Survival item

[fast]

You don't know the situation you'll be in. You don't know for how long. You don't know the temperature variations. You get to choose a single survival tool. Most will choose a knife. They will most often choose that over other items. Here's my thing, what if you had to choose for someone else and told they had no outdoor survival skills. Would you choose a knife over a fire starter?

A newbie has a better chance of fashioning a cutting tool with rocks than starting a fire with sticks.

If you were a guy with some primitive fire starting skills, you're getting a knife, but if you're a girl with no fire starting skills, seems to me that maybe a chance of fire might be better. Tough call.

 

[braces_for_impact]

I think a solid survival manual might be a good item. At least it will prompt someone with no experience to think in ways they wouldn't have done, and it can advise them on a variety of things. I actually have one on my phone, designed to work without internet access, and designed to be easily printable.

 

[none]

You can do a lot with a fork

 

[Bronzeage]

It really depends upon the weather, the environment, and how long one expects to be stuck in the wilderness.

If I didn't know any of that, and still had to pick one thing, I would take an ax. A knife is appealing, and it's easier to carry, but as an all round cutting tool, the ax is superior.

 

[fast]

On a side related note, arrange the following in importance not knowing before the circumstances: fire, food, shelter, water.

For me, three is easy: shelter then water then food. Where to put fire is troublesome. Probably betweeen shelter and water. So, 1) shelter 2) fire, 3) water, 4) food.

What say you?

 

[Sarpedon]

Water is most important, but there's really nothing that helps you find water, unless you want to go with the still, and risk being put with a useless item where water isn't scarce. (or perhaps a spade...but that's no good if you don't know where to dig)

Probably a hatchet is best. It can serve as a knife, plus more.

As for firestarting...You can fashion the fire tools with a cutting tool. I really would hesitate to rely on my skills to make a knife from stone before needing the other things.

I'm not too worried about shelter, because I am conversant with vernacular building techniques for all climates.

As far as food goes, its also not as important: if you find a source of water, there will be food too.

So in most survival situations, you want to find your water source first, build your shelter there, and then worry about the rest. Unless you are in an extreme climate like a freezing one, where shelter and fire would come first.

In any event, hatchet.

 

[snoiduspoitus]

A lighter for fuck sake. A lighter.

I always carry a lighter with me even though I don't smoke. Almost always have one in my pocket.

Plane crashes. Lights go out. Lose my way home. Shit, you name it.

A lighter.

 

[fast]

A lighter for fuck sake. A lighter.

I always carry a lighter with me even though I don't smoke. Almost always have one in my pocket.

Plane crashes. Lights go out. Lose my way home. Shit, you name it.

A lighter.

That reminds me of a funny story. I was in class taking a test, and about 3/4 the way through, a storm caused the power to go out, and it was pitch black dark in the class room. A minute into it, the teacher opened the door, and let me tell ya, it was still dark as all get out. I only had a few questions left, and it was too dark to read, and I didn't want to finish it later. I pulled out a lighter and finished another question. By the time I was done, several students followed suit and by the time I finished the other two questions, the room had a cozy glow illuminating much of the room. It was awesome!

 

[Bronzeage]

A lighter for fuck sake. A lighter.

I always carry a lighter with me even though I don't smoke. Almost always have one in my pocket.

Plane crashes. Lights go out. Lose my way home. Shit, you name it.

A lighter.

A lighter in a plane crash might give you more light than you really need.

 

[bigfield]

You don't know the situation you'll be in. You don't know for how long. You don't know the temperature variations. You get to choose a single survival tool.

Spacesuit.

 

[Elixir]

I deal in survival items and pre-hospital trauma gear, and probably get more answers to the OP question from more people than anyone else on this forum...

The most useful thing to have will depend on where you are (what resources are available or can be improvised) and at what time of year, as well as the prospects for rescue within a given time period.
The item most likely to save (prolong) your life might be water filter, a lighter, a metal pot, a sheet of plastic, a roll of duct tape, a machete, cordage, medical kit (which can be an aggregation of dozens of "things" so it might not count as one thing)... it all depends on the above factors as well as the physical capabilities of the strandee.

I think I'm going with the survival manual, if the person is a newbie.

You can do a lot with a fork

... there is that, of course. It is important to be neat when you eat!

 

[snoiduspoitus]

I cannot help but bring along my charm and good looks.

It's all I've got.

 

[Lion IRC]

I think wire is your best friend.
Saw, snare trap, fishing hook, hands free camp cooking...

 

[Elixir]

You don't know the situation you'll be in. You don't know for how long. You don't know the temperature variations. You get to choose a single survival tool.

Spacesuit.

Spaceship!

 

[bilby]

Spacesuit.

Spaceship!

Planet Earth.

 

[Toni]

A space blanket (mylar).

With it, you can:

1. Use it for warmth and/or shelter
2. Use the reflective surface as a signal mirror
3. Use it to fashion a DIY oven/cooking surface. Without even using matches, if you have some good sunlight.
4. Tear it into strips to dress wounds, other first aid uses
5. Tear it into long strips to braid a rope
6. Use it to collect rainwater or condensation
7. Use it to waterproof supplies you might gather

Cheap and light weight.



Your immediate needs are water and warmth. Or if you are in a hot environment, protection from heat. Mylar space/survival blanket can help with any of these. Another advantage is that they are extremely cheap and very portable/compact. Put one in the glove box of your car. Now.

 

[EricB]

Well, since the game is survival, if I had to choose for myself it would obviously be a knife. If I had to choose for someone else who had no survival skills it would be a way to ensure that I could make fire because, well, fuck them.

I can find/hunt/catch food, build shelter and find and purify water with the previous two items.

 

[fast]

Well, since the game is survival, if I had to choose for myself it would obviously be a knife. If I had to choose for someone else who had no survival skills it would be a way to ensure that I could make fire because, well, fuck them.

I can find/hunt/catch food, build shelter and find and purify water with the previous two items.

It's not a you versus someone else scenario. If you had to choose between a knife and a fire starter, then you'd choose a knife. The knife is a great choice even if you could choose between a knife and many other typical survival items, and that is so whether your current skill level is mediocre or highly skilled, so it makes sense that if you had to choose on behalf of someone else that you'd choose that for him; however, if someone had literally no skills and you had to choose for that person (female) between a knife and fire starter, where a fire is essential, then a knife, though extremely versatile, might possibly be the inferior choice.

 

[EricB]

Well, since the game is survival, if I had to choose for myself it would obviously be a knife. If I had to choose for someone else who had no survival skills it would be a way to ensure that I could make fire because, well, fuck them.

I can find/hunt/catch food, build shelter and find and purify water with the previous two items.

It's not a you versus someone else scenario. If you had to choose between a knife and a fire starter, then you'd choose a knife. The knife is a great choice even if you could choose between a knife and many other typical survival items, and that is so whether your current skill level is mediocre or highly skilled, so it makes sense that if you had to choose on behalf of someone else that you'd choose that for him; however, if someone had literally no skills and you had to choose for that person (female) between a knife and fire starter, where a fire is essential, then a knife, though extremely versatile, might possibly be the inferior choice.

From this scenario, I would assume that I would not only have already chosen a knife for myself, it is fairly certain that I pretty much have one on my person at most times. So if I had to chose for someone else, I would select what I needed best. Because if it comes down to survival, anyone with no survival skills is no use at all to me.

 

[Sarpedon]

I don't see how the gender of the other person is relevant in this case.