Pocket Survival Kits - Don't Leave Home Without Them!

In August, 2011, hiker Pamela Salant got lost in the Oregon wilderness

. She managed to survive for three full nights without any sort of survival gear with her. Wearing only a T-shirt and shorts, she kept warm at night by covering herself with moss. She had no shelter, no food, and drank water direct from a running creek. By any measure, her survival was almost a miracle. How much easier would her experience had been had she had at least a pocket survival kit with her?

The idea behind pocket survival kits is not to provide you with all you'd ever need to survive for days or weeks on end in the wilderness. Instead, these small kits give you the tools you need to stay alive and be found by searchers, in an easy to transport manner.

The basic needs pocket survival kits should fulfill are sustenance, fire making, signaling, navigation, and shelter. We'll look at each of these, one by one.

Sustenance includes both food and water. A pocket survival kit isn't going to have a lot of space so you won't be able to pack in a ton of food, obviously. But, a few bouillon cubes can provide calories as well as replacing the salt you've lost sweating all day. A bit of dried fruit and/or nuts are great to have as well. Hard candy and gum can help stave off hunger pains too. Remember, the idea here is just to keep you alive, not necessarily well fed, until help arrives. For water, be sure to have water purification tablets, as well as a container for water. It is not a bad idea to keep the instructions for the water purification tabs in your kit so you don't forget how many to add when using them.

The ability to create fire is a critical element of any survival kit. Even the smallest of the pocket survival kits should have room for a butane lighter, strike anywhere matches, a magnesium striker, and a bit of ready to use tinder, such as dryer lint or cotton balls soaked in petroleum jelly. Keep these items sealed in a plastic bag so they stay dry.

Any time you venture into the wilderness, you should have the means to signal for help. Imagine how much quicker Ms. Salant could have been rescued if only she'd have had just a simple whistle with her? A pea-less whistle is preferable as these won't freeze up in extreme cold. A signal mirror is also a great idea and takes up very little room. A search plane overhead won't hear you shout or whistle but a reflection can be seen from quite a ways away.

Should it become necessary to attempt to hike your way to safety, you'll need some way of determining the correct direction in which to travel. A small, liquid filled, button compass will do this job well. However, this is contingent upon you knowing approximately where you are and where safety lies relative to that.

Shelter is very important in a survival situation. Keeping out of the elements helps to prevent hypothermia. Further, it is a large boost to morale to be able to stay out of the rain or snow. Something as simple as a lean to shelter, built using paracord and a small knife from your pocket survival kit will make a world of difference. A space blanket folds up very small and weighs next to nothing. These blankets reflect your body heat back at you, keeping you warm and dry.

Pocket survival kits -- don't leave home without them!

by: Steve Thibeault

POST COMMENT

More Information On Top Student Travel Insurance Companies In Alaska A Perfect Date With The Best Attraction Spots Of Jaipur! 3d Tv And Learning Tools Proves Its Success Brightbridge Wealth Management Headlines: Tweeters Around The World Mark Twitters Fifth Birthday Tips For Cooking Chicken Wings Tips For Making The Perfect Fried Chicken Stuck As To What Present To Get A Man? Get Him A Watch! Nokia X2 Deals Are Now Easily Available In The Market How To Find Cheap Flights To Antigua T Shirt Printing Service Understand Various Aspects Involved In It How To Remove Pc Security Pro How Effectively Can Companies Communicate With Their Clients San Franciscos Best Hand Painted Items