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Permalink Reply by Gina Knight on October 19, 2009 at 10:37pm

I have had the pleasure to use some survival tips. I have always tested the survival tips at home before using out in the field. You don't want to go "unprepared" when it comes to hiking or anything outdoors. I use a flint that has the magnesium stick attached. This takes time so you must have patience for this. I've use a tampon to start a fire. Shred the tampon until it looks like a cotton ball and put the shredded magnesium in the center and use your flint to start your fire. This may take about 3 try's. Once you get your fire, put your small pieces of wood and add little at a time and watch your fire that it doesn't go out. The reason why I don't use matches, well... you have only so many and if you can't start a fire, you will have to use the two stick method and that's tough! You don't really want to carry a lighter it may leak if your pack hits a lot of areas while hiking from the banging and falling or just leaning against it and you don't want to start a fire in your backpack.
As for food storage, I've done plenty of camping and I've used the good ol' rope on the tree. My food is in a storage container that is "bear proof" and put it in a mesh bag with a draw string and have your rope over a branch and tie it up. Using a knot that you can undo but the racoons can't undo. I use the green military style rope to hang my food. Light to carry in a day pack but sturdy enough to hold off on the little creatures that want dinner while we sleep. You can use a small bell on your rope to warn you when little creatures are aproaching on your rope. I use a bell from my cat's old collar.
And always carry a knife, you never know when you may need to cut some rope or a branch. very handy for everything when you are outdoors.

Permalink Reply by Sandra on October 22, 2009 at 1:21pm

Absolutely try things out in a "safe" situation first. You don't want to "practice" when you're in a real survival situation. I've heard of using a tampon as a fire starter -- good to know it works. Although I can do a bow drill fire, I agree that a magnesium/ferro rod and striker is so much easier, and is what I carry on hikes, in my car, etc. However, if there were only one thing I could take into the woods, it would absolutely be a knife.