Hiking survival kit

Putting together a hiking survival kit can be confusing. You are probably wondering, What should I be looking for in my survival kit? What tools do I need to bring with me to make my chances much better? Whether you buy one or make your own survival kit, you need to know these basics.

Building a hiking survival kit is really not that hard. The first thing you will need to do is determine what the actual purpose of the kit is and what you expect it to accomplish for you. That will help you determine what survival kit items to put in your container.

The answer is really simple. You need the kit to help you stay alive and help you get rescued or find your way out. You will need to think beyond that though and think of how each item will help you do that. The main priorities are staying warm, fed, hydrated, and dry and you will want something to help signal for help

The most important thing the a hiking survival kit needs is your mind. Without it, everything else is completely useless. While it isn’t unheard of someone losing their mind, in a survival situation panic and wild thoughts can make matters a whole lot more complicated.

The best hiking survival kit will most definitely include Fire. Fire is life, pure and simple. Fire keeps you warm, lets you cook food and boils your water to kill bacteria that can kill you. You will need something to provide you with fire, something that will work even in cold and wet conditions. A box of soggy matches or a wet lighter will not cut it. There are a lot of waterproof fire-starters and tinder’s out there that can and will work but I would recommend learning how to use a knife and flint.

Put some small pieces of tinder in your hiking survival kit. When everything else is wet then these will help start that fire you need.

You need a good, solid survival knife. For the best survival knife you will want a full tang, which means that the blade runs all the way through the handle. A folding knife is not recommended but if you are insistent on one then be careful of what you buy.

Heavy-duty aluminum foil should be included in your kit. It allows you to boil your water and can reflect heat back into you shelter.

You should have a fishing kit in your hiking survival kit. You could be eating gourmet food while you wait on your search party. Throw in a couple of hooks and swivels and some nylon line. Floss works well for this, it’s strong, compact and super-light.

The nylon line or floss can be used for other things as well. Repairs will sometimes come up and you may need to lash a few things together to make another tool for your arsenal. Throw in a heavy-duty sewing needle for any repairs that you need to make. This can also be used for sewing up wounds if need be.

You will want a good signal mirror. Make sure the mirror has a hole in the center, helps you aim your signal. Your voice will often not be enough for the search party to hear you and a good mirror will signal as far away as 23 miles. Let's hear you yell that loud. A good whistle should be a mainstay on your pack anyway but make sure that is a priority.

A map in your hiking survival kit is a must. Although it will not fit inside the kit itself, as many items won't, you must have one. Know how to read it. There are several items that will not go inside your kit itself, but in your pack or on your body that are part of your survival kit.

You'll need a compass and you need to know how to use it. If you go on the trail without a compass as a standard part of your gear you have no business being there. GPS's are the rage now, but they run on batteries. Batteries die.

You’ll also want these items also for your hiking survival kit.

As you can see each item in your hiking survival kit has many different uses. That is the key to figuring out what survival kit items you need when you make your own survival kit.

Before you hit the trail, make sure you know how to use each item, and the reason you have it in your kit. That alone will ease the stress of the situation tremendously. If you don’t know the use for each item it is then nothing more than dead weight that you carry around. Take a look at all the items and practice using them at home before you go.

Also See:

SAS Combat Survival Tin Features a compass, whistle, candle, brass wire snare, a fishing set, and much more!!!!

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