The survival handbook : essential skills for outdoor adventure

Survive anything life throws at you with the ultimate visual guide to camping, wilderness, and outdoor survival skills. Written by Colin Towell, an ex-SAS Combat Survival Instructor, The Survival Handbook is bursting with survival tips, manual skills, camping essentials, and advice on how to survive whatever the great outdoors throws at you. Combining proven, no-nonsense military survival skills with ingenious bushcraft techniques, specially commissioned illustrations and accessible step-by-step instructions show you how to survive in the wild. Learn how to read a map, how to light a fire, how to build a raft, and everything you need to know about wild foods and natural dangers. Revel in inspirational real-life survival stories and be prepared for every outdoor situation. From survival basics, such as finding water and catching fish, to extreme situations including being adrift at sea or lost in the jungle, The Survival Handbook will steer you through life's toughest adventures in the world's harshest climates. Whether you are preparing for a camping trip, or going farther afield, The Survival Handbook is a perfect guide to the great outdoors in a handy size to pack CONTENTS......Page 4 Introduction......Page 8 1 BEFORE YOU GO......Page 15 Introduction: Prepare Yourself......Page 16 Getting into Shape......Page 18 Mental Preparation......Page 20 Planning Your Journey......Page 22 Emergency Plan of Action......Page 24 Introduction: Know Your Environment......Page 26 Temperate Environments......Page 28 Tropical Environments......Page 30 Mountain Environments......Page 32 Desert Environments......Page 34 Cold Environments......Page 36 Marine Environments......Page 38 Introduction: Get the Right Gear......Page 40 Choosing Your Gear......Page 42 Choosing a Backpack......Page 44 Dressing for the Outdoors......Page 46 Extreme Survival—In the Wilderness......Page 50 Sleeping Systems......Page 52 Eating on the Trail......Page 56 Camping Stoves......Page 58 Your Survival Kit......Page 60 2 ON THE TRAIL......Page 63 Introduction: Find Your Way......Page 64 Maps and Map Reading......Page 66 Get Your Bearings......Page 68 Route Finding......Page 72 Navigating without a Compass......Page 74 Natural Navigation......Page 76 How Weather Works......Page 78 Weather Phenomena......Page 80 Understanding Local Weather......Page 82 Introduction: Make a Move......Page 84 Traveling on Foot......Page 86 Crossing Rivers......Page 88 Scrambling and Climbing......Page 90 Extreme Survival—In the Mountains......Page 92 Moving over Snow......Page 94 Using Pack Animals......Page 98 Four-Wheel Driving......Page 100 Kayaking and Canoeing......Page 104 Building a Raft......Page 106 Swimming......Page 108 3 CAMP CRAFT......Page 111 Introduction: Camp Essentials......Page 112 Organizing Your Site......Page 114 Staying Clean......Page 116 Making Fire......Page 118 The Elements of Fire......Page 120 Char Cloth and Fire Can......Page 122 Types of Fires......Page 124 Making Sparks and Flames......Page 126 Extreme Survival—In the Desert......Page 128 Fire by Friction......Page 130 Introduction: Manual Skills......Page 134 Man-Made Cordage......Page 136 Natural Cordage......Page 138 Tying Knots......Page 142 Using Cutting Tools......Page 146 4 TAKING SHELTER......Page 153 Introduction: Taking Shelter......Page 154 Hollows and Caves......Page 156 Use-Anywhere Shelters......Page 158 Forest Shelters......Page 162 Tropical Shelters......Page 166 Extreme Survival—In the Jungle......Page 172 Desert Shelters......Page 174 Shoreline Shelters......Page 176 Snow Shelters......Page 178 5 WATER AND FOOD......Page 183 Introduction: Find and Treat Water......Page 184 The Importance of Water......Page 186 Finding Water: Temperate Climates......Page 188 Finding Water: Hot Climates......Page 192 Finding Water: Cold Climates......Page 194 Finding Water: At Sea......Page 196 Carrying and Storing Water......Page 198 Treating Water......Page 200 Introduction: Find and Prepare Food......Page 202 Wild Cooking......Page 204 Edible Plants......Page 206 Catching Fish......Page 208 Preparing Fish......Page 212 Extreme Survival—Adrift at Sea......Page 214 Trapping Animals......Page 216 Preparing Small Mammals......Page 220 Preparing Large Mammals......Page 222 Preparing Other Animals......Page 224 Catching Birds......Page 226 Preparing Birds......Page 228 6 IN AN EMERGENCY......Page 231 Introduction: In an Emergency......Page 232 Assessing Your Situation......Page 234 Attracting Rescuers......Page 236 Wild Animals......Page 242 Extreme Survival—In Cold Conditions......Page 244 Environmental Hazards......Page 246 Surviving at Sea......Page 250 7 FIRST AID......Page 257 Introduction: First Aid......Page 258 First-Aid Essentials......Page 260 Flesh Wounds......Page 262 Bites and Stings......Page 266 Poisonous Plants and Intestinal Parasites......Page 268 Bones, Joints, and Muscles......Page 270 Treating Exposure......Page 272 Treating Shock......Page 274 Breathing Difficulties......Page 275 Unresponsive Casualty......Page 276 Moving a Casualty......Page 278 Temperate Plants......Page 280 Desert Plants......Page 282 Tropical Plants......Page 284 Plants in Cold Climates......Page 286 Coastal Plants......Page 288 Mammals......Page 290 Birds......Page 292 Amphibians and Reptiles......Page 294 Fish......Page 296 Invertebrates......Page 298 Wild Animals......Page 300 Insects and Arachnids......Page 302 Poisonous Plants......Page 304 Resources......Page 306 Glossary......Page 308 Index......Page 312 Acknowledgments......Page 319 Take on the toughest challenges that nature can throw at you with the ultimate visual guide to camping, wilderness, and outdoor survival skills. Written by Colin Towell, an ex-SAS Combat Survival Instructor, The Survival Handbook is bursting with survival tips, manual skills, camping essentials, and advice on how to improvise, survive, and get found - on land or at sea. Combining proven, no-nonsense military survival skills with ingenious bushcraft techniques, specially commissioned illustrations, and accessible step-by-step instructions show you how to survive in the wild. Learn how to plan your expedition, how to make a fire, and how to build a shelter and everything you need to know about wild food and natural dangers. Revel in inspirational real-life survival stories and be prepared for every outdoor situation. From survival basics, such as finding water and catching fish, to extreme survival situations including being adrift at sea or lost in the jungle, The Survival Handbook will steer you through life's toughest adventures in the world's harshest climates. Whether you are preparing for a camping trip or going further afield, The Survival Handbook is a perfect guide to the great outdoors in a handy size to pack "Crammed full of preparation tips, manual skills, navigation techniques, and helpful visuals, this is your essential guide for surviving the great outdoors. Written by Colin Towell, a former SAS Combat Survival Instructor, The Survival Handbook contains all you need to get fit, gear up, and go. From survival basics such as finding water, keeping warm, and catching fish, to extreme situations including being adrift at sea, lost in the desert, or badly injured, this book will see you through the toughest times in the world's most dangerous environments. You'll discover how to read a map, navigate with or without a compass, light a fire, and make a raft or sledge. You'll learn how to build a shelter, read the weather, cross challenging terrain, treat insect and animal bites, recognise edible and poisonous plants, and cook freshly caught meat. You'll also hear inspirational real-life survival stories from fellow adventurers. What's more, you can even cook your dinner in the book's mess tin! Survival is in your hands, so don't go anywhere without this handy guide." -- Provided by publisher