When it comes to survival, we often lean towards tradition. Those of us who prepare for the worst teach ourselves everything from fire making to compass navigation. It certainly isn’t unusual for survival kits to be devoid of any modern advancements.
In a way, this makes sense. Survival is a back-to-basics matter. Our focus here is often getting away from modern life. Why would we want to take potential tracking devices like phones when we’re going off the grid? Not to mention that rural settings often don’t seem the best places to use tech anyway. When we go off-grid, few of us consider things like phone pylons and internet connections. As such, many survivalists would argue that tech is a waste of pack space.
But, we’re here to consider whether shunning the modern world really is the best survival technique. After all, things like fire making can take a while to pick up. What’s more, reading a compass is open to error if you do it wrong. When you consider that, these old methods don’t seem like such foolproof options after all.
With that in mind, then, it may be worth considering tech during your preparation stages. If you aren’t sure where to start, consider the following steps to benefit your survival experience.
Research Using Online Resources
Research is a crucial benefit of bringing tech to your experience. While this won’t help you if the worst happens, it does ensure you plan as best you can. By reading articles like those found on preparedbee.com, you can find out about everything from how to prepare your kids, to what food you should consider taking. All the better for ensuring you cover all your bases, and consider things you might not have alone.
Even if you intend to steer clear of techy methods when you do bug out, the internet has its uses for you. Using sites like YouTube, you can quickly learn how to both start a fire and read a map. This could be the ideal mix of modern and traditional methods. Rather than struggling to teach yourself, fast methods like these ensure you’re prepared for disaster faster. And, that’s got to be good news. After all, the sooner you know what you’re doing, the more chance you have of surviving whatever comes your way. You can be sure memories of those videos will come back to help you when you’re out there doing this stuff for real. So, before you sniff at the idea of finding out about survival online, take a look around. You would be amazed by the knowledge already out there waiting for you.
Make Use Of Portable Options
If you do get along with the above pointer, you may want to take this tech stuff a little further. After all, those resources were useful. Maybe this modern take isn’t as bad as you thought. If that’s the case, you may well want to consider packing some portable devices in your bug out bag. Admittedly, some of you out there may have already taken this step. To others, this sounds like survival blasphemy. But, bear with us. The simple fact is that being in the wilderness no longer means you have to go without tech benefits. In fact, portable chargers like those found at www.walmart.com offer an easy way to ensure access to electricity wherever you end up. Of course, these do have a limited lifespan so they won’t last the duration of a long-term survival mission. But, having this initial boost could be all it takes to help you find safe spaces or call for help when in range of a signal. It’s even possible to buy portable wifi packs. These could see you with access to the resources mentioned above while out in the wild. Help like that is nothing to sniff at. Consider that both these devices could help you reach safety sooner, and it’s difficult to see the downsides. Do bear in mind, though, that merely charging a pack and leaving it in your bug out bag for months isn’t the best. The chances are that the battery will run down over time, even when out of us. Make sure, then, to recharge every month or so in preparation.
Pack A Burner Phone
The above packs won’t be any use to you if you don’t also take a phone with you. Many survivalists are reluctant to do this as phones often act as tracking devices. What’s more, an emergency situation doesn’t always leave time to grab your phone. Hence where burner phones come in. By opting for pay as you go rather than contract, it’ll be much harder for anyone else to pin this phone down. What’s more, buying a phone for this purpose allows you to look out for rugged options. With many of these working underwater, they’re the ideal thing for an adventure mission. So, don’t hesitate to invest in one of these and include it in your pack. Even the most avidly traditional survivalist would struggle to find a reason why not.
Forget Traditional Fire Methods
Okay, so lighters aren’t exactly a new invention. They don’t even rely on satellites and electricity. Still, it’s astounding how many people overlook these when prepping for survival. Sometimes, we get so fixed on fire making methods that we forget about these altogether. It is important to note that, even with a lighter, it can help to know about building fires. All the better for ensuring you can survive for extended periods. But, a lighter can also be a fantastic bug out bag tool. By investing in a sturdy option with a large gas canister, you’ll have fast fire for at least a few weeks. If you have space, you could even pack a gas canister to extend that time. If you have to deal with cold weather, something this simple could literally be the difference between life and death. So, what are you waiting for?