Thank you all for your comments and kind words. There is more than one way to skin a cat, and there is more than one way to survive in the woods I guess. My kit works for me, but may not for the next guy. My old man was never in the Army, but he would give survivorman a run for his money any day of the week. His hunting kit usually consists of a BIC lighter, an old ragged plaid coat, rubber boots, a 60 year old knife that has been sharpened 1000 times at least, and a pocket full of loose bullets. He never takes a compass but has never been lost. Every time we go hunting together he gets the bigger animal and manages to teach me something I never knew before. I have a 2700 dollar gun and he uses an old .303 British rifle and can shoot better with iron sights than I can with my scope half the time. I am by no means a slouch in the field, but with my thousands of dollars in fancy stuff he will always show me some new survival trick. It goes to show that gear is gear but skill and experience can’t be bought at MEC. (I still like my gear better than his though)

To answer a few questions:

MDinana – When I wrote the post it was -48 deg outside, but this is an older picture taken on another trip. It was only around -5 or -10 at the time.

Billym – The peak 1 works great for me. The peak 1 and the Coleman 2 burner are current Army issue. I got a couple of peaks and 1 of the 2 burner stoves simply because I can get unlimited free parts at work. When the temp really drops, Naphtha is far superior to other types of fuel IMHO. No valves to freeze like with propane stoves, and no heating paste used with other types unless you are using kerosene as fuel. Parts are easy to replace and the stove is easy to light and operate with gloves (big plus this time of year) the peak on the highest setting can get boiling water from solid ice in about 5 min flat. With a full tank of fuel and with what’s in the MSR bottle I can easily make it last a couple of days. The fact that the peak 1 is a multi-fuel stove is a big seller as well. (Naphtha, kerosene and apparently gasoline which I have never tried)

Hacksaw – no there is nothing wrong with shooting bunnies as long as you intend to eat them. They make a NICE stew. If you need professional help, then I must be going straight to hell. You don’t even need a license to shoot rabbit in Alberta, only to trap them. You are the only Albertan I know who doesn’t own at least 1 rifle. It’s time to give in to peer pressure. Be careful though, if you think survival gear is addictive then wait till you get involved with shooting as a hobby. I spend 10 times more on reloading and guns than I ever will on survival gear. My first gun was a .22 as well, now at over 40 guns I still want more. I am currently trying to get Wholesale sports to special order me a Smith & Wesson .500 revolver for the low price of 1300 bucks. The Ruger 10/22 is a great little gun like MoBOB said. They are fairly cheap as well. The reason I got one is that they are probably the most customizable rifle on earth and one of my hobbies is fooling with guns. If you want better reliability, especially in Alberta weather then I would suggest a bolt action over a semi-auto any day. Look at the Remington model 504. Those survival models are compact, but loose and clumsy and thus very inaccurate. You are Best off with a full size as they are really light anyway, but with far superior performance. For ease of maintenance nothing beats a bolt action rifle.


JohnnyUpton - The fishing kit in my core gear is for emergencies only. It’s more of a comfort item than a real lifesaver. If I am going ice fishing instead of hunting then I take the appropriate gear for that task. I guarantee you that if my life depended on it I could get through 18 inches of ice with my Kukri in short order. In my opinion at least, it would be LESS practical to bring the extra weight/bulk for a dedicated ice auger or the like. I keep the small fishing kit because the ice isn’t always 18 inches thick (it stays in my kit as part of my summer gear as well) I would most likely have more luck using the hooks with my roll of wire and using them to hook Magpies or crows in a survival situation than fish. It’s actually not a very important part of my kit, that’s why I kept it small and simple. Besides, in Alberta at this time of year if I was lost and help wasn’t soon to arrive I wouldn’t be wasting energy screwing around with holes in the ice but rather I would be building a fire, a shelter and then finding a way to signal for help. I don’t know what part of the USA you hail from but in Alberta, Canada in January you will freeze to death long before you need to worry about fishing. That’s why I have such an emphasis on FIRE, SHELTER, and SIGNALLING.
I carry a fleece toque in my pocket when not worn and a neoprene neck warmer/gaiter in my bag if needed. Usually when the snow starts falling hard I pull up my hood. I did mention that I have a FAK. The items are the same as everyone else probably has so I didn’t get into much detail. The clothing that I wear would have made the post too long so I didn’t touch on it much. Maybe I will in a different post. Yes, the peak comes with the case.


Sorry for the long reply, but since you guys took the time to ask questions it would be rude not to reply with an answer.