Exploration-s23w6/Backpack and tools

ghiasahmad (61)in #exploration-s23w6 • 4 days ago (edited)

Assalam-o-Alaikum!

I hope that all the visitors will be well. I discovered this contest about 3 days before this date. It was incredible for me to share thoughts about explorations and the necessary tools required to carry on expeditions. I would like to thank @karianaporras for organizing this contest. So, let's move to the questions.

^{Designed by Canve}

✅1. Show us at least 5 tools you would take outdoors and explain how you would use them in detail.

Tools play an important role while discovering or exploring. They not only help to discover the environment, but they also help to give protection, security, and shelter. Below are some tools that I think are most important to carry for explorations and must be part of any journey.

1. Cutting Tools

The cutting tools include knives, scissors and sharp cutters. Knives must be used to cut food, wood, and rope. They may also be used for carving tents, splitting wood, and digging purposes.

^{Sharp Tools}

Moreover, they must be used for hunting purposes. Knives are the most important tools to carry because of their importance in survival and protection. Similarly, a wire cutter can play the same role in cutting hard wires while building shelter and can save extra energy used in tasks.

Knives of different sizes and shapes have independent purposes. Each knife of a different shape helps to carry a unique function. For instance, a knife with a larger shape is more reliable for cutting twigs, branches, and wood. Knives of a smaller size are suitable for cutting food.

2. Fire Starter

I believe that a fire starter is the second most important tool to carry while exploring. It provides fire to cook food. Besides this, it is important for rescue purposes, providing life-saving warmth because hypothermia kills faster than hunger or thirst.

^{Portable Fire Stove}

Moreover, it may also be used for boiling water for drinking purposes because the water source of the exploration site may be contaminated with unsafe objects, making it harmful for drinking. Drinking boiled water eliminates this hazard. To eliminate all the mentioned hazards, a portable fire stove or fire starter is essential along with a suitable flaming source.

3. Shelter Tent

The third most important tool. A shelter tent is important to provide shelter if I am to stay on the exploration site for several nights. To fight environmental conditions, a shelter on an exploration site plays a vital role. It helps to stabilize core temperature and gives a site to turn back to a particular place after the whole day's exploration.

^{Shelter Tent}

Moreover, shelter may help to block natural elements like rain, snow, and wind.

4. Water Bottle (Clean Water System)

No doubt, dehydration kills in 3 to 4 days, but an unclean, contaminated water with bacteria and viruses can kill in hours. A temperature stabilizer water bottle is essential to store boiled water for safe drinking. Using this bottle along with suitable filters can provide safe water for drinking and can make

^{Water Bottle}

5. Paracord

A strong lightweight paracord providing help for building shelter, fishing, friction fire, gear repairing, tool making, first aid, and signaling with multiple benefits is the 5th essential tool taken by me on exploration. It almost helps to secure each tool during the whole journey.

^Paracord

6. First Aid Kit

While it is an exploration of a new place, any accident or injury may happen. A place unfamiliar to us has a high chance of injury or accident. A first aid box including essential bandages, povidone-iodine, essential scissors, and tetanus medicine is a great helper in any emergency condition.

^{First Aid Kit (FAK)}

7. Compass (Navigation)

Getting lost is a top killer, and if mobile phone navigation fails due to losing signals, then conditions may be more critical. A proper navigation system, including a compass and a map, helps with triangulation, aiming off, and handrails like navigation techniques.

^Compass

There have been most dangerous consequences of failing navigation in history as in 2016 Geraldin Largay incident happened killing 2 peoples who were just 2 miles away from road but they lost navigation and wandered for hours.

8. Torch (Light Source)

We are all familiar with normal places, darkness arrives after each 12 hours, and therefore, a light source for protection at night is important. A high-intensity light source is essential to survive in the dark. It reduces panic and provides light for moving to other positions at night.

^Torch

9. Bag

It must be described at first, but because it is a carrier, not a life saver, I put it in the end. Well, a backpack or a bag is essential to carry all the above-mentioned tools. As a carrier, it has a lot of importance for carrying water bottles, cutting tools, paracord, a first aid kit, and a torch light. The bag you are looking at is suitable for hiking and traveling anywhere, and it is specially designed for this purpose.

^Bag

10. Binocular

Usually, binoculars help provide a far the scenery near the eyes. Their use has vast diversity for outdoor explorations. Binoculars are not for protective measures but for exploring and observing nature from far distances of exploring sites. I would like to take it with me to view all the scenes of nature close to my eyes.

^{Binocular for Exploration}

✅2. How would you transport cutting tools safely and securely during an outdoor experience? Support this with photographs

Cutting tools, those with sharp edges, are crucial to be safe for prevention against any injury. The following are some important steps to make them protected and safe to transport.

Using a Hard Case or Knife Roll

The best way to cover the sharp blades is to cover them with a leather sheath and then put them in any safe pocket for long travel. The sheath may be made of plastic as well as iron.

This cover or sheath provides an external covering to prevent any accidental damage to the body by the sharp blades. Here is a presentation of this task in which I have shown that a knife on the ground with its sheath is placed on the right side, and the same knife is placed with a hard covering, helping it to travel without any hazard.

Covering with a Cloth or Pocket

Now, for a long travel and early assessment of these tools, I am going to put them in the pocket so that I can easily access them from that pocket and the sharp tools. This covering not only helps to the easy access to the knives but also provides an extra protection against cuts, making the knife carriage safer and protective.

Conclusion

Sharp tools such as knives, blades, and cutters must be covered safely and protectively to prevent any accidental injury, causing a hurdle in the pleasure of exploration.

✅3. What would you carry in a first aid kit? Support with photographs.

First Aid Kit (FAK) is an important tool to provide any emergency medical help during any kind of journey. As it is a limited-shaped box, it only has important healthcare medicines, which are used for emergency conditions only and remain helpful for different injuries at the same time. My First Aid Kit includes some health care medicines explained below. Below is a full view of my first aid kit.

^{First Aid Kit (FAK) Complete Unboxing}

1. Bleeding & Wound Care Pads

In order of priority, wound care pads and bleeding care gauze must be the first part of the first aid box for the first. Sterile Gauze Pads in 3-4 quantity should be part of this box for absorbing blood and dirt in the case of any emergency bleeding.

2. Povidone-iodine

Povidone-iodine is a component of importance in a first aid box because of its anti-bacterial and anti-allergenic properties. Povidone contains medically treated chemicals for wounds to keep the germs and viruses away from the infected site.

3. Pain Killers

Painkillers reduce inflammation and give a relaxing feeling. During any explorations, in an emergency case, such tablets can provide help to strengthen the body after a painful injury by reducing pain. Painkillers prevent shock and provide strength.

4. Surgical Tape

Surgical Taps can support the wound covering immediately and by minor self-help; therefore, their presence in a first aid kit, especially when the kit is to be carried for long explorations, is essential. It provides proper dressing and is water-resistant.

5. Twizzers and Scissors

Twizzers are important for removing dirt, wood, thorns, and fiberglass entrapped in the wound. A fine tip twister is essential to be placed in FAK for use. Scissors for cutting bandages, tape, and proper clothing are an important part of FAK.

6. Pain Killer Injection

Sometimes due to the severity of the wound, painkiller tablets are replaced by painkiller injection for timidly and targeted relaxation. Many painkiller injections are suitable against allergic reactions and therefore, their reliability carries more importance.

7. Constipation Tablets

Stomach issues and constipation are common, especially when one travels out to their home due to testing new foods. Such medicines can provide early treatment and revel pain and stomach issues. Their importance for early and healthy food consumption makes their presence in FAK important.

✅4. What did you think of this week's homework? Do you think this course is ready to grab your backpack and head off for a weekend to live in nature? Make a list of everything you'd like to bring in order of importance.

What do I think of this Week's Homework?

I found this week's homework an interesting source of information, along with experience for me. I never experienced such an assignment myself, but I have experienced such a short journey with friends for a picnic where we made similar arrangements. This course provides a disciplined way to plan an outdoor explorative journey.

Course Readiness Check for My Explorations

Of course, this task made me ready for any outdoor exploration. The disciplined path I learnt to make arrangements is important to make any kind of journey. I thank @karianaporras for this learning challenge.

Gear Priority List

Survival Essentials (Critical for Life/Safety)

💧 Water Bottle - Hydration is My Number One priority
🩹 First Aid Kit - For medical emergencies
🔪 Sharp Tools - Knife/multi-tool for survival tasks
⛺ Tent - Shelter from rain/wind/cold
👕 Proper Clothing - Weather-appropriate layers
🔦 Torch - Light + emergency signaling
🧭 Compass - Navigation when lost
🪢 Paracord - Shelter building & repairs

Practical Gear (Important for Comfort)

🎒 Backpack - To carry all essentials
👟 Comfortable Footwear - Protect your mobility
🍳 Portable Stove - Cooking/boiling water (if applicable)
🔋 Charger - Power bank for devices

Non-Essentials (Optional)

📱 Mobile Phone - Useful if service exists
⌚ Watch - Timekeeping/navigation backup
🔭 Binoculars - Wildlife observation
📸 Camera - Documentation

Moreover, I would like to share my arrangements on "What if I spent___ without____" rule.

3 minutes without air
3 hours without shelter
3 days without water
3 weeks without food

I would like to make arrangements so that if I have no air for 3 minutes, 3 hours without shelter, 3 days without water, and 3 weeks without food, what would I do? What steps will I take?

Closings and Mentions

This contest was an amazing journey to arrange the things for presentations. I enjoyed it and learnt how to give a disciplined path to my descriptions. I request @muhammad-ahmad, @afzalqamar, and @amjadsharif to join this contest.