As far as we can tell, definition means “honest description”. There are many creative and intelligent ways to phrase honest descriptions. One of our definitions for the phrase “survival kit”, and one which we feel quite reasonable, is “a kit containing the items necessary to ensure survival is a distinct possibility in basic worst-case (life-threatening) scenarios”. And yet, subpar definitions seem to be all the rage these days.
A currently popular definition of “survival kit” seems to be “to increase the likelihood of successfully performing certain tasks which might or might not be part and parcel to the livability of an ideally anticipated survival situation.” Definitions such as these are easily thought of as the design criteria for many popular “survival kits” that include such things as travel sewing kits, pencil and paper, and of course fishhooks. The one that comes immediately to mind is the “Altoids Tin Survival Kit”. Kits such as these do not adequately address the needs of many basic survival situations, such as amputation, snakebite, hypothermia, dehydration, self-defense, etc. Our thinking would have our survival kit address the most fundamental survival concepts, ensuring that immediate basic life-saving first-aid needs and immediate subsistence needs can be met.
On the other hand, we do not feel that the “Altoids Tin Survival Kit” has no place in society. Instead we believe that in order for the charm of the “Altoids Tin Survival Kit” to survive in this highly competitive and ever-changing world, it is necessary to understand that if such kits are to serve any real purpose at all, they must serve as nothing more than the idea-goal for what we all think would make an ideal kit. The space constraint is obviously the number one priority for this hypothetical design challenge, as it “must” fit into an average sized shirt or pants pocket. This priority assumes that the kit is also lightweight, and lightweight is necessarily implied as the number two priority. Imagine that, a survival kit that fits in a shirt pocket! Wow! Hold on. Remember that this representation, this “Altoids Tin Survival Kit”, does greatly rely upon compromise with regards to our definition of “survival kit”. Simply stated, we do not at this time possess the miniaturization technology necessary to fit all the items necessary to a true survival kit inside of an Altoids Tin. Maybe when the year 3058 rolls around, our inventiveness will give us the ability to create boxes lined with energy fields to the effect that all things placed within them suddenly shrink down to 1/20th of their original size. But as of course we all know and realize full well, as of today, a truly viable “Altoids Tin Survival Kit” remains but a sci-fi fantasy. Thus, the “Altoids Tin Survival Kit” cannot be thought of as able to serve our purposes with regards to our definition(s) of “survival kit”.
So, we have arrived at the professional opinion, that is, it is our opinion here at TQS, that since an Altoids tin cannot possibly be lair to the basic items we feel are necessary to provide for immediate basic life-saving first aid needs and immediate subsistence needs, the “Altoids Tin Survival Kit”, should more honestly be described as being the “Altoids Tin Survival Kit Design Challenge for a Sci-Fi Inspired Future”. Blah, blah, blah...
I’m not just kidding! I have a little survival kit dream of my own. I actually wanted to tell you all that I could have woken up this morning to find that my left thumbnail might actually be hinged and I thought that if I discover the mechanism, I will lift it to find it reveals a slight hollow containing all my survival essentials neatly organized in a color-coded manner, and to my joy I will realize that all the extra survival kit I need to carry in a pocket, or better yet, around a short length of paracord around my neck, are the fine-point tweezers necessary to grasp the tiny items when needed. Ha, ha, ha!!!

Does this mean you intend to carry more than just a knife?

Sue

i think of the "Altoids Tin Kit" as a Lost Kit and not
survival..unless you take survival down to it's lowest
possible meaning--like huddling by a fire untill the
rescue team hears you blowing the whistle--days later--
which of course is better that the dogs sniffing you out
weeks later..

Sue,
Despite your very keen insight into the machismo of my ideal caveman thong and stone knife setup, yes, I do plan on having more than just a knife in my survival kit. I would like to carry only my midget, but she doesn't come with a cellphone or a personal locator beacon, so I'll have to elaborate quite a bit to effectualize my kit to keep with real-world ambitions.

Sure, I'd rather have my daypack with me, but given the choice, I'd rather have my Altoids tin than nothing. I suspect it's the "nothing" that could be the killer.

Of course, if I could, a fully-equipped, packed to the roof SUV would be better than the daypack. But, like it or not, sometimes we just have to draw the line somewhere.

Sue

Reading your post twice, I concluded somebody took a multitool and indeed bent your fingernail back.A rosary does not a Cathedral make, but it is every bit as valid an expression of faith in a catholic's salvation. That Altoid kit assembled with agonised consideration and search for peer approval and validation on multiple survial forums is our rosary. And like the one cell amoeba in microcosm duplicating the macrocosm of the universe it is in and of itself complete and whole and functional. You just have to face Nature and her fellow critics and remind them " I am big. It's the pictures that got small. then shove Bear aside and tell Mr DeMille your ready for your closeup.

Along the lines of the thumbnail idea:
Galton in his victorian book 'the art of travel' recommends having a doctor sew some diamonds under your skin. Then when you are lost in Africa you can buy your way out of anything.
simon

I carry a kel-tec .32 caliber on me most all the time. It weighs 6.6 ounces empty and just under ten ounces fully loaded. I often think it would be nice to have a .45 the same size, but I know "it ain't happenin". I would like to have a lot more on me if a difficult situation arose, but that is often times not possible. Yes, I have kits in my car, probably enough to start my own town, much less make it through the night, but the concept I have settled on is "can I make it home" with what I have on me. I commute 52 miles one way and have often thought could I walk home from work if I had to? I attend and am very active in a church 17 miles from home and again same thought.
The "can I make it home" concept made the biggest difference in planning a psk or altoids kit. When I started reading the forum several years ago (I recently, finally joined) I was overwhelmed with the contents of so many kits and so many ideas on preparedness. I could not narrow it down to one small kit. Now I feel confident that I could "make it home" with what I have on me. Yes, depending on the scenario, that could change, but if I decided to just get out and "hoof it" then I know I would see my wife and daughter in a couple of days.

The main failings of the 'Altoids Tin Survival Kit' is that they have no means of supplying a dose of common sense. DR's survival instructions go a long way to help though.

Lets take each Survival Situation you've mentioned.

Amputation - Why would you want to cut one of your appendages off unless your suffering from apotemnophilia (minefields and IEDs aside).

Snakebite - You haven't been looking where you are going but again the simple medical kit in the 'Altoids Tin Survival Kit' could help save your life i.e. razor or sugical blade, sewing kit, cordage, painkillers and antibiotics.

Hypothermia - There is no such thing as bad weather only the wrong type of clothing although the ability to light a fire can compensate somewhat. i.e matches, firesteel etc. A wire saw can also help provide a means to build a shelter along with a good knife.

Dehydration - To go unprepared into Desert or the Arctic regions shows a real lack of preperation, which itself is should supplement the dose of common sense (not supplied with any 'Altoids Tin Survival Kit'). The 'Altoids Tin Survival Kit' should provide a means of carrying and sterilising water. i.e Condoms etc.

Self Defence - In the wilderness, self defence is not really an issue.

Self-amputation is something that happens. Just look at the story of Aron Ralston.

Cutting into a snake bite or applying a tourniquet are two of the 'what not to do' things in the case of a snake bite...I have no idea what you'd need a sewing kit for in regards to a snake bite.

I agree. A fire is about the best thing you're going to get out of a kit like this...hopefully you're not the one with hypothermia or it could be hard to saw wood for a fire.

Again I agree.

Unless you get jumped by a Cougar...

Sorry to play devils advocate.