All too often, however, one hears news of people who get lost on a day hike or tour of the countryside.
There seem to be two common themes that I see in these situations. First, the victims do not have Survival gear or do not have the necessary material. And secondly, rescuers often see the packaging of any new equipment for outdoor activities on the ground. This means that the equipment has never been used before.
Knowing how to use the equipment, acquiring the necessary knowledge, and practicing skills are essential to entering nature. While before that, you must first have the proper gear for the job. To this end, I have organized a list of items to complete your wilderness survival gear.
Survival gear: Waterproof bag
Additional down the checklist will be a few things that can be utilized as a dry pack. However, it would be nice to have a waterproofed container especially designed for this goal. To keep clothings, ignition devices, or essential documents dry.
Survival gear: Clothing
There is a saying among outdoor enthusiasts: “Cotton kills.” Of course, this should be taken with a pinch of salt, but wearing only cotton clothing is generally frowned upon.
Indeed, cotton does not remove moistness very well but absorbs it. When this occurs, it loses its insulating properties, becomes heavy, and makes handling in cold weather much more dangerous.
Outerwear can be considered into three superficial layers: base layer, intermediate layer, and outer layer.
- The bottom layer should be made of wool or synthetic materials that wick moisture away from the body.
- The middle layer should be made of materials that also absorb moisture but are also insulating, such as fleece.
- The outer layer must be able to protect against the factors such as wind, rain, and snow.
Three other items that should be in this section are a hat, sunglasses, and a pair of thick work gloves.
Warning: Synthetics should be kept away from heat sources as they do not burn but melt on the skin
Rain poncho
A fantastic method to stay dry in wet situations. Choose a large shawl that you can throw over you and your bag while you’re wearing it.
We will cover the best ponchos in this article.
Heavy-duty trash bags
Trash bags are weightless, compact, and have more benefits than I can name for this post. It is worth taking the time to pack the bright ones.
Bandana
Some bandanas are very light, compact, and inexpensive. They also have many uses, some of which are:
- Mask
- Keep sweat from your eyes
- Requests for first aid
- Water collection
- Water filtration
- signaling device
- Repair of equipment
- Container
Survival gear: Water treatment methods
There are several ways to clean “dirty” water.
- Produced filters
- DIY field filters
- Water purification tablets
- Boiling
By creating a wilderness survival gear, you already have the tools to boil water and make your filter. Water purification tablets are light and compact enough to add to your kit. I have had a good experience with the Potable Aqua water purification tablets.
Aliments
Even if your time in nature is planned as a short excursion, such as a day hike, you should have emergency food supplies. Plans are falling apart, and it is essential to save your energy. Some products are energy bars, muesli bars, travel mixes, MREs, and dehydrated sachets like Mountain House Meals.
Survival gear: Navigation
As much as I dislike technology sometimes, there are two things you can wear. GPS devise and phone. These are invaluable tools for quickly determining your location, getting directions, and calling for help. The phone’s camera can also be used to document landmarks and other important objects along the way.
A few more things you should have are a map and a compass. If you are on vacation or do not know the area you are going to hike, you should buy a map before your trip. I also highly suggest finding local teachers and taking a boating class.
Rigging
There are many types of rope and cord, but my favorite is 550 paracord. It’s incredibly affordable, lightweight, compact, and versatile. One of the advantages of paracord is that it comes in various colors. Choosing a bright rope can be used for signaling and pioneering.
First aid
A first aid kit is another essential part of any survival gear. What to consider:
- Bandages
- Butterfly bandages / Sterile bandages
- Gauze and trauma pads
- Antibiotic cream
- medical tape
- Bandage Ace
- Alcohol wipes
- Antiseptic wipes
- Pharmaceuticals
- antidiarrheal, and burn/bite gel.
- finger splints
- Harness. Make sure you know when and how to use it correctly.
Survival gear: Starting a fire
I always carry a well-stocked campfire kit with me. My gear may seem a little overkill, but being able to start a fire can be crucial. I pack the number of articles I make to give myself the best chance with the least effort. My set includes the following items:
- Lighter BIC
- Matches UCO Stormproof
- Ferrocerium rod
- magnesium rod
- magnifying glass
- Birthday candle – easy to light and saves resources for lighting
- fatwood
- Tape rolls (homemade)
- Cotton balls, dry pile
- Arctic char fabric (domestic)
- Small diameter pipe (fire blower)
Survival gear: Emergency Tools
It can be used as a light source and helps start a fire. Sterno Emergency candles are a good option as they have a long burning time and come in various sizes.
Torch
In addition to illuminating the path in low light conditions, the lantern can be used as a signaling device. Consider a solar-powered or hand-operated flashlight, so you don’t have to carry extra batteries. Headlamps can be more comfortable to use as they allow hands-free operation.
The ProCharger Survival flashlight has excellent features.
Multitool
People have different opinions about this gear, but I won’t go anywhere without a multi-tasking tool like the Leatherman SuperTool or Gerber Suspension. For me, they are too helpful not to have them.
They are great for repairing gears, adjusting gears, and using cutting tools. I won’t dull my fixed blade knife unnecessarily. Another great multitool that I use often is the Victorinox Swiss Champ. Pliers aren’t as durable as the giant multitool, but the Swiss Army Knife can be more useful in some ways.
Check out our article on the best multitools you can buy.
Knife with a fixed blade
A knife is a handy tool, and its various characteristics depend on personal choice. I like the 4-6″ fixed blades, whole shank, non-powder coated carbon steel knife.
chopper
As with the knife section above, I’ll be pretty general in this section. I think a knife should not be used for chipping saw-cut wood or other percussive tasks. A larger and stronger tool should be used for such tasks, so choose an ax, hatchet, or hawk. In addition, these tools will also have other uses.
Wood saw
Three cutting tools in one set? This is true because every device has its place. When working with wood, a saw is much safer, requires less power, and makes precise cuts for projects such as building a barn or other outdoor tools.
Check out this compact wire saw. It is painless to handl, and can cut wood efficiently.
File and sharpener for metal
If you want these cutting item to stay in fine working order, you must a method to maintain them sharp. I suggest one to three different files. Flat, round for teeth, and trihedral for saw teeth. You can use a small wet stone or a diamond sharpener for a knife.
adhesive tape
Duct tape has a million uses, and it’s affordable and lightweight. Here are some ways to use duct tape:
- Gear holes fixed
- Make an equipped slingshot
- Make a first aid scarf
- It absorbs and holds flame well, so you can usit to start a fire.
- Make a rope
- Make a carry handle
- It can be used in building shelters
If you don’t want to wrap the whole roll, try wrapping some tape around some of the tool handles to transport it.
Big fillet
Mesh is very similar to duct tape in that it is lightweight, compact, and has many different uses. Here are some ideas for using the grid:
- To fish
- catch birds
- catch small animals
- It can be used as a tote bag
- If it is strong enough, it can be used as a hammock.
Signaling.
A few simple items should be in your first aid kit if you need to call for help. An emergency whistle, like the UST JetScream, and an emergency mirror, the more, the better and flares. You can also use brightly colored equipment (ropes, bandanas, clothes, etc.) to signal.
wool blanket
This type of kit should include a 100% wool blanket. 100% wool is excellent insulating, water-resistant, and moisture-wicking. Even when the thread becomes damp, it retains most of its insulating properties. These coatings can be expensive, but they are durable and should be considered an investment. Here are some ways to use a wool blanket:
- Poncho
- coat
- Oreiller
- Sleeping bag
- coverage
- shelter cover
- Pack
Tarpaulin
The heavy-duty waterproof tarp has many uses. It can be used as a shawl, shelter, water collection, shipping container, dry bag, food handling, signage, packaging, and ground barrier.
