Wilderness Survival Gear

There is nothing better than escaping your day to day life and heading out in to the wilderness. Of course if you are going to take a vacation from modern day life, then you will need some wilderness survival gear to keep you safe!

Wilderness survival gear comes in a wide range of styles and components. You can for instance get a wilderness survival kit which simply contains a knife and some matches. More comprehensive sets of survival gear can contain everything from a tent, flash light, and even a stove.

When you buy wilderness survival gear you should buy it to fit your needs. If you are going on a family camping vacation with facilities for instance, you probably wont need too much in the way of hardcore survival gear. If however you will be trekking in to the wilderness, then you should ensure you have a comprehensive selection of wilderness survival gear, including a well stocked first aid kit in case of emergencies!

Whenever you go out in to the wilderness there are some basic wilderness survival gear items you should carry to make sure your adventure doesn't turn in to a disaster.  If you don't carry the correct equipment one small thing could lead to a whole host of problems, from getting lost, to severe injury.

Making sure you carry the essential wilderness survival gear helps prevent and solve problems you may encounter, remember getting back to nature, doesn't mean you have to take unnecessary risks.

One of the most important additions to any wilderness survival gear is a first aid kit. When you are hundreds of miles from anywhere you might need to perform basic medical techniques on yourself or others, for this reason you should always carry a well stocked first aid kit, preferably with some kind of manual to guide you through any injury or accident.

Depending on how far you are in to the wilderness dictates how much you need in a first aid kit. If you are days from the nearest human contact, you should definitely take something which can prevent an infection from an injury.

Most first aid kits will carry a fairly comprehensive selection of medical supplies, if however you are going on a long trip, it is sometimes advisable to also carry a few extra basics such as blister pads, band aids and antibacterial cream to help deal with minor injuries.

No matter where you go, always have an up to date map and weatherproof compass to keep you from getting lost. This is especially important if you set up a base camp somewhere, since that is more than likely where the majority of your supplies will be kept.

You can also get cheap weatherproof map cases, these might feel a little dorky, but it is a whole lot better than seeing your map destroyed teh first time you get caught in rain!

A map and compass should always be included in your wilderness survival gear.

When you need to survive in the woods, fire is one of the most important things that you need to survive.  Your wilderness survival gear should include several ways to make a fire when you are exploring the outdoors.  These can vary from a stash of emergency waterproof matches, several windproof lighters, or preferably a backup fire steel firestarter.

For preference you should carry some of each of these, since nothing is worse than getting caught in the wilderness without any means of creating a fire, especially in harsh weather environments.

Water is the key to survival, if you don't have access to clean water you are goign to have some real problems.  Whenever you collect water from a stream make sure to boil it before you drink it, and if you don't have a way to boil the water, make sure to use a water purification tablet from your wilderness survival gear.

You can get some pretty nasty stomach conditions from drinking unsafe water, and that is the very last thing you need when you are in the wilderness.

Never go in to the wilderness without being prepared for the bitter cold of night.  You should always take a high quality sleeping bag to protect you from the elements while you sleep, and in many cases it is also regularly advised that you take at least one spare blanket to deal with colder climates.

If things get really bad, remember that a dry towel can sometimes be used to help keep you warm!

Sleeping bags come in a variety of qualities, and it will usually tell you on the label what kind of weather and seasonal conditions it can deal with.

Depending on what you are looking for when you head in to the wilderness, a tent is usually a pretty essential component of your wilderness survival gear. However, when some people head out in to the great unknown, they sometimes fore go a tent, and instead plan to build their own shelter.

There is a fairly large range of tents available, some of which are specifically designed for certain regions, or terrains. In some cases a tent is a necessity to help you survive the elements, especially in regions which have extremely cold or hot weather.

No matter where you go, a torch is an invaluable commodity. If you are goign to be in the wilderness for a long period of time, batteries might not be enough, so a wind up torch can be particularly effective.

While you might not need a torch much during the day, at night it could be required for map reading, of overcoming rough terrain.

If you are in the wilderness with several people then a hangign tent light is also a great way to keep the communal tent bright and welcoming!