Having the best survival tools during an emergency will be of great help in securing your survival priorities. If you are planning to go outdoors, always have a survival gear list to ensure that you pack everything you need.

With that, here are the top 10 survival items that you must have in your survival kit backpack.

Here’s an abridged version of this post in video format for those of you that prefer to watch than read. The complete article continues below the video.

Whenever heading into the great outdoors, it is an absolute must to bring a first-aid kit. What may seem like a small injury, such as a cut or blister, can become very bad quickly in the wild, and some basic first aid supplies will do wonders. 

But just having the gear isn’t enough, you also need to know how to use it. I recommend taking a first aid course, or even better, a wilderness first responder course. 

A fire is extremely useful in a survival situation. You can use it to cook food, signal for help, purify water, make tools, keep warm, and more. Although it’s possible to start a fire without a lighter or matches, it is not easy. One thing that will make things much easier is a survival fire-starter. There are a variety of types, one of the most common being the simple flint and striker. 

Survival firestarters are not as easy to use as matches or a lighter, but they last much longer and are often waterproof. 

Get your survival fire-starter here.

An emergency signal mirror is a simple but potentially life saving device. It needs no external power, is lightweight, and easy to use. 

The idea is to use the mirror to reflect light to any potential rescuers, such as a ship or plane. Depending on the day, the signal mirror can be effective as far as 100 miles. 

As a bonus, you can also use it the same way as any shaving mirror

Get your signal mirror here.

Having a compass in your survival kit is extremely useful for navigation. You may have GPS but it can run out of battery, get damaged, or lose signal. A compass has none of those problems, but it does take a little more effort to learn how to use one. However, spending an hour or two learning how to correctly use a compass is an extremely useful life skill.

When choosing a compass it is worth spending the extra money to get a quality one such as by Silva or Suunto, which are often hailed as the best survival compass brands.

Get your high quality compass here.

Having a good quality knife in your survival kit will help you carry out most of your survival priorities. You can use a survival hunting knife for sharpening sticks, creating bandages, cutting ropes, building a shelter, cooking, and even hunting animals or fish. 

If you don’t have a knife, you can create a primitive survival tools with stones and rocks.

Get your survival knife here.

The most recommended form of cordage is a 550 paracord. This cordage can hold a weight of up to 550 pounds and is very useful for making an emergency rappel. It can also hang clothes, make a fishing line, tie-down shelter, create traps, build a shelter, and a make-shift bow drill for starting fires. 

Get your 550 paracord here.

7. Flashlight

A flashlight will help you see in the dark and make navigation easier at night. It is also useful signaling for help. When looking for a flashlight to be used in outdoor activities, always look for the highest lumen flashlight such as the one below.

Get your survival flashlight here.

Keeping yourself warm in the wild can be challenging and hypothermia is no joke. Mylar blankets are specifically made to keep you warm while being lightweight. They are excellent for prevention and treatment of hypothermia. You can also use mylar blankets for other things such as improvised shelters or stretchers.

Get your mylar blanket here.

During a survival situation, a stream or river is a great source of water and a relatively easy source of food, as long as you have the right gear. Having a fish hook along with your paracord will make it easier for you to fish. 

You could also pack a survival fishing kit which makes things even easier.

Get your survival fishing kit here.

Lastly, your need a good backpack to store all your gear. Make sure you get one that is durable and at least a little water resistant. And if you can be bothered gathering all the stuff separately, you can easily buy survival kit backpacks with all the gear in on go. 

Get your ready-made survival backpack here.

If you are lost in the woods, the right survival items can mean the difference between making it out alive or dying before help arrives. The above essential survival items will increase your chances of staying alive, but make sure you know how to use them.

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