When making dead fall traps be extra cautious, the hair trigger of the trap is easy to set off and you could really hurt your hands.  Some dead falls are designed to kill large game in which case the trap could potentially kill you.

When using loop and tension snares, make sure your line is anchored well so you don’t lose your prey.  Depending on the cordage you have available to you will determine how easy it is to anchor your line.  If you need to make cordage from vines or roots, make sure they are secured well and cannot come undone.

Set as many snares as you can in the allotted time you have given yourself.  Remember that time management is an important part of survival but so is eating food.  The more snares you set the better your chances are.  Make good mental notes of where you set your snares.  It can be easy to forget the location of 10 snares or more, so make a trap line that loops away from your camp and back, this will make it easier to keep track instead of just wandering aimlessly around.

Here are some pictures of my favorite snares to practice making.  These types of snares have worked for me and they are simple to construct, remember to practice over and over again until you can make these with your eyes closed.

What are your favorite types of snares to make?

In the wilderness there are very few places to find water that is certainly safe to drink.  Water coming from the ground is usually your best shot, but there is no way of telling its actual source.  Does it come form a spring, or did it come from a run off stream that started from your local beaver bog?

In order to be certain water is safe to drink you will need to boil it.  You could use water filters or iodine tablets but if those options are unavailable you must boil any water you find.  Water in nature can and often does look crystal clear, sparkling and refreshing.  Never be fooled by the clarity of the water, it almost definitively has been contaminated with the feces of warm blooded animals, most commonly beaver.  This is where the term beaver fever comes from.  This contaminated water can cause giardia and typhoid fever.

Giardia is very common in survival situations, the feeling of thirst is over powering and often times people do not have a container to boil water in.  If you become contaminated with giardia your chance of survival plummets.  It is one of the fastest ways to dehydration. You will most likely be vomiting and have diarrhea together, which will cause you to lose body water rapidly.

Giardia.. Yuck!

Boiling water kills germs, bacteria and viruses, it does not however remove chemicals from water, it can actually concentrate them.  If you have a water source like a river flowing out of a major city or other source you believe could be contaminated with chemicals, that water should be chemical filtered, then boiled.

Many times people have containers like kayak helmets or other things that will hold water but are not able to be put over an open flame.  In this case you can use the rock boiling method.  Heat rocks over an open flame and then place them in the container until the water boils.

The question often arises as to how long you should boil water in order to make it safe.  Almost all sources on this subject have a different opinion leading to much confusion, even among experienced outdoorsman.  I follow the guidelines of science and the Wilderness Medical Society which states;

According to the Wilderness Medical Society, water temperatures above 160° F (70° C) kill all pathogens within 30 minutes and above 185° F (85° C) within a few minutes. So in the time it takes for the water to reach the boiling point (212° F or 100° C) from 160° F (70° C), all pathogens will be killed, even at high altitude.

What is not well known is that contaminated water can be pasteurized at temperatures well below boiling, just like milk, which is commonly pasteurized at  160°F (71°C).

So there you have it.  Water is fully pasteurized by the time it hits its boiling temperature.  Any further boiling and you are wasting time and resources like fuel for the fire and the water itself through evaporation.

It is always good to have proper equipment for collecting clean water, but in a survival situation you need to know how to collect clean water without your gear.

Obviously the more you carry with you the easier survival may be, but there comes a point where a survival kit becomes bulky and unnecessary.  On the forums over at 24hourcampfire.com I read a great discussion in which a man interviews his former Navy SEAL nephew about what he would want to carry for survival equipment.  The criteria for the kit was that a person would need to survive 3-4 days in a climate that was not extreme but potentially wet and most likely cold enough for hypothermia concerns.

The former SEAL told his uncle he would first want some sort of cloth material to absorb water from dew or other plant sources, obviously we would hope you could utilize the clothing on your body for this if you had to, i like to carry a bandana.  As an alternate to this a plastic bag can be helpful and if you happen to find one you can use it to collect water through plant transpiration.

The next thing the former SEAL discussed was the hypothermic temperatures and obtaining shelter.  He basically said a good outdoors man can make a sufficient shelter anywhere in the wilderness, but gave a few good tips.  First remember that most heat is lost through conduction with the ground so a good bed is important.  It is a well known trick to use heat rocks to keep your warn at night but be careful because some rocks collected from a stream could explode.  So for shelter no items were needed in the survival kit.  You can use your own discretion, some paracord and a wire saw could make you handier, its all about what you are comfortable with.

The next item on the list was a combination of some wire and fishing line for making traps and fishing so you could acquire some food.  This is a lightweight solution for getting food other than gathering wild edibles.

And lastly he said he would want a good knife.  He said for survival he would choose a 3 inch fixed blade knife with a fine edge, no serrations.  He also mentioned that a 5 inch knife is better for shelter building and other harsh tasks.

I thought that post was very relevant to what I am trying to say here, the best survival kit is having a solid base of survival skills.

As far as what the best survival kit out there is, I think the one you create is the best.  My man Bear Grylls has put his name on a kit that is a good example of the basic things you will want to have.  In his kit made by Gerber you will find the following items;

• Gerber® Miniature Multi-tool which includes;
  • Needle Nose Pliers
  • Wire Cutters
  • Fine Edge Knife
  • Phillips Screwdriver
  • Small Flat Driver
  • Medium Flat Driver
  • Lanyard Ring
  • Bottle Opener
  • Tweezers
• Miniature Light
• Hand Saw
• Signaling Mirror
• Survival Blanket
• Fire Starter
• Waterproof matches
• Cotton Ball – Fire Tinder
• Snare Wire
• Emergency Cord
• Waxed Thread
• Fishing Kit
• Sewing kit
• Lanyard Whistle
• Lightweight, ripstop nylon bag with waterproof zipper
• Land to air rescue instructions
• Priorities of Survival – Pocket guide contains Bear’s survival essentials

I like that kit, you could put one together for cheaper maybe but you might want to check Amazon because I see them on there for much cheaper than retail all the time.

If you want to make your own kit I recommend following this list and modifying it to your needs.  This kit is pretty compact and lightweight and all the items provide a ton of use for their price in weight.

My kit vs the Navy SEALS suggestion would differ in one major aspect, and that is having a fire starter.  He says that having line and a knife allows you to make a bow-drill fire, but I guess I am not as confident as a SEAL with my bow fire making skills.  This is a good example of how you need to assess your skills.  If you are confident you can make a bow drill fire 10 out of 10 times than maybe you don’t need a fire starting device.  I like Bear’s kit because of all the use it provides within its compact size.

The bottom line is no survival kit will be enough to save you.  You should be familiar with how to make the best use out of all the items in your kit and also know how to survive with out them if you have to.  Practice makes perfect so hone your survival skills and go into the great outdoors with confidence.

Items mentioned in this article

Bear Grylss Ultimate Survival Kit 50% off

“Wanna bet?” The older brother asked.  With his gloves the elder brother crushed up some ivy leaves and smudged them on his little brothers arms.  Thats not good I thought.  Sure enough the next day the un-mistakable rash of poison ivy exposure.  For some people small exposures to poison ivy go unnoticed, but I have talked to too many who claim to be ‘not allergic’ and yet still get a rash from poison ivy to believe anyone can be completely immune.

If you know the science behind poison ivy it makes sense that there is no immunity.  Poison ivy’s leaves, stems and roots secrete an oil called urishiol.  This oil forms a chemical bond with your skin basically changing its make-up where it has been exposed.  Your body reacts to this as if your skin were foreign, so its your own immune system attacking your skin.

The leaves of poison ivy plants have three leaflets and the middle leaflet will have a longer stalk then the other two on the sides.  For identification purposes if you are a novice outdoorsman or camper you should follow the old adage ‘leaves of three let it be’ (however other poisonous plants have more than 3 leaves), but familiarizing yourself with as many good pictures as you can will help.  Also knowing where it grows will help limit exposure.  One of the most common places to find poison ivy is in ditches.  When brush and vegetation is cleared away, poison ivy is often the first plant to regrow.  On the edges of fields and tree lines is another good place to find poison ivy, it grows abundant anywhere there has been brush cleared.  However, it is important to know it can grow anywhere in the forest, around swamps and trails as well as the middle of hardwood grove.

If you are exposed to poison ivy you have about a 45 minute window to rinse it off with soap and water or a product like ‘Ivy Wash’.  If that is not an option there is a good natural remedy.  It is called jewel weed.  The great thing about jewel weed is that it is famous for growing near poison ivy.  The exception is that jewel weed will not grow in ditches and other places with high sun exposure.  In early spring, before the flowers bloom, it can be very hard to identify jewel weed.  When in bloom it is easy to identify this plant with its orange flower.  When rained on the water will form droplets on its leaves looking like jewels and giving the plant its name.  If you find some jewel weed, mash it up and rub it on the exposed area, the sooner you treat an exposure the better.

                      

Jewel Weed

If you get a rash that is unbearable a doctor will prescribe prednisone.  Prednisone is a harsh cortico-steroid with many side effects.  It is great for treating poison ivy because it takes over for immune system (that is attacking your skin) and kills the rash.  This is usually a last resort.

Do not take poison ivy lightly, at best it can be irritating and keep you up at night, at worst it can incapacitate you and even cause loss of vision. Educate yourself.

Things Mentioned in this Article

Ivy Wash

If you are wondering if you should have a first aid kit? Then you should. Everyone needs have a first aid kit available at a moments notice. Its just one of those things that should always be accounted for, there is no excuse to not be prepared to treat mishaps, injuries or emergencies. A first aid kit is an inexpensive way to be prepared and have peace of mind. Further peace of mind can be achieved by being familiar with the items in your first aid kit. You need to know how to apply bandages as well as treat sprains and fractures.

A first aid kit should be kept in your vehicle, your home and your backpack.

The contents of your first aid kit will depend on where you plan to use it, how many people you want to treat and how light you want to pack. You could opt to get a pre-assembled kit online or from an outdoor retailer but what I recommend is putting together your own first aid kit based on your needs. It will be more suited for your personal experience and you will be more familiar with its contents. When you create your first aid kit, think of how you will use each item. Try to use items that could serve several purposes. Be creative but don’t get too bulky, pick a carrying case for your situation and don’t over fill it.

So What Should Your First Aid Kit Have?

The ACAFS is the American National Red Cross Advisory Council on First Aid and Safety. Here is a list of contents they consider to be minimum requirements for a family kit.

Family First Aid Kit Content

Absorbent Compress 5×9 dressing                               – Cover and protect open wounds
Adhesive Bandages (Assorted Sizes)                            - Cover and protect open wounds
Adhesive Tape (cloth) 1”                                                   –  To secure bandages or splints
Antibiotic Ointment packets (approx 1 g)                  -  Anti-infection
Antiseptic wipe Packets                                                     –  Wound cleaning/germ killer
Aspirin (Chewable) 81 mg                                                 –  For symptoms of a heart attack**
Blanket (Space Blanket)                                                      - Maintain body temperature for shock
CPR Breathing Barrier (w/one-way valve)                 – Protection during rescue breathing or CPR
Instant Cold Compress                                                       – To control swelling
Gloves (large), disposable, non-latex                          - Prevent body fluid contact
Hydrocortisone Ointment Packets (approx 1 g)      - External rash treatment
Scissors                                                                                     –  Cut tape, cloth,or bandages
Roller Bandage 3” (individually wrapped)                 – Secure wound dressing in place
Roller Bandage 4” (individually wrapped)                 – Secure wound dressing in place
Sterile Gauze Pad 3×3                                                          - To control external bleeding
Sterile Gauze Pad 4×4                                                          - To control external bleeding
Thermometer, Oral (Non-Mercury/Non-Glass)       – Take temperature orally
Triangular Bandage                                                               – Sling or binder/splinting
Tweezers                                                                                    - Remove splinters or ticks
First Aid Instruction booklet                                            - Self explanatory

Here is a good list put together by Outside magazine for a two person weekend trip (some repeats).

General Equipment

EMT Shears

Tweezers

Duct Tape

Saftey Pins

Needle and Thread

Headlamp

A copy of Medicine for the Outdoors

Medication

Ibuprofen

Antihistamine pills

CPR and Bleeding

Trauma Pad

Nitrile Gloves

Antimicrobial hand wipes

Wound Care

20cc irrigation syringe

Iodine

Wound closure strips (butterfly bandages)

Tincture of Benzoin

Antiseptic ointment

Gauze pad

Adhesive strips

Burn and Blister Care

Glacier Gel blister pad

Moleskin

Fracture and Sprain Care

Elastic Bandage

Replace items as they get used and make sure things like bandages are not wet.  In order to weather proof your kit store things in a plastic ziplock bag or even choose a dry plastic box for your container.  Make sure items that can expire have not done so and replace the ones that have.

If you still are interested in purchasing a pre-assembled kit, CLICK HERE for a good example to start with.

The F01 T-N tactical tomahawk by SOG is an awesome tool, and a ton of fun.  No matter if you use this in a survival situation or you are chucking it at a wood pile out back, you will find this is a great tool that does what it claims and stands up to the harshest tests

This tomahawk was inspired from the its Vietnam grandfather with a lineage that was born in the Iroquois nation of the northeast United States.  If your a novice tomahawk thrower you will be pleased with the construction of this thing, bounce it of tress and logs as many times as you want.

I like to use this as a camping and hiking tool because of its usefulness, light weight, and durability.  I strap this to my pack and use it for fire wood and shelter building, anything I can use it for to save my knife blade.  A tomahawk has more usefulness than a normal camp hatchet and is normally lighter.  This tomahawk is the hawk of choice because of its strength and value.

Specs-

Overall length of the tomahawk is 15.75 inches

Blade length is 2.75 inches x .26 of an inch thick

It is made of 420 steel and the blade is bolted to a reinforced fiberglass handle

There is a checkered side hammer that works well for pounding and hammering.  I wasn’t up for putting my personal tomahawk through the ringer as much as the guy in this video was.  I doubt you will abuse you tomahawk as much as this guy did.

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

27.99 for the SOG Tactical Tomahawk

Cavemen looked for traits that you should look for as well.

-          Durability

-          Usefulness

-          Practicality

The more a knife fits these traits the more likely it is to be a consistently good survival knife.  There are many knife choices out there but few score high in all three of these categories.

As for durability, you want to choose a fixed blade knife for your survival knife.  Folding knives are great for what they are designed to do, however in survival situations durability is one of our ‘deal breaker’ qualities.  Even though folding knives have come a long way the fact remains that they cannot compete with fixed bladed knives for durability.

I prefer a knife with a hybrid carbon/stainless steel blade.  This makes it both strong and easy to sharpen.  Since your survival knife will be used to chop, hack and build it is important to look for a blade that is at least 1/8 of an inch thick.  Most knives you will find have a blade thickness between 5/32 and ¼ inch.

The next question to ask is how useful is the survival knife.  Can you accomplish many tasks with it?  When knife shopping you should imagine yourself in a wilderness survival situation with only the knife you are thinking of purchasing.  Is that knife going to do everything you need and make your survival easier?  Companies have gotten very creative with ways to add usability to knives while still keeping them compact and practical.

Practicality is important, you want a knife that is useful, not a knife you can show off with and say “you call that a knife?  This is a knife.”  It should have a good ratio of weight to usefulness, which you need to calculate on your own.  What are you comfortable carrying?  Many knives out there will get the job done but are too bulky, have a handle that is way uncomfortable or just seem like they are built for show.  If the grip doesn’t fit or is slippery it will be frustrating to use in the wilderness.

So with all this being said here are my top 5 picks for the best survival knife.

Number 5

Ka-Bar Straight Edge

This knife speaks for itself.  It has a strong respectable pedigree, being the standard issue knife of the US Marine Corp for years.  Durability is a non-issue, the knife uses 1095 Cro-Van steel which is a mix of stainless and carbon offering a strong blade that is easy to sharpen.  The blade on this version of the Ka-Bar is 7 inches long putting it on the fringe of being ‘too much knife’.  Practicality is so-so for this blade. It would be difficult to dress game with such a long blade but the length does make it great for shelter building and batoning.   Usefulness is average, with little in the way of creativeness this is a pretty bare bones blade.  All in all, this knife is trusted by many to stay strong and get the job done.  This knife retails for around 100 dollars making it a decent buy however, in a world of creativity and technology this survival knife may be outdated.

Number 4

TOPS Tom Brown Tracker Knife

This knife, made by TOPS, catches the eye of any knife enthusiast or gear junky.  Designed by survivalist Tom Brown this knife is a great wilderness tool.  Durability is covered by the ¼ inch 1095 High Carbon Alloy blade.  It is coated in epoxy for protection against rusting.  It is 11.5 inches in length over all with the blade comprised of two separate types, a chopping blade (3.5”) and a carving blade (2.5”).  Although quite heavy at 28 ounces there is a reason for it.  The knife is super useful as a chopping blade, does great for batoning (although lacks ability to baton bigger pieces of wood), acts as a draw knife and has a serrated back for sawing.  It remains fairly practical with all these uses more than making up for the weight.  The drawback to this knife is mostly the price.  At a retail of 300 bucks I immediately took my eyes off it and continued on my search.

Number 3

Cold Steel SRK

The Cold Steel Search and Rescue knife is an excellent choice.  Durability is this knives claim to fame.  With a 3/16 of an inch blade and a legacy for being built for survival you can count on this knife for most wilderness tasks.  In terms of practicality this knife scores very high.  No fluff built into this thing, just no nonsense craftsmanship.  The blade is made of AUS 8A Stainless Steel making it rugged and easy to sharpen. On top of that it is coated with Tuff-Ex keeping the blade safe from the elements. It weighs in at 8.2 oz which is respectable. The blade measures 6 inches making it good for batoning and light chopping.  The sheath is great with a strong snap to secure the knife. What keeps this knife from the top of the list is that it lacks some of the usability found in some of today’s survival knives.  The price scores average.  At 135 bucks it isn’t too outrageous for a quality knife but others exist for far less.

Number 2

SOG Seal Pup Elite

Well if the Navy SEALS say it’s good, who am I to argue?  The Seal Pup is tried and true and passed a torture test that you might call the ‘Hell Week’ for knives.  Having said that, the subject of durability is covered, this thing can handle snow, ice, saltwater and whatever you can throw at it.  The knife weighs in at an extraordinary 5.4 ounces and just feels delightful in your hand.  It comes in to blade versions, partially serrated or fine edge.  Not to get into a debate about this but I prefer the fine edge.  Keep it sharp and it will cut as well as the serrated version.  The fine edge is more durable and better for bush craft.  In an urban military situation I might change that stance.  The Seal Pup has a 4.85 inch blade with a thickness of .185”.  With the blade length and weight this knife scores high for practicality, you won’t even know you are carrying it.  As for usefulness the knife scores average.  Because of its size and durability it will do everything you need and also accommodate uses it was not intended, but there is little creativity built into the knife.  For around 100 dollars this knife is a good deal considering it can boast such a light weight.

Number 1

Gerber Bear Grylls Ultimate Survival knife

And we have a winner!  Gerber changed the game with the Bear Grylls Ultimate knife.  Durability has been a hot topic for this knife all over the internet since its release.  The pommel bottom of the knife (the only knife on the list to have this feature) had issues with its first release but has been addressed and fixed.  The blade is made of ½” High Carbon steel making it rugged and easy to sharpen.  It has an overall length of 10 inches with the blade being 4.8 inches.  The weight of the knife is 11.8 ounces making it heavier than some of its competition but remember it has a nail hammering pommel built into it!  These specs make the Gerber an extremely practical survival knife.

I want to talk about why the Bear Grylls knife made the cut and not the Gerber LMF.  This knife is almost identical to the LMF but built more for a survival situation.  The LMF is built more for a military combat situation; the pommel is the biggest evidence of that.  On the LMF you get a glass breaker on the bottom of the knife.  Other than that the two blades are similar so there was no need to mention 2 Gerber knives.

The Bear Grylls Ultimate knife stands out in usefulness.  I already mentioned the pommel, which works perfect for hammering and cracking.  After fixing initial problems, the pommel holds up to testing.  The knife has holes built in where you can lash it to a stick to make a spear and it works very well that way.  It carves and batons as well or better than the other knives.  The sheath has a built in diamond sharpener as well as a Ferrocerium rod that you can remove for starting fires.  The rod snaps in place nicely and will not come out.  The knife has a notch on the back of the blade for striking the rod, and when done throws a shower of sparks.

This knife also comes in serrated and fine edge models, as with most, the serrations did not hold up well in testing.  Again I mention, I would not recommend a serrated knife for a wilderness survival situation but I have pictured that version here.

The only drawbacks of this knife come from the sheath.  Although I would personally like to have a green or black knife the orange is great for being rescued and is not really a drawback.  As for the sheath I would have liked to see the sheath from Gerbers LMF line that has more attaching capabilities to a molle vest or backpack.  The sheath is two pieces, the actual knife sheath and the nylon holder. The polymer sheath itself is nice and actually holds the knife very well. The belt loop on the nylon holder is small however, and wider belts may not fit through it.

Having said all this, the Gerber Bear Grylls Ultimate knife is my clear winner.  Now let’s talk money, this knife retails for 69 dollars.  Game, set , match, great job Gerber.

Items Mentioned in this review

Ka-Bar Full Length Knife

TOPS Tom Brown Tracker Knife

Cold Steel SRK

SOG SEAL Pup

Bear Grylls Ultimate Survival Knife

Have you ever heard the phrase, ‘Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right’?  What this quote is trying to teach us is that what we believe will happen has the most impact on what actually happens.

In a survival situation it can be an extreme challenge to convince ourselves to believe that we will make it out alright.  This is because of all the circumstances stacked against us at that time.  It is easy to see all the negatives like lack of water, darkness closing in, poor weather etc.

It takes an immense amount of concentration and strength to hold on to the belief that you will survive and make it out of your situation.

Like exercising, controlling your attitude gets easier with practice.  Those who practice a positive mental attitude in everyday life will have a much easier time controlling their attitude in a wilderness survival situation.

If you do find yourself in a wilderness survival situation there are some things you can do to make the task of maintaining a positive attitude easier.

First off, stop and gather yourself.  When you first realize you are in a survival situation you may get anxiety making it difficult to think.  This is the moment when controlling your mind becomes essential.  Stop, gather your thoughts and make a plan.

Break your projects up into smaller tasks.  Instead of thinking of making a shelter and fire, start by picking a spot, then gather wood, clear you area and start on your shelter.  Before you know it you will have a cozy place to hunker down and a nice pile of wood for the fire you will need.

This will help you from getting overwhelmed and will decrease the chance of panic and anxiety.  It will keep your mind on the task at hand and ensure your mental wellbeing is in check.  A busy mind does not wander.

Here it is important to mention to prioritize your tasks.  Although a busy mind does not wander, it is key to spend your energy on essential tasks only and not work only to keep your mind busy.  Take inventory of what needs to be done.

Here is a list of tasks you should be thinking about, in order of importance although the importance ALWAYS depends on your situation.

-          Find Water

-          Create a shelter

-          Build a fire and gather wood

-          Create a way to signal for help

-          Find a way to get food, hunt, trap or gather

It is your job to prioritize tasks based on your situation.  Knowing all of this in advance will give you confidence.  The more confidence you have, the easier it will be to maintain a positive mental attitude.

The next thing to remember is time management.  While you are surviving in the wilderness make sure you are keeping track of time.  If you spend so much time on your shelter that it becomes dark and you cannot gather fire wood, it could be fatal.  If you need to spend a cold night without fire your mental attitude may fail.

Maintaining a positive attitude and believing you will survive is the most important factor in deciding if you will live or die.  It should be taken seriously and a positive mental attitude should be practiced and developed.  A good way to practice in your everyday life is to overcome daily negatives.  Let’s say you get a flat tire.  Find some positive in it, keep a good mental attitude.  If you break down and fall apart over a flat tire, you will be no match for a wilderness survival situation.

Keep a positive mental attitude and keep alive!