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Wilderness survival - prepare for the worst

10 Essential items to bring

1. Extra food and water.
Extra food means food that is not part of a planned meal or snack, food you do not expect to eat. So you won't be tempted to eat it except in case of emergency, it probably should not be one of your favorites. It does not have to be a large quantity. It probably will not keep you from starving, but it might give you some comfort as well as a few calories to burn to keep you warm. One or two high-energy sports bars might be a good choice. Always carry a full liter of water, and keep it full. Refill at every water source. The next source may be a long way off. Always keep some iodine in your emergency kit (as long as you are not allergic to it) whether or not you travel with a filter in your pack.

2. Extra clothing.
This, too, is gear you do not expect to use. A polypropylene or wool sweater is fine. Even better is a small Mylar space blanket, the kind that comes folded up in a little cellophane package about 2 inches by 4 inches. Add a couple of 30-gallon trash bags, 2 or 3 millimeters thick if you can find them. These are extremely compact, weigh practically nothing, and can be tucked into your emergency kit and forgotten until needed. Garbage bags make good rain and wind protection. They can also be used for gathering food, insulating, as fire-making material, for forming part of a shelter, or for melting snow.

3. Map.
A topographic map is essential for any wilderness navigation. It also can be tucked inside your clothes for insulation or used to leave notes or directions addressed to potential rescuers.

4. Compass.
Be sure you know how to use both a map and compass or they won't do you much good. If your compass is the type with a mirror, it can double as a signaling device.

5. Flashlight with Extra Batteries and Bulb.
A small AA-battery light is fine. Its most important use is for reading a map, and perhaps for signaling. You will probably find that if it is absolutely necessary to walk after dark, starlight alone provides enough light once your night vision adjusts and you are sure of your footing.

6. Sunglasses and sunscreen.
These might not be critical for wandering through the Eastern woods, but they are absolutely essential for survival in deserts, on snow, or in high mountains above timberline where the atmosphere is thin. Sunburn can lead to severe dehydration. The same conditions can cause snow blindness, a particularly painful, though usually temporary, condition that can occur within less than an hour's exposure, though the symptoms may not show up until eight hours later.

7. Matches in a waterproof container.
The wooden strike-anywhere variety is best. Just be sure to store them in such a way that they cannot rub against one another and light themselves. An airtight pill bottle or film canister will keep both oxygen and water out.

8. Fire starter or candle.
In rain or wind a match will not stay lit long enough to ignite damp tinder. A candle, or even a small piece of candle at least a half-inch in diameter will give a more lasting flame. Better yet is fire starter, available at outfitting stores in several forms, from tablets or small blocks of paraffin or other flammable material to a gel that squeezes from a tube.

9. Pocket knife or utility tool.
One simple blade will do, though the models with scissors, saws, tweezers, screwdrivers, and other utility tools are handy for preparing tinder, preparing food, first aid, equipment repair, and almost any other task you can imagine.

10. First-aid kit.
Your kit should include a few alcohol swabs or moist towelettes, antibiotic ointment, aspirin or ibuprofen, Band-Aids, small tweezers, and scissors. Also include whatever prescription drugs you take regularly. If you travel alone or carry the main kit for a group, take a more elaborate kit. See Wilderness First Aid by Gilbert Preston (Falcon, 1997) for a thorough discussion of wilderness first-aid kits.

Public Comments

1. sounds pretty good. perhaps a weapon could be useful. a knife (bigger than pocket) or gun. a good all weather fire starter is steel wool and a nine volt batter (touch the + and - of the nine volt to the steel wool and you have flame) just don't store them together.

When you are thinking food, think high fat. Fat will give you the most calorie for size ratio. nuts are good.

You might want to consider a weather proof pancho too. It can be used as shelter pretty well, can be used as a sack, and can even be made into a canoe with the right sticks.

Some kind of high strength string would be useful, so you wouldn't have to use shoelaces.

Using a mesh sack to carry supplies could double as a fish net or hammock.

I was in the army for ten years and used this a little bit.

2. It is not true. These 10 items are not essential. One could survive in the wilderness not having these 10 "essential" items.

Although they all would help your survivability.

3. Seems like you have it all under control

4. True

5. seems to cover everything if you have a cell phone bring that and keep it off unless you need to use it to save the batterie life

6. Easy answer to your question is yes… your list is true. BUT, the reality of carrying all of that is in fact, difficult to impossible in a true survival situation. My philosophy is that everything that you carry to “be prepared” needs to have a multiple use, if it doesn’t it is not necessary for true survival. You would be surprised as to what you actually NEED.

I love this topic of being “prepared” and in my free time I write stuff like below. Read on if you have the time or interest. I am an experienced long distance hiker and just recently completed a 900 mile hike.

Everyone will give you their opinion on whether these items you list are true. Remember it is their OPINION. SO with that said here is my opinion…….First off you cant prepare for the worst. You can try and be prepared, but when it comes down to the question of wilderness survival, the top ten things you need to bring with you is KNOWLEDGE. Each case of being in the Wilderness is different, like if you have put yourself into the wilderness such as a hike or if your plane goes down in the forest somewhere. Knowledge can save you, especially something that you have practiced.

If you are planning a hike, putting yourself into the wilderness, you will want to have an extra day or two of food and the knowledge to find food in the wilderness. Also some string to make a snare to capture food.

Water… of course, but iodine is not the best choice, there are other options like Aqua Mira. This has no bad taste and can kill more of the bad stuff in the water, also is fast to treat. On long hikes, I carry more than a liter, in warm weather I carry 2- 1L Gatoraid bottles because they are light, and in cold I carry a 1L Nalgene for hot liquids. A hydration pack is the best choice, make sure it is lightweight.

Extra clothing is necessary, but it must be light as possible, if it is heavy you will be tempted to leave it behind. Wool is not a good option for EXTRA clothing, its heavy. If you have the $$ buy high tech clothing. Remember that you can layer and a rain jacket is great because you can “BAKE” yourself dry by trapping your body heat. Garbage bags are excellent but try and find a bigger 50 gallon yard waste type carry two. They really don’t have much in the insulation department. Mylar can save your life in hypothermia situations.

Maps are important, if you have an idea of where you are. Simple knowledge of sun navigation is great knowledge. I carry a topo map and try and have some knowledge of service roads and such. In an emergency, a map can become some insulation.

Compass ….carry one.

Flashlight should be LED type. I carry Petzel headlamp with extra batteries and a small LED keychain backup. LED lamps are lighter and most are waterproof and can last 10,000 hours.. Bulb lamps burn out, are heavy and you have to hold them in your hands, which can be difficult to work with.

Sunglasses are personal choice but sunscreen can be left behind. It can be heavy and messy. You can use mud to keep the sun off your skin if available.

Matches are not a good option, even if they are the so called waterproof kind. You may carry something like 3 strike anywhere, but no more. They are unreliable, fragile, and limited. You should carry a large “BIC” lighter and have the knowledge to start a fire using sticks, and using the BIC lighter’s flint striker, when out of gas, to start a fire with tinder or the lint balls from your socks. If you expect to survive in the wilderness you need to be an expert in starting a fire without the use of paper. Don’t depend on firestarters to start your fire, but you may still want to carry a tea-light candle.

Knife- a pocket knife is essential make sure it is a quality one, with a good sharp blade. Try and avoid the serrated blade, they are not good for carving wood and precision. Multi tools are good for anything, in my opinion, that may arise but a survivalist would prefer a hunting knife. A multi tool that is the small type, not the cheap ones but the $40 Leatherman is excellent. Remember that you will have to carry all this and even an ounce over the length of a day becomes heavy and with a lack of food you wont have the energy to carry a heavy tool/knife.

First-aid kit if you want to carry it all. I have found that Duct tape is the best barebones kit out there. Antibiotic cream in small one or two use packets is good also, can be used for firestarter, some types. It will do just about anything. It is a multi task must, even more than just first-aid.

7. that sounds good to me
keep up the good job
that sounds like you are very prepared

8. Nothing wrong with this. If you need additional and you have the room maybe consider the following:

instant food (granola bars are probably the best), pop tarts,peanuts
magazines, they are light and easy to carry.

newspaper to help start a fire

every thing else sounds great

9. Are you planning a getaway?

10. You forgot a bible because when it all goes bad that is what you will need.