Minimalistic long-term/indefinate wilderness living

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YoYoMa

Joined
Oct 30, 2002
Messages
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Been thinking about wilderness survival/living for a long-term or indefinate period of time.

If you had a good grasp on primitive skills/ survival/ bush craft, what do you all think would be the minimum amount of equipment reqired?

Here's my preliminary list:

-Knife (In my case, a Buck 119) with sharpening stone
-med. sized GB axe (carry on belt or on pack)
-flint and steel, in pouch on belt
-bow, arrows and quiver
-PSK for "emergencies"
-decent first aid kit, with lots of iodine (antiseptic, water purification)
-100 to 200 ft. of paracord
-fishing hooks & line
-needle and a whack of dental floss
-compass
-bota bag/canteen
-small mess kit (the really compact $4.00 CAN kind at Wal Mart
-bedroll/ compact sleeping bag
-oilskin cloak/ waterproof poncho
-SAS survial guide, and a couple Ray Mears Books

I know it's minimalistic. What do you folks think as far as realistic?
 
Well, its way more than some have had who made it. I think it depends more on what you know and your character than what you have. There is no way to properly assess that without doing the deed.
-carl
 
Your equipment seems in order, but skills are the key factor. Proper mental attitude is what makes or breaks most folks in a survival situation.
 
I wouldn't call that minimalist, myself. I'd say everything except the knife is borderline a luxury, and the knife is debatable. I'd suggest you hop your good grasp up to an excellent grasp, and then see what you think is minimalist. If I was going to make a minimalist list, I'd say the clothes you're wearing and a knife. Everything else can be fabricated or sidestepped.

With that said, there ain't no way I'm leaving the HOUSE without more than a knife. Personally, for example, I know that my cord fabricating skills are way below par, so paracord is on /my/ minimalist list. For now, anyway.
 
I guess so. I was thinking "minimalistic" in comparison to the 40 lbs. carried by most backpackers and others heading into the wilderness these days. The concept of being able to make it with only a knife is still a weird one, but hopefully a true one for me someday!
 
James makes an excellent point. It is the stuff one cannot fabricate or sidestep that become your kit. For my "minimalist" kit the basics are a container I can use to cook/transport stuff in, cordage, and knife. Some would argue the "pot" is excessive as one can be found or fabricated. Been there done that, and I'll still take the pot. Finding one can be chancy and fabricating a good one takes time away from the primary activity- getting a balanced diet (remembering you were talking "extended" stay).
-carl
 
Yo Yo Ma, I think the real answer to this lies
well documented in history. A study of the early
plains indians,the mountain men, and early settlers
of the 19th century all had to make it on a bare
minimum of most everything. Then there are the african bush people that make do with a knife (or less).

So why try to find the minimum with todays view-
point when a study of what REALLY works has already
been found? Do little reading mate. I think you'll
be amazed at how simple this can be.
 
Whats your location. If your in North America Ray Mears books may not be suitable. His Outdoor Survival Handbook is concerned mainly with the UK countryside (maybe relevant to parts of Europe). his 'Bushcraft' book is probably to broad as it covers all types of climates if I recall correctly. Maybe something by Greg Davenport or someone similar. If your in the UK or there about his first book would be useful.
Hope this helps
D.
 
My Wilderness Kit, I also carry a Tarp or Poncho

oldgear2.jpg
 
Ron M- Excellent Nessmuck setup! Can you tell me more about the sheath knife and ride along sparker? Looks awesome.
 
The sheath Knife is made by a friend of my, Matt Cook (Pinoy Knife).
The Blade is 5 /32 M-2 Tool Steel. He made the sheath w/ Firesteel pouch, can be worn as a necker or on the belt. Full tang w/ antler. Best of all the back of the spine can really spark a firesteel.
 
Great, thanks for the info, I may have to look into something like that.
 
It might be better to learn to use what you have, than to think about what you may need.....;)

But it does sound like you have the basics covered. Although, closer you are to the "middle of the world", the more you might think about a machete instead of a hatchet.
 
what about a book on edible wilds?

that would be top on my list.

plus I would increase the amount of cordage by ALOT!

my cordage skills suck.:o


another change I have done to my kit is, I have included all synthetic clothes 1 backup only. I know this goes beyond minimalist.


I am not a purist I am a survivalist!
 
This subject has volumes of info dedicated to it out there.

I think having the basic eqipment as you desribe is a good thing.

Putting all the knowlege to use is a great challenge. I spent some time in the woods last summer practicing being primitive. Learned alot.
 
I think the best way to evaluate a minimalist kit like this is to balance it against your actual skill level in a field test. Go out for a week or two into a wilderness area and see how well you fare. A one week fast won't kill you but you will certainly know how practical your skills and kit are.

I'm of the opinion that most people who are capable of living well in the wilderness with next to nothing have spent their entire lives there. Most of the time their ability to fashion things from their surroundings is an economic consideration and as soon as they have a modern alternative they use it without a second thought.

If you go to any tribe in South America you will find that bic lighters are a hot item, as are firearms, steel knives, cord, aluminum pots, etc. Sure they are experts on primitive skills but wilderness living is hard and time consuming, any corner that can be cut with modern means usually is and what limits their use of modern means is the fact that they are dirt poor. Mac
 
Originally posted by donn
Whats your location. If your in North America Ray Mears books may not be suitable. His Outdoor Survival Handbook is concerned mainly with the UK countryside (maybe relevant to parts of Europe). his 'Bushcraft' book is probably to broad as it covers all types of climates if I recall correctly. Maybe something by Greg Davenport or someone similar. If your in the UK or there about his first book would be useful.
Hope this helps
D.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info: I do live in North America (Canada).

As well, thanks to all for the informative posts. I love this place!
 
If you were an expert at most primitive survival skills, you would need nothing to survive beyond what you can harvest in the wilderness. You could go "naked into the woods" and live happily. All that you would need can be found in Nature. There are people that have actually done this. However, the total number of people in this country that are skilled enough to do this is probably only in the 100-200 range. After all, if you dropped an Indian inaked nto the woods somewhere in 1400, say, do you think he could not survive?

Kevin Haney, Coordinator
Mid-Atlantic Primitive Skills Group
"Where 'primitive' is not a pejorative!"
www.mapsgroup.org
 
I encourage you to go out into the woods for an afternoon with your kit as desribed. Using only the knife, hatchet, and some paracord, bulid yourself some kind of sturdy shelter.

It'll be fun and you'll learn about your tools and your skills. Now imagine doing it wet and cold. Imagine doing it knowing that you are lost, stuck, stranded etc.

Pretend that your right arm is busted and do abunch of it with your weak hand.

Oops! You just dropped your knife in a river and it's gone! Where was the lanyard?

Dang! Your paracord is still in the truck!

When I have done this I have had successful shelters, yet I was taken aback at the time involved to do this and the energy needed to do it properly.

I rode my motorcycle all over Washington State last summer. I knew how to change a tube, spark plug, cables, etc. in my shop with the air compressor handy, good lighting, full size tire levers, good tools etc. Weeks before the trip I loaded up the bike in the driveway. I then pretended I was on the side of the road and used only what I had on the bike to change the front tube. Much more work, but I was victorious.

When I was in the Marines, we trained expecting things to break. We trained knowing that Mr. Murphy would always be present, changing the rules after the game had begun.

Mr. Murphy loves the outdoors too!
Mr. Murphy is alive and well in the woods !
 
YoYoMa,
Looks pretty good.
I would add the following :
small pocket-knife - always have a back-up blade
firearm of some sort (preferably rifle)
 
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