Pathfinder Gear

What Is Pathfinder Gear?

Pathfinder gear is a collection of outdoor equipment designed to keep you prepared, confident, and capable in the wild. Exclusively developed by The Pathfinder School, our respected survival training institution with worldwide recognition, each piece of gear has been created and refined by professionals who live and breathe bushcraft. 

In fact, all items are field-tested and built to perform in demanding conditions, with input from our very own co-founder, Dave Canterbury, and Pathfinder School instructors. That’s how you know every product measures up to the no-backing-down, rigorous quality standards the outdoors demand. 

From water bottles that double as cooking vessels to fire-starting kits that work even in harsh conditions, Pathfinder outdoor gear is forged around real survival priorities: water, fire, shelter, food, and navigation. Even better, every item serves multiple purposes and functions in tandem with the rest of your pack.

The result? A pack that’s lighter, a setup that’s more versatile, and survival skills that are far more effective than the average. Whether you’re heading out for a weekend camping trip or preparing for long-term self-reliance, Pathfinder equipment represents a trusted standard: rugged enough for experts, yet accessible enough for beginners learning the ropes.

Why Choose Pathfinder Survival Gear from Self Reliance Outfitters?

Self Reliance Outfitters is the official home of Pathfinder gear, founded by well-known survival expert Dave Canterbury and backed by his decades of hands-on experience training outdoorsmen and women around the globe. Here’s what sets our Pathfinder collection apart:

• Best Quality, Most Versatile Gear: Every item is designed to be multifunctional, reducing pack weight while preparing you to find water, start fires, cook food, build shelter, and navigate the woods confidently.
• Trusted By Experts: Created by seasoned survival instructors and field professionals, and proven in real-life challenges, including the major Fox survival TV show Extracted (where contestants used Pathfinder gear to brave extreme conditions).
• Durable & Field-Tested: Constructed from rugged materials like stainless steel and tested in real survival situations, not just the showroom floor.
• Accessible for All Skill Levels: Straightforward enough for beginners, yet advanced enough to satisfy seasoned bushcrafters.

When the stakes are high and conditions are unforgiving, Pathfinder gear delivers — giving you proven tools that perform in every situation, from lighting your first campfire to relying on your kit completely off-grid.

Essential Pathfinder Outdoor Gear Categories

The strength and appeal of the esteemed Pathfinder collection lies in its variety. And considering its superior quality? Our equipment also comes at an affordable price, making it easy to gear up for your next outing without a second thought about sustainability. Covering essentials like hydration, storage, warmth, comfort, and fuel, these categories check all the key boxes for outdoor readiness: 

Water Bottles & Canteens

Pathfinder stainless steel water bottles and canteens are legendary in the bushcraft community. Engineered to endure open-flame cooking and boiling, they double as water storage and cooking vessels, making them indispensable in the field. 

Since stainless steel bottles are reusable (and typically last well over a decade), you won’t have to worry about lugging a bunch of plastic water bottles in your backpack or finding a trash bin once they’re empty. Bonus? Stainless steel is environmentally friendly, safer for your health (no harmful chemicals or BPAs), easy to clean, and preserves food and water’s natural flavors. 

Cooking Gear & Stoves

From nesting cup cook sets and French press pantries to stoves designed for efficiency, Pathfinder cooking gear ensures you can prepare meals, purify water, and enjoy coffee without relying on bulky or fragile equipment. Highly rated by customers, versatile, and comfortably compact, you’ll find plenty of cooking staples made to last for years of camping, adventuring, and exploring the great outdoors with Self Reliance Outfitters.

Who says you can’t create a memorable culinary experience out in the wild? Use our durable cookware to prepare delicious meals, such as hearty stews, flavorful soups, creamy pastas, satisfying omelettes, tender muffins, fresh biscuits, and more. 

Dinnerware

Pathfinder dinnerware covers all the essentials (plates, bowls, utensils, spatulas, tumblers, cups, etc.), which are durable, packable, and ready for years of outdoor use. Crafted from long-lasting materials, these pieces are made to handle campfire cooking, rough terrain, and repeat outings. 

Imagine sipping hot coffee from a steel cup on a chilly morning, or enjoying a hearty stew from a Pathfinder bowl after a long hike. Every piece is designed to be lightweight in your pack yet reliable when it’s time to eat, giving you both function and a touch of comfort around the fire. With Pathfinder dinnerware, your meals outdoors feel as satisfying as the adventures that brought you there.

Shelter & Outdoor Essentials

When the weather shifts and nature starts to test your limits, the right shelter gear makes all the difference. Pathfinder tarps, cordage, blankets, and other outdoor essentials are lightweight and tough enough to withstand heavy, repeated use. They’re designed to give you quick, effective protection without weighing you down on your journey.

Staying dry is important, but so is preserving energy, maintaining a healthy body temperature, and being prepared for the unexpected. By adding Pathfinder shelter gear to your kit, you’ll always have a reliable layer of protection between you and the elements, giving you peace of mind on every adventure.

Fire Starting Tools

Fire is a must for survival, and Pathfinder fire-starting tools are built to deliver a spark when it matters most. Rugged ferrocerium rods, fire discs, and dependable tinder options are engineered to perform even in wet, windy, or cold conditions. 

With gear designed to work in less-than-ideal environments, you can count on Pathfinder fire starters to get the job done when your comfort — and in some cases your safety — depends on it. While having a nice fire means staying warm at night, it also means hot meals, purified water, and a much-needed morale boost after a long day outdoors. 

Cutting Tools & Knives

No survival kit is complete without a dependable cutting tool. Pathfinder knives are forged for strength, sharpness, and versatility — equally effective for food preparation, carving, or heavy-duty bushcraft tasks like splitting wood and building shelter. These aren’t flimsy blades that lose their edge after a few uses; they’re designed for long-term performance in tough, unpredictable environments.

For beginners, a sturdy knife may be the most valuable tool in the pack. For seasoned outdoorsmen, it’s the foundation of every task. Pathfinder cutting tools are made with this range in mind, giving you gear that balances precision, durability, and ease of use so you can tackle whatever challenges the outdoors throw your way.

Bags & Backpacks

Keeping your gear organized and accessible is essential, and Pathfinder packs are designed to do just that. Made from rugged, durable materials, these bags are built to handle rough terrain, unpredictable weather, and the weight of your survival essentials. With thoughtful design and smart compartment layouts, they make it easy to access what you need, when you need it.

Our drawstring bags, bottle bags, and zip-up packs distribute weight evenly for long hikes, protect your gear from the elements, and adapt to both short outings and extended trips. Whether you’re heading into the woods for a day or trekking deep into the backcountry, Pathfinder bags and packs provide reliability you can shoulder with confidence.

Beginner’s Guide: Building Your Pathfinder Kit

Starting your outdoor journey can feel intimidating. With so much gear available, how do you know what you really need? And how can you avoid a “just in case” buying frenzy that leaves you with an overloaded pack too heavy to carry? 

Pathfinder makes the process much easier by offering multi-purpose survival tools that are reliable, durable, and proven to work across the field. For beginners, the goal is to focus on the basics: water, fire, shelter, food, a handy cutting tool, and an effortless way to carry it all.

A starter Pathfinder kit might include:

• Stainless Steel Water Bottle & Nesting Cup: Hydration plus cooking in one compact setup. Boil water, make coffee, or cook simple meals directly over the fire.
• HD6 Ferro Rod with Striker: A reliable fire-starting tool that works in almost any condition.
• Mini Inferno Fire Discs: Compact, waterproof tinder that pairs with your ferro rod for guaranteed flames.
• Pathfinder Knife: The essential tool for food prep, carving, cutting cordage, and general bushcraft tasks.
• Pathfinder Nylon Tarp: Quick, lightweight shelter from the rain, sun, or wind.
• 550 Paracord:  Critical for tarp setup, gear repairs, and countless other camp uses.
• Survival Sleeping Bag: Packs small but offers cushion, insulation, and protection in emergencies. 
• Pathfinder Pillow: Comfort might not be “survival,” but it makes long nights outdoors more manageable, especially for beginners.
• Pathfinder Provisions Meal:  Nutritious, shelf-stable food designed to keep you fueled in the field.
• Compact Light Source: A headlamp or flashlight ensures you’re not fumbling in the dark when you need your gear most.
• Rugged Pathfinder Pack: A durable bag to carry and protect all your gear, with room to expand as your skills grow.

By starting with these fundamentals, beginners can learn bushcraft skills without feeling completely overloaded. Each piece of survival gear is designed to work together, so your kit grows with you as your wilderness confidence builds. Once you’ve mastered the basics, you can expand into more advanced tools, but even a minimal Pathfinder setup gives you the security of knowing you’re prepared to tackle the essentials.

Advanced Pathfinder Camping Gear for Experts

Once you’ve mastered the basics, it’s time to upgrade your kit with advanced tools that give you more efficiency, resilience, and self-reliance in the wild. Self Reliance Outfitters offers a range of gear crafted with seasoned survivalists and backcountry experts in mind, equipment that goes beyond the basics to refine your skills and expand your capabilities.

Here’s some expert-level Pathfinder gear to consider:

• Bush Pots & Advanced Cookware: Larger stainless steel bush pots, skillet lids, and coffee presses let you cook more complex meals and support group adventures without weighing down your pack.
• Navigation & Signaling Tools: Pathfinder compasses, headlamps, and other navigation aids ensure you can stay oriented and communicate in remote locations.
• Specialized Cutting Tools: Heavy-duty knives, saws, and woodworking tools designed for advanced bushcraft tasks such as felling small trees, processing firewood, or carving precise traps and tools.
• Expanded Shelter Options: Durable tarps and survival blankets with reinforced grommets, ridgeline systems, and accessory kits make it possible to build more advanced shelters for longer stays.
• Water Filtration Systems: Larger capacity water filtration kits and multi-person cooking sets for extended treks or group scenarios.
• Pathfinder Provisions & More Versatile Food Prep Gear: From Pathfinder Provisions meal packs to camp grills, you’ll have more options for keeping energy high and meals extra satisfying on long expeditions.

For expert outdoorsmen, advanced Pathfinder camping gear isn’t about collecting even more nifty items. Expanding your survival pack means learning how to maximize efficiency and versatility outdoors. Each tool is designed to save time, conserve energy, and handle more demanding conditions so you can focus on skill and strategy, not just survival.

How to Use Pathfinder Gear in the Field

Owning Pathfinder gear is just the first step. The real value comes when you put it to work in the outdoors. 

Field-tested ways to use Pathfinder gear include:

• Multi-Use Cooking & Hydration: Boil river water in your stainless steel bottle, cook soup in your nesting cup, and use the same gear to store leftovers for the next day. Learning to rotate one tool through multiple roles saves weight and energy.
• Layered Fire Strategy: Start with the basics by sparking your ferro rod against dry tinder, but always keep a backup like Mini Inferno fire discs in your pack. Even pros know that having more than one way to make fire is the safest way to make sure you’ll never be left in the cold.
• Improvised Shelter Systems: With a Pathfinder tarp, cordage, and knife, you can create a lean-to (sloped cover against a tree or ridge), an A-frame (a tent-style roof over a central ridgeline), or a ground cover in minutes. Adapting setup styles to weather conditions is a core survival skill.
• Efficient Packing & Loadout: Pathfinder packs are designed for organization. Keep your fire kit accessible, water gear separate, and tools secured. How you pack is as important as what you pack.
• Skill Development, Not Just Safety: Each item is also a training opportunity. Practice carving notches with your knife, starting fires in damp weather, or cooking complete meals outdoors. The more you use your kit, the more second-nature it becomes.

Using Pathfinder equipment helps you (and other outdoor enthusiasts) build confidence through practice, learning, and self-reliance. The gear is ready for the field, and the challenge is making sure you are too.

Tips for Maintaining Your Pathfinder Survival Gear

Good gear lasts longer when it’s properly cared for. Survival gear is built tough, but regular maintenance ensures it’s always ready when you need it. A few simple habits go a long way toward protecting your investment and keeping your kit reliable in the field.

Follow these care tips for your Pathfinder gear:

1. Clean after every trip: Wash stainless steel bottles, cups, and cookware with warm soapy water. Avoid harsh chemicals that can damage finishes or leave behind unwanted residue.
2. Keep cutting tools sharp: Regularly hone knives and other cutting tools so they’re ready for precise cuts. Store them clean and dry to prevent rust.
3. Dry gear thoroughly: Tarps, packs, and sleeping bags should always be dried completely before storage to prevent mildew buildup or unpleasant odors.
4. Protect fire starters: Store ferro rods, tinder, and fire discs in waterproof pouches to make sure they’re usable when you need them.
5. Inspect before packing: Check straps, seams, and tie-outs on bags or tarps before each trip. A quick repair at home saves you from inconveniences and mishaps out in the wild. 
6. Store in a cool, dry place: Gear that sits in a damp basement or a hot garage will wear down faster. Proper storage makes it last much longer.

Related Collections and Resources

Your Pathfinder kit is just the start. Expand your outdoor preparedness with the complete Survival Gear lineup and sharpen your skills with expert-led training and books:

Explore the Survival Gear Collection

This is your all-purpose arsenal for real-world preparedness. From fire starters and water filtration to cutting tools, shelter, packs, and navigation, the Survival Gear collection includes every essential tool you might need beyond the Pathfinder line.

You’ll find trusted, field-tested gear like tarps, compasses, paracord, bushcraft knives, and more. Browse gear that complements your Pathfinder kit and fills gaps you didn’t even know you had.

Grow Your Skills with Survival Training Classes & Books

Gear is only as good as your ability to use it. That’s why Self Reliance Outfitters also offers access to survival training courses and instructional books. Whether you’re just getting started or pushing into advanced bushcraft territory, these resources teach you the mindset, techniques, and strategies to make your gear work for you.

By combining top-tier equipment from the Pathfinder and Survival Gear collections with practical training and reference materials, you’ll transform from a gear collector into a true survivalist.