Lifejacket Critical Survival Items
Critical Survival Items for Safe Watercraft Travel
Lifejacket Critical Survival Items for Safe Small Watercraft Travel
A Wilderness Survival Situation after abandoning or losing your small water craft can be very dangerous. When canoeing, kayaking, sailing, or in a motor boat the danger of capsizing or losing a boat is always present in any waterway. Picture yourself standing on the side of a wilderness river or lake: cold, wet, possibly injured, and likely hypothermic; you have a real challenge ahead. With this scenario in mind I have always carried some critical survival items in my lifejacket. This fall I decided to upgrade what I carried and take a few pictures to show others what items I carry and why I choose each item.
First I needed to ensure that the Lifejacket (A BERING, extra large purchased at MEC) contained the basic Critical Items and was heavy in Fire Lighting equipment. All these critical survival items need to be contained in the two small pockets included in my lifejacket or attached to it in a secure way. As well I needed to ensure that all items are waterproofed and able to be used in a moist environment. Every item in such a small survival kit is a compromise and certainly other alternative are available to nearly every item taken.
Lifejacket Critical Survival Items by Locations
Lifejacket Critical Survival Item Breakdown and Explanation
Strike Anywhere Matches in a Waterproof Container. These are actually full size Strike Anywhere Matches cut short and placed in a film container. I have glued a piece of sand paper to the outside and included a small piece inside to ensure a striking surface is always available.
Waterproof Refillable Lighter. I use this as my primary fire lighting method, saving my matches for poor conditions and leaving the lighter outside the main plastic bag for easy access.
Fire Lighting Equipment. I packed in a Candle, 4 Pieces of Wax & Cotton Tinder, 4 pieces of Chip Fire Starter, and 2 packets of Chemical Fire Starter. This is in addition to the small striker and tinder in the Pocket Survival Pak. I have a lot of fire lighting gear here and don't consider it over kill in this kit. I assume when I need it I will be hypothermic and everything will be very wet.
Stainless Steel Mora Knife. I always carry a good quality survival knife. My first choice would be a Carbon Steel Mora Knife, but due to the wet environment I have substituted the stainless steel for the carbon steel knife. Yes is harder to sharpen and keeps its edge for less time, that is one of the compromises I had to consider when putting this kit together.
Magnetic Compass. A Magnetic Compass is a very important Critical Survival Item and I have choose basic Brunton Type 7. Nothing special as compass's go, but reliable and light. When canoeing I take a Type 15 in my map case you that I can always know where north is, but that compass may not be available when by canoe is floating away or wrapped around a rock. I disregard the availability of the button compass in the Pocket Survival Pak, its a toy.
Personal First Aid Kit. A good Personal First Aid Kit can make all the difference in a medical emergency. Although I carry a large first aid kit on any canoe trip, it is almost always in my Olive Jar or Pack. The pockets were to small to carry a larger kit, so I compromised my putting in an Ultralight .3 First Aid Kit from Adventure Medical Kits and supplementing it with a few extra items. I added 2 pieces of Sterile Gauze, 2 packets of Double Antibiotic Ointment, 2 packets of Antiseptic Towelettes, and a pair of gloves. I wish I could carry a decent field dressing, but there was no room for it in or on the lifejacket.
Garbage Bag. Basic shelter, poor rain gear, an emergency signal, a garbage bag allows a few options not available to you without it and it is a very light addition to the kit.
Plastic Pealess Whistle. This whistle and its lanyard came with the lifejacket and I used the lanyard to clip on the flashlight as well. It is supplemented by an extra whistle in the Pocket Survival Pak. I recommend that if your lifejacket does not have an attached whistle you add one.
Flashlight. A cheap waterproof diode flashlight. I supplemented this with a real headlamp carried in my Olive Jar and the glowstick.
2 Meters of Cord. A good piece of nylon cord supplemented by the cord and wire in the Pocket Survival Pak.
Handwarmers. 2 basic low temperature chemical handwarmers to allow me to get circulation back into my hands if I am hypothermic and unable to initially light a fire after swimming ashore. Simple, but a real life saver.
Glowstick. A basic 6 hour red glowstick, will provide some light and is a basic signal in the event that I cannot light a fire or no wood is available.
Pocket Survival Pak produced by Adventure Medical Kits. I agree with Cody Lundin, it is the best kit available on the market. Doug Ritter did a excellent job making the compromises he had to make to create a useful and small survival kit like this. It does have a few shortfalls, but the Duct Tape and Signal Mirror are worth it along with a Striker as a backup fire starter. Its weight of 110 grams (3.9 oz) and its reseable plastic container makes it an excellent addition to the other survival supplies. The compass is not very usable over long distances, but a spare whistle is an excellent idea. A complete list of the Contents are on Doug Ritter's Website, along with excellent photographs and instructions for each item.
What Critical Items I did not Include in the Lifejacket Kit
I left out a number of very useful items. Mostly they were left out because they could not fit in the two pockets. Some gear was inappropriate because it would be carried elsewhere in my Canoe. Duplication of survival equipment means that you end up carrying to much extra gear and never using it. Completely missing is any Clothing, a Bowsaw, a Cooking Pot, and Water Purification Equipment. The item that I miss the most is food, I use to take a few bars (roughly 500 KCal) along for quick energy in a crisis, but I had a rodent eat a hole in my last lifejacket one night and since then have removed any type of food from my lifejacket.
To Carry or Not To Carry?
I hope this breakdown on what critical survival items that I carry in my lifejacket when canoeing is helpful when you decide what you should carry when travelling into the wilderness in any type of small watercraft. Always remember that this is in addition to what I carry in my waterproof pack or Olive Jar and what I am wearing. Remember the scenario. Picture yourself standing on the side of a wilderness river or lake: cold, wet, possibly injured, and likely hypothermic; you face a real challenge. Are you prepared?