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.
-
Two-way radios are not the same as old-fashioned walkie-talkies. Today's models are compact, lightweight and more powerful. Two-way radios have frequency differences that separate them by range. Family Radio Service (FRS) radios use frequencies t...
-
Navigation devices using global positioning system (GPS) technology are useful for people who backpack and hike in remote places where there are no clearly marked trails to lead the way. GPS devices receive signals sent by a network of earth-orbi...
-
Tracking devices are common in TV shows such as "24," where signals from devices placed on vehicles or clothing can allow the good guys to follow the movements of the bad guys without getting too close and scaring them off. They also can be quite...
-
Wild edible plants are vast and varied across the United States. From east to west, north or south, wild edible plants can be found almost anywhere. The backpacker or hiker venturing into the wild can find wild edibles in a variety of forms. Root...
-
Wild edible plants are sometimes regarded as weeds when in fact most are bursting with vitamins and minerals. Wild edibles are found growing in abundance on vacant lots, lawns, grass verges, woodlands and hillsides, and on and around rotten logs.
-
Vermont spiders are generally small and harmless, even though two varieties are often confused with tarantulas and black widows. The most common spiders can best be identified by their color, habits and habitat, along with the way they move.
-
The southern regions of the United States hold a wealth of wild edible trees. The warm climate makes it a perfect habitat for these trees to grow and be sources of food. There is something ready to be eaten all year long. The weary backpacker or ...
-
Just like people, dogs can suffer injuries on the trail. Before you leave on a trip with your pup, learn some basic canine first aid and know the closest emergency veterinarian clinic.
-
From electronics and indoor and outdoor decor to solar power add-ons, there are camper accessories for every possible need. While many of these accessories, like side-view mirror extensions, might be of use for campers as well as RVs and motor ho...
-
Threaded rods are used for a variety of different things involving the outdoors, including making simple repairs on camping equipment such as stoves and lanterns. The rods can also come in handy if you find yourself camping without tent stakes s...
-
Snowshoes can be fashioned on the trail from minimal materials using pieces of gear and found items from your surroundings. The shoes make movement in deep snow possible by spreading your weight over a larger surface area and keeping you above th...
-
Knowing how to make a poncho tent means you can quickly provide yourself an emergency shelter on the fly if you are suddenly caught in inclement weather. On a short trail hike or day trip, you will not be carrying a tent and may not have a tarp o...
-
Even the most prepared hikers can sometimes find themselves in an emergency situation. Any hiker, from the beginning day hiker to the weeks-long expedition backpacker, should know some basics survival techniques, just in case. Among these basic s...
-
First aid kits are a necessary piece of gear when trekking into the outdoors and a sling should be a part of your kit. Slings are used when an arm or shoulder has suffered an injury such as a fracture or dislocation. They keep the injured body pa...
-
It is always a good idea to have a first-aid kit handy in case of emergency. Tailor the kit to fit your family's specific needs and store it in a place where it can be easily accessed during an emergency situation. You may find it helpful to have...
-
Being prepared is a key factor to a successful adventure in the great outdoors. Whether you are spending several weeks on the John Muir Trail or kayaking your local river, a well-supplied first aid kit is an essential part of your gear. Many outd...
-
When it comes to purchasing a water filter, the most important thing to consider is its ability to filter dangerous contaminants from the water you drink. As such, you want to seek out a filtration system with small pores that can capture smaller...
-
Fruit trees save you money and time at the grocery store. When the fruit is properly canned or dried, a single tree can provide enough fruit for a family for an entire year and is ideal to take along on outdoor excursions. One of the only downsid...
-
The Ozark Mountains cover a broad stretch of territory in both Arkansas and Missouri. As a popular wilderness destination, the rough Ozarks make a great place for foragers to collect wild edible foodstuffs to bring back for the camp or home dinne...
-
People often find they use the items in a first aid kit more frequently than they would like to. Periodically inventorying the first aid kit ensures supplies are available when needed again. To aid in restocking the first aid kit, create a first ...
-
First aid kits are an essential part of wilderness survival kits. Those unfortunate enough to be unexpectedly thrust into a wilderness survival situation often incur injuries at the onset and over the course of their survival experience. Health i...
-
A first aid kit provides the tools and equipment needed to render medical care in an emergency, such as a life-threatening situation. It also addresses less critical problems such as a rash and minor injuries. First aid is not a substitute for pr...
-
"Swiss Army knife" has become synonymous with a jack of all trades, a tool or person that can adapt to just about any situation. The actual Swiss Army knives, however, are real multi-tools with a number of handy components. Some of these parts ar...
-
GPS is one of the most useful, functional technologies that came out of the late 20th century. Originally created for military use, GPS has since been applied in new ways to solve location and navigation problems. When it comes to the outdoors, G...
-
Assembling a first aid kit requires knowledge of first aid treatments for anticipated health issues. The items in a first aid kit enable the application of these skills to render immediate care. Both knowledge and equipment are needed to effecti...
