Even if you’re not Bear Grylls, or Les Stroud, it never hurts to be prepared for an emergency in the wild. Trails.com has expert advice on outdoor survival, from finding edible berries and flowers to building shelters and dealing with wildlife encounters. Whether you’re travelling in the Sonoran Desert, the marshlands of the East Coast, or the snow-capped Rockies, Trails.com has the answers for how to stay alive with limited supplies. With our tips and information, you still may get lost, but you’ll never be helpless.
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If you are into working out hard, or even hardly into working out, a boot camp program can get you motivated and moving. Boot camps are exercise classes conducted outdoors. They usually use only your body weight and circuit training: Simple but ...
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Nearly half a globe away, the Okinawa Prefecture in Japan is a chain of islands that stretches more than 600 miles through the Pacific Ocean. With some of the most beautiful beaches in all of Japan and a culture unique to the prefecture, Okinawa ...
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Nets are real assets in survival situations. Survivalists know that gill nets, in particular, are so effective at catching fish that they are illegal in many places. That's why they're included in high-end survival kits. When you fish with a line...
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Your outdoor survival may depend upon finding edible wild plants. One of the most essential lessons you can learn if you commonly go camping or backpacking is to identify those wild plants that you can eat without fear of poison or debilitating d...
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According to the U.S. National Park Service, every year, approximately 275 million people visit a national park somewhere in the United States. In all, 84 million acres of land and 4.5 million acres of oceans, lakes and reservoirs have been set a...
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Traveling in deep snow is a physically demanding activity. If your feet and legs sink into the snow with every step, you might get frostbite and you'll quickly tire of walking. By keeping your feet on the surface, snowshoes greatly reduce the eff...
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The Sonoran Desert extends from Arizona and California into parts of Mexico. This Mexican desert is unique in that it receives more annual rainfall than any other desert, which allows the Sonoran Desert to be home to a variety of different types ...
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A good knife is one of the most important survival tools you can carry, so it should be with you even if you are just making a day trip. A solid camping knife and a survival knife share many similar qualities, and can often be a single item. The ...
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Have you ever dreamed of living off the land? Edible plants grow wild everywhere, but few have the ability to identify and make use of them. Learning to recognize common edible plants in every season and how to prepare them will help you take adv...
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Almost 400 species of spiders roam Indiana. Some are native, some have come over from nearby states and some are foreign transplants. Knowing how to identify a spider can lead toward better understanding of their behavior and their place in our e...
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Tracking takes years to master, but a good basic knowledge can really pay off. If you're hunting or trapping, the ability to read tracks will help you identify targets and plan strategies. When food isn't a concern, it's still a good idea to know...
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Alaska's wilderness is one of the most desolate and deadly regions in the world. Glaciers, mountains, wild animals and sub-Arctic winters pose a hazard to travelers, particularly individuals traveling alone. If you are lost or stuck and need to g...
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Whether on the trail, the road or out at sea, a first aid kit is essential gear. Immediate treatment of cuts and injuries prevents long-term complications. Treating the symptoms of illnesses can sustain you until you reach professional treatment.
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Vortex has overcome the shortfalls of roof prisms to ensure a superior image resolution and wide range (the Kaibab), long-range detail and distinct color representation (the Razor), and color precision at distance with excellent low-light perform...
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Brunton binoculars use the latest technology to deliver superior performance in even its least expensive models. Brunton offers lightweight, compact binoculars with SF or BaK-4 prism glass with phase coating, multicoating, AL-HR reflective coatin...
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Many of us know firsthand the power of place in shaping our thoughts, our emotions, our sense of self and of the world. This influence can be a helpful reminder to parents or guardians who are concerned about the destructive behaviors of their y...
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In tropical rainforests, the trees provide a barrier, dividing the forest into very different zones. Above the canopy of trees, the forest is bright, open and windy. Below them, it is dark, stifling and still. The plants and animals of the rainfo...
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The rainforest is a complex web of interdependent plants and animals. The forest is divided into discrete layers, and in some ways these layers are like separate environments. A monkey may spend its whole life in the canopy or emergent layer, and...
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Food on the trail is one of the most important considerations in hiking and backpacking. You need to give yourself as many nutrients as possible because, chances are, you are expending far more energy that you normally do back at home. The diffic...
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Finding yourself lost in the wilderness can be bewildering, terrifying, and lonely. If you're not well-versed in survival techniques and procedures, you run the risk of losing control of yourself. With some simple tips, you'll be in a better situ...
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Gerber developed the LMF II Survival knife with military applications in mind. Virtually indestructible, it features a stainless steel serrated blade and molded handle with a steel insert that works as a hammer. The handle also has lashing holes,...
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Topographical maps show changes in elevation. They show the shape of major features like mountains and rivers, and provide invaluable information to hikers, kayakers and other outdoor enthusiasts. A topographic map will help you evaluate the stre...
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The Amazon rainforest has been home to groups of native peoples for centuries, but to the outsider, it can be a dangerous and deadly environment. The rainforest is a much different ecosystem than many people are familiar with, and unfamiliarity c...
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A monocular is a simple refracting telescope. Lightweight and small in size, monoculars make far more sense for backpackers and hikers than bulky binoculars. While they do not provide exactly the same visual information, a monocular does provide ...
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As an officer of the Fish and Wildlife Division in Alberta, Canada, you're responsible for taking care of the natural resources in the area through preservation and protection efforts. You interact with the public on a daily basis and ensure that...
