There are many good ideas here. I would also add at least 50 feet of para cord

I noticed that the size of the vial of matches was a concern for you. Have you considered REI Stormproof matches? The matches are windproof and waterproof and have twice the incendiary material of the NATO Lifeboat Matches (I think that is what is in your vial). As a result they are a bit bigger, but you could ditch the vial since they are already waterproof and the incendiary material is orange so you should be able to spot them easily. Each box also includes two separate striker strips (in addition to the striker strip on the box). The striker strips can be cut down to size to fit your kit.

Jeez, you would think I invented these things the way I am gushing, but they really are top notch.

You are exactly right. The vial it proportionally HUGE in the kit and takes up alot of very valuable space. Let alone the quality/size of the matches IN the vial. I will be purchasing some REI matches very soon to deal with this problem.

While on the topic of item size in my kit, I was thinking about also trading out the SAK and ARC AA for a smaller knife and a ARC AA or Photon II. The SAK and ARC AA are great but they take up too much space in my kit.

The larger kit (ABOVE) has turned out being the CORE of my BOB and I might need to reevaluate its contents...

Rusty,

There are some pretty good suggestions for a small knife here:

Add a kinfe to DR/AMK PSK?

Hard to tell from the photo which SAK you have in your kit. Are you pretty set on something with multifunctions or are you just looking for nice small blade? I couldn't decide myself so in one PSK I have a Benchmade Benchmite that I crammed in there (fairly thin, lanyard hole, nice locking blade for a small knife, about $23.00). In another kit I have a SAK Classic with sterling silver scales (a gift) that seems thinner than its red counterpart.

The knife in the kit is a SAK "SuperTinker". The one with the pliers. I just threw it in there because I already had it around.

The spares carrier was included in the purchase of the Surefire flashlight for FREE!!! It was a Gunstore going out of business sale, I got the L1 and the Spares carrier for around $100!!! As far as the carrier's quality goes, it seems pretty good in that I don't have to worry about the batteries getting wet or banged up in some sore of "makeshift" carrier. It serves a simple purpose well IMHO.

bmo, thanks for the link... that a good discussion over PSK knives.

I'd add some quarters as well.

They may be worth the weight.

I put several breast milk baggies as well. They can double for storage/carrying containers and aren't as flimsey as condoms.

Quarters are going in right now!!! And the breast milk bags will have to wait until the next time to the store!!!

As seen in the above pics, I have an electrolyte replacement pack. I found this in a store-bought FAK. I would like to find some more of these but I just don't know where to find them in such a "personal" size. This electrolyte replacement is an area that I need to work on in all my kits...

Try the REI matches out before you decide that you will put them in. I personally am not impressed. They burn like crazy for 10 seconds, then go out, no matter what. I prefer regular strike anywhere matches.

I've thought about using the seal-a-meal to bag up some individual servings of gatorade.

Haven't actually sat down to do it yet but putting them is small ziplock baggies has work pretty good in the past, but I don't how long they'll last like that before turning into little "gatorade bricks".