Welcome To SurvivalTip.Org

This website is dedicated to posting tips, ideas, concepts, and techniques on how to survive various emergency situations including a survival gear list. The primary emphasis on wilderness survival techniques, but over time I will be adding other topics for other types of survival scenarios. Feel free to bookmark this site and come back often. To see other topics on this site, just browse the “Pages” list in the right sidebar.

The foundation to survival in any situation is to be as prepared as possible. That is why my home page article focuses on creating survival kits the first of which is a camping survival gear list of important items to pack anytime you go off the beaten track.

Camping Survival Gear List

If you’re planning a wilderness trip, have you put together your camping survival gear list in case things go bad?

Imagine you charter a small plane to drop you off in the Alaskan wilderness to go hiking and the plane doesn’t come back on the day promised … or you don’t get to the right drop off point. You can’t drink the water in the rivers; they are loaded with dangerous microorganisms from the glaciers.

What do you do?

What if you are just taking a couple mile long nature hike in a local state park, but you slip and cut your leg bad enough you can’t walk.

What do you do?

The key to survival in adventures like these is to plan ahead. This article provides a simple list of important items you should put in your camping survival gear, or survival kit, anytime you venture off the beaten path … especially if it’s just you and a friend or two.

Remember, the purpose of your camping survival gear is to keep you warm, dry, well fed, and prepared for the unexpected.

So, take the list below and think about the environment you will be visiting; then see if there is anything you think you should add.

Camping Survival Gear List:

• Maps
• Compass
• Hat, gloves, and extra socks (if you’re going where it’s hot all night long)
• At least one long-sleeve shirt, one pair of long pants, lightweight gloves, and scarf to keep bugs off you at night.
• Water (lots more than you think you need, in re-fillable containers)
• Iodine tablets or other water-purifying tablets
• Emergency food (including high calorie trail mix, chocolate, energy bars, freeze-dried meals, etc.) – At least enough for one full extra day.
• Hiking boots
• Waterproof coat
• Tent (or tarp to build a lean-to)
• Sleeping bag
• Cooking utensils
• First aid kit including Vaseline (or an antibiotic like Neosporin or Bacitracin) and non-medicated baby/talcum powder. Remember Vaseline is a
  great way to heal and prevent chafing on anything exposed to the wind, and baby powder is good for heat rash.
• Whistle (all metal or 2 plastic whistles)
• Flashlight (preferably the new LED version with spare batteries; spare bulb if not the LED type)
• Pocketknife (preferably a multi-use knife like the Swiss Army variety)
• Waterproof plastic sheet (5×7 feet or larger)
• Water-resistant, shock-resistant wristwatch
• Sturdy plastic bags to carry water
• Fish hooks & fishing line
• Fully charged cell phone or FRS hand-held radios which is actually better in more remote areas
• Extra batteries for your cell phone or FRS radios
• Weather radio
• Waterproof matches or lighter and tinder
• Quality magnifying glass (can also be used to start a fire)
• Candle(s)
• 25 feet of cord/rope
• 10+ feet of string or fishing line
• 2 fishing hooks
• Insect repellent
• Sunscreen
• Chapstick (or lip balm)
• A coil of wire (at least 4 feet): Can be used for repairs, snares, drying line, etc.
• Wire cutters & pliers (unless your pocket knife has the equivalent tools)
• Emergency blanket
• Waterproof poncho for emergencies)
• Snake bite kit (a new one)
• Bivouac sack (large, bright-colored, waterproof bag you can actually crawl into)

More specialty items to consider:

• If you are going to a desert area, pack a head-covering that breathes (e.g., a bandana and ventilated cap to cover your head, neck, and ears), long-sleeve shirt, lightweight gloves, and long pants to prevent sunburn. Also, remember the desert gets cold fast at night.
• If you are going boating, take a pocket-sized air horn (new); buoys or floats for important items like keys, glasses, etc.; a bucket; and an emergency thermal blanket (preferably made of something like Thinsulate that stays warm even when wet).
• Flares (great way to be seen and one of the better ways to keep bears away) or emergency flasher. If you are in an environment where you think it’s likely you will see a bear, keep one of your flares within easy reach.

The day before you leave …

• Verify all your electrical stuff is working with new or fully-charged batteries (including your spares)
• Lay out all the items in your survival gear list, be sure you have it all, and pack it all at once so you know you didn’t leave anything out.

If you choose to leave any of these items out of your camping survival gear pack, reconsider carefully; what you leave at home could be the missing key to your survival.