Part I - Nomenclature
Part 2 - Testing
Happy Hiking!
GOBLIN RANGER
[Bushcraft Woods Devil]
Sunday, June 18, 2017
"The School of Hard Knocks"...a hike gone bad.
Some of the best lessons in life are the tough ones...."The School of Hard Knocks" as some folks call it. I had a hike yesterday that became dangerous, and I have been pondering it and thought I would share some learning points. To begin, here is what happened:
I had attended a public hike put on by a local organization. I was familiar with the trail, Reservoir Canyon, and have hiked it before. Last time was I think 2013, so I was 5 years younger. The group was good sized, maybe 18 people of varying ages, and it went well. We hiked, I don't know, maybe 2-2.5 miles to the Hermit's Cabin and the group took a break and some photos.
I was humping a 17# pack, 4 lbs. of which was water, and had a full hydration bladder in my pack when I started the hike. Halfway through, I still had a good amount in it and a quart USGI canteen reserve, but I was about to learn it wasn't going to be enough.
The hike leader decided it was too hot to do the loop and announced we'd be going back down the way we'd came, but that people were free to go on if they wished. I chatted up another hiker, an athletic younger male, and he seemed interested and had familiarity with the trail from having done some work on it. Three women indicated they wished to go along...a young woman in her 20's and 2 middle-aged women. We were agreed to do the full loop, which I think was 6 miles, not sure.
The hike leader queried us if everyone had or needed extra water. I felt I had enough for my needs but was unaware of the others water on hand.
We splintered off and kept going up the trail. It was going to top out at 1300', was steep inclined, rough, rock strewn, and sun exposed. It made for very hard hiking and I started pulling heavy on my bladder. I was completely surprised when it went dry well before the top.
I tried to eat some power bars. I could barely eat them; my mouth was dry and I was mildly nauseous, but forced myself to keep chewing and they gave me a boost and I avoided blacking out, which was definitely coming on. I know this because it has happened to me twice before during hard exertion and I recognize it. Not diabetic...just not taking enough calories to sustain the activity.
The water in my steel canteen had been heated by the sun and was like hot tea. One of the women, heavyset and middle-aged, kept asking me to share my water and I was shocked when she passed my canteen back empty...she'd drained it...I was now out of water with at least 2 miles of hard trail to go.
The last 1-2 miles was horrible. I was so dehydrated I had stopped sweating and was getting chills. I realized I was probably heading for heat exhaustion....all I could think of was GET TO THE CREEK! Just kept putting one foot IFO the other.
By this time, the medical woman and other man were up behind me...I caught glimpses of them for awhile and then never saw them again. The younger woman had run on ahead, and the other woman that had drained my canteen was somewhat behind me.
I literally had started to stumble and trip down the trail, Several times I had to negotiate tricky rocks and went slow because I knew I could get hurt if not very careful. Finally I broke into the canyon's Oak cover and could hear the stream in the distance and knew I was all right.
After about 5-10 minutes I became aware the younger woman was sitting below the falls just watching me. She appeared amused and I have to admit, I probably was a funny sight sitting clothed in the stream dumping water on myself. More's the point, I was so confused my situational awareness had crapped out.
The woman that drained my canteen came in behind me and I think she might've drank from the stream, but not sure. The three of us waited at the falls but the other two of our group never showed. I had last seen them behind me, moving pretty slow. We waited for an hour but they never appeared. I was concerned but had seen both with cell phones and service was good so I was not too worried, knowing they could call for help.
I called a friend on the local Search & Rescue team and he notified the SAR on-call coordinator, who called me direct. I explained the circs and he said check the p-lot, thinking they might've skirted around us. We did and they were not there. I notified him and he suggested I call SLOSO Dispatch and they would do a call-out, and they could request a CHP fly-over. I said I would first call the hike leader whom I knew had a roster with phone numbers and could check on the overdue hikers.
1.) Eat sufficient calories before a hike; take additional calories along the trail...you are burning calories whether you feel it or not. You will when you "hit the wall" and by then it is too late.
2.) Don't underestimate heat. It can really sneak up and surprise you.
3.) Don't overestimate your abilities as a hiker. Nature is a bigger badass than you will ever be.
4.) Electrolyte beans would've been very handy to have. Pretty sure my heart was working harder pumping sludgy blood as my body robbed my bloodstream for water.
5.) Accept/realize bad things can happen even on a front country hike...you don't have to be in the sticks to become incapacitated
6.) Make sure the people you are hiking with have more than adequate water for their needs. I know the other male was providing water from his bladder and last I knew he was down to half a liter.
7.) Have names/phone numbers for the people you hike with; carry some 3x5 cards and distribute to all in case you get separated.
8.) Stay together as a group. Pretty sure if I was not thinking clearly, at least a couple of the others were struggling too.
9.) Listen to others. For just a moment, I'd pondered going down with the group. The hike leader made a good call and I should've deferred to his judgment.
Anyways, just a few thoughts, which I thought I'd pass on.
Happy Hiking!
GOBLIN RANGER
[Bushcraft Woods Devil]
I had attended a public hike put on by a local organization. I was familiar with the trail, Reservoir Canyon, and have hiked it before. Last time was I think 2013, so I was 5 years younger. The group was good sized, maybe 18 people of varying ages, and it went well. We hiked, I don't know, maybe 2-2.5 miles to the Hermit's Cabin and the group took a break and some photos.
Lord's Candle - Yucca
'
I had noted an elderly couple that wasn't taking sufficient water. They had a pack with two 1 Liter bottles, one for each of them, in side pockets, no apparent bladder. They appeared to be struggling. It was a very warm day, and getting hotter. I would guess upper 80's at that time. When we got to the Hermit's Cabin I advised the hike leader of my observation and it seems the whole group was ready to go back down.
I was humping a 17# pack, 4 lbs. of which was water, and had a full hydration bladder in my pack when I started the hike. Halfway through, I still had a good amount in it and a quart USGI canteen reserve, but I was about to learn it wasn't going to be enough.
The hike leader decided it was too hot to do the loop and announced we'd be going back down the way we'd came, but that people were free to go on if they wished. I chatted up another hiker, an athletic younger male, and he seemed interested and had familiarity with the trail from having done some work on it. Three women indicated they wished to go along...a young woman in her 20's and 2 middle-aged women. We were agreed to do the full loop, which I think was 6 miles, not sure.
The hike leader queried us if everyone had or needed extra water. I felt I had enough for my needs but was unaware of the others water on hand.
We splintered off and kept going up the trail. It was going to top out at 1300', was steep inclined, rough, rock strewn, and sun exposed. It made for very hard hiking and I started pulling heavy on my bladder. I was completely surprised when it went dry well before the top.
At that time, the group had spread out. Two younger, fitter persons had gone on ahead. Another woman was between us and I was hiking with a trim, athletic, woman about my age, and she was a medical professional. It was taking forever to get to the top. I don't know, maybe she sensed I was struggling. It was then I realized I felt myself running out of blood sugar. I'd had a banana and a roll before the hike...not enough for the arduous hiking I was doing.
I tried to eat some power bars. I could barely eat them; my mouth was dry and I was mildly nauseous, but forced myself to keep chewing and they gave me a boost and I avoided blacking out, which was definitely coming on. I know this because it has happened to me twice before during hard exertion and I recognize it. Not diabetic...just not taking enough calories to sustain the activity.
The view from the top
We reached the top and enjoyed a small break and some cooler breezes for a little while. We started down and on the downhill, which was equally hot and rough, some of our group began to run out of water. I think the three women hikers only had small half liter bottles.
The water in my steel canteen had been heated by the sun and was like hot tea. One of the women, heavyset and middle-aged, kept asking me to share my water and I was shocked when she passed my canteen back empty...she'd drained it...I was now out of water with at least 2 miles of hard trail to go.
The last 1-2 miles was horrible. I was so dehydrated I had stopped sweating and was getting chills. I realized I was probably heading for heat exhaustion....all I could think of was GET TO THE CREEK! Just kept putting one foot IFO the other.
By this time, the medical woman and other man were up behind me...I caught glimpses of them for awhile and then never saw them again. The younger woman had run on ahead, and the other woman that had drained my canteen was somewhat behind me.
I literally had started to stumble and trip down the trail, Several times I had to negotiate tricky rocks and went slow because I knew I could get hurt if not very careful. Finally I broke into the canyon's Oak cover and could hear the stream in the distance and knew I was all right.
FRONTIER Survival Straw
When I got near the stream I dropped my pack, broke out the FRONTIER survival straw I carry and sat in the stream and began dumping water over my head. I cared not a whit about getting soaked. Then I started drinking through the survival straw until I was sick of water. It wouldn't fit my canteens small mouth, and I didn't have a cup, so I cupped my hand and drank from it.
After about 5-10 minutes I became aware the younger woman was sitting below the falls just watching me. She appeared amused and I have to admit, I probably was a funny sight sitting clothed in the stream dumping water on myself. More's the point, I was so confused my situational awareness had crapped out.
The woman that drained my canteen came in behind me and I think she might've drank from the stream, but not sure. The three of us waited at the falls but the other two of our group never showed. I had last seen them behind me, moving pretty slow. We waited for an hour but they never appeared. I was concerned but had seen both with cell phones and service was good so I was not too worried, knowing they could call for help.
I called a friend on the local Search & Rescue team and he notified the SAR on-call coordinator, who called me direct. I explained the circs and he said check the p-lot, thinking they might've skirted around us. We did and they were not there. I notified him and he suggested I call SLOSO Dispatch and they would do a call-out, and they could request a CHP fly-over. I said I would first call the hike leader whom I knew had a roster with phone numbers and could check on the overdue hikers.
Tough terrain
At that point, the bizarre happened and I dropped my cellphone and broke it when I needed it most. Unable to communicate, I went home and e-mailed the hike leader who responded and made contact with the 2 hikers and advised me they'd made it down the mountain safely, to my great relief.
This was the first time I've ever run completely out of water on a hike and it was a real horrible learning experience. Learning points?
1.) Eat sufficient calories before a hike; take additional calories along the trail...you are burning calories whether you feel it or not. You will when you "hit the wall" and by then it is too late.
2.) Don't underestimate heat. It can really sneak up and surprise you.
3.) Don't overestimate your abilities as a hiker. Nature is a bigger badass than you will ever be.
4.) Electrolyte beans would've been very handy to have. Pretty sure my heart was working harder pumping sludgy blood as my body robbed my bloodstream for water.
5.) Accept/realize bad things can happen even on a front country hike...you don't have to be in the sticks to become incapacitated
6.) Make sure the people you are hiking with have more than adequate water for their needs. I know the other male was providing water from his bladder and last I knew he was down to half a liter.
7.) Have names/phone numbers for the people you hike with; carry some 3x5 cards and distribute to all in case you get separated.
8.) Stay together as a group. Pretty sure if I was not thinking clearly, at least a couple of the others were struggling too.
9.) Listen to others. For just a moment, I'd pondered going down with the group. The hike leader made a good call and I should've deferred to his judgment.
Anyways, just a few thoughts, which I thought I'd pass on.
Happy Hiking!
GOBLIN RANGER
[Bushcraft Woods Devil]
Thursday, June 1, 2017
"Pass-Around" - Testing the 5ive Star gear T1 Survival Knife
I had coffee with my friend, Jason [Tactical-Bushcrafter] last night and he showed me a 5ive Star Gear T1 survival knife. Jason said he was considering including it in a line of survival kits he is assembling and preparing to market online. He said it is priced below $20.00 USD and seems to be a decent inexpensive knife.
Jason passed the knife to me and asked me to test the knife. "Abuse it", he said, so I took it home.
First examination revealed the cutting edge had a typical factory grind. I spent about an hour tuning it up on my stones and it delivered a nice edge. A lot of people don't like 420, but 420 stainless is easy to sharpen and maintain. It won't hold an edge too long, but the rust resistance and easy sharpening aspects make the steel attractive to me. My opinion is 1.) You need to develop knife sharpening skills and, 2.) if it is too hard a steel, you won't be able to sharpen afield which does you no good. It never ceases to amaze me people who purchase knives but won't learn to sharpen them.
Blade profile is a kind of wedge tipped drop point. The blade is 3/16" thick and the tip looks strong. There is traction jimping on the spine. The handle is skeletal and has lashing point for fashioning a spear, something I would never do. I would suggest making a thrusting spear as a walking stick and defensive and/or hunting tool. Can't imagine anything that would be worse than seeing a wild animal run off, wounded, with your knife in it's side...goodbye knife, goodbye meal.
The sheath is soft nylon, and the snap closure is very hard to engage. I added a paracord loop with a cord-loc to trap the knife in the sheath so it would be less likely to fall out and become lost. I think I would only carry this set up in a pack and not on my belt for safety and security. At the price point, it's not worth commissioning a Kydex sheath unless you can make your own.
To test the T1, I tried chopping, batoning and carving various woods including Oak and Eucalyptus. I had some dry, hard nasty pieces on hand and the t1 did a good job of making camp wood of them. I tried prying the tip and it did not snap or bend. I found no chipping or deformation of the cutting edge at the end of the testing. The edge carved satisfactorily, making curls and a tent stake. the knife has a Titanium coated finish which seems to be holding up well to wear and tear.
Overall, I was pleased and would say this is a fine choice for a number of applications: as a trainer for the person new to bushcraft; a good B.S.A. Scout fixed blade; a good choice for a trail hiker's day pack; a good Bugout kit knife; a great knife for the person on a limited budget or seeking a quality knife at an inexpensive knife. Sheath and whistle/ferro rod issues aside, I'd say the knife is a fine blade for the money.
Anyway, enough chatter...here's my video testing the T-1 to see what it can do:
Also, here is Tactical Bushcrafter's T1 testing video:
5ive Star Gear T1 Survival Knife
The T1 is a paracord-handled skeletal knife, constructed of 420 stainless steel and having a 3.25" blade and an overall length just under 8". It comes with a nylon sheath and the whole package weighs under 6 oz. Jason said it has about 5' of paracord wrap on the handle and came with a ferro rod set into a whistle handle. On the downside, he said the plastic whistle handle broke and the ferro rod fell out the first time he used it.
Jason passed the knife to me and asked me to test the knife. "Abuse it", he said, so I took it home.
First examination revealed the cutting edge had a typical factory grind. I spent about an hour tuning it up on my stones and it delivered a nice edge. A lot of people don't like 420, but 420 stainless is easy to sharpen and maintain. It won't hold an edge too long, but the rust resistance and easy sharpening aspects make the steel attractive to me. My opinion is 1.) You need to develop knife sharpening skills and, 2.) if it is too hard a steel, you won't be able to sharpen afield which does you no good. It never ceases to amaze me people who purchase knives but won't learn to sharpen them.
Blade profile is a kind of wedge tipped drop point. The blade is 3/16" thick and the tip looks strong. There is traction jimping on the spine. The handle is skeletal and has lashing point for fashioning a spear, something I would never do. I would suggest making a thrusting spear as a walking stick and defensive and/or hunting tool. Can't imagine anything that would be worse than seeing a wild animal run off, wounded, with your knife in it's side...goodbye knife, goodbye meal.
The sheath is soft nylon, and the snap closure is very hard to engage. I added a paracord loop with a cord-loc to trap the knife in the sheath so it would be less likely to fall out and become lost. I think I would only carry this set up in a pack and not on my belt for safety and security. At the price point, it's not worth commissioning a Kydex sheath unless you can make your own.
To test the T1, I tried chopping, batoning and carving various woods including Oak and Eucalyptus. I had some dry, hard nasty pieces on hand and the t1 did a good job of making camp wood of them. I tried prying the tip and it did not snap or bend. I found no chipping or deformation of the cutting edge at the end of the testing. The edge carved satisfactorily, making curls and a tent stake. the knife has a Titanium coated finish which seems to be holding up well to wear and tear.
Overall, I was pleased and would say this is a fine choice for a number of applications: as a trainer for the person new to bushcraft; a good B.S.A. Scout fixed blade; a good choice for a trail hiker's day pack; a good Bugout kit knife; a great knife for the person on a limited budget or seeking a quality knife at an inexpensive knife. Sheath and whistle/ferro rod issues aside, I'd say the knife is a fine blade for the money.
Anyway, enough chatter...here's my video testing the T-1 to see what it can do:
Also, here is Tactical Bushcrafter's T1 testing video:
Happy Hiking!
GOBLIN RANGER
[Bushcraft Woods Devil]
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)