If you're taking the Wilderness Survival Merit Badge at Boy Scout Summer Camp, you'll need to prepare a survival kit. During your merit badge classes, the instructor will be checking the kit for completeness. If you're not sure what something is, ask your patrol leader about it. If he can't help, ask an adult leader. In a nutshell, the boy scout wilderness survival kit helps you make sure you're always prepared if you get caught in the wilderness.

Note that some of the things on the list can actually be purchased as a unit or separately. For example, Amazon.com and the Total Resources International 130-Piece Outdoor First Aid Kit in EVA Case that provides many of the items required for the kit. As well, Gander Mountain sells a whistle, signal mirror, compass, flint, and waterproof match holder 5 in 1 survival aid. Look for a bright orange unit about 4 inches long. Wal-Mart was also a good place to find a lot of these supplies inexpensively.

Finally, it's helpful to team up with other scouts because some of the items can be purchased and split between 2 or 3 scouts (a box of butterfly bandaids, for example). Your survival kit will fit into a large fanny pack. If you happen to have a back pack with a removable fanny pack top, they work great. Note that scouts DO NOT need to have a back pack for summer camp.

Boy Scout Wilderness Survival Kit Contents

(Note: links are for example only. You can purchase anywhere you like)

• Lint for fire starting
• Cotton balls in Vaseline (fire starting)
• Matches in waterproof holder
• Flint and Steel
• Plastic drop cloth
• Emergency poncho
• Foil Emergency Blanket
• 50 feet of nylon rope (Paracord works well)
• Emergency survival whistle
• Signal Mirror
• Compass
• Emergency candle
• Small can of bug spray
• Sunscreen - SPF 15 or higher
• Disposable gloves – avoid contact with blood
• 1 small and 1 large Elastic bandage – Secure dressing, splints, or wrapping sprains
• Adhesive strips (bandaids) – Minor cut and abrasions
• 4 butterfly band aids – Minor cuts and abrasions
• 3 knee and elbow band aids – for larger scraps
• 5 - 3''x 3'' or 4" x 4" sterile pads – larger wounds and pressure dressing.
• 4 alcohol preps - Sterilization
• Soap or hand sanitizer – sanitize before performing first aid
• Insect sting relief spray or wipes
• Anti-itch cream
• After burn relief - Aloe
• Neosporin – antibiotic for cuts and abrasions
• Safety pins
• Tweezers – Removing splinters or cactus spines
• Small Scissors – cut dressings. May be in scout knife.
• 1 mole skin patch – Prevent blisters
• Roll of adhesive tape
• Motrin
• Tums
• Chapstick
• Energy food (jerky, candy bar, M&M's)