I was hiking on the Appalachian Trail when a heavy storm blew in.
I woke up to sideways winds blowing into the shelter and two inches of standing water around me.
It was 40 degrees out with 40 mile per hour winds, and I was dressed in all cotton.
If I hadn’t been 7 miles from my car, I wouldn’t be here today.
Even an experienced woodsman like myself can wind up in seriously dangerous situations. And it happens out of nowhere.
Since then I’ve expanded my hiking gear to include five survival gadgets all outdoors enthusiasts need to carry. It’s a kit that has everything necessary to survive in the wilderness, and it takes up less space than a pair of shoes.
This survival gear provides food, fire, clean water, and shelter. And for everything else there’s a multi-tool knife perfectly suited for survival scenarios.
free bug out bag checklist
Titan SurvivorCord
This is far more than rope. The SurvivorCord has three built-in survival tools that will keep you fed even in the harshest environments. Running the length of the 550-paracord are three life-saving strands; two are designed to catch you protein, and the third is to cook it. This is the most innovative piece of new survival gear on the market today.
There is a strand of 25-pound test monofilament fishing line that can also be melted and used like an epoxy, and a strand of 30-gauge wire. The wire is Titan Survival’s own brass alloy that’s strong, conductive, and non-ferrous. This means it can be used for snares and traps, plus electrical applications like antennae or powering devices.
The third strand is a waterproof Firestarter, waxed jute. It’s easy to use, just pull out a couple feet of jute and smash it until the fibers break up, fluff it, and its ready to take a spark. The jute was tested by being soaked for 4 hours, and it lit with no problems. Combined with a decent fire starter, you will be warm and well-fed rain or shine.
There is 103 feet of mil-spec 550 paracord, weighing 13 ounces. It has a tensile strength of 620 pounds so it’s tough enough for anything. The strand of wire has a breaking point of 8 pounds, more than plenty for small game. It can be wound up into cordage for any heavier uses.
The only downsides to this product, it’s stiffer than other 550 paracords. With all of the extra gear inside it’s more difficult to tie into tight, precise knots, like a taught-line hitch. The fishing line is difficult to extract in pieces much longer than six feet, but since you probably won’t be out there with an empty fishing reel, that’s not an issue. Titan SurvivorCord is a must have survival gadget for any scenario.
Gerber Bear Grylls Fire Starter
A quality fire starter is an essential item in every survival kit, and Gerber has teamed up with Bear Grylls to deliver the nicest one on the market. It’s so well built and designed that it stands above other fire starters and is a low-cost piece of high-end survival gear. The ferrocerium rod and metal striker close together in a small, waterproof package the size of a marker.
The two halves are connected by a lanyard with a built-in emergency whistle. When you’re lost and you don’t know when rescue is coming, you can’t waste your energy shouting. A good whistle will carry your calls much farther, with less effort, and is paramount in situations where you are waiting to be found.
This small survival gadgets is only 4.8 inches long and at 2.6 ounces weighs nearly the same as a Zippo lighter. The rod and striker were tested to last for over 8,000 strikes, it will last forever in a survival kit. There is a waterproof compartment for storing tinder to catch the sparks.
It even comes with two guides; one on ground-to-air signaling, and the other is a survival guide by Bear Grylls.
What makes this stand out from the other fire starters on the market is how every feature is designed for survival. The grips are big enough to be handled with ease, a necessary feature for trying to light a fire in freezing temperatures with shaky hands. And the ferrocerium rod sends off so many sparks with each strike it looks like a fireworks display.
The tinder compartment is small, however, with the waxed jute strand in the SurvivorCord it can be used for something more appropriate (like fishing hooks).
Sawyer Mini Water Filter
Sawyer’s Mini Water Filter is hands down the most versatile portable water filter out there. It comes with a straw attachment so you can drink clean water directly from a dirty source. This works like many other filters on the market, but they don’t afford the ability to attach to other containers, or to collect clean water for other purposes. That’s why this survival gadgets stands out amongst the other portable water filters you can buy as the best. You can see our comparison of the Sawyer Mini versus the Lifestraw in our head to head comparison. 
This filter allows you to filter water into a container using the included screw-on water pouch (or a disposable bottle.) You squeeze water through the filter into a clean container and then carry it back to camp. Clean water is important for more than hydration in a survival situation; it’s necessary for cooking and hygiene.
The Sawyer Mini filter is ultra-light at only 2 ounces, so it won’t weigh you down. It removes 99.99999% of bacteria and protozoa, and can process 100,000 gallons of water. It even comes with a plunger for backwashing any clogs out. The best part is it’s compatible with most disposable water bottles and drinking bladders.
This product’s only flaw isn’t with the filter itself, but with the included water bag. It isn’t sturdy enough to be considered dependable in a life or death scenario, and I recommend replacing it with another lightweight water bag. For more information on water filtration and purification check out our buyer’s guide.
S.O.L. Emergency Bivvy
A good bivvy sack will keep you alive in the most desperate situations. Through freezing temperatures and pouring rain, climbing in one of these will ensure your survival. This bivvy sack by S.O.L is built with a highly reflective lining that retains 90% of your body heat and is much quieter than traditional space blankets.
No matter what the weather conditions are this will protect you from the elements, it’s completely waterproof and wind proof.
The fabric is rip stop, so small punctures aren’t going to shred apart and leave you vulnerable. At 3.8 ounces it’s another ultra-light addition to the survival kit. And its bright orange to make you visible from far away. Only the size of a fist, this is an emergency shelter you can’t afford not to fit into your pack.
There is enough room in there for a person over 6 feet tall, but the bag doesn’t have a zipper so it’s difficult to get in and out of. Also, the bivvy sack has an open end that has to stay tight around your neck, or you lose heat rapidly.
Leatherman Wingman
The Wingman is an invaluable tool for any outdoor excursion, in good times and in bad. I never leave the house without a sharp pocketknife on me, and this knifes 2.6-inch blade accomplishes all my tasks with ease. From cutting rope to cleaning rabbits, it’s sharp enough to deliver clean cuts for days on end.
The 13 other tools are what make these indispensable survival gadgets. It has Leatherman’s renowned spring-loaded pliers with wire cutters, several screwdrivers, scissors, files, and more.
It’s designed with accessibility in mind, a key feature in survival tools in case one of your hands becomes incapacitated. All the tools are opened from the outside of the knife rather than from the inside like most other models, and they are built to be light enough to use with one hand.
The knife only weighs 7 ounces and is just 3.8 inches long. It has a removable pocket clip, so you don’t have to worry about dropping it, and a locking blade to keep you safe. The Wingman is extremely durable and backed by a 25-year warranty.
This knife is smaller than other models made by Leatherman, and it’s lighter. This is important when choosing a knife because it’s easy to waste calories carrying a heavy knife overloaded with tools you’ll never need. The Wingman also has the best scissors of all knives in the Leatherman set.
This is the cornerstone of survival tools.
Don’t get caught unprepared
I’ve narrowly escaped several situations I was unprepared for, only because I was less than a day’s hike from my car.
Simple, routine outings can turn deadly in an instant if you’re not prepared.
Whether you are an experienced outdoorsman, or you a weekend warrior, anytime you set off on an outdoor trip you might find yourself in a life-threatening situation.
And if you’ve never found yourself fighting for your life in the woods, don’t think it won’t happen to you. If you’re not prepared, you’ll be lucky to survive when it does.
Build this ultimate kit of cool survival gadgets for under $150 and be prepared anytime you go out in the wilderness.
These survival gadgets total less than two pounds and fit in a small dry sack. Throw it in your backpack and confidently set out on your next adventure.
Don’t become another statistic, be a survivor.
