Thought Experiment: Your Long Dark Survival Kit

[ElSuperGecko]

I remember seeing a YouTube video along these lines during lockdown, and thought it might be a fun little challenge.

You have $250 of Amazon vouchers - what would you spend it on to maximise (or prolong) your chances of survival during The Long Dark?

Waterproof hiking boots?  Sleeping bag?  Cooking/firelighting equipment?  Survival tools?  Climbing gear?

You can't go over this budget - what would you buy, and why?

[Valuable Hunting Knife]

interesting question- are we limited to items that appear in the game?

[ElSuperGecko]

23 minutes ago, Valuable Hunting Knife said:

interesting question- are we limited to items that appear in the game?

No, anything you think will help your chances of survival in a real-life equivalent scenario!

[Leeanda]

Do Amazon sell firearms in the US?  They don't here lol..

[Valuable Hunting Knife]

50 minutes ago, Leeanda said:

Do Amazon sell firearms in the US?  They don't here lol..

'Guns for show, knives for a pro'

[I_eat_only_wolf_meat]

45 minutes ago, Leeanda said:

Do Amazon sell firearms in the US?  They don't here lol..

Haha, no.  Our gun laws are extremely lax, but not that bad (yet).  Amazon would need to ship to a federally licensed dealer where a background check could be initiated.

However, in my state New Hampshire, it's possible to legally purchase guns at a flea market, because private sales between citizens are not restricted.  I bought a shotgun maybe ten years ago in that way.  Very inexpensive.

If it was up to me, I'd require a criminal and mental health background check for all sales public or private.

[Valuable Hunting Knife]

ok, I've had a go at this.  I've assumed clothing, food, teabags (very important) and a decent backpack is already sorted as no one in their right mind would enter a survival situation without them.  I've also stuck to £s rather than $s as life's too short for currency conversion:

DD 3x3 tarp £44.99

Hultafors all purpose knife £8.37 *

sharpal sharpener with built in firestarter 10.99*

92 pc 1^st aid kit with foil blanket £9.99

Asark lightweight 4 season sleeping bag £19.99

Bahco Laplander saw £21.99

Aluminium backed sleep mat £10.99

15m of paracord £7.99

Nikou lightweight twig stove £15.79

450 ml titanium camping cup with folding handle and lid £19.99

Compass £4.59

1l water bottle £7.99

pack of 4 flares £29.99

Pack of tinder card £7.99

wind up torch £5.70

Bushcraft fishing kit £4.49

2l sealed food storage container £3.49

Hunting slingshot £8.98

Clawhammer £4.84

£249.14

 

* I would have gone for a Morakniv spark but doesn't seem to be on Amazon

 

I really wanted a hot tent with stove, but that would've broke the budget.  Pretty happy with that though for a first attempt- I can get out of the wind, hunker down at night, start a fire, cook, store food and water, cut wood, hunt, patch myself up, see at night and defend myself.  

 

 

 

[Leeanda]

1 minute ago, Valuable Hunting Knife said:

'Guns for show, knives for a pro'

Would a knife stop either a moose or bear though😁 

@I_eat_only_wolf_meatI think anywhere that sells guns  legally would have that problem...   .. I know we  have illegal ones here but whether they're smuggled in or made it's still a luckily minor problem ... But outside of army cadets ,a very long time ago,the only guns I've seen were very old muskets on display at my grandparents house...  

 

[Valuable Hunting Knife]

2 minutes ago, Leeanda said:

Would a knife stop either a moose or bear though😁 

@I_eat_only_wolf_meatI think anywhere that sells guns  legally would have that problem...   .. I know we  have illegal ones here but whether they're smuggled in or made it's still a luckily minor problem ... But outside of army cadets ,a very long time ago,the only guns I've seen were very old muskets on display at my grandparents house...  

 

A gun didn't on my current run 😄 still, nice to get a chance to check out the cheat death options...

[Leeanda]

1 minute ago, Valuable Hunting Knife said:

A gun didn't on my current run 😄 still, nice to get a chance to check out the cheat death options...

Ouch....  That sucks...   Better odds than a knife though...

I love cheat death, it's tough though..  so good luck with it👍

[ElSuperGecko]

@Valuable Hunting Knife - that's a really impressive list for a first attempt!  Seems like you've got most bases covered.  It's actually surprising how uch you can pack into that budget.

[Valuable Hunting Knife]

23 minutes ago, ElSuperGecko said:

@Valuable Hunting Knife - that's a really impressive list for a first attempt!  Seems like you've got most bases covered.  It's actually surprising how uch you can pack into that budget.

thanks- it was a great question! Wish I'd kept track of the weight though... 'I wonder if I can drop any of this gear'...

[conanjaguar]

5 hours ago, Valuable Hunting Knife said:

wind up torch £5.70

Great, now I've got Amnesia: The Bunker flashbacks .

[MarrowStone]

I think the most bang for your buck is only buying stuff youll always have on you all at once. I.E, clothing.

It'd suck to just drop in there and already be commited to a location due to too many things to carry.

A backpacking kit with a few tweaks for weather is probably ideal.