Equipped To Survive

[Jamie]

I've been going through the archives. Just found a few threads on nice-to-have toolkits to keep in the airplane. Did a quick search and found no references to the Equipped To Survive site, and thought some might find it interesting.

 

http://equipped.com

 

It's NOT a survivalist site. I believe it started off as a site to help educate pilots on what to carry on board aircraft for survival if an off airport landing was necessary. It has equipment reviews, a "Gear and Equipment" section (http://equipped.com/toc.htm) with recommenations for what to carry and why, a lively forum, etc.  I've hung out there for 10 years or so. It's why I now carry a knife and flashlight on me wherever I go.

 

 

[RJBrown]

I fly over the Rockies often. In the winter I wear hunting bibs and jacket. Have my boots in the plane. Carry a knife a sleeping bag and a firearm. A portable GPS and a portable Icom nav com. Every time I fly over the flat tops I envision having to land there.

[AndyFromCB]

Whenever I fly over mountains like this upcoming weekend to Granby, I have a backpack, ready to go for two:

-warm wool socks
-warm wool gloves
-warm wool hats
-warm wool sweaters
-warm down jackets
-rain suits
-thin sleeping bag liners
-emergency bivvy bags
-tarp
-candles
-flash lights
-matches
-jet boil, two carnisters and a little stove that can burn avgas
-knives
-rope
-noodles, lots of noodles and sugar and salt and tea
-water tablets
-plastic, collapsable water bag
-full blown backcountry medical kit including burn kits, lydocaine, pain pills, antibiotics, stiches, and a little medical book, etc, etc. I've used that kit before on a backpacking trip when a friend had a crampon go thru his calf and tear it wide open and it made all the difference, ER guys didn't even restitch it 2 days later, just left them alone.

-trash bags, don't forget the trash bags, come in really handy for a bunch of reasons, duct tape and a few drink straws.

All and all, it weights in at 20 or lbs.

If I was in real back country, I'd toss in some boots, real sleeping bags and a tent adding another 20lb. But it's amazing how warm you can stay with just a bag liner with arms cut out, a silver bivy with arms cut out a wool sweater underneath and a down jack over it all. Probably good down to -20 for a few days if need be.