A young woman I have worked under and become close to (misery loves company etc...) is going back to college this Fall. She's been there and done that, but this is the first time a long way from home. Before she goes, I plan on giving her some gifts: A Photon Micro Light and mini Swiss Army Knife for her keychain, and an Altoids tin with some first aid items, a lighter, - and urban PSK "lite" if you will. Hopefully she'll never have to use any of these in an emergency - but if she does maybe she'll think of me! (You know, being married to a pharmacist could have it's perks! <img src="images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> )

Also, a while back I found a nice little "auto emergency kit" at Wal Mart and bought it for my cousin. I knew it would be an awkward situation, a gift out of the blue, but I feel better knowing she has it with her.

Anyone else like to pass on your urge to be prepared, with gifts, skills, etc?

Yes.I give ( with the parent's permission and understanding) simple kits to children ranging from a whistle to a simplified psk to a cub scout. There is a growing segment of the population you won't find being polled on CNN. The homeless are often out in inclement weather,hungry,scared and seemingly more invisible than the latest camoflaged poncho. It is easy to dismiss many as substance abusers, mentally ill etc. The folk singer Utah Jack Phillips has a definition for tramps,bums and hoboes. It never included children,PHDs, war veterans and divorced women. In our economy it pays to be nice to people on our way up the ladder of success. We may easily meet them on the way back down someday. <img src="images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

A year or so ago I made up some kits that fit into a 1 gallon paint can. The goal was to be under $25 but they ending up about $45 a piece. We gave these as presents to family friends.

I designed them with several constraints. They were supposed to be low cost. They were to be used by people with no interest in survival or prepardedness. They would not have stuff that expired because the reciepents would in theory just throw in their vehicle trunk and forget until something happened. Were it my kit and given unlimited money, the contents would have been different.

They were recieved well and I have seem bumping around in peoples trunks.

Qty Description
1 Listing, contents
1 Notepad, spiral, 3"x5", blue
1 Pen, ballpoint, black
1 Pen, permanent marker, "Sharpie", fine line, black
1 Pencil, No. 2 with eraser, yellow
1 Whistle, plastic, with lanyard
1 Can, paint, gallon, with metal bale, polished metal
2 Penny, taped to outside, copper
2 Ziplock, 1.5 gallon, clear
1 Band-Aids & Gauze, assorted, in Ziplock
2 Battery, D-cell, alkaline, black & copper
1 Flashlight, 2 D-cell, yellow
1 Light Stick, chemical
3 Candle, Tea, white
1 Lighter, disposable butane, mini, clear with orange trim
1 Matches, paperback pack
1 Bandanna, with First Aid Instructions, white with red trim
1 Glove, leather, pair
12 Diaper Wipes, white resealable package
1 Bag, trash, lawn size, black
1 Blanket, space, Mylar, silver
1 Poncho, disposable, orange/yellow
1 Knife, imitation Swiss Army Knife, red
1 Pliers, 8", padded grips
2 Screwdriver, one Phillips, one slotted
1 Rope, 1/8" x 48', braided nylon, white
12 Safety Pins, 10 medium, 2 large
1 Tape, Duct, ~6', gray
1 Wire, 14 gauge, 10', stranded, red insulation

Remember how much fun it was to assemble your own PSK and/or EDC? Well, I had just as much fun assembling small EDC kits for my teenage nephews last Christmas, along with a three page "how to use this stuff" handout.

Naturally, some items (SAK, etc) may not be appropriate for today's schoolboy, and have to be omitted from school EDC. Even if they don't actually carry it everyday, the active kids (Scouts) see it as a cool outdoor emergency kit. I enjoyed the effort of putting it togetheras an alternative to another gift certificate, video game, or whatever everybody else was giving them.

I prefer to give a different gift to my allies. The gift that which is knowlege. Occasionally I'll give a little survival tip or hint that I have picked up, and if anyone takes interest, I'll try and see if I can further their knowlege. Or, I will bring ina 'survival salad' that I collected from wherever using my techniques, and that sometime draws interest. You have to avoid using bugs for those, I found that out. <img src="images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

just curios, what are the penny's for?

I really irritate my kids by asking "what-if" questions all the time. I hope it makes them think.

to open the can? <img src="images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Doh!

Yes. It started with my wife, when she was still an elementary school teacher. I gave her a Victorinox Classic for her keychain. Initally, she just grinned at a typical "David" gift. When, shortly thereafter, she discovered how much she actually used it, she asked me to get her another for her desk. I got her a Super Tinker instead. With it, she was able to fix science projects, repair desks, and even impress the principal when he asked her if she had a Phillips screwdriver. (Nowadays, of course, this probably wouldn't be possible...)

My wife & I recently gave her cousin a Leatherman Juice as a high school graduation gift. She'll be attending college in a town a couple of hours from home, & will be on her own for the first time. She laughed about it as a typical "David" gift (see a pattern here?)

A few weeks later, the cousin told me she'd read an article in some magazine about "absolute must haves" for the dorm room. The exact Leatherman orange Juice we'd given her was listed, & she thanked me again. She doesn't know it, but she'll probably get a small FAK & a Photon when I can arrange it. :-)

Spread the word!!! The more people who have their own stuff, the less we'll have to share ours with them! ;-)

David

Double doh, i didn't know what the pennies were for either. Always use the edge of my spyderco for opening paint cans. But back to the subject at hand, yes i have given preparedness gifts. Lights and knives are the most well received items, a first aid kit will usually get an eye roll. But usually somewhere down the line someone says thank you after they have needed it.

I gave my wife a SAK Compact and she was kind of hesitant at first, asking, :"Do I really need this?" Well, after about a week in the office with her knife, it is now indispensable to her. She uses it all the time at work and at home. As a matter of fact, she is on her second one, after TSA took her first one as we forgot to take it out of the bag!!

Garrett

Yes, the pennies are to open the can.

Turns out that todays pennies are not really copper but simply a copper coating overtop of a relatively soft metal. I tried to open the can with the pennies and bent the pennies. Eventually got the can open after much effort. Maybe a slug from an electrical wiring box would be a better choice?

I went to the local homecenter and got one of the free paint can openers. The type that look like the a screwdriver tip on one end and a loop of wire on the other. Hung it from the bale of the paint can. It is possible to open the can with the opener still attached to the bale but it is difficult. Much easier to remove the bale from the can, take the opener off the bale, and then open the can.

The reciepenets of the kit do not and would have a pocket knife on them to use to open the can.

try a split ring to attach the opener to the bail.

I did the similar thing for my wife several years ago. Gave her a Leatherman Micra for Christmas. Got the obliglatory Thanks and eye roll. By the end of the day she had used it 3 times. I got a big hug and kiss later.

She liked it so much she bought 2 dozen Micras and gave them out as birthday, anniversay, whatever gifts to everyone she knew. First couple of friends were not sure what to do with them. Within a couple of weeks, everyone wanted their Micras before their birthdays.

Due to the airport restrictions, many of those people no longer carry the Micras since they are frequent flyers.

Older brother - Micra
Mom - Small SAK, keyring-sized LED
Younger brother - His birthday is still coming up - Any ideas?
Dad - A lot of conversations and debates about wilderness survival/medicine. After all, he is the one who gives me the pocket-money, and he is the one who needs to realise that I am not wasting it <img src="images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

Last Xmas, I had a brillant idea : it would be lights for everybody !!
So I bought a few Surefire flashlights, a whole lot of Photon3 micro-lights and some Krill products.
I too get some weird looks back ("what a strange idea - that's the PC version .. <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />...."), but a few months later, many of my friends/folks said "well, it's really nice/amazing/usefull ... that little light you gave me at Xmas".

The Photon 3 make especially a good gift : even if people don't think much of it at first look, later on, they appreciate it ; it's so small, they easily keep it with their keys or else, and they finally find it usefull.
The Krill and the Surefire lights are more special and you have to give them to people who will really use them.

Currently, I am preparing, as gifts for family, two PSK, "de luxe" version .
First, I wanted to build something very simple and cheap, based on tin cans, but I rapidly change my mind for something bigger and more complete (and more expensive : about 150 dollars per kit) based on a mess tin (about 20 x 13 x 7 cm).
I will see next Xmas, what my folks say when I will give them these kits .... <img src="images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Alain

I also gave my wife a Photon, small one-handed folder and a Fox Whistle.

i was thinking of making a kit with those trangia messtins 2. I didn't knew they made 2 size's.

For years I have tried to "jump-start" peoples thinking with gifts. Everyone in my brothers and sisters families have first aid kits that I built, and this past Christmas everyone got a Grundig FR-200 emergency radio. My nephew who is in the military has gotten some other things from me that were survival / preparedness related. This Christmas everyone gets PAL lights.
Good luck and take care.

Ive made my sister a survival kit for india for her birthday on tuesday. I tryed to stick to top quality components and its in a nice lifesystems pouch similar to one of the eaglecreek ones with lots of different carry options.

Instead of a penny taped to the can, or a slug, how about finding a p-38 can opener? Can be used to pry one the can, and for opening any cans that need an opener