Bushcraft Kit Essentials: What to Pack for Wilderness Survival Skills

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When people come to me asking about bushcraft and survival, 90% of the time they ask about equipment.

What knife do I recommend, what tarp do I use, how can I pack a backpack that will get me through the end of the world? I always respond that skills come first, equipment just makes the skills a little easier.

Still, I put together a little list for you all with some of my top choices for a bushcraft backpack with things I personally carry and use. These are affordable choices that that don’t skimp on quality and have real dirt time behind them.

1. Morakniv Craftline 546 Fixed Blade Knife https://amzn.to/47titOY

The top tool you need to carry in the woods is a good sheath knife. While folding knives are convenient for everyday use, they often don’t hold up to heavy carving projects the way that a good sheath knife does. Mora produces incredible quality knives for very affordable prices. With good steel that can hold an edge, a length that is perfect for carving projects and a comfortable grip, the craftline basic is a great first knife that outperforms others 3-4x its price.

2. Water bottle https://amzn.to/428yZ3e

While most people thankfully carry water when they go outside, choosing the right water bottle does make a difference. While hydration bladders and nalgenes have their place, I carry an old stainless Klean canteen. It’s the most durable bottle I’ve come across and doubles as a pot to boil water. When I’m away from clean water sources, boiling water can kill harmful pathogens and while many metal water bottles have a plastic or polymer lining, Klean Kanteens do not. I just take the top off and put the filled bottle in the fire until it reaches a rolling boil and then leave it there for 5 minutes. Remove and cool and you have pathogen free water for drinking or cleaning.

3. Ferro rod - https://amzn.to/3I9DB2l

It is critical to have some way to start a fire in your bushcraft pack. Fire can be used to cook food, sanitize water, stay warm on unexpected overnights, and signal for rescue if needed, among a whole host of other things. Unlike a lighter, which doesn’t work in cold temps, or matches which don’t work after getting wet, a ferro rod can provide reliable sparks in any temperature and even after getting wet. Learn to use it before you hit the trail and carry dry tinder.

4. Jute Twine https://amzn.to/4m6mXP7

Speaking of dry tinder, a roll of jute twine is invaluable not just for tying things up but also to shred up and use for fire making. It catches a spark from a ferro rod well and turns it into a flame that can be used to make a bigger fire.

5. 50ft Paracord https://amzn.to/4m5JhbJ

While jute twine is good for 90% of application and biodegradable, there are time you need rope that will hold up to tension. For those applications, I carry 50-100 feet of paracord. Originally designed for parachutes, its shock resistant and even though it is small, it can hold quite a big of weight due to the multi-strand design. I often find this is the best cord for building tarp shelters, tying up bear bags, or securing things to my pack. It can also be taken apart and you can use the inner thread for things like sewing.

6. Survival Tarp https://amzn.to/4oYMGvs

If you plan on staying in the woods overnight, bring a tent. If you don’t plan on staying, bring an emergency shelter just in case. Cheap mylar blankets will do in a pinch but it won’t be comfortable. Upgrade to a reusable mylar blanket/tarp. It has grommets at the corners to erect like a shelter but also has a shiny side to reflect back your body heat or the heat from a fire. They pack well and are invaluable when you need a quick and easy shelter.

7. Saw https://amzn.to/45R10ih

While a knife can do a lot of work, a saw makes clean cuts in wood and takes far less energy to use and is safer than an axe when processing firewood. This bahco saw is compact and durable. Through years of use, it has earned a place in my pack and I’m sure it will earn one in yours too.

8. Fishing rod https://amzn.to/41FjGyZ

A quick look in my shed would reveal more fishing rods than any human has a right to have yet only one goes with me on every adventure. This can pole is light weight and collapses down small. It fits in a scrap of pvc and lives in a side pocket of my pack with some 6lb mono leader. It has no reel and can only catch small fish but for the creeks and ponds that I frequent, it can provide me a moment of connection or a fresh meal pretty reliably. I pair it with some bead-head nymph flies or some fresh bait for good results on panfish or small trout.