Good post. Definately important to know how to use your gear. The items in this kit are things I've used and practiced with. I think the only thing I had to go out and buy for the kit was the bag and a new tube of Wetfire tinder.

Good kit indeed. In addition to the suggestion that CnD made and your wants I would highly suggest using a light Camelbak instead.

First since you want water purification tablet and you seem to have no containers for water as part of your kit (more importantly than getting the tablets is having water in the first place), the bladder solves that problem. Second the Camelbak bladders already remove 99.9999999999999999 (most)% of bacteria through their tube filter so all you really need is to filter out the crap using a shirt.

Also, I don't see why you need two strikers, and two flashlights (and a glow tube), and two SAKs.

For lights I suggest that you don't need such a powerful light. In such a situation where this kit might be in use, I'm 100% sure your not gonna go around blinding animals for your safety. I would recommend a hands-free light source because if you do get yourself in a sticky situation your gonna want to use both hands for work. Headlamps are geared towards this. Besides your not gonna need to illuminate an entire hillside, only what is in front of you. Yea you might be able to signal better with a more powerful flashlight, but if you've got a large fire going with a lot of smoke, I'm sure seeing that from a plane won't be a problem. Plus there are other many ways to signal your location. That and it's much better treating you wounds or injuries than signaling for help, and in most cases help won't come in a few hours, let alone a few days.

And pertaining to strikers, two is redundant and extra stuff that you really don't need. I would suggest that you replace one of them with a small butane lighter (Bic lighter). That's a better and lighter back-up (or main source, but then be sure to check fuel levels) for fire making.

Two Saks? Really, the Swisstool will be handier. Get yourself a nice pair of tweezers if you really need tweezers (which you will) and stick them in niche in your pack.

And definitely listen to PK (your missing the canteen but the Camelbak should cover that). A fishing kit can really come in handy with hooks and wires. Plus fish is much easier to get than other animals. No traps and plus, it's brain food!!

Some other things that you could include are industrial strength trash bag which can be used for a bunch of stuff, use your imagination (few examples: poncho, shelter, water filter [no not like a sieve]), just like 550 para cord. Along with that some plastic bags can come in handy as well.

By the way, I hope you won't stick your hand in your mouth after you've done number 2 in the woods without properly disinfecting your hands. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/barf.gif" alt="" /> Get some hand sanitizer. I think the triclosan products are better than the benzalkonium chloride products. They both kill bacteria but triclosan works longer.

Rubber gloves should be included. They will come in handy for really nasty stuff that you might encounter.

And with all your knives coming along, they might get dull. Get yourself a small Arkansas stone. Preferably one of medium grit so that you can actually sharpen the steel. Too fine and you'll barely scratch the edge. Too coarse and you'll dull the edge.

Oh and where is your med kit?!?!?????!!??!!? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> Getting boo boos and then an infection can result in immediate amputation which will severely hinder your chance of survival. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/doh.gif" alt="" /> Course I'm exaggerating but still, I don't want to wake up the next day with a black arm after I accidentally cut/poked myself.

Also, ditch the large fix blade. If I every see you in survival situation with one, you will be completely dehydrated and hallucinating. Trying to chop your way out of a survival situation will quickly leave you dehydrated, exhausted, and confused. If you really need the firewood... well your not gonna be able to start a fire with just a really large log. You'll need to build your fire from scrap twigs.

Hope that helps but remember, if you don't like the situation don't get yourself in one. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

I should have been more clear about the type of survival kit this is. I live in metropolitan Phoenix and get out into the desert a few times a week usually in the comfort of my truck. This is my sort of do it all bag to have close by all the time. Not the be all end all for wilderness survival or violent encounters. Some of the stuff in it are things I use/carry daily and like to have handy, like the Swisstool, Glock, Surefires, and camera. In my truck I also have tents, sleeping bags, water, a 30" fubar, big chopper, and some other stuff.

Two is one and one is none. I figure if I lose one firesteel I've got another ready and they're small enough to not be a bother. I always have a couple bics in my pocket for cigars too.

I'm pretty stuck on the Surfires. Should I have to illuminate something that doesn't like the 19 pointed at it I'd rather it not see me. Might add a Sidewinder to the kit for smaller stuff though, good AA light. U2 is also a great variable output light in the 123 category

The Victorinox Rescue is a pretty handy tool. Seat belt cutter, glass saw, window breaker. Might come in handy. Swisstool gets used every day.

The Yard Keeper is actually pretty small. Never considered it to be a chopper, more of a tough little utility/skinner type. There's a Bladetech diamond stone spacer installed on the tek lock for sharpening.

First aid kit is in the pack, forgot to pull it out.

I see, so this is more of an EDC bag of handy tools? Gotcha. Yeah, sharp's was a list that he and I worked up for what a wilderness EDC bag would look like. As for the yard keeper, you're right that its not a chopper. I think sharp was referring to the FBM you mentioned when he talked about choppers. The SAK makes more sense now that we're talking about a mostly urban bag. That being said, some of the things that Sharp recommended still apply.

For example, the headlamp would be much more useful for say, changing a tire or working on an engine, than a flashlight would. I would say keep the big surefire if you think you need it, but replace the smaller light with a headlamp. I've been using a petzl tikka plus on one set of batteries for 10 months now, so they last a LONG time.

I don't know how good REI's whistles are, but I know from experience that the FOX 40's are some of the best and work when wet (it looks like your does too, which is good)

Those bandana's are pretty cute as well, I might need to one of those. I think TAD gear sells them

I haven't used the wetfire tinder before, but I can personally recommend a nice hunk of fatwood as effective tinder that works wet/dry and takes up little room. I seem to remember seeing Ponderosa pines, how some type of coniferous tree, in your pics. Those trees are ideal for fatwood harvesting.

As for you "two is one" strategy, I can understand. However, it can be dangerous to carry that logic too far. Redundancy is safer, but if you pack starts getting heavy you're going to be less likely to carry it with you. Even if you have ten of everything, all of it’s useless if the pack stays in your truck.

If you haven't read David Allaway's book "Desert Survival Skills" that i quoted from ealier, I really recommend it. It talks specifically about the Chihuahuan Desert, but also about general survival and assembling kits, so many of the strategies apply universally. Plus it recommends Busse knives, which is always a plus.

Last point: who did you kydex work? The sheath looks like Jeff's (rainwalker's) work, or maybe you do kydex yourself? Anyway, looks good.

I probably should let Rover answer, but I believe he said David Brown of Buy Brown did all the Kydex... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Good stuff! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

very nice kit you got there. What you put in is really personal choice. I don't know what kind of things you might encounter in the desert, but for me, a wheel gun is always better in the woods. No, magazines to mess around with , it can't jam, and generally speaking wheel gun offer more bang for its size. Then again if you are bringing the truck to the desert, you probably might want a rifle anyways...handguns are use to get to the rifles! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Do you carry hallowpoints? or FMJs?

Well, then, as Cloak has said, the suggestion are still legitimate and you don't really have a PSK but instead a bag of handy tools. In fact the suggestion were merely emphasis on common items anyone would carry on an outing. They really don't even pertain to just a survival kit.

I mean trash bags, butane lighter, rubber gloves, hand sanitizer are all sort of no brainers for campers. Whistles are for survival. Head lamps are, as CnD, said better for night work.


I agree with CnD on this one. Too much and it will hurt. Survival in the first place isn't about carrying the most gear but instead about having the most minimum. But in your case, since survival isn't necessary, strikers are also not necessary.

That and you are using your items consciously and conscientiously, you first of all will then have a excellent character trait of being careful. Second, you realize that one is one and that material is material. It is there and you will always have whatever you need. No more, no less. If you forget about your items you really shouldn't be carrying them in the first place. They, as the cliche goes, "might as well not be there."


You know, it's kinda hard for people not to see you in the dark. Shining a light, now that will get people's attention. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> Animals usually won't attack unless they feel threatened, in which case, if your not taunting them you'll be fine. Even then a small light (not necessarily extremely bright) will usually scare off an animal. It's best to carry what's most useful and not carry what you think will use.


So... how many seat belts have you cut? How many care windows have you broken or sawed through? Will you really be needing to destroy windows, cutting seat belts once your out in the wilderness? Again, carry what's most useful, not what you think will use. A situation that might require items that you think will use will always, and I mean always have more solutions to the problem. If you have your other items, then they can be used for what every sticky situation you get yourself into.


Yea I was talking about the FBM. That was kind of a low blow thinking that I would think that the YK is a small knife. Seriously, I carry an FBM on my back just for kicks.

Good job on the sharpener and med kit. Need those.

Kenken,

True a kit is what every the person thinks but again I emphasize some of the obvious. Trashbag and gloves for picking up trash. I hope people don't go to camp sites and leave their trash there. Unfortunately that's not the case and people do it all the time. Though it is fairly obvious that on camping you will produce some materials that take a long time to biodegrade. Not only that but those products degrade the natural environment that you are in.

Butane lighters are just a quick and cheap (pun intended) way to get a good fire going. No brainer because, well frankly you can't camp without a nice and warm fire, right? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Hand sanitizer. Well that speaks for itself.

As for guns, well, carry what you want. Though Kenken has a really good point about carrying revolvers. Less to carry but same amount of fire power.

Forgot I mentioned carrying the FBM. I really thought you were refering to the Yard Keeper as a big knife!

nice setup you have there, I have the Spec Ops pack, I like it but I need a smaller one for day trips/hiking. That looks comfortable <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

I would keep the seatbelt cutter, but it could stay in the truck. I haven't used an actual bandage in 18 years, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to carry one.

Question for you Sharp. If something happened to you in the woods, would you abandon all your large fixed blades you carry at the same time and practice what you preach?

Darkaether,

Well, I have already sort of abandoned my large fix blades. Let's see. I lost my RTAK and didn't both to buy another one. I also stopped carrying my FBM. I have found a folding saw is much lighter, quicker, and more usful than a large fixed blade. That and I usually carry my RMD or my Puukko these days.

So, in a way, I do practice what I preach.

That and I usually don't recommend anything that I haven't used, tried, or have experience with repeatedly over several outings.

Hmm, yeah in sharp's defense, I'll explain the pictures we post. 90% of the time, those shots are from the 5,156 acres of city-owned forest that we live next to. We go into those forests to practice survival and bushcraft skills, something that every survival expert recommends. We're never more than 30 minutes from a marked trail, so we don't carry the same gear we would if there were actually in any danger. We carry TONS more junk than is necessary and much more than is recommend. That's why you see us carrying five knives, tons of choppers, and other gear. We don't carry that gear because we think that its the ideal survival set-up-- we carry it because we're out learning skills and having fun in the woods. When I go backpacking in the wilderness, I don't carry a huge chopper because of the weight and because I don't need it. In my avatar picture, for example, I'm wearing only one small/medium knife (Gerber LMF-II). This is because I knew I'd be hiking off-trail for more than 14 hours, so I left all unnecessary items at home (this is what we preach). When Sharp is on assignment with the SAR team he belongs to, he won't be carrying one either for similar reasons.