The 9 Do-It-All Survival Tools

Do you ever wonder what very few tools you would take on a light weight backpacking or camping trip? Or what you would take in case of an emergency? In this article, I hope to help you figure that out, and tell you what I would use. But, before I start, let's go over what all your tools need to cover. You need some kind of shelter, a way to make fire, a generous amount of cord, a good cutting tool, stuff to cook in, and a water filter. That is the basis on which I picked these 9 tools.

#1) A good stout belt knife. You should have a lot of faith in this blade. 3 things to look for in a good blade are; a 90 degree spine, for scraping bark and fine shavings, a good grind like a Scandinavian or full flat, and a comfortable handle.
#2) Machete. I like the Gerber gator Jr. machete, because it has a good sheath and a comfortable rubber handle. That being said, any good machete will work, as long as it's comfortable. I would chose a machete over a hatchet because it can be used as a food source; you can easily kill snakes and gar with one.
 #3) 100' of black paracord. This stuff is great, you can use it to make a good shelter, and it ties really strong, so you can use it for just general use.
 #4) 75' of jute twine. I love this stuff for lashing spears, and making things as needed. It ties strong, and you can unravel it and use it as tinder.
#5) To cook in, it's hard to beat a good cooking pot with a frying pan lid, but not to big of a pan. This can also be used for holding some stuff like your paracord and twine.
#6) Ferro rod, or BIC lighter. This is where it depends on the trip your taking. If your in the mountains where you could break an ankle, the BIC would be the better, so there's minimum tinder-gathering. But, if you are in the woods, there is tinder readily available, and a ferro rod would be easy to use, take one of those, it will last a lifetime. (Be sure to get the good ones like sold from self reliance outfitters)
#7) Water filter. I don't have a preference, but I like the LifeStraw, it is very compact.
#8) Tarp. A good tarp can make making shelter very easy.
#9) Sleeping bag.

These 9 tools are the core of my camping kit, and they cover everything! From food to shelter, (if you know your stuff) these can save your life, or if you like camping simple, try taking only these. Yes, that's a challenge.