"There is no such thing as bad weather, just bad preparation" Humans are inherently not built for the cold. We do not have fur or any natural adaptations that allow us to literally freeze solid and wait the winter out like amphibians or insects. We do however, have the adaptation to use and carry items with us to deal with our needs. Dressing in layers can be a huge lifesaver. Follow the COLD acronym: Clean, Overlapping, Loose, and Dry. Avoid tight fitting clothing and footwe

A fun little acronym we made years ago while teaching at a venue in Boston, MA. All of these things alter your judgement and can lead to incorrect choices in a survival situation (or even every day life). SCARED: Fear and panic can lead to irrational choices, or not making a choice at all. Calming down from Flight, Fright, or Freeze by using breathing techniques can be a huge life saver. TIRED: Sleep is a survival skill. Getting a good night's sleep before the trip, making

No one ever wants to admit they they need help. Especially when they packed their bags, spent the time and money to go on the adventure, and tried to reach the summit. Getting lost, medical emergencies, and weird freak accidents can happen to anyone, at anytime. I always do my best to take the time to read about survival stories that happen, so that I may study the patterns and statistics of situations so that I may be able to communicate the proper skills to my students. No

Taking care of first aid is a basic and immediate priority in a survival situation, and also in everyday life. This list is to help you create your own first aid kit. Please note that every individual has their own needs like medication, prescriptions, medical conditions. This list is only meant to help be a reference in making your own. Remember that no piece of equipment will ever replace professional training, and daily practice. Items marked with a * indicate items that m

Animals leave many tracks behind, at all times of the year. However, winter seems to be the time of year where more people are interested in animal tracking. I am sure it is because tracking animals in the snow is one hundred times easier than tracking across dry pine needles in the middle of summer! Developing an understanding of the morphology of an animal's footprint is a practice that takes time. We unfortunately live in a society where you can show a child fast food logo

“OUCH!” “How’d that feel?” I said to a boy who had his hand hovered above a fire he just built. “Not Good” he said as he rubbed his hands with discomfort after getting a little too hot from feeling the flame of the fire.  He learned a good lesson that fire is hot, without actually getting burnt.  Teaching children fire building is a normal day in the life of a survival instructor. Fire can be an absolutely devastating force, and also a wonderful element of any camping trip. S

Proficiency in wilderness survival requires us to practice a wide range of skills. Fire building, shelter construction, animal tracking, foraging, flint knapping, water disinfection, rope making, and wood carving, to name a few. Nothing seems more exciting and also requires constant practice than the use of weapons. Accuracy with primitive weapons can take years to refine. Learning to make weapons can also include their own set of challenges. Making a bow is quite the underta

Hiking and backpacking are enjoyable and peaceful experiences that get us outdoors. However, every year, thousands of people get lost, injured, or die during wilderness trips. Experience and good judgment keep these things from happening, and a good survival kit can also create a more comfortable experience. I hike in the White Mountains of New Hampshire quite frequently with groups or by myself. Hiking 15-20 miles in one day is not uncommon in the mountains, and my overall g

SHELTER BUILDING Did you know that between 700 and 2,500 people die a year of hypothermia in the USA? Environmental exposure is a huge factor to an individual's survival on a day to day basis, especially a survival situation, wilderness or urban. Choosing the right clothing and layering system before your excursion can immensely help you should an emergency happen. Dead air space in clothing, sleeping bags, or a primitive shelter is what holds the heat and allows you to creat

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Spring is just around the corner! Soon, wild greens will start to pop out of the ground, buds on trees will open, and people will head...

Significantly less people hike in the winter months. It is cold, windy, and the deep snow creates harder hiking conditions. However, the...

I am excited to announce a knife collaboration that I designed with Jackson Mills of Freedom Forge. This knife is my idea of what I...

If you are searching for the perfect gift for almost anyone, you can never go wrong with a flashlight! I am a huge fan of headlamps as...