Flares?

[Johnny]

Do you carry flares into the wilderness as a part of your survival gear? I know they are used in marine adventures but in the wild are they of any good, in general (most of the situations)?

[Lamebeaver]

They're a bit heavy and bulky to carry "just-in'case"

I do not carry them. I do no know anyone else that does either.

[oldsarge]

I don't carry the road type flares but I do have a few of my old pen flares laying around that I'll bring with me every now and then depending on where I'm at. Anyone know where to get replacement flares for the military style pen flares?

[ppine]

They are problematic in the arid west because of the fire danger. A smoky campfire can accomplish the same thing. They aren't that visible during the day anyway. Better left on the boat.

[Pathfinder1]

Hi...


The pen-type flares were widely advocated a couple decades ago, and many were sold. I have not heard/seen of any outfit that still makes/sells them.

[SpencerT]

I don't see the need to carry flares either. I've never known anyone having to use something like that in an emergency. You could always bring a liter and set a tree on fire if you are that desperate and need someone to spot you. Don't try this at home folks!

[oldmangunner]

I keep road flares in my truck. They have come in handy a few times. As far as hiking goes, I don't carry them with me.

Spence, I don't think I would recommend starting a forest fire to get found, lol.

[catspa]

LB, you know me (well, not in the biblical sense). I carry both 12 ga signal flares and a couple road flares in my search and rescue gear.

Understand, this is the coastal rain forest of the northwestern-most county of the CONUS. We frequently operate at night, and air flares are useful in visual locating, especially when working with aircraft.

The road flare is for when I have a hypothermic patient in a remote location with no prospect of quick evac, and I need to build a warming fire with no fooling around. Even the wettest kindling size wood will dry out and burn with a road flare stuffed under it. It'll be a stinky, smoky fire, but it'll by golly warm him up and save his life.

Parker

[carmen]

I understand the want for it but to me it does not seem reasonable either so we never have. I wonder how many random fires could be caused from it for those unaware of the danger?

[catspa]

The rain forest here is so wet, there are no random fires. We work in an unusual set of conditions, and deal with them in unusual ways.

That said, we don't leave fires burning unattended. I've lived and worked in places where fire control and suppression was needed, and police my area pretty well.

Parker