Each year more and more people discover the great outdoors, experience the joy of camping, hiking, and the feeling of getting back in touch with nature. And they never think about the change of something going wrong, till they find that they are lost or injured on the trail.
The best way to prepare for the unexpected is to make and carry a basic survival kit with you when you are out hiking. So, the big question is how do I make a survival kit. Simply begin by doing a little research on the Internet or find a book at your local library for survival kit ideas.
Then take a quick trip to your local Wal-Mart, Walgreens, Gander Mountain, or look on Amazon.com, with a survival kit checklist in hand. Pick up everything you need, then familiarize yourself with each survival item that you have purchased.
Because you don’t want to try and learn how to use one of these items in the heat of a crisis. (A good example of this would be learning how to use a compass!)
Below is a survival kit checklist which I found on the Boy Scouts website.
Wilderness survival kits contain different items than an Emergency survival kit for the home. Items you choose to include in your kit may also need to reflect the area and time of year of your adventure.
A personal survival kit is intended to be kept on your person at all times while in the wild and opened only in emergencies. In addition to the kit, you should also always have your essential tools listed below.
| Personal Survival | Weight = 11oz. |
| Item | Amount |
| Two Piece Aluminum Container, 3 7/16′ x 6′ x 1 1/16′ | 1 |
| Signal Mirror | 1 |
| Water purification tablets | 50 |
| Razor-knife Blades | 4 |
| Spark-Lite Fire-starter Flint | 1 |
| Spark-Lite ‘Fire Tab’ Tinders | 10 |
| Windproof/Waterproof Matches and Striker | 10 |
| Wire Blade Survival Saw | 1 |
| Fishing Kit: 10 hooks, 2 swivels, 6 split shot, 25 ft. of 20 lb. line, 10 ft. of 8 lb. leader | 1 |
| Roll of Snare Wire | 25 ft. |
| Mini-compass | 1 |
| SPF30 sunblock | 3 |
| Electrical Tape (wrapped around kit to seal it) | 9 ft. |
| Large Sewing Needles | 2 |
| Sewing Thread | 10 ft. |
| Safety Pins | 8 |
| Aluminum Foil | 8 sq. ft. |
| Small Pencil | 1 |
| Waterproof paper | 4 |
| Plastic Magnifying Glass | 1 |
| Nylon Cord | 20 ft. |
| 1 qt. plastic zip-loc bag | 2 |
| Medical Supplies (in a zip-lock bag, replace expired items as needed) | Weight = 1oz. |
| Band-aids, 1 x 3 in.1 x 3 in. | 4 |
| Band-aids, 2 in.2 in. | 2 |
| Antibiotic Salve | 2 |
| Wound Closure Strips, 1/4′ x 2′ (butterfly bandage) | 6 |
| Povidone Iodine Solution, .6 ml ampule/swabs | 2 |
| Pain killer pills | 6 |
| First Aid cards | 1 |
| Mini Survival Kit | Weight = 6oz. |
| Tin container | 1 |
| Polished aluminum tape applied to interior of lid, protected by peel-away sheet | 1 |
| Razor-knife Blades | 2 |
| Spark-Lite Fire Starter | 1 |
| Windproof/Waterproof Matches and Striker | 4 |
| Fishing Kit: 6 hooks, 2 swivels, 4 split shot, 25ft. of 20lb. line, 10 ft. of 8lb. leader | 1 |
| Snare Wire | 20 ft. |
| Wire Survival Saw | 1 |
| Mini-compass | 1 |
| Band-Aids, 1 x 3 in. | 2 |
| Band-Aids, 2 in. | 2 |
| Pain Killer Pills | 6 |
| Snare Wire | 20 ft. |
| Antibiotic Cream | 6 |
| Water Purification Tables | 25 |
| Nylon Cord | 9 ft. |
| Electrical Tape (wrap around kit to seal it) | 3 ft. |
| Duct Tape | 16 in. |
| Sewing Thread | 10 ft. |
| Sewing Needles | 2 |
| Safety Pins | 6 |
| Aluminum Foil | 5 sq. ft. |
| Small Pencil | 1 |
| Waterproof Paper | 2 |
| Essential Personal Equipment | |
| Multi-purpose Tool | 1 |
| Knife Sharpener | 1 |
| Knife | 1 |
| Whistle | 1 |
| Flashlight | 1 |
| Compass | 1 |
| Signal Mirror | 1 |
Above List Source: BoyScouttrail.com
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