The ultimate survival gear and tools checklist

The following is a list of the most important items you can take when heading out into the wilderness. They are sorted into categories according to their importance but please note a single list cannot cover everything you’ll need to take as different environments demand different equipment.

Necessary Equipment

These items should be taken on every expedition into the wild no matter the terrain. These are things you’ll need to survive and include the most universal and important pieces of equipment you can possibly take.

Hatchet

Using a hatchet can speed up making a shelter by several hours, and also gives the option to cut down small trees to make something bigger and better to stay in. It will allow more options as to what can be used for firewood and generally saves a huge amount of time around the camp.

Tent

Some hiking tents can weigh as little as 1kg and pack down small enough to easily fit it on the outside of your backpack. The tent you choose should reflect where you’re going and the time of year. Winter tents are normally the heaviest as they have thicker canvas and lining, but don’t skimp on a good tent as you’ll be sorry if your stuck somewhere cold in a summer tent you brought because it was cheaper.

Map and Compass

This one should be obvious as they are the best non-electronic method of knowing where you are. Terrain can be misleading if your watching the sun to judge your direction, and a compass will ensure you don’t head along the wrong path.

There’s really no excuse to not take a map and compass as they weigh very little and take up next to no space. Half way through writing this i weighed my own compass that came with a map Ive used and a small marking pencil, the whole lot weighs 14 grams.

First aid kit

Normally a first aid kit is something that’s either “the” most important thing you have with you, or something you wont even get out your pack. In the event you need to use it you better make sure its got everything you need, so here’s a list of the most important things to have in your kit.

Scissors
Tweezers
Sterile eye wash solution
Burn cream
Wound dressings – A decent length of antibacterial Gauze wrap
Bandages – For general cuts and scrapes, insect bits etc…

Shaped bandages – Normally made from gauze and come in various shapes, such as a doughnut shape bandage used to put round an item protruding from the flesh. These come in all kinds of shapes and sizes for the various things they are intended for, but they do take up a good amount of space and aren’t always practical in the smaller kits. It you don’t take any of these its a good idea to stock up on extra gauze wrap to turn into a make-shift version.

An Epipen/Epinephrine – Used to stop someone from going into anaphylactic shock, something caused by someone allergic being stung by an insect, normally bee’s.
Antihistamines – Used to treat allergies such as hay fever
Pain relief – Aspirin, ibuprofen and general pain killers. also chemical hot/cold bags for burns or sprains.
Antiseptic/ Disinfectants
Splints – Normally a splint for a leg or arm will be out the question as they will simply be to big. But finger and toe splints are a good idea as they are the most likely thing you’ll break.
Adhesive tape
Sterile eye dressing
safety pins – For securing slings and gauze.
Medical book – A small guide to the most common wounds and how to treat them. Even if you’re a world class doctor, the person who’s panicking about how you just got knocked out by a falling branch may not be, and could use the guidance.

Cooking pot and eating utensils

An obvious one but also very important, not just for cooking but also to purify water by boiling. I personally recommend a few plastic sporks and a mess tin kit, as you can have 2 or 3 decent sized cooking vessels that pack tightly into each other and allow other things to be put inside them, making them very space efficient for their size.

Rescue equipment – whistle/ signalling mirror/ flares

Having something to call for help will make it much easier to find, well, help. A whistle will carry sound for much further than a person can shout, and is the best option after flares. Pilots, boat crews and people living in remote areas are taught to, and often required to investigate flares, and on a clear night they can be seen from dozens of miles away. A signal mirror is the least effective way to call for help, as not only does it rely on the sun shining in the right direction, but also requires you to learn “how” to talk to someone using light flashes.

Back pack

Your backpack is something its very important to not skimp on, because if some stitching comes loose or it starts to rot after it gets wet, not only will you be in trouble but it’ll probably cost you more in the long run to replace it more often.
Army surplus stores are a good idea if you’re looking to save money, but the professional hiking versions are much better if you can afford one.

Clothing

Waterproof trousers and a jacket with plenty of pockets, and the right thermal wear are very important, but this is something that will depend on your environment. Take into consideration the average temperature, how often it rains and how rough the terrain is.

If your in thick forest then a tough pair of trousers with a light breathable under layer should be the way to go, were as if you’re in the arctic then a thick snow suit and furs will serve you better. Just think where you’re going and how wet and cold it is when deciding on what to wear.

Useful equipment

This section includes things that are, well, useful. These are items that are either bigger versions of necessary equipment or items that could come in useful in the right situations, but aren’t necessary to take in order to survive most situations.

Axe

If you’re going to be stuck somewhere for a long time, a good 2 handed axe will allow you to chop down much bigger trees, allowing for more crafting and shelter building options. The only down side is they are normally quite heavy and take up a slot on the outside of your pack, leaving less room for more important gear.

Survival straw/life straw

This is a small plastic tube that has a series of special micro and anti-bacterial filters inside. They can be used to drink directly from a natural water source or even something as small as a puddle. Most straws can safely filter anywhere between 5 and 15 gallons worth of water, and if you opt for one of the bigger ones you’ll be able to walk around with 2 weeks worth of safe drinking water right in your pocket.

Some brands are disposable but some come with changeable filters, which would allow you to carry several weeks or even months of drinking waters worth of filters. The only down side is the water normally passes through quite slowly as there’s lots of filters to slow it down, and they only provide water directly from the source, so if you don’t have a way of storing water then you’re in trouble.

Multi tool

A back up knife, a screw driver, a mini saw and a whole range of other useful things that you can fit right in your pocket. There’s some very expensive Multitools out there but most of them include things you’ll never use. When looking for the right tool to buy consider how necessary and strong all the tool pieces are. Would you be better off with a flimsy screwdriver and corkscrew you wont need, or would some mini scissors and a can opener be more useful?

Fishing rod / kit

A rod is preferable and some telescopic ones pack down quite small, but they still take up a good chunk of space. The best option is just to take some line and a few hooks, perhaps with a small float or 2. You can tie the line round a stick or one of your tools and find worms to use as bait pretty much anywhere.

Survival hammock/ Hiking Hammock

An option to take instead of a tent. They come with a tarp to fix over the top and are surprisingly comfortable, and also remove the need for a ground mat. No matter what the grounds like, you can always be comfortable in a hammock and they normally don’t take up anymore room than a tent. The only down side is you need trees to fix it to, and without trees its basically just a sack with rope tied to it.

light sources – lantern/ Headlight/ candles

Having something to light up your tent or shelter can be a massive moral boost, but something that is quite low down on the list of importance. These options are all second to a flashlight as they are either much heavier or not as efficient.

Stove

Hiking stoves with some kind of base can be placed within the smallest shelters and give a good platform to hold a cooking vessel. The gas ones are much more efficient but are useless when the fuel runs out. The solid fuel burning versions are best as you can bring some kind of fuel block such as hexamine to keep you going, and then resort to wood when they run out.

The other advantage the solid fuels ones have over gas is some versions can fold apart and pack down flat, and are normally made of aluminium of thin steel, making them very light.

Poncho

A better option that the rain jacket as it can also be used to make a shelter or rain catcher out of. Also very cheap and small when packed into its bag, if your only going to take one thing to keep the rain off, you cant go wrong with a poncho.

Sewing kit

If you’re out there for any length of time your clothes will eventually rip and fail, especially if you’re in thick forest or jungle. A sewing kit takes up very little space and makes all the difference in the long run. Its also a good idea to consider a small sewing kit for your tent if your going to be out there for a while, as a tent with a ripped canvas is next to useless.

Gloves

Apart from the warmth bonus they provide, gloves can be useful to not only protect the hands when crafting and building things, but also help with speeding up harvesting wild plants. Nettles can be held at the base of the stem and with a firm grip, the hand can be run up the stem to quickly remove all the leaves for eating, something that would be incredibly painful without a good pair of gloves.

Optional / Nice to have if you can spare the room

These are items that aren’t necessary and only serve to be useful if you have spare room and don’t mind the extra weight. They are not items you would need to survive but rather things to make your stay in the wild easier.

Water filters

Similar to the survival straw but with a pump. The straw is used by sucking water through it directly from a source, but the water filter comes with a pump and allows you to fill up a container for later use.

Tinder box

The hardest part about lighting a fire is getting the right tinder. All the fire wood in the world is going to help if you don’t have something to drop a spark in from your fire-steel to get it going. A tinder box is nothing more that a waterproof box, but you can cramp a large amount of fire starting material into it, something you’ll wish you did when everythings soaking wet and you cant find any enough dry material to get something going.

Blade sharpener/ whet stone kit

Something you’ll need if you’re going to be stuck out there for a while. A blunt axe and knife will be next to useless, so having a way of bringing the edge back could save your life. Whet stones can be quite small and aren’t heavy, and wont cost you more than a few pounds for a good one. Water can be used to provide the lubricant but its better to carry a small bottle, maybe 25ml or so of oil to help the sharpening.

Compact binoculars

A good option for helping you scout out your route and like many other items on this list, cost very little.

Duct tape

Since when was duct tape not useful for almost everything. With a roll of duct tape you can fasten branches together to make a bigger and better shelter, you can use it as a fast bandaging method or to repair clothes. The point is that its useful for many things you’ll be doing out there in the wild, so if you can spare the space in your backpack then pop a roll of duct tape in.

Wild food guide

A small book on how to recognise the most common wild foods will remove the possibility of you eating some strange looking mushrooms because they “look ok” but were actually very poisonous. You have to be a true expert in survival to remember even half the wild foods out there, so taking a small wild foods book that’s relevant to your location may save your life.

Weapons

A sling shot is the smallest and easiest to acquire ranged weapon, with some of the more powerful ones being able to kill a rabbit or wood pigeon. Hitting them though is a completely different matter, but the point is they are capable of hunting small game with.

A rifle of some kind is the best bet, but consider its weight and the appropriate calibre. Some air rifles do an excellent job at hunting small game, but it would be near impossible to kill a deer or even something as big as a goose with one. There are some survival rifles out there that pack down quite small, and would be the best choice on a weight to performance ratio, but again this depends greatly on where you are and the laws of what you can get hold of.

Survival belt

A handy batman style utility belt that comes with a ton of pockets. Useful for stashing all your most used pieces of equipment and creating a mini-survival kit with. Having a small back up knife, fire-starter and spare poncho on you at all times will greatly increase your chances if something were to happen to your backpack.

Having your own mini survival kit with everything you’ll need sitting right there on your person at all times is obviously beneficial, the only down side is you have to carry it round with you and deal with its weight and possible discomfort.

Chemical warmer packets

These snap-to-activate plastic packets will heat your hands up toasty warm in just a few minutes. Normally quite cheap, they can be useful to put into a glove or sock to heat up your tingly bits. They aren’t very practical to use consistently and so should only be taken for emergencies, such as to ward off frostbite or in the event you fall into water.

Entertainment – Cards/ books

Being bored with nothing to do can set your mind wandering, and with nothing else to think about other than how screwed you are, your moral will suffer and cause bigger problems down the line. A pack of cards can provide hours of entertainment, but any kind of activity will do the job of keeping your spirits up. There’s some travel game kits that pack down quite small, but this one really depends on what you personally find entertaining.