Best Wilderness Survival Kit
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Having the right gear is essential when it comes to surviving in the great outdoors. That’s why we’re looking at the best wilderness survival kits on the market, specifically designed for preppers.
Our Top Pick is the VSSL Camping Standard Edition
VSSL Camp Standard edition is our top pick.
It has 70 survival items, including a saw, fire making, compass, LED light, fishing gear, and First-Aid kit. All these items are essential for any wilderness trip, and the VSSL Camping Standard edition has them all in one convenient package.
The LED light is especially useful, as it can be used to signal for help if you get lost in the wilderness. The compass is also essential for navigation, and the fishing gear can help you to catch food if you run out of supplies.
The First-Aid kit is also very useful, as it contains everything you need to treat minor injuries. Overall, the VSSL Camping Standard edition is an excellent choice for anyone looking for a comprehensive camping Survival Kit.
These kits come packed with all the essentials you need to make it through a tough situation, from shelter and fire-making to first-aid equipment and navigation tools. So whether you’re planning a weekend camping trip or preparing for an apocalyptic scenario, these kits have covered you.
Let’s take a closer look!
What Should You Pack In Your Wilderness Survival Kit For Different Types Of Emergencies
The 5 essentials for survival (Cutting, Combustion, Cover, Cordage, Container, Candling aka flashlight) are the bare minimum you should carry with you in any situation. You can read more about the 5 Cs here.
However, depending on the type of emergency you may face, you may need to pack additional items in your wilderness survival kit.
For example, if you are stranded in the wilderness and face the risk of hypothermia, you will need to pack items like a thermal blanket or a bivvy sack to keep warm. If you are stranded in a hot climate, on the other hand, you will need to pack items like sunscreen and insect repellent to protect yourself from the sun and bugs.
The survival kits in this guide contain most of these items in a portable container reducing the need to carry bulky items.
What Are The Most Important Items To Include In Your Wilderness Survival Kit, Regardless Of The Situation?
A reliable fire starter because being able to make a fire is one of the most important survival skills. In my personal VSSL mini, I packed it full of the fire-making kit.
A good knife can be used for everything from preparing food to building shelter. However, a rope-saw and a razor blade are sufficient, as you will find in kits like the VSSL.
A compass so you can navigate your way out of the wilderness. While a map is nice, using a compass to walk a straight line in an intended direction is most important. Because generally speaking, you will know which way back to the trail or help.
A first-aid kit in case you get injured while stranded. People tend to overstock their First-Aid kit on hikes. Tape, bandanas, paracord, and a t-shirt plus basic medication like Tylenol or Pepto-Bismal handle 99% of what you will encounter in the wilderness. If they cannot help, you need to call for professional Search and Rescue.
We will now look at the survival kits in detail.
VSSL
Best overall survival kit
Everyone who goes outdoors consistently knows they should bring essential survival gear. However, people don’t bring the items because there are so many items, they are easy to get lost and can take up a lot of space in your pack.
And who wants to carry a bulky pack just for a walk in the woods?
One of the most popular DIY survival projects is to make portable survival kits out of Altoid candy tins.
While they are a fun hobby project for a weekend, they will not be useful because it is hard to fit enough working gear into these tiny boxes.
That is why I love the VSSL. All of the equipment that comes with the kits are gear I would trust in the woods, including the compass.
Most survival kits, if they even have a compass, contain tiny compasses that won’t work in the field.
VSSL kits have a SUUNTO compass. SUUNTO is the gold standard of compasses. And the VSSL tube is large enough to include the same type of SUUNTO compass you would buy stand-alone.
Another feature that I like is the included candles. There is a 4-hour beeswax candle. And a 4-hour citronella candle. Candles provide light, can help get your fire going in wet conditions, and even keep you warm if you are in an enclosed but ventilated area.
Finally, many of the items can be used for multiple purposes.
The Camp edition has 70 items that eliminate the need for you to research multiple gear and assemble them. However, you can build your own individual kit on the website. They also have a First-Aid version.
You can also buy refills.
Pro:
- Everything but food contained in one kit
- The kit fits in your hand
- Can mix and match items to meet your specific needs
- A true working compass
Con:
- Not Steel - can’t boil water in the tube
- It does not have an actual shelter like a tarp
Survival Frog
A wide variety of kits from a trusted brand in survival gear.
One of my favorite outdoor companies is Survival Frog. I have carried many of their products into the field with me for several years.
Heck, their tube tent is one of my recommended bug-out tents.
Survival Frog has many kits to choose from. Though if you are looking for a wilderness kit I would choose the LifeShield Mini Tact Survival Kit.
As with the VSSL, a single kit provides the essential survival items in a single kit.
An improvement over the VSSL is that it does include a shelter, the Survival Frog tube tent. But unlike the VSSL, it does not include a compass.
However, the Survival Frog kit includes a steel cup and a stove so that you can boil water to make it safe to drink.
It is not as compact as the VSSL, but it is still something you can hold in your hand and easily put into a daypack or bug-out bag without thinking.
Pro:
- Contains a stove and steel cup to boil water in
- Fire making kit
- Full line of camping and survival gear to augment the kit
Con:
- No compass in the kit
- Not as compact as other options
If you want to shop a variety of kits and extend with tradtional survival gear, then check out Survival Frog.
Free Gear Club
If you are looking for a slim multi-tool without all of the extras, then check out this option.
The 6-in-1 Tactical Survival Knife is the perfect tool for any adventure. Its razor-sharp blade can handle any cutting task, while the specialized thumb ridges provide a secure grip. The handle also features a seat belt cutter, glass breaker, LED light, and fire starter, making it the ultimate tool for survival in any situation.
Whether you’re lost in the woods or stranded in your car, the 6-in-1 Tactical Survival Knife has everything you need to get through the night. So don’t leave home without it!
The downside is that you will need to augment the knife with additional gear to fill out your 10 essentials.
But if you are looking for a survival knife to keep in your vehicle or day pack, then this would be sufficient.
Plus you can’t beat the price.
Pro:
- Functional multi-tool
- Includes a LED light
- Firestarter
Con:
- Does not include all of the essentials
While it’s just a knife it does have many items including the glass breaker that could be helpful in a car emergency.
If you’re looking for a reliable, all-in-one survival kit, then the VSSL is a great option. This compact kit contains everything you need to survive in the wilderness, including a flashlight, compass, fire starter, and first aid supplies. The sturdy case is also waterproof and can be easily stored in your vehicle or bug-out bag.
