Middle Earth Ranger Forum

Eofor wrote: ↑Mon Apr 18, 2022 4:00 am Late as ever I can offer no greater praise than the others before me. A fantastic beginning.

I more wanted to emphasise the comments here regarding modern safety and emergency gear. I unapologetically carry Epipens, a PLB, emergency blanket and a good snakebite kit on every adventure.

Ooh, I should add a snake-bit kit to mine. Way too many of those critters running around to not have one.

BrianGrubbs wrote: ↑Tue May 03, 2022 2:08 pm Beautiful work!!!

To join the throng of voices here, yes by all means carry modern emergency equipment! My Need wallet holds a mixture of modern items, such as medications (Benadryl, ibuprofen, etc.), and traditional ones, such as hardtack, only to be used at greatest need!

Brian

Good call on the medications. Another thing to add.

Cimrandir wrote: ↑Wed May 04, 2022 12:18 am
Ooh, I should add a snake-bit kit to mine. Way too many of those critters running around to not have one.

At least a snakebite bandage would be a good addition.
We have a lot of nasty slitherers here in Australia but they generally leave you alone.
I do worry sometimes about sleeping on the ground as they are attracted to warmth but never had an issue.

Cimrandir wrote: ↑Wed May 04, 2022 12:18 am Ooh, I should add a snake-bit kit to mine. Way too many of those critters running around to not have one.

A friend of mine got bit by a snake and never even knew it until later that night when his leg started changing colors and he had the worst headache of his life. I suggest the best defense against snake bites (and other things) is high bots (Up to the knee), and also a Sulpher bag to dust the lower trousers and boots. Keeps away some insects but also some other critters.

Tom_Ranger wrote: ↑Thu May 05, 2022 1:35 am A friend of mine got bit by a snake and never even knew it until later that night when his leg started changing colors and he had the worst headache of his life.

I hate to add to a stereotype but here in Australia our snakes keep going until you're dead.

The king brown snake can bite repeatedly and chew to envenomate a victim.

Yet despite this we have so very few fatalities, I suspect it's a balance of free readily available treatment and local awareness of the critters.

Eofor wrote: ↑Sat May 07, 2022 11:45 am Yet despite this we have so very few fatalities, I suspect it's a balance of free readily available treatment and local awareness of the critters.

That's suprising since you have more than your fair share of venomous snakes. Brown snake of course and the various black snakes (Yellow belly, blue, orange...). I once got bit by a venomous spider on my neck (not an enjoyable experience), but now days I just tie old rag over my head and some hangs down in the back. Just a turn of the head brushes away mosquitoes, spiders, bees, etc.

I realize this is reviving a rather dormant thread, but I'm still going back through some of the older stuff I missed when I was away from the forum, and I just noticed this!

Absolutely beautiful work on the need wallet! I've been planning one for myself for a bit now, and I suspect it will take a very similar form to this one! And just like you, my intention has always been to carry my modern first-aid and emergency kit in it, since as you mentioned, that follows the function of the need-wallets mentioned in Tolkien's work precisely - as a last-ditch survival pack that was only ever opened at great need. And just as Greg and a few others here have mentioned, since it's never actually meant to be opened unless in an emergency, it seems a very logical place to store necessary anachronisms!

Overall, some very nice clean work here, and I can't wait to see further kit from you in future!