Gear for "What if?...."

“So, because anyone who has hiked with me knows I pack for a week when the scheduled hike is an overnighter, I question: what thought do you give to "what if?"

Generally, I see backpackers carrying a simple first aid kit (I mean bandaids and moleskin...maybe a few extra batteries for the headlamp...)

What other items do you carry, how much/many and why?

This is more about the thought process you go through (If any) than the actual gear...do you worry about the unknown and prepare, or do you trust in serendipity?
last edited: 7/10/12 4:39:15 AM”

“probably my biggest "what if" is to carry a good saw for handling blowdowns but I only do that for relatively short hikes and never for LD hiking. Other things I will often carry for "what if" is Tegaderm for blisters or abrasions; Gorilla tape for patches, extra Dyneema line, a knife for cutting things, anti itch stuff, rubbing alcohol for use mainly as hand sanitizer but with other uses, needle and cotton thread to drain blisters

wrt worry / prepare - mostly I try to prepare by learning what I can do with minimal stuff that I carry; worry is not a big thing when I am getting ready for a hike but I do tend to be somewhat cautious while hiking since I often am hiking alone and off trail”

“I prepare. Even for a dayhike I take a first aid kit, an extra snack and one of those foil shelters. Along with the water and snack I'll actually use.

Most importantly, every time I get into a stressful situation or minor emergency in everyday life I remind myself to stay calm. Call it mental training, so when a big emergency hits I will .... stay calm. Once you freak out you've lost your best tool and are way more likely to die. The order of survival needs should start with that.

Mental calm, then shelter, heat, water, food...

This DID save my life last summer swimming in the ocean - no exaggeration. My family was canoeing in the bay behind Assateague island and stopped on a sand bank to hang out and swim. My kids drifted out into a boating channel so I swam out to pull them back, half way there I suddenly couldn't breathe and started going under (I'm a sinker), instead of freaking out I stayed calm and reminded myself to roll onto my back and relax. My kids had life vests on so they became 2nd priority. If I had panicked I would have drowned that day.”

“Sil nylon repair kit for tent, duct tape, zip ties, nylon cord, xtra lighter, wooden matches, foot of stretch cord, whistle, signal mirror, xtra pack belt buckle, and a bunch of stuff I am sure I forgot.”

“First thing that comes to mind is my cell phone. I started carrying it for that very "what if" reason. I used it a few winters back to call First Responders after a young girl hiking with us had difficulty breathing. They pinpointed my whereabouts thanks to phone GPS.

I've gotten a cell phone signal at the top of Isle Royale out in Lake Superior!”

“Cells don't work most of the places I hike because of the mountains. I've thought about getting one of the SPOT devices...

Any thoughts?”

“The spot locator is certainly practical, and could very well save your life. That said, it takes some of the adventure out of hiking. Knowing someone will come get you at the push of a button changes the experience, imho. Prolly dinosaur thinking..

Everything I carry is for "what if". Much of it is judgement calls just prior to hiking. I don't always carry rain gear, I do always carry a first aid kit with a space blanket tho..kind of an emergency kit. Mirror, duct tape, pain killers, bandages, extra lighter all in one small pack.”

“If you can afford it, go for it. Would a more traditional emergency locator be cheaper?”

“In many places around here I cannot complete a phone call with my cell phone but I have been able to text. (Someone who knows a thing or two about it can probably tell me why.)

I've heard good things about the SPOT but don't have any personal experience with it. It makes sense to me if cell service is iffy in areas you visit.”

“I was thinking of it more for piece of mind with the kids. A rattler bite or something could change the situation really quickly.”

“I always take my down jacket no matter how hot it is outside. For those snow in July days.
Always carry a sylnylon patch and a couple of zip ties with me. I probably overdo my blister kit...half of it would do.
Oh... And I carry a couple strong pain killers, just in case...”

“Rosey, do you carry an extractor for snake bites? That'd be another good "what-if" piece of gear.”

“I bring an extractor - it kinda looks like a piece of crap but it was the best one I could find... dunno how well it would work and I hope I never have to find out...

I've got an emergency whistle on a multitool (along with a compass, thermometer, and LED flashlight) - depending on the hike, region, and weather I'll maybe adjust my "what if" stash even more, but typically those are the two main emergency things, other than first aid kits and needle/thread”

“Gem has one of my ideas..strong pain meds...if I'm injured by sprain or burn, scrape or really just anything short of a major dislocation or broken bone, pain meds will help a LOT getting back to the trailhead....

My military days have held me captive for most of my adult life..when you pack for mission and the exfil plan is preceded by "We'll come get you if we can.." you tend to pack for the long walk out...

Fishing and snare gear, (small light weight kits) lighters, zip ties, bullion cubes and rehydration salts, and a few things I will NOT do without...

a Small bar of soap and a huge bandana; I can be funky as all heck, but I WILL have clean hands and face.”

“I bring an extractor - it kinda looks like a piece of crap but it was the best one I could find... dunno how well it would work and I hope I never have to find out...

A snake bite would be a bad time to find out. You should know your what-if/survival gear inside and out before you need to use it.

”

“Along with a first aid kit, I keep a repair kit. Three or four safety pins, duct tape, a small piece of wire, a needle and thread. Crap breaks or rips in the most inopportune time.”

“haha, well, it does make a suction... but it's also a small and flimsy piece of plastic. Hard to really test that thing till you're sucking venom out of a couple punctures in your skin”

““haha, well, it does make a suction... but it's also a small and flimsy piece of plastic. Hard to really test that thing till you're sucking venom out of a couple punctures in your skin”


Well geeze, go find a snake...do I hafta lead you through this?...LMAO”

“Yeah. And test out the car jumper cable technique while you are at it!”

“what about those deep wound gel thingies? I've seen them before - guess you use it to close a deep wound... Anybody use those? I've always thought they seemed a bit heavy - I just bring a little thing of superglue for smaller wounds, and a needle, thread, and 5th of red label for anything bigger.”

“Are you talking about QuikClot?”

“I carry a few prescription pain killers, just in case I or someone in my group breaks a leg.”

“I think it's quick clot - they kinda look like those nasty power bar gels only bigger...”

“I usually take my Gerber axe, my swisstool, first aid kit(doesn't seem like an extra to me), duct tape, small piece of wire, and super glue. I cut the CRAP out of my finger the first hour into a 3 day Trip In WY and that super glue saved the trip and lots of blood.”

“I do take a first aid kit, but it is very lightweight and small. I should take more being a Red Cross First Aid/Cpr instructor for 12 years and former EMT. I am really interested in taking the NOLS course on wilderness first aid and have the book on my android. Having a needle and a small (dentist sample) of floss could come in handy. I do have one of the sawyer snake bite/sting suction devices but have never used it.”

“noncon - text works even when voice fails because it is transmitted at a very slow data rate which can work on a very weak signal. Underwater communications with subs happens at extremely slow data rates for this reason.”

“Yeah Noncon you nincompoop!”

“I added styptic powder to my first aid kit.

As I understand it, the snake bite extractors do not do any good. The snake venom travels too quickly through the bloodstream for them to be of any benefit and the attempted extraction may actually do more damage.”

“Zip ties....good idea...”

“Div... They saved me on a couple occasions. Fixed my crampons with them during the ricketts Glenn trip. I didn't think the snake bite kits work well... Not sure where I read that. I dumped mine just last week.”

“If you take them with you, make sure they're in the bottle with the prescription - especially if you're far from home, or you cross the border.”

“..or just keep the pills with your weed..”

“I was wondering about that just the other day. Flying to Cali in 2 weeks... Figured it would prob best to keep prescrip meds in original container. I guess it's common sense not to keep it with my weed... That would just be silly ;)”

“If you know the right Doctor in CA, you can keep your WEED in the prescription container.....”

“As I understand it, the snake bite extractors do not do any good. The snake venom travels too quickly through the bloodstream for them to be of any benefit and the attempted extraction may actually do more damage.”
shanez
12:48:43 AM
7/11/12

yes, i read a report about this not too long ago that said these are obsolete...it said the time spent using one is better spent trying to get to help”

“I've spent quite a bit of time walking thru cottonmouth country. I've accidentally stepped on them, grabbed them, had them fall in my boat from overhead...never been bitten. Never known anyone bitten. Totally anecdotal but still.

I think you're better off wearing appropriate clothes and keeping your eyes open than relying on a spot locator or a snake bite kit. Be careful out there, not just with snakes, with everything. Come back safe!”

“I pack a tiny bag of scentless talcum powder to fight off chafing.”

“I've gotten a cell phone signal at the top of Isle Royale out in Lake Superior!"

I've had cell service at Moskey Basin, on top of the whole Minong Ridge up to Todd, and have even gotten out of Rock, McCargo and Windigo, too.

The boat guy for the voyager was pretty impressed with my Minong call ....”

“Oh, and on top of MT. Ojibway, too.”

“Baby wipes. Nothing worse than monkey butt out on the trail.....”

“Is that the same as swamp ass?”

“What about a silnylon condom, does that count? Of course I jest”

“Lol b-slacker, I rekin that's the same thing”

“I've heard of people carrying Monkey Butt Powder just in case”