Survival kit for skirmishes and hikes
The main assumptions of the survival kit
It is difficult to list all emergency situations that may occur in the field. I guess that's the hard part about dealing with them, they're so unpredictable. However, it seems that they can be reduced to the assumption that these are circumstances in which we must call or wait for help from outside. Be it in the form of rescuers or even family or friends whose help will prove necessary. In such a situation, we may be injured, hungry and in need of shelter and access to water. These needs and problems must be minimized by our survival kit. In addition, however, we have a lot of freedom in completing the equipment. I wouldn't focus on its price either, but on its value. For example, a simple Mora knife will be sufficient for our purposes in most cases. A lot of equipment, such as emergency kindling, can also be made by hand for a fraction of the price of commercial equivalents without losing functionality. So, there is no need to focus on the price of individual elements, but on their usefulness.
We should always have this survival kit with us when going out into the wild. We can modify it depending on the planned route or the type of activity we choose. However, it is worth getting into the habit of using this set of items. However, we don't have to buy everything at once. Some items can be taken from home or airsoft equipment and over time we can allocate funds for dedicated solutions. I would also not focus on making our airsoft survival kit composed of military components. Tourist equivalents often do not differ in quality from military ones and are often cheaper, which will allow us to collect the necessary items faster. Of course, if we have the means and a preference for everything, we have in our survival kit to be green and military-style, then the road is free. After all, as I mentioned, we should always take it with us in the field, so we must also like it.
Survival kit – basics
When choosing equipment for our survival kit, we must answer the question of what kind of functions it should fulfil. Thanks to this, it will be easier for us to plan what we need, how to pack it and where to buy it. Some items can have multiple uses, such as a knife that will be used to prepare a shelter, but also can be helpful in repairs, preparing a meal or starting a fire. So, what needs do we want to meet?
1. Ensure access to water. We have several ways here. We can rely on the water bottle that will be on our equipment. Another way is to carry containers for scooping, such as a cup or canteen. Water treatment can be achieved by filtration, boiling or the use of chemicals. Personally, I find the most convenient to use a filter or boil, but dedicated treatment tablets are also popular, especially since they take up little space.
2. Access to food. And here we don't have to immediately stock up on military food rations or even freeze-dried tourist meals. Of course, if we want it, why not. However, especially for short airsoft games or trips to the nature, a mixture of nuts, an extra bar or another snack will work. In the consideration of this article, we focus on the scenario of a few hours rather than a few days.
3. First aid is also important. I have already mentioned the advantages of carrying a first aid kit for skirmishes in the Gunfire blog, so here I will just remind you that thanks to it we can eliminate minor injuries before they become more serious. We can also increase our comfort while waiting for help using, for example, painkillers if we get injured.
4. Signaling is another important point. If we are waiting for external help, it is good to attract attention, for example, with a whistle or a bonfire. It is not a bad idea to take a light source such as a flashlight, which will be used to mark our position and also help in preparing a makeshift camp.
5. Navigation. Often a telephone is enough for us, but it is worth betting on analogue solutions such as a map of the area on which we move and a compass.
6. Shelter or providing thermal comfort. This is another important thing. The basis is an emergency blanket, which can be easily packed even in a minimalist set. However, it is worth to bet on additional, although basic clothes or a mat for sitting or a poncho from which we will make a makeshift roof. There are a lot of options here and it's best to start with what we already have.
7. Equipment repair. Here, a string, repair tape, a knife or a multitool will come in handy. It is worth reconsidering what we already have access to before we buy new things.
Outdoor survival kit in summary
You may notice that I do not list the fire source separately as part of the Survival Kit. This is because I treat it more as a tool thanks to which we will treat water, warm ourselves, attract attention or prepare a meal. However, how we light the fire is our choice. However, it is worth preparing for it by packing flint or emergency kindling. It is also good to bet on multifunctional items like my compass equipped with a whistle and a magnifying glass that makes it easier to read the map. We can also bet on clever solutions, such as wrapping a lighter to start a fire with repair tape. This allows you to limit the volume of the equipment you take.
Finally, I would like to mention skills. It's a fact that skills and attitude are extremely important in an emergency situation, but they won't help much if we don't back them up with equipment. It can be argued that we will build a shelter in a primitive way from branches and moss, and we will light the fire by rubbing the wood like the character played by Tom Hanks in the movie "Cast Away". I haven't tried it myself and the prospect of working with a fire arc for many hours is a deterrent to me. I prefer to take a small packet of emergency kindling and tinder. And in using these items, it is worth training on shorter trips or those focused on training our skills. Thanks to this, having the equipment and skills, we will minimize the risk of unforeseen situations.
Author: Boreq
Check out similar entries:
