Questions About Survival Gear
What’s some of the most important survival gear I need to have on hand?
Answer: When it comes to survival gear, bring along stuff to start a fire, water to drink, food to eat, something that can work as shelter, a knife for protection, a compass in case you get lost, and binoculars. It might not seem obvious, but these are some of the most important things you will find you need.
When looking for survival gear, what are some of the most important things to keep in mind?
Answer: When buying survival gear, purchase items that are small and compact so that you can easily carry them with you wherever you go. Additionally, only stick to the necessities rather than going overboard and creating a bag much heavier than you need.
What should I look for when trying to find a gear bag to carry my survival gear?
Answer: First and foremost, your gear should remain comfortable at all times so you won’t be inconvenienced by carrying an uncomfortable bag. Buy a gear bag with plenty of pockets and compartments so you can easily carry what you need with you.
What exactly is survival gear and does it refer to clothing or more to accessories and other items that can help with survival?
Answer: Survival gear refers to both clothing and gear because they both prepare you for survival. Accessories can range anywhere from flashlights and knives to jackets and sleeping bags. Clothing includes rain gear, jackets, and boots.
What are some of the most important tools to keep in your survival gear bag at all times?
Answer: While you have the luxury of a tool bag at home, you won’t have that kind of luxury in the wilderness. Therefore, only bring very specific items. The three items that will benefit you the most are small pry bars, knives, and duct tape since they can help you accomplish most things you need to get done.
In terms of hygiene, what are some of the most important products I need to have in the bag?
Answer: Hygiene is important because it is key to helping keep you healthy and resistant to sickness when you are in survival mode. Bring a toothbrush, toothpaste, waste bags, shampoo and soap at a minimum so you can keep your body clean and hygienic in case of emergency.
If I don’t want to go overboard with first-aid supplies, what are some of the more important items I need in order to get the most out of the gear I pack?
Answer: In survival mode, even the smallest scrapes and bruises can becomes a problem, so you want to have plenty of first-aid supplies with you at all times. Try not to skimp in this area since the supplies you carry with you can make the difference between life or death. Think bandages, antiseptic sprays, anti-itch cream, and even pain relievers.
What should I pack in my gear bag so that I can form some sort of shelter if necessary?
Answer: At a minimum, bring rope and a tent or tarp along with blankets so you can erect some sort of a shelter in case of an emergency. While you could get more advanced with this, these items provide you with the ability to create a basic shelter.
Where should I store my gear bag to ensure nothing inside gets damaged?
Answer: No matter what you have in your bag or how you store them, keep the bag in a cool and dry place since high temperatures or moisture can ruin some of the contents. A dry, cool place is the best way to ensure your bag lasts for as long as it can.
How can I maximize my space so I can fit as much as possible inside of my gear bag without wasting a lot of space?
Answer: Recognize that everything you put into your bag serves a purpose. If it doesn’t serve a practical purpose, then you should take it out of the bag. However, assuming everything you have in there is going to serve a purpose, try and group as many things together as possible and vacuum seal them. Vacuum sealing is a great way to minimize the overall space that items take up in your bag. Plus, special vacuum-seal bags are also waterproof, which helps keep everything dry.
Is there a way to organize the bag in the most efficient manner, or is it just a matter of organizing to personal preference?
Answer: Really, the way you pack the bag comes down to personal preference and it’s completely up to you. However, my personal recommendation would be to group similar items together so you can find them easily. For example, put the candles next to the matches since you probably need both at the same time.
Is there a waterproof bag I can buy? If so, can be confident that it will keep all of my gear dry?
Answer: In short, yes. A waterproof bag will keep everything in your bag dry. If it’s raining when you open your bag, then things inside of it are still going to get wet. Because of this, waterproof everything inside of the bag so you don’t risk ruining part of your supplies because it got wet. Resealable plastic bags are one of the easiest and most efficient ways to do this.
Questions About Survival Kits
How long do I have before the medicine and other items in my kit begin to expire?
Answer: Typically, you’ll find that most of the medicine and other first-aid items expire within 12 to 36 months. Keep this in mind, because if you go a long time without replacing them they won’t be of any use to you when you need them.
How long can the average survival kit sustain one adult?
Answer: Whether you build or buy your survival kit, try and have your kit last for a minimum of three days. To do this, you should figure 1,500 calories of food and 1 liter of water for each day and for every adult that is utilizing the survival kit.
How can I know what needs to go in the survival kit and what I can afford to leave out?
Answer: When it comes to most survival kits, include just the essentials because it makes the kit much easier to transport and be mobile. Most kits are created using information from the military, first responders, and law enforcement so you get the results you want and the survival items you need to save your life.
Once I have my survival kit, should I only use it for emergency purposes or should I check it out every so often?
Answer: I highly recommend taking apart your survival kit every so often and then putting it back together. This will help you know exactly what you need to do with the kit and how the kit works. Additionally, regular inspections help update expired medicine or anything else that must be replaced.
Is there a specific type of material I should look for when it comes to the items I keep in the survival kit or is any material good?
Answer: When it comes materials for a bowl, pot or pan, you should try to find something composed of metal because it can allow for a lot more utility. Think about boiling water and then reflecting sunlight to make a signal if you need it.
Should I include water in my survival kit or should I include water purification tablets?
Answer: We recommend that you do both. This way you cover all situations, especially if you happen to run out of water from your kit. The purification tablets should be NaDCC-based water purification tablets because they provide the most benefit out of any other tablets.
Am I better off buying a survival kit already made up, or should I look for a kit that I can custom build to meet my specifications?
Answer: Buying a survival kit that’s already made up is safe way to make sure nothing is missing and that everything’s optimally packed. There’s a chance that it might include things you may not want at the time, so your best bet is to start with an appropriate kit for your disaster type and then add or subtract from there based on the needs list you’ve assembled. If you need resources for more people, you’ll find that larger kits are also available.
When it comes to building a kit, is there anything I need to keep in mind regarding the safety of my children?
Answer: Typically, you find that there are quite a few sharp items included with each kit. Therefore, kids should be careful when they use the product. As long as they use it responsibly and carefully, there won’t be any concerns. Ultimately, it’s up to you as a parent to decide if you feel comfortable letting your children examine the survival kit.
Will my survival kit prepare me for a particular disaster or will it be more for use in general emergencies?
Answer: Odds are you’re creating the kit for a particular disaster, but you shouldn’t tailor it too much to just one of those things because you never know what might happen. The best survival kit is one that can keep you protected in case of any disaster. While you might prepare for one thing, you need to know that your kit should work in just about any situation.
Is it okay to include some things for my pets in my survival kit? What if something happens when I am with them and they need to be taken care of as well?
Answer: In this case, we are always okay with you preparing for your pets’ survival. The same principle applies to building a human survival kit in that including too much stuff can lead to a heavier backpack. Don’t go to extremes when it comes to helping your pet survive if it means you’ll need to carry way more than is necessary.
How large should my survival kit be if I end up having to carry it? Is it possible to make it too large?
Answer: Yes, yes, and yes. Do not overfill your survival kit or you may end up very disappointed when it comes time to move it. A kit that is too large might sound like a good idea at first, but if you can’t move the kit, it really won’t do you any good. As a rule of thumb, try and keep the weight of the kit at a quarter of your body weight. Remember, you may have to carry this kit for dozens of miles on your back before you reach civilization.
What are some of the top things to tell yourself when deciding if something should be put into your survival kit?
Answer: When you decide on what to put into your survival kit, you should ask yourself the following questions:
- Does each item do at least three things for me?
- Is the item small enough to fit?
- Does this item add too much weight?
Questions About Survival Food
How much food will I need to feed two people for 30 days?
Answer: When you’re figuring out how much food you’ll need, keep in mind that the average adult eats between 1,500 to 2,000 calories per day. That means that two people eat 3,000 to 4,000 calories per day. So, for 30 days, have a food supply on hand around 120,000 calories.
Can I store my rice, beans, or water in recycled bottles?
Answer: A lot of people wonder if storing food in recycled bottles is a practical way to prepare. Unfortunately, you don’t want to do this since the material of the plastic bottles can react with the food and cause it to go bad.
About how much water do I need to figure per person, per day?
Answer: While it can be tempting to try and pack a lot of water, it’s usually one of the heaviest items in your backpack or survival kit. Cut back on it as much as possible and plan on including around 1 liter per person every day. Make sure and include NaDCC-based water purification tablets in your kit or backpack.
What are some of the best prepackaged foods I can buy to have ready-to-eat food without worrying about preparing it or doing it on my own?
Answer: One of the better brands is US Coast Guard Approved Wise Food, which offers solutions of dehydrated food that you just eat out of the package or add water to the ingredients. These products are a great source of nutrition and they’re packaged in airtight pouches and can be found here.
If I buy dehydrated food, do I need boiling water to prepare it or can it be made with room temperature or cold water?
Answer: Hot or boiling water makes food preparation go a lot faster and smoother, but you’ll find that a lot of these food packets can rehydrate with any type of water.
How often do I need to switch out the food in my survival kit so it remains fresh and useable when I need it?
Answer: Luckily, if you buy dehydrated foods, you’ll find that it can have an incredibly long shelf life. Some foods can even last up to 25 years. You’ll find an expiration date clearly marked on all of our dehydrated food so there’s no second guessing how long it lasts.
Once I’ve received all my survival food, where is the best place for me to store it when I am not using it?
Answer: The best place to store your survival food in your home is going to be a cool, dark, and dry place. Avoid putting it in a shed or garage, if possible, because those places can get very hot during the summer.
Are there food options for me out there that do not need to be rehydrated and are able to be eaten right out of the package?
Answer: Yes! There are some instances where water is at a premium and you don’t want to have to use it in the cooking process. Fortunately, there are plenty of food options that don’t require water so you can save it for drinking.
What are some of the best ways I can help extend the shelf life of some of the foods that I prepare on my own?
Answer: If you are preparing some food on your own, then use either an oxygen absorber or a nitrogen flush to help extend the shelf life of your product.
How should the food I prepare be stored to maximize its shelf life?
Answer: Store food in vacuum-sealed packages that eliminate any air in the package. Additionally, store food in an airtight pail or bucket to keep everything cool and dry for years.
What is the best way to store water long-term?
Answer: One of the best ways to store water is just using a 5-gallon bucket and putting a lid on it. If you don’t store it that way, it can also be maintained in a food grade bottle. Keep a lid on the water at all times to maintain freshness so it’s ready to drink when you need it.
What is the best way for me to try and freeze dry my own food instead of buying it?
Answer: If you want to freeze dry your own food, you’ll need to place a dry ice chest in your normal freezer. Dry ice makes the freeze drying process go a lot easier and smoother. It might be tough to figure it all out on your own at first, but you’ll find your freeze-drying technique will improve after you get the hang of it.
