Contents of a survival kit in my opinion is a personal choice, with a container to match. The type most commonly thought of is the standard tobbaco tin style, and contains the items of kit that will aid survival when found in the middle of nowhere without any other kit. The origins of the tin size BTW was to get over the to folk the fact that you can survive in the wilderness with very little kit and it does not take a dozen or more bearers with tents, beds, etc just to get by. An example of such a situation would be a downed plane. Assuming having survived the crash (otherwise it would not matter what was available) the contents of the tin is all you need to stay alive. Tis true that comms eqpt like a mobile or 2 way radio or sat phone would be brilliant, but then it would hardly be a survival situation, in that scenario merely a few hours wait until picked up, however it is a well known fact that many of the remotest areas do not have a signal for a phone and a radio at ground level has very little range, and it is then that the need for survival is at it's most crucial. This is where a survival kit comes into it's own. A question is also, when are we most likely to need survival kit? I would suggest not when we are out with our kit on a bushy outing, cos it's the best survival kit there is, with our bivvies, cookers, knives, axes etc etc.
The big important question to ask ourselves is, to survive what exactly? That is an unanswerable question cos we won't know till it happens, therefore items that will assist us in most situations or the basics if you prefer, is the most desirable. We need protection from the elements which might include a shelter of some description or the tools to make one perhaps, a knife. We need to be able to be located and attract the attention of any rescue party. We need something which will enable us to aquire food and water. Water is obviously the more important therefore a means of purifying it, ie fire to boil it which is the simplest method, and a container to hold it, and boil it in. A means of navigating, in case we would need to move to a more viable area or even if the need to walk out is required. As the situation changes, then so too should the contents of the kit. We would not require the same kit if we found ourselves needing to evacuate the house in the event of a fire in the middle of the night. In this situation some warm clothing, mobile phone, credit/debit cards and useful phone numbers would be more appropriate. If on a boat fishing 12 miles offshore when it sinks then the items needed would be totally different, you get the idea. So different contents for different situations.
