Equipment you carry daily?

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Thanks sirenmoses and oilpond for your responses!

It looks like as mentioned earlier that a knife is the most widely used tool and can be placed at the top of the list as the most critical; also trending tape- could be electrical, duct, etc.... but tape is on the list. Followed by a light source.

I understand that to produce a list to cover every scenario is rather futile, just looking to give someone new a head start and some of the more experienced guys a chance to remain teachable, and learn from each other- heping to expand on our knowledge base. So to develop the proposed "list" lets set some defining guidelines: Weight, bulk, durability, dual-purpose and lastly cost. Try and remain unbias and think of a kit that would meet the need for basic survival. Feel free to add to list and if for some reason an item should need to be removed, some friendly banter to the pros and cons may prove worth while! For example, would the final items be better stored on the hip in a pack or concealed in a wallet, or distributed across the body? Here we go, in no specific order.

List:

Knife- Your personalized choice
Light- LED (tactical or key chain)
Tape- Folded or wrapped around another tool/device
First aid- Band aids, tylenol, etc.... nothing major, just nice to have
Condom- 1 Liter of water or dual purpose? (Situational)
Cash/Credit cards- Just wondering about how much cash to carry?
Pictures of family- Motivational/ Morale
Cell Phone
550 cord- Survival bracelet, shoelaces
 
ok. Lets try a super cheap set up to fit in a wallet

razor blade [one regular and one with hook type blades. I put mine in between the layers of cardboard]

neosporin treated bandaids

condom [one w/o lube and w/o spermicide!]

cash[always have a hundy tucked away in case you need to bribe/pay someone. a bunch of 20s allows for negotiation...a $100 is the most recognizable bill in the world]

a space pen refill will fit in a credit card slot with ease. The kind that you can snap off sections.
folded paper too

in lieu of rope or chord you can bundle some gardening wire or kevlar fishing line in there somewhere.

blue microlight [blue because it is the most available and most intense color in the visible light spectrum and can be seen from a further distance than say white or red. This particular light has multiple settings and a built in SOS setting. It is relatively inexpensive and found under $20]

Handcuff key [just because you never know...]
 
I carry these on a regular basis in my pockets:
Gerber folding knife
Keys
1 random 30-06 round
Wallet
And a flint and steel set

When i go hunting i carry in my go bag:
4 bottles of water
A flint and steel set from my pocket
A box of ammo
And 1 waterproof flashlight
 
Devilmans Hand said:
two sticks and a hard stare
Click to expand...

Not trying to speak for the poster, but of all people VG you should get it....


duff stick, fluff, shoelace on stick, stick spun by shoelace on fluff?

and here I thought you were a .mil pilot... that's right out of EES school
 
Pretty much. Try out a few different friction methods for producing embers before relying on them. I prefer the Pacific islander push-stick method over a bowdrill.
I used to keep a piece of charcloth/rope around and a super slim Flint sparker.
Also look up how to make a prison match for an alternative fire method.

Matches and lighters do not keep well in a wallet. The razor blades are usually a high carbon steel and give off a hot spark when used with a rock and pair well with charcloth.

If you find yourself in a wet/humid environment often, then you can keep some thermite and a magnesium block firestarter.

The major drawback of modern security is that you can't always carry firemaking tools on you always...if you feel the need.
 
Got the 2 sticks (fuel/friction), but not the hard stare part(determination?) I must have been a little slow that night :hhmm:....Thanks CJ!

sirenmoses said:
Not trying to speak for the poster, but of all people VG you should get it....


duff stick, fluff, shoelace on stick, stick spun by shoelace on fluff?

and here I thought you were a .mil pilot... that's right out of EES school
Click to expand...
 
I agree with NLXTACY on using the steel wool and 9V. It works fast. Otherwise I have a piece of flint and steel I got in scouts years ago which works nice.
 
NLXTACY said:
Steel wool and a 9v battery :flipoff2:
Click to expand...
If I'm going to the trouble of carrying a 9V battery and steel wool why not just carry a Bic or magnesium block?

A neat trick I saw somewhere is to use a plain old flashlight, just break the bulb and leave the two wires that hold the filament exposed, lay the steel wool and tinder in the reflector and switch the light on to ignite the steel wool. I could see stuffing a little steel wool in the butt of my mag light next to the spare bulb.
 
VanGo said:
I have several of these kits, plus paracord. I am considering the smallest flint rod for my wallet, and using the back edge of my knife to activate.

Blank FireSteel Rods
Click to expand...
Another source for Ferrocerium rods, Camping survival<---LINK!

Just a suggestion but a short section of hack saw blade would fit into a wallet pretty well and would serve as a striker for the flint rod. I use an Opinel with a striker and it's kinda hard on the back of blade, leaves nasty burn marks.

I like the Opinels because they are so cheap I can scatter them in every truck, desk drawer, picnic hamper and day pack I own. I've also been using them since the 70's, so it's a bit of comfort to have one at hand.
 
X2 on the little section of hacksaw blade. I made a couple thin knives out of them too with a sharp edge on one side, and the saw on the other. The Flint striker that comes on the army cold weather firestarter kit is pretty slim for a wallet.

The hacksaw blade also comes in handy for opening locked doors, but be careful if you preshape them b/c it could be considered a burglary tool.
 
This is the one thing I carry every day no matter what:

victorinox-soldier-silver-alox-01-800x600.jpg


I have 3 spares since they don't make them any more.
 
I don't usually carry anything. I can often be sensed rather than seen butt naked in the boonies with my lilly white skin smeared with camouflage cream. I'll sometimes take along a sharpened stick if I'm expecting trouble or a sharpened stick fight.

Seeing as we're on the subject of fire... I have a highly customised Bob Cooper survival kit from my time in the green machine - basically a soap dish filled with odds and ends - and my firemaking materials are threefold:

1. A cheap and nasty mini bic lighter. Easy, cheap, quick and familiar when you're under pressure.
2. Some Brit mil lifeboat matches in an Aus ration pack match container.
3. A USAF magnesium block. My soap dish came with a little Sicut knife which I use to make mag flakes and to strike the flint.

Although I have been thoroughly schooled in the dark arts of making fire using everything from a fire bow to a fire piston, condy's crystals and glycerine to a car battery and speaker wire to the little bitty magnifying glass on my SAK, having the basic equipment on you makes it a little less stressful and allows you to concentrate most of your energy on procuring water and shelter. Primitive woodcraft skills are IMHO essential to know for long-term E&E, but in reality, is your "lost in the woods" adventure likely to last longer than a magnesium block? Cheap insurance.
 
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