Survival Gear & Survival Tools | Self Reliance Outfitters

Q: How Do I Pack My Survival Gear?

You should keep your survival tools and gear in a durable, tactical-grade backpack and ensure your gear is lightweight to avoid weighing you down or making it harder to respond to danger. Place your go-to items in accessible pockets, preferably on the outside of the pack, and evenly distribute items among the top, middle, and bottom sections so you can access what you need quickly, keeping larger or heavier items on the bottom.

Q: How Often Should I Replace My Survival Gear?

All survival items wear out or expire over time, so you should stay up to date on expiration dates for food, tools, and gear. Medications and packaged foods are typically replaced every 1–2 years, fire starters and electronics can often go 5–10 years, and outerwear that is damaged or heavily worn may need replacement sooner than the average 3-year mark, supported by a regular inspection routine.

Adventure Gear For The Modern Outdoorsman

Crafted for both challenging outdoor adventures and relaxing day trips, our essential survival gear provides the prepared means for any kind of expedition that might find you in the water, at the campsite, or by the fire. It's the effectiveness of these tools that can set the tone for your trip, as you might find yourself unexpectedly caught in a long hike, or in some cases, surviving by any means possible.

If it comes down to you and your gear to save your life, you want to make sure that your gear is versatile, lightweight, and durable enough to sustain you and whoever you're with.

Crafted in line with our Pathfinder School teachings, the Self Reliance Outfitters' bushcraft survival gear collection combines the expert knowledge of a seasoned outdoorsman with the resourcefulness of a classic bug-out bag. Drinking, fishing, or sleeping, you're set up for a full day of exploration with our emergency survival gear collection.

The Essentials: Your Complete Gear Guide

Think of survival gear as the outdoor equivalent of household essentials. You store them in your pack to be taken out when the need arises, like you do when it's time to wash clothes, clean dishes, or prepare food. The same integral moves happen outdoors and demand high-quality accessories to be complete.

If you're new to bushcraft, don't be intimidated. We have developed specialized survival gear for beginners, allowing you to easily select the tools and accessories you need to develop basic skills. Then, you can practice taking them out and applying them to situations until you're comfortable enough with the full survival gear kit.

Self Reliance Outfitters supplies the following basic essentials as a part of our survival gear collection:

Cooking Kits

Without food, there's really no place to turn. That's why we recommend that our survival enthusiasts start with a comprehensive outdoor cooking kit. This way, you'll learn to rely less on the elements and more on your skill. We offer a variety of quality cooking kits: bottle, canteen, PFM40, all set in a durable stainless steel material.

First Aid Supplies

We include a disaster supplies kit or first aid kit in our collection because we believe that if you can't prevent a safety emergency from happening, you should have the right tools with you to recover from it. If you or anyone in your group experiences an injury, you'll have this fully set first aid kit to hold you over until medical care arrives.

Fire Starters

Whether compact like a match set or manufactured, there are many ways to start a fire, even if resources are scarce. Our SRO-certified fire starters include flint and steel variations designed for different purposes, allowing you to catch a spark under the moonlight or strike a morning flame for cooking without hesitation.

Canteens + Food Storage

Canteens are all about long-term water storage. Even if you're taking a day trip, you need sustainable hydration that can withstand the elements. The same goes for your fire or campside meals. SRO makes a variety of durable canteens to store high-quality or filtered water for the long term. Find stainless steel, Pathfinder, and GI options engineered by our outdoor enthusiasts.

Water Filtration

Nothing is truly lost when you've got filtered, contaminant-free water to fuel your days. Find everyday hydration that doesn't beg the question: "Is this safe to drink?" when you collect, purify, and drink your water using a Self Reliance Outfitters water filtration system.

Outdoor Clothing + Backpacks & Bags

Surviving the elements takes intentional layering. Even on a hot, cloud-free day, you'll need durable sunglasses to protect your face from the sun. That's why we offer outdoor clothing and accessories for every temperature possible, giving you unlimited protection even when the rain, snow, or warm weather flows in.

Shelter Materials

When sleeping on the bare ground isn't an option, it takes pliable sleeping materials to forge a DIY shelter, even if your only option is a few sticks and a patch of leaves. Serve yourself and your family right by knowing what and how to use shelter materials to create an overnight escape.

What Basic Survival Items Do I Need?

It all comes down to the essentials. You need items to protect you from any condition possible, including a complete lack of resources. So, don't overload your backpack or Pathfinder bags with waterproof items that you just don't need. Tailor your essentials to your destination, but don't forget that the bare necessities are needed for every location.

You need 8 basic elements to have a complete kit of essentials:

Hydration: Water Bottle or Canteen
Shelter: Blanket, Tarp, or Sleeping Bag
Fire-Making Tools: Flint, Matches, or Both
Food & Cooking Supplies: Pots, Pans, Packaged Foods, Containers
Navigation: Compass, Map, Flashlight

Why Do I Need a Full Survival Kit as an Outdoor Enthusiast?

While you don't necessarily need a complete kit to have confidence in your ability to survive unforeseen circumstances, it always helps to have backup. Sure, one or two tools could get you where you need to go, but how do you prepare for the unexpected without additional help? This is why we recommend that any avid explorer have a full survival kit on deck.

How Do I Pack My Survival Gear?

You want to keep your survival tools and gear in a durable, tactical-grade backpack. Ensure your gear is lightweight to avoid weighing down the pack and slowing you down, or making it harder to ward off danger if it arises. Start by putting your go-to items in accessible pockets, preferably on the outside of the pack.

Evenly distribute items among the top, middle, and bottom sections so that you can access what you need without wasting time reaching for items. Larger or heavier items should go on the bottom.

How Often Should I Replace My Survival Gear?

Even packaged food meant to sustain expires. Stay up to date on expiration dates for all your survival items, including food, tools, and gear, as each will inevitably wear out over time. Medications and packaged foods should be replaced every 1-2 years.

Fire starters and electronics can go a bit longer with a 5-10 year replacement timeline. If your outerwear gets damaged by the elements, you may want to replace it sooner than the average 3-year mark. Maintain a continuous inspection routine to ensure you are aware of the condition of each item.

Bushcraft Survival Gear

Adventure Gear For The Modern Outdoorsman