Survival tips
Balance food and water.
Too much of either one can be harmful, if not fatal to your body. If you’re dehydrated, do not eat anything until you’ve had water because the food will only absorb the remaining water in your body and cause you to be dehydrated even more. Drinking too much water can also mess up your metabolism and cause lots of complications long term. Always make sure you have enough of both food and water.
Always wear a survival bracelet.
More popularly known as paracord bracelets (because they’re made from the same material as military issued parachutes and equipment), these bands are more than just accessories. They’re actually cords that are woven together, which you can unravel and use partly whenever you need the cords to tie stuff up. Almost every single piece of the paracord bracelet is usable string – right to the small threads that are used to keep the end of the cords together. Use them to tie stuff, hang food, set up traps, and even as tinder to start fires.
Rocks around the campfire are very useful.
Even after the fire had died, the rocks will still hold on to enough heat to keep you warm. The heat of the rock can also be used to purify water. Simply place them inside aluminium cans filled with water. It will cause the water to boil, purifying it enough to be safe to drink. In some scenarios, it might be necessary to boil water underground. We have you covered; here is our guide to how to boil water underground.
Grill survival food with metal picks.
You will most likely have long, thin, metal rods or picks (used for tents) among your equipment. You can use this to form a makeshift grill but laying them across two logs. Use twigs and strings to keep them intact when necessary. Set this up over a fire and you can grill fish over the picks. You can use an aluminium cup to boil water over this setup as well.
Keep those carbon steel parts!
The carbon sheets that you can get from saws have been proven to be able to withstand 22 calibre pistol bullets. With just a bit of duct tape and some proper attachment, you can create armour around your backpack and clothes that will protect you from shrapnel, arrows, and certain types of bullets. They’re bendable, snap proof, and pretty darn useful. There is a caveat though, Carbon steel will rust and is not stainless steel. Always check for the health condition on your tools before use.
Consider a guitar case as your choice of survival bag.
This is a rather unusual but very useful alternative to the typical bug out pack. The shape of the bag will allow you to store an unbelievable large amount of things. Plus, it’s very inconspicuous, especially when a hiker’s or camper’s backpack is often the easiest way to spot a person who isn’t from around the area, which can have its disadvantages. It’s a good way to pack lots of stuff without sticking out in public. We put together a guide for what to include in a bug out bag. Check it out
Always know how to find the North Star.
The North Star always points to true north, which is great for when you don’t have a compass at night or when you want to check the accuracy of the compass you have. Try looking for the big dipper first, which is easy to find if you know your constellations. Then draw an imaginary straight line through the edges of the big dipper and this will lead you to the tail of the little dipper. This is the North Star.
Reduce excessive light with masking tape.
Having too much light from your flashlight could be dangerous at night depending on your situation. Placing a masking tape over the light will lessen the amount of light enough to give you a low profile while giving you enough to be able to work with.
Have aluminium foil handy.
While you’ll always have this in your survival food kits to store your food, keep a separate sheet in your bag to always have a dry surface. This can come in handy as a dry surface to start fires on, especially when it just rained and the soil is too damp for you to be able to start a fire. Use this with your char cloth and other tinder you have with you and you’ll be able to start a campfire even when it’s wet outside. Aluminium foil can also be used as a makeshift bowl. Simply place a rock on top of the foil and wrap around, using the rock as a mould. Tin foil can also be used as a reflector around a camp fire to maximize the heat. The uses of aluminium foil are endless.
Keep that used up lighter.
If your Zippos or flintlock lighters have run out, keep them because you can still use it to make fire. There’s usually cotton inside these types of lighters. Take them out and use the flint to create a spark. The cotton is usually so dry it will catch fire easily. Alternatively, you can keep using the lighter to create sparks that could help you start a fire with other types of tinder like char cloth. When SHTF you need to make use of every resource you own. Our friend Unclearless demonstrates on youtube just how this technique is done. (Fastforward to 5 minute mark if you want to jump right into it)