Lost With Nothing or Lost With Something?

No Gear,  No Supplies 

What would you do if you found yourself in a situation you're not prepared for? Panic and give up?
Look around and you might be surprised at what you already have on or around you.

Imagine you on a day hike to a new place in a national forest . You decide to wander off the path and venture into the woods. You're enjoying the beauty of the woods not paying attention to where you're going, and then you decide it's time to head back to the car. You look around realize you have no idea on how to get back. An "Oh Shit" moment hits, and panic soon begins to set in. 

Remain Calm and Carry On

Take a breath and let's look at possible gear you might find yourself with, whether you're a man or women, there are some things you might find on yourself. Plastic water bottles or refillable ones, miscellaneous snacks, a bandanna, a lightweight sweater, an extra pair of socks, a small airplane sized vodka or other booze, and an emergency blanket. If you carry a purse here are some items you might have that prove useful: tampons, mints (for morale), Extra Strength Tylenol pills or other pain killer/fever reducing meds, reading glasses, a lighter, cigarettes, mascara and lip balm. Don't forget about your pockets, maybe you have some of these items: pocket knife, keys, flash light on a key ring, and  lets say you left your cell phone in the car.

Let's take a look at how we can use some of these items for survival purposes. Let's go in order with the Priorities List.

First Aid: Tylenol, socks, vodka, bandannas, lip balm, belt, shoelace and tampons

                                                  Tylenol: Fever Reducer/Pain Reliever

  Socks: Bandage or Sling
  Vodka: Disinfectant
  Bandanna: Bandage or Sling
  Lip Balm: Stops bleeding of small cuts and of 
  course helps chapped lips or dry skin
  Belt: Tourniquet or Sling
  Shoelaces: Brace for sock, tampon or bandanna 
  bandage or use as a Sling
                                                  Tampons: Bandage for every kinda wound, these                                                           sterile little dudes are life saver






Water: Water bottles, bandanna, tampons

  You can reuse your plastic water bottles, fill them up and place on a string hanging them near a fire and moving around so it doesn't melt to boil them for suitable drink water. Use your bandanna for a filter for water, works great to filter out sediment not pathogens. Tampons can also be used as a straw water filter.

Creek Stewart, tampon water filter straw

Fact: You can drink your own urine twice if you need to stay alive and hydrated.





Shelter: Emergency Blanket, shoelaces

You can use an emergency blanket many different ways- in the form of a tent, tarp, or just a blanket. It has great heat reflective capabilities as a half shelter as seen in the photo to the left. I have personally used this type of shelter and it works great. Use your shoelaces for ties and put dirt on the back to keep it down.

Fire: Lighter, eyeglasses, cigarettes, lip balm and mascara

If you were ever that sick kid with a magnifying glass and liked to use it on bugs, you know what damage it causes when the sun hits it just right. Same goes for a pair of reading glasses, hit the sun just right on a pile of dried debris and bam FIRE!. Cigarettes can be used as a fire starter as well as lip balm, or the very flammable mascara.

Food: Shoelace, rocks, wire from a bra and knife

After you dusted your miscellaneous food that you packed, it's time to get some food from mother nature. Well you should have already been looking for food before that happens. Get a fish spear going as seen in the picture to the left or attach your knife to a branch like the picture to the right with a sholace or belt.                                

                                                                                                                                   

Use those shoelaces either for a fishing line with a make-shift hook from a bra wire or something else metal you can find or make a snare out of it. Also, look for trash in the woods, you never know what you might find that you can use. Soda cans also make great make shift hooks or improvised knife or spear head. Necessity is the mother of invention and instinct is what keeps you alive (combine them and your unstoppable). Use your imagination, be creative and always keep on the look out for a more efficient and less energy using way to do things in a survival situation.

Cool Simple Video on how to build a 4 pronged spear.

by: The Back Woodsman's Institute. 

skip ahead to 1:50

We humans can survive 3 to 5 days without water, that is depending on the conditions we are exposed to. Food is another story, we can survive about three weeks or more without food (Mahatma Gandhi went 21 days without food). Along with water and food you've got to be aware of exposure to the elements, stay dry and stay warm because hypothermia sets in quickly whether in the water or on the land. Do whatever it takes to stay alive and find rescue. Having hope is as important a lifesaver as First Aid, Water, Shelter, Fire, Food and Rescue.

Stay Informed, Stay Sharp and Stay On the Move.

I'm Oscar Mike.