Small Personal Survival Kit

I've spent the last few months off and on puzzling over the ideal Personal Survival Kit. My goal was to make a small kit more substantial than my Mini Survival Kit and small enough to fit into a Nalgene bottle for easy transportability. I have yet to succeed, but the components will fit into a bottle + a purse/waist pack/or other option + on my key ring.

Here are six small Personal Survival Kits for your consideration.

(Prices were obtained from Amazon, Campmor, Nalgene, REI, Wal-Mart and other local stores.)

KIT #1
1. Adventure Medical Kits (AMK) Pocket Survival Pak (PSP) Plus ($60)
2. Nalgene 1 qt/L bottle ($11)
3. AMK 1- or 2-persons Heatsheets blanket ($6)
4. Translucent lighter that adjusts up to a mini blow torch ($1)
5. 50 ft. 400# utility cord ($5).

Total cost is about $83.00. Although compact and providing the barest of essentials, the issues I have with this kit are: 1) I already have a PSP and would have to buy a PSP Plus and, 2) if the expiration date for the chlorine dioxide tablets aren't 4-5 years in the future, I'd have to return the entire kit and buy another just to get the maximum expiration date.

Thinking I could do better, I devised the following according to my 15 Essential Systems...

KIT #2 - the AMK PSP ($28) and...

1. NAVIGATION - in the PSP.

2. PERSONAL ATTIRE - whatever is worn or is at hand.

3. HYDRATION -
a. Nalgene 1 qt/L bottle ($11)
b. Bandanna ($2) - for prefiltering floaties and sediment out of water
c. (30) Katadyn Micropur water purification tablets ($13) - scissors or a knife is needed to open the foil; tearing the foil open is difficult due to the child safety precaution. The PSP includes a scalpel blade which is not TSA-compliant.

4. SHELTER - AMK 1- or 2-persons Heatsheets blanket ($6).

5. COMMUNICATION - covered by the PSP.

6. FIRE - Adjustable lighter ($1).

7. ILLUMINATION - Key ring LED ($2).

8. NUTRITION - P-51 can opener ($1) - this is the larger version of the P-38 used by the U.S. military and is easier to use; authentic P-38 and P-51 can openers are made by and have "US Shelby" stamped on them.

9. FIRST AID KIT - whatever is in pockets, bag, or purse as EDC.

10. REPAIR AND TOOLS -
a. Swiss Army knife (SAK) Classic ($12)
b. Braided wire saw ($5) - a braided wire saw is stronger than a twisted or spiral wire saw
c. 50 ft. 400# utility cord ($5).

11. DOCUMENTATION - This list (also use as tinder).

12. FINANCES - whatever is in the wallet. I once went for six weeks in 1998 with only 11 cents plus a credit card. It saved me money because I didn't charge less than $10, but is definitely not advised for emergency situations. What if electricity had gone out and I couldn't use my credit card?

13. TRANSPORTATION -
a. Large utility carabiner – to clip bottle to belt or bag strap, not for climbing ($3)
b. Gallon freezer zip bag - to store contents while bottle is used for water ($0.25).

14. ENTERTAINMENT - whatever is on hand.

15. SECURITY - Fox 40 whistle.

Total cost is about $89.

But, what if the wire saw breaks and shouldn't every traveler carry along a corkscrew?

KIT #3 - the AMK PSP ($28) and...

1. NAVIGATION - in the PSP.

2. PERSONAL ATTIRE - whatever is worn or is at hand.

3. HYDRATION -
a. Nalgene 1 qt/L bottle ($11)
b. Bandanna ($2)
c. (30) Katadyn Micropur tablets ($13).

4. SHELTER - AMK 1- or 2-persons Heatsheets blanket ($6).

5. COMMUNICATION - covered by the PSP.

6. FIRE - Adjustable lighter ($1).

7. ILLUMINATION - Key ring LED ($2).

8. NUTRITION - P-51 can opener ($1) - optional because the SAK Camper has one, but it's been on my key ring for a while and I prefer it to the SAK can opener.

9. FIRST AID KIT - whatever is in pockets, bag, or purse as EDC.

10. REPAIR AND TOOLS -
a. SAK Classic ($12) + Camper (instead of the corkscrew, the Hiker has a Phillips screwdriver) ($20) OR Huntsman (II) (instead of the corkscrew, the Fieldmaster has a Phillips screwdriver) ($25) - (I was given the Classic years ago which lives on my key ring, then bought the Camper, but sometimes think I'd like to carry just one SAK.)
b. SAK corkscrew mini screwdriver ($6) - optional, perfect for tightening the tiny screws in eye/sun glasses
c. Braided wire saw ($5) - because the SAK(s) are not TSA-compliant
d. 50 ft. 400# utility cord ($5).

11. DOCUMENTATION - This list (also use as tinder).

12. FINANCES - whatever is in the wallet.

13. TRANSPORTATION -
a. Large utility carabiner ($3)
b. Gallon freezer zip bag ($0.25).

14. ENTERTAINMENT - whatever is on hand.

15. SECURITY - Fox 40 whistle.

Total cost is about $104-115 depending on the SAK(s).

Hmm, what if I hadn't already bought the AMK PSP?...

KIT #4

1. NAVIGATION - Key ring compass (Brunton 9041 Glow Mate) ($10).

2. PERSONAL ATTIRE - whatever is worn or is at hand.

3. HYDRATION -
a. Nalgene 1 qt/L bottle ($11)
b. Bandanna ($2)
c. (30) Katadyn Micropur tablets ($13).

4. SHELTER - AMK 1- or 2-persons Heatsheets blanket ($6).

5. COMMUNICATION -
a. Fox 40 Mini whistle ($7) - this is easier to blow than the Howler/Micro included in the PSP
b. Signal mirror ($8) - because I don't carry a mirrored compact.

6. FIRE -
a. Adjustable lighter ($1)
b. Magnesium bar ($5).

7. ILLUMINATION - Key ring LED ($2).

8. NUTRITION - P-51 can opener ($1).

9. FIRST AID KIT - whatever is in pockets, bag, or purse as EDC.

10. REPAIR AND TOOLS -
a. SAK Classic ($12) + Camper ($20) OR Huntsman (II) ($25)
b. SAK corkscrew mini screwdriver ($6) - optional
c. Braided wire saw ($5)
d. 50 ft. 400# utility cord ($5) OR 100 ft. 550# parachute cord ($8) which is better because the core is 7 strands of 2 twisted together that may be extracted for use, but it won't fit in the bottle
e. AMK roll of duct tape ($3) - listed for pricing purposes. I actually wrapped 5+ ft. of heavy-duty duct tape I already had around an old non-credit card.

11. DOCUMENTATION -
a. This list (also use as tinder)
b. Pro Knots cards ($5) - I know some knots, but in a time of stress such as a survival event, will I be able to remember them? The PSP comes with survival information including a few essential knots.

12. FINANCES - whatever is in the wallet.

13. TRANSPORTATION -
a. Large utility carabiner ($3)
b. Gallon freezer zip bag ($0.25).

14. ENTERTAINMENT - whatever is on hand.

15. SECURITY - Fox 40 whistle.

Total cost is about $120-133 depending on the cordage and SAK(s), so not only did the PSP save me money, it gave me more.

The next kit fills some gaps.

KIT #5

1. NAVIGATION - Key ring compass (Brunton 9041 Glow Mate) ($10).

2. PERSONAL ATTIRE - whatever is worn or is at hand.

3. HYDRATION - because water is crucial, I believe in at least two ways to purify water, chemical halogens and boiling.
a. Nalgene 1 qt/L bottle ($11)
b. 5’ aquarium airline tubing – for siphoning water from sources too narrow or too shallow to collect directly with the bottle ($0.60)
c. Bandanna ($2)
d. (30) Katadyn Micropur tablets ($13)
e. Foil loaf pan ($1) & quart zip bag ($0.10) - for boiling water and to keep soot off of other stuff after use
f. Large oven bag & tie ($0.55) - to hold more water & to collect water by transpiration.

4. SHELTER - AMK 1- or 2-persons Heatsheets blanket ($6).

5. COMMUNICATION -
a. Fox 40 Mini whistle ($7)
b. Signal mirror ($8).

6. FIRE -
a. Adjustable lighter ($1)
b. Magnesium bar ($5).

7. ILLUMINATION - Key ring LED ($2).

8. NUTRITION - P-51 can opener ($1).

9. FIRST AID KIT - whatever is in pockets, bag, or purse as EDC.

10. REPAIR AND TOOLS -
a. SAK Classic ($12) + Camper ($20) OR Huntsman (II) ($25)
b. SAK corkscrew mini screwdriver ($6) - optional
c. Braided wire saw ($5)
d. 50 ft. 400# utility cord ($5)
e. AMK roll of duct tape ($3).

11. DOCUMENTATION -
a. This list (also use as tinder).
b. Pro Knots cards ($5).

12. FINANCES - whatever is in the wallet.

13. TRANSPORTATION -
a. Large utility carabiner ($3)
b. Gallon freezer zip bag ($0.25).

14. ENTERTAINMENT - whatever is on hand.

15. SECURITY - Fox 40 whistle.

Total cost is about $125-137 depending on the SAK(s).

The largest kit I can justify and still call a small survival kit contains something for each of my 15 Essential Systems...

KIT #6 - the AMK PSP ($28) and...

1. NAVIGATION - Key ring compass (Brunton 9041 Glow Mate) ($10) - because it's handier than hauling out the PSP to check the compass, plus this one is luminous.

2. PERSONAL ATTIRE - Emergency poncho ($1).

3. HYDRATION -
a. 1 qt./L Nalgene bottle ($11)
b. 5’ tubing ($0.60)
c. (2) orange bandannas ($4) - any bright color is good for signaling, orange is best; two bandannas are better than one
d. (30) Katadyn Micropur tablets ($13)
e. Foil loaf pan ($1) & qt zip bag for storage ($0.10) - redundant because the sheet of foil in the PSP is easy to tear
f. Large oven bag & tie ($0.55).

4. SHELTER -
a. AMK 1- or 2-persons Heatsheets survival blanket ($6)
b. 9' x 6' plastic sheet 0.7 mil ($5) - multiple uses such as a ground cover, collect rain water, build a solar still; I cut a 9' x 12' sheet in half. Some lists recommend (2) 30-33 gallon trash bags or 50-55 gallon barrel liners, but as an apartment-dweller, I don't need the extra bags that come in a box. Splitting a box with friends or neighbors would work except not everyone in close proximity is on the same page. So be it. I have to look out for #1.

5. COMMUNICATION - covered by the PSP. I added a Rite In The Rain pocket notepad ($5.30) and EDC a Space Pen Trekker. Please note that Parker pens accept a Fisher Space pen refill using the included adapter and Fisher makes other Space refills for other pen brands.

6. FIRE - because fire is crucial, I believe in three ways to start a fire; the PSP contains one of them.
a. Adjustable lighter ($1)
b. Magnesium bar ($5).

7. ILLUMINATION -
a. Key ring LED ($2)
b. LED headlamp or mini LED flashlight ($20) - added because the key ring LED's button has to be pressed constantly and it will be difficult to work with only one hand with such a small light.

8. NUTRITION - P-51 can opener ($1).

9. FIRST AID KIT - Johnson & Johnson On The Go FAK ($1) - transferred to a snack zip bag to save space & added more items I already had on hand.

10. REPAIR AND TOOLS -
a. 100’ 550# parachute cord ($8)
b. SAK Classic ($12) + Camper ($20) OR SAK Huntsman (II) ($25)
c. SAK corkscrew mini screwdriver ($6)
d. Braided wire saw ($5)
e. Utility gloves (women's Mechanix, $12.50) - because my bare hands are sure to get blistered in a survival situation putting me at risk for infection
f. Lansky Quick Fix pocket sharpener ($7) - the most important tool is a knife and a dull knife is dangerous
g. (12) safety pins (4 each size) sizes 1, 2, 3 ($1)
h. Quart freezer zip bag ($0.10)
i. ResQMe key ring car escape tool ($10)

11. DOCUMENTATION - covered by the PSP; add this list.

12. FINANCES - add cash and some coins for a pay phone.

13. TRANSPORTATION -
a. Hunter's waist pack, 410 cu. in./6.7 L (I don't know how they measured these things because the main compartment is more like 4.5 L and the smaller, flatter compartment isn't more than .5 L; $7 at Wal-Mart) - because I prefer to carry a smaller purse
b. Large utility carabiner ($3)
c. Gallon freezer zip bag ($0.25).

14. ENTERTAINMENT -
a. Mini deck of cards - to help pass the time while waiting for rescue ($3)
b. Key ring pocket kite - in case it's too windy to play cards as long as there are no kite-eating trees nearby; might also help with signaling (I bought this from a kite store in California several years ago and since forgot the price; figure on $6-10 each.).

15. SECURITY - Fox 40 whistle. Add bear spray if passing through bear country.

Total cost is <$198-211 depending on the SAK(s) plus emergency cash, plus kite, plus bear spray.

Except for the PSP and the key ring items which should be kept on you, and the water bottle and bear spray, everything in Kit #6 fits into half of a gallon zip bag making it easy to tuck into a bag, a waist pack, a desk drawer, or a vehicle.

Of course, emergency rations need to be added to any kit. Clif bars are good or any foods containing sugar, carbohydrates, protein, and fat.

Also add personal medications, lip balm, sun screen, insect repellent, hand sanitizer, and biodegradable soap.

The PSP was designed to be carried at all times in a pocket, purse, briefcase, or pack and is the basis for my Mini Kit. The other kit components detailed above could be the basis of an office, car survival, or travel kit and are good for just about any outdoor activity. Please note, however, that you should keep the water purification tablets with you during warm weather instead of leaving them in a hot vehicle.

I trust this post gives you ideas for assembling personal survival kits for yourself and your loved ones. The advantage of assembling your own kit is it is customized for you, you know exactly what is in it and the quality of and purpose for each item.

To spread out the expense, I suggest starting with Kit #1 or 2 to have the bare minimum then expand from there as you see fit. The key ring items could be Christmas stocking stuffers or "just thinking of you" impromptu gifts while a SAK could be a birthday, graduation, or holiday gift.

To see how I customized my PSP, please see my post, "Mini Survival Kit."

Purses & Kits

As forecast in my last post, I've been busy shopping for purses. I like the Baggallini line because they're lightweight and come in several attractive colors as well as the basic neutrals. Unfortunately, they tend to be smaller than the measurements stated on the website and hang tags.

For example, the Currency Organizer is .5" shorter making it difficult to impossible to store dollar bills flat in it depending on which pocket.

For that reason, the Triple Zip Bagg I first bought had to be set aside since it's too small to easily fit my Kindle Keyboard in it because the actual measurements are .75" shorter than the advertised measurements.

Settling on the Large Wallet Bagg for running errands, I chose the Hobo Tote for when I want to carry more such as a water bottle, camera, and monocular or binoculars. Since it's only a larger purse and not really a tote bag, I also bought an inexpensive, non-descript tote bag as well as a waistpack to complete my scheme of layering bags and kits.

So, this is how it stacks up:

My Large Wallet Bagg contains my micro survival kit.

My Hobo bag can hold my Large Wallet Bagg and my mini survival kit.

My tote bag can hold my Hobo bag and my small survival kit in its own waistpack with a belt pouch for my FAK and Clif bars.

When I go on a day hike, I'll use the small survival kit waistpack with a second belt pouch holding my GPSr, other incidentals, and my compass if it's not hanging from my neck.

My medium survival kit remains in the sustainment pouch ready to grab & go as my mobile survival kit whenever a friend invites me to go on a day or road trip.

I had to reorganize a bit to make each larger kit an expansion of the previous smaller kit to limit redundancy.

I love feeling organized!

Rethinking My Mobile Survival Kit

Contemplating my mobile survival kit, loath to make duplicate purchases, I realized that my first idea of using my hiking pack as the base for my car survival kit was a good idea. Only the implementation of my hiking pack needed to be altered.

Changing from a lumbar pack for warm weather to a backpack for cool weather to a larger backpack for backpacking trips is what made me think I needed a separate car kit because I don't always keep the pack in the car. However, using a waist pack as the constant component, with the addition of a lumbar pack or backpack as warranted, would satisfy the minimum basics for survival.

For example, the waist pack alone would suit warm weather day hikes. For cool weather hikes, I would use it with my hiking backpack which would contain a sleeping pad and extra clothing. For backpacking, always wearing the waist pack would help me through a rough time should I set my main pack down to rest, go fetch water and not be able to find my way back, have to jettison my main pack to prevent my drowning during a water crossing, etc. There have been stories of individuals wandering away from their base camp to explore just a little and ending up in a survival situation because they couldn't find their way back to camp. The stories get grim when they didn't have anything with them. Wearing a survival waist pack at all times except while sleeping, swimming or bathing, would be a lot better than having nothing.

The waist pack would also supplement my evacuation kit which I plan to be a backpack for greatest portability. Even if I chose a rolling suitcase, the mobile survival kit in a waist pack would integrate nicely.

Keeping the waist pack in my car or taking it along when traveling in someone else's vehicle gives it the widest variety of applications. If I didn't work at home, this mobile survival kit could be carried to and from my workplace daily.

The main purpose for having a mobile survival kit is it will supplement and contain more than my mini kit. While I may not always wear it away from the great outdoors, it will be small enough and lightweight enough to keep in reasonable proximity and should have the capability of being carried hands-free should a survival event occur. The reason I decided on a waist pack instead of a messenger bag is because I already use a cross-body bag as a purse.

Versatility

Deciding to make my Westwind stove more versatile by adding a can as a fuel platform for solid fuel cubes, it took me a while to find the right one. It turned out to be a 5 oz. evaporated milk can. All I did was open one end as usual and wash it out so I may store a few items in it such as Esbit cubes. If I don't want to use the Trangia alcohol burner, I will set a fuel tab on the can, light it, and set my pot on the pot stand.

My next step is to get a disposable foil pan to use as a windbreak for the Westwind stove because I want to reduce the overall weight of my Go bag. I'm figuring a foil pan will be malleable yet sturdier than foil wrap and lighter than a commercially-made windbreak.

Why I Need a Mobile Survival Kit

I haven't given up on making a personal survival kit. It occurred to me that when I'm in somebody else's car for a day or road trip, I've got nothing to help me through a bad situation except for my water bottle, key ring LED flashlight, Fox 40 Mini whistle, Swiss Army Classic key ring knife, P-51, ResQMe, and the Spark-Lite I carry in the pen slot of my purse. It isn't a bad list but it isn't enough and I know better than to rely on somebody else having a Space Blanket on hand for me or even a first aid kit (FAK).

For example, in 2004 or so, there was a woman whose trunk I saw before we took off on a day trip and there was nothing in it. Completely bare. Absolutely naked. That was before I got serious about preparedness and it made me uneasy even then.

I've ridden with others on day trips to Wichita Falls and Dallas and overnighter or longer road trips to Houston, Albuquerque, and Milwaukee, but didn't know what they had for a car kit which was probably just as well.

Also, for hiking or backpacking, although I made a hiker's survival necklace consisting of my Suunto MC-2G compass, Fox 40 Mini whistle, Mini Swedish FireSteel, (4) Tinder-Quiks in a colored key ring pill fob I bought from CVS, a key ring LED flashlight, Pro Tick remover, and Swiss Army Classic knife; if I get separated from my pack, I won't have an emergency blanket or FAK. Definitely not good.

That made me think, if I have a bag I could convert from a waist pack to a cross-body shoulder bag, I could set up one small kit as a mobile personal survival kit for hiking and riding in other people's cars and put my exposure kit in it, too. If I remove the sharp things to make it TSA-compliant, it could also be my air travel survival kit.

The trick is to keep it small and lightweight enough for me to not mind taking it along every time.

[Edited on 1/1/12 to change the title.]

Losing Faith

I believe in preparedness. I really do. I have, however, hit the wall.

It started innocently with my contemplating using a waist pack instead of my hiker's survival necklace so I could add a Space Blanket and have my camera and wallet immediately accessible...and safe should I happen to get separated from my backpack.

Next, I thought how convenient it would be to keep that waist pack in my car within reach so I may quickly grab it if I had to.

Then, I read a story about how a man parked at a scenic lookout, got out to enjoy the view, and fell down the hill. Unable to return to his car, he lay shivering for hours until a patrol car stopped to investigate what a vacant car was doing there in the dark. If he had a mini survival kit in a waist pack on his person, the man would have been able to cover himself with a Space Blanket and blown his safety whistle to let others know he needed help.

So, okay. I can accept having a mini survival kit on my person at all times, can't I? At ALL times? Like when I'm running in to the Post Office? Like when I'm at Wal-Mart?

What about when I attend the opera???

Maybe I wouldn't use a waist pack so much as a larger purse except I don't want to use a larger purse. Ugh.

Maybe I really only need a survival pack along the lines of other people's Get Home bag which is a small evacuation kit intended to have just enough supplies for a person to make it home safely from work which could be part of a car survival kit.

After all, what are the chances of my needing a survival kit closer than my car while I'm in town amongst other people? It isn't as though I'm a man with all those pants pockets in which to store things. I'm lucky if my skirts have any pockets at all.

Mutter-mutter-mutter...

GRUMBLE...

Mutter-mutter...

Evaporated Milk +

The advantage of evaporated milk, whether powdered or canned, is it doesn't have to be refrigerated making it ideal for hikers, campers, boaters, travelers, and preparedness.

The disadvantage is it doesn't taste as good as fresh milk prompting me to buy expensive box milk that doesn't need refrigeration.

Trying out a tip I read in "Long-Distance Hiking: Lessons from the Appalachian Trail" by Roland Mueser © 1998 Ragged Mountain Press, I added a couple of spoonfuls of non-dairy creamer to my cup of evaporated milk, stirred well, and gingerly tasted it.

It was great! Whoo-hoo!

[Updated 12/1/2011 - If I use non-fat, non-dairy creamer, it's even better to add a couple of spoonfuls of "Original" Carnation Malted Milk.]

DIY Poncho Improvement: Side Ties

What I used:

-- a Cascade II backpacker poncho,
-- (1) 36" shoelace,
-- (4) eyelets from a 5/16" (8mm) eyelet kit by Prym Creative, part #14015, US$2.97 at Wal-Mart,
-- a hammer,
-- a measuring tape,
-- the scissors on my SAK Classic,
-- disposable lighter.

Contemplating for what else I might use the eyelets mentioned in my last post, it suddenly dawned on me that they're perfect for keeping my poncho from flapping in the wind. As mentioned in a previous post reviewing the Cascade II poncho, I stitched a few heavy-duty Velcro coin sets in mine. Since then, high winds once separated them during a storm. Sure, it was such bad weather I wondered why I wasn't safely indoors, but considering I was already out, there was no reason for me to get wet if it could be avoided.

Following the rule of "measure twice, cut once," I put eyelets in my poncho near the knees, left and right sides, front and back. The cutting part of the eyelet tool didn't cut as well as the enclosed instructions portrayed or maybe I didn't hit as hard with my hammer as I should have. I used the wonderfully sharp scissors of my Swiss Army knife Classic model to complete the holes.

Finishing the rest of the eyelet installations was easy.

Next came deciding what to use as ties and what type of knots would be best.

Settling on a 36" shoelace leftover from a pair bought to make a fore-and-aft cord for a hat, I cut it into fourths and sealed the cut edges with a lighter to prevent fraying.

After tying a double overhand knot on one end, I threaded each piece of shoelace through an eyelet ensuring the knot stopped it from going all the way through.

After each quarter-shoelace was in an eyelet, I tied another double overhand knot in the opposite end to prevent it from slipping out of the eyelet.

Finally, I tied the pair of front and back quarter-shoelaces together on the left side using a slipped reef knot to make it easy to untie if necessary, then repeated with the pair on the right side.

If I didn't pull the poncho on over my head from the bottom like a T-shirt, if I ducked into it from an open side, for example, I'd have to leave the tie(s) undone until after I had the poncho on. Either way is possible since this modification provides the options of tying before it's put on, tying after it's put on, or leaving it untied altogether.

Searching for a Headlamp

I'm in the process of searching for the perfect LED headlamp for me to have easy, hands-free portable light. A few years ago, I bought one by Energizer for about US$10 that has wonderful features. It's just too bad the headband is too tight and isn't replaceable.

After that, I bought a Nite Ize headband designed to adapt mini flashlights such as my Mini Maglite into headlamps. Unfortunately, I find it best used as a neckband to help support the flashlight on my shoulder and actually prefer to clip the flashlight onto a regular neck lanyard which gives me general lighting although I rather have lighting that's more specific to my task at hand.

Exit stage left, a Rayovac headlamp for less than $6 at Wal-Mart. The headband is very comfortable but the battery compartment is extremely difficult for me to press to open. Although the white light is okay, the single red LED has a large dark circle in the middle of its light.

Enter stage right, a Coleman Max headlamp for nearly $25 at Wal-Mart. This has high beam, low beam, lower beam, plus red and blue LEDs. The headband is adjustable and replaceable. The battery compartment is the easiest to open of the three I've tried, having its own tool as part of the headband adjustment. Very nice. However, I think its having so many sexy features made it too heavy for my delicate head.

Back to the store for another try.

New Tent

A year ago, I decided to buy a new hiking tent. There's nothing wrong with the hiking tent I already have other than it isn't free-standing and I don't like having to contort myself to get around the center pole blocking the entrance.

I shopped until I dropped last year, not finding any tent I liked well enough to buy. Either the tents weren't free-standing, the ceilings were too low, the carry weight too heavy, or the cost too high.

This year, I settled on the Kelty Salida 2 which came out just last year.

Now, all I have to do is wait for this unbearably hot weather to subside.

Working on a Car Emergency Kit

I've been looking at several lists for what to include in a car emergency kit to ensure I've got my bases covered. Some lists include items that make absolutely no sense to me.

For example, a couple of lists include a gallon of window washer fluid on the basis that winter driving uses more. However, I'm thinking why don't they check the reservoir once a month or every weekend or every few days depending on how much is used and keep the fluid at home instead of waiting until they run out to refill and taking up valuable trunk space that would be better used for a gallon of drinking water for a car survival kit?

Then, three lists have recommendations for oil: a pint, a quart, two quarts. What's going on with vehicles that they're saying to carry oil? None of the lists explain. And a PINT??? What's with that? The add mark on a car's dipstick means you're a quart low. Also, I've only seen oil sold by the quart except for motorcycles. Yes, the author is American.

On the other hand, one list recommends spare headlight bulbs because "several European countries require them." Another recommended spare headlight bulbs and the tools to make the change. I think spare bulbs are a good idea for those who drive long distances at night as I've done at times, as long as the entire headlamp doesn't have to be replaced and realigned. According to my owner's guide, mine needs only a bulb. I still need to look at the car to see how easy it would be for me to do myself and what tools it would take because I've never done it before.

Spare fuses are another good idea and are very easy to replace. I had to install a heavy-duty fuse on my last car for the taillights to work when I was pulling a trailer with a small sailboat that I used to have and was surprised at how simple it was. I didn't even get my hands dirty. When I checked my owner's manual for this car, I learned that I already have three spare fuses. Unfortunately, I'm puzzled by one being 5 amp and there's no 5 amp fuse being used that it could replace. Very odd. Anyway, I'm planning to buy three other fuses so I have a complete set.

Another list recommended a plastic bag for storing the funnel all the lists recommend after it's used. I think that's a good idea and will get a zip bag for the gas siphon, too, or maybe store both together in one bag.

Another item is water. One list specified enough drinking water for the occupants for a 24-hour period and the radiator while others simply listed "water." I used to get a gallon jug for the car only when I was going to drive across a desert. Starting in 2006, that changed to 2-3 gallons at all times because a lot of tap water doesn't taste good to me anymore. Now that I do road trips with a Space Saver Brita pitcher, I don't need bottled water for normal drinking but will probably keep a gallon or two anyway for my car survival kit.

Other items I'm not sure about are things like plastic cable/zip ties, clamps, tape to seal hose leaks, light sticks, and a bag of sand or cat litter.

Lacking explanations for the zip ties, I think they'd melt from the heat of the engine.

Then, I always take my car in before a road trip to have an oil & filter change and to have the belts, hoses, and clamps checked. Plus, I have my AAA membership.

As for the light sticks, along with the car's hazard lights, I already have a Mini Maglite LED flashlight, flares, and the UCO candle lantern that's part of my cool weather hiking pack that doubles as part of my car survival kit. However, since light sticks aren't battery-operated, aren't fire hazards, don't cost much, and are small enough that the room they'll take up is negligible, I'm more likely to keep a couple on hand for my car emergency and car survival kits than get the other things I'm not sure about.

Finally, I used to carry a bag of cat litter, but when it didn't work and I ended up using a malfunctioning telephone answering machine to get traction, I quit carrying it. After that, it was the tow rope and helpful strangers with their vehicles that got me out of stuck spots. Once, my wheels spun in mud when I parked off the side of a road to watch a bicycle race in another town and once it was in sand down on Padre Island. Both times, others did the same thing but didn't get stuck. Only me. Huh.

Some Thoughts About Hiking

Several weeks ago, a friend went on a six-mile hike that turned into a nine-mile hike. When I asked if she went alone, she replied no, she had gone with a guy. She never hikes alone because if you fall, you might not be found soon enough.

True. However, there are easy to moderate trails where I can't imagine anyone falling that are popular enough that someone in distress would soon receive help.

Setting aside the different degrees of hiking difficulty, here are additional considerations:

1. Do you have a hiking staff or trekking poles that can support your weight to help you rescue yourself? Can your companion(s) carry you out or make a travois to drag you out?

2. Does anyone in your party have a cell phone and the number to call for a rescue team, usually the sheriff's department?

3. Can your or your companion's smart phone provide a GPS fix so the rescue team can be told your location? If not, do you hike with a GPS receiver? If your electronic devices fail or if you don't carry any, is your companion skilled enough with a map and compass to give coordinates for a search unit to begin looking for you?

4. If your companion goes for help, does s/he know the way there and back? Is anyone carrying a pen or pencil and paper, preferably waterproof, to give your coordinates to the rescue unit?

5. How will you protect yourself from dying of hypothermia/hyperthermia while waiting for help that might be many hours away? Do you have insulation from the cold and protection from the sun among your personal attire and emergency sheltering gear? Do you have a fire-making kit?

6. How will you prevent yourself from dying of dehydration while waiting for help that might be days away? Did you take more water than you expected you'd need or do you have the means to collect and purify water your companion might find in the area for you before s/he goes for help?

7. If your hiking companion is the one who gets injured, are you able to do the same things that you're counting on if you were injured?

It's this last point that bothers me. Too many times, I've found that women depend on men to bail them out of trouble to the extent they're virtually helpless. What if it's the man who gets injured?

After all, I once skied with a man who hit a tree. Another man got bucked off a horse and was knocked out for about an hour.

What if a companion hiker doesn't know where they are or how to get help back to the injured party? If it's a less popular trail, it won't be like in town where you can stop at a gas station to ask for directions.

This isn't a matter of one person being more able than another solely because of sex as if it's a matter of physical strength. It's a matter of knowledge and there's no good reason for anyone of either sex not to know or be able to figure out where they are and how to get back.

This isn't about my friend hiking with a guy, either, since I know she's gone hiking with women. The same thing goes for two women hiking together, two men, or a larger group, mixed sex or not. It isn't about her at all. This post contains some thoughts about hiking that arose after my exchange with her.

My point is that more than one person needs to know how to use a map and compass. Leaving the responsibility to a single person just isn't the smart thing to do.

If you hike or want to start, please take a navigation class or teach yourself how to use a map and compass from resources online or books from the public library and PRACTICE.

If you're not interested in hiking but know someone who hikes, please challenge her or him to ensure they know how to use a map and compass and encourage them to learn if they don't.

It's a basic skill for hiking and someone's life may depend on it.

Preparedness 2010 - Stoves

Instead of a camping canister stove costing US$25 - $295, here are some low-cost, low- or no-maintenance alternatives to see you and your family through an emergency situation:

1. Esbit Emergency Stove, $2.99, comes with three hexamine fuel cubes. A flat piece of steel you bend to form a pot stand, it is ideal for day hikers, travelers, and vehicle survival kits for one to two persons. Best use is to boil water for safe drinking, hot beverages, instant foods, freeze-dried meals, and preparing Ramen and soups. Natural fuel can be used to supplement or as an alternative to the fuel cube which also is an excellent fire starter.

Needing to be lit by a flame, such as from a match or cigarette lighter, each cube burns for about 13 minutes. It takes about 8 minutes to bring 16 oz. (.5 L) of cold tap water to a full rolling boil, less if you have a windscreen (recommended). Cover the vessel, however, as an uncovered vessel gets merely steamy. If you want to light it with a sparker such as a Spark-Lite or Swedish FireSteel, place some tinder on or next to it and light the tinder, instead. Only a small bit is necessary; it took only a few strokes of my FireSteel to light about a quarter of a square of toilet tissue moistened with hand sanitizer that I set on top of the cube.

If you want to conserve fuel, and as fuels go, hexamine tabs are expensive so should be conserved, simply blow it out like a birthday candle as soon as you don't need the flame anymore and save what remains for future use. Since it will stick to the stove's fuel platform, you may want to set the cube in an Altoids Smalls tin before lighting it to make it easier to store after extinguishing it. You can make the lid removable by simply pushing out the tabs forming the hinges to release the lid from the bottom of the tin, then pushing the tabs back so they won't catch on anything.

An alternative to the fuel cubes is an alcohol burner made of an Altoids Smalls tin (see 6. Alcohol Burners below for instructions). Be aware, however, that since the slits for the hinges won't permit you to completely fill the tin with your liquid fuel, you may not be able to attain a boil.

By bending the stove to support my 18 oz. stainless steel backpacker's mug (the handles fold in for easy packing), I can store it in the mug along with 11 fuel cubes (four go in the stove and one in the Altoids Smalls tin), an Altoids Smalls tin, a disposable cigarette lighter, and one of those tubular orange, waterproof match boxes that can be found online, in camping stores, and Wal-Mart's camping department for about $2.

Having both wooden matches and a lighter is better because matches may fail or break and butane lighters don't work when cold or at higher elevations. If using safety matches, be sure to tuck the striker strip from the original box into the waterproof match box or you won't be able to get the matches to light.

2. Esbit Pocket Stove, $9.99 although it may sometimes be found it in military surplus stores for as low as $3. The website says, "Includes 3 large solid fuel cubes." Mine came with six and the steel isn't pliable like the description states. (Frankly, I think they put up the same description as the Emergency Stove instead of the description for the Pocket Stove.) Four cubes store neatly in the stove when it's closed.

Popular for its small size by outdoors people, military forces, and expeditions since 1936, the Pocket Stove is more robust than the Esbit Emergency Stove and more versatile in fuel options. As well as a Kiwi alcohol burner (see 6. Alcohol Burners below), natural fuel or two charcoal briquettes will fit and may be continually added if you want to keep the fire going outdoors.

Since there's no heat control other than the two positions in which it may be set, the Pocket Stove is better for simple cooking like frying bacon or burgers or boiling water for one to three people. Substituting a tealight candle allows simmering.

Because hexamine fuel cubes, a safe fuel, aren't always available in local stores, it's best to stock up on Esbit tabs (12 for $5.95) and/or make an alcohol burner. Trioxane tabs are available, usually through military surplus stores, but need to be used outdoors carefully because they're toxic. The advantage of trioxane tabs is they can be lit with only a spark, not requiring a direct flame as do hexamine tabs.

3. Coghlan's Folding Stove, $8.98, is limited to canned fuel such as Sterno, the Nuwick 44-hour candle (the 120-hour Nuwick candle doesn't fit), or an alcohol burner such as a Trangia or a DIY project, although I don't see why natural fuel or charcoal briquettes can't be used as long as it's set on the ground outside with a foil pan underneath so nothing will be harmed when hot embers and ashes fall off the fuel platform. Hexamine tabs might be used if an empty can is put on the platform upside down to boost the height.

Because it's rather large when compared the Esbit stoves and is heavier, being made of steel, than the Sterno Portable Folding Stove (next), the best use is for a family at home if you have only heavy pots or for car camping. I don't like it for a car survival kit because it's heavy for lugging around should you have to leave the car; rarely advisable but a possibility.

4. Sterno Portable Folding Stove, $9.75, uses 7 and 8 oz. Sterno canned fuel that will simmer but might not boil water depending on conditions, as well as 44-hour and 120-hour Nuwick candles that can have the heat output regulated according to the number of wicks lit. It is also available in a Stove Kit that includes two cans of Sterno fuel and in the Sterno Emergency Kit that includes the stove, cans of Sterno, and candles.

When I tested it with a can of Sterno, I got 16 oz. of water, uncovered, to a slow, gentle, boil in 25 minutes. I quit ten minutes later when there was no change.

Because the fuel platform is only a couple of wire supports instead of being solid, using a Trangia alcohol burner is too close to being a balancing act for my comfort so I set my Trangia burner into an empty, clean, 5 oz. chicken can to make it stable. With the Trangia filled with 91% isopropyl alcohol, my uncovered stainless steel mug with 16 oz. of cold tap water took 5.5 minutes to reach a full, vigorously rolling boil.

To make your own alcohol burner that fits the fuel platform, I suggest using up a can of Sterno, and then making an alcohol burner with the empty can (see 6. Alcohol Burners below). Not having an empty Sterno can, I used a 1.76 oz. (50g) Altoids tin with a thin layer of 0000 steel wool and 91% isopropyl alcohol and got a full boil in 6 minutes. The flame went out nine minutes later making 15 minutes the total burn time for the Altoids burner.

Using a 120-hour Nuwick for cooking that needs high heat isn't feasible; after an hour with three wicks, I didn't get anything more than steamy water. Starting over, reducing the water from 16 oz. to 8 oz., I got some steam at 30 minutes and gave up knowing it's much faster for me to use an alcohol burner if I need to boil water.

Like the Coghlan's stove above, I don't know of any reason natural fuels or charcoal shouldn't be used as long as the stove is set on the ground outdoors with a foil pan underneath to catch the ashes.

The advantage the Sterno stove has over the others is that the pot support portion of it is made of wire that campers have used for toasting bread and grilling. However, it is faster to toast more than one or two slices at a time by using a stove toasting rack.

Because of its size and being made of aluminum, this is a good choice for a family at home, for a family's Grab & Go bag, as well as for a car survival kit, and car camping.

5. UCO Candlelier, $36.95. Not readily apparent as a stove, the flat heat shield top has been used for years by campers and backpackers to boil water. The amount of heat may be lowered by extinguishing one or two of the three 9-hour candles. Although it's more expensive than the cheapest canister stove, it provides light, heat, and a stove in a single unit making it as good for a car survival kit or an individual's Grab & Go bag as for backpacking. If bugs are a problem, 9-hour citronella candles are available.

6. Alcohol burners or stoves might be the least expensive option of all since the majority of them are DIY projects. Known as a "Cat stove," "Super Cat stove," "Pepsi stove," "Penny stove," or by whatever container or design is used, alcohol burners are popular for their reliability, ease of use being practically maintenance-free thus no hard-to-find parts to break or buy when access to camping stores is limited, and use inexpensive denatured or 90+% isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol that's available practically everywhere, from marine stores, hardware and home improvement stores, service stations and automotive parts stores, to drug stores, and doesn't require special fuel bottles. In a pinch, more expensive alcohol is available from liquor stores.

I made my first Kiwi burner back in 2006 by cleaning out all the residue from a 1-1/8 oz can of Kiwi shoe polish that fit perfectly into my Esbit Pocket Stove, then filled it with fine steel wool (recommended grades are 0000 or 000). When I was ready to cook my scrambled eggs and sausage, I filled it with 91% rubbing alcohol and lit it with a match.

Unfortunately, after my last meal was eaten and the stove cooled off ready for storage, I stored the steel wool in the Kiwi can which corroded during the three years I didn't use it. As a result, next time, instead of steel wool, I plan to use perlite with a piece of aluminum screen cut to fit inside the container to keep the beads from scattering when the lid's off or I'll store the piece of steel wool separately.

The best-known of the commercially-made alcohol stoves is the Trangia that's been used since 1925 by military forces and outdoors people. Available in cook sets for one to four people, with accessories to use other fuels, the alcohol burner is available separately for about $14.95. Made of brass so it's a lot sturdier than any DIY burner, the best features of the Trangia burner are the adjustable simmer ring that allows you to regulate the flame or extinguish it by moving the damper (Caution! Hot! Use something like the pliers of your multitool to lift the simmer ring off the burner and protect your fingers from being burned while adjusting the hot damper), and the cap that lets you store unused fuel in the burner which can't be done with others.

As with my Kiwi burner, all that's needed to operate a Trangia is to pour in the fuel and light it. When done, close the damper on the simmer ring and set the simmer ring on the burner to smother the flame.

If the burner is filled to capacity, it will cook at full blast for 30-45 minutes depending on wind and outside temperature. The only cautions are to set it on a stable surface so the fuel won't spill, don't check the difficult-to-see flame by passing your hand over it (Duh!), don't refill the burner while it's still warm - avoid a flare-up by using a second burner if you need to continue cooking longer - and avoid ruining the O-ring by waiting for the burner to cool before capping it. Also, it's better to coat the O-ring with silicone grease when you first get it and occasionally after so it doesn't dry and crack.

Detractors claim alcohol stoves are slow, but it's significantly true only for making coffee or hot cocoa for a crowd of eight which seems like it takes forever. Breaking the task down into two to four cups at a time will get it served a lot faster. Parties of only a few people won't notice a difference between a canister stove and a Trangia because of the pre-cook fiddling and priming that canister stoves require and the Trangia is sometimes even faster. Besides, what else are you going to be doing that's making you impatient over so very few minutes other than wait for your situation to improve?

For winter conditions, there's a Winter Attachment set ($26) that comes with a burner, a pre-burner to warm the burner so it starts easily in cold temperatures, and a pan so the burner won't sink into melted snow and disappear from sight.

In addition to the pot stands mentioned here, there are others made by other companies specifically for the Trangia burner. I favor the Westwind, available with a Trangia burner ($29.95) or without ($17.95), because it's lightweight and can be taken apart and easily stored flat in your pot or a Grab & Go bag.

*****

Accessories for whichever type of stove you choose for your preparedness kit should include a windscreen for cooking outdoors or with adequate ventilation and a pot cozy.

While a windscreen may be fashioned from heavy-duty foil doubled and wrapped around your pot stand, it might be easier to use one made of aluminum with accordion folds available for about $11.

A pot cozy is recommended to conserve fuel. When instructions say to simmer for n minutes, you can remove the pot from the stove after the water's boiled and set it in a pot cozy to continue cooking for the remaining time using residual heat.

Preparedness 2010 - Part 5

I was looking for another knife for my hiking Essentials, a subset of my preparedness kit, when I realized I hadn't replaced my pocket-sized knife sharpener that had been in my hydration pack when it was stolen from the trunk of my car three years ago while I was in San Ysidro, California.

My first thought was to buy another Smith's 2-Step sharpener from Wal-Mart for less than US$4 because, although uncomfortable to hold (and you can NOT hold it at the base as illustrated on the packaging because drawing the blade through will topple it toward you and possibly get you cut), it produces a satisfactory edge on the cheap Pampered Chef paring and Farberware utility knives I use for motel camping and is a lot less expensive than professional sharpening.

However, the poorly designed finger guard prevents as much as 7/16" of a knife's edge from being sharpened depending on the knife's design. For a 2-1/2" blade I have, this means about 20% won't be sharpened. For a small knife like the SAK Classic model, close to a third of the cutting edge is left dull. That's unacceptable.

Unable to recall the brand name of the stolen sharpener that I liked better than the Smith's 2-Step and happening to run across the Lansky Quick Fix pocket sharpener, I bought one for US$5.95 and was pleased to find it the most comfortable to hold of the three pocket sharpeners I've used and able to sharpen the entire length of the blades the Smith's sharpener can't.

I advocate having a pocket-sized knife sharpener in your preparedness kit to touch up your knife should you have to leave home because the safest knife is a sharp knife since less pressure is needed to cut. A duller knife, needing more pressure, is more likely to slip and cut you.

With a pocket sharpener that has the angle preset for you, all you have to do is hold it firmly on a stable surface and draw the knife straight through three to five times although a hard stainless steel blade like a SAK, will need more than those few. The carbide side is for very dull or damaged edges while the ceramic rods are for touch ups. Inexpensive and easy!

More LED Flashlights & Conversion Kits

Getting that 2-AA Mini Maglite LED flashlight for my friend last week prompted me to order more LED conversion kits for my incandescent Mini Maglites and finish this post I started working on last year.

My requirements for a mini flashlight are that it's affordable, costing less than $30, and is powered by one or two AA cells because they're inexpensive and widely available, a consideration for foreign travel since cells we're used to getting here are not always available elsewhere.

My intended use is general preparedness, household, auto, travel, and outdoors such as hiking, geocaching, and waymarking.

My research taught me that the best of the high output LEDs are made by Cree, Philips Lumileds (Luxeon and Rebel), Nichia, and Seoul Semiconductor (SSC). Lights that use these LEDs are likely to mention them on the packaging to assure you of getting a quality product.

The flashlights with which I've gotten familiar since posting "Let There Be Light" are:

1. 2-AA Coleman Max (Cree XR-E): 115 lumens, 5 hours runtime - This is the same length as the incandescent Mini Maglite but for the slightly protruding push-button on the tail cap that prevents it from standing on end. Unlike the push-button on the Duracell Daylite (below), the push-button on the Coleman Max is easy to operate. The Max weighs slightly more than the Mini Maglite LED (below) and has a really good feel in the hand.

However, the light is significantly warmer (yellow) from the hotspot throughout the corona.

If I didn't like the next generation Mini Maglite LED flashlight so much because of its white light and features plus the Accessory Pack or the incandescent Mini Maglite with an LED conversion kit, this would be my favorite.

Comes with lanyard. US$24.88 at Wal-Mart.

2. 2-AA Duracell Daylite: 80 lumens, ? hours runtime - The housing is attractive with a textured surface to enhance grip and the diffused beam is a nice white.

I didn't bother to look for nor test the runtime because I really don't like the flashlight. The adjustable focus doesn't vary much. The corona of the light doesn't really exist because it's so dark, it's not useful. It's marked by rather attractive circles at the narrowest focus setting and strangely-shaped light rings at the widest adjustment. You have to provide your own lanyard to attach to the hole on the tail cap.

Considering that it isn't comfortable in the hand and is more unwieldy being longer, larger around, and heavier than the next-gen Mini Maglite LED or the Coleman Max, and that the recessed push-button on the tail cap is significantly more difficult to use than that on the Coleman Max, in addition to it costing more than either of the other two, it simply isn't worth buying.

Not recommended. US$26.88 at Wal-Mart.

3. Next generation 2-AA Mini Maglite LED (Luxeon Rebel®): 69 lumens, 18 hours runtime at 100% setting, 31 hours at 25%. The one I bought last year didn't have ratings on the packaging and not finding any online for the next-gen Mini Maglite LED flashlight, I did my own runtime tests using new Duracell alkaline batteries for each test that performed considerably longer than what the package now says.

At 100% power, it dimmed and started flickering at 116 hours (4 days 20 hours) until it went out at 117 hours.

At 25% power, it started flickering at 192 hours (8 days) and went out some time during the next 6.5 hours while I was asleep.

As far as brightness goes, at full power it's definitely brighter than the 50 lumens of the TerraLUX TLE-5 conversion LED (below) and the center hotspot is brighter than the diffused beam of the 80-lumens rated 2-AA Duracell Daylite (above). It looks a bit brighter than the Coleman Max (above), but that might be because the Max is warm (yellow); it's hard for me to judge between the two.

I like the 25% power level for reading and, as a result, eliminated my formerly ideal, incandescent 2-AAA book light from my packing list because the 6-8 hours runtime for it is much too short by comparison to warrant taking it along anymore.

The strobe and SOS features make it ideal for preparedness for situations ranging from natural disasters like Katrina to getting lost in the great outdoors. Being shock- and water-resistant, it's just as good as the incandescent Mini Maglite that was the standard by which other flashlights were judged for many years prior to LED flashlights coming out.

Available in black, red, silver, blue, gray, and camo according to Maglite, I've seen only black and gray at the two Wal-Mart Super Centers I've visited. If you want another color, please be careful of buying online as some don't have the lanyard hole on the tailcap and, as such, may be the previous version that the Mini Maglite Accessory Pack doesn't fit instead of the next generation that does have a lanyard hole and for which the items of the Accessory Pack do fit.

My guess is that online stores such as Amazon are selling existing stock of the first version before getting the next gens.

Still my favorite LED mini flashlight, the next gen 2-AA Mini Maglite LED is US$21.88 at Wal-Mart.

For those who may have a hard time getting used to the twist on/off of the Mini Maglite, there are rear clicky conversions available. The best seems to be the TerraLUX TCS-1 Tailcap Switch for the AA Mini Mag for US$5 at Amazon.

If you already have an incandescent Mini Maglite (12 lumens, 5 hours 15 minutes runtime, currently US$8.88 at Wal-Mart), there are several LED conversion kits offered by Nite Ize and TerraLUX. These are excellent for giving new life to the outdated incandescent Mini Mags. At first glance, the conversion kits may seem expensive but what you'll save in batteries and/or gain in brightness will more than make up for the purchase price plus you'll never again have to change a light bulb.

Also, since LEDs are not to be shined into someone's eyes because doing so will cause retinal damage, you could give your children incandescent Mini Maglites for their own recreational use or preparedness kits and upgrade their flashlights with LED conversion kits when they're old enough to use LEDs responsibly.

Other than for children, there's probably no reason to buy a new incandescent Mini Maglite and an LED conversion kit unless it's to get a color finish like purple or pink or the American flag that isn't available (yet?) on a Mini Maglite LED flashlight. You're better off simply getting the next-generation Mini Maglite LED flashlight unless you want to assemble your own tactical flashlight (see TerraLUX #4 below) or need a specialty LED for another purpose such as a UV LED for hunting scorpions or inspecting hotel rooms.

Just be sure you're getting the next generation version that has a lanyard hole instead of the first version without the lanyard hole unless you're 100% absolutely sure you will never want to attach a lanyard or want to use the rubber head cap that is a great anti-roll device, a colored lens, or replacement clear lens of the Accessory Pack. A quick way to tell the difference between the two versions is that the packaging for the first version has three colored circles on the front while the packaging for the next generation has four colored circles.

Nite Ize:

1. The Nite Ize 3-LED Upgrade Kit is approximately 8 lumens and runs up to 20 hours. I bought one of these when I first saw them years ago at a local Gibson's and was disappointed because the incandescent Mini Maglite is brighter. My disappointment was such that I held off converting my other Mini Mags until last year when I found out about other LED conversion kits. However, using it as a map-reading light with the red lens from the Mini Maglite Accessory Pack to preserve my night vision redeemed its purchase. From US$4.50 through Amazon.

2. The Nite Ize LED Upgrade II is approximately 30 lumens and has a runtime of about 25 hours. About $9 through Amazon.

3. The 1 Watt Nite Ize LED Upgrade Kit is approximately 55 lumens with a runtime of 15 hours. About US$19 at Amazon. With the IQ Switch, the kit is about US$25.

TerraLUX offers the following Luxeon LED conversion kits for the Mini Maglite:

1. TerraLUX MiniStar3 TLE-3: 15 lumens, 50 hours runtime - This has 3 LEDs. Because this is about the same brightness as an incandescent Mini Maglite and because of the long runtime, it's ideal for your preparedness kit if you don't want to buy a new flashlight. Other than that, I recommend getting one of the others that produces a brighter light because they're so nice. From US$5.99 through Amazon.

2. TerraLUX TLE-20 (Nichia Regel), 0.5 watt: 36 lumens, 15 hours runtime - This produces a nice, white light. To avoid going bump in the night, I chose this one to upgrade my bedside flashlight. Also for the 2-AAA Mini Maglite. From US$9.95 through Amazon.

3. TerraLUX MiniStar2 TLE-5 (Luxeon III?), 1 watt: 50 lumens, 6 hours runtime - This has a distinctly yellow tint in the hotspot but not as yellow as the Coleman Max. This is my favorite upgrade kit because it yields suitable brightness coupled with a decent runtime. I put it in my kitchen flashlight. I got mine last year through Amazon for US$9.70.

4. TerraLUX MiniStar2 Extreme TLE-5EX (Cree XR-E), 3 watts: 140 lumens, 4 hours runtime. I got it just to see and... Wow! It's bright! Use this kit and the TerraLUX TCS-1 rear clicky conversion to turn an excellent general purpose incandescent made-in-America flashlight into an LED tactical light for about US$35.

I couldn't find a runtime rating, so I did my own test using new batteries.

At 4.5 hours, the circle of light began to get smaller and smaller until it was so tiny it was useless at 6 hours. I turned it off at 6.75 hours.

The nice thing about alkaline batteries is that they tend to recharge themselves when they're not being used which is the reason alkaline batteries for any LED flashlight will last longer than the rated runtimes if the light is used intermittently instead of continuously as during tests to rate the runtime.

As a result, I was able to use it for another hour a week after the test. (It didn't quit. I was through using it.)

After another week, I decided to resume testing with the same pair of batteries. It ran for 1.5 hours before going out. I let it rest for 8 hours and turned it on for another 3 hours with it dimming and shrinking over the last hour.

This LED produces a nice, white light and cost me US$17.95 last year through Amazon.

If you have other styles of incandescent Maglites, Streamlights, or SureFires, TerraLUX has LED upgrade conversion kits for them, too, as well as a couple of universal upgrade kits that work with other brands.

Something to keep in mind is that there are no industry-wide standards for rating flashlights. As a result, a flashlight rated n lumens with a stated runtime may be brighter or less bright and have a longer or shorter throw than another flashlight with the same rating and may run longer or for less time. Your best bet is to check independent reviews such as those on CandlePowerForums Reviews.

Another thing is that, although I've listed the wattage as do several manufacturers, watts are not indicative of the amount of light produced like we're used to thinking when looking at incandescent bulbs. In fact, watts only indicate how much power an item needs such as how much power an LED needs to produce its best light. For an example of how we can't use wattage to indicate output, a 26-watt CFL bulb produces light equivalent to a 100-watt incandescent bulb.

For more info, Flashlight Reviews and the flashaholics on the CandlePowerForums may be the most helpful sources.

The Downside of Learning to Play a Musical Instrument

Ever since I was a child, I've wanted to learn how to play a musical instrument. Back then, it was the organ. My parents enrolled me in a package of ten piano group lessons that I complained about because I was too young to appreciate having to wait around for 40 minutes of the hour-long lessons while the two other students received their 20 minutes apiece.

(Not that I'd appreciate waiting around for 40 minutes now, either.)

It was too boring for words and the little electric piano the teacher had us using sounded terrible. There was absolutely no joy in the experience that I had eagerly anticipated and my parents never tried it again.

In my teens, I got myself an acoustic guitar, some instructional material, and tried to teach myself to play. I thought I was doing fairly well and enjoyed the sounds I was making but quit because I didn't know it was normal for fingers to hurt like crazy until calluses built up on tender skin.

I'll spare you other painful details with more instruments in the intervening years because those two examples should suffice for you to get the big picture.

During my road trip in 2007, I bought an instructional book by David Harp that came with a CD and harmonica from the REI store near San Diego. It was different because it didn't have songs like other music books but taught riffs for blues and rock songs. They were very easy to learn and I was imitating a train with whistle the first night. Maybe it wasn't music in the sense of playing a melody, but it sounded good to me and, most of all, it was fun!

Until I misplaced the book and CD.

Last year, I bought a book and recorder from the Wal-Mart children's toy section for about US$10. Being adult about it, I refrained from buying one of the translucent bright red or blue or purple recorders and settled on a solid, sedate, ivory; not that I wasn't tempted to get one that was more colorful.

Several times last month, I watched "Australia" on HBO thinking more and more, "I can do that" whenever the boy played "Over The Rainbow" on his harmonica. So, I got my harmonica and copied the tabs for the song off the Internet.

Except the song doesn't sound right.

Getting another copy that doesn't sound right either, but in different places, I spent over three and a half hours one Thursday night with them and my harmonica making a third set of tabs that sound right to me.

My lips still hurt on Saturday.

This time, I know not to give up entirely as I did with the guitar, but what do I do in the meantime? I still want to make music and even my sporadic, paltry attempts are deeply satisfying.

Another thought that crossed my mind was, "What if I get another episode of Bell's Palsy?" although I've been at least 95% free of it since Christmas. With a minor sense of not being 100% okay, I decided that I need something else that's travel-sized to alternate with the harmonica. That way, should I lose control of one side of my mouth again, I could stick the mouthpiece into the other side and still be able to play.

I went back to the recorder and played through the lessons to see why I quit. Ah, yes, I remember. Lesson 7 introduces a note that requires me to uncover the thumb hole. That was the show-stopper.

You see, my thumb has a mind of its own.

When I tell it to cover the hole, by golly it's going to keep that hole covered no matter what. As a result, when I tell it to uncover the hole, it yields only with intense reluctance after much earnest protesting. When I tell it to cover the hole again, it yells at me to make up my [blinking] mind. There's no point to switching hands because both thumbs are in cahoots.

I hate being chewed out by my own body.

After a week of fighting over that single note, I'm thinking there's got to be something better for me.

My remaining options appear to be an ocarina or a tin whistle, also called a penny whistle although many are no longer made of tin and none cost only a penny anymore.

The ocarina is an old South American wind instrument that was made popular by Giuseppe Donati, an Italian brickmaker circa 1850. Issued to soldiers during World War I and II, ocarinas are having a revival because of "The Legend of Zelda" game series by Nintendo. Ocarinas are available in different styles, materials, colors, and prices starting at US$5 with the number of holes ranging from four to twelve.

The ocarinas with four finger holes that don't have thumb holes sound like they'd be the best for me. Those that have six or more holes may instigate more arguments with my thumbs.

Researching tin whistles is encouraging because they are reputed to be the easiest instrument to learn, don't have thumb holes (Hallelujah!), sound better than recorders, and are available in a wide range of prices. Since even professional musicians use whistles that cost US$25 or less, there's no snob appeal in having an expensive whistle. The thing that matters is whether or not you enjoy the way your whistle sounds.

The sole negative is that since the increased popularity of Celtic music that started back in the 1970s and because the majority of Celtic music is in the key of D, it's hard to find instructional material in the key of C even when it isn't Celtic music.

The good part about the soprano or high D whistles that beginners typically use is that they're easier to play than those in the key of C because they require less air. Because the holes are closer together, it's less of a stretch which may be a determining factor for the small hands of children.

Another good thing is that tin whistles all use the same fingering to produce the notes. Once learned, what one has to do to play in a different key is merely get a whistle in that key and get used to the whistle's different length and spacing of the holes which isn't that easy when it's something like a low D.

Learning on a whistle in a key other than D results in the student not sounding right only when playing along with an instructional CD or with other people unless they're also using instruments in the same or a complementary key.

Hannah Kate Kinnersley wrote in her Wall Street Journal article, "Music Lessons: Learning To Play The Tin Whistle," that learning to play a musical instrument is good for children because "Studies say that children who play an instrument score higher on math tests and show improved concentration. Adults who play score better in memory tests."

The advantages of getting an inexpensive, travel-sized, musical instrument is that you'll have something to entertain yourself and others during overly long waits, car and bus rides, hiking rest stops, or evenings by the camp fire; you'll be able to cheer and comfort yourself when you're lonely, and it won't cost much to replace if lost.

In addition to these advantages, it's ideal for your preparedness Grab & Go bag because it doesn't require batteries.

Even if you don't count relaxation or the sense of accomplishment that comes from making your own music, it's all upside. There is no downside to learning how to play a musical instrument.

All you have to do is select an appropriate instrument and find the method of learning that works best for you.

Review: Cascade II Rain Poncho

A poncho is a poncho, right? All you have to do is slip a poncho over your head and slough through the rain.

Wrong.

It's all about the material and the hood.

Although my first rain poncho served well in keeping me dry, the hood was terrible, sliding back whenever it could which was whenever I wasn't holding onto it. Plus, even when I did hold on, it couldn't be pulled forward enough to shield my face.

The next poncho was too heavy and hot. The hood was better, though. I could wear a ball cap to have the visor shield my eyes and the hood would stay on even when I turned my face from side to side.

That's why I'm happy to review the Cascade II poncho that I got from Campmor two years ago. It's made of polyurethane-coated, mini-ripstop nylon with a DWR finish that's lightweight, comfortable because of the breathability, keeps me dry, drip-dries quickly when hung over the tub, and folds up small to be stored in the included envelope. I selected the Backpacker model because the extension would cover my hiking pack and travel pack when worn as a backpack without decreasing the amount of coverage for the back of my legs.

Fortunately, I've yet to have the opportunity to try out the extension.

As for the rest of the poncho, in very windy conditions, I felt the fabric was flapping more than I was used to with my other, heavier, ponchos and rectified it by attaching 5/8" (15mm) Velcro® adhesive-backed coin sets along the sides. I sewed them on with a few stitches in the center of each coin using thread matching the color of the poncho because I wanted to be sure they stayed in place.

One coin set went about 7" above the snap on the left side because I felt the arm spaces were too generous for me. (The sturdy snaps are located midway between the shoulder and bottom edge.) Another coin set went onto the same position on the right side. Enough space remains for me to pull my arms inside the poncho, like a turtle pulls in its legs, without needing to unfasten the Velcro® which permits me to carry items like my purse and another article under the protection of the poncho.

The third coin set went about 9" below the snap on the left side. Another set went on the right.

The next two sets went near my knees on the left and right sides of the poncho. I thought they might have to be unfastened to allow me to walk, but they never hindered me.

[Updated July 9, 2011 - During one heavy thunderstorm when I probably should have been indoors, the driving wind separated the Velcro coin sets near my knees making the poncho flap uncontrollably. As a result, I decided to put eyelets in so the sides can be tied together.]

In perhaps what was a fit of overkill because I had the rest of the pack of coin sets left over and nothing else to do that evening, I then stitched a couple of pairs equidistantly between the snaps holding up the extension flap.

(Tip: I laid the poncho on a flat surface and ensured the sides were straight and even before peeling off the protective film and attaching one side of the Velcro® adhesive coin. Next, I put the opposite side of the coin onto its mate. After double-checking that everything was still even, I removed the backing film, and pressed the poncho onto the adhesive back. Then, I separated the coins and stitched them into place.)

The best part of the Cascade II poncho is the hood. First, it has a zipper to close up the neck opening with a storm flap that has Velcro® closures to keep the storm flap secure.

Second, there is an adjustable Velcro® tab in the back of the hood to customize the fit of the hood.

Third, there is a visor on the hood.

Last, there are drawstrings to snug up the face opening so that only my eyes show, protected by the visor, of course.

These features have kept me completely dry inside this poncho that is the best I've ever used. After two years, it still is in excellent condition and looks only lightly used.

In addition to those features, perhaps more for preparedness and hikers/backpackers than for travelers, there are 3/4" wide loops at the corners to help create a groundcover, tent, lean-to, or roof over a hammock.

[Updated July 9, 2011 - On the regular poncho, these loops can be used to tie the edges together instead of using Velcro or installing eyelets to keep the poncho front and back from flapping in the wind. Using the loops isn't practical on the backpacker version because the loops on the back are at a different level than are the loops on the front.]

The care instructions are:

"Machine wash cold
Gentle cycle
Mild detergent
Tumble dry no heat
Do not iron
Do not bleach
Do not dry clean."

The Cascade II ponchos are available in two sizes, Regular and Long, and in two models, Regular and Backpacker:

Regular poncho, item #77704, measures 52" x 80"

Long poncho, item #77705, measures 52" x 104"

Regular Backpacker poncho, item #77706, measures 52" x 92"

Long Backpacker poncho, item #77707, measures 52" x 118".

Highly recommended.

The Essential Systems: Personal Attire

Personal Attire is the second of the Fifteen Essential Systems for preparedness, travel, and outdoor activities.

The checklist -

For the E-kit:

1. Face mask, rated N95 or better.

2. Earplugs.

3. Goggles for eye protection.

4. Nitrile gloves.

5. Non-breathable plastic rain gear.

For cool to cold weather, non-cotton clothing as follows:

1. Underwear and socks, tights, or stockings, with 2 extra pairs of wool socks and liner socks.

2. A base layer of thermal underwear, top and pants.

3. Insulating layers that can be worn or removed as needed. This includes a top and bottom and, typically, a sweater. Aim for loose, thin layers that trap air rather than tight or thick layers.

4. A wind and water protective shell such as a jacket or coat that shields you from the environment to include rain gear such as a rain coat, rain suit, poncho, and umbrella.

5. Shoes or boots.

6. Knit scarf, winter hat or knit cap, or ski mask, and gloves or mittens.

7. Sunglasses, a retaining cord or strap, and sun screen.

For warm to hot weather, preferably cotton clothing except for socks:

1. Underwear and socks with 2 extra pairs of socks and liner socks.

2. A base layer consisting of nothing more than a cotton T-shirt.

3. Insulating layer(s) protecting from sun and heat consist of long-sleeved top and long pants or ankle-length skirt.

4. The protective shell for warm weather doesn't require much more than rain gear to protect you from the environment although some locales will require a windbreaker.

5. Flip-flops, sandals, shoes, or boots.

6. Wide-brimmed hat, cotton bandanna, sun screen, and sunglasses with a retaining cord or strap.

7. Insect repellent.

8. Bug head net and/or mosquito netting (optional).

9. Blaze orange safety vest (optional).

10. Traveler's vest (optional).

Discussion:

The E-kit (E = "Exposure") is to protect your airway, eyes, ears, and skin against dust, noise, and hazardous materials. Nitrile gloves are the order of the day to avoid allergic reactions to latex. Get the cheapest plastic rain wear you can find such as those that are sold in pouches small enough to carry in a pocket. You don't want nylon or Gore-Tex® because breathable fabrics are not suitable for this type of protection and since the hazard most frequently experienced by families is a house fire, you hopefully will never have to use it and needn't spend much money on the gear. Having said that, the kit should be with you at all times especially if you live in a location likely to have dust storms or earthquakes (lots of dust) or receive falling ash or poisonous gases from a volcanic eruption.

The E-kit could also be useful to protect yourself from exposure to nuclear, biological, or chemical hazards caused or transmitted by people, but that depends on your knowing when to use the contents. Since the NBC (or BCR for biological, chemical, and radioactive for you Brits) hazards aren't readily detectable by ordinary citizens, it's more likely that by the time you're alerted, it'll be too late for protection and you'll need to seek medical treatment for having been exposed. If you aren't in the affected area, please stay away unless you're First Response personnel or don protective gear as may be appropriate.

The important thing to remember about cool-weather clothing is that it's to protect you from hypothermia and the best materials for this type of insulation are wool, silk, and synthetics. Wool is the best natural fiber because it retains its insulating properties even when wet. Cotton is the worst fabric because when damp, it conducts heat away from the body faster than other fabrics. Only down is worse for insulation than cotton when wet. Whatever material you select, avoid getting it wet, which includes sweating, because moisture speeds loss of body heat.

Conversely, warm-weather clothing is to protect you from the sun and hyperthermia which means that cotton is the best fabric to help keep your body from over-heating. Synthetics are getting better in this regard, but cotton is still king. Wool socks are still good in warm weather because wool keeps germs at bay.

To aid your body's natural cooling system, wet your bandanna and place it under your hat to help the heat escape your scalp, or tie it around your neck. Other areas to wet down are your trunk, front and back, and groin area. Wetting the inside of your elbows and backs of your knees will also help you keep your cool. There are specialty neck bands, caps, and hats that have cooling beads inside that, when soaked in water for only 5 - 30 minutes, expand to help keep you cool without getting you wet for as long as 3 days. Look for brand names such as blüBandoo® and MiraCool™ or make your own using medium-sized polymer beads; you'll need only about 2 teaspoons of beads to make a cooling bandanna for your neck.

For those times when daytime temperatures require you to wear cotton to avoid hyperthermia but evening and overnight temperatures require insulative clothing to prevent hypothermia, you'll need both types of clothing on hand. Even though you may be out only for the day, being prepared means that you'll have a change of clothing that includes a thermal base layer and non-cotton top and bottoms to change into in case you get caught out overnight. Include a knit cap and gloves because, although only about 10% of your body heat is lost through your head instead of the 30% to 45% as previously thought, our heads and hands are much more sensitive to the cold and we need to keep our brains warm to avoid fuzzy thinking that may negatively impact life and limb.

Brightly colored clothing such as blaze orange will help you be spotted by rescuers and prevent you from being shot by hunters. If you're hiking or engaging in photography or bird-watching during hunting season, it's a good idea to cover your pack with a second blaze orange safety vest to avoid getting shot in the back. When I was in Idaho in the fall of 2006, everyone was gearing up with blaze orange because a teen boy had been shot during the previous season while in an open field after harvest. You'd think the clear visibility would have been enough to keep the boy safe, but, unfortunately, it wasn't. One woman said that she had her husband experiment with various bright clothing that he had been using. When he was only a few feet into the woods, even while wearing his favorite red shirt, he blended in so well that he was completely lost from sight.

In case of fire, travelers should dress in natural fibers for a flight or train trip and avoid synthetics because they melt into skin. Because I'm allergic to wool, please be considerate and don't wear it when you'll be sitting next to me or anyone else who might be allergic to it or the nasty chemicals that are used to process the majority of wool products.

Since most airline emergencies don't involve fire but do require evacuation, a traveler's vest is a good accessory to have. Not only do the many pockets minimize what you'll have to carry in your bag, briefcase, or purse, a traveler's vest carries more than the typical waist pack. Should you have to evacuate, which means you shouldn't be taking the time to get anything to take with you, will need both hands free, and shouldn't be hindering other passengers from exiting the plane by taking up space with your personal bag; your essential items will already be on you and ready to go. A journalist's or photographer's vest will also serve.

Gore-Tex® is the best fabric for rain gear if you can afford it because it breathes. If not, look for nylon. I love my Gore-Tex® boonie and wished I could find another that's more fashionable for when I dress up. (I bought another hat a little while ago, but haven't had the occasion to try it out.) I also like the Cascade II poncho that I got from Campmor so much that when it was in my pack that got stolen a couple of years ago, I bought another and immediately stitched on a couple of Velcro® dots to keep the sides from flapping in the wind. If you already have a poncho and dislike the hood, try wearing a baseball cap under it. Not only will the cap's visor help keep the rain off your face, it will help the hood behave better when you need to turn your head. Unfortunately, if it's anything like the hood of another poncho I have that keeps sliding back, I don't know of anything that will help.

Shoes that are quick-drying and anti-microbial are ideal. Hiking boots protect your feet and ankles and are water-resistant. Sandals and flip-flops, while cool and comfortable, don't provide much protection from dirt, insects, or snakes. However, they don't take much room and a pair should be included for a change of footwear and for shower shoes or to wear to the pool or beach.

A ski cap takes the place of a knit cap and scarf because it covers the face, ears, and neck as well as head. It may be rolled up if only a cap is needed. I got mine in blaze orange.

Convertible mittens are great because they give both the warmth of mittens and the dexterity of fingerless gloves. Concerned that I might forget and leave mine behind somewhere, I got them in blaze orange, too, then got another pair in black for dress occasions.

You need sun screen whenever you're outdoors for any length of time. Clouds don't block ultraviolet light or prevent sunburn as many tourists in Hawai`i discover to their dismay on overcast days. Even though you wear a hat, you still need to apply sun screen because snow, water, sand, and expanses of concrete reflect the sun's rays up under hat brims. Check the label to ensure that the product shields from both UV-A and UV-B rays.

If you don't want to give up your favorite baseball cap for a wide-brimmed hat, tuck an edge of the bandanna under your cap to make a skirt that covers your neck and ears.

Sunglasses are a must to protect our eyes from developing cataracts or other problems. Here in the U.S., all sunglasses are required to protect from UV rays. Ideally, we'd all wear wraparound styles to protect unshielded light from entering from the sides, but since the fashionistas reign...

In regards to insect repellent, you should be aware that the popular ingredient, DEET, will melt plastic and is reputed to lower the efficacy of sunscreen by as much as 33%. You'll need to apply sunscreen first, as usual - at least a half hour before going outdoors, and use a higher SPF rating, and wash your hands thoroughly after applying a DEET product to prevent melting your plastic storage containers, your compass, and even your clothing, if it's made of recycled plastic. Combo products containing both sunscreen and insect repellent need to be used judiciously since DEET shouldn't be reapplied every few hours like most sunscreens. The CDC recommends using separate products to be safe.

Ultrathon™ contains DEET, but since the 3M Company figured out how to make a single application last as long as 12 hours, Ultrathon™ contains a lower concentration of DEET than other products. Please use with caution, anyway, because I don't know if the concentration is low enough that it won't melt plastic or irritate some people's skin the way that other products containing DEET have done.

Alternatives to DEET are Picaridin and the plant-based oil of lemon eucalyptus that should not be used on children under 3 years of age. Permethrin is another effective product that's applied to clothing and gear instead of directly onto skin. Spray Permethrin onto clothing and other material and let dry before wearing or using; it will last through laundering for several weeks.

While long clothing may be preferred to using chemicals against the bugs, unless the clothing is loose and thick enough, mosquitoes will bite right through the fabric. Younger children, especially babies in their carriers or strollers, would be better protected by mosquito netting. A bug head net should be big enough to wear over your broad-brimmed hat with extra-fine netting to keep out no-see-ums, biting midges, and sand flies, etc., and may fold up small enough to stick in a pocket.

This system should be one of the easiest to assemble because you're likely to have nearly everything already, they're readily available, and several of them are low-cost. Just set some of your older clothing aside for your emergency pack and get whatever other items you need.

[The previous article in this series is "The Essential Systems: Navigation."

The first article in this series is "Preparedness: Introducing the Fifteen Essential Systems."]

The Essential Systems: Navigation

Navigation is the first of the Fifteen Essential Systems for preparedness, travel, or hiking.

The checklist:

1. Compass(es)

2. Detailed street maps of home town and nearest large cities and the city you're visiting as a tourist or for business

3. Road map of state and neighboring states or a road atlas of the country

4. Map of local public transportation routes and timetable

5. Topographical maps

6. GPS receiver (optional).

Discussion:

1. Compass - A good compass is a baseplate compass marked in 1° or 2° increments with a clear baseplate, adjustable declination, a bezel that's easy to turn while wearing gloves, and is easy to read in dim light. A better compass is a mirror-sighting baseplate compass with the same features because you'll be able to get more accurate readings with it. The best compass for our purposes is a global mirror-sighting baseplate compass because you won't have to hold it absolutely level to get an accurate reading. The most reliable compasses are currently made by Brunton, Recta, Silva outside the U.S. and Canada, and Suunto.

(Silva in the U.S. and Canada is owned by Johnson Outdoors Inc. It used to sell reliable compasses made by the reputable Swedish Silva prior to 1998, but now sells compasses made by unknown manufacturers.)

Although compasses that have a fixed declination scale or no declination scale cost less than a compass with adjustable declination, it's well-worth spending the few dollars more. This isn't a feature you want to scrimp on because it's difficult to do calculations when you're stressed by disorientation, fatigue, cold, and hunger. Some people advocate placing a piece of tape on the compass to mark geographic north, but tape can shift and fall off. If you already have a compass that doesn't have an adjustable declination, the purchase wasn't a waste - keep it as a backup.

If you're in the U.S., the scales on the baseplate should include 1:24,000 (1 inch = 2,000 feet). Some compasses also have a 1:62,500 (1 inch = approximately 1 mile) scale. That scale won't be used much except with older maps because the U.S. Geological Survey 15-minute (1:62,500) map series is officially replaced by the 7.5-minute (1:24,000) series which is the best scale for topographical maps used by hikers because it shows critical details that smaller-scaled maps omit.

If you live outside the U.S. or your map's metric, look for a baseplate compass with the metric scales of 1:25,000 (1 centimeter = 0.25 kilometer) and 1:50,000 (1 centimeter = 0.5 kilometer). If you think you'll do the math necessary to convert from inches to metric, please don't count on being able to calculate accurately while under stress; your life is worth more than the expense of another compass.

If you read enough online or are around others who have used compasses, you'll eventually run across someone who swears that a lensatic compass is the best. It isn't necessarily true because a lensatic compass requires additional tools for use with a map that are already a part of the baseplate of a baseplate compass and since there's no declination adjustment on a lensatic compass, you'll have to do the math or learn how to orient a map which is so simple, someone with a baseplate compass that doesn't have adjustable declination should learn how to do it when out in the field.

Although some lensatic compasses do have a baseplate that would eliminate your needing to also pack a map tool or protractor and ruler, the baseplate may be short and you can't see through it to the map underneath like you can with a baseplate compass that has a clear baseplate.

If the argument is made that a lensatic compass is more accurate, you should challenge the statement by asking, "More accurate than what?" because not all baseplate compasses are created equal. For example, any compass with 1° or 2° increments is going to be more accurate than another with 5° increments. The bottom line is that a lensatic compass isn't any more accurate than a mirror-sighting baseplate compass. Another advantage to having a mirror-sighting baseplate compass is that it might also be used as a signaling mirror in a pinch.

Please don't get me wrong. I'm not against lensatic compasses. After all, I learned navigation with a lensatic compass. It's just that baseplate compasses are more convenient and easier to use.

Having written all that, I need to point out that the most important thing is being competent with whichever type of compass you choose because that basic skill is all you'll have when the chips are down. If you have your heart set on buying a lensatic compass, I recommend one by Cammenga which makes them for the U.S. military.

It's a good idea to have another compass as a backup such as a small or button compass to confirm what your primary compass is showing you when you don't want to believe it, as frequently occurs with disoriented hikers. The concept is that the majority rules: two compasses against one person's imperfect sense of direction. Practically any compass will serve as a backup as long as you know that it agrees with your primary compass before you start questioning its veracity. (Hard-headed people should have two backups to convince them to yield to their instruments.)

For a traveler flying from one city to go sight-seeing or attend business meetings in another, a small compass is useful to get oriented when exiting a subway or train and to avoid getting lost on narrow, winding streets with high walls or tall buildings that prevent you from spotting a landmark. Good, inexpensive, compasses for this purpose are those such as the Brunton Traveler which may be threaded onto a cord worn around your neck and the Suunto Clipper which comes with its own wristband or may be clipped onto watch bands up to 22mm wide.

The Suunto Clipper is available in two versions, non-luminous and luminous. The non-luminous version is black with a blue face. The luminous version is black with a white (luminous) bezel and points.

If you live in the northern hemisphere and travel to South America or Australia or vice versa, you're supposed to have a compass that's balanced for the zone you're in especially if you go hiking. Most people buy a compass when they arrive at their destination. However, the compass you have for your Essential Systems preparedness pack might work fine and not drag or hang up when you go south/north of the equator. So, go ahead, take it with you and see if it works before shelling out your hard-earned money for a new compass.

In 2005, Suunto got the five zones down to two zones where their compasses work for either the northern or the southern hemisphere with some overlap and then developed global compasses that work for both hemispheres such as the M-3G and MC-2G models. (If you buy another brand, Zone 1 is pretty much the entire northern hemisphere, the U.S., Canada, Europe, etc., meaning that you won't have to buy another compass when you travel to another region in the northern hemisphere.)

In case you're wondering, there's no need to be concerned about the upcoming geomagnetic flip because it will take much longer than our lifetimes (experts guestimate 500 - 2,000 years or more) to reach the point where the North and South poles begin to exchange places. Besides, the flip won't happen overnight or even over the course of a year. It will take perhaps thousands of years, long enough for the future generations to learn how to adapt and cope.

2. Detailed city street maps - if you need to go somewhere you're not familiar with during an emergency, having good maps already at hand will save you from considerable stress. I recommend that you also provide each child in your family with a city map or a copy that has the homes and/or workplaces of trusted friends and family marked on it so they know where to go if they ever become separated from you. Store their maps in plastic zip bags in their school bags or backpacks so they always have it with them.

For traveling to foreign countries, get dual-language maps before you go, if possible, or wait and buy a good map at your destination. It'll be easier because what we know in English, for example, will likely be a different word in the foreign country. Figuring out that Roma is Rome is easy enough, but what about Firenze? It doesn't look or sound anything like Florence. You need to be able to recognize signs and, if you ask residents for help with directions, English labels might not mean anything to them. If you can't locate a dual-language map, get the map that uses the foreign language and get used to the different names.

3. State road maps - same rationale as for the detailed city street maps. Please be aware that not all maps are created equally. For example, in 2006, the official state map of Georgia eliminated 488(!) communities. Maybe there wasn't much there other than a volunteer fire department and a store with a gas pump, but if you're low on gas, want some food, or need help, if I were a betting person, I'd bet in a heartbeat that you'd want a map that shows the location of the closest communities and what kind of road you'd have to travel to get to one of them.

If you have children, giving each child a copy of your road map with the route of your road trip highlighted will give them something to do as they look for signs that match the towns on their maps and will alleviate the "Are we there, yet?" questions because they'll be able to see on their maps how much farther you have to go. It's also an easy way to get them used to reading maps.

4. Public transportation routes and timetable - same rationale as for the detailed city street maps in case you can't drive for any reason.

5. Topographical maps - These are essential for hikers and other people who drive through wilderness areas. Fold the map and store it in a map case or a gallon-sized zip freezer bag.

I've found that National Geographic and many gift stores in U.S. recreational areas such as the National Park System sell USGS topo maps that are scaled 1:100,000 (30-minute) or smaller at 1:250,000. Please do not buy any of these for navigational purposes. The scale is so small, with so many details omitted, that you're bound to get confused trying to match your surroundings to the map and may get lost even though you do everything else right. Look for a 7.5 minute map (1:24,000) or metric equivalent (1:25,000) if you're outside the U.S. Boaters will need nautical charts instead of topo maps.

[Hint: One way to fold a map is to fold it in half, then fold the ends in to the middle fold accordion-style, and finally in half or in thirds lengthwise to get it down to a manageable size. This will enable you to view any portion of the map by unfolding sections without having to unfold the map completely.]

To obtain free index maps for each state, "Topographic Map Symbols," a free brochure interpreting the symbols used on USGS topo maps, catalogs, and to order topographic maps from the USGS, contact:

USGS Information Services
Box 25286
Denver, CO 80225
1-888-ASK-USGS or 303-202-4700
Fax: 303-202-4693
Web site: http://ask.usgs.gov

or use the USGS Map Locator to find, order, or download maps.

You may also download free index maps from GeoMart and OmniMap.

The publishers of topo maps for several other countries are listed at Wikipedia.

6. GPS receiver (optional) - As wonderful as GPS receivers are, you must know how to use a paper map and compass. You can NOT rely on a GPSr because batteries get drained, the unit's inability to see the satellites due to natural or urban canyons or dense tree or cloud cover, or other misfortune such as accidentally dropping and breaking it. Sure, compasses can break, too, however unlikely that might be considering they're made of acrylic or polycarbonate.

Speaking of plastic, you should go easy on the DEET because if it's strong enough, it will melt plastic. Be sure to wash it from your hands after applying it or use another insect repellent such as Picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or Permethrin that you spray onto clothing and let dry before wearing.

What many people who eschew compasses in favor of GPS receivers are ignorant about is that as long as the compass needle isn't damaged, it will still work. Even though the capsule is broken, it doesn't necessarily mean that you're up a creek without a paddle. You may have to wait longer for the needle to settle, or you may have to float it on a leaf or some other Plan B technique, but - HA! - try any of those with a broken GPSr and see what good it does you because once a GPS unit is broken, it's totally useless as a navigational device.

Besides, you have a backup compass, right?

Also, even though the geomagnetic flip won't occur for several generations, the New York Times reported on July 13, 2004 that satellites are being damaged and having electronic malfunctions from the declining magnetic strength. Of course, the problem was immediately addressed, but it takes time to effect a modification, better shielded satellites, perhaps. That's just another way that the GPS system might fail you and another reason for you to learn how to use a map and compass.

Some states, such as Oregon, have hefty fines for those who require a SAR effort and who don't have a topo map and compass with them. Another reason to not rely solely on a GPSr is that other states such as Colorado, ski areas in Idaho, and a county in Utah, may seek reimbursement for rescuing people who get lost.

We need to bear in mind, too, that what was given to us civilians, by discontinuing Selective Availability on May 2, 2000, may also be rescinded without notice for reasons of national security because the U.S. Department of Defense controls our Global Positioning Satellites.

Along that vein, travelers from the U.S. going to another country need to be aware that some countries consider GPS receivers to be restricted military equipment. To avoid unpleasant issues, be sure to check before you go to another country with your receiver.

What do you do after you accumulate the items on this checklist - sit around, waiting for an emergency situation requiring the use of them? No, I wouldn't let you read this far only to leave you hanging.

The first thing, of course, is for you to learn how to use your compass with a topo map. The USGS has a webpage for "Finding Your Way with Map and Compass." After reading it, especially if it seems as clear as mud, please go to your public library and check out books about navigation that are easier to read and comprehend. The library books will have exercises to do along with navigational tips and tricks that will compensate for any error introduced by inaccurate readings.

One point I want to bring out while I have your attention is that compasses use magnetic north while maps use geographic north. There are two ways to make them match.

The first, and by far the easiest method, has you setting your compass to match the map by adjusting the declination setting on your compass. That's it; find your declination value, then set it and forget it. There's no downside. You'll have to check the declination value at least annually and adjust your compass periodically, but until it changes more than, say, a half of a degree for a compass with 1° increments or a degree for a compass with 2° increments, your compass will read geographic north just like your map.

The second method has you matching your map to the compass. You can convert the map's geographic north to the magnetic north of your compass by drawing lines that are parallel to the angle of the declination value. It's a pain, especially on a trail with the map flapping in the breeze, and it has to be done with every map you use. Additionally, you'll have to buy new maps and redraw the lines whenever the declination value changes or before drawing the new lines on old maps, erase the old lines that you were smart enough to remember to draw with a pencil.

To be thorough, you should learn both methods. In practice, adhering to the first method, converting your compass from magnetic north to the map's geographic north by adjusting the declination, is the way I advise you to go no matter what whichever books you read tell you to do simply because it's easier. (I can't believe some teacher-authors don't even teach the first method and make their students and readers use the second method which is so much more inconvenient.)

After you've done the examples in the books in your local library, I recommend that you teach your children how to navigate. To practice, first make a map and set up a course or few in your backyard before progressing to a larger area like a local park and using a topo map. From there, you can maintain proficiency by engaging in one or more of the following activities that use a map and compass:

Geocaching - while most people use a GPSr to help them find the "treasure," there are those who use only a map and compass.

Orienteering - formerly a competitive sport only, orienteering now allows participation by those who want to stop and smell the flowers at their leisure.

Rogaining - long-distance navigation requiring teamwork

Waymarking - like geocaching except the "treasure" is a place to see.

If you practice staying found with a map and compass, you'll never get lost!

[The next article in this series is "The Essential Systems: Personal Attire."

The first article in this series is "Preparedness: Introducing the Fifteen Essential Systems."]