Is a psk really needed in the UK?

[TLM]

There is always the chance of a brown bear taking your gear or in UK the angry otter.

The small kit I carry is really for everyday problems and no fishing kit. When trekking I carry them in my pocketses.

 

[Scottieoutdoors]

@TLM
Thank you. It's nice to know a scenario.

 

[Keith_Beef]

I think some of the PSK history relating to the UK can be attributed to both Lofty Wiseman and Eddie McGee - both high level Military career staff probably championed the initial wave of 'survivalism' ' survival skills , which became more Bushcrafty as time progressed ( feel free to disagree ) - both of them would have had the old 'what can I fit in a tobacco tin to aid me ?' ingrained in them.

I remember reading both of their books as a young boy and wondering at the various tin contents.

I guess the modern day PSK is more of a evolution of that thinking , more applicable in larger rural/wild land masses but I think it fulfils some semi-need we all go through.

Eventually it becomes something more pragmatic , grounded , useful for the high probability scenarios one may face.

But I think its fine if someone is going through that journey of carrying a PSK ( in whatever form ) and as time moves on they will prune back , pivot on choices, titivate and over time come to a more crystalized idea of what is needed or beneficial.

So do we need a PSK? Most likely not - but still a useful learning and thinking exercises for people on their journey.

I remember that in the Cubs we put together kits in cigar tins. They were mostly fire-starting and first-aid kits, with a bit of Kendall mint cake as the "survival" food (plus a sewing kit for repairing clothes or tents).

I only once got any real use out of mine, when on a canal holiday in the last year of junior school when the electricity failed while going through one of the long tunnels on the Grand Union Canal: the waterproofed matched and candle came in very handy.

 

[R_Fonseca]

This thread is making me dizzy now...

I see people really pushing the PSKs and people like myself finding them a little redundant... "lost in the hills in extreme weather"... so you're telling me that you went for a bimble up a mountain with nothing other than your tobacco tin?

"Button compass is useful" as is a regular compass... did you decide not to bring one of those? Or are we suggesting that one should always have the button compass as a back up?

I'm reading a lot of pro PSK comments, but I'm yet to hear someone say what scenario they'd be in where they'd need it where they haven't taken the appropriate gear anyway? Never mind the UK, in the US too... again, you're suggesting you went out for a wonder decided to take your tobacco tin with you, because its your "in case of emergency survival kit", but you didn't take a pack which would likely have or should likely have the majority of your PSK contents in it anyway? (To one degree or another)...

This comment applies to a lot of survival training stuff outside of PSKs. Like what are you doing? So you had your survival knife and 23.3 Cs of survival with you when your plane went down? Or were you going into a remote area and decided you'd leave the good gear at home, but take the PSK?

I think it's useful to know some stuff and pack according to your situation. Packing for an expedition is different to packing for a day hike in a busy local forest.

I can see the value of having a bit of a bug out bag situation in the car maybe...

 

[Broch]

I think a few 'bits and pieces' in a waterproof case that fits in your pocket has a place in some scenarios. For example, I carry a small pack of essentials (including headache tablets ) when I'm canoeing on fast water - it's always possible to go in and the boat take its own journey towards the sea. It's never actually happened to me because I'm too tight to leave go of the line and lose my boat

 

[TeeDee]

I think a few 'bits and pieces' in a waterproof case that fits in your pocket has a place in some scenarios. For example, I carry a small pack of essentials (including headache tablets ) when I'm canoeing on fast water - it's always possible to go in and the boat take its own journey towards the sea. It's never actually happened to me because I'm too tight to leave go of the line and lose my boat

Quite literally - tight fisted.

 

[Minotaur]

i agree, perhaps bunkering rather than prepping, the sort from Farcry5, which usefull in US perhaps, we dont have extreme distance or weather or need for defensive/fortification ( while im happy for gun ownershipin the US, and would have if i lived there, in UK we dont have to prepare against the threat of firearm violence)

I agree with most of that however the extreme weather might be on the rise....
Check out the flood in a Birmingham pub last month on Reddit.
A PSK is a very interesting thought exercise however I think we have all moved into the EDC area.
As Mor's said "The More You Know, The Less You Carry" so you do not pack fishing stuff because should you need it you can make it.

 

[Broch]

so you do not pack fishing stuff because should you need it you can make it.

Mmm... but, by the time you've found the nettles, extracted the fibre, twisted the cord, then found a suitable thorn or similar, made a lure or found a bait ... I will be eating my first caught trout.

Only joking, I've never caught a wild trout that quickly even with my fly gear!

 

[Keith_Beef]

Mmm... but, by the time you've found the nettles, extracted the fibre, twisted the cord, then found a suitable thorn or similar, made a lure or found a bait ... I will be eating my first caught trout.

Only joking, I've never caught a wild trout that quickly even with my fly gear!

Try pond carp... Dip your finger tips onto the surface of the water, the carp come up thinking that it's edible and suck on your fingers. Finger inside the mouth, pull out a 4lb carp.

Simples, eek.

 

[TLM]

Only joking, I've never caught a wild trout that quickly even with my fly gear!

I think my record is something like 2 s from the first cast, took a further 15 to get up. I had a fish on every other throw on the average. Must be added that neither before or after have I seen anything like that. On a small stream "Harrijoki" by "Hammastunturi" mountain.

 

[TeeDee]

Mmm... but, by the time you've found the nettles, extracted the fibre, twisted the cord, then found a suitable thorn or similar, made a lure or found a bait ... I will be eating my first caught trout.

Only joking, I've never caught a wild trout that quickly even with my fly gear!

Thats why I pack Dynamite .

 

[Paul_B]

Brown bear could take your rucksack and rip your clothes taking your psk from your pocket.

We can all come up with scenarios that are totally made up. More likely you startled a bear and now you're dead. PSK, EDC and the rest of your kit were found scattered around the area, body parts found later shall we say.

The truth someone said upthread. When is a PSK needed? On a walk without your kit? On a plane with a series of sharps and other things likely going to be confiscated? If you can't give a when then the question why is redundant imho.

Kayaking with a kit in your pocket. Most places I've needed to bug out on a river I've simply walked out to the nearest road and taken it from there. The walk really helped to keep me warm and on a good condition to get out. Meanwhile others, who were better paddlers back then, carried on to get the cars. After a few years i was often the one carrying on or the one experienced enough to trust to lead the novice out. Never needed a kit. Although we have lost a boat once.

Fortunately our very rare, accidents got sorted out with ambulance and paramedics from the nearby road. It's surprising how blue a near death kayaker can go but still survive! All without button compasses and fishing line!

 

[Minotaur]

Mmm... but, by the time you've found the nettles, extracted the fibre, twisted the cord, then found a suitable thorn or similar, made a lure or found a bait ... I will be eating my first caught trout.

Only joking, I've never caught a wild trout that quickly even with my fly gear!

LOL carrying a full fly fishing kit is hard core!
I am with Paul B in that in the UK you will find some sign of life within 3 days so trotlining(Longlining) for fish is not going to happen.
After listening to Les Hiddins on the Paul Kirtley podcast have started watching his show and apparently soap is the thing for fishing...

 

[Scottieoutdoors]

@Paul_B

I would say however that the bear pinching your gear, is to me the best example I've heard of why having a small set of items on your person (call it a PSK or an EDC or just "s*** in your pockets") is a good idea...

Sure, come across a big bear and you're likely done for, but lets say you found something to squeeze into or climb up (I know bears can climb) and you drop your pack in the process, then having no compass, no signal mirror or what not could put you in a hole load more trouble than a small tin contain a few bits... I would say for most other circumstances the whole thing is redundant, that's likely the only civvy scenario I can think of that could require a small tin of goodies...

That or you accept a ride from a lunatic and they steal your gear and you run away with a hills have eyes/wrong turn theme tune playing in the background...

 

[Broch]

Mmm... don't forget that a great deal of the process of risk analysis (and the choosing of mitigation action - such as carrying a PSK) is assessing probability. In the UK, probability of a bear? probability of being in a situation where you can't get to a road and/or property and at the same time have no phone signal and your PSK will save you?

 

[neoaliphant]

I agree with most of that however the extreme weather might be on the rise....

by weather i really meant tornados/tsunamis....i suppose natural disasters
in most ways we have worse weatehr than a lot of countries due to unpredictability and changeability....although italy has more rain!!

regarding kit names

PS Tin....is a bit redundant in UK/US once you get past the initial phase, but it is good intelectual challenge, cheap for children to start on, and if you practice with it, good to start out....but quickly the contents are redundant......unless you are in the armed forces...having a pocket kit for downed airman etc, plenty of stories out there of PSTin success....

EDC has blurred to some people to mean pen+torch+gun for some people, UK EDC is perhaps more like the possibles bag, usefull thinsg for everyday than can blend/overlap camping/survival gear.

but generally not in just one tin, although tin fishing kit/plaster/tinder etc is fine

So question folks, what containers do you all carry, pouch, response bag, sling pack, molle, leather bag, knapsack


i have indi jones type military knapsack, and belt with molle + molle response pack....

 

[MikeLA]

Just noted the inclusion many times of power packs, charged mobile phones.

Ah ! Gone are the good old days

 

[Wandjina]

If I'm out and about, I always have all the basics of survival - shelter/food/water/first aid/signalling - to varying degrees.

 

[Laurentius]

Consider our of how many visits to the hills those callous are for? 15.8 million visitors and so far this year 182 callouts. Call it 400 a year 0.0025% of visits get a MRT callout. Very rough figures and not all relevant but makes a point I think.

It is the insurance principle though, you pay out every year hoping you never need to claim, there is a principle in risk evaluation where you balance the likelihood against the effect if it happens. If it is neither very likely and the consequences are not severe then don't insure, if the likelihood is rare but the consequences catastrophic then you do insure. You may never need to be rescued off the hills but if you fall off an edge then you had better hope someone is coming.

 

[Kav]

Why am I imagining a lost Monty Python episode . The Circus, in circa 1900 polar gear being interviewed by the BBC as they struggle to survive, a country pub or Tesla’s in view?