Emergency Communication Storage & Hiding

Carrying a Technical Survival Kit is Important! | Survival-Mastery

Camping at night on the Benton Mackaye Trail

The popularity of camping has exploded over the last few years! People want to experience the beauty of this planet both near and far, and knowing basic safety tips as you travel, and camp is essential.

In today’s crazy world, safety is more critical than ever. No matter where you camp or travel, you must be prepared and have the right tools.

This article reviews basic safety tips to bear in mind when planning a trip and focuses on electronic safety that travelers sometimes forget to consider.  A technical survival kit is as important as any other basic tools you carry in your kit.

The Benefits of Camping

Camping has many benefits that can be enjoyed by solo hikers, groups, or families.

  1. Camping teaches the skills needed to be self-sufficient and builds self-confidence. This is especially important for children; you can make learning these skills fun.
  2. You can camp in beautiful locations that can only be reached on foot, amidst views and wildlife you may only see in books.
  3. Camping and the outdoors allow you to take a break from the stress and pressures of your busy life and relax with friends and family in gorgeous settings.
  4. Camping is generally a less expensive vacation than many other types of holidays. Gear is much more affordable now, and you are not paying for hotels, park fees, restaurants, etc. This is especially true when traveling in groups or with your family.

Staying Safe While Camping

Campsite and gear on the Mohawk Trail

Safety on a camping trip is essential, and a few general tips apply to any camping trip, whether in the backcountry or car camping in a state park. Use these as a critical guide to get started and build out your plan.

Planning & Logistics

Planning is the most important part of any camping trip. Make sure you have all of the tools you will need. This includes but is not limited to maps, gear, food, itinerary, identification, etc.

I specifically list an itinerary because this is often forgotten. Make sure someone knows where you are going, when you will be in what locations, and when you plan to finish. Also, make sure you decide on a “buffer,” meaning if they don’t hear from you 48 hours after you are scheduled to finish, they should contact authorities.

I use apps to find paid and free camping locations if I’m car camping. Several suitable applications and websites are available and make locating sites easy.

Gear

If you don’t already have gear, survival-mastery offers resources and articles, and you can also research online. The internet has thousands of resources, and you can join all types of Facebook Groups for the specific areas or trails you want to hike. The members of these groups provide valuable gear advice.

There are groups on car camping, campgrounds, international camping, etc. Everything you need can be found online with minimal research.

Since I like to hike different trails yearly, I frequently join those trail groups – Appalachian Trail, Superior Trail, Northville-Placid Trail, Continental Divide Trail, etc.

Location Awareness

People don’t talk about being aware of your surroundings. Whether in the wilderness or at a campsite, pay attention to your surroundings and how you care for the space around you.

Understand where you will be hiking – terrain, conditions, time of year, and proximity to roads or services. This is especially important if you are camping in remote areas or traveling overseas to camp.

Don’t leave food around your campsite. This attracts animals, and bears love anything with a scent. Pack up your food and put it away. If there are bear boxes available, use them!

If you are car camping, pay attention to who is camping around you and make sure you feel safe. During the day, keep your car or camper locked. You don’t want to return from a hike to find your car, truck, or van ransacked, and your gear stolen.

Finally, there is no reason to advertise if you are camping or traveling solo. Traveling solo is generally safe, but always stay alert and check the status of areas you are traveling to, especially outside the country.

Technical Survival Kit – The Electronics I Use When Camping & Traveling

Anker Charging Devices in my technical survival kit

Ideally, we would like to disconnect completely when camping, but that is not always practical. In these cases, keeping your information safe and being able to charge the devices you use is important.

Whether car camping, RV’ing, or backcountry backpacking, I always pack a technical survival kit.

Below are the devices I use when camping and backpacking.

Technical Survival Kit

  1. iPhone (Cell Phone) – This is my most critical piece of gear. It has my maps, phone, and logistics apps for trails and campsites. In addition, I use my phone for writing and calling home, and it has GPS functionality so that I can use it for my electronic maps and applications.
  2. VPN (Virtual Private Network) – When traveling internationally or near urban areas, I make sure my VPN is active. This ensures my phone or laptop cannot be hacked and keeps my information and data secure.
  3. Faraday Bag – Not everyone carries their laptop or phone in a faraday bag, but I use a faraday bag when traveling, especially in today’s world. This is just another layer of security for my information.
  4. Garmin InReach Mini 2 – My Garmin InReach Mini uses GPS technology. I can link this device up with my iPhone via the Earthmate App and text with anyone with a cell phone. This is great when I don’t have a cell signal in remote locations.
  5. Anker 20,000ahm Battery Bank – If I leave my phone on airplane mode when I’m not using it, it will generally last me 2-3 days before it needs charging. This battery bank provides another 5-7 days of a charge for the phone, and at only 12 ounces, I don’t even know I’m carrying it.
  6. Solar Charger – The solar charger I use is a compact and lightweight solar charger. I don’t need it often, but it’s nice to have it when my battery bank is low.
  7. Fast Charging Plug – (Anker 711 Charger – Nano II 30W) – Sometimes, I pass through town and want a quick charge while eating lunch. This plug allows me to charge my iPhone in an hour and twenty minutes. It is three times faster than my old Anker plug.
  8. USB-C to Lightning Cable – This is the cable I use when charging my phone using my Anker Nano II plug.

Summary – Technical Survival Kit

Camping is an activity that people can enjoy at all skill levels. However, whether camping at a state park campsite near home or traveling to New Zealand to hike the Te Araroa Trail, you need to ensure you are prepared.

A technical survival kit is essential for safety, communication, and logistics in today’s modern world. Make sure you are not only carrying the devices you need to stay in touch with but that you’re also ensuring those devices are protected from criminals looking to steal your information and that you can keep them charged.

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1 Comment

  • Great article! Yet to find a good solar charger that doesn’t cost a lot, but usually my powerbank is enough for 3-4 day trip to keep all of my devices powered up(but definitely wouldn’t mind solar charger for longer trips, since I’m usually taking 2 powerbanks currently, and that’s a lot of space for not so much value).

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