What do you carry that others may not have thought about?

[Grizzlyman]

Clear hockey sock tape. The stretchy stuff. It sticks like duct tape and is very strong and easy to tear pieces off. I have used it to tape up a few Doo air boxes and it works like a charm. It is also very good for taping limbs up if you need to splint someone.

 

[meierjn]

Clear hockey sock tape. The stretchy stuff. It sticks like duct tape and is very strong and easy to tear pieces off. I have used it to tape up a few Doo air boxes and it works like a charm. It is also very good for taping limbs up if you need to splint someone.

Good idea! I'll have to "borrow" a roll from the boy!

 

[AGGRESIVEZEBRA]

I took gorilla tape and wrapped it arount my shovel handle that gives my bottom hand a little more grip and as well keeps about 15 feet of tape there. i always just stuff my zip ties in my shovel handle as well.

 

[Lund]

For packing spare clothing, fold it up nice and use a vacuum packer to shrink all your emerg stuff nice and tight. Save room and make room in your pack.
This is a great thread with a lot of great ideas. For me personally, I like to keep all of my “oh chit essentials” in my pack. I’m a bigger guy and have no problem with a heavy pack. It’s unlikely, but always a possibility of being separated from your sled.
Definitely taking notes from this thread.

Awesome idea the vacuum pack, i going to try that.

 

[Lund]

There is an important note for everyone i would like to put out there.
As one who worked with SAR for numerous years, i want to emphasize that if you do get into a situation, it is very advisable to stay with your sled.
Over the years we found that the sled is generally found first when we are searching, there are numerous factors why that is. So, unless you know where you are, in other words are not lost. If you want to be found ASAP your chances are higher by staying PUT with the sled.

 

[CUSO]

how come?
Metal detection? or just because it stands out more?

There is an important note for everyone I would like to put out there.
As one who worked with SAR for numerous years, i want to emphasize that if you do get into a situation, it is very advisable to stay with your sled.
Over the years we found that the sled is generally found first when we are searching, there are numerous factors why that is. So, unless you know where you are, in other words are not lost. If you want to be found ASAP your chances are higher by staying PUT with the sled.

 

[Lund]

how come?
Metal detection? or just because it stands out more?

No, nothing to do with metal detection.
It is simply that sleds are easier to spot both from the ground and from the air for searchers.
It is partially a mental picture that your brain processes when it know's your looking for a missing sledder. There has been occasion where searchers will literally miss the person on a flyby and spot the sled. We know this from reports of victims telling us. "you flew by me two times" for example, but we found the sled.
Even on ground searches, our brain processes missing sledder, so we look for sled clues on the where about and not so much on walking clues. We call out and listen for a reply but fast grid searches need to cover ground quickly so sledding clues is what we concentrate on. As the search grid is narrowed down or if the sled is found, we process the info differently then. Hope that makes sense LOL.
The process is the same for other outdoor back country activities, but sleds have an extra big challenge for SAR that is similar to example the coast guard. The ocean is vast and big, unless they have a longitude/latitude location or beacon it is a tough search. Similarly sleds can cover large terrain very quickly and easily today, with out a location to go by its a tough search and a lot to cover.
While skier's cannot cover ground so quickly, searchers can generally generalize their location, which narrows the search.

 

[ferniesnow]

So when you say, "stay with the sled" what do you really mean? Snuggled up beside it or within meters? I can think of situations where my sled may be out in the open but I want the protection of the bush/trees or against a cliff out of the wind. There are many different scenarios and many different situations. Staying with the sled may not be the best but getting into a cozy spot could be a life saver.

 

[Lund]

So when you say, "stay with the sled" what do you really mean? Snuggled up beside it or within meters? I can think of situations where my sled may be out in the open but I want the protection of the bush/trees or against a cliff out of the wind. There are many different scenarios and many different situations. Staying with the sled may not be the best but getting into a cozy spot could be a life saver.

Your 100% correct.
I think i mentioned this at one point on another post. Every situation is different but the most important thing and the one that will either make or break your situation is good sound judgement, assessing your situation, getting the big picture of the situation and acting on it. Example, do you know the area and where you are, are you in a ravine covered by trees, are you broken down or miles away from a walkable main trail, what time of day is it? Are we getting too close to darkness(witching hour i call it). So many unknowns that only you can assess and make the decision.
Plus on this conversation we are not even talking about an injury which bring many more complications.
As general rule, we recommend staying with the sled or near it BUT only if you assess it as the right thing to do. You would not want to be near your sled if you found your self buried in a ravine or at the base of an avalanche chute or cornice.
Assessing, the most important skill of survival, the wrong assessment can amplify a bad day very quickly.

When you assess a situation like this you need to consider other important things like witching hour. Is it better to search out a shelter location and maybe get a fire going before it get too cold and dark?
Walking out posses a number of complications when it comes to surviving an over niter in the back country, one to assure survival you need to conserve energy, walking burns energy. You need to stay dry to keep warm, walking in snow, even pack snow is an effort and when you can't walk anymore because you can't doit, you will be in trouble. Just some basics.
This doesn't mean you can't try to walk out in day light or next day with the understanding that to survive you need to conserve till rescue.

 

[AxysAssault]

Great information friend. I hope to run into you at the warm up shack one day.

And this is why I carry an Inreach and my group knows where it is and how to use it.

 

[Lund]

I'm heading out at the end of the week for a three day trip, i decided to redo my over night emergency kits for both my sled's.
The kit's each consist of the following.
-One polyester long sleeve shirt from H/H.
-One pair of Merino wool sock's.
-One Fox40 survival whistle.
-One survival space blanket.
-One box of 25 storm proof matches.
-80g of beef jerky.
-Two hand warmers.

 

[Couch]

Keep a Fox 40 on our key ring - easier than yelleling.

 

[skegpro]

I'm heading out at the end of the week for a three day trip, i decided to redo my over night emergency kits for both my sled's.
The kit's each consist of the following.
-One polyester long sleeve shirt from H/H.
-One pair of Merino wool sock's.
-One Fox40 survival whistle.
-One survival space blanket.
-One box of 25 storm proof matches.
-80g of beef jerky.
-Two hand warmers.
View attachment 208570View attachment 208569

I just vac packed all my gear like this.

Man did that ever work good.

Really cut down on space and it will definitely be dry when I need it.

Thanks for the idea!

 

[skegpro]

Vacuum packed a down jacket to the size of a Pepsi can.

 

[Lund]

Vacuum packed a down jacket to the size of a Pepsi can.

LOL, thats packing

 

[armascott]

What brand vac packs do you guys use? Where do you buy them from?

 

[Lund]

What brand vac packs do you guys use? Where do you buy them from?

Mine is a "Food Saver". They can be purchased at CT, London Drugs and i'm sure many other places.

 

[Lund]

Some thing else that every one should be packing is Advil, Ibuprofen, Tylenol.
If you get hurt, sprain, broken ribs, leg and so on. You will be glad to have them. It's important in these situation to get the swelling under control and control the pain. This will help you function to get out.

 

[Mike270412]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htfBaJME4m4&t=29s

 

[cattechsummitrider]

I vacuum pack alot of stuff, what I have found is that the bags are not as strong as you think, so I put the vacuum bags into another bag so they do not get punctured