Step one in surviving is to half half a clue how to survive, in what circumstances, the SAS survival guide by John ‘Lofty’ Wiseman is the currently the best selling survival related book out there. Lofty was a veteran of 26 years in the SAS so he must have been doing something right.

The book is jam packed full of useful information from hunting, making fire, signalling for help, or making a shelter. Even as a general ‘off the beaten track’ guide it provides great advice for removing leaches, or identifying poisonous snakes, spiders and creepy crawlies.

There’s even basic car safety advice such as what to do if your brakes fail. It’s got almost everything covered and you could certainly class it as an essential camping book.