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Hot Survival Training How-Tos

How To: Make a teepee from an inexpensive tarp

Ever wanted to build a backyard teepee? Here's your chance! In this two-part tutorial, learn how to contruct an inexpensive teepee out of a tarp. Easy to set-up, this teepee is roomy and fun to play in no matter what age you are! If in the wilderness, use this teepee for reliable shelter from cold or warm weather.

How To: Purify Urine for Drinking with an Emergency Solar Still

It’s called Urophagia—the art of consuming urine. There could be any number of reasons for having the desire to drink your own urine (or somebody else’s). There’s the so-called term “urine therapy,” which uses human urine as an alternative medicine. In urine therapy, or uropathy, it’s used therapeutically for various health, healing, and cosmetic purposes. There’s also those people who drink urine as sexual stimulation, where they want to share every part of each other. And then there’s the o...

How To: Eat & extract water from a cactus

John Campbell demonstrates how to eat and extract water from a cactus. You can eat a cactus from the hedgehog plant family. First, cut off the top of the cactus and skin down the sides, cutting off the cactus spines. Cutting the cactus will not hurt it because it can heal itself. The cactus meat will be like a sticky cucumber. Try to avoid the central core because it is stringy but you can eat the cactus meat. Wrap the meat in a bandana, squish it and wring it out to extract the water from th...

How To: Start a fire with a battery and a staple

This young fellow demonstrates how to start a fire using a battery and a staple. He suggest you begin with a staple or any thin wire, a AA battery and a knife. On the negative terminal of the battery, he cuts off a piece of the insulation by following the small ring on the battery. Pay attention to the small ring between the top of the terminal and the casing. Look for the gap that has some paper material and pry that up. Insert the staple below the paper into the gap. As you move the staple,...

How To: How the Headrest in Your Vehicle Can Potentially Save Your Life One Day

If you ever find yourself in a car that's submerged under water, your first instinct should be to try and open either the window or the door in the first few seconds of touching water. Unfortunately, if you wait any longer than that, the lopsided ambient water pressure subjected to the car will make it impossible to open the car door, and the now ubiquitous power windows will likely short out. Sure, you could wait until the pressure has equalized on both sides of the car, but this usually hap...

How To: Build a fire in the snow

What to do if you're lost & freezing in Antarctica? Build a fire to keep warm! Yes, fires can be built successfully in cold and wet conditions with the right tools & preparation. In this eight-part series of short videos, Fitclimb survival instructor Ali teaches how to build a fire in the snow in 15 minutes. You can build this fire with just two tools: a knife and a metal match (magnesium stick). In part one, Ali talks about site preparation and how to choose and prepare the right site for a ...

How To: Survive a bite from a cottonmouth snake

Watch this video to learn how to survive a bite from a North-American Cottonmouth snake. If you are ever bitten by a cottonmouth snake, also known as a water moccasin, you would want to follow these steps: 1. Call for emergency assistance. 2. Don't suck out the venom. 3. Don't cover the snake bite. 4. Don't apply a tourniquet or any pressure to the bite. 5. Treat the person for shock. Give them water and make them sit down. 6. When help arrives, get the snake bite victim to the hospital immed...

How To: Build & Hide a Campfire from Your Enemies — The Dakota Fire Pit

Fire.  It’s everywhere— always has been.  From the Ordovician Period where the first fossil record of fire appears to the present day everyday uses of the Holocene.  Today, we abundantly create flames (intentionally or unintentionally) in power plants, extractive metallurgy, incendiary bombs, combustion engines, controlled burns, wildfires, fireplaces, campfires, grills, candles, gas stoves and ovens, matches, cigarettes, and the list goes on... Yet with our societies' prodigal use of fire, t...

How To: Make natural long burning torches in the forest

In this tutorial, we learn how to make natural long burning torches in the forest. First, use a dead tree limb and rip off all the bark that is on it. Next, gather up the bark from the tree and tie it together with wire you carry with you. Also, gather up a dead stick and connect this to the dead bark as well. Use a multi-tool to cut the wire if you are in a hurry. Once finished, light the bark on fire and you will have a natural torch that will burn in the forest! Be sure to use a dead tree ...

How To: Tie a great hangman's noose (or hangman's knot)

The hangman's noose is infamous for its use in hanging prisoners during executions. It supposedly was invented in Britain, but eventually spread throughout the world, going beyond the prisons, even into our own homes. But the hangman's knot isn't all doom and gloom. There are plenty of useful (and non-lethal) applications for the hangman's knot, like as a fishing or boating knot. Everyone should know this roped knot, and this tutorial will show you the knot-tying process. Just remember, to be...

How To: Make a Chinese paracord snake knot

The Chinese snake knot is a considered a representation of good luck, or its considered as an embodiment of the Snake in the Chinese Zodiac. This Paracord Snake Knot can be used as a bracelet or another decorative piece. This snake knot technique would make a great time passer to have some fun in your leisure. In this video you will learn exactly how to make a Chinese paracord snake knot, and if you were born in '89 you should make one too.

How To: Easily tie paracord prayer beads

Although this may not directly help anyone when out in the wilderness, it's still something that many people rely on. This tutorial will show you how to easily tie a paracord prayer beads. It can be used to make a great looking necklace and/or bracelet. It's may seem very difficult to do, but this can be done with the right supplies. So pay attention, good luck, and enjoy!

How To: Boil water without pots or pans

This video illustrate how to boil water without pots or pans. Here are the following steps:Step 1: You need fire, water and any plastic container with lid.Step 2: Now take water and fill it in the bottle so that there is no air present in the bottle.Step 3: Now put on the fire and put the seal bottle on fire with a distance of around 12 inch.Step 4: Now let the heat warm up the bottle and be careful while handling the bottle.Step 5: After the water has heated up, bubbles will appear in the bo...

How To: Tie knots to hang an easy hammock

This how-to video demonstrates the easiest way to make a hammock. Simple, easy and safe, with no sewing required, make a hammock anytime in a pinch. All you need is fabric, rope, and the knot-tying skills from this instructional video. Watch this video tutorial and learn how to make an easy hammock.

How To: Make emergency snowshoes

Knowing how to build a makeshift pair of snowshoes can help you walk to safety if you get caught in deep snow. You will need tree branches, and string, cord or fabric strips. Fir branches work best for snowshoes; spruce, pine and willow are good, too.

How To: Make a survival fire from a battery and staple

Check out this how-to video to start a fire using an AA battery and a staple. You can do this while listening to the classical guitar piece, "Malaguena" if you feel like it. It could save your life! With your battery: start by cutting the plastic away from the negative terminal. Watch the video survival training tutorial for more tips on starting an emergency fire!

How To: Build an emergency portable car heater for emergency situations

If you've ever gotten your car stuck in a blizzard or been lost on a wilderness drive in winter, you know that keeping that car warm is vital to your comfort and even survival. Using the heater means keeping the car on though, and that means consuming precious fuel. And what if the car breaks down? Watch this video for instructions on how to make a portable emergency heater for your car that will keep it between 60-70 degrees for about 24 hours burning only rubbing alcohol. It could save your...

How To: Make a primitive wilderness loom

Staying warm is important to making sure that you survive. Whether it be the end of the world or you find yourself lost in the wilderness, keeping dry and warm is key to survival. In this two part tutorial find out how to make a primitive wilderness loom and a mat to sleep on.

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