Emergency Survival Equipment
Every outdoor lover should certainly understand the necessity of carrying emergency survival equipment. Whenever spending any sustained amount of time in the great outdoors, it is essential to possess survival foodstuffs should any unfortunate events happen. First-aid kits, matches, iodine tablets (or water filter), as well as heat blankets, are typical survival necessities.
A great thing to have in any survival kit is a nice survival booklet because it will outline for you such important things as basic navigation, disaster readiness and management, and first aid.
Survival equipment is also crucial and comprises of all things required for preserving a normal functioning living situation in the outdoors until help comes.
Food
Survival food ranges from MRE (Meals Ready to Eat) to dehydrated dishes that have to be mixed with water prior to consuming. You can find respective advantages and disadvantages to each. On the one hand, MRE's don't require water in order to be consumed, and therefore are easier and quicker to eat. However, MREs are much heavier than than dehydrated foods.
Using very little space in the hiker's rucksack, dehydrated meals are quite light and portable. Dehydrated foods are much tastier than you would expect and there are many varieties and types of meals available online and at your favorite camping store.
The major downside of dehydrated meals is that you need water and you need to heat the food. If you are not near a water supply, don't have a way to obtain water, or don't have a camp stove or other method to heat your food, then your dehydrated dinner is going to be rather unpalatable (although it will still sustain you). Having no water is a much larger issue than having no food... Bottom line, food should be included in your emergency survival equipment.
Warmth
Temperatures may decrease or increase swiftly out of doors, and therefore, an emergency blanket is an important thing to have. Emergency blankets occupy little space in a person's pack but give a life-preserving resource since they're manufactured from insulating materials.
It is also essential to have emergency matches, a lighter or a flame-less, reusable fire starter inclueded in your emergency survival equipment.
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Our Favorite Emergency Fire Starters
Clean Water
A water filter or iodine tablets are also a required emergency supply to carry in one's survival collection. Iodine capsules are employed to purify creek, river, and lake water that may contain parasites as well as other micro-organisms which can be life-threatening. Iodine tablets can be life-saving, despite the fact that they will severely modify the taste of water.
Water filters will purify the water without a nasty taste. Modern water filters are small and compact and will filter out most everything you need to worry about (except fluoride and some industrial pollutants) and will work over and over for thousands of uses.
Water filtration straws are small and compact and you can drink potentially contaminated water directly thru them. While we might use this in a stream with clean looking water, they are not a good long term solution. They are compact and easy to use if you are out in the wilderness and only need something for a week or two.
Be sure to include at least one method for making water drinkable in your emergency survival equipment.
Our Favorite Water Filtration Straws
Information, Knowledge & Experience
As mentioned before, a precise, factual emergency book is an excellent reference. The survival guide is much better utilized if read ahead of an out-of-doors trip, as several deadly circumstances happen very quickly, leaving very little time for you to seek advice from a guide.
Therefore, purchase a survival book and study it in its entirety ahead of venturing out to the outdoors. Nothing can beat preparation and training. So if you haven't already, start going camping. Not only is it fun, it will prepare you for living out of doors without all of the comforts of home.
That or go on a guided wilderness expedition with a knowledgeable guide. One of our favorite people and all around best teachers is Jeff Sanders of Desert Dawn. He can teach you how to have FUN out in the wilderness with just a homemade pack you put together for less than $100.
Learn more about Jeff Sanders, Desert Dawn and his Wilderness Survival Programs
Essential Emergency Survival Equipment
The minimal emergency survival equipment that is necessary if a person intends to stay in the outdoors for longer than 1-day consists of a backpack, water filtration system, clothing (layers), a sleeping bag, first aid kit and a stove. Most people also like to have a tent and some sort of cushion or tarp for under their sleeping bag.
Optimum safety will be guaranteed by having good quality survival products. Good quality survival gear, although pricey, is not likely to turn out to be faulty in a life threatening situation, and will usually last for many years in the future. Some quality products also include a lifetime warranty.