You’re stuck on an alpine island and are only allowed to have ten pieces of gear with you. What do you take?

 

Alone Australia has just announced the list of 41 approved gear items contestants were allowed to choose from before they headed into the Tassie wilderness. With each contestant only allowed to select ten pieces of gear each, their choices could really seal their fate. 

Read more: Where is Alone Australia Filmed?

Before too much discussion could unveil across the We Are Explorers virtual office about which gear is essential or just plain dumb, I decided to jot down my very first and genuine reactions to every item on the list. 

I think this list left me with more questions than answers. All I can say is I hope the contestants got more info than this! 

In we go!

1. Ground cloth/ground tarp

Could be good to help keep icy cold Tassie ground off of you

2. Climbing rope

Climbing rope, in case you get bored and gotta scale a wall

3. Paracord

Meh, what else you got?

4. Bank-line

What the hell is a bank-line?

5. Flint / ferro rod set

Flint is good, idk how to light a fire do I even work for an outdoor publication?

6. Sleeping bag

Oooh snuggly

7. Bivy bag

Yuck, coffin

8. Sleeping pad

Hmm that might pop

9. Hammock

Does that have more than one use I wonder?

10. Pot

How big are we talking here?

11. Steel frying pan

Could whack something with it

12. Medium camp bowl

You’re joking

13. Spoon

You’re still joking

14. 1L water bottle

What’s it made of? Metal, plastic, hopefully not glass

15. Pocket knife

That could be good but idk how to use all the bits

16. Outdoor knife

Is that just a single knife?

17. Leatherman multi tool or similar

Oh wait nah that’s the one I want, is that different to a pocket knife?

18. Sharpening stone

Just use a nearby rock

19. Roll cloth tape

Like from a first aid kit?

20. Small shovel

That’s probs good for LNT

21. Small sewing kit

If I could sew better that could be handy

22. Carabiner

One single carabiner? not sure that’ll be useful enough

23. LED flashlight

Do you get a battery too or what?

24. Scotch eyed auger

I can’t say I know what that is

25. Adze

I swear I studied that in ancient history

26. Two-handled draw knife

I’m not sure if what I’m picturing is accurate *googles* close enough

27. Hatchet

I think I read that in school

28. Saw

There are lots of sharp blade-type objects going around

29. Axe

Isn’t that just a big hatchet?

30. Single filament fishing line and hooks

You wouldn’t want that to snap

31. Net foraging bag

Like, for storing berries?

32. Brass wire

How much do you get?

33. Solid block of salt

Ohhhh for preserving meat, nice

34. Emergency food ration

Ooft that’s getting dire

35. Eco-friendly biodegradable bar of soap

That’s a luxury, surely

36. Eco-friendly biodegradable tube of toothpaste

Oh but toothpaste would be a heaven sent, what about the brush?

37. Face flannel/washer

Are they serious with this?

38. Dental floss

Tim does say dental floss can save you! Could be the difference between sanity and insanity

39. Biodegradable shower soap

I love that they’re so eco-friendly down in Tas aha

40. Small towel

Is a small towel different to a flannel?

41. Comb

For in case you get nits

 

So in conclusion, I ain’t no survivalist and would perish almost imminently in the Tassie wilderness alone. Lucky I’ll just be watching on from the lounge with a big bowl of pasta.