Get ready to learn some incredible soda can survival hacks that could save your life! In a survival situation, improvisation is key, and an empty soda can can become your new best friend. From creating an improvised lamp to making a DIY soda can survival torch, these hacks are simple yet effective. You can also learn how to make a penny can stove, a survival whistle, a hanger or hook, and even a fishing hook using soda cans. Plus, discover how to make char cloth and start a fire using a soda can. With these clever hacks, you’ll be turning trash into treasure and increasing your chances of survival.
Soda Can Survival Hacks that Could Save Your Life!
Check out these soda can survival hacks, and see if you can come up with any survival hacks of your own! I’ve said it before, but I really can’t emphasize this enough: there’s no survival skill more important than improvisation.
Take a soda can, for example. You can get a ton of uses out of an empty soda can, including these soda can survival hacks. So don’t throw them away just yet! Also, you are likely to find soda cans anywhere, which means you can survive by arming yourself with these simple soda can hacks!
1. Soda Can Improvised Lamp
It might not seem like much—in fact, it probably seems like a piece of trash. But there are several surprising survival hacks which can turn a common soda can into a useful survival tool.
Take this improvised soda can lamp. Simply draw a big “I” on the side of the can. Cut the lines with a razor, then open it up and put a tea candle inside. Use the tab as a hanger.
2. DIY Soda Can Survival Torch
See this wonderful video and see how these unlikely tools can make an effective torch. To make this simple torch/lamp, take two soda cans and cut them in half.
You will only need the bottom half of the soda cans. Join the soda cans to make another container, and punch holes on the top half. Pour some cooking oil or tiki torch fuel into the can.
Dip a rolled paper towel into cooking oil or tiki torch fuel, then insert it into the hole. Light the paper towel/fuse and voila! You got yourself a lamp or a torch.
3. Penny Can Stove
What is great about soda cans, survival- and improvisation-wise, is that they’re easy to work with. You can easily cut and punch holes through its pliable aluminum material with any cutting tool.
Soda cans and your regular Swiss army knife can go a long way. Any pointed tool will even do to make this penny can stove. You can also learn how to make a twin tin survival stove from soda cans here!
4. Survival Whistle
A whistle is important in a survival situation where you are trapped and need rescuing. You should know by now that shouting at the top of your lungs for help will do you no good. A whistle should take care of that for you, but how many of us always keep a whistle handy?
You are likely to find soda cans lying around in a survival situation than you would a whistle. Watch this video from Black Scout Survival and learn how to make a whistle from a soda can!
5. Hanger or Hook
Survival hacks are a great way to put your skills to the test and see how many uses you can come up with for a common object. How about this: Paracord + pull tab = strong hanger hook! You may doubt this little baby, but put it to the test and you will be just as amazed as I am. It can lift objects heavier than expected.
This is perfect when you want to put food higher to keep out of animals’ reach when out camping. You can also use this to lift objects up high if you can’t carry them all up to an elevation.
6. Fishing Hook
It can be pretty tricky to make this fishing hook survival hack from a soda can tab. But if you have the proper tools (like pliers, which you should always have in your toolbox), you can make this fishing hook easily like how it’s done.
If you are in a survival situation, you just have to explore all options. This may seem like not much, but it has been tested to have actually served its purpose. Meaning, it did catch fish!
7. Use Soda Cans to Make Char Cloth
Starting a fire seems easy enough on television. Even Survivor has episodes where the contestants struggled to start a fire on the first days. Even with a flint or an igniting device, the struggle doesn’t end there.
You will need an effective tinder to start a fire fast and easy. A char cloth is one of the most effective tinder, but even then, you still need fire to make some.
But with a char cloth, starting a fire with improvised objects will be easier. Learn how to use soda cans to make char cloth in this video from UK Survival and Bush Craft Tips, and start a fire easier next time around.
8. Start a Fire with a Soda Can and Char Cloth
With a char cloth, bright sun, and patience, you can light a fire with the bottom of a soda can. Now you have a char cloth (as shown in the item above) and an igniting device in the soda can. Find out how you can make an effective reflector/igniting device as you read the next entry on this list.
How Can I Incorporate Soda Can Survival Hacks into Designing an Efficient Bugout Shelter?
Designing an efficient bugout shelter requires innovative thinking. By incorporating soda can survival hacks, you can create the world’s most efficient bugout shelter. Utilizing empty soda cans for insulation or constructing furniture from them can optimize space and resources. These simple yet ingenious tricks can significantly enhance the functionality of your bugout shelter, ensuring maximum survival capabilities in any situation.
9. A Reflector or Signaling Mirror
This soda can survival hack is pretty much straightforward. The bottom of the can can be tweaked to work like a mirror. It can work as a signaling device, and you can even use it to start a fire. Simply buff the bottom with a cloth and aluminum polish. The shinier it is, the better!
Learn how to make a survival stove with two soda cans in this video from Nuclear Studio.
You might think that things like empty soda cans and other discarded items are useless, but think again. Soda can survival hacks like the ones listed above can turn your trash into survival treasure.
Knowing these survival hacks could mean your ultimate survival. It also goes to show that you can do anything with a little creativity and skill!
Will you put these soda can survival hacks to the test? We’re excited to know how your improvisation is going to work out. Do share them in the comments section below!
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on February 17, 2015, and has been updated for quality and relevancy.
I’m Alex, the author behind True Survivalist. As a survival enthusiast myself, I’ve created this website to serve as a valuable resource for fellow survivalists and preppers. Whether it’s understanding survival situations, emergency preparedness, or finding the right survival gear, I’ve got you covered. Through a series of informative guides, I aim to provide answers to commonly asked questions, debunk common myths, and help you avoid common mistakes. At True Survivalist, I believe in equipping you with the knowledge and tools you need to be prepared for any survival scenario. Join me on this journey of self-reliance and resilience.