21 Survival Tips and Tricks

Survival Tip #1: You Need to Know Basic Survival
Everyone should know these basic survival tips. Even if you are not into hiking or backpacking, there are many scenarios in which this information could save your life. Earthquakes, plane crashes, cars breaking down in the middle of nowhere, and other unavoidable disasters happen all the time, here's how you can exponentially increase your chance of surviving.

Survival Tip #2: Always Cook Your Food
Take no risks when it comes to what you consume. Your food could be crawling with bacteria that could make you sick. Make sure to clean and cook it thoroughly before attempting to eat it. The same goes for water, it must always be boiled to be purified.
 
Survival Tip #3: Stay Dry in the Cold
When dealing with the cold, once you get wet your body starts to lose heat up to 20 times faster! If you have to get wet, remove clothing and keep it dry. Do not put them back on until the excess water has been absorbed. You can do this by rolling in the snow (which absorbs water), putting dry clothing back on and starting a fire immediately.

Survival Tip #4: Remember Rules of 3
If you’re ever in doubt of your situation, remember the survival Rules of Three: three minutes without air, three hours without shelter, three days without water and three weeks without food.

Survival Tip #5: Keep Track of Time
A trick to staying alert and well-adjusted mentally is to keep track of how many days pass. Your mind will begin to play tricks on you if you are not maintaining some form of ritual

Survival Tip #6: Don't Give Up
Remember that you can never win a race you don’t run. If you give up, you eliminate 100% of the chances you have of surviving.

Survival Tip #7: No Water, No Food
You will need energy but remember that the more you eat, the more thirsty you will become. If you have no water source, eating something could be the very thing that ends it all for you.

Survival Tip #8: Return to the Crash Site
If you've been in a crash, it is okay to explore for water sources and safety, but it is important to come back to the crash site. It’s a lot easier for search parties to find plane wreckage than it is to find a single person

Survival Tip #9: Carry a Good Knife
If you’re headed on a nature trip, play it safe and smart by carrying a good quality knife with you at all times. It will help you with everything from making sparks for a fire to cutting through tough terrain.

Survival Tip #10: Drink Your Urine
Yes, it sounds disgusting but your urine could actually save your life if you face the risks of dehydration. It can also clean wounds and in hot weather, can be used on a fabric to keep you cool

Survival Tip #11: Carry a Small Backpack
Kayak backpacks and Camelbaks are ideal. They are small, waterproof and lightweight. They will enable you to travel great distances without weighing you down or getting caught on something

Survival Tip #12: Waterproof Phone
If you are traveling, make sure to keep your cellphone well-charged and stored in some plastic Ziploc pouches. Double bag it to be safe. This will keep it dry and ready to use if you end up in range of cell towers.

Survival Tip #13: Breathe Through Your Nose
You use more energy breathing through your mouth than your nose. You also lose moisture faster

Survival Tip #14: Mark Your Way
If you’re leaving the area you began in and plan to come back, leave yourself some kind of markers along the way so you can find your way back

Survival Tip #15: Stay Calm
This is going to be easier said than done but you have to remain calm because stress can turn a disaster into something even more dangerous

Survival Tip #16: Stay Hungry
Nibble just enough of the food you can find to keep your strength up but stop at that. Getting full or trying to eat a meal is bad for rationing and your energy levels

Survival Tip #17: Fresh Socks
Along with your cellphone, keep a fresh pair of hiking socks in a dry place. Having pairs to switch between each day will keep your feet warm and help keep morale up by having something comfortable to look forward to.

Survival Tip #18: Always Carry Water
Even if you think you’re just going on a basic nature hike, you must always have water with you. You can only survive three days in the desert without water and only about a week if you are in a colder environment.

Survival Tip #19: Ration the Water
You likely only have less than a day's supply of water with you. Take small, rationed sips of your water throughout the day

Survival Tip #20: Find Cover
Get your body out of the sun by finding some cover under trees or in an uninhabited cave. If neither are available, make your own shelter from whatever you can find.

Survival Tip #21: Head Covered
Your body will waste a lot of energy trying to keep your body cool in the heat and warm in the cold. Keep it covered with a hat or wrap some clothing around it.