We have serious doubts about some of the survival advice given on Man vs. Wild. Apparently the first thing you should do if you catch dysentery in the rain forest is climb a waterfall… who knew?

Your chances of being stranded in a wilderness plane crash are slim to none, but if it happens, you’re probably screwed, whether you watch the show or not. However camping and hiking misadventures are much more common. Bringing along these lightweight and compact camping supplies will cover some of the basic essentials in case of emergencies, without forcing you to duplicate a Bear Grylls ratings stunt.

SteriPen

You can’t survive without water, but drinking from streams and ponds is a great way to learn what it feels like to shit napalm. Hence why the pocket-sized SteriPen can quite literally save your ass. The UV light in the SteriPen kills water-borne viruses, bacteria and cysts, including Giardia and Cryptosporidium producing water that’s safe to drink.

link: Buy a SteriPen ($109.95 from Amazon)

Brunton Firestorm

Sure he makes it look easy, but have you ever actually tried starting a fire by rubbing sticks together? It’s hard in perfect weather, let alone wind or rain. The Firestorm will let you create that most basic of human tools in almost any conditions. It works in up to 80 mph winds, becomes waterproof with a screw-on cap, and is good for up to 30,000 uses.

link: Buy a Brunton Firestorm ($50.00 from C&C Outdoors)

MacPac Microlight

A tent that rolls up small enough to fit into a day pack seems like it’d be about as ineffective a long term shelter as one of Bear’s leafy lean-tos, but this thing is built for performance as well as portability. With seam-sealed tub floors and a durable silicon coated nylon exterior, you’ll stay dry even in heavy downpour. And if the weather is behaving you can easily remove layers for a more comfortable night’s rest.

link: Buy MacPac Microlight ($399.98 from Needle Sports UK)