Off Grid Survival - Wilderness & Urban Survival Skills » Outdoor Tips

The Steel Wool & 9 Volt Battery Firestarter

Robert — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 23:27:14 +0000

You can use Steel Wool and a 9 volt Battery to start a fire.

Simply Rub the battery terminals on the steel wool and then use it to light your tinder.
Check out this video to see how it’s done

A word of caution!!! If you want to be prepared, stock up on lighters. They are the most reliable way to start a fire in almost any survival situation. I do not recommend carrying steel wool and a 9 volt battery in your survival kit. I would only use this method if I had these items at home already and I wanted to conserve lighter fluid.

Stay Put & Stay Alive

Robert — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 04:50:28 +0000

95% of all survival rescues take place in the first 72 hours of any survival situation. If your Lost, Staying Put and Staying Calm will maximize your chances of survival. The best thing you can do is to realize that rescue is probably on the way.

Stay Calm, Stay Put, and make yourself visible to rescuers. Staying put will help you save energy and reduce the risk of dehydration. The more energy you exert the more you put yourself at risk.

Leave only if you are absolutely sure that there is no chance of rescue.

Outdoor Tips – Water

Robert — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 21:25:53 +0000

You can survive without food for weeks maybe even months, but if you go without water for just one day you can start to get into some serious trouble.

It is generally recommended that you drink at least two quarts of clean water per day. In hot or dry environments, two quarts of water is probably not going to be enough to sustain yourself for a long period of time.

You must make finding water your number one priority in a survival situation.

Water Related Articles:

Outdoor Tips – Waterproof Matches

Robert — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 15:18:31 +0000

You can easily waterproof your matches by dipping the heads in Candle wax before storage. You can buy blocks of paraffin wax for a couple bucks at Walmart.

Make sure to coat the head of the match with enough wax to make it waterproof. When your ready to use them pick off the wax and light.

photo by AMagill@Flickr

Check out our Skills Page to learn about ways to start Camp Fires

Outdoor Tips – GPS

Robert — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 17:05:46 +0000

photo by Inky Bob

Don’t count on a GPS to prevent you from getting lost.

If your Batteries die or the GPS Device becomes damaged or lost then what will you do? A good old fashion Compass and knowledge of how to use it can be a lifesaver.

Stuck without a compass?

Outdoor Tips – Bears

Robert — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 16:01:02 +0000

If you see a bear at a distance, shouting loudly is USUALLY enough to scare it away.

picture by B Mully at flickr

If shouting does not work, back away slowly. NEVER turn your back to the bear. Turning and running can activate the bear’s natural hunting instincts.

Click Here to see More Tips on protecting yourself from bears in the wild

Outdoor Tips – Signal Mirror

Robert — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 23:01:20 +0000

Whether you are fishing or hiking in the back country, a small mirror can be a lifesaver.

A good Signal mirror can be seen for miles and can help draw attention to your location.

Knowing how to signal for help in the wilderness is an essential skill for the survivalist.

Fire Starting – Dryer lint

Robert — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 18:00:09 +0000

Lint from he dryer is a cheap way to start a fire. When cleaning out your drier, take the lint and store it in a Ziploc bag. The lint bag makes a good addition to any survival kit or bug out bag.

Fire Starting – Cotton Balls

Robert — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 18:54:01 +0000

Cotton balls saturated with alcohol or Vaseline

Cotton balls are a great addition to your survival kit. When soaked in alcohol or Vaseline the make a great fire starter that burns long enough to get any fire going.

Grab-And-Run Kit

Robert — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 17:38:53 +0000

Everyone should have a 72 hour Survival Bag that they can quickly grab when an emergency happens. You never know where you will be when a survival situation presents itself, so make sure that you have a bag for both your home and your vehicle.

Need to know what to put in your Survival Bag?

Bug Out Survival Bag Content List