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Where the road ends and life begins
Desert Survival Kit
Your desert survival kit may well be the only thing that helps you survive in the intense heat and dryness of the desert. Many people underestimate the desert environment and end up in deep trouble. Knowing desert survival in general is a must if you are planning a desert hike. That is all covered in a later portion.
Unknown to most people is the fact that the first item you need in your desert survival kit is proper clothing. We only receive about 60% of the sun's radiation that animals do since we stand upright. You need to protect yourself from that radiation by wearing loose fitting shirts and pants, no shorts. Wearing these provides better protection than sunblock. Wear a hat with a wide brim and a closed crown, or top. Sunglasses that stop ultra-violet light are also a good idea.
As stated previously, your mind is the most important thing in you desert survival kit. Panic will probably visit you at some time or another. Be prepared. That is all covered in Chapter 2.
More on how important the mind is in desert survival. Since resources are not as accessible as in the wilderness, you will have to resort to your thinking to figure out where to get all the things you will need. Water, fire and food will be much harder to come by, so being prepared and knowing how to use each and every tool you have is essential.
Water and fire will be your main concerns, without them your chances are reduced drastically. You can't survive without water and fire is needed to boil the water. Fire is also needed for signaling and cooking food, but all this will be covered later.
The survival kit items for your desert survival kit;
Waterproof, small and lightweight
Protection from sun, transport water
Do not leave without them
Reminder of why you want to live
Preferably 4” or shorter with a full tang. Used for digging for water, cutting firewood, etc.
Multiple uses
Cutting firewood
Preferably leather. Dealing with cactus and firewood
For signaling and fire-starting
Fire-starting
Fire-starting
Keep the food away from animals, build shelter
Catching food
At least 30' or more. Catch food or build shelter
Not what you think. Water transport or to keep things dry, such as tinder
Water transport, keep things dry
Food/first aid
Purify water, anti-septic and anti-fungal Used with sugar tabs to start fire.
First aid
First aid
First aid and repairs
first aid, fire-starter
First aid
For pain and your ailments
No pens. Pencils can be sharpened, pens die. Use instructional cards with a blank back to them. For writing down directions and other things.
The desert survival kit is very similar to a regular wilderness survival kit but is more designed for water and fire. You probably noticed that there were more items pertaining to those two things than usual. These are the essentials of surviving in the desert so please pay attention to them.
Once again, practice makes perfect.
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