Travel Tip: Emergency Hiking Survival Kit
December 2, 2009 | Rebecca Campbell
All Hikers Should Have An Emergency Survival Kit With Them
Before you head out for your hiking trip, it is important to pack an emergency hiking survival kit in your backpack. An obvious statement to make, but it is amazing how many of us actually forget to pack what is vital to our survival when hiking in the great outdoors.
Thankfully there are many shops that already stock emergency survival kits depending on what type of activity you will be doing, and whether you will be focused more on land- or water-based activities. Many also prefer to devise their own survival kit based on the hiking they will be doing, how long they will be hiking and the type of terrain they will be crossing.
Below are some pointers to help decide how to make your own emergency hiking survival kit for your next trip through Europe.
To begin, you should always think about the worst possible scenario when you’re out hiking. For instance if you don’t have any camping equipment with you and the weather takes a turn for the worst, it is always a good idea to have some form of waterproof and windproof material which you can easily erect for shelter.
It is also a good idea to pack matches that are waterproof, ideally in a waterproof container. These will help when you need to build a fire. However, in case your waterproof matches somehow fail, it is important that you have another means to make fire – such as by friction. By building a fire, you can provide yourself with the necessary warmth you need, you can cook food and you can also attract attention in a rescue situation.
Of course no outdoor survival kit should be without a torch, a knife, rope, a candle, a spare compass, water purification tablets and your first aid kit. Along with the necessary first aid kit ensemble, you should also store additional basic water and food supplies.
It may also be a good idea to store your survival kit inside a one pound coffee tin. This way you have something that can gather water, boil water over a fire, cook food and even hold a candle if need be. If you pack everything inside the tin right, you’ll leave space inside your backpack that could be used for an extra fleece.
Surviving an emergency situation depends on whether you have these key necessities:
- Shelter
- Food and water
- Warmth
- Signals for help
- Health and first aid
The above will help determine what you should include when you are devising your own emergency survival kit for your hiking adventure.
Another worthy addition is dark shoe polish. The polish can be used as fuel for fire, while the smell it permeates is ideal for keeping animals at bay. Additionally, an alternative to keeping your water pure if you don’t have a water purification filter is the use of iodine tablets. It may also be a good idea to carry a small mirror to signal with, while a magnifying glass can help to make a fire.
However, when it comes down to devising your own emergency hiking survival kit, it all depends on what type of activity and how long you will be gone for which will determine what you include. Make sure that before you leave, you know what each item does and how it fits into your survival plan. This will help to determine your priorities in the event of an emergency.
But as long as you remember the basics, you should be prepared in the event of an emergency.
