show us your minimal survival kit...

[johnnythefox]

show us what you have and pass on your thoughts/ideas.

here is mine 4 items in a compact flash memory soft case,its smaller than the photo.
always kept in my outdoor camera backpack since i was lost once following red kites.
every set of keys i own has a leatherman squirt on them so that's also always with me

1,Silva compass [i will only trust good compass makers]

2,very loud whistle [ally so as not to effect compass]

3,emergency matches from my old army rat pack sealed in strong plastic.

4,1 big waterproof plaster [lots of spiky bushes in the areas i go]

 

[beenn]

I have the same compass as you...
My survival kit would consist of whistle, silva compass, signal mirror and torch in one pocket and SAK, fire steel and small FAK in the other, and mobile phone

 

[offroadmick]

Nice litte kit there...

May sound like a silly question.....

But what use is a compass in a survival situation without a map...???
Surely you can find north, if you need to, using your watch and the sun or looking for moss on trees... I do have a couple of compasses, but dont really use them!

 

[3bears]

well it's less a survival kit, and more a mini BC kit because I cant think of any situation where a mobile phone or a £20 note would be more useful here in the UK, as i've mentioned in another thread!

this little kit just lives in the side pouch of my office bag, just incase I fancy a bit of a bimble on the way home sometime...therefore it's all UK legal carry

the tin itself is weave wrapped in about 15 feet of 550, the purple capsule contains some paracetamol, and some pro+, the larger blue one contains 24 hours worth of my Meds- just incase! ther is an Opinel 5 inox on a SS screwgate link- why on the outside? because its the thing I tend to use the most, and something I really cant be bothered opening up, and re packing the tin every damn time I want to use it lol

inside, we have some plasters taped to the lid, and everything packed neatly

inside ( from left to right) we have this lot...

clipper lighter
needles & safety pins
some sheets of paper
some small brass eyelets
some strong waxed thread
a hair bobble - if you have long hair this is a must!
photon light
a spark maker
BCB wire saw
some string
a mirror
a pencil
some super glue ( even used to repair shoes on the fly in the past...)
a Gerber vise multitool
a small roll of duct tape
a decent small compass (one of the smaller Sivla ones)
a medium grit DMT pocket stone
some tinder
a loud as hell whistle

and finally a magnifier

the whole thing is pretty small and weights about 400g so I don't even notice it most of the time.


as I mentioned all UK legal carry, though I've never had an issue with anything like that on my Island ...

 

[johnnythefox]

Nice litte kit there...

May sound like a silly question.....

But what use is a compass in a survival situation without a map...???
Surely you can find north, if you need to, using your watch and the sun or looking for moss on trees... I do have a couple of compasses, but dont really use them!

at 4pm on a january day or deep in a wood in heavy rain?
its much easier to follow your compass and you should have some idea which way to go.

 

[johnnythefox]

quite minimal bear,what do you mean by bc?

by the way a mobile phone is no good with a flat battery or no signal.

 

[3bears]

quite minimal bear,what do you mean by bc?

bushcraft of course!

I agree with the mobile thing to a degree, but I've found in Snowdonia- my normal stomping ground, even in the hills you have mobile signal now, as for the battery thing, I nabbed myself a discount freeloader globe trotter from the Betws y Coed Cotswolds the other week- so the big solar panel has been fitted nicely to my backpack

 

[johnnythefox]

maybe i should explain,i have serious leg injuries from the army i cant walk far or fast nor bend a lot.
i go out birdwatching and have to travel light as i cant carry much weight.
last year everyone left the remote bird reserve i was on after the starling roost very fast..
the light went at 4pm and temp dropped drastic i was in pain and struggled [understatement] back to my car.
it was my decision i knew it would be hard,i couldnt get anyone to go with me.
no one was about or in sight.
the compass would of helped me go direct in the dark and the whistle could of gotten me assistance,i had left my phone to save weight [i wont do that again,though i have collapsed before and the ambulance service refuse to help me].
so for me its quite serious even if i dont range so far as others,
i dont want to just stay home so i think very carefully about it all.

 

[offroadmick]

at 4pm on a january day or deep in a wood in heavy rain?
its much easier to follow your compass and you should have some idea which way to go.

Point taken....lol...

 

[johnnythefox]

do those solar panels do a good job?it seems ideal to me if they do.

 

[3bears]

i'd maybe throw a photon light in there too fox, they weigh next to nothing and are very bright, keep one on my car keys too

 

[3bears]

do those solar panels do a good job?it seems ideal to me if they do.

on just the stand alone feeloader they are rubbish to be honest, we just dont have the light for it most of the time,and I wouldn't have bothered unless the bigger version was on discount (was about £25 or so)

the clip on solar panel works well to power even smart phones though i've never had to use it for more than an over night trip...

 

[johnnythefox]

i just got a led lenser p3 and that also stays in my outdoor camera rucksack
i haven't heard of the photon light so i will google and look.

 

[Buckshot]

some small brass eyelets

Interesting inclusion
Why carry these?

Mark

 

[johnnythefox]

some small brass eyelets



at a guess for running a snare line?

i just noticed the hair bobble

 

[IanM]

I am always surprised that no-one ever recommends using a lanyard on their survival kit. Such a small kit as the OP uses is easy to loose and then where would you be.

 

[johnnythefox]

good point ian.
personally i leave it in my outdoors camera rucksack inside a zipped pocket and my torch is next to it in a pen slot.
that way i cant forget to pack it.
i have that camera bag configured for outdoors use with a waterbootle holder,pouch for food etc.
my other camera bag is for urban use and configured different.

 

[johnnythefox]

also i hope to never need it,

 

[Highbinder]

looking for moss on trees..

I thought that was a misconception?

 

[EdS]

Credit card - as despite the time spent outdoors your still more likely to get stuck/stranded in an urban area.