Minimal Pocket Survival Gear

After reviewing this forum and all the great information contained therein, I revised to a small degree my typical 'pocket gear' -<br><br>Much like the 'Don't leave home without it' gear that Doug has listed here, this stuff is in my pocket at all times, other than the necessity of leaving sharps behind if the destination is a commercial aircraft or courthouse...<br><br>Here's what I've decided on:<br><br>Sharps:<br><br>Master Knives 'Negotiator': a production knife made in Tiawan, I've had it for well over a year, and it's given very good service so far; 3.5" blade, thumb stud, aluminum handles with liner lock, a drop-point blade of 3/32" AUS-8 (so marked on the blade). It has a lanyard hole, textured grip, stainless liners and a teflon bearing. It can be disassembled with a allen wrench for cleaning/lubricating. The blade is a bit soft, but no worse than some buck knives I've owned in the past. The cost was about $20 IIRC. It will be replaced one day with a Sebenza, say when my stock options are cashed in. :)<br><br>Schrade Lightweight: This little gem is not really necessary, as I already carry the bigger one-handed knife, but I like it so dang much that it's always with me. The blade is drop-point configuration, thin and approximately 2" long, of 'Schrade +' steel (whatever that is) and has a zytel handle with lanyard hole. It is of the lockback style, with the lock release in the spine of the handle. This little blade came from the blister pack sharp as a scalpel and weighs next to nothing. I think it could be worn on a neck cord and you could forget it was even there. Cost: about $10 at Wally-world.<br><br>Firestarting:<br><br>In the absence of a good, small sparking stick, I have decided on a clear-sided Bic style lighter. It's not ideal, but has worked well in my tests even after being soaked in water and shaken and blown off; so I'm reasonably confident that it will work when needed.<br><br>I'll add a sparking rod when I get around to ordering one, as a backup.<br><br>Light:<br><br>I was lucky and found a Photon-II on sale - it's now on the keychain. I got the red version, as it's estimated life is so much longer, and it should help save my night vision when called into use.<br><br>Signaling, Compass, backup firestarting:<br><br>I have a combo whistle, compass, magnifying glass and Thermometer from Coghlan's - all in all a nice little package, if it initially seems a bit gimmicky. The whistle is sharp and pretty loud (about the same pitch and loudness as a Fox-40 I have), the Compass calibrates well against a good Silva I have, and the magnifying glass, while small, is quite clear, though I have yet to test it's firestarting capability. The Thermometer is probably useless, unless knowing how hot it is in your pocket is important I like the little gadget, and further testing will prove it's worth or prove it needs to be replaced.<br><br>Other:<br><br>The classic P-38 rounds out my kit. I have seen so many uses described for this little hunk of steel it's amazing. It'll open cans, and many other tricks. I wrap a piece of duct tape around mine to protect my skin and pockets. I have considered sharpening one of the edges to act as a reserve sharp, but haven't gotten around to that, yet.<br><br>So, there you have it - enough tools to hopefully be able to assemble shelter, start fires, signal for help should I ever need it, all of which disappear into my pockets and hopefully are fully 'urban camoflaged'... <br><br>Anything I've missed?<br><br>Regards,<br><br>Tristan

Hi Tristan,<br><br>How about some cordage? It's useful stuff; tricky to manufacture in the wild unless you know what you're doing, not always conveniently available when you need it in an urban environment and easy to carry with you nearly always.<br><br>I like woven belts, because they're an instant one-time source of cord, should I ever have sufficient need of it to destroy the belt. Others on the forum have discussed weaving their own belts out of parachute cord, but I haven't gone that far. I just use woven belts bought like any other clothing.<br><br>I have one belt made of woven cords of brown leather. I have another made of woven cords of some strong elastic that are each covered in a black woven sheath of some sort that stretches with the elastic. The leather belt "stretches" just a bit due to its weave, the elastic belt stretches more due to its composition. Either can have the ends cut off, be unraveled and thus provide several strands of cord, which can be tied and/or rewoven together if longer length is needed. It's not parachute cord, but it's cord.<br><br>Another easy way to carry cord just bloomed in my mind; the product, I believe, of a seed planted during another forum thread in which the idea of scavanging one's shoe or boot laces for cordage was mentioned. I agree with those who suggested that secure footwear was of too great a priority to sacrifice your only laces in that way, but...<br><br>I paused in writing this long enough to run to my closet and relace all of my footwear. I took the laces out of one of each of my pairs of shoes & boots and laced it into the already laced matching shoe or boot. It works. With all of the footwear I own, I can thread the holes or eyelets with two laces of the same kind as I am using in them now. I have casual leather shoes, work boots, hiking boots, combat boots, running shoes and dress shoes... each with a different kind of lace (round or flat, thick or thin, leather strips or spun material of some sort, waxed or not). It's a variety, and they all worked.<br><br>The tightest fit was my running shoes, but even they fit. The speedlaces on my combat boots work fine, though loosening them to take them off isn't as automatic as it used to be. Putting them on and tightening them up is just about as easy and quick as ever, though the last two pairs of final non-speedlace eyelets down nearer my toes don't seem to have enough slack to change tension at all anymore. At least in this pair of boots, it doesn't seem to matter at all. This technique even worked securely and easily in the hooks up at the top of my work and hiking boots.<br><br>Note: I had to learn to grasp the laces differently with my fingers, since I needed to pull securely on four ends now, two in each hand. Sometimes, when the laces didn't tighten up identically, I had to figure out which one lace end to pull on to even up the tensions. This took just a bit more dexterity than usual. It's not familiar enough... yet... to be habitual, but it was no big problem, either.<br><br>Tomorrow, I think I'm going to buy some new and extra shoelaces and bootlaces! From now on, all of my footwear is going to carry a spare pair of laces... one for securing them to my feet and one for use as emergency cordage should I ever need it. If I ever find the fit too tight, I suppose I can look around for some slightly thinner laces to replace any that are too thick to fit so well when doubled.<br><br>Thank you all for stimulating the thought, Tristan and everyone who wrote elsewhere regarding laces.

I agree with jet about cordage. I all ways have some string in my pocet, simple bog standerd string nothing fancie and I don't recon it's up to much but with my budgit, it has to do.<br>I carry a opinel number 7 allmost allways (unless I think I really shouldn't be carying a knife at all) as for fire starters I have a bic lighter as well. and some times a box of matches if I'm going some where I think I'm really going to be lighting a fire. <br>I have a mini solertair mag-lite not the best choice I know but once again budgit has interveend oh and I haven't found any where that sells thos photon things. I have a leatherman micra in my pocet aver since I got it for christmas. wich is replaceing the victorianox champ I had befor. I have mini fox forty wich I have yet to file the wings down on.<br>I think thats about it other than my psk wich I've only just started carying agaion because a had a 2 ounce tobaco tin befor and that kind of got on my nerves in my pocet however Iallways caryed it when actuly going in to the countryside or when I was carying a bag of some type. <br>I naow have a much smaller tin even smaller then the one doug has. I got it at a tobaco shop and it's pritty good buit I think it is a bit too small so I';m going to try and get one of theones like dougs. and thast about it. sorry for ranting on about my kit I kniow it's boring. but I would be glad of coments or sergestiuns as well <br>-james

Jet,<br><br>I'm working on the cord belt, but currently I haven't gotten past the problem of the cord getting twisted as it's woven which leads to a very un-even weave. I think the dual shoelaces is a outstanding idea, as is the commercially available cord belts.<br><br>Another idea I've had is to line the bottom of a outdoors jacket or parka with several loops of paracord, tacked down to the lining with stitches or even going to the trouble of opening the lining (for those talented enough with needle and thread) and sewing it into the base of the jacket. My heavy winter jacket is about 5' wide across the bottom, and so four loops would yeild about 20' of usable paracord, six loops would be even better.<br><br>In general, I think a outdoors jacket is ripe for 'upgrades'... button compass added to a zipper pull or on a stretch cord in the inside; hidden pockets added with all the typical gear discussed here (firestarters, tinder, whistle, mirror, etc. etc.) Pull on your jacket and your kit at the same time... Of course this idea isn't original to me, it's just a great idea. <br><br>Thanks for the shoelaces idea, Jet. How about this: fabricate your own shoelaces out of high-strength braided cord which is much thinner than typical laces; if the cord is 1/4 the diameter, use 4x the length and form into 2 complete loops, and use heat-shrink tubing to form the ends. That way, if it's needed, merely popping the tubing off will yeild a length of cord 4x the typical shoelace, without resorting to tying the sections together... I'll have to test this next time I come across some good cord.<br><br>- Tristan

One thing that I have done to carry survival items in my pockets is assemble a MEGA-KEYCHAIN. If I was going to be stark naked and have to run out the door, this would most likely be what I would grab.... It is a jump cord woven key fob (two 3 ft. lengths of jump cord...ends up being about 3 inches long by 1/2 inch dia) with a key ring on each end. One end has the following attached: Leatherman Micra, Suunto zipper pull type compass, Stainless steel "pill holder" (about 1 5/8 inch long by 3/4 inch dia, picked up through Herrington's...marketed as a keychain vial to hold pills or small bottle of nitro...O-ring sealed....NICE) which contains 25 ft. of Spyderwire, $20 bill, copy of driver's license, half dozen assorted fish hooks, 4 split shot, two Spark-Lite fire tinders; Stainless steel keychain butane lighter (2 1/4 in long by 1/2 in thick), Flint key (take blank house key, get pkg of flints used for a Zippo, superglue them end to end in the large groove of key, put shrink tube around to protect, black tape 2 1/2 inch piece of hacksaw blade to it for striker). The keyring on the OTHER end has: Princeton-Tec Blast 2 AAA light (VERY bright for its size, have had and used Photons, etc. just like the light output of this thing), Omega-Pacific whistle (1 7/8 in long, aluminum, a little larger in dia than .22 shell....LOUD), Sears Craftsman 4 way pocket screwdriver (flat, little larger than a quarter...you see some of the old ones with four leaf clover on them), P38 taped for protection, handcuff key, and then, FINALLY about 8 different keys. The entire MEGA-KEYCHAIN laid out is 11 inches long.....but, it does fold up and, surprisingly, is not TOO bulky in a jeans pocket. If it were possible to post a pic on here, I would.<br>Take care, all!

That's a pretty well done keychain!<br><br>I especially like the zippo flints and blank key idea. How does it hold up?<br><br>If the p-38 works to strike sparks, you could do without the hacksaw blade. That could save a bit of space.<br><br>- Tristan

The flint key holds up pretty well for several strikes. I have never put it through a stress test to see how many that it would endure. It would basically be a few-use type of tool to be replaced if ever really used. I came up with the shrink tubing after having an "unprotected" flint key on the keychain, and, after it tossed and turned in my pocket and got banged against everything else, a couple of the individual flints popped off.

that maga key chain sounds pritty good! I have somthing like that in my pocet but nealy as big or compleat. it is a fox forty wistle victorinix champ(soon to be replaced with my lovely new leatherman micra) solertair mag-lite. And a mini bic lighter held in a home made leather sleave. and a very small a adgustible spaner.<br>I like the flint idear.<br>-james

Hey hthomp,<blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr><p>The entire MEGA-KEYCHAIN laid out is 11 inches long.....but, it does fold up and, surprisingly, is not TOO bulky in a jeans pocket. If it were possible to post a pic on here, I would.<p><hr></blockquote><p>It is possible. The F.A.Q. at http://www.equipped.org/wwwthreads/faq_english.pl tells how. (Click on the link that says, "Can I use HTML in my posts?") If you can post a digital image anywhere on the web, you can just include the URL to it between "image" tags and the picture will show up in your post.<br><br>If you don't have webspace anywhere, but can email me a digital picture, I can put it up on my website and post the image in this thread for you. If you don't have the means to produce a digital photo or scan, but can snail mail me a dead tree photograph or other hardcopy, I can scan that and post the resulting image.

1/8"X 2" ferrocerium rod. Drill small hole (1/16") near one end (Ti coated drill bit). Insert small split ring through hole to attach rod to key ring. That size rod doesn't cost much more than the Zippo flints and it eliminates the worry of the flints coming loose from the key. And it's smaller since the key itself is eliminated. Just my .02. BTW cool the drill bit and ferrocerium rod with water frequently or it will spark like crazy.

Do you have a source for the rods?<br><br>Thanks,<br><br>Tristan

I haven't tried this yet myself, but check this site out, it might be the answer to our problems...<br><br>http://www.slatts.freeserve.co.uk/slatts-knot.htm

Hthomp,<br><br>You could try a good two part epoxy as well. That stuff will stand up to lots of abuse. It's just a little messy and takes some practice to mix right.<br>Much much better than super glue.<br><br><br><br>

Charles Houtchens, 915 NE 65th ST., Vancouver, WA 98665 carries the rods. (360) 695-8561 Proverbs 21: 19

Tristan --<br><br> Good post!<br><br> While I also have a "serious" PSK in a BCB tin with most/all of the items I'd want if lost in the woods, I would have that with me only in an "off road" sort of environment.<br><br> Since 99% of my time is spent within an urban/suburban environment, I also wanted to Be Prepared for more likely scenarios in an everyday environment -- places where I couldn't reasonably expect to need survival fishing gear, etc. <br><br> Since I ALWAYS have my keychain on me, it made sense to use it in much the same way you do. In addition to keys, on it I have:<br><br>-- Swisstech tool (foldup pliers, wire stripper, regular & Phillips screwdriver)<br>-- CMG Infinity LED flashlight (I like the durability and 40 hours battery life, but might consider changing to an Arc Light AAA for smaller size/brighter illumination) It also hangs outside my pocket and keeps the keys, etc. from abrading pockets.<br> -Fox mini-40 whistle, cut down as per Doug's idea (you can do it with a sharp knife, smooth it with a nail file)<br> -Swiss Army "Executive" (small blade, file, tweezers, toothpick) Probably worth it just for the toothpick!<br><br> In an urban environment, I can illuminate it, cut it, or tighten it. Those are the true everyday necessities.<br><br> Then I found a Dr Scholl's blister treatment fourpack at the drug store. A couple of the blister pads went into larger first aid kits, but the container is a jewel. 3" X 3 1/4" square, 1/2" thick, durable blue plastic, and it's curved to fit your leg or butt for pocket carry. In it I have:<br>--Xacto knife blade protected with tape (backup sharp)<br>--button compass (even in an urban environment, have you ever asked yourself if you're going the right way on a new street?)<br>--mini first aid: <br> for wounds: (2) 1", (1) 3/4" Bandaids, Povidone-Iodine wipe.<br> mini-meds package: 4 ibuprofen, 2 Benadryl for beesting allergy, 2 Extra strength Tylenol. To save even more space, I took the pills out of their packaging and into truly tiny packaging made from plastic snack bags cut down to size and sealed with a "Euro-Sealer" bag sealer. The pills are clearly marked even sans packaging.<br>--mini sewing kit from a hotel, plus a few more safety pins & a needle threader for my elderly eyes<br>--14" of duct tape, folded onto non-stick label stock<br>--a mini lighter (may replace with a "metal match" bagged as above to retard evaporation of the lighter fluid. Will test and report.)<br>--a sparklite tinder<br>--a red Photon II for backup, map reading, etc.<br>--plastic Fresnel lens<br><br> The Dr Scholl's unit is obviously full; I seal it with a couple tabs of electrical tape at the front, and put a couple of rubber bands around it to keep it sealed (and use the rubber bands as needed.) <br><br> They keychain kit covers most urban daily needs; the pocket pack contents aren't needed everyday, but are nice to have when needed. Just having it in my pocket helps remind me of the virtues of planning ahead.<br><br> I've also upgraded a commercial first aid kit that lives in the trunk of my car, with a tilt towards wound management. Whether it's a road accident or a softball scrape, my car's not usually too far away.<br><br> BTW, for "off road" outings, I'd take the "full" BCB tin PSK, and I have a separate zipper bag (about the same size as the tobacco tin) for first aid materials, separated into wound management and medications. Both would be part of a day pack or overnight pack.<br><br> For travel, I have a separate travel keychain to take on planes, with all the usual stuff (whistle. Photon, Swisstool, plus a zipper pull compass/thermometer. It has a snap release for a separate ring that carries a Swiss Army "Rucksack" model (which I like) that rides in checked luggage. Also in checked luggage is a pretty comprehensive travel first aid kit I put together, using a lot of input from Doug Ritter's small kits, and starting with the Adventure Medical "Voyager" kit. A separate Zip , labelled "Carryon," has the sort of personal items/first aid you might need in an airport or plane: aspirin, Sudafed, skin lotion, earplugs, bandaids, a blister pad, wipes, lip balm, floss.<br><br>I always travel with a utility kit in a HD Ziploc containing a plastic coffee can lid (plate), knife-fork-spoon kit from Magellan's, a couple of extra HD Zips, garbage bags, corkscrew, duct tape, extra bandana and hand wipes. I find it handy for roadside picnics, street food, hotel snacks, etc.<br><br>Sounds like a lot of different stuff to keep track of, but I find it separates logically into <br>-what I always have in my daily pocket<br>-what I always have in my car trunk<br>-what I have in a carry on bag<br>-what I have in checked luggage<br>-what I take 'off road'<br><br>It's fun making up the kits and exercising the brain a bit; the first aid kits in their various forms make a lot of sense to me to have the right stuff there when you want it (and most items come "many to a box", so it's just a question of mix and match to make up different kits.) I don't see any logic in carrying a really major medical bag everywhere, nor do I want to raid my pocket carry or PSK and have to repack everything unless it's necessary.<br><br> Last but not leas, be awaret: the airlines don't tell you there's been a change, but ever since that moron tried to light his tennis shoe, they may take away your pocket lighter. I was singled out for a random check and they kept my nice new piezo-electric. Better plan on checking that nice new Windmill and carry matches instead. (Can you light a tennis shoe with matches, or does it take a lighter?)<br><br> It's a pleasure reading the posts here and exchanging ideas. Seems like the ol' Boy Scout motto lives on many of us . . .<br><br> -- Karl

As I have always enjoyed DR's site...........<br><br> I was given a little space by Sit-rep.com to try my hand at sharing what I know and have tried with regards to my PSK's that I have carried for 26 years of military service.......<br><br>If I'm outta bounds here DR by linking to my verbage please let me know. I haven't added much to it since last fall............<br><br>Critic's welcomed and encouraged.......I'm here to learn first and share second.<br><br><br>http://sit-rep.com/staffwriters.asp?files=squantos<br><br>Stay Safe !

Your PSK list includes:<br><br> "LIFE BOAT MATCHES<br>4 each, store in small plastic vial. Also put the matches end down in the vial and place a small piece of emery cloth 60 grit into the cap of the vial as a striker. "<br><br>Have you in fact used this emery cloth to light the matches? The matches do not light off as a result of friction in my experience, like a strike anywhere match, rather they are a safety match that requires a chemical reaction to occur.

Maybe emory cloth is the wrong word, I just wanted to reproduce the material that is on the top of the Life Boat match container. I have lit them with the fine emory and the reason I suggested such was just in case a suitable surface was not available .......<br><br>Also I need to correct my reference to Condy's crystals as Kno2 as that is incorrect on my part .....sorry. I have the purple potassium permaganate that I used in the PI to disenfect and clean fruits and vegies etc etc which my SERE instructors said was a good topical anti-septic also in condensed forms.....<br><br>of course in a survival situation I wanted something that would do multiple things so the crystals with a potential of fire, water treatment, and topical medication was my choice there.<br><br>Comments and correction please...........<br><br>Stay Safe !

<blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr><p>I paused in writing this long enough to run to my closet and relace all of my footwear. I took the laces out of one of each of my pairs of shoes & boots and laced it into the already laced matching shoe or boot. It works. With all of the footwear I own, I can thread the holes or eyelets with two laces of the same kind as I am using in them now. I have casual leather shoes, work boots, hiking boots, combat boots, running shoes and dress shoes... each with a different kind of lace (round or flat, thick or thin, leather strips or spun material of some sort, waxed or not). It's a variety, and they all worked.<p><hr></blockquote><p>I wanted to follow up on this a bit.<br><br>I read somewhere, perhaps on this forum, perhaps elsewhere, that flat shoelaces & bootlaces held a knot better than round ones. My recent experiences with a number of different types & lengths of laces certainly bears this out. I feel the knots are much more secure with flat laces than round ones. In fact, I have found that flat ones are easier to work with in every way (loosening, unloosening, tying, untying, keeping laces even with each other & keeping lace ends even with themselves) than round ones. This is true in every piece of footwear I own, yet replacing the round laces in my combat boots with flat ones seems... well, wrong, somehow (just from an emotional standpoint ).<br><br>Question: Does anyone know if round laces are stronger than flat ones? Is there a reason why round laces are used at times instead of flat ones? Is it just because they look nice and dressy? Or is there something more practical... something that might bear on the choice of which lace to select for possible use as emergency cordage?<br><br>Any knowledge or ideas at all would be appreciated.

Jet,<br><br><blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr><p>Question: Does anyone know if round laces are stronger than flat ones?<p><hr></blockquote><p><br><br>I do not know, but as an educated guess... I think that if both are made from the same material. the one with the largest cross sectional area will be the strongest. Most of the time that would be the round lace. Having said that...in my experience, even flat cotton-jacketed shoe laces have been strong enough for lashing, tarping, etc.<br><br>Regular issue-type 72" round nylon boot laces are pretty darned strong. If the colors didn't bother you, I imagine you could substitute climbing accessory cord in an appropriate diameter (2-3mm?).<br><br>Regards,<br><br>Tom

Just a warning if you're logging on from work/ like to know what you're linking to... I tried to follow the link in Squantos post and got a porn site plus several pop-up adds. <img src="images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

Looks lke ownership of the site has changed...