If you spend a lot of time outdoors, whether it’s exploring, hiking, hunting or just camping, you will want to make sure that you have the right mix of survival gadgets with you at all times. Having the right kind of tools in your Every Day Carry (EDC) bag means that you can handle whatever survival situation comes up. Here are five survival gadgets that every outdoorsman should own.
Water Purifier
No matter how good you are at survivalism or how many different gadgets you have, you won’t be able to survive long without water. There is a limit to how much water you can carry and in a survival situation, clean water can be difficult to obtain. There are several different water purification gadgets out there, but Lifestraw is one of the easiest to use.
Lifestraw is a small and easy to carry water purifier. It’s very simple to use, just put it in a water source and use it as a regular straw to pull the water through the filter. You’ll be drinking clean water, no matter how dirty the water is that you are drinking from. Just beware that there are some things that filters can’t filter out like chemicals and salts.
Two-Way Radio
If you are part of a team going out on a survivalist expedition, communications are imperative. The only reliable communication tool in a survival situation is a two-way radio. If you are a ham radio operator, you can use your VHF or UHF ham radio gear to stay in touch. If you’re not a ham, you might be inclined to use FRS radios that you can pick up a Walmart. The problem with these radios is that they have limited range and aren’t designed for heavy-duty use. You need professional grade radios.
You need to get some good two-way radios that can stand up to serious use and be ready when you need them. You’ll want to see a good selection like the ones at Waveband Communications. You can also find the accessories you need. Two-way radios are an indispensable part of any survival pack.
Satellite Communications
If you are out in the middle of nowhere alone then you might be out of the range of two-way radios. In these situations, satellite communication is sometimes the only alternative. Unfortunately, satellite phones are expensive to buy and expensive to use. Airtime can be cost prohibitive in many situations.
Fortunately, there is an alternative: InReach GPS devices. These feature great GPS maps combined with two-way interactive messaging that uses satellites. This means that no matter where you are, you can send and receive SMS messages. Moreover, you can send out an SOS that includes your GPS coordinates so you can be rescued in a survival situation.
Fire Steel
If you are out in the wild with no heat or light source, it can make a stressful situation even worse. A fire can give you heat, light, and more. Yes, you can have matches or a lighter and they work great, but what if your matches are wet or your lighter is damaged? A fire steel is imperative for starting a fire. They throw a good string of sparks that can easily light tinder and give you fire. The fire steels have a flint and a piece of steel. They are easily put in your pocket and can be carried with you. They make it easy to start a fire and get warmth in a tough situation. As a serious survivalist, you’ll want to have a fire steel in your EDC bag.
Camp Stove
A portable camp stove is a necessity in a survival situation. It’s true that a fire in a fire pit is useful for cooking, light, heat, but open fires are notoriously inefficient. You have to collect a lot of dry firewood to keep it going due to its high burn rate. It can also attract a lot of possibly unwanted attention. A camp stove solves these problems. It’s got a lower burn rate and a little fuel can last a long time. The only real question is the kind of fuel you’ll use. While you can carry fuels like gas or propane, these are unsustainable. Wood and other combustible materials are freely available around you.
While there are many different wood fueled camp stoves, the Biolite Camp Stove is a great stove with a bonus. The Biolite stove has a built in generator that uses the fire’s heat to generate electricity. You can use this electricity to charge your electronic devices. Yes, the charger is slow, but it will charge your phone, your radio or your portable GPS.
With these five survival gadgets, you can rest easy when you are out and a survival situation comes up. You also know that your EDC bag is well stocked with tools that can help you no matter what happens.