by Cody Lundin
Functional fashion for the great outdoors.
Of all the body’s areas that lose and gain heat, the head and neck are the most critical. Your head is like a smokestack, and continually loses or gains radiation—and if left unprotected can lose up to 70 percent of your body’s total heat production. The human brain needs a constant supply of blood sugar or glucose; thus the blood vessels don’t “shunt,” or constrict, as much in response to cold weather as those within other parts of the body. The vascular structure of the head is exposed and lacks an insulating layer of fat. This is one time when being a fat head would pay off. In addition, unless you’re a member of the Hair Club for Men, hair provides little insulation value in weather extremes. In cold-weather conditions, donning a quality hat is the equivalent to putting on a light sweater. In frigid weather, remember that the face is part of the head, too, and the combined heat loss from it and the respiratory tract can lose up to one third of your body’s heat production!
Exposing the head to scorching desert temperatures and direct solar radiation can rapidly cause overheating and increase dehydration. During hot temperatures, a wool or synthetic hat can be dunked in liquid, thereby cooling the user through evaporation. Aside from producing shade for your head, wool is a renowned insulator. Insulation, or dead air space, is an advantage in hot and cold weather. Your junior-high lunch box Thermos did the same thing when it kept your soup hot or the lemonade cold.
Remember: you’re trying to thermoregulate body temperature. This neat little piece of gear is lightweight, commonly available, cheap, compact, and works in hot and cold climates. It simply covers a part of your anatomy that’s crucial to your well-being. Packing a hat that’s obnoxiously colored allows it to double as a visible signal to rescuers. It’s the perfect excuse to break out that butt-ugly, yellow-and-fluorescent-orange polka-dot hat your aunt gave you for Christmas in ‘72.
Cotton bandana (brightly colored):
A multiuse joy no gang member should be without.
A bandana is useful for billions of tasks. It’s a potholder, head-band, scarf, hat, a filter worn over the mouth against dusty or cold air, washcloth, signal flag, bandage, sling, container, cordage, pack-strap padding, char cloth for making flint-and-steel fires, a sediment filter for straining water, or anything else you can imagine. Again, it’s a multiuse item that’s cheap, easy to purchase or make, lightweight, and portable.
Any self-respecting vampire knows that the neck contains the carotid arteries. These arteries are near the surface of the skin and therefore subject to heat loss or gain through outside temperature extremes. Wrapping a bandana around your neck in cold temperatures helps reduce heat loss, while covering your neck from summer sun reduces heat gain. I carry a cotton bandana year round, although as I’ve mentioned, it’s not the best material for cold, wet environments. If you wish, carry an acrylic, quicker-drying bandana in the winter and a cotton bandana in the summer for its superior cooling effect when wet. If you frequent winter environments, slap a few bucks down for a nice piece of brightly colored wool fabric and make your own.
Cotton material, when properly prepared, has the ability to transform itself into char cloth. True char cloth will catch and hold the tiniest spark. In the hands of an experienced person, this spark can be nurtured into flame using a tinder bundle. Having a brightly colored bandana gives you the option of using it as a flag, panel, or other signaling device, enhancing your attraction value to rescuers.
100 feet of 550-pound-test
parachute cord (white color for
summer, olive or black for winter):
Exploring the sacred virtues of
one fiercely fabulous fiber.
Quality cordage (rope, string, etc.) is an incredible asset to the survivor. For thousands of years, indigenous peoples around the globe literally tied their worlds together. Buttons were a drag to make and Velcro and zippers were still things of the future. These people prepared and twisted natural fibers to carry babies, hunt food, transport water, and manufactured clothing and shelter, shoes, weapons, fire, and a limitless array of tools. In our modern society of too much too soon, the ancient art of cordage is still going strong, as it is used in everything from tents and clothing to boot laces and seat covers for your car.
Cordage is a big deal, as it can be used and is useful for many things. While making cordage by hand from plant and animal fibers is doable, it’s very tedious. Since you have the opportunity to carry fiber that doesn’t require any personal calories or water to make, why wouldn’t you? Knowledge is power, yet a survival scenario is no game, so plan ahead by carrying quality modern cord.
In my opinion, nothing says “good morning” for the outdoor traveler quite like military, 550-pound-test parachute cord. It is truly a wondrous piece of backcountry gear. I carry at least 100 feet of the sacred string but admit that I’m a cordage junkie. I recommend that you carry at least 50 feet. It’s rarer than common sense to find, as modern-day parachutists have switched to more efficient flat straps made from Spectra, Dacron, or Vectran. Check your local military surplus store and similar catalogs to locate the fabulous fiber.
The true beauty of 550 cord rests beneath its outer-colored sleeve, which in itself is a great cord. This sleeve houses seven individual pieces of string. In other words, if you’re carrying 10 feet of 550 cord, you’re actually packing 80 feet of viable product for the same amount of space, weight, and cost. Amazing!
Some folks sell 550 cord that isn’t. Squish the potentially fraudulent fiber between your fingers. If it feels loose, like it’s missing a few internal strings, it probably is. The easiest way to tell fake cord is to simply cut off the end and count the inner strings. Beware of certain brands that use the phrase “para” within the title of their product. They simply use the phrase to confuse hapless buyers into believing it’s the real deal. These impostors are manufactured from one piece of braided material. The disadvantage of buying this type of cord is obvious, as when you have 10 feet of the stuff, that’s all you have. It can’t be broken down into smaller strings without sacrificing length. I’ve seen 550 cord rip-offs in blaze-orange, purple, and many other colors. Even so, if you can’t locate the goods, buy some of the fake stuff as it’s still higher quality than the crap being pawned off at the discount stores.
To separate the fibers for individual use, cut off a quarter inch from each end and gently and slowly pull one of the strings free. Although somewhat messy to accomplish and not recommended for very long pieces, doing so allows you to save string, yet satisfy whatever needs you have, such as binding together a shelter or stitching a hole in your sweater.
Parachute cord is made from nylon. Nylon frays, so melt the ends with a match or lighter before packing. This same meltdown quality allows for emergency patch jobs, using the bubbly goo to mend a variety of tears and punctures on an assortment of surfaces. Genuine U.S. military 550 cord typically comes in three colors: black, white, and olive drab. White is easier to see when dropped on the ground during temperate months, while black and olive show up well on snow.
I once called an East Coast company looking for a deal on the fiber. The folks at the other end of the phone turned out to be a huge industrial complex that custom-made cord for military and private sectors. They coolly asked me how many hundreds of spools I wished to order. I coolly told them I’d get back with them. Click.
Three-by-five-inch
glass, sightable
signal mirror with
brightly colored
duct-tape-reinforced pouch:
An excuse to be
obnoxious through
signaling for rescue.
In a survival scenario, getting rescued is the name of the game. One of the most useful tools for signaling for rescue is the signal mirror. Signal mirrors are routinely visible from 30 to 40 miles away, with some epic accounts of more than 100 miles. Having a tool that can reach out and touch someone at those distances for less than ten bucks is a must-have. In the late 1
800s, a mirror in the form of a heliograph helped the U.S. Army catch Geronimo, that hell-raising Apache so dear to my heart. Regardless of one’s physical prowess and cunning, it’s difficult to outrun light rays.
Using a Sightable Signal Mirror
Face mirror toward sun. A. Sighting hole in reflective mesh on non-mirrored side.
Slightly rock mirror back andforth looking for “glowing ball of light” on reflective mesh.
Locate target within sighting hole while keeping track of glowing ball of light.
Drop glowing ball of light on top of target.
There are several reflective signaling devices on the market, most of which bite the big one. In order to be found, you want as much light as possible reflecting into the eyes and surroundings of your rescuers. Dust and debris in the atmosphere, hazy cloud cover, and a number of other variables rob your reflective device of its shine power, impeding it from reaching its intended destination. Although I’ve even heard of polished knife blades being used to attract attention, you want to pack the most reflective conventional surface possible, which is silver-coated glass, a.k.a. mirror. Notice that I said glass. There are several synthetic, acrylic impostors available at outdoor shops. Shining the reflection of a glass mirror next to the reflection of an acrylic mirror is all the proof you’ll need. The glass one cranks out a crisp, obnoxiously bright reflection. The acrylic imposter is blurred and dull by comparison. Yes, real mirror is heavier to lug around and breakable, but it’s your butt that’s on the line.
If possible, carry a 3 x 5-inch glass, Air Force-style sightable signal mirror, available at most large outdoor stores. It comes inside a cheesy foam pouch, so beef it up with your friend and mine, professional-grade duct tape. Applying brightly colored tape over the duct tape increases the unit’s visibility. Although you can create improvised reflections with your vehicle’s rearview mirror—and you should know how to do so—having a “sightable” mirror allows for much greater accuracy in hitting your proposed target.
Students in my courses sometimes wonder what the big deal is as they can flash a tree and see the reflection just fine. That’s cool if rescuers are 50 feet away. As soon as the student tips the reflection toward the sky, however, he or she instantly understands the importance of a quality sightable mirror. All of a sudden, that tiny reflection on the tree bark disappears into thin blue sky. You are not going to see the reflection off the airplane you flash. Mathematically speaking, the farther you are from the target, the greater your chance is of not hitting the objective. It’s similar to orienteering with a map and compass. Screw up even a few degrees with the compass and the farther you travel, the more off you’ll be as the mistake grows exponentially.
The style of signal mirror I recommend is mirrored on one side with a circle of reflective mesh in its center. Within this mesh center is a small sighting hole. Oriented properly, the direction in which the mirror is aiming sunlight corresponds directly to a glowing ball of light appearing on the reflective mesh. The glowing ball moves whenever you move the mirror. Describing how to use a signal mirror with words is as about as effective as the war on drugs, but here’s an attempt.
How to Signal for Rescue
1. Hold the mirror close to your face and orient it toward the sun while looking through the sighting hole in the reflective mesh. (Don’t look directly into the sun.)
2. Slightly move the mirror in all directions to find the glowing ball of light reflected off the mesh. Notice that the glowing ball moves when-ever you move the mirror.
3. While keeping track of the glowing ball, look at your rescue airplane, Jeep, or people through the sighting hole in the reflective mesh.
4. Move the mirror until the glowing ball of light drops into the sighting hole on top of the object you’re trying to signal. Remember: the glowing ball is where the mirror is aiming reflected sunlight, so dropping this ball on top of your target is the name of the game.
5. Once you’ve hit your target, slightly rock the mirror back and forth, creating flashes of movement to cover the entire target area. This further eliminates your chance of missing the mark, as a static reflection on the fender of your would-be rescuers’ four-wheel-drive vehicle might go unnoticed.
Your ultimate goal is to blast the person in the face, creating enough movement and reflection that you can’t help but be noticed. Make sure your rescuers see you, but don’t be a jerk about it. A circling airplane rocking its wings knows where you are. Continuing to ricochet a beam of sunlight through the plane’s cabin and into the pilot’s face is not recommended. The reflection from a mirror can achieve so much distance that it actually wraps around the curvature of the earth, so even if no rescuers are within sight, continue to flash the horizon line. If your situation permits, stay with the vehicle (plane, car, boat, or other), as it provides a much larger target area for searchers to find as well as offers an abundant supply of survival resources.
Signal mirrors make great companions for folks who wear contact lenses and can aid in removing foreign matter in the eye. The mirror also allows for primping and the trimming of unsightly nose hairs, as you never know if one of your rescuers will turn out to be the babe of your dreams.
Contrast and movement are hallmarks of effective signaling. Every signaling option you try should possess at least one of the two, ideally both. On an average, you’ll have 30 seconds to signal the airplane you see flying overhead, less in canyon country, so like everything else in this book, learn how to use it before you need it. Please don’t practice on real airplanes.
Homemade first-aid kit:
Bandaging the boo-boos while soothing the scrapes.
Contrary to popular fantasy and media hype, most backcountry injuries in the United States stem from common events such as hiking, walking, skiing, etc. Exotic injuries such as shark attacks and avalanches account for less than 4 percent of all deaths. Every person venturing into the bush should have at least basic first aid and CPR training. Those spending more time in the outdoors should invest in Wilderness First Responder (WFR) and/or Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) training. As stated earlier, this book is not meant to be a medical handbook. There’s a ton of information on the market regarding wilderness medicine, so I’ll touch briefly on the subject.
Seasoned medical personnel, whether urban or wilderness, have a great sense of what’s needed and what’s not in regard to first-aid supplies. These folks, especially backcountry medics, are tuned into what works for frequently occurring, practical situations. Ask the advice of someone you respect and trust. Many medics in my neck of the woods praise the virtues of Saran Wrap and duct tape and the multiple wonders they achieve. One thing should go without saying: Don’t carry supplies you don’t know how to use, and treat patients only within the scope of your training. While the “reasonable man” law protects those who are eager to help a victim of circumstance, performing open-heart massage ten miles from the trail head is generally frowned upon.
A recent study suggested that strains, sprains, and soft-tissue trauma accounted for a whopping 80 percent of all outdoor injuries. Viral illnesses or diarrhea caused 60 percent. Not surprisingly, researchers concluded that wilderness first aid should focus upon proper hygiene and the treatment of musculo-skeletal injuries and soft-tissue damage. Having taught hundreds of students in the backcountry for several years, I could-n’ t agree more. The two events that concern me most are major cuts and injuries that incapacitate mobility.
Most modern outdoor survival situations last three days or less. It is impossible to cover all first-aid needs in the wilderness. These two statements should dictate what items you choose for your first-aid stash. The choice is yours whether you purchase a retail kit or assemble one from scratch. Creating your own means you’ll know exactly what you’ve packed and, hopefully, know how to use each item. As stated above, having some kind of medical training means you won’t be completely clueless when purchasing first-aid supplies, and grants you the time to price compare and buy only th
e items needed. Rotating time-sensitive medications to maximize their freshness is easy by writing the date of purchase on the container. This is not an option in an over-the-counter model. However, if push comes to shove, purchase a setup from a reputable outdoor store. As with everything else, quality varies from kit to kit. The most important thing is that you have some type of first aid on hand and the wisdom to use it.
Advance planning is all-important, as it gives you lead time to beef-up and modify what you carry. Some components are intensely personal and might feature special medications and devices dependent upon the needs of the user. Regardless of limitless variation, three situations wreak havoc with the human body. They are the A, B, Cs, (airway, breathing, and circulation). All three can be extremely hard to deal with in a remote location.
Since I deal with groups of people in the backcountry for a living, my kit contains supplies absent from others. In addition, some items are carried specifically for clients, such as moleskin for blisters and latex gloves for treating open wounds. Generally, I’m concerned about that one big, nasty cut, as I frequently combine knives and heavy chopping tools with folks who have a limited experience with both. Because of this, I pack several dressings, bandages, and first-aid tape. Dressings cover the wound itself while bandages keep the dressing in place. I also carry several different-sized Band-Aids, triple-antibiotic ointment, and medications, including Ibuprofen, Tylenol, aspirin, decongestants, antihistamines, and laxatives. Also squirreled away are some cough drops, electrolyte solutions, tweezers, gauze, and a syringe for irrigating wounds.
Find training that enables you to deal with specific outdoor medical scenarios and stretch the resources you have through the power of improvisation. In essence, your intention behind first-aid supplies should differ little from the concepts we’ve explored regarding your survival kit. Pack gear that accomplishes more than one task, such as a large bandana that acts as a compress, a sling, ties for dressings, an eye patch, or a neck warmer. I’ve created splints from tree branches and duct tape on more than one occasion.
