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5 Things People Forget to Include in Their Survival Pack

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A successfully thought out survival pack can be what saves your life in the event of an emergency while in the wilderness. However, many people forget to include some key items in their survival pack. All it takes is just one item to determine if you survive, or die.

A survival pack needs to have a balance of carrying all the needed necessities while at the same time not adding too much weight. A pack that is too heavy will slow you down, so it is very important to find that sweet spot.

How Heavy Should Your Pack Be

First, before you even start packing your survival pack, we need to determine how heavy your pack should actually be. A good practice is to keep the weight of your pack at around 20% of your bodyweight. So if you weigh 200lbs, you can have a pack with a weight of 40lbs.

The contents of your pack depends primarily on two things:

  1. The Duration of Your Trip
  2. Season/Weather

When planning your trip, you’re going to want to take into account the length of time that your trip will be. A longer trip means you’ll need more food, clothing, etc.

You will also want to take into account the season that you’ll be traveling in and also the weather. If your trip falls within the winter months, you’re going to need warmer clothes than if you were traveling in the summer. Warmer clothes take up more space than other clothes, so you’ll have to pack smart.

The Basic Necessities to Include in Your Pack

Some obvious things to include in your survival pack are:

  • A compass
  • A map – You can also choose to carry a GPS with you, but it’s always important to carry a physical map as a backup.
  • Water filtration
  • Adequate clothing
  • A premium sleeping bag
  • Food
  • A knife
  • A fire starter of some kind – It’s a good idea to carry some form of firestarter instead of matches. You’ll use matches way to fast. Here’s a very inexpensive, yet portable firestarter on Amazon.

What Kind of Food to Carry

When deciding on the kind of food to bring with you, it’s always a good plan to choose food that will not spoil easily. In addition to this, you want to come prepared to forage for your own food as well as a way to hunt your own food.

Here’s a good choice of food that is not easily spoiled and is very easy to carry in your pack. Check it out on Amazon.

I would also suggest purchasing a book that lists different kinds of edible berries, plants, and roots. Here’s a good choice on Amazon that lists over 200+ natural foods in North America.

What Knife to Include

A knife is arguably the most important tool that you should be including in your adventures. The problem is, most people choose the wrong type of knife.

A properly chosen knife can save your life in an emergency, so be sure to pick yours carefully and to spare to expense. For an in-depth guide on how to choose a survival knife, read my article entitled, What Makes a Good Survival Knife: How to Choose the Right One.

1. A LifeStraw Steel Personal Water Filter

Water filters are nothing new, people have been using them for years. A lot of water filters out there are bulky. If you carry purification tablets, you’ll eventually run out. Or, if you have a good water filter already, it’s a good idea to carry a small, lightweight replacement.

The LifeStraw personal water filter is an amazing tool. This little straw uses a 2-stage filtration system that eliminates contaminants as well as odors and tastes! It removes a minimum 99.9999% of waterborne bacteria and 99.9% of waterborne protozoan parasites and filters to 0.2 microns. It filters up to 1,000 liters and does not require batteries, pumping, or chemicals!

This is a definite tool that needs to be included in everyone’s pack! View the latest price on Amazon.

2. Paracord

Way too many people forget to include this valuable rope in their survival pack! If you have never heard about Paracord before and are wondering what’s so special about it, let me explain.

Paracord is a kind of rope that was traditionally used in parachutes used by the military. This rope is extremely strong while at the same time small in size. Paracord can hold up to 715lbs of force! And the best part is, Paracord will take up absolutely no space at all!

Another cool thing about Paracord is what is inside. Inside of Paracord are 5-7 small, tightly woven strands of mini paracord. This can be used as fishing line, rope for snares, etc.

If you’re carrying an ax with you, braid the cord around the handle. If you’re carrying a survival knife, braid it on that handle as well. (Read my article I wrote on how to choose the right survival knife.)

Paracord can also be braided into your pack itself, it a survival braclet, etc. The options are nearly endless!

This Paracord on Amazon can be bought in different lengths, and its made in the USA.

3. A 2 Way Radio / GPS Navigator

A 2 way radio / GPS navigator is extremely important when you’ll be in the wilderness for long periods of time. Although they can get to be a bit expensive, don’t go the cheap route if you purchase one of these, they are definitely worth it!

The Garmin in the photo above as a range of 20 miles, has GPS included that allows you to view your surrounding location, and you can see if other users are in the area! It’s a great tool to have, and can easily be stuffed in a pocket or in your pack. Check the price on Amazon.

4. A Multi-Purpose Tool

One thing many people forget to include in their pack is a multi-functional tool, such as a Swiss Army knife. They can be extremely helpful when it comes to fixing gear, sewing, small camp chores, etc.

In the event that you happen to break or lose your primary survival knife, a multi-functional tool is a great backup.

Read my article where I give you tips on what type of Swiss Army Knife to choose.

Or, also check out my article entitled, How to Choose the Right Swiss Army Knife: A Complete Guide.

5. A Solar Powered Flashlight that Doubles as a Charger

A flashlight is also very important, but people don’t forget to pack these. So why is it in the list?

When packing a survival pack, choose a flashlight that can power itself, and your other battery operated devices. Having a tool like this makes you not have to carry multiple different items such as a separate flashlight and smartphone charger.

The flashlight in the above photo is powered by solar and can be hand cranked. It also contains USB ports to allow you to charge other devices. This makes it the perfect survival option! Check the price on Amazon.


What’s something you carry in your survival pack that you think most people don’t carry but need to? Leave a comment below!

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