Les Stroud: 5 things you need to survive

Your Adventure Starts Here:

[douglasmcintyre]

Ah, the age-old question about what to carry to survive.


I like shirts, pants and 'layerable' outerwear with enough pockets to carry some key lightweight items on your body, the way the military does. Two breast pockets, a shoulder pocket on shirts or outerwear, two to four outerwear arm pockets, two or four leg and shirt pockets and four or more outerwear pockets. That's a lot of places to put useful, lightweight survival kit items before leaving home and going out into the woods.


Start with a full-tang knife that has a sharp spine and five- to six- inch blade length. And a good SAK or multitool in sheathes on your belt. A sturdily built 8' by 8' canvas or nylon tarp with reinforced tie-out loops and grommets can fit in a large leg or coat pocket, or at least a reusable space blanket or a couple of large orange 6 mil trash bin liners than can can fold down to something pretty small and fit in one pocket. Some hanks of cordage, including a 25-foot long ridgeline, some short lengths for tent lines and a six to eight foot line for cooking over a fire, hung from a wooden tripod in one outerwear arm pocket. At least four lightweight ABS plastic stakes in an outerwear pocket; six is ideal. Perhaps a wrist-rocket slingshot and metal frog gig in another pocket. A small tube-shaped fishing kit with various baits, sinkers and lures inside it in another pocket. Some lightweight plastic stakes in another pocket. A plate compass in one breast pocket and a cellphone or personal locator beacon in the other breast pocket. A small sealed metal fire kit with plenty of charrable material, tinder or 'sure fire' in another outerwear pocket. Some ranger pace beads and a good metal referee's whistle around my neck. Maybe an extra long leather belt, to use as a strop and a couple of bungee cords in a coat arm pocket to use as trap triggers. And several other things to signal for rescue with, like those small smoky or brightly colored flares you shoot from a little pocket launcher, perhaps carried in a breast pocket.


Note that I didn't include a firearm to hunt with. I'd rather carry the same weight in fishing kit, frog gig, metal rat traps, a few small single spring leg hold traps and perhaps a dozen snare sets that can work for me, catching food while I sit in camp. Foraging and beachcombing are often the best and safest ways to find slow-moving food sources that can't hurt you and don't run fast.


If I have a rucksack I'd add a hydration bladder with drink tube, a crosscut saw and/or axe, a crooked awl, a full roll of braided cordage, a roll of flagging tape, a sleeping bag or wool blanket, a metal container and more cordage. Plus a bandana or a sniper's veil, a second metal container, 2% tincture of iodine to disinfect water or wounds and a possibles pouch with a few comfort items, starting with all my regular meds, sun block, sunglasses, a deck of cards, a paperback or crossword book and a few carpenter's pencils, a rite-in-the-rain notebook, bug net, bug dope, swim goggles, a few metal rat traps, a spear point, some bear bangers, bandages and other first aid items including pain and allergy meds. And some 'just add water' foods or MREs.


Anymore kit than that and you'd need a conveyance to haul it like a vehicle, aircraft, off road ATV, a draggable sled, a canoe or other kind of boat or a snowmobile. Then you can carry in even more stuff you may, or may not, use. Personally I'd rather have it and not need it, then need it and not have it.


Only one problem: If I had that stuff, wouldn't I be inconveniently camping, rather than surviving? Hmm ... so what do I REALLY need to carry into the woods with me?

[frankcastle]

Ok, so you have thoroughly covered, "lost in nature" survival. How about some long term bug-out type surthrival tips. That is what i would like to learn from Les Stroud.

[BruceNitroxpro]

As an amateur radio operator, I fully endorse the idea that the ability to communicate with the outside world is EXTREMELY important. This is ONE idea that only Les Stroud has voiced so far on YouTube. It's one thing to have a static or passive SIGN for OTHERS to find and another thing to have an ACTIVE means of signaling. LOVE this video.

[jazzhands]

5 things I NEED TO SURVIVE: paper, pencil(with eraser)colored pencils, clothes and bubble tea

[cyyost]

Good advice..   not a daredevil like that other clown... Grylls..  his stuff is a joke...