23. Don’t Travel At Night

Traveling through the wilderness in the dark is dangerous. ​Most predatory animals are nocturnal, which means they will see you long before you see them.

There are dangers in the terrain that you may not see at night, too. You can fall off a cliff or into a pit if you can’t see where you are going.

24. Sleep Elevated

Sleeping above the ground will keep you warmer and drier than sleeping on the ground itself. Make a hammock out of a tarp or sturdy poncho, or raise your sleeping area off the ground using logs.

Construct this bed similarly to the way you build your shelter — thick logs first, then fill in the gaps with smaller sticks and leaves.

25. Carry Extras

You never know when a supply item might fail, so always carry several options for emergency use. Have two or three options for fire starting and waterproofing, a backup knife or saw, several ponchos or garbage bags, and extra water pouches on hand at all times.

26. Carry Hand Sanitizer

Hand sanitizer has a variety of uses in a survival situation. It can be used to treat small wounds, and because it’s so high in alcohol content, it’s very flammable. Put a few drops on your tinder bundle or a small cloth and light it, and your fire will be burning in no time.

27. Carry Duct Tape

You’ve heard that “duct tape fixes everything,” and it’s never more true than in an emergency. You can use duct tape to reinforce your waterproofing efforts, strengthen your supply pack, prevent blisters, treat injuries, repair items, and to help you make tools.

28. Use Charcoal To Purify water

As you learned in the tip about how to make a water filter, charcoal is useful to purify water. It has absorptive properties that can remove contaminants from lake or river water. Simply save a few chunks from your fire and you’ll always have some charcoal on hand.