The Cable Tie Survival Guide

Cable ties may not be the sort of item that springs to mind immediately when putting together a survival kit but you would be surprised at the multiple uses for this simple tool. Cable ties are a great item to have to hand when you are travelling, hiking, camping, or venturing off on a Ray Mears style expedition for the weekend to practice your survival skills in the wild!

The fact that they are inexpensive, lightweight and durable means that there is no excuse for not having a handful of these in your backpack, particularly as they are bound to come in handy.

Here are a handful of their potential uses to get you started: 

1.   Secure A Temporary Shelter

Secure your tarpaulin, cover or shelter quickly and easily using cable ties, which will enable you to attach materials to posts, trees and branches without any fuss or difficulty. There is no danger of the cable ties coming undone and when it is time to move on, you simply cut through the ties to remove them in an instant.

2.   Emergency Repair Job

Carry out an emergency repair job on all kinds of things including broken zippers, handles bags and shoes. This will enable you to secure your clothing a bag or your tent until you are in a position to repair it properly.

3.   Temporary Lock

They may be easy to cut through and remove but they also act as a great deterrent to thieves and opportunists because once removed or cut, it will be immediately apparent that something has been tampered with.

Use a cable tie to secure tent doors and bags whilst travelling and you will know immediately if something untoward has occurred.

4.   Condense Your Luggage

Packing everything you need into a small backpack or case can be tricky at the best of times and it is important to make the best possible use of every inch of your space. Cable ties can help you to do this; simply roll larger items, (in multiples if you wish), then secure them tightly to condense them and make space, using a couple of handy cable ties.

5.   Carry ‘Excess Baggage’ Securely

You may find that it is easier to carry one or two extra items on the outside of your backpack when travelling from a to b and if so, a cable tie will enable you to thoroughly secure your item, making sure that it will not get lost on route. This is a great way to carry items that will not fit inside your bag, particularly if you do not need to use them regularly. You will always know exactly where they are when you need them!

6.   Secure A Snare

If you fancy yourself as the next Ray Mears or Bear Grylls and you plan to set a snare to catch your next meal, a cable tie is a convenient bit of kit that will help you to attach your snare to a branch quickly and easily. Use transparent or green ties that will blend into the natural surroundings seamlessly.

7.   Critter Protection

At certain times of the year, ticks can be a real nuisance and when walking through long undergrowth it is easy for them to latch onto you. Secure the bottoms of your trouser legs close to the skin to make it difficult for any critters to crawl up your trouser legs. In certain areas, snakes and other critters can be an issue and using this temporary method as a precautionary measure can give you a great deal of peace of mind!