Our Survival Library

Great Sources of Outback Skills Knowledge

Like most people that spend time in the outdoors we have accumulated a few good books filled with great information over the years. If you ask you friends, or search the internet, for recommendations about which Hiking, Camping or Survival books you should have in your home library I’m sure that you’ll come up with a vast array of references. Actually - probably too many. So how do you separate the good ones from the bad?

Although there can be overlap between the types, in our opinion, the knowledge that you need for the outback is contained in three categories of books:
 
            1) Visual and skill reference books
            2) Mindset and attitude books
            3) Pure reference books
 
We have a couple of each type. Based on our experience the “go to” books that we keep with our gear so that we can easily find and reference them are:
 
1) The Survival Handbook: Essential Skills for Outdoor Adventure by DK Publishing and Colin Towell
 
2) Survive!: Essential Skills and Tactics to Get You Out of Anywhere – Alive by Les Stroud
 
3) SAS Survival Guide 2E (Collins Gem): For any climate, for any situation by John "Lofty" Wiseman
 
4) Bushcraft 101: A Field Guide to the Art of Wilderness Survival by Dave Canterbury
 
5) Pocket Ref 4th Edition – by Thomas Glover
 
You can read a little about each book and why we like it on the Camping/Maps and Books page.

So that’s our short list of great outdoor reference books. What books do you find critical to your activities? What books do you love? What books disappointed you? Let us know.