Badlands Fieldcraft: Opinion: 10 C’s of Survivability

This originally appeared at Badlands Fieldcraft.

Dave Canterbury is a survival trainer based out of Jackson, Ohio. He has a school there called The Pathfinder School where he and his instructors teach different survival classes at different levels of intensities.

Dave is also a historian of sorts when it comes to survival and self reliance, basing a lot of his teachings off of those that have been proven through hundreds of years of use. I think he and his instructors do an excellent job combining historically proven methods with modern equipment and ideas.

One core idea that he teaches is the “10 C’s of Survivability”. When I first learned of it and studied it, I really liked how it helped me to not just organize survival items, but also the knowledge to go with those items. I encourage you to learn this system. If an item has made it onto the “10 C’s”, you can rest assured it is worthwhile learning to use it the best you can.

The “10 C’s” is not a list of 10 items, but rather 10 categories of items that should you find yourself in a survival situation, or just trying to live off the land, could prove both very useful and also very hard to re-create using natural materials. It is much better to bring these items with you and not need them, then the other way around.

The “10 C’s” are:

1. Combustion Device

2. Cutting tool

3. Cordage

4. Cover elements – This is your clothing as well as any other shelter equipment you may bring with you.

5. Container – This should be a container capable of having water boiled in it and making charred material.

6. Compass

7. Canvas sail needle – A heavy needle for repair work as well as first aid uses.

9. Candeling device – fancy wording for a light. A headlamp is my first choice.

8. Cotton material – A shemagh is my favorite. Works well to keep you cool/warm, pre-filter water, as a bandage or sling.

10. Cargo tape – This is typically Gorilla tape.

The “10 C’s” can be further broken down into the “first 5 C’s” and the second. I’ve listed them in this order above. The “first 5 C’s” are considered essential because they are the items you will need to really survive by regulating your bodies core temperature and providing a means to hydrate yourself. The “second 5 C’s” while not essential are all items that are very useful but also too hard or impossible to recreate off the landscape. Once again, better to have and not need then to need and not have.

Dave runs a very helpful YouTube channel detailing the “10 C’s” as well as many other subjects related to survival and self reliance and I encourage the reader to study them.

The 10 C’s and the skills associated with them have helped me come a long way in my wilderness survival skills and are the cornerstone of much of my survival training. I hope you will find them useful as well.

Spread the love
                

Share This Story, Choose Your Platform!

About the Author: NC Scout

NC Scout is the nom de guerre of a former Infantry Scout and Sergeant in one of the Army’s best Reconnaissance Units. He has combat tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan. He teaches a series of courses focusing on small unit skills rarely if ever taught anywhere else in the prepping and survival field, including his RTO Course which focuses on small unit communications. In his free time he is an avid hunter, bushcrafter, writer, long range shooter, prepper, amateur radio operator and Libertarian activist. He can be contacted at [email protected] or via his blog at brushbeater.wordpress.com .

6 Comments

  1. Anonymous June 12, 2020 at 08:17

    4.5

  2. Anonymous June 12, 2020 at 10:11

    5

  3. Mark Laughlin June 12, 2020 at 10:37

    Good list. Several items I hadn’t thought of. My recent AmbGun video on the “Backpack Rifle” argues for size & weight “opportunity cost” analysis. Very sensitive in mountain bike side of things, where I am often deep in the wilderness, beyond cell signal, and usually alone. I already have a follow up video planned and will reference this 10 C’s list.
    https://youtu.be/hdoaDvwCats

  4. Pineslayer June 12, 2020 at 12:32

    Dave really breaks it down simply and it is a great tool to teach those that are new to the game. It’s a good system for all of us.

  5. Badlands Rifleman June 13, 2020 at 13:23

    Hey Mark, glad you enjoyed the article. I watched your video and enjoyed it. That’s a pretty decent amount of firepower under 6 pounds. Backpack rifles are a subject I haven’t been able to fully wrap my head around, although your example of using one while mountain biking is probably the best argument for one I’ve seen yet. If things are dangerous enough for me to be packing a rifle though, I want something a little more purpose built and in hand. Otherwise I’ll just bring a pistol. The 10 C’s is a pretty solid concept, although it should almost be 11 C’s, with the addition of a “Combination tool”. I’ve enjoyed learning the system and the skills that go with it, and then adapting it to my environment.

  6. James June 14, 2020 at 20:42

    In regards to a “canvas sail” does the speedy stitcher count as a alt?I used one as a kid and JD a few years back recommended for gear repair ect.There are good videos of folks using for some serious canvas sail repair ect.,short money and ease to use learning/comes loaded with decent thread but folks may want to up thread strength.

    I personally would not view this as a “body repair ” kit but open to ideas,feel hand stitch a better way for that(practice on chicken breast ect.),any how,good list of goods.

Comments are closed.

GUNS N GEAR

Categories

Archives

Spread the love