Customer Reviews

Wilderness Survival Handbook: A Practical, All-Season Guide To Short-Trip Preparation And Survival Techniques For Hikers, Skiers, Backpackers, ... Aircraft-And Anyone Stranded In The Outdoors

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Alan Fry is a Canadian woodsman with years of experience in the art of wilderness survival. His book is a concise and readable guide for the preparation and execution of a survival plan, especially in the extreme environment of the boreal north. Although its emphasis is on emergency situations in a particular ecosystem, many of his ideas can be readily adapted to any temperate region or contingency by the intelligent reader. Please note that this is not primarily a book for the recreational backpacker. Rather, it's a hard-core guide to survival under extreme circumstances in a particular environment. That having been said, it's still recommended reading for anyone who ventures into the outdoors. Useful, light-weight, and perfect for the field.

I venture into the boreal wilderness twice a year, so this book is a natural fit (the book's setting is mainly boreal/sub-boreal). What is best about the book is it's practicality. Though there is enough information on bare-bones survival, Alan Fry assumes that, if you've headed into the wilderness whether by foot, watercraft, or bush plane, you've had enough sense about you to bring some essentials (and attached to your person!). This is a needed contrast to all the wilderness survival books out there that teach survival techniques assuming you are veritably buck naked. Why would that ever happen to you? Exactly how did you wind up in such a situation? There can only be one reason: poor planning and sheer stupidity. Thus, this book generally assumes that you've got at least some basic items strapped on to you (e.g., knife, matches, rations, compass, fishing accouterments, saw, medical kit, snare wire, and RIFLE!). AS to the latter, many survival books don't address the use of firearms at all and, the fact is, if you've got one, your chances of survival just increased 10-fold. Plus, Fry doesn't inundate the reader with pet religious philosophies (ala Tom Brown!) that have nothing to do with why you purchased the book.

Now, if you're a survivalist who enjoys bare-bones stuff, you cannot go without Tom Brown's Field Guide to Wilderness Survival. But, if you're simply a wilderness enthusiast that needs to know how to take care of yourself if you ever become stranded on one of your wilderness trips, this is the book for you, hands-down.

I have alot of books on the topic but this has to be one of my favorites. The author really lies it down what works in the real world of Northern outdoor survival and long term camping. It is really well written, step by step along with very informative drawings which are the best I've seen. It contains tons of traps and shelter making methods. There's a reason it has gone out of print, find out why.

I have alot of books on the topic but this has to be one of my favorites. The author really knows what he's talking about and lies it down what works in the real world of Northern outdoor survival/camping without all the fancy story telling aproach. It is well written, step by step along with very informative drawings which are the best I've seen. It contains tons of useful info from clothing materials to traps and shelter making methods. Really beefy stuff and all clearly explained. There's a reason this book has gone out of print, find out why.

Wilderness Survival Handbook by Alan Fry is the real thing and the most useful resource I have found. I have actually built all of the snares and triggers shown in this book. Alan Fry reeks of 24 karat. I have purchased several of the 1983 hardbacks for family members and highly recommend it to others. Buy the hardback 1983 copy if you can find it.

I am an outdoor fan and love this book for the knowledge - just in case. I've watched Survivorman and much of what he says and does I learned from the book. He must have read it also!