Mad_Mat wrote on Nov 23^rd, 2010 at 2:05pm:

(You need to Login or Register Akula, if a survival kit gets too big to bother carrying, you won't

Exactly. This is why size is a such a major concern. And it does, as Azaela mentioned, all depend on the person, the day, and the activity. For instance, if out hunting, a lot of equipment would be redundant, like knives. So I'm looking to create a basic, "cover-all" sort of kit that a guy could wear on a belt or in a leg pocket regardless of the activity, without feeling like it's a burden. Otherwise, as you say, it will end up being left in camp or in the truck.



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I've kind of been playing devil's advocate on the altoids tin thread, so I'll keep wearing that hat.  Whatcha gonna do with that snare wire ?  How many people have you ever heard of who actually succsessfully snared something

Since a snare wire or two doesn't take up that much room, and could have several other uses as well, I think it's worth including. I'll be perfectly honest and say I've never used it before, but all of the "survival" texts reccommend it so highly, I think at the very least it deserves some experimentation. So this winter I will give it a go, set some snares around the property back home and see what happens.

Even if it ends up being ineffective in an actual survival situation, if you're staying put and waiting for rescue, it might give the mind and body something to keep occupied, hopeful, and focused on the goal of continuing living. And that in itself could be useful enough to warrant the minimal extra volume and the few extra ounces.



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I googled paracord pedometer - an abacus on string ?  I'd say forget that and use the space for another pack of matches, or more line.

These I have played around with quite a bit, for constructing rough geology maps in the field without a tape and line. It's just a small length of paracord with some "abacus" knots, which you can use to count off paces. It hangs on my field pack and I hardly even notice its there, but could also be attached to a belt or a zipper pull. If you do have a map and compass, and you can determine your location, being able to accurately measure distance while walking through brush could be an asset while traveling, hunting, or searching for firewood, etc.

Hence also the inclusion of a pen and a small scratch pad for making patrol maps. Some people might scoff at the idea, but speaking for myself only, it would be a comfort to have. It doubles as a way to write down thoughts and observations, to keep that lost wandering mind occupied and focused on the greater task at hand.

I'm looking forward to continuing this little project.   :)