Hey, I'm thinking about stranding myself and a few other friends in the middle of a forest with limited supplies. The bare essentials. Much like an extreme camping trip for four days. Thoughts and comments? As what I should bring?
Ok you need to look for a katadyn water filter, a great knife, and 4 days worth of food. Take a lighter and a cell phone as you CAN get into big trouble without a line to civilization. For a first timer make sure you have food and a source of water. If you have tha cash look up jungle hammocks they are in-fucking-credible. Make sure you have flashlights and mini first aid kits. You don't need to use the bic lighter but you should have one in case you can't make fire with a fire steel. Bring something to read and remember to bring a pot or frying pan to cook on. You also need to read up on making a latrine... Imagine 4 days of shit without proper management. Any other questions let me know. Oh and a spool of jute twine is really useful. Makes good tinder and lashings if you decide to make a little shelter
do you know how to hunt/fish? do you have basic medical knowledge, like how to suture a wound? can you make a fire without one of those ceramic fire starters? do you know how to land nav? its good that you want to camp and everything, but i would highly suggest you not do a "survival" trip unless you have these basic skills. Just go on a comfortable camping trip and learn how to hunt or fish if you don't know. Testing your self against the elements sounds fun, but if you don't know what your doing it can be dangerous. Bring a tent, sleeping bags, knife, fishing pole/line/hooks, food/MREs, rifle, hatchet, medical supplies (including tourniquet and some kind of pain killer, not for recreation), rope/550 cord, duct tape, fire starter, map, compass, hot plate/small propane power stove, emergency tent, water purifier, whistle, smoke grenades or flare gun, flash light, beers and weed, poncho, etc. I'm sure there is some other stuff i'm missing but whatever. If you want to get into the survivalist thing then I would start out with a "eat what you catch" type of trip. Oh and don't forget to bring jerky, jerky is essential. Have fun.
Just remember always bring a cell phone. you can turn it off but if you need one you'd better have one. It sounds like cheating but it's dumb to go out without one
you should bring a knife, water bottle, a pot or pan, some pot, something to sleep on like a mat or hammock, some string would be nice, a lighter or two, and food oh an your cell phone oh and a blanket.
electric tape is great for small/minor cuts.....that may have needed a cupple stitches..... and super glue.....(bonds skin instantly....) perfect for anything they may have needed a handful of stitches.....
I agree with pretty much everything here. Budluvers laundry list could be thinned out a bit if you really want a survival test. If only going for four days and you want it authentic then dont even bring food. You can go four days without food easy if you cant find anything but definatly dont take chances with your water supply. at least bring a pot to boil water you find so you know you wont go thirsty or catch a nasty somthing from drinking untreated water. gardia comes to mind. Also definatly a cell phone if you are gonna be in the backwoods and dont know exactly what you are doing. Hell even if you do. You dont want to end up on Discover channel "I shouldnt be alive" or worse, dead over a camping trip. Other than all that it sounds really fun. I like to just wander into the woods with minimal supplies and just camp but I always bring all the little creature comforts like food and whisky but I want to do a survival type trip some time. maybe this summer I have the skills just never really tried it old school.
He said bare essentials and you guys are outfitting him for a weekend at the campground. You don't need to take anything. Your brain is your most valuable tool. You can assemble a simple shelter without tools. Bugs, grubs, worms, nuts, and flowers are easy to find and will keep you alive. If you find a small creek, crayfish, minnows, and frogs are easy to catch with no equipment and cattail roots are good to eat too. If berries have popped in your neck of the woods, blue or purple are almost always safe, red are safe about half the time - only eat them if you're starving to death, and never eat white. You don't need fire but it's nice so I'd take some matches. Depending on where you are, you might want to filter your water through sand or gravel. You can also collect a lot of water from morning dew if you're clever. I'm not exactly sure how you "strand" yourself in a forest but there's nowhere in the lower 48 where you're more than a three day walk from civilization and most wild places are within a half to one full day's walk. Don't bother with a cell phone, just be careful and don't get hurt. Since you're going in, you'll already know how to get back out but if your nickname is Wrongway, at least know which direction you came in from. It's easy to find north as a guidepost without a compass. Sooo...take some matches and maybe a pocket knife. Anything other than that makes the experience less exteme.