As I said I finally started really looking at a survival kit to carry hunting, hiking, etc while here in Alaska. This is what I have come up with so far:
Gerber infantry knife
Folding saw
Sol emergency bivvvy
Whistle
Flare,smoke signal, shootable flare
Lighter
Flint/steel with Vaseline soaked cotton balls
Para cord
Signal mirror
Foldable 2l water container
Water treatment tablets
Wet naps for cleaning hands etc
Food items (more meal and some granola bars)
Head lamp w/ spare batteries
Duct tape(haven't added it yet I need to decide how I want to store it.)
It's around 3.5 lbs without the knife but I don't mind carrying a little extra as things like the flares make a huge difference in being found as I know from experience looking for someone from a helicopter can be quite difficult. The food is also not necessary for short term survival but it's a great morale item and when it gets really cold you do burn a lot of calories.
Let me know if you think I am missing anything.
Sent from my iPad autocorrect at your own risk.
Ultimate blast match with fire tinder, best thing I have used for fire starter, dip and hold underwater for minutes then strikes a fire.
2 contractors trash bags, these are extra thick and tuff, use one to line your pack and the other as a spare, bivy sack, rain parka, shelter, etc, repair when needed with duct tape
zip lock freezer bags
Integral Designs silstarp, while many things work I just prefer this, I actuall have silshelter, never leave home without one in my pack, best 12 ounces there is
nothing wool, takes too long to dry in wet AK, synthetic will dry overnight just with body heat as long as you are protected with shelter
I am not fishing or snare user, use tree limbs and build a funnel in the stream to force fish into a small pool, same with game, like a crab pot or shrimp pot, one way in, this can be done for small game too if its big enough and done correctly, a snare is good if you know how to use it, kind of the same principle to force game into the snare
Take your pack to a seamstress and have a long bivy sleeve sewn to the top so you can get down inside your pack and use the sleeve up to your neck as a bivy sack.
Water purify tabs, not really needed in the cold moving water of Ak
Wrap duct trap around hiking pole, water bottle, anything, I tape my emergency space blanket bivy sack to the bottom of pack inside of course with duct tape in every pack I use
Cut closed cell foam for a back back panel to fit inside your hydro pocket
Dr peppermint soap, used for everything; teeth, body, clothes, dishes, it comes in 1oz bottle
I throw candy bars in, last a long time and just as good as high cost energy bars
I always carry rocket fuel, chocolate covered coffee beans, make sure you rotate
triangle bandage or similar
broad spectrum antibiotics
pepto bismal, I prefer this because it slows down the digestive track so some of the viral can still be expelled but not so quickly to help guard against dehydration
epi pen, benedryl or similar
superglue
I prefer an Icomm VHF radio, get on guard and there is always someone to answer
Learn to build shelters with minimal effort, simple things like a sink hole can add warmth while saving calories
Learn to read the weather of AK
Learn plant life, plenty to eat in AK
Not a fan of a compass for pure survival, root, save energy, most lost people wonder around looking for help making it harder for SAR to find, as long as you have an Icomm and batteries, help is quite close
Trip plan to more than one person, give a hard date and time to call safety by whom ever has your plan, leave a map
Wear/use/have bright colors like safety orange, I know camo and all but a quick SAR story, a friend of mine got into trouble wearing dark subdued clothing, SAR walked right by him as he laid there fighting for survival injured, a week later when his body was found