We’ll go over each rule’s accuracy in the specific sections below.Īir is involved in all of these- it sustains your life and any permanent interruption spells certain death. The shelter rule has a lot of variances based on your environmental conditions. Many people can hold their breath for longer than three minutes. The rule is simplistic so it can be easy to remember, but still helpful. Mulling over whether to gather food or build a makeshift shelter can waste valuable time. The survival rule of 3 may seem simplistic, but it can help you make split-second decisions in a survival situation. You can’t survive 3 hours without shelter unless you have air, etc. For example you can’t survive 3 weeks without food unless you have water. Finally, you will need to forage or hunt for food.Įach rule assumes that you are meeting the requirement above it. Then you will need to acquire a source of water. Next, you need to have a way to shelter yourself from the elements. The order of these determines what you should prioritize in a survival situation.

The Survival Rule of 3, or “rule of threes”, is a well-known rule of thumb that describes the basic survival rules using the number three.

The rules of survival