What type of gloves, and what torch do you recommend for me to have in my pouch, mess tin sized kit?
thanks

Gloves: Can't go wrong with leather for most things. When the temps are cold...add a set of liner gloves for warmth.

Light (torch): I tend to look at light needs in terms of two needs and carry for such. I carry a Photon II for the "lighter" light chores <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />, and a Surefire 6P for "bigger" needs such as defense and when I need to throw a brighter light. I'm hoping to replace the 6P with an E2 soon as it has a slightly thinner profile.

Pete,


I just picked up one of the relatively new Inova X5T flashlights and couldn't be happier with it. Imagine splitting the difference between a Surefire and a Photon, and you have it. Long battery life, suprisingly bright, good light throw, waterproof, and durable. Fits easily into a pocket. Great light.

Any kind of leather work gloves should work well for you. Deerskin are NICE, but expensive.


Take care,

Andy

A pair of rubber gloves and a pair of leather or some good work gloves.And I like a keychain light for a small kit and I like a mag lite for my large kit.Hope this helps

I go with a Maglite AA which is pretty much bombproof and runs on easy to obtain batteries. As for gloves, I'm biased, but the British Army Soldier 95 gloves are excellent. The leather is hardwearing and very well proofed but also has a Goretex interliner and a fleece lining. They're also available in green or black. Bonus! Get them from Silvermans, Springfields, SASS or Campshop.

Hope this helps.

I recently heard that gloves made out of goat skin would be a good choice. Apparently they do not absorb water like cow skin. I think deer or elk might have similar properties. They are expensive, though. Filson sells them. A pair of inexpensive wool gloves (I use military surplus ones) would also be good to add. The main functions I look to provide are warmth and protection of my hands.

A Maglite with a photon conversion would fit well in the mess kit. The Mini-Mag uses AA batteries (which are also used in most GPS receivers if you carry one of those). I especially like to be able to use it like a candle (unscrew the lens and stick the base of the Maglite into it and you have a "candle"). I don't know if this size of Maglite can be converted with a photon bulb. Store the Maglite without the batteries installed and throw in a couple of extra batteries if you have the room.

Terry

I actually tote around several pairs of gloves:

1 pr. goatskin for holding onto rough objects, ropes, moving debris (the Stanley brand in the US sells a very nice product that can be easily found--lightweight but very durable and can stand water without stiffening)

2 pr. nitrile gloves for handling chemicals/dirty things and such

2 pr. latex gloves for first aid

1 pr. heavy duty paint stripping gloves (again, Stanley brand, the orange ones) in another standby kit. These are also very good for dishwashing, so I always have a few pairs around the house...they are much more durable than your garden-variety dish gloves.

1 pr. heavy duty neoprene gloves (again, Stanley) in vehicle kit, good for dealing with auto repairs and petrol/gasoline/oil/etc.

and when the weather calls for it:

1 pr. SmartWool liner gloves

1 pr. SmartWool wool fleece gloves

and when I'm skiing/outdoors for fun:

1 pr Burton AK mitts, the warmest mitts Burton makes.

1 pr. Burton AK fleece/leather gloves for apres ski.

As far as torches, being a Yank, I thought you meant a torch as in welding, not a torch as in flashlight! But I carry the Petzl Zipka, a few Photon 3 lights, and a Victorinox Midnite MiniChamp II on my person, and I have various larger Mag-Lite's (D Cell) stashed in the vehicles. These also make good weapons, should that be necessary--and with road rage in the rise here in the US, it has been a couple of times. Nothing like a big metal stick to shut up a bad driver who thinks attacking you because *he* did something stupid/discourteous is a good idea...

Of course, now that I think about it, it probably wouldn't be a bad idea to toss a butane cartridge soldering iron and torch in the vehicle kit.

Forester,

Check out www.candlepowerforums.com for information on Light Emitting Diodes (LED's) that can be used to modify Maglites. There are several forum members there that have these for sale.

Regards,
Comanche7

hmm, notice that i can't spell!! but all the same, i believe that a lot of first aid kits/paramed's doctors etc, don't carry latex gloves anymore, due to the increase in latex alergy's. most use vinyl gloves now. just my two penny worth!

the problem ( atleast for me ) is that, it's very hard to get vinyl gloves ! i have never seen them being sold seperatly, only in bigger FAK's. Latex gloves can be found much easyer in large and small quantity's.

They should be available in any home healthcare store. You will have to buy a box but the cost shouldn't be too bad. I find that the vinyl gloves (and latex) are great to use when cleaning, working on the car, painting, etc. so they shouldn't go to waste.

Chris

You should also check out paint and home improvement stores. I picked up a pack with six pairs of gloves the other day at home depot (enormous home improvement store) that were marketed for use when painting.

Chris.

thank for the suggestions, but in this little country it's just harder to get things that in the states. local home improvement and healthcare ain't very big here. i have search though all possible stores with's are in reach, but haven seen them yet....

I also carry a zipka, a D cell maglite and a princton tec pulsar micro lite ( you can't easily get photons in the UK). But i'm not sure what would most suttible for the kit.
thanks

It just happens that im on the springfields website at the moment. Arn't the s.95 to bulky to put in a mess tin kit? Just looking at the glove section on springfields, do you think the officers gloves would be a better idea? they are thinner and cheaper.
Thanks

You might want to check out your local auto parts store. A few days ago i was in discount auto parts and they carried nitrile gloves, the blue ones.

The S95 are bulky and you probably wouldn't want to keep them in a mess tin, but they are the finest gloves in the world (probably). Officers gloves don't have the long term durability.

As a vet i use latex gloves everyday(they are invaluable) and so we have tried various different ones!

Vinyl are like having plastic bags-they are huge and don't grip to your hand or expand with your hand, they also minimise grip

Nitrile are BRILLIANT they grip to you ahve and offer alot of grip very much like latex and are non allergenic BUT they are very expensive and harde to find!

Mark

yeah, i don't like vinyl, they just don't fit well, i use nitrile myself, but for 10quid a box they aint cheap.

I wore a pair of a friends yesterday and they were very warm but not as bulky as I thought. I might get some but not for a survival kit.

For as long as I can remember we have always used latex gloves on the medic units and ambulances. With the increased awareness of latex allergies, we have switched exclusively over to nitrile gloves, this past year. While I still prefer latex for sensitivity and dexterity, I have become accustomed to the nitrile. In the lab we still use latex as our primary glove, with nitrile and vinyl for those with latex allergies. Pete

Doing SAR and working with scouts-(they get loads of injuries) Is that often they don't know they are allergic to latex which poses a large problem!

Mark

While there has been an increase in the awareness of latex allergies, I have encountered very few individuals who actually have a legitimate latex allergy. Most of these individuals are aware of this condition and many carry a MEDIC ALERT tag/bracelet to inform those who might need to treat them if they are unable to answer questions. I have "treated" many individuals who claim to have an allergy to a particular food, medicine, etc., who in reality are experiencing an adverse reaction, but not a true allergic reaction. As one of those who is often asked to volunteer to provide medical care at Girl Scout events, I make sure we have a current health history for each child and make it point to know which children have medical conditions which may require closer attention. Pete

Thats standard procedure with our lads to know there medical history! What is interesting is what you say that some so called allergies and not what they seem-i'm not a doctor so i don't know about humans! In animal terms personally i've never met an animal with a latex alleregy but it would be hard to spot if it did exist-i will continue to uise latex at work but we use nitrile for suspected animal poisons like rat poison as nitrile gloves will nbot disintegrate if you come in contact with it-quite unlike Latex!

Mark

A true allergic reaction is the body's hyper-immune response to an allergen. Most often they are to specific proteins, although some complex carbohydrates can elicit an immune response. Most allergic reactions can be classified as mild: localized itching, redness, mild swelling and wheal formation. Moderate allergic reactions can include the previous signs/symptoms with a more aggressive nature, plus mild to moderate respiratory wheezing may occur. Severe or anaphylactic shock is an immediate life threatening condition; there is severe respiratory involvement including possible respiratory and cardiac arrest. Individuals who know they have potential life threatening allergies, will often have an autoinject epi-pen with them at all times. I know of one person who works in one of our research animal facilities, who has such a severe allergy to latex, that if she touches the door knob where someone has worn latex gloves while opening the door, she will go into severe anaphylactic shock, which has occurred once already. She is diligent in wearing nitrile gloves at all times while in the animal facility and always has her epi-pen with her. In reference to "false" allergies, I have been to calls where someone has taken a medication and is experiencing one of the side effects and describes it as an allergy. If any of the physicians would like to correct or add to anything I have said, please feel free. Pete

The various stages of allergenic reaction is very useful because the only one i have ever been made really aware of is serious anapflactic shock-due to one our lads having a nut allergy and he must have all his one spoons, forks bowls etc. as if ther is minute traces of nuts he will become ill! I must say he very vigilant and i have only had administer his epi-pen once when he ate a food which had smalkll nut traces in but didn't say on the packet! BTW we consquesntly sewed them for negligence!!!!

hmm, what a can of worms i've opened!! all i know is that the dept where i am no longer stocks latex as a matter or course, just in case, in this litigation age that we live in.

to get a rash once would seem like misfortune, twice would seem like carelessness (sorry for the spelling and butchering of the quote!!)

lol-what u have to rember is i have learnt something here and i would not doubt many other have as well!! That is what makes forums like this so important!!

Mark