Top Three Wilderness Survival books?

M

mtwarden

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I just got done w/ Wilderness Survival by Davenport, was pretty good on the clothing section and first aid, felt lacking in other areas

I just ordered Bushcraft by Kochanski- hoping it is a little more detailed

would love to hear folk's top three?

tia

Mike
 
sas survival guide (john Lofty wiseman)
Essential Bushcraft (ray Mears)
Survival skills? I think its called by larry dean olsen
 
My three are:

SAS Survival Handbook (Revised Edition)
John 'Lofty' Wiseman

Dept of the Army Survival FM 21-76 (Oct. 1970)

Build The Perfect Survival Kit
John D. McCann
 
SAS survival handbook by John Wiseman
98.6 Degrees: The Art of Keeping Your Ass Alive! by Cody Lundin
Bushcraft by Mors Kochanski
 
Bushcraft By Mors
Bushcraft By Graves
Survival by Larry Dean Olsen- it has color pictures, etc.
 
Just adding one to the discussion: Colin Fletcher, "The Complete Walker IV" (2001). Not a "survival" book per se, this book is to be read, not carried. Fletcher's audience was recreational backpackers and there's a lot of information about hiking, camping, and the proper gear to do both. For years, it was considered the bible of hiking and camping.

Although I haven't looked at them out in many, many years, I suspect there are Boy Scouts of America publications that deal with basic wilderness skills, that would be useful. I remember the Handbook usually explained and illustrated things clearly, understandably, step-by-step. (I always wondered why DoD didn't hire the writers at BSA to help edit the various unreadable service field manuals.)
 
I have a good size collection of survival books...and although there is much repetition, or overlaping info...I like having all the different views and writing styles. If I was to buy just one..SAS is my personal favorite, simply because of the amount of info inside.
I like the following authors:
Bradford Angier
Wiseman
LarryDean Olson
Mears
Kachanski

There are some others that were OK, but those are my favorites...Larry Dean Olson is a fantastic author. Kochanskis book is a must have for us knife and Axe fanatics.

I also like the videos or DVD's from Ron Hood..they are full of good info, and are pretty funny to boot.
 
great info guys- thanks

there are so many books in this genre that it seems very hit and miss (I like hitting :))
 
Joezilla said:
Bushcraft By Mors
Bushcraft By Graves
Survival by Larry Dean Olsen- it has color pictures, etc.
Click to expand...

My favorite three as well.
Ellsworth Jaeger's Wildwood Wisdom and George Herter's Professional Guide's Manual would round out my top five.
 
Cody Lundin's 98.6 Degrees The Art of Keeping Your Ass Alive!
Mors Kochanski's Bushcraft
Chris and Gretchen Janowsky's Survival: A Manual That Could Save Your Life
John and Geri McPherson's Naked Into the Wilderness I & II

These are the absolute best authors out there in my opinion. I have many more, but when I go to look something up or reference something one of these five books is what I reach for!!! I've found that these four have "original" content.
 
333rm and RussMo,

Nice to see John's survival kit book get some list space! I met him and his wife at Dirttime 2009 and was very impressed. He should certainly be on Bladeforums as he was carrying a kukri-size Fehrman and a good deal of other bladeware.

DancesWithKnives
 
SteveK said:
Although I haven't looked at them out in many, many years, I suspect there are Boy Scouts of America publications that deal with basic wilderness skills, that would be useful. I remember the Handbook usually explained and illustrated things clearly, understandably, step-by-step. (I always wondered why DoD didn't hire the writers at BSA to help edit the various unreadable service field manuals.)
Click to expand...
Sadly, the BSA Wilderness Survival Merit Badge pamphlet is a fright - poorly written and full of internal contradictions and outright errors.

BSA also sells as "official BSA" two books by former SAS types. They are pretty good if you get past the love of potassium permanganate to purify water.

Towell, Colin, “The Survival Handbook – Essential skills for Outdoor Adventure.

McNab, Chris, "How to Survive Anything Anywhere," McGraw Hill, 2004.

Both books of course sharply contradict the merit badge pamphet.
 
I would have to say:
1: Deep Survival by Laurence Gonzales becaise it deals with the most important part of your kit. Your mind. A good start.

2: Toss up between Northern Bushcraft by Mors Kochanski and Outdoor Survival Handbook by Ray Mears; Both packed with good info.

3: Toss up between 98.6 by Cody Lundin and Survive! by Les Stroud; Great info and a pleasure to read from cover to cover.
 
SteveK said:
Just adding one to the discussion: Colin Fletcher, "The Complete Walker IV" (2001). Not a "survival" book per se, this book is to be read, not carried. Fletcher's audience was recreational backpackers and there's a lot of information about hiking, camping, and the proper gear to do both. For years, it was considered the bible of hiking and camping.
Click to expand...


+1 on The Complete Walker IV by the interesting Mr. Fletcher. The book is loaded with handy information.

I also like Mear's Bushcraft and Kochanski's Northern Bushcraft. I haven't read my copy of Lundin's 98.6 Degrees yet....



Stay sharp,
desmobob
 
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