Survivor Essentials
More Articles Related to Survival GearEvery survivor has her favorite take along survival gear. Often these items are tossed somewhere inside a pack or the trunk of a vehicle and pretty much forgotten.
It is important that you carefully compile a complete list of what it takes to survive in the variety of situations you are likely to encounter. And it is just as important to maintain your survival gear in an easy to access survival kit and know how to use it to its fullest extent. Like an old friend, if you carefully maintain your kit it will be there for you when you need it most. Your survival could depend upon it.
Of course your mode of transportation dictates to some degree what you can and cannot include in your survival kit. For example, traveling by car means you can bring along heavy wool blankets, several gallons of clean water, plenty of extra clothing and food. Your car survival kit would also contain car-related items such as a spare tire or two, fix-a-flat, spare fuses, etc.
Your vehicle itself could also be used as a shelter where a homemade car survival heater could come in handy should you break down. A typical hiker would want to travel as light as possible yet have a survival kit that would serve him well and cover most unexpected conditions should they occur. Travel by air has its own special survival considerations.
Whatever way you are traveling, the basics of survival remain the same. In a recent discussion at Equipped to Survive, jshannon posted a categorized list he calls The Ten Essential Groups. These groups cover what anyone needs to survive:
The Ten Essential Groups:
- Medical - first aid kit, medications, insect repellent
- Shelter - rain gear, emergency blanket, tarp, rope
- Communication - whistle, signal mirror, HAM radio, PLB, pen/pencil and paper, cellular phone, safety plan
- Navigation - map, compass, light, GPS
- Fire (pick 3) - waterproof matches, lighter, magnesium firestarter or Swedish firesteel, metal match, fresnel lens
- Hydration - water container, water purification method
- Nutrition - extra food, fishing kit
- Insulation - jacket, warm hat, gloves, proper footwear, closed-cell foam pad
- Sun Protection - sunscreen, sunglasses, wide-brimmed hat
- Tools - knife, repair kit, wristwatch
There are a number of Survival Essentials Lists compiled by experienced survivors. There are The Ten Essentials and The 15 Essentials and they are excellent resources for compiling and acquiring the survival gear you need according to your personal needs, preferences, and the environment you are likely to find yourself in. For your convenience Survival Topics has created a printable Survival Essentials Checklist for use as a starting point.
I recommend studying some of these survival lists and using them as a basis for making your own survival kit to prepare for the conditions you can expect to encounter. Furthermore, you should maintain your survival equipment and hone your skills in using it : in the event that you find need for your survival kit, you will be glad you did.
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