Monday, March 11, 2013

Tampons & Condoms

In a prior post I listed two items I thought were important to keep in your 72 Hour Bag. A Tampon and a Condom. Both of which could get you in trouble with your spouse if you don't exactly know what they're used for in Survival situations.  There are many additional uses above and beyond these 10, but I thought I'd restrict the list at 10 items each because under interrogation it's easier to remember 10 than 30.

Tampon


1. Survival Straw - Use the tampon in the plastic applicator to suck water from a source through, This will only filter turbidity and not nasty viruses, but it's better to drink and risk a bug than die of dehydration.

image from artofmanliness.com


2. Water filter - use a plastic bottle and cut the bottom off, push the tampon down into the opening so the string hangs down. This way you can add water through the now open bottom and gravity will make the water be filtered through the tampon. This will only filter turbidity and not nasty viruses, but it's better to drink and risk a bug than die of dehydration. This image from artofmanliness.com shows the bottle with the cap on and a small hole punctured in the cap. It's an option but I think it restrict the flow too much. I take off the cap and use the string hanging out the bottom to guide the flow into a cup or bowl.





3. Tinder - Pull apart the cotton and add Lip Balm if you have it, one good spark will ignite the cotton.

4. Cotton to bandage a wound - Spread the cotton out and use it against the wound

5. Plug a nose bleed - You can cut a full size tampon down and use it in the nostril, if it's your buddy and he's kind of a dork tell him you have to leave the string hanging down so you can pull it out later.

6. Plug a bullet wound - only as a last resort because they expand as they accumulate fluids

7. Use the string as a wick for a candle - there are a variety of liquids/materials you can dip the end into to make it burn longer. Butter, oil, wax.

8. Use the string in an improvised snare or trap - Big topic. I'll try to do a post on snares and traps later.

9. Use the package to keep matches in so they don't get wet - The plastic applicator can be used as a housing for matches.

10. Use the cotton & packaging to create a fishing bobber - The plastic wrapper with a gob of the cotton inside can be tied to create an air pocket and attached to a fishing line. It'll work as a bobber.



Condom


1. Water Carrier - Put the condom inside your sock so it supports the rubber. It can carry up to 1 gallon of water this way

2. Fire - The rubber is made from oil and it's flammable so it works as a great fire starter to help you get other materials going.

3. To make a fire drill or bow - Twist the full length of the condom and attach it to a stick to make a fire bow or two sticks to use as a drill. Note to self: try this at home and after and hour of sweating and not being able to do it you'll appreciate that caveman who figured it out.


4. Sling shot - Nuff said?
5. Use as rubber glove when dealing with a person who is bleeding - Pretty simple huh? Think of it more as a mitten without thumbs more than a glove. Remember when dealing with a bleeding patient latex gloves are for your protection, not theirs.

6. Put over the muzzle of a gun in wet conditions - See the movie the Big Red One for demonstration, one of Mark Hamill's great performances.

7. Fishing bobber -  Easier to make a fishing bobber with the condom than the tampon... I'm sure most have had some experience with this issue during other activities.

8. Water tight container for matches or even a cel phone - This puppy can be stretched pretty big and will hold a wide variety of things you might need to keep dry.

9. Use the package as a chest seal for a sucking chest wound - If there's a small sucking chest wound tape three edges of the package down and cover the hole this will allow air to escape from the chest cavity but will press against the wound and not let air in.

10. fill with water and use to start a fire with it's magnifying properties - Really hard and probably won't work but it's in the column of "I should know this".

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