Light: I use a Fenix E01, which is expensive for your needs at $15. It's bigger and more expensive than the Ritter Pico LED but it takes common AAA batteries, and has outstanding runtime if you use Energizer Lithiums. It's also the closest thing to indestructible. The Pico probably has a better tint (many E01s have a purplish tint to them, which bothers some people).

Fire: I use a CountyComm peanut lighter, again, expensive for your needs at $11.50 (plus CountyComm's high shipping costs). A mini-Bic is an excellent choice; I secure the mini-Bics in my kits with a small cable tie under the button. I'd carry at least one lighter and one firesteel.

Knife or Multitool: Here's where I spend a good chunk of money. I consider a multitool a backup for a knife, not a primary knife in itself. A RitterGrip and a Leatherman Wave are the ones I'm most likely to have. An inexpensive keychain multitool can be had for around $15 and is better than nothing, though.

Navigation: A button compass is very inexpensive. I consider a map pretty important too, but I don't know how you can put one on a keyring.

Cordage: Paracord is bulky for a keyring setup, so you can get yourself a hank of good twine or tether cord if that makes more sense to you.

Signal: A good whistle (I carry a Fox 40 Micro) and a good signal mirror. Countycomm sells a nice small one in a cordura case.

Pill Capsule: Bayer is better for cardiac cases, Tylenol is better for (IMHO) everything else. I carry both but I use Advil the most. Chlorine dioxide tablets is preferred over iodine tablets. You might want to fill another pill capsule with TinderQuik.


Disclosure: I have no affiliation with any company or product mentioned here other than as a customer.

thanks everyone, I noted that i would buy slightly higher dollar stuff if I already had some stuff, and I do. I have a fox 40 howler (from the PSP) and a Peanut lighter, a PICO LED, a Ranger Firesteel and striker, Tinder quik, I have a multi-tool, but not a keychain multi-tool, but I need to know what you think is the best one? and I am gonna use my Victorinox Tinker as the SAK, i dont like the Classics. hopefully I can get some of this stuff soon!

Sybert .. it's a good approach. Might do something like that myself. But I don't think I could get the items I want onto a small biner. More like a large locking carabiner, or what they used to call in the old days a "pearabiner".

Pete #2

I have never heard of a "pearabiner", but so far I have Light: Pico LED, Fire: Ranger FireSteel & Striker, Cord: Braided Nylon cord from PSP, Water: Katadyn MP1 tablets in Peanut Lighter casing (I havent bought a pill container yet.) First Aid: Tylenol/Advil and Bayer, SAK: Vic. Tinker, Signal: Fox 40 Howler, S-Biner, BandAids in wallet, PSP in Cargo pocket, and miscelanious (sp?) survival goodies in my pockets and "man bag!"

Don't worry - a pearabiner is simply a pear shaped carabiner - clever, huh? It is useful in some applications where you need a lot of room in the carabiner.

Pearabiner... i get it now! and Izzy, nice set ups, I need to get some more money for a couple new additions to my kits, hopefully I can post pics soon!

I've stopped using cable keyrings for two reasons: 1, they constantly come unscrewed unless you use a drop of Lock-Tite on the threads; 2, the wire eventually wears-out from constant flexing (I've had two fail this way after about a year of carrying them in my pocket).

For light it's hard to beat this LED 100 Lumen Black Cat. At $8.12 it's a dollar over your limit but it's a great light! It probably doesn't truly make 100 lumens out the front but it's extremely bright, and it takes 1 x AAA battery. It's very durable (made of aluminum). I have three and have carried two of them for about a year with no problems. If you look around on the site they have it in red which would be nice- easier to find if dropped. I just haven't got around to getting one yet.

One caveat: they're in Hong Kong or Taiwan, don't recall which. Shipping is free and I've always got what I ordered (4 or 5 orders now) but it's very slow. Think three or even four weeks! Once it was long enough that by the time it arrived I had no idea what it was...I'd completely forgotten I'd placed the order! Of course, as an old guy I suffer from CRS...

I have been using a twisty one, that you have to bend in a figure of eight to unlock, as a keyring for a few years now, without problems. They don't come unscrewed because they don't use a screw mechanism. I've not had any issues with the wire becoming frayed with these (but I have with the screw-based ones). They are coated with nylon, but I think they are just made with different wire to the screw-based ones.

See for example MrLock (not a recommendation, just the first link I found to illustrate the product).

The twist to release cable key rings are nice, but I've come to distrust their strength. I pulled on one of mine and it popped apart with very little effort. It will still close, but now it come apart with no warning and no effort.

I have the same brand that close with the ball end locking into a (somewhat) keyhole shaped notch on the other end. They have not come apart with a slight pull, but will come apart if lateral pressure is applied to the latching area. Pulled my keys out of my pocket, only to have several keys and pieces of kit hit the floor while a few stayed in my pocket.

Now I just use both types to store spare keys, and never carry them where it might matter. I use the heaviest split rings I can find. The cable type with the screw together barrel clasp may be stronger, but I have no extensive experience with them.