are heavily glaciated; think fjord deep).

He did find some fishing gear and a jar of jam. He lived on fish and the jam until Spring when the snows melted and he was discovered by some hikers.

I think the fishing thing depends a lot on where you are. In the glaciated Sierra Nevada, there are lakes and streams all over the place, and trout is pretty available. Here where I live in Los Angeles? Good luck, although I suppose fishing line could be used for making snares?

My approach is to have a basic PSK that's tailored for my local area. If I take a trip/do something a bit unusual, I re-evaluate my PSK before I leave.

How do you drive a survival conscious person crazy? Tell him, "for goodness sake, make sure your PSK is up to speed."

Yep,
there's no reason a kit needs to be static. Tearing it down to make it better is a continuing process. Smaller, lighter more comprehensive.

I consider matches to be a basic of any kit. If I go down in the water they aren't much good, but they're small, light and cheap so it's no big deal. If I go down overland they could be a major asset.

Fishing gear? Only reason they're needed at all for fishing is a long term event, but can you use them for things other than fishing?

This is just one reason to use the items in your kit and not to treat it as emergency only gear. People hesitate to declare an emergency and waste precious seconds. Treat it as an EDC accessories tool kit.

Probably more useful to garrote the SOB that tries to jump you, should you stray between the 105 and 10. God, I miss LA.

of course we could find a use for fishing gear other that fishing, I bet we could find a use for almost anything we may have. but....I was scratching my head and wondering............. what are my chances of needing to fish in the short term. Realisticly MOST situations are short term, If I get lost while geocaching I would like to think I will be rescued in at least 7 days at the very most. do I really need food in that time? It would be nice. I may loose a few pounds and be very hungry but I will live if I cant fish. besides, there are other ways to fish and catch food. but can I carry something which will be better than the fising kit? I know I will need water in that time frame. maybe some extra puri tabs? Maybe a better signal mirror?

The thing that drives me nuts is that not long ago a few of us. including taurus before he left had a big debate about the use of matches in a kit. I was totally convinced that they were a waste of space in my kit and stopped carrying them. Now after reading tarus post I once again am wondering if it is a big mistake NOT to have at least a few. I can make a fire with a spark tool. but some things can only be lit with a match. I dont think taurus ever expected to use the matches as he did but it got me thinking that there must be tonnes of other unexpected advantages of matches. maybe to light a signal flare where the striker has become wet ? good luck doing this with a sparky.

naturally this thought process has spilled over to my re-evaluating of every other item in my kit and wondering how useful it ACTUALLY is.


grrrrr........ I get so fustrated when I fret over gear.

By the way, the pilot I referred to is David Steeves. He survived 54 days in the Sierra Nevada. I got a few details wrong, but he did find fishing gear which helped save his life. Here's an article from 1957: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,809644,00.html?promoid=googlep

First there is no mountain, then there is a mountain, and then there is no mountain again...

Like I keep trying to tell my boss, there's no "perfect answer" just compromises. This is especially true in PSKs. My personal approach is to have several different PSKs. The one I take in the woods is different than theone I take to work. I don't have a fishing line or fish hooks in any of my kits, but I do have paracord, dental floss and a few needles. The needles can be bent into fishing hooks and the dental floss or inner strands of the paracord can be fishing line. A needle can also be used to pin a bit of bait to a figure-4 trap.

In the end though thinking and re-thinking your PSK is actually fun, isn't it?

-Blast

no.........I would have more fun if I had it the way I wanted it and could sip beers, watch family guy and rest easy in my sense of false security.

Instead I have my stuff spread out all over the place for about the 10th time in as many months trying to figure out what to take and what to leave behind.

sigh......

"...The needles can be bent into fishing hooks..."

How do you do this? I have had more than one needle snap into pieces when I overflexed it...

heat them with a lighter till red hot and then slowly bend them with a multi-tool

Hey,

I run with a standard mini-PSK (similar to D. Ritters Homemade Kit) then supplement around it with event/location specific equipment.

I include matches, mini-bic, sparker, whistle, fishing kit, cordage, mirror, etc in the mini-PSK but often back it up with better stuff plus my EDC gear.

Things like fish hooks and needles I always seem to be able to squeeze in a mini-PSK during assemble to fill the small spaces. Small or flat things are easy, larger odd shaped things like a Bic or Fox 40 are tougher.

Mike

don't feel bad BMT. I think there are at least a few of us (myself included) that do the same thing with their gear on a regular basis. I've spread out everything several times this winter and spent a lot of time sitting and scratching the old noggin.

Heat it up in a fire for a while to ruin its temper.

Oops, BMT beat me to the answer.

-Blast

Think of the fishing kit as strong cord and hooks that can also be clips or ties. And you can use the line to catch birds which are everywhere.
Try fixing your boots or the sac that's carrying 60 pounds with duct tape, instead of needle and thread. Or sewing leather without an awl
The Sock

Versatility is why I modularized my psk/bob a long time ago. I keep the kit contents inventoried at home, and equip according to the needs of the pending excursion. Better to have a shelving unit full of seldom used but valuable supplies than to carry an 80 lb pack around all the time.

I really like the way you think. You may have given me a very good idea here.

Thanks for sharing

Reevaluating the stuff in your kits is you thinking about the uses things have, and thinking about the compromises you are making when you choose things. Pulling your stuff out, looking at it, handling it, and putting it back in gets you familiar with it, should you ever need it.

Do I need the three knives I brought with me to work this morning? No, it's just a sign that I have a knife problem. If I thought it wouldn't cause problems, i'd be tempted to wear a big sheath in my NYC Office. Knives come with me, in part, because, like many, I like knives. Part of your thoughts should examine what may be left out and could really help, so you can carry something because you simply want it or more of something. I think one of my knives may find a home here in my office, jsut in case I should ever come in with my EDC/PSK kit.

And your stuff needs to change for the environment and activity. When you are out in the middle of the woods, with plans on staying for the weekend, maybe you need to bring the axe. When you are simply going for a hike for a matter of hours, then maybe the axe stays behind and your bring the machete.

So once in a while, break all your stuff out on the floor, turn on the TV, crack open a decent beer and think about what you need and want, and then put it all away and get another cold one.

ha. I REALLY like the way you think.