Survival Skills: Study A Century Old Wilderness Survival Kit

The Hudson’s Bay Company, founded in 1670, is one of the oldest companies in the world and the oldest commercial corporation still operating in North America. Much of the company’s existence was founded on the fur trade in North America, specifically in Canada. With traders, hunters and trappers wandering so much of the untamed North, their experiences clearly showed them the need for survival gear.

While this kit seems antiquated by today’s standards, I think there is a lot of wisdom built into this collection of food, gear and supplies. I know I’d rather have all this stuff than not have it if my plane went down or my canoe was lost.

The Equipment

'How to Stay Alive in the Woods' by Brad Angier gives us a look at the traditional equipment roster for the early 1900’s, which was standard issue to all HBC aircraft at the time. The kit measured 12 x 11 x 3 1/2 inches, and weighed 11 pounds. The small crate was packaged so that it was watertight and would be able to float. It is supposed to sustain a person for one to two weeks in the wilderness. Here are the classic contents:

28 tea bags

50 Vitamin pills

30 oz. Pilot Bread (aka hardtack, which is a form of simple cracker made from flour, water and salt.)

16 oz Canned Butter

14 1/2 oz Strawberry Jam

12 oz Canned Ham

14 oz Condensed Milk

10.5 oz Chocolate Bars

100 Matches

1 Knife

1 Spoon

1 Whistle

1 two sided mirror

1 Fishing line

4 Fishhooks

1 ounce of Snare Wire

2 Candles

Kleenex (small amount)

Camphor

That’s it. That’s the whole survival kit. How do we fairly assess this thing? Is it a bulky and heavy survival kit? It absolutely is. Are some of these items outdated? Yes, some items are old fashioned, but that doesn’t make them bad items. There’s some wisdom in this kit. Those tea bags can prevent a debilitating caffeine withdrawal headache, as well as being used to treat toothaches and other inflammation. The “ready to eat” food is also smart. If a person updated the foods, swapped out the candles for an LED flashlight, and put it in a plastic box instead of a wooden crate - this kit wouldn’t seem strange at all. So consider the past, when you’re planning for the future. A study of history can help you more than you might imagine.

Written by Tim MacWelch First draft published on outdoorlife.com