Was I a wuss?

fgcason said:
That might be a good thread to start. :dunno:
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I think it would, then others could comment/modify per their tastes as well.

Funny, but other than the pack itself, and a better knife, I have most of this stuff from years of motorcycle camping. My tent may be a little heavy, but other than that, I think I can start to put it together.

Any hints as to a good pack that will work without breaking the bank? I have no interest in backpack hiking/camping, so this would be for "emergency" use only. Also, I have a good lockback knife (the Benchmade/Doug Ritter design), but would like good advice for a good fixed blade.
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
Anyone know how to make a desert still?!
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"raises hand" ... However, like making fire (with "other than matches", these things MUST be practiced beforehand. Considerably harder than reading the books lead one to believe...
 
Bill Jennings said:
Funny, but other than the pack itself, and a better knife, I have most of this stuff from years of motorcycle camping. My tent may be a little heavy, but other than that, I think I can start to put it together.
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My pack rides just fine on the motorcycle too! Great fun.
Contrary to what this consumer based for-profit society tells you, it really doesn't take a lot of equipment to get through a night or a month of nights. Air to breathe, water, thermal control, good shoes to walk in, food, basic navigation. Everything else is fluff. Survival and life in general is mostly technique.

Bill Jennings said:
Any hints as to a good pack that will work without breaking the bank? I have no interest in backpack hiking/camping, so this would be for "emergency" use only.
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A big college bookpack or even an overnight duffle with a good wide shoulder strap would do just fine. Personally I'd spend the extra $10-15 and get it from someone like LLBean for good quality and a forever warranty instead of saving the money at wackomart and having to replace it every 2-3 years when it falls apart. $30-40 tops one time expense vs $20+20+20+20+20++++. Get your supplies together, figure out the volume requirement then buy what it'll fit in without stretching the seams.

Bill Jennings said:
Also, I have a good lockback knife (the Benchmade/Doug Ritter design), but would like good advice for a good fixed blade.
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Curiously the local hiking/shooting/hunting store may be useful here. Get something with a thick fixed blade. Folding blades are an excellent way to lose a hand in a high force situation. Steel handle, steel everything, no plastic. A sharpening stone usually comes with them. A hollow shaft with a screw off end is nice for carrying extra whatevers. I've got an old all steel hollow shaft $9.99 no name brand 6" blade camp knife with a crappy leather sheath from a hole in the wall hiking store. I don't even know the name of it if it ever had one. I just call it George. The little compass in the end broke long ago but whatever. I keep wanting to get something nicer but this thing ran the energizer bunny into the ground long ago. It's uglier than sin but I can literally punch a hole though a wing without damaging it and more than one small diameter tree was converted to firewood with it. Think of terms of indestructable, rustproof, and a reasonably long blade+handle for leverage and go with that.
 
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gkainz said:
"raises hand" ... However, like making fire (with "other than matches", these things MUST be practiced beforehand. Considerably harder than reading the books lead one to believe...
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Yup, its in the same chapter as making a fire with outdoor materials only, in a sogging wet forest, when there is a 30kt breeze and its slightly above 0C.
 
gkainz said:
"raises hand" ... However, like making fire (with "other than matches", these things MUST be practiced beforehand. Considerably harder than reading the books lead one to believe...
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:yes: :yes:
"All you have to do is simply duplicate what's in these pretty picture drawings and you'll be all happy hydrated and warm and dry in no time."

Yea, right.
 
fgcason said:
:yes: :yes:
"All you have to do is simply duplicate what's in these pretty picture drawings and you'll be all happy hydrated and warm and dry in no time."

Yea, right.
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Yeah ... as I recall from SERE school long ago, the solar still generates a couple of cups to "maybe" a quart of water a day. However, you expend more than that in sweat building one (or two, or three... since 1 is inadequate) And if they had shown Tom Hanks making fire in Castaway in real time, we would have been there quite a while longer... :D
 
gkainz said:
Yeah ... as I recall from SERE school long ago, the solar still generates a couple of cups to "maybe" a quart of water a day. However, you expend more than that in sweat building one (or two, or three... since 1 is inadequate)
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When I saw the end results of the two I built to find out how useful they really were, I decided that around serious deserts is a much better plan than across unless I have backup transportation immediately available. Doable, yes with effort. Waterfountain, not even close.

gkainz said:
And if they had shown Tom Hanks making fire in Castaway in real time, we would have been there quite a while longer... :D
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I haven't seen that show, but realtime with no experience...an hour or two probably isn't going to cut it without cheating. :rofl:
 
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