If you are going hiking or camping in a place that you are not too familiar with, here are a few items that you should bring along:
1) First Aid Kit - I think that this is pretty self explanatory.
2) A Flare - These things burn at 1,400 degrees Fahrenheit and give of a really bright light.
They can be used for lighting your way, signaling, and of course lighting a fire.
I have personally tried lighting damp wood with a flare and it worked fairly well since flares are much hotter than a match and have a longer burning time. You can find these in the automotive section in Wall-Mart.
3) Paracord - Also known as 550 cord, this stuff is probably one of the most useful things you can have besides a knife. This cord can hold 550 pounds of weight (hence the name previously mentioned). You can use it to lash a knife onto a stick or to hold a shelter together. The uses are endless. About ten feet of paracord should be sufficient for your survival pack.
4) Bleach - Yes, it seems weird, but with the right amount, it purifies water excellently. About eight drops of it can purify a gallon of water. I think that the water bottle (in the top picture) holds a quart and would need two to three drops. When using this as purification keep in mind the simple rule of thumb, "If you can really taste it, you put to much in."
*Remember if you can boil water, do it. It is a better option than the bleach but if you do not have a metal container to boil it in use the bleach. Bleach can get you very sick and if you are in a survival situation that is the last thing you need so use it sparingly.
5) A Knife - Now what would a survival pack be without a knife of some sort? Out of all the items that can be brought I think that a knife is the most crucial. With a knife you can make almost anything that you need. A knife is the ideal shelter building tool because you can sharpen sticks and stick them in the ground for stability and with the right trees you can shave off a long, thin, piece of bark for binding things together.
6) Matches - You might be thinking, "Why can't I just use the flare to start a fire?" Well the flare is only a one time use and they last for only twenty minutes so if you are out there for more than a night, no fire for you. If you have only damp stuff to work with then by all means use the flare but if you have dry fuel for a fire stick with the matches and save the flare for a better time. The two things next to the matches in the picture are called Tinder Quick. That is just used to get your fire going a bit.
7) Whistle - The only purpose for this little doohickey is letting people know that you are out there. It is pretty useful to have because it is super small, it's loud, and it works both day and night. Also, it's pretty convenient to just blow while you walk. If you are lost blow the whistle in increments of three, pause for a second, and repeat. Three flashes of light, three shots of a gun, or three blows of a whistle are all the signs for distress.
8) Fishing Hook and Line - Why would you carry this with you? To catch food of course! Not only can you catch fish but you can use the line as snare wire to catch rabbits since it is transparent and virtually invisible.
9) Emergency Blanket - If you have a shelter built you can wrap it around yourself to retain heat and if you do not have one built you can make a small pup tent with it.
10) Water Bottle - If you want to carry your water around, this is the way to go! The bottle you see in the picture holds one quart of water so you would use around two to three drops of bleach for the entire thing. That bottle was 11 dollars at Big 5, a little expensive but worth it because it does not leak at all and it has a lifetime warranty if it breaks which is kind of cool. These things WILL NOT break. You can throw it off a cliff and it will be fine which is a good feature to have.
11) Mess Kit - I can cook, boil water, carry leftovers, and ward off bears with this thing so I would suggest you have one. The kit in the picture is smaller than an IPad and is about 2 and a half inches wide so it fits almost anywhere. Also, it weighs next to nothing so it pays to have it with you.
As you can see all of that does not take up much space. I was able to put
everything in one pocket with plenty of space left over.
Of course you can add some things that you might want. Some other optional items would be a pocket chainsaw, a bandanna, or a flashlight. This was just a simple guide to start you off. Have fun!
