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Recommended Colorado Survival Gear

Colorado is a cold weather climate most of the year and with our survival school at 9400 feet, it can get frigid at night, even during the summer. Dress accordingly!  Also, the sun at our elevation is intense making it easy to get sunburned.  Bring sunscreen and UV protective sun glasses.

 

We believe in a philosophy of get the training before you get the gear. Because we know from experience that once you get some training, you will probably change your mind about what survival gear you need. For this reason we require very little survival equipment to attend our courses. But you definitely will need some basic items to attend our courses. This page is to list recommended items you might want for our wilderness survival courses. Each course has different requirements but this list will give you the most common items you should bring to our wilderness survival courses. Almost none of the items are absolutely necessary if you don’t have them and we want to make sure you can attend whether you only have a few items or you could outfit an expedition! So check out our recommended survival gear list and email us if you have any questions on survival gear!

Gear List By Class

  • Good Fixed Blade Knife- From 4-12″ inches (preferably a knife intended for bushcraft)

  • Ferro Rod (magnesium fire starter)

  • Folding Hand Saw

  • 100' Paracord

  • Quality Rain Poncho w/ Grommets

  • Canteen or Water Bottle (single walled /stainless steel bottles are recommended)

  • Flashlight and/or headlamp

  • Work gloves - you will be working with your hands a lot

  • Multi-Tool

  • Compass 

  • Small Backpack

 

Food - You have to provide your own food for every course we offer! But there is a  WalMart 30 Minutes away and a small town within 10 minutes with all the amenities for whatever you might need.  

 

Overnight classes - Bring overnight camping gear (tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, travel pillow, cooking utensils, etc)

 

Tough Outdoor Clothing- Earth tone colors are recommended but wear what you like.  You are going to get dirty.

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Cold and Wet Weather Clothing - We are at 9400 feet elevation and it can get cold at night even during the summer. Bring cold weather clothing at all times of the year.

 

Waterproof Hiking Boots and Wool Socks - Snow Boots if in winter

 

Toiletries- No modern toilet or shower facilities near primitive camp, bring baby wipes, etc

 

Ice chest, Lantern, or whatever you want for comfort, except on advanced courses.

 

Below are recommendations or links to all the items you may need for our training classes! Please help support us by purchasing necessary items for courses through our online store.

 

CMM Survival Custom Kits

CMM Survival Kits- We build custom survival kits to suit your needs.  For classes we recommend the CMMS Standard Survival Kit.

 

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Medical Kits

Trauma Kit- This is a comprehensive trauma kit for all types of medical issues.

Notepad and pencil

Latex, vinyl or nitrile gloves

CPR mask

Pulse oximeter

Thermometer

Stethoscope

Blood Pressure Cuff

Collapsible BVM (Bag Valve Mask)

OPA assortment

Heavy-duty 1” and 2” surgical tape

More Sterile 4x4 sponge or blood absorbers

Gauze pads 4x4

Rolled gauze/bandages

Israeli bandage (trauma dressing)

Hemostatic dressings

Open chest seal

CAT Tourniquet or SWAT-T Tourniquet

SAM Splint

Tweezers

Duct tape

Needle and thread

X4 Band-Aids (especially important if there are children in your group)

Any medication or Rx that I might need for myself. (heart meds, EpiPen, etc)

Pain Relievers (Ibuprofen, Tylenol, Aspirin, Baby Aspirin for Blood Loss) 

Benadryl or other cold/cough meds

Antacids and anti-diarrheal

Antibiotic ointment

Salt and Sugar Packets – to make electrolytes

Cake Frosting – in case someone has diabetes

 

Food and Field Ready Meals

*You will have to provide your own food for every course that we offer unless you purchase the food option available with some of our classes. Water will be provided!

WISE Food Storage- Easy to prepare freeze dried food!

Survival Cave Food - Easy to prepare freeze dried food!

 

Knives, Saws, Tools & Lighting

Bushcraft Style Knife

Ferro Rod Fire Starter

Corona, Silky saw, or Bahco Folding Saw

100' Paracord

Multi-tool (Leatherman)

Flashlight

Headlamp (w/ red light option)

 

Combat/Self Defense Knives

While we feel you will not need a combat knife at camp and do not teach knife fighting techniques, some people like to carry one.  Follow the links below for two comprehensive lists of these style knives. 

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Shelter Options

Warbonnet Hammock, tarp and underquilt

Lightweight Tent

Ground Sleeping Pad

Sleeping  Bag

 

Clothing and Rain Gear

Rugged Outdoor Clothing

Poncho

Goretex Outer Wear and Other Rain Gear

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Water Purification, Filters, and Containers

Sawyer 2 Liter Water Filter System

Sawyer Squeeze

Sawyer Mini Filter

Kleen Kanteen Stainless Steel Water Bottle

Space Saver Nalgene Cup

Hydration Backpack

 

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