Survivalism: what it is and how to be self-sufficient

Have you ever heard of survivalism? If you're an adventurer, enjoy camping, being in touch with nature, and exploring new trails, even if you haven't been properly introduced to it yet, you've certainly put some of the techniques that are part of this concept into practice.

Survivalism is a life philosophy that involves preparing to deal with survival situations — and even extends to physical, financial, and mental problems. It's a culture that boils down to having the attitude and awareness to always expect the best from the world, but also to be prepared for the worst.

With a unique worldview, to exercise this instinct and survival practices, it's common for followers of the movement to go into forests, hills, and riverbanks, practicing bushcraft and survival skills. It's pure adventure!

Interested? To fully understand the survivalist lifestyle, keep reading!

What is survivalism?

Many people get confused thinking that survivalism is limited to practicing survival techniques in the wilderness. This, in fact, is a very important part of everything this culture preaches, but it's not the only one.

In simple terms, survivalism is an attempt to become more self-sufficient, to be able to overcome society's crises and volatilities in a healthier way.

It is a constant struggle to be more sustainable and find ways to deal with problems like water scarcity without relying exclusively on the system we live in for it.

How to become a survivalist?

After understanding everything the survivalist lifestyle entails, finding a reason to develop survival skills and prepare for unforeseen events and social crises, the next step is to find the right tools!

When subjecting yourself to survival situations, you'll need a survival kit for camping, exploring unknown places, fishing, and other similar activities.

In this kit, you should consider everything from resting items, such as a tent and sleeping pad, to safety items and tools for setting up camp and cooking.

In addition to the basic equipment that immediately comes to mind for dealing with camping situations, such as a backpack, tent, sleeping pad, flashlight, it is essential to have efficient blades for food preparation, camping, bushcraft, and survival processes.

Take the opportunity to supplement your learning by checking out our post on the 4 biggest myths about jungle survival!

Blades for bushcraft and survival

A sports knife, a machete, and a tactical folding knife are essential for survival situations. After all, there are functions that only these tools can perform.

To split firewood, clean caught fish, clear terrain, cut through brush, and even defend against dangers, only high-quality blades will do the job.

It's also worth noting that blades of different sizes (folding knife, knife, and machete) have their own functionalities. Each will be more efficient for a specific task. The important thing is that they are all sharp and durable.

At CIMO, we specialize in various types of blades, ranging from kitchen knives and fishing pocketknives to machetes for bushcraft and survival, and Rigiflex axes.

Observing so many options can make choosing difficult. With that in mind, we've developed a very comprehensive post that teaches you how to choose a good survival pocketknife, check it out!

What are the main survival techniques?

There are several survival techniques that survivalists seek to practice, these include:

• Cleaning fish

• Making fire

• Tying good knots

• First aid

• Dealing with low temperatures

• Foraging or finding food in the wilderness.

Why practice survivalism?

In addition to training self-sufficiency in various areas of our lives, the benefits of walking through wild forests, breathing fresh air, exercising, carrying a tent, sleeping pad, supplies, and firewood for a campfire are numerous.

Survivalism improves our overall health, strengthening our muscles, our immune system, and our mental health.

Contact with nature and relaxing activities, such as fishing, relieve us from the stress of urban life and the daily rush.

Thus, being with friends on such adventures also helps strengthen group coexistence, improving the sense of community and companionship — not to mention that you will learn incredible survival techniques you never imagined.

Why not be satisfied with the conveniences we have achieved?

It's not that we shouldn't be satisfied and enjoy all the conveniences that humanity has achieved. The fact is that never in history have people been so sick, never have so many medicines been sold as today.

And this happens, in part, because these conveniences make us more sedentary and, consequently, with weakened health.

Stop and think, today people hardly have contact with nature anymore, they do little physical exercise, and whenever possible they choose to drive instead of walking or cycling.

As a result, this movement that leads people to want to be more in contact with nature has formed a group that adheres to survivalist practices and gains new adherents every day.

Survivalism provides many benefits for its practitioners, as it is a philosophy that takes them back to their roots, removing them from routine and from activities that distance us from our essence, harming us in some aspects.

What are the best survival knives?

When talking about survival pocketknives, we can include tactical pocketknives, in addition to models for camping and fishing, which are categorized on the CIMO website.

Despite this, there is a specific section with options for bushcraft and survival pocketknives, ideal for all survival situations. Here are some of the models we recommend:

CIMO K85-G10 Komodo stainless steel folding knife with clip

Made of certified 420C stainless steel — a special steel with oxidation resistance — Drop Point blade profile and brushed finish, this model has the precise cut, sharpness, and durability that the survivalist lifestyle demands.

In addition, the model has a safety lock that prevents accidents and a pocket clip, which is the rear clip that allows the pocketknife to be attached to a pocket or belt.

CIMO K85T-G10-BTI Komodo Tanto Black Titanium folding knife

Ideal for your EDC, this survival folding knife model features a Tanto profile blade coated with titanium, fastening screws, blade back, and pocket clip coated with our BTI (Black Titanium) technology, which makes this model almost indestructible.

BTI technology consists of coating the surface of stainless steel components, in order to increase the lifespan of the piece, in addition to adding a dark blue-black coloration to the blade.

CIMO K85C Komodo Cleaver Black Titanium folding knife

With the same BTI technology as the previous model, the K85C folding knife offers a surface hardness above 3000 Vickers, equivalent to the hardness of Sapphire, and biocompatibility, which prevents it from leaving residues or interacting with food.

It also has a non-stick surface with resistance against wear, scratches, and scrapes and chemical stability that increases the anti-rust property of stainless steel. The Cleaver profile is an excellent pocket tool made of AISI 420C stainless steel with BTI coating.

What are the best survival knives?

In addition to pocketknives and axes, there are also knives like those you can find on our website with specific characteristics designed to favor bushcraft and survival techniques. Here are some of the main ones:

CIMO AX Borba Carbon 5" Rigiflex Coyote handle knife with black sheath

This is a functional and reliable model that meets the needs of the survivalist lifestyle for camping or bushcraft.

Made of SAE 1075 carbon steel with a high-resistance textured paint, the model has a full tang blade with a Clip Point profile and comes with serrations that enhance grip.

CIMO AX Cosme Carbon 5" Rigiflex Cyber handle knife with black sheath

Robust and practical, like the other models in the AX line, this knife is inspired by great expeditions around the world, where the journey is more important than the destination.

Its blade is laser-cut and made of SAE 1075 carbon steel, tempered in a controlled atmosphere that achieves the ideal hardness and toughness for outdoor use!

CIMO AX Borba Carbon 5" Rigiflex Cyber handle knife

Safe, resistant, and sharp, this knife suitable for survivalism has a full tang blade with a Clip Point profile and hollow grind sharpening.

To maximize resistance to carbon steel oxidation, its paint undergoes several processes, such as the application of tricationic phosphate until the result is achieved, which is a robust and resistant product.

This was CIMO's explanation of the survivalist lifestyle! We hope to have contributed to your understanding of this culture and are happy to bring you a little closer to the incredible world of cutlery.

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See you next time!