Wilderness Survival Kit
Survival kits some in many shapes, sizes and contents. The basic kit (as depicted below) can be packed in a gallon-size Ziplock™ bag (potential sources of these materials are denoted in parentheses).
Personal
- Knife
- 2 Large black plastic heavy duty trash bags – personal bivy
- 1 Pair wool socks – emergency gloves
- 1 Set Grabber 7-hour hand warmers (EMS) – optional
- Stocking Cap
Shelter
- Roof: 1 roll Heavy Duty 9x12 drop cloth plastic – Film Guard Plastic (Ace Hardware)
- Floor: 1 roll light duty 9x12 drop cloth plastic – Film Guard Plastic (Ace Hardware)
Fire
- 1 Small Ziplock™ baggy with
Dryer lint for emergency tinder
12-inch square of Saran wrap - 1 Small Ziplock™ baggy with newspaper for tinder
- 1 Plumbers or tea or votive candle
- 1 Fire starting method (see below)
Water
- 1 Water purification method (see below)
Signaling
- 1 Signal mirror (K-Mart, EMS, Maynard Outdoor Store)
- 1 Whistle
Other
- 25 or 50 feet of 1/8 inch nylon line or rope (Ace hardware)
Fire Starting Methods
Locations for harder to find specialty items is given
- Strong Magnifying glass lens
- Magnesium Fire Starter and 1 paper napkin (EMS or Maynard Outdoor Store)
- Emergency Tinder Kit (Maynard Outdoor Store)
- Transistor radio battery and soap-less steel wool (Ace Hardware Paint Section)
Water Purification Methods
Items #2-4 are available at EMS
- Bandana and steel cup for boiling
- Potable Aqua Iodine Tablets (if allergic to shellfish, do not choose this method)
- Aquamira Water Treatment Drops
- Micropur Tablets
This document was created by Mr. P. for the October 2006 Wilderness Survival backpacking trip
This page was last modified: November, 2013