make sure your multi-tool has a pair. And remember, quality counts! Don’t
buy a cheap model or you will regret it.
Needle and thread: It’s a good idea to carry a needle and thread, yet in all
the years I’ve been participating in survival-related activities, I think I’ve
used these only once, to mend a torn canoe pack. Bring a needle with a
very large eye so that it can be threaded with thick materials, such as sinew
and coarse thread. Perhaps the best use for the needle is in first aid, to
remove splinters and slivers.
stroud’s Tip
You can magnetize a needle by rubbing it in
one direction on a magnetic item, such as the speaker of
a radio. When you float the magnetized needle in water, on
a leaf or on a piece of paper, the needle will point north/south.
Once you determine which end is north, color that end of the needle
with a marker.PLB (Personal Locator Beacon) or EPIRB (Emergency Position-Indicating
Radio Beacon): While these units do not contact your family at the same time
as they contact search and rescue organizations (the way SPOT does), they
are excellent for notifying emergency personnel or the military, and have
saved many lives.
Parachute cord or similar rope (about 50 feet [15 m] of 1/4-inch [0.5 cm]
cord): As romantic as it may sound to make rope out of bark and roots, the
fact is that the process is slow, tedious, and often difficult. On the other
hand, having a good spool of parachute cord can make a tremendous dif-
ference in a survival situation. You can use it to make shelters, fire bows,
signals, snares or traps, and for countless other purposes.
I’ve singled out parachute cord here because it is legendary for its
strength. Constructed of an outer sheath surrounding seven inner strands,
true parachute cord is one of the strongest and lightest ropes you can find,
and it’s rated at 550-pound test.
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