Survival

[beenn]

I was just watching a video of a survival type kit on youtube and seen a comment along the lines of 'do you think you'll ever be in a survival situation' and it just made me thing, well yes- it could happen to any of us.
Did anyone ever prepare for a survival situation? The most likely answer is no
For me a survival situation is when you have no water/food or your stuck somewhere not just in the woods due to some reason that was not planned so how could you possibly prepare for it?

I have bought survival kits but these days i just carry some items that would help me if stuck out like a firesteel or just a lighter, small knife if doing something outdoorsy but just things that if i did get stuck, would not save me, but would help me out and make me more comfortable.

So what i think is you cannot prepare for a survival situation, but you can prepare for the worst and have something to help

Would like to hear every one else's thoughts, as like i say this is MY opinion

 

[Retired Member southey]

Personally, I think that the best preparations you can make for any survival day to day or in the middle of nowhere is to carry the knowledge in your head, the skill in your hands and the strength in your body, then you don't need any of the little kits and what not IF you ended up in a true survival situation you might very well be there just through loosing your kit rather than any extreme incident, or a simple slip while out for a bimble, if you know what to do, how to react, and how to get yourself rescued even if it's just calling your mate/mum to come get you then you doing well.

 

[Bushwhacker]

For me a survival situation is when you have no water/food or your stuck somewhere not just in the woods due to some reason that was not planned so how could you possibly prepare for it?

I don't think anyone can ever be prepared mentally for when it happens.

 

[beenn]

Personally, I think that the best preparations you can make for any survival day to day or in the middle of nowhere is to carry the knowledge in your head, the skill in your hands and the strength in your body, then you don't need any of the little kits and what not IF you ended up in a true survival situation you might very well be there just through loosing your kit rather than any extreme incident, or a simple slip while out for a bimble, if you know what to do, how to react, and how to get yourself rescued even if it's just calling your mate/mum to come get you then you doing well.

Very true, in my younger days i loved the sas survival kits and those type of kits but these days for me you cant beat craghopper trousers with phone, first aid kit, small knife and a torch if out for a longer walk.

If i have a full kit i still load my pockets due to habbit, but i suppose its good just encase i do loose my pack

 

[Retired Member southey]

I don't think anyone can ever be prepared mentally for when it happens.

Sure you can, by knowing how your body reacts to different stimulus, how to treat your self, understanding the environment your in, knowing where you are in the world, how different aid agencies work, knowing what you can and can't eat, how are the local populous going to react to you turning up needing help, understanding simple construction skills with natural materials, simple things that at worst take your mind off the given situation and at best start to increase your chances of self or assisted recovery.

 

[Bushwhacker]

Sure you can, by knowing how your body reacts to different stimulus, how to treat your self, understanding the environment your in, knowing where you are in the world, how different aid agencies work, knowing what you can and can't eat, how are the local populous going to react to you turning up needing help, understanding simple construction skills with natural materials, simple things that at worst take your mind off the given situation and at best start to increase your chances of self or assisted recovery.

If it happens out of the blue then shock and fear can really affect judgement and screw you up.

 

[John Fenna]

When in realy wild areas (on expeds) I always carried a custom "survival kit" on my person.
I still feel naked without at least one blade (a knife is a tool for making tools) and a FAK somewhere within reach....
I have FAKs dotted around the house, in my van, my work bag, the workrooms and in my "going to work bag" as well as on my belt when out in the woods....
However - having the kit is useless without the ability to use it and also to improvise when the nice shiney kit runs out - or is not at hand in the first place.
I generally carry too much kit when I go out - but that helps me keep fit!

 

[rik_uk3]

I'm an active prepper but for some reason 'Survival' questions seem to lead to arguments here, don't know why. There are several good UK survival forums and loads in America you could look at and join if you wish; members there are more geared up to answer your question really.

 

[lab72]

Rik why shoot the man down ?

 

[beenn]

I've been down the survival route and its not for me, i go out because i enjoy it not to think 'what if' every step of the way, i just wondered what everyone else thought
I always try to carry a first aid kit when i have my blade but tape works fine for me

Also I agree that it is about knowledge and the knowledge to use your kit properly, that is why it really bugs me when people show off their survival kits that are all shiny and new- id rather get my kit abit beat up and know its upto the job and i can use it- if it cant cope in the woods for a few days how on earth could it be used long term?

 

[British Red]

There are things you can do to make life more comfortable and safe in life. A FAK is an element of planning for the worst. So is a spare tyre on a car or house insurance.

A blanket, a flask and a charged phone are common sense items on a winter car journey.

Candles and matches are useful in a power cut - as is an old fashioned landline phone that powers itself from the phone line.

Living where I do, a woodburning range means we have heat and cooking during the inevitable times when the wind brings a power line down.

If we are sensible, anticipating and mitigating the bumps in the road of life make that life all the more pleasant.

The whole of life is a "survival situation", it should be a sensible balance of risks. Not being so worried that you never do anything and also not being so fool hardy that you end the journey prematurely of bring suffering to yourself / others by being ill prepared for a few curve balls.

Red

 

[locum76]

if you know what to do, how to react, and how to get yourself rescued even if it's just calling your mate/mum to come get you then you doing well.

Indeed, survival doesn't require drama.

 

[Satyr]

I was in a survival situation this morning - a lorry pulled out in front of me on a dual carriage way.

 

[ex Member swampy99]

It seems to me that a survival kit is what you need when you have lost or had taken from you or have no access to your main kit. Now you have got to be a bit dim to get yourself in that situation or something catastrophic has happened. Thats why I have a blade and some means to make fire on cord tied to clothes. Now unless I get totally nekid then I have means to keep warm and get shelter set up 2 of the 4 priorities. The only problem I have is that I can't carry that basic kit on a plane and my main kit will be in the main hold with everyone else's, so we go back to the knowledge bit and improvise and adapt if you survive the plane crash with no major trauma and ABC is not compromised. then you would be in a "Survival" situation everything else is just an unplanned night out.

Just my 2p worth.

 

[The Lord Poncho]

If it happens out of the blue then shock and fear can really affect judgement and screw you up.

True that doesn't help, but preparation and training can condition your mind to react in emergency situations faster and more appropriately. A perfect example of this is military training- learning and practising drills over and over so that in the event of a real firefight/ied/whatever- which for anybody is a hugely traumatic experience- the training takes over, people can quickly subconsciously select the correct course of action from their memory bank, and then performing the appropriate action is almost second nature.

The psychology of survival is a whole topic in itself, and actually quite an interesting one. It's true as well that different people react in different ways in a situation, but everybody can condition themselves through training/experience to an extent to react better.

 

[Lumber Jack]

True that doesn't help, but preparation and training can condition your mind to react in emergency situations faster and more appropriately. A perfect example of this is military training- learning and practising drills over and over so that in the event of a real firefight/ied/whatever- which for anybody is a hugely traumatic experience- the training takes over, people can quickly subconsciously select the correct course of action from their memory bank, and then performing the appropriate action is almost second nature.

The psychology of survival is a whole topic in itself, and actually quite an interesting one. It's true as well that different people react in different ways in a situation, but everybody can condition themselves through training/experience to an extent to react better.

+1 for this. I completely agree. I'll quote a well known member from the SAS; "when the poo hits the fan, you're scared. Anyone who isn't is either a liar or needs to see a shrink...Then the training takes over."
The psychology of survival is, in my opinion, the determining factor of any survival situation. Having some knowledge before you get into the situation will give you a large confidence boost when it actually happens. Your brain already knows what's necessary and subconsciously starts to plan. I think it comes down to one thing. Preparation...

Prior preparation prevents p*ss poor performance - Never a truer saying.

 

[Pict]

Personally, I think that the best preparations you can make for any survival day to day or in the middle of nowhere is to carry the knowledge in your head, the skill in your hands and the strength in your body, then you don't need any of the little kits and what not IF you ended up in a true survival situation you might very well be there just through loosing your kit rather than any extreme incident, or a simple slip while out for a bimble, if you know what to do, how to react, and how to get yourself rescued even if it's just calling your mate/mum to come get you then you doing well.

I would say it is best to have all that information in your head but also carry a well thought out minimum of survival gear if you are truly headed into a wilderness area. There is always a precipitating event in such situations that turns a normal outing into a risk of life and limb. That precipitating event could be the loss of your mobility, broken ankle, leg, hit to the head etc that will nullify many of the primitive techniques we practice in terms of their ability to save your life.

The other factor to bear in mind is that you don't always realize you are lost at eight thirty AM on a sunny day in June. Often it is a change in the weather, things turn ugly and the light is fading when you realize you got turned around and came down the wrong side of the mountain. This is one of the main reasons I separate modern wilderness survival techniques form purely primitive or bushcraft survival techniques. Lots of things we do under the heading of bushcraft contribute little to actual survival, like making spoons. Other primitive techniques like making friction fire or natural shelters could actually save your life. A modern, prepared before hand solution, like a bivy and Bic will do that right now. Feel free to disagree, I won't be offended, but that's how I look at it.

 

[Miyagi]

Indeed, survival doesn't require drama.

That's a relief Gadzooks!

Have you seen how much acting classes cost these days?

"Alas poor Yorick, I knew him well from ye olde Bushmoot Horatio. A fellow of infinite jest where there be hammocks, of most excellent fancy with his Bear Grylls knyfe, he hathe borne me on his back a thousand times to my bivi".

Liam

 

[Laurentius]

+1 for this. I completely agree. I'll quote a well known member from the SAS; "when the poo hits the fan, you're scared. Anyone who isn't is either a liar or needs to see a shrink...Then the training takes over."
The psychology of survival is, in my opinion, the determining factor of any survival situation. Having some knowledge before you get into the situation will give you a large confidence boost when it actually happens. Your brain already knows what's necessary and subconsciously starts to plan. I think it comes down to one thing. Preparation...

Prior preparation prevents p*ss poor performance - Never a truer saying.

I think that is very true, with one proviso, in that you could substitute experience for training (although some would say that experience is a form of training) and I am not saying that I have either, I am doomed for sure

Mind you what you do if you were on Bealach-eadar-dha Beinn in an electric wheelchair when the batteries cut out? That happened to my mum, which meant I had to go all the way back down again in order to bring the spare pair of batteries that we had thoughtfully left in the car, cos we anticipated that might happen.

 

[hog]

The solids can hit the oscilator from all angles creating a sticky situation for many Folk in different ways.
A little prepping is not going to harm anyone, a car kit, personal carry kit.. the old adage..Rather be looking at it than for it.