Which survival kit item has saved most lives?
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There are to many variables to give an accurate answer in my opinion. Mobiles are only good if you have a signal and where i live in Co.Kerry i dont have a signal in my house let alone in the mountains and the best internet speed i can get is 1 Mg! At least i could use the mobile battery to make a fire i suppose.
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Nonsense, the unexpected is what puts many if not the majority into a survival situation.
A means of communication is certainly a vital piece of survival equipment, mirror, whistle and these days a mobile phone; within a few years I believe carrying a satellite phone or beacon will become very much the 'norm' for all sorts of outdoor types of people as prices continue to drop.
It would depend on what survival situation it was, I would imagine.
In a desert, water & shade would be essential, in the dark middle of freezing snowy mountain, warm stove, lamp and shelter are useful, and if one's trapped in an elevator, then mobile phone? But when some wild beast is attacking in the jungle, maybe an 18" Ontario machete or large Bowie knife would be definitely useful to save one's life?
In a desert, water & shade would be essential, in the dark middle of freezing snowy mountain, warm stove, lamp and shelter are useful, and if one's trapped in an elevator, then mobile phone? But when some wild beast is attacking in the jungle, maybe an 18" Ontario machete or large Bowie knife would be definitely useful to save one's life?
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I understand the temptation to say this mm, nearly said it myself untill I remembered,
There is no such thing as "Common" sense.
Best.
Chris.
Agreed as far as it goes Rik. My point was that if one has common sense one will anticipate most unexpected situations and avoid them. I agree, that's not always possible, but most unaticipated stiuations arise simly because the victim didn't think things out ahead of time.
I agrre also that satellite comms will likey be almost universal soon (unless of course, something newer makes it obsolete)
Perhaps one might be less likely to get into trouble, ie. checking oil and water levels, air in spare tyre, tools etc before setting off.
However once you are in a spot of bother, say in the Namibian bush in a broken down car, common sense would say, stay with the car, however it would seem that there are no shortage of folks who will say to their mates "the lodge is just over that hill I'll go and get some help" those are the ones whose desiccated remains are being scraped of the rocks a couple of weeks later.
Perhaps one might be less likely to get into trouble, ie. checking oil and water levels, air in spare tyre, tools etc before setting off.
However once you are in a spot of bother, say in the Namibian bush in a broken down car, common sense would say, stay with the car, however it would seem that there are no shortage of folks who will say to their mates "the lodge is just over that hill I'll go and get some help" those are the ones whose desiccated remains are being scraped of the rocks a couple of weeks later.
Exactly. I think we're saying more or less thesame thing in different ways.
Back in the days when scouts could carry a knife as a uniform item the teaching was if you see your kit disappearing over a cliff and you can only grab one item make that item your knife. But to reach that stage (First Class) you had to know how to use a knife safely and effectively.
I seem to remember reading somewhere that the more ways you have available to make a fire the more likely you are to survive when things go pear shaped.
As to what gets people into trouble I would say lack of preparation every time; I suspect most of us have come across those who needed assistance getting off a hill because they had set out without a clue as to what was involved.
I seem to remember reading somewhere that the more ways you have available to make a fire the more likely you are to survive when things go pear shaped.
As to what gets people into trouble I would say lack of preparation every time; I suspect most of us have come across those who needed assistance getting off a hill because they had set out without a clue as to what was involved.
Back in the days when scouts could carry a knife as a uniform item the teaching was if you see your kit disappearing over a cliff and you can only grab one item make that item your knife. But to reach that stage (First Class) you had to know how to use a knife safely and effectively.
I seem to remember reading somewhere that the more ways you have available to make a fire the more likely you are to survive when things go pear shaped.
As to what gets people into trouble I would say lack of preparation every time; I suspect most of us have come across those who needed assistance getting off a hill because they had set out without a clue as to what was involved.
Well do remind me if I ever find myself stark naked in the middle of Dartmoor with nothing but a knife for company, that I would have been better off if I decided to bring some warm clothes and a waterproof with me instead. Mind you I would probably be arrested before I even got that far. In general I think being properly dressed for the environment is more useful in the short term, and a signalling device after that for when they come looking for you.
Good Sense...
Good sense stops most people from getting them selves into a survival situation in the first place so that saves the majority of the worlds population.
For Adventure seekers, good sense is likely to mean that those people are properly equipped for the sport they are enjoying or the environment they are entering, thus reducing their likelihood of being involved in a survival incident.
For people caught up by unexpected events, good sense is also most likely to see them taking sensible action and thus not becoming one of the statistics we actually know about. ie. The ones that didn't survive.
Good sense stops most people from getting them selves into a survival situation in the first place so that saves the majority of the worlds population.
For Adventure seekers, good sense is likely to mean that those people are properly equipped for the sport they are enjoying or the environment they are entering, thus reducing their likelihood of being involved in a survival incident.
For people caught up by unexpected events, good sense is also most likely to see them taking sensible action and thus not becoming one of the statistics we actually know about. ie. The ones that didn't survive.
you have no clothes, a knife and a reason, and are surrounded by large furry animals?!? you have no sense of adventure.
A knife is obviously the first one, but actually saving a life, a signal fire and the means to light it. Almost anywhere theres something conbustable.
Also, I was informed the biggest survival aid is telling someone where your actually going
Maybe self reliance tempered with common sense. I find that as we are pandered to as a race with instant access to information that we seem to have less of those two precious resources as we evolve. With those two things we can engineer our way out of a lot of situations.
When kids are infused with a spirit of adventure they learn to adapt and overcome. Hand them things on a plate and they fold when finally hit with adversity. This carries on into life. We don't breed so many adventurers these days to head off into the blue.
But on the physical side of things a cutting implement and a means of producing heat would seem to be the most important thing. Always remember that story of the Inuit escapee who fashioned a blade out of frozen poo which enabled him to go on and make other survival needs available to himself. That and the stories of all those extraordinary people who went out and mapped the world either by learning from natives or just of sheer bloody mindedness. I think an agile mind is the key, but unfortunately heat, cold, dehydration and hunger quickly blunt that most valuable tool.
When kids are infused with a spirit of adventure they learn to adapt and overcome. Hand them things on a plate and they fold when finally hit with adversity. This carries on into life. We don't breed so many adventurers these days to head off into the blue.
But on the physical side of things a cutting implement and a means of producing heat would seem to be the most important thing. Always remember that story of the Inuit escapee who fashioned a blade out of frozen poo which enabled him to go on and make other survival needs available to himself. That and the stories of all those extraordinary people who went out and mapped the world either by learning from natives or just of sheer bloody mindedness. I think an agile mind is the key, but unfortunately heat, cold, dehydration and hunger quickly blunt that most valuable tool.
Tarzan.
He can wrestle any wild animal, has a massive knife and can communicate via yodels that travel for miles. In any given survival situatuion he can call up an animal for either transport, eatting or clothing and you can always watch him fight them in the most dramatic fasion for entertainment to keep up your posetive mental attitude.
He can wrestle any wild animal, has a massive knife and can communicate via yodels that travel for miles. In any given survival situatuion he can call up an animal for either transport, eatting or clothing and you can always watch him fight them in the most dramatic fasion for entertainment to keep up your posetive mental attitude.
ORS
The little sachets of rehydration salts that stop diarrhoea killing millions.
http://www.unicef.org/sowc96/joral.htm
M
The little sachets of rehydration salts that stop diarrhoea killing millions.
http://www.unicef.org/sowc96/joral.htm
M
Should he be in this thread thoug? Or perhaps better in the thread on survival experts?
nonsense, rumour has it that his weapon is actually smaller than average, and in moscow its a balmy -9¤c in the day. I'd like to see him go there with a loincloth, no elephant friends to help him out, no rope swings, and he's never tried wressling a polar bear. N.b. the animals he calls on for clothing and eating, must, be, dumb !
Point being environment.
Very true of Tarzan. However, Crocodile Dundee has shown an ability to do equally well in multiple environments.
