Personal Survival Kit contents

[appletree_man]

This is something i've thought about and experimented on, for the last few months now, there's always a desire to find the 'perfect' kit, a balance between useabillity & size/weight.

I broke it down to 3 options.


1st - Everyday, and traveling, visiting, close to home. All kept in my wallet and with my keys.

Perry whistle.
SAK Spartan (might change this to another model soon, not sure).
Two LED micro lights.
Flosscard with duck tape wrapped around it.
Couple of saftey pins.
Needle.
Asprin.
Water purification tabs.
Plasters.
Mobile phone.



2nd - At work, visiting other towns, or away overnight, etc, in addition to the stuff above I carry a small sports type shoulder bag, with the following kept in a small pouch inside the bag.

First Aid kit.
Emergency plastic poncho (cheap thing).
P3 dust mask.
Nylon cord.
More bits of tape, and string.
SAK Executive.
Matches.
Tiny sewing kit.
Small Silva compass.
Perry whistle.
Ferro rod (overkill maybe).
LED micro light.
Water purification tabs & breast milk bags.
Notebook & pencil.
Small FM/AM radio.
Also inside the bag is a thin fold-up rain coat, gloves, a woolly hat, and a few toiletries, and paper towels.


3rd - Out and about in the great outdoors. In addition to the usual kit in the backpack (the pouch from the sports bag above is also transferred there), I carry a pouch on my belt which stays with me always when i'm camping. It contains,

Ferro rod.
Emergency plastic poncho.
Wheelie bin liner.
LED micro light.
BCB button compass.
Perry whistle.
Small Silva compass.
SAK Hiker.
Spark-Lite & tinder.
Knife sharpener.
Larger LED torch.
Assorted safety pins & wire.
Water filter straw.
Para cord.
Water purification tabs & breast milk bags.
Small signal mirror.
Assorted plasters.
Wipes.


I've probably forgotten something.

 

[Hoodoo]

The best PSK is the one ya have on ya.

 

[OzaawaaMigiziNini]

My personal survival kit is 80% of the time, just a Steel mug, and an extra firesteel. Of course, my "survival" knife as well (Cold Steel Kukri Machete). Other times, it may have a candle, or an emergency blanket (the foil kind), but those are rare.

It all fits into a Canvas belt pouch, which I am currently trying to find a way to attach directly to the sheath of my knife.

With the extra pocket of the pouch, I could theoretically add water purification tabs, maybe some inner tube to help the fire, or other additional gear. But I have never found the need for it. I usually just use the pouch to stuff tinder into that I find on the trail (birchbark, cedar bark, old mans beard, etc).

 

[Chopper]

The best PSK is the one ya have on ya.

Hi Hoodoo, what is in the blue tube and silver foil?

 

[He' s left the building]

.........................

 

[Nicklas Odh]

In my mini survival kit (my jacket) I have:
Fällkniven U2
Leatherman Fuse
Whistle
Silva lighter (or a small firesteel with a spy capsule full of pjb).
Fenix P3DQ5 light

In my bag I normally have:
Fallkniven WM1
SAK Explorer
Whistle
Firesteel
Foil blanket
Coffee filters
Duct tape
String
Needles
Batteries
LED light
and much more

If planned outings I add
Fallkniven F1
Bahco folding saw
Tin mug

In the car I have a Bauhaus basket full of stuff:
Different flashlights
Bin liners
Gloves
FAK
VS17 panel
Refl. west
MR-8
Trangia food container
I should add water and some food, light sticks,flares and some Power Flares.
www.powerflare.com

Even if I am not stuck, the polish semi 100 meters further down the road stops everything.
Last month a road just 40 km from central Stockholm was blocked for several hours because of snow and polish trucks with blank tires. The rescue service drove around with ATVs to hand out water and candy to the stuck people.

 

[Hoodoo]

Hi Hoodoo, what is in the blue tube and silver foil?

The blue tubes are soda straws stuffed with tinder-quik. The foil is wrapped around fish hooks, ice fishing lures and a few sinkers.

 

[Karl5]

The best PSK is the one ya have on ya.

That bark handled Järvenpää is just lovely in the hand, isn't it Hoodoo?
Have you sealed the handle in any way, or have you left it as it came from the factory?
And if you didn't - Have you noticed anything negative with leaving it as it is (moisture, fishguts, blood asf)?

/ Karl

 

[Scots_Charles_River]

My urban one is - passport, wallet, mobile, water bottle.

All in a bumbag (american - fannypack).

We had no water for two hrs on saturday, burst main, but was shocked by how much water I used, even wild camping tend to be near water.

The media are reporting after the English Floods this summer,
Short list here -

EMERGENCY FLOOD KIT
Batteries
Radio
Torch
Mobile phone
Rubber gloves
Cleaning materials
Key personal documents including insurance policy
Emergency contact numbers (including local council, emergency services and Floodline - 0845 988 1188)
Antibacterial hand gel or wipes
First aid kit
Blankets


Full article
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7147355.stm

Nick

 

[mjk123]

>>That bark handled Järvenpää is just lovely in the hand, isn't it Hoodoo?

I had a leather handled one. It was very comfortable, in fact probably the best aspect of the knife. I have to say the rest of the knife was disappointing, maybe because I had very high expectations.

 

[chem_doc]

One thing that I mean to add to my kit (and I haven't seen it mentioned here, but it may have been and I just missed it) is some plain old wax paper as tinder. You can fold it flat so it doesn't take up much space and it's water proof. Just rip a bit of it up into confetti-sized pieces and it'll take a spark from a Fire Steel and go up.

It'll even work after being thoroughly dowsed/held under water.

Doc

 

[Karl5]

>>That bark handled Järvenpää is just lovely in the hand, isn't it Hoodoo?

I had a leather handled one. It was very comfortable, in fact probably the best aspect of the knife. I have to say the rest of the knife was disappointing, maybe because I had very high expectations.

Oh dear, that doesn't sound very promising.
I only just got mine, so I haven't tried it properly yet.
What was disappointing with it? Steel, design or...
Just being curious.

/ Karl

 

[phaserrifle]

Unless I am taking part in a pre-planned "survival" camp (with scouts) i don't tend to carry my survival kit anymore. I used to, but it was just too much hassle.
the only other time I carry anything like that is when I go anywhere where I'm worried i might be caught out by the weather, when I carry a survival bag (actualy a maritime TPA) and my brew kit, in a pouch on my belt, with my phone next to it.

 

[Minotaur]

Unless I am taking part in a pre-planned "survival" camp (with scouts) i don't tend to carry my survival kit anymore. I used to, but it was just too much hassle.
the only other time I carry anything like that is when I go anywhere where I'm worried i might be caught out by the weather, when I carry a survival bag (actualy a maritime TPA) and my brew kit, in a pouch on my belt, with my phone next to it.

I think the problem is the concept of that tobacco tin survival kit.

As a scout, and a scout leader, I always had some form of survival kit on me, but more in the form of a series of possibility pockets, pouches, and belt hangings.

One of the big problems the Scout Assocation has, in my opinion, is the uniform changes. The Baden Powell Scout uniform, i.e. basically the original uniform, still works for the reason it worked then.

It is a very bushcrafty uniform, and I am going to buy some of their shirts, and a couple of belts. The belts have the rings in them so you can hang stuff at your side.

 

[Deleted member 4605]

I think the problem is the concept of that tobacco tin survival kit.

I fell in love with the idea of tobacco tin survival kit after reading a survival book when I was very young.

When I was older I bought one of those survival knives - you know the sort, hollow handle, more kit in the sheath etc. Not quite a Rambo knife (too small). I dug it out the other day - half the pieces of the kit had been "borrowed" at some point and not replaced; the knife was as useless as the day I bought it (of course I know more about them now). I tried out the wire saw that came with it - the damn thing broke before I got halfway through the 2cm diameter branch! The whole lot went in the bin.

Kits are a nice idea, but most are useless without the skills to use what's in them.

As a scout, and a scout leader, I always had some form of survival kit on me, but more in the form of a series of possibility pockets, pouches, and belt hangings.

I always have kit on me - more when I'm leading - and when I teach my Scouts about survival I always aim to teach them the skills, not the kit.

One of the big problems the Scout Assocation has, in my opinion, is the uniform changes. The Baden Powell Scout uniform, i.e. basically the original uniform, still works for the reason it worked then.

This is one of the things I like about our association (see signature), but...

It is a very bushcrafty uniform, and I am going to buy some of their shirts, and a couple of belts. The belts have the rings in them so you can hang stuff at your side.

Our uniform looks the part, but it would need a lot or wearing in for use away from the meeting hall. We generally ditch the uniforms as soon as we start meeting outdoors.

 

[phaserrifle]

I think the problem is the concept of that tobacco tin survival kit.

As a scout, and a scout leader, I always had some form of survival kit on me, but more in the form of a series of possibility pockets, pouches, and belt hangings.

One of the big problems the Scout Assocation has, in my opinion, is the uniform changes. The Baden Powell Scout uniform, i.e. basically the original uniform, still works for the reason it worked then.

It is a very bushcrafty uniform, and I am going to buy some of their shirts, and a couple of belts. The belts have the rings in them so you can hang stuff at your side.

nahh the main problem is with my obsession with carrying tons of useless kit. I took the scout motto "BE PREPARED" a little too far. why carry a survival kit, survival bag and brew kit at all times, when most of my camps are static things at the local scout campsite. also when it comes down to it, half the most useful gear from the survival kit (matches, flint and striker, whistle, tinder) where seperate from my "tobaco tin" kit anyway, and found in assorted pockets, or where duplicates of what I carry as part of my brew kit.

when the groups I belong to are on camp, there are two situations found relating to uniform. either it's with my scout group, in which case the uniforms are stored in your tent, and only worn for flag break and flag down, unless there is an investiture. With my explorer unit (attached to the local scout campsite, made up of explorers from all over the county) our uniform is a red polo shirt with the group logo, and so gets worn at all sorts of times, but isn't realy an official scout uniform.

 

[Minotaur]

nahh the main problem is with my obsession with carrying tons of useless kit. I took the scout motto "BE PREPARED" a little too far.

I can really relate to that.

I was amazed when I went hiking, the amount of stuff I did not take with me, or double, or triple up on.

 

[forrestdweller]

very interesting thread. i might pinch a few ideas for my own use.
strange that most texts about survival and survival kits talk about knives and knife sharpening, but most forget something to do this(whetstone)...
what i carry depends largely on the area where i go and what i'm planning to do.

a few suggestions for larger kits:
-map in waterproof cover
-slingshot/material to make one or sling for smaller game; both need practising, yes, but can make hunting much easier
-sunglasses-not to look cool, but to protect eyes in areas with bright sun(desert, snow, ocean)
-small gill net or likewise for fishing or bird-and small game- hunting
-rubber tubing or -band to make a hawaiian sling (for coastal areas)
-goggles/diving mask ( ---"--- )
-signal rockets pen and rockets


"disappointed by the monkeys, god created man. then he renounced to further experiments." mark twain

 

[Minotaur]

very interesting thread. i might pinch a few ideas for my own use.
strange that most texts about survival and survival kits talk about knives and knife sharpening, but most forget something to do this(whetstone)...
what i carry depends largely on the area where i go and what i'm planning to do.

I think it must be one of those things. If i have a knife, sharpening materials, and first aid kit are always around.

I am building two versions of the five pound sharpening kit, a standard, and a small.

I think it must be one of those things. If i have a knife, sharpening materials, and first aid are there by default. Reminds me must finish kit so can sharpen everything.

-map in waterproof cover

Would never go anywhere, without a map to back up GPS.

-slingshot/material to make one or sling for smaller game; both need practising, yes, but can make hunting much easier

Go to slinging.org. They have an article on braiding your own sling. I always have string, so I do this by default.

Must admit have been considering carrying a bow string.

Think this is a good example of what we are about. Having the knowledge, skill, and ability to make what we need.

-sunglasses-not to look cool, but to protect eyes in areas with bright sun(desert, snow, ocean)

Have to go everywhere with at least a pair. Hayfever got to love it.

-small gill net or likewise for fishing or bird-and small game- hunting

Are these not illigal so, especially in the current climate(chance of police search), would this not be a big risk.

Really do not want to use this quote, but if you can make a net you will have one for life. Carry the string so could do it.

-rubber tubing or -band to make a hawaiian sling (for coastal areas)

Had not thought about that use, but would be not hardship to drop a cataplut sling in my BOB. Have been thinking about a black widow anyway.

-goggles/diving mask

Good Idea.

Polarised sun glasses might not be a bad idea either.

 

[phaserrifle]

just dug my kit out. currently stored in a red drawstring bag:
1x perry wistle
1x cheap disposable lighter
1x "cyclone" brand pot of storm-proof matches (also some strike anywhere matches in same pot)
1x ray mears firesteel + striker

1x tobacco tin containing:
1x fishing kit (hooks, weights,snap swivels, braided line)
1x tea-light type candle
1x sewing kit (assorted thread, needles, a couple of pins)
1x wire saw
1x lenght of brass wire
4x tampons (for tinder)
1x button compass
6x water puri tabs (chlorine)
1x swisscard "quatro" (with blade, pin, file, pen, tweezers, and a small screwdriver thing.) this replaces my small folding knife, which got lost.
4x assorted saftey pins