Quicksand Exploration Kit

[bigray55]

Hello my fellow sinkers or observers (like me), this is my first time posting ever so forgive me if this has ever been discussed but I'm looking to make a "survival kit" for lack of better terms while I go out exploring starting next spring. I'm prior military so I know what I would normally take with me into the unknown but I am curious what else I should take. My travel kit already has the basics (water, med kit, 550 paracord (25ft), entrenching tool, multi tool, grapple hook (don't know if I really need it), compass, knife, sidearm/ammo, protein bar, shirt/shorts. If anyone has any recommendations on things I should leave at home or things I should bring let me know. Thank you for your time.

[bogbud]

I don't know where you live and what you really want to do, but i have never needed anything from this list and i have done a lot of bog exploration.
The water is useful to clean your face in case you sink over your head but that's it.

Useful is a long and stable stick to probe the depth of possible spots and to give you some leverage when you want to get out.
Also bring a waterproof GPS-receiver to mark good areas.

[Nessie]

I took:

Stockingfoot Waders (for enjoying cold mud in cold weather, and I used to be good 'til the snow flew) with swim shoes, OR

Sinkwear (anything I wanted during warm weather)

Empty Coffee Can to skim water off the top of the marsh to wash myself off with (warm weather) because I detested the Mosquito Dive Bomb Zone between me and the cleanup creek (I only cleaned up models at the creek after I discovered I could shower with a can)

(Maybe) a change of clothing, depended on how presentably well the Sinkwear rinsed off

VERY IMPORTANT: One Monster Energy Drink, Lo-Carb and the very biggest can they make, to guzzle after sinking

Cell Phone (fliptop, not a smartphone, and powered down) just in case of the very worst, which never ever happened (powered down because my boss once called me in the middle of a miring once, very annoying! Why did I even answer that?)

Camera and tripod (even when not shooting, for landscape and critter shots, which is the truth and a cover story all at once)

All this stuff was in a backpack.

Most of my sink spots were half an hour, some less, to legal and free parking. I might have maxed out the walk distance at one location at 45 minutes.

A stick is a good idea, and I probably should have but mostly, I didn't. When I did have a stick, it was a hiking pole and it was used more for beating back underbrush on the way to mud than actually testing mud.

I did try using a compass for awhile, but mostly for exploring new areas, not for routine sinking trips or shoots. The places I sank at mostly had maps considerately posted at various spots on the trails. Actually, you could consider a GPS to augment your compass but actually, I'd recommend you explore first and then plan your sink trip later after you find something.

If you know exactly where you're going and how long it takes, you won't really need directions.

I would certainly adjust this list for different locations and situations. I packed rubbing alcohol for one mudpit. No, that's not a standard item for sinkers, but this certain place contained poison sumac and washing with rubbing alcohol neutralized the poison.

I did do more difficult mud with a friend who lived in a totally different state with totally different weather, but we still didn't have that much in actual survival gear besides carrying drinking water. It mostly just involved a much longer walk to parking that was a lot less convenient. I only sort of knew where we were, but he knew exactly, having done it a gazillion times...so I guess we weren't in any danger of getting lost.

Except for water, we didn't need to eat in the wild. We ate in restaurants.

Nessie

[quickman]

I don't think you need a gun

[Duncan Edwards]

Essentials for me are now water, pocket knife, iPhone, bug spray. Like so many things it just depends on your environment, comfort level, and how long you intend to be out. For most of us it's a day trip less than a few miles from transportation so not much is required. When you're working with someone else then things begin to increase by orders of magnitude.

Only time in the field that we felt the need to pack iron was in Chester. We were in the immediate area of an escaped psycho, the infamous Recindez Ramirez "Railway Killer" and Chuck Lang strapped on a Browning 9mm under the guise that he needed it for work while he was on call. One of the coolest things I ever saw Chuck do because he knew why he was carrying, I knew why he was carrying, but he didn't want to raise the tension level of anyone else there and spoil the fun. I have since then been in locations where it shouldn't be necessary but even then it was the barest minimum of 9mm pocket guns without even an extra clip. If it's just me I'm better off being faster than any potential bad guy. Furry critters have never been a threat. Bug life is your greatest adversary and that dictates 30% DEET insect repellent in a lot of places. Don't leave home without it.

Generally speaking just travel light - Water, knife, phone, skeeter repellent. Use your head and improvise anything else. Always have your head well stocked with plans in case something goes wrong. Where is...everything. Have excuses, escape and evasion plans, etc. All of that weighs little and has save me more crap than anything else.

[Fred588]

Here is my two cents, discounted to 1.8: While I am not a person who seeks natural qs or mud I have observed quite a bit over many years. From what knowledge I have I'd have to say the most important safety items would be a second person and a cell phone, with the latter properly protected. In all the years of work at Studio 588 I have only observed one instance in which someone needed assistance, and I know of one other instance elsewhere. Both involved becoming stuck to the point of needing help to get out of sand that had locked up, and, oddly, both cases involved the same person getting stuck and in both cases the sand was only shin deep. The most effective rescue tool was a shovel.

[Mynock]

I would add fire and a good 5-6 foot walking stick. Fire is one of those survival things you should never be without in the woods (even if you live a warm area) and the stick is great for probing muddy spots to test depth.

[drnooom]

Some thick socks can be handy when there are sticks and other objects in your mud hole. I cut my foot once and had to walk back to the car quite uncomfortably.

[bigray55]

I don't think you need a gun

True but I ran into some Satan worshippers one time out exploring with my cousin awhile ago when I was back on leave, we snuck away quickly but yea I understand your point.

[bigray55]

I don't know where you live and what you really want to do, but i have never needed anything from this list and i have done a lot of bog exploration.
The water is useful to clean your face in case you sink over your head but that's it.

Useful is a long and stable stick to probe the depth of possible spots and to give you some leverage when you want to get out.
Also bring a waterproof GPS-receiver to mark good areas.

Yea I'm sorry I wasn't more specific, I'm still in the planning phase of this plus I've got a good 2 to 3 months before everything will thaw out here. I live in the Midwest here in the States so it's very possible I won't find any spots worth mentioning. I honestly just want to explore and satisfy my curiosity, I know what I have listed is more than overkill so I will trim down what I take after I do some scouting first and see if there is anything out there first and go from there.