• Home
• Categories
  • Family Camping

    Checklist Where to pitch
    Full List
    Festival Camping

    Checklist Where to pitch
    Full List
    Wilderness Camping

    Checklist Where to pitch
    Full List
    Gap Year

    Checklist Where to pitch
    Full List
• Choosing Equipment
  • Which Tent?
    Which Jacket? Which Sleeping Bag? Lighting Guide
• Cooking
  • Eating for free Pick a stove
• Checklists
  • Family Checklist
    Gap Year Checklist Wilderness Checklist Festival Checklist
• Featured Articles
  • Tent Reviews Family Camping Which Tent?
    Gap Year Checklist Eating for Free Survival State Parks Camping Perils

Survival Guide

The following guide will advise you on how to survive in a sticky situation and items to take so that this never becomes an emergency.

When camping, situations can quickly get out of hand. One minute you are walking through a valley enjoying the sun, carrying a small bag. The next, the sun moves over the top of the hill the temperature drops, suddenly there is no light and you trip over a tree root spraining your ankle. Instantly this becomes a life and death situation.

Think in 3

• You can survive for 3 minutes without air
• 3 hours without body heat
• 3 days without water
• 3 weeks without food

Be Prepared

Here is a list of items that will be useful for survival. I would not suggest taking them all, rather take the ones that suit the amount of space you have available/danger inherent in your trip.

• Multi tool device e.g Swiss Army Knife or Leatherman
• SAS Survival Guide
• Emergency/Survival Blanket
• First Aid Kit
• Waterproof Poncho
• Hi-energy cereal bars
• Map
• Drink receptacle
• Iodine tablets
• Compass
• Light, preferably wind-up
• Waterproof matches/lighter/fire starter
• Torch
• Whistle
• Extra clothes
• If it is hot, take a plastic sheet to enable you to collect water through condensation

Other Useful Tips

• Tell someone where you are going and when you expect to return, so they know who to contact, in case you don't.
• Don't panic, always remain confident that you will be rescued. Panicking and becoming depressed will directly reduce your chances of survival. Thinking and resting and planning your actions will allow you last the longest period of survival. Remember you can last up to one month without food.
• Once in the survival situation make sure that you find shelter immediately whether you think it is necessary or not. The weather may change or it may become dark. Make sure you know how to build a bivouac.