Good Question: as with lots of outdoor stuff, this all becomes a matter of personal preference and very specific needs. As you often hear, the first tool of survival is your brain. Starting there, everything else is pretty much optional.
In Mine:
1. Water Bottle/Bladder (filled)
2.Waterproof matches in a match safe
3.Extra socks and knit hat (In ziplock bag)
4.Whistle, or small boaters air horn
5.Toilet paper – in a zip-lock bag
6.Space blanket
7. Poncho
8.A fairly advanced medical kit (this is more for if I come across someone needing help)
9.Several pairs of pocket hand/toe warmers — the chemical kind that just start to get warm when you take them out of the pack (HotHands)
10.About 20 feet of 550 army parachute cord
11.Handgun with Extra ammo
12. Extra Hunting Knife and sharpener (can dull a knife quickly while dressing game)
13. LED light and extra batteries. (Blood light for tracking)
14. Map of area hunting (GPS with extra batteries. not as good as a map for showing you the way out, unless you have topos on it.)
15. Sugary snacks light granola bars and candy bars; trail mix with m&m’s for energy
16. Firestarter Stick, used to start fireplaces and BBQ’s; sealed inside a ziplock. Small piece will start a fire if dry tinder is available. Whole bar is wet sticks is all you can find.
Now to house this I use a backpack at times, and or a fanny pack from Fieldline.
Recently I acquired a new “Remington” pack called a Glenwood Canyon. Ample room for all my packing needs!!
