Perhaps the best way to prevent disaster and increase your overall chances of survival lies in preparing a thoughfully crafted survival kit.

Before you head out into the wild it is critical that you prepare a kit. Obviously, it is impossible to carry everything valuable for survival but as long as the essentials are accounted for, a thoughful survival kit can be worth more than loads of expensive equipment. Below you will find some of the most common life savng pieces of equipment that should be found in every survival kit.

1) Compass:

While not necessary to buy an expensive compass, make sure that you invest in a decent quality one that is easy to read, durable, and preferably has glow in the dark hands. Keep the compass in a safe place.

2) Flashlight:
Many novice campers and those new to the wilderness make the mistake of bringing too large of a flashlight. These are cumbersome and often prone to breakage. Buy a medium
Sized, durable flashlight. If possible try to get waterproof gear.

3) Small Binoculars:
Vision is the key to survival and a good pair of binoculars can be used to find safety, food, and shelter that you might not have seen otherwise. They can also save your personal energy by allowing you to scope out the best navigation path. Keep all binoculars INS dry place of your survival kit.

4) Swiss Army Knife:
No survival kit would be complete without one of these. A Swiss army knife is probably the most well trusted multi tool survival item in the world. Deluxe  models house screwdrivers, bottle openers, chisels, corkscrews, reamers, and even tiny wood saws. Incredibly useful.

5) Waterproof Matches:
Building a fire does more than just keep you warm and cook your food, it provides security and a boost of morale in the wilderness. Waterproof matches are constructed with special wax tips that resist the destructive nature of water and moisture. Keep these in some kind of waterproof container as well.

6) Candle:
This is probably the most often forgotten item in survival kits. A candle will help immensly with starting a fire and will help transfer fires if you need to relocate your fire. Again, the light of a candle additionally gives an instant morale boost.

7) Safety Pins:
Safety pins can be used for fixing rips in clothing, sleeping bags, or even tents. They can be bent and sharpened into fishing hooks as well.

Tin Foil:
At least 3-5 square feet of tin foil should be placed in any survival kit. The ultra shiny material is excellent material for cooking with, as it hardly absorbs any heat itself. Also, tin foils can be used as an excellent reflector for signalling purposes. Tin foil can be folded extremely thin and be placed in the bottom lining of your survival kit.

9) Needle and Thread:
Ideal for fixing fabric, a needle and good thread can also ne USS to stitch up small cuts in extreme emergency situations. Try to find the largest needles with large eyes. The reason for this is that if you are stuck in a cold climate you finger and hand dexterity may be compromised.

10) Various Sized Bandages:
This is a staple of ever survival and first aid kit. Keep your bandages in a clean and dry area of your survival kit. Bandaging wounds prevents dangerous infections and increases your chances of survival.

11) Antibiotic Pills:
As a last resort, using antibiotics when it is absolutely clear you are suffering from an infection will likely save your life. Constantly upaste your survival kit with fresh antibiotics as necessary.

12) Magnifying lense:
Use to create fire by concentrating light on dry tinder. This is a great way to stray a fire, weather permitting, of course.

13) Small Plastic bags:
Ideal for carrying water or wrapping around plants early in the morning to collecy water through the process of evaporation.

14) Wire Saw:
Small and powerful, a good wire saw can quickly cut thick branches and also
Can be used as a snare trap for killing small rabbits or other animals.

This list is by no means exhaustive. The best survival kit does not come from a book or website, but rather personal experience. Each time you are in the wilderness make a conscious effort to keep track of which tools and supplies would have best suited your travels. Over time, your survival kit will contain the most critical items which you are skilled at using.