Nalgene Kit
 

This is a Nalgene Kit I've put together. It is a bit large and weights a few lbs but would be part of my BOB that I am also building. It's pretty large to be part of 2nd Line so I have it part of my 3rd line.

Contents include:

Nalgene Bottle
Mini Compass (on nalgene cap)
Red Photon light (on nalgene cap)
10 feet of heavy duty all weather duct tape wrapped around the bottle
18oz steel cup (boiling water)
Small medical array to include a scalpel blade, various bandaids
30 100mg ibuprofen, 20 benadryl, 10 Clariton, 5 200mg hydrocodene
1 chapstick
1oz tube of neosporin
1 large bic lighter
2x 50ft 12lb fishing line
fishing kit: (2 3ft steel leader, 3 18inch 15lb leader, various swivel and split shot, various J hooks)
Light my fire spark starter
1 heavy duty emergency blanket
1 bottle of water purification tabs
10 fire wicks
1oz Nu-Skin
1 heavy duty commando wire saw
1 spool booby trap wire
1 small tube of super glue
100ft daisy chain 550cord


Things I am thinking about adding: unlubricated condoms for water transport and a small utility tool (I've seen tiny leather-man's 3inchs and smaller)

Thoughts? Comments? Critiques?

Tote sack
 

You have the bottle. Make a small tote sack out off parachute type nylon with a gutted 550 cord draw string top just big enough to hold all that gear then stuff it on top of everything in the bottle.

If you do need to carry water you can put everything in the tote and use the bottle. Plus you know how much it holds.

The daisy chained 550 cord takes up a lot of space. Make 4 25' lengths. Take each one and make a loop roll the length of your spread out fingers and use the last 18"s to whip it into a tight bundle. Might give you enough room to stuff a couple more small items.

Good to Go
 

Thanks for the input Pete. Saved quite a bit of space and now have a tote bag to put all the contents in when using the nalgene for water! original thought was to put everything in pockets, but this will condense it and keep all the contents in one easy to access place.

And in one easy place to be lost. Make sure its a good bag and lanyard/harness, and go ahead and spread things out to your pockets except for bulky things to stay in the tote. You'll be in better shape if you lose your tote.

Thats a given
 

Didnt plan on having them all in one bag toted around while using the nalgene. Ill have them in my pockets etc. but in the event I do not have the privilege of pockets, the bag will serve a great purpose ;)

Christmas Present For Brother-in-law
 

I just finished my Christmas shopping for my Brother-in-law and thought I'd share it. It's kinda bulky but he can add/subtract what he wishes. Let me know what you guys think.


Emergency Kit Contents
QTY ITEM
1 48oz Nalogene Bottle
1 25ft. Gorrilla tape around bottle
1 75ft 550 cord w/gut around bottle
1 5ft 1in 100mph tape
1 emergency blanket
1 emergency poncho
1 folding knife
1 pen light
1 tube anitbiotics
1 pack bandaids
2 depth adjustors
1 mag bar w/ blade
1 s-biner
2 12"x12" reusable clothes
1 non latex gloves
1 fishing kit ( hooks, weights, bobbers)
1 tube superglue
1 9 hr candle
1 roll duct tape
1 bottle remington oil
1 frog gig
1 wood/metal saw blade
1 compass
1 bottle GULP bait
1 water prurification tabs
1 can/ bottle opener/ spoon
1 24oz metal cup
1 Sewing kit (taped inside frog gig)
1 2ft x 2ft tin foil
1 8" x 12" zip lock bag
1 bic lighter

Very nicely done! That will make an awesome Christmas gift.


~Bitz

I like the frog gig, might put another lighter in "One is none two is one". perhaps some snare wire? That would be a great gift to receive!

I forgot to list the Snare wire but it's there. I have the Mag Bar and some matches, but another lighter wouldn't hurt.
Thanks..

Salt.

TR

Not enough.

Focus on what you know how to do, and not what might be possible.

TR

Good luck!

TR

For nutritional use, there is blood from animals. Don't think drinking it from the arteries is the best plan...you could let it dry and make an extra ingredient for stew.

For preservation of food...maybe you could find a salt lick and grind it up and rub it into said game. Watching animal patterns could lead one that way perhaps.

There are salt deposits on land and underground, and in the seas / oceans.

You might want to bring a little with you.

TR

Salt used to be underground.....
 

Salt used to be underground - now it's on a self at Food Lion.

Battle of Saltville

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-h...e-of-saltville

"....Additionally, salt and lead mines located in the area were vital to the Southern war effort. In September 1864, Union General Alvan Gillem planned a raid from his base in eastern Tennessee...."

From the OP:

"What are the minimum tools and equipment you need to survive for 60 days in this environment?"

TR

Am enjoying this thread! The Hickory tree roots can provide salt occording to literature but how are you going to get at them and how much value per effort?
I can remember a few times when salt seemed pretty darn valuable but didn't have any. It is important for electrolytes and can kill or suck out bad juju if necessary, not to mention curing and preservation.

I'd like to throw my thoughts out here for review or critique if you don't mind.

In this scenario we are staying put and awaiting rescue rather then actively finding our way out. In this case I wouldn't mind being a little tool heavy as I'm not going to be humping it to much and have time to set up a proper shelter rather then something quick that doesn't require many calories.

I generally keep a small pack with the following on me or in my truck:

Medium fixed blade
40 oz Klean Kanteen
USGI poncho
100 Feet paracord
Fire Steel
Sailing Needle
GSI Glacier cup
Fish mouth spreader
Bungee cord
4 metal tent stakes
2 55 Gallon drum liners
Small first aid kit
Small spice kit
Bic Lighter
Picture Hanging wire
PVC fishing kit
Sharpening stone
Foot kit (powder, mole skin, socks, etc)
Flashlights
Mirror

With winter coming up I add on the following:
Wool blanket
CS Trail Hawk
Jacket
Space blanket

For this scenario I wouldn't mind dropping the Poncho, bungee, tent stakes, and Hawk as well as dropping the pack for a small homemade shoulder sack and bumping up the amount of spices I would be taking. Then adding:

4 #110 traps
2 #220 traps
A axe
20 Feet of 8.5mm rope

This would have me living fairly comfortable, and while I could do with less, if I'm not humping it every day why live like I'm rucking 10 hours a day and counting every oz?

In truth the first 5 on my list are the only things I would consider absolutely necessary just because of how much a pain they are to create out in the sticks.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Thanks for taking the time to read this.

Can we survive without a knife or axe?

Yes.

Do I want to try and survive without a blade, and try to fabricate field replacements?

No.

I feel the same way about friction fire starting.

I am okay down to the firesteel, and then I draw the line.

If I am rubbing two sticks together to make a fire, I hope at least one of them is a match.


Runningwolf, I think you are largely on the right track.

There is need to have, and there is want to have. I think you have drawn a good line.

If it was going to be cold, there was large game, or I was going to build a substantial shelter for a long stay, I would want the axe for sure. Not sure that the hawk is practical when I can have a hatchet or small axe for the same size and weight. They look cool though.

I might pass on the traps for some good snares.

The bungee cord and 550 make for great cordage that is hard to replicate, though it is good to know how to do it.

The space blanket is a good reflector and a passable rain shelter. It will not really keep you very warm.

TR

Reaper,

The Hawk is really a lack of knowledge choice. It's light and works OK for where I am. I'm not really taking any trees down when I go out, mostly saplings or splitting already felled logs, any farther South and I would be speaking with a Jamaican accent so freezing Winters aren't as big of a concern. The biggest thing with that choice, I know how to make a new handle for it if the current one breaks. At this time I don't know how to make a handle for an axe or hatchet. It's something I need to get around to learning, thanks for reminding me and thanks for your insight.

I can't imagine grass working, but maybe. Google up swamp milkweed. Perfect time of year for harvesting cordage fiber and easy to ID because of the seed pods. As implied by the name, look around ponds, streams, low spots. It's the spectra of the plant world. In summer, nettles. Google Egyptian bow drill to solve your slipping problem.

Not if you wear leather gloves while you process it.

Pretty much anywhere in the Ohio/Mississippi/Missouri watershed you can find deadwood cottonwood sticks and, depending in the time of year, either nettle or swamp milkweed for cordage (assuming you don't have paracord shoelaces). Jam two parallel cottonwood sticks between rocks, into the split of an old beaver-felled stump, or use cordage to tie each end together--you don't need to split out a flat fire board or do any of that notching nonsense. Use another short cottonwood stick for your spindle and something green for the bow. If you can find an old bottle cap for the top piece, you're golden. Pound the open end of the cap onto another short stick and put a dent in the middle to hold the top of the spindle. Twirl the spindle in the groove between the two sticks. You can get annoying amounts of smoke in 60 seconds or less. Without a bottle cap you have to improvise the top piece and it might take 90 secs.

Broadsword, iPad won't let me link but google "2-stick fireboard bowdrill"

I have to think of pretty far-fetched scenario to come up with a survival situation in which I have access to neither gloves nor a better source of cordage than plant fiber.

Not trying to discourage you, or anything.

Dogbane (aka Indian hemp) is plentiful in most fields areas and is much stronger than grass or nettle. It is pretty common on the edges of active hay fields and in early successional field conversion areas (think power line cuts, old farm fields, etc). A thin strand is pretty strong, and a braided strand will hold a heck of a lot of weight.

Tulip poplar works well too, but you have to make it pretty thick to keep it from breaking under high stress use (i.e., bow drills).

I learned to do the bow drill with green wood, which doesn't really work, but gets the technique down, so when you use the proper type of wood it all comes together much faster.

Dogbane (aka Indian hemp) is plentiful in most fields areas and is much stronger than grass or nettle. It is pretty common on the edges of active hay fields and in early successional field conversion areas (think power line cuts, old farm fields, etc). A thin strand is pretty strong, and a braided strand will hold a heck of a lot of weight.

Tulip poplar works well too, but you have to make it pretty thick to keep it from breaking under high stress use (i.e., bow drills).

I learned to do the bow drill with green wood, which doesn't really work, but gets the technique down, so when you use the proper type of wood it all comes together much faster.