From Backpacker Magazine, September 1999. The Aboriginal Living Skills
Schools Survival Kit.
For a few bucks you can build a great survival kit that may get you out of
trouble if you are visiting the backcountry. Fold everything neatly, pack
efficiently, and the whole 3 pound 14 ounce kit will fit into a fanny
pack. Don't pack it into your pack, this is a supplement to your
backpack and all it carries. Don't leave camp without it.
| One each of gallon and quart size zip lock bags for holding
water and building stills; the bags should have wide mouths so you
can skim water and reach into crevices. |
Fire starters; cotton balls saturated with petroleum jelly
and stuffed in a film container pack the smallest, but you can also use
chips or other dry, fatty foods or even dryer lint coated with paraffin. |
| Tincture of iodine to disinfect water; use five drops per
quart |
Magnesium block with striking insert; carry a minimum of
three means of starting a fire. |
| 2 condoms to use as canteens. |
Magnifying glass for signaling and fire starting. |
| Plastic drinking tube (3 feet long) for drinking from stills
or crevices. |
Strike-anywhere matches dipped in paraffin. |
| Dental floss (100 feet); a tough string for many uses. |
Cigarette lighter; get a bright color so you won't lose it. |
| Duct tape (3 feet); get the strongest variety available. |
Glass signal mirror with sighting hole and a whistle. |
| Mini flashlight with spare bulb. |
Light space blanket for shelter and signaling. |
| Extra flashlight batteries with date marked; replace every
12 months. |
Heavy-duty space blanket with grommets and reflective side
for shelter and signaling.
|
| Three heavy-duty, plastic leaf bags; use as a rain suit,
shelter, tube tent, tarp, or for collecting rainwater. |
Extra knife; should be all-purpose with a fixed,
double-edged, carbon-steel blade that can throw a spark. |
| Military parachute cord (50 feet), 550-pound test. |
Brightly colored bandanna; doubles as a pot holder, hat, and
water filter. |
| Basic first-aid kit; contains wound dressing, moleskin,
antibiotic ointment, and other items. |
Topo map and compass. |
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