Most of us live in a world of convenience with little apt for survival. It’s all there, served ready. We do not need to even think. The warm smell of the freshly baked sweet donuts and coffees float in without having to bat an eye. And it’s all good. Until one day, you wander off too far from the woodland trails and suddenly you’re lost. Your phone is dead. You have no GPS. And it’s getting dark.
A few basic survival skills can take you a long way in times like these. Of course, we hope you’ll never face such a situation. However, these are essential life mastery that’ll make you feel more confident in the wild. It can even change your perspective on life and you grow within you a deeper love of nature, and for yourself. And it’ll make you stronger.
Survival Skills For The Wild
Survival techniques are countless. The more you spend time in the wild, the more you learn. But there are 5 essential survival skills of the outdoors that you absolutely need to master before you venture off-road into the elk country. These will prepare you for whatever befalls. You should be fully aware of their potential need and use. These should be embedded between your ears - in your brain. You’ll need your brain the most, so it’s important you KEEP CALM. That’s the number one and most important survival skill. Use breathing techniques if you need them.
Water
Locate a source of water - a stream or a river. This is usually your first port of call when lost outdoors. Nothing is more essential to your survival than water. When you’re hydrated you have the ability to think properly and clearly. Dehydration is the last thing you want trying to survive in the wild.
Next, you should know how to purify the water. You might need the rain puddle until you get to a water source. If you’re up in the mountain listen for sounds of running water cascading down the hills and follow the source of the sound.
There are many ways you can purify water, and we’ll cover those in a separate article. But for now, you can either boil the water or carry a ‘Lifestraw’ water purifier. This $25 pocket-water filter can kill up to 99% of waterborne bacteria and filter 1000 liters of water without using any chemicals.
Fire
Making a fire is the King of survival skills. It can help you purify water (boiling), cook food, make a rescue signal, get warmth and light after dark… and it will keep predators at a distance. Everyone who wants to venture outdoors should learn this skill. There are 2 ways to start a fire. One with gear, and the other one with your skills. Collect enough firewood to start and feed a fire throughout the night. If you have a lighter on you, you’re lucky. If not, you’ll need one of the more primitive methods to start your fire. You can easily learn some of these techniques on YouTube.
Fixed Blade Knife & OTF Knife
For every single step, you’ll take to survive in the wild, you’ll need an OTF knife, or even better a full tang hunting knife along with it. A knife will be your best tool and friend here. It’ll help you collect firewood, gather food, make temporary shelter, and even carve your own utensils to hold food and water. A fixed blade knife like Tekto Knives' TEKINA can save a bad day in the wilderness. Try pairing it up with a rugged OTF knife for the smaller tasks when you need a blade that can be rapidly deployed with one hand.
