Survival gear

[imdoo'n]

if you were to put a candle(birthday) into a jar of cheap petroleum jelly it will last just about forever when lit.


cat tail fluff will make a good fire starter, if you can find some.

 

[imdoo'n]

please try out a few things, before you really need them. mother nature will ultimately decide if you win or lose, lets work towards a win.

 

[moyiesledhead]

Just a heads up fyi kind of a thing. Don't buy one of these reusable match things. My husband was curious so he purchased some off of ebay.
Good in theory but they absolutely are hunks of junk. It takes forever for the match to actually light, if it does at all. I wouldn't want someone relying on this as one of their fire starting sources.

These, on the other hand, work very well. I carry both. First one's made by Zippo. Second one by Strike Force.

 

[imdoo'n]

On the note of Survival, is there a good outdoor survival course offered in the Edmonton area.
I'm mostly focused on a night or two in the winter as a sledder. Any suggestions?



Let it Snow....Let it Snow......Let it Snow

Mors Korchanski

at Kitamat Wildeness Ways out towards Wildwood(Edson area) is a world class survival expert and trainer in outdoor survival!
http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j...wh034vfqoD9G42bxE8HpQA&bvm=bv.110151844,d.cGc

he would be who Les Stroud would go to for training,

 

[X-Treme]

There's actually a show on Dicovery Velocity right now. Bear Grylls is demonstrating a whole bunch of winter survival situations. Including being buried in an avy.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 3 using Tapatalk.

 

[freeflorider]

Just a heads up fyi kind of a thing. Don't buy one of these reusable match things. My husband was curious so he purchased some off of ebay.
Good in theory but they absolutely are hunks of junk. It takes forever for the match to actually light, if it does at all. I wouldn't want someone relying on this as one of their fire starting sources.
View attachment 192306

looks like a flask Momma! Another good survival tool to carry in Mexico. Oh yah were talkin snow survival.

 

[skegpro]

All this talk of start a fire. How do you get a fire going and staying in 3 plus meters of snow?? Isn't the fire just going to
melt the snow and fall apart? What's the technique?

Pack snow with sled near a dead tree.
Fall tree as close as possible to the assembly area.
Cut 3-4 layers worth of 4ft logs.
Throw limbs ontop of platform.
Light, enjoy.

 

[Cableguy]

Survival blankets are great and remember to replace them every couple of years as they break down even when stored in your backpack
nothing but loonie size chunks when u try to open them I found that out the hard way when we needed one for a wet snowy night

 

[BrosBeforeHos]

We used to carry round tin survival kit in our work trucks that when you opened it a butler jumped out. I say that because it had everything but the kitchen sink in it. Can't remember who made it. I'll have to find it (I'm sure I still have one somewhere) and throw it in the backpack. I do carry some survival gear but no where near what some of you carry. Seen a guy break his leg in Renshaw last year and it made me think about a guys safety. Guy thinks it'll never happen to him and that's when it happens.


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[imdoo'n]

those mylar foil blankets are fragile, i's suggest these instead

 

[imdoo'n]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vdo840i922o&feature=player_detailpage bit of a 5 star abode but doable, minus the stove.

 

[TROLLCAT]

a battery powered Strobe Light

I don't remember see this on anybody's list

 

[Bnorth]

a battery powered Strobe Light

I don't remember see this on anybody's list

My Petzl headlamp has a strobe function.

 

[snochuk]

Wilderness survival field training. Two days in the field to learn how to build shelters with just your knife (mine is a three blade with a saw on the back of one blade) will shock most people into being prepared. What my instructor said has stuck in my head for many years and it was -19 and windy during the two nights and three days.
Just for pratice we used to head into the bush for two nights on a weekend out by Long Lake Park. We have stayed out in nights from -5 to -21 and no frostbite and 8" 0f spruce bows make a mighty fine matress.

Last year a coworker of mine that is a really good guy lost fingers when he got lost on Bell, his kids made it to the cabin when they got split up.
Thanks for finding him Barry!

Not only do you need gear you dam well better know how to use it and just like avy gear - practice, even in your back yard!!!!!
My 30L avy bag is pretty much full and the back seat pouch is full of survival gear and first aid supplies also - I Curse that 30L bag every day I ride but was it ever nice to have the two times I have patched people up to get them to the McBride Hospital for further repairs!!!

There is a thread on this forum that has some really good lists for survival gear - I am certain a moderator could locate and revive it....hint hint.
I pack a lot of survival gear just in case there is an injury that could could cause an overnight stay - I will suffer daily with my 30L bag before I every live with the memory of not being prepared.

 

[snochuk]

In the search bar type in "survival gear' and you will get three pages of dam good reading from this forum.
You pack should be heavier than mine when you are done packing!!!
And you will be ready for anything with a bit of classroom training on the side.

 

[imdoo'n]

I recently discovered these and think they are brilliant for any backpack.... (LifeStraw)

LifeStraw Personal Water Filter: Amazon.ca: Sports & Outdoors

not sure how usefull they would be in the winter, likely freeze up.

 

[Arctic_Ragtop]

This is a great thread. I've been to the mountains every year for the last six years, but never really packed more than a tool kit, my Avalanche gear, and some food. You never think it will happen to you but things happen fast, we almost had to leave one of our guys overnight last year, found him in a tree well just as it was getting dark. Made me think about what I would do if I had to spend the night. Everyone should have the gear to survive a night or two in the backcountry. I've since added the Bivvy, multiple fire sources (small torch, 6 lighters all packed in spectate areas) first aid kit, a better saw, a headlamp, a few candles, a toilet paper roll stuffed full of dryer lint, small fire starter sticks, orange flag tape, and hand and toe warmer packs to my bag. Not that much weight and would make a big difference if needed. I would use the shovel from my Avy bag to build a snow pile, then work on a fire, then dig the snow pile out once the fire was going and it had time to set, and would use the candles for light and heat in the snow cave. That would be my way of surviving. I could melt water in the muff pot from my sled (assuming the sled was nearby) and I always pack enough food to last a few days.

Lots of good tips and suggestions on here. Hope more people are prepared for the backcountry after seeing this thread.

 

[Skegmeister]

Great lists, only thing I would add is to test your equipment using only one hand in the cold and under survival conditions.

 

[101110101101]

For Christmas I bought two backpacks (from Santa) for the wife and I...... For Christmas, the wife ALSO bought two backpacks (from Santa) for me and her lol ..... sheesh. Anyway hers were larger and more general purpose. We took some of the suggestions from this thread and made 4 survival kits... so anyone who comes with us can just grab a bag and it should have the ability to survive a few nights on a cold mountain, in a pinch. Emergency blankets, tarps, several ways to make fire, some dry-ration calories, etc etc..... I also had the chance to use the Klim bags (with the bladder)... and really like them. They were light, the new shovels had a place.... and having the ability to have a drink without taking off the backpack was great. I thought it would be more cumbersome, but it really wasn't.



The one thing I learned was that if you only put water in the bladder, the hose will freeze after the first use...... I recommend a 10% vodka solution. I will test next time and see if that's strong enough Some other things that may not be listed above, are apps. I reviewed one GPS tracker app here (https://www.snowandmud.com/just-about-anything-goes/102205-handheld-personal-gps-9.html#post2218976). I also have a couple of other phone apps that might come in handy.... I've downloaded the entire US Army survival guide on my phone which has a lot of useful info, all categorized and easy to find. It includes everything from medicine, to plants you can eat, to winter survival and shelter building etc. The other app is a multi-tool with flashlight... level, altimeter, compass, longitude and latitude etc..... with the GPS tracker and the other apps/tools it really feels like a useful edition. With my phone and using it smartly, I could get 4 days of use (I have one insta-charger that fits in a pocket) before the battery dies. I also have a removable battery ... so I could pack an extra.

My phone is like a tricorder from Star Trek

 

[imdoo'n]

lol thanks for the clarification!

This is the Jetboil I have. Fairly compact, good to heat up food, melt snow and could be used to heat up a small snow cave too.

View attachment 192259

What it looks like set up.

View attachment 192260

rowdy, have you had any problems with this stove in cold temps. -20 to -35? they don't list a temp range I have one also but have only used it in spring to fall . I my have to pull mine out and see.