Whether you are outdoors to enjoy nature or due to a disaster, survival becomes the first and basic instinct. Being away from your comfort zone means making the most of the things you have. Having your own survival gears will point you to the right direction, help you cook food, purify water, build your own shelter and protect you from the dangers of the surroundings.
1. Survival knife. A knife has several purposes when you are outdoors. It can cut ropes when building a shelter and cut firewood when making a fire. You can also use it to tear some cloth while making a tourniquet and clean a fish for food. You will never know what will strike you in the wilderness, so a knife also comes as a handy self-defense item.
2. First aid kit is important among your outdoor survival gears. No matter how much you planned for your outdoor adventure, things can still go wrong in the most unexpected ways. Animal attacks, sprained ankles, feet blisters and food poisoning are just some of the things that may hinder you from having fun. Your first aid kit should contain all the necessary items such as bandages and gauze, cotton, disinfectants and ointments. In case you or one of your companions have a specific medical condition, medications should also be brought along as well.
3. Lighters and matches are also important survival gears. You won’t have electricity in the outdoors and you will need to build your own fire. You also need to cook food and heat your water. Fire will also keep you warm especially if you’re out in a particularly cold area, and serve as security from animal attacks. Having to make your own fire will take you back to the most primitive conditions and you will learn to appreciate how skillful our ancestors were.
4. Direction and signaling devices will also help you survive the outdoors. If you are hiking or leaving base camp, you should bring along with you a compass. Your compass will point you in the right direction and prevent you from getting lost. Of course there are GPS and cellphones that you can use, however they won’t always be very reliable since phone signals tend to get lost in the wilderness. A whistle will also come in handy in case you get lost or need help.
5. Food and water. Even if you’re out to fish or you intend to hunt for your own food, the process of acquiring them will deplete your energy. Non-perishable foods such as canned goods and protein bars will get you far in your adventure. Make sure that you have enough water for the whole duration of your stay. Bring water purifying tablets in case you need to get water from other sources.
Bringing survival gears will help you have more fun in your outdoor activity. When things unexpectedly get out of hand, you can use these to call for help, protect yourself and keep you alive. Make a check list and double check your survival gears before leaving to ensure that you have everything you need.
