If You Could Only Take One Thing With You?

[Larry Gibson]

You know you have to head for the woods.  You will be there at least a week.  The weather is hospitable today.  You have no firearms.  You can only bring ONE thing with you to help you survive.  What would it be, and most importantly, why?

No firearms.......I don't go.

Larry Gibson

[S.S.]

Married almost 10 years
together almost 15

[Prebanpaul]

I WOULD TAKE A GUIDE. YOU SEE HE CAN CARRY AROUND ALL THE STUFF THAT I NEED TO HAVE A COMFORTABLE WEEK STAY IN THE WOODS.  HE CAN BUILD MY FIRE, KEEP ME FROM GETTING LOST, COOK MY FOOD. I MEAN THIS WOULD COST ALOT BUT IT WOULD BE FUN AND I WOULD USE IT AS A VACATION. NO CELL PHONES OR CLIENTS. YES

[HenkBrazos]

A good knife will make a lot of things just easier, although it isn't really a critical. Don't really need anything, skills good enought to survive.

[rzwieg]

I'll take my knife , lighter, matches, first-aid kit toting, EMT certified survival amiga, Kelli.How's that?

[willysjeep134]

I'm changing my mind. I would definately bring a good fixed blade knife. I learned a lot of fire making techniques over the summer. With an allready made bow and drill I could get a fire going in two minutes. Without a knife that would be tough. A knife can also be half of a flint and steel set, and it's a lot easier to find flint than steel in the woods. I would take my old Marbles Woodcraft I think. I don't do things like baton my knives through logs so it could just as well be a pocket knife, but even if I don't abuse it a fixed blade is less likely to get out of order.

[Dee]

After rethinking my first choice (a fixed blade knife) I am re-nigging and saying a 24-7 Taco Bell. All I would have to do then to meet all my needs would be to RUN FOR THE BORDER

If willys can change his mind, then for the third time I'm changing mine. I would take an all night subway. I'm trying to eat healthier.

[lefty red]

A well packed RV!

Other than that, a good machette.

LEFTY

[Dee]

Willysjeep, by you name I assume you have an interest in the Willys jeep. Is this true, and if so I have a question about an old Overland/Willys pickup bed.

[NewYorkRifleMan]

I would say a strong fixed blade knife crafted with steel that holds a good edge but easy to resharpen in the field. I would say my Cold Steel Trailmaster in Carbon V steel or my Chris Reeve One PIece range knives.  Even though the post was titled "If you can only take one thing", I would carry one of these knives in a aftermarket sheath such as a Spec Ops or Eagle sheaths that have an accessory pocket attached to it. Inside that pouch I would carry life boat matches, fishing line, seven strand 550 cord, small bic lighter, a few hooks, a small rolled up plastic bag to carry water, alum foil, ect. So it is like taking just 'one thing' and that would be my knife.

[Omaha-BeenGlockin]

With a good knife---you can take care of all most other needs for short period of time.

[BillP]

This thread needs to be refined.  Too many responses listing multiple items Like a "box of tools".  Even the leatherman tool falls into that class.  I am still trying to figure if the wife falls into that class.  Seriously, another person can be important in a survival situation.  More skills, someone to care for the other or go for help if one is injured, split watches, teamwork in capturing game, warmth!  The list goes on and on but one of the important things is to have someone to talk to.  Not only to keep you sane but to help in making good decisions under pressure.

[James B]

Even after forty years, I would still take the wife also. Besides, she always has a knife.

[Couger]

Great weather and I can only take one thing?

I also would be sure to carry at least a good stout fixed blade sheath knife.

[fifeboy]

Knife, fixed blade, carbon steel like a Mora

[brasskeeper]

It would be my old skinning knife , the sheath came with a fine honing stone .

I took the stone out and replaced it with a bic lighter and it is always with in reach when ever i head to the woods  :roll:

+1 I will go with this one

[mrgd]

If I could only take one item in the woods, It would be a single blade axe.
The type with a flat head on one side, so that I could use it to split fire wood. With an axe, you can build you shelter, chop you firewood to stay warm, and they are easy to sharpen with sand rock. If you are warm and have a shelter from the cold, you can survive.
   On the history channel about 2 months ago, they had a gentlemen that spent 40 odd years in Canada, with only his rifle, axe, knife and a bow saw. I whished I had recorded that program, it was one of the most interesting survival programs I had ever seen. Perhaps, you saw it also. Anyhow he built a log cabin, window frames, door, locks for the door, etc all with the equipment I described above. He also has an old movie camera with him, and he recorded his entire story with this. When he returned to civilization, he donated the film to the Canada`s museum of history? I think, and after he died, they put his cabin on the National Historic Registure, for all to see.
   If anybody else seen this program, it was very interesting, and I may have got some of it mixed up, but that was the jest of the program.

bullet maker

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsfB6oJ55wM

[billy_56081]

A bottle of bleach to purify water. I can survive for a week without food, but not water.

[SharonAnne]

discussions of "if you could have only one (fill in the blank) are just mental exercises. none of us would take ONE thing regardless of who said so. Personally I would take my Jansport D2 backpack which contains full camping gear, tent, sleeping bag, stove etc. with my 5" marbles knife, Woodmans' Pal, CAR15 and Para Ordnance P14. It is all in or on that pack. yes, my beloved BOB. after all, that IS why we prepare them.