// sec_iii
gear_analysis
kit reviewed against three criteria: does it work when wet, when frozen, and after being dropped. retail copy is filtered out. ratings → S (carry no matter what), A (carry if room), B (situational).
C1 [S] BLADE
Mora Companion Heavy Duty
carbon, ~$20, sharpens on a river stone. field standard.
C2 [S] WATER
Sawyer Squeeze
0.1µ hollow_fiber. bacteria + protozoa, NOT virus, NOT chem.
C3 [A] FIRE
Bic + ferro rod (2 of each)
lighter dies in cold. ferro doesn't. carry both.
C4 [A] LIGHT
Nitecore NU25 / E03R
USB-C headlamp + handheld. red mode preserves night vision.
C5 [B] POWER
20W folding panel + 10k bank
charges a phone in 2 hrs of clear sun. useful, not magic.
C6 [S] MED
CAT TQ + IFAK
real tourniquet, not Amazon counterfeit. take a Stop The Bleed class.
C7 [B] COMMS
BaoFeng UV-5R (licensed) / FRS pair
range overhyped. ~1mi reliable urban. train before you need it.
C8 [B] FOOD
Mountain House + Mainstay bars
30+ yr shelf. boring. beats not_eating by a wide margin.
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