The 5 C’s of Survivability are 5 items that are the most helpful to have in any emergency. They are also the hardest to reproduce out of natural materials and burn the most calories to make. So by carrying them with you at all times, you will always find yourself in a much better state of well being no matter what might happen in the woods.
I will put them in order of how I feel they are most important.
- Cutting Tool – My cutting tool that I carry most often is a fixed blade knife whether it’s my BK9 or my Mora Bushcraft Black I always have a knife at my side. Some other options could include a machete, ax, or a multitool.
- Combustion Device – Fire is very important in any situation it is a moral booster as well as a protector of bugs and other animals. It also lights up camp at night, keeps you warm on a cold day, and can be used for cooking or treating water. So haveing a reliable fire starter is one of the most important parts of your kit. I always carry a good old Bic lighter as well as a Ferro Rod along with some Wet Fire or Live Fire to make sure I can start and maintain a fire in most conditions.
- Container – Having a container that you can carry water over distance with as well as cook and treat water is a very important thing to keep in mind. I carry a stainless steel water bottle that I can use to not only carry water but I can place it in a fire to boil water for drinking or cooking anything I may find along the trail.
- Cordage – Having cordage or rope with you can help aid you in many tasks. It can tie logs together to make a raft, it can be used to help build shelter, you can make a tripod out of long sticks to help cook or smoke anything you find to eat. I always carry 550-paracord with me that I keep in my pack just for emergency purposes only. Other options would be Zing-it which still has a very strong tensile strength but is much lighter. Also, tarred bank line is used by many bushcrafters for the same reason.
- Cover – Having shelter from the elements is very important to staying healthy and safe when dealing with weather. The very first defense from weather is the clothes on your back. Always make sure to dress according to the conditions of the day ahead of you. Wearing a swimsuit in a snowstorm will make shelter building a very top priority over anything else. Making sure that not only are you dressed for the day ahead of you but also having something like a light coat or rain jacket can make a surprise rain seem like just another walk in the park. I try to always dress for the conditions, have a coat to help keep me dry or warm, plus I carry a space blanket that I can make a shelter out of and also keep me warm, safe, and dry.
The 5 C’s was a system made up by Dave Canterbury. All of my kits have a minimum of the 5 C’s Dave has also added 5 more C’s to round out a 10 piece kit that will aid you even further. I will be adding those 5 C’s in another post so stay tuned for future posts.