When it comes to survival in the great outdoors, nobody knows how to do it better than Bear Grylls. At the young age of 23, Bear Grylls successfully tackled Mount Everest, and he is the youngest chief scout in history. No matter what you think about his survival tips, you can’t say he ever does anything halfway. Bear Grylls is somebody who knows how to survive, no matter the odds.
Chances are you won’t agree with all of his survival tips, nor will you necessarily be able to stomach them all, but if push comes to shove, he knows how to get the job done. Here is a quick look at our picks for Bear Grylls top 10 survival tips.
If you are looking for a flashlight for survival situations check out our top survival lights guide. Another option to keep hidden away might be a hand crank light that will work even without power.
#1 Drinking Urine
When you are out in the wilderness, finding water is harder than you might think, especially if you are lost. Humans can survive in the heat from three to five days without any water, but after that, things get dicey. In colder conditions, you can last a little bit longer, but not much.
Drinking your urine, not somebody else’s, helps keep you alive, but there is a catch. You must still be hydrated to some degree for it to work. The reason for this is that urine on the clearer side aids in hydrating you, but if it’s on the thick side and brown, it won’t help. Rules of thumb, if drinking urine to stay hydrated, start sooner rather than later.
#2 Know What is Edible
When out in the wilderness, you must know before you go what is edible and what is not. Never eat something unless you are 100% certain it’s edible. Researching the area, you plan to travel ahead of time. General knowledge of edible plants and meat also helps. For example, palm nuts are standard in most jungles and are always edible.
#3 Track and Trap Animals
Animals are an excellent source of food out in the wilderness. The first rule to track them is to watch the ground and be on the lookout for teeth marks and fresh feces. Fresh marks signal an animal passed through recently. The second rule is to use your brain, as you are technically smarter than wild animals.
To trap an animal, don’t try walking after it. Animals will pick up on the noise you make, as well as your scent. Make a basic snare and lay in wait instead. To make a snare make a small loop at one end of the rope, thread it through the small one to create a bigger loop. Hang the snare above a trial or den and secure it firmly to something.
#4 Different Ways to Stay Hydrated and Keep Cool
When temperatures are crazy hot, we all know the key to not passing out is staying hydrated, but in the wilderness, it can be a challenge. Seeking shade is another way to help keep our body temperatures under control. But what if there is no shade and very little water?
According to Bear Grylls desert survival tips, take off your shirt, pee on it, and wrap it around your head. This cools you down and provides you with an energy boost when you are super dehydrated.
#5 Creating a Bigger Signal Fire
Signal fires are the best way to get attention if you require any help in the wilderness. The problem is making your fire big enough to grab people’s attention. Luckily, Bear Grylls has a way for you to use things from your survival gear and your first aid kit.
Once you get a normal fire going, grab a bandana and spread some Vaseline on it. Toss that into the fire followed by some mosquito repellent. When the flames shoot up, which they will quickly pile on leaves to get the smoke going. The more smoke the fire produces, the better as the smoke is what grabs people’s attention.
#6 Don’t Panic
It’s easy to panic and lose control when lost in the wilderness, but that is the worst thing you can do. It’s easy to make impulsive decisions when you are in survival mode, so you have to stop yourself from doing that. Try and remain calm and focused, as it’s easier for your brain to make good decisions. In a panic, we often make rash decisions that never turn out quite as well.
To help yourself remain calm, sit back, and evaluate the situation. Look at what is going on and try to think through all of the various possibilities and outcomes. And more importantly, don’t ever head out until your heart rate slows down.
#7 Best Way to Cross a River
If you ever come across a river you need to get across, it can be scary, especially if it is a big and fast river. If you ever need to cross a fast-moving river, you need to think things through before crossing. Step back and look at the river and estimate where you think you will exit the river, you know you will get pushed by the strong currents. On top of that, give yourself an extra 25% in terms of where your plant comes out.
To safely cross the river, utilize a backpack liner. When used correctly, these liners serve as a floatation device and help you get across the river safely. Fill the liner with as much air as you can and then seal it shut. Lie down in the river, point your toes up, and aim down the river, as this helps you push off from any rocks that may come up. Don’t swim against the current; allow it to help you across the river. In a place like the Amazon where the river can be very wide these might not work.
#8 Build a Shelter
When building your shelter, opt for the higher ground, as it’s less likely to get swept away by flash floods, nor will it flood if the river rises. When looking for places to build a shelter, try to find somewhere close to a water source and somewhere visible. You don’t want to hide among the trees, especially if you are waiting to be rescued.
The shelter is also important in hot areas as it provides you with shade. Building a shelter also keeps you warm and dry for longer periods than out in the open. The longer you are dry, the better, as you lose body heat 20 times faster when you are wet.
#9 Be Smart with your Phone
Your cell phone can be a lifesaver, but it has to be charged and working for you to use it. In extremely cold and hot temperatures, cell phone batteries struggle to charge and stay charged. If in the cold, warm up your phone in your armpit before attempting to use it. Invest in waterproof bags, cases, pouches, or even a sandwich bag to keep your phone dry on adventures. Always bring a backup charger or power bank in your survival kit.
#10 Tell Others Where you are Going
This might be obvious, but, surprisingly, many people neglect this one simple thing. When you plan on leaving and when you plan on returning, always tell people where you are going. If people don’t know you left, they won’t ever know you are missing. If they don’t know where you went, they won’t know where to search if you fail to return.
As a survivalist Bear Grylls has seen and done things, and when it comes to surviving the outdoors, he is pretty much a household name. By following any of his numerous survival tips, including the ones mentioned above, you increase the odds of your survival and your ability to be found.
Conclusion
So there are the survival tips from Bear Grylls that we like the most.
Thanks for visiting, this site is mostly about lights but we do cover other gear and interesting articles like this that people looking for flashlights might be interested in. Check out our homepage and look around some more.