Survive Out There!

Survival Essentials

Condensed from Survival Topic’s 15 Survivor Essentials

Check out SurvivalTopics.com

If you do any hiking, camping, hunting, or atv riding, you should have a survival kit that goes with you. You may think that you don’t need any extra tools to make it back to the car after a short hike. But what happens if you fall and break your leg a mile from your vehicle? Make sure that you can take care of yourself by packing along a few items!

1. Map Bring a map of the area you are traveling in, a good compass, and, if you have it, a GPS receiver.

2. Flashlight Or headlamp with spare bulbs and spare batteries.

3. Food/Water Enough to sustain you for one full day.

4. Warm Clothing Preferably, synthetic materials that can also serve as rain gear.

5. Rain Gear Hypothermia is one of the biggest enemies of the survivor. Bring a rain coat and rain pants and stay alive.

6. Sunglasses/sunscreen

7. First Aid Kit

8. Knife or multipurpose tool ‘Nuff said.

9. Fire At least bring a butane lighter. A magnesium fire starter or Swedish firesteel is a waterproof backup every survival kit should have.

10. A way to treat water Boiling it is the safest.

11. Whistle Whistles can be used to ward off wildlife and carry much farther than your voice.

12. Shelter Such as a tarp, 10 ft by 10 ft 2 mil plastic, or even a space blanket.

13. 25 feet of cord 50 feet of cord is better. Consider wire and fishing line as well

14. Insect repellent

15. The will to survive

Never underestimate the power of positive thinking!

My Survival Kit

I have always had at least a knife and butane lighter with me every time I enter the woods, even if it’s just a hike through a state forest. Over the years, I got around to putting a few more items in a fanny pack. Then I came across M40’s website and ended up with what I carry today.

See what experts recommend here at m40's site

multi-tool

pocket knife

40 feet of cord

space blanket

iodine water purification tablets

first aid kit and tweezers

flashlight and batteries

pencil

duct tape

compass

fishing line, hooks, bobber

plastic painters tarp

mini bread pan

butane lighter and magnesium fire starter

whistle

and really big KaBar knife (11 3/4 inches)

History Factoid

Ka-Bar knives got their name from a man who killed a bear with his knife and wrote to tell the company how he had "K A BAR." At least that was all that was legible! Read about it here.