Venturing Out Into The Wild? Here’s What You Need.
If you’re aiming to get adventurous and explore the wilderness, this helpful article will get you equipped to put together everything you need to become a bona fide survivalist. Being prepared for crises and accidents that you might run into in the wild is essential so that you can enjoy your adventure without worrying about being stuck in an emergency. In the paragraphs that follow, we’ll cover some of the essentials that any survivalist needs to take with them into the wild. You can easily add these items to your pack without any of them weighing you down or taking up too much space. Keep reading to learn more!
Wilderness Survival Kit Item 1: Poncho
If you’re out camping, on a hike, or embarking on another form of wilderness exploration, you need reliable protection from the rain. Without the right resources at your disposal, a sudden downpour leaves you drenched, cold, and miserable. Don’t get caught in the rain without a poncho!
A poncho is easy to pack with your other wilderness survival supplies because it’s collapsible and thin. If you only have room for one wearable item for rain protection, opt for a poncho over a heavier rain jacket. Packing light is an essential step towards smarter wilderness survival tactics. Always opt for the essentials in their most compact and functional form.
Wilderness Survival Kit Item 2: Hand-Crank Radio
With its use of a hand-powered generator, this small, hand-crank radio can come in handy in hiking emergencies when you need to stay updated on changing weather conditions. JUDY’s hand-crank radios come with a built-in flashlight and USB port for charging your phone, both ideal resources to have available when you’re in the wild.
Wilderness Survival Kit Item 3: Multi-Tool
For obvious reasons, lugging around a bag full of tools is not a good plan when you go on a wilderness adventure. You’ll be quickly weighed down even by some of the more useful tools for wilderness survival like a knife or saw. Fortunately, there’s a better way to bring the utilities you need with you into the wild – a small, collapsible device called a multi-tool.
A multi-tool gives you all the functionality of a well-stocked toolbox in a small enough form to easily carry with you in your pack. Its small saw extension is ideal for cutting small branches to use for kindling, and its miniature knife can take the place of a full-sized one in many circumstances (however, depending on where you are going and what you are doing in the wilderness, a full-sized knife is one tool you might want to make room for in your pack).
Wilderness Survival Kit Item 4: Meal Replacement Bars
If you’re out on an adventure in the wild, you’ve ideally already stocked up your pack with plenty of food that is easy to carry and doesn’t need refrigeration. There are plenty of great options for camping food, including beef jerky, dried fruit, trail mix, and more. However, these shouldn’t be your last resort in emergencies. If you run out of your main supply of food due to an emergency, you need something reliable on standby that will keep you full for as long as possible.
Our number one pick for wilderness survival food is meal replacement bars. These bars beat the many other options for non-perishable food to rely on in emergencies for several reasons. First, meal replacement bars each contain several hundred calories, meaning they can be relied on to fill you up for as long as a full meal would. Second, they’re lightweight and compact. As you’ve learned, when it comes to wilderness survival, these qualities are some of the most important to look for in any gear you pack. Finally, meal replacement bars are fully sealed until you need them, meaning they can’t get stale from being left partially open. Plus, they have a 5 year-long shelf life, so they won’t go bad anytime soon.
Wilderness Survival Kit Item 5: Water Pouches
A reliable source of water is a must for outdoor adventures. Whether you opt for a water treatment solution, a large bottle, a hydration bladder in your backpack, or all of the above, you’ll need a backup hydration option as well. If you run out of your primary sources of water, emergency water pouches can quite literally save your life. Dehydration will often harm you quicker and more severely in emergencies than hunger, so prioritize packing emergency water in your survival gear to avoid being stuck without your most precious wilderness survival resource.
Wilderness Survival Kit Item 6: Wound-Dressing Supplies
If you get injured in the wild, you’ll need the resources and knowledge to take care of yourself. Your survival gear won’t be complete without a well-stocked first aid kit, complete with everything you’ll need to treat injuries like cuts, burns, and scrapes that you can easily end up with if you spend enough time in the woods.
Some of the most important items to include in your wilderness first aid kit are gauze, antiseptic wipes, and medical tape. If you end up with a cut or gash and need to keep it from bleeding and getting infected, this combination of items will help immensely. Gauze is a sterile, absorbent material that you can use to protect a wound from infection, letting it heal while also reducing bleeding. Make sure that you disinfect a wound with an antiseptic solution before applying gauze. Alcohol-based antiseptic wipes are a perfect option for sanitary first aid in the wild – they’re pre-packaged and easy to use even when you don’t have access to running water.
Wilderness Survival Tip: Bring A Friend!
Spending time out in nature by yourself can be refreshing and peaceful. It’s a great way to push the reset button when life is getting overwhelming and stressful. However, if you are planning on taking a long hike, an extended camping trip, or going somewhere where you won’t have easy access to civilization, it’s definitely wise to use the buddy system. Even if you just get one trusted friend to accompany you on your journey, you’ll be much better off than going by yourself.
Hiking and camping with friends is a great time, and it compounds the safety of everyone present. If someone gets seriously hurt out in the wild, the others who are present can help take care of the injured member of the group. In addition, going on a wilderness adventure in a group means that everyone can pool their resources and support each other if someone is short on food or water. Being alone in an emergency can easily overwhelm and discourage you, but the presence of friends boosts your morale and can help make a recovery and problem solving much easier.
When you are venturing out into the wild, pack and double-check your survival gear, making sure you have all the resources listed above at the ready if you need them. With a combination of rain protection, tools, backup food and water, and first aid supplies, you’ll be much better off if something goes wrong. Wilderness emergencies can be scary, but you can have peace of mind knowing that you’re prepared to deal with a crisis if one comes your way. That means more freedom to enjoy the beauty of nature and explore exciting new places.
Sources:
https://www.popularmechanics.com/adventure\
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