Comments on: Follow-Up: Books On Surviving In Desperate Situations

By: lorax

lorax — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 01:28:26 +0000

I donno about the boy scouts, but I like Tom Brown’s book(s) better than the above . I guess it depends what you expect to encounter. :)

I also second that reading the book is good, but not enough. If you expect to need this stuff, you REALLY NEED TO PRACTICE. Try starting a fire with only matches and damp wood, it’s pretty difficult. Now try doing that while your cold and wet. It’s harder. Now try it without the matches… practically impossible unless you’re practiced at it. The same is true of seemingly easy tasks – skinning a fish, finding potable water, etc…

I wish I could say I’m an expert… but despite spending weeks in the woods at a time, I’m still reliant on the matches. Perhaps if I read GTD, I’ll have time to practice more!

By: jd

jd — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 01:19:58 +0000

Also if you can read them without having to buy them, the ‘Ranger Rick’ series is pretty interesting. Most of it is directed to military personnel but many tips will apply regardless.
Try http://www.therangerdigest.com/ for online tips & such.

By: Tim

Tim — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 15:34:22 +0000

more importan than the survival books is to actually practice techniques before being in a survival situation.

By: Zach B.

Zach B. — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 01:15:09 +0000

And before long, you’ll become Heinlein’s “competent man”: “A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.” – L.L. in Time Enough for Love

By: Brett McKay

Brett McKay — Sun, 25 Mar 2007 20:52:26 +0000

I'd also suggest digging up your old Boy Scout Manual. It's backed with tons of useful information.

By: David

David — Sun, 25 Mar 2007 16:29:03 +0000

One website your readers might want to check out is http://www.survivalblog.com/, which I get the RSS feed from every day. They always have some cool stuff there…sometimes they are a little over the top, but overall the advice is right on. Thanks Trent!