wog9f13

http://www.grannysstore.com/Wilderne...ntandsteel.htm

When I was a Scoutmaster I would always get one of these kits for each new boy that would come into my troop. We never carried lighters, and only 3 matches total. The whole purpose of this was to force the boys to learn that you can make a fire you just have to know how to do it.

The char cloth that you use with flint and steel is very important to have. I always make a bunch and have it with me whenever I am in the woods.

rather_be_huntin

I understand that everyone has their own definition of survival gear and no two lists will be 100% the same but I gotta admit I don't understand the resistance to technology.

The GPS thing really shocks me. While I understand that one should know how to read a map and use a compass "just in case" a GPS is 1000 times better. There is no guess work and you know exactly where you are an how far you have to go. You even know (if your GPS was on) how you got there. If I park my vehicle I mark it and I always mark camp. Even if I fall and break my leg if I can establish communication (two way radio or cell) I can give coordinates to my location. If my friend falls and breaks his leg and I have to go get help I have exact coordinates to his location.

There may be some parts of the world where they aren't accurate or useful but I have yet to find that place. Nothing is perfect and you could easily drop it and break it....I get that....but they are a great survival tool in my opinion and I never leave home without it.

A two way radio is small enough you never notice it in your pack but still could be very useful in getting you out of jam. The weather reports may not always be accurate but heck it's better than not knowing at all. In some situations (especially if you have your GPS ) it may be better to travel and knowing the forecast could help you decide to stop and hunker down or tell you when you have a window of opportunity.

I agree that you shouldn't rely on them to save your life but I still don't get the resistance to it all. Doesn't make sense to me.

rather_be_huntin

I guess it depends on your definition of "high elevation" but at 11,000 ft and less I have never had an issue with a disposable lighter not working at all.

I do carry wax tipped matches in a waterproof container and I carry a magnesium kit as well. But I gotta tell you it always cracks me up when we prepare for our backpack trips and my friends are saying how GPS's are overrated and there is no need to carry a two way radio and disposable lighter only to find when we are 4 miles from the nearest road they are asking me to borrow the lighter to start the fire, they ask me to turn on the radio for weather forecasts, and after hiking all afternoon hunting they want me to guide them back to camp or mark the site of a kill. I've evern used the GPS to track a wounded animal, I would mark last blood. Never ceases to amaze me.

Just because you are in a survival situation doesn't mean the GPS suddenly doesn't work. In the RARE case that it doesn't then you can turn to the map that you also have.

skiking

My biggest problem with them is that most people think, I have a GPS, it WILL tell me where I am every time I turn it on, and it WILL be accurate to +/- 100 ft even if they turn SA on. Those people then don't worry about packing a map and compass, and when they can't get a satellite fix, or one of the satellites they are using has a timing error, or the batteries die, they are up a creek without a paddle.

I have seen multipath errors of a 1/4 mile with a survey grade GPS that is accurate to +/- 0.02', if you don't think that your $100 Garmin is subject to the same error, then don't ever go into the woods relying on a GPS because you are one of the people that blindly pushes the "I BELIEVE" button.

rather_be_huntin

You are absolutely right about many you things you say....again I get it. All I'm trying to say is that it's a great tool, not 100%, but not off enough to warrant not trusting it either. Your common sense should kick in if something doesn't look right....umm say like a printing error on your map. In all the years I've been using it in Utah I have never seen it be off more than 100ft or so. I know that because there have been many, many times walking out in the dark that it got me back to camp or the truck. I would've found my way anyway but the GPS got me there faster.

Yes I do carry a map just in case but I just don't think the "error" rate on a GPS is big enough to state that it's overrated insinuating that it's not a great survival tool. IMHO it's a wonderful survival tool.