Many of us have a variety of kits, from micro to full-size BOB, but I'm focusing today on the superb Doug Ritter-designed Adventure Medical Kits "Pocket Survival Pak" a.k.a., the PSP.

What have you added, removed or substituted that fits within the original plastic pouch? All I've added is a tiny Gerber LST folder and the Ritter Photon.

How do you usually carry it, and when do you? Pocket? Belt pouch? In your day pack, glove box, or tackle box?

What do you invariably carry along with it (keeping within the context of a "mini survival kit")?

Have you ever had occasion to use any of the contents? It doesn't have to be some big survival thing; maybe you used the duct tape to fix your sunglasses on a fishing trip?

I'm currently looking for a removable (not requiring belt removal) belt pouch big enough for an PSP and a Heetsheet, and not much else. I have a slightly larger kit I carry on planned outdoor trips, so my current PSP is basically just a loaner for any companions.

My best addition so far has been a SOG Twitch II without the pocket clip. It fits in the original package and left room for some Katadyn Micropur MP1 tablets.

I put in a Exec. model SAK, a few allergy tablets, a couple bandaids, katadyn water tabs. I have tied a lanyard to the case
with a photon attached.

All I've added has been an orange Mini-Bic lighter. It's currently in the glove compartment of my truck as an easy "grab-n-go" kit for the random, unplanned adventures I'm so fond of. If I can track down some individually-packaged bug repellent wipes I may toss two of them in it.

So far I haven't used anything from it.

-Blast

I removed the contents and placed them into a slightly larger "french mess tin". Not sure if the French diet or not, but it isnt much bigger than an altoids tin. I carry this in a neat little belt pouch, that has velcro & hangs off my belt. I will snap a few pics tonight. There is plenty of room inside the pack for a heatsheet, SAK, silva compass, and a bandana. I think I also have some 550 cord in there too.
I am not a huge fan of carrying things in pockets unless I absolutely have to. This little back slides or velcros right onto my belt, allows for a few more items, essentially making it into a 24 hour kit.

I've only added a Photon. I use a couple of rubber bands and attach it to a Heatsheet. I figure with the added shelter it might get me through a wet cold night. It goes into a small fanny pack with a PLB.

Unfortunately, the original psp-pouch failed after about 5 years of relatively hard use. I keep it in my maxpedition jumbo hiking-kit.

Descided to upgrade to a Pelican 1020 case and add some additional items.




Lanyard with Pelican 2130 LED flasher



- HD aluminium foil (replaced since the original PSP)
- Instructions
- 2pers. AMK Heatsheet (in addition to heatsheet bivvy in jumbo)
- Pelican 1020 case
- Pelican 2130 flasher
- nice folding hacksaw from topsknives.com
- quart Ziplock bag
- Spyderco Ladybug H1 plain-edge
- 10 Aquaclear water purification tablets
- Duct-tape, blaze orange, 4ft.
- Fox 40 Rescue-howler
- 5 Tinderquick (couldn't stand there are only 4 in a bag that holds 5)
- thread
- button-compass
- steel wire
- LMF mini-firesteel
- 7 wind-waterproof matches+striker
- nylon cord
- vial with safety pins, needle, fishhooks
- Sparklite
- 2 CR2045 batteries
- fresnel lens
- waterproof paper
- Rescue-flash signal mirror
- pencil
- Petzl e+lite

Inside of the original pouch I added:
1 ea. condom
5 ea. wind/waterpoof matches and a stricker in seperate pouch
2 small,2 med,2 large band-aids
4 ea. Micropur M 1 tablets
1 ea Gerber LST(the smallest one)
1 ea small flat flashlight.

this is carreyed inside of my "ditch kit"

This is mine mods

I have added...
Disposable Sunglasses
Opinel Folding Knife size 7 i think
12 hour red cyalume
Pak-Lite
Foil Blanket
Katadyn Micropur MP-1 tabs
Length of bicycle inner tube
Swann Morton scalpol handle and 1 pack of no10 blades
10 meters of cord
Lifeboat matches
small fire steel
Glass signal mirror
Surefire torch
Laser Flair
4 spear 123 batteries

This all fits in a small pouch i wear on my belt when out and about or throw in my daysack as an EDC.

JIM,

How do you rate the Petzl E+Lite?

I have been looking at them since they were released, but have not been sure.

I`m curious too! They are super light weight and I was thinking about one for light weight backpacking as a secondary /backup light.

I have the Petzl Zipka Plus 4-LED Headlamp but it's pretty heavy as a secondary light for trying to keep light weight

I have three of them... And two S.O.L.'s Sue me; I'm forgetful so I like redundancy.

They all get Micropur tablets.

One lives in my jacket pocket. I've added a tiny SOG Micron folder. I used the safety pins from this one once to attach our numbers when we did a fundraiser walk on the DC mall. It is kept company in the pockets by a disposable poncho, large Heatsheets, and an AMK Pocket Medic.

Another lives in my PSK (details linked from my signature line).

The third lives in an outer pocket of my BOB. Should I somehow completely lose my EDC gear, this and the other things in that pocket will bring me back up to snuff, with a little extra thrown in.

Thanks Izzy, I'm quite proud of the PSK myself

I highly recommend the Petzl e+lite because it takes up very little space and weight, is very robust, waterproof and has a great runtime with both white and red led's.

At first I had a SOLED flashlight in the PSK, but then I realised that the e+lite was a lot more usefull and worth the additional space it needed in the pelican case.

Thanks for reminding me BTW, I need another one to go into my GHB..

Not to hijack a VERY good thread, but I don't recall anyone previously referring to the Ritter Pocket Survival Pak as the "RSK". Isn't it usually referred to as the PSP?

To my knowledge RSK has been associated with Doug Ritter's most excellent knives - as in "Ritter Survival Knife".

Did I miss something?

You're correct, but ow well..

I managed to squeeze in 6 micropure tabs, 2 gerber breast milk bags, 6 REI matches and striker wrapped in foil, mini bic, small folding razor knife, and a DR photon LED light. Yeah it is pretty tight in the original packaging.

One resides in my backpack which is also my laptop case, otherwise it goes in whatever pack I have with me. This goes with my EDC (mini-RSK, Inova A5? (two CR123 version), and a mini bic, plus keys w/ DR photon, cell, wallet. In my backpack there is an AMK heatsheet, write-in-the-rain tablet and pen, gerber multi-tool, another Inova, flashlight, misc other things, oh, and my fairly extensive med kit.

I have only had the opportunity to use the duct tape, but on two separate occasions. Once to patch a hole in a boat where a thru hull came out, and another to fix a pair of headsets at a NASCAR race.

Bill

Actually, you're correct. In point of fact. RSK is a trademark (soon to be a Registered Trademark) for my knives. Pocket Survival Pak is a trademark for my pocket survival kits and we normally refer to them as PSPs. OTOH, I guess as long as you don't call them a dirty word, I won't lose too much sleep over it.

My sincere apologies to all for my obvious mistake, and my thanks to KenK for his alertness in spotting my error and politely correcting any confusion.

The only logical explanation is that the mind control rays from the black helicopters hovering overhead must have gotten past my tinfoil helmet. I had posted previously, here and elsewhere, about my excellent RSK knife, and the rays caused the term "RSK" to be locked onto all things "Ritter," I guess. I even explicitly spelled out "Pocket Survival Pak" in my original post in this thread, but still managed to screw it up. Maybe I have the tinfoil facing the wrong way; it's shiny side OUT, right?

I have several of the PSP's. I keep one in each of my daily carry bags (I have a Maratac Range Bag that I carry when driving (this thread is about the bag and what's in it) and a Maxpedition Typhoon Gearslinger bag I use when riding trains/planes. In the Gearslinger I carry the PSP in a Witz case the same size as this one. I've added some water purification tablets, a plastic fresnel lens, a BCB-type credit card tool, plastic water bag and a pack of paper matches.

These bags are my worklife EDC. They are stocked to get me through 24 hours away from home. The PSP's can be grabbed and stuck on my person quickly if I ever need to ditch the bags. I did actually repack a PSP (but only after watching Doug's video on how he puts the kits together).

I EDC the petzel e+lite and still have my Tikka Plus for around the house use. So I will answer this.

The e+lite is a very good light for its size. it comes in a semi-rigid red plastic carry case. The lid is water resistant and sets on the body by a round stretch band. After hundreds of in/outs the band has not lost any compression. The case has a belt loop.

the e+lite is quite small. About the size, width and depth of an adult male thumb from mid-joint to tip. The light swivels so the lights can face a rear panel that attaches the light to the comfortable shock cord head band for storage.

There is a cord lock that adjusts the tension of the head band. Any head size from adult to child can wear this band. You can also slip it on your wrist and cinch down or carry around your neck. For Halloween my young son was Ironman and I cinched it around his palm on a blink setting so it looked like repulsor beams.

There is a metal clip to take the light off the head band and attach to the brim of a hat. The light can then be swiveled 360*.

There are four lights, three white in a triangle and one smaller red in the center. The unit has 7 settings activated by rotating a lever by thumb along the right side (as worn). 1) An off setting that is also the LOCK function. 2) low white beam 3) high white beam 4) white blinking 5) red blinking 6) red beam 7) off.

As a backup light, I am totally sold. This is not a primary light for anything more than stumbling around a house or reading in bed. But having it in a pinch is why I EDC it and trust it with my life. I believe it will do a great job when called upon.

If you want something I consider dependable, small and very compact, this should go in an EDC. I also have a Nitize LED maglite and Inova photon in my EDC kit. The Nitize is considerably brighter but I prefer hands free.

If someone was to ask me to list the best kinds of posts in this forum I'd have to say that I really REALLY like when people post packed and unpacked pics of their kits and then provide details on what items are inside the kits.

This teaches, provides fodder for discussion about kits, helps the kit's owner improve the kit, helps me improve my kits ... and that is what this forum is all about!!!!

I just wanted to say a special thanks to those that do that. It always makes my day.

Ken

I add a $20 bill, the universal "urban survival kit", tucked inside the foil to hide it. Also tucked in the foil is a folded up gerber bag. I also removed the fishing kit, and in it's place put a few strike-anywhere matches cut down to fit. A couple MicroPur tabs, and of course, a photon light.

Oh yeah, I forgot!

The PSP in my CHL bag also has a $20 and old copies of my CHL card, DL, and State ID.

One can wind up in the slam for having the "H" part of the CHL without the "L" part, so it makes a nice back-up document.

The CHL bag is my JUMP OUT NOW bag, and is within reach from the driver's seat.

You might add, in a second bag: tiny light, knife(!), cash, mini-bic, modified as necessary, fresnel lens, sunscreen in a tube, basic meds band-aids...

I mad my own kit here:

Disaster planning 101 blog

see first aid and survival kit

Its bigger than an RSK and includes fire/ light/knife elements.

Is that pouch a Maxpedition H-1?

No, its a vinyl make-up pouch from Target. 3 for $10