Top 10 Life Hacks That Can Help You In An Emergency

If you’re a cyclist, flat tires are inevitable. For many, the solution is as simple as popping in their spare inner tube. But what if you forgot to pack it - or worse, this is your second flat tire of the day? If you’re in an isolated area, you’re bound to start feeling pretty hopeless, but don’t give up just yet. Your tire won’t hold air, but it can still be given shape with another material – grass. Remove the tire, fill it with grass and leaves and then put it back on the rim. It won’t be quick, but it’ll get you home.

This might sound silly, but until you’re in the sort of situation that requires ingenuity, you don’t really appreciate just how useful a belt is. Think of a sturdy leather belt as a wearable emergency multi-tool. You can wrap it around your palms when handling hot items or use it as a short rope. You can use it to sharpen a knife. From bundling firewood to securing the joint in a makeshift structure, your belt’s sturdy leather and buckle can make your life a whole lot easier in an emergency. Heck, it can even be used a defensive weapon!

If you're starving, a nearby stream can be a blessing. But how are you going to catch fish without your gear? Well, if this disaster began as a camping trip, you might have just the gear you need: a drink can tab. By cutting the tab at the joints and twisting, you can get a nice sharp makeshift hook. Now what about bait? Well, in the great outdoors, it should be pretty easy to dig for worms or other tasty bugs! Hopefully you brought fishing twine as part of your survival gear given its versatility, but in a pinch, twine or even shoelaces can work.

Unless you’re a seriously minimalist woodsperson, chances are that your camping trips rely relatively heavily on various battery-operated devices and tools. And as anyone in the modern world can relate to, one of the frustrations that comes with batteries are the various sizes. If your flashlight dies and all you’ve got are triple As and it takes doubles, that’s not going to work. Or is it? With a little aluminum foil, you can easily fashion a battery adapter of sorts to bridge the gap between the battery and the connectors on your device. You can even use tinfoil to replace an entire missing battery!

Regardless of whether a bit of adult intimacy is on the menu or not, it's not a bad idea to pack a few condoms all the same – specifically, unlubricated ones. Small, compact, and virtually weightless, these super strong, expanding tubes of latex can be a great way to store and transport water when you’ve got no other, more practical vessels on-hand, like water bottles or canteens. It might look a little odd, but just think of it as a water balloon. And really, who cares about appearances when survival is your top priority?

You’ve already got a pop can fishing hook, but with the addition of a tampon's plastic applicator you can also have a makeshift bobber. Of course, this isn’t the only purpose a tampon can serve in a pinch. People have been known to use tampons as rudimentary water filtration systems. They won’t get rid of any bacteria in the water, but they can filter out physical debris so that all you need to do is boil the water. Last but not least, the material that tampons are made out of allows them to double as a great firestarter.

Given its versatility, small size and nearly non-existent weight, a sewing needle is something that you should never go camping or hiking without. Should you find yourself lost, you’ll be particularly thankful that you packed it. By rubbing the tip back and forth against a material like silk, wool, hair or fur, you can give it a low level of magnetism. Next, pierce it through a dry, slightly curved leaf, and then float that leaf in a stagnant pool of water while protecting it from wind with your body. Free floating, the magnetized needle will spin and point you in the direction of magnetic north.

We really hope you never need to use this particular hack. Like a needle, a small tube of instant drying super glue is a great tool to have with you whenever you’re going out on an adventure. Not only can it be used to quickly and effectively repair many of the tools and devices that might break while you’re at the mercy of the wilderness, but, should you find yourself with a nasty cut that needs to stitched up – and you DIDN’T bring a needle – superglue can serve as a temporary solution while you make your way to a proper medical facility.

No one wants to give up their tasty snacks – let alone see them literally go up in flames. But, when the choice is between freezing all night with nothing but some salty snack to keep you warm or the comforts of a nice campfire… the choice is a simple one. Because of the high fat content and dried out nature of chips – particularly corn chips like Doritos or Fritos – they are a great way to get a fire going in the absence of an inedible alternative. As a bonus, they also have a surprisingly nice, controlled burn to them.

We really hope you never find yourself in an urban disaster that requires the use of a makeshift air filter. However, if it happens, the cup of a bra is probably the quickest and easiest thing you can find in your own home that will provide at least rudimentary protection for your airways. This isn’t going to filter out poisonous gas, but for physical matter in the air that could make it difficult to breathe, a bra can stand in for a basic breathing mask. An inventor in Chicago, Illinois actually markets bras with design features for just this purpose, but you can equally DIY it.