safety/survival gear -- what do you carry?

Has anyone ever spent a winter night in the mountains in a space blanket and lived to tell about it?

I carry an ultra light bivy-sac most of the time. With the bivy, a puffy, and a small pad you should be able to wait if necessary.

I've always carried extra batteries for my headlamp. Recently I read a story in "Accidents in North American Mountaineering" in which one of the climbers lost his headlamp, which contributed to their epic (ending with a fatality). In the analysis, the ANAM editors suggested that the best way to carry extra batteries for your headlamp is in a second headlamp.

This makes so much sense, and is so easy to do with today's lightweight LED headlamps, that I recently bought a second one and now carry it on day trips.

Lowell has a good point. I've had trouble with headlamps (breaking, losing, batteries) before and it has caused a lot of extra work. So an extra is a great idea...problem for me is I keep misplacing the darn things.

Has anyone ever spent a winter night in the mountains in a space blanket and lived to tell about it?

I'm curious about this too. I carry the "Adventure Medical Emergency Bivvy," which is basically a tube hewn of space blanket: www.adventuremedicalkits.com/product.php...%20Emergency%20Bivvy

It only weight 3.5 ozs., but if it is a waste of space then I'll bring something else. I carry a puffy jacket and warm hat of course.

Has anyone ever spent a winter night in the mountains in a space blanket and lived to tell about it?

I did spend an unplanned night on north side of MRNP with a mylar space blanket and lived to tell about it. www.turns-all-year.com/skiing_snowboardi...38.msg28164#msg28164  Bivy sack would have been nice.  

I was glad to have a bivy sack and warm clothes when I broke my femur on S side of Mt R a few years ago and had a few hours in the snow waiting for help. And I'll second the recommendations to take classes and get practical experience with first aid.

In addition to the emergency blanket, I carry a candle ( 5" REI lantern candle ) this has been very beneficial in starting fires, and heating snow caves. And in an emergency I always in visioned keeping it lit under a make shift blanket shelter.

In addition to duct tape, I also carry a roll of medical vet wrap, which is very useful for compression wraps and unlike duct tape, it absorbs moisture and acts as a gauze.

And last but not least a summit beer or two...