Manly uses for Tampons

Website "The Art of Manliness" features 10 Survival Uses for Tampons, originally titled Yes, That’s a Tampon in My Mouth: The Swiss Army Survival Tampon — 10 Survival Uses

The site recommends men put out of mind the feminine uses that might them squeamish and think instead of a tampon as the "Tactical Adventure Medical Preparedness Outdoors Necessity". The tampon is actually regulated in the US by the Food & Drug Administration as a Class II Medical Device.

1. Medical Bandage
   Tampons are sterile and ultra-absorbent making them the perfect first aid bandage for heavy bleeding.
2. Crude Water Filter
   Won't work on chemicals or bacteria but can filter out grit and sediment from water
3. Survival Drinking Straw
   Suck dirty water through a tampon if there's no other way to purify the water.
4. Fire Tinder
5. Tampon string can be used as a candle wick
   Make an emergency oil candle with rendered animal fat and string
6. Use Tampon string directly
   It's not much of a string but could be used to make a deadfall trap or tie things together
7. Use cotton as fletching for blow-dart
8. Blow tube to heat up coals
9. Waterproof case for matches
10. Use packaging to make bobber for fishing line

Can you think of other survival uses for a tampon?

MacGyver Humor

There is much pleasure to be gained from useless knowledge. Bertrand Russell (1872 - 1970)

Bottom Line

As mentioned in my earlier post, MacGyver Ready, your mind is the most powerful tool you possess. With it you can be inventive and create other tools as needed.

MacGyver Ready

"Chance favors the prepared mind." - Louis Pasteur

I have seen some versions of the Rule of Threes, that include an extra line: you can only live for 3 months without hope. Hope and preparedness work well together. If you are prepared, you'll have reason to be hopeful. If you're of the right frame of mind and have the right skills, you will be better prepared.

Frequently books and web sites focus on the material side of preparedness with check off lists for the right supplies to have on hand. But what if you're away from your supplies?

Example: while photographing a beautiful nature scene you step back too far and fall down a ravine breaking your leg. Are you carrying a first aid kit in your pocket?

Example: you are driving over the river and through the woods to Grandmother's house for Thanksgiving. Your car slides on black ice and is stuck in a ditch with no cell phone signal. Did you pack blankets and emergency food & water in the car?

The survival instructor who taught the broken leg example does indeed ALWAYS carry a survival kit in a fanny pack on his belt. (Who says you can't take it with you?) Lacking the fanny pack you might think back to your scouting days and make a splint with branches and the sleeves torn off your shirt. When you lack supplies, be creative!

You may remember the TV show MacGyver (the actor has appeared in character in a few commercials lately for Master Card). MacGyver was a hero who saved the day by combining everyday objects in clever ways. In one show he combined metal candle sticks and a power cord to shock a heart attack victim back to life (don't try this at home!). In a commercial he slides down a cable to freedom using his socks.

(For MacGyver fans there is an interview with the star, Richard Dean Anderson, comparing his life to MacGyver in Popular Mechanics, Sept. 2008)

Bottom Line
When supplies fail - use your mind. Be as resourceful and clever as MacGyver and be creative with the supplies you have.