Survival vs Camping

[Noss]

After reading plenty around the net on survival, it seems many of these "survivalists" don't know the difference between real survival and recreational camping. Many go out camping and say they are surviving under hard conditions when that have a backpack full of store bought food and they only going to be gone 2 nights and only need to hike about 1 mile back to the car.

I'm no survival expert I'm just a weekend camper. I would never hope to be in a true life survival situation as many of these people fantasize about. True life survival situations are serious business and the real people who have been caught in the real deal have been very terrified over the experience. Sometimes they come back without a hand or leg, serious dehydration, starvation,frostbite and illness or disease. Some survive the ordeal some parish after rescue or are permanently scared. This can be seen in many of the news reports about people that were unfortunate to be in these real situations.

If one finds him/herself in the real deal then everything has just gone to hell.

I was talking to another member about this and I figured I would start a discussion on the subject. So sound off. What are your thoughts on this topic.

[Madnumforce]

That's true. For me, a real survival situation is when most people would die, or when your life is in a very serious danger, and when by your skill, intelligence, surviving instinct, you can have a mind focused on surviving, and tricks that make the difference between life and death. Dropped in the vaccum from a space shuttle is no survaval situation cause no one can survive. Losing your path in the flat, forestless, temperate country is no survival situation, cause you can always find humans that will help you after some hours walking, waiting by a road for car to pass, or even enter a reach of reception for your cellphone.

[kurodrago]

I think it has to do with TV and all the shit survival programs.
Especially young are to much influenced by.
Many people think that they have a knife that's it.....
they can travel and live quite in the forest, jungle or desert.
The saddest part is the believe that shit.

[wildjim]

After reading plenty around the net on survival, it seems many of these "survivalists" don't know the difference between real survival and recreational camping. Many go out camping and say they are surviving under hard conditions when that have a backpack full of store bought food and they only going to be gone 2 nights and only need to hike about 1 mile back to the car.

I'm no survival expert I'm just a weekend camper. I would never hope to be in a true life survival situation as many of these people fantasize about. True life survival situations are serious business and the real people who have been caught in the real deal have been very terrified over the experience. Sometimes they come back without a hand or leg, serious dehydration, starvation,frostbite and illness or disease. Some survive the ordeal some parish after rescue or are permanently scared. This can be seen in many of the news reports about people that were unfortunate to be in these real situations.

If one finds him/herself in the real deal then everything has just gone to hell.

I was talking to another member about this and I figured I would start a discussion on the subject. So sound off. What are your thoughts on this topic.

I like to watch Ray Mears and have most of his videos but I wouldn't really enjoy two weeks or a month in the wilderness. But even Ray Mears has help if he needs it.

A true "survival" situation implies life or death decisions and reactions.

I "really" enjoy the solitude of a weekend or three day camping, hiking, bicycling trip but after that it becomes a tiresome ordeal and I want my bath and bed.

I am afraid of large wild animals such as bears, I'd be fine if I could carry a gun but most parks are restrictive of weapons.

[jankerson]

After reading plenty around the net on survival, it seems many of these "survivalists" don't know the difference between real survival and recreational camping. Many go out camping and say they are surviving under hard conditions when that have a backpack full of store bought food and they only going to be gone 2 nights and only need to hike about 1 mile back to the car.

I'm no survival expert I'm just a weekend camper. I would never hope to be in a true life survival situation as many of these people fantasize about. True life survival situations are serious business and the real people who have been caught in the real deal have been very terrified over the experience. Sometimes they come back without a hand or leg, serious dehydration, starvation,frostbite and illness or disease. Some survive the ordeal some parish after rescue or are permanently scared. This can be seen in many of the news reports about people that were unfortunate to be in these real situations.

If one finds him/herself in the real deal then everything has just gone to hell.

I was talking to another member about this and I figured I would start a discussion on the subject. So sound off. What are your thoughts on this topic.

It's a keyboard commando thing really. 99% of the people would die under a real situation.

[Noss]

It's a keyboard commando thing really. 99% of the people would die under a real situation.

Very true. I know one thing. Many of them would die before they use their knives for anything that would scratch it. I just want to know what some of them CAN do with a knife. Everything is always don't do this,don't do that.

[Carney]

Very true. I know one thing. Many of them would die before they use their knives for anything that would scratch it. I just want to know what some of them CAN do with a knife. Everything is always don't do this,don't do that.


Amen Noss! I think some people would die before they would use their knives!

And the survival thing is something we would all like to think we could handle, or be prepared for, but most of those situations catch people unprepared, or they wouldn't be true "survival" situations. (life or death)
I am sure that fire starting, or "dead reckoning" in a strange forest takes on a new meaning when you have a broke leg, and a dead family member!
I love knowing and practicing survival tips, and even being "prepared", but I believe "true survival" is a mindset, that no matter what has or is happening you are going to keep going.
All of the gear or skills in the world cannot prepare us for that!
I don't think any of us can ever truly know what we are capable to do or not do unless(GOD forbid!) we get in a true SURVIVAL SITUATION.:)

[culpeper]

Survival is a situation you either train for or find yourself in a world of shit. In either case you should be ready for it. Camping doesn't include survival unless you count the part during survival that requires you to set up a shelter and find something to eat, which you will not describe if you survive as the camping part of your ordeal. Even hunting is just hunting. You may have great hunting skills in the wilderness and don't know shit about survival so there is no point in equating hunting with survival unless you shoot your dick off and have to know what to do to follow your backtrail and survive. Survival is usually caused by something else. Like getting lost, crashing a plane, breaking a leg miles into the wilderness, and so forth. Most people that are really into survival love to train for it. Few actually have to use those skills in a real life situation. Even rescue doesn't equate to survival. It's the opposite.

[jankerson]

Even if they train for it they will still likely die because more than likely they won't have any of their survival gear with them in a real situation. ;)

It's a stupid macho BS idiotic thing that keyboard commandos love to talk about. :jerkit:

Most likely in a REAL situation the keyboard commando will be wearing his wimp shorts and a shirt because it looks cool and be carrying only his small cool looking folding knife that is scary sharp with an edge profile that will last 2 mins in the field before it dulls. His smart phone won't work because it's broken or there won't be any service or the battery is dead because he was texting all his other keyboard commando buddies.
The keyboard commando has never had any real military training or knows what it's really like to be out in the wilderness far away from civilization.

So in effect keeping it real he doesn't have a freaking prayer of living in a real situation, he will be dead but hey he was looking cool before he died.

[culpeper]

I remember that one guy that went hiking by himself in the desert and ended having to cut his arm off with a knockoff Swiss army knife. This guy was experienced and still manage to not be prepared. Then there was the guy from Japan that was an experienced hiker but decided to take on White Sands, New Mexico. He went missing for a long time. When they found his body he had no survival equipment at all except for a nice camera. Turned out he got bit by a Sindwinder rattlesnake and died from the elements rather quickly after that. Both these guys were just on a day hike.

[jankerson]

I remember that one guy that went hiking by himself in the desert and ended having to cut his arm off with a knockoff Swiss army knife. This guy was experienced and still manage to not be prepared. Then there was the guy from Japan that was an experienced hiker but decided to take on White Sands, New Mexico. He went missing for a long time. When they found his body he had no survival equipment at all except for a nice camera. Turned out he got bit by a Sindwinder rattlesnake and died from the elements rather quickly after that.

I rest my case. ;)

In a real situation 99.9% of people won't ever be prepared because they come up unexpectedly. You really can't plan for it because nobody knows what the situation will be. Way too many variables to take into account to possibly be prepared in real life.

It's a keyboard commando fantasy. ;)

People have been watching way too much TV if they think they can have a good chance of living. :jerkit:

Survival nuts are just that, freaking crazy, nuts, vain, stupid and ignorant. :jerkit:

Reality is that if something extreme happens and people are injured and alone they will die long before help will find them. IF the weather is extreme cold or hot they will die faster.

If they survive it more due to luck than anything you can possibly read in a book, watch on TV or learn on the net and if anyone tells you different they are full of shit or trying to make money off of you or both.

[culpeper]

Another (more recent) example:

http://grandcanyonnews.com/Main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=8306

[Noss]

Great responses men. :thumb:

culpeper: I was going to use your example above. You beat me to it. I read a lot of the "I would never do that" responses on the forums but many would say I would never cut my arm off but people have had to do it. There was the case of the mountain climber that got his arm pinned. He stayed like this for 5 days on the side of the mountain. He finally had to make a horrifying decision of cutting his own arm off. He had a knife but no saw to cut the bone. So he broke his arm and cut it off.

Video of him telling the story.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2XLoQ1xYB0

[Madnumforce]

Lesson learned: never do canyoning.Never do any dangerous activity uncessary. Personnaly, i would not think my whole life is worthy of me doing this to my arm. I would better try to die properly cutting my carotid than to butcher my arm like that. Millions people die everyday, some heroically killing others, some stupidly killing themselves, some commonly from a cancer, it's easier to accept your turn is come , as it should come one day or another anyway, then to reenanct a Saw movie with your own arm.

[jankerson]

Lesson learned: never do canyoning.Never do any dangerous activity uncessary. Personnaly, i would not think my whole life is worthy of me doing this to my arm. I would better try to die properly cutting my carotid than to butcher my arm like that. Millions people die everyday, some heroically killing others, some stupidly killing themselves, some commonly from a cancer, it's easier to accept your turn is come , as it should come one day or another anyway, then to reenanct a Saw movie with your own arm.

The biggest thing is not to go alone if possible so if something does happen there will be someone there to help.

[culpeper]

So, I guess it is safe to say that camping is not survival. The military cured me of the camping bug and taught me survival situations are best avoided. I hope I'm never in a survival situation. I know just enough about survival to be dangerous. In other words, no amount of survival training can prevent me from being my own worst enemy alone in a survival situation. To be honest, I think our last great survivalists were the mountain men of the Rocky Mountains. Maybe that is why some people like to play mountain man these days. But not too many mountain men lived to be very old as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKULLRKDjjU

[jankerson]

So, I guess it is safe to say that camping is not survival. The military cured me of the camping bug and taught me survival situations are best avoided. I hope I'm never in a survival situation. I know just enough about survival to be dangerous. In other words, no amount of survival training can prevent me from being my own worst enemy alone in a survival situation. To be honest, I think our last great survivalists were the mountain men of the Rocky Mountains. Maybe that is why some people like to play mountain man these days. But not too many mountain men lived to be very old as well.


Same here man. :thumb:

I have been camping all over the world thanks to the USMC so that kinda killed the camping thing for me.

[wildjim]

So, I guess it is safe to say that camping is not survival. The military cured me of the camping bug and taught me survival situations are best avoided. I hope I'm never in a survival situation. I know just enough about survival to be dangerous. In other words, no amount of survival training can prevent me from being my own worst enemy alone in a survival situation. To be honest, I think our last great survivalists were the mountain men of the Rocky Mountains. Maybe that is why some people like to play mountain man these days. But not too many mountain men lived to be very old as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKULLRKDjjU

I love that movie and I still enjoy camping the solitude and simple tasks take me away from the city life for a while. I certainly do not want to be fighting for my life (survival) while camping.

I've also noticed that some people become goofy and do foolish things while in the outdoors which may lead to survival.

[kurodrago]

Great responses men. :thumb:

culpeper: I was going to use your example above. You beat me to it. I read a lot of the "I would never do that" responses on the forums but many would say I would never cut my arm off but people have had to do it. There was the case of the mountain climber that got his arm pinned. He stayed like this for 5 days on the side of the mountain. He finally had to make a horrifying decision of cutting his own arm off. He had a knife but no saw to cut the bone. So he broke his arm and cut it off.

Video of him telling the story.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2XLoQ1xYB0

Unbelievable:eek: how educated person,
go in the center of nothing
(tropical deserted island )
with just Swiss Army Knives:eek::eek:
Mark 5:32!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iqb6SG2-9tg&feature=response_watch

[winbag338]

Survival sucks

[culpeper]

Survival sucks

The sums it up rather nicely. I like that. That's a rap! :rockon:

[wildjim]

The sums it up rather nicely. I like that. That's a rap! :rockon:

http://www.winnebagoind.com/

[MonkeyBomb]

Survival is alot about mindset. Lots of "survival" situations. Most are a simple night spent in the woods. Most of the danger can be taken out of it by letting someone know where you are going to be and when you should be back. And then stick to the plan.

I spent a whole lot of time in the high country. Usually hunting and scouting for game. I also ATV and 4 wheel sometimes by myself.

I always plan for having to spend the night if I have to. I always carry at least two things If I even take a short hike. A knife and a way to start a fire. Well and realistically I'm probably carrying my pistol as well.

If I have to spend the night I'll probably be cold and hungry. If its wet i'll be cold wet and hungry. Spending the night outside probably won't kill me unless I was way unprepared in inclement weather.

Most people survive a short duration survival situation unless their injuries and lack of medical care take them out.

Heck for the most part if you climb into a blue spruce tree you willl be dry and out of the wind.

I carry alot more when I hunt. I carry a camelback Stryker with a few power bars, a tube tent, a small sleeping bag ( one of the better disposable bags), a mylar sheet, 3 ways to start a fire, differnt tinder and a modest amount of medical supplies, flash lights and heat packs. Then the usual stuff for hunting like rope, cord, a gerber pax, shears, and a wyoming knife.

I'll probably be able to spend the night in relative comfort if injured while bowhunting in the high country. I have enough to last 3 days without much if any foraging. If I haven't made contact in that time they know the general area to look.

As far as living off the land with a knife and loincloth. No friggin way.

[trib trekker]

So what's the bottom line? Practice the basic and perhaps advance techniques under controlled conditions using as few of your bag of goodies as possible, just in case you may find yourself someday in a situation where proficiency in these areas might save your life--oh but wait, it's a waste of time cause you don't know shit anyway? OR Just don't bother and if you ever wind up shit creek, just kiss your ass goodbye?

[Noss]

Nothing wrong with practicing survival skills. I'm all for it. It's just that some people don't seem to know the difference between practice and a real situation. It's also crazy to fantasize about being in a real situation but many people do. Camping could turn into a survival situation if something goes wrong. I go camping but I'm not surviving because I'm in no real danger of dieing. If a tree falls on me or I get injured and I can't simply walk back out to the truck then the situation has taking a turn for the worse and as time goes on without the situation improving and I begin to fade away then it becomes survival. However I don't go back there camping and have the time of my life and come home and tell everyone on the internet that I survived on the survival forums.

There are some people that can go out in the wilderness for 4 months with basic equipment and survive. These people would be the true survival experts in my eyes. I doubt many if any people on the survival forums have tested themselves in this way. It would be a tough test of ones skills and mind. There was a guy in the news recently that did this for almost a year on some island but some questions have come up as to he was not really far from people and civilization as first reported and people knew where he was since he was making a documentary of the whole deal and this was the plan from the beginning.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/world/man-survives-300-days-with-knives-pig/story-e6frev00-1225750372418

http://www.the-islomaniac.com/2008/05/xavier-rosset-300-days-alone-on-island.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tofua#Tofua_Island

Tofua has a population of about fifty. They are there primarily to grow kava

[jankerson]

Nothing wrong with practicing survival skills. I'm all for it. It's just that some people don't seem to know the difference between practice and a real situation. It's also crazy to fantasize about being in a real situation but many people do. Camping could turn into a survival situation if something goes wrong. I go camping but I'm not surviving because I'm in no real danger of dieing. If a tree falls on me or I get injured and I can't simply walk back out to the truck then the situation has taking a turn for the worse and as time goes on without the situation improving and I begin to fade away then it becomes survival. However I don't go back there camping and have the time of my life and come home and tell everyone on the internet that I survived on the survival forums.



Most of the ones who fantasize about this stuff are keyboard commandos who never served in the military or even the Boy Scouts. Somehow they believe that camping is a big deal and it's really not at all. They live in the city likely in an apartment and have no life so just driving out of the city is a big deal to them. I used to see those types all the time while camping, they are easy to spot as they look like Military wannabies or bought everything from LLBean. Likely the farthest they have been from their apartment is the local park before. Dressed in their fag shorts with their pup tent from Wal-Mart and 3 inch Spyderco they think they are a real Mountian man. :rolleyes:

IMO they need to bring back the draft and soon as most of todays guys are really a bunch of pussies and nothing more than girls really.

Maybe the Military can make men out of them.

[Noss]

keyboard forum survival commandos. :D

http://knifetest.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=639&d=1258955451

[jankerson]

Yeah that pretty much sums it up.

[smitty]

I agree with you guys. I was in the army "field problems" thats not survival, shit I had a weapon :) I enjoy 3 or 4 days some where just to get away from the BS. I like messing around making traps, lean-to's, stuff like that. Survival, yeah I bring all my poggy bait. I fish and stuff like that, most of all I like the quite settings. Man I tell yea I was camping with some friends "camp site" some dude brought his laptop, WTF that was to funny. Most people bring there house with them when camping. Most people including me have no idea what true survival is, and I really don't want to!!

[meV]

Most people bring there house with them when camping. Most people including me have no idea what true survival is, and I really don't want to!!

Yeah, me either!
One of the books I read on this subject that I thoroughly enjoyed is "Deep Survival" by Laurence Gonzales. It's very entertaining and altered my way of thinkging about a survival situation.

[wildjim]

I agree with you guys. I was in the army "field problems" thats not survival, shit I had a weapon :) I enjoy 3 or 4 days some where just to get away from the BS. I like messing around making traps, lean-to's, stuff like that. Survival, yeah I bring all my poggy bait. I fish and stuff like that, most of all I like the quite settings. Man I tell yea I was camping with some friends "camp site" some dude brought his laptop, WTF that was to funny. Most people bring there house with them when camping. Most people including me have no idea what true survival is, and I really don't want to!!

Unless I am hiking or bicycling I take a lot of stuff and my cellular telephone is a computer but in the mountains there is no 3g or wifi : (

I need to find a campsite with wifi ; )

[kiah]

Unless I am hiking or bicycling I take a lot of stuff and my cellular telephone is a computer but in the mountains there is no 3g or wifi : (

I need to find a campsite with wifi ; )

LOL. I'm "camping" with WIFI right now. Given I'm sitting in my living room, but I did just cook some hot dogs over the fire, and I have the blinds up, so I can see the woods. Does that count? :p

http://knifetest.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=859&stc=1&d=1291349974

[Noss]

Camping is rough these days. :D

[kiah]

Camping is rough these days. :D

That it is, my friend. I had to reach over almost two feet to toss another log on just now. Strenuous, but the temp almost dropped below 75, and I did what I needed to do to survive. :cool:

[Carney]

keyboard forum survival commandos. :D

http://knifetest.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=639&d=1258955451

You should post this on the Wilderness/Survival section of BF!

[Noss]

That it is, my friend. I had to reach over almost two feet to toss another log on just now. Strenuous, but the temp almost dropped below 75, and I did what I needed to do to survive. :cool:


Sounds brutal. :D


Carney: I'm sure someone has posted it there. :D

[styx]

This is an interesting topic so I'm gonna share my 2 cents...

I actually find it fun to see ppl go out and "survive" while being prepared. I mean seriously ppl, how can you get lost and not have a tv, a fridge, and at least 200lbs more of gear on you?
Well enough of my sarcasm, but I actually thought about how bad it would be to get in a real situation. Last year I went on a trip to the US and if any of those planes came crashing down and I manged to survive that I'd be in a world of hurt. Ok in Europe you can pretty much walk home since only in some more isolated areas it's possible to be lost for over 3 days, so not much concern there.
But the point is we have tons of ppl practicing while being prepared. Why just not go out with a SAK in your pocket and tell someone to start looking for you in a few days?

Hell even some kind of a minimalist camping can't really prepare you for it. So all in all, I'll have to say the hell with the TSA! I'm saving up for a Busse Bushwacker mistress and I'm gonna keep it on my side 24/7

[chiral.grolim]

...Why just not go out with a SAK in your pocket and tell someone to start looking for you in a few days?...
I think Les Stroud did that in one of his "Survivorman episodes (to use a media-reference), set it up as if he'd lost his canoe and all gear except clothes, a few small items, and an SAK, then attempt self-rescue in <7 days (that's when his crew is supposed to come and get him). He succeeds, but is cold, sick, tired, hungry...
It's good education - he demonstrated that with the right mind-set and a little knowledge you can survive the scenario with minimal supplies, but it's NOT camping...

My biggest concern for such "survival" situations is what Les makes clear in his videos - food acquisition. I've heard you can survive 3 weeks without food, but that assumes that you have water, are not exposed to the elements, and don't need to travel (i.e. increased caloric expenditures).

[styx]

That's exactly my point. Pull off a Les Stroud if you wanna survive. Otherwise just be honest with yourself as say that it's camping and honing your skills.

And by you I don't mean you, I mean ppl in general.

OK I hate doing this so early on a forum, but I'm gonna... Most of us are subscribed to various ppl on youtube anyway. Some legit, some not so much. It can be argued about the tools and techniques, but what bugs me personally is that more and more are starting to say "this is hard work". First that's obvious, second don't moan just find a more effective way to do it if it's possible. And the big third thing - they do one thing throughout the day to get the point across and then skip the final step that would put the exclamation point on it all, and in the process make themselves look bad in a way

[peter72]

I live in OZ and you guys live in the US,so what works here might not work there.I go camping with a DAYPACK can do 7 nights easy.When i go into the bush for 1 day,i take the same DAYPACK with the same gear in it.That way if i have to spend a unplanned night in the bush.All i am doing is camping.A long time ago{28years} i had to spend a night in the bush with only a lighter and SAK.For as long as i live,i will never forget that night,and how scared i was.It was no TV Show thats for sure.Never go into the bush with out a DAYPACK.

[styx]

peter you're absolutely right. One of my MC brothers told me about his survival training in the Marines. Only him and his Ka-Bar. I wouldn't like to do that, but I might just to see if I could make it. Sure I'd have some kind of a safety net, I'm not that crazy, but I like trying things out practically

[peter72]

Gday Styx This is going to sound crazy but at the end of the day, all you need is the right clothes and to sit under a tree or rock and wait for the sun to come up.The 2 things that will kill you are the wrong clothes and fear.Take a daypack with you{ shelter,fire,water,food }try not to use it.How i teach people i pick them out a rock to sit under.But 30 feet away they have a tent & sleepingbag all set up.So they can pull the pin anytime they want.When the sun comes up they are half in shock that they made it without going into the tent.

[The_Price_Is_Right]

Gday Styx This is going to sound crazy but at the end of the day, all you need is the right clothes and to sit under a tree or rock and wait for the sun to come up.The 2 things that will kill you are the wrong clothes and fear.Take a daypack with you{ shelter,fire,water,food }try not to use it.How i teach people i pick them out a rock to sit under.But 30 feet away they have a tent & sleepingbag all set up.So they can pull the pin anytime they want.When the sun comes up they are half in shock that they made it without going into the tent.

That sounds like a very good test to try out.

[styx]

That's a good idea. Might try that out and tell you how it goes

[Agith]

Recreational camping, heh when I go backpacking I tend to carry a 10-15 lb pack which is very light weight and has all I need to get out of that alive. I suppose survival has two variations.
1. Survive as long as you can and do whatever it takes to get out of there alive
Or
2. A situation where help will not come for a long time and you must know what to do.
They are hugely different situations. In the first example you need to know how to make signal fires as well as signaling on-top of survival however you don't need to worry as much about permanent shelter or things like hunting large game to make clothing. You focus on keeping your energy and staying hydrated.
In situation two however, eventually large game hunting is needed and you'll need to know advanced trapping methods, along with things like hide tanning, shelter construction, medicine making, edible foods as well as food preparation. While you need to know what you can and can't eat in situation one as well as preparation, you don't need a long term source of food, native Americans out west for example had buffalo which wasted nothing.
I go out into the woods with a single bottle, a cantine, my knife of choice, a cell phone , 3 extra pairs of socks and several ways to signal along with a sharpener and a few other items like a tin for water treatment.
What I'm saying is survival varies greatly between what situation your in as well as your environment, to say recreational camping isn't a potential situation for survival is false in my opinion. It is easy to get lost in large forests or in the desert from which camping turns to surviving.
Heh I fail to see why people want to get into a survival situation where you might have to EAT the people who didn't make it through. Survival is a last resort and can result in Post dramatic stress disorder. Obviously people who want it don't have what it takes to survive it.

[styx]

Good points. Sometimes it's just the mentality of "that can't happen to me". My ex fiance had it to the degree of not even keeping first aid at home or in the car. When I explained that I'll gladly eat her since she'll die off before me if crap hits the fan, she started to think that it maybe would be a good idea to learn a few things.
And I don't mean survival, just basic things that can help you out in every day life. Within 5 hours she had 2 first aid kits and a fire extinguisher at home (that was mostly because of me though)

[Agith]

Heh I've been lazy on my first aid kit, I carry a single needle, and about 60 feet of parachord, those inner strands work well for stitching however.

[styx]

That is smart. You actually don't need a whole lot, but it's a good idea to have something. Laws here actually require everyone to have a first aid kit in the car and everyone with a license has to pass a first aid exam