Personal Survival Kit contents

[He' s left the building]

Useful info there nicodiemus, thanks.

How about online vaults such as: http://www.ekit.com/ekit/About/TraveltoolFeatures#vault and http://www.dogtag.co.uk/emergencies

As they are encrypted, I presume that the risk then lies with using a cyber-cafe/hotel internet access terminal which may be compromised? (eg spyware or key-tap logging device).

Hope this isn't dragging the topic off-thread for anyone, but I think it's useful to clarify what is/isn't secure especially for anyone thinking of heading for adventures in other countries.

 

[nicodiemus]

In principle, both of these services are ideal. I am a bit too paranoid to use even these services, but i should think they're fine. Particularly dogtag, which i have both heard of and seems more professional.

It's also worth noting that being an insurance company, dogtag.co.uk is regulated by the FSA, and as such has extemely strict rules regarding your privacy.

Just make sure you don't lose the dogtag...

 

[Burnt Ash]

I haven't tested a lighter, can somebody try that please? A piezo and flint lighter to see which is best would be great, I just have a couple of spy capsule lighters, so they will definitely work as they are sealed!

I couldn't find my piezo ignition lighter, so wasn't able to test that.

I immersed a Clipper butane lighter in a jug of water and held it under for a minute. On pulling the lighter out and shaking it briskly to throw off most of the water, no spark could be achieved with several attempts. I then removed the striker mechanism (which one can do on Clippers and some other, but not all brands), uscrewed the 'flint' spring and dried the spring, flint and flint wheel fairly carefully with the hem of a cotton tee shirt (took about two minutes). On reassembling the striker mechanism and putting it back in the lighter, I achieved flame ignition with the first and subsequent flicks (function fully restored). The drying process is a bit quicker with absorbent paper kitchen towell or toilet tissue.

Burnt Ash

 

[ddokkum]

Haha
At the moment there are 7 pages all with PSK info.
It's also a nice forum with a lot of knife info and other stuff.

You need to login/be a member to view that thread
Do you think it would be possible to copy/paste it please

 

[Lush]

Ahjno, there isn't much that isn't already listed in this thread. I say this, so you know...

btw.: thanks for posting everyone!

 

[Martyn]

Who says? I have to disagree strongly on that one. I find flicking a lighter far, far easier than striking a match. And I've just tried it in several ways: deliberately simulating loss of grasp, coordination and other handicaps. If a lighter flame blows out, a quick flick and it's going again. Drop the match, break the match, match blows out ...oops! That's another one wasted and another one has to be procured from the box, etc. Nope, you can keep your matches, thanks very much. Give me a couple of Clippers or Bics, any day. My motor skills and I will take our chances.

Burnt Ash

Can you light a lighter with just your toes?

Try this...clench your hands into fists to simulate the loss of your fingers (frostbite etc), using just your thumbs and clenched fingers, can you light a match? Can you light a lighter?

It's possible to strike a match just using your teeth and wrists. Can you light a lighter using the same?

When your fingers are warm, using a lighter may seem easier and is certainly more convenient, but when your hands are reduced to "clubs" on the ends of your arms through cold, using matches may be the only possible solution.

 

[Brian]

Got to agree with Martyn about the matches v lighter question. I did a race a few years ago, it was that cold that when I finished I couldn't feel anything lower than my elbows, someone else had to undo my trainers for me. Absolutely no way I could light a lighter but putting the match in my mouth and holding the box/striker in my palms, it might have been possible to strike a match (probably loose my eye brows as well though ). I always carry matches in my PSK which is in the same type of tin that Spamel uses. Just my 2p

Brian

 

[rik_uk3]

I take aways several fire lighters with me, from mag rod to match to turbo gas lighter

This thread is getting stranger by the post

 

[Burnt Ash]

Can you light a lighter with just your toes?

Try this...clench your hands into fists to simulate the loss of your fingers (frostbite etc), using just your thumbs and clenched fingers, can you light a match? Can you light a lighter?

It's possible to strike a match just using your teeth and wrists. Can you light a lighter using the same?

When your fingers are warm, using a lighter may seem easier and is certainly more convenient, but when your hands are reduced to "clubs" on the ends of your arms through cold, using matches may be the only possible solution.

Have to disagree with you. When cold and motor abilities are seriously reduced, it's far harder to control the tension with which one holds and strikes a match (than it is to use a lighter). You'd most likely end up with a broken match or burnt lips/face.

I've just tried the following experiment (again): I formed both of my hands into clenched fists; thumbs clamped against forefingers. I allowed myself no digital movement. I found it quite easy to hold a Clipper butane lighter down (lying flat) with one fist and strike it successfully with the exposed pad of thumb or the index finger knuckle of the other hand. I found I could do this ambidextrously (i.e., swapping the 'holding' and 'striking' hands) with no particular problem.

By allowing one fist to actually hold the lighter (however awkwardly and even with a very tenuous grasp), the task becomes even easier.

Toes? Well, mine have always been unusually prehensile (useful for pinching other kids' bums in the swimming pool when I was a lad), so I didn't have much problem 'toe-lighting' the Clipper.

So I iterate: my motor skills and I will take our chances.

Burnt Ash

P.S. I've just repeated the above experiments with a newer Clipper lighter featuring the new-style 'faceted' flint wheel. I confess these handicapped lighting tasks are rather harder to accomplish than when using a lighter with the older style 'milled' flint wheel.

 

[rik_uk3]

Knee jerk rant!

Don't EVER store your or anyone else's passport details or anything else of a sensitive nature in a web based email account.

Information security is my profession, and it's almost trivial to compromise that sort of traffic between your hotel web terminal or cyber-cafe.

You've got to presume that any kind of web traffic you transmit between your cybercafe and your webmail provider is publicly acessible. Having access to things like names addresses and passport details makes identity theft trivial, and it's a boom industry worldwide.

On the flip-side, its very good advice to keep a copy of your passport number with you at all times. Stitch it into a jacket unlabelled, or write it on the lining of a pocket with a sharpie, anything but store it online!

Unless you've got good knowledge of crypto or really trust the webserver you're keeping it on, just don't even risk it.

Rant over.

Anyway, I have stored personal data (passport numbers, credit card numbers, no expiry dates, names or personal pins), on several web based email accounts and they would only be accessed to make sure they work before I go on holiday, and if the turd hits the fan while I am away, so there is no need to shout "don't EVER", just think about it, its a safe system if used with common sense.

 

[nicodiemus]

Web email accounts, with only a few exceptions, are not to be considered secure. Most are unencrypted.
You might as well stand in your town centre and shout your credit card numbers through a megaphone.

My earlier comment stands. Don't ever store your credit card or personal information in an email account, unelss encrypted.

If you do, don't be surprised when your insurance company won't cover it when your identity gets stolen.

It's not a safe system, even when used with common sense, for the simple reason that it's unencrypted. I demonstrate this kind of attack professionally, since penetration testing is part of my job.

Edit: Didn't mean to presume to tell you how to live your life, just making a suggestion since this is my profession. You'd listen if a beat cop told you to keep your front door locked.

 

[rik_uk3]

Storing numbers on a webmail account is fine, without other details they are of no use to anyone else

I don't advocate writing a mail along the lines of

"My name is John Smith, I live at 1 Junk Lane, DOB is, TSB account numer is 1236547, passport =number is 012547"

use a bit of common sense, and it will be fine

 

[Humpback]

I think the government are trying to store half the populations data by this method if tonights news is correct!
Alan

 

[He' s left the building]

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[Scots_Charles_River]

What about a Foil blanket for a bit of shelter ?

Nick

 

[He' s left the building]

I carry a slim zip-up pouch full of useful items with me every time I leave the house

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[Lush]

I'm very inclined to listen to computer guru's, in fact anyone who knows more than me about IT security. Had a friend of my wife's round last week and he sorted out my wireless connection and secured it, just in time to watch a piece on SkyNews about how many people leave their networks wide open, I had no idea how it worked and I would have been one of those left vulnerable.

Anyhoo, back to something a bit more bushy: I've just uploaded a photo of my kit I took for a very basic 24-hr survival course that I mentioned on another thread

I was also carrying a water-bottle and a large machet/knife as well as these items in my pockets (and a safety pack ... unused!) With hindsight, I should have had at least a poly-bag as well and I must point out that the course was in a tropical clime so I didn't need warm or wet-proof clothing. I will upload another piccie of my upgraded kit if anyone is interested.

Small container of chlorine tablets, folding knife with whistle in handle (also torch in handle but I had difficulty getting replacement batteries), small folding compass, disposable lighter, short length of nylon 550-cord.

A mate of mine offered me his BCB survival tin (he'd just done the same course) and said that I would only need the knife, chlorine tablets and matches, so I decided to upgrade the knife (to the one shown here) and take my own tablets and lighter. Someone else had a fishing handline which came in handy.

Please feel free to critique as you see fit!

I am not sure if I understand your question or statement

 

[He' s left the building]

I am not sure if I understand your question or statement

'Critique' means I'm inviting comments!

All comments welcome!

Something along the lines of 'must try harder' will be most appropriate, takes me back to my school-days!

 

[Lush]

The first picture (with the lighter and chlorine tablets and the knife.) What is it meant for? A one day survival kit, or strictly for use during a course?

 

[Scots_Charles_River]

wet-knaps and tissue packs,

Replace the above with alcohol anti-bacterial hand wash ? More uses inc.fire lighting.

Yep, you are right about the need for some shelter Nick, I have just placed an order for an RAF-issue shrink-wrapped poly-bag and an AMK heatsheet so I can compare them

Get a 'Poundshop' poly painting sheet, one to protect a carpet etc when painting,tiny and does the job. Can be more than big enough for two or three folk.

I would also add condoms for water carrying and 'potassium mangante powder'.

Nick