I know we all carry water in our 2nd line gear. However, in the field hospital forum we were having a talk about running out of water and getting heat
exhaustion. Miles from the vehicle, water, etc. Because of that talk, I just added a packet of emergency water to my gear. It will be for that oh S*** moment
when you drink that last drop of water out of your canteen. You will still have a little water that will help sustain you until you can get out of the AO or to
water.
2 Kudos
Add Reply
New Topic
- FORUM RULES
- General Discussion
- Pic Post
- KISSATA
- SITREPS / ALERTS
- Communications
- Gear & Equipment
- KISSATA Vehicle/BOV
- KISSATA LINKS
- Appleseed
- Training Issues
- Literature
- Marksmanship
- Field Hospital
- Survival
- Tactical History
- M1 Garand Forum
- AK / SKS
- AR-15 / M-4 Rifle Family
- Milsurp Semi-Auto Rifles
- Scout Rifles
- Sporting Arms
- Handguns
- The Ammo Dump
- Fitness
- knives
- Announcements
- Classifieds
- Archives
- Skully's Boneyard
Water
| Author | Comment | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 M4Trigger |
Water |
Lead | ||
|
Operator Posts: 1032 06/23/09 00:11:09 Moderator |
Perfect is the enemy of good.
|
|||
|
|
||||
|
Deflexor |
#1 | |||
|
Posts: 697 06/23/09 02:49:33 Moderator |
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs.....
(from most important to least) Air Water Food Clothing/Shelter Protection/Safety (medical care) Psycological Needs This is how you should prioritize your gear and your survival preps. You will only live minutes with out air, couple of days with out water, couple of weeks without food. We are surrounded by air and a lack of it usually isn't a problem, except in certain circumstances. How much water you carry on patrol is dependent on temperature of the environment, surrounding acccess to water, how far and how long you will be out and then take a little more. I start out with almost a gallon (thats 8 lbs) two 1 quart canteens, and a two quart camelback. As you drink, your load gets lighter, I try to drink more than half of it in a 5 hour patrol. Reflexor was suggesting a sheet of plastic for a solar still, not a bad idea as it is very lightweight and can be folded down very small. Have a good breakfast before starting out and you only need a light lunch for the trail if you plan to return before dinner. It seems that on a patrol good clothing/ footwear is probably more important than food. Yes, something could happen and you may end up spending the night out but you aren't going to starve in that time, you will however appreciate adequate clothing if it gets cold at night. You cannot realistically plan for every circumstance and expect to carry that kind of gear and equipment on your person. The more you think about scenarios, the more items of equipment you think about adding. Of course there is always the combat wheelbarrow. 
|
|||
|
|
||||
|
red079 |
#2 | |||
|
Bone Head Posts: 43 06/23/09 12:22:11 PFC |
M4Trigger, It is interesting that you say that you have put a small survival packet of water in your gear, I have done the same. My packet of water is not
really for survival though. I have mine in a chest-rig I use for quick patrols, right around two hours, you know, (when you are driving in the country and you
see that out of place man trail and you decide to come back and do a quick look see). I have been in life threatening situations and my mouth has gotten
totally dry because of it, it makes it hard to swallow, one of these packets I always think will be a life saver in that regard. Good thinking.
As far as food goes, if I am out for the day I will bring an energy bar in my pocket, I carry more if I am going to be overnight, but not much more. I have been out with buddies who insist on making a fire and eating warm food, that is nice but I dont do that if I am alone. Water has always been an x factor to me, I brainstorm on ways to carry enough and not have to carry a hydration system on my back (I dont care for camelback) and cut the weight down to only one canteen. I have found for an all day hike in the summer here I will need two canteens. A few packets of survival water is smart thinking. |
|||
|
|
||||
|
Big Boar |
#3 | |||
|
Posts: 1296 06/23/09 13:40:53 Moderator |
red079 wrote: In my AO of Colorado and our high mountain deserts unforgiving freaky deaky weather at elevation. You can look forward to being easily in conditions quickly that will cause symtoms of exposure thorughout the year if not very careful! Even so I do not usually ever need a fire during Training, Patrols or any Operation in the feild unless needing to deal with the treatment of an exposure situation. Even then usually I would only need to use a trioxane stove to heat up a canteen cup of water for some tea I'll add a 35mm film can of honey too, or simply some hot chocolate to help with the early syptoms of exposure. I do live in a dry low humididty enviroment and staying hydrated is very important just like being in a low elevation but high heat high humidity area. Lakes and ponds are around of course but are sparse in some areas or are hard and icelated to get too. Streams and rivers are more common, with intermitant seasonal small streams being even more accesible and avalible in my AO during most of the year. So the idea of emergency water packets are a solid idea, and are typically small enough and durable enough to work well for are needs. I knowing my personal life experiances and going into the field for any reason if just even for half a day of easy work I would carry a minimum of 2 liters of H2o. If I am not easily able to replenish water where I am going. I would make available at least 2 more liters of water. Less is not more when discussing water or staying hydrated is concerned. On a planned operation of several days or more. I would carry 2 to 5 liters of water depending on the replenishment of water in the area and when I could utilize my water filtration system. So again no matter how you look at it the idea of having a small emergency reserve of water as Trigger is saying. Its a great idea worth serious consideration.
Double Bravo Out!
"The Second Amendment is Homeland Defense" |
|||
|
|
||||
|
sefus |
#4 | |||
|
Operator Posts: 1539 06/23/09 16:46:35 Moderator |
Through back packing I learned how much water I need on a warm day going about 10 miles in with a 60 pound pack on. At the end of each day through route
planning and selection, I knew I would be at a spot to resupply. Alot of that has carried over for me in patrolling. If i were to give advice to someone
starting out, I'd say load up alot, like 4 canteens at least, ruck up, and at the end of the day see how much you have left. Do that a few times and you
will start to see what your intake will be.
Only thing about a solar still is that it is a SLOW process and you will get more dehydrated making one than what the marginal output will be. Plus in a patrol setting it is a big "here I am" footprint out in the open that you have to either stick around or come back to. Not great SOP. I advocate a bottle of water in a active shooter/go bag (not a BOB) because of those throat goes instantly dry moments. along with the ability to wash crap out of your eyes/face/wounds. -Sefus
--- If you have to fire your weapon, you've failed.
Last Edited By: sefus 06/23/09 20:34:34.
Edited 2 times.
|
|||
|
|
||||
|
red079 |
#5 | |||
|
Bone Head Posts: 43 06/23/09 16:54:58 PFC |
That high desert is a rough country, I did some growing up in the high desert in eastern CA almost on the border of Oregon, water sources are few and far
between there. During the summer there I could see taking as much water as you could carry if you were on patrol for more than a day. As a kid I would hike all
day through the juniper and sage and not carry that much water, but I was also a kid and immortal back then. I remember in the summer sometimes it froze at
night up there.
That high desert is unforgiving. I wouldnt suggest having the bare minimum to someone going out in a harsh terrain, rather I would suggest having more than you could possibly need for the time you were going. Just because you dont plan on building a fire doesnt mean you shouldnt have the capability to build one. I went on a quasi patrol with a buddy last year, very light weight and simple. He is a stubborn guy. I brought a sleeping bag and he brought a bedroll. I suggested he bring a sleeping bag, he said he would be fine. I suggested we camp on a flat area almost atop of a hill, he said, no, lets camp by a creek so we are close to water. I told him it would be colder there but he insisted. We didnt plan on building a fire during the patrol. I woke up at 0100 and he was building a fire. he said he was freezing, I was comfortable. Knowing your enviornment is very important, different enviornments mean different survival methods. I am lucky to have an AO like mine. Good Post Big Boar |
|||
|
|
||||
|
Klick |
#6 | |||
|
Posts: 3650 06/24/09 01:10:03 FORUM ADMINISTRATOR |
I can get along on a whole day patrol with only one canteen or quart of water, but I think it's smarter to take two, and drink one up fairly early on, and
then go easy on the second one. In very hot weather, or when on a solar death march a gallon of water, and a gator-aid, or a ice-tea seems to be my
requirement. I drink the gatoraid, or any simular "sport drink" first. Of course it goes without saying that if you can replenish your canteens with
your water-filter, then do that and drink more water. I've also found that even though I can get by with one canteen, as the Sefus mentions, you may need
water for other reasons besides drinking.
One tin of sardines and a granola bar, or power bar, will get me through the night, and weighs very little, but "seems" like a real dinner. I always carry that for emergency rations, even if I just "plan" to be out for an hour or so. I normally plan to "cold camp", and use food that does not need to be cooked. However, in colder temps hot food is a really good moral booster, and sometimes it is worth it to cook something up. However, one should not be dependent on cooking one's food, or plan on it. Packing rice, and then finding that you do not have the security to cook it can be a bummer. When you find yourself on an unexpected over-nighter, and don't ask me how I know this, but what one craves more than food is a hot drink, such as coffee or tea, or hot chocolate. Never go into the field without your favorite hot drink, and a trioxene bar tucked away. Weight and bulk, about zero...boost in moral...priceless! Don't forget those little packets of suger and creamer...if that's the way you like it. It takes some practice and experimentation to find the minimum gear which you can sleep in, within certain temperature ranges. It's not a guessing game. Then you must know what the temps will likely be when you hit the field. The good old back yard, and a thermometer works great for this. If you make a bad guess in the back yard, you can go in the house and upgrade your gear. Can't do that in the field. Be sure to keep notes. You might be surprised how low you can go without a sleeping bag, if your clothes and other gear are well thought out, and you've experimented with it. You certainly just can't just go out without a bag, and expect to be comfortable. Nutrition plays a part in how well you can absorb water, and our medical persons probably know about that. But if you don't pay attention to what you eat when on the march, your cells won't absorb the water like they should. Even if you can patrol all day without eating much, you should order yourself to eat, even if you don't want to. !!! 
The PRECIOUS does MY talking!!
|
|||
|
|
||||
|
Garand69 |
#7 | |||
|
Operator Posts: 3405 06/30/09 09:12:40 Moderator |
A packet of water in your 1st line gear wouldn't be a bad idea, though I wonder how durable such a thing may be. I go with way more water than I used to,
and depending on the mission bring my Katydin Hiker Pro Filter with me as well. We have plenty of water in my AO, unfortunatley it is always downstream from a
sewage treatment plant!
I like to go with at a minimum my 100oz Blackhawk Hydrastorm. This is perfect in my AO because it does not draw any attention Maximum I go with the 100oz hydrastorm, a 1qt usgi on my LBE and a 2qt usgi on my pack for 196oz total plus my filter
Garand69
If not now, when????? http://www.freewebs.com/garand69/ Building a better America, one Rifleman at a time!  Redwings [don't really] suck!!!! 
|
|||
|
|
||||
|
glocker21 |
Filtration and then purification | #8 | ||
|
Scout Posts: 109 07/04/09 22:30:14 |
I run all water in the field through a MSR Sweetwater filter then MSR Miox unit. MIOX batteries are rechargable with solar recharger unit. Batteries last wuite
a long time. If the original water is very brackish prior to the first two steps I finalize purification (belt and suspenders kinda guy) woth boiling if the
situation dictates.
"Invictus" by William Ernest Henley Out of the night that covers me,
In the fell clutch of circumstance
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
It matters not how strait the gate,
|
|||
|
|
||||
Add Reply
- FORUM RULES
- General Discussion
- Pic Post
- KISSATA
- SITREPS / ALERTS
- Communications
- Gear & Equipment
- KISSATA Vehicle/BOV
- KISSATA LINKS
- Appleseed
- Training Issues
- Literature
- Marksmanship
- Field Hospital
- Survival
- Tactical History
- M1 Garand Forum
- AK / SKS
- AR-15 / M-4 Rifle Family
- Milsurp Semi-Auto Rifles
- Scout Rifles
- Sporting Arms
- Handguns
- The Ammo Dump
- Fitness
- knives
- Announcements
- Classifieds
- Archives
- Skully's Boneyard
