Which four?

[The Heretic]

"Deserted" Island? What's that?

I assume this means an uninhabited island.

I assume from the sunscreen and hammock that they are probably thinking an island somewhere in the tropics.



Now of course, it is going to depend a lot on further info about the island and how you came to be there - after all, what good would a rifle do you if there are no animals on the island?

So, let's expand this a bit; first, the island is in the tropics, uninhabited, you don't know if it has any animals, the island has a small mountain with vegetation and is about 5 miles across, it does have fresh water, you are there because of a boating or airplane accident and you are there by yourself, there are no other islands anywhere near it that you know of.

You have time to remove 4 items from the boat or plane before the boat sinks or the plane burns up.

What do you choose?

What 10 items would you choose?

My four choices:

First Aid Kit
Knife
Water purifier
Fishing rod (assuming it has line and appropriate bait)

The FAK and knife are obvious IMO - the latter indispensable.

Water purifier - even though there is fresh water, even where there are no people, the water may make you sick without purification. While you could boil the water, that would take time and fuel and require building a fire.

Fishing rod == food.

I could build a fire without matches. A fire can be made into a signal fire - smoke being seen farther than a signal flare, although not at night.

Shelter should be able to be made with materials on hand. Cooking can be done over an open fire. Making a container for boiling might be able to be done with materials from the plane or boat, if the pot was in a plane, a fire would probably not destroy it.

Ten items:

First Aid Kit
Knife
Water purifier
Fishing rod (assuming it has line and appropriate bait)
Pot
Hand saw
Sunscreen
Rope
Matches
Tarp
Vitamins

Read More

 

[druiseeker]

Four Things:

Knife
Pot
Raft
FAK

With a knife I can make traps, cut firewood, make shelter, craft cups and bowls, fishing spear, etc. The pot would do the water purification and storage and food prep. The raft would help with shelter, gathering rain/condensation (if no freshwater available), and possible help with fishing or escape. Cordage can be made from local vegetation for a TON of uses ranging from helping with crafting fishing line, fishing spears, traps, shelter and more. Fishing hooks can be made via knapping, carving or naturally from thistle type plants (if present). The FAK is a gimme. I've gotten cuts and infections from too many things in the outdoors.

Ten Things:

Knife
FAK
Pot
Raft
Water Purifier
Tarp
Rope
Fishing Rod
Matches
Hammock (creepy crawlies suck)

I'd rather have a ferro rod with the knife than matches. Every knife I own has one attached to it. Most of my survival or bushcraft knifes either came with one or had an attachment for it on the sheath. While I've made friction fires via bow drill and other methods, its a pain in the behind (or I just might not be very good at it). I'd take tarp, rope, raft and fishing rod to make my life much easier. The the less calories and effort spent initially, the more likely my survival.

 

[erudne]

purifier, insect repellant, knife, matches

 

[Spray-n-pray]

Can you take multiples of the same item, for example, two knives? If so, I would take the 5 ounces of weed four times for a total of 20 ounces. Unless it's schwag, then I would probably take a knife, first aid kit, water purifier, and either the fishing rod or rifle.

 

[Joe13]

Knife
FAK
Pot -the metal kind
Matches

Everything else i could improvise, but id like an extra way to make fire. I can boil water to purify it.

 

[jbett98]

Boots
Knife
Vitamins
Kettle Pot

 

[Sideways]

I surprised no one has said a mirror. Most rescues are from the air and a signal mirror is one of the best ways to attract attention over great distances not to mention unlimited fire starters.

My list.

Knife
Mirror
Tarp
Metal pot

 

[The Heretic]

I surprised no one has said a mirror. Most rescues are from the air and a signal mirror is one of the best ways to attract attention over great distances not to mention unlimited fire starters.

My list.

Knife
Mirror
Tarp
Metal pot

Mirrors only work during a sunny day, are hard to point without the correct aiming setup, are extremely directional and timing dependent (the searcher has to be looking right at the mirror at the exact point in time you are flashing the mirror at the searcher), are a line of sight signal (can't see it over the horizon like a smoke signal or flare) and in general hard to see. If you are surrounded by vegetation a signal mirror can be very limited if not useless.

Also, in general, seeing something in the distance that is obviously a reflection, doesn't necessarily mean it is a distress signal, whereas a flare usually does. Smoke from a fire in an area where there shouldn't be smoke, also often gets people's attention. If you are on the ocean on a sunny day, it can be hard for the searcher to differentiate between sun reflecting off the waves and sun reflecting off a small mirror. Then there is the issue of you having to know when and how to use it. You may not know there is a ship or plane in the distance because it may be too far away for you to see, much less hear. Whereas a smoke column from a signal fire can keep going for hours with minimal attention from the person tending it.

I am not saying that a person shouldn't have a small quality signal mirror in their kit (I prefer it be in my FAK as there are many injuries where you need a mirror to see an injury to treat it) - I am just saying, from personal experience (4 years in SAR in the USCG) that a mirror is hard to see. If I had to choose between the mirror and a flare gun, I would choose the latter and I would maintain a smoky signal fire during the day (possibly a bonfire on some high point on the island) during the night), assuming I had somebody searching for me and/or ships that had been notified to be on the lookout (they may not come to the island, but they quite possibly may report a smoke column or bonfire on an island that isn't supposed to have either and then hopefully someone will investigate).

What I would take over anything else in that list, but that is missing, would be one of the varieties of Emergency Locator Beacons - assuming it would be in working condition - most of which will get you rescued fairly quickly and reliably - assuming that is what you need and want.

 

[jbett98]

With the way the world is going lately, maybe not being rescued would be a better plan.

 

[Cryobot]

Knife, matches, pot, water purifier

 

[The Heretic]

With the way the world is going lately, maybe not being rescued would be a better plan.

That depends on the person, the location and their situation.

If I didn't have a family that depended on me, and I wasn't 60+ years old, I might like the challenge, but even then I would bet that it would get old pretty quick.

 

[jbett98]

You're right, not everyone is cut out for an extended solitary existence.
I've read a lot of books on this subject and it takes a certain kind of person to thrive, mentally and physically.

 

[The Heretic]

You're right, not everyone is cut out for an extended solitary existence.
I've read a lot of books on this subject and it takes a certain kind of person to thrive, mentally and physically.

I could mentally live alone easily with regards to being solitary.

I am borderline Aspergers and I have always been a solitary person. I spent months in Alaska more or less alone (no social contact, only getting groceries or supplies, talking to my boss on the phone) and I live alone (more or less - I have neighbors - but I don't crave their contact) now on the mountain.

It is the physical part of it that would probably put me in the ground pretty quickly.

Then there is the responsibility to my family. Even though I visit them infrequently, I feel I need to be near to them in order to help out when they need something.

 

[Oathkeeper1775]

4 items: Knife, hammock, rope, water purifier.

10 items: 4 above +

Hiking boots
First Aid Kit
Hand Saw
Rifle
Cooking Pot
Tarp

 

[Certaindeaf]

The rifle. To keep ever one offa my f'in island.
And speaking of "the rifle", that sure looks like a lame air rifle.. all subliminal and all. Come on, a "rifle" is a 30-06.

 

[cooperritchey]

Weed, matches, knife, gun.
The weed can be used to heal open wounds.

 

[edslhead]

I'm just glad the wife wasn't on the list.

 

[mjbskwim]

Well the knife,FAK,water purifier
Then I have to decide which is more important,my baby soft feet or the fact that bugs love me.

 

[The Heretic]

Well the knife,FAK,water purifier
Then I have to decide which is more important,my baby soft feet or the fact that bugs love me.

I never go anywhere without decent footwear on my feet.

The exceptions; weddings and funerals.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Weed, matches, knife, gun.
The weed can be used to heal open wounds.

Why you all be hating on a soccer ball!?