In the Air Force survival courses I took, they said that there are two ways to deal with our kit. Some keep it pristine so it will be ready when needed. Others use the equipment in their daily life. Both methods have their dis/advantages I subscribe to the "use it" group. I find that getting experience with the actual items allows me to modify, change, gain skill with the stuff.

For instance I found the leatherman to be a useful tool, but I prefer separate tools. I found I needed a screwdriver at the same time I needed the pliers.

Either method works. Depends on the individual.

Nomad

For me, it's definately easy access.

I use a small coffee can with lid (unsealed) in which I carry survival and utility items. It's my utility can, not a PSK per se.

I open it up and play with it from time to time to make sure that I always know what I have on hand.

Contents of the can is mostly redundancy items (firestarting material, knife, small light) since I usually also take other, full-size items with me such as a larger knife, a large Bic lighter, and so on and so forth.

The can does contain stuff that is not redundant, such as a Heatsheet survival blanket, large orange trash bag, wire, cord, tape, safety pins, a candle, stuff like that.

sealed..see my ditch vest post--the way i look at it,if it's
not sealed then it's just a "possibles bag"..a survival kit
is a "use once" sort of thing..

What I've been settling on is a total of three small packs, each with a Ritter PSP amongst all the other stuff. I have my standard day pack (Kelty Basalt) which is pretty stuffed with everything but a sleeping bag that I might need for any likely scenario. When hiking, I carry the PSP in my shirt or pants pocket. Also have a smaller slightly less equipped Mountainsmith Day lumbar pack. A second PSP in there. This is the pack that rides in my truck.

Lastly, I finally gave up on my recently assembled belt pouch personal kit as I just wouldn't want to go wandering off with what I was able to carry in it. On the one hand, quite complete but on the other, there were more items I wanted to be able to carry. So I bought a little High Sierra fanny pack which even comes with two 500 ml Lexan bottles. This is the smallest pack I'm comfortable with in the field.

My view is towards redundancy. I have three of Doug's little pocket kits because they are nearly perfectly designed for the average 1-2 day survival situation. However, I have a few more of the Spark-Lights, Tinder-Quik, wire, foil, fishing hooks, safety pins, compasses, etc. along with my assortment of tools, alcohol stove, garbage bags, gloves and hat, raingear, and so on that's regular use stuff. The PSP's are not used as I know how to use all the gear in them and have duplicated it already. I transfer one to my pocket, just in case.

This question about Sealed vs Easy Access to your PSK has generated lots of different opinions from many Forum members and that is terrific!

OBG, my situation may be a little unique as I weekly find myself in wilderness locations both at work and in my off-time, just a factor of where I live.

I think for me personally I am leaning toward a layered approach of equipment carry, using both sealed and easy access methods.

- Every Day Carry on person (e.g. multi-tool, folding knife, mini-sharpener, cell phone, lighter, ferro rod, fresnel lens, survival instructions, space pen, notebook, whistle, compass, mini-LED light, chapstick, sunglasses, watch, bandaids). Plus a sealed supplemented DR/AMK PSK on days off or sealed Altoids PSK at work.

- Small Shoulder Bag allowing easy access to items for use in remote locations (e.g. para-cord, metal cup, water, food, Heatsheet Blanket and Bivy, folding saw, fixed blade knife, GPS, larger LED light/headlamp, flagging tape, firestarter, compass, 1st aid kit, duct tape, wire, paper shop towels, etc). Plus a second sealed small PSK within the shoulder bag.

My thought process is this:

I use my EDC items regularly throughout the day so they are readily available in my pockets or on my belt. My on-body small PSK is sealed because I proabally will not use it unless it is an emergency.

My Shoulder Bag Kit will allow me easy access to things I may use in the field regularly and also contain items too large or inapproprate for EDC. I plan that this bag would also have some free space left for items specific for that day (e.g. lunch, extra clothing, fishing/hunting/work gear). Being a believer in redundancy (belt and suspenders kind of guy), a second sealed small PSK would ensure that if for some reason I only ended up with the Bag Kit I would at least have the bare minimum of dry survival equipment and that it would not already have been depleted.

I guess my EDC plus this Shoulder Bag Kit would be what I would have with me if I walked away from my vehicle/camp (e.g. hunting, exploring, snowshoeing) or if I unexpectantly abandoned my vehicle (e.g. dropped snowmobile through ice, sunk boat).

The post that got me thinking about this layered approach was this one http://forums.equipped.org/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=110913&fpart=1 after I briefly got lost last fall and CANOEDOGS excellent post here http://forums.equipped.org/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=115815&fpart=1

I am still mulling this concept over so please feel free to add your ideas and opinions or direct this thread to similar posts from the past.

Thanks,

Mike

I spend the majority of my time in an urban or suburban environment. The more rural is scattered with small woods. When I do get out into the sticks it is with my truck.

In a suburban environment there isn't much need for an extensive PSK. So I just cover the basics. A Leatherman, watch, a tiny LED light, a mini-Bic, a small hank of light line, pencil and pen, wallet with a couple of folded 3by5s and business cards, cell phone, and a bandanna. I dress for the worse so it gives me a lot to work with.

The pieces are scattered in various pockets and the pieces get lightly used regularly.

The truck has a larger kit.

Hiking and camping I carry a more extensive but compact kit in a LBE ammo pouch.

I have been thinking about getting some form of the various 'Survival card' that have bits in a form that fits in a wallet. It might add some redundancy in my EDC. So far I haven't found one I like enough to come off the money.

My Altoids tin PSK for hiking is my emergency kit. For emergencies only. I keep it sealed. There is nothing in there that I don't carry redundantly, usually in a bigger better version. For normal day to day use while hiking I'll pull out my Spyderco or Becker Necker rather than dig into the Altoid tin for the Exacto blade. I would choose the large Swedish firesteel in my pack over the BSA Hotspark in the tin. I would use my regular signal mirror instead of the polished Altoids lid.

But I keep the tin in a zippered pocket of my hiking shorts, so it's always there. I might take off my pack and sit down for lunch, only to tumble down an embankment and break my leg (I hope not though!) That tin is my emergency backup for scenerios like that.

If you do not use the items you have, you may not be comfortable using them when the times comes for you to rely on these items. You need to have the stuff accessible, use parts of it regularly, and be familiar with it. So, to me that means not sealed. My stuff is all zip-locked. I can and do open the bags, and then put my stuff back together.

There's a story in " "Deep-Survival" that describes an individual who got into a survival situation but hesitated to use his survival kit because it was for emergencies. If it had just been EDC gear he'd have used it, but he hesitated to use his emergency gear. USE YOUR GEAR.

If you want to keep a DR PSP or an Altoids survival kit, do so, but carry other similar gear and use it daily or as often as the need arises. Keep the items topped off. I consider the lower half of my gas tank emergency gear, I refill it at half tank. It keeps my emergency fuel fresh and I know that it will work when I really need it.

Hi Swampdonkey,

Could you please post a link to your ditch vest post? I would be interested to read it. Thanks....Bart