Teardrop Hiking Survival Kit

Most of our teardropping trips are taken to locations where we can do some hiking. Hiking in the mountains in the summer and fall is personally one of my favorite things to do and we try to do at least one 10 mile hike on a trip. These longer hikes will usually take us into the back country and each time we go out I'm adamant about having a few survival items along just in case we end up in a sticky situation.

There are a lot of lists and videos on what survival gear to keep in your day/hiking pack, but this is personally what I like to bring along in the types of places we go hiking: mainly the mountains and high desert.

1. Matches, lighter AND a flint and steel

2. A good knife with a serrated blade

3. A small mirror for signalling

4. A whistle/compass/temperature gauge
This whistle combo saved me on one hike when we were lost with friends in a snowy forest. The melting snow had washed away the trail and we were having trouble finding the parking lot at the top of the trail. We split up into two groups and we each had a whistle or an air horn to signal the other group. I was just behind my partner when I stepped on a pile of snow that had melted underneath and fell into a crevasse up to my nose. He did not see me go down and I had to use the whistle to get his attention so he could help me out. I don't go hiking without it.
 
5. Warm hat, gloves and sweater

6. Emergency blanket and a piece of plastic or rain poncho
 I saw a great episode of Dual Survival where outdoor expert Cody Lundin used an emergency blanket and a piece of plastic to make an ingenious emergency shelter.

7. Emergency rain poncho

8. At least 32 ounces of water, a water filter or some iodine tablets

9. Snacks, nuts, granola bars

10. Fire starting materials in a plastic bag: these could be tissues, Vaseline soaked cotton balls or even some tampons!


Photo: Hiking to Hidden Falls in the Grand Teton National Park