A Survival Tips and Techniques Blog | UrbanWoodsman.com

When the balloon goes up on 21 December 2012 you want to get yourself and your family to sanctuary as fast as possible. One of the best ways to do it is with a modified 4×4 SUV. But it can’t just be an old SUV for reasons I’m about to explain.

The first thing you need to consider is how many passengers you’ll have. For a family of three or more you’ll need to look at large 4WD SUVs to get enough seating and load space. Beyond that the main selection criteria is the three Rs: Reliability, Ruggedness, Readily available parts.

For all of these reasons we recommend either a 1970’s or 80’s Chevy Blazer or Suburban, or the Series 70 Toyota Landcruiser Station wagon.
These vehicles are common everywhere – they don’t scream Survival Bug-out Vehicle to everyone, and you can paint them in drab camo colours without attracting attention.

By the way, I have nothing against Ford, Dodge or anything else, but the two mentioned above are ultra-reliable, tough, uncomplicated, simple to work on and above all you can find parts for them just about anywhere. But there’s more to think about:

Diesel Power.
I also strongly recommend that you choose a vehicle with a diesel engine. Diesel engines are better off-road than petrol engines because they produce a lot more torque at low revs. The fuel is much less volatile. Mileage per tank-full is much greater. Plus diesel engines can run on biodiesel or vegetable oil (aka drip oil).

Carburettors versus fuel injection.
Electronic Fuel Injection is the default option on SUVs these days because it delivers more power earlier in the rev range, better economy and it is self-tuning for different driving and atmospheric conditions. However compared to carbs fuel injection is extremely complicated, making working on it in the wilderness difficult unless you are an expert. This is just another reason why I believe you are better off with an older truck. Carburettors are simple, reliable and easy to keep in working order yourself.

Auto vs Manual transmission.
This is a tricky decision. Manual gearboxes are simple and robust. However they take skill to drive properly off-road and with an injured left foot or leg, can be impossible to drive at all.
Automatics are easier to drive – even kids can do it at a pinch, and many people think they are also superior off-road. On the other hand, they are massively complicated and if they break they are virtually impossible to fix in the field.
So which do you choose? If you are travelling with several other adults I would go for a manual every time. But if it’s just you and the kids an auto might be the safer, easier choice. Just make sure it’s been properly serviced and thoroughly checked over by a transmission specialist.

In fact that goes for the whole vehicle. Make sure it has regular services to keep the fluid levels up and fresh engine and transmission oil to reduce internal wear. You can do most of this work yourself in an hour or two in the driveway and you’ll always have your emergency bug-out truck in top shape and ready to carry your family to safety.

Surviving a camping trip or emergency in the wilderness is much easier if you have a good knife.  However, choosing the right knife for your needs can sometimes be an overwhelming prospect.  Here are some tips and tricks to help you when shopping for the best knife for you.

Combat or military survival knives are not the sort of instrument you want to have for casual camping.  The attributes that make it an effective weapon against others make it unsuited for wilderness use.  Double-edged knives especially fall into this category.  While perfect for thrusting, they are inferior for other uses due to their weaker blade, particularly towards the tip.  The second knife edge is unnecessary for most camping uses and leads to a greater chance of injury.  Large knives are also unsuited for most use.  Unless you are flying over the jungle or some other heavily overgrown area, a large knife such as a machete is not a good choice.  If you are inexperienced with a large knife, they can be “unwieldy and difficult to use”.  Even if you do need a large knife, for more common uses, a second knife is usually necessary anyway.  While hallow-handled knives are a good idea, they are not very practical.  The way the knife is constructed, with a nut or glue holding the knife blade to the handle results in a tool that simply cannot hold up to the frequent use and abuse of field activities.  Another reason not to use this type of knife is the danger of losing all the emergency supplies stored in the knife handle should your knife go missing.

The better the quality of a knife, obviously the better it will serve you.  However, any knife is better than no knife in an emergency situation.  Simply looking for the best quality you can afford is best.  There are several different terms that are used in the world of knives that can be confusing to an amateur.  “One piece”, “integral design”, “narrow tang”, “skeletonized” – how do you know which is what?  The best knife should have “a full tang” which is also called a “one piece” or “integral design”.  This just means the blade runs the full length of the knife and is covered to make the handle portion.  If the blade material isn’t covered for the handle it is called “skeletonized”.  A skeletonized blade reduces the bulk and weight of the knife.  When the knife has a “narrow tang” it means that the blade narrows as it enters the handle.  The particular style of knife you choose is not as important as ensuring that the blade extends the full length of the handle.  “Full tangs are essential for maximum strength and utility.”

What is the best survival gun? As a woman, that is a question I’ve been asking of those who are more experience with both survival and guns.  For myself I know I want something that is easy to handle, isn’t going to break my shoulder when I fire it and has affordable ammunition.  Another criterion is that it has enough fire power to produce a kill shot.

After asking several people, plus weighing in my own experience, I’m come to the conclusion that there are actually several guns that every woman should have in a survival situation. However, if one is limited to only having one gun my choice is a .22 rifle.

Here’s what an acquaintance had to say about the .22:  “Most bang for your buck is a 22 long rifle rimfire cartridge. There are many good 22 rifles for sale. I’d recommend a Ruger 10/22 semi-automatic carbine or rifle. You can’t reload 22 rimfires so stock up a lifetime supply, they’re cheap; $15/500 rounds or less on sale. A 22lr would be adequate for deer in a pinch, but certainly would not be my choice. For years the world record grizzly bear was taken by a young girl that crawled up on the bears back and shot it in the spine.”

From my own experience I know that a .22 will work for small game like squirrels and rabbits. I also know that my ex-husband brought down deer with just a .22 rifle using .22LR ammunition. He also took down an elk with one well-placed shot with the same rifle and ammo.

Since it is important that one feel comfortable with the gun one’s using, I believe the .22 will be the best choice for me.  They are lighter weight. I’m already familiar with how they handle, having shot them in the past with a good degree of accuracy.  Also as mentioned above, the ammunition is fairly cheap, especially when compared to other ammo.

Now, I just have to research the best make and model, although I already know that the one I want must NOT be a single shot.  If I have to use it for self-defense from either four or two legged predators, I don’t want to have to stop and reload to get off a second shot. I definitely want a model that has some kind of magazine for loading with multiple bullets.

While I’ve been advised that stainless steel is better than blue, I know that if all I can get is blue that’s what I’ll get.  I do think that a composite stock will be lighter weight than a wood stock.

Lastly, it is possible to purchase a good .22LR for under $200. Since that’s more my price range, that definitely makes it a good choice for me.

The same acquaintance mentioned earlier had this to add:

For self defense the #1 gun rule is: “Have a gun…any gun. If all you have is a 22 then use it.”

#2 rule is: “Use a gun of a small enough caliber that you can practice with it without fear of recoil or sound blast, therefore becoming good with it.”

Finally: “A .22 bullet in the eye socket beats a .44 in the wishbone every time.”

I’ve reached the conclusion that the best survival rifle for a woman, or at least this woman, is definitely a .22 rifle with a magazine and a composite stock. Now I just have to get it, and I plan on doing that before it gets even more difficult to purchase a gun.

Making a fire without matches is possible by using magnesium flint steel or by using friction to create an ember. Always have tinder ready to ignite with life-saving tips from an experienced wilderness expert in this free video on surviving outdoors. Expert: Matt Preye Contact: www.weu.com Bio: Matt Preye has been kayaking for 15 years in both whitewater and recreational kayaks. Filmmaker: Christian Munoz-Donoso

What are the best books you would recommend to learn stuff about wilderness survival and such. Like the shows you watch on tv now that show those guys hiking and eating stuff, like a book that has pictures or detail that shows what stuff is safe to eat and what is not out in the wild.

A survival knife is such equipment that can be of great help depending on its circumstances, size, construction and use. It can bail out people from the most impossible situations.

When you are spending some time outdoor, there may be many emergency situations which you have to face. Since the fittest survive, you need to equip yourself with certain things that are useful in many ways and yet fit into your costume while taking up a very small space. But what is the best survival knife? To know this, we will have to conduct a research of the different types of them available and how each can help.

Fixed Blade vs Folding Blade

A survival knife exists in both styles: fixed blade and folding blade. Fixed blades can be a real pain in the neck while moving about in the wilderness. Not only does it take up a lot of space but it also causes considerable discomfort to the carrier. But the fixed blade does have a point in its favor. It is certainly sturdier than the folding variety.

Folding knives are of course very easy to carry. To be really helpful in surviving in adverse conditions, you need to have a really big knife. A smaller size may be helpful for other purposes like hunting and for keeping as a souvenir, but camping in the forest requires something better. When you learn about survival tips, you must make sure that you learn the subtleties of using a big knife well.

Blade Finish

Out of the different types of blade finishes, the most common ones are black, stainless steel and powder coated. If you want to keep off the glare of sunlight, then black is the best choice. But the coating does wear out with use. At the same time, the powder coated and stainless steel ones are good as they don’t rust easily. A blade with a good finish will ensure that it can go through cracking, chipping and rusting when in constant use. So when you ask yourself, “What is the best survival knife?” you will certainly think of the blade finish being very significant when carrying it in the wilderness.

Handle of Survival Knives

When going gets rough and you encounter really trying conditions like a sudden downpour, it helps to have a rubberized handle for the knife. It certainly strengthens your grip. You can leave the exotic wooden handles and the ones made from bone and horn for a knife enthusiast to add to his collectibles. Some really good quality knives have a complete steel body as well as handle. This will help the knife to sustain pressure and not break even when it is under great pressure. But if you go through experience-proven survival tips, then they will certainly advise you to use a knife with a hollow handle so that you can use it for various purposes.

Shape of The Blade

This is a very important aspect which every person has to consider when buying a survival knife. Many are in favor of a drop point knife which is really useful in more ways than one. A sharp curve characterizes the blade. It can weather any adverse condition and can be used for slicing, hacking and stabbing. It rarely ever falls prey to cracking and chipping. A Bowie knife is a favorite with the hunters but is of not much use in survival tactics. In fact, nothing can match the versatility of the drop point knife.

Price Of The Knife

There may be many other features which dominate a really good knife meant for survival. But the answer to the question, “What is the best survival knife?” could also begin with your budget. A knife costing around $30-$50 may be good enough for your needs. And so long as it serves the purpose of being an ardent partner in times of adversity outdoor, it should be just the right survival knife for you.

A well-prepared emergency survival list can help you survive a disaster or emergency situation that you may confront anytime. This becomes even more important for the outdoor enthusiasts who spend their days outside, away from the comforts of home. Be it camping, hunting, hiking or any other activity, these people are often exposed to more challenging obstacles. Hence, they are required to carry with them emergency survival kits that could help them to survive even in unfavorable situations.

A fully equipped kit can help individuals reduce the risks that cause threat to their life. The right kit is one which contains all the essential tools and supplies that you may need in difficult situations. To ensure that you have all the required items with you, make sure you consider several factors like the climate that you will be exposed to as well as the topography of the place where you intend to go.

Best Emergency Survival List

Though the contents of such an essential pack may vary a little, depending upon the above mentioned factors (climate and topography), there are some items that every kit must have, irrespective of the type of the activity chosen and weather patterns of the area you’re exploring. Following are the most important components that an emergency survival list must include:

Shelter Items: This should include tents, tarps and rope. Besides these items you must also make sure to take sleeping bags, and foam mats with you.

Food And Water: The essential items list must contain food and water. While for food it is better to carry canned or dehydrated food that don’t require cooking, for water you can carry a personal sized bottle and also some water purification tablets.

First Aid Or Medical Supplies: An emergency survival list must include medicines and first aid items. These essential stuffs will ensure you successfully handle any illness or minor injury that you may suffer on your trip.

Tools To Procure Food: Apart from having the food items you must also keep tools for procuring food like fishing hook foldable knives etc. When there is shortage of food supply these tool like will help you procure food.

Signal Rescuers: Any emergency survival kit is incomplete without signaling items. Be it signal mirrors or plastic whistles, you must ensure you have some signal rescuers with you where ever you go.

Guiding Tool: A compass or other direction showing tools must be included at your emergency survival list. This will guide you to find right directions and hence help you to reach your destination.

Fire Starting Tools: Matches, lighters, flints and other fire creating items must be added to such a vital pack. You must go for the items that are more compact and can be used for long.

Utensils: Essential cooking utensils like cooking pots and eating plates should be included in the list of important items. Make sure to carry pots and other utensils that are light in weight and small in size.

There are several other vital items that you need to add to your emergency survival list. they are :

1) Water storage and carrying containers

2) Water filters and/or filters for purification

3) Light sources like flashlights and candles

4) Rain gear and warm outerwear

5) Sanitation and cleaning supplies

6) Hygiene products

7) Comfortable and durable shoes and several pairs of socks

Walkie-talkie radios with solar chargers

Above mentioned are some general essential tools and items that an emergency survival kit must contain. Depending on the situation you’re going to set off for, there could be some other items required.