Effective Survival

If something is unexpected, how can you prepare for it? It’s already hard enough  preparing for what you do expect, so how can you hope to get yourself equipped for an unknown and sudden disaster? Try to imagine the maximum threat in terms of survival situations and think of what would be necessary to prepare [...]

Whether traveling privately or commercially you should take note of and learn the safety procedures. The authorities for both maritime and aviation have ruled that all passengers should be informed of them, and remembering them in an emergency could save your life. On an aircraft the cabin crew will point out the exits to you [...]

Motor vehicles need to be prepared properly when taking them out on an expedition or long journey. They need special adjustments and adaptation for high altitudes and extreme conditions. Any vehicles you are planning to use should have a thorough overhaul to ensure they are in perfect working order and to make any needed modifications [...]

If you’re going into a remote area for a long voyage or expedition then communications equipment such as a radio or sat-phone are necessary. Prearrange a communications plan, or “signals plan” with scheduled calls in the morning and the evening so that it is easy to establish two-way communication. Making a signals plan includes setting [...]

If you expect to get wet, you should place anything you want to keep dry, all your food, equipment, gear and clothes, into plastic bags. When packing make sure you know where everything is and that the items you need first are not at the bottom of the pack. It’s probable that your sleeping bag [...]

To carry your gear you will need to have a strong, comfortable, lightweight, waterproof and tough backpack. Get the best you can afford, because having a sore back and damaged or lost gear can ruin your entire trip. Look for backpacks that have tough and fully adjustable webbing or straps, remember that heavy loads can [...]

The two basic types of sleeping bag available are 1) the kind that uses a man made fiber and 2) the kind that is filled with down. Both are good choices, but down, while being very light and providing excellent insulation (and also more expensive), loses both qualities when it becomes wet and is very [...]

If you have properly researched the area then you should now be able to select the equipment and gear appropriate to the conditions and challenges you will have in your chosen destination. If you will be doing a lot of walking, your feet should have priority. Break in any new boots gradually and harden up [...]

Planning and Organization If going as a group, meet often with the other members of your party to set the goals of the trip and discuss how to achieve them. Assign specific duties and responsibilities for each individual member to learn about, prepare for and specialize in while on the ground. Such duties include: leader, [...]

The more information you have about the place you’re going, the better. You can never have too much information on it. Check with people who have been there and have experience in the area, read books about it or look it up on the internet and get maps of the area and study them (make [...]