Ten Essentials
Equally as important as having the ten essentials, is knowing exactly how they can be used. Make sure you have the proper training and have practiced with these items before you need them.
1. Map & Compass
A map and compass can be the difference between becoming a search subject and making it home safely. More importantly than having the map and compass is your knowledge of how to use them. On occasion subjects have gotten lost and have had a compass in their pack. However, they had no idea how to use the tool. Without proper training the map and compass are of very little use. Additionally, a map without a compass greatly reduces you ability to orient yourself and navigate home safely. You must carry both a map and a compass in order to have an effective set of tools.
2. Food & Water
Food and water are an important part of your survival. Even if temporarily lost food and water could be the two things that give you the strength to make it home safely. Food and water not only give the body nourishment they can provide a sense of comfort, which has proven to help lost subjects keep calm. There are specific snack foods that are easy to carry, are non-perishable, and provide a great source of energy and protein to keep your body running. These include beef jerky; trail mix with nuts, and raisins, jellybeans, and protein bars. More importantly water is a vital resource for your body to operate. Dehydration can occur in all types of climates and can alter judgment and your physical abilities to get out of a bad situation. You cannot rely on water being available in the wilderness and even if it is you have to assume it is not safe to drink without purification. We recommend you carry both fresh water and a purification apparatus to insure a multi day stay in the wilderness does not end negatively.
3. Knife / saw
A knife can be used for a wide variety of purposes such as cutting chopping and creating wood shaving to start a fire. A saw is less versatile but can make the job easier if it is necessary to cut down branches for firewood or to build a shelter. If you choose to carry a saw we recommend a "saw in a can" which can be found at most outdoor sporting good stores. Many of our members carry both. We recommend that the knife be at lease 4 inches in length and be a fixed blade knife. A fixed blade knife is a much more effective tool to chop than a folding knife. Pocketknives can be a bit of a chore if serious cutting or chopping is required.
4. Flash light
If you find yourself having to spend the night out in the wilderness a flash will do more than just the obvious. It will allow you to see what you are doing, it can act as a signaling device for search teams that might be looking for you and will help you to stay calm. Being in total darkness late at night can make your mind work overtime. When a person looses their sight small sounds become huge. A light helps to keep to overactive mind at rest. We recommend you choose a flashlight that is water proof or water resistant and is shock resistant. We also recommend you carry extra batteries.
5. Signal Mirror & Plastic Whistle
Both a signal mirror and a whistle are highly recommended. In most cases the whistle can quickly bring a search to a safe and happy end. Your voice may seem loud but in the wilderness with heavy vegetation and dense forest sound from your voice is muffled. The sound from a good whistle can carry for quite a distance. Searchers are trained to listen for whistles. 3 short bursts is the standard distress signal and will alert search teams of your location. We recommend a whistle know as the storm whistle which can be found in most sporting good stores. On occasion law enforcement will activate an aerial search whittles will not do much good when attempting to get an aircrafts attention. However a signal mirror is very effective. Our search teams carry both.
6. Matches
Matches are an important essential item. In the Northwest, lost subjects commonly experience hypothermia. Matches are your way if getting a source of heat established and keeping from becoming hypothermic. We recommend you carry a generous number of matches and be sure they are sealed in a waterproof container.
7. Wax / Fire Starter
In the Northwest the forest is often wet or at the least very moist. Finding dry fuel and starting a fire can be a real challenge even for the best of us. Wax or some type of fire starter will give you the advantage of getting that fire going quickly and keeping warm. There are a large number of fire starter products. Most claim to be the best. We recommend you try several. Get our there and try them out. Try them in wet conditions and try them in windy conditions.
8. Aluminum Foil
Aluminum foil may seem odd in a survival situation. However we have found it to be very useful. It can be used a based to build a fire and get the hot embers off the wet ground. It can be used as a windscreen to assist in getting the fire started. It can also be used to trap water and in a pinch provide a hydration source. We recommend you carry approximately 2 sheets 12” in length. They can be folded into 3” square bundles.
9. Space Blanket
A basic space blanket can be used to keep warm as the temperatures drop. It can also be used as a shelter to keep dry or as a water trap similarly to the aluminum foil. We recommend you carry a basic space blanket, which can be purchased at most outdoor sporting good stores.
10. Parachute Cord
Parachute cord is a versatile and very durable resource that can be used for an unlimited number of things where you need to secure or tie down items. Some examples are for shoestrings or to tie branches together when building a shelter. Pound for pound parachute can’t be beat. We recommend you carry 150’ to 200’. We also recommend you go to army surplus store rather than a sporting goods store. Many sporting goods stores carry “want to be” parachute cord and just does not cut it.
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