/out/ approved/abhorred survival guides...

>>711507
>jump in freezing cold water
>get out, strip naked, roll in snow
>drink urine
Bear Grylls alternative to coffee.

The SAS survival manual by John Jofty Wiseman is a good standard

>>711507
Btw when you are extremely dehydrated a bottle of piss sure looks tasty.

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>>711535
xD Bwahahahaha. I hope I never have to find out if it IS tasty.

>>711530
Do you mean pic related?

>>711528
i imagine it would work great.
if you are not awake after that you are dead.

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What do you guys think of this?
Plus, it's available for free in PDF form all over the place

>>712089
I have that one, it has lots of useful information in it. Good information on shelters, animal/human traps, survival tips for various climates and scenarios, etc.

I think I read through it twice, very interesting stuff.

>>712089

The old US manuals are great resources for things that dont change. Survival is one of them. For things that do change, they are barely more than a little background reading (IE The Ranger Handbook) You can still get info out of them but the tactics are outdated by a good 50 years

>>712089
I just downloaded and browsed through that. I can't believe it is an official army field manual. Among other things it lacks information on how to make a working bow & drill set or how to use it correctly and it features a figure 4 deadfall trap that is not a very good trap.

I'm not saying you shouldn't read this, go ahead if you can make it through the endless step-by-step directions and tables. If you find some subjects interesting, like solar stills or improvised fishing hooks, look for more information. If you want to know how to build a door for your debris shelter you won't find out by reading this quide.

Army survival guides are there to make soldiers believe they can survive anywhere.
>You asked for opinions.

>>712089
I read this once when I was in the boyscouts, not understanding how important the information really was. As an adult, I re-read it every year like a novel, just to make sure it's all fresh in my mind. There are some things that could be better, but it wasn't ever meant to be definitive, just reliable and universally applicable.

You'll also want a regional plant guide at least, and generally the more you know, the better off you are. Check out how to start a fire and how to sew a button (yes, read the pink one too, you sexist pig!). There was something called 1001 ways to do anything, or something like that. I was pretty young when I read that so I don't really remember how much applies to /out/, but it does have a lot of general knowledge in basic applied physics (explaining stored energy such as would be used in snares and deadfalls).

>>712131
You have to understand who it was written for. Gun-nut meatheads that never know what climate or country they'll be dropped in. Your example of how the figure 4 isn't the best design is wrong when you take into account that unlike spring traps, fig 4s don't freeze at night in cold climates. Your average soldier straight out of highschool isn't bright enough to figure that out on his own, so they put in the trap that's less likely to fail if used in the wrong climate.

>>711530
Have to agree with you on that one, I have a Collins'Pocket Gem of the first version that I've had for years that's beaten to hell and has been with me on so many adventures, it's helpful and even just a great read if you are bored and want to read up on some essential survival skills >>712004

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>>712161
>Your example of how the figure 4 isn't the best design
I think it's a great design, but the image in the book shows a trap that, once triggered, can fall on top of the upright stick. It doesn't mention how important it is to attach the bait as well as possible nor does it say anything about weight recommendations for different animals. In the picture the weight looks like a tiny log. It should say heavy objects fall as fast as light ones (not every US soldier knows this, even those who can read). And it should say unnecessarily heavy release stick, as it accelerates at high speed, can slow the weight down so that the animal has time to escape.

There shouldn't be any sharp notches in the upright stick and the trigger notch should be one sided, slightly more than 90 degrees to compensate friction. If vertical force is applied to the bait stick you want the thing to come apart, it's not a log cabin.

This is why I dislike these guides. Full of knowledge but most of it not deep enough to be useful.

>>712089
After reading this someone may actually think a fire plow is a practical way to start a fire.
>HOW TO LIGHT A FIRE
>Convex Lens, Use this method (Figure 7-6) only on bright, sunny days.

>>712161
>yes, read the pink one too
what do you mean by 'the pink one'? is it a book or a chapter?