by Rodney Harris

Created on: January 27, 2011   Last Updated: January 29, 2011

Camping is a favorite recreation activity for many people. The exhilaration of being in the great outdoors and roughing it for a weekend or even longer is very appealing to a great number of people. Although there is almost always something left home or forgotten on a camping trip, there are a few things that should always be in your gear and these things could mean the difference between survival or not.

The first item and perhaps the most important is a waterproof container with waterproof matches in it. Even though you may already have plenty of matches along on the trip strange things can happen in the wild outdoors. Regular kitchen matches can get wet and lighters can quit functioning or run out of fuel. Waterproof matches should always be part of your emergency survival kit.

The next item for a camping survival kit should be a good sharp lock blade knife with at least a 4 inch blade and a sharpening device to keep it sharp. A sharp knife can be invaluable to your survival should an emergency situation arise.

Along with the knife, a small hatchet should also be in a camping survival kit. This one should be very obvious, but to build a fire and light it with the waterproof matches you may be required to chop a little wood or reduce a larger piece of wood to smaller kindling. This piece of equipment can also be used to make a shelter from the elements, or even a splint for possible broken limbs.

Next, there should be a basic first aid kit included in your camping survival kit. Chances are that if you have been subjected to a situation that requires you to use your survival kit you may also need some medical attention. Survival may be hard enough without being compounded with an infection of an untreated wound.

A camping survival kit should also include wet weather gear of some degree. Even if it is just a cheap plastic poncho, the ability to stay dry is extremely important in an emergency situation. This piece of equipment can also double as a roof on a make-shift shelter for protection from wind and cold.

No emergency survival kit would be complete without a good flashlight and extra batteries. Being able to see after dark to gather wood or negotiate a trail is invaluable. It will also make it easier to restart a fire should it be extinguished during the night for any reason such as a rain storm.

These are the bare necessities for a camping survival kit. There may be more items you may want or feel compelled to add to this list. The main theme should always be survival.

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