Only four items to take into the woods

[Diligence]

Right now, if I had to leave with only 4 items (assuming I have clothes with me) to head out in the Rocky Mountains, I would take with me:

firesteel
axe or hatchet
synthetic fill sleeping bag
a couple of hundred feet of strong cord.

why? Well, I need fire to cook food and stay warm. Friction methods are good, but firesteel is better.
Axe is needed to cut wood for shelter, traps, and firewood -- I can live without a knife if I have to....but without an axe in these woods, that would be tough in the winter.

Sleeping bag is so that I don't have to cut two cords of wood to stay alive in the winter

Cord, need that for shelter, snares, snowshoes,etc....sure beats making my own.

good question.

D

 

[Ahjno]

1. SFA
2. Zebra billy (12cm)
3. DPM Bivvy bag
4. NATO fishing kit

 

[gunnix]

-Axe
-Firesteel
-Wool blanket
-Bow and arrows /Gun and ammo

 

[MikeE]

Ray Mears
Mors Kochanski
Halle Berry
A good cook

Makes it all easy and fun at the same time

Stuff Mears & Kochanski
just Halle Berry
Angelina Jolie (don't know why but.............)
Kate Humble
and for a laugh
Jo Brand!

 

[Shewie]

Amber Leaf
Rizlas
Lighter
Flask

or

Tarp
Hammock
Billy
Knife

 

[Dan1982]

Bit Boring but again....

Knife
Firesteel
Tarp
Billy can

 

[ridge rover]

Swiss Army Knife with saw
Big Platypus plastic water container
Cholorine Dioxine water treatment
Magnesium Flint stick


Gotta admit, you guys make me think. Would a hand axe be better than a good knife, if you had to choose between the two?

 

[Graham_S]

1. Khukri
2. blanket
3. Billy can
4. Firesteel.

Everything else I can make or improvise.

 

[BigShot]

I'm intrested...
...a few people have given lists that have no pot in it. (insert drugs joke/retort here)

Without one, how would you go about boiling water, cooking food and so on? I know metal cups can be used for that purpose, but for those who've listed things like Fire making, shelter, sleeping and a knife... how do you cook, boil and store things?

 

[chris7273]

4 items more than the "normal clothing"


protection : poncho (stay dry while walking or sleeping=> tarp)
Warmth and Cook : magnesium + ferrocerium rod attached
Water and Cook : a stainless steel cup
and a knife : easy to sharpen common carbon steel and decent length (4-5 inches)

 

[LazySod]

I'm intrested...
...a few people have given lists that have no pot in it. (insert drugs joke/retort here)

Without one, how would you go about boiling water, cooking food and so on? I know metal cups can be used for that purpose, but for those who've listed things like Fire making, shelter, sleeping and a knife... how do you cook, boil and store things?

One item on my list was reference books, simple tear out a page, 2 mins of origami later, one cooking pot.

 

[SMARTY]

Mobile phone
water
lighter
survival tin

 

[BigShot]

One item on my list was reference books, simple tear out a page, 2 mins of origami later, one cooking pot.

Haha - I hope you've got a good memory.

I guess you'd start off tearing out the introduction and foreword. Maybe then move onto the ones you're sure about - sooner or later you'd need to have memorised the lot though.

 

[Chance]

... how do you cook, boil and store things?

You burn holes in your nice ventile jacket by using it to line a hole into which you drop heated rocks. And if you don't burn holes, at least you'll get plenty of attention from the bears because your clothing smells of stew.

 

[chris7273]

Mobile phone
water
lighter
survival tin

OK, if you take your survival tin, I take my backpack (full of food, camping things, and stuff)
;-)...

what ? I can't ? come on : a backpack full of big things is one item, just like a survival tin (full of tiny things)...

 

[Diligence]

Bigshot, I omitted a pot as I feel that I can fashion one from birchbark with roots for binding. Storage containers can be made with cattail leaves, willows and other shoots. If I got very creative, I'm certain I could find some clay for rudimentary pots.

Sure, cooking with hot stones dipped into the water is tiresome, but I think it would simply just be an inconvenience. With birch bark pots, you can cook with them over the open flame - they do have a "useable" life, but it is possible.

Whereas, the other items I listed (axe,sleeping bag,firesteel,rope) would be "must haves" for my environment. Winter is just around the corner, and temps can drop very cold here---cooking with stones, is better than freezing to death,

I had considered adding a single shot, reliable .22 r1f1e with about 1000 rounds of ammo....but decided I wanted my sleeping bag more - might regret that choice when I get hungry though.

My two cents (pence?)

D

 

[Morning Fox]

Catapult
Tarp
Firesteel
Machete

 

[mortalmerlin]

1. Ray Mears
2. Landie
3. Cooler
4. Beers

I tend to agree with you there.

 

[BigShot]

Diligence...
I appreciate the problem with cold. I came close to having to sleep rough when I was living in the French Alps a few years back. It's not Canada-cold, but -5 to -20C will see you off easilly enough. While I was wandering around looking for places to stay (everywhere was full - I couldn't even find someone who'd let me sleep in a bath tub) I was making mental notes of all the dry bits of covered ground I came across. At that point I was incredibly happy with my choice to splash out and buy the best sleeping bag I could afford. Through the wildest coincidence I've seen to date I ended up with a place to stay and found a flat a day later - but that's another story.
I'd go for warmth I think. Once you're settled you can always make primitive bows, spears, traps, snares and the like - that would take care of your meat without needing a gun. They managed alright for a long time pre-gunpowder

Thanks for the answer about pots. That certainly answers my question. It's answers like yours that leave me realising just how little I know.



chris2737...
He can take a survival tin - that's no problem...

...but the contents will have to be left behind. Haha.
I think I'd have chosen a mess tin or something instead - that's a small cooking pot.



Chance...
...That makes sense. Of course once you know the bears are coming, you can fold an origami bowie knife to kill one and you'll be sorted for meat for a while too. Haha.

 

[Sickboy]

I'd fill my pockets with,
1) fags and lighter
2) cognac
3) Meduim size bowie
4) sleeping bag

Comfortable but hungry, never mind