Too often when one reads books or tips on outdoor survival, the writing is obsessed with the idea of having the right equipment and survival kit to get by. I’m not disputing the fact that you do need proper equipment and the ability to keep warm and dry, to call for help and to have something to eat and drink. There is no doubt that many lives could have been saved over the years in hills and mountains had people taken simple precautions. For example two people died this past winter by failing to look after themselves properly when they set out on snowmobiles. Their route home was cut off by an avalanche, so they abandoned their snowmobiles to get home on foot. It didn’t seem a big deal because they were almost in sight of home. Yet their cloths soon wet through and they froze to death. A simple precaution such as not going snowmobile riding wearing jeans and cotton tops, both of which are sure to wet through instantly in deep snow and cause hypothermia and possibly death, could have helped save their lives.
That said, one need not obsess about much of the advice given or many of the items in common survival kits. Most were derived from military kits given to pilots and long-range reconnaissance commandos who would be deep in the jungle for weeks at a time. Those sorts of people need snares and other gear for hunting and fishing because they may have to survive for very extended periods if shot down or trapped behind the enemy’s lines. Yet for the average outdoor enthusiast, normal hiking gear with some extra food and water should be more than sufficient for a few nights out in the wild. This kind of gear is, after all, designed to provide shelter, warmth and food. One need not carry a whole trail backpack on a small outing, but a daypack with warm and waterproof clothing, some extra water and a few bars of chocolates can often be more than sufficient to get you home again. Most important of all is the survival kit between your ears. Learn how to navigate properly, use some common sense and you will have many happy years of outdoor rambling ahead of you.