It's not always the extreme skier that's gone off course or the trail runner that's been injured in ­the middle of the wilderness. Your vacation tour group may have accidentally left you behind. Or maybe y­our car has simply run out of gas on a desolate stretch of wintery road. The question isn't whether you could find yourself alone or stranded in a potentially life-threatening situation. It's whether you'd be equipped to deal with it.

Having a well-stocked emergency kit in your car is a good place to start if you're taking a road trip. If you're camping or hiking, you'll want some survival supplies in your pack.