Expert Advice on Survival
Survival essentials
In an outdoor emergency, shelter, signalling, and safety are the primary concerns. The top emergency camping products take care of these fundamental needs and prepare campers for survival until they can facilitate rescues. An emergency survival kit combines many essentials for camper safety, including the three top necessities.
Emergency tents and shelters
Staying dry and warm is essential for campers. Emergency tents are lightweight and provide protection from the cold, the sun, and wet weather. They pack down to very manageable sizes and often store in tubes that are easy to carry. Body heat quickly warms them in winter, and they become valuable shelters during desperate times. An emergency blanket made of silver foil wraps a camper in reflective protection during cold weather and serves as a solar shield or even a solar cooker in summer. These types of emergency camping shelters are available in many survival kits. These kits consist of small, relatively lightweight packages that contain the essentials for shelter, signalling, and safety during camping emergencies. Waterproof packaging and carrying straps are also common features.
Emergency signal whistles and mirrors
Campers who are lost or trapped need ways to indicate their location to searchers. Signal whistles sometimes come with unbreakable plastic or metal signal mirrors as the most common signal tools in packs of survival gear. Some signal whistles have multiple tones to maximise the range and increase the odds that searchers recognise a human signal. Mirrors are especially useful in remote areas and are also useful for flashing codes. Some emergency signal mirrors cast reflective beams out 2 km or more.
Safety products
Keeping campers safe in an emergency requires sufficient hydration. A supply of water purification tablets makes it possible to drink from any lake or stream without fear of becoming ill. A small medical kit, such as a First Aid kit, allows campers to treat minor injuries. Kits filled with emergency camping equipment often include waterproof matches, micro saws, fishing line, and hook. Duct tape and a needle and thread allow for basic gear repairs. Finally, some survival equipment sets include compasses and flashlights.
