Urban general purpose PSK w/pictures (opinions ple

Hello everyone!
I designed this kit mostly for an urban environment, so keep this in mind while evaluating its contents.
Let me know if you think some things are missing and need to be added.
Thanks very much for your responses!

Kit contents:

1 Space blanket
1 Gerber Clutch mini tool
1 Inova Micro light
1 Fox 40 Rescue howler
1 Book of matches in a separate ziplock
1 yard of duct tape by Coghlans

First aid kit:
Nexcare bandages 3/4 x 3 inches, 6 count
Triple antibiotic ointment
Antiseptic towelette (benzalconium)
Burn Free 3.5 grams
2x2 sterile pad, 2 count
Ibuprofen (Motrin) tablets, 2 pack
Acetaminophen (Tylenol) extra strength, 2 pack

Packaged as follows:

I would replace that space-blanket with the ''Heatsheet'' if it's available.
And a book of matches?? I hope you have other (and better) fire starting-options.

Add some safety-pins and paperclips. Maybe even a sewing-kit?
Also some plastic shopping bags would be handy

I have a simular kit to this. Speaking from experiance, match heads, particularly those in books of matches, tend to break up quite quickly. As a suggestion: add a Mini-Bic or other small butane lighter. If you want matches in your kit, package a few strike anywere matches in silver foil. A few clorine based puritas might not come amiss either.

Go with knuckle bandages, and a mini BIC.

Dave

When you say urban environment, what are you intending to use this for? Is it more for everyday use, or emergencies? I have something similar, but with different items, mine's more for just everyday items. BTW, I like the pouch you're using, what kind is it?

What do you plan on using the space blanket for in the city? I usually carry one around when hiking, but rarely ever use it. For an urban area, maybe a cheap poncho might be more useful or even a large garbage bag.

Also, I agree with replacing the matches with a mini bic. Much easier to use for lighting almost anything on fire and you get a lot more life out of it.

I have a couple of safety pins and a tiny sewing kit. Safety pins are pretty useful for rips in clothing, and the needles in the small sewing kit are good for removing splinters and a lot of other stuff.

I also carry a Fox40 whistle, but I'm thinking of leaving it in my hiking backpack. Never really needed a whislte in the city.

I don't carry much in the way of first aid aside from a few band-aids. I keep a fully stocked first aid kit in my car though. I figure if there's something serious enough that requires more than a band-aid, I'd probably call for outside help. Never even thought about carrying burn cream, do you work around fires where there's a likely chance of getting burned?

I also carry a tiny button compass, it's actually pretty useful when walking around.

Why knuckle bandages?

I was actually thinking along the lines of a few wound closure strips, since there are a couple of 2x2's in the kit.

Wouldn't a mini Bic start leaking? It gets kind of crowded in there <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Well, I live in San Francisco bay area, so that is pretty urban. What I am trying to say is that, I will not go live off the land for two month with this kit. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I look at this kit from a dual use point of view: disaster and everyday use.

For a disaster (earthquakes here) one would worry about being trapped in a collapsed building, for example at work, thus a Mylar blanket and whistle. Also, if memory serves me well, many injuries during Loma Prieta earthquake were due to burns from fires that got started because of busted gas lines, thus the burn gel.

Everything else in the kit are dual use items: flashlight, Gerber Mini Clutch, duct tape, and a first aid kit (what if I get a headache! <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> )

I am building another one for my wife and she specifically requested to have the whistle clipped on the outside for easy access. (She works in a seedy neighborhood)

I like your idea about sewing kit and safety pins, thanks

The pouch is basically a soft sided inhaler case , and since its soft-sided it can accumulate a little bit of extra gear.

Knuckle bandages are the most versatile. Check this out:

bandaid tricks

Frankie

Put a small piece of wood or some other material between the Bic button's lip and plastic case, and tape it in there. A lot of people do this to keep Bic's from leaking while stored in places where the button might accidentally be depressed.

Or you could buy a Mini Bic C2 Metal Case. However, it is a tad on the heavy side for something so small.

Nice kit by the way.

I second the idea of using an AMK Heatsheet instead as well.

Perhaps you could add a few Gerber Seal & Go Breastmilk Bags for water storage, and a couple of MicroPur MP1 Tablets for water purification if they'll all fit.

Where'd you get the nylon case?

Inhaler cases are available at our site. We will go live in late June but you can preorder them already.

Thanks to everyone for the good word and all the advice!

In my opinion the leaking lighter issue is vastly exaggerated. Pack the lighter into the kit correctly, in this case bottom end first into the plastic bag and you shouldn't have any problems. Routine kit maintenance should ensure that any problems are spotted early.

Hmm. Aspirin. As many as you can squeeze in there. There are always a lot of people with heart problems, and an aspirin can really help them.

I'd try to work some paracord into the mix, too. I carry a stainless steel pill carrier with matches, needles, thread, snare wire, fish hooks, fishing line (80lb test 3 strand) and some cut-off strike-anywhere matches in it. I have a paracord lanyard that unwrapped will give me about 5 feet of cord.

I've seen hat bands made of paracord, belts, and all manner of things. If nothing else, get a sheet of stiff plastic and trim it to make a card around which you can wrap some paracord for a nice flat pack.

Uses are innumberable - tourniquets, splints, tieing up sheeting to make tents and on and on.

Good kit! Well thought-out.

You can ad a very small zip tie around the activation lever as well, to prevent leaks from that source (not that you'd have fluid all over, but it would be unpleasant to need it but the fuel had evaporated).

I'd second some water storage (gerber bags or MRE hot beverage bags, or oven bags) and possible a purifier. Also the needle and thread - very handy.

Great kit - well thought out for your needs.

I am guessing Gerber bags refer to baby food gear, not the "fend for yourself" gear?
<img src="/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

Aspirin is probably a better idea then ibuprofen, thanks Farmer!
I think I will stay away from fish hooks and snare wire for now, I am not sure I want to eat the local fish <img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> , and feral cats are very difficult to catch <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
A strong string wouldn't hurt though.
thanks

Ibuprofen and acetominophen have their place. If you've got a situation with bleeding, the aspirin can be detrimental since it makes the blood flow easier.

And fish are for more than just eating! You can use them for bait for a trap, and if you split the back you'll find that most fish store water along the spine that you can drink.

Breast milk bags. Most people seem to use the gerber brand, but any brand that is sturdy and has a good seal will work. Much easier to fill than a condom used for the same purpose.

Does a milkbag take in about the same space as a condom?

I use a ziplock in my PSK

I think it's a little bigger, but still small. I usually put mine (x2) folded on the outside of an altoids tin which is then wrapped in paracord and stuffed in a GI comapass pouch.

Gerber Seal & Gos are larger than a condom, but only marginally so.

Click Here (bottom of the page) for a brief write up about Gerber Seal & Go Breast Milk Bags on ETS.

It is good to see some more focus on Urban PSKs (UPSK for fresh new acronym). I am currently putting together my own UPSK and trying to decide the merits of various items in this environment.

So many of the kits I see are really focused on wilderness situations. Example: Fish hooks have limited use in the city. A sewing kit would have better utility. The realities of the city and the realities of the wilderness are quite different.

That said, to steal another's quote "Thermo-regulate, hydrate, communicate". Those priorities are still paramount and will be the basis of my UPSK.

re: bic lighters. I have had them leak in kits before. A dry bic is a near useless bic. The simplest solution is to wrap a thin rubber band, multiple times, around the body, just below the activator lever. I have not had a leak since. All my “kit bics” are so equipped now. It is cheap, and easy to remove under stress (unlike having to cut a nylon tie wrap quickly with a knife. Don't ask how I know this or ask to see the scar).

Another item that seems to be so obviously lacking from so many UPSKs is the humble dust mask. The images of post 911 should have driven home the usefulness of this small, light, inexpensive item. The same would go for earthquakes or large scale fires. A folding N95 mask could do double duty if there was some concern for biological contamination. I know they aren’t cool and nobody makes one in titanium with cool knurling and some fancy anodizing, with built in LEDs that flash SOS…..but get one anyway.

Good luck, TR

being an ignorant single man, just where do you find these bags?

Any grocery or department store. Find the area with the diapers, and wander around looking lost. When you find a likely victem (big belly or very little kid will be a dead give away), approach apologetically. Ask.

The sheepish grin will help.

Use the same techniques when buying feminine hygine products for the FAK and fire starting.

Grocery stores, drugstores - I got mine from Walgreens. Look for the baby forumula, they should be nearby.

Only one yard of duct tape?

I understand the limitations of the size of the case you are putting it all in, but I would try to squeeze in another few feet of duct tape at the very least.

Also I would add a needle with a large eye and a few feet of dental floss.

Package it in a small plastic straw or a coffee stirrer.

1. Heat and crimp one end of the straw.
2. Thread the floss through the needle like you are going to use it to sew something.
3. Put the needle into the straw and then wrap the floss around the outside of the straw. You can use a small piece of scotch tape to secure the loose end.

Just a few thoughts to help improve what you already have.

porkchop

What sort of container is in the picture? If I missed that, among the other posts, I apologize.

The pouch is basically a soft sided inhaler case , and since its soft-sided it can accumulate a little bit of extra gear.

Red, are you saying that altoid tins are uncivilized? *growls as I touch down a sharp spot on the business end of my club*

That's Burn Free Gel is WONDERFUL stuff. Wonderful. We had an unfortunate chance to need it this past winter, it's ust great, great stuff. Great for a kit.

I'll second that. BURN GEL rules. Let's hope we don't all need it soon.

-- Craig

Is this burn gel really that good, and does it have any other uses besides burns? I just wonder if it's something that I would want to carry around every single day, as opposed to just having it in a regular (i.e. car or home) first aid kit. I had never really thought something like that being absolutely essential that I would need it on me at all times, it seems like more of a luxury, but is it something that I should include in a kit?

And instead of a dusk mask, I prefer to carry a bandana. Specifically a red cotton boy scout bandana that I've been using for the past 20 years. It seems to be the perfect size, iIt can be used as a reasonably effective dust mask, but has a variety of other uses too.

That burn gel sounds great, I'll look for it. I presently use a Solarcaine burn gel. I pack it for two other uses also: aftershave and for anti-itch. Anymore ideas for its uses?

I understand that it is better than WaterJel since Burn Free doesn't have Lidocaine in it. Some are allergic to that...

We just used the Burn Gel on our vacation in Mexico (sun burn) - it really worked great. Unfortunately it has got a funky smell to it which is not terrible, but peculiar. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

A good kit. I might add some cash in various forms, an old ID card, a local map and one of those tiny FM radios to get updates.

Hope this helps,

TRO