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- The Best Survival Book
- 1. SAS Survival Handbook: The Ultimate Guide to Surviving Anywhere
- 2. Bushcraft 101: A Field Guide to the Art of Wilderness Survival
- 3. Gary Paulsen Hatchet 30th Anniversary Edition Survival Book
- 4. Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies, and Why
- 5. 98.6 Degrees: The Art of Keeping Your Ass Alive
- 6. The Survival Handbook: Essential Skills for Outdoor Adventure
- 7. Build the Perfect Bug Out Survival Skills: Your Guide to Emergency Wilderness Survival
- 8. Tom Brown’s Field Guide to Wilderness Survival
- 9. Primitive Wilderness Living & Survival Skills: Naked Into the Wilderness
- 10. Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills
There are plenty of adventures you can enjoy in the wilderness like hiking and camping. However, spending time in the wilderness isn’t without its risks. From getting lost to first aid emergencies, you need to know how to handle worst-case scenarios. Knowing the basics of wilderness survival is a must.
The good news is that learning this information doesn’t have to be an insurmountable task. In fact, there are plenty of survival books out there that aim to break down everything you need to know. That’s why we’ve gathered a list of the best survival books to help prepare you for your next outing.
SAS Survival Handbook: The Ultimate Guide to Surviving Anywhere
- What Makes This Survival Guide Stand Out
- Covers survival skills you'd need in any situation
- Wiseman has experience as the Chief Survival Instructor for the Special Air Service
- Updated to showcase new information
Author: John “Lofty” Wiseman
Pages: 672
Bushcraft 101: A Field Guide to the Art of Wilderness Survival
- What Makes This Survival Guide Stand Out
- Focuses on the 5 Cs of surviving
- Canterbury has experience leading the Pathfinder School
- Simple but thorough guide perfect for any skill level
Author: Dave Canterbury
Pages: 256
Gary Paulsen Hatchet 30th Anniversary Edition Survival Book
- What Makes This Survival Guide Stand Out
- Survivalist story told in a narrative fashion
- Great way to get young adults interested in survival
Author: Gary Paulsen
Pages: 192
Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies, and Why
- What Makes This Survival Guide Stand Out
- Discusses the mentality of surviving rather than just practical skills
- Demonstrates points with real-life survival stories
- Stories come from a wide variety of survival situations
Author: Laurence Gonzales
Pages: 336
98.6 Degrees: The Art of Keeping Your Ass Alive
- What Makes This Survival Guide Stand Out
- Focuses on maintaining your body temperature in extreme conditions
- Witty writing makes this an entertaining read
Author: Cody Lundin
Pages: 216
The Survival Handbook: Essential Skills for Outdoor Adventure
- What Makes This Survival Guide Stand Out
- Comprehensive manual to every part of surviving and getting rescued
- Towell brings his wisdom as a combat survival instructor
- Written by a survival expert
Author: Colin Towell
Pages: 320
Build the Perfect Bug Out Survival Skills: Your Guide to Emergency Wilderness Survival
- What Makes This Survival Guide Stand Out
- Illustrated, step-by-step format is easy to follow
- Guides you through the basics and advanced techniques
Author: Creek Stewart
Pages: 224
Tom Brown’s Field Guide to Wilderness Survival
- What Makes This Survival Guide Stand Out
- Teaches you to survive with no supplies
- Written for beginners and advanced survivalists
Author: Tom Brown Jr.
Pages: 288
Primitive Wilderness Living & Survival Skills: Naked Into the Wilderness
- What Makes This Survival Guide Stand Out
- Teaches primitive skills to help you survive without modern gear
- Uses plenty of images to demonstrate important skills
Author: John McPherson, Geri McPherson
Pages: 408
Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills
- What Makes This Survival Guide Stand Out
- Textbook-style is full of information
- Eighth edition is updated to include the most current techniques
Author: The Mountaineers Club of Washington
Pages: 592
How To Choose A Survival Book – Buying Guide
Where You’re Going
The first thing to ask yourself is where you’re going. The area you’re in will have a massive impact on the type of survival books that you need. You could have the best wilderness survival books for one type of ecosystem that isn’t very helpful in the next. The last thing you want to do is to learn plenty of survival skills only to find they aren’t overly helpful where you are.
If you’re trying to generally learn about survival rather than preparing for a specific outing, it’s a good idea to learn the survival skills for the areas you frequent the most.
What Do You Want to Learn?
This is another big consideration. There’s a lot of information out there and it can be intimidating to try and tackle it all at once. So, start off by considering the information you want to learn. Are you curious about hunting and gathering? Do you want to know more about wilderness first aid and medicine?
Another consideration is if you want to stick to survival books non fiction or survival books fiction. Story based survival books can have some good survival tips if you find one that’s descriptive and well-written. They’re also far more creative, so they can sometimes be more interesting than a book that’s simply stating facts.
Story books about survival can be particularly helpful if you’re trying to help a younger family member learn the ropes. There are plenty of young adult novels and guides that can go on a survival book list. It’s also a creative way to present possible scenarios that you might find yourself in rather than just listing skills you need to know.
What Is Your Biggest Fear?
One of the biggest tenants of survival is to be prepared for the worst at all times. A great way to start is to address your biggest fear. This gives you a starting point of what to focus on first when you purchase top rated survival books.
Thinking about your worst fear might be a little intimidating but it will actually help alleviate some of the anxiety knowing that you can handle that situation. For example, are you afraid of falling and getting hurt on a hike, it’s a good idea to look for the best prepper books on first aid.
FAQs
Q: What is the most critical part of surviving in the wilderness?
Surprisingly, it isn't the extended amount of time you spend in the woods that poses the greatest risk. In fact, your reaction in the first 10 minutes is crucial and it's when most fatalities happen. If you panic and make rash decisions like running off, you're more likely to find yourself in a dangerous situation. To have the best chance in a survival situation, you need to take second, take a few deep breaths, and handle the situation with a clear head.
The best place to start if you're lost is to find a landmark that you're familiar with. This is often referred to as the "home base method" by survivalists. Once you set up this home base, you have something to orient yourself on.
When you're starting to move after realizing you're lost and you've found your home base, look down rather than up. It's pretty common, especially in movies, to see someone decide to use a tall landmark like a mountain or hilltop to work towards. The actual best move is to look around for something on the ground to follow like a stream or trodden path. If it doesn't end up working out, then you have a direct line to follow back to your home base.
Q: What are the 5 keys to wilderness survival?
The five major tenets to survival include the ability to build a shelter, know what to eat and where to look for it, where to find and how to purify water, how to build and keep a fire going, and how to create a signal for aid. This covers your basic needs to protect you from starvation, dehydration, and the elements. Being able to signal for aid is what's going to help you get out of a survival situation.
Q: What are some common mistakes people make in the wilderness?
he most common mistakes that people make in a wilderness survival situation are the ones we've already gone over. If you panic or don't know or use the 5 tenets of wilderness survival, the situation becomes much more dangerous. This is why it's important to check out some of the best survival guides before going into the woods so you're prepared. If you're camping or planning a hike, it isn't a bad idea to throw your best survivalist books into your pack with the rest of your survival gear and tools.
There are other factors to consider as well. For example, if you aren't wearing the right clothes for the weather, you're putting yourself at risk against the elements. It's also important to carefully calculate the risk of every situation you put yourself in. Miscalculation is a common mistake that has potentially fatal consequences. It's a good idea to remember the old military adage: "Failing to plan is planning to fail."
Globo Surf Overview
When you’re planning to venture into the great outdoors, you need to be prepared for anything that might happen. The best outdoor survival books will help you get a firm grasp on the techniques you need to know in a survival situation. With our survival book reviews, you’re sure to find survival books that will prepare you for anything. This will help you be ready for the worst and ease some of the anxiety that comes with fearing it.
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