A Survival Tips and Techniques Blog | UrbanWoodsman.com

You never know what you’ll run into o a backpacking trip; rain, snow, lightning, rockslides, dehydration, altitude sickness, and the aches and pains associated with hauling a 40-60 pound backpack along mountainous trails. Trekking into the wilderness should not be taken lightly because there are real dangers, but these can be mitigated with the following ten backpacking trip essentials. 1. Knowledge – Knowledge is power. Learn how to read a map and compass; make a fire in the rain or snow, with and without matches. Learn basic first aid. Take a survival course. The point is the more you know before you ever step foot on the trail the better your chances of dealing with any emergency situation that occurs. 2. Map/Compass – Getting lost is not an option. Learn to use a compass and read a map in tandem. These two items can get you out of unfamiliar territory. 3. Lighter, matches, and a fire starter – Water proof matches and a lighter can come in handy but what happens if these don’t work. There are many sparking fire starters available at any number of outdoor stores. Get one, learn how to use it, and keep it in a safe place in your pack. 4. First aid kit – Get one from your local outdoor store that is specific for backpackers. Make sure it contains pain relievers, bandages, anti-biotic ointment, anti-septic spray or ointment and some form of allergy medicine. An Epi-pen can also be a good investment because an allergic reaction to a bug bite 20 miles in the wilderness can be deadly. 5. Foot care – Blisters can quickly bring any backpacking trip to a painful halt if you don’t have the necessary treatment options. Moleskin and a needle should both be included in your first aid kit to care for any blisters. 6. Water – Dehydration is not something you want to experience. Make sure your filter is in working order before you hit the trailhead. Even then it may break or quit working so have iodine tablets as a backup because while dehydration is not fun neither is giardia. 7. Rain gear – No matter where you are going always carry reliable rain gear. Hypothermia sets in fast if you get wet and is one of the biggest causes of wilderness deaths. 8. Shelter – Whether you use a tent, tarp, or bivy sack you need a way to get out of the elements. Learn how to use which ever shelter you do use so that you can set it up quickly. 9. Sleeping bag – Where you are going and what time of year will help determine what kind of bag you need. Down sleeping bags are the warmest for what they weigh but lose their insulating ability if they get wet. For camping in wet nasty conditions it may be best to have a synthetic bag. 10. Tailor your gear for where and when you are going – Quite simply this means take stock of where you are going, how long you will be gone, and the weather conditions you are likely to experience and customize your gear list to that. Planning ahead will keep surprises on the trail to a minimum. You don’t want to be 10 miles down the trail and find out you forgot something that you will really need.

There’s something quite magical about sleeping under canvas. Closeness to nature, seeing the moon shining through the tent, hearing owls hooting in the trees and breathing nature’s earthy scent… these small things which we take for granted in our everyday lives are somehow more appreciated on a camping holiday.

But there are also practical reasons for choosing a camping holiday. The cost, for one; despite an initial outlay for a tent, sleeping bags and other gear, equipment will usually last for many years without needing replacement, so camping holidays will typically be reasonably priced. A night at a campsite can cost as little as £5, while a room in even a modest hotel can cost ten times as much.

Then there’s the flexibility and freedom of packing up and moving to another location, and deciding whether it’s a survival-style trip with only the bare minimum of equipment, or an altogether more luxurious holiday with a huge tent, inflatable beds and anything else that can be squeezed into the boot of the car.  Who can deny that there’s something extremely appealing about following your own schedule and experiencing more of the great outdoors? You can start your holiday in Snowdonia, finish it at Loch Ness, stop at the Lake District and the Pennines along the way – all the while, never having to sleep in someone else’s sheets…

Whatever form your camping trip is likely to take – hiking with everything squeezed into one rucksack, cycling with your gear squished into panniers, or driving with a packed trailer attached to the car – there are certain bits of kit that will make your camping holiday that bit easier.  Here’s a selection of our favourites.

Survival tools

One of the most useful things you can take with you on a camping trip is a multi-tool, which combines a variety of tools in one small package – much like a Swiss army knife.

The True DogTag Tool TU30 comes with a neck chain and a key chain to make sure it doesn’t get lost. Measuring just 5cm, the True DogTag Tool TU30 includes useful tools including tweezers, a bottle opener, a knife, a screwdriver and a bright white LED light – so finding your way back to your tent at night won’t be a problem.

If you’re planning a full-on survival experience then a useful tool to take on your trip is the hand powered chainsaw, which despite being light and compact and operated purely by hand, can cut through a three-inch diameter tree limb in 20 seconds.

Heat and light

Even during the summer, evenings can be cold and dark, so make sure you take reliable sources of heat and light on your camping trip.

The Cyba-lite LED Lantern is perfect for camping trips. Battery powered, the lantern weighs just 158g and is only 13cm high – yet with its convex lens and 0.5w bright white LED, the Cyba-lite LED lantern will provide ample light, either standing in its base or with the base inverted to create a hanging torch.

Lighting a fire to keep warm at camp is not always easy, especially if you can’t find any decent kindling. So why not take your own kindling with you? Maya Fire Lighting Dust is made from shavings of a fatwood pine which has an 80% resin content – just strike sparks into the dust to get flame. Maya Fire Lighting Dust is neatly contained in 7cm diameter waterproof packaging, produces an extremely hot flame, and is completely natural.

Cooking and eating

Even if you’re staying at a campsite with lots of amenities, you probably won’t want to eat at restaurants every day – it can be very expensive, for a start. But if you’re trying to travel light, cooking and eating utensils – and food – can very quickly weigh you down.

Thankfully, there are some excellent lightweight cooking and eating utensils and specialist foods which are ideal for travelling light, and which use very little space in your rucksack.

The Camping Meal Kit is a set of polycarbonate and polypropylene utensils, which all pack away neatly into the largest dish which measures just 19cm x 19cm x 5.5cm. Included in the kit is a spill-free cup with lid, two plates, a combined colander and cutting board, a small waterproof box, and a spork (a spoon-knife-fork combined into one handy tool).

If you’re likely to find yourself miles from civilisation, stock up on lightweight food before you set off, which will provide the nutrition and energy you need for your trip without weighing a ton in your backpack.  Backpacker’s Pantry has created an excellent range of freeze-dried meals in lightweight packets, which contain enough food for two people. Simply add boiling water and then enjoy a meal of spaghetti in sauce, Pad Thai, spicy chilli or a variety of other delicious recipes.

Bushcraft like improvising a shelter, making a weapon, or producing fire are basics that one must have in case of being lost or isolated in the wild. These skills maybe necessary but what is most important is knowing what you can eat when you are out there.

If you eat, most likely you will have the mental capacity to think of other ways to survive. Food will keep you calm and supply the energy that you might need to move from one point to another or face life threatening situations.

In the wild, there are basic survival food categories. What you can get will primarily depend on your location and the tools that you have with you. Here are the foods that you may have in the wild:

Wild Berries

The rule of thumb in the wild is that if it tastes like blueberry, strawberry, or raspberry, most likely it is.

Wild berries maybe the most basic bushcraft food that you have to be aware of. You may want to find out other substitutes like june berries, wild currants, rose hips, cranberries, blackberries, wild cherries, winter green berries, bear berries, and thimble berries.

Foods from the Water

If you are in North America, it will be easy to remember that all freshwater fish are safe to consume. Even with your bare hands, you can catch small fish if you can find the right spot to wait for them. Wait for them where they commonly swim or lead them to shallow water where you can easily trap them. You may also improvise a line for fishing and use worms or insects as baits.

Other choices may be obtained from lakes and streams. You can pick up shell fish like mussels, clams, or mollusks and boil them. You can also have crayfish with their meaty tails.

Insects and Bugs

Some insects may cause you harm. You might want to stay with grasshoppers and wood grubs. You can find grasshopper in grasslands and the wood grubs in rotting big logs. They are a great source of protein and you can prepare them by removing the wings and legs. You can make a tasty barbecue out of these crunchy crawlers.

Birds

It might be next to impossible to capture wild birds without the proper weapon but it is worth a try. If you have a gun or the bushcraft bola then you can give it a try. There are birds that nests on the ground and it will take a few rock throws to capture them.

You can also go for the eggs that are left in the nests on tree tops or those which lay on the ground. It will be very easy to improvise and cook these eggs.

Larger Animals

It will be very difficult to take down a large mammal if you don’t have a gun. It will still be quite a challenge if you have spears or other bushcraft weapons. The priority will be to meet you basic survival needs like shelter and fire. Try to look for easier catches like those mentioned above before attempting to go for the big catch.

Small animals like the porcupine though can be hunted using a sizeable rock. Be careful of the spines and clean them from the underside. They can be tasty as well and a good source of protein to help your muscles while in the wild.

From bugs, birds, and mammals, you have to think of how you can use bushcraft or your wilderness skills to make sure that you have a good food source for the day. Remember that eating will be key to your survival in the wild.

Having a dependable light source that isn’t going to fail at a vital moment is essential, especially as inclement weather sets in this time of year. Winter emergencies can strike with little warning. It is therefore important that your home is prepared with the best lighting and survival tools possible. When it comes to a light source, it is important that it not only cast a strong light when you need it most but one that also has a variety of features to make sure that you’re never stranded in the dark during an emergency situation. Consider purchasing an LED emergency lantern which produces a strong white LED light at a fraction of the energy cost of traditional light bulbs.

What’s So Great about LED

An LED light like those available in emergency lanterns or flashlights are far superior to a standard incandescent flashlight. LED’s are not like traditional bulbs because they contain no glass casing or a filament. This means you don’t have to worry about the bulb breaking or the filament burning out at an inconvenient time. A white LED light will burn for years longer than a comparable white light bulb at a much lower energy cost. You may also find that manufactures will combine LED’s in a lantern or flashlight to produce a brighter light in the same amount of space as a standard bulb would be able to create. This is why you can find small LED flashlights that put out a great light than some larger traditional versions. Because multiple LED’s are used in these lights you are also generally able to use different light settings easily as well. The ability to dim an emergency lantern in the evening or at night at the push of a button is another great feature of a quality LED lantern.

What to Look For

There are a few key features you should make sure to pay attention to when you are purchasing your LED emergency lantern. Look for a lantern that is convertible between a “lantern” mode and a “flashlight” mode. Also look for one that utilizes multiple LEDs. Depending on the size of the lantern, 8-12 bulbs are recommended. A hand crank to provide emergency power in case the batteries are low is a wonderful feature as is a rechargeable battery pack. As mentioned above, the ability to adjust the light intensity either through different settings or a dimmer switch is a practical feature that can ensure that your lamp can be used for both emergency situations as well as general outdoor use.

Extra Bells and Whistles

As always, there are some additional LED lantern options and features out there that may prove useful to you. Some come with built-in radio systems for listening to news or weather reports. Others have emergency road flare settings which blink orange or red lights should you keep the lantern in your outdoor survival kit or camping gear. As always, check out product reviews online and read about other users’ experience with lanterns with these features to see if they prove useful or not.

Regardless of the brand or style of LED emergency lantern you choose, it is important that your home have one in its emergency tool kit. The value of having a dependable light source in any emergency situation is immeasurable when it comes to the safety and comfort of your home and family.

-Ben Anton, 2007

Product Description
Ray Mears is well known to millions of television viewers through his acclaimed series Tracks, Ray Mears World of Survival and Ray Mears Extreme Survival. Now, based on the bestselling Bushcraft, he has created a handy portable compendium of vital survival skills and wisdom from around the world. Packed with essential wildemess techniques, this book is an invaluable companion on any expedition…. More >>

Essential Bushcraft

Presentation and explanation of various items in a kit. An outdoor first aid kit could someday save a life including your own. Do not go without one. It should be small and compact, light, and contain the essentials. Everyones kit is a little different and should have items pertaining to the user.

If you are going on a camping trip, make sure that your survival kit has an emergency blanket included. In case of unexpected downpours and windstorms, using them is sure to keep you toasty warm throughout the night.

Shopping Tips for Emergency Blankets
With so many bogus products crowding the market today, authentic emergency blankets, which may also be referred to as space blankets, are harder to find. Use the tips below to make sure that your purchase is 100% capable of keeping you safe and warm in whatever weather condition you find yourself in.

The Right Materials
Basic emergency blankets are made of aluminized non-stretch polyester. Anything else will not be able to effectively or sufficiently reflect your body heat and provide you with the extra warmth you need.

Heavy-duty emergency blankets, on the other hand, are made of a more durable kind of polyethylene. If you’re expecting to meet extreme weather conditions on your camping trip, you’ll be glad to know that this kind of emergency blanket is capable of reflecting 90% of your body heat.

Lastly, authentic emergency blankets are weatherproof. Be sure to test it out for yourself. Emergency blankets must not only be capable of keeping water out but it must also protect your body from strong gusts of wind.

Compact and Lightweight
Because emergency blankets are designed for outdoor use, its manufacturers have ensured that lightweight materials are used for making them to facilitate traveling. If the emergency blanket you are interested in buying is bulky and heavy then it’s probably a fake and won’t give you any semblance of safety or warmth when you finally make use of it on your camping trip.

Flexible
Be sure to test the flexibility of the emergency blanket. You want something that will effectively mold to your shape even in sub-zero conditions.

Size
If you are of exceptional height or girth, be sure to check the dimensions of the emergency blanket. Don’t settle for anything incapable of keeping you fully covered as this could compromise your health and safety.

Appearance
Look for something that’s easy distinguishable even in low light conditions. In cases where you’ll have to pack quickly and move to another camping site, you won’t have a hard time looking for your emergency blanket.

It’s Not for Sharing
Last but not the least, not all emergency blankets are designed for sharing and at the most, they are only capable of keeping two persons under wraps. Anything more would render the emergency blanket less effective than it should be.

Acquiring basic survival skills is of paramount importance. Teens want to experiment and have an adventurous life. So, there is a possibility that at any time they may be thrown into a dangerous situation. To survive in such a situation and come out, basic survival training for teens should be taught. Teenagers also love places like mountains, woods and deserts. To survive in such places they need survival skills.

Many schools and private organizations offer basic survival training for teens. Many courses are specialized. For example a course can be held on basic survival skills while mountaineering, another could be survival skills needed while deep sea diving etc. Although the situations and the circumstances will be different in each case, if a teen learns a few basic skills, he will be able to handle the situation he is in, in a better manner.

The ability to make a fire is very essential for survival. A fire has many and varied uses. It fulfills a teen’s want for warmth, light and fire. It keeps wild animals and dangerous creatures away therefore giving a person peace of mind while resting at night. It is used to cook food and purify water. It is used to dry clothing. It is also used to signal over very long distances. Teens should know how to make a fire using the material available with them. The age old method of making a fire using friction should be taught during basic survival training for teens.

Knowing how to make a shelter is also important. Shelters protect a person from rain, wind, sun, snow, heat, cold etc. In basic survival training for teens, teenagers are taught to build shelters. Shelters can be built by twining branches together, draping a cloth or a parachute over some branches etc. While caves are a very good shelter, the teen must ensure that there is no wild animal or dangerous insect lives inside.

Finding food and water is another skill they have to be taught at basic survival training for teens. Every teen’s basic wants of food and water have to be fulfilled in order to survive. A person can go without food for a number of days but not without water. On an average, a person can survive for three days without water. Lack of water can lead to lethargy, dehydration, headaches, dizziness, confusion and finally death.

If they do not have food and water, they must be taught to search for them. Most plants provide water. Water can be found in the roots of trees and in vines. Rainwater can be caught and stored. The dew on the vegetation can be carefully collected and drunk. Once the water is collected, the teenager has to ensure that it is fit for drinking. He can boil the water on the fire he has made. Food can be collected. There are many edible nuts and berries, insects and even bugs. Teenagers should be trained at basic survival training for teens to snare animals, cook and eat them.

Most basic survival training courses give a session on first aid. First aid is essential for lacerations which will otherwise turn infectious, venomous bites, fractures, sprains burns etc.

Signaling techniques are a must in every survival training course. Signaling enables a person to be rescued faster and helps a person to make contact with the rescuer without being in actual, physical contact. Fire, smoke, flashlights, reflective mirrors, whistles etc are some signals that can be used.

Navigation is yet another skill to be taught. Map and compass reading is taught as also using stars to find a way out.

Basic survival training courses for teens also train teenagers to overcome panic, think clearly, formulate an action plan and implement it.

Wrapping up the survival gear necessary for handling the “Big 5″ survival priorities a dayhiker may face when lost.

A continuation of the survival gear every dayhiker should carry, regardless of environment. Broken down by the “Big 5″ survival priorities rather than a top-ten list of items. Go to www.apathways.com for more information.