Camping / survival thread

Spurred on by the development of the TransVan/RV thread, I felt compelled to start a thread asking the basic question:

If you felt the need to disappear into the woods for days/weeks without support from modern things, what would you take along, and how do you get there?

Personally, I would take what I refer to as my "crap bag", (as in, when the crap hits the fan, I'm gonna grab my crap bag and diappear into the woods until the crap has settled down). It's basically is a backpack/Boy Scout survival kit, mixed with military stuff such as MREs, tent, survivial knife, entrenching tool, sleeping bag, flashlight and extra batteries, sterno stove, mess kit, hatchet, flint and steel, matches, etc.

That's if I had to disappear.on a moment's notice without transportation; OTOH if I had time to go away using my van, I wold likely include my 12V fridge, propane heater and stove with multiple bottles of gas, cooler full of canned goods, Jerry cans full of water, several 5 gallon buckets, and as many plastic bags as I could get my hands on. Plus toilet paper.

I can think of much more, but I was just wondering what other folks would consider taking if you had to hit the wilderness on short notice.

Discuss. Talk among yourselves. Like butter.

Is a Holiday Inn Express considered the woods?

John Brown wrote: Is a Holiday Inn Express considered the woods?

Not exactly, but I understand staying there makes you feel smarter the next day, which can't be a bad thing.

I'd bring a harmonica.

Les Stroud can do anything with a harmonica. (Survivorman)

when crap comes. . I embrace it

I've gone for over a week living out of a backpack on the A/T - given some additional food and/or a means to hunt/fish and a source of fresh water, I suppose I could go a lot longer.

If you are talking about 'disappearing' - as in eluding somebody, that's a different set of rules.

bludroptop wrote: If you are talking about 'disappearing' - as in eluding somebody, that's a different set of rules.

We talked about this a bit in this thread: http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/off-topic-discussion/hypothetically-life-without-an-identityhow-to/6517/page1/

I believe in traveling light, so my kit would be pretty bare bones. I also wouldn't take anything that would require technology to keep running (battery flashlights or radios, Sterno or propane stoves, etc). I'd aim to keep my load under 30 pounds just in case I gotta run like hell.

A damn good quality Leatherman. A decent size 'survival knife'. Metal canteen Military surplus compass, no cheapie plastic jobbies. An all-steel hatchet (no wooden handle versions). A set of lightweight pots and pans (mess kit). Matches, plus flint and steel for when the matches give out. Lightweight tent and sleeping bag. 1/4" nylon rope (it floats), at least 50 feet. Wire for snares. Fishing gear (I hate fish but if I get hungry enough...). Salt and pepper. Toothbrushes. TP would be nice but not essential.

Extras that I'd be willing to shed if necessary:

MRE's Binoculars Folding shovel (why carry one when you can dig a hole with a big green stick?) Folding camp stove (the little wire ones you put over a fire). Wind up type flashlight, preferably the LED type (no bulb to burn out). Wind up type radio

don't forget your lobo.

Beer and try the westfalia club threads they got it going on in the VW world with the westy group . You can pack a bunch of stuff into a westy and get away from it all only to have some stupid old fart in a diesel pusher come chuggin his way blowing black smoke come set up right next to you start his generator put u[p the TV antenae and stay in the bus all the while except to walk the little turd of a dog they have .

westfalia.org heres a link to the ultimate checklist

http://www.westfalia.org/community/forumdisplay.php?f=56

John Brown wrote: Is a Holiday Inn Express considered the woods?

Only if a bear does a number 2 in the lobby restroom and ruins it as an "Emergency Fecal Deposit" spot.... Sorry, just couldn't resist (ref to a deleted thread)..... Back to your normally scheduled program! Chebbie

Per Schroeder wrote: don't forget your lobo.

You mean like a wolfy type dog? I would load one of my huskies down with a backpack full of stuff. It might be good to have a big furry animal to protect you from the stuff in the woods. They can hear see and smell stuff you can't.

http://www.ehow.com/how_2294133_make-lobo.html

Per Schroeder wrote: http://www.ehow.com/how_2294133_make-lobo.html

I would still want to have the dog to go after the zombie's legs while I lop his head off.

We tend to travel 'heavy'

Jeep. Backpack. Gun.

Jensenman wrote: ... Military surplus compass, no cheapie plastic jobbies. ...

Milsurp compass is good because of the tritium dials. Supercool if you have some night-land-nav classes. Not that great if you haven't had a class on the specifics to use it. I could not tell you what you are supposed to subtract from the azimuth if your heading is over 180^ or whatever it was. They are beefy Al too, so you probably will not break it.

However, the military keeps them for a certain time frame then scraps them. I assume its because of the half life of the tritium. I just remember "sorting" a bunch and boxing up ones past a certain date.

So in conclusion, Don't buy mill surp compass, buy one just like it new if you are used to the style that is. There are enough nice civilian ones that if you have to learn land nav, get one with a book or fancy dials or something. A while ago I did fine in the woods for a few weeks with a plastic compass. Cheap is relative, it cost $15 and was nice quality. $75 is too much for a compass, if I need to see I will mess up my night vision and use a flashlight. Without a stupid red lens. The plastic one is nice because it is clear and you can orient your map.

Personally, its cold out and I want shelter. So I would bring "something" with me that would allow me to secure a shelter. Perhaps a shelter that has yet to be liberated from someone that doesn't need it....

I just re-read my post and think it may be confusing. Sorry.

Cliff notes: Military gets rid of Lensatic compasses after a set time. If you buy surplus, yours might go dim soon.

If you don't know how to use it at night, it has no real advantage.

Plastic is not the devil. I have a very nice plastic compass.

Now I know what I've been missing. I've got a crowbar and a lawn mower blade and some duct tape, and I'm gonna make me a lobo. Thanks for the tip, Per!

Never heard of a lobo before but then again I have an old shovel that I got from my grandfather. He was a logger and needed to be able to cut through roots etc during fires and the like so the edges have been sharpened and would work as a lobo quite easily.

As for me I have a pack that is basically always ready to go, a couple small tool bags, my truck has a box with chains, ropes, shovels, axes, jerry cans, tarps and a tent in it at all times. I also would take multiple firearms and collect more along the way and more ammo along the way. Shotgun would be a must as well as a long range rifle. My dog would go with me for the reasons Snowdoggie mentioned.

I already know the locations that I would go to and I could easily build a solid cabin structure with minimal effort (tons of long straight tree trunks in the 8-10 inch range. Very good natural resources even natural hot springs in the area.

I've already disappeared into the wilderness in northern BC for around a month back a few years ago with no contact with the outside world. When I got back I had a voice mail from my girl friend saying she was gone lol.

Granted I think this could do some serious zombie damage as well

Not to easy to define, as it would depend how hard the shhtf, and how far I'd have to go to escape it, if it can be escaped.

Hopefully I can just stay home. I've got livestock, fields, a wood stove, a well and septic, and a creek. I don't need to leave, I'm well set right where I am. My biggest danger will be the vagabons coming to raid me, and I'm highly visible. For hurricanes and other typical disasters, I've no reason to run, I'll just hunker down.

If I need to run, and I've got to do it on foot: The down blanket, the camo tent, the shotgun and ammo. A fist full of my snares, a spool of trap wire, my needle nose wire cutting vice grips, the pack basket, maybe a conabear or two. My edible field guide of plants. A good jacket, poncho, wool shirt, wool pants, wool socks, boots, gloves. Flint, two knives, stone, combo hatchet, pocket saw, all the paper cash I can grab, small pot with lid, box of matches, sewing kit, electrical tape.

If I've got to run, and I can use the truck, all the above, plus more clothing, more tools, more creature comforts. Plus that bucket of quarters.

Meeting spots with the various kinfolk have been set up around the world, though most are in the US. We WILL survive.

Into the woods? I often think about this (and to be honest, kind of prepare for it) but I've never thought of exclusively living in the woods, more like keeping my camp in the woods and sneaking back into civilization every now and again for supplies.

If I had to sneak away with no transportation (using stuff I actually own right now), I'd take:

• Swiss army knife or two
• PDA w/ GPS module and two charged batteries (will last probably over two weeks on one battery with the cell module and bluetooth off)
• Bow and any arrows I may have
• Cranking flashlight w/ USB charge header spliced on (can charge the PDA and GPS)
• Any lighters and snacks I can gather up
• Extra Nylon pants and the most suitable shirts I have, other spare clothes
• Binoculars
• nylon rope

If I could pack a vehicle:

• Load Samurai with spare tire, foot pump AND air compressor, all the water containers I can gather up, power inverter and USB charge adapter, all the stuff mentioned above plus more food, fishing gear, shovel, spare fuel and fluids, and take the battery out of the AE92 as a spare. Leave passenger seat free for use as a bed.

What I don't have that I'd like to run out and buy:

• Wood sticks and thin plastic sheeting from the arts & crafts/hardware store: Makes it super easy to quickly build ghetto arrows, especially if you tip them with stuff from the hardware store.
• Tent for the first scenario
• Porta-fridge & porta-stove
• Proper outdoor clothes

It would be pretty easy to disappear down here, even in areas very close to civilization.

I think I would survive longer hunkered down in a closet being quiet, ala Anne Frank style than in the wilderness.

Us city boys don't know what were doing out there.

Sir Edmund Hillary was proported to have said that the hardest part of climbing Everest was getting a good, hot cup of tea (because the altitude causes water boils at 156F on Everest).

Somehow, I understand this.

I need a hot cup of tea to feel like I'm a human being.

So if I'm off in the wild for a week or so, I'd need tea bags, water and a means to boil it. And maybe a good magazine to read.