Backpacker

survivalsaved byPHOTO BY NICK COTE``````BLOCK THE GLARE``````Make glacier goggles to prevent snowblindness. Fold foil into a 6-by-2-inchbar and mold the mask to your face. Cuta space for your nose and horizontalslits for your eyes. Fold foil over at theedges to reinforce before pokingholes for a cordage head strap.``````SPLINT A JOINT``````Wrap a broken finger incloth, then fold severallayers of foil into a bartwice the length of yourfinger. Fold it in half longwaysover your finger to create a two-sided splint. (It’s stronger than it looks.)Bend the splint to hold the finger at themost comfortable angle.``````SIGNAL FOR HELP``````Wrap foil around a plate or a squareframe made of twigs and reflectsunlight to signal aircraft. (Smoothout creases for best results). Too busyworking that survival grind? Make sureyour signal is always on: Tie ribbons offoil to trees or bushes in open areas.``````LEAVE A TRAIL``````Lost at night? As you hike, wrap foilaround trailside vegetation to catchyour headlamp beam, so you canretrace your steps.``````PURIFY WATER``````Fashion a cup to hold water for boiling.Suspend it over coals (foil will melt in adirect flame).``````WATERPROOF YOUR PHONE``````Don’t have a plastic bag? Wrapelectronics in foil to protect them fromheavy rain. Fold the edges over severaltimes and crimp tightly to seal.Aluminum FoilSave your eyes, your electronics, and your life—as if youneeded more reasons to start every trip with a breakfast burrito.BY TOM BROWN JR., TRACKER SCHOOLwarbonnetoutdoors.com