5 of the coolest survival tools

When it comes to survival equipment there has been to many companies jumping on the wagon and producing equipment that would be more useful if you threw it on the fire for extra fuel. Fortunately every once in a while someone will do it properly and produce something that goes above and beyond its performance expectations, or is simply just plain cool. Here are five of these items and why they should be considered in your future bush craft kits.

1) The Spetsnaz machete

When it comes to building things, the Russians seem to prefer simpler designs that last a very long time, and the Spetsnaz machete is a great example of this. This solid piece of metal doesn’t have any parts to screw together like a survival shovel, which means nothing to snap off or bend. The weighted end acts as a hatchet, with a straight saw on the back and a knife edge on the lower front. The tip of the shovel is meant for digging and the small holes on the side are used for undoing bolts, straightening arrow heads and any other task you’d need a small metal hole for. The survival versions meant for civilians also come with a small hollow tube in the handle which is big enough for a few extra bits and pieces.

2) Henry US AR-7 Survival rifle

It almost looks like a toy, but this neat little rifle has a number of advantages over any other survival rifle out there. Originally meant to be used by pilots due to its small size, the AR-7 weighs only 1.33 kg unloaded and uses .22lr ammunition, which means you can carry the weapon and 200 rounds of ammo for just under 2 kg. The average hunting rifle will weigh between 4 kg and 6 kg on its own, making the AR-7 very easy to carry in comparison. The barrel and body can unscrew from each other and pack into the stock which creates a waterproof seal, and also has the room to store two extra mags. Even though the ammo it uses isn’t the most powerful, the gun is semi-automatic and can empty one of its 8 round mags in a few seconds.

3) The Cache belt

These days you can get anything from a pen to a shovel that’s been made into a “survival” version, complete with all kinds of tiny versions of useful tools. Many of these contraptions are very impressive, but none of them come close to the huge variety and quick access provided by the cache belt. Not only does it come with a ton of useful bits and pieces, but it looks just like a normal belt, making it a good choice to wear into the various public houses you may come across while on a hike.

4) The permanent match

It’s surprising how many ways people have come up with to start a fire, and most of these inventions are nothing special. The permanent match is one that stands out from the others due to its ease of use, reliability and how long it can stay lit for. The base of the match is filled with lighter fluid that feeds up the wick to the flint-like tip, and when stuck on the striker strip on the side of the case, it lights up quite nicely. Because it’s burning from a fuel source, it can stay lit for as long as the fuel lasts, which seems to be one of the few downsides, when the lighter fluid runs out its almost useless, but can still be used to create sparks.

5) Electricity producing stoves

Camping stoves are seen as unnecessary by many, why bother carrying a stove when you can just cook over a fire?. Well now there’s a reason for all those stove haters out there because these new biolite stoves have the ability to charge your phone or other small devices like a torch, with nothing more than a few sticks burning in the fire compartment. The charge is quite small and should be something used when you have too, instead of relying on it as a primary charging source, but it can be very useful if you’re going to be stuck somewhere for a while. Definitely a piece to consider for your cars permanent survival kit.