1. Water
Plainly put, the most obvious item all survival backpacks should include is water. Water is the essence to sustain all life. All individuals require water to survive. Not just humans, but plant and animal life as well. You take away the water and people will panic after 48 hours. The human body can go without for about 3 weeks, but without water, no individual can survive beyond a week without it. Taking this into account, it is no wonder that water would be the top priority item for a backpack. If you do not wish to carry water bottles about in the pack, or you run out of water when handling the pack, there are other methods available to ensure continuous supplies of water. It is possible to ensure drinkable water by:
- boiling water with a portable stove
- filtering water with a mechanical filtration system (Sawyer water filter)
- purifying water with a purification system
2. Food
Food may not be as important as water; however, the packing of food is a high priority (especially energy bars). When placing food items in the pack, it is important to keep in mind the particular type of food items required. The idea of packing fresh fruits may be beneficial, but as a survival food, this is not recommended as the food will rot and become inedible. Instead, it is recommended that dried foods and MRE foods be placed in the survival pack; always opt for foods that can be rehydrated as these are easier to carry and eat.
3. Shelter
A shelter is a necessity to ensure you are protected from the external environment. When packing a survival backpack it is important to consider the convenience of shelter and living items. While it is possible to create shelter from natural items, such as trees and rubble, it is always more convenient to use man-made tents. Packing and ultimately using a camping tent will save a great deal of time and effort when it is time to set up a sleeping area. It is also recommended that you pack a sleeping bag or sleeping pad to avoid having to sleep on hard, uncomfortable surfaces.
4. Fire
Having the tools to start a fire in emergency situations is also very important. A fire has many uses such as; keeping warm from colder weather, cooking food, boiling water for purification, signaling for emergency rescue and can be used as protection barrier to keep away unwanted animals. Always have multiple ways to start a fire, like using a flint and steel, lighter, magnifying glass, or waterproof matches to name a few.
5. Clothing
While it is possible to survive using the clothes you are currently wearing, it is beneficial to have a fresh pair of underwear and socks at hand. It will help to increase your feelings of cleanliness as the days progress. Fresh underwear and socks (at least) are advantageous as morale boosters. They are also great to wear when you need clean the current underwear and socks while waiting for your laundry to dry. Always pack a spare set of clothing; you will be glad that you did when the time comes to change out of the old pair.
