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Being an effective survivalist is all about taking simple, everyday items that can serve multiple purposes and then putting them into action in real-life situations.
Belts have been used by man for thousands of years in a variety of different ways. And the modern leather belt of today can be very useful in a survival situation. Below are 10 things a belt can do other than keep your pants up:
1. Carry multiple items. This one may be be obvious. A sturdy, durable leather belt will be the best device you have to carry primary items that you need quick access to, such as a handgun, spare ammunition, a knife, flashlight, hatchet and so on.
2. Work as cordage. If a belt ever gets to the point that it can’t be effectively used anymore, you can whittle it down with a knife to make cordage. The cordage can be used for a number of different survival applications such as fishing line, shoe laces – or even to fasten a shelter together.
3. Keep food off the ground. You can’t afford to let any food go to waste in a survival situation. So while you’re sleeping under the stars, your food needs to be suspended above the ground to keep it out of the range of hungry animals. If you don’t have any rope to suspend your food from a tree, a belt will work just fine.
4. Work as medical sling/tourniquet/splint fastener. There are very few things that will be as detrimental to your survival as an injury or a fracture. This means it is very important that you take care of any injuries as effectively as you can.
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In an emergency, you can use a leather belt to fasten a tourniquet on a limb to stop any bleeding or to fasten a splint to support an injured leg or arm. You also can wrap a belt around your arm and neck to make a sling.
5. Pack firewood. When you’re on the move and come across an area with excellent firewood, you are going to want to scoop some up in case you don’t come across such an opportunity later on in your travels. It’s a major pain to try to pack firewood with your bare hands, so wrapping up a bundle with a belt will make things much easier.
6. Pull someone to safety. If a member of your group ever falls into a pit or a body of water, a sturdy belt is a fine alternative to rope in order to try to pull them out.
7. Work as spear fastener. Security is a major part of survival, and if you have to make your own makeshift weapons, then that’s what you have to do.
You may have to punch a few more holes in your belt, but it can be used to fasten a knife to the end of a pole to make a spear.
8. Be a stretcher puller. If you have an injured member in your group or have shot a big game animal for food, you are probably going to need a stretcher to carry the person or animal. Pulling a stretcher will always be easier if you latch a belt onto the end of it.
9. Serve as a weapon. You can take a rock and sharpen the prong of a belt buckle for use as a whip-like weapon.
10. Wrap up clothing. You should always be prepared for the worst to happen, and that includes being prepared for rain and cold weather. A good jacket or a coat is an absolute must for survival. But on days when the weather is hot, it can be very difficult to stuff a jacket into an already full backpack. Instead, you can wrap your coat into a bundle with a leather belt and then attach it to the outside of the pack. Then you’re good to go until it’s needed. You also could stuff small items into your coat bundle as well.
What would you add to the list? Share your tips in the section below:
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