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  1. #21
    A proper quick, brave, steady, ready gentleman! ocourse's Avatar
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    We are exposed to danger, and we don't have much control on the roads. There are other stupid drivers, distracted drivers, or drivers with medical issues However, we can try to protect ourselves somewhat while hiking. If you don't get it, you might suffer . There are not a lot of violent occurrences but they do happen. If you are fortunate and have not been assaulted, good for you - but it happens often and is rarely reported.
    I've learned....
    That a smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.

  2. #22

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    Quote Originally Posted by ocourse View Post
    Lots of silly posts. There is always, and anywhere a chance of danger. Be safe and protect yourself.
    Absolutely. Protect yourself from the real concerns. Dehydration. Hypothermia. Pathogens from water/your own body/other hikers.
    A weapon to protect yourself from physical violence from other humans and animals? That's only a reflection of your own statistically irrational fear.

  3. #23
    ME => GA 19AT3 rickb's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by martinb View Post
    The odds are much higher that you will die on the way to the trailhead. What's your defense?
    Given that 7 AT thru hikers have died at the hands of strangers in the middle of their thru hikes, how many do you think have perished on their drives to Springer?

  4. #24

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    The force response should be commensurate with the threat level. Civilians don't typically have the training of military and LEO personnel to recognize this. Making decisions out of pure emotion is not how they are trained. Can we imagine if LEO's always immediately unholstered, drew firearms, turned off safeties, and pointed their weapons with the intent to make it a dire DefCon 1, 2, and 3 self defense process? NO. There is a series of conditions and evaluations that occur at each step in that process. Can we imagine if more level headed leaders didn't prevail when knee jerk irrational fearful war mongers and profiteers always sought to take it to a DefCon 1,2, or 3 level? LEO's dont immediately resort to employing a firearm. They seek to defuse situations without always having that need, having situational awareness. THAT IS SELF DEFENSE!

    Trekking poles, a heavy stick , and rocks can be self defense weapons already in our possession or at hand. Think of how trekking poles can be used for security. No need for another long handled stabbing or piercing weapon. Do we always optimize gear for the most extreme situations? NO. Those seven deaths were extremes - outliers - far outside the norm! How many could have been avoided or not resulted in fatal outcomes had their been a greater situational awareness - knowledge and wisdom? Better bring your snake bite kit, 3 lb FAK, jungle combat boots, fatigues, M18 Claymore mines, and always haul a 140 lb rucksack. Dont forget the Rambo knife and learning how to hunt wild boar. Ohh the woods are so hazardous. If we think they are reduce the risks by not having to immediately take it to the most hasty extremes. The threat level doesn't have to warrant it. Dont be ignorant and psychologically and emotionally self handcuffed.

    Don't go out with just your feelings. Feelings and what we think can often betray us. Feelings(emotions) don't have to represent reality. As intuitive as this is it is rampant propping up feelings over facts, knowledge and wisdom, feelings and our perceptions/opinions NEEDING to always be validated as THE TRUTH, as THE REALITY, or were triggered, disenfranchised, discriminated against, having our safe spaces(delusional spaces) violated.
    Last edited by Dogwood; 11-11-2019 at 23:57.

  5. #25

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    You know your fear's irrational. If carrying pepper spray and a knife gives you peace of mind, and calms that fear...do it, go hike.

  6. #26
    ME => GA 19AT3 rickb's Avatar
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    If seven thru hikers had died in avalanches (which of course has not happened) I think most would welcome a discussion of whether or not carrying beacons, probes or airbag vests was worth considering.

    And if seven thru hikers had died in avalanches (which of course has not happened) NO ONE would trivialize a hiker’s concern as being irrational.

    That said, I understand why this discussion is difficult, and how an experienced hiker’s confirmation bias might lead him to conclude just that.

    Good practical advise by Dogwood, I thought.

  7. #27

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    Quote Originally Posted by Sporky View Post
    Today, though, I seriously think that I would go with ONLY the Victorinox Classic SD. I think that the only features I'd be missing are the can opener and the wine bottle opener. The first being EASILY replaced with a super light-weight army opener, and the second being totally useless, as anybody offering me wine will have one, lol.
    The Victorinox Swiss Army Waiter Pocket Knife might meet your needs. I recently ordered a Victorinox Sportsman as I really like having a nail file also. I'm adding a mini screwdriver to the corkscrew for tightening up my eyeglasses. I also have a larger SAK, might be the WorkChamp XL (don't recall the model for sure) but that is heavy and not a real candidate for thru hiking. My daily carry is a Victorinox Escort. It's similar to the Classic but without the scissors. The only other SAK I really like is the one with nailclippers.
    Last edited by perrymk; 11-12-2019 at 09:15.

  8. #28
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    If you want to improve your skill at detecting the potentially dangerous person, read the gift of fear by Gavin de Becker. While it does boil down to trusting gut instincts, he’s studied this topic extensively and has a number of good examples. Sometimes it may mean walking away from someone who would not have harmed you, because you can’t predict everything, leaving a place even if it is inconvenient to do so. Most of us just don’t have any experience with this, so you have to be alert to the signs. This attitude is probably much more effective than bringing a knife along, particularly since if you’re like me you have no idea what to do in a knife fight.

    Getting back to lightweight knives, the Leatherman style cs weighs just a bit more than the victorinox and has a great pair or scissors. You can get tsa recycled ones on eBay for half price.

  9. #29
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    Quote Originally Posted by rickb View Post
    If seven thru hikers had died in avalanches...
    Yet people visit Chicago every day and people are killed in Chicago every day.

  10. #30

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    So far I have needed a shoulder harness only once,yet I use it every time.I have never had a house fire,yet I keep my house insured.I have never needed a fire to ward off hypothermia either but I carry a knife big enough,4.5 oz with full tang blade and sheath,to baton damp wood.Oh,and you will never see it either so don't worry about being intimidated.And my hiking stick remains my weapon of choice should it ever be needed which we all know is quite unlikely,but it's handy.HYOH.

  11. #31

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    Quote Originally Posted by Five Tango View Post
    So far I have needed a shoulder harness only once,yet I use it every time.I have never had a house fire,yet I keep my house insured.I have never needed a fire to ward off hypothermia either but I carry a knife big enough,4.5 oz with full tang blade and sheath,to baton damp wood.Oh,and you will never see it either so don't worry about being intimidated.And my hiking stick remains my weapon of choice should it ever be needed which we all know is quite unlikely,but it's handy.HYOH.
    So you refuse to go into the woods without violating the law because of your own personal terror?

  12. #32

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    Quote Originally Posted by CalebJ View Post
    So you refuse to go into the woods without violating the law because of your own personal terror?
    No,because the blade length on my particular knife is within legal limits.

  13. #33

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    Perhaps I misunderstood your original post. Thought that wasn't the only thing you were carrying.

  14. #34

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    Quote Originally Posted by CalebJ View Post
    Perhaps I misunderstood your original post. Thought that wasn't the only thing you were carrying.
    It isn't,I stated I also carry hiking sticks,carbon fiber,with 3/8" carbide drill tips if you really want to know.And I might occasionally carry bear spray if headed to an area with known wildlife issues as I have met people who were glad they had it although most of the time I don't carry anything but a small fixed blade knife capable of minor bush crafting.

    I totally get the fact that people don't like to see other people carrying guns or big honkin' knives because I don't like that either although I am licensed to carry.My perspective is that a gun is unnecessary and the weight penalty is prohibitive.

    And while we are on the subject,your gut is your best defense.My experience had been that the older I get the more refined my "creep detector" gets.

  15. #35

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    Sounds like we're generally on the same page. I was referring to the shoulder harness statement. My (flawed) interpretation was that you were carrying in the woods as well.

  16. #36

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    Quote Originally Posted by CalebJ View Post
    Sounds like we're generally on the same page. I was referring to the shoulder harness statement. My (flawed) interpretation was that you were carrying in the woods as well.
    "Shoulder Harness" generally refers to the three point seat belt restraint system found in automobiles and mandated by Federal Law. "Shoulder Holster" is what detectives like Joe Kenda and Don Johnson of Miami Vice fame were known to wear.Sorry I did not make it more specific.

  17. #37

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    Understood. Like I said, I misinterpreted.

  18. #38
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    Quote Originally Posted by Five Tango View Post
    . . . I totally get the fact that people don't like to see other people carrying guns or big honkin' knives because I don't like that either . . .
    And while we are on the subject,your gut is your best defense.My experience had been that the older I get the more refined my "creep detector" gets.
    I actually don't mind seeing most people carrying all kinds of silly, heavy "survival" gear in the woods and mountains where many of us feel safer than in other spaces. I actually feel either sorry for them or get a good laugh at the silliness.

    As for trusting one's gut, I beg to differ with many of the WB personalities. Trusting one's gut has gotten many, many innocent people killed because someone possessing a lethal tool, most often a gun, found that innocent person threatening and decided to defend themselves against a false threat that their gut felt was real!!

    I would suggest that trusting one's gut is sound advice when it comes to avoiding potentially dangerous people and situations (there generally is little down side to playing it safe). BUT, trusting one's gut when it comes to potentially harming someone else in your defense of a gut feeling that is not also supported by clear and imminent danger to yourself or others is irresponsible, dangerous, and arguably the essence of human evil (your fear leading to harming another innocent person).

    So, use your gut to decide when to leave and/or avoid situations. Use cold hard calculated training (and NOT your gut) to decide whether to use force to protect yourself against a perceived threat.
    I'm not lost. I'm exploring.

  19. #39

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    So how many cases of accidental self defense have happened on the AT?
    Last edited by Five Tango; 11-12-2019 at 13:15.

  20. #40
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    Quote Originally Posted by rickb View Post
    Given that 7 AT thru hikers have died at the hands of strangers in the middle of their thru hikes, how many do you think have perished on their drives to Springer?
    Great point. People's belief that the AT is safer than civilization is held to with religious zeal. Safer than a grocery store? Well, if we only visit grocery stores that are at least 1 mile from roads, and never tell anyone which grocery store we're going to, perhaps grocery stores would be safer than the AT. (And when you enter a grocery store, don't get a cart right away. Trust your gut. If you get a bad vibe, move on to another grocery store).

    Obviously ones personal danger is affected by the statistical risk one exposes himself too. If you live among coconut trees and never go into the ocean, you have a much higher chance of getting killed by a falling coconut than a shark attack. But if you never set foot under a coconut tree and scuba dive every weekend, you are more likely to get killed by shark attack than a falling coconut. If you briefly walk under a coconut tree once in a year, yet swim in the ocean every day, still your risk of shark attach is greater than your risk of coconut injury. Although we know the AVERAGE person is in more danger from a coconut injury than a shark attack, none of us are AVERAGE. Our personal risk may be very different from the average. And if you spend 6 months living on the AT, your risk of crime during that 6 months is much greater than that of a person who spends 30 minutes walking the AT in the same year.

    Obviously someone who day hikes half a mile on the AT is statistically less likely to be murdered on the trail than someone who spends six months of their lives on the
    trail. Although millions set foot briefly on the AT every year, the cumulative amount of time of everyone on the trail is still very small compared to the cumulative amount of time of the same number of people living in a city. If one were to do a detailed analysis of crime danger of the trail with regards to time spent on the trail, I don't think it would turn out to be as safe as some think.

    I have heard that your average risk of death for a single car ride is about 1 in a million. I'd guess that thru-hikers have been murdered at a higher rate than that.
    Last edited by FlyPaper; 11-12-2019 at 13:11.

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