Camping/ Survival Pack *(Updated)*

*(This pack is not yet complete, but it's close. As soon as I get everything in here that I think I'll need, I will update this instructable as "Complete". And once I get it field tested I'll post a review and probably some video.)*

*Disclaimer: I am by no means a professional when it comes to what one would need to survive in a situation where you're lost in the woods. I have also never lived anywhere outside of Oregon. That being said, I've seen survival kits, bug out bags and the like, and thought, "I could do that." So I did. I've put together (although not fully) a kit that would allow me to go a couple of days or more in the Oregon wilderness. I am also working on a YouTube series featuring my cousin and his friend to illustrate how one would survive in the Oregon wilderness and figured that since I'd be along to film, I might as well take my own kit and see if it'll actually work.


In the picture above there is:

1 - Water bottle with carabiner clip so that I can carry it on my belt. This bottle holds 1.5 liters of water.
2 - Machete with saw teeth on the spine.
3 - Backpack containing the rest of the camping/ survival kit.
4 - Folding military shovel.
5 - Monopod that no longer holds a camera...so now it's a walking/ multipurpose stick.

In the larger pocket of my backpack I have the following:

1 - Rope
2 - MRE
3 - Tarp with tent stakes
4 - Smaller bag* (contents described in step 2)
5 - Plastic container* (contents described in step 3)
6 - Innertube from an old bike tire
7 - Alcohol stove (still some bugs to work out)
8 - Metal mug
9 - 8 oz. bottle with denatured alcohol (for stove)
10 - 10 ft. of paracord (for use with tarp and stakes)
11 - Acorn cap (makes an awesomely loud whistle)
12 - Plastic shopping bag (you never know when you'll need to carry a...dispatched...animal back to camp or to tie food up a tree or bury it)

The contents of the small bag are as follows: (star before number indicates new item)

1 - First Aid Kit* (contents described in step 4)
2 - Emergency Blanket
3 - Bandanna
4 - Allergy Pills
5 - Throat Lozenges
6 - Matches
7 - Anti-Itch Creme
8 - Sticks (for dry tinder if none is readily available)
9 - Char Cloth
10 - Dead Lighter (used for striking in the event flint and magnesium is lost or elsewhere)
11 - Flint and Magnesium (with knife for striking)
12 - Knife
13 - Fishing Line
14 - Pain Pills (Bayer)
15 - Duct Tape
16 - Shoe Laces
17 - Small Altoids Kit* (contents described in step 5)
18 - Para-cord
19 - Section of thick steel wire (can be used as trip-wire trigger for small animal traps)
20 - Cotton (for making more char cloth)
21 - 2 Straps (for various uses)
22 - Tin (for making more char cloth)
*23 - Pepto to go
*24 - Floss
*25 - Petroleum jelly
*26 - Working lighter

First, this container is made from two 1 liter bottles. I cut one off almost at the end, and melted the edges so that they're rounded. The other one I cut off just where the rounded top part ended, and melted the edges of that one as well. Then I inserted the longer one into the shorter one and wrapped them with duct tape (sticky side out) tightly. After that I wrapped that piece with another piece (sticky side in) tightly in order to create a better coupling.

The contents are as follows:

1 - MRE cappuccino mix
2 - Container (bottom half can double as a cup)
3 - MRE spiced cider mix
4 - Teas
5 - MRE bathroom tissue
6 - Plastic bags (one doubles as a measuring cup)
7 - Gum
8 - Herbs and spices
9 - LED flashlight (charges in a cigarette lighter)
10 - MRE seasoning packet
11 - Moist towelette
12 - Instant oatmeal
13 - MRE salt packet

This small first aid kit contains:

1 - Alcohol Prep Pads (x2)
2 - Cleansing Towelettes (x2)
3 - Iodine Prep Pads (x2)
4 - Band-aids (x8)

The smaller kit in the first photo contains:

A Magnet (to magnatize metal to make compass)
Paper
Small Gerber Multi-tool
Can Opener
Fishhooks (1 store bought, 2 homemade)
Small Lure
Cork (to make compass)
Sealed Meds:
     Bayer
     Aleve
     Prilosec
Toothpicks
Cotton
Magnesium shavings
Small Candle
3 Different Band-aids
Broken Knife Pocket Clip (to be used as a fishing 'pole')
Paper Clips (various uses, or to make compass)
Section of Skewer (various uses, or trigger for snare)

The smaller of the two pockets on my backpack contains:

1 - 'HELP' sign and 6 qt. water bag
2 - Small net for transport or fishing
3 - 2 road flares
4 - Calamine lotion
5 - Warm hat
6 - Pair of socks
7 - 'Mountain Money' (bathroom tissue)
8 - Moist towels
9 - MRE spoon
10 - My inhaler

This is my alcohol stove. So far, although it does what I've intended it to do, I'm not 100% satisfied with it. I've tested it out a couple of times, mainly because my last design literally fell apart, but I would like to make it so that I can fill it, and use the lid like a stove top burner. However, there's the issue of getting the lid on once it's lit, or being able to fill it, place the lid, and then lighting. Once I get this technique figured out, I'll share how I did it, and probably post a video. Until then I'm just not going to use it. Like I said before, I'd like to field test this whole pack, but until I get this part down, I won't be using it.

(Alcohol stove design by Nick Van Leuven)

In my pack I've got a 5 x 7 tarp. I wrap it up with three tent stakes (although I'm going to go get a fourth soon) and 10' of paracord. With these things I can make a few variations of shelter for different kinds of weather. When the weather here is nice again and I have the time, I'll set a few up to show you.

In one of the mesh side pockets on my backpack I have this length of nylon cord. Initially I didn't include it, but my cousin and I were playing around with it, and it was surprisingly strong. I'm adding this to my pack to use as a snare wire or thick fishing line for larger fish. I doubt that will actually happen though, most of the fish in my area are trout, and they don't get all that big. but I believe it would be effective as a small animal trap.

Since the original posting of this instructable/ show-and-tell I have taken some suggestions from family and friends as to what I should include and omit. Since I basically had a bunch of useful things already, it was just adding that I've done. Once it's field tested I'll have a better idea of what I'll actually need vs. what I thought I'd need, and I can make adjustments.

As I said before, this is not yet complete. Although I have a pair of socks and a warm hat, this is not all of the clothing I'd like to include. I'm currently looking for a warm button down shirt or sweater that I can include in addition to my emergency blanket for if it gets too cold. The weather in my area is usually pretty warm during the summer time (which will be the only time I purposely misplace myself), so I'm not super worried, but it would be good to have. I would also like to include a sturdy fixed blade knife for cleaning small game and other tasks where a folding knife is too small and a machete is too big.

I am also searching for some large drinking straws so that I can make little blister packs full of fire paste. I have a large tube of it, but the tube is made of very thin metal, and it's already got a couple of holes, so I don't want to carry it in a pack because I'm worried that it'll leak.

I'm also contemplating carrying my pellet gun and pellets with me in case the snare wire only traps something and doesn't finish the task, I'll be able to take care of it.