Survival Gear: On sled or on person?

[Wilk INStheWEST]

Then I probably wouldn't get it. I think it's going to be amazing. Because it's a vest, it makes it so the back pack is basically a part of you which is amazing. I can't believe how comfy it is. I like it because it will help me be warm (I'm always cold, lol), but I was told most guys don't like it because it makes them too hot. If you want to know 100% for sure if it will work for you or make you too hot you should see if any of the rental companies rent one and get it for the day. Then you'd know for sure.

Good idea. I'll look in to that.

 

[~Rowdy~]

that is a lot of crap in your pack

what are the circumstances where you would be separated from your sled and have to spend the night alone ? you can't possibly get THAT lost from your group, or at least you shouldn't...

If everyone has to hunker down due to a storm then you will be with your sleds, if one person loses a sled to the abyss im sure your friends will give you a ride back . .if not you need new friends

There's a lot of circumstances where you could be separated from your sled. Not saying you'd be alone, but I don't like to count on other people having the proper survival gear on their sleds to help me survive a night in the back country.

I had a friend dart off the trail coming down at the end of the day when it was already getting dark to go play (yes...stupid move) and he was lucky the guy behind him followed him because his sled ended up 20ft down in a creek hole. There was so much snow and the pitch was too steep that they had to leave the other sled and start walking...well they were lucky at about 2 am they came across the trail and the groomer was just coming up. But had they decided to stay with the one guys sled, they would have needed survival gear.

 

[SidewaysInto3rd]

There's a lot of circumstances where you could be separated from your sled. Not saying you'd be alone, but I don't like to count on other people having the proper survival gear on their sleds to help me survive a night in the back country.

I had a friend dart off the trail coming down at the end of the day when it was already getting dark to go play (yes...stupid move) and he was lucky the guy behind him followed him because his sled ended up 20ft down in a creek hole. There was so much snow and the pitch was too steep that they had to leave the other sled and start walking...well they were lucky at about 2 am they came across the trail and the groomer was just coming up. But had they decided to stay with the one guys sled, they would have needed survival gear.

so they put 2 sleds in a creek ? good lord, if you are the type of person who would pull moves like that you are already in trouble and probably don't think about having survival gear. if one person puts sled in a creek and buddy is right there to rescue him, why walk back or spend the night? double on buddy's sled and come for yours the next day

I do see your point, but just saying that carrying ALL survival gear in your pack is overkill and you should never put yourself in that situation. Kinda like you should never have 2 people high marking the same face.

 

[Beels]

that is a lot of crap in your pack

what are the circumstances where you would be separated from your sled and have to spend the night alone ? you can't possibly get THAT lost from your group, or at least you shouldn't...

If everyone has to hunker down due to a storm then you will be with your sleds, if one person loses a sled to the abyss im sure your friends will give you a ride back . .if not you need new friends

I completely agree with you. I carry enough between my sled and pack that I'll be able to stay the night. I know best practice is to keep everything on your person, but that's not really necessary for people that ride in groups. That said, I'm pretty selective of who I ride with. When I first started riding out west, I rode with a few people that I quickly learned I couldn't trust in the backcountry. The main people I ride with, we've been through a lot and have proved over and over that we can deal with nearly anything we can have thrown at us.

 

[~Rowdy~]

so they put 2 sleds in a creek ? good lord, if you are the type of person who would pull moves like that you are already in trouble and probably don't think about having survival gear. if one person puts sled in a creek and buddy is right there to rescue him, why walk back or spend the night? double on buddy's sled and come for yours the next day

I do see your point, but just saying that carrying ALL survival gear in your pack is overkill and you should never put yourself in that situation. Kinda like you should never have 2 people high marking the same face.

haha you didn't read what I wrote. One sled in creek, and there was NO WAY with the amount of snow fall, and pitch of the slope they were able to turn the other sled around to try and get out. Trying to go down in the dark not knowing where you are would have been a dumb idea too. And like I said in my post, stupid move to dart off the trail when it's getting dark and you are heading out for the day.

I'm trying to figure out what to carry on my back and what to carry on the sled. I think carrying the survival gear in the pack is good and anything for comfort would be on the sled Or split it half and half.

 

[Beels]

There's a lot of circumstances where you could be separated from your sled. Not saying you'd be alone, but I don't like to count on other people having the proper survival gear on their sleds to help me survive a night in the back country.

I had a friend dart off the trail coming down at the end of the day when it was already getting dark to go play (yes...stupid move) and he was lucky the guy behind him followed him because his sled ended up 20ft down in a creek hole. There was so much snow and the pitch was too steep that they had to leave the other sled and start walking...well they were lucky at about 2 am they came across the trail and the groomer was just coming up. But had they decided to stay with the one guys sled, they would have needed survival gear.

You need to find smarter people to ride with.

 

[~Rowdy~]

I completely agree with you. I carry enough between my sled and pack that I'll be able to stay the night. I know best practice is to keep everything on your person, but that's not really necessary for people that ride in groups. That said, I'm pretty selective of who I ride with. When I first started riding out west, I rode with a few people that I quickly learned I couldn't trust in the backcountry. The main people I ride with, we've been through a lot and have proved over and over that we can deal with nearly anything we can have thrown at us.

I'd agree with that. I've gotten more selective of who I ride with too. There's certain people I have a hard time saying yes to riding with because every time I have been close to spending a night in the back country it's with these certain people.

Choosing your group is important.

 

[~Rowdy~]

You need to find smarter people to ride with.

I wasn't with them and haven't rode with the guy that darted off since my first year riding

 

[moyiesledhead]

Like Jan mentioned we carry part of the gear on our sleds and part on our sleds.

Soooooooo.....all of it on your sleds? (Brain cramp!) Can't believe I'm the first to notice this!

 

[moyiesledhead]

Not saying you'd be alone, but I don't like to count on other people having the proper survival gear on their sleds to help me survive a night in the back country.

Good on ya. My daughter, sister, and nephew were out riding without me 2 winters ago and ran into problems. Two sleds stuck where they shouldn't have been, wayyy too far away from home late in the day with the only one left useable, no room for 3 riders, very cold weather, and no survival gear. They'd always relied on me having it. A very cold & dark couple of hours for my sister waiting in the bush for someone to come back and get her after the other 2 got out on the sled.

Needlesss to say, they all carry at least 3 ways to start a fire among the other survival gear I make them carry now. Some lessons are learned the hard way.

 

[lewey]

better to have the gear and hopefully never need it. would be nice to see the manufacturers add/make room for 50-100' of rope under the seat and a few other items as well. if people are that worried about 20lbs of weight on their sled they're an idiot imo. 30lbs of gear is gonna do ch!t at the end of the day but it could save your life, or the lives of others. sleds can get you a long damn way from help. if you're worried about an extra 20ft on a hillclimb you're a wanker, lol. i always carry a bullsh#t amount of stuff and would like to try and take a little less, but i do see way too many people way the hell out there with nothing for gear. lunch and 5L pack with a shovel and probes. that's it. be nice to hear what everyone else takes for safety gear, and yes i'm sure there are plenty of threads already

 

[Kavaleen]

Rowdy check ZacsTracs website's on line store they carry the pencil flares and can be picked up in Calgary or Edmonton or at any of their upcoming AST1 Classes.

 

[moyiesledhead]

better to have the gear and hopefully never need it.

I agree. You can't see my tunnel for all the stuff I have tied to it, but chances are if you need it, I've got it. People laugh at my snowshoes.....till they try walking beside me in the snow without them. Most of them carry snowshoes now too.

 

[~Rowdy~]

I agree. You can't see my tunnel for all the stuff I have tied to it, but chances are if you need it, I've got it. People laugh at my snowshoes.....till they try walking beside me in the snow without them. Most of them carry snowshoes now too.

Snowshoes...good idea. haha you do carry a lot of stuff on your sled. Not sure I'd carry them however. I guess there becomes a time where you have to ask, when do I have enough stuff, and where do you stop.

 

[moyiesledhead]

Snowshoes...good idea. haha you do carry a lot of stuff on your sled. Not sure I'd carry them however. I guess there becomes a time where you have to ask, when do I have enough stuff, and where do you stop.

I probably use my snowshoes more than anything else I carry. Wayyyyyy easier to get to stuck buddies than wading through the deep. And lots of times they manage to get it out themselves while they're wating for me to get my snowshoes on. Bonus!

 

[Trax 2 Treadz]

Soooooooo.....all of it on your sleds? (Brain cramp!) Can't believe I'm the first to notice this!

Fixed for you, hate to cramp your brain...lol

 

[SidewaysInto3rd]

be nice to hear what everyone else takes for safety gear

Tampons .. lots of tampons .. for those "heavy days"

 

[SidewaysInto3rd]

snowshoes are too slow . i prefer ski's and skins

I prefer my jet pack personally

too bad my teleporter is too heavy for my sled

 

[Wilk INStheWEST]

Tampons .. lots of tampons .. for those "heavy days"

I always make sure I have at least 1 tampon in my survival gear at all times. Best fire starter out there!

 

[senorjeem]

Keep in mind that an amazing amount of shock is absorbed by your legs when you ride (as evidenced by how smooth most GoPro vids are) The stuff on your sled is gonna take a pounding, so make sure that it is packed properly or when you need it, it's either not gonna function or it will be full of holes etc. Anything fragile should be in your pak. On the other hand, if you have the following limited items, you could be comfy through the night.
1. Your handy dandy 80 MPH lighter
2. Space blanket (very compact
3. Saw
4. Spare gloves, sweater, maybe socks (more critical to have quality outer gear and layers to begin with)
5. Your pen flare or other signalling device.
6. Small snacks and water. (Small metal cup to melt snow in instead of extra water would weigh less)

All that stuff doesn't weigh squat, and doesn't take up a ton of room.