Personal Survival Kit contents

[Lush]

Hi all!

How about discussing the contents of a Personal Survival Kit for bush craft trips and vacations? Only to be used when disaster strikes. Not to be ripped or steal from.
For more easy discussion I divide a Personal Survival Kit (PSK) in:

A big PSK = too big and bulky to carry in your pockets; 350+ grams (backpack)
A small PSK = small and light enough to carry on person (pocket)
A mini PSK = so small, you can easily carry it in a average shirt pocket without really noticing it's there. It has only the bare essentials and in small quantities.

I really used/use Doug Ritter's and some of John McCann's information as a guide to making my own Personal Survival Kit. When ready I will post a pic. of the contents.

I choose for a Mini PSK. It will have (more or less) the following items:

EMERGENCY DEVICES GROUP
- Razor knife Blades
- Spark-Lite Firestarter Flint
- Spark-Lite "Fire Tab" Tinders
- Windproof/Waterproof Matches
- "Premium" BCB Wire Survival Saw
- Fishing Kit in plastic vial: 13 asst. hooks, 6 swivels, 5 split shot
- 20 lb. Fishing Line
- Extra Large Hook (use as gaff)
- Brass Snare Wire
- Fishing Knot Information sheet
- Photon Micro Light
- Teflon Tube (for water seeps)
- 15MM Button Compass (or 20MM)

MEDICAL GROUP
- Paracetamol
- Antibiotics in some form
- Potassium Permanganate Crystals in plastic vial (anti septic, water treatment, anti fungal)

WATER and FOOD GROUP (I see no food. I am not going to eat condoms!)
- Water Disinfectant Tabs in glass vial
- Condoms (for water storage and treatment)

MISCELLANEOUS / MULTI-PURPOSE GROUP
- 550# Mil Spec. Parachute Cord wrapped around kit
- 3M Scotch "Super 33+" Electrical Tape (wrapped around kit to seal it)
- Duct Tape
- Twisted Nylon Line
- H.D. Poly/Cotton Sewing Thread
- Sewing Needles, 1 large, 1 medium
- Heavy Duty Sewing Awl
- Safety Pins
- H.D. Aluminum Foil
- Thin Pencil (unsharpened)
- "Rite in the Rain" paper, 2 x 3 in. sheets
- Two Piece Tinned Steel Container (tobacco tin stripped of paint and polished. You can cook water in it.)


What I will (probably) leave out my PSK:

- Razor knife Blades or maybe Scalpel Blades (I already have at least one knife on me, no matter what happens)
- Windproof/Waterproof Matches (you cannot get these into an airplane)
- "Premium" BCB Wire Survival Saw (not sure if they break at first use, I can save some weight too)
- Fishing Knot Information sheet
- Photon Micro Light (I don’t see the need so much)
- 3M Scotch "Super 33+" Electrical Tape (I already have Duct Tape listed. Why would 3M Electrical tape be a good addition?)
- Twisted Nylon Line (I already have Para cord)
- Heavy Duty Sewing Awl (not convinced/don’t know the real value of it.)
- "Rite in the Rain" paper, 2 x 3 in. sheets (I can use Birch Bark or something else)
- Razor knife Blades (I have at least one knife still with me, even if I lose my backpack)


What I might add to PSK:

- 3 Wound Closure Strips
- Small Bic Lighter
- Piece of sharpening Stone (as I will still have 1 or two knifes on me, even when I loose my backpack)
- Vaseline Soaked Cotton Balls (as tinder and also to make a candle from)
- Artery Clamp (a little plastic one, I am not yet fully sure about it’s practical value though)

What would you guy’s include in a Personal Survival Kit? Any comments, questions or additions are welcome. Hope to hear some!

Btw. This One Shop sells ALL the products you need for a PSK! I think it is a very good deal, since it saves a LOT of time and shipment coasts. The prices are amazing too!

greets,
Lush

 

[Zodiak]

Local currency for making emergency phone calls. Phone number of Bristish consulate. Copy of passport number.

No serioulsy

Z

 

[British Red]

I have played with and written on, the subject of PSK's quite a lot. On balance, these days, I think a small number of high quality items outweighs the silly tiny items. I also disagree with the "seal it up and ignore it" approach and go the other way. My "PSK" is my possibles pouch. It contains "useful, everyday" items that could, if something went wrong, sustain me, but also won't have crumbled to dust or gone out of date if I need them.

Let me illustrate what I mean. A compass. I have tried to use a button compass - they are about okay for finding North (the cheap ones not that good). So in my pouch I carry a tiny Silva compass. Good quality but not my large sighting compass. Its so small that I can be sure I won't leave it out for something more useful.

Matches. MATCHES? why *** would anyone carry matches these days? A Mini Bic will give hundreds of lights for less space than 30 matches. So thats what I carry. Antibiotics?Forget it! In Holland (or the UK) get rescued and treated! What kind of antibiotics? Narrow spec? Broad Spec? Topical? Oral? You can go mad. Carry a blister kit, sunscreen and bite cream plus some wound wipes (alcohol ones since they make tinder). A Tick Hook is more likely to save you unpleasantness that antibiotics I reckon.

I would lose the wire saw (I hate em) and carry my trusty SAK which has a far better saw anyway. Razor blades? What for? I don't want to shave - see SAK (also tweezers for splinter, torch etc.).

Metal tin for boiling water? Try it! You can be there forever boiling enough water. I wrap my "puritabs" in a zip lock bag that holds a litre of water. 1 tab in the bag. Job done.

Micro light? Definitely. Try walking in the woods in the dark without any light! It can be a life saver if you have just dropped your knife,.

Safety pins and needle and thread?Sure but bung in some super glue. Wound closure, boot repair (the most likely thing) etc. Paracord again makes fishing line, bashas, boot laces etc.

Again - KMnO4 - what for - very fancy but some wound wipes and puritabs are easier to use (and more handy in real life). One thing I would suggest is a stonking good whistle. If you bust an ankle that really might save your life.

I could go on, but my kit now has less tiny, fiddly things and a few, well chosen, solid items that will work when I need them. Not gadgets - most can get used when I'm out for a stroll but can be pressed to serve more important needs.

Happy to post more if you like

Red

 

[deepcmonkey]

I have just dug my survival kit out, I hate opening it as it's a knightmare to get the stuff back in!!

I had to make this up when I was in the military, we were given advise and then had to show what we had the week after. The general view that I have come across is that they are a bit of a waste of time, as they always end up in the bottom of a bag/bergan as they are a pain to carry to them in a pocket. Also a bit of advise I got given is not carry it about my person anyway as if captured you might be mistaken for something a bit more special.

However if you want to carry one a good way to go about constructing it is to buy one of the ready made ones from BCB etc..as a starting base, as you get a good solid container and some of the basics. Then remove the useless bits and add in what ever extras you may need. This is a lot cheaper than starting from scratch.

There are a million different things to contain in these kits, but the bulk of it should be fire lighting kit as this is the most important bit.

The contents of mine is as follows and by no means is this the perfect kit, I did get a well done for it though

Plasters
2 surgical blades (medical grade)
Paracetimol (this is a bit of a waste of space)
Puritabs
Fishing kit (lines,hooks,weights,swivils etc..)
Heavy duty cotton thread
Large sewing needles x5
Safety pins (2x large 6xmedium)
Wire Saw
Brass snare wire
Candle/tea light (could be better replaced by a photon)
Silva button compass (not one of those cheap bottom ones!)
Condom (plain!)
Swedish Fire Steel (Small)
Disposible lighter
Veg stock drink (from a Rat pack,just for morale!)
Cotton wool (as much as I can fit in the gaps)

All contained in a tobacco tin. and on the outside of the tin I had a space blanket taped to it on the lid and electrical tape around the seam of the tin

I would probably add a mirror stuck to the inside of the lid for signalling, and add some butterfly stiches as these take up no room. To be honest thats about all you are going to get in a small kit and anything bigger would be a pain in the **** and would have even more chance of ending up in the bottom of a bag.

I have seen those ritter kits advertised and although they look very nice, I think the plastic case it comes in is useless as it will probably break. If you go down that route might a suggest one of those mini dry bags, get it as small as possible and then just wrap some electrical around it. This would also double as a very good water carrier etc..

I see you mention the BCB saw, I have used one and they are actually very good for what they are, you just add in a couple of sticks for handles and away you go I would defo add one.

I think in your list you have pretty much covered everything though.

Personally If I were taveling in light planes in the middle of no where i would make sure on my person I had my Bushy knife, fire steel, small fishing kit, some para cord, a compass and thats about it.

Look forward to your photos of your kit.

 

[rik_uk3]

Local currency for making emergency phone calls. Phone number of Bristish consulate. Copy of passport number.

No serioulsy

Z

Well said that man. We talk about survival kits but their contents will vary to suit location. My kit for a family holiday say in Gran Canaria, is a decent sized first aid kit and a lot of stuff like passport numbers, emergency phone numbers etc, stored in a web based email account so I (or my familly) can access the data from a cyber cafe, or more realistically the Hotel front desk

Most parts of the UK don't need a massive kit, a good first aid kit and some basics like a condom/hair net water carrier, fire lighting kit, basic pain killers/anti histamine, steri tabs and some form of sugar. Put it in a tin you can drink from an away you go. At the end of the day, you can go a long time without food, and the UK in general is small so keep up your water intake and grab some sugar until you find safety or it finds you, don't see much point in laying down fishing lines if you can walk out in a day, and if you can't walk you may well not be in a position to lay the lines anyway. Throw in a cup o soup or some instant tea to liven things up, space blanket too, thats about it really for general use

 

[deepcmonkey]

Love the idea about the email, I will use this from now on cheers for that.

Back to the survival kit,
I think Lush is on about the generic Lofty Wiseman type affair.

 

[stotRE]

HAIR GEL

AFTERSHAVE

SQUADDIE SHOWER IN A CAN

TRAPPING KIT

DESSIES

CONDOM (ribbed for pleasure)

LOCAL DINERO

 

[swagman]

Red is it ok to use everyday superglue for wounds? i had been lead to beleve the superglue
for medical use was difrent from everyday superglue which contains something else.

 

[Cairodel]

My "PSK" is my possibles pouch. It contains "useful, everyday" items that could, if something went wrong, sustain me.
Red

Absolutely BR, over here, only an idiot goes out "unprepared". When we venture into the
deserts, our "PSK" is our Defender or S3 109....

 

[SimonM]

Personally, I do not carry a PSK. All my jaunts are in the UK and I carry either a daysac or larger expedition sac. These contain everything that I need + a few extras like spare food, headlamp etc.

Always with me and attached to D - rings sewn into my smock pockets are:-
Left - SAK soldier, whistle, firesteel
Right - Silva type 4 compass

Why carry snares & fishing gear in this country? As has been said already either walk out yourself OR you are in no condition to set snares and go fishing!

Simon

 

[deepcmonkey]

Red is it ok to use everyday superglue for wounds? i had been lead to beleve the superglue
for medical use was difrent from everyday superglue which contains something else.

No it is not ok, household superglue has solvents etc..in it, only in date med glue does the job and shouldn't be used unless you have been trained. Put a field dressing on any cut and get to the hospital.

 

[British Red]

I've heard two answers to this (both from doctors), one swears its the same stuff, the other swears it isn't (shrug). I agree with the training thing though. closing a wound really means it should gave been cleaned properly and you aren't going to do that in the field. So, deepc's advice is good if you have any choice. If you don't, you use whats available. I think you are more likely to patch your tarp or fix a boot with it

Red

 

[MartiniDave]

British Red,

I for one would like to know more of your ideas on PSK contents & uses, what you've said so far seems to make a lot of sense for the UK.

Dave

 

[SMARTY]

I do carry and use a survival tin. Its not taped up so there is no barrier to stop me using it at any time. All the items are full size. Mini stuff is too fiddley to use and generally not robust enough. I change the contents depending on the environmental area I'm going to. More importantly, the contents should be based on your skill level, and the SAR services for that area. a mobile phone or a PLB should be part of that kit. Also do the basic stuff, tell someone where your going and when you are expected back. Dont go alone if poss and when disaster strikes stay at that point for as long as practicle. Remember SAR will be looking for your car, plane, boat etc. In a survival situation ( and you will decide that for yourself) a quick rescue is the best rescue.

 

[oops56]

O K this survival stuff for hiking or back packing or just a day hike ois o k. Don't you think it be good to make one to keep in your auto like fist aid kit blankets something to fix auto case brake down something to make a hot drink or some hot noddles must be more.

 

[Tourist]

The thing is for the UK where 95% of the population live within 5 miles of a motorway and there is almost 100% mobile phone coverage you do not really need a combat grade survival kit or enough medical kit to perform field surgery. Take some sensible bits' n pieces and if you are out and about leave someone an itinerary and your locations.

I carry a leatherman, small torch, small silva compass, a lighter and a small first aid kit the bag of which can hold a litre of water if needs be. This is all distributed in a Maxpedition shoulder bag, because I have two small kids and carry a multitude of items for their welfare and well-being also.

What I carried in the miitary was different, unlike red I did not dip into my survival kit - it was sealed and not touched unless the situation required it. It is too easy to dip into a PSK and not replace bits, then you are up the proverbial when you do need something. You need to be aware of the use by dates on items and then do an overhaul of your PSK at that point.

Travelling Tip: If you are going abroad do not just make a note of your passport numbers. Color photocopy your passport and driving licence, but do it on a reduction so that the relevant pages when copied can be laminated into the ID card size plastic laminating thingies........much more convincing than a bus ticket with a number scribbled on it.

You can also buy international phone cards.

Dessie's, sadly since Freeman, Hardy & Willis shut up shop there have'nt been any good ones about.

 

[British Red]

Tourist,

I take all the stuff like passport copies, credit card numbers, important phone numvers etc. and record them on an SD card that lives in my wallet. Others I know use a slimmer type USB memory stick. Small but accesibe in an emergency.

I'll do some more ont he sort of stuff I carry at some point MD

Red

 

[SteveUK]

I have a policy of be prepared because in my case, if it can go wrong it will, so I carry a "just in case kit", even in town/office -
satey pins, needle, thread, shirt buttons, elastoplasts, steriwipes, asprin, spare shoe laces, small SAK, led torch, mini bic, cash (notes and coins) pencil and paper.
When I go out and about, I simply add the appropriate items. Compass, extra food, knife, Leatherman, paracord, waterproofs etc. This way I feel confident I can meet any situation that crops up.

 

[buckley]

take all the stuff like passport copies, credit card numbers, important phone numvers etc. and record them on an SD card that lives in my wallet. Others I know use a slimmer type USB memory stick. Small but accesibe in an emergency.

I'll do some more ont he sort of stuff I carry at some point MD

That is an excellent idea mate.

Going to have to nick this idea me thinks!

 

[He' s left the building]

Edited to acknowledge that rik_uk3 had already recommended the email-based information cache a few posts up (I must take more care to read things thoroughly!)