I am no expert on Mountain Survival Gear however I have been in many situations that have caused me to be more prepared.
Today there is more survival gear than ever. Technology is terrific. One of the items in my hiking a hunting back pack that has always been a given is a first aid kit with basic bandages, tape, antibiotic creams etc. A good start. I like the Adventure Medical Kit at Midway USA.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/497125/adventure-medical-kits-adventure-10-first-aid-kit?cm_vc=sugv1652944
Cost: $10.00
or the Adventure First Aid Kit
at http://www.adventuremedicalkits.com/medical-kits/adventure-first-aid/adventure-first-aid-1-0.html
Cost $12.00
My son bought me an Easy Care First Aid System for my birthday for the home. It covers 1-8 people for 14 days.
http://www.adventuremedicalkits.com/medical-kits/mountain/mountain-series-fundamentals.html
Cost: $110
HYDRATION and ELECTROLYTES
Equally, I have been in the woods and mountains without enough water as well. That is very bad indeed. I drank from the local stream and ended up with a mild case of giardia. So lesson learned I carry a water filter, mine is a Kathadin Pro Hiker filter with a pump and will filter out giardia. It is great for creating lots of water.
http://shop.katadyn.com/product/8018273?catalog_id=1&language_id=1
Cost $84
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LIFESTRAW
Today there are water filter pens and straws that are smaller and will easily fit in a backpack. Get one today so you won’t be caught without good hydration.
Example: LifeStraw
(quote from Wikipedia)
“The LifeStraw is a plastic tube 310 mm long and 30 mm in diameter.[4] Water that is drawn up through the straw first passes through hollow fibres that filter water particles down to 0.2 µm across, using only physical filtration methods and no chemicals.[5] The entire process is powered by suction, similar to using a conventional drinking straw, and filters up to 1000 litres of water.[6] While the initial model of the filter did not remove Giardia lamblia,[7] LifeStraw removes a minimum of 99.9% of waterborne protozoan parasites including giardia and cryptosporidium.[8]”
Cost: $20.00
It has been used successfully around the world in humanitarian crisis. I will purchase this soon and if I like it, I will buy one for each member of my family.
Using Chlorine Bleach you can purify water accordingly at the website and table below.
Click to access drinkingwater.pdf
ELECTROLYTES
Second Item I will purchase is Electrolyte tablets that you can add to water to balance your body electrolytes like flavored “Elixer” tablets that contain vitamins and minerals that you can plop into your canteen. Or drink at home or work to give you Energy and Stamina.
http://www.brownells.com/emergency-survival-gear/water-amp-hydration/water-accessories/elixir-tablets-prod58828.aspx
Cost: $5.99 to $7.99 for 12 tablets. I have not tried them yet but they are cheap enough that if they prove out. I will surely purchase more.
Don’t forget disposable Heat Packs/Hand warmers/Foot warmers for Staying warm. You can buy them in bulk too at local retailers too.
SURVIVAL KNIVES and HATCHET
There are hundreds. I only carry a smaller knife for skinning and gutting. I like Buck Knives because they are hollow ground and maintain their edge and don’t rust However In the deep woods, or unknown forests I like to carry a hatchet too.
This is a real survival tool that can aid in making a temporary shelter. One of the best out there is the Gerber Back Paxe II – Clam for around 34 dollars. I am cheap and have a wood handled one but it did get me out of a jam when I got turned around on a Canadian Hunt. I was able to cut birch bark and make a very nice winter fire in short order. Making a survival fire can be difficult see the website below.
http://www.wildbackpacker.com/survival/tips/tipsindex.html
and
http://survivalcache.com/how-to-build-a-fire/
LOCATOR BEACONS
If you can afford one a personal satellite locator beacon can be helpful.
Cost in the $300 range
Well that is a good start but not the end. More to come..