101 Skills You Need to Survive in the Woods: The Most Effective Wilderness Know-How on Fire-Making, Knife Work, Navigation, Shelter, Food and More

( I am no expert, and this is just my opinion on something) (I'm confident in my skill set but you can never have enough knowledge) I'm an avid woodsman and spend as much time as possible in nature. Received this in mail last night. So far I can tell this is above the rest of the "survival" books. I haven't read much yet but the basis for this surpasses the others because well this isn't a gimmick book. This isn't a zombie apocalypse nuclear fallout extreme situation book. This is no nonsense knowledge. From survival in emergencies to just a great understanding of the woods and "bushcraft" this isn't pushing a certain pace, gear, a pre made kit like most do. Thank you @estelawilded for this great piece of work. Nothing beats knowledge gotta keep things sharp in the brain as well as blade. 🍻. So in this I highly suggest this book. Even if you are confident in your skill set and have been a woods tramper for your whole life it's always good to refresh and learn new ways for you to do things. Safe journeys and remember it's one thing to know but another to do get out and practice

Not a bad book for practical knowledge and progression, but I was bothered by a few things. I am a realist with a twist of pessimist. Sure, there is a section on knots, but no good illustrations on how to tie the knots are provided - just a picture of the final knot. However, I far more troubled by the incorrect scientific information mentioned. Notably, the chemistry of fire triangle and the physics of air currents were incorrect. Even worse, aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) is derived from the salicylic acid found in willow bark, but the author says acetaminophen (a.k.a. Tylenol) is. The mention of the taste of oxalic acid made me cringe a little as it is the harmful when ingested chemical found in rhubarb leaves. This book does not make the top 10 in my library section on survival.

Many survival books don't discuss the most important factor, the mindset. Kevin does a phenomenal job delving into this before he presents any skills. The book is also color coded to make it easy to reference the section/skill you are looking for. This is a MUST HAVE for any outdoorsman's library

Before you go, everything in this book is helpful to know. Perfect gift for the outdoor enthusiast looking to pack less and adventure more efficiently. Perfect for the Cub Scout leader looking to inspire kids for the future. Perfect for the guy, standing at the wood line, wondering what all happens when you step off the edge of the lawn and into the deep woods Buy this book for yourself, someone you love, or your local library. Get it into everyone’s hands so that they may enjoy the outdoors more fully and have the confidence to bring someone else along with them in order to share the fun!

This guide has excellent visuals and the author is very articulate in his delivery of this valuable information. I’m completely blown away and enjoyed every minute reading it. The words WORLD CLASS and REFERENCE STANDARD come to mind and describe this book perfectly. Perfect gift to buy for those you care about. To the author: Thank you for taking the time to do this!!

Mr. Estella does a superb job of covering all the critical elements and then some with great tips for beginners and experts alike. From knife work to first aid, even to the often forgotten need for light discipline at night, the contents of this book could save your life. The book is an easy, accessible read and very well illustrated. Definitely keep handy for everything from a day hike to a days' long camping expedition.

Nice book, good clear explanations with photos. Actually field tested information unlike a lot of other books on this subject. If you are getting one book on this subject this is the one to get.

Amazing book and a good read. Broken down into sections that make sense. This author lives what he teaches and presents the material in a way that the average person can accomplish everything in the text

This is a great compilation of survival skills that you don't know you probably need. It's not a "comprehensive" guide in the manner of a step-by-step wilderness survival guide, but more of a "grab it and read a few super-fascinating tips every day" kind of book. Don't let that dissuade you -- each group of skills is broken down by survival area: - fire - shelter skills - knife skills - cordage - illumination/light - navigation - signaling and communication - first aid - water - food gathering Grab this book and stick it someplace where you'll read a few new skills every day, like when you drink your morning coffee. When you need a skill, you'll remember it and be able to refer back to it thanks to the well designed table of contents.

Simply put, this is the best comprehensive outdoors skills book you will ever read. Mr. Estella’s extensive research combined with training and firsthand real world experience is showcased throughout the pages. To quote the section in the author’s forward, “Find a school or training program that fits your style, and don’t change yourself to fit theirs. Do not let this book, as proud as I am of it, be your sole teacher. Books do not replace human interaction and instruction.” The reason I personally take this quote to heart so much, is that Mr. Estella understands that there is no one magical way to get teach people about outdoors survival and no one instructor that appeals to every personality. He’s also stating in the nicest possible way, that you are required to get off your butt and into the great wild areas to hone these skills.

( I am no expert, and this is just my opinion on something) (I'm confident in my skill set but you can never have enough knowledge) I'm an avid woodsman and spend as much time as possible in nature. Received this in mail last night. So far I can tell this is above the rest of the "survival" books. I haven't read much yet but the basis for this surpasses the others because well this isn't a gimmick book. This isn't a zombie apocalypse nuclear fallout extreme situation book. This is no nonsense knowledge. From survival in emergencies to just a great understanding of the woods and "bushcraft" this isn't pushing a certain pace, gear, a pre made kit like most do. Thank you @estelawilded for this great piece of work. Nothing beats knowledge gotta keep things sharp in the brain as well as blade. 🍻. So in this I highly suggest this book. Even if you are confident in your skill set and have been a woods tramper for your whole life it's always good to refresh and learn new ways for you to do things. Safe journeys and remember it's one thing to know but another to do get out and practice

Not a bad book for practical knowledge and progression, but I was bothered by a few things. I am a realist with a twist of pessimist. Sure, there is a section on knots, but no good illustrations on how to tie the knots are provided - just a picture of the final knot. However, I far more troubled by the incorrect scientific information mentioned. Notably, the chemistry of fire triangle and the physics of air currents were incorrect. Even worse, aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) is derived from the salicylic acid found in willow bark, but the author says acetaminophen (a.k.a. Tylenol) is. The mention of the taste of oxalic acid made me cringe a little as it is the harmful when ingested chemical found in rhubarb leaves. This book does not make the top 10 in my library section on survival.

Many survival books don't discuss the most important factor, the mindset. Kevin does a phenomenal job delving into this before he presents any skills. The book is also color coded to make it easy to reference the section/skill you are looking for. This is a MUST HAVE for any outdoorsman's library

Before you go, everything in this book is helpful to know. Perfect gift for the outdoor enthusiast looking to pack less and adventure more efficiently. Perfect for the Cub Scout leader looking to inspire kids for the future. Perfect for the guy, standing at the wood line, wondering what all happens when you step off the edge of the lawn and into the deep woods Buy this book for yourself, someone you love, or your local library. Get it into everyone’s hands so that they may enjoy the outdoors more fully and have the confidence to bring someone else along with them in order to share the fun!

This guide has excellent visuals and the author is very articulate in his delivery of this valuable information. I’m completely blown away and enjoyed every minute reading it. The words WORLD CLASS and REFERENCE STANDARD come to mind and describe this book perfectly. Perfect gift to buy for those you care about. To the author: Thank you for taking the time to do this!!

Mr. Estella does a superb job of covering all the critical elements and then some with great tips for beginners and experts alike. From knife work to first aid, even to the often forgotten need for light discipline at night, the contents of this book could save your life. The book is an easy, accessible read and very well illustrated. Definitely keep handy for everything from a day hike to a days' long camping expedition.

Nice book, good clear explanations with photos. Actually field tested information unlike a lot of other books on this subject. If you are getting one book on this subject this is the one to get.

Amazing book and a good read. Broken down into sections that make sense. This author lives what he teaches and presents the material in a way that the average person can accomplish everything in the text

This is a great compilation of survival skills that you don't know you probably need. It's not a "comprehensive" guide in the manner of a step-by-step wilderness survival guide, but more of a "grab it and read a few super-fascinating tips every day" kind of book. Don't let that dissuade you -- each group of skills is broken down by survival area: - fire - shelter skills - knife skills - cordage - illumination/light - navigation - signaling and communication - first aid - water - food gathering Grab this book and stick it someplace where you'll read a few new skills every day, like when you drink your morning coffee. When you need a skill, you'll remember it and be able to refer back to it thanks to the well designed table of contents.

Simply put, this is the best comprehensive outdoors skills book you will ever read. Mr. Estella’s extensive research combined with training and firsthand real world experience is showcased throughout the pages. To quote the section in the author’s forward, “Find a school or training program that fits your style, and don’t change yourself to fit theirs. Do not let this book, as proud as I am of it, be your sole teacher. Books do not replace human interaction and instruction.” The reason I personally take this quote to heart so much, is that Mr. Estella understands that there is no one magical way to get teach people about outdoors survival and no one instructor that appeals to every personality. He’s also stating in the nicest possible way, that you are required to get off your butt and into the great wild areas to hone these skills.

Awesome first impression as I cracked it open. This book just feel good to hold, and the information it holds is the delicious cake under the icing. Kevin Estela has produced a volume that is a must have by any outdoorsman.

I have been collecting, reading and using outdoor survival books for the past 40 years! I have been exposed ot every type of manual from military to primitive and this book represents a pleasant shift from other re-warmed outdoor skills tutorials. Mr. Estela has organized his years of outdoor experience and teaching skills into a concise, easy to follow manual that can be broken down into mini-skills lessons. Whether a novice or journeyman, one can find ways to develop and test what really works in the woods. My wife who has been watching my interest for years commented on how this book was "something different" from what she has seen me studying in the past. A refreshing change for sure. Well done Kevin!

one of the most comprehensive ,books out there good layout each chapter is full of info for developing the skills to stay alive,,tries to get you to use your mind , to deal with whatever you have been dealt , right up there with creek stewarts bug out bag but even more subject s,covered ,, but remember only good if you work on the skills in the book

Great for even the novice!

Just released on April 16, 2019, Kevin Estela has mastered and presented the most effective survival book that I have read to date. Kevin does an awesome job preparing you mentally for the information you read through various methodologies and mindsets, which you’ll have to read to find out All 101 skills are explained in vivid detail and understandable to even the most novice people. (My wife would agree) . After each section Kevin challenges you to master your craft and to continue to learn.

I ordered one copy of this book and was so impressed by the color pages and illustrations that I bought 9 more for the scout troop I lead. Tips are practical yet interesting and original. Kevin Estela is a living legend in the field and I am happy I own a first edition. A must for any outdoorsman's bookshelf.

I have been building a library of survival books for 25 years. This is the very best book I have seen for learning new and essential skills for the wilderness.

This book is amazing. Easy to understand and well written. Highly recommend for anyone wanting a good book for a survival skills reference. good illustrations also

A well written guide with helpful illustrations. It demonstrates essential skills in numerous areas including fire, shelter, first aid and more, I definitely recommend this book!

Great author, great information! Definitely recommend for anyone with a love of the outdoors.

I purchased this book to learn and expand my knowledge of Bush craft as well as wilderness survival. Kevin Estela has written a comprehensive book covering fire starting, building shelters, collecting food and hunting in the wild. Kevin has organized the book into topics as well as color coded page ends to easily find the topic that you are looking at learning or expanding your knowledge base. The photos and illustrations clearly show the skill being taught. I look forward to practicing the different skills presented as well as the next level training that is presented.

Wow! What a great book. Professor Estela did a good job putting Wilderness Survival and Outdoor Living information into a compact manual with real life skills that we all should know! I highly recommend this read to all, not just to us that live/love the outdoors, but to anyone, because there is something in this book for all. It just may give you or your family an edge in order to get through that emergency in order to survive.

This is great for all! It’s a book that can and should be read and re-read. Take it with you, and use it for reference when you need. If you only benefit from one thing in this book, then that may be the very thing that could save your life/friends/family/strangers. Or just as a new way of doing something that you already know how, maybe more efficient and effective. Get it read it, gift it to someone, be adventurous! Have fun with it!

Received the book today and a quick look shows the author knows his stuff and has compiled a lot of useful information together. Really easy to understand the instructions for the skills to be learned.

The book it straight to the point without being long-winded or too brief on the subjects. Well done. Great photos and illustrations. Very well put together book.

I received my copy of this book and have gone thought some of the examples shown ad I have found this a great reference and teaching tool. I have used this to not only learn the skills myself, but introduce my son and his friends to the survival skills explained in this book. I really like the color coding and illustrations! I am hoping the author makes a second book on the next level of skill sets!

I purchased this book for myself to read and a second one to donate to my university because it is so practical and contains valuable information. The book is beautifully laid out with amazing photos and great techniques.

Kevin Estella really brought how wealth of knowledge to the table with this book. Very well written and outstanding illustrations. Kevin made it where with practice anyone can learn these skills and the book is in a size that you can throw it in a day pack and take it with you and practice the skills in the field. I highly recommend this book

A very thorough and unique approach to a survivalists mindset. A must have for anyone who plans on going outside or just living in general. Ever.

The author writes just like he speaks. Clear, concise instruction. IMHO this book has way more information than one would expect, from a book of this length. It has a clear focus on developing skillset, rather than toolset. I really enjoyed the training modifiers. There is a huge difference in accomplishing a skill under ideal conditions, verses austire. This may be the one book you need to help you develop a well rounded skillset.

Kevin Estela is a highly skilled outdoorsman with the knowledge and hands on experience in all aspects of bushcraft and survival. I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a book to learn and build their outdoor skills. He covers the key skills you need to survive in the woods.

This book is an awesome guide to learning some new skills for survival! Mr. Estela gives great instruction through his own personal lens and encourages readers to practice and learn more, even beyond the scope of his guide. Definitely a must read!

This is one of the best books on wilderness survival I’ve seen in a long time. It will set you up for success in the wilderness with its detailed skill lessons as well as for life with its philosophy on mindset.

This is an excellent modern day survival book that is loaded with old and new information. Its presented in a no nonesense fashion that is straight to the point. I highly recommend it to everyone wether or not you're into survival. Who knows something you learn in this book could save your life!

Has a lot of information on surviving in the outdoors.

Definitely purchase! From basic to advanced understanding of emergency and survival techniques for varied situations. Whether solo or with a family, you can be organized and prepared for whatever mat come your way! Luck favors the prepared! Kevin did an excellent job formating easy to understand skill sets. Happy reading :)

Very well done, clear and full of Sayoc kali mindset! Best survival guide out there for the subject matter.

With the live experience Kevin Estela has , he provides excellent sharing of knowledge in this book. Definitely Recommend it :D

I enjoy this book. At the end of each chapter it gives great skill training ideas. Well worth a read or two!

This is a good introduction to basic bushcraft skills. It is not perfect, but it is among the top five or so out of several dozen I have read in researching a book I am writing (non-fiction, about human evolution). I have a long experience with many of the skills described here. I also teach both “primitive” and modern bushcraft skills course at a university. (I may use this work as a textbook for that course in future years.) If you are looking for a good, plain English introduction to bushcraft skills, Estela’s book is a good place to start. He writes well and clearly. The knife use section is a model of such clarity. Just be aware that to delve deeper, you will have to move on to more detailed works, such as those by Cody Lundin, Mors Kochanski and others. For me, an educator, the thing that stands out in the book is Estela’s encouragement for readers to practice and to push themselves to learn more. All too often, when my students learn something, they seem to think, “Now I know how to make fire/shelter/stone tools, and so on.” These kinds of manual skills need practice. The only critical thing I would mention is that the book is under-illustrated. The color pictures shown are very good, but more diagrams (black and white line drawings) would have improved the work. For example, it’s not enough to just show a knot or reverse-wrapped cordage, one needs a diagram showing how to tie the knot and how to do reverse-wrapping. Based on my own publishing experience, I suspect this could have been a budgeting issue. Illustrations are expensive and can bump up the cost of a book. For what it is at its price, though, 101 Skills delivers value.

Some books are meant to be read in one sitting as a way to unwind from the day and take you away to an imaginary place. But not this book. This book, 101 Skills You Need to Survive in the Woods, is meant to be absorbed and to marinate on its contents. It's meant to be studied and then put into practice. Each skill being a lesson that is practiced over and over again and placed in your tool box readily available when needed. I carry a small notebook in my pack to write down important notes and things I observe when I'm in the woods. It's a good habit to develop. As I go through @estelawilded book I am writing down key points into the notebook for quick reference when I'm in the woods. It's just another tool to improve my time out there and keep me prepared for situations that may unexpectedly come up. This is an excellent book and tool of resources that I will refer to many times well after I've read the whole thing. Always a student and willing to learn more.

I think Kevin has done an amazing job with the contents of this book. This is the best compilation of real world wilderness survival skills I have seen thus far.

What an amazing book! This is my sons teacher!

This book is lacking in a lot of areas. Edible plants, while the author does tell you to seek out other reference materials or experts to assist you in identifying which plants are edible, there are no illustrations or pictures of what to look for nor does he explain how to properly test a plant for consumption without becoming ill. Snares, the author shows you how to build one snare, the figure 4 snare, and there a numerous other snares out there which are easier to build and which have better success rates. Knots, again the author tells you to seek out other reference materials and there is no illustrations of how to tie said knots. For someone who has never tied a knot, this can be extremely frustrating. The author did talk a lot about his survival school, which I felt he was attempting to recruit students for said school. The one thing which I really liked was the author emphasizing that people need to learn how to use their non-dominate hand in the event they lose the ability to utilize their dominate hand in an emergency. If this is your first book into this subject, this is not the book for you.

I first heard of K. Estela through the grapevine of outdoors-man and other skills instructors several years before he had taken on writing a book. I was happy to learn more about him, and enjoy some of his magazine articles in advance of his book release. After reading a few of his articles I eagerly looked forward to his book released on April 16th, 2019. K. Estela discuses several factors and ways to train, coaching and advocating practicing the skills and adding difficulties and time constraints as you progress. Many survival books don't discuss the most important factor, the mindset. Not just reading the book and magically you know what to do. You need to actually practice. K. Estela understands that there is no one magical way to teach people about outdoors survival and no one instructor that appeals to every personality. K. Estela shares proven methods of building fires, making shelters, using survival equipment, field crafting with natural resources, and navigation techniques quite readily with anyone who is willing to learn. This publication is a great first book, or addition to a well developed collection of Survival, Bushcraft, or Fieldcraft books. From Beginner Novice to more Experienced Practitioners of Outdoors Skills. K.Estela’s extensive field experience combined with training is showcased throughout the pages of this book, with years of writing for outdoors magazines his words are more often to the point and not diluted. 101 Skills You Need To Survive In The Woods also showcases modern equipment aides, new pictures, drawings, and walk through's. Not the same five diagrams recycled from older books. Tips and Tricks that are subtle and will likely be missed on your first read through. K. Estela and I have had a great deal of conversations outside of his book covering many topics, he is fairly easy to get in contact with and always takes the time to answer questions the best he can. On top of being a writer, a teacher, an outdoors skills instructor, and running an Not-For Profit organization for children. The Estela Wilderness Education Fund. This fund will ensure knowledge and love of the outdoors will be passed onto the next generation. I have purchased this book three times so far, and will likely buy a couple more as gifts for others. I could honestly say more, though I think I have said enough. I hope you enjoy 101 Skills You Need To Survive In The Woods as much as I have.

I found out about Kevin Estela through the guys at Fieldcraft Survival. In listing to the podcast Fieldcraft did with Kevin I was inspired by how his knowledge was not overwhelming. Many times when some “expert” starts talking about what they know it comes off as a your dumb and I’m smart talk. Not with Kevin. While reading this book it’s an easy reference to information we should know as outdoorsman (and women) with stuff we know and ways we can do better with what we don’t know about. I’m a proud dad and someone who has spent his life learning how to be better in the outdoors, weather it be the woods or desert this book applies. Thoroughly happy with how this book is written and the ease of learning new information from a different standpoint. I look forward to learning more from Kevin and highly recommend this book! From the dude who knows it all to the parent taking their kids on their first camp trip I feel each person reading this book will get something out of it.

Easy to read and navigate and well thought out illustrations. For those looking for skills one would need in the outdoors this book is a fantastic start, without getting too intimidating. Highly recommend!

This is a excellent book for one’s library! Kevin is a awesome wilderness survival instructor. This book has lots of useful and helpful information.

If you're into the outdoors or Bushcraft, you need to do yourself a favor and get this book.. Kevin has a wealth of knowledge gained over many years of experience.. Mtnfolk Mike

Not necessarily a wilderness person myself, but this is a wonderfully written book!!! Extremely informative for even small camping trips or more extreme wilderness travels!

Perfect addition to our survival kit. Has pictures and well written instructions to help you with whatever you may encounter or need.

Everything I needed to up my game of human proficiency.

Kevin Estela has made it his life's work to learn, practice, perfect and teach skills related to the outdoors and survival. This book just barely touches on his knowledge, but it covers so much. Get it, read it, read it again and practice what he preaches. Well worth the money.

Well written with lots of examples and great illustrations. Easy to understand for beginners like myself.

Highly recommended!

This book is very helpful in understanding techniques used in bushcrafting. Kevin is one of the most knowledgeable people I’ve ever studied from on the use of skills to survive in the woods.

Love the fact that this was written with deep feelings and reasoning that connects the writer with the survival tasks and skills shown in this book. The book is well written and one can learn so much from the outdoor survival skills explained. I am very pleased I own this.

Great person and incredible knowledge! If you ever get out to CT, try to attend one his adventure weekends!! Instruction is second to none.

Love this book, contains all of the basics to survive in the wilderness if need be, my only complaint is that the knots are not illustrated very well, but that is an easy fix with a book of knots to accompany this book. Overall I've loved this book.

+Carefully Curated💯 You can tell the Author would have made this book a whole lot more jam packed than it already is! But the goal of setting the reader up for success was definitely achieved, from my perspective. With how vast the knowledge of Survivalism truly is, I'm amazed he was able to condense things down this much. Impressive. +Well Written👍 Not just the contents but HOW the contents are placed in bite-sized sections makes them more pleasing to consume rather than walls of texts and no visual breaks. For me personally, I'm a page hopper. I like to hop through a book before reading it all the way through. This was such a page-turner! +Highly Recommend!❤ Sharing this one with family and friends. Especially my step dad, who probably knows everything in this book already but hey, he loves preparedness and is the person who sparked my love for the outdoors, camping, survival skills, etc. Thank you!🙏 This book aligns with much of what I've learned in life and with so much essential information that was new to me! It wasn't just what he wrote, it's how the words shaped my thoughts there after. This book is definitely a work of heart.

I was referred to this book after the author did a podcast on Fieldcraft survival. He was knowledgeable and presented the material in a no nonsense and approachable manner. His book is no different. This is an excellent resource book

With all sorts of useful information, we found this book to be perfect as a gift for a 13 year old boy who is interested in survival skills. The book is easy to read with great pictures explaining the various skills needed for outdoor survival. We purchased a survival kit to go along with this, and our grandson was following the book and using his flint to start a small fire. He gives it a thumbs up!

It's definitely a lot of skills. I wish this book had half the skills and more detail for each skill, plus far more illustrations. I felt many of the skills weren't actually skills but filler just to get up to 101. I felt a lot of details for each skill was lacking terribly. And some skills seemed to be filled with fluff and very little detail on how to do the actual skill. This isn't a book that I look to when I want to learn a new skill. It gives me some ideas on what skills I want to learn and then I go to another source to learn it. It's a good effort, but maybe needed a bit more time to flush out details.

Board for my nephew's kid they're getting into hiking and camping

extremely informative and well written

Amazing book! I will be purchasing more copies as gifts throughout the year. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. Love the no nonsense or pushing products to buy!! Looking forward to Kevin's next book! ❤

I first bought this book for myself in order to increase my knowledge and fill in some gaps. It was such a great book that I bought 4 more copies to give to my children in order to continue teaching them necessary skills, enhance their knowledge, and so they always have this phenomenal resource available. I want the best for my kids, so this was an obvious selection for their libraries. I would highly recommend this book to all.

Great book to own, very well written with perfect instruction. Just starts off with good feelings and gets you to a place in your mind that most of us outdoor types would probably enjoy. Highly recommend.

A great book written clearly and concisely on how to survive in the wilds. The book gives the basic survival skills you will need. You’ll have to practice them and he tells you how to do that as well. Great book.

Great book with insight to the warrior mind set

Everyone needs to read this book. Very informative and in depth. Highly recommended!

The book is good if you already know how to do everything. This is because every "skill" is just the author talking about how he encourages his students to not give up and sometimes a few tips concerning the skill. He doesn't actually TEACH the skill, which is so ridiculously dumb once you realize it. So if you're a novice you'd better look elsewhere.

Kevin Estela’s book is a well written, easy to follow, and thorough book for both the weekend camper and modern survivalist. It can be read cover to cover or picked up and opened to any page. Readers will receive expert knowledge and fantastic illustrations bring the descriptions to life. I highly recommend this book for any beginner or experienced outdoorsman who want to develop their skills.

Excellent book, packed with useful information. Well written and easy to read.

Need more visuals for clearer explanations. Example is the chapter about knots! How do I tie them? There are better books out there that have this information shared more clearly. Better execution for the information provider would have been helpful!

Great book! First off this is a complete book on Survival skills, covering everything needed for Survival. I'd also like to compliment the look and feel of the book itself. I'm Very impressed with everything from the illustrations to the color coded page ends. Very artistic and functional at the same time. I'm buying this book again for all my friends and family!

This was a birthday present for my husband. He enjoys hiking through the woods.

👍👍👍

I like the info, didn't like to order of the subjects and chapters, but not such a big deal

A great read I’ve been cover to cover several time and will continue to do so

Very informative book !!

So much good info and I’ve only skimmed through it. Definitely need a cup of coffee to sit down and go through this page by page!!

I love how useful and accessible the information in this book is to adults and also children!

Good book with good info

I loved that it was available on Amazon!

I always love a book written by an author who lives and loves his subject. This is not an academic exercise for Estela; these skills are hard-won and in practice in his life, and he cares deeply about capacitating his readers in them. But it's more than a how-to book. He has sufficient expertise to be able to present his ideas in construct, to give the reader a sense of context and meaning. For example, I really love his description of the distinctions between Emergency, Surival and Bushcraft skills. That section alone gave me confidence that this is more than a practitioner; he's a master, and a key contributor to the field of knowledge. He breaks down his advice into sections like "Carry the Right Gear" and then gives the list of essentials and the "beyond the basics" additions. Soooo helpful. Another example of his articulating things in a construct is his list of Fire techniques. He breaks it down into individual skills: 1) Recognize Good Tinder; 2) Ferro Rod Techniques; 3) Fire Multiple Ways (which includes graphic drawings to illustrate his descriptions of various ways to actually lay a fire); 4) The Covered Fire; 5) Dakota Fire and H Fire; 6) The One-Match Fire - and his list goes on beyond 10. Then, he takes on Shelter Skills, likewise broken down into a numbered list with several pages of information and instruction on each. Then he moves on to Knife Skills, Cordage Skills, Illumination, Navigation, Food, Water, Communication and Signalling, and more. This is so well-organized and presented, it's definitely one I will be recommending, and will probably purchase to gift each of my adult children. Like others, I found that images included to really add to the experience, and wished there were more - but this doesn't stop me from giving this fine book a full 5-star rating. Highly recommended.

I met Kevin Estela a long time ago right at the start of his wilderness skills journey. I’ve watched with pride as he quickly went from student to master of wilderness and survival skills. He always had an amazing natural talent for these skills, but he also has worked tirelessly to continually improve and perfect them out in the most austere conditions in every environment around the world. He’s truly the real deal as a survival expert! That’s why I’m really excited about his new book “101 Skills You Need to Survive in the Woods.” After years of very incomplete presentations in other books, even by some very skilled and renowned people, for the first time in wilderness book history, Kevin is the only one who has written a manual that can actually be immediately put to practice by readers. He doesn’t just show you the skills, but he teaches you how and where to find and recognize the natural materials you’ll need to survive, and he brilliantly demonstrates how to “marry” primitive skills with modern skills and gear. Plus, he beautifully keeps it all in context of the principles, priorities, and goals you’ll need to know as you expand your own skill sets — the critical factor in effectively surviving in the outdoors. In other words, he doesn’t just show you how to use these skills, but *why.* I eagerly await watching readers begin sharing their abilities to use and apply the skills that they learned from Kevin’s book.

The author's goal is to make you ready for safe wilderness travel and problem solving in emergency and survival situations. He accomplishes this goal with years of experience, eloquent writing and great positivity! This is also a beautifully designed book! The author strives for readiness in his life and he's made it his business to help others. It's obvious that a ton of thought has gone into this manual. I absolutely loved reading it, and I think I will find some practical use for it. In the meantime, I love the upbeat style, the can-do attitude and the inspiration for "sideways thinking." I learned a lot from this. Some of my favorite skills are #50 "Fire With Your Flashlight," #58 "Track Distance Traveled," #62 "Create A Float Plan," #63 "Leave A 'Breadcrumb' Trail," and #82 "Find Water In Different Environments." Those are only a few of the 101 Skills. Each of the skill chapters is followed by "Next Level Training" often with ideas (or games) that challenge students. The author has drawn on his expertise in the martial arts of Sayoc Kali for much of the underlying mind-set of survival training and skill sets; he teaches his students to be proactive rather than reactive. The skills are divided into 10 color-coded chapters. SKILLS: FIRE, SHELTER, KNIFE, CORDAGE, ILLUMINATION, NAVIGATION, SIGNALING & COMMUNICATION, FIRST-AID & TRAUMA, WATER, & FOOD-GATHERING. Included are many full color photos and an index. Excellent survival manual!

I've been looking for a book like this for a while - easy to understand for beginners and covers the basics you need to know most. You might think you brought everything you need for camping and forgot something, or have stay longer than planned outdoors, or have to leave in a hurry for an emergency situation with little time to pack. One thing you should always have with you is this book. I got the physical book because I don't want to rely on an electronic device that could go dead. The author of this book Kevin Estela focuses on important skills in emergency or camping situations - how to make a fire, build a shelter, gather food, find water, use a knife correctly, make cordage, and how to be stealthy at night when you need to avoid other people. Cordage (I did not know this term before this book) is the art of making rope. In some ways this book requires you to think outside the box, and in other ways these skills have been around since the beginning of man. As this book is an overview of many skills, it does not go into as much detail as you might find in one book dedicated to one subject, but I feel I could use this book for basic survival. The way this author writes, I feel I can trust what he says.

I once lived in a small cabin in a Mexican bird sanctuary and there were times, during winter storms, when I was cut off from all outside help, supplies and influences. It was just me and my shorthair pointer. I had several books on survival but I sure wish I’d had Kevin Estela’s 101 Skills You Need to Survive in the Woods. There is so much excellent information contained between these two covers to insure your health and safety when you’re “on your own”. The book is divided into the main aspects of need and within each of these chapters Estela covers several methodologies and skill sets you can draw from: Fire Skills Shelter Skills Knife Skills Cordage Skills (I didn’t know what cordage even was) Illumination Skills Navigation Skills Signaling/Communication Skills First Aid Skills Water Skills Food Gathering Skills All of this information is presented in a layman’s easy to understand language. While this book is so important for hikers and campers it may also be indispensable for those of us who live in earthquake, tornado, and flood areas where we could very well be urban survivors and need to get through days or weeks without help. The most important words in this book that I took away deal with practicing your skills. The author tells us that You Don’t Practice Until You Get It Right, You Practice Until You Never Get It Wrong. For those words alone I’m so glad I read this book. Thank you Keven Estela.

I totally enjoyed this book. However, it is difficult to learn a lifetime of skills by reading a book. I have one book titled "Teach Yourself to Ski" in both English and French versions. I learned how to ski in the Alps by taking lessons from the people who contributed to the book. The book provided additional explanation. I believe that the information in "101 Skills You Need to Survive in the Woods" has to be approached in the same way. The first value that I see in 101 Skills is to know what to bring with you, and what not to bring with you. The book is good on that. Remember the scene in "Wild" where the experienced hiker goes through the main character's backpack and finds about half her stuff to throw away? I learned hiking and camping in the woods when I was a kid. not that I know everything. As a grownup, I have done most of my hiking and camping above tree line. The number one item to bring is water. Number two is adequate clothing. After experiencing summer snow storms in Colorado at 14,000 ft, I always have my down coat with me. I even needed had it on Mona Kea in Hawaii. The telescope building at the top was kept cold by the astronomers! After what to bring, I think that navigation is most important. What do you do when you are lost? First, do not get lost. People have died because they stepped a few feet off a trail and could not find their way back to it. I have been briefly lost more than once. I used the Offset Shoot technique to find my way back. It worked. Here I am typing on my computer, not out in the woods surviving on worms and insects. Take the book with you when you go hiking or camping? I think not, but it is possible to put some of the book's knowledge into your head and bring that with you.

101 Skills You Need to Survive in the Woods is a great book to have on you when trying to survive the Zombie Apocolypse. If you’re like most soft and cushy people, you probably wouldn’t last a night out in the woods without some kind of guide to help you along. Because your cell phone will probably run out of battery and because the internet would fall due to everyone getting turned in the city areas, you best bet would be to have a good old school paper book like this one. This book is seriously full of a lot of information on how to last a few more days out in the wild. It covers the most important needs including fire skills, shelter skills, knife skills, cordage skills, illumination skills, navigation skills, signaling and communication skills, first aid and trauma skills, water skills, and food gathering skills. These are all skills necessary to survive so you’ll be able to keep warm at night, find food and drinkable water, treat wounds, and create shelter. The one thing you won’t find in this book is how to actually off zombies, but you’ll likely figure that out along the way. The instructions in the book are very clear and easy to follow and the accompanying photos help illustrate how to complete each skill. They are not step by step photos for each skill, so you will need to be able to read some. All joking aside, I found this book very useful and fascinating to read. It’s a great book for young and old survivalists alike and is definitely useful information to have in your head if you ever get lost in the woods.

I think this book will become a classic and new standard for wilderness skills and survival. Set up almost like a text book with sections color coded for "fire" or "shelter", etc. information for ease of reference; covers not only critical skills for survival but the mindset needed. An absolute must have for bushcrafters, hunters, anglers, hikers, backpackers, survival skills enthusiasts or any outdoorsman.

“101 Skills You Need to Survive in the Woods” is a foundational work for people who spend time in the outdoors. Regardless of how you spend time in the wilderness, this book should be in your library. What I mean by foundational work is that the information in this book is the baseline or first step to your pursuit of skills that can keep you alive in the outdoors. It can serve to help you decide what skills are important for the activities you pursue. Kevin begins with a novel approach to your survival mindset by applying the mental disciplines of his martial arts training to wilderness survival. He discusses in detail the “Feeder Mindset” (if you’re not familiar with the term, it’s not what you think) and the “Readiness Formula” of Sayoc Kali, a Phillippine martial art. Throughout the book he offers suggestions for “Next Level Training” or making the execution of a skill more challenging so you can be better prepared if you find yourself in a survival situation. This unique discussion of the mental aspects of survival is worth the price of the book. “101 Skills” is primarily a catalog of skills for the outdoors. There is enough description to get you started with each skill, but the book isn’t intended to be an exhaustive treatise on the skills covered. Having said that, Kevin covers detail that is sufficient to achieve a base level of competency for a surprising number of skills. Another unique feature of “101 Skills” is Kevin’s coverage of what I call “orphan skills” that are rarely discussed in other survival and wilderness living instruction. Banking a fire, carrying fire, using hot rocks to stay warm, and how to braid fibers for stronger cordage are just a few examples of these skills. He devotes an entire section on “Illumination Skills” that go way beyond just carrying a flashlight. Some of the skills in this book are essential. You should have a baseline of proficiency in them so you can stay out of survival situations, as well as come out alive if you find yourself in one. Others are not necessary but are handy to have in your toolbox. The section on navigation is excellent and goes beyond basic compass use. It’s in this section that I was reminded of skills I learned but haven’t practiced in a long time. If you learn solid navigational skills, you can ‘stay found’ avoiding one of the most common reasons people end up in survival situations. Kevin takes on the unenviable task of explaining how to perform many of the skills in this book. At first read, some explanations seem confusing. But if you put the tools or materials in your hands and follow his directions, they make sense. A good example of this is the discussion on reading a compass. A word of disclaimer: Kevin Estela is a friend with whom I have shared several campfires. I am familiar with the depth and breadth of his knowledge and with his skill as an educator. I bought this book with extremely high expectations. I was not disappointed. There is no need to be a victim in the outdoors. Get this book and learn how to avoid the mistakes that can place you in a survival situation. If things happen where you end up in trouble anyway, this book equips you with the skills to have the best chance of making it out alive.

An encompassing reference and guide to thriving and problem solving. Beyond the 101 skills, I appreciate the author crediting woodsmen and people before him that developed some of these skills and techniques. Time should be spent reading the mind-set and readiness section, not just jumping in the skills, as mind-set is probably the most important “skill” and this is pure gold.

Book covers realistic topics, not extremist ideas. I particularly enjoyed the sections on fire skills and on knife skills. I grew up outside in the country and after reading this realized I didn't know much. Kevin also shares additional info on his social, which is helpful. Great read and resource. Looking forward to edition #2!

Best survival book out there. Kevin is an amazing survivalist and such a great teacher. I was fortunate to sit in on his training, this guy is hands down one of the most knowledgeable and experienced survival teachers I know.

A real how to written by a real subject matter expert. Not every skill has a detailed drawn out diagram but relevant tips and tricks learned over years of real world experience the other style books leave out are contained within. The philosophy on survival and mindset is the best I've ever read.

Awesome book. Really enjoyed it and HIGHLY recommend it. From expert to beginners.

I’ve been doing survival training now for several years, rubbed sticks together to make fire, survived for a few days with just a knife...etc When friends ask me for tips, I just tell them to buy this book. When last Christmas was coming up, this was the book I gave out to multiple friends. The only thing better, is training with Kevin in person, which I was fortunate enough to do a few months ago. Can’t recommend him, his teachings, and this book highly enough. Buy it.

Everything you need to know about being in nature is in this book. If you love hiking, camping, hunting or fishing this is a MUST read!! Thank you Kevin for sharing your life’s work with us. OOSSSS!!

I have always been an avid outdoorsman and greatly enjoyed being outside hunting, hiking, etc - but over the last 6 years or so my interests have transitioned into wilderness survival and bushcraft. Since that time I have read 4 books about wilderness survival and this one stands out to me as a definitive favorite. My wife bought me this book for Christmas and I just recently finished reading it. Why did I enjoy this book so much in comparison to others of the same genre? Simply put, its because this book goes places that the others did not. The author, Mr. Kevin Estela, puts a huge focus on the mindset / outlook of an individual that is comprised of honor and strength in adversity - not just in a true survival situation but in life in general. This is something we can all gain strength from in many aspects of our lives. There are many beneficial skills described in this book that were new to me and I greatly look forward to practicing. The general premise at the end of each chapter is to train and continue to grow in your skillset. And when you become proficient in a skill, change it up so that you can always continue to challenge yourself. At the beginning of the book there is one specific section that really stood out to me - and this may sound contradicting for a survival book but it was about “dying well”. Kevin talks specifically about how death is inevitable; it is a part of life (however/whenever that may be). And while weakness is usually associated with death, that doesn’t always have to be the case - we can go out on our terms in an honorable way that shows strength. Sections of the book like this one will stick with me far beyond points from other books I have read. To finalize - I would like to recommend this book to you because I know that I got even more out of it than I initially thought I would (and I had high expectations going in). The 101 survival skills are great but the attitude/mindset Kevin talks about is the heart of this book and something we could all benefit from hearing. Just buy this book - you won’t regret it!

Kevin Estela's 101 Skills You Need to Survive in The Woods is a good compilation of skills needed to survive. The book is well organized and is a useful as a guide on things you need to know - but you will have to practice and search out other places to gain some of those skills. There are a few key shortcomings however - some of the topics seem to assume familiarity with the subject and so descriptions and pictures are a bit thin, and some of the information presented is wrong (the Willow Bark is Tylenol example is just one). Overall this is a good book for someone interested in that it's comprehensive and probably deserves a place on your cabin shelf, or in your prepper bugout bag. But as with anything don't expect to the one source of information.

Contains a good basic set of skills. Book expects you to practice. I’m always on the lookout for a good book that teaches skills that would be useful in a tight spot, whether in an emergency or in the outdoors. The book covers the general range of skills you’d expect: shelters, navigation, signaling, water, etc. There’s a catch: the author expects the reader to work. This isn’t a reference book you’re going to throw into your emergency kit; it’s a book for someone who wants to *learn*. Two things stand out: the author explains a few good solid skills in each section, and the author expects the reader to practice. This makes sense. If you want to learn useful skills of this sort it’s better to start off learning a few then getting overwhelmed with a whole lot. The expectation of practice is understandable too, as really that’s the only way to become proficient. In an emergency, it’s appealing to think about opening up a book and following a lot of detailed diagrams to do something. But that gives you a false sense of security--by that time it might be too late. Which brings me to another comment about this book--it’s light on diagrams. In some cases this is understandable--when talking about simple things that are easily illustrated or understood, you don’t need much. Other things, like constructing a whistle from an aluminum soda can, are illustrated with one picture of the finished product, but the procedure for manufacture is described in the text. If you want to make this, you’re going to have to practice. It might be frustrating (“why don’t they have more pictures showing how to make it?!”) but when you’re done, you’ll have actually learned how. Sometimes the author leaves material to more appropriate sources. For example, the section on edible plants is two pages long! He provides a few very good tips, but ultimately tells the reader that it’s up to them to get a good field guide or two based on where they will be going, and offers some advice on how to use the field guides. Similarly the section on first aid covers a small set of good skills for handling serious conditions. But the author strongly encourages the reader to get formal medical/first aid training.

I enjoyed EVERY page of this book... The writing, the excellent pictures, descriptive captions down to the great tips and tricks pulled from the text! If you want a fresh and new perspective on survival skills THIS IS the book for you- Kevin carefully selects tips and tricks from years of in depth personal experience to ensure that the basics are covered and then some. The articles in this book could save your life. Time tested and proven skills become even more relevant within his teachings. Old information shared with modern influence and gear, explained from first hand recollect. If you love the outdoors and simply want to add some great teaching to the memory box... this is the book for you. Male or female, ages 8 to 80 will enjoy this must have “survival book”. You won’t be disappointed. Jb

I am a novice, in this field. I am greatful, to have come across someone(Mr. Estella), when Fieldcraft Survival featured him on their Instagram page. I was already, watching YouTube videos on survival and practicing methods, during camping trips. I have bought two books before coming across, Mr. Estella's book,"101 Skills You Need to Survive..." the structure in which it was formed and explanations of each method were easy to follow. I have, so far practiced the water collection techniques, cordage, and fire starting while camping. I should have taken pics! I have a tendency, to enjoy my camping time. I highly recommend, this book for beginners and reference. This book stays in my pack, along with a regional foraging plant book.

I had a hard time coming up with a fair star rating with this one. On one hand, I like it because it covers some of the most essential skills you should have as an outdoorsman and the book is very well organized and easy to use as reference material. On the other hand, it lacks illustrations on some of the more involved skills like shelter building and knots -- the final product is shown, but there are no illustrations on each step of the process. This is a huge downfall of this book. I picked this book with the impression it was written for a layman. But what I got was a book that's gears towards someone who's already familiar with outdoor survival skills and who only needs a bird's-eye-view reference material. This book could have been SO MUCH MORE if it only had step-by-step details and accompanying illustrations on some of the more involved survival skills. Still, this book has value as a bird's-eye-view reference material. If you're beginner, you would have to supplement this book with another material (such as another book that goes into step-by-step details and has illustrations).

Great little reference book to keep your skills sharp. Even if you are not an outdoorsman, you will find this a interesting treatize on how you can survive on your own. Reasurance that you too can emerge from catastrophe or being lost.