Survival Kits

A well prepared person will have a survival kit on their belt, a survival kit in their vehicle and a survival kit at home. Each of these kits should be sized and supplied uniquely for their location. Obviously you can have more and larger supplies in the trunk of your car than you can carry on your belt and even more in a special room of your house. There is no one ultimate list for a survival kit. Survival kits should be prepared according to your area, situation and skill level. I am going to give you some guidelines below but you will need to adapt them to your personal needs. Since this book deals with outdoor survival I will not get into supplying a car or home survival kit, I will only deal with the survival kit you carry into the outdoors.

When you go outdoors to hike, camp, fish or even practice survival skills have a survival kit that you can attach to your belt. A fanny pack is a good choice. That way if you lose your backpack due to an overturned canoe or whatever you still have some basic supplies to survive with. I will list a basic supplied kit and list a few additional supplies for the more advanced survivalist. All the following supplies should be sealed in a waterproof container and then carried in the belt pack. A waterproof container can be as simple as a heavy-duty zip locked bag.  Supplies should be kept up to date if there is anything like emergency food items included. And don’t be afraid to use your survival kit to practice and familiarize yourself with its supplies. This also helps you to figure out better ways to prepare your kit. Just be sure to replace anything you use.

• Large plastic bag. Can be used for shelter or emergency rain gear or for a transpiration bag (See water discussion later in text.). Fold up very small and compact and secure with a wire tie.
• Matchless fire making device. There are many to choose from. This can be as simple as a metal match and some cotton balls or the simple magnesium fire block and striker, but I prefer something more substantial like a magnesium fire starter of some sort, like the Gerber Strike Force. Don’t even bother with matches.
• Emergency tinder bundle. This can be sealed up separately and can consist of shredded cedar bark and some cotton balls. If you wish, a clever firestarter is to saturate the cotton balls with petroleum jelly and put them in a container that it is easy to dispense them from. An empty lipstick case works well or a prescription medicine bottle.
• A small length of parachute cord. There are so many uses for this type of cord. You can use it for a bow string. You can take it apart and have smaller cords that can be used for traps and snares.
• A couple of zip lock sandwich bags. Great for gathering supplies like insects and plants for eating later, gathering dry tinder, they even will contain water.
• Some bouillon cubes. Some have called bouillon cubes pocket soup. Nutritious, instant soup in a form that is easy to carry. Also good for flavoring stews made from insects that may not taste pleasant.
• Energy, protein bars. These should be of the type that are non-perishable and will keep for long periods of time not the grocery store variety with chocolate coatings that will melt and spoil. Optional but include them if you can acquire some. Some outdoor stores and catalogs carry them.
• Fishing hook, line and sinker. A couple of ready made fishing kits that you can wrap up on a card of cardboard to keep from tangling. A couple of extra hooks and weights would also be good. Small lures are also handy in case you have to eat your bait.
• A small blade of some sort. A small pocket knife and a couple of razor blades would be good to have.
• A survival blanket. These actually work. They are made of foil. They can be used for shelter or you can wrap up in them with the shiny side in to reflect heat back to your body.
• Buy a good one. It need not be expensive but it should be a good one. And of course, make sure you know how to use it. Optional but you will be glad you brought one if you have one.
• A 9 hour, windproof candle is best. Can be used for lighting, keeping a fire going, even heating. A candle can bring up the temperature in a well built shelter 20 degrees. Optional but very useful.
• Duct tape. A few feet rolled up has a million and one uses. Optional but useful.
• Aluminum foil. A small sheet folded for signaling, boiling water, etc.
• For signaling. A whistle is better than screaming to get attention. It stands out better and it saves your voice.
• Signal mirror or you could use the foil you have. Signalling by mirror is the most effective rescue signal. More on signalling later.
• A small flashlight. Make sure you keep battery separate and wrapped up till you need it. Optional but useful.
• Metal wire. A short length of wire for snares and binding. Baling wire works well.
• Arrow points. A couple of modern razor tips are useful but only if you have skill to construct a bow and an arrow. Optional but useful.
• A metal frogging gig to put on a spear for fishing and frog gigging. Optional but useful.
• A length of jute string is useful for many reasons.
• Water purification tablets. Optional but useful.
• Water filter. This doesn’t have to be a large expensive filter. Something small that will fit in your survival kit. These have to be kept up to date so replace filters as needed. Optional but useful.
• Multi-purpose tool. This is optional but very useful. I do not like the ‘Swiss Army’ type knives they are very bulky in your hand. I like a good 2-3 bladed carbon steel pocket knife and a separate multi-purpose tool. Buy a good one though like Leatherman or Gerber makes. Cheap substitutes will break when you need them most.

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Modern conveniences, we are surrounded by them, so much so that we take most of them for granted, until we don’t have them. I’m not against having modern conveniences. They have made life easier and given us all more time for things we enjoy. But neither can the individual who will survive become so much a slave to luxuries that they cannot do without them. It is a fact that disillusionment and the paranoia that follows it are the biggest killers among people thrust into a survival situation.

Yes, there was a time people lived closer to the Earth. They experienced the outdoors everyday. In our modern culture most people have become far removed from this connection. This book draws off of the skills that primitive people have used for thousands of years and applies these skills in such a way to show the modern day survival student how they too can survive in the outdoors. The knowledge you will obtain from reading and practicing the skills described in this book could very well save you and your loved ones’ life. Once you experience the outdoors on this level you will never look at the outdoors the same way again. This just may be the most comprehensive book on survival on the market! Full of great original instructive drawings and photographs! Available in paperback only. FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO ORDER JUST CLICK ON THE IMAGE.

BEN’S BACKWOODS is a great website and store for all your outdoor needs. Great prices on survival supplies, tools, outdoor clothing, sleeping bags and so much more. Ben is also a super nice guy to talk to. He is a great resource for scout groups, etc.

Website: http://www.bensbackwoods.com/ E-mail:  bensoutdoor@yahoo.com
PHONE: (231) 388-4181
Address: Ben’s Outdoor Products, 11788 E 4 Mile Rd., Leroy, MI 49655

SCHOOL OF SELF RELIANCE

Christopher Nyerges

If you are in California area there isn’t a better school around for primitive and survival skills than the one Christopher Nyerges runs. He also has several books and many resources available.
Christopher’s most recent book is “Nuts and Berries of California,” covering mostly wild nuts and berries and a few non-natives that we find everywhere. Lots of unique information here, everything from the proper way to process California buckeye’s to how to make olive oil. Foreword by Dr. James Adams.
You can get your book anywhere, including the Store at SchoolofSelf-Reliance.com.

LATEST FROM CHRISTOPHER NYERGES:

FALCON GUIDES

During the last few years, I’ve kept busy writing books for the Falcon Guides.  So far, there are “Foraging California,” “Foraging Oregon,” “Foraging Nuts and Berries of California,” and “Foraging Edible Wild Plants of North America.”  “Foraging Washington” comes out in the spring of 2017. 

BOOK DEAL

Check out the many books and other products we have for sale at the Store on our website.  Buy any 3 and get a 4^th one free.  You’d get any book free on our list (except Paul Campbell’s Survival Skills of Native California, and “Botany in a Day.”)

 SPECIAL LECTURES AND CLASSES

We don’t send out that many notices, but some of you have asked about receiving reminders for special classes, those that don’t normally appear on the Schedule. If you’re one of these people, let me know and I’ll see to it that you get a notice whenever there’s something special going on.

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