Survival weapons. The words alone can conjure up a sense of doom, of strife, of struggle. But without the right survival weapons, no matter what situation that you face, you might be climbing an uphill battle. There are many different survival weapons and just because they exist, it doesn’t mean that you should go out and gather them all up right now. What good would a bow and arrow do for you if you’ve never fired one?

When it comes to survival, the most important tool, and weapon –if you will- is your brain. If you don’t exercise with this weapon regularly, practice different situations and run through different scenarios in your head, then it won’t matter what you do; you won’t survive. Fill your mind with as much information as you can muster about survival and then –and only then- should you begin to look at the physical survival weapons.

Knives

One of the most basic and important weapon for survival is a knife. When you think about a knife, think of Rambo in that classic first installment. The knife you choose can be just as important as any other survival weapon. Swiss Army knives are convenient for some things, and you should certainly consider a multi-faceted knife like this, but a small blade isn’t going to do you much good in many situations.

A larger knife, like a Bowie knife, can help you when you have to hunt or protect yourself from other people, depending on the situation. With a large knife, you can cut and shape sticks into spears for fishing, gnash poles for shelter, and do a number of other important tasks. A large knife is also easier to keep sharp since the right stone can be used on it without having to worry about destroying the small, fragile blade that is often found in small pocket utility knives.

If you’re out in the wild, unless you’re in the Pacific Northwest during the seventies, you’re not likely going to encounter a wild boar, but still, a large knife can be used to help you hunt for small animals, such as rabbits and squirrels.

Bow and arrow

While the art of shooting a bow and arrow is often taught still in gym classes in high school, it’s usually for no more than one or two classes. A bow and arrow can be an integral part of any survival plan. The reason for this is that most of us can’t imagine a situation where we might have to survive for many months, or years, but if the likelihood of being put to this kind of test exists for a few days, then it also exists for many months or years.

Ammunition will run out eventually for most guns. A bow and arrow will continuously be available. You can either fabricate your own arrows or remove the ones you have from prey or missed shots and reuse them. For experienced bow hunters, there are even ways to alter to trajectory of the arrows by removing or reducing the feathers, but that’s a different discussion for another time.

A bow and arrow can help to keep your presence in an area secret as it is silent whereas a gun can be heard for miles and miles, depending on the gun and where it is fired.

Crossbow

A crossbow is a close relative of the bow and arrow. It uses arrows but shoots similarly to a gun. The advantage with the crossbow is that it is easier to aim and shoot, requires less space to carry around and fire, and like the bow, it will be relatively silent, so that you don’t have to inadvertently give away your position to anyone.

Guns

The most devastating and vital of the survival weapons, of course, is the gun. Having guns at your disposal will increase your chances of survival tenfold over not having any kind of weapon. When it comes to survival, there will be countless people who will be in the same situation as you, all looking for that edge to survive one more day. Having guns will put you at a clear advantage, or at least level the playing field if you come across other malicious survivalists, or more appropriately, opportunists.

Survival weapons come in many sizes and shapes and each one will serve an important purpose in your struggle to survive. No one can predict what tomorrow will bring. For most of us, we may never have to truly depend on our survival skills, but the possibility always exists and it’s best to be prepared. Just in case.