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#272261 - 10/16/14 04:06 AM What would you pick for your survival kit?
ATN Offline
Newbie

Registered: 10/14/14
Posts: 46
Let's say you're in a Tom Hanks situation like in his movie, Cast Away. What would you pick for a survival kit where you are stranded on a deserted island for an extended period of time? You have the following limitations:

1. The survival kit must be in a container (backpack, fanny pack, etc).

2. The whole survival kit (container, food, water, etc) has a maximum weight of 25 pounds.

3. Your maximum budget for the survival kit is 300 dollars.

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#272263 - 10/16/14 10:53 AM Re: What would you pick for your survival kit? [Re: ATN]
Phaedrus Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 04/28/10
Posts: 3148
Loc: Big Sky Country
Hmmm...maybe an Acr Resqlink PLB!
_________________________
“I'd rather have questions that cannot be answered than answers that can't be questioned.” —Richard Feynman

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#272264 - 10/16/14 11:05 AM Re: What would you pick for your survival kit? [Re: ATN]
chaosmagnet Offline
Sheriff
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 12/03/09
Posts: 3819
Loc: USA
If I had a few bucks left over I'd add a small tarp and a bottle of water, but absolutely the first item on my list would be a PLB.

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#272266 - 10/16/14 12:36 PM Re: What would you pick for your survival kit? [Re: Phaedrus]
Deathwind Offline
Enthusiast

Registered: 02/01/14
Posts: 310
I agree that a PLB would be a good idea, but that wouldn't be my sole choice. Remember things, especially electronics, have a habit of failing. A mistake in construction, a weak or dead battery, etc, when you need them most. I would definently take basic pocket gear and a small PSK and work my way up from there. You may lose your main pack so have a few items in your pockets. In that vien I was in Dollar Tree the other day and saw a small plastic box about the size of an Altoids tin. t has dual locks, a rubber gasket and seems to be pretty rugged for a buck. I think I'll get one and test it, since this subject came up.

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#272268 - 10/16/14 02:08 PM Re: What would you pick for your survival kit? [Re: Deathwind]
Russ Offline
Geezer

Registered: 06/02/06
Posts: 5357
Loc: SOCAL
You mean you didn't but it when you saw it for $1.?? LOL

PLB is number one unless you really want to all on your own with your emergency. My PLB (ACR ResQLink) has its very own pocket on my vest. http://www.plbreview.com/

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#272271 - 10/16/14 03:04 PM Re: What would you pick for your survival kit? [Re: ATN]
chaosmagnet Offline
Sheriff
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 12/03/09
Posts: 3819
Loc: USA
Alright, so it turns out that the ACR ResQlink is a bit less expensive than I thought at $260 shipped.

Here's my list:
  • ACR ResQLink $260
  • Pocket Survival Pak $22
  • Heatsheets Emergency Blanket $7
  • Mora Campanion $14
  • Bic lighter ~$1
  • A couple bottles of water $free from my kitchen
  • Appropriate clothes and footwear for the outdoors, with spare socks in the bag $free from my closet


That puts me over by $4.

If I can go over the $300:

  • Demote Mora to backup knife and bring Ritter Rsk3 $165
  • 100' of paracord ~$5
  • UST Tarp $18
  • LM ST300 $70


Not getting stranded in the first place: $priceless

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#272289 - 10/16/14 10:29 PM Re: What would you pick for your survival kit? [Re: ATN]
Meadowlark Offline
Member

Registered: 10/05/08
Posts: 154
Loc: Northern Colorado
Hum! If I were stranded in the South Seas, and assuming a PLB wouldn't be available, I think I'd like to have the following:



*2 poly tarps (mostly for water collection, but also shelter if trees/brush are scarce) $9.98

*wool blanket $28.99

*5 gallon plastic jerry can with a bit of fresh water already in it for starters $16.99

*Datrex survival food bars (3) $15.00

*portable fish net trap $24.75

*knife $29.99

*camp hatchet $15.41 (or alternatively a machete -- depends on terrain)

*first aid kit $42.75

*small signal gun + flares $60.99

*flint steel $7.63

*pack of Bic lighters (20) $19.99

*100 ft paracord $11.99

*pack shovel 2.49

*mosquito net $12.99



Total: $299.94 (before tax)





--M



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#272294 - 10/17/14 03:14 AM Re: What would you pick for your survival kit? [Re: ATN]
Blast Offline
INTERCEPTOR
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 07/15/02
Posts: 3760
Loc: TX
1. good-quality pot for cooking.
2. two large fire steels.
3. two high-quality king-sized bed sheets (source of fabric)
3. two high-quality knives.
4. sharpening stone.
5. 100' of paracord.
6. two large frog gigs.

Let the vacation begin. laugh
-Blast
_________________________
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Medicine Man Plant Co.
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Radio Call Sign: KI5BOG
*As an Amazon Influencer, I may earn a sales commission on Amazon links in my posts.

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#272302 - 10/17/14 07:31 AM Re: What would you pick for your survival kit? [Re: Deathwind]
Phaedrus Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 04/28/10
Posts: 3148
Loc: Big Sky Country
Originally Posted By: Deathwind
I agree that a PLB would be a good idea, but that wouldn't be my sole choice. Remember things, especially electronics, have a habit of failing. A mistake in construction, a weak or dead battery, etc, when you need them most. I would definently take basic pocket gear and a small PSK and work my way up from there. You may lose your main pack so have a few items in your pockets.


I was being facetious and didn't have time to respond more fully. I do want to clarify that while a PLB would be awesome to have, even if it works you're not instantly out of the woods. There are many situations where you might have to hunker down and wait for rescue for hours or even days. Say you're lost in the Alaska wilderness and a storm is rolling in; help might not reach you for some time even if they know where you are.

I always have survival gear. I should think anyone that's a fixture of a sight like this would! My kit varies a lot depending on where I'm going, the season, how remote, etc. But I always have some kind of shelter (eg HeatSheets bivy, plastic tarp, sleeping bag, space blanket etc etc), a knife, a light and a heavy dose of fire gear.

On an island in the middle of the ocean I would want to have some kind of gear to distill water. A solar still might work and of course a regular still if there's a good wood source to make fire. A reverse osmosis desalination device like boats have would be awesome but over my $300 limit.
_________________________
“I'd rather have questions that cannot be answered than answers that can't be questioned.” —Richard Feynman

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#272314 - 10/17/14 04:52 PM Re: What would you pick for your survival kit? [Re: Phaedrus]
Meadowlark Offline
Member

Registered: 10/05/08
Posts: 154
Loc: Northern Colorado

Blast: Oops I forgot a cooking pot! Good one. (Although I suppose one could always smoke one's food, or use a pit like the Maori or Hawaiian peoples. Still, a useful item for boiling water, etc.)


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