Monday, February 27, 2017

Alone Winners Pack List

As we watch the survival show Alone, we all think about what ten items we would pack. With season 3 finished, we know what things the winners packed. This could be a good indicator of what tools would help insure our success. 

But before we talk about what the winners packed, lets look at a few of the things that the winners did NOT take:
  1. Bow and Arrows
  2. 12 X 12 Ground Cloth
  3. Roll of Duct Tape
  4. Bivy Bag (Gore-Tex)
  5. Food Rations
The Bow and Arrows could be used to harvest larger game for substantial food supplies that would make the difference between surviving and thriving. For this reason, it is something I would include in my list. Having made my own bow and being a decent shot with them, I know it is not easy task to get within re-curve bow range of wild game, but with out one, big game are impossible. Bow fishing is another avenue to food that such a tool offers. Winners didn't take food rations either, instead opting for long term tools over short term substance.

My list would also include the Bivy for warmer sleeping.  This would make it unnecessary to burn excessive calories building a more elaborate shelter. A tarp and para-cord lean-to will be sufficient.

Here are the common things selected by the winner:
  1. Multi-seasonal sleeping bag that fits within provided backpack
  2. Flint or ferrous rod set
  3. 2 quart pot with lid
  4. Ax
  5. Hunting knife
  6. Saw
  7. 550 para-chord - 20m
  8. Small gauge gill net (12' x 4' with 1.5" mesh)
  9. Canteen or water bottle
  10. Small shovel
  11. Slingshot/Catapult + 30 steel ball bearings + 1 replacement band
  12. 3.5 lb roll of trapping wire
Often I debate on whether to have an Ax or a Saw, but the winners took both. My list includes neither as I planed to use the Bivy in a mobile lean-to for shelter and burn logs in half instead of spending calories chopping or sawing them.  With the right hunting knife like a Tom Brown Tracker 1 Survival Knife, light chopping can be done.

Season 3 winner, Fowler, took a few unique tools including a Shovel, Leatherman and a sling shot although I never saw any of them giving him any advantage.  While Fowler did not take a hunting knife, his shovel was sharp for multi-purposes cutting and chopping making it a good multi-purpose tool. The Leatherman was also multi-purpose having a knife blade (he took no hunting knife), file, needle nose pliers, wire cutters (and more), which would have been handy had he taken the wire for snares. 

Season 1 winner, Alan, took a 3.5 lb roll of trapping wire, which was unique but used for snare traps, where as other participants used para-cord which failed because it was easy to chew through. He also took a Water Bottle, in addition to his 2 quart pot, which was a bit unique. With the importance of water, I can see the value in this rationale.

Below is the list that I would pick; what would you pick?


If there was no flowing or tide water, I might forgo the gill net and replace it with the water bottle.

My next step is to try using these 10 tools for a week long survival camp out to see how it works out. You might say that I'm in training for a future show.  I think it is safe to say that this is the best survival show on TV and that the $500,000 prize makes it even better. 

For additional information, see the following links:

 

 
 
Wilderness Survival TEST
 
Survival Pack (Security Patrol or Bug Out pack)  
Greenbriar (catbriar) 
Survive on a Deserted Island

Top 10 List of Prepper info
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2 comments:

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    ReplyDelete
  2. You can't just say "I'd use a bivy and then wouldn't have to worry about a cabin or burning wood" - unless you plan to spend every waking moment inside of a sleeping bag, this is a bad plan. You need to be up, move around, sit around, do things, all of which require fire to keep you warm.

    Good luck burning wet logs in half... part of the reason they chop wood down is to get it into smaller pieces and let it dry out so that it burns cleaner and more easily. Light a fire and throw a wet log on it and see how well it goes (spoiler alert - it's going to pop and spark like crazy)

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