These durable and versatile bottles have many uses, including:

• -The obvious: use as a canteen to store water or any other liquid.
• -As an ice pack in a cooler. Fill 5/6 of the way with water, freeze it and then put in a cooler to keep food cold. When it melts, it can be used as cold drinking water.
• -Dry food storage. Keep food free of moisture.
• -Use as floating, dry storage while doing watersports like kayaking or canoeing. Throw your keys, map and cell phone in it - close the top - and go.
• -A measuring cup. Using the measurement marks on the side, put together your favorite meals or drinks accurately.
• -A makeshift rolling pin.

32 oz. Colored Wide Mouth Lexan Water Bottle Tough, colorful Lexan plastic won’t impart any added flavors to your liquids or beverages.

 By Ryan Hills

If you ever decide to go hiking, even for a short period of time, I can’t express how important it is to be smart, and know that no matter how short of a time you plan on spending out there, anything can happen to you.

It’s the really small things that people don’t even think about that gets them into trouble. I am a very good example of this. I decided to go trail running a few years back, and I was feeling really energetic that particular day. Of course I planned on running in, and running out before the sun went down. So the sun started to go down, and I decided it was time to run back. Now the trail markers crossed at grey and blue and consequently, they looked exactly the same, with just a little less sunlight. I was lost until the next morning because before I knew it, there was no sun, and no moon what so ever.

I was lucky in fact. What I didn’t know was that in any direction it was only a matter of miles in any direction to find a way out. I didn’t know that of course and I went in circles a bit, but imagine if it was a large park, and I could have been lost for weeks. That’s potential death for many reasons I can name and all i needed… was a flashlight and it would never have happened.

Stupid right? Well its really not, in all honesty, its something so simple, especially with my background, I figured it couldn’t happen to me. And it happens to a lot of people and some aren’t so lucky. You need to be educated at least a little bit before you go out there, and bring some emergency supplies just in case.

Every time I tell people that moose are dangerous they look at me funny like “wha”? Those are people that may try and pet the creature that can trample you to death. Or they think because they are packing a knife, they’re going to fend off a bear. The chances are slim I hate to say. In fact, in almost all cases, people run from bears, and then what good is that knife? But if you knew that running downhill is your best chance against a bear you’d come out unscathed (most people think playing dead is best).

Just don’t make the mistake of thinking that accidents, and unfortunate incidents can’t happen to you. If you do your research, and bring the essentials, you can always be assured that you’ll have nothing but a fun, safe time.

by: Brian Carter

Outdoor survival skills can mean the difference between escape/rescue and tragedy. Fortunately, most survival skills are simple and easy to learn.

Here are the top ten things to do in a survival situation, in order:

1. Don’t panic. Breathe. Relax.
2. Give yourself first aid if needed.
3. Inventory your survival items.
4. Assess any imminent weather dangers.
5. Find an open area where you can be seen from the air.
6. Create appropriate shelter.
7. Drink lots of water.
8. Make fire, but safely! Learn how to build fire in a variety of ways and how not to start a wilderness blaze in your quest for survival.
9. Signal for help.
10. Eat the wildlife, including insects, but nothing with more than 6 legs and no plants you aren’t totally sure of.

Ten Essential Survival Skills & Qualities:

Survival isn’t just about skills, but also attitude and mindset. Desire to survive, determination, persistence, willingness to plan, and learning survival skills ahead of time all increase your chances of survival. The best time to learn survival skills is before you need them.

- Will to survive
- Calm, poise, focus
- Make shelter
- Make fire
- Find and purify water
- Find food, hunt, trip
- Signal for help
- Navigate without map or compass
- Basic first-aid
- Weather prediction

The Most Valuable Survival Items:

We could probably debate this list endlessly, but I guarantee you’d much rather have these items with you than need them and not have them.

- Knife
- Poncho
- String/rope
- First aid kit
- Flint, tinder
- Water purifying tablets
- Whistle, mirror
- Wire saw
- Fishing kit
- Emergency blanket

Once you get into a survival situation, it’s too late to prepare and to learn the skills. Now is the best time to prepare to survive. Get your gear and get into a survival training class! See recommended gear, classes and guides here: REI.com

A video from our friends at National Geographic: