Practical survival kit.

[BigMonster]

Hi guys.
I don't believe in survival kits, in the woods or mountains your pack is your survival kit. And in urban enviroment you will find around yourself much more than you can squeeze in to altoids tin.

Instead I carry few EDC items that are usefull in every day life and would be very helpfull in survival situation. I have just upgraded my EDC bag to something bigger with more pockets (maxpedition typhoon) so can add more items and I'm curious about your suggestions. So far I have:

Leatherman multitool, that's on my belt with fire rod in the pouch.
Nitecore p12 torch and I can use my phone as one as well.
Poncho tarp, rain protection if I forget my jacket with me and 2.65 x 1.5 tarp (with cords).
Turbo flame lighter and a backup BIC.
Maxp pocket organizer with tools and possibilities like screwdriwer, duck tape, zip ties, multimeter, screws, uperglue etc - I'm an ex IT.
No 1st aid kit, just a pouch with body maintenace bits like painkillers, plasters, spare tampons for my gf, alcohol gel, condoms, water tablets, ear plugs etc. It does contain a pack of quick clot, for anything else there is pharmacy/ambulance.
Shemag.
Power bank for mobile phones.

I think with this lot I have a good chance of turning any survival situation in to a simple "inconvenience" night. Anything else worth carrying? I have a bottle of water/food in there if my mission require it. Thinking about upgrading the shemagh to a sea to summit reactor as my gf very often uses it to cover herself when she doze off in the car.

I'm really not a big fan of all those BOB bags and get home bags and 72h bags stufft to the brim with crow bars and flairs. So what are your most usefull edc items?

 

[ged]

I think the BOBs etc. have a place. That will usually in the boot, or somewhere handy if you live in an earthquake zone (I do, sometimes).

Always on my belt:

Pouch 1:
Multitool - usually Leatherman Charge TTI
A few extra screwdriver etc. bits in manufacturer's purpose-made carrier.

Pouch 2:
Victorinox Signature
ThruNite T10 wrapped in small microfibre cloth
Tweezers (yes there's another pair on the Victorinox but they're tiny)
Cheap blue-flame lighter
Cut down Bic Crystal black biro (yes there's another biro on the Victorinox but the refills are pricey)
Ceramic body from 20A fuse

In my pocket if I go much more than half a mile from base:
30ml meths in a small contact lens solution bottle
Rubber bands
Cordage
Freezer bags
Face flannel or dish cloth

In a shoulder bag if I go more than a few miles from base:
Water in cheap (free) PET bottle
Tin mug
Polythene sheet
Food - e.g. noodles from one of the pound shops or similar

 

[BigMonster]

Yeah I have an emergency bag in my car with sleeping bags (big estate car) food and bottles of water. And as I live in manchester there is a small chance of disaster. My only real "threat" is that I travel a lot in the line of my work, on trains and cars so I risk a late night on a station in the middle of nowhere or the side of the road.
So I'm asking for usefull items to have that would be a big bonus in an emergency. Worst that can happened to me I think would be a car crashed in the woods or getting lost in the middle of the night in the middle of nowhere.

PS. Any point of clipping carabiners to your pack apart from looking tactical? I'm an experienced climber and can't think of a use for just two carabiners without a piece of rope, harness etc...

 

[ged]

Yeah I have an emergency bag in my car with sleeping bags (big estate car) food and bottles of water. And as I live in manchester there is a small chance of disaster. My only real "threat" is that I travel a lot in the line of my work, on trains and cars so I risk a late night on a station in the middle of nowhere or the side of the road.
So I'm asking for usefull items to have that would be a big bonus in an emergency. Worst that can happened to me I think would be a car crashed in the woods or getting lost in the middle of the night in the middle of nowhere.

PS. Any point of clipping carabiners to your pack apart from looking tactical? I'm an experienced climber and can't think of a use for just two carabiners without a piece of rope, harness etc...

A car crash would generally mean calling for help. You have a 'phone.
If you're thinking of, say pulling the thing out of a ditch then some rope and a puller might be handy.
If you're thinking of getting lost in the middle of nowhere then a map and a compass might be helpful.
Depending on just how lost you're thinking of getting, then maybe you might want to pack a sextant (or at least a kamal), a recent almanac, and a good watch.

No idea why you see so many carabiners everywhere.
There's one moulded into the lid of one of my water bottles and it just gets in the way.
There's a tiny one on my keyring so I can quickly detach most of the keys and leave them at home.
There are a couple on the suspension of one of my hammocks, for the water to drip off.

 

[BigMonster]

That's what I'm thinking. Unless you live in say Australia there is really nothing that a phone call/satnav/walk to the nearest house/wave at the oncoming vehicles can't solve. But from the theoretical point of view. With a multitool, torch, poncho, tarp, portable power, means to make fire, bits to maintain your body, I should be in the green anyway if III WW breaks out.


those YT videos really make me laugh of people lugging 5kg packs every day full of food rations and gas masks..

 

[tsitenha]

I am not sure if I missed it but I include an E space blanket(size of a altoid tin) along with the E poncho. It all goes in a leather pouch on my belt with a SAK, ferro and file striker(with a BIC), sml compass, 2 pieces of hard candies and a aluminum vial of emergency meds.

 

[BigMonster]

I am not sure if I missed it but I include an E space blanket(size of a altoid tin) along with the E poncho. It all goes in a leather pouch on my belt with a SAK, ferro and file striker(with a BIC), sml compass, 2 pieces of hard candies and a aluminum vial of emergency meds.

Don't mean to bash on you but I really don't believe in space blankets. Try to use one in your garden in the rain or small wind. As a 6'4'' 240 pounds guy that's all I can do with one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oz_Wqe8gPn0


Another one, any point of lightsticks?

 

[tsitenha]

I've used one in early dec. saved my night, maybe even my life

 

[BigMonster]

I've used one in early dec. saved my night, maybe even my life

Fair enough, better than nothingI gues. I have it in my 1st aid kit when outdoors but in a form of a bag (SOL bivi), easier to use and can be cut open in to a balnet.

 

[tsitenha]

Is that you in the u tube? How do you make a video? and get it in on u tubes?

Don't mean to bash on you but I really don't believe in space blankets. Try to use one in your garden in the rain or small wind. As a 6'4'' 240 pounds guy that's all I can do with one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oz_Wqe8gPn0


Another one, any point of lightsticks?

 

[Hibrion]

The longer I'm at this, the less gear I carry and leave in places. I think Dave canterbury's 'five C's' are a good way of preparing kit like this if you have to. Once you have those basics, a good attitude and a reasonablew basic knowledge you'll be ok.

 

[BigMonster]

No it's not me. You record a video using your phone or digital camera, you need to have a google account/email which is free to sign up. And then you go to YT and click "upload a video".

 

[BigMonster]

The longer I'm at this, the less gear I carry and leave in places. I think Dave canterbury's 'five C's' are a good way of preparing kit like this if you have to. Once you have those basics, a good attitude and a reasonablew basic knowledge you'll be ok.

That's exactly my attitude. As long as I have something on me like a multitool fire and torch etc, I'm confident in my knowledge and skills not to stress about it. So it's a general question on what EDC items would make a bi difference in emergency.

 

[tsitenha]

OK thanks,
From an earlier post, chemical lightsticks are available in 4" (approx) with a small string attached at the very least can be used for limited light, or twirled as an visual signal amongst other use

 

[tartanferret]

My only real "threat" is that I travel a lot in the line of my work, on trains and cars so I risk a late night on a station in the middle of nowhere or the side of the road.
So I'm asking for usefull items to have that would be a big bonus in an emergency. Worst that can happened to me I think would be a car crashed in the woods

As transport seems to be an issue, how about some pieces of porcelain from a spark plug? Could help rescue yourself or rescue someone else.

It does work! Although someone once told me the police may treat it as going equipped for theft. Don't keep 'em in a ziplok bag neither or you may "crack" open another can of worms

[video=youtube;QhlmKHbPFhU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhlmKHbPFhU[/video]

 

[BigMonster]

I have a resQme with my keys

 

[tartanferret]

I have a resQme with my keys

Nifty little things, not seem them before !

 

[MikeLA]

I just use the kit in my bergan as the survival kit but still have a survival tin in my pocket just because of the size of it. Same size as a small first kit in another pocket. Have used one once needed in the past (mostly its a reassurance thing)

 

[forrestdweller]

If i go out and there is any chance/possibility I need a drink I carry a 500ml klean canteen bottle in homemade carrier--together with the adapter it allows me to boil water if necessary...
And my edc shoulder bag and neck knife come with me anyway.....

 

[Jared]

Aslong as have the means to make a brew/hot chocolate then think everything is covered