Primitive Survival Skills Training

Survival Standard Program: Equip Yourself With Essential Wilderness Survival Skills in Just 5 Days

The Survival Standard Program is designed to teach you the most fundamental principles of survival in the shortest time possible. Over five days of hands-on training, you’ll build outdoor skills and bushcraft skills you can rely on when gear fails and plans change.

You’ll learn how to:

Build shelter from natural materials and simple tarps.

Find and purify water in the wilderness.

Make fire in tough weather with minimal tools

Gather food using basic bushcraft and primitive tools.

Move through nature calmly instead of in a panic.

Why Choose the Standard Survival Program from SIGMA 3 Survival School

Learn from Experienced Survival Training Instructors

In this course, students work directly with instructors who live what they teach. The Survival Standard Program is led by SIGMA 3 survival training experts with years of field time and teaching experience.

During the course, you benefit from:

Intensive, Hands-On Primitive Survival Skills Training

This is not a course where you sit and read from a manual. Nearly all of your time is spent outside in nature, practicing primitive survival skills training in real conditions.

Throughout the week, you will:

Build multiple shelter designs and learn proper ridgeline and tarp setup.
Practice feather sticks, fire lays, and friction fire with bow drills.
Work through water collection, filtering, and boiling in the field.
Set up basic traps and explore wild plant uses for food and utility.
Learn how to keep your movement efficient with limited gear.

By the end, you’ll have survival skills you can recall under stress and actually apply.

Accessible Outdoor Skills for Families and New Students

Survival Standard is designed so that almost anyone can attend and thrive, including beginners and families.

Here’s what you need to know:

Anyone can attend this course; no previous wilderness survival experience needed.
Families are encouraged; children 8 & up may attend with a parent.
Students choose whether to sleep in tents, hammocks, or primitive shelters.
The focus is on learning outdoor skills, not pushing people past their limit.

It’s a practical way for families and friends to spend time together and build confidence.

Overcome Your Wilderness Survival Fears and Dependencies

Many outdoor enthusiasts feel vulnerable without modern gear and technology – here’s how primitive survival skills training eliminates those concerns:

Our survival training is like purchasing life insurance for yourself. No matter how bad things get in life, with SIGMA 3’s training, you’ll always be able to provide for your basic human needs.

Skills You’ll Master With Standard Survival

Survival Standard focuses on short-term primitive survival skills that form the backbone of all later training. You’ll work through:

How the Survival Standard Program Fits into the Standard System

The Survival Standard Program is a three-phase system designed to teach a complete set of bushcraft and survival skills over time. Survival Standard is your foundation.

Within the Standard system, courses are:

The program is designed so skills stack in a clear progression from short-term to long-term wilderness survival.

Course Itinerary: 5-Day Wilderness Survival Class Overview

Each day has a specific focus, so students can build skills step by step and apply them in the field.

Day 1

Shelter Day

Learn and build at least 4 shelter styles, including tarp configurations. You’ll work on site selection, wind direction, and managing heat loss so your camp keeps you warm and dry.

Day 2

Water Procurement

Explore several ways to find and collect water. Practice filtering, boiling, and other methods to stay hydrated and avoid illness in the wilderness.

Day 3

Fire, Friction, and Night Fire

Spend time on fire craft: bow drill, fire lays, and maintaining an all-night fire. Learn how to balance fuel, air, and movement so your fire stays reliable when you need it most.

Day 4

Trapping and Wild Plants

Cover survival trapping basics and wild plants. You’ll discuss how to use readily available food sources and natural materials to support a short-term camp or emergency.

Day 5

Navigation, Cordage, and Primitive Weapons

Work on simple navigation, signaling, and the creation of cordage and basic tools. The day ties together shelter, fire, water, and movement into a practical wilderness survival skill set.

Upcoming Course Dates Year 2025 | 2026 | 2027

Fall 2025: October 01 - October 05

Spring 2026: March 16 - March 20

Summer 2026: June 08 - June 12

Summer 2026: July 13 - July 17

Fall 2026: October 05 - October 09

Spring 2027: March 15 - March 19

Summer 2027: June 07 - June 11

Summer 2027: July 12 - July 16

Fall 2027: October 04 - October 08

Duration: 5 Days / 4 Nights, 8 am – 5 pm daily

Why the Survival Standard Program is Different

Training Built Around Real Survival Priorities

Instead of random camp tricks, this program follows the same priorities used in real emergencies. Students learn to keep their thinking clear and focus on what actually keeps them alive first.

Start with staying calm and avoiding panic in unfamiliar situations.
Learn how to read conditions and decide whether to move or stay put.
Practice choosing shelter, water, fire, and food in the right order.
See how small decisions in the first hours affect the rest of your time outside.

A Teaching Style That Makes Skills Stick

Skills are taught in short, focused blocks so students can immediately try, adjust, and repeat until they understand the movement and feel of each task.

Watch instructors break down each skill into simple, clear steps.
Practice in small groups where questions are easy to ask in the moment.
Get direct feedback on your technique while you work in the field.
Repeat key motions (like carving, knot work, or fire prep) until they become natural.

A Learning Environment Designed for Practice

The Survival Standard Program is run on dedicated training grounds where the layout, camp areas, and resources are all chosen to support learning.

Work in a setting with plenty of natural materials for shelter, fire, and tools.
Keep camp close enough to vehicles to focus on skills instead of long hikes.
Spend most of your time outside, moving between stations and practice areas.
Share camp life with other students, learning from how different people solve the same problems.

Success Stories & Results

“Robert, as an instructor you have the unique ability to communicate difficult lessons and have them easily understood. As a teacher myself, I certainly can appreciate this ability. Your systematic approach and easy-going personality made the challenging exercises manageable while permitting for an unforgettable experience. Additionally, the contributions of your staff throughout the event made even the smallest amount of downtime between sessions fascinating. Though several weeks have passed since the Survival Standard course, I still find myself reflecting on that time and continue to build upon the foundations that you and your insightful team provided. I enjoyed training with you all, and I look forward to having more memories with Sigma III.”

Jeff Jenkins.

“What a great class this was! I have taken classes from great instructors like Joel Hardin, Tom Brown, Kevin Reeve, and many more! I have taken several classes with Kelly Alwood before and I have to say Robert, you are bringing the best of the best to Fort Smith in survival, tactical, medical, and tracking. Great class that was well done, safe and inexpensive. I will be taking more classes with SIGMA 3 Survival School!”

Adam C.

“Just got back from my weekend trip to Sigma 3 Survival School and I have to tell you it was a blast. My knowledge of survival before the class consisted of what I had seen on TV. I was a little worried that I would be miserable or starve due to the training conditions. Little did I know, Robert is an expert on making survival training an enjoyable experience. In just one weekend I learned how to make a shelter equipped with “survival memory foam” (leaves), a primitive fire with a bow, and some trapping and fishing techniques (both primitive and with a few modern devices). One of my favorite Robert Allen quotes was, “I don’t see how ‘Survivor man’ eats so little…..we have caught a ton of food in less than 2 hours”. The first night we dined on snake, fish, and some mint tea (along with some city food I brought just in case). During the day we grazed on wild edibles….some of which tasted pretty good. I would recommend this school to anyone wanting to increase their knowledge on survival techniques. Robert has the ability to educate those that are already advanced naturalist and dumb it down for guys like myself. Either way you will leave with a good understanding of how to survive comfortably in the woods. I think Robert said it best, “I don’t really teach people to survive in the woods; I teach them to live in the woods.”

Daniel W.

Dallas, TX

Financing Options

If you’d rather not pay the full amount up front, SIGMA 3 offers financing through a payment plan. This helps students with limited extra cash still attend the course.

Typical features include:

Investment & Packages

The Survival Standard course costs $695 for 5 days (4 nights) of comprehensive training in primitive skills. This investment includes:

Book Now for Standard Survival Training

Don’t wait until you’re in a survival situation to learn these critical skills. Secure your spot in our next Standard Survival course and gain the confidence that comes from true self-reliance.

Phone (Call or Text)

(660) 441-4960

Online booking

Reserve your spot immediately on our booking page.

Address

26200 Hwy YY, Lebanon, MO 65536

Frequently Asked Questions

What do I need to know about the Survival Standard program?

Here are the essentials before you attend this course:

Anyone can take this course; it’s designed for beginners
Foundational skills that work in almost any wilderness environment.
Families encouraged, with children 8 & up welcome.
Focus on bushcraft, survival, and adventurous outdoor skills.
Course credit is good for 3 years from purchase.
You can choose a date now and change it later if needed.
Limited personal gear required; you’ll learn to do more with less.

How much does a survival course cost?

Survival course pricing varies, but at SIGMA 3 Survival School, the Survival Standard Course is $695 for 5 days/4 nights of immersive, hands-on training.

What is the best survival school in the US?

SIGMA 3 Survival School is widely recognized as one of the premier and most comprehensive survival and bushcraft schools in the U.S. Book our Survival Standard program now or call/text (660) 441-4960.

Availability is Limited