(Part 2) Top products from r/Survival

$150 is plenty of budget for a good knife. This one is just slightly over that budget but will last you the rest of your life. It's kind of my dream survival knife.

The Fallkniven F1 is very popular as well and right in your price range.

Currently I use this knife which is also very good.

If you want to go a little less expensive still, Becker makes some good ones such as the Bk16. I know the Becker doesn't look anything like "hand made", but I have the BK2- I used paint remover to take the black coating off the blade, replaced the plastic handles with micarta and stained it to look more like wood, and built a leather sheath for it. It's a beautiful knife now. Too bad it's so goddamn heavy.

You could also go with something like the Mora bushcraft. I have that one also, very decent knife.

You could even just get a regular Mora or a Condor bushlore which are even more economical options.

Well, I don't know exactly what's meant by "survival knife", but I'll assume all around multitasking. My go to knife, if I have to pick one, is my mora. It's durably, easy to sharpen, keeps its edge, can handle a beating, and is conveniently sized. I use it for everything, and if I were to lose it, it's not so expensive that I'd feel a great loss. That said, were I to pick a single tool it would be either the coldsteel combat shovel, as its durable, cheap, and gets a surprisingly good edge or really any quality hatchet.

I value affordability in balance with quality, because while there are better knives on the market, they're a lot more expensive. For the value, I think the Mora Bushcraft is one of the best, but it all depends on what you like and need it for.

I had an Ontario RAT-5 for a while. About the same size as an ESEE 5, but with a thinner blade and full-flat grind. The handle was uncomfortably bulky and although it held up to my abuse, I just didn't like it. The blade was thin enough to do finer carving tasks, but it was too wide and the edge profile was terrible. I ended up using my Mora knife and Fiskars hatchet more and the RAT-5 was relegated to batoning duty and even in that I preferred the hatchet. In fact, I carved my first bow drill kit with that Fiskars.

I was considering stepping up to an Ontario RAT-7, but instead I traded the RAT-5 for a KaBar Becker BK7, which is a BEAST of a knife. Longer than an ESEE 5, but just as thick and with a similar profile. It really impressed me with the amount of work it could do and how easy it was to use, but it was heavy and just too fat to do anything but chop and split, so again, I was using my Mora and hatchet for most stuff.

I finally decided to try a different direction and traded the BK7 for a much smaller ESEE 4. Around the same time I bought a Bahco Laplander, and I am in love with this combo. The Bahco eats through 1-2" branches with ease (while generating plenty of sawdust for tinder) and the ESEE is just long enough to baton them into kindling and carve up some feather sticks. The best part is, the ESEE 4 and Bahco together weigh about as much as the BK7 in its sheath, and take up about as much space, but they are FAR more versatile.

I realize the ESEE 4 may be just out of your price range, but Kabar makes a similar knife called the BK16. However, the ESEE comes with a lifetime warranty.

I still take my Fiskars with me occasionally, but for weekend camping, I can process plenty of firewood with the ESEE and Bahco faster than I ever could with any of the bigger knives. If I needed to build a shelter or was venturing into unfamiliar territory, I'd want the hatchet because it's such a capable tool.

The ESEE 5 was designed for downed pilots who can't fit a hatchet or folding saw into their kit but may need to build a shelter, so they made it big and heavy. I understand first hand that big knives are appealing and certainly have their strong points, but their size, weight and thickness can make them difficult to use in a lot of ways and in reality, a big knife will never chop as well as a decent hatchet, because the knife's weight is centered just above the handle, not directly behind a huge wedge that drives into the wood. What you really want in a survival knife is versatility and I've spent a lot of time, money and energy figuring out that size doesn't add versatility.

"Where do I start? You've already started.

Hiker, rock climber, runner, you've developed some skills & fitness applicable to a lot of outdoor endeavors. You want to do some outdoor survival self training/teaching? Get a library card. The card will give you access to a huge amount of print resources, peruse them at will, learn the skills you want and save your money for gear.

Survival, camping, woodsmanship, bushcraft is not so much "something you learn" It's an ongoing endeavor, there's always more skills to absorb. It's the pursuit of a lifetime.

IMHO, starting Here is as good as anywhere.
Hypothermia/Hyperthermia is the #1 killer outdoors, so learning how to not die is the fundamental base of learning how to survive work & play in natural surroundings.

KNOTS--- they're job specific, and multi use. Rigging a tarp shelter, you'll only need to know a couple of knots. A midshipman's hitch makes an adjustable loop for tensioning guy lines, A bowline makes a stable, non slip loop, A prusik knot is useful for adjusting the tension of a tarp on a ridgeline.

Lashing, as in tying branches/saplings together for a shelter, seat, or bed. Square lashing, diagonal lashing, tripod lashing, all good simple ways to connect structural pieces.

Paracord is the darling of the outdoor crowd, but not always the best Tool for the job so do some reading on different applications of different cordage. (Rope... to the uninformed...). I use this for tarp/tent tiedown cord, smaller. less stretch, and it has a glow fiber woven in for less trippage in low light. Tying knots in the context of their usage will help you retain the technique. Get some cordage & start practicing knots, larger, 1/4 dia or larger is easier to work with for practice tying. Piece of clothesline (Samson cord) is adequate.

Equipment, got some friends who camp? Will they spot you enough gear, sell you some old stuff they don't use, or take you with them to get out & try some things?

Larger Libraries often have camping/outdoor equipment that you can check out just like a book. some outfitters also have rental equipment.

I have two Leatherman tools. I have used them for over a decade and have never had any trouble with them. They are easy to sharpen and they don't have a single dot of rust on them. Every tool is going to have its limits. I wouldn't use the knife on a Leatherman as a crow bar. I have never heard anyone complain about their Leatherman.

I have seen many people complain about the Sven Saw. It seems to be high quality and the design is very convenient. However, because of its triangular design, it actually can only cut smaller branches. Perhaps you aren't intending to cut a 6 inch limb. Just know that anything thicker than probably 3 inches is probably a big pain to cut with the Sven. Also, from what I understand, the Sven Saw only takes Sven Saw Blades, which is an added inconvenience and expense.

I have a basic cheap bow saw (one piece, non foldable) that I think works great. Bonus is that you can, if needed, use it with standard hack saw blades.

I don't currently own a Mora knife, but they do seem to be universally loved. Please note however that there are several Mora knives that range from $8 to $18 (both stainless and non-stainless). They don't seem to be substantially different from the one you mentioned that is $65.

This is the Mora Bushcraft Survival knife you mentioned ($65):

http://www.amazon.com/Mora-Bushcraft-Survival-Stainless-Steel/dp/B005CAPU80


Different Mora knives are either non-stainless carbon steel or stainless. Also, the thickness of the blade varies. You can get the thicker stainless steel knife in the cheaper model ($14):

http://www.amazon.com/Lime-Green-Mora-Companion-Knife/dp/B00BU9ATS8/ref=pd_sim_sg_12

I'm sure you can find one without a lime green handle. There seem to be a thousand models of Mora knives.

Another example, slightly thinner but still stainless ($11):

http://www.amazon.com/Mora-Stainless-Steel-Camo-Knife/dp/B005K994QM/ref=pd_sim_sg_11

This one is not stainless but the steel is even thicker than the one you mentioned ($40) if durability is your priority:

http://www.amazon.com/Morakniv-Bushcraft-Sandvik-Stainless-4-3-Inch/dp/B009O01H0Y/ref=pd_sim_sg_9

This last one is almost exactly the same as the knife you mentioned, except that it is $17 instead of $65:

http://www.amazon.com/Morakniv-Companion-Stainless-Military-4-1-Inch/dp/B004ZAIXSC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1376873143&sr=8-1&keywords=mora+knife+stainless+steel

Perhaps the price of the one you mentioned is inflated because of the sheath, but the reviews rate that sheath badly. They mention the clip disconnecting unexpectedly and also it does seem like the sharpening stone and the fire steel to be a bit of a gimmick. Fire steels are like $3 at Walmart and maybe $5 if you want the bigger military style model. The sharpening stone attached to the sheath seems to be toy like and not really functional.


Another one that seems to be the same as yours without the gimmicky sheath ($38):

http://www.amazon.com/Morakniv-Bushcraft-Outdoor-Stainless-4-3-Inch/dp/B003FYJU9A/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1376873143&sr=8-12&keywords=mora+knife+stainless+steel

There seems to be a huge variation of prices on Mora knives. The best ones seem to be the ones that are Stainless Steel and the thickness is around 0.1 or 0.098 inches.

I already own several high quality expensive knives, so I don't have a need to purchase the $65 range Mora knife. But the ones that are around $11 seem to be a great deal to use in situations where I might want to avoid damaging my expensive knife.

My favorite to purchase cheaply right now is:

http://www.amazon.com/Mora-Stainless-Steel-Camo-Knife/dp/B005K994QM/ref=pd_sim_sg_11

Because it has the hook at the front of the grip, which will help prevent your hands from slipping on to the cutting edge if you have to push into something. I think in survival situations, you hands may be tired, shaky, wet and dirty, which might make them prone to slipping. And of course, a survival situation is the absolute worst time to cut your hand.

Those are my 8 cents worth of contribution.

You should check this out I don't own one myself yet but I plan to pick one up soon. I've got a friend who speaks very highly of his.

If $40 is more than you are looking to spend you can go with the much more affordable Stanley Camp Cookset for about $15 but I would suggest adding one of these and ditching the plastic cups in the Stanley to bring your total to $20. The Stanley even fits real nice into the steel cup for storage purposes and you can put some food and eating utensils inside the Stanley.
This is basically the set up I use now and it's great.

I carry an ACR ResQLink PLB with me when I go wilderness camping (solo) in case anything happens. When you get the device, you register its serial number and attach some contact info so if you ever need to use it, they know who needs help. In an emergency, you pop up an antenna, give it line of sight to the sky, and activate it. It'll alert search and rescue and also act as a beacon for search crews who respond to the general area to locate you quicker.

I prefer this type of thing to the alternatives because I don't want to have to actively let people know I'm okay rather than actively requesting help. There's the off chance that something so bad could happen that I'd be unable to activate the unit, but I leave detailed plans with people before I leave as a backup safety plan.

Like you noted, there's no subscription plan, but the battery isn't user serviceable. I've read that you can send it in at the end of its life and pay for a replacement battery to be installed, but mine hasn't reached the end of its life yet so I haven't had to do this.

Also, consider where you carry something like this. I keep mine in a little scout bag (Arc'teryx Maka 2) when backpacking so if I ever ended up separated from my backpack in a river-crossing-gone-wrong or similar event, I'd have the PLB on me still.

Yeah, I read your other link. She was an experienced through-hiker, so she had to have probably had the Ten Essentials, including map and compass? A little GPS like I linked weighs about 5 oz. Through hikers are famous for stripping their gear down gram by gram. Probably couldn't justify the weight even if it was about equal to her cell phone, which she did have.

Well-monied but weight-conscious through hikers should probably start leaving their cell phones at home, in favor of something like an inReach to stay in touch with family back home. 6.7 oz. That's what the local Forest Service volunteer society here recommends. I have a PLB, but they told us those are less useful to SAR because you can't tell them whether you have a broken leg or hypothermia or heart attack etc., just "here I am, help!"

As far as edible plants goes, I've enjoyed this one. It covers all of North America, which I find to be a plus.

This one is a general survival handbook that I've enjoyed quite a bit, although it is physically a much larger book than the military field guides are. What it lacks in portability it more than makes up for in scope. The illustrations are VERY well done, and it is streamlined to be easily absorbed in case you need to use the information.

There are several different kinds of beacons that serve different purposes. I was carrying one of these:

https://www.amazon.com/Backcountry-Access-Tracker-Beacon-B-30000/dp/B00G7IUO9Q/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1521136945&sr=8-5&keywords=avalanche+beacon

It gives off a signal, and if you're buried in an avalanche, another person with a similar beacon can use theirs to find out where you're buried. They work, but the survival rate is low, because an avalanche that completely buries your will suffocate you in a matter of minutes. The signal can only be picked up at close range (~100 feet). They're mainly for one partner to rescue another, which assumes they don't both get buried.

There's also personal locator beacons:

https://www.amazon.com/ACR-ResQlink-Non-Buoyant-PLB-Registration/dp/B005E1OU1A/ref=sr_1_2?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1521137134&sr=1-2&keywords=rescue+beacon

These send a (long distance) signal to search and rescue services, indicating that you need help. They work, but in my opinion, wouldn't have helped in this situation.

How about teaching knife safety and basic bushcraft knife skills?

Ray Mears - Knife Sharpening, safety, handling, nettle cordage full video (Safety portion begins @ 11:49)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Vszc4g0RW8


Bushcraft: Knife safety, Bluejay1968

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5XbI03KmSE


bushcraft knife: how to use it (and be safe!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tz7Ta0S4siA


Using a Knife - Cutting Techniques & Safety - PART 1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ApQpthjsxE


Bushcraft and Survival, how to use a knife - basic wood carving knife grips, Wilderlore

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPUbCUip6iQ

---

http://www.amazon.com/Bushcraft-Outdoor-Skills-Wilderness-Survival/dp/1551051222

Kochanski has an entire chapter dealing with knife-craft

I see some holes in your loadout and hope that’s not your complete loadout. If you haven’t already, I’d seek out some quality advice on what you’ll probably need and how to use the items. This book may not be perfect for what you’re doing but it has tons of useful info. Beware of the advice you take on here. Plus, watch plenty of YouTube videos as there are so many out there. The author of the book linked below has 100’s that span across a wide variety of subjects. Start there. Educate and empower yourself as much as you can. It’s not difficult to do. Have fun too!

Bushcraft 101: A Field Guide to the Art of Wilderness Survival https://www.amazon.com/dp/1440579776/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_82GXCbRX08B2Z

You get what you pay for. Neither of these look like they are any better than the free advice you get here and on other websites. Save your money for something useful.

Thank you for your service.

Hard to beat a Mora for the price though, right?

Could you provide your favorites at different prices? I don't know much about what real world experienced people would use.

I use a Fallkniven but I'm a total keyboard commando and I just like knives so I don't know much. I hear esee5 is nice too.

The cheapest one you can find on Amazon. Actually, just buy two.

Throw one in your trunk and forget about it until you need a knife one day.
Throw the other in your toolbox and use it for random jobs.

After a few months of using it you'll realize it's a great little thing and get another to take camping.

Edit:
I like this one because it's ~$8.50 and your fingers won't slip onto the blade under any circumstances. It's a little on the small side if you have big hands though.

For camping I like this one.

Bushcraft by Mors Kochanski: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bushcraft-Outdoor-Skills-Wilderness-Survival/dp/1551051222

Not only is it great read, if you take a good knife with you, you'll never be bored

like u/kimste2 said for the money you really can't go wrong with a Mora. If you insist on a full tang I also have a couple of the Survivor HK-106 knives and have been very impressed considering the price, they also come with a fire starter.

Mora

Mora - Light My Fire

Survivor HK-106

I really recommend the two Ray Mears books, his Outdoor Survival Handbook has some great illustrations and is separated by seasons and his Essential Bushcraft book is extremely detailed about all sorts of things you might need or could want to know

I'm curious about what you mean by serious work? Carving and the like? Because the chopping axe is good for almost anything I can think of where an axe is used. Please note I'm not trying to start a fight I'm just curious.

Check out Wildwood Wisdom ( https://www.amazon.com/Wildwood-Wisdom-Ellsworth-Jaeger/dp/0936070129 )

Easily one of the most important books ever written for this lifestyle. 

Start by reading the SAS Survival Handbook or Bushcraft 101 by Dave Canterbury. They talk about useful techniques and the gear you should have.

Take either one out into the backyard or whatever and practice. Once you become more comfortable in self reliance take a weekend out in the bush and practice some more.

There's also a lot of educational youtube videos out there. wildernessoutfitters has a lot of content if video is more your thing.

> Getting your ham license is easy-peasy. Study for the technician level exam took about four hours. The test costs $15 and that gets you a call sign and a ten year license.

Pro-tip: You don't need a license for emergency use and HAM operators will always be glad to help in an emergency situation.

Get something like the BaoFeng UV5R and learn how to use it. If you don't mind the extra weight (1.1 pounds) it can save your life.

The sabrecut saw is actually the chainsaw blade style saw:

http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Survival-Technologies-SaberCut-Black/dp/B001H9N8C0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1348072789&sr=8-1&keywords=sabrecut+saw

I liked how compact it is and thought it would make a nice lightweight addition. Anyone have any experience using these?

SOG Entrenching Tool F08-N - Folding Shovel, High Carbon Steel

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0038A05X6/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apa_ib8Kyb5SCR12B

Similar to the style used in the army. Any folding style like this. You can unfold it into an L shape to use it as a hoe or as a seat (to rest a cheek on when doing your "business" in the woods. Or just use it straight like a normal shovel the it folds into a small package about the size of a thick notebook for hauling.

The Fallkniven F1 is a very nice no-frills knife if you like stainless. It's the survival knife of choice for the Swedish air force. Pick up a 5$ pack of variable high-grit wet/dry sandpaper from your auto parts store for sharpening convex edges if you get one.

Link to the Stanley Compact Cookset and the Camp Cookset , looks rather nice.

I'm generally a fan of the jetboil though...

These books are amazing and I've stepped up my camping due to them! I bought the whole set there's just so much information.

https://www.amazon.com/Bushcraft-101-Field-Wilderness-Survival/dp/1440579776

here are a few recommendations not on the list at a slightly lower price point:

Condor Tool & Knife, Crotalus Knife

Condor Tool & Knife, Hudson Bay

Condor Tool & Knife, Stratos

Glock Field Knife

Morakniv Bushcraft Black

Morakniv Bushcraft Pathfinder


Here are some other brands at similar price points to the ones you had listed ($100 - $200) SOG Knives, TOPS Knives, Bark River Knives

I know I'm late to the game, but here's my contribution.

I do and have used a Mora, actually the same exact knife, essentially as my only fixed blade for about five years (with a backup when I go out alone); the first year as a student at a survival school and the next four as an instructor. My school sells and recommends Moras as well, so I've seen a lot of them and a lot of other knives and I've seen a lot of abuse. I've never seen a Mora break, but I've seen other knives break (Buck, specifically). Recently I've begun carrying another knife that someone made for me as well with my Mora as my backup. Here are my thoughts on your questions:

• The model I carry is the Bushcraft Triflex. It's carbon steel with a hardened spine. I've never carried a stainless steel knife, but we sell those too and I've never seen any rust, though we're in a pretty dry environment. I agree with XELBRUJOX's comments on stainless. Mora claims their stainless knives stay sharp longer, and I agree, but they also take more effort to sharpen.
  
• Any oil will work. When I have my choice I use mineral oil.
  
• Do an image search for "mora tang" and you'll get plenty of results, and add the specific model if you want to see that
  
• Other than me, Mors Kochanski and Cody Lundeen both carry or have carried Moras as their main knife. In Mors' book Bush Craft, he talks about his test for a good knife is that if you can burry it to the hilt in to a tree and stand on it, then it's a good knife. He does that with his Moras with no problem. Here's a video of his technique for cutting down a small tree with a Mora. Incidentally, I've batonned and billetted my Mora regularly for five years with no problem. I don't pry with it, but I'm never afraid to apply force in the same direction as the cutting edge.
  
• I've never used my spine with a ferro rod, but I do regularly throw sparks from chert and other hard rock (stainless won't work for that). I think flattening it would work for the ferro rod.
  
• I haven't used the #1, but Mors actually cuts the finger guards off of his knives that had one, and I think he preferred the #1. If you've never seen his book check it out, it's a great resource.
  
  Here are my other thoughts:
  
  
• The worst thing about Moras are the sheaths. They're cheap and won't last, so do yourself a favor and make one that works or get one made. I have seen people lose their knives because of shitty sheaths.
  
• My favorite thing about Moras is the grind. A Scandinavian grind is the most versatile bevel for what I find myself doing, like carving fire sets, splitting wood, cutting food, butchering large game (sheep, deer, elk), skinning, carving traps, etc. My second favorite thing is the steel. That said, there's nothing magical about a Mora, it's just that the majority of readily available knives have a steeper compound/double bevel that's harder to sharpen with a stone (for beginners) and doesn't work as well for fine carving, like for fire spindles. Mora knives do everything I need them to do in my environment. I don't carry a saw or axe, and don't feel like I need to, but you're requirements might be different.
  
  edit - formatting
  

https://www.amazon.com/Bushcraft-101-Field-Wilderness-Survival/dp/1440579776/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?keywords=bushcraft&qid=1565822502&s=gateway&sr=8-2

I got this book bushcraft as a gift and took it out and practiced with it. Learned a lot! It is to date my first and only book so far although I do use some local apps for plant Identification

You made a super-awesome and useful gift, but you know a Baofeng radio isn't that pricey . . . and look it will ship in time for Xmas!

My Fav knife I own.
https://www.amazon.com/1086277-Ontario-Knife-RAT-5-1095/dp/B000R30XAC/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1492035080&sr=8-10&keywords=ontario+rat

Honestly, get a folding shovel instead. I keep one in my car for Michigan snow. Got me out of a ditch once, just need a few feet to get starting traction.

I've heard this book is good for practical use, better than the Peterson guide. I don't have either yet but plan on purchasing what I linked.

Something like this would be a beast for buzzing up a small tree.

I'm not against carrying a pencil sharpener; I just wouldn't trust it as my sole means to create fine shavings. Maybe if the housing were made out of magnesium, then it'd be a multipurpose item. That's something I'd probably carry.

Yeah the gerber e tool is EXTREMELY overpriced. This one is only $16

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0038A05X6/ref=aw_wl_ov_dp_1_1?colid=25PKQCCBPVIPQ&coliid=I2IBQMX73C7NT9&vs=1

Yep, This is what I have. Comes with a spare blade.

You could probably do both with something like a Lansky Dual Grit Puck. That or some other type of whetstone.

The kind of knife sharpener where you slide your knife through a v-shaped slot generally won't work for an axe because the head is so much thicker than a knife blade.

Without knowing where you are, I'm not sure if this will be as useful for you as it may be for others, but a SaberCut pocket chainsaw, for bigger diameter logs that may have come down across the trail, that might be a little impractical for a hatchet.

Here's the Amazon link - https://www.amazon.com/Edible-Wild-Plants-American-Natural/dp/1402767153

Get you a Lansky puck . Should do you just fine.

If there are major dings in the blade, a mill bastard file could be a good place to start until you get a definable edge.

14.97 on Amazon

can the Mora/LMF fireknife count as one item?

I looked into the UV5R series and I think I might go with the original. What do you think?

This is the cheapest model here ...

BaoFeng UV-5R Dual Band Two Way Radio (Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007H4VT7A/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_aIRlDbMJNTYWE

• http://www.amazon.com/Morakniv-Craftline-Allround-Utility-3-8-Inch/dp/B004GAVOUU/
  
• http://www.amazon.com/Morakniv-Allround-Multi-Purpose-Stainless-8-1-Inch/dp/B00CWMINNK/

Ray Mears Essential Bushcraft

Bushcraft: Outdoor Skills and Wilderness Survival

Wildwood Wisdom by Ellsworth Jaeger.

My Bible.

Ontario Rat 5

Ontario 8627 RAT-5 Knife (Brown) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000R30XAC/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_dS-7wbTS9QJJS

Grand Trunk Ultralight Hammock. I just bought one in Hawaiian floral. $20-$30.

> Sabercut saw

http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Survival-Technologies-SaberCut-Black/dp/B001H9N8C0

Hell a mora knife works better too, like this which is what use. Thing's tough as hell and pretty reasonably priced. The highq model at half the price is almost as good too.

Not sure what kind of knife you have but here's what I'd do:

SHELTER:

If you are bushcrafting it, then move on. If not, at least a tarp. A cheap plastic one from a big box store will do ($10). Shit, if you're bushcrafting it you should be good with just the knife and a bowl to eat from.

SLEEPING:

Grand Trunk Ultra Light. And just bring a blanket from home if it is going to be cold. I like hammocks because fuck sleeping on the ground for more than a night.

PACK:

Just wrap everything up in the tarp and make a shoulder sling with some paracord. You did budget for some paracord right?

COOKING/FIRE:

Buy a stainless dog bowl from a dollar store along with a cheap lighter.

Other than that, I'd say go thrift shopping. For $50 you could buy a pack, blanket, food bowl, and a water container at least with money to spare for your meal budget and that book you've been eyeing for a trail read. You won't look sexy, but you'll have your bases covered.

Oh, and buy a bandana. Single most useful piece of gear ever.

Cody Lundin's 98.6 Degrees and When All Hell Breaks Loose are both good reads.